I am a former Flame Chasers

A wise person prepares ahead and faces any challenge with composure.

What Ryan fears most is not that the collapse will alter the order of the Herrscher's descent or increase their frequency, but the emergence of an incarnation for a concept he's never encountered. He both longs for and fears the unknown.

The plane slowly began its descent. After Ryan's explanation, Sakura had nearly grasped the situation.

This unknown Herrscher specializes in infiltration, so don't worry about His authority. Just focus on the target. As long as He fails to accomplish His mission, it will be like death for Him.

"Aponia has already been dispatched. It won't be easy for Him to play dirty, and there's always the risk of exposure. Anyone who doesn't follow the 'commandments' is a Herrscher. Right now, we need to stay alert for assassination attempts."

"But He can't overpower the higher-level fusion warriors."

"There are too few of them. It's impossible to cover every angle, and some people are unpredictable." Ryan casually picked up a magazine from the table and tapped the cover.

The image on the cover showed a girl with long, wine-red hair, elegant and regal. Sakura understood immediately, nodding quietly.

"Eden. She is indeed a key target. She's under protection from the Southern Shenzhou branch. Do we need to send more people, or should we go straight to her?"

"Don't worry. It's not easy to take down Eden. We'll wait until He gathers more clones. I told you before—this Herrscher's clones are limited. The more we eliminate, the less trouble we'll face."

Sakura silently watched Ryan, who remained calm despite the gravity of the situation. Even though everything he said was hypothetical, she trusted him completely.

Leave these complex problems to him. She only needs to be his tool, a good weapon in his hands. His calm control over everything was nothing short of captivating.

The girl secretly watched Ryan but didn't see a trace of worry in his eyes.

'This Herrscher of Domination isn't what I expected. Ordinary people now possess Honkai power and can self-destruct at will. What would happen if the carrier became a fusion warrior?'

He didn't have an answer yet. He knew the strength of Honkai, but there's an old saying: when the enemy comes, the general will stop him; when the water rises, the earth will cover it. He'd just have to let things unfold.

SCREEECH—

The plane's wheels touched the ground with a slight screech, leaving a trail of white smoke. The silver-white business jet taxied across the runway, catching the attention of soldiers preparing nearby.

This kind of high-end business jet was usually reserved for the wealthy. The Nan Shenzhou branch, which hadn't received any prior notice, watched with curiosity.

Ryan hadn't informed anyone. His identity was supposed to be confidential, but for safety reasons, he wore an illusion hood, making him appear as a young man with blond hair, blue eyes, and an unusually pale complexion.

This look had a backstory. He was one of the directors at the "Black Steel Military Industry" on the Mu Continent. His father was also a Fire Chaser Council member, making him part of the top-tier wealthy elite.

This disguise made his presence, along with the beautiful Fire Moth officer beside him, seem entirely plausible.

"Bah, what's Diaz doing here in Shenzhou?"

"It's him! I knew I recognized him from a magazine, what's his name again?"

"That little silver gun guy chasing fire—damn, we're working hard while they're living the good life. Reincarnation is truly an art."

"Black Steel Military Industry is the biggest weapons supplier for the organization. At least they've contributed something to humanity, so we can work hard too."

Ryan heard these snide remarks but just grinned. His hollowed-out, alcohol-scarred face made him look menacing.

That's right—he was here to "fish" again. This strategy had worked before, and he knew exactly how to choose his bait.

Diaz was a major opponent, and the arms group he represented was powerful.

Ryan remembered back when he thought his father had been manipulated, and in his naivety, he tried to negotiate, planning to kill his father and take his position. Mei, unimpressed, had sent Aponia to handle it quickly.

The true mastermind was now locked deep within headquarters, while the father and son acted out their "family drama."

If Diaz dared to show up, Ryan would be ready to catch him. There must be some kind of spiritual network synchronizing the intelligence of all the clones.

Ryan stepped onto the gangway, scanning the area. He suspected the Herrscher was self-destructing to avoid tracking. It was like a local area network, trying to protect itself from invasion and follow any clues.

A luxury car awaited him. Amid the envious and disdainful stares of onlookers, Ryan descended the gangway, quickly slipped into the car, and took the wheel himself, dismissing the driver.

The car rumbled as it pulled away, and Ryan leaned back in his seat, answering the phone.

"Yeah, I left Fire Moth. Mei made me an offer. If I get this done, she'll hand me the old man's position."

"Really? Didn't the old man return to the group? Whether there's mental control or not, you can't just see it with your eyes. If you're brave enough, call a board meeting to remove him. Don't waste my time."

Ryan hung up, his earlier fierce expression vanishing in an instant. He couldn't help but chuckle.

