Ch. 51..55: Interstellar_ Return of the Villain Chapter 51-55

Chapter 51: Compensation

There’s a saying: big bosses can be easy to deal with, it’s their assistants who are the real challenge. This sums up Lyra’s current predicament perfectly.

The school aimed to boost the skills of its students by letting the old oversee the young. The seniors had the power to deduct points and keep an eye on the juniors.

While this saved a lot of manpower and resources, it also meant students got a taste of harsh social dynamics even before stepping out into the real world. In a way, it was part of their training.

Lyra decided to keep her cool. "So, what do you want?" she asked, sounding like she was giving in.

Kylie sneered, her lips curling. She had thought Lyra was tough, but it seemed like she was scared after all. Yet, Kylie couldn’t think of a good punishment right then.

Irene, who had been beaten up earlier, suddenly had an idea. "Kylie, the fighting arena is a mess. It might be hard to get funds from the student council..."

Irene was mainly worried that if the council investigated, she would have to pay for the mats she had burned. These special mats were pricey, costing 2,000 astrocredits each at the school’s wholesale rate. Not wanting to foot the bill, she decided to pin the blame on Lyra.

Kylie’s eyes lit up, but she knew this could backfire, so she couldn’t use the council’s financial system. After a moment of thought, she looked down at Lyra. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

’Is it my imagination, or does she seem relieved? Does she really think she can get away with just paying a little money?’ Kylie shot a look at Irene. "You, go and count how much needs to be replaced, and be thorough."

Irene caught on quickly. To avoid paying herself and to make Lyra’s bill as high as possible, she counted everything very ’thoroughly’. "We need twenty mats and seven mannequins replaced."

Her voice was loud and clear, even including items with minor damage. ’Smart’, Kylie thought, giving her an approving nod. She then told Lyra, "Did you hear that? Each mat is 5,000 and each mannequin 2,000, totaling 114,000 astrocredits."

The others who came with Irene were shocked. That was a huge sum; their annual tuition was only 15,000.

Lyra’s expression didn’t change. "I’ll go to the finance department to pay tomorrow."

’What? She’s not even going to argue?’ Even Kylie was taken aback. She had expected Lyra to beg for mercy, giving her a chance to cut the amount a bit. But Lyra agreed so easily. ’Is she secretly wealthy?’

Kylie glanced at the surveillance cameras in the arena. They were off. She then checked her pocket for any bugs or recording devices and found none. She licked her lips. "I made a mistake. The 114,000 is just for materials. There are also transportation and labor costs, making it 200,000 in total."

Before Lyra could speak, Kylie opened her bank account on her opticomputer. "To avoid trouble, just transfer it to me now. I’ll give you a receipt tomorrow."

Revealing her true nature, the two other people beside her started sweating. ’She’s taking the money to herself? Isn’t that fraud?’

"Okay," Lyra said.

Lyra didn’t argue for even once. She was so calm it seemed like she didn’t realize she was being extorted.

DING! The money was transferred.

Seeing her account balance rise, Kylie smiled genuinely.

Lyra also smiled, looking pleased to have solved the problem.

"Kylie, may I go now?" Lyra asked.

At this moment, Kylie saw her as a walking money tree and waved her hand generously, "Go ahead."

After Lyra took a few steps, Kylie called out, "You know what to say if anyone asks, right?"

Lyra turned around, standing against the light, her expression unreadable. "I know."

’So she knows she was being extorted?’ Kylie glanced at her three confused subordinates and generously transferred each of them 10,000 astrocredits, smiling mysteriously, "Take this and have something nice."

The three students didn’t dare refuse, but they felt their opticomputers burning up on their wrists.

They were only sophomores, and dealing with this kind of situation almost astonished them. They were terrified it would be exposed.

But Kylie was experienced. The account receiving the money wasn’t in her name, so the transfer record was useless. There were no recordings or surveillance evidence either, and her subordinates’ silence was secured.

Thinking about Lyra’s indifferent attitude, she planned to extort her a few more times.

But she never expected a call from the student council’s monitoring department that afternoon. She thought it was a small matter until she saw all the higher-ups in the room waiting for her.

As soon as Kylie stepped in and saw their stares, her heart skipped a beat.

"Kylie Chilla, just tell us what you did now, or you’ll face strict punishment," one of the leaders, who was in the same year as her, subtly gave her a look.

