Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 642

Chapter 642

Chapter 642: A Trap

The person stumbled and nearly collapsed, but no one paid any mind . Everyone’s total attention was on the vital crystals, what did the other appraisers mean to them? All but Jun’er, who was standing in the path of the representative .

The small girl’s eyes did not work, but her other senses compensated . “Be careful,” she squeaked . A tiny hand extended to help . Only just then the representative jerked away . To the outside observer it looked like they were trying to avoid bumping into the girl . Something in it grabbed the attention of the Keeper and Bookworm, though .

“Nobody move . ” A deep, gravelly voice hissed through the air . All eyes turned to the dagger pressed against Jun’er’s throat, throbbing with purple light . The culprit’s free hand shot out, and ten vital stones suspended nearby shot into his grasp .

Suddenly a wave of crushing power filled the area, pouring from the Avenue’s two scientists . The suffocating aura ripped through like a tornado, swallowing everything up .

“I said, don’t move . You’re smart enough to know what kind of poison is on this dagger . A clean cut through her aorta, and no one could save your precious little Clairvoyant . ” His voice was grim and low . The expression on the thief’s face never changed .

“Astral Phantom!” The Keeper’s face went pale . He knew it because he could feel the protogenia flowing from him, the aura of a Paragon . Between the Keeper and the Bookworm, their holding aura was enough to make escape difficult . However not to comply was putting Jun’er in danger .

The Astral Phantom’s current face wasn’t his real one . The Paragon never revealed what he really looked like . His appearances were rare, and this one seemed foolishly planned . With so many Paragons, getting away seemed impossible . But the best methods were often the most direct . One little girl was stronger than a whole room full of Paragons . She was the future of Skyfire Avenue, and the Phantom knew that . He was unaffiliated and didn’t fear the wrath of Skyfire Avenue . Besides, his attempt on Lan Jue’s life already put them at odds .

“What are you going to do now?” The Keeper growled .

The Astral Phantom’s voice was cold, dead . “Nothing extravagant . You’re going to give me every vital crystal in this place, and then I’m going to go . Once I’m safe the child goes free . You all know when I say something I mean it . ”

The Keeper responded with a huff . “You have two choices . First, surrender . Pledge your support to the fight against the aliens and you can have leave with a vital crystal . Submit to a series of restrictions, and when we fight the aliens maybe your deeds will outweigh your crimes . ”

The Astral Phantom regarded the scientist flatly . “Has dementia already set in? I’m the one in control of this situation . Keep your Alzheimer’s to yourself . ”

The Keeper continued as though he hadn’t heard . His voice stayed calm . “Your second choice is to face them . Beat them and you’re free to go . ” He casually pointed to where two figures were standing, not far away .

The two bore expressions promising similarly brutal deaths, but through different methods . One was cold as ice and hard as a mountain . The other had a more elegant and refined bloodthirst . Four golden stars twinkled on the fiercer one’s shoulder . His companion was also smartly dressed, but in place of stars he wore a mocking grin .

They were ready? The Astral Phantom’s face went dark . If this was a trap, he’d fallen for it . But what about the child in his hand?

“You’re pretty foolish, Uncle . I am a prophet, how would I not know when I’m in danger? I knew this would happen days ago . ” Her voice sounded small and piteous . The naïve tones of a child made the words much more cutting .

A light flickered and Jun’er vanished from the assassin’s grip . She reappeared in the distance, bathed in ethereal starlight . The Ocean of Stars Domain was an inheritance from the former Clairvoyant . Although the manifestation of power was permanent, it only existed here in the museum . However, so long as Jun’er stayed here she had access to all the benefits of a Paragon’s Domain . Benefits like teleportation and concealment .

Lan Jue smirked at the Astral Phantom . “When Jun’er said she felt danger, you were the very first person I thought of . You’re the only one with the skill to masterfully sneak in, then immediately do something stupid . You’ve assassinated our people, and today those accounts will be paid . ”

The steely-eyed general was Lan Qing . He had come to Skyfire to participate in a high-level government meeting . His mocking companion was, of course, Lan Jue .

Jun’er had told Lan Jue she didn’t feel right the day before . It didn’t take him long to puzzle things out . The only person mad enough and good enough to be a danger to Jun’er was standing right in front of them . When it came to profits death did not concern the Astral Phantom!

Lan Jue’s eyes were strangely absent any hate as he regarded the assassin . There was only a heartlessness in his cold stare . If it weren’t for this man, Qianlin wouldn’t be in the state she was in . He had almost succeeding in taking the second love of his life from him, not to mention the many times he’d tried to kill his brother . Jun’er had predicted his arrival and here he was, the infamous killer . Today their disagreements would be settled .

The Astral Phantom flicked his wrist, sending the vital crystals he’d stolen tumbling back out into the air . The movements were calm, almost flippant . Like he was capitulating for the greater good, rather than the potential danger .

“If I beat the both of you, I may leave?” He didn’t look at Lan Jue . The killer only had eyes for Lan Qing . He could feel it; this thorn in his side, who had survived so many attempts on his life, had broken through . His progress and determination were enviable .

“So long as you don’t run, you’ll only have to deal with me . ” Lan Qing took a step forward, his voice even .

When he spoke everyone looked his way . The An Lun super soldier wasn’t known to everyone, but he did have a reputation .

“Prometheus, God of Wisdom and hero of the Eastern military . He is challenging the Astral Phantom?” Someone asked .

Lucifer’s ears perked up . He knew those names and titles well, and the moment he heard them his face changed . The An Lun super soldier, great hope of the East – was it really him? Hadn’t he been vice-admiral? He’d heard nothing about Prometheus becoming a Paragon .

The Terminator was similarly blindsided by the revelation . However, his mind immediately turned to reports of An Lun satellite images . Was that golden aura a result of this young man’s protogenic power? If that were true…

Ordinarily Lan Qing would not have tipped his hand and revealed his ascension . Typically this information would remain secret to keep an advantage over the West and North . Now, however, things were different . The worlds of man were upended with the alien crisis, as well as the discovery of vital crystals and the exuvium process . It was as much a danger as it was an opportunity . The East – being the weakest of the Alliances – was seeking to exploit and profit from these opportunities . Surely they hoped the East would eventually surpass its two neighbors . Perhaps now wasn’t the time for secrecy, instead it was time to flex muscles and make a show of what the East could achieve . With the alien menace at their doorstep, at least they didn’t have to worry about overt Northern or Western aggression . The West’s presence here was proof; despite their hateful rhetoric, how could they pass up the chance for a few vital crystals? How could they want them and at the same time say they were fake?

“Very well! It looks like you’ve been promoted . Now show me how strong you’ve become . ” The others around them scattered back to give them space . Still there were many who were visibly frightened . This was a Paragon battle, collateral damage was likely .

However their fear was only short lived . In the starry expanse above, a single celestial body flared brightly . The star’s gentle light enveloped Lan Qing and the Astral Phantom . Right away both of them appeared to shrink . From the outside they looked like miniatures . To them, it was like they’d been cast into a pocket dimension . Completely oblivious of everything happening outside .

Inwardly the Astral Phantom was in a sour mood . He was too bold, too careless . It was foolish to underestimate the Clairvoyant! He was dead, but managed to leave behind such a powerful tool even from beyond the grave . Too risky – in the future, he thought to himself, he would need to be more careful .

Lan Qing’s figure floated in the dark expanse of this pocket universe, facing his foe . For a moment he just regarded him . A gentle cyan light radiated around his body .