The young man just began to question when he met 'Otto's' emerald eyes.
A crimson feather drifted before him, and his consciousness abruptly ceased.
Confirming control, Lucius beckoned with a finger. The young man walked before Lucius and crouched down.
"What's your name?"
"Bruto."
"What's your purpose here?"
"To support Nicholas as our proxy, ensuring Fire Moth can become independent from United Government control."
"Why choose Nicholas?"
"He controls the anti-Honkai vaccine and has sufficient reputation—perfect to complete our worldly plan."
"Explain your so-called worldly plan."
Fenghuang Down in hand, Lucius listened to his description of the worldly plan while cross-referencing the other's memories.
Soon, Lucius clarified this Bruto's origins.
This person was a mid-level Fire Moth officer. His purpose here was indeed as stated—to pull Nicholas onto their bandwagon.
Their so-called worldly plan was simply a subordinate rebellion. Its purpose was making Fire Moth escape United Government control and truly step onto the stage.
As an anti-Honkai organization under United Government, although Fire Moth's power grew increasingly large in recent years due to worsening Honkai disasters, legally Fire Moth remained just a weapon of United Government.
But these weapons consisted of people, naturally breeding ambition.
As power grew, they coveted more and more. Now, many inside this organization no longer wished to be United Government's at-beck-and-call gloves.
They wanted to be their own masters, even... go further.
Originally limited by current circumstances, these people had to continue lurking. After all, Fire Moth and United Government's power remained unequal.
But the anti-Honkai vaccine Nicholas provided gave them hope.
As personnel in long-term contact with disasters like Honkai, they knew Honkai's terror, also knew how much trauma this disaster could inflict on human society.
Similarly, they knew what the anti-Honkai vaccine's appearance represented.
A cure for Honkai? No! It was hope—hope for Fire Moth to escape United Government control.
Since medicine curing Honkai already existed, why not allow Honkai's outbreak, allow it to pierce through people's fragile psychological defenses?
After all, only in despair would people pray for a savior's arrival.
And as long as they controlled the anti-Honkai vaccine, they—Fire Moth—would be humanity's savior.
For this, they'd willingly push Nicholas onto the throne and dress him in yellow robes.
After understanding their plan, Lucius couldn't help sighing: "Truly a bunch of worldly dogs!"
But after continuing to examine the other's memories, he gradually frowned, discovering these people seemed to have done what he'd planned to do first.
These people also knew United Government wouldn't easily relinquish power. For this, they devised another plan to force compliance.
—Poisoning those big shots' families and clans.
They knew the plague wasn't a problem for United Government high-level figures who could obtain vaccine. But these high-level figures being fine didn't mean their families and large clans were fine.
One person could easily be solved, but hundreds or thousands—even these all-powerful big shots would get headaches. One mistake meant whole family death.
They'd stockpiled large amounts of vaccine in advance as leverage.
"Actually the same approach as mine. Could it be... the worldly dog is myself?"
But soon Lucius discarded this thought. After continuing to examine the other's memories, he felt this group couldn't be called human anymore.
Because while poisoning those big shots, they also planned to continue expanding plague scale—best spreading globally to deliver devastating impact to United Government.
Then they could release pre-produced vaccine, thoroughly branding the savior image into all humanity's hearts.
Thus, with such enormous reputation's assistance, Fire Moth would inevitably break free from United Government's shackles—even reversing host-guest roles was highly possible.
Under Fenghuang Down's control, Bruto opened his heart, fanatically calling to Nicholas:
"Thus, Fire Moth will be the true savior. We'll no longer need to act according to United Government's whims!"
"And you, Mr. Nicholas, you'll become a savior walking among mortals, leading Fire Moth and all humanity toward a brighter future!"
Hearing Bruto's passionate speech, Nicholas poked his swollen face, sighing emotionally: "Truly worldly wisdom indeed!"
Then he said to Lucius: "In that case, why don't I go with the flow, use their arrangements to take down the entire high-level, thus ascending power's peak?"
Lucius glanced at him: "Old man, you're also heaven-defying!"
"I think this opportunity is great! And even more convenient than our previous plan..."
"Old man, don't make me despise you!" Lucius said earnestly: "Sigh... is your spirit only this much?"
"Want power? Then take it openly and honestly. Waiting for subordinates to dress you in yellow robes—are you preparing to be a great coward?"
Speaking here, Lucius added: "No wonder you're impotent. So you took Wanyan Jiumei's script..."
Nicholas was nearly stabbed by Lucius's contemptuous gaze, humiliation and fury surging in his heart.
Seeing this, Lucius immediately activated Fenghuang Down, igniting the lurking fury in his heart.
In an instant, Nicholas's expression became determined.
"That's right. Second Brother abandoned me precisely because I was too cowardly!"
"Hehe... thinking I can single-handedly defeat all obstacles to ascend power's peak, I'm so excited I could raise my flag!"
Seeing Nicholas abandon plans to collude with Fire Moth vermin, Lucius no longer bothered with him.
United Government high-level were vermin—didn't mean these people weren't trash.
However, this meant the originally set plan needed modification.
