“No, the Wooden Man and the Hero who left the restroom before me are also the masterminds behind this conspiracy,” Lu Qingjia said.
Everyone turned to look at him. If he had said this before, no one would have believed him. But the other party had quickly proven their innocence and revealed the true culprit within minutes, presenting clear and sufficient evidence that left anyone hesitant to refute his conclusion before he finished speaking.
The police hero asked, “Do you have any evidence? You should know that the three of them are not from the same company; in fact, their respective agencies are even in opposition. If the Paper Man attacked the Wooden Man to frame you, that might make sense.”
Lu Qingjia smiled and replied, “Just because the companies are in opposition doesn’t mean there isn’t a possibility of collaboration.”
“They are not the true aces that their companies have bet on. Although Ability doesn’t distinguish between high and low, their abilities lack aggression and have significant limitations, making it a fact that they won’t go far in the competition.”
“Sacrificing one or two pawns that were never expected to win, while taking down a competitive opponent, is a two-for-one deal. The best part is that the opponent has a special identity, which can greatly demoralize the company’s popular contestants. Isn’t that killing two birds with one stone?”
Lu Qingjia raised his hand to signal the other party to hold their tongue. “I know that everything requires evidence; baseless conspiracy theories are just jokes.”
“Then let’s look at the evidence.”
“First, to frame me in terms of time logic, there must be a third person present when I entered, aside from the Wooden Man.”
“Otherwise, there would be a lack of witnesses, making it impossible to lock my suspicion within such a short time frame. If the time is extended, then the number of heroes suspected based on their abilities would increase, which doesn’t align with their precise targeting.”
“The hero acting as a ‘witness’ must have a certain degree of coincidence in their timing on the surveillance footage. They also cannot have any personal connections or contact with the Wooden Man; otherwise, their testimony would be biased. Therefore, the other party cannot enter at the same time as the victim, the Wooden Man.”
“My time in the restroom was unpredictable, which led to some coincidences that might be unavoidable.”
“For example, when I entered the restroom, the ‘witness’ hadn’t been there long. I was quick with my washing up, and the other party had to ensure they left before me, allowing enough time for a ‘sneak attack’ in the air. If the time was too short, it wouldn’t be enough.”
“That’s why the other party came out in less than five minutes.”
Someone asked, “Maybe he wasn’t washing up; he was just using the restroom.”
Immediately, someone retorted, “If it was just the restroom, there are rooms available; unless his roommate occupied it and he was in a hurry, he wouldn’t need to come out, right? The surveillance shows he was quite leisurely and even had his washing supplies with him.”
“What if he was just quick in his actions? A man can wash his face and brush his teeth in about five minutes.”
Lu Qingjia smiled and turned to the hero who had left first. “So you were just quick in your actions?”
The other party’s eyes flickered, and he feigned indignation at being suspected. “Of course, I’m not as particular as you all; washing my face and brushing my teeth takes enough time.”
Lu Qingjia said, “But when you left, I noticed your toothbrush head was still dry, and your toothpaste is a brand with a strong mint flavor. Given your teeth and fingers, you likely have a smoking habit, so you’d need a strong toothpaste to cover up your morning breath.”
“Since the incident until now, you probably haven’t had time to eat anything to mask your oral condition, right?”
Lu Qingjia smiled at him. “Could you please open your mouth and blow a breath towards the police hero?”
The police hero: “…”
This guy really knows how to delegate the dirty work.
But there was no need for verification; the other party was already an old smoker. If he had brushed his teeth with that toothpaste, he wouldn’t be in a state where one could smell the smoke and morning breath from a distance.
The heroes standing around silently took two steps back, knowing the other party had no way to refute this, and lowered their heads.
The police hero asked again, “What about the Wooden Man? Although he isn’t top-tier in the industry, he has been developing steadily and wouldn’t risk his life for a show.”
“Therefore, the other party had to ensure that the person attacking him would not deviate in strength and would not affect their future hero career. So when the two met, the Paper Man didn’t attack the Wooden Man immediately but deliberately confirmed the strength and distance of the attack.”
“In other words, when the Paper Man burst into the restroom, the two had at least briefly expressed mutual understanding; it’s impossible for the Paper Man to strike the Wooden Man unawares right away.”
“How do you know?”
