I am a hero of the former civilization.

His fingers flew across the screen, categorizing tens of thousands of experimental records. He stared at the rapidly flashing screen, muttering to himself.

"But that's just how humans are. There are some things that we can't get rid of no matter how much we evolve, like how you sometimes feel lonely."

"Lonely? Don't joke around. I just feel that without anyone to help, the efficiency will be very low."

"Stop being stubborn, otherwise why did you come to me? You have plenty of time to enter these things."

The clattering stopped abruptly. Mebius turned his head slightly and saw that the man was still staring intently at the screen. He quietly bit his lip.

"Sometimes you are very useful, and sometimes you are very annoying. Okay, I admit that I feel that way a little, but I will find a way to get rid of this weakness."

The last inhuman guy has already stopped thinking.

Ryan couldn't help but twitch his lips. After thinking for a moment, he turned to meet Mebius's gaze: "If that's really the case, you won't get my help. Do you know why I'm patiently doing these tedious things?"

"Because of interest, or rather, my research will give you strength."

“There is a bit of that, but it’s not just that cold, hard reason, Mebius…” Ryan stared into those emerald eyes and said calmly, “Although you are somewhat obsessive and sometimes try to scheme against me, you still experience inner turmoil, anger, and excitement. At least you are still a human being.”

He specifically emphasized the word "now," implying that at least the memory in the Paradise of the Past, Ryan might not kill her, but he would definitely not sit next to her.

Mebius's pupils contracted slightly; as a smart person, she naturally understood Ryan's unspoken meaning.

"You think evolution is about preserving human emotions and desires? Hmph, if you want to be stronger, live faster, and live longer, you always have to discard some unnecessary things."

Ryan turned his head away and continued typing on the keyboard, casually replying, "But something has to be left behind. Evolution, like exploration, needs a foundation. Of course, maintaining a person's appearance is the best. Aesthetic sense is not easy to change. Maintaining both of these is perfect evolution."

That's really greedy, but then again... isn't there an example right in front of us?

Mebius first scoffed, then her eyes widened as she stared intently at Ryan. She already knew about the Emperor-class Honkai Beasts, and combined with what he said, she felt that he was revealing some information.

"You were able to evolve through Honkai Beasts, so you joined the extermination team?"

She felt as if she had discovered a huge secret, a secret that the other party would never admit, and she didn't even bother to think about Ryan's change in attitude.

"No, I've secretly studied your skin sample, and there's nothing special about it. It's not even as good as those experimental subjects. Could it be that your secret has exceeded my capabilities?"

Not bad, you self-destructed on the spot so quickly. If Earth's technology could detect the anomaly, would it have been your turn?

Ryan's smile was somewhat sarcastic. The place where destiny lies has long surpassed Earth's civilization. It is part of the imaginary number, equivalent to one of the roots of the multidimensional universe. If it were to be seen by an electron microscope or something, it would be too embarrassing.

"What are you laughing at? Answer my question, or do you think I haven't obtained enough materials? Do you have any energy cores or something?" Mebius turned Ryan's head around, his slightly heavy breathing hitting the man's face, making him scratch.

"Unfounded fantasies? I didn't say anything. Besides, after watching the video of me beating Kevin, doesn't that make you even more powerless?"

Mebius gritted her teeth. Of course she knew she had no power to force it, but the term 'perfect evolution' was like a delicious dish placed in front of her, which she could smell but could not taste.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you?"

“No, I was just saying it offhand, just trying to make one point—” Ryan’s eyes suddenly sharpened, and he said, word by word, “I only cooperate with ‘humans,’ and this perfect unknown will only be explored with ‘humans.’”

He watched as Mebius narrowed his eyes, looking thoughtful, before turning back to continue analyzing the data. His words were meaningless, yet profoundly significant.

If possible, he wanted to draw a circle around this snake that was running uncontrollably toward infinity; at least it wasn't too late.

Uncontrolled evolution can lead to disaster, and if it affects oneself, it will be very difficult to deal with. In addition, he had also heard about what Möbius desired.

Those star gods who roam the sea of ​​stars, wielding the power of destiny, are beyond the reach of mortal eyes.

After that, no one spoke, only the clatter of keyboards remained. However, Mebius seemed somewhat distracted, occasionally turning his head to look at the focused man.

Changing my mind isn't that easy.

She grinned coldly, even somewhat disdainfully, but occasionally a hint of hesitation would emerge. That feeling of disdain mixed with reluctance to give up was maddening.

