Thankfully, a simple excuse of falling asleep and having a nightmare was acceptable enough for the escorts. It wasn't unusual among soldiers, considering their backgrounds as survivors of Honkai Eruptions.
By the time the transport plane landed, the sky had already darkened. Adam thought he would be dismissed for the night and meet the others the following morning.
Unfortunately, the moment he stepped onto the tarmac, someone was already waiting for him.
And this someone was far from ordinary.
The man had white hair and piercing blue eyes—uncannily similar to Adam's own. He wore a tight-fitting, black, sleek combat suit with a sword strapped to his back and pistols holstered at his hips.
"Nice to meet you."
He stepped closer, extending his right hand in greeting. His tone and mannerisms carried a warmth that felt almost disarming.
"You must be Adam White, right? I am Kevin Kaslana. Just call me Kevin."
Adam nodded and accepted the handshake, his gaze appraising the man in front of him—who, in turn, was silently studying him from head to toe.
"Indeed, I am. But just call me Adam. My full name feels too much of a mouthful." Adam replied with a faint smile.
"Alright, let's get going. Me—" Kevin caught himself, "I mean, Dr. Mei is waiting for you." He turned and walked ahead, gesturing for Adam to follow.
Adam complied without objection, though his eyes roamed over the people watching them. Both the escorts and the personnel around the hangar stared intently, their focus shifting between Adam and Kevin.
With his enhanced hearing, Adam easily picked up their hushed whispers and muttered curses.
It seemed Dr. Mei had already reached the pinnacle of authority in Fire Moth, serving as chief scientist and director. But her rise had made her a target. Higher-ups, realizing she was sidelining their personal interests to prioritize the war against the Honkai, had begun isolating her.
Most of the onlookers here were informants and spies for those higher-ups. Their initial goal had been to intercept Adam. Unfortunately for them, Dr. Mei anticipated their move and instead sent Kevin—her trusted ally—to secure Adam first.
With their plan thwarted, they hurriedly rushed off to deliver the news of Adam's arrival to their superiors.
Adam, however, paid little attention to these political machinations. Instead, he focused on recalling what he knew of Fire Moth as an organization, fine-tuning his own plans.
Along the way, Adam casually asked Kevin questions about Fire Moth, masking them as the curiosity of a newcomer prying for information.
Unfortunately, Kevin wasn't well-versed in Fire Moth's internal politics. He had spent most of his time as a diligent soldier, either training or deployed at the frontlines.
Still, even if Adam couldn't dig out secrets about the organization's internal power struggles, he obtained the most up-to-date information about the Honkai Invasion itself—straight from a man who lived and breathed the battlefield.
From Kevin's account, many Asian nations, especially smaller island countries, had fallen and were eventually abandoned.
The primary reason was simple: lack of resources. Recapturing those areas yielded no tangible benefit. Most of them were barren in resources, and their populations had been nearly wiped out by Honkai Eruptions. Even if retaken, there would be no one left to repopulate the lands—making the resources spent meaningless. Thus, they were forsaken.
But abandoned lands still had uses. They became training grounds for the Anti-Honkai Task Force.
The Anti-Honkai Task Force and Fire Moth soldiers were fundamentally different. The former were elite fighters with innate Honkai resistance, wielding powerful anti-Honkai armaments to take on Honkai Beasts. The latter were ordinary humans equipped with Honkai Energy filtration devices, allowing them to operate in low-Honkai concentration zones to deal with lesser threats like Honkai Zombies or Dead Soldiers.
Because of the stringent requirements, Anti-Honkai Task Force recruits were scarce. Each member was precious, trained carefully and seasoned through simulations and controlled battles before being deployed.
Of course, there were exceptions—outliers like Adam, Hua, or Kevin, whose natural talents made rigorous training almost unnecessary.
---
After another hour, Adam finally arrived at an office where he was to meet Dr. Mei.
Kevin escorted him only to the door. After knocking and announcing Adam's arrival, Kevin promptly excused himself.
"Please come in."
A calm, muffled voice answered from within.
Adam stepped forward without hesitation, the door sliding open automatically.
"Quite high-tech…" he muttered under his breath as he walked inside.
The office was dominated by a massive wooden desk piled high with files and documents. For a moment, Adam couldn't even see the face of the figure behind it.
At his arrival, Dr. Mei set down the stack in her hands and massaged her brow before leaning back in her chair.
"We finally meet," she said, her eyes appraising him like a scientist studying a specimen.
Adam nodded. "Indeed."
"Since we already know of each other, let's skip introductions and get straight to the point. Your new task is to report to the 5th Institute and assist Dr. Mobius in studying the nature of your unknown power."
