Ch. 91..95: Interstellar_ Return of the Villain Chapter 91-95

Chapter 91: Monstrous Bees

The two researchers were left in shock.

"Move it!" Lyra yelled, shoving them toward the cave entrance. "Tie the safety ropes now!"

They scrambled to grab the ropes.

The woman quickly secured hers, but when she glanced over, she saw her colleague awkwardly clutching a fan-shaped crystal under his arm.

Frustrated, she snatched the crystal from him and tossed it aside, tying his rope for him. "I’ll deal with you later!"

She pressed the retract button, and the device kicked into gear, lifting him up.

She was about to grab a data device just two meters away when Lyra suddenly pressed the retract button again.

"I’ll get it," Lyra insisted.

As the woman disappeared into the exit, she shouted, "Forget it! Get out of here first!"

But when she looked down, her heart froze—Lyra was being swarmed by monstrous bees.

Then, however, in a flash of bright green light, the ropes zipped upward.

Lyra, with her protective suit ripped in places, was lifted to safety. Seeing this, the woman exhaled in relief.

Seeing the device Lyra was hauling up with a light band, she felt even more relieved.

But the ominous sound of buzzing wings brought back her tension.

"They’re catching up?"

The headset crackled, and Lyra’s calm voice cut through, "They won’t catch up."

A green barrier expanded beneath Lyra’s feet, holding off the monstrous bees below, though it was slowing her down.

It was already late at night on the surface.

The man was the first to emerge, scrambling out and shouting in terror, "So many monstrous bees are after us!"

Everyone around him froze. They quickly grabbed him and asked, "Monstrous bees? What’s that?"

Bees were some of the most troublesome creatures—they swarmed. Alone, they were not strong, but in groups, they were relentless, and a big enough swarm could even take down a high-level beast!

The woman climbed out next, shouting at Kogar and the others, "Help! The intern’s still down there!"

Zorion’s eyes narrowed, and he sprinted to the edge of the drill hole. If he could block the entrance... He raised the rocket launcher in his hand, aimed at the entrance, and shouted, "If those bees get up here, we’re all dead!"

Panic spread immediately, and someone suggested, "Should we block the hole?"

"Get out of the way!" Zinnia shoved the person aside.

Thierry, thinking of Lyra’s powers, said, "Lyra can seal the entrance!"

Kogar, realizing Zorion’s true intentions, started running over, "No way!"

Two meters from the entrance, Lyra glanced up just in time to see the cold grin on Zorion’s face. The barrier beneath her suddenly expanded, wrapping around her and pressing her against the well wall.

The gap left was just enough for the monstrous bees to swarm up.

Zorion’s face twisted in panic as he tried to pull the trigger, but the fast-moving bees engulfed him, and he let out a scream.

He quickly used his powers to fling the bees away, but it only made them angrier, and they chased him with renewed fury.

Everyone else kept their distance.

After Lyra managed to make it to the surface, she quickly pulled out a series of devices to block the entrance.

Not many bees had made it out, so Zorion was rescued in time.

However, where the bees had stung him, his skin turned black and purple, and soon his whole body swelled as if he’d been soaked in water.

"Healing device, now!"

The Skywalkers brought over a healing device to treat him. While the external wounds were healed, the poison lingered, leaving him barely clinging to life.

’He’s lucky to be alive,’ Lyra thought, lowering her eyes. ’I should’ve let more out.’

At last, everyone had a moment to process what had happened below. The woman didn’t waste any time, kicking the man hard several times. "You useless fool! You nearly got us killed!"

"If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have been in danger!"

The man tried to dodge her kicks, complaining, "If she, an intern, can take that much, why can’t I?"

All eyes turned to Lyra, suspicion growing. ’Is there something valuable down there? Did she...’

Feeling self-righteous, the man was about to continue his complaints, but Lyra grabbed him by the back of the neck and shoved him toward the edge of the entrance.

He kicked his legs in fear, "What are you doing? Let me go!"

Lyra pressed his face against the green barrier and whispered, "Do you have a problem here?"

Through the transparent barrier, the monstrous bees with their fuzzy bodies were clearly visible, just on the other side.

Terrified, the man squeezed his eyes shut. "No! I’m sorry, okay? It was all my mistake!"

He couldn’t believe they had just escaped such terrifying creatures.

Grains, hiding behind a researcher, muttered quietly, "So brutal."

