Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 109: One Step Up

Chapter 109: One Step Up

Lyra’s office had a secret rest room, tucked away from prying eyes.

After making her way back to the factory, she swiftly handed out a few critical orders, instructing Morrison that, under no circumstances should she be disturbed for the next two hours.

With that, she disappeared into the hidden rest room.

Once inside, she approached a safe embedded in the wall. As she opened it, a small, grimy black metal box came into view.

The day before, after regaining her composure, Mandy had a moment of clarity: Vivian didn’t want Lyra to get her hands on this item, so Mandy decided to do exactly the opposite. She felt compelled to repay those who had supported her, so she reached out to Morrison.

Morrison, knowing how much Lyra wanted the item, informed Lyra. She didn’t hesitate—she ordered him to secure it immediately.

Having grown up in the Forgotten Quarter, Morrison knew just who to contact. He reached out to Crag, an old and reliable friend, to retrieve the item discreetly, avoiding any attention from the Mendez.

To keep everything under wraps, he even had Mandy lay low before reaching out to Alon.

This is why Lyra instantly knew that what Alon handed over was a fake—the real item was already safely in her possession.

...

A sly smile crept across Lyra’s face as she examined the powerful herb before swallowing it.

Meanwhile, Morrison stood guard outside the office, alert for any potential disruptions. His vigilance paid off when, about an hour and a half later, he heard hurried footsteps approaching.

"Morrison, where is she?" Koros stormed down the hallway, his blue jumpsuit smeared with grease, and his welding goggles pushed up on his forehead. He was gripping a welding gun, his face contorted in anger.

Morrison felt a twinge of unease. He’d much rather face an avalanche of paperwork than deal with the tech staff—especially this particular one.

"What do you need with her?" he asked, trying to block Koros.

Koros’ eyes widened with frustration. "You’re asking me? Didn’t you send me the message? She promised I could stay focused on the mecha project, but now I’m suddenly being shipped off to Wyrmtrace to start something new?"

Morrison had a good sense of what Lyra was thinking and even agreed with the decision. And, this wasn’t the moment to let things escalate.

"She is busy. Come back in half an hour," he said, hoping to defuse the situation.

He was confident Lyra could handle this irate tech wizard.

"I don’t have half an hour!" Koros barked, waving the welding gun. "I didn’t even have time to shut off the power! If she doesn’t give me answers now, I’ll use this on her!"

The welding gun sparked as Koros shoved past Morrison, charging towards the rest room.

Morrison hesitated to physically restrain him, fearing he might accidentally hurt the crucial tech lead or damage important office files.

In a flash, Koros kicked open the rest room door, sending it crashing off its hinges.

Morrison, right on his heels, stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Koros frozen at the entrance, the welding gun slipping from his grasp.

Morrison peeked inside and felt a chill run down his spine.

The rest room, about ten square meters, was stark white—but now the bed, carpet, walls, and even the mirror were spattered with blood.

The strong, metallic scent filled the air, making both men feel a wave of nausea.

Morrison’s heart raced as he bolted two steps into the room. "Boss! Are you okay?!"

The sight of so much blood made his mind jump to the worst-case scenario. If something had happened to her, it could all fall apart—his job, his hard-earned place in this company, everything.

"Ugh... Didn’t I say not to disturb me for two hours?" Lyra’s voice sounded rough, like she’d swallowed a handful of glass shards.

A slender hand emerged from the other side of the bed, clutching the sheet with a tight grip.

As she moved, small cuts on her arm reopened, spilling more blood like crimson flowers blossoming on her skin.

The gruesome sight made Morrison shiver.

Lyra, now standing, looked like something out of a nightmare—drenched in blood, yet unnervingly calm.

Any pain she should have been feeling was hidden behind an icy expression.

Suddenly, the superpower particles around her began to whirl violently.

Morrison’s eyes went wide—she was leveling up!

A blinding light of healing energy surrounded Lyra, and when she finally opened her eyes, they gleamed with a deep, restrained power.