After what seemed like an eternity, the knocking finally stopped. Ryan took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

“I’ve entered the samples NL0015-NL01014. You can leave the secondary analysis to Blanca. I need to go back and review the mission briefing and prepare for battle.”

"Really go?"

"Hmm, you're not going to force me to stay, are you?" Ryan picked up his glasses and said casually, "You can probably guess the meaning. Logically speaking, it's in your best interest to do this."

"Hey, your words remind me of something." She stretched out her slender fingers and slowly counted, "He can help me with experiments, provide a perfect evolutionary path, and even help me hunt for fresh materials... Ryan..."

"You really satisfied me to the extreme. I even feel a sense of reluctance to part with you, which is so wonderful that I can't explain it."

Her voice had a unique languid quality, sounding soft and gentle. Ryan's eyes twitched, and he thought to himself that he shouldn't have let his guard down.

"If you say something like that, you might get hung up by a streetlight."

Ryan quickly stood up, without even putting on his coat, and hurried away from the snake pit. Only after leaving the laboratory did he realize that something was wrong.

Could this Mebius have a yandere tendency?

He made a face of toothache, as if the past month had made Mébius even more persistent, but he didn't have the energy to deal with it, so he just took out his tablet and started scrolling quickly.

We can't afford to think about these things now; we must focus our main energy on the battle. We don't want to be humiliated by this Emperor-class Honkai Beast right after we've shown off. In terms of Honkai energy intensity alone, we're still far behind it.

Just then, his phone vibrated slightly. Ryan took it out and glanced at it, instantly banishing all distracting thoughts. The message was from Major Himiko, and the content was quite simple.

"Dr. Ryan, a strong Honkai energy reaction has been detected. Please prepare for attack."

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Rich Play with Technology, the Poor Play with Mutation

Hua Hua Hua——

The rotor blades stirred up the airflow, and the helicopter, flying at extremely low altitude, bounced up and down. The cabin was silent, filled with the smells of tobacco and sweat.

Fully armed soldiers are checking their equipment, and occasional coughs can be heard.

Ryan sat by the cabin door, feeling a strange sense of disorientation. Yesterday he was working like a slave in the lab, and today he was on a helicopter heading to the front lines. Fortunately, he was used to changing roles and just silently glanced down at himself.

Ryan changed into a black combat suit and put on a full set of MKII combat exoskeleton. He didn't necessarily have to wear a white lab coat and show off in front of everyone; that would make him look incredibly stupid.

Or rather, he felt that the equipment was not strong enough. As a powered exoskeleton, its coverage area was not large, and it could not wrap the wearer up completely like a mecha.

"Besides the alloy breastplate, its main function is to enable soldiers to exert greater strength and endurance. The full-power output of the lithium hydrogen battery can unleash more than ten times the strength of an ordinary person. The circulation assists the joints, allowing people to run hundreds of kilometers in one go."

Ryan stroked the black metal. This thing had its advantages and disadvantages compared to mechs. Its advantage was that it was flexible and versatile, and could directly enhance the 'human' as a vessel.

High concentrations of stimulants can completely eliminate the sensation of pain and even suppress fear, and this helmet is also quite interesting.

He pressed a button on the black, fully enclosed helmet, and a number of numbers immediately appeared on the tactical goggles: night vision, thermal imaging, aim assist, and even the remaining ammunition and tactical map, just like the UI in a shooting game.

With the assistance of these things, coupled with an electromagnetic rifle with an initial velocity of 3000 meters per second, and alloy weapons, it's no wonder that the Fire Moth was able to secretly deal with so many Honkai attacks, even reminding Ryan of an old saying.

The rich play with technology, the poor play with mutation.

'If Mebius and his team hadn't created the Fusion Warriors, the world's technology tree would probably have gone much further in that direction, eventually leading to the end of Gundam battles?'

Ryan couldn't help but grin, and his 'country bumpkin' appearance made Himiko next to him cough lightly.

"Dr. Ryan, is this your first time using a combat exoskeleton?"

“Just call me by my name. There’s no such thing as a doctor on the battlefield.” Ryan turned his head and saw the other person’s life, heartbeat, and even the prohibition on using weapons on his tactical goggles. “I used an experimental one a few years ago. To be honest, that thing was useless.”

He remembered that this thing was developed by the Second Research Institute of the Fire Moth, funded by the Pureblood faction, who advocated using technological advancements to combat the Honkai and rejected all research that was 'assimilated' by the Honkai.

