Legend of the Cyber Heroes
Chapter 674 - 318 - Instantly Break the Golden Rope and Shatter the Jade Lock [Combined - ]

Chapter 674: Chapter 318 - Instantly Break the Golden Rope and Shatter the Jade Lock [Combined Chapter]

When Gelangdola left the Quiet Room, the battle was almost over.

The Soldiers had surrounded the small Martial Arts School, and the Disciples had already stopped training. They understood the need to advance or retreat, and knew they should show reverence to the Protectors.

But clearly, the Soldiers had not learned this lesson.

The apprentices could never have imagined that the Soldiers would attack them without any warning.

Unless they became Martial Artists eligible to compete, these apprentices would not have prepared very good Prosthetic Bodies. Many of them hadn’t even maximized their enhancements. Moreover, even Martial Artists who could compete wouldn’t use their best limbs in this training ground. Those precious Prosthetic Limbs were their most treasured possessions, too valuable to wear out in training exercises.

The Prosthetic Bodies the Disciples were using now were far inferior to those of the Soldiers.

And the Soldiers had even more, much more specialized equipment.

Most of the apprentices fell while trying to escape towards the gate. They were either bound by ropes or captured by nets that had been fired at them.

The ropes incorporated artificial muscle fibers, capable of swift extension and contraction on their own. The nets were even magnetized carbon fibers. The hardness of these materials approached that of diamond, and their tensile strength was terrifying. Once entangled, they could only be cut with specialized tools. Even a Martial Artist who had surpassed the First Layer Heavenly Land couldn’t break free with brute force.

These people had been captured.

The Soldiers had even anticipated their moves. The closer to the exit, the more Soldiers there were.

A few Martial Artists tried to break through the walls and calendars with their Prosthetic Bodies.

But what awaited them was a barrage from non-lethal weapons.

The Protectors were thoroughly prepared. They had no chance of escape.

Hiroshi Matsushima watched all this in a daze.

Until today, he had never given away even the slightest hint. The Heros had been careful enough to avoid capture as well.

No one knew his actual connection to the just and heroic forces.

Just think about it. If someone found out that his storage contained a crystallization of the Turing Lineage’s technology, and that it was linked to the Martial God... such a big affair, the City Lord of Pine Eagle City definitely couldn’t cover it up. By that time, there would probably first be an orbital drop troop suppressing the situation, followed by the Moon fleet’s deployment, with King Aqini leading the team personally.

It wouldn’t just be this kind of caliber... this kind of caliber...

"Calm down, Hong," Zero said, "you don’t have the equipment to confront the army right now, no consumables... the little preparation we did earlier is simply not enough. You also don’t know how to flee through the Wilderness. No matter what, endure through this..."

"What about those kids, then?" Matsushima asked.

"It’s just truth serum..." Zero’s thought-signal was very weak.

In reality, he knew very well what was going to happen next.

Truth serum didn’t really guarantee that a person would speak the truth. It merely inhibited a person’s self-control while also increasing their urge to express themselves. Little thoughts buried in the heart could be unearthed.

If someone had even the slightest dissatisfaction with the government, or a bit of aspiration towards Heros...

Even "what a person has dreamed about" could become evidence of a crime.

Then the government could inject a more powerful dose of truth serum—and "more powerful" often meant having permanent effects.

"Can’t you think of something?"

[The timing isn’t right... Even without considering King Aqini, there isn’t enough time, and this personality mask of mine lacks the necessary data for such actions. This wasn’t my original mission.]

At this moment, perhaps the only way to break this deadlock was "to take control of Gelangdola, order the subordinates to retreat, and then spend several days acting as this young lord".

But that could make the situation even worse.

Now, because of the issues in Secluded Crane City, King Aqini has been paying close attention to this new continent. Zero dared not expose the "Forbidden Technique" within the Turing Lineage.

Moreover, even without considering King Aqini, that plan wouldn’t work.

The personality mask Zero wore did not have the complete knowledge loaded of the Turing Lineage’s TX-0. The TX-0 entity had only given it "knowledge that might be necessary for the mission". He was not inherently capable of this. According to TX-0’s original design, Zero would be able to delete itself after the mission’s completion.

Zero had been dealing with the Mona Knight Order all this time and had never paid any attention to a minor character like Gelangdola. He simply did not have enough data to ensure he could impersonate this person.

Matsushima blocked his own vision, and uncommonly visualized deep breaths.

He could understand Zero’s thoughts at this time.