Lu Qingjia pointed to the projection of the Wooden Man on the ground. “Look at his foot position; he was standing in the center of the sink area near the door when he was attacked.”
This restroom was quite large, with a good water flow. In a bedroom restroom with limited water flow and the presence of roommates, many heroes preferred to walk a few extra steps to wash up.
The entire sink area was nearly four meters long, with several sinks. Looking at the Wooden Man’s posture, he was standing at the middle sink position before the attack.
Lu Qingjia pointed to the large mirror above the sink, several meters long, which provided a clear view of the entire restroom—except for the toilet stalls.
He said, “From the Wooden Man’s wounds, it’s clear that he wasn’t looking down to wash up when he was attacked; he was standing upright when he was struck from behind.”
“There were no towels around him when he fell.” The towels were neatly placed in the small basin where the Wooden Man had brought his washing supplies, showing signs of having been used. Lu Qingjia pointed at the towel. “It seems it has already been used.”
“His face was clean, with no residual water droplets or unwashed cleaning foam, indicating that he was facing the mirror and that his line of sight wasn’t obstructed by any factors.”
“Although the Paper Man has a special ability, his physical fitness is average, comparable to an ordinary man without abilities, while the Wooden Man is significantly stronger in terms of physique and various physical metrics.”
“Revisiting the situation at that time, the Wooden Man could clearly see through the mirror that someone was breaking in through the window. Until the other party returned to their normal size, they walked several meters to pick up the marble ornament next to him—if they had to ensure that the ornament had only my fingerprints, they would have to put my fingerprints on it right there before striking him on the back of the head.”
“Okay, it’s also possible that the fingerprints were put on after the attack, but for a professional hero, to be successfully ambushed by someone whose strength is far inferior to his own under such conditions, I can’t help but imagine that scene as a complete comedy.”
Many people began to visualize along with Lu Qingjia’s words, and some with a low sense of humor let out a chuckle.
How stupid must a hero be to stand in front of a mirror, dumbfounded, watching someone perform until they got hit? Although the hero industry has a lot of showmanship, their job is ultimately to participate in rescues or prevent crimes.
While there are specially designed performances, most disasters are real occurrences. Someone so dull would have died a hundred times over before reaching this point.
After peeling back the layers, the conspiracy between the companies of the Wooden Man and the Paper Man not only failed to take down Mudslide but was also quickly exposed.
Online, aside from admiration for Mudslide’s clear-headed logic, there was a chorus of laughter, mocking the two companies for their failed schemes.
The three heroes, including the Wooden Man who was still in the hospital, were all eliminated, and their future careers would be severely impacted.
The main conspirators were not only caught but also publicly exposed, looking both foolish and low; their fans felt embarrassed to support such a farce.
You’re bad, but at least be a little accomplished in your badness, right?
But all of this was in the future. After the matter was resolved, the heroes dispersed, some washed up, and others had their meals.
Bullethead and a few other stellar heroes approached, seeing Lu Qingjia holding a cat as if nothing had happened, and sighed in relief. “Damn, that was close; those bastards were too underhanded.”
“This is just the beginning; they’ve already resorted to such despicable tactics.”
Lu Qingjia replied, “Fortunately, fortunately.”
Bullethead’s eyes widened. “You were framed! Even if you’re good at turning the tables and don’t care, you shouldn’t be this calm, right?”
Lu Qingjia smiled. “Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Capital is dirty’?”
“What do you mean?”
“Because I also have my own ways to deal with them? Everyone is equally matched, relying on their own abilities, so I’m just calm.”
Bullethead and Frost Man: “…”
While they felt indignant about others harming them, they suddenly felt a pang of sourness upon hearing that he was harming others.
Bullethead laughed, mischievously asking, “What did you do?”
Lu Qingjia replied, “You’ll find out later.”
Before Bullethead could ask more, an alarm suddenly rang out in the castle.
The alarm was a unified bell sound in the industry, and every hero would almost instinctively react upon hearing it.
Then projections appeared around the castle: “Emergency task for the first round of the official selection.”
“Please, heroes, respond immediately to the task instructions on your terminals. The transportation has been prepared, and we look forward to your performance.”
“Damn, I thought the first day would involve some activities or something; the pace is so fast?”
Many heroes complained about the program team not discussing the plan while checking their terminals for task instructions and quickly changing into their combat uniforms.
