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Chapter 318: Geng Yang's Crisis

Plumes of acrid dark smoke rose to the skies, as angry fireballs dotted the Crimson Star's surface. Explosions roared like thunder.

A battleship rose from the fray, heading toward the atmosphere. Its sleek surface was painted orange by the dancing flames below. It rose under cover of the planet's defense systems, just as they went offline.

Feng Lin's chins quivered in fear, and his eyes flashed with enmity. The Crimson Star was his territory. He'd poured years of blood and sweat in to making it his, but now this bastard was taking it away.

The moment the saw the blue ship crash in to the planet, he knew he had no chance to fight them off. Zeus was too strong. More than once he'd seen video of what Zeus did to pirates. He dispatched the whole of his mecha warriors, while ordering his closest subordinates to join him on their flagship.

The battle below was in full swing. Zeus and his people were on the path to wiping them out, but they needed time. Why, then, should he stick around, Feng Lin thought? No point in pining for grass when you were off to greener pastures.

Thankfully, Feng Lin's caution helped. His ship's systems and communications weren't connected to the planets, so the Accountant had no means to stop his escape.

The young man reacted quickly, however, when he saw the ship angling for escape trajectory.

"Jewelry Master, a battleship is attempting to flee. Should I give chase?" he asked.

"No need," was Lan Jue's response. "Keep up your analysis of the battlefield situation. I'll deal with that boat myself."

There was a flash of blue light, with gradually rose in intensity until it was a blazing orb of golden energy. It released the condensed energy in a lancing bolt of lightning, which raced in to the heavens and disappeared.

About a thousand pirates remained, with three hundred mechas among them. It was enough for three standard military companies. This was something rare for a pirate clan to organize. Among them were also several proficient pilots. Pirate life made for effective motivation. If you didn't learn a skill, you died.

Geng Yang's rifle muzzle smoked. In front of him, the headless body of a pirate collapsed to the floor. The enemy mecha twitched, expelling a shower of sparks.

Things on his end of the field weren't going precisely as planned. His team was responsible for storming the compound together with Charlie and Echo. But despite having three squads, the enemy's numbers were far superior. In this area alone, the Accountant's analysis read one hundred and fifty enemy soldiers. They had thirty.

As the fight began, the enemy soldiers were in disarray. With their suits, Discipline and the element of surprise, the students smashed through their perimeter defenses and began to clean house. Twenty mechas were destroyed in the opening moments, but the pirates were experienced in the ways of small skirmishes such as these. They recovered quickly and mounted a defense.

A pirate's life was lived on the edge of a sword. Every one of them had taken a life before. They were fiercer, tougher, and far less scrupulous than the NEU students – worse than they'd thought. Still, the young pilots cut intimidating figures in their Warsuits.

The fight against the An Lun soldiers had left Geng Yang with a profound impression. He and Jin Tao had worked well together, giving their own team an opportunity to regroup and reengage. Unfortunately, they had been completely annihilated.

This time, he was determined to protect his soldiers. And so, from the very beginning he threw everything he had in to the advance. More than six enemies had been felled by his gun already, at this point.

He staggered, but recovered quickly as the enemy forces began to focus their fire his way. He swung around rifle first, and used it to deflect a laser blast. He took the opportunity to steady himself.

Geng Yang was a first-class pilot, and their trump card. He had an innate talent when it came to mecha control. He dodged the enemy's shots with fluid feints left and right, then fired his rifle in to the soldier next to him at point blank range. The pirate screamed helplessly as he was blown away. But Geng Yang turned to the other one who'd tried to get the drop on him, simultaneously drawing the alloy blades fixed to his back. In three chops, the enemy sneak attack was put down.

Geng Yang felt his Discipline flood through him, growing strong and prosperous. A golden aura sprang up around his Warsuit, condensing in to a vibrant amber as it empowered his weapons. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied another contingent of pirates heading his way. He twisted, and with a mighty sweep of his blades sent out a blast of power over ten meters long. The force knocked the enemies flying. It would buy his team a few more moments.

