Miao Miao Noodles Shop
Heero sat behind the counter as he waited for the noodles he ordered for his dinner.
It had been three days since the "Hope Park" incident and he lost his job because of that incident. Kang Family acted fast. After one day of investigation, they found the culprit behind that incident.
The culprit was Hope Preschool's principal, Fang Guo Ming, Chairman of Hope Foundation. Fang Guo Ming was working together with Shadow Fang. They aimed the children, not to kill them but took the children to be part of Shadow Fang.
Basically, Fang Guo Ming was selling the children of Hope Preschool to Shadow Fang. He set up the plan, time, and place while Shadow Fang was the one who took the action.
It was supposed to be an easy task for Shadow Fang but failed because of Heero. Heero's name now spread on the internet, people were talking about him.
Teacher Xing was the main topic of many people talking about, a preschool teacher saved the children from Shadow Fang. It was fortunate the news did not attach his photo. If the photo was attached, Heero's tranquil life would come to an end.
After Kang Family found the culprit, the central government closed all schools under Hope Foundation for further investigation, including Hope Preschool. All teachers would be called for an investigation.
Fang Guo Ming himself was caught by the police but went missing the next day. It was said Shadow Fang was the one who took Fang Guo Ming out of the prison.
Because this case involved Shadow Fang, the Central Government issued a mission for Hero League. It was to catch Fang Guo Ming.
An organized crime filled with notorious criminals with one of the most wanted criminals as the leader. It was Shadow Fang, one of the famous underworld powers.
Shadow Fang was famous for their assassination, they had killed many important figures of the Central Government. What made things worse, Shadow Fang had a record 7 Gold Class Heroes, 12 Gold Class Rankers, and 2 Crown Class Rankers as their victim.
Shadow Fang had made a name for themselves. Many feared them as Hero League failed many times in eradicating this group.
However, this time Shadow Fang failed to take the children because of a preschool teacher. That was why Teacher Xing became a hot topic when the news published.
Shadow Fang itself kidnapped the children to train them as their tool. They would brainwash the children and train them to be a fearsome assassin. That was why Shadow Fang not a foreign name to the public.
Moreover, this was not the first time Shadow Fang targeted the children. But this was the first case that a charity foundation involved in Shadow Fang.
Hope Foundation was one of the famous charity foundations. Many people trusted them as Hope Foundation helped many people as well. However, little did they think Hope Foundation was working together with Shadow Fang in the back.
Fang Guo Ming and his family included were getting condemned by the netizens on the internet. As many people condemned Fang Guo Ming and Shadow Fang, Heero still did not know at all about what happened on the internet.
Of course, while many people praised Heero and condemned Shadow Fang. Many people also criticized the Hero League. Hero failed to do their duty as a hero. Instead, it was a preschool teacher who saved the children.
Hero League and the heroes received many critics from this case.
Meanwhile, as the person who received many praises, Heero was still not aware of the issue on the internet. Yes, he did not have a smartwatch or computer to check the news. Even he had those two, he would still not be able to check it as he did not know how to use that advanced technology.
"Here you are, Pork Noodles with veggies!"
Hong Yu placed a bowl of noodles with two slices of meat on the top and surrounded with green veggies.
Hong Yu got closer to Heero and whispered, "I placed an extra slice of meat, "
Heero's looked bright and checked his bowl. Sure enough, there was an extra slice of meat. Hong Yu put the extra slice of meat below the two slices of meat. So it looked like Heero only had two slices of meat on his bowl.
Heero's mouth curved into a happy smile, "Thanks!"
Hong Yu nodded her head with a happy smile as well. She thought she placed the meat well hidden, but she did not expect the uncle who sat beside Heero noticed.
"Little girl, how could you so bias with your lover. I want extra meat as well!" The uncle protested.
This uncle was lived at the end of the district, near Yun Xia Publisher. People in the district called him Blacksmith Huang. Yes, he made cooking utensils such as pans, frying pan, spatula, etc. Even though it was nowhere close to the blacksmith, but people still called him a blacksmith.
Of course, Blacksmith Huang also could make a sword and other cold weapons. But such things would not sell well. No one would buy a weapon from a blacksmith from a small district in the outer city.
Also, Blacksmith Huang was a regular of Miao Miao Noodles Shop. Hong Yu and Han Ying were familiar with Blacksmith Huang.
Hearing the protest of Uncle Huang, Hong Yu's face turned red, "Uncle Huang, he is not my lover."
"Ehhhh!? Really? I thought you were a couple." Blacksmith Huang seemed did not believe what Hong Yu said.
He was a regular here and he often saw these two together. Not only they got closer, in Blacksmith Huang's eyes, but these two were also intimate enough to be a lover.
"Nah, I don't care. I want extra meat like your boyfriend!"
"We are not a couple… yet!" Hong Yu denied in the reddened face and went back to the kitchen.
Since Heero lost his job, so did Hong Yu. For now, she was helping her big sister to run the noodles shop.
"Heh, Young'un, you have to make a move fast if you don't want to lose her. She is our district's flower!" Blacksmith Huang nudged Heero's with his elbow.
