Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 128: Original text: Volume 3, Chapter 33 Both boats capsized_2 Modified:

Fatty was startled for a moment, feeling it made some sense. He asked in confusion, ”I’ve got two Purple Emblem Freedom Medals. Even if I’m not a Savior, I’m still a hero, right?” Milan clung tightly to Fatty’s arm and shook her head, ”No. A true hero sacrifices for the country and the people. He can’t get what he loves, often painfully giving it up for others. Can you do that?”

Fatty thought for a long time and asked, ”Are you sure that fool is a hero?” Milan giggled, ”A hero is sometimes a fool. Not only would he give up what he loves, but he would also sacrifice his life for the greater good without hesitation!” Fatty asked, ”Do you like heroes?” Milan tilted her head thoughtfully and said seriously, ”I like them, but I wouldn’t fall in love with one.” Fatty curiously asked, ”Why not?” Milan said, ”Such heroes fulfill many people’s needs but sacrifice themselves and their loved ones. I’m scared of that.” Fatty asked, ”Then why do you love me?” Milan blushed and spat, ”Who loves you, you shameless!” She buried her face in Fatty’s arm, caressing it. After a while, she softly said, ”Sometimes a girl needs someone to rely on. You make me feel real and safe. You’re not a hero, but you protect yourself and your family in your own way.”

There was a knock on the door outside the laboratory. Milan quickly stood up, tidied her messy clothes, rolled her eyes at Tian Xingjian with a flushed face, and turned to leave the gravity simulation room to open the door. Fatty peeked out and his face turned pale instantly. Standing at the door in a delicate manner, who else could it be but Ann Lei?

Milan was excited to see Ann Lei, ”Sister Ann Lei, what brings you here today?” Ann Lei seemed very familiar with Milan, smiling, ”Professor Boswell has a new kind of listening device on the Intelligence Bureau’s equipment list. He said it’s here with you, so I came to get it.”

Milan grabbed Ann Lei’s hand, led her into the room, closed the door, and smiled, ”Wait a moment, I’ll find it for you.” Suddenly, she thought of something, slapped her forehead, and shouted to Tian Xingjian in the gravity room, ”Fatty, where’s that listening device you took to play with? Bring it here.” There was no response from the simulation cabin. Milan stomped her foot and said, ”Hurry up!”

Ann Lei looked at Milan’s coquettish manner and, smiling, nudged her with her elbow, whispering, ”Not just an ordinary relationship, huh!” Milan’s face turned red instantly, hastily saying, ”Sister Ann Lei, you...” Ann Lei teased, ”Don’t try to fool me. I can tell just by looking at you. Is he from the lab?” Milan twisted shyly and said, ”He’s a lieutenant advisor, but that guy is silly...” Before she could finish, she noticed Ann Lei’s smile suddenly freeze, and her pretty face turned as pale as blood had drained from it.

Milan turned her head to look and saw Tian Xingjian standing dumbfounded at the door of the gravity chamber, staring blankly at Ann Lei. Milan saw the complex intertwining glances between the two and almost immediately understood! She asked in disbelief, ”You two...” Ann Lei didn’t speak. Milan looked at the lowered head of Fatty. The three of them stood quietly five hundred meters underground, and the atmosphere was completely frozen.

Ann Lei couldn’t believe her eyes. She finally couldn’t bear such torment anymore, silently turning around, running away before the tears could burst out. The door slammed shut with a bang. Tian Xingjian shivered, lifting his head only to realize that Ann Lei was already gone. In a rush to chase her, he saw Milan staring at him with her shining big eyes. Fatty slowed his steps, not knowing what to do. His head hurt badly as if someone had hit him hard with a big club. He couldn’t think of anything, no thoughts at all.

The wind.

Blowed.

Very cold.

Tian Xingjian’s heart felt even colder. (Gu Long-style separation line)

He walked alone on the street, not knowing how he had left the laboratory. Except for the moment the three silently faced each other, all other memories were completely gone. His cowardice had once again become his fatal flaw. Previously, he didn’t have the courage to reject any woman, and afterward, he also didn’t dare to face any of them.

Fatty walked into a bar next to the academy on the street. The bar was big, with upper, middle, and lower floors. It was bustling inside, with various people either sitting or standing, doing various things. He went straight to the bar counter and ordered a bottle of vodka. This almost entirely alcohol-flavored liquor seemed very fitting for his current mood. Humanity seemed to have an inherent nature to escape from reality. In such moments, drinking was always a preference, as they said, getting drunk relieves a thousand worries. He gulped down glass after glass, wanting to get himself drunk, so he wouldn’t have to think about anything.

Half-drunk, a conflict erupted among a group of people in the bar. They were swearing and yelling at each other. Fatty turned his head, drinking while drowsily watching the commotion, occasionally letting out a few silly laughs.

The dispute finally escalated into a brawl, with chairs and beer bottles flying everywhere. Fatty watched these gradually bruised and battered fellows laughing loudly, pointing fingers, and looking around wishing to share the fun. Unfortunately, no one around shared his amusement. When the fight started, unrelated people had already moved far away. At the central bar, except for the fierce fight between the combating parties, only a fair-complexioned and noisy Fatty was left laughing heartily.

The two groups finally divided into winners and losers. The losers lay on the ground groaning, while the winning group, showing off their prowess, turned even more violent. They grabbed the people lying on the ground, loudly cursing, humiliating them, and occasionally kicking them to show off their victory, their eyes viciously scanning the surrounding crowd, as if saying, ”Look at what happened to these guys! Who the hell dares to mess with us!”