Ch. 241..245: Interstellar_ Return of the Villain Chapter 241-245
Chapter 241: Zinnia’s Big Day
As long as Frederick still cared about Lyra’s unique superpower, he wouldn’t hurt her.
Lyra’s return to the military seemed like it could happen at any moment, maybe sooner than anyone expected.
Caspian and the others kept a close eye on her, watching her every move, eager to see what she’d do next.
But when Lyra boarded the ship headed for Voidstar No.2, everyone was thrown for a loop. It looked like she was heading back to her old stomping grounds.
At that moment, Caspian was casually swirling his drink, enjoying a rare peaceful moment with his sister, Leona. They were quietly sipping their drinks, and it was during this rare moment of calm that the news hit them.
"She’s pretty chill about this," Caspian observed, a confused frown spreading across his face. "I figured she’d just leave the Alliance with the Stellar Devourer. After all, that’s the most powerful being we’ve discovered in the universe."
It was true—the Stellar Devourer had the kind of power that could bring chaos to the entire cosmos. By all accounts, Lyra should’ve jumped at the chance to align with something that powerful, in the hopes of becoming stronger.
Leona couldn’t suppress a scoff, narrowing her sharp gaze at him. "Have you lost your mind? What good would teaming up with the Stellar Devourer even do her?"
Caspian, feeling defensive, shrugged. "Power, wealth, it’s simple. She could get all that by sticking with the Stellar Devourer."
Leona smirked, brushing off his response with a wave of her hand. "Oh yeah, real simple. She could get that kind of stuff without going near the Stellar Devourer. It’s really not that complicated."
Caspian was a little irritated by Leona’s mocking tone. He leaned forward, intent on making his point. "But with her status, she won’t get any respect from the Alliance—not with all those old-school leaders still in charge. Look at Admiral Dale. He’s been doing everything in his power to get rid of her."
Leona raised an eyebrow, elegantly sipping her amber drink. "But if she follows the Stellar Devourer, she won’t even be a person anymore. She’ll just be another experiment. To the Stellar Devourer, she’s a threat. You really think they’ll let her live?"
At the moment, Lyra didn’t have the strength to stand toe-to-toe with a creature like the Stellar Devourer. But back in the Alliance, with the support of influential admirals, she at least had a chance to survive, thanks to her potential.
"The girl always makes the decision that’s best for her," Leona said, stifling a yawn and setting her glass down. "Honestly, this is my day off, and I’m wasting half of it arguing with you. I’d much rather take a nap."
...
Meanwhile, on Voidstar No.2, Lyra sped across the barren terrain on her hoverboard.
She was dressed in a radiation-resistant suit, her brown-tinted electronic goggles shielding her eyes. Her earpiece buzzed with Snakehead’s angry voice.
"That bastard’s gone south. I’ve sent you the coordinates!"
A map materialized in her goggles, and without hesitation, she urged her hoverboard into the air, slicing through the clouds. It didn’t take long for her to spot the ship, its optical camouflage still active.
Without even thinking, she conjured a green energy sphere and shot it straight at the ship. The explosion that followed was deafening, as the ship’s power core imploded, sending the vessel plummeting toward the ground.
A group of oddly-dressed figures scrambled out of the wreckage, but before they could get far, another blast from the green energy sphere struck, sending them crashing to the earth in a brutal display.
The ship collided with the mountainside in a thunderous crash.
Lyra moved in quickly. But as she approached the wreckage, nearly a hundred barrel-like turrets extended from the destroyed ship. Missiles shot out in a thick cloud, all aimed directly at her.
She expertly dodged, but to her surprise, the missiles, under the influence of her superpower, turned around and started following her.
Without looking back, Lyra activated a glowing shield behind her. The missiles exploded harmlessly upon impact, while Lyra, moving at breakneck speed, swung her blade through the air and sliced the legs off one of the missile launchers in a single, precise strike.
"Arghh!" The man screamed in pain, his legs destroyed. Lying in a pool of his own blood, he raised his hands in a desperate gesture of surrender. "I’m sorry... Please... please don’t kill me!"
To him, Lyra was like a monster. Despite both of them being level-eight, he didn’t stand a chance. He also wondered why this woman was working with Snakehead.
Lyra didn’t answer. Without a second thought, she finished him off with a swift, clean cut, severing his head with the ease of a practiced killer.
When the man was taken down, his subordinates immediately crumbled. They dropped to the ground in fear, clutching their heads as though trying to disappear.
Their deputy, shaking in panic, shouted, "No, no... We surrender! We’ll do whatever you want."
At that moment, Snakehead and his crew finally caught up. In a fit of rage, he stormed forward, kicking the deputy leader to the ground with brutal force. He delivered several hard blows as he shouted, "You played with me? Now I’ll let you regret it..."
