I am a hero of the former civilization.

A wise person is one who prepares in advance so that they can face any challenge with composure.

What Ryan fears most is not that the Honkai alters the order in which the Herrschers descend, or that it increases their power, but rather that conceptual incarnation he has never heard of before. He craves the unknown, yet he also detests it.

The plane was slowly descending, and after Ryan's explanation, Sakura understood.

This unknown Herrscher specializes in infiltration, so don't get hung up on His authority. Just focus on the target. If He fails to accomplish His goal, it's no different from death.

“Aponia has already made its move. It won’t be so easy for Him to play dirty tricks, and there’s also the risk of being exposed. Whoever doesn’t obey the ‘commandments’ is a Herrscher, so what we need to guard against now is assassination.”

"But He can't defeat a high-level fusion warrior."

“The number is too small to cover everything, and some people are of immeasurable value.” Ryan picked up a magazine from the table and tapped on the cover.

She was a girl with long, wine-red hair, elegant and noble. Sakura understood at a glance and nodded gently.

“Eden, she is indeed an important target. She is currently being protected by the Southern Divine Continent branch. Should we send more people, or should we go directly to her?”

"Don't rush. Killing Eden won't be that easy. Let Him gather more clones first. Remember I said before that this Herrscher has a limited number of clones. The more clones you kill, the less trouble you'll have."

Seeing the man's effortless demeanor, Sakura fell silent. Even though everything he had said was hypothetical, she still believed it wholeheartedly.

These problems can be left to him; all I need to do is make a good knife. But this composure of being in control of everything is truly attractive.

The girl secretly watched Ryan, but didn't see the worry in his eyes.

'This thousand-strong Herrscher is quite different from what I remembered. Several ordinary people have acquired Honkai energy and can self-destruct without any restraint. What would happen if their carriers became Fusion Warriors?'

He doesn't have an answer to this question yet, and the intensity of the Honkai is within expectations, but there's a saying...

We'll deal with whatever comes our way, whether it's soldiers or water.

squeak-

The wheels touched the ground, emitting wisps of white smoke as the silver-white business jet taxied, causing the soldiers preparing in the parking area to look up.

These high-end business jets are standard equipment for the wealthy, and the Nan Shenzhou branch, which had not received any notification, was quite curious.

Ryan didn't inform anyone; his identity was highly confidential to begin with. However, just to be on the safe side, he also wore an illusion hood, transforming himself into a blond, blue-eyed young man with an unnaturally pale complexion.

This appearance also has a story behind it; he is one of the directors of Mu Continent's 'Black Steel Military Industry,' and his father is also a member of the Fire Chasing Council, making him a first-class rich second-generation.

Therefore, it would be reasonable for a beautiful female officer, known as the "Moth of Fire," to accompany him.

"Pah, what is this Diaz doing in China?"

"Oh, it's him! I knew I'd seen him in a magazine, what was he called again?"

"The Little Silver Spear Chaser, damn it, while we're working ourselves to the bone, they're enjoying life. Reincarnation is truly an art."

"Black Steel Military Industry is the organization's largest weapons supplier, after all. It has made some contributions to humanity. Let's get to work."

Disdainful and questioning voices reached his ears, but Ryan just grinned, though his face, hollowed out by wine and women, looked rather wicked.

That's right, he's fishing again. This tactic never fails, and he's quite particular about choosing his bait.

Diaz is a major opposition figure, and the arms cartel he represents is incredibly powerful.

Previously, thinking her father was being controlled, she foolishly came to negotiate, wanting to kill him so she could take over his position and offer a better price, etc. May didn't bother with any nonsense and directly sent Aponia to handle it.

The real person is currently locked up in the lowest level of headquarters, enjoying a period of 'filial piety'.

If you dare to come, I'll find a way to capture you. There must be some kind of mental network to synchronize the various manifestations of your wisdom.

Ryan stood on the gangway and looked around. He guessed why the Herrscher would self-destruct. It must be like a local area network, afraid that someone would intrude and trace the source.

A luxury car was already prepared. Amidst the envious or disdainful glances of onlookers, Ryan stepped down the gangway. Then, Sakura, who had hidden her ears, quickly opened the car door, professionally held the roof, dismissed the driver, and took the driver's seat herself.

With a slight vibration, the car drove away, while Ryan comfortably reclined in his seat and answered his phone.