The young pilots were even more practiced in technique and cooperation this time. A result of their affair in An Lun, certainly. However, nerves had to be considered, and some were so nervous it was effecting their combat effectiveness. After all, this was a real fight, where the consequences of failure could very well mean death. Under conditions like these, how could these students – who had never taken a life before – not be nervous?

Geng Yang's breath came quick and haggard. Sustained use of his Discipline was exceedingly draining. He took a quick glance at the battlefield analysis to see that at least one hundred and twenty enemies remained locked in conflict. He was unfamiliar with the terrain, but he could see they were trying to position around and encircle his squad.

No good! That would certainly lead to injuries or deaths.

The An Lun Warsuits were equipped with thick armor and a powerful core. The central energy core was also tied to a reserve shield system. If the suit were to encounter an attack it couldn't survive, the shields would come online. It was in part due to this functionality that Lan Jue's students had yet to report any incidents. However, energy had its limits. Because they were nervous, many of the inexperienced pilots begun the fight pouring all of their powers in to the opening charge. Now, about halfway through, they were starting to fade.

In regards to mecha piloting, these fearsome pirates were no less adept than their attackers. As their Talent advantage waned, naturally the pirates' response strengthened.

In another part of the battlefield, Tang Xiao was taking to the fight like a duck to water. His eighth-ranked Discipline was a terrific boon, and even the enemy suits could be manipulated by his powers once he got within range. His enemies fell, ended by their own weapons. At the outset, at least four pirate mechas were destroyed before they could engage their shields. Tang Xiao forced their metal cockpits to fill with spikes. They were dead before they even knew what happened. His smarts and Discipline currently had him at the least of most confirmed kills.

Jin Tao, on the other side, had just bust through the enemy line. His Discipline was, in essence, amplification. When poured in to his mecha it increased the machine's power and speed to frightening levels. Him and his melee-focused team maintained blitzkrieg speed, so the pirates never got a chance to regain their footing.

Unfortunately, Geng Yang was having trouble. Him and his team were distance attackers, and as the battle continued they found themselves squeezed in to a tighter and tighter box. By virtue of their combat experience, the pirates had eventually surrounded their position and were closing in. Naturally, the closer they got, the harder remaining alive would be.

The only way Geng Yang could defend his team was to be everywhere at once. Under the pressing drive of their energies, his people's mecha energy reserves and Discipline continued to deplete. They couldn't keep this up for long, even with Geng Yang's support.

"Tang Xiao, we're getting overrun." He didn't want to ask for help, but he wouldn't let his pride result in the injury of his friends. These weren't students fighting for the attention of pretty girls – they were fellow officers locked in a life or death struggle.

"Lead the fight to me," Tang Xiao said without hesitation. "I'm moving in to support."

"On my way!" Geng Yang swords burst in to golden flame, as he viciously carved a path. Once a path was cleared, he ordered his team to retreat through the opening. They joined up with Tang Xiao's squad immediately, giving them a chance to catch their breath.

Just then, though, Geng Yang turned his eyes toward an ominous sound. As his vision swept the field, he saw an enormous crimson mecha barreling their way. He was fast – too fast for Geng Yang to react when the enemy slammed in to the student in front of him. He watched helplessly as his teammate was thrown aside.

Surprised and enraged, he raced forward in the hopes of saving his comrade.

By then the dark red mecha had turned to face his newest challenger. As Geng Yang drew near, he saw that the suit was constructed to resemble a beast. It had features like a lion, but locked in an eternal roar. The mane around its head was a series of compacted metal spikes. The whole suit was built in the same fashion, with sharp claws on its hands and feet. Wings fastened to its back were the lone exception.

After smashing in to Geng Yang's friends, the beastly mech made landfall on all four feet. He turned and in the blink of the eye, leapt at Geng Yang like a wild animal. A hungry blood lust filled the air as red light surrounded it. The enemy's clawed hands reached out for Geng Yang's shoulders.

He was also an Adept, and not a weak one!

The NEU star pupil had only half a second to make a decision. He set his feet, gripped his weapons, then lifted them high!

