Ch. 81..85: Interstellar_ Return of the Villain Chapter 81-85

Chapter 81: Internship

This was something that even shocked Lyra herself—

When her healing power touched the old woman, she could actually feel the illness within her. The power spread throughout her body, like thousands of probing needles.

As her energy flowed through, those nerve fibers were filled with life again, and the illness disappeared.

As they left, it was close to curfew. Mandy, full of joy, took the Lev back to school with Lyra.

On the way, perhaps out of gratitude and relief, she kept talking to Lyra, saying, "My family worked so hard for me. They didn’t want to spend money on themselves, and my grandma always told me to repay them..."

"When I was little, I broke a window at school, and my mom was so mad. She said that she wished she hadn’t had me, and that way, life wouldn’t be so hard. That made me feel a lot of guilt and pressure all of a sudden."

It wasn’t until they got off the Lev and switched to the island’s Lev that Mandy realized she had talked too much.

Lyra only said one thing, "Your parents raising you is their responsibility, and it will be your responsibility to take care of them in the future. But even if you didn’t exist, they would still be busy trying to survive, and your grandma would still have no money for treatment."

In this world, you can fight back against physical violence, resist class oppression, and refuse things you dislike. But the kind of emotional blackmail done in the name of love is too hard for many people to get rid of.

Exam week was almost every college student’s nightmare, and it was even worse for military academy students.

They had all kinds of theory and practical exams, one subject in the morning and another in the afternoon, plus many elective exams.

Mandy, who had just relieved some financial pressure, was now back to feeling anxious.

By comparison, the laid-back Team "Whatever," who had finished their exams and were preparing for their planetary development internship, seemed almost too relaxed.

A week after the official start of the vacation, the three of them arrived outside the military zone at Emerald Harbor with their recommendation letters, waiting for someone to come and get them.

At the gate, Zinnia, carrying her backpack, looked particularly excited.

"Didn’t they say the people going have already been chosen? Why do we have to wait so long?"

"My brother said we’re waiting for someone from Elden Prime."

"Who could it be that we have to wait for?"

If it were someone from the military, they should have arrived already.

"Of course, they’re waiting for us." A cocky voice rang out.

Zinnia bristled immediately, "That voice, my fists are itching!"

She quickly turned around, glaring at the person getting off the Lev. Then she charged forward, waving her fists. "So it’s you, you jerk!"

Grains also dropped his bag and ran up.

The two started fighting as soon as they heard each other’s voice.

They exchanged a few punches until another guy from EPMA group pulled Grains away, ending the fight.

"Robin, why are you stopping me?" Grains struggled a bit, but he fell silent after Robin shot him a look.

Both groups stood at the gate of the military zone with tension, until Kail walked up to Lyra. With a slightly complicated expression, he greeted her, "Nice to see you again."

Lyra just nodded and didn’t say anything else.

"Kail, you actually know her?" Grains seemed unable to stop causing trouble, poking his head out to look at Lyra. "You really are short like a dwarf. How do you even get into bed? Do you have to jump?"

But this only earned him a cold stare.

He immediately got ready to fight. "Sure, your psychokinesis is strong, but in real life, with your small frame, I could knock you down with one punch... Ow! Kail, why did you hit me?"

Kail snorted, "If I don’t knock some sense into you now, should I wait until you’re a bloody mess?"

Caleb, feeling a headache coming on, gently pulled Grains back. "You need to chill out." He then turned to Lyra with a polite apology, "Sorry about that. He’s always like this."

Lyra just looked away, not engaging further.

Zinnia leaned over to whisper to Thierry, "He’s like one of those chihuahuas that just won’t stop barking."

Thierry nodded in agreement.

At that moment, two more Levs and a large levitation bus full of people pulled up.

Thierry quietly muttered, "The sponsors."

