I am a hero of the former civilization.

This time, however, she was the savior; though her power was small, she did save hundreds of people.

"Good to know. Now, push me outside for a walk."

"it is good."

Klein was incredibly perceptive; Hua gently pushed the wheelchair along the slightly undulating corridor to the deck.

A slightly fishy sea breeze blew in, and Ryan first saw the bright sunshine, then the calm waves, and several seagulls soaring in the sky—a tranquil scene.

But when he looked around, he saw dozens of warships, missiles constantly taking off and whistling into the distance. Then a helicopter landed on the aft deck of the medical ship, and the medical team in full protective gear rushed up to it.

The smell of blood and screams filled the air as wounded soldiers, missing limbs and other injuries, were carried away on stretchers.

A cool sea breeze blew as Ryan looked towards the land, where he could see plumes of smoke rising and the ruins on both sides of the Huangpu River. Search and rescue teams wearing hard hats searched through the rubble, occasionally unearthing a few rubble-covered corpses, only to be attacked by suddenly appearing assassins.

Da da da.

A sharp gunshot rang out, then quickly disappeared.

Hua pushed the wheelchair and glanced at Ryan. He noticed that Ryan's expression was serious and seemed familiar. After thinking for a moment, he realized that it was the same look Ryan had when he was observing the crowd at the food street that day.

I remember his answer at the time was: "I'm looking at people."

The girl looked up and watched as several more missiles, like shooting stars, launched into the sky. She finally understood what Ryan meant.

Some people disappear in the blink of an eye if you don't look closely.

In just a few days, the world has changed beyond recognition, and she can't piece the ruins back together no matter what she tries.

"Is it cruel?" Ryan's sudden question snapped Hua out of her slump.

"Yes, I don't know how Ms. Wen is doing, and I don't know how many of my classmates have run away. Senior, you know, sometimes knowing the truth in advance isn't necessarily a good thing." Hua clenched his fist and finally let out what he had kept hidden in his heart all these days.

"I know about this Honkai, but I can't do anything about it, and I haven't even saved many people. It's really painful!"

Ryan remained silent. He not only knew, but it was a hundred times more painful for him than for Hua, because he knew that the world was doomed and that even if he created a different future, he could not protect the vast majority of humanity.

The time was too short, and he wasn't powerful enough to instantly become a god and kill the Herrscher of the End with a single slap.

"At the very least, you saved hundreds of people, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. This is what life is all about. Don't aim too high. Even if you only take one millimeter, that is still a step forward."

Ryan was talking to himself, not only to comfort Hua, but also to comfort himself.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Do as much as you are capable of. As long as you are moving forward, don't feel guilty. If you really can't figure it out, go play your mobile game. Time will tell you the answer."

Hua stared at him, her conflicted expression slowly dissipating. She was obedient and also felt that Ryan was right.

If you have the power to save the world, then go ahead and do it. If you don't, then use all your power to the fullest and do your best.

"I've figured it out. With you here, I won't feel lost."

"What if I die too?" Ryan asked instinctively, then felt a silence behind him and turned around in confusion.

He saw the girl staring intently at him, biting her lip, a rare look of fear on her face—an expression she had never shown even when facing Moshazhi.

What if my senior brother also dies?

Hua's pupils contracted, and she gripped the handle so tightly it creaked. She found herself unable to imagine the outcome, yet the words felt incredibly real.

Because of this man, he almost died.

"Uh, I was just kidding, don't take it to heart."

Hua snapped out of his daze, anger flashing across his blank face, and his tone became serious: "This is not ridiculous, senior brother, and you are not allowed to say such things."

She was so serious that it made Ryan a little embarrassed. He didn't think much of it, because Fu Hua was born with a cursed fate and most of the people she was close to had died. Burning her memories with the Eighth Divine Key was both painful and liberating for her.

"Okay, I'll accompany you to the end."

"you promise?"