These idiots had heard that the military was going to handle Lyra, so they thought they could make a quick getaway, taking the goods and running after paying a deposit.
Thankfully, Snakehead had intercepted them in time. If it weren’t for his sharp thinking, the level-eight leader would’ve easily gotten away.
As Snakehead watched his men unload the shipment, his anger grew when he saw that many of the weapons had been damaged. His frustration bubbled over as he kicked the deputy one last time and demanded, "What about the rest of them?"
This was a huge shipment, and if someone had taken it from them, all their efforts over the past six months would’ve been in vain. There was no choice but to have Lyra handle things personally.
No one knew she was secretly working with him; they all assumed the cargo was just medical supplies.
"Can you guarantee they won’t spill anything?" Lyra asked coldly, her gaze locking on Snakehead’s like a blade.
Snakehead hesitated, imagining the fallout if the Alliance found out. After a tense moment, he grit his teeth and waved his men on. "Get to it."
His people drew their knives, and in moments, the ground was drenched in blood.
Once the job was done, Lyra turned to leave.
"Where are you headed?" Snakehead asked, his voice curious but cautious.
"Snowfall."
She pulled up her opticomputer, and an electronic invitation popped up on the screen. A smiling couple appeared, their happiness radiating from the image.
Snakehead glanced at the invitation, frowning. "Time’s tight. You’ll need to take a space freighter if you want to make it."
On the freighter, Lyra barely had time to shower and change before she arrived at the Frost Hotel in Snowfall, just in time for the event.
But when she tried to enter, she was stopped by security. "Sorry, please present your invitation."
It was a routine check, but to their surprise, Lyra calmly pulled out the invitation and swiped it through the security scanner. The doors opened, and she strolled right in.
The Rymes family had rented out the entire Frost Hotel for the wedding, and the place was fit for royalty.
The decorations were beyond extravagant, with every corner designed to ooze wealth and power.
Sleek, futuristic robots zipped between the guests, while high-tech elements added a touch of romance, blending technology and elegance.
As Lyra entered the main hall, the massive crystal chandelier above bathed the guests in its light.
Compared to the elegantly dressed crowd in tuxedos and evening gowns, Lyra stood out like a sore thumb. She wore a tank top, a jacket, cargo pants, and combat boots—definitely not the attire for a wedding, but more like someone who’d come to stir up trouble.
Everywhere she went, eyes followed her. Her presence was so striking that even military personnel couldn’t hide their shock at seeing her.
Chapter 242: Did I Smile?
"Why is she here?"
"Don’t you know? Lyra and the bride-to-be were classmates. They’re really close, like, super close."
By the time Zinnia burst out of the dressing room with the news, everyone quickly realized that "close" was an understatement. Their bond was far deeper—it was practically exceptional.
"Wow, wow, wow! Lyra, you actually came!"
The tall woman in a wedding dress rushed over and threw herself into Lyra’s arms, squeezing her tightly and rubbing her affectionately. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I’m so happy! Thierry and Mandy are here as the best man and maid of honor, and now you’re here too! My wedding is complete!"
Despite Zinnia’s enthusiastic display of emotion, Lyra remained calm and composed, her face a perfect mask of neutrality. When Zinnia continued clinging to her, Lyra let out a quiet sigh, her usual patience cracking just a little.
"Alright, enough," Lyra said, her voice calm but firm. She reached into her Space Button and pulled out a silver chain. "A wedding gift."
"A gift?!" Zinnia’s eyes lit up with excitement as she eagerly accepted the chain.
The necklace weighed about 15 grams, designed in a simple yet elegant vine-like style. Its delicate beauty was understated but refined.
While Zinnia was clearly over the moon about the gift, the reactions of the others nearby were far less enthusiastic.
"This..."
It didn’t seem particularly special—nothing about it screamed expensive or rare. In fact, it looked like something you could pick up from any local accessory shop.
But Zinnia didn’t care what anyone else thought. She treasured the gift, a sincere smile lighting up her face. She took off the necklace she was wearing and removed the ruby pendant that hung from it. This was the Space Button Rajan had custom-designed for her.
"I’ve decided," she said with a determined gleam in her eye, "I’m wearing this one for the wedding." She began to switch the pendants but suddenly stopped. "Wait, there’s no clasp?"
"Give it to me."
Before anyone could react, the silver chain seemed to move on its own. It split open effortlessly, wrapping around Zinnia’s neck before seamlessly rejoining, leaving no trace of where it had come apart.
"Elastic metal? What the..."
Rajan’s face immediately changed, his expression one of disbelief.
"She actually gave THIS to you?" he asked, his voice laced with shock.
Zarek and the others exchanged glances, clearly intrigued. "What is it?" one of them asked.
Rajan blinked and then answered with a hint of concern in his voice, "Zarek should’ve heard of this. It’s the kind of weapon Lyra uses, her signature cold weapon."
