Honkai: Fire Moth Herrschers-Chapter 246: Come With Me?

"I really didn't expect Emperor-level Honkai Beasts to start showing up even on the seabed now."

Mei's voice came through the comms. Michael didn't reply immediately. He was leaning on the deck railing, looking at a "whale" floating belly-up on the sea surface before him, easily the length of two cruise liners.

The storm had long subsided, though golden arcs of lightning still occasionally flickered across the nearby water.

Just an Emperor-level Honkai Beast. It didn't even require Michael to formulate a specific battle plan; Kosma had already taken care of it.

Now, Kosma stood on deck with his head lowered as Dystopia held up a large towel, drying the seawater from his hair—even though his Vishnu powers could have easily absorbed the seawater instantly.

Meanwhile, Kevin stood before him, hands on his hips, lecturing him about never acting without orders again...

As for the others? They were naturally just watching the show. Seeing Elysia even thoughtfully providing everyone with melon seeds—the perfect snack for watching drama—Michael didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He shook his head and said:

"Maybe it's related to Te Moana Kino's underwater city. But it's fine. At least for us now, Emperor-level Honkai Beasts are easy to handle. Remember back in R'lyeh? Me, Ely, Captain Himeko, and Sakura struggled just to take down one Emperor-level beast. Thinking back, that was already six years ago."

"Mmm..."

Mei hummed softly, also not giving a full response immediately. It was obvious she was probably listening to Kevin's voice.

"Prepare to recover the Honkai Beast's carcass. Sorry to interrupt your vacation."

"What interruption?"

Michael gave a couple of wry laughs. Encountering an Emperor-level Honkai Beast was indeed troublesome. Although they killed it quickly, the subsequent procedures like carcass recovery would still take nearly a day.

Calculating it out, they had first wasted three days due to seasickness, then another day due to the storm, and now dealing with the Honkai Beast would take up another day.

Their seven-day vacation had suddenly shrunk to just two days... And this was a vacation they'd earned by exchanging seven months' worth of rest days!

If it had been anyone else, Michael would definitely have complained, maybe even lodged a formal protest.

But since it was Mei, Mei whose vacation had been cancelled before it even began... he couldn't really complain.

In fact, Michael wouldn't deny feeling a little bit of schadenfreude himself.

"But speaking of which, mentioning R'lyeh... how did your talks with the United Government go? What are those SEELE folks trying to pull now? Did they give you any trouble?"

The talks might not have gone perfectly smoothly, but they certainly wouldn't have gone too badly either; Michael, being somewhat of a behind-the-scenes manipulator, knew this much. He couldn't guess with 100% certainty what those SEELE people wanted to discuss with Mei, but he had a pretty good idea.

Still, he had to ask, and deliberately feign curiosity. After all, some things he'd done, whether it was launching the surprise attack on SEELE with Aponia earlier, or his actions this time, he hadn't told Mei about.

It wasn't about trust, or lack thereof; trust doesn't mean spilling every single secret. Some things, unnecessary things, things that could easily cause misunderstandings, were better left undone, or if done, better left unsaid.

There was no need to test others' trust in you, especially in these apocalyptic times when everyone's nerves were frayed. Although Michael had worked hard to ensure harmonious relationships among the MANTISes, what about others outside that circle?

Mei never shied away from her strictly rational perspective. Analyzed from that angle, if she knew Michael could do that to SEELE, wouldn't she think he could do the same to her?

Trust itself is an emotion. Compared to the other MANTIS, Michael's identity was somewhat special. Especially after the painful lessons from the Seventh Honkai Eruption, Michael was certain she had made some "contingency plans" specifically targeting him.

In fact, she must have already done so.

In fact, she must have prepared thoroughly for potential emergencies involving every MANTIS, including Kevin.

Of course, Michael didn't resent this. Unlike certain people or organizations who either couldn't grasp the situation or intentionally caused trouble, Mei was merely exercising necessary vigilance and creating contingency plans based on pure rationality against anything that could negatively impact the goal of "defeating the Honkai."

She played an indispensable role within this "family."

"The communication line isn't completely secure. I'll send you the detailed meeting minutes as an encrypted file later. Simply put... the situation is much better than expected. I previously uploaded the 'Analytical Proof Regarding the Existence of Thirteen Herrschers,' based on Prometheus's calculations. Now, SEELE accepts this analysis and agrees that human civilization has reached a critical point for survival."

"Tch, really took them long enough. Getting those people to admit that is harder than fighting all the Herrschers encountered so far combined."

Michael shook his head again, smiling wryly.

