Let's rewind time slightly.
At that time, Kevin, Elysia, and Fu Hua, the top combatants of the Newborn World Serpent, had only recently entered the Serene Miniature Garden...
Mu Continent, First Research Division of The Moths Who Chase the Flames.
"Can't contact them anymore?"
Mobius sat alone in a small, secret room, only a few square meters in size. She frowned and rubbed her forehead as she looked at the image of another person on the screen of the secret communication device, which Gray Serpent had covertly installed for the Newborn World Serpent.
"Why does it have to be at a time like this?"
She sighed in frustration.
The person she was dealing with was MEI's father... the world-renowned electromagnetic physicist, Dr. Ryoma.
After MEI collapsed from exhaustion, Kevin Kaslana, the Sovereign of World Serpent, had forced her to take a three-day break before he left. As a result, she had no chance to manage things.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ryoma had been active within the Newborn World Serpent organization, serving as his daughter's assistant.
He himself knew the Future Intelligence, understood the severity of the situation, and knew how wretched The Moths Who Chase the Flames were.
Most importantly, as a father, he wanted to be a pillar of support for his daughter and become her most reliable right hand.
At least he couldn't lose to those two white haired runts who were an eyesore... Ahem.
In short, this was an old father's determination.
After learning about MEI's future fate, Dr. Ryoma was undoubtedly heartbroken.
He would never allow that kind of future to become a reality again.
For this, he would definitely go all out and do everything in his power.
Right now...
"You... what's the situation on the Mu Continent?"
On the communication screen, Dr. Ryoma asked seriously.
He was undoubtedly a very capable person as well.
Although he was middle aged and his talent in scientific research couldn't compare to super geniuses like Mobius, Vill V, or Einstein, and certainly not to his all rounder daughter...
His management skills were very good.
He was calm enough, and his perspective on events was long sighted.
Recently, MEI, who had just started handling the affairs of a large organization and was severely lacking in experience in all aspects, was often taught and corrected by him, which saved her from taking many detours.
You should know that in the original timeline of this era, Dr. Ryoma died in Nagazora during the Third Honkai Eruption.
So after that, MEI, much like Fu Hua, lacked guidance from any elders.
In the original timeline, Fu Hua's guide was at least Captain Himeko. But MEI's guide... was Mobius.
Obviously, Mobius was someone who put evolution second, research third, and being stubborn and argumentative first...
She could perhaps teach MEI some advanced professional knowledge, but when it came to interpersonal skills... Mobius herself had major issues.
Therefore, MEI in the original timeline was also one of those "people with flaws due to certain reasons."
Now, she didn't lack for that anymore.
However...
"The situation is not optimistic at all."
As one of the hidden agents Newborn World Serpent had planted inside The Moths Who Chase the Flames, Mobius now revealed all the intelligence she knew at this stage with varying levels of detail.
"Currently, in the southwestern region of the Mu Continent alone, no less than five cities have already fallen."
"And those monsters that haven't been given codenames yet... they are attacking the Mu Continent from all directions at the same time."
"And their numbers are massive." "As of now, according to statistics, the total number of monsters that have already landed on the Mu Continent alone is over six million." "And this number is still increasing." Mobius glanced at another screen beside her and continued, "The Moths Who Chase the Flames headquarters has already requested support from all major nations, and the Mu Continent's military has been fully mobilized." "Combat forces from the Australian Continent are also on their way..." To be honest, Mobius wouldn't have even been interested in handling these matters before. More likely, she would have just quit, gone off to tinker with her own research projects, and left this reporting work to Blanca or Klein. But now... the situation was truly urgent. "Over six million?" On the other end of the communication line, Dr. Ryoma, located in the Newborn World Serpent headquarters base underground in the Sahara Desert of North Africa, couldn't help but catch his breath. This number was too exaggerated. You should know that even if you added up the active-duty forces of the world's top three military powers today, it wouldn't even reach six million. But now, over six million monsters have emerged from the sea without any warning... Individually, they possess physical abilities far beyond ordinary humans, and they can devour people and transform to disguise themselves...
"So this is the Herrscher?"
Dr. Ryoma was shocked once again.
Of course, he didn't think these six million monsters alone could destroy all of humanity.
As eras changed, wars were no longer won simply by comparing the total number of troops.
Advanced war machines, intelligence methods, and tactical planning were now the key to victory.
But even so...
War consumes resources, and it costs lives.
With a massive force in the millions... this battle would result in countless deaths.
"This is just the Fourth Honkai Eruption!"
Dr. Ryoma sighed helplessly.
Because he knew of future events... the Fourth Honkai Eruption in the original timeline only destroyed two or three cities in North America, right?
Though that loss of life was still significant, compared to now...
"Latest news."
Mobius's voice echoed through the communication line again.
However, her expression this time looked strange.
What he heard was...
"The Moths Who Chase the Flames High Council just passed a final resolution, and the United Nations has agreed. Both sides have decided to target the coastal cities of the Mu Continent..."
"With a nuclear strike!"
"..."
It was a bitter irony.
Both Mobius and Dr. Ryoma felt it.
They felt each other, on opposite ends of the communication line, let out a long sigh of relief upon hearing the news.
This decisive action meant that the higher-ups had abandoned tens of thousands of survivors on the ground.
But still...
"Sigh," Dr. Ryoma said with a long breath. "In that case, I will continue trying to contact the Sovereign and the others."
"Keep trying."
"Understood!"
The communication cut off.
Watching the screen go dark, Dr. Ryoma stood before the encrypted communication device in the base, unable to move for a long time.
Nuclear weapons... nuclear bombs.
The nuclear bombs of today were not yet the more powerful Honkai Fission Bombs developed by Vill-V in the original timeline.
But their power was still not to be underestimated.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have existed as a "deterrent" in the international community.
Now, this terrifying power was about to be used by the Mu Continent to bomb its own cities... even the people who still survived in those cities.
It wasn't hard to see that many powerful people had been frightened by that number of "over six million."
Especially when it was still increasing and had the ability to disguise itself...
The Moths Who Chase the Flames High Council had clearly thought of the terrible consequences: the formation of a Chain of Suspicion.
If it ever reached that point, it would be an infiltration method that was absolutely impossible to defend against.
"This can be considered 'cutting off the wrist to save the arm,' I suppose."
"Although many people never had the right to choose until they lost their lives... they were always 'being chosen.'"
"Sigh."
He sighed deeply again.
Obviously, Dr. Ryoma strongly disliked this method.
But only now did he have to admit...
This was the most cruel... yet optimal choice to effectively deal with the current situation.
And he also knew:
Even if this... so called optimal choice was made.
Humanity would still have to pay a huge price.