"Well, I've left the Firemoth. That Mei offered me a deal: if I could settle it, she'd hand over the old man's position to me."

"It's true. Didn't that old man go back to the group? Can't you see for yourselves whether he's being mind-controlled? If you have the guts, just call a board meeting and remove him. Don't give me that nonsense."

Ryan slammed his phone down, his previously ferocious expression vanishing instantly, replaced by a hint of amusement.

Mei's job is really difficult. After all, Aponia can only 'convince' a portion of the people. The interest groups that depend on them will definitely not be satisfied. It's more troublesome to deal with them. No wonder the thousand Herrschers have started to take action.

He's full of flaws...

Ryan wiped his face and thought that May's ability to multitask, including conducting research, managing the organization, and dealing with power challenges, was truly superhuman.

Thankfully, there's Aponia. With her, there's a prerequisite; otherwise, if I went door-to-door to reason with them one by one, there wouldn't be any Moths left.

"These people still won't give up?" Sakura glanced at the rearview mirror.

“Unless everyone is bound by discipline, it’s impossible for them to give up. But I’m not thinking about creating a harmonious organization. The Fire Moths are just tools, and as long as the tools are useful, that’s enough.” Ryan turned to look at the city outside the window, his hands on his stomach, clearly not taking it to heart.

"Let May handle these people. When it's time to reason with them, send Aponia. If they cause trouble, just eliminate them. Tens of thousands of people are negligible compared to the entire human race."

The cold-blooded words made the temperature inside the car drop several degrees. Sakura gripped the steering wheel slightly, not only without feeling disgusted, but even full of agreement.

That's why May chose to assist him. Ryan was not only strong and intelligent, but also ruthless. He would never hesitate to kill when necessary, possessing all the virtues of a leader.

As a rationalist and pragmatist, Lane didn't think much of it; love and justice had to give way to survival, and these people were able to live because they still had value.

"It's been a long time since I've been to China."

Ryan looked out the window with a sigh. He had left Canghai City almost two years ago and had not returned. The scars left by the Third Collapse had disappeared, and the Jiangnan region was full of life even in winter.

The fields on both sides are full of genetically modified rice seedlings, which look lush and green compared to the withered yellow leaves. They are growing well and will be ready for harvest in two months.

"Möbius did a good job. This way, we can harvest six times a year, and agriculture has also relocated a large number of people." Ryan muttered to himself. Now, humanity has lost more than 40 percent of its territory, but living people have legs and know how to seek refuge, so not many people have died.

“Dr. Mei canceled the lottery and evacuated a large number of people, which will definitely exacerbate the food pressure.” Sakura gripped the steering wheel with both hands, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes. “We cannot lose any of the existing continents. If everyone is trapped in the cities, hunger will sweep away all order.”

War brings a heavy burden, especially since ordinary people can only be a hindrance in this war, but without them, civilization would cease to exist.

"Don't worry, there are other places to move to. The real show has just begun."

"The world bubble of the quantum sea?" Mei often helped deliver documents and had heard some inside information about it.

"Yes, the 'Wandering Humans' project has been accelerated. If we don't find them a place to take refuge, we'll be hampered in a fight. However, it's still in the conceptual stage." Ryan took a deep breath. Such a beautiful and peaceful countryside could be completely destroyed in a single battle.

It's difficult to keep a few fusion warriors alive, but preserving the core of a civilization is an impossible task.

Cars roared past on the road. Ryan stopped talking and just looked out the window, his head propped up. War machines could be seen flying overhead from time to time. After the great retreat, they finally freed up troops. For example, the garrison under the Southern Shenzhou branch numbered as many as a million.

With the widespread adoption of the MKII powered exoskeleton, small and medium-sized Honkai can be quickly eradicated. Even when an Emperor-class Honkai appears, it is difficult to withstand dozens of Fusion Warriors.

The Honkai is a natural selection process. Those who survive are either smart or strong, or at the very least, good at running away. Upon hearing the alarm, they can hide in an underground shelter within five minutes.

He saw the fields come to an end and finally came to a small town. The small buildings with tiled roofs were no different from those in his memory. The only change was that the faces on both sides of the road were young and middle-aged. He did not see a single white-haired person as he walked through the long street.

The world has changed; at least the elderly population has been largely depleted, and humanity has never been so young.

Is it a good thing in a certain sense?

Ryan had a ridiculous idea when the car stopped in front of a huge courtyard. The wooden gate was worn and the black plaque with gold trim had several large characters written on it in a flamboyant style.