In the colossal task of planetary development, the military took on the dangerous job of clearing out beasts and harmful plants. But the heavy lifting—building bases, cities, and infrastructure—fell to merchants who won government contracts. These contractors gathered workers and materials in exchange for rights to the planet’s resources.

When the Lev stopped, a woman in a sleek suit opened the rear door, revealing a familiar face in sunglasses seated in the back.

"Vivian? What are you doing here?" Zinnia couldn’t help but ask, surprised.

The elegant girl didn’t even bother to step out of the Lev. She said, arms crossed. "For someone like me, getting a spot in a planetary development internship is a breeze."

——’No need for all that hassle and competition like you guys had to go through.’

Grains whistled playfully at her. "Hey, gorgeous! How about grabbing a cup of coffee on the warship with me..."

Before he could finish, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Vivian sneered. "You think someone like you could have coffee with me?"

Lyra’s eyes flickered as she noticed the woman in the suit standing by the car—a Master Peculiar. But it was hard to gauge her exact level.

While Caleb was busy trying to revive Grains, the gate swung open, and a young man in uniform stepped out, head held high.

"Welcome, everyone. I’m Kogar, Lieutenant Commander Whyte’s adjutant."

Beside him stood a familiar face who quickly looked away when he saw Lyra’s expressionless gaze.

"This is Lieutenant Cuss, LCDR Whyte’s aide. He’ll be leading your team."

As Lyra and the others saluted, Cuss found the situation surreal. He rubbed the back of his neck in disbelief.

Kogar went off to arrange things for the technicians heading to the new star, while Cuss led the students to the military zone’s airbase.

As they walked, everyone listened carefully to Cuss as he explained the rules and protocols.

"The specific details will be sent to your opticomputer. Please make sure to follow them."

When it came time to assign rooms, the five boys were split into two, while the three girls were placed together in one room.

At this point, Vivian couldn’t keep up her usual aloofness and reluctantly joined them, clearly displeased with the arrangement.

After opening the door, Cuss introduced the room and then glanced at Lyra, who was listening attentively. He greeted her, "Miss Shedd, long time no see."

"Yes," Lyra replied simply.

The dynamic between them subtly shifted as they recalled their past on the Voidstar, where Cuss begged Lyra for help.

Zinnia’s eyes flicked between them, noting that the once stern Cuss seemed a bit nervous.

Even Vivian couldn’t resist sneaking a few curious glances.

"Um... I never got the chance to thank you for saving me back then. Anyway, for the next month or so, if you need anything, just let me know." Cuss smiled. "Ned is here with me this time too. He’ll be thrilled to see you."

Lyra’s brow furrowed slightly. "I think it’s best to avoid running into him. Lieutenant Ned and I didn’t exactly get along."

Recalling the tension between them, Cuss’s excitement dimmed a bit. "But he knows you’re here. You’ll probably bump into him at lunchtime on the warship."

What Lyra didn’t expect, though, was that meeting Ned at lunch would be just a minor ripple compared to the real surprise that awaited her.

 

Chapter 82: Meeting Erin

Everyone on the warship had to be in the dining hall by noon sharp.

The dining hall was down a level, so the students had to hop in the elevator from their floor. Around 11:50, several students left their rooms, and they all happened to bump into each other in the hallway.

Kail noticed Lyra’s face as soon as he walked in—it was all too familiar to him. Every time he saw her, he couldn’t stop recalling their time spent together when they were kids.

So, he made a point to walk next to her, saying, "Watch out, Cousin Erin’s around too." He then hurried to catch up with some first-year students, completely missing the brief moment when Lyra hesitated behind him.

"Lyra?" Zinnia glanced over and noticed Lyra’s expression was a bit off. ’Maybe it’s just the dim hallway lighting?’ Zinnia thought.

Lyra kept walking, but something about it felt... wrong. In every way.

They got into the elevator, and by the time they reached the dining hall, a few people were already lined up for food. Since this was a military-only cafeteria, separate from the staff’s dining area, everyone was in uniform, which always made the cadets a little envious.

