Chapter 193: Could It Be That You Are a Masochist?

"Which kindergarten did you two run out of, you little troublemakers?" Mei glanced at the two people sitting across from her, holding the maintenance bill and various complaint letters.

One was the director of the Fifth Research Institute, a titan in the field of biology; the other was the strongest human combatant, the super soldier who had ended two Herrscher's lives.

They were sitting three seats apart, each engrossed in their own documents, not looking at each other, which made Mei chuckle a little and try to keep a serious face.

"At midnight, playing hide-and-seek in the living area, causing damage to a door, a 20-meter corridor, and some precious items brought by our colleagues. Dear Dr. Mobius, can I know the reason behind this?"

"You should ask him." Mobius stopped scribbling and looked up, pursing her lips. "Everything was fine, but he had to sneak up on me."

"So, you're accusing him of harassment?" Mei turned her head with a meaningful expression and quietly laughed. "Dr. Ryan, you're a gentleman, would you do such a thing?"

"Of course not. This is pure slander. She suddenly had a meltdown. As a fusion warrior, my defenses were breached, and I only hit her with a little force, and she reacted like that." Ryan said, unfazed, speaking slowly.

"Mobius, I think you're too fragile. You're not suited for combat."

"What do you mean by 'that little force'?"

"Even if I used the power of lightning, I didn't even tear your clothes. Does that sound powerful? Do you know how I fight the Herrscher? I get a hole in my body and don't even flinch."

"I'm not a combatant."

"But you'll have to fight sooner or later. What if one day a Herrscher sneaks in?"

Mobius was momentarily speechless and then felt her mind racing. When did I start talking about combat with you? I'm used to doing surgery and cutting through muscles without anesthesia. How am I fragile?

"Well, it's because of you!"

She felt that familiar tingling sensation again and instinctively pressed her legs together under the table, rubbing them lightly. Mobius didn't even know where this feeling came from, and it wasn't something she could discuss in front of Mei.

Her face slowly turned red, the silent complaint gnawing at her heart, making her uncomfortable.

Mei adjusted her glasses, noticing Mobius's strange but familiar expression and quickly understood.

Physical contact—no, more intense physical contact—your relationship is so twisted.

"I see now, I won't pursue Ryan's responsibility any further."

"Why?"

"Because if I do, I'd want him to repeat the previous action. Mobius, do you agree?"

"I..." Mobius held her breath. She did want to experience it again, but how could she say it aloud?

If he finds out the truth, he'll laugh at me for a lifetime. Plus, I can't even ask Klein to send me pants... Wait, what am I even thinking?

"Fine, I'll let him go this time."

"Good, then you can pay for the repair costs, Ryan."

"Uh, why should I?" Ryan had been wearing a victorious expression up until then.

"Because, as a gentleman, you made a lady lose her composure and left an unforgettable impression..."

"Mei, shut up!"

Ryan turned to look at her in shock as Mobius stood up, hands on the table, face flushed with anger.

Her reactions these past two days are weird. Yesterday, I almost got her, but she managed to escape after I raised my electrified palm, without even resisting. She ran away by herself.

The logical drive in Ryan's brain led his gaze down to her legs, and he finally realized what was wrong.

So that's it. I knew she was a tough one who treated herself like an experiment, but how did such a light touch break her defenses? Wait a minute, I hit a Herrscher with all my might, and he didn't even react. Could this require a soul connection?

"You... what are you looking at!?" Mobius realized that Ryan's scrutinizing gaze made her skin crawl.

Looking at a masochist, huh? It seems like I've found your weakness, Mobius. So, you like this kind of thing?

In an instant, Ryan's brain simulated a dozen different responses, and then methodically analyzed each one, dismissing them all.

He still needed to test, though. Exposing himself now would make her hide her weakness. Mobius was unpredictable, and he couldn't push her too far.

After a brief pause, Ryan smiled like a gentleman, "I think Mobius is right. As a gentleman, I should maintain some dignity."

I don't trust you. You must have some bad intentions.

Mobius knew she had lost this round but made several counterplans, deciding not to dodge but instead to extend her hand.

"Then, let's just forget about it this time."

"Good, a rational answer."

They shook hands, both wearing identical indifferent smiles, their eyes locked in a silent challenge, as if there were blades in the air.

These two... they're so interesting.

Mei silently covered her mouth, thinking only high intelligence could come up with moves like this. What a shame that Kevin and the paramecium are just one-sidedly crushing things. Maybe next time I'll leave him a loophole?

"Well done, Mei, you've already made them get along so quickly♪"

"I don't see any signs of reconciliation. By the way, how did Ryan and Mobius start fighting?" Sakura asked, confused and slightly regretting not going back to pull Mobius out last night.

