Chapter 173: The People's Hero and a Woman Who Won’t Admit Her Feelings

The Rapture invasion had left the Ark in a devastated state.

Countless buildings were reduced to rubble, and the death toll had reached well over a hundred thousand. The mass-produced Nikke units had suffered severe losses as well.

The Ark's defensive system was practically obliterated, with only a few barely functioning turrets remaining, alongside the wreckage of anti-aircraft guns strewn across the battlefield. The energy shield that once protected the Ark had been destroyed in the very first wave of the Rapture assault.

Looking around, the district near the Ark's elevator had been completely reduced to ruins, the ground scarred and broken. Smoke still rose in scattered locations, and the six-winged angelic medical unit was busy with rescue operations.

Days passed, and the situation finally began to settle.

Reconstruction and relief efforts in the Ark were underway.

Fortunately, the damage was mostly concentrated in the northwest district around the Ark's elevator, where the population density was lower. Other districts remained largely intact, and casualties were minimal in comparison.

On their way back, the soldiers who had fought in the battle received an unexpected welcome.

Unlike before, this time, it wasn't just Nikkes coming out to greet them—there were large crowds of human civilians as well, gathered on both sides of the road, cheering with excitement.

It almost felt like they were welcoming returning heroes.

Did someone important arrive?

Mo Chen wondered.

Still, it was ironic: the Ark's high-ranking officials had done absolutely nothing during the Rapture invasion, but they sure knew how to put on a show when it came to formalities like this.

Maybe this was just another propaganda stunt.

"They're here! They're here!"

Someone shouted, and the already restless crowd erupted into excitement. People pushed forward, craning their necks to see, their voices rising in a frenzy.

"Let me see! Let me see!"

"The Commander! The Commander is back!!"

"The hero who saved humanity!"

"This is it! Humanity finally has hope again!"

"He's the one who defeated the Raptures!"

"I heard it was him and his forces who reclaimed the surface!"

"He's a real human! This is amazing! A hero of our people!"

The crowd was overwhelmed with joy, cheering and shouting his name, some even bringing food and gifts.

The scene reminded Mo Chen of an old passage from classical literature—when people welcomed their liberators with baskets of food and jugs of drink.

But soon, he started feeling that something was off.

Why… were they all looking at him?

The excitement, the praises—it was all directed at him.

Were they… talking about him?

While he was still trying to process this unexpected reaction, an elderly woman with gray hair and wrinkled hands shakily stepped forward.

Mo Chen instinctively moved to support her, worried she might fall, though thankfully, she wasn't here to cause trouble.

"My child, you've worked so hard. Here, take these peanuts. Eat up."

He was stunned—he had never experienced such a scene before.

In the past, even when he was welcomed, it was mostly by Nikkes. Humans had never shown him much warmth.

But now, they were treating him with such enthusiasm.

What Mo Chen didn't know was that his battle against the Raptures had been broadcast live.

Even now, his actions were still being streamed, and the footage of him helping the elderly woman was being amplified by the media, broadcast across the Ark.

"No need, really, no need."

"You have to eat well. How can you fight without proper meals? Listen to me, take this. Come on, take it."

Mo Chen kept refusing, but the elderly woman was persistent. With no other choice, he finally accepted.

It reminded him of his own grandmother—simple, warm, and kind.

Seeing this, the other citizens rushed forward as well.

He couldn't even decline if he wanted to.

Before long, his arms were filled with various gifts, and his face showed nothing but helplessness.

He could feel their genuine excitement, but… it was overwhelming—so much enthusiasm that even he was struggling to handle it.

Behind him, Anis and Neon puffed out their chests, looking immensely proud, as if they were the ones being praised instead of Mo Chen. Especially when they noticed the envious gazes from other Nikke units, they looked even more smug.

This was their commander, after all!

Mo Chen called out to them.

"What are you standing around for? Help me carry this stuff!"

"Oh—oh!"

Anis and Neon finally snapped out of their daze.

He found their practically wagging tails amusing.

Well, they had contributed a lot during the battle, too.

The way Mo Chen remained down-to-earth and approachable was also noted by the onlookers, further elevating their opinion of him.

Of course, he had no idea what they were thinking.

Even if he did, he probably wouldn't care.

"Right," Mo Chen suddenly remembered something and turned to Anis. "The water gun—I need it back."

He held out his hand, expecting her to return it.

"No!"

Anis hugged the water gun tightly and flat-out refused.

"Didn't you say you didn't want it?" Mo Chen asked curiously.

"You gave it to me, so it's mine! No take-backs!"

Anis clutched it even tighter, her eyes wary, as if afraid he would snatch it away.

Mo Chen couldn't help but laugh. She was acting like a little kid, and he suddenly felt the urge to tease her.

But just then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the crowd.

When he turned to look, the figure had already disappeared into the sea of people.

Who was that?

For a while now, he had sensed someone secretly watching him.

That person was skilled at tailing him, quick in their movements, and had sharp instincts—always vanishing before he could get a good look.

Following behind was Triangle Squad.

Privity had been watching the whole scene, and while she was a bit surprised at how popular Mo Chen was, remembering his rude attitude toward her made her puff up her cheeks in irritation.

Admi, standing beside her, asked, "Do you hate the commander?"

Privity fumbled for words, struggling to answer.

"It's not that I dislike him, it's just..."

If she had to be honest, she didn't actually dislike Mo Chen.

In fact, after hearing about his exploits from other Nikkes, she had even admired him.

She had secretly gathered information about him, though she adamantly refused to admit she was a fan. Still, she had looked forward to meeting him someday.

Seeing Privity fidget awkwardly, the ever-perceptive Admi sighed like a wise elder and muttered.

"A woman who says one thing but feels another."

"Who—who—who are you calling that?!"

Shortly after returning to the temporary hotel in the Ark, Mo Chen collapsed onto the couch.

It was only then, through the network, that he realized his battle had been broadcast live.

As he watched the rolling news feed on the Ark's channels, he frowned.

There was definitely someone behind this, pushing the narrative forward. Otherwise, the footage wouldn't have spread across the entire Ark so quickly.

Although he disliked these kinds of publicity stunts, this time, it played right into his hands.