Kail stayed silent, lips pressed together.

This uncomfortable scene made the man’s colleague feel a twinge of sympathy, and he was about to step in when the woman who had gone down with them stopped him.

"He deserves it. The monstrous bees were asleep before. We had all the data and were ready to leave, but he just had to go into the water and wake them up. She saved him, and he’s still ungrateful. If it weren’t for this intern, our equipment would’ve been destroyed by those bees, and we’d have no energy mine to find."

"They almost lost the data?" Hearing this, all the technical staff quickly backed off. "Serves him right!"

Afterward, no matter how much the Skywalkers pressed for details, the man didn’t dare say a word about what Lyra had taken.

As the researchers continued analyzing the data, trying to figure out the value of the energy mine, dawn slowly broke.

The roar of engines snapped everyone out of their thoughts, and they cheered as they looked up at the sky.

Two helicopters and a battleship, marked with the Phoenix Legion insignia, approached quickly, with fighter jets already firing at the beast horde below.

The warship landed on a flat area, and suddenly, even the fiercest roars didn’t seem so scary anymore.

Vice Admiral Oleg strode out, slapping Phillip hard on the back. "Phillip, you really are my lucky charm!"

Cohen, who followed him, wrinkled his nose in disgust. ’Is the Oleg here to save lives or make a profit?’

Erin, however, was furious about Zorion’s near-death experience. "Lyra, step forward!"

Lyra, still half-asleep, stood up to face Erin’s wrath. "It was your mistake that led to Lieutenant Zorion’s severe injury!"

"It was his own recklessness that caused this mess," Lyra replied, shrugging. "I think Lieutenant Zorion should ask himself why the monstrous bees only stung him and not anyone else."

Zinnia and the others struggled to hold back laughter, not wanting to strip away what little dignity Zorion had left.

Erin glared at Lyra, whose face resembled her cousin’s but with a cold, detached expression. She clenched her fists. "You could have blocked the bees. Why did you let them fly up? And you say it wasn’t your fault!"

"If you say so," Lyra responded calmly, as if to ask, what are you going to do about it?

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Erin realized she couldn’t do much, so she turned to Cohen to complain. "Lieutenant Commander Whyte, she admitted her mistake. She should be punished."

Cohen’s face darkened. "First, she’s my responsibility as an intern. Lieutenant Commander Shedd, you don’t need to tell me how to do my job. Second, sending an intern down the drill hole was against protocol to begin with. In a crisis, I don’t expect an intern to be responsible for protecting a Lieutenant."

He had just learned from Kogar that Zorion had actually tried to kill Lyra.

Such despicable behavior was completely out of line.

Chapter 92: High-level Beasts

The support team had arrived well-prepared. They brought along a stash of medicine and a medical crew to get Zorion back on his feet soon enough. Yet, with Cohen’s icy demeanor, it was pretty clear Lyra wouldn’t be footing the bill for Zorion’s injuries.

Erin wasn’t bothered by this. She had other ways in mind to handle the situation with Lyra.

Just then, Vice Admiral Oleg called out with eager energy, rallying everyone to start moving the heavy equipment and machinery. His intentions were clear as day—he was after the energy resources hidden below.

Cohen, wearing a blank expression, stepped in to remind him, "Sir, your job is to clear out the beasts. Leave the rest to us, please."

For a split second, Oleg’s smile faltered, but he didn’t push back. In his mind, he figured that when the time came, no one would stop him from getting what he wanted.

"Very well, I’ll leave this to you," Oleg said, giving Cohen’s shoulder a firm pat, laced with a subtle challenge. "Lieutenant Commander Whyte, make sure this gets done right. Everyone’s counting on those energy resources. I’ll have Commander Phillip assist you."

If Cohen hadn’t carried the Whyte name, Oleg might’ve chosen his fists over words to put the young man in his place.

"Yes, sir," Cohen replied.

Lyra coughed into her fist, her eyes trained on Cohen’s face. Despite his attempt to stay composed, she noticed the barely restrained anger flickering in his tense expression.

This was the Alliance he was trying so hard to protect—the military he believed in.

After Oleg and his crew headed off to battle the beasts, Lyra bent down and picked up a fan-shaped crystal from a crack in the rocks. She walked over to Cohen and handed it to him. "Sir, I think we need to check out this crystal before we start mining."