Mei's work was tough. After all, Aponia could only "convince" some people, but the interest groups that depended on them would never be swayed. It was troublesome to deal with them, which was probably why the Thousand Herrscher had started making moves.

It was a truly flawed situation...

Ryan rubbed his face, realizing that Mei had to juggle research, managing the organization, and handling power struggles. Her multitasking skills were nothing short of superhuman.

Thankfully, Aponia was there. With her, there was a foundation. Otherwise, if Ryan had to go around reasoning with each person, Fire Moth would be in pieces by now.

"These people still haven't given up?" Ying glanced at the rearview mirror.

"Unless everyone falls in line, of course, they won't give up. I never expected to create a harmonious organization. Fire Moth is a tool, and it's fine as long as it's useful," Ryan said, turning his gaze to the city outside the window, his hands resting on his abdomen, clearly unconcerned.

"Let Mei deal with them. Send Aponia when they're reasonable, and if they cause trouble, eliminate them directly. Tens of thousands of people aren't worth sacrificing the future of humanity."

His cold-blooded words made the temperature in the car drop a few degrees. Ying tightened her grip on the steering wheel. Yet, instead of feeling disgusted, she felt a deep sense of recognition.

This was why Mei had chosen to work with him. Ryan wasn't just strong and smart—he was ruthless. He would never show mercy when it was time to kill. He had all the qualities of a leader.

As a pragmatist, Ryan didn't see it as a big deal. Love and justice had to give way to survival. These people could survive because they still had value.

"I haven't been to Shenzhou for a long time," Ryan said, gazing out the window with a sigh. He hadn't returned to Canghai City in nearly two years. The scars from the third collapse had healed, and Jiangnan, despite winter, was teeming with life. The fields along the road were filled with genetically modified seedlings, lush and green, a stark contrast to the withered yellow leaves. In two months, there would be a great harvest. "Mobius did a great job. This way, we can harvest six times a year, and agriculture has moved a lot of people."

Ryan muttered to himself. Humanity had lost more than 40% of its territory, but the survivors were resourceful. They knew how to escape, so not many people died.

"Dr. Mei canceled the lottery and evacuated many people. Food shortages will definitely increase." Ying tightened her grip on the wheel, worry flashing in her eyes. "We can't afford to lose the remaining continents. If everyone gets trapped in the cities, hunger will wipe out all order."

War brought enormous burdens, especially in this conflict. Ordinary people could only slow things down, but without them, civilization would collapse.

"Don't worry, there are still places to go. The fun is just beginning."

"The world bubble in the quantum sea?" Mei had helped deliver the documents, and Ryan had heard some insider information.

"Yes. The 'wandering human' plan has been accelerated. If we don't find them a place to take refuge, they'll be caught in the conflict, but it's still in the conceptual stage." Ryan exhaled deeply. Such a peaceful and beautiful countryside could be destroyed in a single battle.

It's hard enough to keep a few fusion warriors alive, but preserving the very foundation of civilization seemed like an impossible task.

The car zipped past the road. Ryan didn't speak anymore, just resting his head in his hand, staring out the window. Occasionally, he saw war machines soaring through the air. After the grand retreat, the military had finally been freed up. The garrison troops under the Nan Shenzhou branch numbered in the millions.

The MKII power exoskeleton had become increasingly popular. Small to medium collapses could be wiped out quickly, and even if an emperor-level collapse beast appeared, dozens of fusion warriors would have no trouble handling it.

The collapse itself was a natural filter. Those who survived were either clever, strong, or at least good at running away. When the alarms sounded, they could be in underground shelters within five minutes.

He passed the rice fields and saw a small town ahead. The small buildings with tiled roofs looked just like he remembered. The only difference was the faces on the street—young and middle-aged people. There were no elderly faces.

The world had changed. The elderly population had nearly disappeared. Humanity had become much younger.

In a way, that might be a good thing?

Ryan had an absurd thought. Just as the car stopped in front of a large courtyard, memories of his past flooded back. The wooden door was weathered, the gold-rimmed plaque bearing the inscription "Inch Heart Fist."

"We're here," Sakura said, turning off the engine. She looked back at Ryan, puzzled. "Why didn't you bring Hua?"

This was Hua's home. When they had attacked Fire Moth before, they moved Ling here because it was remote and beyond Fire Moth's reach.

"I didn't want to bring her here."

"Why not?"

"Maybe I don't want to make her sad." Ryan stepped out of the car, walking toward the courtyard. As he looked at the gate, the small river nearby, and the familiar scenery, dusty memories resurfaced.

Sakura stepped out of the car and understood.

The elderly were few, and the people seemed to be mostly refugees from Southeast Asia.

Hua certainly didn't want to see this. It was something she had avoided confronting, but now, standing here, even she, an assassin with no fixed home, felt a weight in her chest. The changes were impossible to ignore.