Lu Qingjia placed the cat back on his dorm bed. The little guy wanted to cling to him and go out, but Lu Qingjia directly pulled him off his uniform and pressed him into the blanket.
“Char Siu, be good and play by yourself for now.”
The black cat reluctantly lay down.
After leaving the castle, Lu Qingjia got into a sports car with the police hero, quickly starting the engine and speeding out like lightning.
Depending on the task and its nature, as well as the distance to the location, the transportation arranged by the organizing committee varied, including sports cars, motorcycles, vans, and even helicopters.
The police hero used the terminal to understand the situation at the scene while in the car.
“It’s a collective kidnapping, carried out by several dismissed female employees, meticulously planned.”
With a wave of his hand, several photos of the suspects appeared in front of Lu Qingjia. At the same time, Lu Qingjia switched the car to autopilot mode.
“All four suspects are female, all Ability users, but they didn’t choose to work in the hero-related industry. After graduating from university with decent degrees, they entered the company as white-collar workers.”
“But their circumstances were unfortunate, their abilities limited, and the company’s evaluations were not high. Last month, due to a work error, the four were dismissed without severance pay, leading them to take extreme measures.”
“Limited abilities?” Lu Qingjia chuckled. “Not necessarily.”
The four women in the photos looked good, and the detailed introduction of their abilities in the basic information showed that while locking in the suspects, their personal profiles, past online statements, and social performances also appeared.
Lu Qingjia read through them quickly, and the police officer couldn’t help but admire his speed.
When they arrived at the scene, the area around the office building was already surrounded by police, reporters, and onlookers.
There were office workers evacuated from other floors of the building and passersby who had come to join the excitement.
Upon seeing Mudslide and the police hero, given that the Hero King Cup had just showcased such a thrilling and exciting plot earlier that morning, and Mudslide was still the star of the show, the onlookers erupted in admiration, waving and calling out his name.
Fans who had confirmed his task direction were already on their way.
Fortunately, they could ignore the task during the journey. As Lu Qingjia entered the security perimeter, he unexpectedly saw a familiar face—the old police officer from the robbery case.
The police hero asked, “What’s the situation on the scene?”
“It’s troublesome. The other party has a tight plan; all the windows are sealed, and the snipers have no opportunity. One of the kidnappers has the ability to control metal.”
“Although her ability level is very low, they first controlled some employees, forcing the hostages to swallow pea-sized metal. If the hostages resist, they can manipulate the metal to inflict excruciating pain, even dispersing the metal to become sharp and enter the bloodstream.”
“The controlled hostages have to help control the remaining hostages. Now, aside from those who are out on duty or on leave today, no one in the company has escaped.”
“Have you arranged for a negotiation expert? What are their demands?” the police hero asked.
The old police officer shook his head. “The other party is very cautious; they won’t respond until they confirm the rescue heroes.”
“Wait, boss! The kidnappers have sent a signal.”
“They’re asking for Mudslide to go up for negotiations,” the young police officer said. “The reason is that Mudslide is not only a popular hero recently but also belongs to the capital side, holding significant decision-making power in financial negotiations.”
Lu Qingjia smiled. “That’s saying, I won’t be the one paying the money.”
The young officer felt awkward and continued, “The other party requests that you wear gene handcuffs when you go up.”
The police hero frowned, but Mudslide was very straightforward. “Let’s do it.”
After saying that, he was handcuffed, and under the surveillance of the other party’s drone cameras, he took the elevator to the floor where the incident occurred.
This company wasn’t small; it occupied an entire floor, but the hostages were all concentrated in the conference room.
The conference room door was originally made of transparent glass, but it had now been covered with blackout tape.
Lu Qingjia tried to use his x-ray ability to look inside, but the image was somewhat distorted, indicating that the other party had used light interference lamps targeting x-ray heroes.
This meant the police couldn’t arrange for snipers with x-ray abilities.
Lu Qingjia knocked on the door and, after receiving permission, pushed the door open, entering as if he were a guest.
Once inside, he found the company’s people crammed into various corners of the room. A balding, beer-bellied middle-aged man in an expensive suit and a well-endowed woman with a pointed face and heavy makeup looked particularly disheveled.
With several handprints on their faces and disheveled hair, they appeared to be the boss and his favored secretary.
Four women sat around the conference table, dressed in practical clothing, watching Lu Qingjia warily.