What could he say? If he hadn't intervened with his Authority, the two sides probably wouldn't have even reached an agreement conceptually.

"It's just..."

"Just what?"

"I feel like... were these talks a bit too smooth?"

Hearing Mei's question, Michael's heart tightened, but he maintained his facade of ignorance, smiling as he retorted:

"It took three or four days just to agree on this point, and you call that smooth?"

It was meant as sarcasm, but Mei began to analyze it rationally:

"Their attitude shifted too drastically. Just a few days ago, they wouldn't even acknowledge the birth of the Eighth Herrscher, and now they've completely changed their stance. This outcome exceeds even my most optimistic prediction... What's even more unbelievable is that they actually proposed... discussing... merging... with... us!"

By the end, the way Mei spaced out her words made it clear she was genuinely bewildered.

Even Michael was stunned. He didn't remember pushing things that hard, did he?

He... probably didn't...

He hadn't used Discipline precisely because he was afraid such an obvious change would arouse suspicion, but now...

It didn't make sense! He had only dropped two suggestive phrases...

One was very straightforward— "Unite to fight the Honkai." The other was that song... no, that prophecy, which had inexplicably echoed in his heart and was uttered alongside the first phrase.

"That day, They fell from the sky. People on the ground looked up, and thus saw the starry vault."

...

This wasn't the time to ponder that. He gradually understood that Mei's earlier expression wasn't purely bewilderment...

He continued to play his part, answering flawlessly:

"Merging? You mean the United Government and Fire Moth merging? Theoretically, that's indeed a good thing, but the issue of leadership probably won't be resolved so easily, right?"

Just as Mei's previous words carried a hint of probing, Michael's seemingly normal question conveyed more than just doubt.

Mei clearly understood Michael's hidden meaning and quickly responded:

"If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. If we can reach an agreement, that's great. But if talks truly break down, I will use the only way. Rest assured, I won't hand over my life's work to those kinds of people."

"That's good."

The "only way," obviously, was to have a psychic-sensitive MANTIS influence the meeting's proceedings.

Well, the moment a flag like "if talks truly break down" was raised, it was practically guaranteed that the "only way" would end up being used.

Michael didn't want to interfere further in this matter. After all, he had already removed the biggest obstacle; he had to leave some work for Mei, right?

Besides... this way was good too. Everyone's hands would be dirty, so no one could point fingers.

However, there was another layer to their back-and-forth, a meaning Michael wasn't entirely certain about—a kind of tacit acknowledgment.

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now. Hope the rest of your vacation is enjoyable."

Mei's farewell interrupted Michael's thoughts, but he wasn't ready to let her off the hook so easily:

"What? It's lunchtime break now, right? In such a hurry to hang up? Don't you want to say a few words to Kevin?"

Hearing Michael's teasing, Mei, somewhat used to it by now, chuckled lightly and said frankly:

"Fine by me. Let him stop just scolding Kosma. If he keeps going, the poor kid might actually start crying."

Michael didn't hesitate. Using his Authority, the moment he got her reply, he yelled with a voice loud enough to echo for kilometers:

"Kevin! Your dearest Mei wants you on the phone!"

The surrounding waves rolled back towards the distance, forming a concave shape, making the invisible sound waves visible.

But in the next instant, everything turned crystal clear, frozen solid. Even the air bubbles caught in the splashing waves were fixed in that moment.

Kevin finally let Kosma off the hook. In his place, Judgment of Shamash erupted upon the icy sea, accompanied by his utterly embarrassed and enraged roar:

"Michael, prepare to die!"

---||---

Clang— Clang—

Mike shifted his position. In this special prison, the entire cell was bare, without even a basic bed. He could only lie on the floor, eyes wide open, the heavy shackles on his hands and feet clanking with his movement.

Cold, hunger, pain, self-reproach, despair—physical and psychological suffering intertwined. He stared blankly, unable to fall asleep like a normal person anymore.

But it didn't really matter. In this completely sealed darkness, time itself had lost meaning. No one forced you into hard labor, so sleeping or not sleeping wasn't important. Eventually, exhaustion would claim him.

Still, Mike couldn't sleep. He could only stare into the bottomless darkness, because the moment he closed his eyes, everything that happened in court two days ago flooded his mind uncontrollably.

He knew disobeying orders would have severe consequences, and he felt terrible for his family, but he never imagined it would implicate so many people...

Nor did he imagine that the so-called "scales of justice" could be such a mockery—

"Defendant Mike Geoffrey. On February 14th, upon receiving orders from superiors, while leading the Third Squadron of the 31st Helicopter Brigade, United Government Armed Forces, stationed on the Mu Continent, on a suppression mission, you failed to obey orders to open fire, thereby causing enormous difficulties for subsequent efforts to maintain order. Does the defendant have anything to add?"

