From a logical standpoint, Ryan didn't have many allies. For people like Hua and Kevin, knowing the truth would only make them anxious, so he kept it a secret.
It didn't matter to Elysia whether she knew or not. Unless Ryan became a Herrscher, her attitude would remain unchanged.
As for Mei, no one could truly control her, so Ryan couldn't feel completely at ease.
That's why Mobius was his best ally—she was at least smart enough. But on an emotional level, Ryan didn't fully understand why she had been his first choice.
"Are you satisfied with this gift?" Ryan asked, noticing that Mobius eyes were practically popping out. With her intelligence, she must've studied all the Honkai beasts in the world.
"Śeṣa has a resurrection quality, which suits you well."
"How do you know I desire immortality?" Mobius eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"I guessed. People who seek infinite evolution must first ensure survival. Otherwise, death is meaningless. It's the same for me." Ryan smiled. Only the living can continue their destiny, and only those who push the limits can become stars.
"Then you can keep it for yourself."
"Well, you're weaker and need it more. I can find a better one for myself."
Mobius rolled her eyes at him and closed the suitcase. "I'm very satisfied with this gift. I'll let you off this time. Wait a moment."
Ryan raised an eyebrow as Mobius sat down, lifting the hem of her skirt. He immediately caught a glimpse of purple lace, and then she slowly took off the suspenders, gently stroking them.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
When she began removing her socks, Ryan quickly grabbed her hand.
"I'm giving you a return gift." Mobius looked up and saw Ryan flushed face, his veins popping. He slapped his forehead and said, "Oh, I see. Taking it off won't satisfy you anymore. Let's leave it at that."
She crossed her legs and lowered her head, long green hair covering her face. In a low voice, she added, "You can lick it now."
Can I... lick it?
Ryan mind slowed down as he gazed at the perfect proportions of her legs. Her skin was fair and smooth, with black stockings that made her legs look appetizing. He slowly stretched out his right hand, grasped her ankle, and with the other hand, made a fist.
Mobius felt her heartbeat quicken as she saw him lower his head, a mocking and excited look in his eyes. But then—
"Ouch, it hurts, it hurts…"
She straightened up instantly, twisting into a ball on the rattan chair, and then shot him a professional smile, focusing like a craftsman.
"Your kidneys aren't in good condition. Let me fix them for you. Your prostate is also in trouble. I'll clear it for you."
"Ryan, how dare you mess with me!"
"No way, I'm a professional foot massager. I guarantee you'll feel relaxed after a good night's sleep, but you need to get some rest first."
"Remember this, after I finish the operation…"
"Heh, these two are so intense."
Elysia pressed her ear against the door, then turned and made a "hush" gesture to Mei, who couldn't help but snort.
She came to see Ryan for something important. They had agreed to discuss the Fourth Herrscher after everyone went to bed. But before she reached the rooftop, Elysia stopped her, claiming she wanted to watch the show.
Given Ryan and Mobius strong personalities, there was really no "show" to watch. It felt like whoever gave in would lose. How childish.
Mei analyzed the situation calmly, but after hearing Mobius cry, she instinctively stood up, startled.
This is a big mistake in decision making.
"What are they doing? Why does it sound like Mobius is screaming?"
"The book says the first time will be painful. Is this Elysia physiology lecture?"
"Nonsense, no matter how painful it is, it won't last that long."
"Is it possible, Mei... do you have experience?"
The cold girl immediately stopped talking. This question touched on her blind spot, and she felt a little embarrassed, ruining all her previous preparations.
"Ryan isn't going to hit Mobius."
"How is that possible? Ryan is an elegant gentleman, how could he hit a girl?" Elysia sneered.
"A gentleman? I think he's more like a pervert."
Clang.
The door suddenly opened, and Ryan stood there, sweat covering his hair, wiping his hands with a smile on his face.
He seemed refreshed, offering an elegant grin: "It would be abnormal to eavesdrop on us, dear Elysia and Dr. Mei."
"Oh, what a coincidence. We're here to see the snow. Since you're busy, let's go somewhere else." Elysia tilted her head, stuck out her tongue, and turned to leave.
Pop.
A hand landed on her shoulder, and Ryan, kind and elegant, leaned in closer.
"Don't try to get away with it. Now that you're here, let's talk business."
"Wait, aren't you going to clean up?"
Elysia was taken directly to the rooftop. She covered her face, observing quietly through her fingers. She saw Mobius lying on the chair in a disheveled state, her body twitching slightly as she rolled her eyes. Elysia immediately stitched her fingers back together.
