I am, Flame-Chaser of Previous Era-Chapter 82: What was out there?

"I didn't hide it here, actually." Vill-V blinked innocently.

What?

Even Ryan nearly choked: "Then why did you bring us here?"

"It's actually hidden here...and not hidden here..."

"Get out of the car, you riddle-loving idiot!"

"Don't be impatient. Let me explain." Vill-V cleared her throat, placing a hand over her chest. Her voice deepened, becoming rich and melodious:

"I hacked into the communication satellite and uploaded the data. According to my calculations, every seven days, this satellite passes directly over this empty town. We just need to download the data during that time window. Absolute secrecy, maximum efficiency."

Ryan's jaw slowly dropped, his expression slack. He glanced at Sakura, who had a similar expression of shock.

Vill-V was clearly pleased with their stunned reactions, smugly asking, "So, how many points out of ten would you give me for that operation?"

"Zero points!" Ryan instantly smacked the mage's head, grabbing her by the collar and shaking her back and forth. "It was a simple task! Why did you make it so complicated? Just dig a hole and bury it. Why all the flashy maneuvers?"

"Dig a hole? Too mundane."

"Do you think this is a performance? I need to get this done quickly and get back to work. Are you wasting my time?"

"Life is all a performance, you know. Stop shaking me; my head is spinning."

Ryan took a deep breath. He wanted to dissect Vill-V's head to see what was inside. This woman was even more eccentric than Mobius. Mobius was unpredictable, but she was serious when it came to work.

Vill-V, on the other hand, was perpetually whimsical.

He finally released her. There was no point in beating her; her 'ego' might even come and question him about it.

"When does the satellite pass over again?"

"Two days from tonight."

"Then why were you in such a rush? I could have gotten rid of the pursuers by then."

"You told me to get the data quickly." Vill-V looked completely innocent, spreading her hands. "Besides, I couldn't resist such a flamboyant operation."

Ryan let out a long sigh. He convinced himself not to engage in a mental battle with this schizophrenic; focus on the objective.

The original plan was clearly useless. The Pureblood faction and Cocoon would be here soon. Many would be secretly observing, so it wasn't wise to reveal his Herrscher powers under normal circumstances.

But their political enemies weren't fools; they wouldn't give up easily. Logistically, it wasn't a major problem.

While Ryan pondered, Sakura was secretly observing. She found him less terrifying than she initially thought. A slightly cold-blooded person wouldn't easily let the 'mage' go.

As for Vill-V... she lacked the vocabulary to describe her other than 'eccentric.'

"What do we do now?"

"What else? If we hide in the wilderness, we'll have to return eventually. They'll definitely connect the data to this location, and might even consider satellite communication." Ryan rubbed his head, cursing whoever had come up with this unnecessarily complex plan.

Truthfully, stealing the data or destroying the satellite was far easier than dealing with this situation.

"Staying here is incredibly risky."

Ryan glanced at Vill-V, who was whistling merrily, then turned back. "There's no choice. Besides the wasted time, without the data, you're as good as dead."

Sakura said nothing. If she failed her employer, she would be eliminated. Once they had free time, they'd come for Rin first.

"Should I lead them away for two days?"

"You're not afraid of the risk?"

"I'd rather not owe favors. Moreover, if I die, Rin can still live."

The girl's serious reply earned a sidelong glance from Ryan, who didn't dislike her resolve.

"Don't worry, everything is under control. I said I wouldn't let you die, and you won't." Ryan patted Vill-V on the shoulder, instructing her to drive to an abandoned garage.

As the three exited the vehicle, several elderly locals eyed them. Ryan's handsome features, coupled with Vill-V and Sakura's striking beauty, instinctively sparked avarice in their hearts.

Ryan, however, wasn't interested in conflict. With a wave of his hand, an invisible mental force caused the men to freeze, then stumble and turn away.

Subtly manipulated, they retreated to their homes to quietly plan their escape.

There wasn't much time before their breaths returned to normal, and the novelty of the scene began to fade. Ryan climbed onto a rooftop, tossed aside a tattered tarp, and began observing the terrain.

The surroundings were too open, which wasn't good; it favored clandestine observation. Conversely, the wasteland to the south was shielded by a mountain range.

Bare, jagged peaks and strange rock formations dominated the landscape. A large fissure ran through the center, devoid of any signs of civilization, yet the Honkai energy was palpable.

"Honkai activity in that wasteland? Fire Moth doesn't care?"

"Probably not worth protecting. Fire Moth is severely short-staffed now." Sakura joined him, a hint of disgust in her eyes. "Besides, that area is inhabited only by uncivilized tribespeople. Savage and dangerous. Why bother with a fruitless endeavor?"

"You've been there?"

"Yes. Cocoon once received a mission to infiltrate and scout the area. Supposedly something fell from the sky, but besides killing many tribespeople, nothing was found."

Something fell from the sky? That sounded familiar.

Ryan instinctively frowned. In the Previous Era, anything that fell from the sky wasn't simple. Before he could ponder further, he saw vague shadows swaying in the ravine opposite.

"The Honkai Beasts don't seem interested in this town. Perhaps they consider it already a hellhole; killing these people might be a form of liberation?"

Sakura remained silent. As a special agent, she had limited experience fighting Honkai Beasts, but as an assassin, she possessed abundant patience.

She watched Ryan in deep thought, Vill-V humming softly as she rummaged through the dilapidated buildings, collecting scraps of metal. The combination was truly bizarre.

'How did these two completely different people end up together? And Vill-V doesn't seem like a subordinate; doesn't she feel any pressure from this man?'

'And him. He trusts me so much? Allowing me to strategize without fearing I'll betray him?'

Sakura had many unanswered questions. At that moment, she saw Ryan suddenly slap the table, causing the rotten wooden square to collapse with a 'thud.'

"I've got a new plan."

"Wait, you have to tell me about it."

"If you distrust someone, don't use them. If you use them, don't distrust them. I've already explained our mutual interests. I trust you're intelligent." Ryan didn't bother with pleasantries. "I'll have Vill-V hide in town. You and I will go to the wasteland to draw out the pursuers. The Honkai energy there is higher than normal, which can disrupt 'the eyes.'"

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"Sounds like an ideal battleground. We can use the Honkai Beasts as cover. Once the downloads are complete, we'll emerge and deal with the pursuers." Sakura nodded, gesturing towards the girl downstairs, who was tinkering with some strange device. "There's only one problem. Is she... trustworthy?"

So embarrassing, she dragged me into this.

Ryan avoided eye contact, grumbling, "Don't worry. Vill-V is reliable at crucial moments, especially when it comes to hiding and escaping."

"Surviving a hunt by Cocoon proves that point."

Ryan glared at the girl, always feeling she and Hua would get along. Efficient and to the point, her cold demeanor seemed more like an act than Hua's natural stoicism.

"Don't worry, tonight should be safe. Rest up. We'll act tomorrow."

Ignoring Sakura's surprised look and Vill-V's tinkering, he descended the stairs, gazing towards the distant ravine with a curious expression.

What was out there?