Legend of the Cyber Heroes
Chapter 185 - 185 105 Illuminate Every Dark Place

185: Chapter 105: Illuminate Every Dark Place 185: Chapter 105: Illuminate Every Dark Place The moment Xiang Shan’s figure was illuminated by the firelight, spotlights from the ground and other high-rise buildings also converged.

For an instant, the platform was as bright as daytime.

Countless weapons targeted him.

This included several anti-material weapons.

Given the density of the Protector Troops in the area and the number of snipers, this brazen Hero would probably be turned into a pile of scrap metal in the next second.

“Aim!” the Assistant Officer bellowed, “Fire!”

But then…

Nothing happened.

In that instant…

no, actually seconds before, a higher authority had directly revoked the entire troop’s firing rights.

The virtual image of the Holy Knight Ashur appeared before many officers.

“Have you gone mad?” he roared, “Using close-range missiles and anti-material weapons to attack the location of my Order of Knights?

That’s close to the load-bearing frame!

That floor is also the core experimental area!”

The super building’s load-bearing frame could evenly disperse the weight of the entire building, spreading it as thinly as possible over each inch of material to prevent any single part from bearing too much pressure.

But if this overall structure had issues, then the ‘dispersal of force’ couldn’t continue.

The massive gravity eventually concentrated on a small area would lead to the material’s failure, followed by a cascade of effects.

The sniping from these armed forces could damage the intelligent equipment in the experimental area, valuable data, and even the experimental subjects providing the data, even if it avoided the load-bearing frame.

This was something Holy Knight Ashur could not tolerate.

“But…” the Vice Captain argued, “Mr.

Bengel is still there.”

“But you absolutely cannot use weapons over 20mm, nor high-explosive ammunition.

All laser weapons, EMPs, and metal aerosols are prohibited!” declared Holy Knight Ashur, “You must not damage anything in the core experimental area!”

He knew Heroes seldom targeted these things for precise elimination.

The founder of Jianghu, the Martial Ancestor, was also a Scientific Knight.

Most Heroes were not against technological progress.

Some would even publish their papers on blockchain.

[But limited by experimental conditions, Heroes often could only engage in pure theory or applied research.]

That Hero would only harvest the lives of certain individuals.

“Kinetic bullets under 20mm caliber?” the Vice Captain felt he was going insane, “Have you lost your mind?

That Hero easily cornered Mr.

Bengel into a desperate situation.

His martial arts are definitely not weak.

We are more than 2,500 meters away from that platform on the 740th floor.

At this distance, that Hero can even leisurely slice bullets with his sword!”

Indeed, the maximum range of modern weapons sniping had greatly increased over the past, but human dodging abilities had also been greatly enhanced.

Approximately three kilometers was one of the most unfavorable distances for bullets against a Martial Artist.

“Then, it’s time for him to sacrifice himself for the truth.”

The Chief of the Mona Knight Order, Ashur, decided the fate of the Vice Captain stationed at Pine Eagle City with that one sentence.

The Vice Captain did not argue further.

He had wanted to save Bengel only out of duty.

Now that Chief Ashur was willing to bear this responsibility for the sake of truth, it was no longer his concern.

As the saying goes, the more one does, the more mistakes one makes.

“Bengel, it’s time for you to sacrifice yourself for the truth.”

At last, Bengel received such a communication.

Bengel was no longer able to speak.

At this moment, the first wave of bullets had arrived.

But that man confidently strode forward, swirling his sheathed longsword into a Sword Blossom, deflecting several bullets that he couldn’t dodge.

He continued to walk steadily.

Bengel knew there was a special category in martial arts known as “Stage Martial Arts”.

Although to most outsiders, any martial arts not designed for “fighting” are not considered martial arts, such martial arts indeed exist in the world.

Stage Martial Arts include many subcategories.

For instance, “Stage Swordsmanship” born alongside opera, the martial role of “Peking Opera Martial Performers” in traditional dramas, and “Action Choreography” in kung fu films are all types of Stage Martial Arts.

Of course, that’s not to say Stage Martial Arts have no practical combat significance.

In fact, Stage Martial Arts can be considered as the “relic species” of martial arts.

Because there is no need to consider “actual combat effectiveness,” ancient routines eliminated from the martial arts world find their fragments within Stage Martial Arts.

In Europe and Japan, “Stage Swordsmanship” is a variant of “Classical Swordsmanship” from “Old Manuscripts.”

And the blade techniques of Peking Opera Martial Performers also stem from the “standard routine” of “Dancing with Sword,” one of the “Skill and Valor” events from the Later Jin Imperial Military Official Examination.

Practitioners of Stage Martial Arts painstakingly trace the “history” of every move and add numerous expressive special actions to the “standard” foundation.

For example, throwing actions that highlight the weapon’s presence, wide turns and spins, conspicuous Sword Blossoms and Spear Blossoms, denser long path Slashes, and intentional pauses at “keyframes” to let the audience better appreciate the action’s “rhythm.”

In the era of Natural Persons, the physical capabilities of Stage Martial Arts Practitioners weren’t much less than those specializing in actual combat Martial Arts.

[Of course, exaggerated movements are objectively more likely to cause sports injuries] But Stage Martial Arts were almost unlikely to defeat a fighter head-on.