But Lyra? She felt eyes on her. When she looked up, she saw people chatting in small groups, but she was certain someone was watching her.

Her gaze landed on the Shedd family corps emblem.

After grabbing their food, they sat down to eat.

The elevator dinged, and suddenly everyone in the dining hall dropped their forks and stood up to salute.

In that split second, Lyra felt a sharp, hateful stare, like someone was trying to pierce through her very soul to confirm if she was really ’Lyra.’

"Whoa! That’s Erin, my idol," Grains whispered to Caleb, his voice full of awe.

Zinnia was buzzing too. "I heard she’s the strongest young woman in the military. I wonder if I could challenge her."

The Phenix Legion was in charge of the planetary development this time, and they had already set off. Erin and Cohen were mainly here to escort technicians and assist the Phenix Legion, with the students being more of a side task.

So, their troops were the only ones on the warship now.

As Erin and Cohen walked down the aisle, the room was filled with solemn salutes.

Erin’s eyes couldn’t help but zero in on a face she’d recognize anywhere, no matter how long it had been. When she saw Lyra bowing her head in salute, Erin felt a surge of satisfaction that almost made her laugh.

Since they’d be working together for the next month, Erin and Cohen gave quick remarks. After getting her food, Erin, with everyone watching, sat down at the students’ table. She stopped a few of them from standing and smiled, "It’s your first time on a mission like this. How are you all settling in?"

Everyone responded politely, except Lyra, who quietly continued eating in the corner. But it was only a matter of time before Erin’s attention turned to her.

"I heard Lyra won this year’s mecha competition. It’s funny how looks can be deceiving. You really put on a show when you went all out; quite entertaining," said Erin, sneering.

The person who once looked down on Erin now seemed so insignificant, even lowering herself to join such competitions. Whether this was the real Lyra or just a clone, the contrast thrilled Erin.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Commander Shedd. I’m glad you enjoyed it," Lyra replied, not missing a beat as she continued her meal.

Vivian, sitting nearby, felt secondhand embarrassment for being from the same school. "Could you stop eating when someone’s talking to you?"

Lyra shot back, "Why should I talk while eating?"

Erin’s smile faltered slightly. "It’s been a while since I’ve been around students, so I can’t help chatting with you all. Finish up your meal quickly. Afterward, how about a spar in the combat arena?"

At the neighboring table, Cohen raised an eyebrow, wondering why Erin was so oddly fixated on the students.

"Sorry, but I’ll have to pass," Lyra replied, quickly finishing her bread. "According to the regulations, outside of meal times and unless summoned by our superiors, we’re not allowed to be out and about. And our direct superior is Lieutenant Commander Whyte, so, with all due respect, I can’t."

She stood up, gathered her tray, and walked away, leaving the others in stunned silence.

Lyra never underestimated her enemies. Erin was already at level six and had dual superpowers. There was no way Lyra could take her down without pulling out all her trump cards, and that wasn’t a gamble she was willing to make. Avoiding a confrontation seemed like the smartest move.

But sometimes, when a powerful enemy is dead set on making your life difficult, it’s hard to slip away unnoticed.

...

At exactly 4:00 PM ship time, Lyra was in her room. She was focused on the star system map she was studying, when the loudspeaker crackled to life.

"All cadets, please report to the fighting arena on the sixth floor within ten minutes."

The message echoed through the halls, repeating its command.

Zinnia, in the middle of her workout, almost tossed her 50-pound dumbbell like it was a toy. "The fighting arena? Are we about to take on the officers?"

Lyra calmly folded up her map. "Maybe."

She wasn’t entirely sure if Zinnia would get the fight she was hoping for, but something told her she might be in for a rough time herself.

The three roommates made their way out and joined the other cadets crowding into the elevator.

Kail seemed to be trying to figure something out, stealing glances at Lyra, but she didn’t meet his gaze.

