Just as Mei treated Ryan like a walking ATM, Ryan could also use Mei's power to intimidate others. He didn't mind passing off the blame for offending people to Mei; the result was already quite effective.
Vil-V was genuinely afraid. She quickly condensed an hour of explanation into ten minutes. If she wanted to, she could easily explain everything.
The device called "Ultimate Hiding System V3" could block energy, mask infrared and optical features, leaving only a vague sense of mysticism.
Interesting, Ryan thought. It was indeed an upgraded version of the Mirage System he had seen back in Snow Prison Town. If it could be expanded, it could potentially prevent detection by 'SkyNet.'
Ryan had seen that device before—it was similar to the illusionary walls in certain soul-themed works. It could block his line of sight, but couldn't block Honkai Energy. With the "wind" he controlled, he could easily find the flaws.
If this complicated device was used, those secret passages would certainly go undetected, and pseudo-Herrscher could hide inside.
Ryan tested it with his power. The energy on the surface was deflected without any issues.
He rubbed his smooth chin, now looking at Vil-V with a gentler gaze.
Though her ideas were sometimes random, her brain really worked well. How could she come up with such a fantastic device?
Not many people could make him genuinely impressed, but Vil-V was certainly one of them—especially because she was so easy to manipulate.
The glint in her big eyes was clear: praise me, praise me!
"Cough cough, you're really a genius. But think about making this device portable. It's not quite elegant to walk around with a coffin on your back. And it needs to have a larger range—at least enough to cover a football field."
Vil-V expression faltered a little, disappointed by Ryan somewhat tepid response. But that only fueled the competitive spirit of a magician. She grabbed Ryan hand and began pulling him along.
"It's a good idea! Come, I have something great to show you!"
Wait, why the sudden excitement?
Ryan initially planned to decline, but a vicious gaze from behind immediately changed his mind. Without even turning around, he knew exactly who that gaze came from.
You didn't help me get rid of Elysia, and now you're conducting experiments over there?
What a tough character Elysia was, still on a roll, and if I'm not careful, I might break. And now you're sending yourself to the frontlines?
Forget it, I'll just go with it.
He abandoned any resistance and followed Vil-V out of the banquet hall. When the door shut, completely isolating the noise from the outside, he let out a long breath.
At least now I'm safe.
He glanced at Vil-V, who was cheerfully leading the way, and quickened his pace. After more than half a year, he was curious to see what new bizarre creations "Green Skin" had come up with.
The departments of the Fire Moth had slowly started integrating. There was no need to go to Vil-V old lair on some island. After passing through numerous heavy defenses, they took an elevator and descended deep into the underground. After passing through several thick explosion-proof doors, they entered the next area.
The hallway was still being adjusted, and the ceiling was not yet finished. But this area was beginning to take shape, and there wasn't a single construction worker in sight.
Small robots, about the size of a palm, crawled everywhere. Some worked together to move equipment, while others emitted welding sparks from their "fingertips." A hallway was forming at a visible speed, with the ventilation systems and circuits all perfectly aligned with the design plans, not a single error.
Ryan finally understood why this fortress was being built so quickly. With these things working tirelessly, their efficiency was hundreds of times faster than humans. He crouched slowly, placing his hand on the floor and used electromagnetic vision to "see" the scene below.
A giant tunnel boring machine was digging through the rock layers, emitting beams of light like a celestial maiden scattering flowers. Then, an almost one-square-meter hole appeared, and hundreds of small robots quickly followed, starting to reinforce the surrounding area.
"What a sci-fi construction scene. Now I understand why the Fire Moth retreated so decisively."
No wonder the Fire Moth dared to abandon large swaths of land and people. In the fight against Corruption, the majority of humans were a burden, completely useless. Even for logistical work like this, one Vil-V was enough to replace a million people.
It was cruel, but this was the real world. People like Elysia were too few.
At that moment, a few robots that resembled traffic lights approached, and their light curtains swept over Vil-V.
"Beep, beep, verification complete. Welcome back, great magician."
"Beep, beep, permission granted. Welcome, master of destiny."
Their bodies lit up with green lights. Although their names sounded a bit childish, they were still quite useful, at least equipped with a certain level of artificial intelligence.
"Master of destiny?" Ryan asked, curious.
"Because joining the Fire Moth gave me the opportunity to showcase my talents, and all these changes are brought about by you," one robot answered.
A sudden compliment caught Ryan off guard, and just as he was about to nod in acknowledgment, he sensed something off about the tone.
"True self?"
"Long time no see, Mr. Ryan," Vil-V turned around, greeting him with a gentle bow. The seamless shift in her persona left Ryan a bit stunned.