She hadn’t brought it up earlier to avoid provoking Oleg, leaving the decision in Cohen’s hands instead.

The work crew paused, curious.

"This is mine!" The male researcher who had found it in the pit took a few steps forward. However, he hesitated when Lyra glanced his way, quickly backing off.

"Where did this come from?" Cohen asked, ignoring the researcher’s reaction as he took the cold crystal.

It was large, about the size of an adult’s spread hands. It had a light purple shade, noticeably different from the energy stones they had on record.

"The researcher found it in the water," Lyra explained, studying the crystal closely. "Something feels off about it."

It was just a hunch.

Erin rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Can you stop wasting everyone’s time with something we know nothing about?"

She then turned to Cohen, adding, "Vice Admiral Oleg just reminded us to get moving on the energy resources."

Phillip quickly chimed in, "Exactly, the Vice Admiral’s on a tight schedule."

Cohen’s mood darkened at the mention of Oleg. "Surveying and mining are our responsibilities. They have nothing to do with Vice Admiral Oleg."

He didn’t appreciate others trying to sway his decisions.

Not wanting to push her luck, Erin softened her tone, suggesting, "But the energy resources have already been surveyed. We can’t delay over an unidentified crystal. I recommend we mine while analyzing it."

Cohen knew they’d be working together for some time, so he decided to avoid further conflict. "Fine."

Lyra had achieved what she set out to do and gave a quick salute before returning to the group of trainees.

Grains, unable to resist, muttered under his breath, "I’m telling you, trying to show off is pointless. No one cares."

But his remark fell on deaf ears, leaving him pouting in disappointment.

Vivian was escorted back to the Mendez family’s private spaceship by the housekeeper.

After a bath and a change of clothes, she felt refreshed and returned to the scene with her eyes locked on Cohen. Even if marriage was off the table, she still saw him as an ideal partner for dating or spending the night.

Meanwhile, Zinnia and Thierry stuck close to Lyra, noticing how she seemed unusually tense and restless. It was a stark contrast to her usual cold, composed demeanor.

"Lyra, what’s up?" Thierry asked as he casually perched on a rock. "Is it that crystal from earlier that’s bugging you?"

"Yeah," Lyra responded, her gaze fixed on the drilling equipment. The advanced machinery was working fast, piling up waste rock on both sides and enlarging the exposed pit. It looked like a giant wound had been ripped open in the hillside, raw and unsettling.

A growing sense of unease nudged Lyra to speak more than she normally would. "Those monstrous bees in the underground cave— they’ve been gathering plants and storing them in large amounts. But here’s the strange part: some of these plants are rotting, yet the bees aren’t eating them. It’s not normal."

"Why is that strange?" Zinnia asked, clearly puzzled.

Thierry frowned. "These monstrous bees aren’t exactly picky. Maybe they just collect stuff for no reason, like keeping plants around because they look good."

Robin, who had been listening in, also sensed something was off. "Typically, monstrous bees are sacrificial creatures. Their whole existence revolves around serving a higher-ranking queen bee," he explained, glancing at Lyra. "Did you see a queen bee down there?"

"Yes, a level-six one, but it’s in a dormant state."

Lyra’s sharp eyes scanned the chaotic hillside and the growing horde of beasts below. ’What are we missing? The monstrous bees collecting high-grade plants, the beast horde, the energy mine that blocks scanning signals, and the strange crystal...’

A sudden chill ran down her spine. Without hesitation, Lyra hurried over to Cohen. "We need to evacuate immediately!"

Cohen was focused on the construction site. "Give me a reason."

"There’s a high chance that a high-level beast is here!"

It was a serious warning, but Phillip, standing nearby, dismissed her concerns. "Kid, the Vice Admiral probably mentioned we’ve already taken down several level-seven beasts. Their trophies are still in the warehouse."

Hearing the mention of a high-level beast, the technicians nearby started to panic, while Erin rolled her eyes and told them, "Ignore her. Keep working."

Just then, a technician monitoring the energy readings from the mine shouted in surprise, "Why is the energy fluctuating like crazy?"

The 3D display showed sharp, erratic spikes in the readings.

That one sentence was like a stone thrown into calm waters, causing ripples of alarm.

The ground suddenly trembled violently, causing everyone to jump in shock, only to stumble back down.

