Beginning of Cultivation -
Chapter 182: Completing the Mission
Chapter 182: Completing the Mission
Nora and Alice moved at breakneck speed, racing toward Margaret’s location. Their rapid movements inevitably drew the attention of those around them.
"Look! Are they heroes?"
A young boy, noticing the two figures dashing past, voiced his curiosity.
His friends turned their heads, watching the fleeting silhouettes vanish into the distance. One of them speculated,
"Maybe they are... or maybe not. But most powerful people in this world tend to be heroes, so the chances are high."
"Hmm, you have a point. I think they’re heroes too—probably on some kind of mission."
"That’s so cool! I wish I had power like that."
The boy’s eyes gleamed with longing. After all, possessing strength beyond that of ordinary people was an irresistible dream for any youth.
However, his friend merely chuckled and teased,
"Haha! *You*? Dream on. Go home and take a nap—at least in your dreams, anything is possible."
"You bastard! What’s wrong with having dreams?"
The group quickly lost interest in Nora and Alice, returning to their unfinished tasks.
In this world, heroes had long since become a mundane existence. The people’s curiosity toward them had waned significantly over time.
This shift in perception was largely thanks to Magnus’s grandfather. His preference for working discreetly had shaped public opinion, making heroes seem far less remarkable than they once were.
Ironically, it was the independent heroes and villains that captured public fascination. Though they were but small factions, their penchant for causing chaos in pursuit of fame ensured they remained in the spotlight.
As they ran, Nora couldn’t help but notice the fleeting glances people cast their way, only to quickly lose interest. Turning to Alice, he asked curiously,
"Why are they so indifferent?"
Alice, unbothered, answered bluntly,
"What’s there to be surprised about? Aside from the President and Vice President, no hero has any real reputation. Who would waste their time paying attention to a bunch of nobodies who pose no threat?"
Her words were so on point that Nora fell into a brief silence. After a moment, he nodded and responded,
"You’re right. In this era, heroes have become a forgettable presence among the people... but in the future, that will change."
As Nora spoke, his tone grew heavier. According to the original trajectory of the future, humanity was destined for complete defeat.
Alice’s expression also became more serious. She said,
"I just hope the demon world returns a little later so we have enough time to amass our strength."
Did the people know about the demon world? Of course, they did. However, what they knew differed greatly from what heroes and politicians understood.
To ensure that civilians could study and develop freely—maximizing humanity’s potential—politicians had deliberately downplayed the true threat of the demon world.
To the average citizen, the demon world was merely a small price to pay for humanity’s rise to power.
.....
A short while later, the two finally arrived at their destination—Margaret’s place. The mission’s location was ideal, positioned not far from the hospital.
Upon seeing the elderly woman, Nora immediately dismissed any suspicion that she was a planted agent sent by the Hero Association for evaluation.
It was simply impossible for a frail, aging body to contain immense power. The President, Magnus, was living proof—his towering physique alone was enough to intimidate.
With just a glance, Nora confirmed that Margaret was no more than an ordinary civilian.
As for why he was certain she wasn’t connected to the Hero Association? It was his intuition. His instincts had always been unusually sharp.
Of course, there was also a more objective reason—her health was far too poor. The Hero Association certainly wasn’t desperate enough to recruit the elderly for fieldwork.
"Good day, ma’am. Are you the one looking for a lost cat?"
Upon seeing the two masked figures, Margaret blinked in surprise. But soon, her expression softened with delight. She said,
"I never expected actual heroes to help me find my cat. Thank you both so much."
Alice beamed and cheerfully replied,
"Hehe, don’t mention it! This is our job, after all."
Nora felt something was off.
"Wait a minute—this is my mission. You just tagged along for fun, so why are you talking like you took this assignment?"
Though grumbling internally, he remained silent. Professionalism mattered, after all.
"That’s right, ma’am. We’ll do our best to help you. Could you provide us with more details?"
Nora carefully observed the old woman’s expressions. Every subtle change in her demeanor was captured by his keen gaze.
"It seems she truly isn’t affiliated with the Hero Association. Her surprise earlier wasn’t an act."
The elderly woman hurriedly responded,
"I’m not entirely sure, but I can guarantee that it hasn’t gone far. It should still be somewhere in the nearby area."
Nora and Alice exchanged glances, their lips twitching slightly.
"That’s way too vague."
Maintaining his composure, Nora asked,
"Do you have any other clues? Perhaps in past incidents, where did you usually find it?"
The old woman pondered for a moment before replying,
"Ah, now that you mention it, I always found my cat in a tree."
Hearing this crucial detail, Nora nodded and reassured her,
"Please wait here for a moment. We’ll be back soon."
He then glanced at Alice, who nodded in response, and the two immediately dashed off.
Though the mission seemed trivial, as a hero, Nora was committed to carrying it out seriously.
Arriving beneath a large tree, Nora tilted his head upward—but saw nothing. He then suggested,
"How about we split up? That way, we can cover more ground faster."
He fully expected Alice to agree, but to his surprise, she shook her head and flatly refused.
"No, I don’t want to."
"...Why?"
Nora was momentarily stunned, his mind filled with question marks.
Alice simply chuckled and said,
"I’m here to accompany *you*, not to take on the mission."
With that, she stood beside him, showing no intention of leaving his side.
Nora sighed in mild exasperation. However, since it was *her*, he decided to let it go.
"Fine, then stay close. But don’t just play around—keep an eye out. The target seems to be a tree-climbing cat."
"Hehe, no problem!" she replied cheerfully.
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