I am a hero of the former civilization.

“Yes, but first I must apologize.” Kalis bowed gracefully and said with a smile, “The honor of defeating the Third Herrscher cannot be placed on you; this is a joint decision of the Fire Chaser Council.”

Ryan revealed a hint of sarcasm and sneered, "As expected, victory should be won by humans, and two monsters should not be heroes. But I'm curious, what is your definition of a monster?"

"Possessing incomprehensible and terrifying power, is that enough of a definition? Some within the organization even believe that you are no different from the Herrschers."

A very honest and rational answer. Ryan did not refute it. In fact, the definition of a Herrscher is vague. The most basic definition is an existence that can control Honkai energy.

"I don't care about honors, even if I'm a little unhappy about them."

"The honor is undeniable. For example, without you, things would have been very difficult to handle. This is the latest intelligence from the technical department."

Ryan took it and glanced at it, his pupils contracting slightly: "There's another Judgment-class Honkai Beast? It chose to escape after the Third Herrscher's defeat?"

"Yes, thankfully you resolved it quickly enough, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable once you reunited."

Ryan took a deep breath. This was for sure. He hadn't expected that the Canghai would be able to gather a Herrscher, an Emperor-class Honkai Beast, and a Judgment-class Honkai Beast. He also hadn't expected that this Judgment-class Honkai Beast named 'Shesa' would be so decisive in being nourished.

"It's all right now," he waved his hand and said coldly, "But this little thing doesn't warrant you making the trip yourself."

“Yes, the main problem is that you’ve made quite a fuss this time. The higher-ups have decided to bring you into the open, and from now on, the crackdown will be handled by someone else.” Kalis pulled up a stool and sat down, a helpless smile on his face. “This way, we can both save face.”

Ryan had actually withdrawn from those jobs long ago. The higher-ups could neither force him to do so nor dared to remove him, so they just left them hanging. This incident served as a wake-up call for them.

Despite the assistance of Alicia and the army, the Third Herrscher actually died at the hands of this man. Under that overwhelming power, humanity was able to defeat him, but could not stop him.

Ryan can kill anyone, regardless of the consequences, if he so chooses.

"Is this an order or a request?" Ryan slowly leaned back, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

“A little bit of both, but for me personally, this is a request. You and Miss Alicia are both invaluable talents.” Kalis leaned forward and said, word by word, “The Third Herrscher is just the beginning. If humanity wants to survive, it must change itself. I fully support Dr. Mebius’s plan. As long as the heart still retains emotion and instinct, it can be called a new human.”

The new humans are alright.

Ryan couldn't quite figure out the man in front of him, but after thinking about it, joining the Firemoth was an inevitable trend. The world had changed and wouldn't let him move freely. Besides, having an official identity would make things easier for him.

"I have a few requests."

"You said."

"First, I want to have a high degree of freedom, the right to refuse orders, and of course, I will not run away from the Honkai."

“That’s no problem. You’re not just a combatant; it would be a waste to put you on the front lines to risk your life.” Kalis nodded with a smile, clearly having received relevant information from Mebius.

"Secondly, I am not worthy to belong to any force; I am directly under the command of the Fire Chaser Council."

"Of course, we will treat you the same as Miss Alicia."

"Third, stop questioning my abilities. I don't have time to deal with endless investigations."

This time, Kalis hesitated for a moment, then replied with a wry smile, "I personally guarantee that."

Seeing his appearance, Ryan gave a soft snort. It seems that unless they are about to die, the little geniuses above will never know how to write the words "cling to someone's coattails".

"Do you have any other questions?"

"That's all for now." Ryan knew when to stop; he wasn't the type to push his luck. But then he remembered something else.

"Keep a close eye on that 'poisonous pupa'; I don't want to wipe out any potential forces that can fight the Honkai."

"You're also afraid of that 'Owl,' known as the King of Assassins? By their world's rankings, you're not much weaker, Bloodhand." Kalis still wore an elegant smile, but after a while, it inevitably felt insincere.