At these words, not only Zarek but even their father, the seasoned military man, stiffened, a slight flicker of unease passing over his face.
"That’s... Schedar."
Zinnia, still blissfully unaware of the chain’s true significance, had been expecting to show it off a little. But seeing the stunned expressions on everyone around her, she felt a wave of confusion.
"Wait... is it really that valuable? Should I return it to Lyra?" she asked, her uncertainty creeping in as she began to turn away, clearly considering giving the gift back.
"No need," Rajan said gently, grabbing her arm to stop her. "If she gave it to you, it’s yours. She won’t ask for it back. Besides, you look great with it on."
He understood just how extraordinary Schedar was. The fact that Lyra had given Zinnia a piece of it, and was using her psychokinesis to control it, meant she was perfectly safe. It wouldn’t harm her.
"That’s right, that’s right," Zarek chimed in, having quickly caught on to the significance of the gift. "Miss Shedd would be thrilled to see you wearing her gift at the wedding."
Zinnia smiled mischievously, her fingers tracing the smooth surface of the chain. "Okay, I’ll keep it then."
As the grand wedding march began, the newlyweds took their place on stage.
It was a picture-perfect wedding, the culmination of the Rymes family’s only daughter’s dreams, pulled off without a hitch.
Lyra sat quietly in the audience, her gaze fixed on the stage. There, Zinnia stood beside Rajan, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss, her smile radiant, full of joy.
Rajan’s eyes were red with emotion, each tear a testament to his happiness.
The applause was deafening, the entire atmosphere seeming to join in the celebration. It was a moment of pure, unbridled happiness.
For a fleeting second, Lyra felt a stir of something warm inside her—something close to happiness. It was one of the rare moments when she felt truly involved in someone else’s joy.
When she looked back on this day later, she would find herself remembering that moment, and the corner of her lips would curl into the same small smile she had worn then.
"You actually smiled," a familiar voice suddenly cut through her thoughts.
Lyra turned to see Thierry. He was dressed in his best man attire, watching her with an almost knowing look.
She gave a small nod. "Thierry."
After a brief pause, she asked, almost as if testing the idea, "Did I smile?"
"Yeah, I took a picture," Thierry said casually, holding up his camera and flipping through the photos. "By the way, you really are stunning."
The old Lyra had always been beautiful—her features were flawless—but she had often looked pale and almost fragile.
Now, however, her face was fuller, her eyes sharp and commanding, giving her an entirely different, more striking beauty.
There was power in her gaze now, a look that was impossible to ignore.
At that moment, Zinnia emerged from the bridal room. She had changed out of her wedding dress, her arm linked with Mandy’s.
"Today’s a happy day! Let’s take a group photo!" Zinnia exclaimed, wrapping her left arm around Mandy and her right around Lyra.
Thierry, who was standing beside Lyra, raised his camera.
A soft CLICK, and the picture was captured.
Zinnia leaned forward eagerly to look at the shot. "It’s perfect," she said with a grin. But then her expression shifted, a slight frown forming. "Wait... who’s that?"
In the background of the photo, a woman had walked by at just the right moment. It was Vivian—another one of their old roommates.
The photo, captured on a whim, had turned into a snapshot of fate, with all four of them reunited in the frame, despite the years that had passed.
Mandy chuckled. "The Mendez family has business in Snowfall. Of course, they’d be here."
Zinnia raised an eyebrow, considering. "Should we retake it?"
Lyra glanced at the picture, her eyes narrowing as she noticed the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It was almost imperceptible. She shrugged and said, "Forget it. People are everywhere, it’s just a background."
Lyra wasn’t in any rush. She decided to stay until Zinnia’s wedding festivities wrapped up, and then she’d head to Planet Nagano with Mandy and Thierry.
After the newlyweds had finished their grand celebrations, Zinnia, looking a little sad and more than a little envious, sighed. "Aww, you two are going together? I wish I could join you."
Though they had all been in the military for over a year, Zinnia still seemed like someone who hadn’t fully shed her desire for simple pleasures.
Mandy laughed, giving her a playful pat. "We’re going for work, not for fun."
But, despite everything, Zinnia was the one who had changed the least.
Thierry flashed a wide grin, showing off his white teeth. "Alright, it’s time to board the ship." He waved at Zinnia. "We’re off!"
Zinnia slapped her face, forcing a smile as she held back her tears. "I can’t let you guys leave with me crying. And you know, I’m planning to have a baby with Raj. Once I’m on maternity leave, I’ll come find you two and we’ll hang out."
She pulled Lyra into a tight hug, sniffled, and added, "Lyra, don’t feel bad. I’ve got your back, always."
"Don’t worry," Lyra replied softly, ruffling her hair in a gesture that felt almost maternal, like she was calming a child.
