HI3: Starting from the Previous Civilization

[General POV]

"Wait… so our new boss has been plotting to conquer the world since childhood?" 

Yan raised a skeptical eyebrow as he voiced this question.

"Boss, judging from that tech and these robots, you alone could probably take over the planet. Why stay hidden this whole time?" 

Others nodded in agreement, clearly thinking the same thing.

Fan offered a reminder: 

"Did you all forget what I said earlier? The strength of the Honkai scales with a civilization's level of advancement."

He paused, then added sheepishly: 

"Though there's another factor: resources. These robots devour enormous amounts of energy and can't operate indefinitely. I only recently built a small reactor to power them freely."

At this revelation, everyone seemed to stumble on the spot. Some practically fell to the ground in comical disbelief.

Fan raised his hands in a placating gesture: 

"Alright, alright—no more jokes. Honestly, aside from the energy problem, there's another issue…"

Seeing the seriousness in Fan's expression, the group snapped to attention like curious pupils awaiting a lesson. Those who had fainted earlier also stirred awake, noticing their new surroundings with alarm. Their companions quickly clapped hands over their mouths, gave them a swift explanation, and they too decided to join Break of Dawn.

Fan retrieved a blackboard and a pair of glasses from who-knows-where. He drew a diagram, then used a pointer to clarify:

"Honkai follows its own logic—it creates Herrschers in direct response to a civilization's progress. If I dispatch swarms of robots to subjugate the planet overnight, Honkai would likely produce a Herrscher specialized in countering me. Maybe one controlling metal or hacking digital systems.

"Also, you must realize not all Herrschers are enemies. Remember that conversation you overheard with Dr. Mobius? I wasn't making it up—that was real."

He paused, gaze flickering with cold light. 

"Actually, I left out a few details when talking to Dr. Mobius. Interested in hearing them?"

A hush settled over the room, tension mounting. It felt as if a slumbering demon had awakened, enticing them with forbidden knowledge. Their common sense screamed to avoid this, but curiosity proved stronger.

Mu folded his hands in his coat pockets and chuckled. 

"Boss, if we want to prevent that doomsday future you saw, we need all the intel we can get."

Standing off to the side, Yan picked up a faint tang of blood in the air—coming, it seemed, from Mu's pocket. It was a reminder that Mu's own losses likely weighed on him just as heavily as Yan's. Both had family taken by that disaster. A cold flash flickered in Yan's eyes as he vowed silently, 'No matter the cost, I'll see Honkai defeated.'

The rest of the group merely nodded, steel in their eyes.

Fan looked them over. 

"Fine—but once you learn this, don't spread it around. Got it?"

A collective gulp swept the group. None wanted to miss a single word.

"In that future I glimpsed, humanity had a real chance to conquer Honkai." 

Fan's voice deepened, weighted with regret. 

"They came so close… just one misstep short of victory. The old saying goes, 'A thousand miles of dike can collapse at the entry of one tiny ant nest.' A single small mistake caused it all to unravel.

"After eleven Herrscher disasters, only three habitable cities remained on Earth. The rest was just rubble—burned-out ruins, derelict tanks and planes, stray Honkai Beasts roaming about. The Mu Continent in the Pacific was long gone."

As Fan spoke, they could almost see it—like a god's-eye view of a ruined world with only three pockets of civilization left. They suddenly realized why Mobius had been drenched in cold sweat earlier. She must have seen the same fate. Perhaps their boss had some ability to share visions of that future, and he'd simply chosen not to show them… yet.

[Meanwhile, in Dusk Street]

Inside the convent's chapel, Aponia finished her evening prayers. She glanced at the 'threads of fate' overhead, twisting and looping like they were dancing. With a quiet sigh, she resumed her duties. She could no longer perceive the future—it lay shrouded in thick mist. All she could do was pray silently that it might turn out bright.

[Back at the Underground Base]

Fan continued describing the majestic yet tragic images: 

"Think about it. You've felt the pain of losing loved ones. Imagine how badly it wears on the soldiers fighting Honkai on the front lines… After so much destruction and so many Herrschers, it became necessary to keep them going at all costs.

"So, under Fire Moth's orders, Dr. Mei had Aponia—one of the Fusion Warriors—enforce something called 'Discipline.' Or to put it in simpler terms, a form of mental programming… a deep suggestion." 

He paused meaningfully, letting that sink in.

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[Idiom/Expression Note] 

"A thousand miles of dike can collapse at the entry of one tiny ant nest" (千里之堤,潰於蟻穴) – A small oversight can lead to a huge disaster.

so far im enjoying reading this one, anyone else? ill keep translating this, if no unexpected incident were to happen, that is.