He wasn't, sadly, very used to the use of these alloy blades. He was more proficient with spears in melee combat. There wasn't much choice in the Warsuits they were so generously given – all were standard construction.

The beastly mecha twisted violently in the air to whip its frame around. This caused Geng Yang's blades to skin passed, leaving it unharmed. Light flashed off of the beast's claws as they groped for him.

Geng Yang hastily retreated a step, in attempts to avoid the grab. However, an angry, crimson light fired from behind the lion-looking suit which propelled it forward faster than he was expecting. The two mechas collided chest-first to the sound of crunching metal.

Dark red light shimmered along the dozens of spiky thorns surrounding his enemy's head. Geng Yang's eyes widened – if his shields couldn't stave off what was coming, he might not make it home.

Chapter 319: The Blademaiden Appears

In the moment of truth, Geng Yang revealed his worth as an emperor-ranked pilot. His Bloodlust mecha suit rapidly swung backward blades first, in attempts to pin his enemy to the ground.

But the lion mech was too good for that. It's clawed hands swiped at Geng Yang's weapons. He was exhausted from the fighting, so the blades were not possessed of a great amount of his Discipline. The result was that the weapons went flying. Geng Yang was disarmed.

The beastly mech then swung around, and kicked with its back legs at Geng Yang's hips. The wicked-sharp claws tore through the mecha's shields, then the metal structure of the student's mecha with a grating screech. Geng Yang was trampled to the ground.

Finished. It was all he could think about. His mind was blank except for that crushing realization. But his Discipline surged, reacting unconsciously to the danger to explode outward in a fiery display. His lion assailant was consumed by the flames.

Unfortunately, the beast's shields were strong and protected it from any serious damage. Still, it knocked him back and gave Geng Yang some space.

The red aura around the lion mecha began to condense in preparation for a finishing blow. The young NEU pilot, prone on the ground, had no way to dodge.

His squad mates were equally helpless. Ten other enemy had swarmed them in the red mecha's wake. They were busy fending them off – too busy to disengage and save their leader.

Geng Yang's eyes grew wide. He stared at his opponent, waiting for the killing blow. It was then a silvery light lanced across his vision, obliquely colliding with the lion mecha.

Clang! It was like it was struck with the force of a mountain and the red mecha went flying over a hundred meters.

The silvery light was like a specter, some sort of guardian angel that flitted off in another direction after Geng Yang was free from danger. Two pirate mecha nearby stopped in the tracks as the light raced passed. They split first at the chest plate, slowly separating until the mecha was severed completely in half lengthwise. It was like their shields didn't even exist.

"Can you get up?" A woman's voice asked over the coms.

Geng Yang tried to maneuver his suit. Not bad – the strike landed, but handled damaged the joint. He rose to his feet. He gulped, covered in a cold sweat. He'd only just barely escaped with his life.

Geng Yang spied a silvery-white mecha standing a short distance off. It had a sleek and aerodynamic design, without any decoration or unnecessary accessories. It was covered in strange grooves, and exceedingly frail-looking for a war machine. It's two arms where thin like blades. The mecha gave Geng Yang a cursory look, and then she was off – there one second, and gone the next.

So fast! This mecha's amazing! There was a flash, and once again that beastly mecha was sent flying.

As he watched a red orb of energy descended from above. It was a roiling orb of flame, and it crashed in to the prostrate pirate like a meteor.

It's silhouette was stark, set against the raging orange of the fires. A silver light swept through and pierced the beleaguered mecha's cockpit. The silver mecha slowly lifting its arm, backlit by fire, with the beast mecha impaled upon it. She unceremoniously flung her foe aside like garbage.

Thus did Geng Yang's would-be murderer meet his end.

A fiery red mecha descended from the skies. Its entire construction made it look like a mass of writhing flame. He could tell from the construction that it was a woman's mecha. Her weapon was a staff – no, a scepter? A glowing red power gem was on its crown.

The gemstone was almost half a meter in diameter. It had only a hundred and eight facets 1 It shimmered, alive with an internal fiery light.

