I am a hero of the former civilization.

"They researched Honkai energy but didn't have the technology, and instead caused a lot of casualties, so of course they should be punished." Ryan patted his shirt pocket, took out his glasses and put them on, and asked calmly, "Killing some people to prevent a greater disaster, isn't that a good thing?"

Sheathing his spear and putting on his glasses, Ryan transformed completely. Ignoring the corpses in the courtyard, he resembled one of the bookworms in the academy.

Himiko was slightly taken aback, somewhat unable to see through the young man in front of her. She could only put on a smile again and reached out her hand, saying, "How about you write me a report on what happened tonight?"

"Just wait, it's just a minor Honkai event. Besides, I'm not an official member of the Firemoth, I'm already being lenient by not asking you for a bounty." Ryan snorted irritably, glanced at his clothes which were unstained with blood, and simply picked up his cloth bag.

How should we prepare for the aftermath?

Himiko crossed her arms and glanced at the dilapidated apartment building: "Same old routine, gas explosion. I'll have the people from Group B disguise themselves as gas company employees to seal off the scene. Once the Honkai energy is dealt with, everything will be fine."

Indeed, they are very professional.

Ryan smiled silently. As an organization dedicated to fighting the Honkai, the Fire Moth naturally had a rigorous set of procedures, from gas explosions and mass hypnosis to chemical accidents, and even had a dedicated online troll department. Therefore, he preferred to cooperate with professionals.

Well, the longer this peace lasts, the better.

"Then I'll leave these matters to you. I have class tomorrow, so I'll be going now."

"and many more."

Ryan turned his head and saw the carefree woman staring intently at him, pointing to the dimly lit school.

"Why don't you just join the Moth of Flames? Or is it some fun playing house there? Your talents could reduce a lot of casualties, even back when the Second Herrscher was..."

"Alright, how much can I do by myself? Or do you think courage alone can wipe out the Honkai?"

The red-haired woman fell silent. There was indeed no way to answer this. Honkai was like a typhoon or hailstorm—it never stopped and couldn't even be considered a specific enemy.

"We're just playing defensively. What if one day the Honkai exceeds the Moth of Fire's capacity to handle it? So I'm not playing house. I need to understand the nature of the Honkai in order to find a solution."

“But the Fire-Chasing Moths also have a research institute; you can definitely join.” A clear voice came from beside Himiko, who was also a female warrior.

Ryan shifted his gaze slightly and saw her take off her helmet, revealing short gray-gold hair and a slightly immature face, with her bangs slightly obscuring one eye.

The Law of Seclusion?

He was visibly taken aback for a moment, then realized he had made the same mistake he had when he first met Mei and Himiko. Seeing the girl's questioning gaze, he raised the black cloth bag in his hand:

"But the Honkai will always produce monsters. Even if we understand their nature, we still have to defeat them physically. Let's go."

He didn't want to say anything more, so he turned around and walked straight to the earthen slope in front of the college before turning back.

The gas company's emergency response team was speeding over. After the lights were turned off, the apartment area was pitch black. Actually, Ryan's reason wasn't so noble; the most important point was hidden in his heart.

Fate is something that shouldn't be exposed to the world; greed often makes things worse, after all—

Collapse is terrifying, but the human heart is even more terrifying.

"Captain Himiko, are you just going to let him go like this?"

Just as Ryan returned to school, the female warrior who had asked the question earlier finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Rose, is there a problem?" Himiko, who was about to go and direct the cleanup, turned around, her face full of astonishment.

What are you so surprised about? Of course I have a problem.

The girl was furious and pointed at the Honkai Beast's corpse: "He solved this small disaster with ease, which is in line with the organization's 'Special Talent Management Regulations.' According to the rules, we should arrest him, right?"

"Then what should we do? Send him to the First Research Institute for dissection, or send him to the combat unit?"

"This...this is of course what we'll do, following orders from above."

Himiko glanced at the earnest girl and chuckled to herself. Perhaps in the eyes of frontline combat personnel like them, who were overwhelmed with work, Ryan's freedom was indeed something to be envied and resented.