Once everyone had gathered, Cuss did a quick headcount before reporting to Cohen, "All present and accounted for."

The young officer nodded, addressing the group. "We’re approaching a space station and will arrive at the new star system in two days. Lieutenant Commander Shedd suggested we should evaluate your superpowers and abilities before then, so we can assign tasks accordingly."

He turned to Erin. She stood with her arms crossed, looking like she had something on her mind.

 

Chapter 83: The Exchange Test

"Lieutenant Commander Shedd, anything to add?" the young officer asked.

"Lieutenant Commander Whyte, how about we mix things up and exchange cadets for the test? I’ve heard NMA students are pretty tough, and I’m curious to see if that’s true." Erin’s eyes gleamed with interest as she spoke.

Typically, each officer would test their own students separately, so this was definitely out of the ordinary.

Cohen frowned slightly but quickly shrugged it off. It was a reasonable request, and refusing it might create more tension than necessary.

"Alright."

Grains looked a bit bummed. He had hoped to get a closer look at his idol.

Kogar, Cohen’s assistant, started off by testing the EPMA students. They were put through their paces in a range of skills—mecha operation, close combat, and even things like wound treatment.

Each student’s performance was charted on a "rose diagram," which would help in determining their future assignments. As expected, all the students excelled, their rose diagrams nearly fully colored in.

Except for Grains, who had a noticeable gap in the "character" section.

When it was the NMA students’ turn, Zinnia and Thierry were all pumped up—until they realized they’d be facing Erin herself.

After they finished, Kail frowned. "Cousin Erin, isn’t it a bit much for you to personally test them?"

He knew Erin and Lyra didn’t get along. ’But is this really necessary? Is Erin that determined to make things tough on a clone?’

Erin didn’t even glance at him. "Kail, you should address me as Lieutenant Commander or ma’am."

Her gaze shifted to the short-haired girl who had been silent, a slight smile playing on her lips. "They should feel honored that I’m the one testing them."

This sense of anticipation brought back memories of the excitement she felt eleven years ago when she had the Soul Spike implanted.

Clone or not, nothing was going to stand in her way.

Cohen’s brow twitched. "Lieutenant Commander Shedd, they’re still young. Please, be considerate."

"Lieutenant Commander Whyte, don’t worry. I know exactly what I’m doing." Erin stepped onto the mat, every inch the seasoned warrior ready for a challenge. "Let’s get started."

Thierry and the others went up first, receiving their rose diagrams with satisfactory results. Finally, it was Lyra’s turn.

As she moved forward, even the most oblivious onlookers could sense the tension in the air, and Erin’s excitement was palpable.

Without any unnecessary build-up, Erin simply ordered, "Get ready to record," before launching into her attack.

With her enhanced strength, Erin moved so fast it was as if she broke the sound barrier. The force of her movement sent a gust of wind that ruffled everyone’s hair and changed the look on their faces.

Lyra’s eyes widened in surprise, but she didn’t have time to react before Erin’s punch connected, sending her hurtling through the air.

The suddenness of it all left everyone stunned, their eyes glued to the sight of the slender young woman being launched across the arena.

Lyra’s gravity-manipulation ability kicked in, surrounding her and gently lowering her back to the ground.

"Ugh! Cough, cough!" Lyra clutched her chest, her breaths labored as she spat out a thick mouthful of blood.

Cohen’s hand remained outstretched as a cold sweat formed on his forehead. He shouted urgently, "Get the doctors!"

Medics rushed to Lyra’s side, surrounding her.

Cohen turned to Erin, his usual calm shattered by fury. "Shedd, is this what you call ’appreciating the students’ talents?’ Her report should have flagged any physical weaknesses. I expect a thorough explanation, or I’ll have no choice but to charge you with intentional harm and take this to military court!"

Erin snapped out of her adrenaline-fueled excitement, finally realizing that this Lyra was not the same as her cousin.

