Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 322: The Buyer

Chapter 322: The Buyer

Lyra, sipping her milk at the bar, turned her head at the call. A man approached immediately, a fawning grin plastered across his face. "The buyer has arrived. They wanted to see you."

The gravity of the moment wasn’t lost on her—a significant figure had come, complete with a Lev.

Yet, despite his attempt at refinement, the man carried himself with the telltale bravado of a pirate. No amount of pretense could conceal his untamed nature.

Once the group departed, Tracy and the others were left with dark expressions. They’d been hoping for an ally capable of opposing Jerome. Instead, it appeared the two had aligned themselves.

...

In the vehicle, Lyra turned to the driver. "Why did the buyer arrive so early?"

The man pondered her question briefly before answering. "The buyer carries weight. They happened to be nearby, so Jerome seized the opportunity to make arrangements."

For someone like Jerome—a level-nine Peculiar firmly rooted on the ore planet—to give such respect, this buyer had to be extraordinary.

"Sis?" Phelixes asked, his single word heavy with unease.

He worried that if this buyer proved hard to handle, it could throw their plans into chaos. Eliminating Jerome was bound to disrupt the buyer’s interests.

Lyra’s voice remained calm. "Let’s wait and see."

From the rearview mirror, the driver stole two quick glances at her. His communicator blinked briefly before he returned his focus to the road.

...

In a high-rise office, Jerome listened to the conversation through his devices, idly fiddling with a facial recognition scanner. Tossing it to his assistant, he said, "Install this on the door."

The person seated across from him chuckled. "Facial recognition, sir? Since when do we care about our collaborators’ identities?"

Jerome’s gaze flicked to the assistant’s long, slender legs, and he swallowed hard. "Chaotic times call for caution," he replied smoothly.

...

When Lyra arrived at the building, she immediately noticed the facial recognition scanner mounted on the doorframe.

Stepping inside, she ignored its beep and walked through, her attention settling on a woman lounging casually on the sofa.

Even with her disguise, Phelixes sensed the subtle change in Lyra’s face. The scanner was promptly removed, and Jerome turned his attention to her.

"Freya," he drawled, "are you a fellow space pirate? Or a spy for the Alliance?"

Lyra’s voice was steady as she lowered herself into a single-seater chair. "Neither stops us from making money, does it?"

Phelixes instinctively moved to stand behind her.

Jerome’s expression became unreadable. If Lyra was just a space pirate, it posed no issue. Even as an Alliance spy, she wouldn’t necessarily interfere with his profits. What truly concerned him was the possibility of hidden motives.

Breaking into a grin, Jerome gestured toward the other woman. "Freya, this is Liliana, the buyer for the level-six energy stone mine."

The red-haired woman wore a short black skirt, ankle boots, and a sleek black coat. Her fiery hair framed her face like flames, and she leaned provocatively on the armrest, her chin resting on her hand as she studied Lyra with sparkling eyes.

"You look familiar, Freya," Liliana remarked.

"Maybe," Lyra replied, her gaze cold as it swept over her.

Liliana chuckled softly. "Hmm, that reaction only makes you seem more familiar."

Lyra said nothing, and Liliana’s laughter grew louder.

Phelixes tensed, wiping his sweaty palms. He vaguely remembered Lyra having crossed paths with Liliana before, though he hadn’t expected their reunion here.

Jerome, ever focused on his profits, interjected quickly. "We’ll head out first thing tomorrow. Freya, could you map a route for the ship’s navigation system?"

Lyra studied him briefly before responding. "Sure."

Taking the tablet Jerome handed her, she opened a drawing app and began sketching the route from memory.

Jerome’s face lit up with excitement as he studied the map Lyra had drawn

His mind raced. Even with a handful of standard metal mines on the ore planet, he’d already amassed a fortune. If he could claim the level-six energy stone mine, his potential wealth would be beyond imagination.

When he glanced up, however, he caught Liliana watching him with a sly, enigmatic smile.

