SWDnovel Chapter 117 The Marathon of Running While Coughing Blood – Glory and Legend
Chapter 117 The Marathon of Running While Coughing Blood – Glory and Legend
Having just been dealt a heavy blow by "Betrayal of the Sun," viewers are now experiencing a bittersweet mix of pain and pleasure.
Gu Nan's "Ultraman Seven: The Origin Project" has completely torn off the "children's" label of tokusatsu dramas and become a hardcore science fiction epic disguised as a suit.
Old Tang looked at episode six.
"Episode 6 is titled 'Glory and Legend.' Just listen to that title, and combined with the depressing ending of the last episode, I have a feeling that our tears might be worthless again tonight."
Don't say anything more, I've already prepared tissues.
[I was so shaken by the episode "The Betrayal of the Sun" that I couldn't recover for three days. Banderas was so pitiful.]
[Glory and Legend? Judging from the title alone, it sounds like the grand finale? Is Seven leaving?]
Don't try to guess what that old scoundrel Gu is thinking; if you do, you'll get hurt.
Amidst a mix of trepidation and anticipation, the screen went black, followed by the familiar opening theme song.
The main feature begins.
This opening was on a grand scale.
A vast panoramic view of the solar system slowly unfolds, and a deep voice narrates, revealing to the audience a grand project called "Project Friendship".
"To defend against threats from outer space, the Earth Defense Force has constructed a massive defense system within the solar system..."
A technologically advanced spacecraft is silently navigating through space, carrying out an exploration mission. The camera pans across the cabin, where scanners are recording data about a planet.
However, in this seemingly peaceful scene, an imperceptible dark shadow, like a drop of ink falling into clear water, silently slipped into the interior of the spaceship through the open hatch.
This terrifying scene instantly put the audience on edge.
Immediately afterwards, a familiar figure appeared on the screen.
It's an old bridge.
The ancient bridge seems to have aged a few years.
[Seriously, at that age, why do they still have to do fieldwork? Can't they just retire?]
Furuhashi, the spirited and even somewhat reckless member of the team in the first episode, now has graying temples.
He was no longer an ordinary team member, but had been promoted to a staff officer in the Earth Defense Force, becoming a senior officer of the defense force.
The plot reveals that this was even Staff Officer Furuhashi's last mission before his retirement.
The spaceship entered faster-than-light travel and arrived on the moon in the blink of an eye.
Gu Qiao clutched his chest, a hint of discomfort on his face. He smiled wryly at the young team members beside him and said, "I always feel like when I open my eyes, I'm out of sync with normal time. Either I've become a white-haired old man, or when I return to my hometown, everything has changed..."
The phrase "time waits for no one" brought tears to the eyes of the audience.
However, what happened next was even more cruel.
As the spaceship landed at the lunar base, the dark figure also slipped inside.
The scene abruptly shifts, revealing that the once orderly lunar base is now engulfed in flames.
There were no roars of monsters, only the carnage of humans killing each other. The team members inside the base seemed to be possessed, their eyes bloodshot, firing indiscriminately at each other without distinguishing friend from foe.
What's going on? A zombie apocalypse?
[No, it's that dark figure!]
It can control people.
A communications officer struggled to call headquarters, but the next second, the shadowy figure covered his body.
He raised his gun expressionlessly, shattered the security camera, and then pointed the muzzle at his own temple.
"Bang!"
The gunshot startled many viewers wearing headphones, causing them to jump up from their seats.
In the chaos, in order to protect his subordinates, Staff Officer Furuhashi ordered the survivors to evacuate, while he stayed behind alone to cover the rear.
He stood amidst the raging flames, facing the unseen enemy.
But human will appears so fragile in the face of bizarre alien creatures.
The shadowy figure instantly took control of him. This veteran, who had spent his entire life fighting to protect the Earth, trembled as he raised his gun and pointed it at himself.
"Stop...stop!"
The viewers in front of the screen were shouting in their hearts.
The other side of the universe.
Seven sensed something was wrong and rushed to the moon. But by the time he arrived, it was too late.
Amidst the ruins, they embraced the dying ancient bridge.