Kylie’s heart pounded, and her mouth dried up. "I... I don’t know what you’re talking about." She reassured herself there was no clear evidence; they couldn’t do anything to her. While calming herself, she didn’t notice the guy’s resigned expression.

"Hmph." The student council president called out, "Come in!"

Three people, including Irene, who had been beaten by Lyra, walked in. They hunched their shoulders, avoiding Kylie’s gaze.

’It’s fine,’ Kylie tried to calm her heartbeat. Even if they testified, without key evidence, the student council couldn’t do anything to her.

"What did you see at noon? Tell the truth!" The three of them, never having faced such a situation, stammered and confessed everything.

Everyone present turned pale.

200,000 astrocredits—almost as much as the annual budget for the student council! And this amount came from extortion among students.

"Kylie Chilla, do you have anything else to say?" The president’s face was grim. He couldn’t believe such a scandal had happened under his watch. When asked by his superiors, he had broken out in a cold sweat.

With the council elections approaching, he just wanted to transition smoothly into his internship with the military corps, but this incident derailed his plans. He urgently gathered everyone to deal with it.

Kylie mustered up her courage. "I did transfer money to them, but it was out of care for my subordinates. It has nothing to do with extorting Lyra!"

BANG! The president slammed the table hard. "You don’t feel guilty at all, do you?"

Their monitoring teacher then sighed and said, "Call the police."

Kylie’s face turned completely white. ’Why are they calling the police over a campus matter?’

Once the police were involved, even if the account wasn’t hers, the fact that she had moved money through it would come to light quickly.

"Why? You don’t have any evidence!"

She was soon detained by the school, and only one of her higher-ups dropped by.

"Don’t you understand? Lyra went to the principal. Her recommendation letter was signed by Cohen Whyte, you know that? Doesn’t that family name ring a bell to you? Whyte? Admiral Whyte?"

Once the principal got involved, even without solid evidence, Kylie was doomed.

Chapter 52: NMA Principle

"Are you serious? Cohen Whyte wrote her college recommendation letter?" Kylie was stunned, her voice shaking. "My sister never told me that. That stupid kid, Jorath or whatever, said she was just an orphan from Voidstar..."

"It’s too late for this now, Chilla. Take care," the guy said, getting ready to leave. But Kylie grabbed his arm.

"Please help me... or at least tell my family, for the sake of what we had."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Chilla, the school’s already expelled you. Get your stuff and go."

Not even her grandfather, a retired general, could save her now.

Less than an hour later, Kylie Chilla was taken away by the police. The people at NMA were confused until the school’s official website announced her punishment.

Meanwhile, in the principal’s office, Lyra was signing a contract for a new type of anti-surveillance robot and a small medical device.

"Can’t you give me a discount?" she asked.

The principal, a chubby old man, squinted, making him look less like the kind big cat he resembled.

Lyra, resolute, replied, "Just applying for the patent cost over a million. Selling to the school at a 30% discount with a five-year contract is already generous."

The principal smirked, "Stingy."

"Likewise," Lyra shot back, stamping the contract and handing over a copy. "The anti-surveillance robots will arrive in three days, and the medical devices in ten."

Both of them smiled, satisfied with the deal.

Lyra stepped out of the office to find Sean pacing nervously.

"Did you sell it?" he asked.

"I told you, your product just needs a market," Lyra replied.

Sean frowned at the mention of the 30% discount. "Did the school not like it?"

Lyra explained, "The discount is because of my status. Selling to NMA means it will sell well on Planet Nagano, and we’ll avoid many problems."

Having a military school as a customer was a big advantage.

"Go back and tell Sorren to personally oversee the factory. If there’s an issue, he’ll be in trouble."

After parting ways with Sean, Lyra watched the setting sun and sent a message to someone.

The reply came with a question mark.

"I haven’t thanked you since I joined the military school. Are you free?"

"Sure, I’ll pick a place."

Feeling relieved, Lyra returned to her dorm room and stood in front of her wardrobe, feeling conflicted.

Zinnia and Mandy were in the middle of a movie when they noticed Lyra looking stressed. "Wow, Lyra, are you actually worried about what to wear?"

With Vivian not around, Mandy joined the fun. "We can help you pick something out!"