Mike stood alone in the dock, head bowed, leaning back against the railing—behind him was empty space. The vast courtroom held no witnesses, only three of his former comrades-in-arms sitting sparsely. For a moment, the railing was the only thing he could lean on.

But it was less a railing and more a semi-open cage. The moment he was put inside, he was already half a "criminal."

Even his crisp military uniform had been stripped off, replaced with striped prison garb. His boots had been taken too, leaving him barefoot on the ground.

In late February or early March, even near the equator, the metal floor was still icy cold. At first, it was just a slight numbness, but after standing for a long time, the chill felt like countless needles piercing his skin, constantly jabbing and scraping against his bones, especially painful in his big toes and heels.

He had no choice but to rest one foot on top of the other, switching them periodically.

This movement soon drew the judge's displeasure. Without wasting words, the judge tapped his gavel lightly, and two military police officers quickly approached Mike, grabbing his shoulders from either side.

"Don't move!"

Mike managed a bitter smile, but received a sharp elbow to the cheek. He spat, and bright red saliva trickled down from his lips, quickly drawing a red vertical line on his prison uniform.

Alright, he got it now. Presumption of innocence, innocent until proven guilty—none of that applied in a military court, especially not at this moment. No one here considered him merely a "suspect."

Judging by the practiced ease of these judges and MPs, this was clearly the long-rumored internal "premium package"—extra brutality for a price.

"Tch, was it worth it? Just because I got you chewed out a little, Lieutenant Colonel... cough cough!"

The MP beside him might not have heard clearly what he said, but certainly noticed him speaking. Without hesitation, they punched him twice hard in the kidneys.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

"This is a courtroom! We're recording this!"

"Damn bullies, going too far!"

His comrades, already furious, instantly jumped up. As pilots, the lowest among them was a Second Lieutenant. Being willing to come here meant they were basically prepared to throw away their careers, so what did they care anymore?

His old partner, Everson, cleverly pulled out the miniature recorder he'd smuggled in hidden deep between his buttocks. The other two, impulsive, vaulted over the spectators' railing and rushed towards the two MPs.

Mike quickly turned, but it was too late to stop them. He took another blow to the temple, his vision blurring instantly, and a sharp ringing filled his ears.

Amidst the ringing, he barely managed to make out his old partner's exasperated shout: "What are you two doing..."

Regret was useless now. The two pilots who rushed forward were quickly surrounded by another group of MPs, pinned to the ground, and viciously stomped on.

Mike turned back again. This time the two MPs didn't stop him. He saw Everson standing stunned, still holding the mini-recorder, looking in disbelief at the scene unfolding before him, something completely beyond his comprehension.

Everyone had heard rumors about the military court's "premium package," but even the wildest rumors couldn't match the reality!

Who could have imagined that humanity would elevate its law books, creating sacred and magnificent courtrooms, only to perform such sordid and barbaric acts within them!

If taking bribes, forcing confessions through torture, and wrongful convictions were considered hidden darkness, then the crude violence happening right now tore away all pretense, allowing you to observe its utterly hideous nature moment by moment, with complete indifference.

Why the indifference?

Mike opened his mouth, wanting to warn him, but was slapped to the ground by the MP beside him. Peeking through the bars of the dock's "cage," through his blood-tinged vision, he watched his old partner get tackled by three MPs and pinned firmly onto a table.

"What do you want! We are active-duty officers! According to the law, if I don't resist, you can't use restraining measures... Ah!"

An MP snapped his right wrist and snatched the mini-recorder.

"Damn it, you talk too much! Lieutenant, how did you sneak this camera in?"

The MP Captain was experienced. He hadn't moved until now, wary of exactly this situation.

Everson's right hand was brutally broken. Whether he wanted to answer or not, all he could do for the moment was scream in agony.

The MP Captain picked up the camera, wiped it a couple of times on his white glove, staining the pristine fabric with something yellow.

He held the camera under his nose and sniffed, then immediately jerked his head back, pursed his lips, and fanned the air with his other hand.

"Tsk! Another one who smuggled it 'the back way'. He likes it so much? Strip him and shove it back up there!"

"Ah!"

Mike watched blankly. If the previous violence had merely tainted this supposedly sacred place with darkness, making it ironic, then this act had undoubtedly departed from the realm of civilization. As for finding the right words to describe it... he couldn't think of any.

Just then, the judge, who had remained seated high on the judge's bench, hidden beneath the "holy" lights, uncharacteristically spoke, offering comfort... perhaps it was comfort.

