Amidst the whirring helicopter blades, Mei displayed her boldness and excellent conjecture skills. Fortunately, Mobius wasn't ordinary; unlike a naive girl, she didn't jump to conclusions.
Her strange expression lingered for a moment; she initially seemed to not understand Mei, then instinctively prepared to retort, before falling into deep thought.
A mature scientist would carefully consider the issue, but she couldn't find an answer.
"I only see his advancement from lab rat; this change is value-based. Ryan can help me with many things; while he occasionally infuriates me, he's generally useful. Look—"
Mobius extended a slender finger, counting on her fingers. "High intellect; he can assist with research, understands my ideals, provides immense value, and acts as a bodyguard, hunting materials. He's the perfect tool."
"Tool? You intend to discard him after extracting his value?"
"I wouldn't dare. It's like a treasure chest I can't fully unlock. I even suspect that clinging to him might help me reach the final stage."
Mobius suddenly became interested, watching Mei silently shake her head. This felt familiar; believing rationality could solve everything.
"That's why I emphasized 'a little.'"
"Whatever. I'm just worried he's uncontrollable; I need to find a way to manage him." Mobius ignored her, gently twirling her long hair. "Don't use your experiences to judge me. I'm different from you ordinary mortals."
Different? Perhaps you're not as indifferent as you claim. Who secretly longed for an assistant, rushing to the command center to watch Ryan and Adieto battle?
If you care so deeply for a tool, it's no longer just a tool.
Mei's lips curved slightly; she didn't argue, only saying, "If one day, when you're desperate, heartbroken, or intensely exhilarated, the first person you think of is him… reconsider this."
What would that mean?
Mobius's smile faltered; before she could ponder this, the helicopter landed.
Ryan was the first out; he saw Mobius and Mei conversing nearby. Both intelligent and beautiful, with flowing hair and black stiletto heels, they attracted many gazes simply by standing there.
"You two are so close?" Ryan approached, focusing on Mobius. "If you two cooperated fully, humanity would be fortunate."
"Who's close to her? We just happened to meet. This woman's here to pick up her boyfriend."
"Then why are you here?"
Ryan's casual question stunned Mobius; she'd overlooked something.
Right, why am I here?
Mei's here for her boyfriend; why am I here, wasting my time? Knowing this brute is clever, even flattery is useless. Why am I here?
"You're crazy." Ryan snorted at Mobius's stunned expression, then looked at the slender girl. "I've brought Kevin back; he's battered but not seriously injured. Get him some rest; he'll be back to his old self soon."
Mei had already seen Kevin; he was leaning against the hatch, causing her anxiety. Hearing Ryan's words, she relaxed.
"Thank you. I hope he matures quickly; time is short."
"Any breakthroughs in your research?"
"A small one. I reviewed Fire Moth's classified papers, then used the particle collider to observe Imaginary Space. It was a brief glimpse, but I learned something."
Ryan nodded, slightly frustrated; he'd been working as an assistant and hunter, with no time for his research.
"So, what did you see?"
"A vast space, its energy incalculable. But through my calculations, the space seems distinct, like positive and negative poles, intertwined yet repelling each other."
Tree and Sea?
Two words instantly flashed in Ryan's mind, though now wasn't the time to discuss it.
Mei could only speculate through calculations; she hadn't even reached the observation stage, let alone direct observation.
"Send your findings to my encrypted mailbox; I'll examine them later." Seeing Mei nod, Ryan called out. "Kevin, Mei's here!"
Quickly, the previously exhausted young man startled, sitting up. He glanced away, seeing his pensive girlfriend; his face brightened; Mei approached him.
They held hands by the helicopter, their affection implicit, as if they had countless things to say.
Ugh…
Ryan suddenly felt nauseous, but he was happy for Kevin, who'd feared he couldn't keep up with Mei's intellectual prowess.
But Kevin had found his value; in the face of Honkai, warriors and scholars were equally important.
"Mei is like the sheath of a sword. As long as she's there, Kevin's sword might be cold, but it won't go berserk."
Ryan chuckled, then glanced at Mobius, momentarily tempted to slap himself.
This woman wasn't a sheath; she was a ruthless capitalist, destined for a lamppost.
"So you were taking a stroll by the runway?"
Mobius snapped out of it, her eyes twinkling, offering a sly smile. "No, I was checking if my precious assistant was missing any limbs. If he's injured, I can take advantage of the situation."
Ryan scanned her; black stilettos, flowing hair. If only she had a better disposition; her capricious nature was formidable.
"Speaking of which, I remembered a joke."
"What joke?"
"A headless brain and unhappiness. Of course, I'm unhappy." Ryan walked past her impassively; Mobius blinked, instinctively retorting.
"You're the idiot!"
People dispersed from the landing pad—some in couples, some alone, and some chasing after each other.
The observers on the platform witnessed it all; Edwin's lips twitched.
"Dr. Ryan and Dr. Mobius aren't a couple? It reminds me of my youth. I was in Shangguo; a girl in my class always bullied me. Later, I found out…"
"Stop, Commander. You've told that love story ten times; I've memorized the ending." Himiko quickly interrupted, adopting a low, serious tone. "You understand. He took her home; they have three kids."
"Right. Enemies eventually become lovers. Want to bet? Oh, I almost forgot you lost your entire salary on that bet."
Himiko gritted her teeth; she'd fought bravely, only to lose everything right after.
"Commander, don't rub salt in my wounds. Higher-ups rejected our request for reinforcement; insufficient authority."
"Expected. Sometimes, I don't understand those genius higher-ups." Edwin took a deep breath, suppressing his anger.
He appreciated having someone like Ryan under his command; his flexibility and mobility were unparalleled. Just a little fuel to get him where he was needed, with some support personnel, and most Honkai events were resolved. But—
Edwin looked at the large electronic screen, the sporadic red dots flashing—Honkai was endless.
"Maybe he knows too much." Himiko interjected, recalling the phone call from Chiba Academy. "Ryan was never just a soldier."
"I know. A simple warrior couldn't work with Mobius. Headquarters estimates the third Honkai will arrive in how long?"
"Between half a month and three months. It doesn't matter; Miss Elysia will be assigned to the Far East, and Ryan won't go far."
"Where's he going next?"
Himiko didn't answer immediately; she zoomed in on the map, pointing to a location near Japan.
"Shanghai."