Girls generally know their fashion, but Lyra was the exception. They opened her wardrobe and were taken aback.

It looked more like a guy’s closet, full of T-shirts, tank tops, soft armor jackets, and dark work or military pants.

After some digging, they finally found a few girly outfits in a corner. As they searched, they asked, "Where are you going, anyway?"

"For dinner with a guy."

"What?"

Both turned to her, eyes wide, and bombarded her with questions. "Is he in our year or a senior?"

"Is he from the school or outside?"

"Is he good-looking?"

Lyra just raised an eyebrow, "He’s an active military officer."

Her friends were stunned speechless. Of course, Lyra would bypass all the boys at school and go for the real deal.

They each picked an outfit they thought would work. Zinnia chose a sexy leather skirt and crop top, while Mandy went with a pure white dress with a ruffled collar.

"This is sexy; guys love it," Zinnia argued.

"No way. Only you could pull that off. Lyra can’t," Mandy countered. "Besides, Lyra is too flat; the crop top will just fall off!"

Zinnia glanced between herself and Lyra, a bit sympathetic. She tossed the leather skirt onto the bed and patted Lyra’s shoulder. "Don’t worry, they’ll grow."

Lyra didn’t get their obsession. Her chest size didn’t affect her plans. She grabbed the white dress.

Just as she was about to change, she shot them a look. They took the hint and left, missing the scars on her body.

After some convincing, Lyra put on a bob wig. With her expressionless face, the transformation was stunning.

Zinnia and Mandy gasped. "You look like a doll!"

Lyra glanced at her reflection, satisfied. "This disguise works well."

No one at school would recognize her.

"Leaving now."

Zinnia punched the air. "Lyra, make sure to win him over!"

Lyra took the air rail to the downtown area of Bluewater. Under many admiring glances, she took a lev to a secluded private restaurant.

A waitress in a business dress greeted her with a smile. "Hello, miss, do you have a reservation?"

"Chamber number one."

The waitress seemed surprised but stepped aside. "This way, please."

On the way, she discreetly observed Lyra. ’So delicate and beautiful, and lucky, of course,’ she thought, ’it was no wonder she got an invitation from him.’

"We’ve arrived."

Lyra nodded slightly and entered, sitting by the window. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Even her small talk was cold and distant.

Across from her sat a young man in a white military uniform, shoulder stars shining brightly. He looked impeccable, with broad shoulders, a slim waist, and long legs.

His hat was on the table, and his slightly curly hair made him look almost radiant, noble, and steady. "I came early."

It was Cohen.

His light amber eyes reflected the soft glow of the lights. He had seen Lyra in many different ways: fierce, frail in a lab coat, always surprising him. This time was no different.

Even though she wasn’t his type, she easily earned his admiration. "I didn’t think you would wear this kind of outfit. It looks very nice."

Lyra’s response caught him off guard. "Even though I’m not a romantic person, I do understand basic social etiquette."

She loved simpler style, but that didn’t mean she’d wear a tank top and cargo pants to a date with a man.

 

Chapter 53: A Businesswoman

Lyra’s actions showed she knew social etiquette like the back of her hand.

Despite her frosty demeanor, her manners were as polished as any noble’s. You’d never guess she hailed from Voidstar by her behavior.

Cohen quickly picked up that if he didn’t initiate a conversation, she wouldn’t say much.

Once dessert was served and the waiter left, Cohen decided to cut to the chase. "I heard you signed a contract with the school using my reputation?"

Lyra set down her chopsticks. "I plan to do some business here and want to use your influence. Name your price."

Planet Nagano held massive business opportunities, and to play in that arena, Lyra needed strong backing. It wasn’t like Voidstar, where brute strength ruled. She had already spent over a million on a patent; without connections, it was just money down the drain.

Cohen was taken aback by her directness and smiled. "We’re not that close. Besides, if you want to use my name, this meal should be enough."

On Planet Nagano and throughout the Alliance, few people got to dine with him one-on-one.

Lyra might be an unknown student now, but after this meal, some might see her as a friend or lover of an admiral’s son. People would think twice before crossing her and might even try to cozy up to her.

"A single meal only buys you so much time," Lyra said, pushing aside the dessert. She locked eyes with him, her gaze steady. "I want long-term benefits."

Her ambition was crystal clear. "Whether it’s an investment or a gift, trust me, the returns will tempt you."

