This woman was indeed like a snake, coiling around her prey and never letting go.
On the helicopter, Ryan's foot tapped incessantly, causing the accompanying soldiers to avoid eye contact; they sensed his foul mood.
Mobius's actions were clearly manipulative, yet physically untouchable. He felt simultaneously on guard and trapped, a conflicting emotional tension that left him agitated.
'But think about it, she hasn't attacked me. Her actions regarding Vill-V were quite believable, and she didn't resort to using others to do her dirty work.'
Ryan tried to reassure himself. Mobius's most troublesome trait was her ability to weave herself between adversary and ally, making him hesitant to act. She was enigmatic, impossible to fully understand.
He knew Mobius's intentions weren't good, yet she did nothing overtly harmful, even providing assistance.
If only he didn't know her true nature; things would be much simpler.
This thought crossed Ryan's mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Holding such naive beliefs would lead to a grim awakening: waking up on an operating table, facing a friendly green-haired older sister with a pleasant smile watching him.
Mobius, I won't let you get away with this.
Countless countermeasures formed in his mind. Trying to outsmart him, huh? As if he weren't a genius himself.
"Mr. Ryan, we've arrived at the academy."
At that moment, the squad leader's voice cut through the noise; the helicopter had landed, and several soldiers opened the hatch.
"Sorry to make you take this detour."
"No problem, sir. I'm honored to escort such a powerful warrior." The squad leader pointed towards the academy in the distance, saluting. "If it weren't for you during the last incident, many of my brothers would have died. With you and Miss Elysia, such powerful figures, humanity will surely overcome this catastrophe."
Through the mask, Ryan saw sincere gratitude, understanding why Elysia enjoyed such high esteem.
Every time she acted, she saved countless lives. How could people not be grateful? The lower-ranking soldiers didn't think so deeply; they just wanted to survive, protect their families, and earn a decent salary.
These small, almost invisible lives were mere statistics in the future, but when facing them directly, you realized they were real people.
"Then survive. Become equally powerful."
"I don't have that talent. I can't even undergo the simplest body augmentation." The squad leader sighed, patting the rifle on his chest, his gaze firm. "But if those monsters try to kill my wife and daughter, I will fight them to the death!"
Ryan looked at the other men in the cabin. These front-line soldiers knew the true horror of Honkai, having witnessed comrades torn apart by Honkai Beasts, and seen humans consumed by Honkai energy, their deaths a living hell.
Yet, because of this fear, they were even more resolute. It wasn't some grand ideal of saving the world, but simply a desire to prevent those tragedies from befalling their friends and loved ones.
Simple hopes forged the greatest warriors.
From their gazes, he felt a certain pressure. He silently patted the squad leader's shoulder and jumped from the helicopter.
This was the abandoned dormitory area. Ryan had dealt with a Honkai attack here recently. Returning now, it felt desolate, the academy looming dimly in the distance.
The terrorist attack had damaged numerous classroom buildings; many departments had switched to online classes. Ryan took the opportunity to return to his dormitory and collect a few things—at least, his backup files.
He climbed over the wall. The campus was eerily quiet, save for a few scattered lights; even the streetlights were off.
The once cheerful students were now casualties; only collapsed buildings remained, along with the red and white police tape fluttering in the night breeze.
He didn't even see any stray cats or dogs; they would be carriers of infection, eradicated by Fire Moth.
Everything was desolate. Ryan saw a twisted bench at his feet. He remembered this spot from a previous experiment, where Mei and Kevin had fed the stray dogs; now, it was probably tossed there by some Honkai Beast.
After a moment's hesitation, Ryan slowly sat down, straightening the twisted parts of the bench. He placed it in the sparse grass, noticing the damaged wood and chuckling wryly. He patted the bench gently, then turned and melted into the darkness.
Time marched forward; the past was irretrievable.
Minutes later, Ryan returned to his deserted dorm. The door was ajar. He placed his key back in his pocket, pushed the door open, and saw a familiar figure sitting on his bed.
"It's a miracle you didn't starve to death in the past two weeks."
"I'm not stupid. The cafeteria was closed; I went out to buy food."
A calm voice replied. A young man with shoulder-length hair and handsome features walked to the doorway, flipping a switch to illuminate the room.
It was Su, Ryan's roommate. He was wearing pajamas, as if he'd frequently visited before.
Ryan, as always, merely glanced at his rumpled bedding.
"You're sleeping in my bed again?"
"Even with Kevin's awful sleeping habits, I still slept with you."
"Don't speak so intimately. I'm not interested in men." Ryan couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to pat the other man's shoulder before hesitating. "You must have a lot of questions."
"Of course. The three of you didn't answer your phones, only sending cryptic messages. I thought our friendship was stronger than that." Su showed no anger, turning to hand Ryan a glass of water. "You came back to get your things, right? I tidied up your clothes, and your exercise equipment is surprisingly heavy."
Ryan turned to see several large bags in the corner: his computer, clothes, and weapons, all neatly organized and labeled.
"Su, if you were a woman, I think I'd fall in love with you."
"Don't be silly. Besides, your movements are classified; you kept me in the dark to protect me?"
Ryan took a sip of water. For some reason, the lukewarm water tasted nostalgic. He nodded. "How did you guess?"
"Since high school, I've known the three of you weren't ordinary. You and Mei, that's obvious, and even though Kevin is a bit… boisterous, I had a feeling that one day, you would all leave for something momentous." Su leaned against the doorframe, his face filled with both gentleness and nostalgia.
"Unfortunately, my hunch was right. It's just a shame I couldn't say goodbye properly. Don't misunderstand me. I knew you didn't want me to worry, that you feared we might never see each other again. So I didn't ask anything; waiting two weeks to see your face was enough for me."
Ryan held the glass of water, listening quietly to Su. His voice remained gentle, always considerate of others' feelings; no anger, only a hint of surprise and contentment.
He had waited so long, just to see his friend, even if only Ryan had returned.
"What are your plans for the future?"
"Graduate quickly, then become a doctor. Even though I don't know what happened, I have a feeling our paths will intertwine again." Su turned, his gentle smile returning. "So, Ryan, you should feel at ease."
"At ease. You're still the wise one. My return is well-timed." Ryan felt his mood completely calm, placing the glass on the table. "Want me to walk you out?"
"There's nothing to see in this desolate place. But I'll save that offer for later. If you're ever in danger, remember our agreement." Su nodded lightly, heading towards the door. "I'm going home for my online class. Tell Kevin I'm safe."
His back wasn't despondent; rather, it was filled with calm, even a hint of joy; he hadn't expected Ryan to return.
"Su, actually, I lied to you about something," Ryan called out, smiling at the paused figure.
"Don't worry, you're special."
The young man paused for a long moment before silently nodding, disappearing into the dark hallway. Even after Su's figure vanished, Ryan maintained his smile.
This was the first time in over a decade he had truly acted. But if fate could be altered, he wouldn't let his friend fall into the abyss. He preferred his friends experienced ordinary lives until everything was resolved.
There were no heroes there, only bloodshed and suffering. To maintain hope was the strongest form of existence.
He couldn't protect Kevin, but at least he could delay his entry into the conflict. Unfortunately, their Pre-Honkai Era lacked the brighter times Kiana and the others enjoyed.
Ryan watched a drop of water slide down the wall, recalling a proverb.
The friendship of gentlemen is like water, yet often more sincere and ardent than flames.
Putting the water glass in his bag, Ryan finally looked around the room, as if etching it into his memory. Then he walked to the window and looked down.
Clinging to the windowsill, a familiar figure was perched awkwardly—Kevin.