What kind of wind brought you out here?
"Is this a thank you?"
"Yes, it's my way of proving my value with results. Please follow me."
The last layer of the explosion-proof door opened, revealing a pitch-black corridor. Ryan hesitated for a moment but then followed her inside.
No matter what Vil-V was up to, the "True Self" persona was much easier to communicate with than the "Magician" persona. At least his blood pressure would remain stable.
The corridor on both sides was made of transparent glass, with lights lighting up as they walked. Ryan expression and eyes started to change.
Robots—real-life robots that only appeared in sci-fi novels—were in the glass-walled warehouse. They stood about ten meters tall, cables protruding from their bodies, and thick armor reflecting a ghostly glow.
It really is a Gundam.
Their dark, thick cannon barrels looked very imposing. The armor was made from special alloys, far stronger than the scrap metal Vil-V had once assembled.
"If you had used these back in Sky City, I would never have been able to beat you."
"But you've grown too," Vil-V, now sounding a bit gloomy and introverted, explained, "The space below will be turned into an assembly plant, and the display shelves will keep filling up."
Display shelves? They really did look like display windows filled with toys, except every single one was a terrifying killing machine.
Ryan walked through the hallway, looking at each one, occasionally asking questions. In addition to robots designed for combat, there were also the latest Honkai Energy cores. Their output had increased by 200%, enough to power some terrifying weapons.
There were also Soul Steel weapons scattered throughout, ranging from firearms to cold weapons. As for the weird and bizarre creations, their function couldn't be discerned just by looking at them.
Vil-V finally stopped and turned to face Ryan with a faint smile.
"Mr. Ryan, are you satisfied with my work?"
"Absolutely satisfied. Your value is immeasurable." Ryan didn't really know how to compliment people, so after thinking for a moment, he said, "You and Mobius have extended two branches of humanity's technological tree. Their importance is on par with each other."
Of course, if you could stop wasting money on things like color-changing stockings, that would be great.
He silently added this in his mind, though he didn't say it out loud to avoid dampening Vil-V enthusiasm.
"Really?"
"Absolutely. I think every one of your creations is a treasure of civilization," Ryan said with firm conviction. Since "True Self" Vil-V had social anxiety, no matter how much he praised her, she wouldn't get arrogant.
Vil-V tilted her head slightly and tapped the wall. A mechanical arm extended, which then split open in the center, revealing a strange structure.
At first, Ryan was curious, but soon realized that it was all just a fancy coffee machine, albeit a very elaborate one. Vil-V had even thoughtfully added synthetic skin to one of the arms.
He immediately understood why Mei had slashed her funding. Vil-V was always obsessing over things that were utterly pointless.
"Is this one included?" Vil-V took a cup from the synthetic arm, snapping her fingers.
The ceiling also cracked open, and a conveyor belt appeared in front of Ryan. The cup of coffee was delivered right to his hand.
Ryan took a sip. As a coffee enthusiast, his eyes lit up.
The temperature was just right, and the taste was excellent—just like a professional barista had brewed it.
So this is the reason you spent hundreds of thousands of euros?
But the compliment had already been given, so Ryan had to nod reluctantly.
"Of course, technology changes lives. This can improve our work efficiency."
"Great! You understand better than Dr. Mei. Every idea has its value, and we mustn't focus only on warfare."
But priorities should be clear.
Ryan silently added in his mind and smiled as he nodded. He saw "True Self" Vil-V also give a faint smile. They exchanged smiles, looking at each other.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
Ryan smile gradually froze. He couldn't help but break the silence.
"Vil-V, just say what's on your mind."
"Actually, I wanted to ask you about something. Dr. Mei cut my funding. With my hacking skills, I could easily hack into the banking system and steal money..."
"You can't do that. We all possess powers beyond humans, but we must be able to restrain ourselves. Morality is the red line," Ryan interrupted sternly, setting the coffee cup down. "Unrestrained power will only bring destruction. Once you cross this red line, there's no going back. You can no longer be considered human."
"Well said. It's just like how the Fire Moth tightly controls the Fusion Warrior project. If we're reckless, we could easily end up on the wrong side," Vil-V clapped, smiling with a glint in her eyes. "Dr. Mei is like that, and you're no different. Human morality is truly a fascinating topic. For example, integrity is one of those concepts."
Integrity? Ah, so that's the hidden agenda you wanted to expose!
Ryan finally realized where the unease was coming from. He had promised Vil-V that if Mei cut her funding, he would cover it himself, but that was just a joke.
But looking at Vil-V serious expression, he couldn't bring himself to say that he was joking.
What's going on? You want my body, but you also want my money!