Ryan thought to himself, "How can I guarantee that? I'm not immortal, I can do whatever I want and I won't die." But looking into the girl's sharp eyes, he subconsciously nodded.

"Fine, I promise you, no matter if it's a Herrscher or anything else, don't even think about taking my life."

"That's pretty much it."

Hua breathed a sigh of relief and continued to watch the missile launch with Ryan, but that joke was like a needle pricking his heart, and he couldn't shake it off.

After this experience, she realized that Ryan was not invincible and experienced the terror of the Herrscher, so she made up her mind.

"Senior brother, I've suddenly made a decision."

"You want to join the Firemoth, right?" Ryan had already guessed that Hua was not one to back down.

"Yes, I don't want to hold you back, and I'm not afraid to take risks," Hua replied seriously, adding in his mind:

If the world really ends, at least I can die before you.

Ryan had no idea what she was thinking, but the truth had already been exposed, and it was basically impossible to persuade her to go back.

"Alright, go back and settle your master in first, then join the Fire Moth. I'll talk to the higher-ups about which unit you want to join."

"Captain Himiko likes me a lot, can I go to her place?"

Ryan had already heard her talk about the vast ocean and knew Himiko; she was impeccable in both character and professional competence.

"Okay, I'll put him under her supervision for now, and I'll figure out how to transfer him later."

"Thank you, senior brother, you always indulge me."

“Anyway, you’re rarely willful, so it’s fine to indulge you occasionally.” Ryan smiled, then watched the 'fireworks' being launched from the other side and gradually fell silent.

I guess I should join the moths that chase the flame too.

Chapter Sixty-Two: Joining the Fire-Chasing Moth!

The Third Honkai Impact was like a turning point for the world, changing everyone's fate and setting them on the path to the end.

The outside world was already in an uproar. Ryan sat on his hospital bed, flipping through several television channels, which showed nothing but speeches by leaders and scenes of public demonstrations.

Some were demanding accountability, some were saying the government was lying, some were busy taking advantage of the chaos, and then they were physically exchanging pleasantries with the riot police.

This is not surprising, or rather, it is a natural human reaction. No amount of explanation will help; only time will heal all wounds.

From anger to numbness, and from numbness to despair, this is just the beginning; the despair is yet to come.

Ryan turned off the television, sat up slightly, tapped his fingers incessantly on the headboard, and began to think about the future.

"After the Third Collapse, the conspiracy above has been accomplished, and from now on, no force will step forward to stop it."

This is a good thing. Although the Moths of Fire are full of monsters and demons, they are the only organization that can unite all of humanity to fight against the Honkai. Ryan had actually thought about starting his own organization before, but he gave up on that idea.

That would require astronomical sums of money and resources, and official support. Putting aside everything else, just dealing with the Third Herrscher's fleet is not something an individual can do alone. Besides, Ryan doesn't have the energy to manage an organization.

Therefore, the existence of the Moths of Fire is necessary; at least I must rely on this force. Both May and Möbius require massive amounts of resources and tens of thousands of researchers as assistants to produce results.

Modern society is highly collaborative, with countless research directions. Unless a celestial being personally present, it's impossible for a few heroes to support it all.

"But the Moths of Fire are also quite troublesome. I don't even understand the factions within them, and I don't want to become a knife that can be sacrificed at any time."

Ryan's gaze turned cold. This major setback was truly unforgettable. If he couldn't defeat the Herrscher with Alicia, he would have to prepare to be hit by a tactical nuclear bomb together.

The effects of the Honkai are gradually deepening, and Ryan has a hidden desire to cleanse these fire-chasing moths, then relist them on the stock market, and fight against the Honkai according to his own ideas.

The thought flashed through his mind, but he quickly dismissed it.

"It's not the right time yet. The Firemoth is still powerful and useful, and the plate is too big for me to handle. If things go wrong, there might be a civil war among humans, and the Honkai would be laughing all the way to the bank."