With that, Lyra turned and walked up the ship’s ramp without looking back.
Zinnia watched the hatch close with a heavy heart, then turned into Rajan’s arms. "I don’t know when we’ll see each other again," she murmured, a subtle sadness creeping into her voice.
Rajan wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "We’ll see each other soon. You’ve still got me."
Chapter 243: Climbing Back Up
Wyrmtrace was the launchpad for Lyra’s rise. The resources she had painstakingly fought for here laid the foundation for her entire series of plans.
As she rose to level-eight, and Cohen took full control of Wyrmtrace, Lyra’s dominance on this planet became undeniable. No one could surpass her in power or influence here.
One evening, Mandy came to see her alone, bringing along the latest news. "The queen bee is almost ready to level up. She’s becoming less active, and Captain Whyte is worried that once she advances, she might cause trouble."
Lyra shared that same concern. Once the queen bee advanced. She would be able to break free from their control, and the people on Wyrmtrace, always looking for a way to exploit a weakness, were a constant threat. They couldn’t afford to let their guard down.
"If she wants to leave after advancement, let her go. But if she causes trouble, we’ll apply for a formal breeding license from the authorities."
The queen bee had proven useful, leading the swarm to discover hidden veins of minerals for them over the years. In return, she had used those resources to gather power and strengthen her hive.
But now, Wyrmtrace’s development was nearly complete. They were entering the migration phase, and for the business community, it was time to reap long-term profits.
Where there were people, there was money to be made.
Lyra planned to secure several land development projects here—preferably ones involving infrastructure like transport hubs or hospitals, and secondarily shopping centers and residential buildings. She needed to keep a close eye on things, making sure no one got jealous and tried to sabotage her.
"Who’s going to take charge of the military here next?" Lyra asked, changing the subject.
"For the garrison," Mandy replied, "because Wyrmtrace lies on the Alliance’s outermost edge, it’s vulnerable to attacks from the Empire or space pirates. So Vice Admiral Chuck Whyte will take command, with Captain Cohen Whyte assisting."
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Looks like Frederick is making Wyrmtrace a stepping stone for his family."
The migration phase could last anywhere from three to ten years. With Cohen’s abilities, it was very likely he would be promoted to Rear Admiral during this period.
According to the Alliance’s regulations, once one reached Rear Admiral, they could establish a military corps, effectively gaining the power to station troops in a region.
Wyrmtrace, still a fresh planet with no official or military presence except for the traders, was the perfect place for Cohen to set up a garrison. As his rank rose, he could even command the garrison alone.
It was hard to ignore the fact that Cohen, only thirty-one years old, was being stationed on the Alliance’s most dangerous frontier. Wyrmtrace was a planet full of both peril and potential.
Mandy stood at attention, silent. She knew what Lyra said was the plain truth.
Lyra glanced at her shoulder rank. "You’ve been working hard this past year."
Mandy had already earned her status as an Ensign. On the other hand, Lyra herself had been once again pushed out of the power vortex.
A confident smile appeared on Mandy’s face. "Because now, I no longer feel lost."
Once she had tasted the power, she couldn’t bear to let it go. The more she honed her superpowers and fought on the battlefield, the more exhilarated she felt.
"That’s good," Lyra said, standing up. "The rest can wait until it’s time. You should rest."
Mandy nodded, but before she left, she turned back, her expression serious. "Lyra, if you ever need me, just give the word, and I will follow you immediately."
Lyra’s eyes flickered, a brief spark of something hidden within her. "That day will come."
As long as there was a chance, she would seize it and climb once more.
Life on the spaceship was dull. Aside from solitary training, she spent most of her time training with Mandy and Thierry.
In a military where men dominated, their trio was hard to miss.
"Seriously, Thierry? Pretty girls like them, and you’re just using them as a sparring partner?" Lieutenant Commander Miller Whyte’s voice echoed across the room, thick with mockery.
Miller, an officer from the escort fleet, had joined their session for the first time.
Although he shared the last name Whyte, he was only a distant relative of Thierry’s, the two family branches having diverged long ago.
To Miller, Thierry was just a kid who rode on the coattails of Frederick. Miller didn’t outright antagonize Thierry, but there was always a hint of mockery in his words.
"Miller," Thierry replied, his expression hardening. "That’s disrespectful to my friends. I’m not USING them."
Friends—not objects.
"Oh, friends, are they?" Miller smirked, his gaze sliding over to Mandy and Lyra. He recognized Mandy from her frequent meals with Thierry, and as for Lyra? She’d become well-known in her own right recently.
Miller’s real goal was clear: he was here to get under Thierry’s skin.
Lyra continued her training, ignoring Miller entirely.
Irritated by her indifference, Miller strode over and clamped a hand on her shoulder. "Hey..."
