Exploration means continually venturing into the unknown, in changing predetermined fate, whether that change is beneficial or detrimental.
That's why Ryan didn't hesitate to create a butterfly effect, allowing the world to offer more unknowns in return. Had he not been inherently cautious, he would have long been rushing down the path of self-destruction.
The oddities of Snow Prison Town didn't make him retreat; on the contrary, he was even more delighted. He had forgotten his original goal. After reaching the core of the truth, he became so excited that his brain almost trembled.
The abilities related to shadows, the yet-to-appear Herrscher, and there was even a faint "man-made" feel to it—all of it seemed impossible, and exploring the impossible was exactly what he deeply desired.
Of course, being a man of action, he also made sure that Elysia was ready for an attack. If things went wrong, he'd trigger the plan and summon some friends for a group fight.
Interesting, so the essence of the authority is some sort of concept, and it even has shadow-related abilities. Should I call this the Herrscher of Shadows? No, this doesn't quite feel like a typical Herrscher.
Ryan continued at a quick pace. From what he knew, a Herrscher must be the result of intense Honkai energy, and it couldn't be man-made in the pre-civilization era, nor could it be a collaboration with humans.
It didn't make sense. Well, he'd still figure out how to deal with it.
Ryan pushed open the door and slipped into the small room. After reflecting on the two previous battles, he began to form some clues.
It seemed to involve corrosion and control, a parasitic entity on humans that could access all memories. No, this wasn't just control and performance; it was more like merging into a single entity.
This made it hard to find. The entity could execute many infiltration and sabotage missions, even launch nuclear strikes. But unlike the Herrscher of Control, it didn't possess various authorities.
Its core ability was the shadow, and it showed both offensive and defensive capabilities, though its output wasn't very large.
Let's assume this is a clone, because if it wasn't, the massive Honkai source would have been detected long ago.
Ryan glanced around the room. It was empty, with barely any furniture. Some boxes were along the wall. When opened, they contained weapons and food.
The firearms were wrapped in oilcloth, along with a few rocket launchers and two boxes of grenades. There was also a large box full of food and 700,000 euros in cash.
Rust had secretly earned quite a bit of money. It was certainly enough for him to live comfortably in the protection zone, but he was more suited to this side of things. After that, there was nothing left to say.
Ryan wasn't upset about the speculator. If it were a petty thief, he'd be gleefully collecting things by now.
Thud.
Ryan closed the box. He knew where the hidden door was, but he still methodically searched inch by inch. His peripheral vision caught sight of something.
Several rats, carrying food in their mouths, scurried and squeaked into the cabinet.
Not just humans? What kind of ability is this?
Ryan didn't know, but it felt scientifically impossible. He heard footsteps, cries, and search sounds outside. He calmly inspected the walls, his actions betraying a level of professionalism that was almost absurd.
"Search! We must find the person who killed my son!"
"I'll tear him apart!"
The roars grew closer, but Ryan didn't flinch. He exhibited the professionalism of an agent, casually pulling out his phone, unlocking it, and using it like a detector.
"Found it."
A noticeable smile appeared on his face. He pressed inward, and sure enough, his hand landed on an iron door. He pulled outward and saw a dark tunnel. Just then, the door on the other side was kicked open.
This ability of theirs is really great for causing confusion.
Ryan pulled a flashbang from his chest and tossed it right into the center of the crowd outside. Boom! There was a loud explosion followed by screams.
This is for your own good.
Ryan took a quick glance around and entered the door, sealing it behind him. His attention returned to the task at hand.
The emergency lights emitted faint glows, and the tunnel wasn't complicated. There were few turns, and the walls were lined with metal. Weak drafts came from the ventilation shafts.
The walls were decorated with strange patterns—more of those horrific, Honkai Beast-inspired creations, their red lines looking like blood. The eerie stillness added to the unsettling atmosphere.
"They really know how to scare people. What's this, techno-mysticism?"
Ryan muttered in frustration. These people were just overly imaginative. The monstrous artwork extended ahead, fading into the pitch-black tunnel. The faint green emergency lights resembled ghostly flames. It had a postmodern style.
Ryan chose to ignore it. He wasn't going to be intimidated by artwork—after all, he'd killed judgment-level Honkai Beasts before. He closed his eyes and took a moment to feel the surroundings.
Quite a large area. Mei had checked it out before. Years ago, there were reports of missing persons in this town. Had research started back then?
He clenched his fist and moved forward. The essence of authority was indeed strange, but this world also valued power. Even if this place were a beehive, what of it?
Clack, clack, clack...
The footsteps echoed far, the underground situation reflecting back in his mind.
The area extended over ten kilometers, with storage rooms and ventilation shafts everywhere. Because of the freezing cold, there were many rats and insects. How many of them were his clones?