——That’s right, there’s no difference. There’s no need to risk the safety of the old senior.

Amidst the screams and cries, Gelangdola was strolling contentedly with his hands behind his back.

Bowing his head, Hiroshi Matsushima asked, "Is your target me? Why don’t you come at me directly?"

Gelangdola chuckled. What he wanted was Hiroshi Matsushima’s brain. How could he bear to inject drugs into this precious brain?

The Protector said, "I have great respect for you, Instructor Matsushima. This is for your own good, as well as theirs. Clear yourself of any suspicion of being a Hero..."

"Bullshit!" At that moment, a furious roar was heard. A shadow unexpectedly rushed through a circle of besieging soldiers toward Gelangdola, shouting, "Die!"

In that instant, even the Secretary Officer failed to react.

Gelangdola tilted his head, looking at the person who attacked him. Time seemed to freeze.

As swift as lightning, the Dojo Master charged straight at Gelangdola.

But then, halfway there, he was sent flying into the air, and subsequently crashed to the ground and rolled away.

Gelangdola was momentarily surprised. No one saw what Hiroshi Matsushima had just done. He simply placed his hand on the Dojo Master’s shoulder, and the Dojo Master’s balance was destroyed.

——This martial arts proficiency... It’s even more exquisite than what’s on record.

The Dojo Master scrambled up from the ground, shouting in grief and rage, "Grand Master Uncle! Snap out of it! Wake up! This guy has never given our Martial Arts School a way to survive!"

He pointed behind him, "Look! After something like this happens, even if this Martial Arts School can still exist, what then? Will anyone come here to learn martial arts? Will anyone be willing to become a disciple of this school? Huh?"

"Ho Ho." Gelangdola couldn’t help but laugh, "This is really... an unexpected gain. Attempted assassination of the Protector’s Military Officer, and there’s also... tsk tsk, considering ’this Martial Arts School’ as an entity, a creation being created. How anti-human."

Hiroshi Matsushima sighed inwardly.

Indeed, I should have thought of it earlier. I see this place as "home"... I am creating a non-existent entity.

In this era, people like me are truly "anti-human".

Hiroshi Matsushima spoke again, "Then, Your Excellency, if I join the Protectors, can you spare him? And the child who was taken earlier?"

Dojo Master roared in anger, "Grand Master Uncle!"

He tried to stand up again, but he was tackled to the ground by Hiroshi Matsushima.

"Grand Master Uncle! Let me go! Grand Master Uncle!"

"You truly are caught in a demonic obsession, Matsushima Instructor," Gelangdola said. "This guy’s crimes against humanity are too obvious, and the one just captured has been too deeply influenced by the ethos of chivalry... However, it’s not impossible to negotiate."

"There is a negotiation possible..." Hiroshi Matsushima murmured to himself: "It seems that ’survival’ really is quite difficult."

For insignificant creatures like them, "obedience" and "compliance" were not sufficient and necessary conditions for a normal life. These were just the least important among numerous "necessary conditions."

If you achieved these two points, it didn’t necessarily mean you would be safe. But if you couldn’t achieve these two points, you certainly would be unsafe.

Originally, rules were just a baseline. But when the baseline wasn’t clear, the standard depended on the Lords’ moods. Thus, human life fluttered in the breeze along this vague line.

From this standpoint, this martial arts school had never been safe.

Even if this incident hadn’t happened today, it could have happened tomorrow.

"What are we discussing?" A sense of powerlessness gradually emerged within Hiroshi Matsushima: "I only wanted to maintain this martial arts school. But is there only one correct method?"

Half of the efforts in his life, half of his cautiousness, in reality, had no effect whatsoever.

Fortunately, the other half of his life’s efforts were still useful.

He still had time to use this other half of his life to correct the meaningless half.

But Gelangdola completely misunderstood. He burst out laughing, "Talk, everything can be discussed. Let’s clean up the aftermath here first."

Saying that, he turned and walked away.

But at the same time, he sent a wireless signal as a command, instructing a group of soldiers to keep an eye on Hiroshi Matsushima.

Hiroshi Matsushima slightly loosened his hold on the Dojo Master and whispered, "You know... I’ve told you before, impulsiveness is the greatest enemy in your martial arts practice. Do you realize that if you had followed your original attacking route, that Protector could have simply raised his gun and shot your lower abdomen, which would have been enough to disrupt your balance."

