I am a hero of the former civilization.

Unfortunately, he couldn't see anything. The other party was only indifferent, and their eyes were as pure as the Honkai Beasts he had captured.

At this point, the two brothers started to panic. This kind of person is the most difficult to deal with in negotiations; you have no idea what they are thinking, or what they are saying at all.

"So, what do you want to know?"

To put it bluntly, Ryan liked honest people, but he didn't have any expectations.

"What I want to know, neither of you dares to say and will not say, because if you do, even if I spare you, you will still die."

Takeuchi and Toratsu exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with bitterness. They were both intelligent people, and any attempt to guide or deceive them would be a joke. Instead, they chatted happily.

"You want to know about the 'Faith Faction,' right? Starting with the Fourth Herrscher, what role did we play in it?"

"You handled Lieutenant Rose's matter very well, and you were very capable in drawing me into a trap. Do you know where you went wrong?"

"where?"

“I had just arrived in Japan when you should have come begging for mercy and told me the news, so we could have dealt with the person behind this together. That was our only way out,” Ryan said in a completely emotionless voice, toying with the jade ornament on the table. “But you overestimated your own strength. Did you think that having a high-ranking fusion warrior would make me hesitate to act rashly?”

The brothers remained silent. Logically speaking, Coleman was enough; Ryan couldn't possibly assassinate them under his nose, and to do so openly would make them traitors.

"We've reviewed all your intelligence and know you're a rational person who weighs the pros and cons of everything. We just didn't expect you to have a trump card up your sleeve—a monster outside the ranks of the Fire-Chasing Moths. Truly a genius..."

He stopped mid-sentence as he saw Ryan turn pitch black and his body swell up.

His gaze froze, trembled, and finally settled into composure: "Hu Che, look, this is a true master who has integrated intelligence and strength, making all your thinking flawed from the very beginning."

This time, the younger brother didn't refute, but chuckled and said, "He has never only controlled lightning. And have you noticed that this black substance is very similar to a previous achievement? It just so happens that he went to Northern Europe."

"A pseudo-Herrscher's ability, ha, that's true. Our meeting that time was really laughable; we didn't even discover his most fundamental ability. He's a monster that overturns all concepts!!"

Takeuchi laughed maniacally, a mixture of despair and satisfaction in his voice. Then, Kotetsu laughed too, like a detective enthusiast who had just seen the outcome of a case.

The two fell silent at the same time, lowering their voices as they faced Ryan, who had put down the jade ornament and was walking towards them.

"Use whatever means you want, I only have one request."

"speak."

"Hurry up and let us die with some dignity."

Ryan paused, then placed his hands on the tops of their heads.

"Having climbed to this level from scratch, since he's someone important, I'll naturally give him face."

Without much talk, the accumulated spiritual power surged forth, causing the light in their eyes to dissipate, leaving them standing like puppets.

Successful.

Because of the Honkai energy, the two were somewhat antagonistic. Ryan used a little trick, and since they were going to die either way, Takeuchi and Kotetsu cooperated very well, so there was no need for them to struggle.

There was no need for this extra step, but Ryan wouldn't believe what they said voluntarily, so he chose a safer approach.

"The first question is, why did you become a religious sect?"

"Because fusion warriors can gain infinite lifespan, and we want to obtain that blessing."

"The best way to fight monsters is to become monsters. The higher a person's position, the more afraid they are of being overthrown by the strong."

The two answered in turn, making Ryan laugh silently.

That's so damn realistic. Isn't this what they want? Fanatics and lunatics can't become big shots. These two never worshipped Honkai at all; they just wanted to get benefits from it.

The benefits are obvious. Just like emperors and generals who pursued immortality, the more powerful a person is, the more afraid they are of death. And the sample is right in front of them, not some elixir of immortality.

"I forgot that the lifespan of fusion warriors is more attractive to them than power itself. No wonder they're so crazy."

Ryan chuckled self-deprecatingly. Being in the thick of it, he hadn't yet discovered this advantage. Unfortunately, not everyone can become a fusion warrior; their genes are determined before birth, and Mebius couldn't change it.

Since science won't work, let's rely on metaphysics, and when it comes to metaphysics, the Lawbringers have an extremely strong appeal.

"So, have you made contact with the Herrscher?"

Ryan awaited an answer, but saw the two of them shaking their heads blankly: "I don't know."

I don't know again. Could it be that the relevant memories will be erased?

Ryan thought of the fusion warrior from the intelligence department, whose answer was also "I don't know," while these two were Fire Chaser councilors who had been awarded the number II.

Even they don't know, that's interesting.

Ryan, however, became more interested and asked again, "Do you know the identities of your companions? Who is the core of the Faith faction, and how many people are there?"

This time, Ryan got the answer, which confirmed a fact for him.

Someone has a way to alter or erase memories, ensuring that the most critical secrets are not leaked.

That was enough. Ryan snapped their necks, left the submarine that had become a slaughterhouse, flew into the sky, and gripped the steel vessel that displaced more than three thousand tons tightly.

crunch--

With a metallic groan, the submarine was compressed into an iron ball and gradually sank into the sea.

A breeze carrying a faint fishy smell swept by, and there was nothing between the sea and the sky.

Chapter 215 Hey, aren't you angry?

Dream Hotel, Jeju City.

Early in the morning, Ryan stepped onto the stairs, ignoring the glances that several sanitation workers were secretly casting at him.

After disappearing for a night, he returned to the sight of the Firemoth. No one knows what he did. The two poor souls who were previously in charge of surveillance have been taken away for interrogation.