Scared? Okay, I was a little scared before. After all, assassination isn't a real fight, and this King of Assassins must have special abilities like Aponia. But the name is too cheesy, I have no interest in it.

"Do you think I'm afraid? Or is he even more powerful than a Herrscher?" Ryan's eyes sharpened, and he said calmly, "This kind of talent shouldn't die at the hands of his own kind."

“I agree. Alright, then I will report to the council immediately and enter your information. I will have someone bring you the relevant documents.” Kalis stood up, bowed, then turned and left, closing the door behind him.

These people are truly pragmatists; they come to visit in the hospital without bringing any gifts.

Ryan shook his head and slowly lay back down on the bed. His injuries had actually healed, so he could take this opportunity to rest and think. But as soon as he closed his eyes, his eyebrows furrowed.

Why are there so many people visiting the hospital today?

He heard light footsteps and a cheerful voice greeting the doctor. Turning his head, he saw Alicia arriving with a large pile of gifts.

Chapter Sixty-Three: Alicia, Are You Looking for Trouble?

"Your Excellency, I have conveyed the Council's request to Dr. Ryan."

In the corridor, Kalis was on the phone with headquarters thousands of miles away. The sound from the receiver was somewhat noisy, as if a meeting was taking place.

"How did he answer?"

"I agreed, and the requests he made didn't cross any lines. He's definitely a very smart person."

The person in the receiver breathed a sigh of relief. Ryan was different from Alicia; at least he wasn't so easy to talk to. If you really angered him, he might turn on you. And no one in the world could stop a Herrscher-level powerhouse.

Because such a powerful person can kill whomever they want and no one can stop them, and we can't all hide in underground bunkers, the cost would be too high.

"How is your investigation going?" the chief of staff asked, still full of suspicion.

"The core of Adeto, Moshachi, and the Third Herrscher has been analyzed and found to have lost its activity. It can be basically determined that he did not grow by absorbing energy."

This is a crucial question. If Ryan can truly absorb Honkai energy to grow, then this secret must be uncovered. Humanity can then view Honkai as sustenance and have the potential to ascend to godhood.

The commander-in-chief was somewhat regretful but also relieved. After a long while, he said, "Then let him become the sword of humanity, burning himself to illuminate the future of mankind. I still need to discuss the issue of command with the League of Nations. You go ahead and do your work."

Goodbye, Your Excellency.

Kalis put down his phone and chuckled self-deprecatingly. He realized that the authorities had underestimated Dr. Ryan. He was not as easy to deal with as Alicia. Just as the Fire Moth was willing to sacrifice Canghai City for the future of humanity, the other party was capable of making similar decisions.

That determination to achieve one's goals, even at the cost of blood, and that cold, decisive approach, make him not only a warrior but also a schemer.

Just then, he saw a pink figure coming up the stairs and quietly turned his head away.

Look, they've already started before even issuing the certificates.

Ok?

Alicia turned her head, but only saw a receding figure. It seemed somewhat familiar, but she didn't think much of it and gently pushed the door open.

"Ryan, look what I brought you." Alicia saw the man lying on the bed, looking at her helplessly, and walked over with concern. "Is your injury still not healed? Should I call a doctor for you?"

This genuine concern contrasted sharply with the fake smile of Kalis who had just left. Ryan, who was already feeling a bit annoyed, couldn't stay angry anymore and simply sat up.

"I'm fine. Mebius's bio-repair pod is very useful. My injuries have almost healed."

"That's great, I'll thank her next time too."

Why are you thanking her?

“Of course I have to thank you for curing my friend,” Alicia replied matter-of-factly, placing the things she had brought on the table and pointing to them one by one:

"Look, I brought you fruit, a serving of soup dumplings, a serving of pan-fried dumplings, and some steaming hot soy milk..."

"Wait, forget about the fruit, what's with all this random stuff in the back? I don't have anorexia."

