Chapter 25: The Hero Liu Lei Returns

Inside a luxurious villa nestled in the most bustling district of the city, Liu Ruotong sat on the sofa, lost in thought.

A woman of remarkable grace and noble bearing, her aura exuding elegance, watched her daughter and laughed gently, “What’s wrong, Tongtong? What are you daydreaming about here?”

Liu Ruotong sprang up from the sofa, her excitement bubbling over as she spoke to the lady, “Mom, do you know? I met my idol!”

Ji Jingxian, the lady, seemed accustomed to her daughter’s antics.

“Oh, your idol? Your idols change every three days. Who knows which one you’re talking about now?”

“Mom, don’t be mean! This time is different, you know? I really like him!”

“There’s a magical power in his song.”

“Mom, I’ve been playing this song on repeat these past few days. I feel like my soul is empty and free.”

“Let me play it for you!”

With her usual habit, Liu Ruotong found “The Lone Warrior” on her phone.

“All are brave—
the wound on your brow, your difference, your mistakes...
Who says only those standing in the light are heroes?”

The atmosphere in the room grew silent and heavy.

Ji Jingxian seemed to understand why Liu Ruotong loved this song so much. Her gaze toward her daughter brimmed with tenderness.

Three years ago, Liu Ruotong had a brother who adored her.

He always had a noble dream: to become a police officer and protect peace in the world.

He was the one she admired most—a narcotics officer.

But three years ago, during a mission, the brother she idolized above all else lost his life.

Since then, Liu Ruotong changed dramatically.

She was no longer lively.

She became silent, withdrawn, and lost her confidence.

Now, she had only just begun to recover from the grief of losing her brother.

And now, a single song had instantly carried her back to those days.

“Mom, do you know why I love this song so much?”

“When I hear it, I feel like my brother is still by my side, giving me strength!”

“Today, I met the creator of this song.”

“To think of it, his background couldn’t be more different from my brother’s. He was only a food delivery guy.”

“Yet thanks to this song, he’s become a sensation online!”

“In comparison, he’s much more down-to-earth than my brother. But the feeling he gives me is just the same!”

“I gathered my courage and asked to embrace him.”

“In that moment, I felt the sense of belonging from three years ago return!”

“It was as if I was back in my brother’s arms!”

“For three years, this was the most peaceful moment I’ve had.”

Hearing Liu Ruotong’s whispered confession, Ji Jingxian seemed to grasp her daughter’s state of mind, an ache rising in her heart.

She worried her daughter might get too deeply involved, perhaps develop feelings she shouldn’t for this delivery man.

Ji Jingxian began scrolling through Douyin, watching video after video about this man called Su Bai.

She spent nearly two hours, reviewing every clip about Su Bai.

Ji Jingxian found it incredible—a food delivery worker had managed to captivate so many people online.

Meanwhile, he himself was now embroiled in trouble.

Whether he could clear himself was still uncertain.

The man who spoke up for him, Song Liang, had been fired on the spot, so Ji Jingxian guessed that some powerful interests had entered this invisible struggle.

Still, she wasn’t sure about Su Bai’s true talents or his character, and in her heart, she placed a big question mark beside his name.

With her daughter involved, Ji Jingxian couldn’t afford to be careless.

Only in the past year had her daughter emerged from the shadows, started acting like a normal girl again—chasing celebrities, watching dramas, going shopping.

Ji Jingxian was genuinely happy about this.

She didn’t want Su Bai to become the reason her daughter’s happiness was disturbed once more.

Just as Ji Jingxian was about to put down her phone, a livestream appeared.

The title read: #Five Years Later, Our Hero Liu Lei Returns, Award Ceremony Live#

Somber music played as countless armed police officers gazed expectantly toward the entrance.

Countless media outlets were present.

Yes, this was a live broadcast,

A ceremony broadcast nationwide.

Within just minutes, the number of viewers reached a million and continued to climb wildly.

It was a Douyin livestream, pushed across the country.

Meanwhile, at the center of the ceremony stood Liu Lei.

He stood outside the doorway, repeatedly adjusting his uniform.

After ensuring it was spotless, without a single crease, Liu Lei took the tray from the staff beside him.

On the tray, three police badges lay neatly arranged.

Looking at the badges, Liu Lei's hand trembled.

“Brothers, I’m back!”

“We promised to return together and celebrate with a toast!”

“And now, only I remain! Brothers, you didn’t keep your word! Haha…”

“But rest assured, I’ve brought all our compatriots of the Daxia nation home safe!”

“Now, let me invite you to witness the most glorious moment of our lives! This moment of glory will always belong to you!”

At that moment, a familiar melody echoed in Liu Lei’s mind: “Who says only those standing in the light are heroes!”

The refrain repeated, and gradually, Liu Lei regained his composure.

His hands no longer trembled as he carried the tray.

He looked straight ahead, and under the gaze of everyone present, stepped into the hall.

“Everyone, stand up!”

With the command from Director Song Houjun, all rose in unison.

“Salute!”

Shua! Shua! Shua!

The movement was perfectly synchronized!

To this officer, who had silently endured for five years, who faced constant danger and still persisted to the end, they paid the highest tribute.

Liu Lei returned the salute with the most standard gesture, circling the hall.

He spoke no words, yet it meant more than a thousand speeches.

At that moment, viewers in the livestream recalled the video released earlier by the armed police,

And seeing the current scene, they seemed to understand.

Previously, the major case involving an online influencer, Gao Sai, had finally concluded—a massive fraud ring had been brought down.

Over a hundred Daxia citizens and hundreds of foreign friends had been rescued.

And the officer before them must be the one who had gone undercover in the criminal group.

Now, everyone couldn’t help but think of the main figure in the earlier video—Su Bai.

Looking at the three police badges on Liu Lei’s tray,

Netizens suddenly understood the significance of the song “The Lone Warrior” released by the police.

“All these years, was Liu Lei the only one who survived?”

“This should be a moment of joy, but why do I feel so much pain inside?”

“There is no quiet age, no gentle sunshine—only someone bearing the burdens for us, pressing forward!”

“Salute to Officer Liu! Salute to the three heroic fighters who gave their lives to defend our great land!”

“Who says only those standing in the light are heroes—you are all heroes! Quietly guarding our country!”

“At this moment, I feel I finally understand the meaning behind Su Bai’s song ‘The Lone Warrior’!”

“Will you go? Go! With the humblest of dreams.
Will you fight? Fight! With the loneliest of dreams.
To those sobs and roars in the night,
Who says only those standing in the light are heroes.”

“This is the light of faith for the people of Daxia!”