One of the women with a high ponytail sneered, “Wearing gene handcuffs and live-streaming? Aren’t you afraid of flipping over in the gutter and disappointing your fans?”
Lu Qingjia glanced at the mini drone camera following him, belonging to his rescue channel, which was currently quite popular. After all, wearing handcuffs that restricted his abilities posed a significant risk.
He smiled. “It’s for the show; I’m quite helpless too.”
The other party sneered, muttering, “You really can find humor in anything.”
Seeing this attitude, it was clear they were furious about the current situation.
Lu Qingjia could understand; no one would be happy.
They had been treated unfairly in the company, swept out like drowning dogs without receiving their due compensation, and were seeking revenge against the place that exploited them, while the outside world only saw their plight as a side act in a hero’s performance.
No one could smile in such a situation.
But they also knew that this was the current state of society, and they were powerless to change it.
Ignoring this point, they said to Lu Qingjia, “Next, our demands leave no room for negotiation. If you don’t agree to everything, we will kill one person.”
“If you agree but play tricks on the timing, for every five minutes of delay, we will kill one hostage.”
“Don’t worry; our demands aren’t high. You should be able to make the decision.”
Lu Qingjia raised his hand, signaling the other party to present their conditions.
The brown-haired woman spoke up. “First, prepare ten million cash within half an hour, delivered to us.”
“Second, prepare a boat for us, equipped with several inflatable boats, and have it ready within two hours.”
“Third, after everything is prepared, all police and rescue personnel must withdraw. If we find anyone following us, we will immediately kill one hostage.”
“These are the conditions; we’ll give you five minutes. Whether you decide on your own or discuss it with the outside, we need a response within five minutes, or we’ll start killing hostages.”
Lu Qingjia shook his head. “No need for five minutes; I can give you an answer right now.”
The four women were taken aback, and then they heard Lu Qingjia say, “Your demands are very unreasonable.”
The ponytailed woman sneered. “Oh really? What a pity—”
But before she could finish her sentence, Lu Qingjia continued, “Ten million is too little.”
Not to mention the four women, even the netizens watching the live stream were stunned by his words.
“Mudslide, did you leave your brain behind when you left the castle?”
“Are you soft-hearted just because a few women look good?”
“Wow~~, he still remembers the responsibilities of a hero?”
“This batch of netizens is interesting, huh? After being slapped in the face so many times by the same person, they still can’t learn to be cautious in their speech.”
“Upstairs, what expectations do you have for those who follow the trend and repeat themselves?”
The online dynamics didn’t hinder Lu Qingjia’s expression.
He looked at the four women and said, “You’re asking for too little. I’ve looked over your profiles; the one with the least experience has worked at this company for four years.”
“You all graduated from top universities, performed well during your studies, and have received numerous awards in your professional fields. You all have good appearances, and your commuting records show that you often work overtime.”
“Four individuals with high intelligence, excellent education, impressive resumes, and who have dedicated most of their time to work—I can’t fathom why such people would receive such low evaluations, why they haven’t been promoted over the years, and why they often have their wages cut, with even their dismissal being due to rookie mistakes that even a newcomer wouldn’t make.”
The expressions of the four women changed, showing some signs of being moved, and then they glanced at the boss and his secretary, who were huddled in the corner, sneering.
Lu Qingjia revealed a gentle smile. “Like you, I have faced unfair treatment in the workplace for many years, so I can understand your feelings very well.”
He raised the gene handcuffs binding his hands, speaking non-threateningly. “Therefore, while I understand this incident, I cannot view you as mere criminals. I empathize with your helplessness.”
A woman with a side braid spoke excitedly, “What do you understand? You’ve already endured hardships; you’re powerful. Even if you’re temporarily tarnished, you have a chance to rise again. But what do we have? Our abilities aren’t enough to engage in hero-related industries, yet they leave us ostracized in the workplace.”
“The company suspects us whenever there’s a slight disturbance, blaming us for the mistakes of fools, making us pay the price.”
Lu Qingjia looked directly into her eyes, and the compassion and gentleness within made her voice gradually soften as she spoke.
He continued, “I understand; your Ability is that you can drink without getting drunk. Your body metabolizes alcohol quickly, and you are often called upon for social engagements. To be frank, there are many signs that indicate your company has a strong culture of dining and drinking, and so do your partners. With your social skills, you have successfully secured numerous contracts for the company. Just last month, the head of your company—this gentleman here.”