Large rocks at the mountaintop broke free, crashing over the protective barriers and tumbling downhill with alarming speed.

The beasts that had been scattered by the weapons fire suddenly stopped, regrouping at the foot of the mountain and howling up at them in unison.

"Have these beasts lost their minds?" Oleg exclaimed in disbelief.

Lyra’s instincts screamed at her. That familiar, terrifying sense of danger made her hair stand on end. Without looking back, she sprinted towards Zinnia and the others, shouting, "Run!"

She wasn’t about to wait around for anyone who wanted to stay and die.

The interns didn’t hesitate for a second, immediately following her as they raced toward a helicopter parked in the distance.

As they ran, Vivian cried out in panic, "Does anyone know how to fly this thing?!"

"I do!" Kail shouted back.

"I’ll take the copilot seat!" Thierry added, not missing a beat.

Meanwhile, Cohen snapped out of his shock and shouted at the now-terrified technicians, "Run!"

He summoned his mecha from his Space Button, taking just three seconds to get inside. With one arm, he scooped up several lead researchers, determined to carry them toward the helicopter with the others.

Chapter 93: Cheer For Surviving

The ground shook harder, and rocks of all sizes came crashing down. Even metal equipment was crushed into nothing, so you can imagine what happened to the fragile human bodies.

Blood splattered like juice on the mecha, and Cohen’s lips pressed into a thin, pale line.

Phillip was already airborne in his mecha, while Erin was desperately trying to save as many people as she could, her eyes fixed on the hillside.

"Lieutenant Commander Whyte, there’s no time! We need to go!" she shouted.

"But there are still technicians down there!" Whyte called back, frustration clear in his voice. He knew he couldn’t save them all.

Meanwhile, the flat cliff where the helicopter had landed started to shake too. Lyra sprinted to the cockpit and shouted, "Take off!"

Kail was still watching the hillside. "There are people who haven’t made it on yet!"

"Just a little longer," Thierry agreed, also hesitant.

"No time!" Lyra yanked the throttle without a second thought.

The moment the helicopter lifted off, the cliff collapsed.

Cohen, who had been racing towards the helicopter with a group of survivors, was just a second too late. The violent shaking knocked him off balance, forcing him to activate his jet pack and fly into the air. Below him, the terrified screams of the researchers filled the air, but the flying debris made it impossible for him to use his superpowers to help.

When Cohen finally got back onto the helicopter, his face was a mix of rage and grief. "Who gave you the order to take off?!"

All eyes turned to Lyra.

"Was it you?" Cohen demanded, his eyes bloodshot, thinking about the technicians who didn’t make it. "If we’d waited just ten more seconds, everyone could’ve made it. You were selfish!"

"Ten more seconds, and the helicopter could’ve been hit by rocks or worse, attacked by that beast. I couldn’t risk it!" Lyra shot back, her voice steely.

In the face of the beast tide and the landslide, even someone with her powers felt as powerless as a bug.

When survival is at stake, rank and pleasantries go out the window.

Thierry stared at the bloodstains on the hillside, and Zinnia stood quietly beside him.

"I don’t really get it either," Thierry muttered, remembering Lyra’s choice. "We were supposed to protect them."

So many lives lost, just like that.

As Lyra and Cohen continued to argue, the ground began to rise ever so slightly—

Suddenly, a beam of purple-red light shot out from the earth, piercing the sky and ripping a hole through the clouds.

A deafening roar shook the air—

Heavy rocks were sent flying as a massive beast erupted from the ground, smashing right into the nearby helicopter.

Kail barely managed to swerve out of the way.

Everyone else was frozen in shock, staring at the monstrous figure rising into the sky.

She had the head of a dragon, the body of a serpent, tall fins running down her back, and sharp horns crowning her head. Her fangs looked like they could tear through a fighter jet.

The creature’s shimmering scales glistened in the sunlight, matching the image the old professor had warned them about.

What once seemed like an unmovable mountain now looked tiny beneath the creature’s enormous body.

The old professor’s voice was rough as he stared at the energy monitor. "An level-eight wyrm! No, it was almost level-nine!"

Lyra’s expression darkened. The pressure this beast gave off was even more terrifying than the level-eight Pyrodrake she had faced on Bionysus.

Now it all made sense: the beast tide, the landslide. This wyrm wasn’t just any beast—she was the ruler of Wyrmtrace, and she had been hiding in the mines, preparing for her next advancement.