Startled, he quickly slipped the tablet into his Space Button and forced a smile. "Time is tight. I’ll send someone to make preparations immediately. Feel free to relax, both of you."

Outside the room, Jerome signaled one of his subordinates. "Keep a close eye on that woman," he ordered. Lyra’s identity nagged at him, something about her seemed off.

...

Lyra left as well, dismissing Jerome’s offer of a private car. She and Phelixes strolled leisurely back toward their inn.

When they returned to the inn, the air felt off. The usually rowdy lobby was eerily quiet.

At the bar, a striking woman swirled a glass of liquor with an air of seductive confidence.

Liliana sat perched on a high stool, her fiery red hair swept to one side, revealing a pale, elegant neck and a hint of a tantalizing curve. Her legs crossed gracefully, and her gaze sparkled with a dangerous allure, as if she could ensnare someone with just a glance.

Lucian, seated nearby, spilled his drink in shock, frozen in place.

"Back already, Freya?" Liliana’s voice was smooth, her tone dripping with intimacy.

Without acknowledging her, Lyra ascended the stairs to the second floor.

Liliana chuckled, set her glass down, and followed.

Inside the room, Lyra settled onto the couch, her gaze icy as she faced Liliana. "What do you want?" she asked coolly.

Liliana closed the door behind her and leaned against it briefly before approaching. She studied Lyra for a moment, her expression shifting to mock grievance.

Then, pouting, she stepped closer and leaned into Lyra’s arms.

"How hateful," she teased, her tone soft and coquettish. "All this time apart, and you’re still so distant."

Standing in the doorway, Phelixes froze. He had followed to ensure nothing suspicious occurred, but the sight before him left him shocked and bitter.

Lyra didn’t immediately push Liliana away—something she never allowed anyone, even him, to do.

Zinnia, Mandy, Liliana—all seemed to get closer to her, while he was kept at a distance.

Thankfully, Lyra didn’t let the moment linger. She gently but firmly pushed Liliana away. "How did you recognize me?" she asked flatly.

Liliana’s fingers traced a line from Lyra’s temple to her chest. "Even if you turned to dust, I’d recognize you," she murmured with a sly smile.

Her voice softened, almost reverent. "Your eyes... They’re unique. Like constellations in a cold night sky—distant, but breathtakingly deep."

As her hand moved lower, Phelixes clenched his fists, ready to intervene. But Lyra caught Liliana’s wandering hand, her gaze sharp. "Speak. What do you want?"

Liliana sighed dramatically, feigning hurt. "Since the energy stone mine is your discovery, why don’t we partner up? I’m sure HE would agree."

Lyra’s expression remained unchanged. "Your Long Night Gang has plenty of resources. You don’t need this mine."

Liliana’s smile widened, sly and playful. "Oh, I’m not after the stones. I just want to spend more time with you." Her tone grew colder momentarily. "Besides, Jerome clearly doesn’t intend to work with you in good faith."

She raised an eyebrow, her voice mocking. "You’re scheming, aren’t you? Trying to return to the Alliance? I can help. I have the routes."

Lyra’s lips twitched into a faint, inscrutable smile. "I don’t need your help. Want to know why?"

Phelixes, listening nearby, was stunned. Lyra’s words implied she already had a way back to the Alliance but had chosen not to use it.

Seeing Lyra’s calm demeanor, Liliana didn’t press further. Her playful facade slipped into quiet thoughtfulness.

Outside the window, a faint red light blinked from a micro-surveillance device, transmitting every word of their exchange.

In his office, Jerome lounged on a sofa, tugging at the hair of a young woman kneeling beside him. His smile twisted into a sneer. "I knew it. That witch can’t be trusted."

He shoved the woman aside and stood. "If that’s the case, she can’t blame me for what’s coming."

Elsewhere, in a dimly lit room, Serena lay motionless, her body battered and bruised. Her wide eyes filled with terror as a man stepped out of an interdimensional portal, his shadow looming over her trembling form.