I am a hero of the former civilization.

Ryan dealt with several more groups of guards and captured two prisoners. Under interrogation, they knew nothing, only saying that the boss had ordered them to guard the place.

'Looks like I need to go back and have a serious talk with that human trafficker. Hopefully, he won't be scared away.'

Ryan did indeed alert the enemy, but the power he used was within the range of human resistance. The enemy wouldn't be so cowardly as to run away overnight upon encountering an elite special forces soldier.

He looked around with great interest and saw some eerie sculptures, such as a large tree covered with fleshy growths bearing fruit that looked like human heads, or a giant snake with the body of a bull and the legs of a human. Combined with the dark and silent atmosphere, it gave him goosebumps.

"Crick's breath, it's pointless."

Ryan was not frightened at all. He was a scientist. Although Honkai energy was 'omnipotent,' it was scientific in general. There was nothing about it that was unbearable or incomprehensible.

This is clearly a figment of imagination based on Honkai Beasts, lacking even artistic value, but it's quite bizarre to have it placed in a research institute.

When did the Fire-Chasing Moths turn into shamans? Well, we can't be so sure. On Earth, they're studied and utilized with science, but in some other world, they might become swords and magic.

This is a kind of energy, and there are multiple ways to use it; it can even be used for cultivation.

As he pondered, Ryan reached the bottom of the building, where there was a large hall surrounded by houses. He walked around and found that all kinds of facilities were complete.

There were iron bars, living quarters, and shards of glass jars, but all the equipment had been removed, leaving only the guards' leftover garbage.

'They wouldn't actually use this place as a safe haven, would they? Although it's easy to defend and difficult to attack, it's perfect as a secret base.'

Ryan was somewhat disappointed, but he quickly smiled again. This could fool the naked eye, but not the omnipresent air. He looked inside and felt the airflow pass through the surface and bounce back inside.

Secret passage.

Ryan walked slowly over, pressed his hand against the wall, and his palm instantly passed through it, leaving a phantom image that washed over his forearm.

"Independent power supply, mirage system, looks like it's a high-level system."

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and as if by magic, passed through the wall to see a steel corridor that ended at a tightly closed alloy door.

The Class A blast-proof door is comparable to the secret laboratory where Mebius imprisoned Honkai Beasts. It is strong enough to withstand the fire of depleted uranium armor-piercing rounds and is linked to a self-destruct device. The key is this pattern on the door.

A moth spreading its wings, isn't it just a moth chasing a flame?

Ryan felt his heart race slightly. Clearly, there were some secrets here that he didn't know. Judging by the time it had been abandoned, perhaps even May didn't know.

This door cannot be opened by force. If explosives were used, the entire laboratory would likely be blown to pieces. Humans cannot do that, but Herrschers can.

Ryan first pressed his right hand against the door, and the flash of electricity disappeared in an instant, burning out the control chip. Then he poured out the water bottle he was carrying. The hot water floated in the air and then flowed rapidly.

If the liquid flows fast enough, it can cut through steel without making much noise. Ryan snapped his fingers, and the water jet touched the alloy, sparking a dazzling burst of sparks before slowly cutting an opening.

A nauseating smell immediately wafted out from the gap. Even Ryan covered his mouth and nose, finding the stench unbearable. He paused for a moment before bending down and crawling inside.

Inside was a huge, dark void where nothing could be seen. In the depths, Ryan remained expressionless, though his gray eyes were filled with a hint of anger.

He took out a glow stick, twisted it open, and threw it forward, his pupils contracting rapidly in response to the faint light.

Before him was a large pit, like a reservoir, filled with layers upon layers of corpses. Due to the sealed environment, the corpses were not yet too decomposed, but they had lost moisture and resembled withered wood.

Men, women, young and old, layered upon layer, densely packed, their faces screaming in pain were like a form of mental pollution. Even though Ryan had witnessed countless horrific scenes, he instinctively closed his eyes.

"This is the secret research institute of the Fire Moth, and it has nothing to do with Mebius. She wouldn't be so tasteless."

Ryan has almost made a decision; now only three questions remain.

To whom did the research institute belong? What achievements did it make? Why was it abandoned?

At this moment, Ryan almost forgot why he came to Northern Europe. His thirst for knowledge even overwhelmed his desire for power. He turned on his flashlight, walked onto the iron bridge above the pit, and peered down.

A rough estimate suggests there were tens of thousands of people, with the last deaths occurring several months prior. Judging from the sculptures, this place doesn't resemble a normal research institute.

Ryan knew that the Fire Moths had never stopped their research on the combination of humans and Honkai, and the current result was the Mebius Fusion Warrior Project, but that did not mean there were no other paths to take.

Some things won't be made public, like the hidden faction within the Firemoth. Then he remembered what Mei had told him when they were taking the Herrscher core.

Mei only mentioned it briefly at the time, but he kept it in his heart, and now that he has encountered it, it immediately comes to mind.

There are secret research institutes in remote, uninhabited places...

"As expected, the possibility of the faith faction is higher. With so many people dying, there must be some results. If there are results, Mei should take possession of them, unless she deliberately conceals them, or the results will not be accepted by humanity."

Ryan calmly walked over the corpses, scanning their pained faces. Suddenly, he stopped and raised his flashlight.

someone.

The flashlight was just a cover; Ryan was infusing a small amount of Honkai energy into the flowing air and constantly probing his surroundings, so he reacted immediately after detecting the anomaly.