The red mecha lifted its scepter, and another orb three meters in diameter was cast forth. It landed in the midst of an enemy squadron, and exploded with frightening ferocity. The surrounding enemies were instantly immolated.

The silvery-white mecha took a different approach. She raced from one side of the field to the other, and everywhere she went, she left a trail of bodies in her wake. One, then another, and other fell before they could even see her coming.

Geng Yang by now had guessed these mechas' origins. He'd caught a glimpse of these suits in passing during the An Lun battle. They were piloted by two of the assistants the Demon Drillmaster had brought with him. He hadn't seen them engage anyone during that fight. He had no idea they were so strong!

The titanium-white mecha especially captured his attention. She was like a living weapon, and where she went her enemy's shields were useless. Sharp, was the best way to describe her.

With the arrival of these two new players, the game was completely changed.

Although Geng Yang still had motive capability, he nonetheless gathered a few squad mates around him before checking on his fallen comrade, who'd been struck by the lion mech. Thankfully he'd only sustained concussive injuries, nothing that was life-threatening or would take him out of the fight. They reorganized, then under Geng Yang's command proceeded to give their nearby brethren fire support.

Interstellar pirates were a tough breed. If a battalion of soldiers were to suffer around thirty percent damage to their unit, they were in danger of collapse or defeat. The pirates, though, fought ever harder as their losses neared half. After all, where could they retreat to?

Mika urged her mecha – Jezebel – onward 2, revealing to all its frightening power. In truth the cudgel she bore was not a weapon, but an amplifier. Mika called it her wand. Jezebel's Hellfire Wand.

As the mecha raised its wand high, Mika's eyes flared with an unholy light. Under Lan Jue's direction she had been attempting to call forth the power of Satan, to control it. Under Lan Jue's guidance, they could watch to see if she was tending toward a loss of control. He would then step in and help stabilize her. Now, she felt more confident in allowing herself to let it free. She needn't fear losing herself to the evil.

Finally able to employ and cultivate her powers, Mika's powers had improved dramatically. She was well through ninth level first rank, and closing in on second. As Satan's successor, she was certainly the strongest of his Amazons in regards to potential.

The Hellfire Wand pulsed with an unsettling, dark red energy. A corona of light hung around it, expanding. A terrible, oppressive aura hung over the field. The pirates grew frightened at the sight of her. That stifling sensation slithered through them, making it difficult to breathe.

The first pirate to try and flee was near the edge of the conflict. A second followed, then a third.

Mika's fiery hair flailed through the cockpit like it was caught in a spectral wind. The feral strands darkened until they were the same devil red as her eyes. With a grunt, she poured her monstrous power in to Jezebel.

The massive gem at the top of the Hellfire Wand shone brilliantly like a small sun. The red aura thickened, and spread like storm clouds over the area. Of course, that shimmering stone was a power gem, an a-ranked Hellfire Stone to be precise. Its function was to greatly amplify any fire-based Disciplines. It increased Mika's by three hundred percent. In truth, no normal a-ranked stone could do what this one was doing.

The clouds grew dark, but instead of lightning their lines were painted red. Moments later, screaming balls of crimson fire came tumbling from the heavens. There were few at first, but they were soon followed by countless more. The sky was burned behind them, leaving a trail of angry fire and choking smoke while they barreled like inevitable doom toward the fleeing pirates. Where they landed, the earth was obliterated, scorched black and ruined. The land around the pirates was blanketed in all-consuming fire, deafening them with terrifying blasts.

Charlie, Delta and Echo had completed their objectives, and their foes lay slain or fled in terror. They watched in stunned silence as the world before them burned indiscriminately.

This…

No suit was capable of this level of destruction. No, this had to be the teaching assistant. This had to be her Discipline! This red-haired, normally silent woman was unceremoniously exterminating their foes.

Alpha squad had succeeded in taking the planetary defense system offline. Tan Lingyun watched the distant horizon as it was painted red. She saw that mecha, like a demonic god, and her pupils contracted.