Gu Qiao's eyes had been blinded by the firelight, and he could not see the regiment, but he could feel the warm hands of his former most trusted comrades.
"Is it a group...?"
The sound of the ancient bridge was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.
"How heartwarming..."
Even in his final moments, he was still thinking about the Earth and the children who hadn't yet grown up.
As the ancient bridge's hand drooped limply, a legend came to an end.
This was the saddest moment for Ultraseven...
Watching his comrade die in his arms, and being powerless despite possessing godlike strength...
This stinging sensation had deeply pierced his heart...
Old Tang stared blankly at the screen, the beer can in his hand deformed from being squeezed.
"Dead? Guqiao died just like that?"
[I refuse to accept this! You old scoundrel Gu, come out here!]
[A veteran of the original Seven manga! He's already dying in episode six?!]
[This is so frustrating! He committed suicide without even seeing the enemy?]
[Don't mess with this! The beginning is already so heavy, I don't even want to think about what kind of trouble you're going to cause later!]
Looking at his old friend in his arms, Tuan let out a grief-stricken roar. That roar pierced through the screen and struck straight to the heart.
But this was only the beginning of the tragedy.
The survivor spaceship from the lunar base also crashed during its return to Earth due to internal infighting, resulting in the deaths of all crew members.
Even more terrifying, that horrifying black shadow followed the wreckage to Earth.
The plot moves so fast it's breathtaking.
At this moment, a high-level meeting regarding the "Friendship Project" is being held.
The so-called "Friendship Project," under the guise of peaceful coexistence with the universe, is actually a continuous expansion of military equipment and the establishment of a new type of defense system.
Goodness, the irony is practically overflowing the screen.
Their name is Friendship, but all they do is prepare for war.
Isn't this just like some countries in reality?
In the comments section, viewers keenly sensed the political metaphors hidden within the plot.
However, what made the audience even more uneasy was the personnel changes that followed.
Rumors are circulating within the defense forces that "Furuhashi launched a coup due to opposition to the Friendship Project."
Within the Ultra Guard, before the grief had subsided, a new crisis had already arrived.
He Zhi, the staff officer who "looks very much like" a member of the New Town team in the previous episodes, has taken over the garrison.
He looks exactly like the honest and passionate Xincheng, but for some reason, what the audience sees in He Zhi's eyes is nothing but sinister ruthlessness and scheming.
This character attracted a lot of hatred the moment he appeared.
Although he also came from the garrison, he was a thorough hawk.
The atmosphere in the command center of the Ultra Guard dropped to freezing point.
"I know you've always maintained that you don't need the opinions of the Ultra Guard."
Captain Bai Yong looked at He Zhi in front of him and said in a firm tone, "However, we feel very honored that our team has been able to grow under the guidance of Staff Officer Gu Qiao."
"In fact, Captain Bai Yong, I believe this incident is an excellent opportunity to completely transform the Earth Defense Force."
"Since times change, organizations should change too."
[Is this the start of a power grab?]
[This bureaucratic facade is so convincingly portrayed that it made me want to punch him.]
[New Town! You've changed!]
Old Tang frowned as well: "This Staff Officer He Zhi is implying something. What does 'completely transform' mean? Does he mean to purge the Ultra Guard?"
Faced with the sacrifice of Guqiao, he showed no grief whatsoever, but instead mocked and ridiculed him, even taking the opportunity to completely undermine the garrison and promote his radical military expansionist policies.
"That guy Guqiao is just too weak," He Zhi said coldly.
[It's hardened; its fists have hardened.]
How could this person be so disgusting?
[New City! Don't force me to unfollow!]
Wow, the city has changed so much! This actor looks completely different!
But this is the reality... this is politics.
The plot development confirmed the audience's guesses.
Faced with Captain Bai Yong's question, "Staff Officer He, are you saying that we'll be useless after the Friendship Project is completed?"
He Zhi's expression suddenly changed, and he shouted sternly, "Are you all planning to betray us? Like your respected Staff Officer Gu Qiao!"
Immediately afterwards, He Zhi issued a series of incomprehensible orders.
"The Ultra Guard's patrols are temporarily suspended! All members remain at headquarters on standby!"