Cohen was intrigued by her determination. "How much are we talking about?"

The Whyte family’s status meant many sought their connections, but minor profits wouldn’t catch his interest.

"In a year, maybe not enough for a full warship, but half a ship is possible," Lyra said, leaning in and lowering her voice. "Military funds must be tight these days?"

Retired soldiers’ benefits and death compensations had dwindled in recent years. This was no secret. The admiral’s legion maintained its standards thanks to the Whyte family’s support.

Cohen realized then that Lyra had done her homework. Her point was clear: with finances tight, why play the high and mighty?

He chuckled. "I can’t tell if you want to join the military or do business with them."

"I want both."

Her answer was unexpected but logical. Cohen’s smile faded, and his amber eyes grew serious. "Half a ship a year, are you sure?"

"As long as we cooperate."

"Then thank you, Miss Shedd, for your concern for the soldiers."

They clinked glasses with the white wine on the table and then left separately. Cohen was always trailed by the media, and Lyra didn’t want to be caught with him. Even so, she was followed when she left ten minutes later.

Lyra didn’t react at all. She got into a Lev parked by the road and said, "To the military school’s air rail terminal."

The vibrant night scenery outside morphed into strange, colorful arcs, like an unknown space tunnel, casting shifting lights and shadows on her face.

The car drove farther away and finally stopped at a secluded rocky coast.

Lyra spent the entire ride with her forehead resting against her hand, gazing outside. When the Lev was surrounded and the driver pointed a gun at her, she finally turned her head slightly. "Who sent you?"

The driver took off his hat, revealing a somewhat familiar but menacing face. "Sis Marv, you seem to be living the high life while our boss is furious."

It was Bengal, one of Blackheart vices. The guy was a level six beast-formed Peculiar with streaks of silver in his hair and eyes as fierce as a tiger’s.

"He just can’t stand to see others doing well," Lyra mocked, pushing the gun away with her finger. "What do you want?"

"Not much, he wants me to watch you. Hand over the ’cores’ on time and don’t try any tricks."

In other words, even if the bird flies, she must be tethered. This feeling of always being controlled annoyed Lyra, but in the dim light, the cold gleam in her eyes went unnoticed.

"You’re quite bold. Does Admiral Whyte know you’ve come to Planet Nagano?"

She saw a flicker of guilt in Bengal’s eyes and smirked slightly.

Checking the time, Lyra said casually, "It’s almost curfew. Since you brought me here, you’re responsible for taking me back."

Bengal laughed at her calm tone. "You’ve got some nerve, asking me to take you back."

Suddenly, Lyra snatched the gun from his hand and fired it out the window, killing one of the men.

Bengal was instantly enraged. He jumped over the seat and grabbed her by the neck. "Sis Marv! You’re really a piece of something now, huh?"

Lyra tilted her head slightly, her lips curling in a mocking smile. "Try me and you’ll see which one matters more to Blackheart, you, or his billion-dollar business."

Blackheart had ordered Bengal to monitor Lyra, not harm her. He couldn’t do anything to her.

Meanwhile, Lyra pointed the gun back outside. "Are you taking me back or not?"

He could easily snap her neck, but he couldn’t do that now; at the same time, she could kill them all and still got Blackheart’s forgiveness.

Bengal’s temple throbbed with tension, but the truth was he couldn’t jeopardize Blackheart’s business.

"Sit tight!" he barked, controlling his anger as he returned to the driver’s seat. The others got in, glaring at her with fury.

Lyra sat in the corner, leaning her head on her hand, watching the night sea. The marks on her neck slowly turned red and purple.

The slightly rippling sea had some glowing dots, like small fishes. When predators approached for the glowing food, these "fishes" dimmed and a huge mouth devoured the predators instead.

The roles of predator and prey could switch unexpectedly.

When they reached the island’s transfer point, Bengal personally opened the car door. "Get out! And remember, every time you leave the military school, contact me first!"

He leaned close to her ear, whispering menacingly, "We are always watching you!"

Lyra silently got out of the car, standing in the sea breeze. Her wig and white dress fluttered in the night as she watched the Lev drive away. She whispered, "Good luck."

Bengal drove the Lev through the sea passage. Suddenly, he stopped the car.

The long bridge was windy, accompanied by the sound of crashing waves.