Even though Blacksmith Huang often met Heero, but he still did not know Heero's name yet. That was why, when he talked with Hong Yu, he would call Heero with "Your lover" or "Your Boyfriend".
"Don't worry Uncle Huang, " Heero made an okay gesture he learned from Hong Yu. He was telling Blacksmith Huang everything was okay. He just needed the last push.
"Oh, yes. My name is Xing Heero, you can call me Heero."
"Hero?"
"No, not Hero, but Heero."
"I see. Maybe your parents wanted you to be a Hero." Blacksmith Huang nodded his head as he commented.
'Hmm, Heero?' Blacksmith Huang felt a familiarity with the name. He heard this name somewhere, but he forgot.
Heero shook his head, "It was my Grandfather, not my parent…"
When Heero talked about his grandfather and his parents, sadness flashed in his expression. Blacksmith Huang noticed, but he also not good with words. He wanted to say something to cheer Heero, but he did not know what he had to say.
With this, an awkward atmosphere accompanied both. No, it was Blacksmith Huang who was in an awkward situation. Heero did not know that he put Blacksmith Huang in an awkward situation.
Even when his noodles arrived, Blacksmith Huang ate it with silence. He even forgot to check if there was an extra slice of meat or not in his bowl.
Heero finished a bowl of noodles fast. After that, he left the noodles shop. He did not know his action would make Blacksmith Huang feeling guilty.
Yes, looking at the lonely figure left the shop, Blacksmith Huang lost his appetite to finish his noodles.
"Huh, where is he going?"
Blacksmith Huang heard a familiar voice. Hong Yu surprised when she passed the counter, Heero was not there anymore.
"He just left!" Blacksmith Huang replied.
"Oh, yeah. Little Hong, do you know what happened to your boyfriend's family?"
"Huh, Heero's family? Why do you ask?" Hong Yu cast a dubious look toward Blacksmith Huang.
She knew these two were not really that close, but why suddenly Uncle Huang asked Heero's family. She was curious.
Blacksmith Huang truthfully told Hong Yu what happened earlier.
"Hmm, Heero did not say anything about his family. But he told me that he lived with his Master since twelve."
"Master?"
"Yes, Heero actually is a Hero. But he retired earlier." Hong Yu had a proud look on her face when she said Heero actually was a former Hero.
"Retired? He is still so young, why would he retire this early?" Somehow, Blacksmith Huang's gossipy heart aroused.
"I don't know as well." Hong Yu shook her head. Heero really did not tell her why he decided to retire.
"It's because he was stuck at Wood Class?" Blacksmith Huang made a wild guess. There were many heroes retired as they could not raise their rank and opened a business instead. Butcher Wang was the best living example.
"How can? Heero killed nine Iron Level beast, Dark Wolves alone. How could it be Heero stuck at Wood Class? He at least at Silver Class!" Hong Yu immediately stood up for Heero.
"Then why did he retire early? You are his girlfriend, you should at least know about his past a little bit."
"Uncle Huang, I told you already, we are not into a relationship yet." Hong Yu once flusteredly denied Blacksmith Huang's claim.
"Heh, but you are blushing~" Blacksmith Huang teased Hong Yu.
Hong Yu immediately ran back to the kitchen with the bowl. Her face was blushing as she ran back.
However, even though Heero did not tell her much about his past. But she was still satisfied with the progress, at least, Heero shared his past to her.
Meanwhile, Blacksmith Huang already forgot the guilty feeling he had toward Heero. He was thinking of a familiar story he heard not long ago. He heard somewhere, there was a teacher defeating nine Dark Wolves.
…
The next morning
Hong Yu and Heero headed toward the inner city together. Central Police called them for further investigation regarding the Hope Park incident.
This case involved Shadow Fang, Central Police had to take this seriously and crackdown the case to the root. The Central Police suspected there were people from Shadow Fang in Hope Foundation.
However, Heero and Hong Yu called by Central Police to give their testimony regarding the Hope Park incident.
A policeman with a dark blue uniform led Heero to a room. Meanwhile, a policewoman took Hong Yu to a separated room.
When Heero entered the room, he found three middle-aged me inside the room. They sat on the table across him. These three men wore a black suit while holding a bunch of papers.
With just one glance, Heero knew these three men were not a policeman. He followed the policeman and sat across these three middle-aged men.
Afterward, the policeman left the room, leaving Heero and the three middle-aged men.
The middle-aged man in the middle with glasses smiled at Heero.
"Hello, Mr. Xing. My name is Park Yong Gi, an executive of the Hero League." The glasses middle-aged initiated the talk while touched the glasses. Afterward, he offered his hand for a handshake.
Heero reached Park Yong Gi's hand, "Hello. My name is Xing Heero. So shall we start to record my testimony about the Hope Park incident?"
"No, there's no need. We trust you, Mr. Xing. We are here not to record your testimony, but for more important matters."
Heero frowned upon hearing what Park Yong Gi said.
"Mr. Xing, we would like to invite you to join the Hero League. Hero League wants you to lend your strength to protect the people in Star City from the dangers that lurk inside and outside the city. We, Hero League wish you to become one of us."