I am a hero of the former civilization.

The ego is dormant, but the magician has resurfaced. Ryan is having a headache dealing with this whimsical Velvey.

“Listen, I don’t want to become a wanted criminal, and I certainly don’t want to betray Moth of Fire.”

“Heh heh, but you’ve already done it, a lone thief against an evil organization, sounds interesting, doesn’t it?” Velvi raised her hand, her voice rising and falling: “The gears turn, the stage curtain rises; the steam roars, offering endless cheers!”

Ryan's lips twitched, unaffected by the exciting speech, and he just shook his head silently: "Not interesting at all. I was thinking of putting you in the Fire Moth. The only enemies are those purebloods. It's pointless to provoke others. Just be a good boy and you'll have plenty of resources to indulge your fantasies in the future."

After a moment's hesitation, Vervi hesitated. The offer was quite tempting, and she was also getting tired of dismantling scrap metal.

“Then it’s settled. Joining the Firemoth means I can give you free rein to build it.” Seeing Ryan hesitate, Velvi quickly changed the subject: “Also, are you sure they won’t come after us later?”

"Don't worry, they don't dare."

"why?"

“Because I can wipe out the purebloods, I have the power to make them keep their promises.” Ryan sneered, staring at the Gobi Desert ahead. “Anyone who comes after you, I’ll uproot them.”

Velvi opened her mouth, jumped up and hugged Ryan's neck: "You're so cool! Teach me, please teach me!"

With a screeching sound of brakes, the van began to swerve in an S-shape. Luckily, Ryan reacted quickly and avoided crashing into the roadside rocks.

Ryan missed his 'id' Virvi. Although that guy was a bit withdrawn, he was generally normal. He really couldn't stand this guy.

After making a fuss for a while, Velvi finally calmed down, her eyes sparkling, seemingly lost in thought. Ryan then took the opportunity to unbuckle his seatbelt.

"You drive for a bit, I'll go talk to her."

"Received!" Virvi saluted, but didn't make any move.

"Then move!"

"While you were looting supplies, I installed the automatic driving function on the vehicle, so you can just let go."

Ryan was skeptical, but he let go of the steering wheel and saw it automatically adjusting. He was speechless.

"For something this important, remember to tell me earlier next time."

"Roger that!"

......

Ryan immediately lost interest in paying attention to her. Spending too much time with Velvi was driving him crazy. She was probably the hero who had improved the least in the Fusion Warrior Project because she had been so eccentric from the very beginning.

The back seats of the van had long been removed. Ryan climbed into the back seat and saw the pink-haired girl sitting in the van. Having gotten used to Wilvi's noise, he was still a little uncomfortable.

Sakura has the same hair color as Alicia, but gives off a completely opposite vibe. If a certain fairy lady is full of the heat of the sun, then Sakura is the coldness of the darkness, at least on the surface.

The black bodysuit of the poisonous pupa accentuated her beautiful figure, and the leg rings binding her thighs with hidden weapons made her look quite erotic, always reminding people of plots involving secret infiltrators.

She was silent and her face didn't look good, which was normal. Sakura wasn't a masochist; it would be strange if she looked good after being beaten up.

There was a hint of confusion in his eyes, as if he didn't know why he had survived.

Ryan had already made up his mind. She had seen something she shouldn't have seen, and in principle, she should have just killed her. However, firstly, the secret wasn't that important, and secondly, Sakura was the easiest of the thirteen heroes to control.

As for how to talk about it? No problem, I have special psychological counseling skills.

"Why...why did you spare my life?" After staring at each other for a long time, the girl finally couldn't help but ask.

"Isn't it good to be alive?" Ryan shrugged, sitting cross-legged opposite Sakura, his knees touching because the van was so cramped.

There were no chains or restraints. At this distance, Sakura had a hundred ways to deal with the other person, but she knew that this was not gentlemanly conduct.

This person could turn himself into dust with a wave of his hand, so there's no need for restraint.

"It's good to be alive, of course, but I know how much my life is worth."

“Smart, but not smart enough.” Ryan snapped his fingers, expressionless. “You probably think your value lies in being a witness, in playing a role in this power game, and that’s how you managed to save your life?”

"I really can't think of any other reason besides this."

"Would you be willing to save your life for this?"

Their eyes met, and the girl shook her head without hesitation: "I don't want to."

These words went against her instincts and could be considered self-destructive. Even Vilvi looked on curiously, but the girl's resolute expression didn't seem like a pretense.

Ryan nodded without surprise. He even noticed that Sakura had bitten her tongue as she spoke, clearly wary of mind control.

He's such a siscon; he doesn't care about his own life at all.

Without wasting words, he simply countered with, "So you're willing to sacrifice yourself to save Ling's life?"

In that instant, the cool and aloof girl's expression changed drastically, and she pounced like a female leopard, grabbing Ryan's collar tightly.

"How do you know? Don't touch her!"

She was practically pressed against Ryan, chest to chest, nose to nose, knee against his abdomen, but unfortunately, apart from murderous intent, there was no hint of intimacy.

