The Era of Twin Supers

As he said this, Wu Xu's tone and expression remained numb and placid. Having spoken, he lowered his head, broke off a piece of fried dough stick, and popped it into his mouth. "What did you just say, Wu Xu?" Rusty Sister asked. Wu Xu turned to look at her. "I advanced to Super this morning." "...Oh," Rusty Sister said. Then silence hung over the table for a good dozen or so seconds. Those sipping congee went on sipping congee; those peeling eggs went on peeling eggs. Until— "Absurd," the Little Prince suddenly mumbled. "Yeah, out of line," He Tangtang chimed in. They had sat here eating breakfast together nearly every single day for over a year now, and nothing out of the ordinary had ever come of it. Yet today, a simple meal had suddenly turned into this. You would think becoming a Super shouldn't happen like this... It ought to be far more intense. It should arrive on the heels of some great turning point. Yet there was none. By comparison, back when Qingzi advanced to Super, everyone had watched his combat trials and his agony with their own eyes. They had all shared a degree of anticipation, knowing that the moment was drawing near, that it was going to happen. And it truly had arrived amidst that expectation. But what about Wu Xu? In the year and several months—nearly two full years—since the bitter battle against Qu Zongyan, his strength had fallen from beyond top-tier (approaching Super when activating the Near-Death Surge), to weakening until he could barely hold the top tier, to plummeting below top-tier, and eventually to being unable to beat He Tangtang, unable to beat Zhe Qiuhong... The decline had only accelerated the further it went. In the past few weeks, he had reached a point where he might barely be able to hold his own against an ordinary person with slightly above-average fitness. During that time, he had begun taking the initiative to ask Han Qingyu to go out with him, volunteered to learn how to cook, taken upon himself the chore of doing laundry... yet he had maintained his personal training just the same, occasionally spacing out after practice while clutching a radio that could barely pick up a signal. Wu Xu was the kind of person who, even when you worried about him, you could only observe him in secret or tease him a little, never knowing how to actually comfort him. And then, out of nowhere this morning, right here and now, munching on fried dough sticks and sipping congee, he announced that he was already a Super. Hearing Wu Xu say that at the breakfast table felt utterly surreal at first. Had anyone else said it, not a soul would have believed them. But he was Wu Xu. And so every single one of them knew: it was real. Wu Xu was a Super. "What's the story?" Han Qingyu let out a long breath. Overjoyed to his very core, his nose tingling with emotion, he asked with a smile. "Just this morning. I felt it myself... By the way, you probably can't beat me to death anymore," Wu Xu answered with blunt honesty. Just like Han Qingyu before him, Wu Xu could feel the physical transformation of crossing the threshold into Super, naturally developing a clear sense of his own combat strength. "No wonder I felt something was slightly off about you this morning... only slightly. Is this... what you'd call a closet show-off?" Han Qingyu reflected briefly. Wu Xu was happy, no matter how placid and numb he appeared on the outside. By his own standards, he was currently in a state of supreme elation and excitement. Anyone else might have burst into tears. "Congratulations, Wu Xu," Zhe Qiuhong said with a smile, her voice somewhat husky. "Congratulations." Wen Jifei smiled as well, then paused a moment before continuing, "That being said, there are some words I feel must be spoken now. I simply can't let it slide. Don't think I'm trying to stir up trouble..." As he said this, He Tangtang's and the Little Prince's upper bodies were quietly sinking below the table, like ships slipping beneath the waves. "Little Prince, Tangtang," Wu Xu spoke up, stopping the two who were about to crawl away. "Uh, yeah, what is it, Xu... er... bro?" He Tangtang had spent nearly half a year calling him "Xu'er, Xu'er," and he nearly failed to switch back in time. "What's up, Super Xu? At your command, haha." The Little Prince half-rose, darting a glance toward the door. Wu Xu stood up to clear the bowls, remarking casually, "After breakfast, let's spar." That was a phrase he had heard often over the past six months. *...This kid has learned bad habits,* Wen Jifei thought to himself. *Thank heavens!