Some of the technicians who specialized in studying beasts quickly analyzed the situation. "The energy around this wyrm is leaking, which means she’s close to evolving. That’s probably why she was sleeping here," one of them explained. "She was drawing energy from the mineral deposits, waiting for the right moment. But now that she’s awake, we can’t be sure if she was disturbed by the mining or if the moment she was waiting for has finally arrived."

Lyra glanced down at the chaotic beast tide below and made a quick assessment: the moment had come.

The wyrm hadn’t attacked them immediately, which gave everyone a precious window to retreat.

Even from a hundred miles away, her massive form, coiled on the mountain, cast a shadow that seemed to stretch forever.

Vice Admiral Oleg was the most anxious among them.

"What was your last report to me?" he growled, gripping one of his scouts by the collar, his face contorted in anger. "You told me it was safe, that all the high-level beasts had been eliminated. And now this huge creature was hiding in the mountain! How am I supposed to explain the loss of so many people?"

His rage was so intense it seemed he might tear the man apart.

If Oleg had already left the site, Cohen and his team would have shouldered most of the blame. But unfortunately, Oleg was still there, watching the disaster unfold.

In the end, not even two shiploads of energy minerals could make up for the cost in lives.

The scout, nearly fainting from Oleg’s grip, stammered, "Th-the mineral deposits block detection signals. We couldn’t detect it... There’s nothing we could’ve done."

Even at close range, none of the researchers had discovered the wyrm. Looking back, they should’ve been more cautious...

As night fell, Lyra stood at the edge of the camp, her gaze locked on the distant, looming beast.

Zinnia walked up and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don’t blame yourself. You didn’t do anything wrong."

No one could say for sure what would’ve happened if they had waited those ten extra seconds, but surviving was what mattered most.

"I just wish those people had listened to the warnings," Lyra replied, her voice steady.

While everyone else was mourning the lives lost, Lyra seemed strangely detached. "What’s done is done; we can’t change it. I’m just thankful we’re still here."

Thierry, who had been about to say something, stopped in his tracks, realizing that Lyra’s perspective might be fundamentally different from theirs.

Meanwhile, Oleg, though still furious, was already preparing his forces for a siege against the beast.

Though both level-eight and level-seven beasts were considered high-level, the gap between them was enormous.

A level-seven beast could be subdued with enough firepower, but an level-eight beast came with the added threat of self-destruction—a last resort they might use if cornered.

They had to neutralize the wyrm before she had a chance to self-destruct or destroy her beast core, the point where her energy was concentrated.

"Even I can’t guarantee taking it down, so this job will require the warship’s particle cannon, and we’ll only get one shot," Oleg admitted, showing a glimpse of the seasoned commander within him. "I’ll lead the main attack. Lieutenant Commander Whyte and Shedd, my adjutant, and the guards will support with their mechas."

They were down to just a few advanced mechas, and regular fighter jets wouldn’t stand a chance against a level-eight beast.

The most critical factor, according to the beast experts, was that the wyrm was on the brink of advancement. This meant there would be no second chances—if the wyrm reached the ninth level, even the high-energy particle cannon wouldn’t be enough to kill it.

At dawn the next day, the entire force mobilized.

The interns was also busy, some assigned to the medical team to treat the wounded, others helping to launch fighter jets or loading ammunition and supplies.

As the first light of the orange sunrise hit the wyrm’s shimmering scales, a barrage of beams and shells erupted, signaling the start of the battle.

 

Chapter 94: Healing Everyone

Lyra knew she didn’t have what it took to fight a Level-Eight Beast, so she stuck with the medical team, serving as a healer.

"Intern, over here!" someone called out.

She quickly set aside what she was doing and rushed to the entrance hall to help carry in the wounded soldiers.

Just then, a woman burst in, panic in her voice. "Captain, there are too many injured on the battlefield, and we don’t have enough people to transport them!"

The captain was busy treating a patient, and he frowned. Usually, they could request backup medical teams, but being on an alien planet changed everything.

He called the adjutant coordinating things in the command room.

"Where am I supposed to find more people?" the adjutant snapped. "That’s a level-eight beast out there! We’ve already deployed everyone available!"

But leaving the injured behind wasn’t an option. The battlefield was chaotic, and if they lost those people, the compensation costs would skyrocket.