The mistake she made, using her full strength without a second thought, now weighed heavily on her.

"I’m sorry, I..." Erin stammered, the gravity of her error sinking in. She had mistaken Lyra for someone else, someone stronger.

’Too weak.’ That was her first thought as she looked at the half-conscious girl. A single punch, and yet the doctors were diagnosing Lyra with internal organ damage.

"Erin! That was too much!" Kail’s voice broke through the tense silence, his eyes burning with anger. "Just because she looks like Lyra doesn’t give you the reason to hurt her!"

In an attempt to explain, Kail tried to tell Cohen about the resemblance Lyra bore to his dead sister, but he carefully left out the part about her being a clone.

Those who heard his explanation were quick to conclude that Erin had taken her anger out on the wrong person.

Cohen’s anger only deepened. "Shedd, no more excuses. I’m submitting all the facts and evidence to the military court."

Erin, now fully aware that arguing would only make things worse, bowed her head. "It’s my fault. I let my emotions control me. I’ll repent before the military court."

After everyone had left, Erin returned to her room and slammed the door shut.

Despite this being a combat scenario where injuries were possible, and even though she claimed it was a mistake, she knew she was in serious trouble.

This incident would likely lead to a harsh reprimand, which wouldn’t affect her current role but would certainly hinder her future promotions.

But as she collapsed onto her bed, a smile crept across her face.

Seeing that young woman get sent flying had been satisfying.

Once again, she had brought Lyra down, and it had been so easy.

This only confirmed her belief that this Lyra was indeed a clone.

Remembering the identical look in the clone’s eyes as the "original," Erin felt more determined than ever to crush her when they reached the new star system.

Meanwhile, Lyra slowly opened her eyes, finding herself inside a treatment chamber.

"You’re awake?" Cohen asked, his voice softer now, his appearance slightly disheveled without his hat, brown hair tousled. "I’m sorry, I didn’t realize she had such intentions."

"Neither did I," Lyra replied, her voice steady despite the situation.

She climbed out of the thick nutrient fluid, the hospital gown she wore clinging to her slender frame, now soaked through.

Cohen, ever the gentleman, politely looked away. "It was my mistake. If there’s anything you want as compensation, just let me know."

"I want the mission to search for plants near the mining site. By the way, if we find any plants, we don’t have to turn them in, right?" Lyra asked as she walked into the shower room, casually rinsing off without any concern that Cohen was still in the room.

When she reemerged, now in a fresh hospital gown, she met his gaze.

Cohen, slightly awkward but maintaining his composure, answered her question. "That mission was already assigned to you. As for the plants, it’s up to you if you want to keep them."

The truth was, the advance team had already scoured most of the area. The students were essentially doing a second pass, unlikely to uncover anything significant.

"Thank you," Lyra said with a nod, her voice calm and resolute.

 

Chapter 84: Trapped Again

Once everything had settled down, Cohen had a sudden realization. How could Lyra, who had been able to hold her own against him, be taken down with just one punch from Erin? It was the sight of her spitting blood that must have thrown him off balance.

As for the bigger questions, like why she did it, Cohen didn’t have the energy to dig into them anymore. He glanced at the military court’s verdict flashing on the opticomputer screen and sighed, rubbing his temples. Once again, she had outsmarted him.

When Lyra got back to her dorm, Zinnia rushed over and hugged her tightly. "I was so scared! I thought you were dead!"

Lyra stayed quiet for a moment, then gently patted Zinnia’s back. "You’re squeezing me too hard."

"Are you really okay?" Zinnia grabbed a tissue from Lyra and blew her nose loudly. "No lasting damage?"

"None."

A ruptured organ wasn’t a big deal with the advanced medical tech they had.

Vivian, brushing her hair at the mirror, rolled her eyes. She’d thought Lyra was tougher than that, but apparently, she couldn’t even handle a single punch.