"All investigative work will be handled by the investigation department of the Earth Defense Force Far East Headquarters!"
Even when his teammates tried to argue back, he bluntly stated, "With your abilities, you simply couldn't possibly find the truth!"
After saying that, he slammed his hand on the table and left.
At the same time, a flashback of He Zhi's memory appears.
In the battle against aliens many years ago, the Earth Defense Force and the Ultra Guard paid a heavy price to achieve final victory.
However, this also resulted in the sacrifice of many team members. At this time, the aliens prepared to retreat. He Zhi wanted to take advantage of the victory and pursue them, but his superior at the time, Gu Qiao, stopped him.
Because, in Guqiao's view, he really didn't want any more of his subordinates to sacrifice themselves.
That's enough as long as we drive the enemy back.
But He Zhi didn't think so.
He felt that it was precisely because of his superior's cowardice that the aliens were allowed to return to their own planet to recuperate and plot the next invasion!
He roared at the ancient bridge.
"Such a cowardly decision will only lead to more sacrifices!"
"I misjudged you, Staff Officer Furuhashi!"
In that memory, he, now a newly appointed staff officer, slowly spoke:
History will prove me right...
This intense sense of conflict instantly maximizes the dramatic tension of "Seven".
This is no longer a simple monster-fighting game, but a turbulent political thriller.
Infighting among the top brass of the defense force, the invaders' divisive tactics, and the crisis of confidence facing the garrison...
All these elements intertwined, making it hard to breathe.
【Huh? So, this kid's behavior makes sense after all!】
So, is blood and fire the only possibility between civilizations?
It's hard to say who was right and who was wrong...
If I were someone from this world... perhaps I would support He Zhi's ideas...
……
Under He Zhi's manipulation, the Ottoman Security Team was ordered to cease its investigation.
The media and public opinion were also steered toward attacking the police force.
On television, those so-called experts spoke eloquently, criticizing the Ultra Guard as "a waste of tax money in peacetime," and simplistically interpreting the issue of war in an economic way.
This sense of déjà vu sent chills down the spines of many viewers.
It's like a realistic satire.
……
Just when the Ultra Guard was at a loss with this combination of blows, the real enemy revealed its fangs.
That dark figure was an alien from Valkyrie.
He possessed the body of a bearded man and, leading a group of manipulated civilians, surrounded the police officers who were conducting an unauthorized investigation.
As the team members attempted to defend themselves, a camera that had been lying in wait recorded the scene.
The next day, the news of "Ultraman Guard violently treating civilians" made headlines.
This is the alien's tactic—he's the invader who understands "journalism" best.
The group finally found the man, and the two sides confronted each other in a secluded corner.
The man revealed the truth behind the "Friendship Plan" with a sinister smile.
"You Earthlings establishing a defensive perimeter in the solar system is a signal of aggression to us."
"Our Valkyrie planet has been at peace for hundreds of millions of years. But now that you've taken up arms, we must destroy you before you fire."
This is a blatant application of the "Dark Forest Theory".
There's a saying: "Strike first, strike hard." I wasn't wrong in my attempt to survive.
The group attempted to retort: "We built the defensive line to protect ourselves, not to invade!"
"Who would believe that?"
The alien sneered, "History is written by the victors."
This conversation silenced the entire live stream chat.
Through the villain's words, Gu Nan presents an unsolvable dead end: a chain of suspicion.
This is such a pointed question...
Seven couldn't answer...
……
Meanwhile, the members of the Ultra Guard did not give up.
Led by Captain Bai Yong, they decided to launch a final counterattack. Even if they were misunderstood, even if they were disbanded, they would fight to the last moment for Staff Officer Gu Qiao's innocence and for the safety of the Earth.
This kind of cohesion that erupts in dire circumstances is the soul of the Ultra Guard.
However, they were facing aliens living on the tenth planet of the solar system.
Valkyries.
This race does not have a physical body; it generally exists as a black shadow that can move freely in and out of any space.
Its most powerful ability is to use a forced parasitic possession method to seize and control the bodies of humans or other creatures.
The Valkyries are far more cunning than imagined.
In the final battle, the aliens, who had no physical form, started playing "Werewolf".