"What’s wrong, Ben?" one of the men asked.

Bengal’s sharp eyes scanned the surroundings. "Get out, get the hell out now!"

Just then, a shell came whizzing toward them.

BOOM—

Chapter 54: Competition

"...We were attacked by the military forces on Planet Nagano!"

On the other side of the call, Bengal was hiding in a cramped shack. He had bandages covering his head, his body charred and blackened. He looked both beaten and fierce.

Blackheart leaped up from his bed, "Damn it, what did you do? You were supposed to keep an eye on Lyra. How did you end up fighting the military?"

"It’s Sis Marv! She teamed up with the Whyte family!"

Blackheart smashed his fist into the glass, shattering it. "I knew that b*tch was trouble."

After thinking for a long time, he decided the best plan was to break Lyra’s legs and imprison her, "I’ll send more people. Find a way to capture her."

Liliana, who had been lying on the bed, opened her eyes briefly but closed them again when Blackheart returned.

In the end, however, she couldn’t escape her fate.

Blackheart sat on top of her, slapping her face hard, the sound echoing in the night.

"If you hadn’t let her escape, I wouldn’t have to deal with this!"

"Daddy, please don’t hit me, I’m sorry... Ah—"

Voidstar No.2 settlement was small, and Blackheart’s gang’s actions quickly caught the attention of the merchants.

"Should we send someone?" Todd asked, holding a folder.

Snakehead was on the balcony, smoking, a hint of sarcasm in his tone, "Send someone? To help her or to catch her?"

"If Sis Marv falls into Blackheart’s hands..."

Their business would be ruined.

"Blackheart better have the skills for that." Snakehead stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, looking at the rising star, "You all underestimate that young woman."

Todd didn’t understand why the boss had so much faith in Lyra, but he didn’t argue, "Should we warn her?"

"Up to you."

The fire at Voidstar hadn’t reached Lyra yet. At 7:30 in the morning on Planet Nagano, the students of the Department of Strategy and Commanding gathered at the arena on time.

The young, energetic students wore their training uniforms, standing straight like poplar trees, full of spirit.

There was still some time before the lineup, and everyone was buzzing about the competition, the referees, the rules... mostly things they’d heard from elder students or read on the school forum.

"Lyra! How could you do that?"

A sudden voice cut through the chatter. Taryn had stayed up all night, her eyes red and bloodshot.

Everyone stopped talking and turned to look, curious and wary of her fierce demeanor.

Taryn rushed from the door to Lyra, reaching out to grab her, but Zinnia quickly pushed her away.

"What are you doing?"

"Move, it’s none of your business!" Taryn sidestepped, aggressively questioning Lyra, "Did you set my sister up? Did you team up with the school to harm her?"

This seemed like a deep-seated grudge. The crowd watched with interest.

Not far away, Jorath sneered. ’Idiot.’

"Is your sister Kylie Chilla? The one who blackmailed me for two hundred thousand?"

The mention of Kylie’s name caused a ripple of realization among the students. Everyone remembered that name from the school website, and they looked at Taryn with disdain.

Taryn’s face contorted with anger and distress as tears streamed down. "Lair! My sister would never do that. You set her up!"

"Enough!" Webber’s voice cut through the tension as he entered with other instructors.

The students quickly lined up. Class Five did the same, leaving Taryn surrounded by contemptuous and disgusted looks, making her feel humiliated and angry.

As they stood in line, Lyra stopped beside Taryn and whispered sarcastically, "If your sister hadn’t stood up for you, she wouldn’t have crossed my path."

"You..."

Lyra grabbed Taryn’s raised hand and applied pressure. The sound of bones dislocating was audible.

"I got rid of your sister, and I can get rid of you too. So, you better be smart."

Whether it was the pain or Lyra’s cold eyes, Taryn’s face turned pale. She returned to the line, feeling like a walking corpse.

The instructor’s speech seemed distant and dreamlike. She looked down and saw her hand turning a pale blue, trembling slightly.

That moment haunted her dreams for the rest of her life.

The pre-training had ended, and now it was time to test the overall strength of each class.

The first round of single-elimination matches was about to begin. Winning a match earned one point; losing earned none. The final score was based on the class’s total points.

Everyone was excited, especially Zinnia.

"This is thrilling!"