"Erin got seriously reprimanded," Zinnia went on, filling Lyra in on what had happened while she was out cold. "If it hadn’t been during a mission, she might’ve been suspended. Even Lieutenant Commander Whyte got roped into it and got a warning for not keeping things under control."

Lyra sipped her water quietly. She got seriously injured, apparently, but she had no other option at that time.

Vivian shot her another side-eye glare.

Today was their last lunch on the battleship; the next meal would be on the new planet.

When they arrived at the cafeteria on time, Caleb greeted her first. "Is your injury healed?"

"All better."

"Glad to hear it."

Grains popped up from behind Robin, blurting out, "I knew you were weak! One punch, and you’re coughing up blood."

Lyra didn’t bother responding and went to grab her food.

After lunch, on her way back to her room, Kail intercepted her in a hallway corner.

His hair was disheveled, and he looked at her with an intense gaze. "I’m sorry."

Even though he knew she wasn’t his sister, seeing her collapse had stirred up guilt and worry.

"I have a question," Lyra said calmly, meeting his eyes. He expected her usual coldness, but instead, she asked, "You knew Erin had it out for your sister, yet you still came to NMA to test me. You didn’t even bother to warn me about her. How much do you hate your sister?"

Kail was caught off guard, fumbling for words. "That was Erin acting on her own. I only came to the academy because my grandfather ordered it..."

If he’d looked at her right then, he would’ve noticed the disappointment behind her steady gaze.

Despite his talent and growing strength, he was still immature. He’d been spoiled by his parents, and after they were gone, his sister had become his anchor. Now, with her gone, he was still tied down by his grandfather’s expectations, lacking any real resolve.

"But," Lyra paused, "you didn’t even try to avoid the monitors to find out where your sister was. I think if she were still alive, she’d be very disappointed."

As she walked away, Kail stood there, stunned, unable to process why her words had hit him so hard.

The newly discovered planet was named "Wyrmtrace," because its surface bore deep, winding trenches that looked like they had been carved by ancient dragons.

When satellite scans confirmed the planet’s potential, Vice Admiral Oleg Minster’s legion command, was the first to set up a base there. Their mission? To explore the planet for high-level beasts, rare plants, and valuable mineral veins.

After cataloging the resources, the legion handed them over to the authorities, who would then auction them off to merchants for large-scale development.

But not everything made it to the public listings. Rumor had it that Vice Admiral Oleg Minster might have kept a few valuable finds for himself. After all, it hardly seemed fair to risk lives exploring a new world only to hand over everything to shrewd merchants.

This routine had been in place for about a year, yet despite completing the initial exploration, Oleg showed no signs of leaving Wyrmtrace.

In the base’s conference room, the tall, muscular, brown-haired Oleg sat with a look of frustration. "Have those search teams still come up empty?" he barked.

"I’m afraid so," his adjutant replied. "We’ve used the most advanced equipment, even dug as deep as two hundred meters, but we haven’t found anything significant." He hesitated before adding, "We’ve already uncovered several level-seven plants and two level-eight plants. It’s possible we’ve exhausted Wyrmtrace’s resources."

And that didn’t even count the haul they’d already sent back.

"This is a medium-sized planet, packed with mineral veins, and not a single level-nine plant? That doesn’t add up," Oleg grumbled, clearly dissatisfied.

He had led a force of a hundred thousand troops for a year, and with so many lives lost, their findings didn’t seem nearly enough. It wasn’t worth the cost.

"The worst part," he continued, "is the officials hounding us. But when it comes time to pay up for compensation or military salaries, suddenly they’re in no rush. If they keep pushing, I might just decide to keep everything for myself!"

Frustrated and unwilling to leave empty-handed, Oleg devised a new plan. "The engineering team will be here soon. Get them started as soon as they arrive. If we can’t find any more plants, we’ll load up on raw minerals instead."

The tools they had on hand were more suited for exploratory drilling, not full-scale mining, but Oleg wasn’t about to leave with nothing.

