Ch. 96..100: Interstellar_ Return of the Villain Chapter 96-100

Chapter 96: Bluebone

Everyone was stunned, trying to make sense of the chaos.

How could the healing plants lead to Oleg’s sudden explosion? One moment, he was alive, and the next, nothing remained but a bloody mess. A commander of a legion, that strong, wiped out just like that?

His bodyguards didn’t waste a second. Guns were drawn, aimed squarely at the medical team. "What happened? You killed the Vice Admiral!"

"We swear we didn’t! Those were definitely healing plants!" The medics were just as freaked out, scrambling for words.

They had used what should’ve been the best treatment. But their protests fell on deaf ears, with blame hovering over them like a dark cloud.

Lyra watched it all unfold from a distance, staying out of it. Oleg’s death was necessary; if he had survived, she knew he wouldn’t have let her walk away.

The bodyguards quickly restrained the medics and sent word to Oleg’s adjutant, who was back at the base in command.

When the news hit, the adjutant was blindsided at first. But then a thought crossed his mind, and a slight, almost imperceptible smile flickered on his lips before he quickly hid it. "Keep this under wraps for now. Get the level-nine herb back, or our losses will be even worse!"

The bodyguards paused, unsure at first but soon saw the logic.

And so, the Vice Admiral’s death remained a secret, at least for the time being. His remains—what little was left of him—along with the shards of his mecha and the remnants of those fatal herb pieces, were gathered up. All these would be crucial in the report once the true cause of his death was determined.

Meanwhile, the battle near Mine No. 7 was wrapping up.

With two level-seven Peculiars on the field, the queen bee didn’t stand a chance and soon fell into a deep pit.

The beast horde was decimated, the wounded were evacuated, and the survivors limped back to the temporary medical facility.

The remaining troops got busy clearing the battlefield.

Lyra arrived by helicopter just as Zinnia came over.

"Lyra, what are you doing here? The wyrm self-destructed earlier. Are you okay?" Zinnia rushed over, concern etched on her face.

"We got injured earlier, but the medics from the treatment center patched us up. So many people died, though." Lyra’s voice softened, a hint of sadness slipping through.

The new cadets, barely trained, were now face-to-face with the brutal reality of war.

The strong stench in the air made Lyra cough. "I’m fine."

In the heart of the battlefield, the medical team leader worked on treating Cohen and the others. But the tension was still thick, and everyone’s gaze kept drifting toward the pit with uneasy expressions.

"Lieutenant Commander Whyte, we should check if the beast is really dead," a Captain from the Phenix Legion suggested, standing up.

Cohen was in a bloodstained white uniform, his refined features hiding a steely resolve. He nodded. "No rush, we’ll go together."

"But what if that monster escapes?"

"Escape where? We’ve got the place locked down." Erin scoffed, throwing a pointed glance at a silent figure behind her. ’You really think we are just here for show?’

Just then, a housekeeper brought by Vivian stepped forward. "I need to investigate the energy mine as well. It’s the investors’ right."

The air grew tense.

There were still two level-nine plants down there, and now four groups were gunning for them!

Suddenly, the air crackled with energy as superpower particles collided.

This time, it wasn’t about beating the enemy—it was all about claiming the spoils.

Cohen stood like a towering figure, his face calm and steady.

With a simple wave, he unleashed a powerful energy, and as he spread his fingers and pressed down, an intense surge of gravity slowed everyone around him.

His psychokinetic powers were undeniable, and he quickly gained the upper hand.

The others could only watch in stunned silence as Kogar maneuvered his mecha into the deep pit.

Moments later, he emerged, clutching a glowing blue root-like object—the coveted level-nine advancement plant, Bluebone.

"Sir!" someone shouted, breaking the tense silence.

Cohen gripped the plant firmly. Then he lightly jumped back as he released the gravity hold.

"I really thought you were fair and selfless, Lieutenant Commander Whyte," the Captain of the Phenix Legion sneered, unable to hide his disdain.

"Just looking out for myself," Cohen replied coolly. Despite the slight fatigue settling in as he landed, his expression remained calm. "Besides, even if I were to hand it over, some folks wouldn’t let that slide."

Oleg’s death could have changed everything, but for now, Cohen stayed in the dark about it.

Realizing that prying the plant from Cohen’s grip was futile, the others turned on each other.

The tension erupted into another fierce battle, each side convinced they deserved the remained plant and fighting tooth and nail to claim it.

