Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 759

Chapter 759

Chapter 759: Survivors

Lan Jue’s heart fluttered . If the planets were close – or suddenly appeared – even his father’s power couldn’t protect them . But it was too late to change course now . The only path was forward .

One large figure and two smaller ones shot out into space .

The large one was Thor . Lan Jue and Qianlin weren’t Paragons, so although they could survive in space it cost them less energy to rely on the mecha . What’s more, the suit was still a help to Lan Jue .

The Pharmacist and the Wine Master sat on Thor’s shoulders, Qianlin rested in Lan Jue’s arms within the cockpit . The mecha’s back sparked and flared as the Banishing Stone came online, making them indistinguishable from their surroundings . Thus hidden, they moved in closer toward the nearby planet .

Hailin was a planet rich in ocean resources 1 . Water covered sixty seven percent of the surface and it was one of the first planets discovered by the West after its interstellar migration . It wasn’t large, but it was well suited for human life . No environmental aids were needed for people to live comfortably .

Sadly this once rich and fertile world had become a purple orb . Its beautiful oceans were murky purple marshes now . As they got closer they could see aliens in droves moving along the ground .

“Are we close enough, Wine Master?” Lan Jue asked .

“It’s fine . ”

Thor slowly came to a stop at the border of the aliens’ psionic reach . Trails of silver light followed the Wine Master’s scepter as he waved it before him, which coalesced into auras of light that hung over the small party . He motioned again, and a door of light appeared .

Lan Jue needed no instruction . He piloted Thor through the portal . There was a flash, then the door and the humans were gone .

Breaking through such a heavy cluster of enemies was too difficult . Simply teleporting past them was much simpler . The silver door appeared again on the reverse side of the planet’s surface . Thor, the Wine Master, and the Pharmacist stepped out into a dead world .

Successful passage! None of the aliens seemed the wiser . The Wine Master’s abilities had improved after his second breakthrough . His transferals were more precise and could be maintained over longer distances . This would have been impossible for the Skyfire chairman just a short time ago .

Lan Jue gave his old friend a thumbs-up from inside the cockpit . “Well done, we weren’t discovered . Let’s take a look around . ” As he spoke Thor squat low, and the mecha’s radar was engaged .

His suit’s equipment was the best money could buy . Not long after its systems were employed, large patches of alien activity were revealed to them . In one direction the purple hue was fainter – analysis stated it was the ocean . It appeared as though the aliens hadn’t been here long enough to infect the deeper parts of the seas .

“Look for signs of life . ” Lan Jue ordered .

Thor continued to pulse the surroundings with its radar . It beeped to confirm the presence of life .

“This is…” It was only able to show the outline of the figures . An alien? Purple, too, but it had the appearance of a human! There weren’t many – maybe around a thousand .

“What did you find?” The Wine Master asked .

Lan Jue’s response was guarded . “Life . Human, but… purple . ”

The Wine Master was just as surprised as he was . “Could this mean they’ve already figured out how to shift into human form?”

The Pharmacist offered her input . “Should I go take a look?”

“We’ll go together,” Lan Jue said .

Thor crouched even lower, then launched itself in the direction of the human colony .

They raced passed buildings in various states of destruction . They were in the process of being dissolved away . It didn’t take them long to reach where the radar said the human were .

Thankfully the aliens were few, in complete contrast to the thickly dotted space above them . So far their radar had only picked up a few sparse groups in the distance .

Thor was equipped with its own sort of cloaking device . Its presence would only be uncovered when it got close . It also boasted the East’s most recent psionic shielding equipment . Unless they came upon an umbrella alien, typical monsters would only be able to sense Thor if they came close .

With the help of these systems Thor approached the building unseen . It must have once been a stadium . They kept their distance, observing the scene . The first thing to note was that it appeared to be missing its roof . Thor approached slowly instead of rushing in, creeping up to the lip of one of its sides and peering inside .

The same purple filth that coated the rest of the planet carpeted the interior of the stadium . What was strange were the cocoons that were interspersed among the fungus . They were about three meters long, and each of them was surrounded by a crowd of people .

Most of them were stained purple like the earth they stood upon . The sick color painted them from head to toe, and though they looked like humans their eyes were dull and sightless . They were larger than normal, and muscular like giants .

“They look like Western Converts . ” The Wine Master mused .

Just then one of the cocoons split open . Inside was a naked human, burly and tough . They looked very similar to the others milling around .

They continued to watch as several larger aliens appeared . They deposited groups of normal-looking humans . Some struggled, some cried, some just stood there in impotent shock .

Survivors . There were survivors!

The discovery thrilled Lan Jue, the Wine Master and the Pharmacist . After so many days they thought all the humans would have long since been devoured for energy .

The aliens heaved their victims forward, into the arena . Once inside they were deposited into vacant cocoons . As they closed the purple earth slithered in pleasure .

“They’re using humans as a basis for transformation . ” Lan Jue discerned . They were transforming them instead of taking their life essence . For what reason? Was it to get a better understanding of their genetic makeup?

Lan Jue sighed . “There’s nothing we can do . Besides, we have a mission . Let’s see how these corrupted people react after their transformation . ”

He didn’t even finish talking before Thor was on the move . It descended into the arena from overhead, surrounded by an aura of warped space .

Its metallic feet slammed into the fungus-ridden ground, causing it to shake . The rumbles were like thunder as bolts of lightning blasted out in all directions . The alien foliage didn’t even have a chance to tremble before the All-Heaven lightning erased it from existence .

Thor’s appearance was loud and fast, too sudden for the aliens to react . In the space of a breath the aliens were struck down by the lightning and reduced to ash . A few of the bigger ones left vital crystals behind .

Although Thor couldn’t amplify Lan Jue’s Discipline by much, it had no problem employing it .

Surprise flashed through the Wine Master’s eyes . He was impressed by how strong Lan Jue had become, and how quickly .

At last the humanoid aliens reacted . They screamed and howled, then rushed forward with complete disregard to their own safety .

Their speed alone showed they were so longer human . They were covered in thick, corded muscles and veins slithered up their necks like snakes burrowed under the skin . They moved like the monsters they’d become, and seemed no less capable of causing serious damage in a fight .

Thor leapt into action . It swept over the rush of monsters towards the cocoons behind them . Blasts of electricity split them open and the blue mecha saved the humans within, who had yet to be transformed by their ordeal .

The unfortunate infected were in close pursuit . Thor spun around and stomped its metallic foot . The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the ground and caused them to lose their footing .

Meanwhile a flood of power came their way, making the hair on the back of their necks stand on end . A swarm of aliens were headed in their direction .

The Wine Master took charge . “I’ve got a plan!”

He reached out into thin air and his scepter appeared in a flash of light . He waved it twice and two streaks of silver were left in its path . It blocked the survivors from the infected .

“Go!” He yelled .  2