* The truth was, if he weren't a Dice, he would have been on Wu Xu's hit list without a shadow of a doubt. Suddenly—*shing!* Zhu Jiaming bent low in a burst of speed, rocketing straight for the door. Behind him—*whoosh.* The device's burst made only a faint sound, drawn out into a thread in the air. By the time Zhu Jiaming looked up, Wu Xu was already standing before him. He had risen mid-ejection as he vaulted backward, landing firmly, the entire sequence swift and seamless. Meanwhile, He Tangtang's escape had only just caught up. Due to the gulf in power, he couldn't brake in time. Leaping low through the air, he was caught by Wu Xu with one hand, dangling there like a slab of cured bacon. "Hey, if you hit me, I'm gonna get mad! I might run away from home..." He Tangtang blurted. Wu Xu looked at him. After two seconds, a smile broke out in his eyes. Hesitating for a heartbeat, he let go, saying helplessly, "I'm terrified." *Wait, that works?!* The Little Prince watched and started, "I also—" *Bang!* Having taken his revenge, Wu Xu dusted his hands off. He turned toward Han Qingyu, his eyes earnest, even fervent. "Qingzi." "Let's take it outside the city," Han Qingyu smiled, rising to his feet. "Let's not tear down our house." ... [Historical Record: Year Guiyou, Month Jiwei. Xu advanced to Super and tested his mettle against Qing outside the city. Wherever they fought, sand dunes turned to valleys, and all creation was silenced. From this day forth, Stream Vanguard enters the Era of Twin Supers. Two years on the run; turning back, they now invite the world to test their blade.] *"Second Lieutenant Shen Yixiu has beaten both of them."* Rusty Sister kept this last thought to herself. Right now, she was both delighted and a little sulky. In the sparring match just now, Wu Xu hadn't beaten Qingzi—an expected outcome—yet he was formidable, strong beyond expectations. Besides, it had only been a test of skill; he hadn't activated the Near-Death Surge. "Our Xu'er as a Super, if he triggers the Near-Death Surge..." on the drive back, He Tangtang suddenly muttered in a low voice. "Who knows?" Wen Jifei thought about it and said, "What I care more about is: if Wu Xu and Qingzi fought together with their lives on the line, just how high could they reach?!" "We can't lump people like the legion commander under the Dome rankings," he mused, then continued, "So, should we lie low and find a chance to ambush Shu You?" "Of course not," Han Qingyu opened his eyes and said. "Shu You isn't a bad guy. Besides, since we share a common enemy, we can be friends." "So?" He Tangtang asked. "So, I will defeat him fair and square," Han Qingyu said, gazing out at the desert ahead. Wen Jifei: "..." Zhe Qiuhong simply rolled her eyes. None of them bought that, of course. Yet on one point at least, Han Qingyu kept his word—he did not conceal Wu Xu's breakthrough to Super. Just two days later. Outside the Hall of Definitive Kills in the City of Iniquity, a new notice was posted: [Ah Xi of the Azure Dragon Gang challenges the Hall of Definitive Kills. Assessment passed. Debut opponent confirmed for October 12: Rank 3 on the assassin rankings, Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet the Alluring Catwoman.] The Azure Dragon Gang was challenging the Hall of Definitive Kills once more, and the challenger was not Ah Jing, but Ah Xi. Of course, let them call themselves whatever they pleased; everyone knew they were The King and Lieutenant Wu Xu. What truly shocked the entire city was Wu Xu's debut opponent—Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet was ranked third on the assassin rankings, a Super combat power. Which meant Lieutenant Wu Xu was also a Super combat power. "How many does that make?" "...Who knows." The uncertain whispers from the City of Iniquity spread outward. "Twin Supers!" an entering soldier exclaimed excitedly at the Huaxia Sole Witness Legion Headquarters. Chen Buer froze. The old chief of staff rose first and asked, "What?!" "Lieutenant Wu Xu has advanced to Super!" The two old men looked at each other. At that very moment, the exact same news was spreading across all corners of this shadow world, reaching every faction.