No matter how the interrogation proceeded, neither of their testimonies appeared to be wrong:

Dr. Lane was under their surveillance when the Tokyo attack occurred and showed no signs of leaving. As for whether he remotely directed others to attack, they did not know.

The whole thing was in chaos overnight. Everyone knew it was related to Ryan, but there was no evidence whatsoever. What could they do to Ryan?

He has an alibi, and neither witnesses nor testimonies point to him. As for his psychological qualities, there are no flaws.

Hey, aren't you guys angry?

Ryan went straight to the restaurant, took out his phone and glanced at it. The message was from Himiko, and it contained only two words.

"Thank you."

It was short, but it contained a thousand words. Ryan smiled and replied succinctly, "You're welcome."

Now that you've vented your anger, you're not going to become a Herrscher, are you?

This was a secondary reason for his intervention. Himiko and he weren't particularly close, but she was very important to Hua, and he really didn't want to see his junior sister heartbroken.

A mental breakdown and adaptability to high Honkai energy are two prerequisites for becoming a Herrscher. Himiko seems to be fine now. Although she didn't do it herself, she handled the whole thing very well.

People were killed, the city was destroyed, and the Moth Chaser still couldn't do anything to me. They're playing dirty tricks on me; they're truly absurd.

Ryan ordered a bowl of noodles, sat down by the window, turned to look at the sanitation workers dawdling around, and thought their acting skills were questionable. Then, while fiddling with his chopsticks, he reflected on what he had learned.

"There are nine people in the Faith Faction, and one more recently joined. This proves that the temptation offered by the Honkai is great enough, but the clues have also ended here."

"Their identities are even more secretive than those of Councilor Chaser of Fire. Well, they can be considered to have betrayed humanity for their own benefit. If they weren't so secretive, they would have been found out and killed long ago."

The chopsticks swung faster and faster, gradually turning into afterimages. Ryan also thought more and more deeply. He had at least learned the full picture of this malignant tumor and was gradually peeling it away from the darkness.

Nine people, no, there are still eight left. They should be more careful from now on. I've also sent the information to Mei, hoping she can change her mind.

The two generally agreed on this matter, but Mei was more rational and unwilling to risk internal strife among humanity. She wanted to wait for the best opportunity, which is why she was so angry last time.

"It's a pity that Honkai is also adjusting. Not everything can go according to plan. Sometimes, being emotional is more useful."

Ryan took a sip of the free tea. When he got impulsive, even May couldn't understand him, just as May couldn't fully accept the moth that chases the flame. And unless absolutely necessary, Ryan didn't want to use such a method that would kill a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of his own.

The best outcome would be to remove this malignant tumor, and now there are two paths.

"First, start with Lieutenant Whiteman and find out who gave him the orders; second, there's this supplier, Black Dog. He should have a list of customers or something. If we can find out who owns it, the situation will immediately improve."

Ryan wasn't reckless; he just didn't like how May meticulously calculated every penny of profit.

Mei can do the first thing, and I'll do the second thing myself, though it'll be a bit troublesome.

We need to investigate, but not too quickly. He also wants to use this incident to clarify the relationship between the Faith faction and the Lawbringers, a two-birds-with-one-stone approach.

But he didn't take this person seriously. Given their way of doing things, if they really had a solid lead, they wouldn't be alive now. But they could be used as a cover for Mei.

Hey.

Just then, a bowl of noodles was placed on the table. Ryan looked up slightly and saw the pretty proprietress.

"Thank you, it's so kind of you to bring it over yourself."

“It’s just a short walk. I happen to have something to apologize to you about.” She took out a few sheets of paper and a pen from her wallet and gently placed them on the table. “We’re going to be doing renovations in a couple of days. I’m sorry, you’ll have to find somewhere else to stay. As compensation, I’ll pay you double the remaining rent.”

The woman's expression remained calm and elegant, but Ryan noticed the changes in her micro-expressions and, after a moment's thought, understood the reason.

She misunderstood, thinking the agents were after her and that she was being monitored.

His identity was already questionable, and then a bunch of secret agents moved in. It would be strange if he wasn't panicked, but he had a good attitude and did a good job, knowing not to involve innocent people.

Ryan had a sudden inspiration and immediately came up with an idea.

"Have a seat, let's have a chat."

Meng raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to talk about, but still pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Do you have anything to say?"

Ryan lowered his head and ate his noodles, oil dripping from the corners of his mouth. He said casually, "Choosing to fight the Firemoth is not a good idea. Since we've been exposed, why not sneak away?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he clearly saw Meng grip the tablecloth tightly, her expression turning cold, and then the guests at the other tables all looked over.

Okay, aside from me being a normal hotel guest, you guys are all filming a spy drama.

"Are you the bait?" the woman asked in a low voice, her hand disappearing under the table with a soft click—the sound of a safety lock being released.

Ryan acted as if he knew nothing, picked up a tissue to wipe his mouth, and said, "The noodles were cooked well, but you could have been a little smarter. If I was the bait, why expose myself? Wouldn't it have been better to just close the net and catch the person?"

"What if you were coerced by the Moth of Fire?"

"Your imagination is excellent, but you're wrong. To deal with a few rebels like you, there's no need to go through such a roundabout way. The reason you're staying here is because you've discovered there are too many enemies and you want to use yourself as bait so that your comrades can move out."

The woman's lips twitched slightly as she re-examined the other person. In her memory, this person had never done any investigation, so how could they have guessed her thoughts?

"so what?"

"You should know I'm from the Moth of Flames, so you're probably curious about why I'm staying here, right?"