Elysia arrival helped ease the tension. In just one night, the two major factions under Ryan's command became more familiar with each other.
Kalpas still looked like someone who preferred to be left alone, but he didn't react negatively when faced with Elysia cheerful attempts to engage. Instead, he was more resigned to her enthusiasm, almost like a helpless duck caught in the current.
As for Ryan, things felt even stranger. There was a test right in front of him, yet he couldn't seem to feel nervous. He tried to muster some tension but eventually gave up, letting things unfold as they would.
All the arrangements had been made, so it was time to face the situation with a calm heart.
Morning light streamed in through the window. Ryan rubbed his eyes, waking up, and then covered his forehead, surprised that he had actually managed to sleep. Shaking his head, he glanced at the sofa opposite him, and the guilt he felt earlier seemed to fade away again.
Elysia, Sakura, and Pardo were huddled together on the sofa. Elysia had her right hand resting on Pardo long fox ears, her slender waist wrapped in her arms. The little cat seemed to enjoy sleeping with something in her arms, her face buried in Sakura's flat belly. She had soaked her white T-shirt with saliva and was snoring contentedly.
Elysia didn't seem to mind at all. She laid her face on Sakura's slender neck, stroking her ears with one hand, and resting her other hand on Sakura's chest. Sakura, who was at the bottom of the pile, felt a bit uncomfortable. Pardo's weight was on her belly, and Ellie was pressing on her chest. Her boots were kicked off.
This was definitely a ladies' party.
Ryan shook his head silently, resting his chin on his hand as he watched them for a while. He took the opportunity to mentally analyze chest compression forces, and after a long moment, he stood up with satisfaction.
Sakura woke up immediately with a slight movement and opened her eyes in confusion. Fortunately, Ryan pressed her eyes shut again with both hands. Everyone had stayed up all night, so there was no need to be so tense.
That's right. Ryan wasn't nervous at all now. He looked at the busy city outside the window and felt that everything was just as it had always been.
The hint had worked. All the staff had gone home to rest after their "overtime" work. The building was eerily quiet. Ryan bought a can of coffee from the vending machine and headed to the top floor to take in the view.
From up there, people below seemed like ants. October 30th meant nothing to them. They didn't know that the world would soon change in unimaginable ways. Ryan didn't dwell on it; he just watched them. If fate hadn't intervened, perhaps he would've been living the same life as them.
The fate of humanity rested on his shoulders. If he succeeded, he would be hailed as a savior. If he failed, he would be branded a sinner.
He knew the weight of this pressure. If he failed, he would help bring about the collapse and destroy the good situation that was in place.
"But so what?" Ryan mused. "Exploration is always filled with the unknown. Even the Aeons don't know what will happen when they take a step. That uncertainty is what makes exploration exciting."
Back in Sundown Alley, he had felt the stress, but now, with the final preparations complete, his mind was clear.
So, he thought, why hesitate? Go forward, take that brave step, and walk to the end without regret. The old saying still applied: This world will be destroyed, this city will turn to dust, and the people walking the streets will be gone. With the worst possible outcome already accounted for, what was there to fear?
Ding—
The phone rang again. Ryan took it out and saw a message from an unfamiliar number. The message was simple and direct:
[The guest has arrived]
Ryan's breath caught for a moment, and he chuckled softly, putting the phone back into his pocket. A little breeze stirred his pants as he stood, then his body stiffened.
"You're leaving without a word?"
Ryan turned to see Mobius standing at the rooftop entrance. She had her hands in her pockets, looking exhausted, and her white coat fluttered in the wind.
"We'll see each other again soon. What's there to say goodbye for?"
"Oh, you're really confident. Well, I've got good news. The operation was successful. We're just waiting for the woman to wake up. It's hard to predict the results, but there's no danger to her life."
"That's great news. Go and rest now. I'll handle the rest."
Mobius pursed her lips but then strode over with a bag in her hand.
"What's this?"
"It's a gift from Elysia," Mobius explained as she opened the bag to reveal what was inside. "She said you have to dress up for the banquet. You can't go like this."
Ryan removed his authority and let the contents of the bag fall to the ground. To his surprise, there was a suit inside. He sighed, thinking about how strange Ellie thought process was. Even if she was wearing power armor when heading to New York, it would still be ruined.
But he accepted the gift. Snapping his fingers, his dirty shirt was torn away, revealing his strong muscles.
"Can't you just take your clothes off properly?"
"Well, I figured it would save time."
"I really admire you. Your pants are still in decent shape. Don't take them off. Don't act like a hooligan in front of me," Mobius blushed slightly and rolled her eyes.
"What if I take them off?"
"Haha, I'll castrate you on the spot!"
