"Gray Snake", one of the top executives of the World Serpent Organization.
It could even be said that he is the first high-ranking member to have served under all the predecessors.
Ling Ke knows his origins.
He also knows that the life forms constituting the essence of this man's existence are actually somewhat similar to his own current self.
Of course, the difference is much greater.
From what he recalls, Gray Snake has one main body and at least thousands of divisions that call themselves "kind".
In Ling Ke's view, unlike his own "unified" self, the Gray Snakes possess completely different ways of thinking.
They're too unique, interconnected through the "Gray Snake Network", transmitting information, and even... continuously reproducing.
Because of this, some have come to regard themselves as an entirely new ethnic group.
Among them, some love to delve into the arts, others enjoy exploring philosophy, some love reciting famous quotes, some are extremely distant in personality, some have a strong desire to perform, and others...
Before the completion of the "Zhezhi" project, the Gray Snakes were lying dormant in various parts of the current era of civilization, each with their own mission arrangements.
They had been preparing for the true "Stigma Project" in all aspects.
And when Ling Ke was about to succeed in his revenge and sent the "Dominator Doll Ling Ke" to the past paradise to find Aponia and obtain precise time "coordinates", the main body of Gray Snake, upon learning that the "Stigma Project" had been abandoned, approached Kevin, who was guarding the gate with Calamity and extinguishing the flames of the sky.
Then, the myth of "returning to the past" was revealed, announcing the complete end of the old (now the current civilization era)...
Gray Snake boarded the "one-way express ticket" that Ling Ke had given Kevin and returned with him to the present era (pre-civilization era).
It's easy to imagine that Kevin decided to bring Gray Snake along from the start because he admired his execution.
This small act was still within the bounds Ling Ke allowed.
Just like Otto... this "fool" who has not yet arrived in the present era, also brought many things along the way.
Let's leave that aside.
In short, when Kevin bid farewell to Ling Ke in Changkong City that night, he had already begun using Gray Snake and developing his own power.
Kevin knows very well that no matter how strong he is, there will eventually come a time in the future when his doppelgänger runs out of tricks.
This is a painful lesson he's summarized from his long past life.
Furthermore, looking back, the anti-Honkai organization known as "Moth of Fire" kept fighting among themselves until human civilization nearly perished.
He can't let that happen again.
So, from the very beginning of building his own power... well, Kevin didn't bother with it at all.
He directly uploaded Gray Snake to the network of this era, allowing it to begin reproducing again.
After all, there's no one better at managing a massive organization than a loyal Gray Snake.
The old "World Serpent" was slowly integrated.
Raising funds, recruiting geniuses—even cultivating elites in various fields from a young age in a systematic way.
The Gray Snakes were well aware of all of this.
By the way—
Today, Kevin also happened to be at the Long Sky City International Airport because Gray Snake had found traces of Raiden Mei.
Kevin believes that she is a hidden danger full of uncertainty that he must personally resolve.
So, here he is.
However, unexpectedly, the series of events that followed caught him off guard.
Including now.
"Friendly reminder, Kevin."
Still inside the café—
Ling Ke tilted his head and glanced at the young man with white (?) hair beside him, raised his finger, and pointed at the electronic eyeballs floating in the latter's palm. He smiled meaningfully: "This loyal right-hand man in your hand? On the very first day you uploaded him to the internet... he became internet buddies with Dr. Mebius!"
"Nowadays, the two of them have nothing left unsaid!"
"For you personally—"
He glanced at Raiden Mei.
"It should be said…"
Then looked at May, lying in young Kevin's arms.
"Or maybe, it shouldn't be said…"
Ling Ke was clearly stirring things up. "I've basically said it all."
At this point—
"Is that so?"
Kevin's gaze on the electronic eyeball in his hand and his tone turned dangerous.
Let's just say—luckily, Gray Snake didn't have the ability to break into cold sweat or get chills.