"Technology is always developing rapidly, just like a contest with the Honkai, seeing who can develop faster." Himiko chuckled dryly, took a drag of her cigarette, and tapped her arm armor. "Unfortunately, compared to those monsters, our scientists still have a long way to go. After all, it depends on who uses this thing."

The human body is too fragile, and ordinary physical modifications have reached their limits. Just like this exoskeleton armor, few people can unleash its full power.

Too slow to react, muscles tearing, will wavering—the Fire Moth has already made drone mechs its priority.

“Yes, putting the soul and brain aside for now, this body made of bones and muscles is indeed fragile, but Major, have you ever thought about this—” Ryan suddenly drew out his words, revealing the same smile as Mebius, “Why can’t we become monsters?”

As the wind rushed into the cabin, everyone felt the temperature drop significantly. Himiko was speechless for a long time before finally putting on her helmet.

"We're approaching the combat zone, everyone get ready."

No one paid any attention to Ryan, which made him feel the same rejection as Mebius, but he did not make sarcastic remarks, and he could understand how these people felt.

People are always stubborn, thinking that everything is still under control. They will never know how to move forward unless they are given a strong push.

As he pondered, the light on the cabin door turned green, and the helicopter began to circle. Ryan peered out and saw a desolate town below, littered with corpses and several burning police cars.

This place has been corrupted by the Honkai. The tactical UI is flashing red, warning that if you enter this area without protective equipment, the possibility of being corrupted by the Honkai is extremely high.

"This town is overrun with zombies and Honkai Beasts; it's beyond saving."

He saw a human figure flash by in the shadows and could hear the rumbling footsteps of the Honkai Beasts. Soon after, he saw a three-story-sized tank appear, and then the accompanying armed helicopters went to meet it.

Shhhhhh.

The two-meter-long missile left a pale contrail as it roared and exploded in the distance, sending fireballs into the air, buildings crumbling, and thick smoke billowing from several houses.

Da da da......

The sound of machine guns made people's ears ring. The Honkai Beasts that were blasted to the ground were instantly riddled with holes. Then, white shadows darted out and quickly streaked across the sky.

The armed helicopters quickly swooped down to dodge, one of which was too slow and was shot down in mid-air. The others increased their speed and flew close to the ground. Ryan clearly saw the charging creatures chasing after them.

Biological missiles, huh? These little gadgets are pretty fast, but the Fire Moth's tactics haven't improved much.

"Alright, the landing site is now open. Watch out for those hidden Honkai Beasts and assassins."

Himiko yawned and stubbed out her cigarette.

"Team A, take the high ground! Team B, provide fire support! Team C, parachute in with me! Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

After saying that, she was the first to jump out of the hatch. As a special countermeasures unit, they did not need to rappel. Ryan was the second to jump out. He watched as the ground expanded in his field of vision, and then he landed on the ground with a 'thud'.

The exoskeleton shock absorption system activated, and he didn't even feel a noticeable landing. He thought to himself, "This thing is really useful." Then he looked up and saw a series of diamond-shaped icons in his field of vision.

The landing alerted the assassins, and just like in Resident Evil, hundreds of assassins poured out of buildings, alleys, and even sewers.

Ryan simply stood there quietly, without even drawing his weapon, listening to the continuous thuds of the weapons hitting the ground, followed by a sharp, hissing sound like a nail gun.

The crowd before them was cut down like wheat, limbs and severed bodies flew everywhere, and bullets with extremely high penetrating power pierced the walls like sieves. No matter what kind of suicide squad they were, they could not break through this storm of metal.

In a massacre, as long as the psychological barrier to killing one's own kind is overcome, even a suicide soldier is not qualified to be cannon fodder.

Ryan looked up and saw Kevin's logo appear in the UI. The young man was firing a rifle, accurately shooting a father and daughter in the head.

"Looks like I don't need to give him psychological counseling." Ryan breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Kevin must have been very sad when he fired the first shot, but he would become numb after killing so many. In this pre-civilization, the Holy Mother couldn't survive.

The constant hissing of gunfire was joined by machine guns firing from the air. Ryan stood there like an audience member, knowing that if the Honkai only had this much power, there would be no need for them to establish the Moth Chaser.

coming.

A slight tremor came from the ground, then the sound grew louder and louder, as if a train was approaching from underground. Ryan gripped the alloy spear on his back, and at the same time, Himiko beside him sheathed her spear and drew her sword.

"Maintain the line and retreat, Group A, aim at our feet!"

Without any hesitation, the moment the gunfire ceased, the concrete ground suddenly arched upwards.