Mobius said with a fierce tone, but then returned to her usual quiet self. Perhaps she was too tired, her usual eccentricity diminished today.
She simply asked Ryan to put on the shirt, her fingers grazing across his chest, sending a tingling sensation through him.
Ryan remained silent, just quietly enjoying the touch as Mobius tiptoed around him, tying a black tie for herself. She then put on a dark gray suit, fastening the buttons slowly, one by one.
When she stepped back, Ryan snapped his fingers once more, and the air seemed to shimmer, reflecting a mirror image of her appearance.
Elegant and effortless—that was the first impression. The straight lines of the suit paired with his handsome face made him look like he was attending a dance. The black-framed glasses made him seem older, and the intellectual air he exuded gave him an aura of sophistication.
Ryan patted the wrinkles on his suit and smiled. "Elysia chose a simple style. She's never been a fan of excessive decorations."
"That's because I rejected all the unnecessary extras," Mobius snorted, eyeing Ryan from head to toe. "Not bad. Looks decent."
"If you can't compliment someone properly, just stay quiet," Ryan grumbled, watching as Mobius took off her white coat and draped it over his shoulders, straightening the pen in his chest pocket before nodding in satisfaction.
"Well, now you look like a scientist. I really like this outfit. Don't ruin it."
"This is a bit of a challenge."
"I don't care. If you ruin it, you'll have to pay for it."
"That's fine with me." Ryan shrugged. As a convoy approached on the street, he focused on the lead vehicle. The sunroof of a Hummer was open, and a strange man was standing there.
Dark skin, strong muscles, slightly curly brown hair, heavy makeup, and a sailor suit—his appearance was unmistakable, and Ryan's eyebrows twitched.
"He's here."
"It's good that I can hold this transsexual back for a day. Don't worry, I have plenty of ways to deal with him." Mobius also looked over, recognizing the man as the upper fusion warrior stationed in Melbourne.
But his arrival meant that Ryan had to move on. Mobius's lips parted, and her snake-like eyes focused directly on Ryan.
This mission was risky, and even Mobius didn't think it was achievable. She sighed for a moment.
In the past, she would have stayed behind, letting him face it alone, but now...
"Forget it, don't die on me. I'm still waiting for you to make it up to me for the clothes."
"How do you want me to compensate you?"
Her snake-like eyes reflected Ryan, now sharp and clear, like a pool of autumn water. After a few seconds, the last trace of hesitation vanished. Mobius turned away and sniffed, her voice carrying the weight of her decision.
"I'll make you work for me for a hundred years. No complaints!"
The tone was still firm, but this time Ryan didn't argue. The breeze swept across them, and he vanished in an instant. Just as Mobius bit her lip, her expression softening, a voice echoed from the void.
"As you command, my lady."
...
Carius walked briskly down the corridor of the headquarters building. The entire area was tightly sealed, with armed guards stationed everywhere.
Most of the congressmen had already arrived, and the first offline meeting of the Fire Moth was about to begin. There was no welcome party; aside from the solemn atmosphere, everything was unfolding quietly.
The councillors had no choice but to be there. This enormous organization had become somewhat uncontrollable, and its value had grown immeasurable.
Originally, the Fire Moth was simply a mechanism to combat the collapse. Some of the world's most powerful individuals took on the responsibility, while others viewed it as an investment. But after the Third Herrscher, the organization had grown in importance. Faced with a common enemy, there was now a movement toward unifying humanity.
Even the least significant councillors now understood that the Fire Moth could protect the lives of their families—something they could not afford to lose.
So, after the parliamentary communication was cut off, and based on the principle of who benefits and who is suspicious, most of them believed that it was Carius causing the unrest. Many subsequent events only served to reinforce this suspicion.
The situation in the Holy City, along with the resistance from the Antarctic Shelter and the Far East Branch, had made the Fire Moth increasingly uncontrollable, exposing the dangers lurking within the system.
"Who is the boss of the Fire Moth?" Carius thought bitterly. "Hiding behind the scenes, unable to remotely control this massive organization. Now, an organization with near-unlimited power doesn't need these financiers and politicians anymore."
Carius smiled grimly. Setting aside Ryan and the Faith Faction, this was the most critical issue.
Before him, the General Manager's main task was to negotiate with the big players and secure even 100 million euros in funds. But now, Carius could easily mobilize the power of all humanity in the name of fighting the collapse.
When power expands to this extent, why should he share it with others?
But Carius knew well that resisting the parliament was impossible. The opposition could elect a new General Manager at any time and remove him with a single order.
The rules couldn't be challenged, and the only option was to rely on forces beyond the rules.
For example, him—or them.