"What on earth? Why are they fighting?!" Zinnia gasped, eyes wide with shock.

"They’re after the level-nine plants," Lyra explained, her gaze fixed on the chaotic struggle.

Three level-sevens, backed by a group of level-sixes...

But before Lyra could formulate a plan, a group of ten masked individuals, all clad in nondescript jackets and armed to the teeth, burst onto the scene.

With no legion insignia, their origins were a mystery.

Kail’s instincts flared up, and he yelled at Lyra, "Run!"

The others were bewildered—why run? Who were these people?

Lyra scoffed, "Doesn’t matter where you run. I’m the one they’re after." She drew a sword from her Space Button and turned to the shocked interns. "If you want to stay alive, stay away from me."

"Lyra..." Zinnia whispered, words failing her as Thierry quickly pulled her back.

Gunshots suddenly rang out, aimed squarely at Lyra, but she dodged with impressive agility.

Kail wanted to jump in and help, but Zorion yanked him aside. "What are you thinking? You want to get yourself killed?"

Kail gritted his teeth, glaring at Zorion as he hissed, "What’s wrong with you people? Why do you have to kill her?"

The masked attackers closed in on Lyra. With her sword in hand, she scanned her surroundings.

Then, she activated a light shield, effortlessly deflecting the bullets that would have torn her apart.

In an instant, she unleashed a barrage of light beams that shattered their weapons.

Panic spread among the attackers as they tried to retreat, but before they could regroup, Lyra disappeared like a phantom.

Suddenly, she reappeared behind them, swiftly decapitating one with a clean strike.

Blood sprayed across her cold, focused face.

Moving with lethal precision, she drew her gun and shot another attacker dead.

The sight of the steaming blood left Zinnia and the others frozen in place. They were too stunned to figure which shocked them more, the sudden assault or Lyra’s ruthless retaliation.

"We have to help her!" Zinnia cried out, trying to rush forward, but Thierry held her back.

"Don’t! We’ll just make things worse. I’ve already contacted Cohen."

Cohen arrived on the scene quickly, finding several bodies already littering the ground.

Using his powers, he pinned everyone down, including Lyra. He demanded coldly, "Who are you? And how did you get in?"

’Who was so desperate to see Lyra dead?’ His gaze shifted to Zorion, suspicion beginning to take root.

At that moment, Lyra managed to break free from Cohen’s psychic grip. In a blur of motion, she cut down the immobilized mercenaries with terrifying efficiency.

Cohen froze, shocked, as did everyone else.

Even Zorion was caught off guard. He had never expected the people he brought to be taken out so swiftly.

Chapter 97: The Truth

Lyra was slightly out of breath, coughing into one hand as she wiped the blood off her sword with the other.

The ground beneath her feet was soaked, and the coldness in her eyes deepened.

"L-y-r-a!" Cohen’s voice shook as he called out. "Did you seriously just kill someone right in front of me?"

He couldn’t wrap his head around it. How had this woman slipped out of his control? He came here to rescue people, but now he was helping a murderer?

Lyra waited, letting her superpower recharge a bit before turning to face him. "This is an alien planet, Cohen. It’s not under any official jurisdiction, so the law doesn’t exactly apply here."

Cohen winced at the sight of the blood on the ground. "Can’t you just calm down?"

Lyra shot him a sarcastic look. "Maybe you should first figure out who these people are. Weren’t there only military personnel and investors here? So it’s clear how they got in." Her words were laced with a sharp edge.

Cohen found himself at a loss for words, anxiety gripping him. These weren’t just any attackers—they were well-trained assassins, possibly from the military. Zorion’s face almost had "guilty" written all over it just now.

At that moment, Zorion felt an unsettling sense of recognition as he stared at Lyra. The fierce, untamed energy she radiated—it reminded him too much of someone dead.

Suddenly, the cold flash of a sword cut through the air.

Startled, Zorion’s instincts kicked in, and he armored himself like a turtle in an instant.

CLANG! The sword snapped.

Level-five superpower. Zorion grinned wickedly, raising his fist to strike.

"Huh, tough skin," Lyra muttered, pulling out a dagger and slashing with blinding speed. The next thing Zorion knew, his arm was severed. They flew off as blood spurted out, pain following in a delayed wave.

"Arghhhh—"

The sudden realization of his mortality struck Zorion hard, and he turned to flee.

