Terrifying rumors spread from Europe. First, a Herrscher-level battle broke out in the northern snowfields, destroying an area of dozens of kilometers. After it was detected by the 'Sky Net,' the European branch nearly had a heart attack.
Then, in cities such as Gothenburg, Darlon, and Konis, multiple murders occurred. Dozens of wealthy individuals and high-ranking officials were killed. What was even more bizarre was that these killings seemed like targeted eliminations, with not even a bodyguard harmed.
These people were dead, and then the European division received a bloodstained notebook, where the names of the victims were crossed out, corresponding exactly to those who had been killed.
"Is it him?"
In the pitch-black room, Carius placed his hands on his stomach and glanced at the photos on the table.
The photos reeked of blood—some showed people with large bellies, others with old faces, all lying in pools of blood, killed with a single blow. Their bulging eyes still held traces of fear.
Within half a month, they were all dead. Some even anticipated the danger and hid in underground bunkers, hiring a group of skilled professionals, yet they still died. All their preparations were in vain.
"I'm afraid so, because the technical department has confirmed that it was Dr. Ryan fighting outside the town. And what he has done before, you should be very clear about."
Carius stood in the pitch-black shadow, his expression unseen, only his voice remaining calm and elegant.
"Heh, one of the strongest assassins. After becoming a fusion warrior, he's certainly removed the 'one of' part," the Commander-in-Chief said with a bitter laugh, a hint of fear rising deep inside.
No one wasn't afraid. After all, he was a professional with Herrscher-level strength. Whoever he wanted to kill would die.
Previously, it was just a guess, but now it had become a bloody fact. Unlike Elysia, Ryan didn't have the tolerance, patience, or love. His knife was a real one—it would kill.
"Unrestrained... is he demonstrating his power, or is it both?" The Commander-in-Chief felt the situation slipping further out of control, and with a self-deprecating smile, he said, "At least Dr. Ryan hasn't lost his rationality. And the people below have gone too far. I know exactly what these people have done, but they still remain untouchable."
"What cannot be controlled by law, let the ones outside the law handle it. After this, they will definitely become more cautious. The world is already harsh enough; it doesn't need more fuel. In this crazy age, only restraint can make one strong."
Carius had listened and understood what was meant by these words.
What 'people outside the law' really meant was that they had no ability to turn things around. Their individual combat strength had reached some form of balance with the entire Fire Moth group, and whoever tried to cause trouble would have to pay a heavy price. It was better to swallow their pride and comply.
Besides, the ones who died this time were just small fry, and it could be considered a fitting end. Having him play the role of a judge wasn't a problem.
Considering the higher-ups, Carius nodded decisively. "Yes, at least Dr. Ryan left no evidence, and the investigation yielded no results. Who did it is still undecided. We can respond reasonably and logically to those people."
The two of them exchanged a look, both seeing their helplessness.
As a high-ranking officer whose words could decide the lives of thousands, it was indeed a frustrating situation. But since Ryan had spared them, they had to accept it.
"But something like this must never happen again. Humanity cannot cripple itself with internal strife."
"I understand. I will push forward with the fusion warrior program and strengthen the headquarters' defenses." Carius nodded again, addressing Ryan demonstration.
The Fire Moth members were at least hidden in their identities. If Ryan went mad, the first to die would be the two of them.
A ruthless, Herrscher-level fighter. Just thinking about it sent a chill down the spine.
"You take care of this matter, but those people need to be cautious."
"Do you mean the Faith faction?"
"Yes, their numbers are increasing," the Commander-in-Chief said, holding his head, his eyes flashing with some concern. He emphasized, "That pseudo-Herrscher is related to them. They created such a monster quietly."
"Should we investigate and eliminate them?"
"No need, just monitor them. Their ideas have some reference value."
Reference value?
Carius saw through it but chose not to comment, revealing a strange smile in the darkness and lightly bowed his head.
"Understood."
...
As expected, they didn't come. Of course, no one was foolish enough to rush to their doom.
In the car, Ryan glanced out the window. The trees were lush, car horns blaring in a cluster, and the crowd on the streets was bustling—such a lively scene.
He had returned to the Mu continent, and the sight before him made Ryan momentarily stunned. Everything was no different from before the Corruption, making the dark snowfield seem like a dream.
It felt like completing a side quest in another world and returning to the main world—this didn't even feel like being on the same planet.
Ryan licked his lips, and someone with a weaker mindset would likely be driven to mental collapse by the stark contrast. But the more prosperous the scene before him, the more it made his memories feel ironic.
The Fire Moth made no response, not even starting an investigation. They completely ignored his previous overstep, proving that the higher-ups were still rational.
The fact that he left no evidence was the best way out. If the Fire Moth pursued it further, they'd be the ones losing face. This also provided Ryan with some conclusions.
