Elysia really has a talent for creating stories. Before I even say anything, she's already plotted out the entire sequence in her head. Has she written a million-word romance novel or something?
Ryan had no idea what this pink fairy was thinking. Wasn't she talking about Mobius and Hua earlier? Why did she suddenly bring me into this conversation? And why the serious look? Did I accidentally get the "nice guy" card?
He did have a good impression of Elysia—after all, who could dislike Miss Pink Fairy? But she seemed to be giving out opportunities for affection left and right, and it was incredibly difficult to win her heart.
As Elysia said, her heart could hold too many people, and it was impossible for just one person to fit in there unless they were so extraordinary that they eclipsed all of humanity. But Ryan wasn't that person.
Wait, why am I actually strategizing about this?
Ryan suddenly became alert, realizing that maybe madness could be contagious. He shook his head and glanced over at Mobius, who was now inside the glass house on the rooftop.
"Laugh if you want. Elysia is truly hard to deal with."
Mobius stood in the shadow behind the door, her eyes sharp. After a moment of silence, she finally laughed.
"I really don't know whether I should call you courageous or just clueless. You actually dared to confess to Elysia? Do you know she's called the Fantasy Killer in the Fire Moth?"
I didn't confess anything! And what's with the impressive-sounding name, 'Fantasy Killer'?
If you're looking for peaches, you're dreaming!
Ryan suddenly felt the weight of malice from the world. What was strange was that after hearing Mobius mocking sarcasm, he felt oddly calm.
No one could understand what Elysia was thinking. So, why bother? I'm not some invincible protagonist with a system that makes me stronger through confessions. I'm busy with a thousand things, and I don't have the energy to deal with such a complex strategy.
"I miscalculated this time. Think whatever you want."
"You don't even want to explain?"
"Explain what? It's Elysia. I don't want to be angry with her." Ryan pulled out a rattan chair and sat down. The view from the glass house was spectacular, with the sound of the tide in the background and the cold wind kept at bay.
Mobius face darkened as she recalled what had just happened. Ryan had confessed his feelings to her on his birthday, but unlike before, Elysia hadn't outright rejected him. Instead, she had said, "Give me some time," which intrigued Mobius.
If Elysia had rejected him outright, Mobius would've mocked her. But that wasn't the case. Elysia response made Mobius even more eager to compete.
I told you, he's mine.
Mobius didn't stop to wonder why Ryan was hers—she only knew she wouldn't let anyone else have what she wanted.
"Why are you standing there? Come here."
Lost in thought, Mobius suddenly heard Ryan speak. After a moment's hesitation, she walked over, pulled out another rattan chair, and sat down.
There was a small coffee table between them with a teapot. Ryan touched it, feeling the warmth. He didn't need to ask; he knew Sakura had already changed the water.
"Sakura is so thoughtful. A perfect assistant—good at fighting and considerate. Hey, what's with that look in your eyes?"
Ryan was pouring tea when he noticed Mobius looking at him with an unreadable expression.
"Looking at the scumbag's eyes?"
"Sakura only loves her sister. I protect Rin, and she helps me with things. Simple as that." Ryan picked up the tea and felt that he shouldn't have to explain further, so he added, "Besides, it's none of your business."
"Why not... Well, it's none of my business, but seeing you humiliated does make me happy. Is that okay?"
"I'll take your words back. I'm also happy to see you get humiliated."
The two of them exchanged sinister smiles, as if the war wasn't over yet. After sipping their tea, they returned to a more neutral state.
Ryan was indifferent, while Mobius was lazy. They drank several cups of tea together, which made Ryan begin to doubt his own actions.
So why did I pull her up here? Was I trying to make things more difficult for myself? I might as well have gone to bed early rather than waste my time.
Ryan couldn't quite explain his behavior from earlier, but when he saw Mobius looking at him with a strange expression, he subconsciously grabbed her hand.
"Ahem, it's snowing."
Mobius turned her head and saw that snowflakes were floating outside the glass house, gently drifting through the air and turning into droplets on the ground.
"Yeah, it's snowing. This weather is really weird."
They were in Hawaii, a place known for its warm climate, yet snow was falling. Although Mobius wasn't a meteorologist, she understood this was likely due to the collapse.
The wind and snow intensified, and the sound of the tide coming from the dark sea made the villa seem eerily quiet. Ryan suddenly lost interest in competing with Mobius.
Da da da.
He tapped the wicker chair, and Mobius turned her head, immediately knowing what to do.
She rolled her eyes at Ryan, and the hem of her skirt slid down like water. Two long, beautiful legs, clad in black stockings, rested on Ryan thighs. The high slit of her skirt revealed lace edges and purple suspenders, creating a striking contrast with her white thighs.
Ryan looked at her with appreciation, his hand instinctively reaching to touch her calf. The texture of the stockings was soft, and the elasticity was satisfying. To put it simply, it was a stress-relieving exercise for him—like pinching instant noodles.
"Is this evening going well?"
"Yeah, it's nice to take a break once in a while." This time, Mobius didn't say anything stubborn. She genuinely felt calm, likely due to the wind and snow outside.