Adam listened quietly, nodding in acknowledgment. Mei didn't dwell on the task itself; instead, she stressed the precautions he should take when dealing with Dr. Mobius—whom she described as 'eccentric.'
Naturally, as a transmigrator, Adam knew far more about Mobius than Mei ever could.
In short, Dr. Mobius was a brilliant yet unsettling scientist of Fire Moth—cold, calculating, and unrestrained by conventional morality. Fascinated by evolution and the boundaries of life itself, she treated both herself and others as test subjects in her pursuit of immortality and humanity's perfection. Her ultimate goal was to transcend natural limits and carve her name into eternity, regardless of cost.
But despite her outward display of cruelty and obsession—even painting herself as an inhumane researcher who conducted ruthless human experiments—the truth was different. She was deeply caring toward those close to her and maintained strict moral boundaries. The rumors of her experimenting on others were false; she would sooner use her own body as a test subject than harm another.
When the briefing was done, Dr. Mei handed Adam a new ID card identifying him as 5th Institute personnel, then dismissed him, her busy schedule leaving no room for pleasantries.
---
Half an hour later, Adam arrived at the 5th Institute by military jeep. He didn't rush in immediately, instead scanning the area with a cautious eye.
The building stood far from Fire Moth's headquarters, with so few people in sight that it felt nearly abandoned.
On his way here, Adam had passed the 1st Institute, situated next to headquarters, bustling with constant foot traffic. The contrast was stark.
Finishing his observations, Adam finally approached the entrance and scanned his badge at the terminal.
The screen flashed green, displaying: 'Adam White,' 'Temporary Assistant'. With a soft chime, the door unlocked.
Inside, the atmosphere was just as desolate as outside. Many hallways were left unlit, shrouding the interior in dim silence.
Then came faint footsteps—the sound of shoes dragging across the floor.
From one of the shadowed halls emerged a green-haired girl with tired eyes and dark circles beneath them. She wore a white lab coat over a grey shirt and pants, her ID badge swaying from her neck.
Even without looking, Adam already knew who she was.
"Welcome… Dr. Mobius is expecting you in her lab," Klein said in a weary voice, stifling a yawn as she gave a small, friendly wave.
"Alright." Adam nodded.
Following Klein, Adam soon entered the lab.
Inside, Dr. Mobius sat before a glowing screen, fingers flying across the keyboard. Data streamed endlessly, its complexity far beyond Adam's comprehension.
Even as they entered, Mobius didn't stop, typing as if Adam didn't exist. Klein, already used to her eccentric habits, simply gestured for Adam to take a seat while waiting.
Adam complied, sitting nearby as his eyes carefully studied her.
Unlike the Mobius he knew after the MANTIS surgeries, this version still carried the allure of a mature woman. Even in her disheveled state, her beauty remained untarnished—if anything, the contrast only amplified her charm.
She wore a fitted green shirt and black tie beneath a white lab coat, exuding professional authority. A short black skirt paired with sheer stockings outlined a silhouette that was both elegant and striking.
"Have you seen enough, my little lab rat? I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
Mobius suddenly stopped typing, spinning her chair around to face him. A mischievous smile curved her lips, but her sharp eyes gleamed like a predator watching its prey.
Adam, knowing her personality well, smiled back.
"Of course not," he replied smoothly. "To be graced by the presence of a genius and beauty like Dr. Mobius is my great luck."
Her smile faltered instantly.
"I dislike insincere praises," she snapped, her tone turning icy.
Adam wasn't surprised by her sudden shift. Dr. Mobius, in many ways, was like a tsundere. She relished teasing others, watching them recoil under her intimidating reputation—a snake toying with a cornered rat. That was how she maintained her aloof, commanding presence.
But when the script didn't play out as she imagined, her composure crumbled. Flustered, she would mask it with irritation—just like now.
"Oh, I am very much sincere, Dr. Mobius." Adam's expression softened into genuine earnestness. "No one surpasses you in biology. And as for your beauty… in my experience, there are fewer than a handful who could ever match it."
He watched her anger slowly crumble, her defenses faltering. But before it could linger, she snorted dismissively, changing the subject when she realized she was losing ground.
"Anyway, show me that strange power of yours."
"Of course." Adam complied at once.
With a smooth gesture, he summoned his Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu, unsheathing the blade as a visible blue aura of Reiatsu enveloped it.
Mobius's earlier anger evaporated instantly, replaced by insatiable curiosity. Her sharp eyes locked onto the weapon and its aura, studying every detail with rapt, predatory fascination.
—————
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