Heroes' Prison

Chapter 751 - 716: The Meaning of Number 1

Huang Yi took a deep breath and carefully put away the letter. At this point, worrying was useless. He could only look forward and hope for Qin Shiyu’s safe return.

Huang Yi turned his head to look at Zu Zaiyu, whose small figure in the warm morning sun looked like an elf, seemingly filled with endless hope. For a moment, he was lost in a daze, as if he saw himself from years ago, holding hands with Qin Shiyu, chasing and frolicking under a similarly warm morning sun.

"Big brother, what are you thinking about?" Zu Zaiyu noticed something different in Huang Yi’s expression and mustered the courage to ask.

Huang Yi came back to his senses, looked at Zu Zaiyu, and smiled faintly, "Little Fish, do you have someone you like?"

Zu Zaiyu thought about it seriously, then shook his head: "I don’t know, the organization didn’t teach me that."

"That’s why you can’t become No. 1 yet," Huang Yi said, looking intently at Zu Zaiyu, "If you always remember what the organization teaches you, then you’re not a qualified No. 1. When you forget everything the organization taught you, that’s when you’ll be a qualified No. 1."

Zu Zaiyu furrowed his little brow, seeming not to understand, and timidly asked, "If that’s the case, then why did the organization make me remember so many things during training?"

"To remember is to forget," Huang Yi said as he walked to the window, hands clasped behind his back, looking out at the bustling world beyond. "Forgetting means that these things have become your instinct, a part of your subconscious, no longer needing conscious recall. Every action you take is unconsciously based on these principles. What you should focus on is what you feel, developing your own judgment. All of us, the past No. 1s, are identified by the same code, but that doesn’t mean we are all cast from the same mold. If that were the case, then No. 1 would be a failure."

As he spoke, Huang Yi turned to look at Zu Zaiyu, "We may share the same code name, but we are different individuals, with our own thoughts and ways of doing things. Times are always changing, the environment is always changing, there is no standard that applies to every situation. You may face new crises at any time. The organization can’t always teach you what to do, and sometimes even the organization is at a loss and needs your guidance. All of this needs your own judgment, and sometimes you can disregard the organization’s orders and follow your own ideas, but the premise is that you’re confident your judgment is correct."

Zu Zaiyu nodded, seemingly in understanding, and looked up at Huang Yi obediently.

Under the gently rising morning sun, Huang Yi and Zu Zaiyu, the two No. 1s, one tall and one small, chatted like a mentor to a student.

The things they talked about were far beyond what one would expect of their age, but when spoken between them, it seemed perfectly harmonious, as if it was meant to be.

"You are already the No. 1 of the future. Do you know what No. 1 really means? How is it different from No. 2, No. 3, or No. 4?" Huang Yi suddenly threw out a question.

"I... I don’t know," Zu Zaiyu blushed, shaking his head. He had never thought about this question, like a blank slate.

It seemed Huang Yi had expected this reply and spoke in a deep tone, "Back then, I also didn’t understand what was so special about being No. 1. In general terms, No. 1 is the most formidable. But as I gradually came to understand, the meaning of No. 1 isn’t that simple. Like the number ’one,’ No. 1 is a beginning, a Starting Point. It has infinite potential and represents hope, direction, the future. The organization is actually quite fragile; it could be exterminated tomorrow, and many times, No. 1 has to turn the tide and ensure the organization develops and grows in the right direction. Only by staying on the right path will there be a No. 2, a No. 3, a No. 4... an endless array of possibilities. But once the path is wrong, all that’s left is zero, nothing, total annihilation!" By the end, Huang Yi’s voice was laden with gravity.

Zu Zaiyu listened to these words, and a slight tremor went through his heart. He could almost envision the image of the organization demolished, all its members dead and gone, sending a chill through his young soul.

"Don’t worry, take it slow. I’m not so easy to kill!" Seeing Zu Zaiyu’s pale face, Huang Yi couldn’t help but pat his little head, soothingly comforting, "You’re still young, it’s indeed a bit difficult for you to face these things. I’ve been through it too. As you grow up, you’ll naturally understand."

As he spoke, his gaze grew distant, recalling the time when he had succeeded the previous No. 1.