The Thirteen Heroes are still nowhere to be seen, and he can only influence no more than ten people. Even Mebius and Alicia are unlikely to go crazy with him. For now, he still needs to rely on the Fire Moth as his backing and quietly develop his strength.

At least I have obtained the authority of the Third Herrscher, but unfortunately I can't use it as an instinct like the Herrschers do, so I still need to study it slowly.

Ryan spread his fingers, and purple arcs of electricity danced in his palm. This was his greatest gain, because as long as there was a foundation, it was actually easier to explore further.

"I must not expose my authority, otherwise those people above me will definitely kill me."

He was well aware of the dangers of this gain. Stealing power was simply inconceivable. Once you have '1', greed will yearn for '2'. There was already a 'belief faction' among the higher-ups who believed that the Herrscher was the ultimate goal of human evolution.

The laboratory is my final resting place, but I've gained these abilities, so I can't just not use them.

Ryan felt a headache coming on and rubbed his throbbing temples. He wasn't afraid of going against the world, but Kevin, May, Sue, Hua, and even Mebius would all be in trouble, so there was really no need to tear off the mask of civility.

We need to find a way to use this power reasonably without arousing suspicion.

This problem was a bit of a brain teaser, and after a long while there was still no answer, Ryan got tired of dwelling on it and picked up a pen and paper and started scribbling on it.

1000HW, that's the intensity of his Honkai energy now. To be honest, it's a bit unreasonable that killing a Herrscher would only increase his Honkai energy by 300HW, but he's gotten used to it over the years.

Honkai energy is already a 'known fact' for Destiny; the only difference lies in how close we are to the truth. It's really nothing new. On the other hand, power is unknown. He has taken it all into his hands and is slowly analyzing and exploring it.

Ryan enjoys the process of exploring the unknown. Like a scumbag, he prefers new things, so he has little interest in hunting Honkai Beasts everywhere. It's only because the Authority needs Honkai Energy to be activated that he has to go and accumulate 'magic power'.

"Each Herrscher has different powers, so the degree of weakening should be relatively small, because each power is ultimately unknown."

He bit his pen, eager to find the Fourth Herrscher to verify his conjecture, but as his thoughts wandered, they suddenly froze.

People from beyond the heavens...

The Third Herrscher's last words pierced his heart like a thorn, always making him uneasy. In retrospect, saving Kevin and teaching Hua were both part of the butterfly effect, but the wings never flapped strong enough.

It could be said that most of these people would not have died even without his appearance, just like a certain nun who could see the future but could not change it.

But the matter of the Third Herrscher was like a hurricane. Ryan deeply intervened in the world line, even touching the core of the Herrscher with his own hands and seeing an ominous scene.

According to Honkai experts, Honkai is targeted. Could it be that it was deliberately targeted because of my appearance? If so, how would it be targeted?

Ryan had no answer to this question, nor could he think of one, but he felt neither fear nor regret; on the contrary, he was unusually excited.

Today is a really good day, with so many 'unknowns'.

He hummed a song softly. If Hua heard it, he would probably think Ryan had gone crazy. Normal people couldn't understand the pursuit of a life-or-death traveler.

But before he could even sing two lines, Ryan frowned and looked toward the door.

The leather shoes tapped lightly on the steel corridor. Judging from the sound, Ryan guessed who it was. He immediately used his Honkai energy to turn the white paper in his hand into nothingness, then got out of bed and sat on the chair next to him.

The moment I sat down, the half-closed door was pushed open. The attending physician walked in front, followed by a blond, blue-eyed man.

Kalis entered with an elegant smile, while Ryan remained expressionless. Firstly, he was somewhat annoyed by Canghai's actions—he could understand but didn't agree—and secondly, this guy...

He looks somewhat like a certain bishop, which makes people wary of him.

“Dr. Ryan, you should get some rest.” Kalis noticed the slight displeasure but still smiled.

"I guess you're here to deliver orders from above, Chief of Staff." Ryan said with a stern face, somewhat resembling Hua's expression.