In a fraction of a second, Ryan saw the person, dressed in a linen robe, like an ancient monk, but in an instant, the person vanished without a trace.

Ryan slowly lowered his raised toes as the other person vanished, as if melting into the ground. In that instant, Ryan knew that even with the power of thunder, he could not grasp them.

The surroundings were silent. Ryan put his feet down, but his tense muscles never relaxed for a moment, and he even felt a chill run down his spine.

Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, Ryan felt a sense of familiarity at that moment.

The feeling of a Herald.

......

"As expected, the Moth of Fire sent people to investigate."

The room was pitch black and there was no one in sight. Suddenly, a voice rang out amidst the flickering electronic lights.

"Is it a fusion warrior?"

"No, it's probably a secret agent from the intelligence department. My people can't find any relevant information. It must be a highly classified mission, the kind that reports directly to Karius."

After a moment of silence in the room, an old voice slowly rang out.

"Find a way to get rid of him, or kill him. We cannot afford to lose Scandinavia; it is a precious testing ground and the key to whether we can end our childhood. But we must be careful; I don't want to be targeted by the parliament."

"Then we'll try our best to ensure the success rate. Also, how is the experiment progressing, Your Excellency?"

"He remains uncontrollable, but the authority he displays is exactly what we crave. This will take time." The aged voice paused, then spoke with boundless anticipation, "I firmly believe that this is humanity's only path. Destiny is our ally, just as we swept our mortal enemy, the Purebloods, into the dustbin of history."

"Those fools know nothing."

"There is no way out by fighting back; they have distorted the Fusion Warrior program."

"The only way is to become one with God."

"Through the birth of the Fourth Herrscher, we have grasped the laws, and a supreme will is watching over the world."

“That’s right, this is something that those mortals on the research committee can’t understand.”

"Through this experience, we can even summon a new Herrscher!"

A few scattered sounds rose up, sounding both frantic and persistent, before quickly fading into silence.

The dark room remained deathly silent for a long time until the dial tone sounded, followed by a few busy tones, and then an elegant and courteous voice came through.

"What do you want?"

“I need a document. I want to know what missions all the Fusion Warriors are carrying out, where they are located, regardless of their level of secrecy.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a sigh of relief.

"As you wish."

Chapter 164 Bang!

In the early morning, Ryan went straight back to his room. The girl was gone, but none of the supplies were missing, which surprised him.

Human nature is indeed stubborn. In order to survive, one can violate morality, but one cannot lose the most essential things. Otherwise, one is just a monster in a human shell, just as he always warned Möbius.

Christina is a self-reliant person, and anyone who is self-reliant has the value of being saved.

"Once this matter is settled, send her to Gothenburg. It doesn't matter if she's a savior for one or two people."

Ryan thought to himself, then put the pistol on the table. He waited until noon, but no one came to the door. This was the second unexpected event.

They didn't come looking for me; they're smarter than I thought.

Last night, he went to look for the human trafficker leader, but couldn't find him. He only found out after arresting a suspect that the man had gone out and hadn't returned.

That's normal, but the fact that he left enough clues and wasn't investigated proves that the secrets here are deeper than he imagined.

An underground research institute, a faith-based faction, and a possible shadow of a Herrscher...

Ryan sat there blankly, peeling back the 'onion' as he went, but lacking clues, he was still unsure about many things.

"What I can't understand the most is the 'Herrscher'. It's definitely not the Herrscher of Ice, so how did it come into being right under the noses of the Fire Moth?"

"Could it be the Sixth Herrscher? No, the Sixth Herrscher is the Herrscher of Death, and their authority shouldn't include such petty tricks."

Ryan tapped his fingers incessantly on the table, pondering the possibilities. There were probably two.

First, that's just my own illusion, since there's no data or images to support it.

Second, the Sixth Herrscher is not the Herrscher of Death at all. The Honkai has already adjusted the order, and it is possible that the Herrscher of Domination was brought out ahead of schedule.

Judging from the current situation, the second possibility is more likely, but how could a Herrscher be involved with an abandoned research institute?

Unable to figure it out, he simply took out his phone and used the satellite signal to dial a number.

"Hey?"

"Mei, is it convenient to talk now?"

It was evening when Mu Dalu finally managed to free up some time. Mei glanced at Kevin waiting at the door, then lowered her head and walked to a secluded spot, leaving him helplessly clutching the roses hidden behind his back.

"It's convenient now, you tell me."

"I encountered a suspected Herrscher in Northern Europe, not the escaped Herrscher of Ice, but something is strange."

Ryan briefly explained the situation, mentioning something they had casually discussed at the lowest level of headquarters last time, and May's expression immediately turned serious.

“You’ve found an abandoned research facility of the Fire Moth, the coordinates are…” The girl muttered as she searched her memory, then quickly shook her head: “It’s not in the records, and the Fire Moth never set up a research facility in that area, unless the relevant information has been deleted.”

"Based on your description, this research institute is quite large and has come at a great cost; it shouldn't have disappeared from the archives."

Mei knew, of course, that the Fire-Chasing Moths were not clean, and that all sorts of human experiments were being conducted. But there was nothing she could do; this era couldn't tolerate the existence of a saint.

"So it's strange, unless this research is significant to some people and the results are not suitable for publication."

Certain people?

Mei thought for a moment and immediately understood who Ryan was referring to, her face remaining expressionless.

"Understood, I will try my best to investigate, starting with the flow of funds."

She immediately hung up the phone and gestured to Kevin, who deflated, knowing that he had waited in vain again tonight.