"Don't overthink it. What he said makes sense. In terms of combat power beyond that of ordinary people, aren't I the same?" She paused, then remembered something else: "I heard there's a newcomer at headquarters named Alicia, who's even more amazing than me, but she wasn't sent to the research institute for dissection, was she?"

Alicia?

Rose looked on with longing. She had heard that the person was extremely powerful and played a significant role in the battle against the Second Herrscher, saving many soldiers and becoming a role model and hero for the warriors.

“There are indeed quite a few special people… No, you are all within the organization's framework, so why can he find an excuse to roam freely outside? How can you protect the world by associating with such insects?”

"An excuse? I don't think so. He must have his own ideas, and his identity is not simple. Besides..." Himiko pointed to the night sky, hiding the dissatisfaction in her eyes, and revealed a meaningful smile.

"Some people don't need to follow the rules. Don't overthink it, just do your job honestly."

Rose looked up blankly at the starless sky, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Chapter Four: Alicia and Mebius

Ryan spent two hours resolving the minor collapse, then turned around and returned to the school. Perhaps because the Moth Chaser helicopter was making too much noise, many students were pointing and talking about the sky.

Of course, no one took it seriously. It was a dark and windy night, and everyone assumed it was just the army conducting training or something. They didn't even notice Ryan climbing back over the wall.

Ryan didn't know many people at school, so he kept his head down and walked through the crowd back to his dorm, only to find that Kevin hadn't returned yet.

The tuition at Chiyu Academy is very expensive. The dormitory rooms are not large, but they are still luxurious double rooms. He put the weapon back in the wardrobe and clapped his hands lightly.

"It's done."

To be honest, the intensity of the battle tonight was not high. It was just a few Honkai Beasts with a group of assassins. In fact, the whole world was like that. The randomly appearing Honkai phenomena were troublesome but not fatal. Even the two Herrschers that appeared were forcibly suppressed.

The world order was running smoothly, and even within the Firemoth, there was a sense of ease.

"If I didn't know that this world was going to end sooner or later, I would have relaxed along with you guys."

Ryan grinned. He'd been unlucky these past few years, always encountering Honkai around him. But that thing was completely random, and there were no sensible prisoners. Lacking the necessary conditions, he didn't think too deeply about it.

"Exploration is not wishful thinking; there must be objective conditions to move forward. It's like climbing a staircase; you have to do it slowly."

He connected this to the stagnant strength. Tonight's events had shown that low-level Honkai Beasts were no longer sufficient to qualify for expansion. However, Ryan wasn't in a hurry. Just like he hadn't participated in the Second Herrscher extermination campaign, only the living could go out and explore; the dead were only fit to be buried in the ground.

I am as steady as an old dog.

Ryan glanced at the clock with a smug look on his face, wondering why Kevin hadn't come back yet. Could it be that he finally mustered up the courage to take May out to spend the night?

Hey~

The phone rang softly. Ryan took it out and looked at it, only to find that it wasn't a message from Kevin, but a pink cartoon image that looked like a ball of yarn.

[Ruohua Xuanlan]: When will you update? (Eyes full of anticipation)

Ryan paused for a moment, then realized that this was a friend he had added. Ryan had been fishing for information in the comments section and found that this person was quite insightful, so he added him to his contacts.

Although the chances were slim, Ryan wanted to find 'friends' so that he could escape back home, which would be the best outcome.

We have to wait for Mei to return before we can proceed with the next step of the research.

Ryan thought for a moment and then tapped the keyboard.

[Empty]: I had some things to do this afternoon and I'm very tired, so I won't write tonight.

【Ruohua Xuanlan】: How can you keep a girl waiting? If I can't sleep tonight, you'll have to take responsibility.

A girl? More like a burly man picking his toes.

Ryan scoffed. This tone was not something a normal girl would say, and she especially loved using cute emojis. According to internet norms, she would be categorized as a burly man, but he didn't find it offensive.