"Don't blame yourself. They aren't implicated because of you, fundamentally. You've probably heard of the 'premium package,' right? Didn't you ever wonder why there are never any eyewitnesses?"

His mocking tone allowed no room for Mike to reply, not that Mike had the strength or inclination for more words.

So the judge continued speaking to himself:

"Since this kind of thing can't see the light of day, there shouldn't be, and cannot be, any witnesses. So you really don't need to blame yourself. Your comrades were doomed the moment they stepped into this courthouse. Of course, we won't be that cruel. Hmm, they'll probably be assigned to the forced labor camps for reconstruction in the East Asian region."

The MPs opened the cage and dragged Mike out.

"As for you, you'll be going to a place where the sun doesn't shine... Tsk! Didn't expect you to bring three people in with you. Hmm, I'll have to ask Lieutenant Colonel Lewis for three more payments... Ah right, you must be wondering, if too many people came, say a dozen, or dozens, would we... Hmm, of course not. If that were the case, you'd be acquitted. Alright, enough talk. Farewell."

---|---

CLANG!

The iron bar door slammed against the adjacent wall, making a huge noise, and light from the corridor spilled in.

Mike listlessly raised his eyes, then squinted. The intrusive, glaring light now actually made him feel drowsy, wanting to sleep.

"Drag him out."

He heard an unfamiliar voice... no, not entirely unfamiliar. He seemed to have heard it somewhere before, but certainly not often.

The voice sounded old, definitely not someone in their twenties or thirties, not even forty. It sounded like someone fifty or sixty.

A person of that age, whose voice was vaguely familiar, and who could command the prison guards here, was definitely not a minor figure.

Despair and hope surged in his heart almost simultaneously, but the despair was gradually overwhelmed by hope—

Lieutenant Colonel Lewis wasn't exactly all-powerful. Even if he was, he might resent Mike for disobeying orders and damaging his reputation with superiors, maybe even pay to have him thrown in prison. But it wasn't necessary, nor would he waste money and connections, to wipe him out completely.

So, whoever had come, it was most likely a favorable outcome for him.

Yet, he felt things shouldn't reverse so quickly, perhaps couldn't reverse at all.

He'd figured it out. The state of the world was plain to see. Although the United Government didn't say it, the emptiness left by the missing 50% of the population was undeniable.

This was already the apocalypse. The apocalypse unleashes the worst aspects of human nature, and until the pressure of survival eased, likely no one would pay attention to a wrongfully imprisoned Captain pilot and his three comrades.

He was being dragged along the ground by his arms by the guards. Although a sliver of hope existed in his mind, he suppressed it, trying to think of the worst—

It was a kind of survival wisdom: If you view the future with sufficient pessimism, life tends to offer more pleasant surprises.

But when he finally got a clear look at the person who had come for him, only one thought filled his mind—this surprise was a bit too big.

"Can you stand on your own?"

"Yes, sir!"

Despite not having eaten for two days, Mike shook off the guards supporting him, forced his body straight, and snapped a military salute:

"Minister Taro, sir!"

But Taro didn't return the salute, merely stating coldly:

"Mike, that's your name, right? You've already been stripped of your military rank. No need to salute me."

Mike's hand froze, unsure whether to lower it or keep saluting...

"Alright, let's cut to the chase. I heard your grades at the military academy were excellent. You could have been assigned to one of the top fighter wings, but ended up in a practically useless helicopter unit because you offended your instructor's nephew?"

"...Yes, sir."

"And then you ended up in this state because you disobeyed orders?"

"...Yes, sir."

"Heh. Honestly, I admire people like you, but I don't like people like you. However, needs must. There's an experiment that requires selecting personnel from outstanding pilots. Only thirteen people meet the required data parameters. The previous twelve useless failures all failed. You're the last one..."

"May I ask... what kind of experiment is it?" Mike asked cautiously.

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"Heh. In short, it's related to Fire Moth."

"The organization fighting the Honkai..."

Mike fell into thought. He roughly understood the conflict between the United Government and Fire Moth. He certainly didn't want to get involved, but...

"You have no choice. Agree now, and I'll overturn your case, along with those of your three comrades. Then I'll throw that Lieutenant Colonel Lewis into the place you just left—the condition is that you survive the upcoming experiment."

"Can I think about it..."

"No. Time is critical. We need to demonstrate concrete results tomorrow morning. There are only thirteen minutes left until the experiment begins. It took me nineteen minutes by helicopter to get here from the experimental base. So I need your answer now. Are you coming with me, or going back to your cell?"