Lyra turned her head, and in an instant, a streak of green energy shot past his face, close enough to singe.
The room fell silent as a sharp crack sounded, and a smoking hole appeared in the wall behind Miller.
Everyone in the training room froze, eyes wide with shock.
They realized that Lyra was more dangerous than even Captain Cohen Whyte.
"Hands off." Lyra’s voice was calm as her hand lowered, energy dissipating.
Miller’s face blanched, then flushed with fury. "You just attempted murder on a military officer!"
"How about not to interrupt someone else’s training?" Lyra’s gaze dropped to the hand still on her shoulder, and Miller, as though he’d touched a live wire, yanked his hand away.
Thierry barely managed to stifle a laugh. "Relax, Miller. Lyra wasn’t aiming for you specifically. She’s level-eight. If she hadn’t held back, you wouldn’t be standing here."
With a smirk, Thierry slung an arm around Miller’s shoulders. "Not cool, man. You grabbed her first, and now you’re trying to pick a fight with this PRETTY GIRL?" he teased, throwing Miller’s words back at him.
Miller shot Thierry a furious look. Then he shook off his arm, and stormed out of the room.
In his quarters, Miller was still fuming as he dialed a number on his communicator. "Listen," he growled, fingers tapping irritably against his desk, "this deal just got more expensive. I ran into Lyra, and she’s a hell of a lot stronger than you led me to believe."
The voice on the other end didn’t sound impressed. "Lieutenant Commander Whyte, we only asked you to make the introductions. Nothing more."
Miller’s lip curled. "Double the pay, or I walk. She could go toe-to-toe with a level-nine, no question. Good luck finding someone else with that kind of guts."
He ended the call with a smirk, and a few seconds later, his communicator buzzed with a simple response: deal.
Back in the training room, Thierry finally let out the laughter he’d been holding back, leaning against the wall. "Lyra, that was absolutely priceless!"
Mandy’s grin widened as she chimed in. "Lieutenant Commander Whyte has made my life hell more than once. That was legendary, Lyra."
Lyra allowed herself a small, satisfied smile. "Thierry, feel like going a few rounds?"
His eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh, it’s on!"
A couple of moves later, Thierry found himself on the floor, already defeated.
Lyra hadn’t even unleashed her full power, and he was out of his depth. She didn’t need much effort to take him down.
Realizing the gap between them, Thierry raised his hand in surrender, chuckling. "Guess I’d better stick to sparring with Mandy."
Lyra shrugged. "Your call."
She went right back to her solo training, pushing herself with a quiet, relentless intensity.
Sweat beaded along her sharp jawline, tracing a path down her neck and onto her collarbones, catching the light.
There was something fierce, radiant, and completely unstoppable about her.
Thierry snuck a quick glance her way—only to get punched square in the jaw by Mandy.
"Eyes on your target, Thierry," Mandy chided.
Thierry laughed, rolling his shoulders. "Message received," he grinned, swinging back at her.
Chapter 244: Cohen Changed
After training, Lyra strolled alongside Mandy, throwing out a casual question about Miller.
"A small-minded guy," Mandy replied with a hint of disgust, dabbing her face with a towel. "Compared to Captain Whyte or Thierry, or even other members of the Whyte family, he’s not even close to their league." She caught Lyra’s unusual interest and added, "He’s always dealing with merchants under the radar. Whenever he’s on escort duty, he sneaks in private cargo for extra cash."
"Interesting..." Lyra murmured, her expression unreadable. After a pause, she added, "Have Koros take a look at his opticomputer logs. I want to know who he’s been chatting with lately."
Mandy’s face tightened. "You suspect him?"
Lyra gave a dry laugh. "People avoid me like I’m cursed lately. If someone insignificant like Miller starts hanging around, he’s got to have a reason."
With the baggage of enemies and obstacles trailing her, Lyra had learned to stay on guard. As they continued walking, she asked in an offhand tone, "Doesn’t Cohen crack down on guys like Miller?"
Cohen had always had a strong moral compass, so it surprised her that he’d allow corruption in his ranks.
"At first, Cohen tried to snuff that kind of behavior out," Mandy explained. "But the reality is, too many officers were involved. It became impossible to uproot. Eventually, he started turning a blind eye, so long as they didn’t cross the line."
Lyra raised a brow. ’Cohen, turning a blind eye?’ That didn’t fit the image she’d once had of him.
"There was one time," Mandy continued, "when Cohen tried to impose a strict ban on smuggling, but Chuck stopped him."
Chuck had pointed out that many officers on Wyrmtrace earned barely enough to get by. They were out here risking everything, scraping by for the chance to provide for their families. Wherever there were people, there would be deals, and simply banning it wasn’t an option.