Ryan narrowed his eyes and saw that there were many sealed iron doors along the corridor. When he opened one, it revealed a room with a toilet and a simple bed—everything was bare and reeked of mildew.
A prison cell?
He looked back down the hallway, noticing all the sealed iron doors. If these were indeed cells, how many people had been locked up here?
Research lab, secret passages, prison cells. Some pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. Ryan knew he was nearing the end.
He raised his head, looking at the flickering electronic light in the darkness, slowly smiling. He took his rifle, click, chambered a round, and moved deeper into the tunnel.
"Has he figured out who's carrying out the mission?"
In the pitch-black room, the only light came from the flickering computer screen, illuminating the man sitting in front of it.
His linen-colored robe hid his face, but his hooked nose was visible. The screen displayed an image of Ryan walking into the darkness.
On the desk in front of him were eight rectangular tombstone-like objects with black bases and red edges. Unlike the Fire Moth, the numbers on them were all jumbled.
"No, but a few suspicious targets have been brought up."
"Who?"
"The Fused Warrior squad under the intelligence department, the second Eastern European squad that lost contact suddenly, and... Dr. Ryan."
"Ryan?" The hooked-nose man went silent. The first two weren't too concerning, but the last one was not just bad news—it was downright terrifying.
That man had a nickname—'The Herrscher Killer.' Out of the five Herrschers discovered by the Fire Moth, two had already died at his hands.
His threat level was even higher than Elysia because, while Elysia was cruel, she could be forgetful.
"The last intel received last night showed that he was searching for the Fifth Herrscher near Iceland. The patrol fleet also picked up his communications signal and Honkai energy, which matches the report from the British branch."
"Did anyone see him in person?"
"No. He left directly. No one could catch up."
The hooked-nose man fell silent. This was indirect evidence, but it caused a flutter in his heart.
"Find a way to confirm. He's crucial."
"Understood."
One of the tombstones vanished, and the others remained standing, with chaotic chatter filling the air.
"Dr Mei almost knows the truth. With the Integrated Warrior by her side, the assassination will not succeed."
"It doesn't matter. Subject III has already chosen to return to the heavens. Her trail is cut off."
"But this shows that the Fire Moth has woken up. The counterattack will come soon. Can we make the Sacred Apostles hide for now?"
"Yes. Elysia, Sakura, and Ryan are all near Northern Europe. Given their relationship with Dr. Mei, they could go investigate at any time."
"Foolish! Do you have no faith in the Sacred Apostles?"
The voices grew louder, filled with panic. Why was the faith group so eager to hide? Because they knew they would never be understood by the foolish humans. They were fundamentally different from the fallen Pureblood faction.
The hooked-nose man quietly listened, understanding his companions' fear. But he knew no one would give up.
Because the success of the experiment was too tempting. It proved that Honkai wasn't just a natural disaster—it could be something to cooperate with. Just like the Apostles' followers, their heads could be blown apart, but they could still move, retaining emotions and consciousness.
This represented immortality, freedom from the fear of being killed by the Honkai. This was an irresistible allure.
Tap, tap, tap.
He lightly tapped the desk, silencing the room. He spoke in a calm tone, almost with a holy aura.
"Apostles do not answer to every request."
The tombstones stopped arguing, suddenly realizing it was meaningless. The Apostles were not servants; they couldn't act according to others' wishes.
"In this cruel age, everyone is searching for a way out. I don't hate those stubborn resistors. In fact, I thank them for the time and opportunity they've provided."
The man's tone was rational, as though speaking of others' affairs, with a faint touch of sanctity.
"Every path is filled with trials and hardships. Ending humanity's childhood is not an easy task. But at least we have produced results, proving that this path truly exists."
The room grew even quieter. The success in Northern Europe was like a shot of adrenaline to them, a new light discovered in the depths of despair.
"So leave the judgment to the Sacred Apostles. What we can do now is wait, gain more power and strength, bring the Fused Warriors back onto the right path, and finally—"
He paused, and the tombstones all echoed in unison.
"Finally, eliminate all the stubborn ones!"
Ding.
Ryan, now deep within, pulled out his phone. He saw a message from Mei, containing forwarded news:
[Korya encountered a medium-sized Honkai attack, with intense Honkai energy causing 20,000 deaths. The regional administrator, Rogine, was confirmed dead. There are rumors that he was a member of the Fire Moth.]
The trail's been cut off? Those people really are ruthless. They'll self-destruct without hesitation.
Ryan never believed in coincidences. He knew they had methods that could gather large amounts of Honkai energy in an area. Before the web of surveillance was set up, no one could detect such fleeting energy fluctuations.
He looked at the number of 20,000 deaths, silently put his phone away, and took a deeper step.
You truly deserve to die.