"Koros," she said with an edge to her voice, "I think it’s time you reviewed the company’s employee handbook and learned what it means to follow the rules."

She reached down and picked up a sharp black device from the floor.

Koros, who had been brimming with complaints a moment ago, suddenly looked like he’d seen a divine miracle. "This... this is... uh!"

Before Koros could finish, Morrison clamped a hand over his mouth and dragged him out of the room.

As the door swung shut, Morrison caught Lyra’s dark, intense gaze and managed a strained smile. "Boss, you should probably take a bath. I’ll get someone to clean up here and, uh, remind Koros about the rules."

Once the door was closed, Lyra’s focus returned to the Soul Spike—her third one. She stashed it away in her Space Button, then headed to the washroom.

By the time she emerged, Morrison had overseen the cleaning crew, ensuring every trace of blood was gone.

Lyra was impressed by Morrison’s efficiency.

"Now, what’s the problem?" she asked, settling back at her desk as if nothing unusual had happened. Her cold stare bore into Koros, who was now nervously clutching his welding gun.

"Um, I really don’t want to go to Wyrmtrace to start a new project. Can Sean go instead? I’m not great at managing people," Koros muttered, his earlier fury replaced with discomfort.

"You’re all going. Morrison will go too."

Both men were stunned into silence.

Lyra tapped her desk, snapping them back to reality. "Koros, do you have any idea how many new mineral materials have been discovered on Wyrmtrace?"

Minerals!

Koros’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Uh, on second thought, I can handle it myself. No need to drag Sean into this." He rubbed his hands together, already imagining the possibilities.

"But didn’t you say you’re not good at managing people?"

Koros instantly regretted his earlier words.

Lyra, tired of the back and forth, decided to cut to the chase.

Since they were all in this together, she didn’t hold back. She laid out the deal she had struck with the queen bee. "I secured a ship with trade route rights from the Mendez. Your job, Koros, is to figure out how to make the most of these resources."

"This is key to the factory’s growth over the next decade, so it’s essential. Morrison, I want you to oversee everything personally. Just leave someone reliable here to handle things while you’re gone."

She had inside information from the military, and after laying out her plan, both men were left in awe.

Once the shock wore off, Morrison pointed out the main issue. "But boss, we can’t handle that many resources."

The team was still in its early stages, with only a handful of capable people. Expanding too quickly could lead to internal chaos.

"You only need to secure the best resources. I have partners lined up to handle the rest. I’ll connect them with you when the time comes."

Koros’s complaints vanished in an instant, replaced by a surge of motivation. He eagerly began gathering all the equipment and instruments he would need for the trip.

The prospect of having access to so many new materials excited him to no end. With those, he could build an impressive number of mecha. And the lack of strict oversight on Wyrmtrace meant he might even get the chance to create something truly groundbreaking in secret.

However, as soon as Koros left the room, Lyra turned to Morrison with a serious look. "Keep a close watch on Koros. Don’t let him actually build a mecha. It would stir up more trouble than we can handle."

"Understood. I’ll take care of it right away," Morrison replied without hesitation.

He wasn’t bothered at all about being sent to help with the Wyrmtrace project. In fact, he felt a rush of excitement. He knew that if he could successfully manage the situation on Wyrmtrace, it would bring him one step closer to becoming Lyra’s second-in-command—a position he had long aspired to.

Once alone in her office, Lyra wasted no time and immediately reached out to Snakehead.

The man appeared on the other end of the call, looking groggy and annoyed, with a sleep cap perched on his head. "Glad you miss me, ma’am, but do you have any idea what time it is on Voidstar No.2?"

"Wyrmtrace development. Are you in or not?" Lyra cut to the chase, her tone sharp and businesslike.

The mention of Wyrmtrace jolted Snakehead awake. He snapped to attention, sitting up straight as if all traces of sleep had vanished. "I’m in!" he responded, his irritation completely forgotten.