In the desert, the team members were on high alert. Suddenly, Captain Bai Yong raised his gun and aimed it at his team members.
"team leader?!"
Before anyone could react, the shadowy figure instantly teleported away.
The Rimi team members raised their guns.
The Zhimo team members raised their guns.
The alien was like a ghost, jumping back and forth among the team members, trying to incite infighting and make them kill each other.
The fear of not being able to trust teammates was brought to its extreme by the camera's visual language.
Although Dan Moroboshi arrived, he was hesitant to act rashly.
Finally, the shadowy figure burrowed into the body of the young team member, Masaki Kazamori.
Feng Sen's eyes instantly turned pitch black.
He took himself hostage and grinned maliciously at the group.
"Ultraman Seven, how can you do this? This is your most beloved Earthling, your most promising junior."
The regiment held his gun, his hand trembling.
At that moment, Feng Sen briefly regained consciousness.
The young team member looked at Seven, who was in pain, and a relieved smile appeared on his face.
"Mr. Tuan... don't worry about me."
"I'm prepared for this."
"Shoot!!!"
Feng Sen's furious roar echoed through the warehouse.
At that moment, the group's eyes changed.
Those were eyes that had witnessed countless life-and-death separations and seen through the cruel laws of the universe.
If Feng Sen isn't killed, everyone will die, and the Earth will be destroyed.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Instead of targeting vital points, Seven fired in quick succession, precisely avoiding Feng Sen's fatal areas. However, the immense impact still sent Feng Sen flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground.
Seeing that things were going badly, the Valkyrie was forced to leave Feng Sen's body.
The scheme failed, and the aliens finally stopped hiding.
A huge black shadow burst out of the warehouse and materialized into a deep-sea monster that looked like something out of Cthulhu.
The group angrily put on the Ultra Glasses.
"Jooo!!!"
Seven stands tall on the earth.
This battle was a foregone conclusion.
This is a war of revenge, a war of catharsis.
Seven's head-mounted shuriken drew a fierce arc in the air, slicing through the monster's body like a storm.
However, the Valkyries are not weaklings.
He used all his strength to throw Seven away.
Ultraman Seven stood up again and fired a cutting beam, hitting his opponent.
However, while being hit by Ultraman Seven, the Valkyrie took the opportunity to use its abilities, setting the battlefield ablaze.
High temperatures trigger updrafts, which produce thunderstorms and create a foggy, misty environment.
The Valkyries began to transform their bodies into shadows, concealing themselves within the mist.
Then they repeatedly attacked Seven with super-fast spatial teleportation attacks.
Because the enemy was extremely fast, Ultraseven was unable to track him for a while, and thus began to be on the defensive.
At the crucial moment, Seven used Ultra Vision to see through the Valkyrie's true form.
He then followed up with an Ultra Head Dart, inflicting heavy damage on the target.
The severely injured Valkyrie had no strength left to resist.
Then, a fully charged beam of light blasted the manipulative and despicable alien into nothingness.
The battle is over.
Seven deactivated his transformation and charged toward Kazemori, who lay in a pool of blood.
Feng Sen lay on the ground, his team uniform stained with blood.
He looked at the approaching group, a slight smile playing on his lips, and reached out as if to grab something.
"Mr. Dan... I didn't let the Ultra Guard down, did I...?"
Tuan held his hand tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.
"No, you are the best warrior."
Feng Sen's hand slowly slipped from Tuan's palm.
The breath of life vanished from this young man.
At that moment, the entire world's audience held their breath.
[Feng Sen...is dead?]
No!! This is the youngest and most promising player!
[Gu Nan, you're inhuman! Killing two people in one episode? Gu Qiao died, fine, but Feng Sen is just a child!]
Old Tang slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "This is impossible! This plot is too dark! How could Seven not save someone?"
In the scene, Tuan hugs Feng Sen's body and remains motionless for a long time.
Afterwards, the group put Kazamori's body into a capsule...
However, just as the atmosphere of grief reached its peak, a miracle occurred.
Or rather, another form of "rebirth" has occurred.
Suddenly, a red light emanated from Moroboshi Dan's body, transforming into his likeness.