As his leadership on Wyrmtrace continued, Cohen had gradually shifted from an idealist to a realist. He was beginning to see the murky, tangled network within the Alliance’s core operations, a hidden rot that even he couldn’t ignore.
"I think, in the future, he might be willing to work with me," Lyra said, more to herself than to Mandy. She’d seen the change in Cohen and almost didn’t recognize the person he was becoming.
Once as clear and polished as a gemstone, Cohen now had the hardened look of a blade honed by compromise and power. The rigid ideals were being replaced by a sharper, more unyielding resolve.
That same evening, Cohen sat across from Lyra with his usual seriousness. "As an unregistered civilian, you’re only permitted to stay on Wyrmtrace for seven days," he informed her flatly.
"Noted," Lyra replied, resting her chin on her hand and gesturing to the steaming coffee she’d placed for him. "Relax. You know if I’m calling on you, it’s probably about money."
Once, Cohen would’ve rolled his eyes at her bluntness, but this time, he only sighed as he took the seat. "Just so we’re clear—any migration or development plans are under my Uncle Chuck’s jurisdiction. I can’t sway that."
"Oh, come on," Lyra scoffed with a slight smirk, sipping her coffee. "I’m just looking forward to the day you’re calling the shots here."
Cohen’s brows knit together. "I don’t intend to be here long-term."
"You might not," she replied, tilting her head, "but your family, especially your father, clearly have it planned. By now, you shouldn’t still be talking about ’avoiding family connections.’ Commanding Wyrmtrace’s garrison would be a game-changer for you."
A faint, ironic smile touched Cohen’s face. "You mean a game-changer for YOU, don’t you?"
"For me, sure," Lyra replied smoothly, her gaze shifting to the stars beyond the window. "But it’s good for you, too. Once Wyrmtrace is officially under Alliance control, it’ll become a border planet. You, more than anyone, understand how critical this position will be. Can you really risk letting some corrupt officer take command here?"
The Alliance was at a stage where most of its top officers were settled comfortably in their roles.
A valuable new spot like Wyrmtrace would be irresistible, drawing in opportunists eager to make a name for themselves. But who knew what kind of chaos they might cause in their rush?
Thus, for both the Alliance and his family, Frederick wouldn’t trust Wyrmtrace to just anyone.
Cohen, his own son, was the most logical choice. He had all the necessary qualifications—he only needed a little more experience and a few more achievements under his belt, which this posting could easily provide.
Cohen fell silent, rubbing his hand over his face before sighing deeply. "Sometimes I wonder if I’m really ready for this kind of pressure." His voice was laced with a weariness Lyra hadn’t heard from him before, and in the dim lighting, shadows accentuated the tired lines under his eyes.
This side of Cohen was one she hardly recognized.
"With your father backing you and you being level-eight now, you’re still worried about pressure?" Lyra teased, stirring her coffee. "And besides, if you’re focused on development, I’m here to support you however I can."
Cohen gave her a serious look. "Are you actually serious about that?"
"Only if you’re fine with getting your hands a bit dirty to make money," she replied smoothly.
The words brought echoes of old conversations, though Cohen’s perspective now was far from what it used to be.
Through Cohen, Lyra was soon introduced to the man at the helm of Wyrmtrace’s development: Chuck.
Despite his laid-back air, Chuck was razor-sharp, his wit honed even more since his promotion following Ansel’s passing.
After a bit of verbal back-and-forth, Lyra managed to secure partial development rights for both the transit hub and the hospital, as well as a permit to use the official interstellar trade route.
Still, her cut was only ten percent.
Leaving the base, she held her signed contracts with a small frown. "I was hoping for thirty percent."
Cohen chuckled as he walked beside her. "Your ’golden touch’ might be useful, but I’m not about to feed your ambition at the Alliance’s expense."
In truth, most merchants would be thrilled to receive even a three percent share. And, unless the Alliance retained sixty percent, this development would be considered a failure.
Even with the financial rewards dangling before him, Cohen kept his principles solid.
Lyra gave a nonchalant shrug. "No matter. I’ve got other matters to deal with. I’ll be on my way."
"Wait."
She turned to see Cohen’s face, set in that unyielding expression of his. "The queen bee is on the brink of advancing. I need it handled within the next seven days, or Chuck and I will have to take down the entire swarm."
"Understood."
Cohen watched her retreat, her steady, unhurried steps betraying no trace of disappointment or satisfaction.
She moved like a machine—driven, unshakable, relentlessly focused on her goals, whatever the obstacles.
Oddly enough, Cohen found himself admiring traits in her that he once detested. Still, he couldn’t imagine being as cold-blooded, as indifferent to moral boundaries.
Returning to his office, Cohen barely sat down before his adjutant, Kogar, entered quietly. "Lieutenant Commander Miller is here, waiting to speak with you."
Cohen’s expression darkened at the mention of Miller. He took a steadying breath before walking in to find Miller already seated, grinning.
