Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 753

Chapter 753

Chapter 753: The Austins Flee

“Alright . What about A-Jue?” Hua LI’s voice sounded concerned .

“He’s been cultivating,” Lan Qing replied . “He hopes to break through before this fight starts . ”

Hua Li’s anxiety was clear . “You need to persuade him not to be too hasty . There are real risks . ”

Lan Qing was calm as ever . “He’s fine, his foundation is solid . He could have broken through a long time ago if he’d wanted to . This is the most opportune moment he’s encountered so far . He wont rush, don’t worry . ”

Hua Li replied . “That’s good . Who’d have thought we’d really come to a day when we’d be fighting shoulder to shoulder, eh? A-Cheng should be coming with Tyrannosaurus . You think they’ll write stories about us? ‘The Battle of the Four Divine Monarchs’?”

Lan Qing’s voice betrayed his no-nonsense demeanor . “If you have nothing of substance to say, hang up . ”

“Ugh! Guy, you really need to grow a personality . Alright, that’s that then . We’ll talk again in person . ” Hua Li hung up .

Lan Qing shook his head . In reality he wasn’t thrilled with the fact Hua Li was commanding his bastion . Simply put the entertainer was too gentle . In the heat of battle you needed blood of iron, it was too easy for emotional problems to rise to the fore . Calm needed to be maintained .

Still, he was pleased with the help from Poseidon Group’s warriors . They were the richest army in all the alliances, and was well established . Their strength was undisputed, and their people boasted a host of talents . He just hoped their Poseidon-class bastion packed more surprises for them to exploit .

Three bastions, three planets . On paper they were decent odds . The alien home worlds were strong, but Lan Qing had faith in Middle Heaven . Even if their mission failed…

His face became stern . If the North had the strength, so did the East!

ζ

The air was thick and gloomy aboard the large blue ship . Sylva Austin sat within the cockpit, ghastly pale . He’d maintained this position for several hours already . When news that the West’s bastions had fallen, the Austin family’s ships raced to Europa . It didn’t take them long to load up most of their riches and leave .

Although they were the West’s ultimate political family, they didn’t have anywhere near the riches Poseidon Group boasted . All they needed was a transport ship disguised as a merchant vessel . Their escape was tacitly agreed to by the Western government, since the Austins had held the reigns of power for so long .

Richard Austin stood at his father’s side . He looked just as bad, distraught over having to flee his home and flying toward an uncertain future .

“Father . Us leaving like this… the West…” He struggled to find the words .

“The West is finished!” Sylva harshly replied to his son . Yes, the West was finished . Without its bastions it was like a naked woman waiting to be ravaged . There was no other outcome .

“But we can ask for support from the North . The Aliens wouldn’t be able to ambush and destroy so many bastions at once . ” Richard was clearly loathe to abandon his home .

Sylva shut his eyes, pain written on his face . “Impossible . I know what is happening in the North . You are not a politician, you don’t understand the problems politicians face . They can’t do something simply because they want to . Their people are rioting, their last offensive served only to condemn many of their young men to death . Four planets were destroyed . Their failure scarred them deeply, and all they can do now is defend their homes . Of course, the destruction of the West just means their own death has been postponed . ”

Sylva opened his eyes . They were hard and bitter .

Richard was shocked . “So… you mean we aren’t going to the North?”

His father replied . “Of course not . Why would we do? Become their vassals? We have been preparing, spending a lot of our hard-earned wealth to gather everything we need to resettle somewhere else . We have the technology to terraform a place to our needs, build a new ecosystem . We’re leaving the territories traditional held by mankind – the farther the better . Our family and servants, three thousand people, will constitute the foundation of a new Western Alliance . Even if they defeat the aliens, the West as we know it know has passed into history . How will they treat us? The Austins survival must be assured by becoming leaders, as is their right!”

Richard opened his mouth, but said nothing . A bitter expression crossed his face . Europa… he’d grown up there, it was his home for as long as he’d been alive . He didn’t want to leave the planet to its fate .

When the aliens came the people of his abandoned world would live a short life of pain and fear . The Austin family must become rulers? But what sort of ruler didn’t protect their own people?

In an instant he felt like he’d grown up . A beautiful face appeared behind his eyes .

Qianlin… are you well? It’s been so long since I’ve seen your face . Are you still with that man? I regret that I am so weak, or he wouldn’t have stolen you away from me .

A formless pain filled his chest when he thought of her . It had been so long, and so much had happened . Now the pain was just a shadow of the stabbing obsession he’d felt before .

Love’s ache didn’t hurt so badly when one’s life was in danger .

His thoughts were interrupted when a man in a captain’s uniform approached . “Mr . Austin, we have a problem . An unidentified military force has blocked our path . ”

“What?” Sylva was shocked by the news . He shot to his feet . “Do you know who they are?”

The soldier hesitated . “We believe they’re from the East . ”

“The Eastern Alliance?” Sylva’s brows knit tight as he thought . After the fight against the aliens the Eastern army should have returned home to defend their own territory . Why would they be here all of a sudden?

“Let me see . ” He said .

The captain brought Sylva to a screen . There he saw a host of warships spread out before them . They were arranged in a formation that prevented further passage .

The captain went on . “Their call-signs and indications mark them as Eastern vessels . They’ve hailed us, requesting to speak with someone . Look here…”

Sylva scowled . “Open a connection . ” It seemed strange to encounter Eastern soldiers out here without rhyme or reason . Perhaps they didn’t know the aliens where in the vicinity?

An officer appeared on the screen . “I am Senior Colonel Liu Feng . Please reply with your designation . ” Liu Feng spoke curtly .

The officer by Sylva’s shoulder answered . “We are a vessel under the auspices of the West . By what authority are you entering into Western space without authorization? And you dare to ask our designation!”

Liu Feng was not cowed . “We’ve come to defend the West from alien invasion . Your vessel and status are unclear, it is protocol to hail all unknown vessels in proximity . ”

Save them from the aliens? Even Sylva Austin couldn’t believe what he was hearing . Could this be true? The North was busy with their own affairs, but the East came instead?

Sylva Austin blurted out . “How many reinforcements did you bring?”

The Senior Colonel replied . “Report your designation . ”

After a moment of hesitation, the Western politician answered . “This is the West’s Ninth Fleet . I am their commander, Chief Sylva . ”

Liu Feng looked his over for a moment . “You’re an army Chief? Why aren’t you in uniform? As far as I know the West doesn’t have a ninth fleet . ”

“Newly authorized,” Sylva replied . “I request to speak with your commanding officer . Tell them President Sylva Austin wishes to speak with him . ”

Liu Feng went silent as he tried to confirm the information . His computer verified that this man was indeed the Western President, and patriarch of the Austin family .

Liu Feng was an intelligent man . The Present’s presence on these unmarked military vessels was telling . However, Sylva was an important person in the West and in the military .

“Please hold on while I get the Admiral . ”

Before long the Senior Colonel’s face was replaced by another, a young-ish man with gallant features . His uniform was jet black, and four gold stars glinted on his shoulders . He regarded Sylva and his officer with a cold, hard expression . Richard Austin was immediately struck by his image, even on a screen .

This man’s aura was almost palpable .

Sylva Austin knew him the moment he saw him . He was a famous figure in the East – perhaps all across human space .

The An Lun super soldier, a star of his military generation . He was a Paragon in service to the Eastern military, but was also known as Prometheus of the Divine Monarchs . Lan Qing!