Lyra sat cross-legged next to her, feeling the superpower particles vibrating around. They were in the fighting arena with five mats laid out in front of them, each class sitting around watching. The atmosphere was cheerful but tense.

The five instructors, serving as referees, took their positions. The head instructor sat on a high chair, holding a microphone.

"Now, the first round of elimination matches will begin. When you see your name on the screen, enter the arena."

The order was random, and when the first group went up, a few people were trembling with fear.

Mandy clutched her ankle tightly, constantly glancing at Lyra beside her, trying to draw courage. ’Mandy, you can do it.’

"Do you want to talk to her again?" Vivian, unusually concerned today, even gave her a push.

Strangely, Mandy relaxed a bit with the push. "Are you in a bad mood?"

Vivian, two people away, glared at Lyra and sneered, "Of course, I’m not in a good mood."

Vivian’s burning anger left Mandy unsure how to respond, so she focused on watching the match.

One group after another cycled through the five mats ahead, but some stood out memorably.

Thierry from Class One, Zinnia, Sharon from Class Two, and Vikie from Class Three made quite the impression.

Then there were those like Vivian, who caught everyone’s eye with her stunning beauty.

Near the end, Lyra’s name finally appeared on the screen.

By then, most people were feeling overwhelmed by the endless matches.

Just then, a petite girl with a buzz cut, looking as small as a middle schooler, stepped up, instantly grabbing everyone’s attention.

Whispers broke out immediately.

"Isn’t she the healer from Class One? My gosh, she’s so adorable, but why does she have a buzz cut?"

"Yeah, the one who led her group to first place in the field training."

"I heard her teammates were eliminated in the first round."

"How did they get first place then? Did the instructor go easy on them?"

Even with her cold expression, her appearance made people mistakenly think she was harmless, including her opponent.

"Um, I’ll be careful," said the tall boy from Class Three, blushing as he tried to comfort her, "Don’t be afraid."

 

Chapter 55: Vivian’s Jealousy

Anton, standing off to the side, couldn’t help but nudge the instructor of Class Three. He was struggling not to laugh. "Man, your kids are so naive."

The instructor, still nursing a tooth that Lyra had loosened the day before, showed no sympathy. "That young man needs to learn you can’t judge a book by its cover. Pretty faces can be deadly!"

Facing her opponent’s condescending look, Lyra nodded confidently. "Don’t worry about it."

Before the boy could react, the mat bounced, and Lyra’s delicate features blurred as she moved swiftly.

BAM!

Her punch landed squarely on his stomach, making him bend over like a shrimp.

The onlookers were stunned, shifting their chatter from her looks to her impressive fighting skills.

Shocked, the boy tried to grab Lyra, but she was too agile. She sidestepped, spun around, and swept her leg at him.

He shouted, encasing his waist in ice. Despite this, Lyra’s kick shattered the ice, sending him stumbling forward.

As he regained his footing, he turned and unleashed a barrage of ice spikes.

Lyra frowned, executed precise backflips, and dodged the spikes, which tore holes in the mat.

The instructor clutched his megaphone tightly. "You’re ruining the equipment!"

Lyra’s opponent, aware of her superpower’s weakness, kept his distance, using his abilities to his advantage.

"You can’t beat me. Just give up!" he taunted.

If those ice spikes hit her, it would be no joke.

Lyra paused at the edge of the mat.

The boy, no longer underestimating her, stood ready. In the next instant, she disappeared from his view again.

She was even faster now.

The boy felt the mat tremble under his feet. When Lyra got close, he activated his superpower but lost his balance as she forcefully stomped the mat.

In that split second of imbalance, Lyra swept her leg, kicking the boy out of the ring.

The instructor immediately raised the flag, signaling the match’s end.

"Lyra from Class One wins!"

The whole fight lasted less than five minutes.

Lyra raised her hand to her lips and coughed lightly before returning to Class Five’s group.

All eyes followed her until she sat down, exhausted. Then the whispering began.

"Who said she had weak combat skills? Wasn’t her opponent a level three? She didn’t even use her superpower!"

"Isn’t she a healer? She can only use her powers when she’s hit, right?"

"Her physical skills must be insane!"

"She’s my new idol!"

Lyra’s face was pale from the intense effort.

"Lyra, are you okay?" Zinnia offered her a water bottle.