The adjutant hesitated, glancing at his data pad. "But according to our orders, we’re supposed to leave as soon as the engineering team arrives."

Oleg dismissed the concern with a gruff wave. "What do you think that young officer is doing here if not because he’s a Whyte? We haven’t finished our mission, so we’re not going anywhere just yet!"

The adjutant silently noted, "But he’s already a level-seven, and he’s not even thirty."

Just then, a report came in: Cohen and Erin, who were escorting the engineering team, had arrived. They were asking if Oleg wanted to meet with them immediately.

"I’m not in the mood. I’ll talk to them at dinner. Just get them settled in for now," Oleg said, waving them off. He wasn’t interested in dealing with officers who had strong connections at the moment.

The base only had one large dining hall, so avoiding them completely wasn’t an option.

At dinner, Oleg had no choice but to put on a polite front, especially out of respect for their admiral.

When the young officer approached him, Oleg forced a smile, his white teeth gleaming. He grabbed Cohen’s hand, shaking it firmly. "My dear nephew, I’ve been waiting for you!"

Cohen coolly pulled his hand back and offered a formal salute. "Lieutenant Commander Cohen Whyte, reporting for duty. I’m here to ensure the engineers’ safety as they develop Wyrmtrace. Thank you for your efforts, Vice Admiral Minster."

"No trouble at all," Oleg muttered under his breath, irritated that Cohen wasn’t playing along with his friendly act. "By the way, there’s something you should know. We’ve run into a small problem here, so I’m not ready to leave just yet."

Cohen’s brow twitched slightly as he exchanged a look with Erin, who then spoke up. "But according to the transfer orders we brought, the deadline is tomorrow."

"Technically, my job is to clear out any dangers. If I leave now and you encounter trouble, the higher-ups will blame me," Oleg replied with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. His tone, however, was firm. "Staying a few extra days won’t hurt, especially since I suspect there’s a high-level beast hiding within those mineral veins."

Chapter 85: The Third Mine

"Lieutenant Commander Whyte, what do you think we should do now?" After dinner, Erin and Cohen walked back to their quarters, talking about their next steps. "What exactly does Vice Admiral Minster mean?"

Without showing any emotion, Cohen replied, "The Vice Admiral already said that the danger might not be completely gone."

Both of them were experienced and understood the real reason behind the Oleg’s caution—if there were any more high-level beasts, they would have shown up by now. Apparently, Oleg just wanted to stay.

Erin and Cohen knew they should let him go; however, with a Vice Admiral leading a force of ten thousand soldiers, it wasn’t their place to tell him to leave. It was best to let him handle it with the higher-ups, and the two should just stand by and watch.

Wyrmtrace, the planet they were on, had a day that lasted thirty hours, so their bodies needed to adjust.

Once they arrived and got used to the day-night cycle, all the technical teams started working right away.

The base construction crew began transporting materials. Machines for analyzing minerals were set up, and experts started studying new plants and animals.

Lyra and the others were assigned to protect the technicians working on the mining operations. There were about seventy known mineral veins, and they were mainly focusing on the largest seven for research. This meant that the eight trainees had to split up and follow different teams.

Cuss, who couldn’t watch over everyone, reminded them before they set out, "The advance team cleared the area using satellite data, but there are still many unexplored regions on Wyrmtrace. Even though the satellites didn’t detect any danger, you are forbidden from entering undeveloped areas."

He added, "The maps on your opticomputers clearly mark these areas. If your location shows you’ve entered a red zone, it will be considered a violation, and I’ll immediately end your training."

In truth, they were mostly there as extra hands; the main force protecting the technicians was still the three military units stationed at the base. As long as these young trainees didn’t do anything reckless, they would likely return safely.

According to the plan, they needed to be divided into three teams. Whether by chance or on purpose, the NMA group of three stayed together, and so did the EPMA group of three. Unfortunately, Lyra and Kail ended up in the same team.