"Cohen, my dear cousin," Miller began with a smirk, "I’ve got a little business to discuss."
Cohen lowered himself into his chair, his tone icy. "Lieutenant Commander Whyte, please address me as CAPTAIN Whyte on duty."
The formality made Miller grit his teeth, though he hid his frustration behind a smile and leaned in casually. "Well then, C-A-P-T-A-I-N, I wanted to ask if you’d assign me to the next escort for Lyra Shedd’s Stellar Caravan?"
Cohen’s eyes flashed with irritation. "This is already handled, Lieutenant Commander Whyte. There’s no need for you to interfere."
Cohen and Lyra’s interests were now tightly interwoven, and he wouldn’t tolerate any meddling that could derail their plans.
With his face darkening, Miller stomped out of the office, muttering under his breath as he stormed down the hallway. "As if everyone doesn’t know you’re scheming with that witch and just cozied up to Chuck! Acting all high and mighty..."
Frustrated and bitter, he decided to find another way to insert himself into the situation.
Back at his desk, Cohen wasted no time. He shot Lyra a brief, urgent message: "Handle the queen bee issue quickly."
Lyra immediately straightened, her gaze sharpening as she scanned the recent images Koros had sent her. She quickly replied to Cohen’s message with an acknowledgment, then began readying herself for action.
Chapter 245: Confronting The Supreme
Caius’s gaze finally shifted, landing fully on Cohen with something like real attention.
Despite being only a level-eight, Cohen had shaken off Caius’s mental grip in record time—a show of grit Caius had clearly not anticipated.
"Captain Whyte," Caius began, his voice a slick blend of arrogance and amusement. "Relax. All I want is the queen bee and her swarm. Once they’re under my command, I’ll be on my way. No need to make this messier than it needs to be."
His tone was almost patronizing, as if he thought he were doing them all a huge favor, swooping in as their savior.
Caesara rolled her eyes. Todd’s jaw tightened as he cast a worried look at Lyra. Even Cohen’s gaze flicked to her briefly before turning back to Caius. "How do you even plan on controlling the queen bee?" he demanded.
Caius folded his hands behind his back, his expression nonchalant as he gazed out toward the jagged peaks in the distance. "Simple. I’ll mark her with a psychokinesis imprint."
He glanced over at Lyra, only to be met by her fierce, unblinking stare. For a fleeting moment, something flashed in his eyes—shock. ’How is she resisting my influence so effortlessly?’
Cohen, sensing the overconfidence in Caius, pressed on. "Do you not realize the queen bee already has a psychokinesis mark?"
Caius gave Cohen a look dripping with disdain, his eyes cold and dismissive.
"So what?" he replied with a bored shrug. "I’ll wipe out the existing mark and make my own. Problem solved."
In truth, Supreme Peculiars held enough power to rule entire human territories, but most of those Cohen knew held at least some semblance of ethics. Caius, on the other hand, flaunted a shamelessness that was staggering.
Psychokinesis imprints between humans and beasts were fragile, a delicate balance of wills.
Normally, the bond could be peacefully dissolved only if both sides agreed. But Caius’s plan to force his way in as a third party? That was outright mental invasion—a move that could shatter the original bond and permanently cripple the mind of the affected creature, even leaving them brain-dead.
This underhanded strategy, likely orchestrated by Caius’s rogue associates, was downright vicious.
Cohen’s temper flared, but he fought to keep his cool. "I don’t know why you’re so dead-set on this queen bee, but if it’s a rare beast you’re after, there are plenty of other level-eight or even level-nine creatures out there. I could—"
"Spare me the lecture," Caius cut him off, his voice cold as ice. "There may be other beasts, but how many of them can excavate resources and command a swarm to work?"
Of course, it wasn’t just the queen bee herself that Caius wanted. He was after her unique ability to locate energy mines—a gift that, under his control, would allow him to claim endless reserves of energy stones throughout the galaxy.
That was it. Cohen’s patience snapped. "This area is under military jurisdiction. You can’t just waltz in here and pull a stunt like this!"
Caius’s face darkened, his eyes flashing with a dangerous intensity as he turned to Cohen. "And who do you think you are to speak to me that way?"
Before Cohen could process what was happening, an unbearable pain erupted in his head, as if a sledgehammer had struck his skull.
His vision blurred, waves of darkness closing in.
He was going to collapse, yet fortunately, Chuck had grabbed him just in time. Chuck’s voice rang out, sharp as a blade, "Caius, you’d better remember exactly who you’re dealing with here."
Chuck’s warning gave Caius pause, a flicker of doubt briefly unsettling his arrogance.
Holding Cohen steady, Chuck’s hands trembled with barely contained fury. "You may be a Supreme, Caius, but the military has four Supremes. And let’s not forget the admirals—they could arrive any moment."