Lyra shook her head, breathing heavily. "I’m fine."

When she pushed past her limits, it always left her in this awkward state.

Not far away, Jorath watched her, his eyes lighting up. It seemed he’d discovered Lyra’s weakness.

And it wasn’t just him. Many in Class Five noticed it too.

Lyra had incredible burst power, but her endurance was significantly lacking.

After the first round of matches, a hundred participants scored zero.

The class advantages were still unclear. They’d have to wait until the second round in the afternoon.

...

At the cafeteria, Vivian pulled Mandy to sit at a different table.

When Mandy sat down, she glanced at the two people not far away and asked her friend, "Didn’t we always eat together before?"

"Seeing Lyra today just ruins my appetite!" Vivian snapped, her face darkening. "I’ve never met such a hypocrite in my life!"

Zinnia’s sharp ears caught the harsh words. She put down her fork and was about to stand up, but Lyra held her back.

"Ignore her," Lyra said coldly, as if dismissing an irrelevant madwoman.

Vivian threw her fork down and stormed over, slamming the table so hard that both trays jumped. "Feeling guilty, huh? You said you had nothing to do with him and then went on a date with him last night? Have you no shame?"

Vivian had been spying on Cohen’s movements. When she found out about the date from a restaurant staff, she was furious enough to strangle Lyra.

Lyra continued to ignore her, calmly eating her meal, which made Vivian even angrier. She tried to snatch Lyra’s tray, but Lyra grabbed her wrist.

"According to school rules, wasting food will deduct conduct points," Lyra said, taking back her tray with her other hand. "Feel free to act like a crazy woman, but just leave me out of it."

Vivian, still somewhat rational, refrained from mentioning Cohen’s name.

"Lyra! You forced me into this!" Vivian’s sharp nails dug into her skin. "Just you wait!"

With that, she stormed off, her long hair swinging.

Zinnia angrily stuffed a large piece of chicken into her mouth. "Is she insane?" She then looked around and leaned in, lowering her voice. "Did you really go out with her guy?"

Curiosity got the better of her.

Lyra put down her fork. "First, we didn’t ’go out’; we met for serious stuff. Second, he’s not her guy."

Zinnia let out a sound of surprise. "Then why is she so worked up? She changes men like she changes clothes. Why does she think she can have them all? Does she really think every man she likes should stay single for her?"

"Maybe," Lyra said, picking up her fork again. Technically, Cohen and what he did with her had nothing to do with Vivian.

Just as Zinnia had complained, Vivian couldn’t expect every woman to stay away from Cohen just because she liked him.

Little did they know, Vivian was indeed planning to mess with Lyra’s business.

In the dorm, she lay on her bed, kicking her feet while holding an opticomputer and video chatting with a young man. She was whining and pouting.

"Come on, can’t you help me? Taking down a little factory is a piece of cake~"

Her voice was sickly sweet. Mandy, hugging a plush toy, sat nearby, nervously glancing at the man on the screen. She then clutched her toy tightly.

"Vi, about that request of yours... I need to think about it. I need to know more about her first." The young man’s voice was gentle, like a violin playing softly at night.

"Hmph!" Vivian sat up abruptly, pouting. "She’s just an orphan from Voidstar. What’s there to worry about?"

But the young man remained patient yet firm. "The fact that she’s from Voidstar requires enough attention. Besides, there were no intimate actions between her and Lieutenant Commander Whyte. Let it go."

"No! I won’t allow other women to get close to Cohen!" Vivian shook her head frantically.

The young man had to promise to look into it slowly to calm her down.

Mandy watched Vivian flirt and smile sweetly, feeling a twinge of envy. This was an experience she could never have.

Vivian turned the camera, and the man saw Mandy in the corner. He greeted her with a smile. "So Mandy is here too. Thank you for taking care of Vi at school."

Mandy felt a bit shy and tugged at her braid. "Actually, Vivian takes care of me."

"After pre-training ends, you and Vi should come visit."

Even though she knew it was just a polite offer, Mandy felt a surge of happiness. "Okay."

Vivian leaned lazily against her pillow and yawned. "Are you done? I’m hanging up."

Without waiting for a response, she ended the call. She glanced at Mandy. "Go to bed."

Mandy felt flustered, as if all her thoughts had been exposed. She quickly fled to her room, feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion.