I am, Flame-Chaser of Previous Era

The wail of police sirens drifted from the street, proving Nagazora City's police weren't blind or deaf. In a small room on the side street, Ryan gently lowered a corner of the curtain.

The police were deployed, but to no avail. Fire Moth's absence confirmed his suspicions.

The Far East branch was compromised; approaching them would be dangerous. He could easily evade them, but they weren't targeting him.

Ryan turned; the ceiling light flickered, illuminating the room filled with takeout containers. A disheveled man lay in the corner.

Minutes ago, Ryan had broken in, knocking the shut-in unconscious with a single punch. In another corner, Mobius sat on the floor, quietly eating instant ramen.

She opened her mouth slightly, inhaling, then savoring the noodles, her eyes closed.

"Ah, my favorite spicy flavor."

"You seem to lack a sense of urgency." Ryan approached impassively, finding this woman perplexing.

Sometimes graceful, sometimes rational, sometimes obsessed, sometimes ruthless; a thousand faces.

"With you here, why should I worry? You'll die first; then it'll be my turn."

Ryan didn't know how to respond, finally sighing.

"Aren't you afraid I'll abandon you?"

"Why should I be? Leaving things unfinished… wouldn't you be wasting your efforts?" Mobius glanced at him, calm and collected.

You…

Ryan took a deep breath; Mobius couldn't die; she was the leading expert on Honkai, and the 'soldier fusion' project was crucial.

"Enough chatter. Are you sure it's Vill-V?"

"Absolutely. Only that 'magician' could create something so advanced yet crude." Mobius sipped her soup. "Of course, it's not just her."

Vill-V.

Ryan rubbed his head. Vill-V was one of the thirteen Flame-Chasers, a God Key designer, with the bizarre ability to manipulate energy with her hands.

Essentially, because Fire Moth's Honkai handling was secretive, and they hadn't cleaned up their mess, she believed she'd found the truth and was constantly opposing them, becoming a wanted criminal.

Ah, I think Elysia recruited her.

"Where's Elysia?"

"Her? She went to Shenzhou for the food. Unbelievable." Mobius hugged her ramen container, expressing resentment. "She'll become a fat woman soon."

Typical of her. Elysia wasn't reliable.

Ryan wasn't surprised; Elysia was impulsive. He narrowed his eyes. "You know why we shouldn't contact the Far East branch."

"You're trying to probe me? That wanted criminal must have someone providing intel. Let me see…" Mobius bit her thumb. "It's probably not the League; the World Government and major powers are the most likely suspects."

"Why?"

"If the higher-ups want to get rid of me; cutting funding is enough. They wouldn't need to kill me."

"Makes sense."

Ryan also fell into contemplation. The real world was about politics, unlike the seemingly omnipotent Schicksal in the future. Fire Moth was an international organization, but its power had grown significantly due to the increasing Honkai threat.

It prioritized resource allocation, recruited top scientists, and its combat forces operated above the law; if necessary, it could even deploy military forces.

Without Honkai, such an organization couldn't exist. World leaders weren't fools; they wouldn't relinquish their power so easily.

And there was another factor: for several years, he'd worked as an assassin, eliminating political opponents for Fire Moth. While securing his own value, he'd also inadvertently united his opponents, increasing their power.

A butterfly effect…

Ryan frowned, his voice cold. "The second Honkai incident wasn't significant enough to make them realize the situation's gravity."

"Ah, humans are always short-sighted when it comes to profit; their ugliness is sickening. You know the current situation is delicate." Mobius's smile became sarcastic; she tilted her head. "Fire Moth consumes too many resources; countries have to cut welfare; Europe is constantly on strike; those leaders are under immense pressure."

Ryan couldn't smile. Putting himself in their shoes, if he were a prime minister, diverting large sums to an organization, constantly dealing with crises, he wouldn't be happy either.

Money, people, weapons, and advanced technology—wasn't this a burgeoning military junta?

"That's why the Fire Moth Council is composed of national elites. They fostered the organization's growth, but also created conflicts."

"They swallow most of the benefits; others would be fools to be happy with that. Who knows if they're embezzling funds? Like my research budget…"

Mobius spread her hands in frustration. Ryan glared, equally frustrated.

He wasn't a filmmaker; showing the world the apocalyptic future wouldn't convince anyone. Humanity believed only what it wanted to believe.

Even facing the apocalypse, humanity struggled to unite. Now, while celebrating peace, they refused to believe Honkai could destroy them. Their ignorance bred arrogance.

Intrigue, infiltration, betrayal, alliances, and conflict—daily occurrences. This was one reason Ryan didn't want to join Fire Moth.

So short-sighted, so foolish.

"Let's drop this depressing topic. I'm just getting you out of here."

"It's frustrating. Humanity is so short-sighted; saving the world isn't enough; humanity itself must evolve, become more beautiful. And this path of evolution is the most magnificent epic."

"I know. I understand. From apes to upright walkers, from primitive society to modern civilization, humanity has always evolved." Ryan replied casually; he was on an infinite path of evolution; his goal was to become an Aeon.

He moved quickly to the window, looking outside, then opening the door, frowning slightly.

"What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up."

Mobius, hugging her ramen, watched Ryan, a hint of something else in her clear, cold eyes.

"That statement… changed my impression of you."

"Changed how?"

Mobius crouched, her black stockings concealing her legs; her expression was both cold and alluring.

"You understand this, proving we share common ground."

For years, from the short-sighted higher-ups to the crude soldiers, no one understood my efforts towards human evolution.

They didn't understand; they considered the products of those dissections monsters. No, they were merely cocoons, destined to become beautiful butterflies.

Common ground? There's some truth to that.

Ryan mused, then set off.

"Faster, stronger, smarter—humanity's pursuit. Go, eat your ramen. I'm leaving."

He left the room, ignoring the call for collaboration.

It was nearly dawn. The moonlight was obscured by dark clouds. Police sirens wailed in the distance. Occasionally, a drunken man stumbled through the alley; Ryan swiftly rendered them unconscious.

Fire Moth was still absent; something must be hindering them. Ryan leaned against a doorway, observing the empty street.

No one was visible, yet cameras moved constantly.

They'd hacked into the city's network; firewalls were useless against Vill-V; the cameras on the patrolling officers were her eyes.

'Just find the approximate coordinates; then use overwhelming force.'

Ryan fell silent, then made a decision.

He turned to see Mobius hidden in the shadows, only half her face visible. "I need your help."

"No problem."

"Your willingness is unsettling."

Mobius glared. "I just suddenly realized your life is more valuable than I thought. Picking up a corpse would have been fine. Tell me what you need."

That introduction needed revision; she was still strange.

Ryan didn't bother with pleasantries, putting on his headphones. "First, get me a distress beacon. Second, hack into the network and locate Vill-V's terminal. Can you do that?"

"Of course. I'm a full-stack expert; hacking is trivial." Mobius tilted her head. "You really don't want my help? Your life is extremely valuable."

Ryan glanced at her, dropping to his knees, then leaping onto a rooftop.

"No need. Carrying you around is more dangerous."

"You!"

He didn't give her a chance to retort; he vanished. A cold night wind blew past; her eyes twitched involuntarily.

The scientist stamped her foot, then suppressed herself.

Ouch…