"The higher-ups' patience with me is extraordinary. They can distinguish between primary and secondary conflicts. And through this matter, I've given them a warning."
Ryan never planned to be a righteous hero, but making some changes within his ability was no problem. At least it would make those people hold back a little, which could be considered paying back the pseudo-Herrscher.
"Since you won't act like a human, I won't hold back."
Lost in thought, the car suddenly turned and drove into a heavily guarded military base. After passing through the gate and undergoing checks, it proceeded directly to the central building and stopped at an elevator.
Click.
The locking mechanism disengaged, and the car quickly descended. The outside was pitch black, with only flashing alarm lights and alloy walls visible. This darkness continued for several minutes before being illuminated by light.
Oh, how spectacular.
Ryan pressed his head against the glass, seeing a huge cavern, like a small city. Countless machines were under construction, building various structures.
There were high-rise buildings, fortresses, and even an underground lake, not to mention various defense weapons.
It definitely had the feel of Third New Tokyo City.
Ryan was also drawn to this marvel of civilization, like science fiction turning into reality. It was like picking up a novel that had been on hiatus for half a month, brimming with inspiration, almost wanting to write a few chapters right away. But then he thought about it—this scene wasn't really science fiction.
The pre-civilization era had extremely high technological levels. With the characteristics of Honkai Energy, they had already skipped over the nuclear fusion stage, not to mention the genius scientist Vil-V, who was interested in building houses.
"Is the first phase almost complete?"
"Yes, under Dr. Mei coordination, humanity's most solid fortress is already taking shape," the driver immediately answered, his words filled with joy.
As an official Fire Moth employee, he undoubtedly had residency rights. Even if the surface civilization were destroyed, he could still survive underground.
"That was fast. The next step is to build various living facilities. No wonder Mobius complains about needing to create crops that can grow without light," Ryan muttered, not mocking her.
Just like those protected areas, you have to give people some hope.
The elevator quickly passed through the cavern and continued down. The window outside turned dark again, and then a 'click' was heard as the locking mechanism engaged, and the sense of weightlessness finally disappeared.
Finally, they arrived. They had probably descended several hundred meters underground.
Ryan yawned, opened the car door, and was once again greeted by a sci-fi atmosphere.
Everything in his line of sight was gray metal—corridors, ceilings, all made of cast metal. There were more than ten elevators, and the tracks seemed endless. Various pipelines were everywhere.
"Quite spectacular?"
"Yeah, I didn't expect the construction speed to be this fast. Just one or two months, and they've expanded such a large area," Ryan looked down, seeing Mobius waiting there.
She was still dressed in her usual outfit—short skirt, black stockings, white lab coat, and a pair of frameless glasses.
"Heh, all this for building a turtle shell. They've seriously overspent the budget. Do they really think Herrschers only destroy with energy?" Mobius spread her arms and sneered. "That pseudo-Herrscher you killed could easily pass through this turtle shell."
Not only him, but later Herrschers would be even more fantastical, outright abandoning physical laws.
"Stop complaining. At least it has symbolic meaning. Psychologically, it's better," Ryan couldn't be bothered to argue with her. He looked up and saw two girls in white lab coats standing behind Mobius.
They looked like twins, with black long hair, appearing gentle and quiet. But there were differences—one had blue eyes, the other red. Even their hair accessories were different.
"These are my new assistants, this is the older sister, Fuxi."
"Nice to meet you, Dr. Ryan," Fuxi stepped forward, bowing lightly, like a cold and distant girl.
"And this is the younger sister, Nuwa."
Nuwa stared directly at Ryan face for a moment, then hurriedly bowed when her sister tapped her. "I-It was a pleasure working with you."
One was cool, the other was hasty. It seemed like Nuwa was late, even her hair wasn't properly combed.
Ryan, with his sharp observation, immediately judged this. His gaze lingered, feeling somewhat nostalgic as though seeing an old friend.
He was surprised to see the sisters alive and not as armed puppets. Also, why were their stockings different lengths? Was there some significance to that?
His gaze was a bit strange, making Nuwa uneasy. She secretly glanced at Fuxi, as if sensing something.
"As expected, as Dr. Mobius said, Dr. Ryan is quite strange. He won't be tempted by looks, will he?"
Mobius had warned them before, saying Ryan was great in every way, except for being a pervert. They thought it was a joke, but now they believed it to some extent.
"Maybe, but do you dare to say it out loud?"
"I wouldn't dare!"
Ryan noticed that this was somewhat rude, just as he was about to pull his gaze back, he saw Mobius shift half a step, their eyes locking.
Her snake-like pupils were filled with vigilance and a bit of triumph, making it clear that she had understood his gaze immediately.
Heh, little pervert, I've caught you!