"The soldiers’ positions actually limited your charging route. That guy had anticipated this move. He had it calculated. This is not how you throw a punch. Remember this in the future. You can’t make this mistake again."

He lowered his body and leaned close to the Dojo Master’s ear, speaking in the lowest volume possible, "I’ll demonstrate it one last time for you, watch closely... and remember to choose opponents you can handle from now on."

Then, the Dojo Master felt the ground tremble.

Hiroshi Matsushima had already vanished from on top of him, leaving only some faint cracks on the ground.

Gelangdola actually saw this move. He witnessed, through the eyes of his subordinates, the moment Hiroshi Matsushima charged forward, the moment he overturned two soldiers before reaching him.

—A pity.

—But it’s just right.

It was a pity that Hiroshi Matsushima couldn’t work for him, but "just right" because his goal had been achieved.

These were Gelangdola’s last stray thoughts in life.

He pivoted on his left foot to turn rapidly. But at that moment, two stray thoughts clogged his mind, causing an instantaneous lag in his thought process.

And in that instant, he lost track of Hiroshi Matsushima.

He couldn’t catch Hiroshi Matsushima’s figure in his own field of vision. And the two soldiers that had been flipped over by Hiroshi Matsushima created a blind spot in his line of sight.

Then, Hiroshi Matsushima’s hands grasped Gelangdola’s head.

—How could this be...

What Gelangdola had originally thought was that the soldiers from Secretary Officer’s family would hinder Hiroshi Matsushima for a moment, giving himself at least the opportunity to withstand a few moves from Hiroshi Matsushima. If he could successfully delay Hiroshi Matsushima, the surrounding soldiers would complete the encirclement, and he would be able to capture this expert.

But...

Gelangdola’s body burst out with a surge of power, attempting to shake off Hiroshi Matsushima. But Hiroshi Matsushima then shook Gelangdola’s body, dissolving and absorbing this outburst of power, and along with his own strength, unleashed it all, pressing Gelangdola’s head downward. Gelangdola’s face blanched with shock, knowing he definitely couldn’t recover his balance, so he immediately exploded with all his strength, trying to straighten his body.

But at that moment, Hiroshi Matsushima’s left hand changed the direction of force for the second time.

In an instant, Gelangdola’s own internal force and Hiroshi Matsushima’s power erupted together, twisting Gelangdola’s neck.

Hiroshi Matsushima’s right hand supported Gelangdola’s jaw.

Almost simultaneously, one of his feet stepped on Gelangdola’s calf.

And then...

Snap!

For cybernetically enhanced people, "being able to turn the neck" is quite necessary. This ensures that the head can make independent moves to evade attacks or dissipate internal force, better protecting the brain. A neck that can turn can also expand the field of vision without increasing the number of prosthetic eyes or the brain’s burden.

The artificial mechanisms can rotate unrestrictedly. However, many still use the spine for the prosthetic body’s transmission accessories and data preprocessing components. The spine cannot rotate without limit.

Therefore, in classic designs, the neck of cybernetically enhanced people naturally has protective structures.

But this also means that the neck is indeed very fragile.

Legend has it, the Martial Ancestor, when facing early cybernetically enhanced people, especially favored the move "beheading."

Indeed, within the Martial Ancestor’s Long Fist, there is a move specifically targeting the neck of cybernetically enhanced people that can loosen this protective structure.

This is one of the early martial techniques co-created by two comrades-in-arms who shared life and death together, and it is also one of the origins of the Mech-Breaking Martial Technique.

This is the only Mech-Breaking Martial Technique that Hiroshi Matsushima has mastered.

"Ha!" In that moment, Hiroshi Matsushima unleashed all the strength in his body. Every joint he could mobilize erupted at once.

"Ah!" Gelangdola let out a short scream as his head was completely pulled off. Since he used the original spine, it resulted in almost tearing out his cerebellum as well, totally exposing the biological tissues.

Hiroshi Matsushima exhaled deeply: "Breaking the golden rope and unlocking the jade lock... My mood is unexpectedly the most relaxed it’s been in decades..."

"Ah..." Gelangdola’s consciousness was nearly overwhelmed by pain. But Hiroshi Matsushima had no intention of stopping. He tossed Gelangdola’s head into the air, and then, like lightning, punched Gelangdola’s forehead.

Gelangdola’s metal skull did not move. But according to the principle of conservation of momentum, other things flew off.

Gelangdola sprayed out from the back part of his cybernetic body, splattering against the walls of the dojo.