Cuss explained this by saying, "You two have the best teamwork among the trainees. Kail has the combat skills half of a level-six Peculiar, and Lyra, with your healing abilities, will work well with him."

Lyra suspected that their pairing might have been a decision from higher up, but she was sure that making Zorion the team leader was Erin’s choice.

Since Zorion had a relatively high rank, Cohen decided to add Kogar to the team to balance things out. In a way, this made their team the main force.

After confirming that the radar signals with the base were connected, the three convoys set out separately.

The planet’s atmosphere and water were suitable for human life, so aside from wearing protective suits to guard against unknown viruses and bacteria, they could be exposed to the elements.

With nearly seventy people in each team, they had to clear a path as they moved forward, and even with the most advanced tools, progress was slow.

Lyra sat in the back of an off-road truck, holding a particle gun and resting her eyes. Across from her, Kail stared at her intently. ’Why had she said those things before? —Where my sister was...? Did she know something?

During a break, he approached Zorion and angrily asked, "What is Erin trying to do? Does Grandpa know what she’s up to?"

Zorion was already frustrated with how to deal with Lyra, so when Kail confronted him, he impatiently pulled him aside. "Kail, what else can I do but protect you? Besides, how should I know what Erin wants to do?"

Kail didn’t trust Zorion’s words, especially after recalling Erin’s ruthless actions on the battleship. Remembering Lyra’s pointed questions, he decided that no matter what tasks Zorion gave to Lyra, he would insist on going with her. He didn’t believe Zorion would dare to harm him as well.

One day, Zorion called out, "Lyra, do you know how to operate a tree-cutting robot? The forward clearing team needs more hands. You go and take a shift!"

"Yes," Lyra replied without hesitation and jumped down from the truck, heading forward.

Seeing this, Kail quickly followed, jumping down as well. "The tree-cutting robot needs two people. I’ll go with you!"

The two of them climbed into the towering robot, nearly three stories high, equipped with a large chainsaw and lifting clamps.

Behind them, Zorion cursed under his breath, muttering an insult. Kogar was in charge of personnel allocation, and he overheard Zorion. The quiet young man glanced at Zorion, then looked away.

Though they were moving through an area that had been previously explored, small groups of low-level beasts occasionally migrated into the region over time.

These creatures, having never encountered humans before, attacked in groups.

Lyra controlled the robot, swinging the two-meter-long chainsaw with precision, cutting through the beasts like a ruthless butcher. Many of the technicians watching turned pale, some even vomiting at the sight.

As the beasts scattered, Lyra didn’t let up. She hunted down and killing several more adult beasts.

"They’re already running away. Is it really necessary to chase them down?" asked Kail as he sat in the passenger seat. He felt a bit alarmed by how Lyra didn’t even blink during the massacre.

"You’re too naive," Lyra replied. "If we don’t severely cripple the entire group, they’ll follow us for revenge."

On the other hand, leaving a few young ones alive would force the remaining adult beasts to hide away to protect their species. They’d avoid the area during the major development, and in a few years, their numbers would recover.

They pursued the beasts up to the edge of the forbidden red zone before returning with the robot.

When they got back, Zorion scolded them harshly. "You were supposed to clear the path, not chase after beasts! Did you really need to go that far?"

Meanwhile, the others were busy dismantling the beasts’ bodies, collecting useful materials.

Blood stained the yellow soil.

Some live young beasts were also captured and caged, ready to be sent back to the base as subjects for the biologists.

Kogar, having finished his tasks, walked over with a smile, trying to ease the tension. "They meant well. It’s their first mission, Lieutenant, so maybe don’t be too hard on them."

"If they hadn’t scattered the young beasts, we could have captured even more alive!" Zorion retorted.

Over the next few days, aside from a few minor incidents and some light injuries, the team safely reached their first destination—the third mineral vein.