Ch. 251..255: Interstellar_ Return of the Villain Chapter 251-255

Chapter 251: Work Or Die

Cohen, knowing better than to question Lyra’s methods, shrugged and asked, "Alright, so what’s your plan for handling five hundred of them?"

Lyra turned, her gaze steely as she scanned the crowd. Her eyes locked onto Shane, and he felt an unexpected chill slice through him.

Around him, the others sensed it too. A few even began edging back toward the ship, their instincts screaming at them to escape.

But before they could move, an overwhelming surge of psychokinetic energy washed over them. In that instant, each felt the eerie realization—they had been marked.

The power wasn’t just strong; it was invasive, as if Lyra had left an invisible tag on every single one of them.

Even Cohen stood, momentarily stunned.

’Five hundred people at once?’ he marveled. ’Just how powerful is she?’

Then again, he reminded himself, Lyra had defeated Caius, the infamous Supreme. Compared to that, marking a bunch of recruits must’ve been child’s play.

The newcomers, however, were shell-shocked. Panic spread as some of them began shouting.

"Why did you do that? How are we just being branded like criminals?"

"We came here to work, not to get tagged like some herd!"

"Where’s our so-called ’boss’?"

Debbie fought back a smirk, maintaining her calm look as she stepped up to Lyra. "Boss, I’ve brought them all as you requested—every last one."

Lyra gave her a nod of acknowledgment. "Well done."

The crowd fell into stunned silence, their disbelief almost palpable. ’Wait—’ they thought, ’she’s the boss?’

They stared, wide-eyed, not quite believing it. Young and intimidatingly powerful, Lyra was nothing like they’d been told to expect.

As realization dawned, a sense of dread took over. ’We’re in way over our heads.’

"This wasn’t part of the deal!"

"Yeah! The red head told us a completely different story!"

Lyra’s expression was mildly amused. "Oh? And what did she tell you?"

The group exploded in a mess of explanations:

"She said if we got here and defeated you, we’d be free to go!"

"Right! She told us you were some thirty-something medic with a gentle healing ability!"

None of them had expected their "boss" would be someone who could psychically subdue hundreds in an instant.

Cohen, who’d been silently listening, almost laughed. Their simple mind was endearing, in a way. "And who exactly is this red head?" he asked, his voice half-curious, half-amused.

"A former acquaintance," Lyra answered smoothly. "She tried to recruit this bunch as underlings, but they turned her down. So she sent them here for some... ’training.’"

Cohen raised a brow. "Sounds like someone from Voidstar No. 2," he muttered, referencing the notorious rogue faction.

He had a feeling that, after a while under Lyra’s command, this bunch might be longing for working for the red head. ’Once Lyra’s through with them, they’ll probably be begging for an easier life.’

"As long as they don’t cause trouble, I couldn’t care less what happens to them," he said with a dismissive wave. "I’ve got other business."

Lyra nodded, dismissing him, her gaze shifting back to her new recruits.

Shane, meanwhile, stood fuming. Getting lured into a trap was bad enough, but realizing he’d be under someone like Lyra—someone who wielded power with such cold control—was worse. Any fantasies he’d had of escaping into the wilds of Wyrmtrace were rapidly evaporating.

"Debbie," Lyra called out, "do you have the access passes?"

"Right here!" Debbie said cheerfully, pulling a large box from her Space Button. "Every last one of them accounted for!"

Lyra’s approving nod brought a sparkle of pride to Debbie’s face. ’Yes! She noticed my work. Promotion, here I come!’

she thought, practically glowing as she started handing out the access passes.

At the front of the line, Shane eyed her, jaw clenched.

As Debbie handed him his pass, he leaned in, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well played, Debbie. Very well played."

Debbie chuckled, giving Shane a hearty slap on the back.

"Ha! You flatter yourself, kid. You’re nothing special, so don’t go acting like you are." She smirked.

Compared to the high-powered people who orbited Lyra, Shane was just another face in the crowd.

With a cheerful wave, Debbie led the group off the ship and into the base.

As they walked, every staff member they passed nodded respectfully at Debbie, greeting her with a warm, "Hey, Debbie!" or a quick salute.

Shane watched, narrowing his eyes. He realized that maybe she wasn’t the naive, bumbling assistant he’d pegged her for—more like a sharp fox in a well-practiced disguise.

Once they were packed into a transport truck, Shane’s fellow pirates started crowding around him, their voices barely above whispers.

"So...what now, Shane?"

"Yeah, what’s the game plan? That psycho Liliana was bad enough, but this Lyra’s looking like a whole new nightmare."

Shane scowled, still seething. "We wait. Let’s see if any of the other groups make a move first," he muttered.

The pirates weren’t alone on this ride—several other "recruits" had been snatched up for the program, all rebels who’d refused to work for Liliana and been dumped on Wyrmtrace as punishment.

A few miles down the road, Shane’s hunch proved right.

A couple of bolder men at the back started working together, tearing through the truck walls and launching themselves out, aiming to hijack the driver’s cabin.

They barely touched the ground when they dropped to the dirt, convulsing and screaming as their bodies seized up.

Within moments, they went disturbingly still.

The driver calmly climbed out, high-heat torch in hand, and incinerated the bodies where they lay. Then he got back in, cranked up the engine, and continued as if nothing had happened.

A thick, icy silence filled the truck. Whatever hope had existed among them evaporated in that instant.

When they finally reached their destination, the sight that greeted them was overwhelming.

A vast base spread out before them, gleaming with advanced tech and ringed by high surveillance towers.

Rows of transport ships and military-grade vehicles lined up with military precision under an iron-gray sky.

"This... this is Lyra’s base?"

"Didn’t she say she was just a medical supplies dealer?"

"Medical dealer? Yeah, right. Only someone with power and serious backing gets in on a Wyrmtrace contract, especially one run by the admiral’s family."

Their awe irritated Shane, making his frustration boil over. ’So much for keeping a low profile.’

It happened to be mealtime, and Debbie marched them into the cafeteria with a grin. "First day calls for a good meal! Eat up!"

Despite the mob of new arrivals, the cafeteria ran like clockwork, with the mouthwatering smell of hot food filling the air. More than a few stomachs growled as the aroma hit.

Shane glared, trying to keep his crew in line. "Show some restraint," he muttered, but his own stomach growled loudly, practically echoing.

The guy beside him snorted, whispering, "Uh... that was you..."

Cheeks red, Shane grabbed his tray, only to catch Debbie walking by. She grinning as she stifled a laugh.

Feeling stung, Shane and the others ate quickly, aware of the pointed stares from Lyra’s staff—people who clearly had little respect for the newcomers.

When the meal was over, Debbie guided them deep into the base, leading them to a wide training ground.

At the far end, Lyra was already mid-session, unleashing a swarm of glowing green particles across a hundred yards.

Each particle hit its target with flawless precision, taking down small, buzzing fly-drones with terrifying speed and control.

The sheer power on display was almost blinding. It hit Shane in an instant: ’She’s a level eight.’

A cold sweat broke out as Shane remembered where he’d heard her name—Lyra Shedd, "the strongest healer," whose reputation had always been understated for reasons that now made perfect sense. Liliana had conveniently left out a lot about her.

Lyra finished, handing Debbie a towel as she wiped the sweat from her brow. Her gaze settled on the group, expression hard as stone.

"You’re here for one reason," Lyra said, voice sharp and unfeeling. "You’ll work for me, unpaid. Or you’ll die here on Wyrmtrace. Choose."

The bluntness of her words hit them like a punch to the gut. They looked around, searching each other’s eyes for some escape, but there was none.

The choice was brutally simple and terrifyingly clear.

Shane clenched his jaw. "How does the Alliance let you kill people so casually? We’re registered citizens now—we’ve got official IDs."

Lyra’s gaze was as unfeeling as steel. "If I can get you an official ID, I can just as easily file a ’natural causes’ death certificate," she replied, barely missing a beat. She gestured to the ground. "Those willing to work, step to the left. If you’re not, stay where you are."

Stay where you were, and you’d be dead.

Realizing there was no room for resistance, Shane was the first to step left.

Chapter 252: Start of Something New

The second Shane had seen Lyra take charge, he knew rebellion was out of the question.

He took a deep breath, hands shoved in his pockets, and surrendered. His old crew watched him, and one by one, they followed, understanding they had no real choice.

The rest of the group exchanged glances and soon shuffled to the left side, clinging to survival as only the desperate could.

Debbie, watching, shook her head with admiration. ’That’s my boss,’ she thought with a grin.

If only she had a powerful ability herself, she’d be unstoppable, too. Still, working under someone like Lyra was close enough.

Debbie was thrilled when Lyra soon decided to keep her on the Wyrmtrace team. Apparently, Lyra was impressed that Debbie had delivered every recruit, and every ID card, exactly as instructed.

"You’ll be supervising construction in the East District," Lyra told her.

Wyrmtrace’s first development phase was focused on building New Central City, which would become the planet’s administrative heart, with government offices, military HQ, and a primary hospital.

Four main districts had been mapped out, each designated for a specific sector, with facilities contracted out to early investors.

Surrounding these were areas marked for future expansion, eventually open for bidding to the highest investors.

Lyra had secured the main government and infrastructure contracts with the Alliance, and she wanted Debbie to lead the project.

Luckily, the East District workforce was straightforward—ordinary laborers hired by Morrison.

Debbie had studied every spec, prepared for her new role as if her life depended on it. Now that she had it, she was practically giddy.

’If I do well here, maybe this base becomes my full-time project when Lyra heads back to the military,’ she thought, practically salivating at the thought of a substantial salary increase.

Meanwhile, Lyra was thinking far beyond the government contracts.

She’d also secured a choice plot in the planned commercial district. She wanted to build a commercial center in the prime spot, which she could rent, sell, or manage herself.

The other tycoons in the Alliance had felt her impact immediately, recognizing that Wyrmtrace was essentially an open market for those with resources to spare.

However, none dared to compete outright. With the Whyte family backing her and her near-level-nine status, Lyra didn’t leave much room for rivalry.

That didn’t mean she’d have free rein, however. Cohen, always wary, had assigned one of his cousins to keep an eye on Lyra’s work.

And Leona, who represented the Alliance, made her position clear by sending her younger brother, Caspian, to monitor the operation.

"So while you’re off here, ’guarding the galaxies,’ I’m stuck on this dusty rock," Caspian complained, leaning back in his sleek lev.

He’d chosen to drive alongside Lyra on her rounds through the construction sites, preferring his air-conditioned cabin to the sweltering outdoor heat.

"Don’t you have a project of your own to manage?" Lyra shot him a glance from behind her dust mask, blueprints rolled up under one arm.

Caspian shrugged. "I do, but I don’t have to be there in person to run it." Unlike Lyra, who managed her operations directly, Caspian had an entourage of skilled subordinates who handled his interests while he kept a comfortable distance.

Outside, the construction site was buzzing with activity. Giant robotic machines dug into the rocky ground, clearing it for a new foundation.

They worked with a smooth, almost hypnotic precision as they leveled the earth, guided by workers who scurried around directing their paths.

Caspian’s eyes widened with mild surprise as he looked over the construction site. "How tall is this place going to be? You’re digging a foundation like you’re building a skyscraper."

Lyra gave a slight shrug. "Planning to move my headquarters here. I want the foundation rock solid."

Caspian raised an eyebrow, then nodded slowly as he pieced it together. "High up-front costs, but you’ll reap the benefits down the line."

Elden Prime was already a saturated market; her growth was capped, forcing her to spread her reach across distant systems.

Not only were real estate and labor on Elden Prime insanely pricey, but space was limited in Central City, driving up her operational costs.

Wyrmtrace, though? Plenty of land, cheaper labor, and transportation right by the developing spaceport. Perfect for a company with Lyra’s ambitions.

With immigration to Wyrmtrace climbing and Lyra’s connections deep within the government and military, her company was set to be the powerhouse of this fresh frontier.

Caspian gave a mock sigh. "Shame my interests are so rooted on Elden Prime. Otherwise, I’d be diving in for a slice of this pie too."

Lyra didn’t reply. Caspian abandoning his empire on Elden Prime was about as likely as the royal family adopting her as an heir.

Keeping up the casual chat, Caspian made a point of thoroughly inspecting the site, cross-checking the physical layout against the blueprints.

Satisfied, he tossed out a suggestion. "Dinner?" he asked smoothly, which Lyra accepted, turning to Shane.

Shane fumbled with her itinerary. "You’re open after seven."

She gave him a curt nod and told Caspian, "Seven-thirty, café just outside the military base."

Caspian flashed her an "OK" gesture and left with his security team in tow. The second he was out of earshot, Lyra dropped the blueprints into Shane’s hands and fixed him with an icy stare. "Make sure the underground section is completed before his next visit."

A chill crawled down Shane’s spine as he nodded vigorously. "I’ll get them working overtime tonight."

’What is she planning with all this underground construction?’ Shane wondered, stomach tight with dread.

He knew enough to understand that if the military caught on, they’d all be in serious trouble—if Lyra didn’t handle him herself first.

’If I’d known I’d be stuck as her assistant, I’d have kept quiet when she asked if anyone could read blueprints,’ he thought sourly.

Now, instead of grunt work, he was bound to her as an unwilling right-hand man.

He glanced over at his former crew, men once hardened from lives of piracy and chaos, now operating construction drones and loaders like seasoned workers.

They’d all been completely tamed, and more than that—they were bound to her will, no longer raiders but skilled hands in her operation.

That evening, Lyra arrived at the café, finding Caspian already seated, his expression unimpressed. He raised his cup, grimacing. "How do you survive on this stuff? It tastes like it came straight from a water purification plant."

Lyra shrugged. "Order whatever you want."

Taking her cue, Caspian shifted straight into business. "I hear you’re involved in the new spaceport construction. Think you could secure some preferential docking slots for our fleet?"

"Send Leona to me if you want a deal," she replied coolly, brushing off the request.

He changed tactics. "What about medical device manufacturing? The market here is untouched."

They negotiated the finer points of trade until the conversation trailed off into a stretch of silence.

Caspian sighed as their bland meals arrived, pushing his food around on his plate. Then, his gaze drifted to the muted news broadcast flickering in the background.

A thoughtful glint appeared in his eye as he turned to Lyra.

"You knew Prince Aurelius, didn’t you?"

"Not well," she replied flatly, her expression unreadable.

He nearly rolled his eyes at her indifference. "Guess you haven’t heard, then. He’s been in royal detention for the last two years. They just let him go, and he’s already announced he’s cutting all ties with the royal family."

A flicker of interest sparked in Lyra’s eyes. She’d known Aurelius wasn’t exactly thriving under royal expectations, but she hadn’t realized things had spiraled to this level.

She raised an eyebrow. "Does this fallout have anything to do with me?"

Caspian shrugged, giving her a knowing look. "More than you’d think. The guy was banking on strengthening ties with the Calvin family. And then you dismantled them completely."

Aurelius had indeed been working on a strategic alliance with the Calvins to reinforce the royal family’s power.

But Lyra had blown the Calvin family’s empire to pieces by exposing their covert experiments with dual-superpower genetics, a scheme that violated every law on ethical superpower research.

Though Aurelius had kept his distance from their operations, his connection to the disgraced family had been enough to tarnish him by association.

For a time, even Edmund had seen value in the alliance, trusting Aurelius’ plan to unite the Calvins with the crown.

Yet, when the scandal hit—and under his own administration, no less—the monarchy’s reputation suffered an embarrassing blow.

With the Calvins out of the picture, Aurelius’ plans unraveled, leaving him in the crosshairs of a humiliated, unforgiving royal family.

"Unlucky for him," Lyra murmured, a spark of intrigue in her gaze as she took in the news

 

Chapter 253: A Mole?

Aurelius had always been caught between admiration and disdain.

The public marveled at his good looks, his fame blooming among the Alliance’s citizens. But his mother’s origins cast a shadow that he couldn’t shake, leaving him stuck in an awkward, isolated corner.

Desperate to jump from the sinking ship of the royal family’s reputation, he’d clung to a new one—a disastrous alliance with the Calvin family.

Caspian snickered, "Yeah, just rotten luck."

That afternoon, Lyra met the "unlucky" man himself.

Aurelius, once proud and composed, now looked intense and dark. He wore a black tank top, baring skin that had missed the sun for years, stretched thin over muscles scarred by lashes and burns—a canvas of pain and survival.

One brutal scar carved its way down his forehead, across his left eye, and slashed through his jaw, adding a fierce edge to a face that had once been adored.

Caspian’s words hadn’t been an overstatement—Aurelius truly looked like someone fresh out of captivity.

Lyra could feel the barely contained rage and bitterness roiling within him, his mind fragile and raw.

"Miss Shedd," he greeted her, voice thick with a rough, mocking edge, his words rasping as if his throat were scraped raw. "It’s been a while."

Lyra gave a brief nod. "Didn’t think I’d run into you here."

"Oh, well, Admiral Whyte took pity on me," he replied, sarcasm dripping from his words. "Let me sign on with Legion Glory."

There wasn’t a trace of thankfulness in his expression. Lyra thought wryly to herself, ’Frederick never wasted talent, no matter how scarred.’

Then, a shadow passed over Aurelius’s face, and his eyes turned a frosty blue, simmering with barely restrained hate.

Lyra followed his gaze and sighed. Here came another familiar face she’d rather avoid: Robin.

Once one of the Calvin family’s most trusted criminals, Robin had flipped sides when the scandal broke, ultimately charming his way into the admiral’s favor and a cushy promotion to Ensign.

Before the disaster had hit, Aurelius had approached Robin, hoping to use him as a bridge into the Calvin family’s inner circle.

Robin, fully aware of the family’s darkness, hadn’t warned him—instead, he’d encouraged Aurelius’ interest.

When everything fell apart, Robin escaped unscathed, while Aurelius was left to rot, enduring torture and imprisonment by the royal family for over two years. His resentment was well earned.

"Doctor Shedd," Robin called out, using her formal title to remind her he knew about her current status.

Aurelius let out a bitter, humorless laugh. "Isn’t it funny?" he said, his voice sharp. "Some people get rewarded for their betrayal, while others end up... well, like this." He was like a wounded animal, lashing out at anyone who got too close.

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "I’ve got things to do," she replied curtly, turning away, uninterested in their toxic dynamic.

Quietly, as if unseen hands turned the wheels, the fates of each of them nudged them forward on paths they couldn’t escape.

The official start of the Wyrmtrace colony program had kicked off a surge in infrastructure, transforming the once-desolate landscape. Everyone who was meant to be here had arrived.

Though Lyra had technically joined the medical corps two years prior, she’d never formally reported in, leaving her in a strange limbo where the corps didn’t recognize her presence—something that even Cohen couldn’t override.

Meanwhile, her ambitious expansion on Wyrmtrace was drawing attention. Each day, new eyes lingered near the construction sites, curiosity growing.

One afternoon, Shane, now Lyra’s sharp and observant secretary, checked in. "We caught another sneaky one snooping around last night."

"Sent by someone," he continued, unfazed as he settled into his new role, "to scope out our plans and see if they could compete with us."

Lyra gave a short nod. This was almost routine. "Where’d they catch him?"

"Near the spaceport construction site. First thing the government’s put up in New Central City."

Shane, well aware that Lyra wasn’t one for small talk, kept his report rolling. "The guy says he works for someone with a grudge against you—Mendez, from Planet Nagano."

Lyra’s casual stride halted abruptly. "The Mendez family?" She frowned, clearly connecting dots in her mind. "Our cargo ship docked last night, didn’t it?"

"Yeah, it did," Shane confirmed, looking a little puzzled. "Why? Do you think it’s related?"

Lyra’s expression grew thoughtful. "Maybe...or maybe I’m overthinking it."

She continued forward a few steps before stopping to whisper a set of instructions to Shane.

Shane nodded sharply and strode off to interrogate the prisoner himself.

In the dim warehouse, a middle-aged man wearing a blue jumpsuit was putting on a loud show, thrashing around and shouting, "I told you everything I know! Let me go! This is illegal detention, and I know my rights!"

He directed his rant toward a nearby security camera, face twisted in a sneer. "I know you’re watching, you psychos! I’ll make a mess of this place if you don’t let me out!"

Just then, Shane entered, rolling his eyes. ’You’re the psycho here, pal,’

he thought.

The man lunged for the door, but Shane was ready. He snapped a superpower restraint around the man’s wrists—a gel cuff that hardened instantly, locking his arms in place.

"Settle down!" Shane commanded, maintaining a calm exterior but exuding a dangerous energy. With a smirk, he pressed his boot to the man’s shoulder, pinning him down. "Now, who exactly sent you?"

"Mendez!" the man sputtered, mouth half-swollen from Shane’s rough handling. "They’ve hated Lyra for years, paid me to do a little snooping around!"

Shane gave him a quick, sharp kick that sent him sprawling. "Wrong answer. We already called Mendez personally, and they’ve never heard of you."

The man’s face fell, his panic flashing in his eyes for a split second. Shane caught it instantly—Lyra’s gut feeling about a liar hadn’t been wrong. Still, he kept his face locked in a cold glare.

"You think you can fool ME?" he growled, grabbing the man by the collar. "You know who I was before this job? I used to be a space pirate, and I’m about two seconds from proving it."

The man blanched, sweat dripping down his face. "Okay, okay!" he stammered, eyes darting between Shane’s bulging arms and his fierce expression. "I—I don’t know who they really were! Some stranger handed me a stack of cash to sketch out the spaceport layout!"

’So they’re after the spaceport layout,’ Shane noted, realizing this was bigger than a simple act of snooping.

Without wasting a second, he called Lyra.

Lyra had barely left the area, but upon hearing his report, she ordered the driver to turn around and made her way straight to the warehouse.

The moment the prisoner caught sight of her, he recoiled, a shudder of fear running through him.

This was no casual job for him—he was just a small-time hustler used to petty cons, swiping materials and selling them under the table. This time, though, he’d unwittingly landed himself in serious trouble.

"What’s your name?" Lyra asked, her tone slicing through any attempt at bluffing.

"R-Ramar Kahan," he stammered, realizing that he couldn’t talk his way out of this one.

"When’s the handoff?" Lyra’s question came sharp and direct.

"T-tomorrow...3 a.m.," he answered, the fear thickening his voice.

Lyra turned to Shane with a determined nod. "Make him a fake layout map. Tomorrow, you’ll go along with him for the drop."

Her eyes sparkled with cold calculation. She was going to find out exactly who had dared to mess with her operation—and make sure they knew they’d made a grave mistake.

Chapter 254: Walking Into The Trap

Shane couldn’t figure out how Lyra had caught on to Kahan’s lie so quickly. Fortunately, Debbie filled him in later.

"It’s simple," she explained. "The Mendez family’s been thoroughly subdued by her. They wouldn’t dare pull anything like this."

Apparently, the Mendez family had a level-eight superpower named Jorathon, but he was little more than a minor threat. Lyra had dealt with him with barely a flick of her fingers.

Shane immediately understood. He’d seen her ruthlessness firsthand; if she let an enemy live, it was only because she could use him or her later.

To prepare for the early-morning handoff, Shane met Kahan for drinks at a temporary bar near the construction site that evening.

They played out a scene of camaraderie, even huddling in a corner to "scheme" loudly enough for nearby ears to overhear.

Shane pretended he’d give Kahan access to the map but only if he got a cut of the pay—otherwise, he’d inform Lyra.

Kahan grinned and played along, though secretly he cursed Shane, thinking, ’We can get an Oscar for this. Is all this really necessary?’

However, their staged conversation was overheard by a man sitting at the booth next to them. After leaving some money on his table, the man cast a meaningful look back at Shane and Kahan before heading out.

That look gave Shane a chill, but he kept his focus on Kahan, muttering conspiratorially.

Outside, the man lingered by the door, as if waiting to see if Shane would follow. When Shane didn’t come, he finally left, apparently finding nothing suspicious.

Meanwhile, back at the base, Lyra was discussing the situation with Cohen.

"I checked the immigration system records," she said. "Ramar Kahan’s background is clean. Just an ordinary construction worker, and his superpower barely registers at level one. But this ’contact’ he mentioned is too vague to trace."

Cohen moved his eyes from the immigration system to Lyra on the screen. "You think there’s a larger motive behind this?"

"If it’s minor, it’s targeting me. But if it’s major, they’re targeting the Wyrmtrace colony itself."

Cohen rubbed his temples, frowning thoughtfully.

Personally, he suspected that Lyra and his own recent high-profile activities had drawn unwanted attention from military or business competitors. But he also trusted Lyra’s instincts—if her gut was telling her something was wrong, he took it seriously. Lyra’s sharp intuition had kept her alive this long.

"Then I’ll oversee things personally tomorrow."

"No, I need you here at the base," Lyra said. "If they’re after a map of the spaceport, then there’s something at that spaceport they want access to. But what?"

Cohen’s brow furrowed. "The spaceport’s unfinished. It’s mostly just resources and ships. But if they wanted to block us from escaping—" He broke off, the realization dawning on him.

Lyra pressed her lips together, her expression darkening. They exchanged a glance through the screen, and in an instant, they both understood.

"The star charts," she murmured.

Not just any star charts, but an advanced map of the Wyrmtrace system and surrounding unexplored star domains, a version far more detailed than the one currently used by the Alliance.

Cohen sat up straight, his face tense. "I’ll alert Chuck immediately. As for tomorrow—Lyra, I’ll need you to go in person."

Lyra nodded. "Understood. And keep things secure here."

He was taken aback. ’Is she...worried about me?’

"Don’t lose those charts," she added, her face set with deadly seriousness. "If Wyrmtrace falls, we’re looking at catastrophic losses."

Cohen sighed. "Right. I should’ve known.

*****

As dawn’s faint light edged across the sky, stars still blinked above, and a comet sliced through the heavens, leaving a fiery trail.

Shane spotted Lyra arriving to oversee the operation, and his first reaction was a flicker of surprise, quickly followed by a gnawing sense of unease. ’Does she not trust me?’

The events with Kahan last night replayed in his mind, and before he could think better of it, he blurted out, "Boss, you have to believe I—"

"Less talk. Let’s move," Lyra interrupted him sharply, wasting no time.

Meanwhile, Kahan was already sneaking off, slipping from the workshop into the shadowed street.

Lyra scanned the perimeter, finding nothing out of the ordinary, then gestured for Shane to follow, keeping a safe distance as they tailed Kahan through the early morning mist.

At the meeting spot, Kahan fidgeted nervously, glancing over his shoulder as he waited for his contact.

From the shadows emerged a towering man in a black T-shirt and camo pants. Without a word, the man took the map from Kahan, his face unreadable.

But then, in one swift motion, his right arm morphed into a gleaming, razor-sharp blade, slicing down in a blur that left Kahan’s head severed from his shoulders.

"Your job’s done. Rest in peace," he muttered coldly.

Lyra’s heart hammered, and she yanked Shane down behind cover. "Stay low and don’t move," she whispered, her tone steely.

Suddenly, the faint sounds of approaching footsteps reached their ears. Shane squinted out from their cover, his eyes widening as he counted at least two dozen people advancing through the darkness. Some positioned themselves on higher ground, aiming deadly-looking weapons in their direction.

"What the—why so many?" Shane hissed. They had walked straight into a carefully laid trap.

This ambush wasn’t for Kahan—it was for THEM.

Just as he finished speaking, the night exploded in a chaotic blaze of superpower energy, bolts of bright light arcing through the air.

High-energy blasts pulsed all around them, each more disorienting than the last.

Shane could feel the chilling energy of a level-nine Peculiar among their attackers; it washed over him in waves, making his head spin.

At only level six, he had no choice but to press himself against the ground, clinging to Lyra’s feet for protection.

A brilliant, glowing shield sprang to life before them, blocking the onslaught.

Their attackers faltered in shock, just as a surge of green energy radiated from behind the shield, slicing through the darkness like a wave of knives.

The quicker ones dodged, but those who didn’t hit the ground in grisly pieces.

Blood spattered through the air, a red mist that left Shane wiping his face, struggling to stay conscious.

"Get ready!" someone shouted.

The few who had evaded the attack spotted tiny, glowing green orbs gathering above them, shimmering ominously in the dim light.

If they fell, they’d be wiped out.

A low, menacing "hmph" echoed through the shadows, and suddenly, the starlight above seemed to solidify, shifting into a radiant shield that caught the deadly green sparks before they could descend.

It was the work of a level-nine superpower—a master of light manipulation.

Lyra’s eyes narrowed as another attack whistled through the air. Threads of white starlight wove into a net and shot toward her, razor-thin and blindingly fast.

She dodged to the side, but the net shifted with supernatural precision, twisting to follow her. She threw up her own shield in response, but it veered off-course, landing uselessly ten meters away.

"Of course," she muttered, understanding instantly.

They were up against a high-level manipulator with a displacement ability, someone who could throw her powers off their mark.

A realization hit her—the base might also be at risk.

Without hesitation, Lyra summoned Schedar, transforming it into a sleek pair of twin blades that gleamed in the half-light.

Their attackers closed in, but Lyra moved like a whirlwind, slicing through anyone within range. Even the armored man who had appeared impervious was split cleanly in two before he could react.

Her strength was relentless, a force few could match; even those who held beast-shift powers or brute strength couldn’t withstand her precision and power.

She was an unstoppable storm, and Shane, who had thought he knew her capabilities, was left in awe as she fought, cutting down wave after wave of enemies with lethal efficiency.

Shane finally seized a moment to break away from the chaos, pressing himself into the shadows to catch his breath.

’Good grief,’ he thought, half in awe, ’she’s tearing through these eight level-nine elites like they’re nothing.’

But beneath her calm, deadly precision, Lyra was anything but at ease.

She’d mentally mapped the tiniest flaws in their formation, darting through with ruthless efficiency.

Her weapon morphed seamlessly into full armor, locking around her as she pushed off the ground with stunning force, propelling herself high into the air.

Meanwhile, atop a nearby high-rise, one of the enemy leaders observed her, his eyes narrowing with cold disdain.

"Thief," he muttered.

With a flick of his fingers, he commanded the starlight above to harden into deadly shards, sending a gleaming cascade of crystalized light hurtling down toward her.

The sky ignited in a blaze, each shard gleaming as it sliced through the air toward her.

Chapter 255: The Empire Invades

Lyra ducked, weaved, and barely managed to sidestep the Peculiars’ attacks that came at her from every angle.

Her senses stayed razor-sharp, but a moment’s slip allowed her enemies to use his ability.

Suddenly, Lyra’s abilities felt like they’d been scrambled, thrown into chaotic new configurations that threatened to upend her strategy.

Gritting her teeth, Lyra surged forward. She funneled her psychokinesis into Schedar, which morphed into a colossal protective sphere around her. But that ability was unlike anything she’d dealt with before—it was absolute chaos.

"She’s every bit as dangerous as Lord Westros warned," murmured the young man, his hands glinting with light as he focused.

A peppy voice piped through his earpiece, "Relax, Skylight! Together, we’ve got her on the ropes!"

"Stay alert," Skylight cautioned, his gaze steady on Lyra. "We’re supposed to keep her here, not kill her. If we do, Lord Westros will lose his mind."

"Hold up... is she circling us?" his partner suddenly exclaimed.

Skylight had the range to cover the area, but precision was key—one wrong move, and he’d hit his own team. His eyes narrowed, realizing Lyra’s intention. "Ian! Get out of there, now!"

Too late. Lyra had zeroed in on Ian’s location—a skeletal, half-built skyscraper. She descended with alarming speed, like a hawk swooping in for the kill.

Panicked, the Peculiars converged, desperately trying to protect Ian, who was clearly valuable to them.

In the framework of the building, Ian swiftly manipulated his powers to divert his team’s attacks toward Lyra, each strike throwing her off balance.

"Take that! Not so clever now, are you?" he taunted, fingers twitching as he directed each blow with a grin.

But his arrogance was short-lived. Suddenly, a dagger sank deep into his chest.

Stunned, he looked down to see Shane standing before him, smirking.

"Who’s clever now?" Shane sneered, landing a brutal slash across Ian’s head. "You almost gave me a heart attack tonight."

As Ian’s body crumpled, Shane exhaled in relief. Finally, he’d cleared the path to free Lyra from Ian’s meddling. But just as he turned to leave, an icy grip seized his heart.

His own dagger, now wedged in the bare wall ahead, dripped fresh blood. Shane looked down to see blood soaking his chest, a jagged wound marring his torso. His legs gave out as he slumped to the ground, dead.

But then, Ian’s body began to twitch. Black mist seeped from the wound in his chest, and his head slowly healed.

As the last of his wounds closed, he scowled, touching his unmarred forehead. "I was busy with Lyra. Who invited you, garbage?"

With a single flick of his hand, a black vortex spiraled into life, poised to annihilate Shane’s body for good. But before he could, Skylight’s voice cut through his earpiece.

"Mission’s done. Get back, now!"

With an irritated click of his tongue, Ian dispelled the vortex, watching half the Peculiars sprint toward the portal, desperate to escape.

Lyra wasn’t letting them off that easy. She raced forward, aiming to seal off their exit, but once again, her efforts were blocked.

Forced to watch as her enemies slipped away, she seethed, vowing to pursue them later.

She then turned her attention to Ian’s last position. Slicing downward, she met only empty air—his form flickered before vanishing with a soft POP.

Another clone.

Exhaling a sharp breath of frustration, Lyra shifted focus to Shane’s "body". With a careful hand, she channeled a ball of healing energy, letting it sink into his chest.

Moments later, Shane gasped, coughing as his eyes shot open, panic etched across his face. "Boss! A second later, and I’d be done for!"

Barely conscious, he’d managed to keep his power active just enough to repair the worst of his injuries. If he’d blacked out, his ability would’ve failed, sealing his fate.

"What... what is that monster?" Shane muttered, his voice still shaking as he replayed the encounter in his mind.

He couldn’t shake the image of Ian standing unharmed after taking what should have been lethal hits. "I drove my blade through his chest and split his head—yet he didn’t even flinch!"

"Next time, just stay out of his way," Lyra replied sharply, her tone leaving no room for debate as she readjusted her armor. "I’m heading back to base. Call in a team to recover these bodies. We need to know what we’re dealing with."

With a swift, silent leap, Lyra disappeared into the night.

The full reality of the situation was sinking in fast: this wasn’t a covert attack—it was a full-blown invasion, and the enemy’s strategy was terrifyingly direct.

That Stellar Devourer had infiltrated their defenses, disguised and laying in wait, only to activate an extradimensional portal and flood the area with Peculiars straight from the Empire.

Lyra didn’t need to see the whole battlefield to imagine the chaos left in their wake.

Arriving at the base, her worst fears were confirmed. The scene was a smoldering battlefield—half the buildings had been flattened, thick smoke twisting up into the sky.

The air was charged with residual superpower particles, prickling against her skin in waves.

Blood splattered the ground and walls, dark stains dotting the rubble like a twisted, unnatural garden.

Amid the ruins, soldiers stumbled through the destruction, struggling to salvage whatever they could.

A shout pierced the smoke-filled air: "SHE is back!"

A familiar shadow limped toward her—Kogar, missing an arm and still in his shredded, blood-soaked uniform.

Though his wounds had been hastily tended to, he was clearly far from healed, his steps uneven as he made his way over.

"Vice Admiral Whyte, Captain Whyte, and... they’re in critical condition," he reported, his voice thick with urgency.

"Take me to them. Now," Lyra ordered.

As they rushed toward the medical division, Kogar filled her in. "It happened around two a.m. A whole squad of high-level Peculiars ambushed us—two of them at level nine, plus seven Masters. They came in guns blazing, wiping out everything in their path."

"Vice Admiral Whyte and the others held the line, defending the star map, but they couldn’t keep up with that kind of power. Thirty minutes in, the enemy got the map and withdrew," he explained, grimacing as he relived the horror.

Kogar’s gaze darkened. "Their injuries are beyond what we can handle here. The medical corps suggested transferring them to Planet Nagano for Miss Longoria’s expertise. But Cohen... he insisted on waiting for you."

Lyra kept her jaw set, not breaking stride. "I’ll see what can be done."

When they entered the medical building, chaos was everywhere.

The hallways were packed with stretchers, injured soldiers lying even in corners, their bodies pressing against the walls as medics rushed between them.

Medical devices whirred, some nearly sparking from overuse. But the mood only grew more desperate as they neared the main treatment area.

Inside, Frank and several senior medics huddled around three hospital beds, their faces etched with frustration and concern.

Frank’s voice was hoarse, his patience clearly stretched to its limits. "It’s been over two hours. If we don’t get them into healing pods immediately, even that won’t be enough to save them."

Another medic frowned. "Lyra doesn’t know the first thing about treating injuries of this magnitude. If our own experts can’t stabilize them, what difference will she make?"

"We wait," Cohen replied weakly from his bed, his voice a whisper.

Blood was seeping through the sheets, staining the once-white fabric dark red.

Basic bandages held back the worst of the bleeding, but their power to heal had been overrun by the severity of his wounds.

The medical team had thrown everything they had at him, but the injuries had taken root, and not even their top devices were making a dent.