"But injured people need to replenish their nutrition even more."

"That depends on the time. It's just past lunchtime, how can I eat anything?"

Ryan scratched his head, somewhat overwhelmed by Alicia's enthusiasm. Then he saw her pause for a moment, immediately open the plastic box, break apart the chopsticks, stuff the fried dumplings into her mouth, and reveal a happy expression.

"What are you doing?"

"I'll eat it for you, we can't waste food." The girl raised her index finger, looking like she was lecturing someone.

"You didn't have lunch?"

"Yes, we ate it, but what does that have to do with wasting food?"

Ryan looked Alicia up and down. She was still as beautiful as ever, like a rose in spring exuding fragrance, but he had a strange feeling about her.

"Ellie, it's only been a few months, but you seem a little..."

Before she could finish speaking, the chopsticks were already on her lips, and the girl looked a little sulky.

"It would be impolite to say that again."

Okay, beautiful girls will never get fat.

Ryan hypnotized himself, not knowing what to say to Alicia, who was one of the few people he couldn't see through. She seemed to be able to see through everyone's thoughts and evil intentions, yet she could love everyone equally.

You could call her a saint, but she clearly understands what's important and has never hesitated to deal with the Honkai.

“Ryan, you keep staring at me like that, it makes me feel embarrassed.” Alicia lightly put down the empty lunchbox, opened the fruit basket, took out a banana and popped it into her mouth. “Speaking of which, I should thank you.”

"Shouldn't I be thanking you? If you hadn't arrived in time, the Third Herrscher would have already killed me." Ryan was a little confused, then continued watching Alicia eat a banana.

She gently licked the banana with her tongue, as if familiarizing herself with the taste, and then took small bites. If you ignored how quickly the banana disappeared, her eating manners were actually quite elegant.

"I will definitely come to fight the Third Herrscher. There's nothing to thank me for, especially since you saved me. It's Mebius who has troubled you. She sometimes gets into dangerous situations."

Alicia put down the banana peel, then peeled an orange. Seeing Ryan shake his head in refusal, she decisively stuffed it into her mouth.

"So it's good that she's shifting her attention to you; after all, I don't want her to be in danger."

Mebius, something dangerous, Ryan thought for a moment and could roughly guess.

Given her personality, she must have been secretly studying the Herrscher's corpse. That thing is no ordinary object; anyone who has studied it has never had a good outcome.

"Then she got me hooked."

“Isn’t it wonderful? Mebius is a very beautiful girl, and of course, you are a very handsome boy. There’s a saying in China…” Alicia tilted her head, deep in thought, and then clapped her hands lightly: “A match made in heaven!”

Ryan was quite pleased with the flattery and didn't even correct her for using the wrong words. He just smiled and shook his head: "You're so considerate of Mebius, but she doesn't get along with you."

"What does it matter? I just like her, and I'm sure she likes me too, yeah, that must be it." Alicia rested her hand on the bed railing, propped her head up, and smiled as she asked, "Don't you like me, Ryan?"

Ryan stared at her full head of pink hair, her pretty face, and the slightly sunken cleavage, unsure how to respond.

She embodies all the ideal descriptions of a woman, yet she is more than just pure desire; her emotions are complex and difficult to describe.

"At least I don't dislike it."

"That means you like it. That answer really makes me happy."

"So, you came all this way just to thank Mebius on his behalf?" Ryan snapped out of his daze and started chatting with Alicia about random things, forgetting what he actually wanted to say.

"No, I just came to visit you. Of course, I can tell you have something to say." Alicia put on her glasses on the table, sat up a little straighter, and said playfully, "Come on, Teacher Alicia is ready to answer your questions."

Ryan chuckled to himself. He had come with many questions and tests for Alicia, but now he had conveniently forgotten them.

"Ellie, what do you think of the Fire Moth?"

"Hmph, you just joined and you're already testing the seniors, huh?"