The captain scanned the room, spotting Thierry and Kail awaiting orders. Cohen and Erin were nowhere to be seen, so he made a quick decision.

"You two, step up!" he commanded. The two snapped to attention.

"I’m ordering you to head to the battlefield and assist with transporting the wounded!" Peculiar stated firmly.

They hesitated for just a moment, then nodded. "Yes, sir!"

Peculiar nodded approvingly. "All the interns will go. I know you have a healer among you, so she can help with first aid."

He added four more words, almost as if it were an afterthought, "Be careful out there."

At that moment, it didn’t matter who came from which prestigious family—everyone’s life was on the line.

Lyra heard the order and remained composed. She simply asked, "What transport is assigned to us?"

"An armored helicopter for evacuation and some jetpacks for carrying people," came the reply.

That seemed reasonable enough.

There were eight of them, and while Vivian and Grains were hesitant, they didn’t stir up any trouble. After all, Vivian had her butler for protection, and Grains had Robin to keep him grounded.

They quickly suited up and boarded the helicopter.

As they neared Mine No. 7, the sounds of explosions and gunfire filled the air, making their hearts pound.

Fighter jets roared overhead, and the ground below was drenched in blood.

The wreckage of aircraft littered the battlefield, mingling with torn military uniforms and mangled body parts gnawed on by the beasts.

Many of the beasts lay dead, having been caught in the crossfire. The stench of smoke and blood hung thick in the air.

But the most terrifying sight was the wyrm. Each time she roared, her scales emitted a faint glow, and purple beams shot out, taking down yet another fighter jet.

A massive stone giant, standing a hundred meters tall, was locked in combat with the wyrm—Vice Admiral Oleg’s superpower at work. Nearby, towering mechas unleashed their firepower on the wyrm.

For the moment, the humans seemed to have the upper hand.

Lyra remained on the helicopter, frantically treating the seriously injured. They had a level-five healing device at their disposal.

Lyra rapidly applied her healing abilities, and before long, fifty wounded soldiers were ready to be transported back.

At that point, Thierry spoke up, "I think Kail should fly the helicopter back to get the injured to safety, while we stay here and find a safe spot to rescue more soldiers."

"I agree!" Zinnia chimed in immediately.

Vivian stared at them in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind? Without the helicopter, a single stray bomb could kill us all!"

Thierry’s eyes burned with determination as he replied, "We joined the military academy to conquer our fears. A soldier’s duty is to protect others."

Zinnia doubled down, saying, "He’s right. If saving even one more person is possible, it’s worth the risk."

Robin and the others didn’t voice any objections.

Grains looked like he was about to protest, but a quick look from Robin made him rethink it and stay quiet.

All eyes then turned to Lyra, the healer.

The level-five healing device was bulky and had to stay on the helicopter. Everything now hinged on Lyra’s decision.

"I’m fine with it," Lyra responded. Arguing felt pointless, especially since she wouldn’t be out on the battlefield like the others.

A collective sigh of relief followed.

"I knew you were the best, Lyra!" Zinnia said excitedly, pulling her into a quick hug before she joined the others.

Vivian insisted on her butler sticking close.

Lyra glanced at the terrifying wyrm raging in the distance. In the sky above, a warship was readying its weapon, waiting for the perfect moment to trap the beast.

By noon, they’d know how this would all play out.

As the hours ticked by, the number of wounded steadily increased. Lyra expanded a healing shield, gathering the injured under its protection, her healing abilities falling like a gentle rain.

Just as Vivian had feared, Thierry got caught in the aftermath of one of the wyrm’s energy beams during a flight. Despite his injuries, he somehow managed to bring back two critically injured soldiers before collapsing.

Lyra had taken shelter in the shade. She walked over and tossed the injured soldiers into the healing shield as if they were sacks of sand.

Grains, ever curious, sneaked his scratched finger into the shield, watching it heal instantly. "Whoa, I didn’t know healing powers could work like that!" he exclaimed, amazed.

Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed through the sky.

Everyone’s heads snapped up. The massive stone giant had the wyrm pinned to the ground, while several advanced mechas shot out chains, locking down the beast’s head and tail. The front of the warship’s enormous cannon was glowing with an intense, blinding light.

The decisive moment was upon them.

"Roar—"

Fear and fury blazed in the wyrm’s eyes as she thrashed violently. Except for Cohen’s mecha, the others were struggling to hold it down and were being dragged across the battlefield.

The wyrm’s massive body crushed the mountains, sending rocks flying like a shower. That created a scene of utter destruction.

"Hurry up!" Oleg shouted, straining to control the giant that pressed down on the wyrm’s head, where her beast core was located. His face was pale from the effort—the creature’s sheer size was overwhelming.

The warship reached full charge, and a brilliant blue-green beam of energy blasted forth.

At that critical moment, the wyrm’s entire body suddenly collapsed—she had broken through the mountain and fallen into the underground water layer.

The high-energy particle cannon hit its neck. But it was off-target.

The wyrm roared, releasing a thick, toxic purple mist that blanketed the sky.

Metal hissed and corroded wherever the mist touched, navigation systems were scrambled, and chaos ensued as aircraft collided mid-air.

When the mist finally cleared, all that remained were wreckage and scattered purple scales—the wyrm had disappeared.

A massive crater marked the spot where she had been, with only a few crushed energy stones occasionally visible.

The battlefield, already a scene of devastation, now felt even more oppressive and grim.

The main forces gathered to discuss their next move.

"I suggest we pursue it," Cohen proposed. "The particle cannon might not have hit her beast core, but she’s seriously injured. This is a rare chance."

Vice Admiral Oleg, breathing heavily, gritted his teeth and made the call. "Chase her down. If we let her recover, we’ll be the ones who die!"

If that creature managed to strike the base with a surprise attack, they’d all be finished.

No one objected.

With determination, they all piloted their mechas and followed the wyrm’s trail.

Chapter 95: Revenge

When they caught up, they found the wyrm gnawing on something massive.

As their mechas scanned the scene, the energy readings hit them like a ton of bricks.

"Damn it! No wonder we couldn’t find those level-nine plants. This thing’s been hoarding them!" Oleg spat out, rage lacing every word.

There were several of these plants, probably all the high-level ones the planet had to offer.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. Cohen’s brow furrowed. "Vice Admiral, the wyrm is using these plants to level up. We can’t let that happen!"

Without hesitation, he aimed his cannon straight at the wyrm’s colossal head and fired, hoping to stop it from feeding.

But the wyrm’s scales began to shift and shimmer—a sign that the advancement had already begun.

In the underground terrain, Oleg was in his element. He let out a thunderous roar, causing the entire mountain to crack and crumble, burying the wyrm in rocks and earth.

Cohen didn’t hold back either. He tore through the debris, exposing the wyrm’s head once more, then barked an order to the battleship, "Fire the cannon!"

"So much power," Lyra thought as she activated a healing shield, feeling the intense particle waves from the battle.

The wyrm thrashed and bellowed, desperate to complete her advancement.

In the sky, red clouds swirled, drawn by her energy, crackling with thunder and lightning.

The wind whipped into a frenzy, pulling debris and even people into a spiraling tornado.

Amid the chaos, the battleship hovered like a lone star in the darkened sky, and suddenly, it unleashed its beam.

A mix of hatred and desperation flickered in the wyrm’s eyes—she wasn’t going down alone.

Her head suddenly split open, releasing a blinding purple light.

BOOM—

The explosion was cataclysmic. The blast was so massive that it could be seen from space.

Lyra lay on the ground, a light shield barely protecting her. She saw several streaks of light shooting out from the center of the explosion—probably Oleg, and the others, all flung by the blast.

When the shockwaves finally died down, a thick layer of gray dust covered everything. Those closest to the explosion were buried beneath the rubble.

Lyra struggled to her feet, spotting the others lying unconscious, their backs torn open and bloody from the force of the blast.

Suddenly, a frantic voice came through her earpiece, "Medical team, locate the Vice Admiral Oleg, now!"

A dark determination flashed in Lyra’s eyes as she grabbed a jetpack from the ground and took off in a specific direction.

Behind her, the butler scrambled to her feet, shielding an unharmed Vivian.

She looked in the direction Lyra had flown and was about to follow when a sharp screech broke the silence.

From the giant crater, a snow-white, plump creature crawled out, with two pairs of small wings on her back—a queen bee.

And she had advanced to level seven!

She was devouring energy mines at an alarming rate. If left unchecked, she would consume them all in no time.

The butler, tasked with overseeing the mining operation, had no choice but to head to the mines first.

Meanwhile, the queen bee kept Cohen and Erin busy.

"Does this ever end?!" Erin shouted, on the brink of losing it.

"Now’s not the time to complain," Cohen muttered, glancing at his mecha’s nearly depleted energy bar. He climbed out of the cockpit, saying, "We’re out of juice. Looks like we’re doing this the old-fashioned way."

At least she was only level seven...

As the battle raged on, Lyra hovered in mid-air, scanning the rubble until she found Oleg.

His mecha’s cockpit was torn open, and he lay slumped in the seat, a bloody mess, barely clinging to life.

In his hand, he still gripped a glowing green plant—Laureate Ivy, a level-nine healing herb.

She activated her earpiece. "Vice Admiral Oleg located, beginning emergency treatment."

"Secure the Vice Admiral at all costs!"

After assessing his condition, Lyra discovered that Oleg’s situation was dire—his bones were shattered, and his organs were badly ruptured.

The only thing keeping him alive was a metal shard lodged near his heart, but even with that, he wouldn’t survive much longer without immediate treatment.

As she approached, a desperate, fierce light flickered in his eyes. "H-help..."

Lyra landed just outside the cockpit. "Can’t speak?" she asked, forming a small ball of healing light and placing it on his throat, making it easier for him to breathe and talk.

"Intern girl, thank you for saving me. Once I’m healed, you can have any reward you want." His grip tightened on the level-nine plant in his hand—anything but that.

"Don’t thank me just yet." Lyra drew a dagger from her waist, pressing it against his throat.

The shock in his eyes made her smile. "Vice Admiral Oleg, sixteen years ago, you executed Rear Admiral Tyro Shedd and his wife, Captain Seren Shedd, didn’t you?"

Luck had led her straight to him.

Oleg, still dazed from the battle and on the brink of death, struggled to grasp what was happening. "What are you doing? Are you an Empire spy?"

Lyra ignored his question, speaking more to herself than to him. "The official charge was treason, but I want to hear the real reason from you." She slowly pressed the dagger deeper into his artery. "Think carefully—this might be your only chance."

The pain from the dagger was nothing compared to the agony of his injuries, but the cold steel sharpened Oleg’s mind.

"You’re Tyro’s daughter?"

"That’s not the point." Lyra’s smile widened. "Don’t waste time. The others are busy with the queen bee—they won’t save you in time."

Oleg’s initial panic faded, replaced by a cold sneer. "Do you think if you kill me, they won’t find out?"

"You forget I’m a healer. Disguising a wound is easy—everyone will believe the Vice Admiral died from his injuries."

Oleg’s face twisted with various emotions before he finally resigned himself. "All I know is that it was because of an experiment. Back then, I was only a Rear Admiral and wasn’t fully informed."

"Who gave the order?"

"Admiral Sparks."

"Where are the death records?"

"In the Alliance’s highest security archive."

"Anything else?" Lyra nudged the dagger slightly. "Think carefully, SIR."

Oleg took a few labored breaths. "You’d find more answers with the heads of the Shedd family and the Calvin family... cough, cough!"

Just then, the distant sound of helicopters filled the air, signaling that help was arriving.

A harsh, defiant look flashed in Oleg’s eyes.

Lyra picked up a rock and slammed it into his chest, worsening his injuries, then struck his throat to silence him completely.

She took the level-nine plant from his hand, inspecting it briefly before placing it back.

Within moments, the helicopter arrived, and several medics in uniforms rushed out.

"I’ve done all I can to keep the Vice Admiral stable," Lyra said quickly. "But his condition is critical—shattered bones, ruptured organs, and bone fragments dangerously close to his heart. He can’t be moved."

The severity of Oleg’s injuries made the medics gasp.

"We don’t have the high-level medical equipment needed for this!"

Their basic gear wouldn’t be enough to keep up with Oleg’s rapid decline.

One of the medics noticed the level-nine healing plant clutched in Oleg’s hand. "Sir, we’ll use this to heal you."

Oleg blinked, signaling his agreement.

After a quick examination, they fed him the plant. His wounds began healing visibly, and he shot a deadly glare at Lyra, as if to say, ’You’ll pay for this!’

But just as the tension started to ease, Oleg suddenly exploded.

The medics and his subordinates stood in stunned silence, covered in blood and bits of flesh.

Lyra calmly wiped the blood from her face, unflinching.