Lu Qingjia glanced at the balding man. “He himself has boasted on social media about how contracts signed over drinks are always successful, which shows how thoroughly your value has been utilized.”
“Just the performance bonuses and rewards from the contracts you’ve facilitated over the years amount to more than two million. Not to mention the value you’ve created for the company.”
After saying this, Lu Qingjia turned to the woman with a ponytail. “You have the most experience, having worked in the company for six years. By rights, you should at least be at a managerial level.”
“To be frank!” Lu Qingjia smiled, a hint of sarcasm in his expression. “I took the time to look into the resumes, commuting records, and interpersonal relationships of your company’s upper management. Not one of them has a background that can compare to yours.”
“Your Ability is also very practical; it’s super memory, the ability to remember everything at a glance. Although you are not a genius, you can quickly accumulate knowledge and experience, which ensures your success in learning and work.”
“I noticed that the last time you posted on social media was last year, and your words were filled with discontent. Since then, you have not spoken on social networks, so I had the official data restored.”
“It was discovered that prior to that, due to a mistake by the secretary, an important contract was printed incorrectly. That version was very unfavorable to the company, and if signed, it would have caused immeasurable losses.”
“It was you who discovered the problem at a critical moment, deliberately knocked over a water cup, and reprinted the contract, saving the company from losses.”
“This should have been your pride, yet someone, in a fit of caring for the incompetent, ordered its deletion. Not only did you not receive the reward you deserved, but you were also held accountable for losing composure during an important ceremony.”
These grievances were not something to be shared with outsiders.
Those with Abilities, if they do not enter the Hero industry, will face discrimination in the workplace.
Because Ability users often exhibit advantages that ordinary people cannot reach, this exclusion does not stem from a lack of recognition but rather from the public’s customary agreement to protect their own interests.
Perhaps not everyone wishes to experience such excessive treatment, but the reason the boss dares to exploit talent so recklessly is simply because of this environment; his company does offer decent working conditions.
The grievances suffered by the four in the company had no one to confide in, and at this moment, someone spoke out, using a gentle tone and sincere attitude to acknowledge their talents and value.
The women, who originally held hostility towards Heroes, began to soften their stance.
Then Lu Qingjia said, “You are truly too kind. Your contributions and value have been exploited, and the amount you are asking for is only ten million.”
“But what you deserve is far more than this. You took risks without ever thinking of harming others—don’t deny it; I have faced criminals for years as a Hero, and I know what a person looks like when they truly intend to kill.”
“Even these people, in their past work, have bullied you in the workplace. You are excellent in your work abilities, yet you are the ones who work the most overtime. Clearly, you have saved the day multiple times, yet your value is not recognized. You have not truly harmed those who mentally abuse you every day.”
“You are wonderful girls, strong and beautiful inside, yet soft and kind. You should not have to pay such a price for what rightfully belongs to you.”
Lu Qingjia’s gaze grew even gentler, and the women were continually touched, their hearts stirred. The feeling of being fully supported by such a powerful and handsome man made them blush and their hearts race.
Then he said, “Even if your boss is foolish, he knows your value. So if he is going to fire you, the reason must be complicated; perhaps you haven’t even sorted it out yourselves.”
“But it’s okay. I promise here, in front of the entire internet, to provide you with full support to reclaim what you deserve.”
Lu Qingjia extended his hand. “If you accept, then come over.”
The girls exchanged glances, pondering for a long time, but ultimately believed that he would not go back on his word in front of so many people.
So the first girl stepped forward.
Viewers of the live stream were stunned: “…………”
“Shocking! Aren’t Heroes supposed to suppress criminals with their Abilities? What did I just watch?”
“Report! Someone is using their looks to cheat!”
“Can female criminals receive this kind of treatment? This is a bit unsettling.”
“What are you waiting for? Losers, take notes! No wonder you’re single.”
“Learned something new!”
The comments flooded the screen, but at that moment, an unexpected turn occurred.
The first woman to approach was the one with curly hair who had hardly spoken, looking shy and reserved.
She timidly reached out her hand towards Lu Qingjia, and just as she was about to touch him, her hand shot out a sharp blade.
Then, like lightning, it slashed down towards Lu Qingjia’s face—