"It must be hard dealing with the Fourth Herrscher. She's different from the other Herrschers. I've never heard of a Herrscher running away."
"It's okay, I almost died." Ryan answered casually, and he immediately felt Mobius calf muscles tense. "She knows how to use tricks and use Śeṣa as bait. If I hadn't been vigilant..."
Ryan calmly narrated the entire battle process, including how he noticed the problem, was chased by the Herrscher, and finally turned the tables with the Fire Moth's assistance.
He noticed Mobius calf muscles had tensed as he spoke about hiding in the sea, and they only relaxed when he mentioned how the Herrscher had retreated.
"Even Sakura doesn't know the whole story. You're the first to know the truth."
"Do I have to thank you?" Mobius turned around, holding his face with a serious expression. "How many times have I told you that your life belongs to me? Don't take unnecessary risks."
The entire plan had been interconnected, and if anything had gone wrong, Ryan could have been killed by the Herrscher or hunted by the Fire Moths. She frowned, deep in thought.
"Who else knows the truth?"
"Sakura, Elysia, Mei probably suspects it."
"Then it's limited to the three of them. This is a serious issue. How could the Herrscher target you? If Honkai were to be eliminated based on threat level, the Fire Moths should be killed, and humanity should split on its own."
Mobius lowered her slender neck and propped up her chin, thinking hard. After a moment, she realized the issue was with Ryan himself.
"It seems I'm not the only one who has discovered your value. Now, there's a best solution—you can commit a crime and voluntarily apply to go to the Deepest Place. That place has been reformed by Vil-V and is completely safe."
"Have you ever seen me run away?" Ryan laughed sarcastically, looking out at the snow. "Come if you want. I won't hide. I'll do what I have to do. Do you know why I escaped?"
Mobius raised an eyebrow and saw Ryan lean in to speak in her ear.
"Because from the start, I wanted to fight back."
"You lunatic, brainless fool." Mobius pushed him away angrily, trying to pull her foot out, but he held it down, and she couldn't pull it free.
"Fighting against Honkai is a crazy act in itself. This answer is more beneficial than harmful to me. I can finally set out my weapons and have a big fight with them." Ryan gently massaged her beautiful legs in stockings, enjoying the soft touch, which made him squint his eyes.
"But this isn't just about you and Honkai. If the Fire Moths find out about this secret, they won't let you go. They'll use you as bait."
"But you didn't report me. Instead, you thought about it from my perspective."
Mobius was startled, turning her head away. "I told you, your life is mine, but I can't guarantee it for others, including Mei."
Keep talking tough, keep talking tough.
Ryan applied a bit more pressure, causing her straight legs to twist.
"I'll change the plan and control the Fire Moths step by step. By then, Mei will stand by my side, and Kevin and the others too."
"You want to fight Honkai head-on?"
"It's no different from the usual. The Herrscher comes to fight. The only difference is who will lead humanity: the politicians of the Fire Moths or the superhero-like heroes." Ryan spread his hands. He had already thought about it for the past few days.
When the Mantis Plan is fully implemented, individual combat power will outweigh social organizations. For Ryan, this just meant more work, but no essential difference.
Ryan was included in the definition of "human," so whether he was targeted or not didn't matter.
"This is difficult. The Fire Moths have extended their reach globally. No one can control this massive organization. Even Carius is just a figurehead." Mobius was also thinking about the situation.
"So, we have to take it one step at a time. For now, I'm satisfied with their work." Ryan wasn't concerned at all. Just like the Mantis and Key of God projects, even Superman couldn't support them. It would take thousands of researchers and countless factories.
"Mobius, the definition of the world will gradually shrink. When the value is exhausted, we can start optimizing it."
He was cold-blooded and treated the pretentious bigwigs as tools, but he didn't hate Mobius, who had no loyalty.
Every time the budget was cut, she wanted to stomp those people under her feet with her high heels.
"It's interesting. Count me in."
"This is rebellion. Have you thought about it?"
Mobius glanced at Ryan, who was holding her foot, then folded her arms and smiled strangely. "I don't owe Fire Moth anything. You're the only one who can make me evolve. You're the only one who can make me fall in love."
Her words elevated their cooperative relationship to an alliance, but it didn't surprise Ryan.
After being together for so long, how could he not be confident? Even if Mobius acted stubborn, she had already been controlled by him without realizing it.
As for the second half of her sentence, he thought for a moment, then decided to let it go.
If he showed even the slightest hint of joy right now, Mobius would undoubtedly pinch his chin, raise his head, and say something like, "Are you that eager for my love? You're so cute, worthy of being a toad."
I'm young and naive. How could I be fooled by you?
He sneered, reluctantly put her black silk-covered foot down, turned around, and took out a suitcase from a hidden cabinet.
"Since you're so considerate, I'll give you a gift."
Inside, there was a glass bottle containing a black-green liquid, with a snake's eyeball floating in it.
"This is..." Mobius's eyes lit up suddenly, and she seemed happier than if Ryan had given her ten pieces of jewelry.
Ryan picked up the bottle and said, "This is the first step in your ascent to the Godly Stage—the genes of the Judgment-level Honkai Beast [Śeṣa]."