"Maybe he finally worked up the courage to attack, but the attack was too intense for Mobius to handle. No, no, I'm blushing just thinking about it."

"Impossible. Ryan is a very gentle person. He wouldn't bully Mobius."

"Gentle or not, all boys are horny, it's completely normal."

Horny? Him?

Sakura looked at the window, and, like it was contagious, her face turned slightly red.

Ryan and Mobius held hands for a whole minute. Once their eyes started to tire, they finally released each other, casually letting go.

Ryan turned and shot a glare at the two outside the meeting room before sitting down, "Ahem, let's get back to business."

Work is work. Don't let distractions take over.

He maintained his calm demeanor, playing with his cup as he showed a mocking smile. "When do you think they'll discover the clues you left behind?"

"They'll find them when they should. I'll make sure to time it right. The three exploration points are arranged by distance, so it depends on which one they prioritize." Mei spoke with confidence, shaking her head lightly.

"I still don't think they'll focus on Dusk Street, at least not at first."

Three baits, the first two are the closest, and they have the most traces. Dusk Street is miles away with poor traffic, so logically, Ryan shouldn't go there.

"I hope they don't go. If they do, I'll disguise myself. They won't find me unless they use considerable force... But if they do,"

"That would mean they have a problem. They'll know you can cross continents in a short amount of time. The intelligence department will have to invest a lot in Dusk Street. They won't be able to fool me."

They exchanged a glance and both adjusted their glasses, looking deviously cunning.

Mobius hadn't said a word, regretting not being more alert last night. She had fallen asleep and missed everything, knowing that Ryan was about to go on another trip, heading to Dusk Street.

'He never stays still. I even told him to stay for a few months. Oh well, I don't care.'

She hummed softly, about to return to her lair when she heard the sound of the door opening. Turning her head, she saw a young man with white hair standing at the door, smiling.

"Kevin, you're finally back!" Ryan's face lit up, and he walked over excitedly. He intended to shake hands but quickly changed to a hug after feeling the cold air around Kevin.

Hmm, it's cool, but not too cold. After a careful feeling, it's actually quite comfortable, like a human air conditioner.

Ryan patted Kevin's back, hugging him tightly, savoring the coolness, and secretly sighing.

Kevin, this Dragonborn, is quite unlucky. His powers came from tragedy. I've spent so much energy, but it still affects me. But, well...

His fate has changed. It's better than gaining super strength and turning into a block of ice at minus thirty degrees.

"Ryan, what is this...?" Kevin, overwhelmed by the excessive enthusiasm, was caught off guard, not knowing he had become the tragic man who couldn't even hug his lover anymore.

"It's nothing, just let me hug you for a bit longer, just a little while." Ryan rested his chin on Kevin's shoulder, gently stroking his back.

He even ignored Elysia, who was covering her mouth but had glowing eyes.

Brothers can't be without some bromance, I've known Kevin for five or six years now. There's no ulterior motive left. Having witnessed the 'miracle', the stone in my heart finally fell.

'Fate can be changed, as long as you're rational and careful. There's no mystical color to it. I just pushed Kevin's success rate to 48%, which is way better than the original world line's 0.1%.'

After hugging for half a minute, Ryan finally released Kevin, who was scratching his head.

"Suddenly feeling fragile?"

"Kind of. You weren't like this before, what happened?" Kevin asked, worried. In his memory, Ryan had always been cold and distant, not someone who would openly express emotions unless there was a major breakthrough in research.

But he was just the fifth fusion warrior. This kind of reaction shouldn't be so strong.

Of course, Ryan couldn't tell him, "You're a big tragic mess." After thinking about it, he half-jokingly said, "I'm checking if your body is sturdy enough. Let's go to my room later. I've got something new to show you."

Kevin tensed, recalling their old code: "Is it 'down there'?"

"Yeah~"

Hehehe.

They both laughed aloud, a smile that only Su would understand—the youthful days in the dorm when the three of them hid in the room watching movies.

What are these two laughing about?

Everyone, including Mei, was left with a question mark. No matter how high their intelligence was, they couldn't decipher the philosophy between men.

Mei just stood between them, silently warning Ryan not to corrupt her Kevin, which made Ryan snort.

Does Kevin need me to lead him? His tastes are way wilder than mine. You'd better check the pink app on his phone.

Only someone like Mobius understood what the smile was hiding. Her face turned slightly red, and she softly clicked her tongue.

Clearly, the person is right in front of you, yet you're so interested in things on the screen. How stupid, I can't even understand it. Wait a minute—

Mobius suddenly realized the key word in Ryan's words: he didn't say "download," he said "copy."

Hmm? Where did he copy it from?