No need to consider the displacement of Footwork during the practice of martial arts, no need to consider “counter routines,” completely abandoning resistance to impact…

What is exchanged for these is the ultimate “expressiveness.”

It’s a power that can capture everyone’s attention in an instant.

It can turn “actions” into an efficient language to shape character images and convey emotions.

Assassination doesn’t require Stage Martial Arts, but “the Hero’s Assassination” needs the embellishment of Stage Martial Arts.

Therefore, the “Hero’s Assassination” is not only a fight against tyranny, but also a battle of propaganda.

At the center of widespread attention, the murder of a person guilty of heinous crimes in a manner that will undoubtedly be passed down through history.

In this way, your message will spread among the people alongside these legendary tales.

However, “using stage martial arts to kill” essentially adds difficulty to the assassination.

This could contradict the principle of “valuing life.” Therefore, it is rare for Heroes to execute their enemies using stage martial arts.

But whenever it does happen, the tale persists for a long time.

That spectacular video inevitably becomes an indelible source of turmoil on the internet.

The most famous example from old times was the industrial tycoon Yusuf Saviris, who was slain atop the Burj Khalifa by the Martial Ancestor singing “Single Sword Meeting” and using the Great Barrier Blade.

“Hahahahaha…

to become a footnote in a legend…

Is this my fate?”

Bengel struggled to his feet, “Come on!

Come kill me!

I am a glorious Scientific Knight!

I fear nothing for the sake of truth!”

At that moment, the music just entered an instrumental solo before the climax of “Path of Justice.” Xiang Shan stopped singing and turned to Bengel.

Bengel was sure that his Prosthetic Eye had been hacked.

Almost simultaneously, a new live streaming page appeared.

The feed was from his Prosthetic Eye.

Xiang Shan stood with one hand behind his back and the other holding the middle of the scabbard, raising the longsword horizontally, only occasionally using the sheathed sword to flourish a Sword Blossom, deflecting bullets—this didn’t even disrupt the overall visual effect of the “performance,” as if the choreography meant for a Sword Blossom to be danced right there.

He said, “I am killing you, and it has nothing to do with truth.

Whether you fear or not, has nothing to do with truth either.”

“Humans develop technology because they have needs, and technology helps people live better lives.

Humans seek truth because, on one hand, truth can be exploited by humans in the form of technology, and on the other hand, ‘truth’ offers an unparalleled spiritual solace to humanity—after all, everything is for people, and it all comes down to people.

People are the source of all reasons, and the welfare of people is the purpose of all actions.”

“Therefore, we oppose all coercive sacrifices.

We oppose inducing others to sacrifice.

We oppose hiding any possible negative outcomes from volunteers or intentionally explaining it in a way they cannot understand—because they are also people.

If we seek the welfare of people by trampling over people, then it is a grave error of our ways.

A conflict between means and ends only drives us further away from our goals.”

“All for the sake of people.”

Xiang Shan aimed the sheathed longsword at Bengel.

In that instant, a powerful surge of Inner Strength suddenly erupted, clearing away any obstruction.

Since no one in that area was defending, Xiang Shan succeeded immediately.

All the searchlights veered away from the platform, roaming over the building roofs.

“For those who were sacrificed by you, I shall execute you right here.”

Bengel screamed, “Is this only my sin?

I wasn’t even the leader of the experiments!

My supervisor…”

“Your Chief, Holy Knight Ashur-Lei-Goodrian, has already secured his place.

I have remembered his name, the death knell shall toll for him.” Xiang Shan lifted his sword, “Now, die.”

Bengel screamed, kicking and punching in a last act of resistance.

But Xiang Shan had already shattered his spirit, and his mind could no longer control the algorithms.

With just one move, and a leverage of reach, Xiang Shan pushed Bengel upward with his sword.

In that moment, the interlude ended.

“The light of righteousness…”

Xiang Shan roared, raising the Sonicon Blade still in its scabbard.

Bengel, now at the edge of the platform, tried to grab on but could only watch helplessly as the longsword smashed down.

At the same time, numerous beams from the searchlights converged on the wall right below the platform, creating a bright “path” of light.

“Shining upon the earth…”

Bengel flailed as he fell downward.

Meanwhile, Xiang Shan, sword hanging low, pointed one hand towards the sky, singing loudly, “Illuminate every dark place!”

In that moment, not just the military.

Throughout the city, countless civilians, either adjusting their Prosthetic Eyes or using treasured lenses, witnessed the fall of the Vice Captain of the Order of Knights under the light.

“Fire!

Fire!” The Assistant Officer roared.

It was just provocation!

Only provocation!

But Xiang Shan, with a sideways motion, also leaped off the high platform.

His feet touched the wall beneath the building, and with just one step, he broke the sound barrier.

“As open and honest as light…”

In mid-air, Xiang Shan used the building’s wall to propel himself, spinning to draw the Sonicon Blade from its scabbard.

“Like a man’s chest…”

Xiang Shan accelerated a second time.

In an instant, he caught up with the free-falling Bengel.

The Sonicon Blade, like a hot knife through lard, easily cleaved through Bengel’s torso.

“With boundless strength—so strong!”

In that moment, Xiang Shan shot out from the end of the “long road” of lights and fell into darkness.

Countless weapons fired at once.

The last image people saw was a ball of fire plummeting into the darkness.