But still—
"Your Majesty, please believe in Gray Snake's loyalty."
"It's all for defeating the Honkai."
Kevin remained unmoved.
The electronic eyeball seemed to twitch slightly, and Gray Snake added: "Of course, this great mission must be completed in this era."
Kevin nodded slightly after a few more seconds of silence.
The atmosphere seemed to calm down.
However—
"After this incident, you will report the truth to me. What exactly did you reveal to this era's Mebius?"
"And—"
Kevin's expression turned cold. "Never again."
"Yes, sir."
Gray Snake answered respectfully.
Kevin finally put away the electronic eyeball.
He turned to look at Ling Ke… but only kept his eyes on him briefly before shifting them to the purple-haired girl holding a blade.
"Raiden Mei."
Kevin said in a low voice, "You shouldn't be here."
"Especially—not in front of Mei!"
The words that followed, Kevin didn't say.
On one hand, he knows that Raiden Mei had also been manipulated by Ling Ke, and her encounter with Mei today was inevitable.
On the other hand, he didn't want Raiden Mei to realize that she still held special feelings for Mei in her heart.
Just as Gray Snake said... he now has concerns and "weaknesses".
Kevin frowned slightly, annoyed that Gray Snake had spoken too much.
And at that moment—
"I have no ill will toward them."
Raiden Mei glanced at Ling Ke, who was watching from the sidelines, then looked directly at Kevin with a serious expression: "I also hope we won't become enemies again."
"After all, you and I both clearly know who the real enemy is."
Hearing that—
"No, you don't know at all."
Kevin really wanted to make that clear.
The real enemy? Who?
Ling Ke?
Then we might as well call him the "Cocoon of the End"!
Kevin had already realized a fact—Ling Ke alone must not be the enemy.
And on that basis, his enemies would only be the senior leaders of the former "Moth of Fire", and almost all the "Adversaries" of the ancient era (now civilization).
As for why it's "almost all" and not "all"...
Obviously, Kevin thought of his old comrade—Hua.
Of course, he knows that Hua and Raiden Mei are on good terms, so—
If the other side doesn't align with his position, he will show no mercy.
After all, it always comes back to the question: friend or foe?
But that's something to consider later.
Right now—
"Interesting!"
A certain surveillance camera inside the café was hacked by an outsider and remotely controlled—the angle of its lens shifted slightly.
The "operator" was a tall woman in a white lab coat, alone in a dark room.
At that moment, she leaned back in a universal chair, crossed her legs, slightly squinted her serpent-like blue eyes, and smiled slightly. "Oh? 'Disruptions' from the future... I didn't expect them to really exist!"
"Only the next era of civilization, born over 50,000 years later—legislators with human consciousness…"
"The——fusion warrior," still alive after 50,000 years...
"And—"
Her gaze settled on the young man with dark hair appearing on screen.
Suddenly—
"!!!"
In the footage, the dark-haired young man suddenly turned his head and seemed to stare directly at her through the screen.
He even smiled meaningfully.
In that moment, she—Mebius, the Fire-Hunter Hero of future generations—was truly surprised by him.
But then her eyes began to sparkle.
"A fully evolved... transcendental lifeform!"
At that moment, she looked extremely excited.
She leaned closer involuntarily.
Her face almost pressed against the screen.
"How fascinating."
Mebius took a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself. "So... what should I do next to invite these already 'extraordinary' beings to come to my lab voluntarily?"
Truth be told, even though she muttered this, she didn't dare look down on any lifeform whose level surpassed hers.
That's something only the top brass of "Moth of Fire" would do.
She wasn't that stupid.
It's precisely because she understood the difficulty of "evolution" and "transformation" that she respected the nobility of the "extraordinary" and the "transcendent" more than the average person… and their power.
She wasn't willing to be reckless with this group.
And yet—
Seeing those figures "far too beautiful"—
She still acted incredibly obsessed.
Unconsciously, she had already taken the bait.