True, Caius’s psychokinesis abilities were legendary, putting him among the strongest Peculiars.
Cohen’s pallor was turning ghostly, and his psychokinesis is going to a breaking point. If Cohen suffered serious harm, Chuck was sure Frederick would kill him.
Then, suddenly, a powerful surge of psychokinesis force tore through the space between Cohen and Caius, snapping Caius’s grip on Cohen.
Shocked, Caius whipped around to see Lyra. She was standing firm, her power brimming in defiance.
Without wasting a moment, Chuck hoisted Cohen into his arms, his voice laced with one last cold warning to Caius: "You just turned the whole Whyte family against yourself, Caius."
After settling Cohen safely into the Lev for a chance to recover, only Lyra and Caius remained, locked in a tense face-off.
At that exact moment, a fierce, resonant cry echoed across the sky above them, slicing through the silence like a battle horn.
The queen bee dragged her swollen form from the ground. She lifted her head high and unleashed a piercing, bone-chilling shriek.
She made it.
Her bloated body began to split open, revealing blinding streaks of white light that spiraled around her, weaving into fine, shimmering threads to form a cocoon.
Superpower particles rained down on her like a meteor shower, each drop amplifying her strength. The white glow radiating from her intensified, outshining the stars themselves and forcing most onlookers to shield their eyes.
But two people stood resolute, their eyes wide open.
As the queen bee surged into level-nine, her rising power struck back, clashing fiercely with Lyra’s energy.
At that exact moment, Caius’s psychokinesis force infiltrated her mind, seeking to erode the delicate psychokinesis mark within.
Under the crushing double assault, Lyra staggered, her body nearly buckling under the immense pressure.
Eyes closed, Lyra felt herself being pulled into a dark, fathomless ocean. It felt as though an unimaginable weight pressed down from all directions, threatening to grind her bones to dust. Pain blazed through her nerves, and her breath came in shallow, desperate gasps.
She drifted in a trance-like state, still faintly aware of the urgent shouts from those around her.
Time seemed to stretch and blur, slipping away like sand through her fingers.
In the depths of her psychokinesis senses, memories surfaced: the whisper of wind over the desert sands, the chill of morning dew on grass, and the relentless ebb and flow of life itself.
Each memory sharpened, more vivid and intense than ever before.
Just as she had when she ascended to level-seven, Lyra found herself in the vast, empty realm again.
A comet of blinding white light shot toward her—it was the queen bee’s psychokinesis mark, radiant with ancient energy.
Standing in its path, however, was a shadowy gray mist—Caius’s psychokinesis.
Her own presence manifested as a whirl of deep green energy, surrounded by stars radiating green sparks.
These stars sent her strength, feeding her core, while simultaneously pushing back against the opposing forces.
And then, everything fell into place.
A powerful urge flared within her—a fierce drive to seize this power, to make it her own. The green lights around her surged, pulling energy from the stars as they poured their force into her.
Meanwhile, Caius, still locked in his assault, suddenly snapped awake, his eyes widening with shock. Horror flickered across his face as he stared at Lyra, muttering, "No way... how is she doing this?"
At that moment, the queen bee let out a sorrowful, haunting cry and collapsed to the ground, her body falling with a tremor that echoed through the air.
The queen’s cry jolted Caius back to his senses. In a single swift motion, he drew a laser gun from his sleeve and aimed it directly at Lyra, firing with deadly precision.
"YOU DARE?!" Cohen’s voice rang out, his superpower flaring in a storm as he hurled himself toward Caius.
But with a scoff, Caius sent a wave of psychokinetic force crashing into Cohen’s mind, disorienting him and clouding his senses.
The laser beam shot forward, a blinding streak of light hurtling toward Lyra.
In the blink of an eye, Lyra sidestepped, her movements impossibly fast, and in an instant, she reappeared directly in front of Caius.
A sickening sound pierced the air.
Caius looked down, stunned, at the dagger embedded in his chest.
His eyes widened in utter disbelief. ’How? How did she manage to overpower ME?’
Lyra was supposed to be only a level-eight—how could she have outmaneuvered him in the realm of psychokinesis?
Lyra’s eyes opened, dark and unyielding, her gaze locking onto Caius with an intensity that held him in place, his body frozen as if struck by lightning.
As his vision blurred, Caius bit down hard on his tongue, summoning one final surge of superpower.
A storm of psychokinesis erupted around him, filling the air with wild, chaotic energy.
The battlefield trembled as superpower particles spiraled in a chaotic frenzy.
Chuck, sensing the danger, yelled in horror as he stumbled back, "Lyra, let him go!"
For just a split second, Lyra hesitated, and Caius seized the opportunity, wrenching himself backward and launching into the distance.
He had escaped, disappearing into the shadows.