"I don't see anything!"
"What did you see? I just taught this weird snake a lesson and gave her a pat on the foot, telling her not to have any wild thoughts."
Ryan mouth twitched. He thought he had learned more from these three people than he ever had from his teachers in Japan.
Can a foot massage look like this?
Mei glanced at Ryan indifferently and took a moment before responding: "In terms of perversion, you're better."
"You're the pervert. Alright, I'm not going to argue with you." Ryan took a sip of tea, knowing that the more he said, the more he'd be misunderstood, so he dropped the topic. "I've already told Mobius about the Fourth Herrscher. When she wakes up, she'll tell you the truth."
"The truth after purification?" Mei narrowed her eyes and suddenly became serious. She wasn't concerned with Ryan private life.
"Yes, you should know the truth, Mei. You're too rational, and I'm afraid of digging a hole for myself." Ryan sighed, setting his teacup down. "I can only tell you this: the Herrschers will change a lot in the future, and it will become harder to save the world."
"Will it be easier if I kill you?"
"No. Even without me, human civilization will be destroyed. But with me, there may be a glimmer of hope."
Ryan met her cold gaze without fear, his heart calm and steady.
Because this was reality. Even if the world line was restarted, without him, it would be destroyed. Adding countless layers of difficulty would make no difference.
"We're already at the bottom, so no matter how far we go, we're heading upwards."
Elysia kept watching the two of them, wondering if she should intervene, but Mei nodded slightly.
"I believe you."
"You have to believe me. This road leads straight to the abyss. There's one variable that will always change the outcome." Ryan breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that these years weren't wasted after all.
"Then tell me specifically, what changes will the Herrscher undergo?"
Ryan glanced at Elysia, who was pacing back and forth. "They've undergone unknown changes. For now, they won't line up one by one to take us down."
"To generate organization and strategy?"
"It's very likely that we'll face multiple Herrschers."
Mei took a deep breath. This was a serious change. The Fire Moth had long been used to a simple method: when the Herrscher appeared, they concentrated their forces to eliminate it. After integrating warriors and using technology to assist, they could easily wipe out at least five Herrschers.
"Why?"
"Unknown. At least I can't figure it out." Ryan wasn't deliberately withholding the truth; he genuinely didn't know. Just like that strange dream, and why he was the only one who awakened to his destiny.
Half truth, half lies—this was tied to his origin, which was even more mysterious than Elysia.
Mei quickly made a judgment, pulled out a chair, and sat down. After a long silence, she asked, "So what's your suggestion?"
"First, we need to fully advance the Mantis and God's Key Projects. No matter what happens with Honkai, we need to improve our combat power as fast as possible."
"Like Kevin, Su, Hua, Sakura, and the others?"
"Yes, I've prepared for this. They'll become the backbone of humanity's fighting force, even as strong as the Herrschers." Ryan answered frankly.
"I can see that none of the people who came to the party this time are simple. Then what?"
"Invest more in the Third Research Institute. The Quantum Sea needs to be explored as soon as possible."
"Quantum Sea?"
Mei was momentarily distracted. That concept was very different from her research. Since it wasn't about fighting Honkai, the Second Research Institute had the least resources.
"You want to find a way out for humanity?"
"As expected, nothing can be hidden from you. Before we win, we must consider defeat. Leaving a way out is always smart. You've seen their preliminary research. It's difficult for Honkai energy to survive there for long. It's like positive and negative numbers—completely opposite spaces."
Mei nodded, indicating that she understood. She also realized that the power she had now was due to Ryan manipulation behind the scenes.
A hero who united humanity in advance, taking advantage of the Fire Moths' internal strife to control the research direction. What a big chess game. Was he a time traveler?
Mei pondered. Outside the glass house, the wind and snow suddenly intensified. Ryan and Elysia looked into the distance at the same time.
Through the heavy snowstorm and the pitch-black night, it seemed as though a figure floated in the air in the distance, but it disappeared in the blink of an eye.
They looked at each other, showing a bit of regret, then relaxed their tense muscles.
"What's going on?" Mei quickly understood the situation after seeing this strange occurrence.
"Well, the Fourth Herrscher is smarter than I thought. She's not like the previous Herrschers who attack recklessly just to target us." Elysia clapped her hands with a smile. But when her eyes moved to Ryan, she grew serious again, which was unusual for her.
"But this will put a heavy burden on you. Can you bear the name of Heroes?"
Ryan was silent. Many images flashed through his mind, and many great and glorious adjectives emerged. Looking at the snow outside, he finally spoke:
"That's my job!"