"Inch Heart Fist".

"We've arrived." Sakura turned off the engine, turned around, and asked with some confusion, "Why didn't you let Hua come?"

This is Hua's home. When she attacked the Fire Moth, she moved Ling here. After all, this place is very remote, and the Fire Moth couldn't keep an eye on her.

"I don't want to bring her."

"why?"

"Perhaps I didn't want to hurt her feelings." Ryan pushed open the car door and got out. Seeing the courtyard wall, the gate plaque, and the small river not far away, long-forgotten memories flooded back into his mind.

Sakura also stepped out of the car, and after looking around, she understood somewhat.

There were hardly any elderly people to be seen, and judging by their skin color, most of them were refugees from Southeast Asia.

Hua certainly didn't want to see this scene, and it was something he tried his best to avoid touching.

She didn't realize it until she arrived in her hometown, where she had grown up, and found that everything had changed beyond recognition. Even she, a homeless assassin, felt heavy-hearted.

Chapter 301 Hua's Father, My Teacher

The saying goes, "The closer one gets to home, the more timid one becomes." You can't understand what you're timid about just by reading about it in books; you can only understand that kind of sadness by experiencing it firsthand.

Just like Sakura always talks about the cherry blossom trees in her hometown, but she has never gone back. That town has been abandoned, leaving only bones and ruins. What's the point of going back?

Hua's situation was slightly better than hers, but at a glance, the improvement was still limited, and even Ryan's face darkened.

He was indeed somewhat annoyed. Just as Sakura had expected, some memories surfaced in his mind, colliding with reality, and that certainly didn't bring him any happiness.

Back then, I often practiced swordsmanship in the stream. Are those little brats who tried to imitate me still alive? And there was a stall by the stone bridge where the old man selling cold rice cakes is probably dead by now. Even the village school has been turned into a barracks. Are those teachers who tricked me into going to school still alive?

Ryan pondered quietly, but never found the answer. He was only a teenager when he came to this town, and after years of training here, he had basically established his fighting style. Even now, with the addition of Honkai energy, those things were still fundamental.

Most importantly, he was once closely monitored by the Fire Moths, had no sense of belonging to his family since childhood, and was also filled with uncertainty about the future.

'Only this small town in Jiangnan can give me some peace and quiet. If I hadn't come, would I still be burdened with these responsibilities?'

There is no answer to this question. Ryan felt that he was very similar to Alicia. They had seen darkness and depravity, but there was always a time when they saw light and kindness. And there was one thing he could guarantee.

Without this experience, he wouldn't have integrated into this world and would have become an even more cold-blooded transmigrator.

What human civilization, what toiling masses, what thirteen heroes—aren't they just a bunch of NPCs? Why bother with their lives? Just use them as survival tools.

"A little sad?"

“No, I’m actually quite glad I came here before, otherwise I might not have been able to gain your approval,” Ryan replied with a smile, offering no further explanation as he steadily stepped onto the stairs.

Being self-centered does not equate to being selfish; some ideas can only be changed by the environment.

He saw a spacious courtyard, with several wooden dummy posts in the corner. Ryan remembered the fist marks on them very clearly; they were left from his boxing practice late at night.

This strength wasn't obtained through cheating, at least not before encountering the Third Herrscher.

“I practice my boxing here through spring, summer, autumn and winter, and then participate in actual combat through the Fire Moth, integrating boxing techniques into the battle.” Ryan stroked the boxing imprints and stepped over the bluestone slabs covered with footprints.

"Vampire?"

"Ahem, that's just a minor name. But before Senba Academy, it's a fact that I killed more people than Honkai Beasts."

Ryan spoke casually, yet the stench of blood in his words was so thick it was almost palpable, as if he were treading on countless withered bones.

Sakura, whose family also practiced swordsmanship and had trained by killing since childhood, felt a sense of resonance: "When I was in my hometown, I also practiced diligently, chopping trees with a wooden sword, and my hands were covered in blisters in the dead of winter."

“Looks like we’ve all been through a lot. It all seems like a dream now.” Ryan patted the wooden dummy, which he could now easily turn into dust with a little force. “That’s why I’m sometimes jealous of Kevin. He didn’t suffer much.”

"Hehe, no wonder you beat him up so badly." Sakura laughed too. Kevin was indeed different from them; he was like a character from a novel, accidentally caught up in the situation.