Lyra bolted after him, but Kail’s voice stopped her. "Wait, you—"

Her murderous glare silenced him immediately.

"Stay put," she ordered.

But Cohen, furious, used his superpower to pin her down. "You’re the one who needs to stay put!"

Chasing after a superior officer? A military cadet doing that? Unthinkable.

Lyra sighed, resigned. "Fine." She sheathed her dagger back into her Space Button. "But can we at least check who these bodies belong to? Let’s see who they really are."

Cohen pressed his lips together, uneasy. "I’ll have someone handle that later. You don’t need to worry about it."

Deep down, he feared that if it turned out these assassins were military, it would spark a scandal they couldn’t contain.

Lyra seemed to catch on, offering him a mocking smile.

"Ugh, ugh! You can let me go now," she said, her voice weak, as though she might collapse under the pressure.

"Promise me you’ll calm down."

"I’ve been calm this whole time."

The crushing force vanished, and she glanced at the crater where superpower particles still danced in the air. "How about we see who wins this time?"

Cohen felt his frustration peak. He was about to explode. "I order you to return to the base immediately!"

Lyra blinked, feigning innocence. "Weren’t we told that whoever finds the plants gets a share?"

Before Cohen could react, she shot thirty meters away in the blink of an eye.

Cohen was stunned, ’How did she even do that?’

"Everyone, head back!" Cohen barked before taking off after her, leaving the group of interns gaping in disbelief.

Grains rubbed his stiff face. "That woman is something else."

The bloodshed had shattered their worldviews—could killing really be so easy?

Kail couldn’t shake the look in Lyra’s eyes from his mind, and the more he dwelled on it, the faster his heart raced. Without thinking twice, he dashed after her.

The others hesitated for a moment, exchanging uncertain glances, but soon followed suit.

Lyra and Cohen, one sprinting ahead and the other in hot pursuit, reached the edge of a deep pit where the tension was palpable, and the situation was teetering on the brink of a full-blown crisis.

The Phenix Legion had once held the upper hand, but now they found themselves under intense pressure. They were now targeted by the combined forces of the Legion Skywalkers and Vivian’s butler commanding her own squad of fighters.

Worn out and injured, the Phenix Legion had no choice but to retreat.

Now, only a level-seven fighter from the Legion Skywalkers and the butler remained, locked in a brutal duel.

In the chaos, a level-nine plant was being tossed back and forth. The plant could enhance people’s strength.

During the tossing around, the plant soared into the air.

As Lyra raced toward it, she caught sight of the plant, and her heart pounded with excitement—it was a level-nine strength-enhancing plant! Her hunch had been right; this planet did hold treasures like this.

Two level-seven fighters scrambled up from the pit, hands outstretched to grab the plant, but in a flash, a green energy ribbon shot out, snatching it away.

All eyes snapped to Lyra.

The plant, charged with energy, clung to her hand as she started to realize the gravity of the situation—this was a dangerous game she was playing.

"Lyra, be smart and don’t make me kill you." Erin’s voice cut through the tension, his eyes cold and accusing.

The Phenix Legion’s Captain seized the moment, calling out, "Intern gril, hand that over, and I’ll guarantee you a place in the Phenix Legion with a fast track to promotion!"

Lyra didn’t say a word, but her eyes remained fixed on Lyra, brimming with hostility.

"Lyra!" Cohen was now facing her, hand extended in a gesture of caution. "Give it to me. You can’t handle this."

He knew how badly she wanted that level-nine plant, but what could a level-five like her do against a crowd of level-sevens? Even if she got away now, surviving on Wyrmtrace afterward was a different story.

He genuinely wanted to save her life.

But before anyone could move, a level-seven from the Shedd family snapped out a metal whip. The whip’s superpower particles buzzed with lethal intent, and it cut through the air with a bone-chilling coldness.

The Phenix Legion’s Captain also lunged, attacking simultaneously.

"Stop!" Cohen yelled. He found himself unable to hold back, so he dived into the fray himself.

What had been a nearly settled situation spiraled back into chaos the moment Lyra got involved.

Amidst the battle, Lyra, being a level-five, was struggling to keep up.

Just as she was about to retreat, a sharp, icy sensation raced down her spine, forcing her to twist mid-run to avoid a deadly ice shard.

Before she could fully recover, a powerful gust slammed into her chest—it was the stern butler from the Mendez family.

Lyra locked eyes with the woman, seeing the deadly intent there. As she suspected, the quiet ones were always the most dangerous; the Mendez family had kept their true strength hidden well.

Just as she was about to fall into the deep pit, Lyra hurled the plant into the air with all her might, forcing the woman to abandon her attack and chase after it.

Lyra coughed up blood, her body wracked with pain, but she managed to grab onto a ledge with her glowing energy ribbon and began to pull herself back up.

At the pit’s edge, Erin spotted her and immediately activated his superpower, ready to deliver a killing blow, but Kail arrived just in time, shoving him aside.

"You can’t kill her!" Kail shouted, his voice filled with desperation. But the woman sneered, shoving him toward the pit. "Then you can die with her!"

Kail’s eyes widened in shock as he plummeted.

As Lyra climbed, her gaze flicked back and forth between her falling brother and the level-nine plant. She desperately reached out with her energy ribbon—but it wasn’t enough...

She closed her eyes.

In a flash, gleaming silver metal enveloped her. A pair of sleek, sharp wings extended from her back as she dove straight for Kail, who was hurtling toward the ground.

Erin, standing at the pit’s edge, was frozen in shock. She opened her eyes wide as he dropped to his knees, staring at the shimmering metal. ’It... it’s Schedar... but how can a clone possess Schedar? Is it... SHE HAS BEEN THE REAL LYRA SHEDD ALL ALONG!’

Deep within the pit, Lyra caught the stunned Kail. She tossed him onto solid ground as her armor morphed into a protective sphere around them.

Kail, still in shock, sat on the ground. He stared up at Lyra, his voice barely a whisper as he asked, "How do you have...?"

"Idiot!" Lyra snapped, slapping him hard across the face. She didn’t stop there, though. With a quick flick of her energy ribbon, she hoisted him up and slammed him against the jagged rocks nearby.

Silence followed, thick and heavy, as Lyra crouched down beside him, her hand clamping around his throat.

Her voice was low, but every word cut deep. "Kail, it’s been eleven years, and you still don’t have any defenses against the Shedd family. How can you be so stupid? Have you learned nothing?"

Chapter 98: Cold Reunion

Kail’s breath hitched as the grip around his throat tightened, his face flushing crimson. "Sis... why don’t you recognize me?"

They had met months ago, and she kept treating him like a stranger.

Lyra’s gaze locked on his face, so much like their father’s. With a sharp inhale, she slowly loosened her hold, standing tall above him. "The reason I didn’t acknowledge you? You’re useless."

In her eyes, this brother was worth less than the money in her account, or even a sharp blade. At best, he was like a crystal figurine—pretty to look at, but a burden to carry.

Kail’s eyes welled up as he stared at her, disbelief etched across his features. ’How can she say something so heartless?’

"Do you even know what I went through after you left?" He forced himself upright, glaring at her through the tears. "Everyone treated me like trash. I trained until I couldn’t move, studied until my brain hurt..."

But he wasn’t like Lyra. She was a prodigy, mastering dual abilities at level five, feared in battle, and even respected by the elders.

After she was presumed dead, even the lowest members of the family felt free to toss him into icy water. If not for their grandfather sending him off to boarding school, he might have been utterly broken.

He poured out his pain, but Lyra’s eyes remained cold, untouched by his words.

"So what?" Lyra crouched down, meeting his gaze with an empty stare. "Are those people still laughing at you? Did you ever get back at them?"

The silence that followed said enough.

Kail felt like he was staring at a stranger—a sister who had become a hardened shell, driven by nothing but anger. "I’m stronger now, Sis. From here on, it’s just us. No one will dare hurt us again."

"Oh? You want to stick with me?"

"Yes!"

Lyra tilted her head slightly. "Then what if I told you I’m planning to take down the Shedd family? Whose side would you choose?"

Seeing the shock in Kail’s eyes, she allowed herself a small smile.

"I don’t understand. Why would you do that?"

"The truth is, I’m going to have a showdown with the Shedd family. If you want the details, ask Ansel." Lyra’s eyes flicked toward the dim light filtering through the cave entrance. "If you can’t make a choice, go back to the Shedd family. Just stay out of my way."

With that, she leaped off the rocks.

Kail stood there, stunned, watching her walk away.

This reunion, after decades long, had no tearful embraces, no comforting words—just cold, hard reality.

He scrambled to his feet, chasing after her, desperation in his voice. "How can you treat me like this?"

SMACK!

Lyra spun around and slapped him, her voice eerily calm. "Kail, you have no right to demand anything from me. Ansel took everything from me back then, and you? You grew up safe and sound!"

If he weren’t her only remaining family, she would have snapped his neck without a second thought.

"Are you really wondering why I left? Did you ever think about what drove a dual-ability Peculiar like me to lose control? All you’ve ever cared about is yourself. You’re selfish!"

Her voice cracked with emotion, followed by a harsh cough. She pointed toward the cave’s entrance. "Get out!"

Her fierce glare made Kail take a step back, suddenly recalling the wounds she had borne back then.

The Shedd family’s prized Lyra, a genius—how could she have lost control like that?

But even when she did, the Shedd family didn’t rush to save her. They abandoned her to survive on her own.

Lyra didn’t spare him another glance as she moved deeper into the cave.

She had more important things to handle before the others returned from battle.

As Lyra ventured deeper into the cave, the shadows seemed to swallow her whole, and the light in her eyes dimmed along with it.

She had a thought that, maybe during those years when she faked her death, something had snapped inside her, dulling her emotions. She used to treat Kail like he was something precious, but now, all she felt when she looked at him was irritation and a cold assessment of his usefulness.

But then, she let out a bitter laugh—maybe she wasn’t completely numb. After all, where was this nagging sense of disappointment coming from?

The further she went, the closer she got to the mine, and the air grew thick and hard to breathe. The walls were smeared with milky-white blood and bits of skin, and the faint crunch of her steps echoed ominously, sending a shiver down her spine.

Finally, she reached the end of the passage, where a massive, snow-white monster lay sprawled out—the queen bee, her life seeping away as thick, white blood oozed from her body.

Worker bees frantically clawed at the energy minerals nearby, trying to save their queen, but it was clear her time was running out.

Lyra’s presence caused an immediate uproar among the bees.

To them, she was kin to their enemy.

In a frenzy, they swarmed her, desperate to avenge their dying queen.

Lyra’s armor clanged with each hit, but she held her ground and pressed on, approaching the fading creature.

The queen let out a weak, pitiful screech, and Lyra calmly placed her hand on its head, letting her psychokinesis flow gently into it.

"I can save you..."

The queen’s screeching stopped, and the worker bees froze mid-attack.

Humans and beasts were usually locked in a deadly struggle when they met, but with psychokinesis, communication was possible.

However, letting someone else’s psychokinesis into your mind was incredibly dangerous, especially for beasts driven by pure instinct.

Typically, beasts of the same level had much stronger psychokinesis than humans, making such communication a high-risk venture. That’s why it wasn’t common, though some within the Alliance had managed to tame beast cubs this way, turning them into loyal pets.

But to link psychokinesis with a high-level beast? If you couldn’t overpower the beast’s mind, it would destroy you.

Lyra was betting everything on this gamble.

A faint signal of psychokinesis returned—a plea for help.

"I have conditions. Let me implant a psychokinesis mark on you, and in return, you’ll give me half of the mineral veins you discover from now on."

The queen’s compound eyes flashed with a deep purple light. After a tense pause, she replied, "Agreed..."

On this planet, she was the last of the high-level beasts. Survival was all that mattered.

Lyra nodded, satisfied, but she knew this partnership came with a critical risk—her psychokinesis would need to stay stronger than the queen’s, or the merged mark could turn against her.

Saving the queen drained almost all of Lyra’s remaining power. She had no idea how long it took, but eventually, the white creature slithered away into the earth’s depths, saved for now.

Lyra turned to the blinding purple glow of a level-eight energy mineral nearby.

Without a second thought, she transformed her weapon into a massive blade and began cutting it down.

...

"Lyra!"

A shining mecha charged into the cave, armed and ready for battle. But when the pilot saw the scene before him, the entire machine froze.

"What are you doing?" Cohen’s voice came through as he opened the cockpit, his eyes scanning for any sign of the queen bee.

Lyra didn’t pause, pointing her blade toward the energy mineral behind her. "Level-eight energy mineral—interested?"

Cohen’s face tightened at the sight of how fast she was harvesting. "This belongs to the Alliance!"

"It’s just a small amount. If we take it back, it won’t even make a dent once those parasites get their share. You sure you don’t want any?"

While it might seem insignificant to the higher-ups, it would be more than enough to provide for the families of fallen soldiers.

Cohen hesitated only a moment before his mecha’s large blade joined in, cutting away at the mineral alongside her.

Chapter 99: Arguing With Cohen

When Lyra settled into the co-pilot seat of the mecha, Cohen finally started filling her in on the situation outside. The level-nine plants had been snatched by the Mendez, the beast wave was taken care of, and everyone else had made it back to the base.

"Kail mentioned they didn’t find the queen bee’s body in the cave. I’m here to confirm her death. Did you run into her?" Cohen asked while piloting the mecha, his tone serious. "This isn’t a joke. I need the truth."

Lyra leaned back, resting her forehead on her hand. "I wanted to grab her Beast Core, but the swarm got away with it."

Cohen almost couldn’t believe it. Why did that sound so hard to swallow?

Everything she said made Cohen feel like he was losing his mind. After a pause, he glanced over at her. "Are you the Lyra from the Shedd family, who ’died’ decades ago?"

At first, this woman was all about getting those plants, and he felt helpless as she got swarmed. But even after she left the battle, Erin still had it out for her, which made Cohen question Erin later on.

Erin’s reply? "This is a Shedd family matter. Please, Lieutenant Commander Whyte, stay out of it."

Then, thanks to Kogar’s reminder, Cohen finally remembered there was the Miss Lyra Shedd from the Shedd family, a double S-Class talent at that. Once, people even compared him to her.

He’d heard she died during a psychic power rampage, and over time, her name just faded from memory.

But now, eleven years later, this genius somehow reappeared as an orphan from Voidstar.

Cohen waited quietly for Lyra’s response.

"Who knows?" She yawned. "Sorren brought me to Voidstar, and I don’t remember anything."

’Don’t remember?’

Cohen’s suspicion deepened, and he brought up something else.

"Oleg, the Vice Admiral, is dead." His voice was heavy.

But Lyra didn’t react at all. Cohen pressed his lips together. "You were there when he died. Couldn’t you save him?"

No matter what kind of person Oleg was, a Vice Admiral was too crucial to the military.

"Didn’t he have level-nine healing plants?"

Cohen felt a surge of anger. He knew it—she could’ve healed Oleg, just like she healed his severe injuries back then.

It’s just that, she had never planned to save him.

Cohen saw through her cold demeanor. Holding back his rage, he said, "He died because of those damn plants. The healing energy overwhelmed him, causing his cells to multiply until he exploded!"

Unable to hold back any longer, he added, "Do you have any idea what his death cost the military? A Vice Admiral with a legion could defend a small planet, fend off high-level beasts, and save billions of lives."

"You hate him because he executed your parents," he said, his voice raw with pain.

The execution wasn’t a secret; it was public knowledge.

Cohen’s hoarse, tortured voice made Lyra lift her eyelids. This young man genuinely cared about the entire Alliance.

But it didn’t move her at all, so she remained silent.

Cohen snorted and pushed the throttle to full power.

The mecha tore through the night sky, leaving two bright trails of fire in its wake.

Despite its advanced design, by the time they reached the base, dawn had broken—just in time for breakfast.

Lyra headed straight to the cafeteria.

Her entrance turned heads among the Legion Skywalkers and interns.

Her performance yesterday had been nothing short of fierce.

Thierry’s expression was conflicted, while Vivian looked a little smug. The Mendez had secured the level-nine plants, and knowing Lyra wanted them made her even happier.

"Lyra, you’re back! Are you OK?" Zinnia’s fork clattered onto her plate as she rushed over, concern etched on her face. "You didn’t run into the queen bee in the cave, did you?"

Zinnia was probably the only person there who had no hard feelings against Lyra. In her eyes, if someone was trying to kill you, of course, you had every right to fight back.

Thierry stood up as well. "Welcome back, Lyra."

He understood Lyra better than most, seeing her as just more decisive than others—something that made sense, given where she came from.

Lyra wasn’t used to this kind of acceptance. It caught her off guard, but she just nodded. "You guys go ahead and eat. I’m going to grab some food."

After she left, Zinnia sat back down, muttering between bites, "Do you think Lyra’s upset because of that woman, Erin?"

Zinnia then shot a glare at Kail, who was silently eating across from her. She asked him, "Why are you so against Lyra?"

They had all witnessed Erin attacking Lyra when they arrived. It was just a fight over some plants, but Erin was acting like she was take Lyra’s death.

Kail couldn’t give them the real reason, so he just kept his head down and continued eating. He was determined to dig into what really happened back then.

"Let’s just eat," Thierry interjected, hoping to stop Zinnia’s questions. "Lyra knows what she’s doing."

Even after her identity came out, Lyra carried on like nothing had changed, calm as ever.

Erin noticed this and couldn’t stand it. She cornered Lyra in an empty combat room. "You’re really hard to kill, aren’t you, Lyra?"

"Well, you’re still breathing too," Lyra replied, casually wiping sweat from her brow.

Erin looked down at her, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Hahaha, look at you! What makes you think you can take me on?"

Without warning, Erin launched a barrage of ice spikes and charged at Lyra.

Lyra quickly transformed Schedar into a support stand, dodged the ice spikes and Erin’s punches.

Then, Lyra slipped behind Erin and kicked her hard into the wall.

Erin was stunned. She knew Lyra still had Soul Spike inside her. ’So how does she still have such explosive power?’

Erin attacked again.

Despite using both her powers, she couldn’t even graze Lyra’s clothes.

"Something that doesn’t belong to you is useless, even if it’s dual superpowers," Lyra taunted from a short distance away, her voice cold.

"Fight me without Schedar!" Erin snapped, eyes blazing with fury. "Admit it, you can’t beat me with just your own strength!"

Lyra wasn’t rattled by Erin’s words. "You should be thankful we’re on base."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Erin was fuming, practically grinding her teeth. "This isn’t over yet!"

When Lyra returned to the interns’ dormitory, she bumped into someone familiar in the hallway. The person greeted her with a casual, "Cousin Lyra."

She didn’t even look his way, just unlocked her dorm room door.

"If Grandpa knew you were still alive, he’d be so happy," Robin said behind her, clearly aware of her identity from Erin’s reaction.

Lyra didn’t turn around. "Tell your dear grandpa not to bother me."

With a slam, the door closed.

Robin couldn’t help but smile. He wondered how the Shedd family and the Calvin family would react once they learned she was still alive.

It would be quite the spectacle.

But Lyra couldn’t care less. All she was focused on was how to get those plants.

Chapter 100: The Evidence

Oleg’s death was big news in the Alliance, and the military quickly issued an obituary.

However, the cause of death was attributed to the self-destruction of a level-eight beast, without mentioning the improper use of the herb. They were worried that someone might question why he was able to use level-nine plants.

"I still don’t understand. Level-nine healing plants should have been suitable for the Vice Admiral’s injuries. How could too much energy cause his body to explode?"

Frank, the head of the medical team, tried to appeal to Cohen on behalf of his poor subordinates. "We need to further investigate the Vice Admiral’s cause of death. Maybe it was the plant that caused the problem."

"Even if the plant was at fault, the medical team didn’t find the issue, so you still have to take responsibility," said Cohen, coldly.

He also felt regret. If Lyra had acted to save him, things might not have been so bad. "I’ve done my best to absolve them of responsibility in the report, Lieutenant Commander Frank. Suspension and revocation of their qualifications are the best outcomes you could hope for."

Even if the medical team had only found Oleg’s body, they wouldn’t have to take responsibility.

Frank left Cohen’s office in frustration, and his assistant quickly came up to ask what happened.

"There’s nothing we can do." He irritably unbuttoned his white coat. "If Oleg had retreated immediately after the explosion instead of being greedy for the level-nine plants, he wouldn’t have been on the brink of death and caused us so much trouble."

The assistant hurried after him, suddenly getting an idea.

"Right, sir. Before the medical team found them, there was this intern, a healer, who supposedly used her superpower to stabilize Vice Admiral Oleg’s injuries. Maybe the problem was about her?"

The last sentence was loaded with implication—she was just an intern, after all. If they could pin the blame on her...

Frank suddenly stopped and stared at him coldly. "What are you thinking?"

The assistant’s eyes darted nervously. "I... I just want to save Angie and the others."

"What we need is to find out the truth."

...

Lyra was stopped by Frank on her way to the training room.

"Lyra, can we talk?" The man looked very tired, his brown hair sticking out like autumn weeds.

She nodded, waiting for him to speak.

"It’s about Vice Admiral Oleg." Frank didn’t beat around the bush. "I want to know, did you really treat him when you found him?"

"Yes, I saw that the Vice Admiral was showing signs of agonal breathing, so I gave him emergency treatment."

Frank observed the girl’s unchanging, calm expression, then brought up another matter. "I heard you healed Lieutenant Commander Whyte on Voidstar. Why couldn’t you do more for the Vice Admiral?"

Logically, she should have had the ability.

"Because I had already reported to the medical team, and they told me to stand by and protect the Vice Admiral." Lyra looked straight at him. "At that time, my task was to find and transport the wounded on the battlefield. Besides, I’m just an intern—I couldn’t take on the responsibility of treating the Vice Admiral alone."

At the end of the day, it was the medical team’s job to treat the Vice Admiral. No one would dare let an intern handle it.

Saving him wouldn’t have brought her any reward, but if he had died under her care, it would have been a disaster—just like those medical team members.

Besides, she was just following orders.

Frank couldn’t find any faults in her explanation, but he pressed on, "After the Vice Admiral took the plant, did you notice anything unusual?"

"I’m not sure. I was the farthest away," she replied, her tone measured.

Frank hesitated before asking, "Could I check your superpower? The traces of your superpower particles on the Vice Admiral’s remains were too faint to analyze."

He was considering the possibility that her power might have caused an unexpected reaction with the plant after the Vice Admiral was treated.

Lyra’s expression darkened, and she eyed him warily. "What exactly do you want from me, sir?"

Her tone carried a note of caution, but Frank kept his response professional. "I’ve heard your superpower is rather unique. I’m curious if it might have influenced the level-nine plant."

Anger flared across her face. "If you’re implying that I’m to blame for the Vice Admiral’s death, then let me be clear: my superpower isn’t up for research."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Frank standing there, stunned and frustrated by the abrupt end to their conversation.

Once she was out of sight, a cold smile tugged at Lyra’s lips.

Her superpower was indeed quite useful in certain situations.

Frank eventually pieced together a defense for the medical team:

The plant had grown in a mineral-rich environment, which had heightened its energy levels, causing the explosion. This was something the medical team couldn’t have foreseen.

Additionally, since Vice Admiral Oleg had provided the plant and given his approval for its use, he bore some responsibility for the outcome.

As a result, the medical team members were allowed to keep their positions and qualifications, though they received formal reprimands.

Following Oleg’s death, the Phoenix Legion pulled out, leaving Cohen and Erin to wrap up the remaining tasks, which went smoothly.

Lyra and her friends were nearing the end of their internship. They would soon return with the other technical staff for further research.

With no Legion Skywalkers constantly watching over her, Kail found another opportunity to approach Lyra.

At that moment, Lyra was training with her superpower. She was concentrating as she formed green light in her hands and aimed at a target fifty meters away.

"Sis, are you planning to stay on Planet Nagano?" Kail asked, observing her efforts. "Now that your identity has been exposed, Grandpa will definitely want you to come back."

Though he didn’t fully grasp the extent of the conflict between his sister and the Shedd family, he knew that with her exceptional healing abilities, their grandfather wouldn’t let her remain on Planet Nagano.

"I told you to stay away from me," she replied curtly, not breaking her focus.

Kail looked hurt. "Why did you save me if you really hate me that much? "

Lyra paused, grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from her brow, and she replied, "I saved you because you’re still useful to me. And because I didn’t want to see Erin’s schemes succeed."

As for the level-nine strength-enhancing plant, she knew that even if she had managed to grab it while fending off three level-seven opponents, keeping it would have been nearly impossible.

After weighing her options, she realized it made more sense to go underground, set up her next plan, and save her brother in the process.

Falling while injured would have only complicated things, and revealing her identity had become inevitable. In the end, she couldn’t control everything.

In truth, she wasn’t concerned about Ansel. He had no leverage over her.

Besides, he held no power over Planet Nagano, where the Whyte family had a stronghold.

Kail felt a wave of disheartenment wash over him. "Then what should I say when I get back?"

"Say whatever you want," Lyra replied, her tone indifferent.

To Kail, it felt like he wasn’t talking to his sister, but to a cold, unyielding wall.

When the warship docked at Snowfall for resupply, Zinnia and the others eagerly waved goodbye and headed home. Their spirits was high with the thought of returning to familiar places.

Two days later, the warship touched down on Planet Nagano.

Meanwhile, Robin and the rest of the crew had to quickly make their way back to Elden Prime.

As Lyra watched Kail, hesitant and slow as he walked away, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was looking at a stranger.

’Make the most of your final value, my dear brother,’ she thought, her emotions buried deep beneath a calm exterior.