Ryan leaned against the car window, quietly watching the other person. He could feel their heavy breathing, see their furious eyes, and smell their faint, cherry blossom-like fragrance.

"As expected of the Forget-Me-Not, her killing intent is indeed astonishing, but what is even more commendable is that she remains calm even in the midst of her rage."

"answer my question!"

“No need to answer. There are too many things you don’t understand, just like you don’t understand why an entire group of poisonous pupae were wiped out without any resistance. Of course, there is one thing you definitely understand.” Ryan felt the girl’s weight, grinned, and revealed a gentle smile.

“It would be as easy as turning my hand to wipe out you, Ling, and even the entire Poison Chrysalis and the people behind them.”

Sakura tensed her muscles instantly, looking at the gentle man beneath her. She moved her lips but couldn't say anything, a fear called 'the unknown' filling her heart.

This is a monster, a monster that can crush everything with its power. Compared to this power, the information it gathers about itself is utterly insignificant.

But she still didn't let go, her eyes filled with determination, determined to stop him even if it meant being reduced to ashes.

"Calm down. If I wanted to kill you and Rin, I wouldn't need to say these things, nor would I need you to testify. Do you believe me?"

Sakura loosened her grip on her collar slightly. She wasn't stupid; this man had the right to act recklessly. As for evidence, Vilvie already had it in her hands, so she didn't need to add anything more.

"Then why did you spare my life?"

The matter became contradictory, and Ryan did not explain it logically, but simply shook his head.

"Because I want to."

Because I want to?

Sakura's expression instantly became fascinating, shifting from disbelief, mockery, and contempt to confusion.

"It's that simple?"

"Do I need to come up with a more complicated reason?"

A rhetorical question, yet as irrefutable as the truth, just as when Ryan appeared, it needed no reason, no explanation.

He simply stomped on the best hound of the poisonous pupa, then swept away an entire squad. Does a person need to reason with the ants they've crushed? Or expect the ants they spared to be grateful?

The answer is no, because life and death are determined by the other person's single thought.

"You're too arrogant. Do you think you're a god?"

"No, I'm very approachable, I'm just telling the truth."

Sakura's cheeks trembled, and she almost couldn't maintain her icy expression. Even Wilvi, who was listening in, rolled her eyes.

Approachable? Go tell those crushed poisonous pupae!

“So you don’t need to think so much. I just want you to live, it’s that simple.” Ryan grabbed the small, fair hand at the collar, pulled away effortlessly, and sat up slightly.

Sakura had no way to respond to that. "A thousand pieces of gold can't buy my happiness," a sentiment that defies logic.

Having been an assassin for so many years, Sakura had never felt so bewildered. She sat down listlessly and asked, "So what exactly do you want me to do?"

"You don't need to do anything; on the contrary—"

Ryan glanced at Sakura sitting like a duck. This top assassin was just like an ordinary girl. It seemed that the psychological counseling had been quite effective. He nodded in satisfaction.

"I'll give you and Ling a way out."

Chapter 81 She still has to thank me!

The air was thick with sarcasm. Not only was Sakura stunned, but even Wilvi, who was drinking water, thought Ryan was shameless.

He wiped out the other person's teammates, beat them up, threatened them with his sister, and then said he was giving them a way out.

This isn't some kind of deception; it's clearly mockery.

"So I should thank you?" Sakura laughed in exasperation. What kind of robber logic is this? It's just bullying people by relying on strength.

Ryan, seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm, nodded matter-of-factly: "Of course you should thank me. There's no right or wrong in killing. Should I thank you for sparing my life?"

Ah this...

Sakura suddenly felt that there was some truth to it. There was no logic in the world of assassins. It was either you kill me or I kill you. If the roles were reversed, the person would already be a corpse.

Wait a minute, something seems off.

Sakura was a little confused. She was the victim, yet Ryan's actions were perfectly reasonable; he was really being lenient.

"No, it's you who has caused me this. Poison Chrysalis will definitely think I'm a traitor, and Bell will be in danger too."

"What? Does that mean I should tie my own hands and let you, who are even weaker, kill me? Do you think that makes any sense?"

"Of course not, but...but..."

Ryan gave a sinister smile and said coldly, "If I were a loser, would you be chatting with me so amiably?"

"No, I never waste words when I kill someone."

"Then why don't you say thank you?"

Sakura paused, her lips moved, and she said reluctantly, "Th-thank you."

puff.

Wilvi couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of water, clutching her stomach, almost rolling on the floor laughing, but Ryan glared at her, and she had to hold it back.

However, this killer seems very calm, and doesn't seem very bright. Why would a prisoner thank the person who beat him up?

Logically speaking, it seems like there's really no problem.

No, no, I need to think this through carefully. I can't be a fool like her.

Ryan smiled wickedly, feeling a strange sense of pleasure. He quickly composed himself; he didn't want to become a source of amusement like Ahha.

"Ahem, do you want to hear about a way out?"