Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 92: High-level Beasts

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.