In the original plan, he'd arranged for Nicholas to legitimately farm reputation, then change Fire Moth's name at the right time.
But looking now, borrowing Fire Moth's chicken to lay eggs clearly wouldn't work. After the great plague, perhaps even Fire Moth's name would stink.
In that case, could only modify the script.
Can't borrow Fire Moth's chicken to lay eggs? Then cut ties with Fire Moth fiercely!
Since 'Black Death' already existed, why not use these Fire Moth and vermin's operations to bring Schicksal forward a step?
...
Soon, under Lucius's mental suggestion, Nicholas pulled many United Government high-level figures into a secret meeting.
Once personnel assembled, Nicholas got straight to the point: "Everyone, the plague on Europa worsens. We must contain it!"
"Should indeed contain it. Nicholas, what's your plan?"
"Accelerate anti-Honkai vaccine production while blockading plague outbreak areas, ensuring infected numbers don't increase further."
"Blockade? That won't work. It'll impact people's daily lives."
Of course, this was just high-sounding rhetoric. The real reason was... if the epidemic was contained, how could the vaccine they'd stockpiled and medical stocks they'd invested in convert into lovely bills?
As for the plague?
Vaccine already existed. At most more people would die—wouldn't affect them anyway.
"Nicholas, I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Your vaccine is very effective, and the human body isn't as fragile as you imagine."
Seeing everyone's persuasion, Nicholas sighed emotionally: "You're all quite calm, even though your family trees are about to be cleared..."
"You... what do you mean?"
"I obtained information. Your families and most clan members should already be infected. Symptoms will appear soon."
"Hope you've stockpiled enough vaccine. However, I have another piece of news. The bacteria causing this plague is essentially a Honkai Beast existing in microbial form."
"Its lethality seems related to infected numbers. More people, stronger lethality—meaning it's evolving. Hope your vaccine still works then."
"But no problem. Believe in the miraculous human body. Your families will definitely pull through."
Hearing Nicholas's words, everyone's expressions changed drastically. "Nicholas, what joke are you making?"
Regarding their alarm, Nicholas distributed intelligence obtained from Bruto to everyone present.
After seeing these Fire Moth members' worldly plan, everyone's faces paled as they hurriedly sent messages to their clans.
"These bastards! We allocate so much money every year, and they dare rebel!"
The high-level figures present were indeed furious. In their eyes, Fire Moth was just a vicious dog they raised to contain Honkai.
But now, this dog actually wanted to bite back at its master.
At this moment, Nicholas clapped, drawing everyone's attention, then said:
"Now this plague concerns each of us."
"Whatever thoughts we have, to avoid cleared family trees, we must contain this plague and prevent its threat from continuing to rise."
Originally these people didn't care much about the plague, even though its essence was a so-called bacterial Honkai Beast.
But now, their families and clan members' lives were also tied to it—could no longer be ignored.
"Indeed, we must first control the plague. But handling Honkai-related affairs requires Fire Moth's power, but this dog is now disloyal..."
Seeing someone finally point out this problem, Nicholas said: "We need power to handle Honkai, but this power doesn't necessarily have to be Fire Moth."
"Nicholas, what's your view?"
"Everyone, in my view, the reason some in Fire Moth developed rebellious hearts is essentially due to confidence in their own power."
"Originally we established Fire Moth just to contain Honkai's development. But now, they've become an armed organization independent of United Government with forces throughout the globe."
"I think Fire Moth's scale is too bloated."
Everyone present was old foxes, naturally hearing Nicholas's implication.
"Nicholas, you mean splitting Fire Moth?"
"Correct."
"That's an approach. Why not split it by continent into eight parts..."
"That's too scattered."
Hearing several people's discussion, Nicholas tapped the table, saying to everyone:
"How to reorganize Fire Moth's framework can be discussed slowly. But now, I hope we can first split out the Europa branch to respond to this great plague."
"For this, we should grant it more authority, ensuring plague control and... settling accounts with Fire Moth's internal traitors."
Hearing about devolving more power, everyone present instinctively felt resistance.
Seeing this, Nicholas added: "This is for your families and clans. You don't want family trees showing only yourself, right?"
These words fell. Everyone first froze, then felt a hint of compromise.
At this moment, crimson feathers silently drifted in their vision. Thus, this hint of compromise was amplified.
"You're right, Nicholas. For ourselves, we must first solve this great plague no matter what. For this, even if we need to devolve more power..."
...
After Nicholas's meeting ended, Lucius felt a notification should pop up before him.
Super Event—Europa Branch Reorganization
Facing increasingly severe Honkai energy disaster threats, United Government urgently passed the "Schicksal Organization Provisional Act."
The original 'Fire Moth' Europa branch will be stripped and temporarily reorganized into an independent entity with high autonomy and dedicated resources—Schicksal Organization (Schicksal).
This move aims to concentrate forces to more efficiently contain the great plague ravaging Europa continent due to Honkai, seeking ultimate solutions.
—Europa's destiny will hang upon these newborn wings.
"Hehe, excellent. Watch me send you vermin all to heaven!"
---
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