If Ryan had heard what Mei said, he would probably have been on the verge of a meltdown. How could she think their relationship was so great? After all, Mobius hadn't left yet, and Ryan didn't have the time or energy to argue with her. Elysia, as usual, was unreliable—she had agreed to take charge as the "commander-in-chief" but had ended up dumping all the responsibility on him.
So, he let Himeko meet everyone, called to ask when Ato would arrive, and eventually led everyone to the front of the villa.
The glass door was closed, and the curtains were drawn, giving the place a mysterious air.
"Ryan, looks like Elysia is planning a surprise for you," Kevin commented, pursing his lips and motioning for him to go ahead.
"Yeah, she wanted to celebrate her birthday but insisted on using mine," Ryan said with a sigh as he stepped forward. If it had been during a battle, he would have used his electromagnetic abilities to scan the area, but this time it wasn't about fighting.
"Ms. Elysia and your birthday are the same?" Himeko asked, clearly curious. It was such a strange coincidence that the two strongest humans shared the same birthday.
"No, my birthday is on the 10th, and hers is on the 11th, but it's 9 PM on the 10th, so it works as a seamless transition."
Ryan thought it was indeed a coincidence. As he opened the door, two loud "bangs" rang out, and ribbons fell on his head. For a moment, he stood dazed, his instincts momentarily thinking of the battlefield, but then he realized he wasn't at war.
"Happy birthday, Ryan!" Elysia called out as she jumped over to him and handed him a gift. Then, he was greeted with loud applause.
"Happy birthday, Ryan."
The voices came in various pitches, making Ryan feel a bit disoriented.
Has it really been twenty years in this world?
A kaleidoscope of memories flashed in his mind—the excitement of regaining consciousness, the deep fear of his past civilization, the hope when he awakened to his destiny. He had killed, hunted beasts, fought the Herrschers, and pursued knowledge, only to find his plans constantly changing.
In the beginning, all he wanted was a place in the cryostat, hoping to survive until 50,000 years later. Now, everything had changed. He looked around at the familiar faces in the room.
Never mind, I'm living a comfortable life.
Without realizing it, Ryan had fully integrated into this world. Even though he tried to minimize the butterfly effect, many had gathered around him. He spotted Ato's family approaching, with a little girl about three or four years old, with short sky-blue hair and a chubby face.
Griseo?
Normally, he'd be surprised, but after everything that had happened, he only glanced at them twice more. Many of the heroes around him hadn't even undergone fusion surgery, yet their fates had been altered because of him. It was both amazing and overwhelming.
"Ryan, what are you standing there for?" Kevin, ever the enthusiast, jumped over and slapped him on the shoulder, warmth radiating from his grin.
"Yes, senior brother, let's go inside," Hua urged, a hint of curiosity visible on his otherwise stiff face.
Just then, Ryan heard the sound of wheels and turned to see Sakura pushing a cake towards him with a gentle smile. As he did, he heard Mobius snort coldly.
Seems like many things have changed.
A smile crept across his face, and Ryan walked confidently towards the cake cart. He noticed that everyone around him wore smiles of warmth, making the moment feel special.
"Ellie, you should come too. It's only a few hours away," Ryan said with a grin.
"Huh, I was just waiting for you to say that!" Elysia responded, not missing a beat. She approached him, poking his side, "You! Why are you still wearing ordinary clothes? Everyone else is dressed up."
Ryan then realized that everyone else had put some thought into their appearance—some women had even applied light makeup, and Mobius was wearing a V-neck dress.
"What are you looking at?" Mobius muttered stubbornly. "Mei forced me to change."
Ryan didn't mock her; instead, he glanced at Kevin, who was looking rather handsome in a white suit.
"No wonder I felt something was off. This guy looks too decent."
"Hey, how did I offend you?" Kevin asked, his face contorting with mock indignation.
Ryan shrugged, eyeing his own shirt and long trench coat. "Well, my first birthday wish is that today will be just as ordinary as my usual attire."
He had a knack for words, and in this world that was crumbling around him, his wish felt strangely precious.
"Ryan, your wish won't work if you say it out loud! You have two more chances," Elysia practically jumped, covering his mouth. "Sakura, turn off the lights, light the candles, and make a wish!"
Pop.
The lights went off, leaving only the soft glow of two flickering candles, casting a warm light on everyone's smiling faces.
"Ellie, let's make a wish together."
"OK."