Only the viewers in front of the screen felt a strange chill the moment they saw "Feng Sen's" eyes.
That gaze was deep and composed, carrying a sense of world-weariness and detachment.
That was... Dan Moroboshi's gaze.
[Sigh, why can't Seven possess him...]
This episode was so heavy; two characters even sacrificed their lives...
Perhaps, this is the more real darkness within.
The group left.
The real Dan Moroboshi has disappeared.
Instead, Seven appeared with the face of Kazemori.
But this is not the end.
After the storm subsided, the high command of the defense force finally acknowledged the contributions of the Otsu Guard and restored their rights.
But just as Captain Bai Yong was asking Staff Officer He Zhi how to handle the relationship with the Valkyries...
He Zhi sat in his office and casually pressed the button.
"Since they have already shown hostility, there is no need to keep them around."
The scene shifts to outer space.
The so-called "Friendship Project" defense system has revealed its true, monstrous nature.
That wasn't a defensive shield at all; it was a massive railgun.
Three devastating missiles pierced the universe, passed through wormholes, and headed straight for the distant Valkyrie system.
boom--!!!
On the screen, a beautiful planet is reduced to cosmic dust in a silent explosion.
A civilization with hundreds of millions of years of peaceful history was completely wiped out by the Earth Defense Force in order to "promote friendship".
This is "glory".
This is the "legend".
It was incredibly ironic.
At the end of the film, in front of the memorial at the lunar base.
Dan Moroboshi stood alone here, facing the tombstone on the ancient bridge, expressing his confusion.
"The ancient bridge, is this the humanity we are meant to protect?"
"They...still haven't stopped..."
"They are still... running this tragic marathon while coughing up blood..."
"To survive, they are willing to destroy another civilization..."
"What would you do if you were in my shoes?"
No one answered him.
Dan Moroboshi's face changed, transforming into "Kazemori".
"Feng Sen" sighed and turned to leave.
But he still chose to believe.
I believe in the children of the Ultra Guard, and I believe in humanity in the future; one day, they will change this situation.
The light stretched his shadow very, very long.
As a variation of the ending theme song, "Fight On, Seven," began to play, a line of large characters appeared on the screen—
[Glory and Legend Complete]
The live stream room was deathly silent.
After a long while, Old Tang, with trembling hands, lit another cigarette.
His voice was hoarse.
"Brothers, I'm truly shocked."
"This... is Gu Nan slapping the entire human civilization in the face."
"What is glory? It is to disguise aggression as self-defense."
"What is a legend? A legend is something that covers up dirty political struggles under the sacrifice of heroes."
"This episode of 'Glory and Legend'... Ha! We've been fooled by the name. It's not an epic of heroes, but a lament for civilization."
At this moment, the comments section finally erupted.
It wasn't insults or complaints, but a profound shock that came from the depths of my soul.
Speechless… The dramatic scenes are phenomenal…
Gu Nan, you're a madman, and a genius.
[The darkest Ultraman I've ever seen, and also the most profound.]
This plot is phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal.
Is this Project Origin? Tearing apart all beautiful illusions to let us see the true origin of reality.
That night, the sixth episode of "Ultraman Seven: Project Origin," titled "Glory and Legend," once again refreshed people's understanding of tokusatsu dramas.
It is a serious, thought-provoking fairy tale for adults, disguised as science fiction.
On Weibo's trending topics list, hashtags such as #Seven's Glory and Legend#, #The Marathon of Vomiting Blood#, and #Feng Sen's Sacrifice# quickly rose to the top.
Even some film critics who never watch tokusatsu films have started recommending them.
A well-known film critic wrote:
"I originally thought that Gu Nan would hit a creative block after Ultraman Tiga. But I was wrong. This episode of Seven OV tells us that the upper limit of tokusatsu depends on the depth of the creator's thoughts."
"'Running a marathon while coughing up blood'—this was a classic line from the Showa era Seven… Now, it's not only a satire of the defense forces in the drama, but also a profound metaphor for the predicament of the development of human civilization as a whole."
"Gu Nan, he's using the techniques of an epic film to make Ultraman."