His strength is knowing the outcome, but so is his weakness. Because he's always focused on the result, he's prone to obsession, and he doesn't want to become a robot who just wants to survive.

Even if you know the outcome, enjoy the present moment, maintain your mindset at every stage, and stay true to yourself.

【Ruohua Xuanlan】: Why are you suddenly silent? Did you change your mind?

[Empty]: No, I have class tomorrow, I really can't squeeze anything out today.

【Ruohuaxuanlan】: Are you tired? I recently found a book on human body massage, and it has relieved the fatigue of several people. Do you want me to send it to you?

[Empty]: I have no one to help me.

【Ruohuaxianlan】: Don't you have a roommate who prioritizes romance over friendship? Is your relationship strained?

[Empty]: They've all put their girlfriends before their friends, how can they care about me? That guy still hasn't come back.

【Ruohua Xuanlan】: You're still not back? Could it be... (covers mouth) If only I were here, I could massage you while you write from morning till night.

Are you a demon? Or are you just treating me like a typewriter?

Ryan's lips twitched, and he replied with a 'sleeping' emoji, then lay down on the bed, tossed his phone aside, and ignored it.

Staring at the ceiling, the light from the chandelier reflected in her pupils, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips, as if she were savoring a moment of relaxation brought to her by an interesting online friend. But the smile quickly faded, leaving her expressionless.

If only there hadn't been a Honkai outbreak.

A thought suddenly popped into his head, and he smoothly began to fantasize about it until, a few seconds later, Ryan suddenly sat up and gently patted his face, as if to wake himself up from his fantasy.

The world won't change according to his fantasies, at least not now.

......

Mu Continent, the Fifth Research Institute of the Moth Chasing Fire.

Metal ceilings, metal floors, countless precision instruments emitting various colors of fluorescence. Any one of them placed here is comparable to the crown jewel of a cutting-edge laboratory. However, if you look closely, you can also see containers filled with green liquid placed everywhere.

The strange chunks of meat or internal organs floating in the vessel added a touch of eeriness to the sci-fi feel.

On one side of this horrifying laboratory, there was a metal bed, and a young girl was sitting on it.

She had long, slightly wavy pink hair, deep purple eyes like stars, slender eyebrows, a slightly upturned nose, and a slightly curved, softly pursed mouth that looked like a mischievous smile.

The girl held her phone, humming a song softly while swinging her legs back and forth. Her stunning beauty and elfin appearance seemed quite out of place in this cold and terrifying laboratory.

"Hmph, they really like to keep people in suspense; they actually managed to hit my curiosity perfectly."

The girl's voice was melodious and lively; she showed no sign of anger at being stood up, and was just about to pick up her phone to send something funny...

"They just don't want to talk to you, Alicia." A slow voice came out, and a tall woman emerged from the shadows of the laboratory. She was wearing a white lab coat and a turtleneck sweater, showing off her perfect figure. Her long green hair was tied in a ponytail, and she was reaching out to adjust her black-rimmed glasses.

"Also, the organization provides you with communication equipment, not so you can chat with netizens."

"Mébius, you finished your checkup so quickly?" Alicia stood up, her bare feet touching the floor, and asked with a smile, "Aren't you too tired after working all day?"

She moved closer, but Mebius instinctively took a half step back, looking at the woman who was talking to herself with a hint of helplessness.

She initially thought this personality was an act, because her excessive enthusiasm and kindness even evoked a sense of disgust. But these days, all she feels is helplessness. Whether it's an act or not is still undecided, but it's definitely a role she can't handle.

"Alright, Blanca has made me coffee. Don't get too close. Also, your examination is still normal, but I think you definitely have some secrets. Maybe I'll find them soon, so it's better if you tell me yourself."

Mebius took off her glasses, a confident and arrogant smile on her lips. She felt she had exerted enough pressure because the pink-haired man finally stopped moving and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

Come on, tell me your secret. After all this time, you should already know my capabilities.

Her smile deepened, and then Alicia finally stopped thinking and lowered her hand from beside her face.

"Mebius, why do you think he's ignoring me?"