That day, he had no preparation, doing his daily training like any other day. Suddenly, he heard the hurried and solemn footsteps, and several high-ranking members of the organization quickly appeared in the training room and came straight to him, telling him that the former No. 1 had perished in a mission, and from that moment on, he would be the new No. 1.

The unexpected shock took him a long time to recover from. Back then, the previous No. 1 was like a towering tree, nurturing him as a little sapling, teaching him about life and making light of the dangers encountered in past missions as if they were stories about someone else’s adventures.

But without warning, the big tree fell, and that story materialized, not at all fictitious. Huang Yi, the little sapling, was suddenly exposed to the harsh sun, taking on the heavy responsibilities as No. 1 and becoming the core of the organization.

Organizations are just filled with surprises, and the life or death of each person is uncertain. Every successor doesn’t know when they will inherit their position, it could be years later, months later, or perhaps even in the next moment.

All they can do is try their best to prepare a bit more before that moment arrives, always ready to take over from their predecessor.

"No one can truly be fully prepared, being mostly prepared is good enough," Huang Yi emerged from his memories and said to Zu Zaiyu in a deep tone.

At the same time, a voice inside his heart interrogated him, wondering when he himself would be succeeded.

"Knock knock knock!" Just at that moment, a series of knocks suddenly rang out, accompanied by Sunset’s voice, "Brother Yi, have you returned?"

"Come in!" Huang Yi nodded and said. After his return, his friends could see he was online; it wasn’t hard for them to guess he had come back.

The door was promptly opened, and Sunset, Knight, and Overlord, the three guild leaders, walked in.

"Little Fish is here too!" After seeing Zu Zaiyu, all three greeted him. They had grown familiar with each other over the past few days.

Zu Zaiyu also politely greeted them, saying meekly, "Hello, three brothers."

"Big Brother, you’re finally back!" As soon as Sunset entered, he rushed forward and gave Huang Yi a bear hug, looking very excited.

"It’s not like I’m gone forever, what’s with all the excitement!" Huang Yi shook his head with a smile and patted Sunset’s back.

"We can’t do without you!" sighed Sunset fervently. "These days, Desire Arises from the Heart has been too domineering. We’ve had enough, waiting for you to take charge!"

"That guy from Desire Arises from the Heart is stubborn and arrogant, and always shifts the blame. The way this national war is being fought is unacceptable," Overlord also shook his head and said in a hoarse voice.

"Big Brother, now that you’re back, your qualifications are enough to replace Desire Arises from the Heart. Let’s push you to the position of commander-in-chief! What do you think? The day after tomorrow, Desire Arises from the Heart is holding a meeting with the top tiers of all of China’s top guilds. If you’re willing to show up, it’s a good opportunity," Knight suggested, expectantly looking at Huang Yi.

"But my strength has just recovered to over level 40, being the commander-in-chief might not sit well with some," Huang Yi shook his head and turned to Zu Zaiyu. "Little Fish, you make the decision. If you say I should step in, then I’ll step in. If you think it’s better to avoid the limelight for now, then I’ll wait."

Zu Zaiyu had been comfortably listening to the conversation, like a child listening to adults, but unexpectedly, Huang Yi suddenly passed the decision-making to him.

He became a bit nervous, knowing that Huang Yi was testing him. He was used to following orders within the organization, and the sudden responsibility to make a decision caught him off guard.

Seeing Zu Zaiyu’s nervousness, Huang Yi couldn’t help but pat his little head, encouraging him, "Don’t be afraid, just follow your true feelings. This is just a small matter, and in the future, you’ll often encounter situations where you have to decide for yourself."

Overlord, Sunset, and Knight, the three of them, also looked at Zu Zaiyu gently, with a friendly demeanor, without any airs of the seasoned warrior.

Zu Zaiyu’s heart calmed down a little, and after thinking for a while, he said hesitantly, "I think Big Brother’s reputation can already have a significant influence. We could first spread the word that Big Brother has returned to Hero’s Continent, making those who are hesitating about invading Hero’s Continent feel wary, scrapping their previous plans of invasion, or at least put them on hold. This could also help ease the tense situation on Hero’s Continent. As for whether Big Brother should take the position of commander-in-chief, I think we could attend the meeting the day after tomorrow first, and then decide based on the circumstances."