As everyone watched, Ryan and Elysia closed their eyes, muttering their wishes. Ryan's voice was so quiet no one could hear it. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes, meeting Elysia's curious gaze.
"Ryan, what did you wish for?"
"I won't tell you, because it's your rule that if you say it out loud, it won't come true. But I heard your wish clearly—that you can eat all kinds of delicious food and never gain weight..."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Elysia shouted, shoving a piece of cake into his mouth. The sweet taste immediately filled his mouth, followed by a chorus of laughter.
"Hahaha, Elysia, I knew you got fat!"
"Dr. Mobius, do you really have to gloat so much?"
"Hehe, actually, Mei has gained weight recently. She said the food at Fire Moth is too good."
"Kevin, come with me."
"Su, should we save Kevin? He looks like he needs help."
"Never mind, we didn't hear anything."
The playful bickering filled the room as Ryan closed his eyes again, savoring the sweetness in both the cake and his heart.
"Ryan, I've never seen you smile so brightly." Elysia, noticing his expression, turned to him. Normally, Ryan only wore a professional smile or a sneer, with the occasional bit of gentleness.
"The atmosphere is right. It's called a knowing smile. But don't read too much into it. I just think the jokes they told are funny."
"What joke?"
"Tell me your weight, record it with every decimal point."
"Humph! I'll get angry if you say that again. I've learned a lot from Mei recently. Do you believe I can put it into practice?"
Ryan was stunned and quickly apologized. "Sorry, I was wrong."
"Is it too late?" Elysia teased, stuffing more cake into her mouth with a satisfied expression. "But since the cake is delicious, I'll forgive you today."
As everyone enjoyed their cake, no one threw any food, except for Griseo. They all understood that even a small amount of food could save lives in difficult times.
Ryan wasn't one to make speeches. After cutting the cake, he led everyone outside to the brazier. Despite the cold in Hawaii, the lights shone brightly, and the food prepared for the barbecue sizzled under his careful attention.
"Hua, go accompany Captain Himeko. There's wine in the cellar. Let her drink to her heart's content. Sakura, don't help. Go play cards with Kevin and the others. There's a video game console in the living room. You can join them there too."
Sakura hesitated, unsure what to do, but Ryan reassured her, "To make yourself live a better life is valuable, and that's no different from fighting. Go ahead."
As she stood up, Ryan returned to the grill, applying more seasoning to the lamb leg. He glanced around, locking eyes with Mobius, who was deep in conversation with the Blanca family.
After a moment of hesitation, he called out to her. "Mobius!"
The woman, startled, looked up. She hesitated for a moment, then slowly made her way over.
"Go quickly, Doctor. Ryan is calling you. Griseo, come to your mother." Blanca smiled, picking up the child.
"No, he made me angry. Am I supposed to just wave goodbye? Wouldn't that make me lose face?" Mobius folded her arms with a look of disdain, but it only made Blanca smile even more.
"It's normal for couples to have a little disagreement. Just give them a way out, don't you think, Hen?"
"That's true, but why is it always us men who have to apologize..." Ato muttered, then suddenly screamed when he felt the gentle pressure of high heels on his feet, followed by a kindly smile from his wife.
"Yes, yes, Blanca is right."
Humph, this idiot has lowered my assistant's IQ. If he'd been more perceptive, he could've ruined their plan. But Griseo is so cute, so I'll let it slide.
"Hehe, I'll give you a favor and won't bother with him." Mobius shook her hair, taking a few steps before she remembered something. "By the way, she and I are not lovers. You must remember that!"
"Dr. Mobius is a tsundere, huh?"
"Better to say she's stubborn. The doctor is always like that."
"That's right. Actually, I noticed something was off with those two in Canghai. And Hua, too—how did this guy manage it?"
"Ato, are you jealous?" Blanca smiled even more kindly.
"Not at all. I'm just calling out this scumbag behavior!" Ato retorted.
The playful banter continued, but it pushed Mobius to quicken her pace. Finally, the couple's teasing faded into the background as she walked ahead.
When she reached the brazier, she saw Ryan, focused on roasting a leg of lamb. The way he was concentrating reminded her of the meticulousness of an experiment—just as focused, just as thorough. But what was different this time was the warmth, the sense of connection.
She scanned the area, lingering on a few people, but ultimately her gaze settled back on Ryan's face. A hint of resentment crossed her features as she recalled Ato words.
You're a scumbag who flirts with other women everywhere!