At her level of cultivation, she was of course capable of sussing out another's power level. No wonder she was so confident that day, Tan Lingyun thought, she was a ninth level Talent. Her mecha was also something to behold, and powerful if it could strengthen her Discipline to this level.

The apocalyptic meteor shower continued for a few minutes more. The earth below was desecrated beyond recovery, and belched fires that would melt the student's suits. Clearly, there were no survivors in that lake of fire.

Jezebel and Asura descended to join the others on the ground. A message from the Accountant flashed on their screens, encouraging all of them to seek out and destroy any who might have escaped. The squads fanned out in all directions and proceeded to hunt down any remaining foes. There was no more fear, or worry over the result. This battle was won, it was just time to put it to bed.

Feng Ling was furious! He ground his teeth so hard they threatened to break. He could see all that was happening below, on his Crimson Star. Alas, he didn't even have the courage to blast the planet with the ship's main cannons and give them support. He wouldn't delay one second – that was Zeus, the stuff of nightmares!

1. 108 is an important number in Buddhist lore. It's also important for Hinduism and Jewish faiths, but the author likely meant to evoke the Buddhist bit. As far as I remember, the beads represent the one hundred and eight lessons of the Buddha. It's almost ubiquitous with martial arts, and is seen often in fictional literature as a superhuman technique or series of techniques that ties the user to the universe.

2. Unless I'm mistaken, this is the first time we've seen Mika in her suit. I've chosen to name her Jezebel after the tale of Jezebel, which while I don't see it here, is sometimes referred to as the 'Mother of Harlots', or Satan's Whore. In Chinese the name is 'Demon Concubine' – close enough, I think. If I'm miss-remembering, and I've already named her mecha, please remind me.

Chapter 320: Less Than You Deserve

He had to run, quickly and as far as he could. He would hide somewhere in the Northern Alliance, and find safety under their protection. He still had a battleship, it would serve to raise his worth in their eyes.

Luckily, most of the money they'd gained through looting over the last several years had been poured in to the pirate leader's flagship. Every pirate knew that a day like this would come eventually. So, he had spent his time preparing.

The radar squealed an alarm.

"An enemy is in pursuit," a pirate hollered.

Feng Lin felt his whole body quiver. He raced to the screen to see for himself. A shimmering ball of blue light was closing in. It was impossibly fast, and was already practically on top of their position.

Blue! He knew what that represented.

Feng Ling was full of anger and resentment, but none of that was worth his life. "Open her all the way up – all thrusters and main engines. Full speed ahead!" He shouted the orders, his voice ringing on the bridge.

He tensely watched the screen, watched as that blue orb approach. However, as he looked on he saw the ball of light flash – and then, it was gone.

"Eh?" The pirate sitting in front of the radar panel was furiously trying to find the orb. "Where'd it go?" The encroaching danger was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, the entire ship began to shake.

All the color drained from Feng Lin's face, turning the fleshy nubs from a dark red to a sickly pale. "Mechas!" He shouted. "Get the mecha ready! Attack!"

Mechas couldn't compete with battleships on any level, this was a simply fact. Look at the sheer amount of resources that are required to build a battleship! In both attack and defense, a battleship outclassed a mecha by orders of magnitude.

Speed, for instance – an ordinary mecha couldn't reach light speed, something that was true even for most God-ranked mechas. Battleships, however, needed only slight modifications before it was capable of the feat – even FTL.

However, in the universe there were no absolutes. What a mecha suit couldn't do on its own, it could do easily with the right pilot.

An example was Jezebel, and the terrifying hellfire meteor shower she'd used to decimate the pirate fighters. If anyone other than Mika were to pilot it, it didn't matter who they were the same results could not be achieved.

Thor was another. With his own powers and the lightning energies of the suit, he could easily and quickly reach light speed.

Battleships were only capable of accelerating to light speed in the vacuum of space. Feng Lin had yet to break atmosphere.

At its speeds, Thor was like a twinkle of light. In no time at all, it was beside the ship. The ships shields were up, however, and those were formidable for a mecha to handle alone.

Thor tore through the air, spinning like a drill with its spear leading the charge. The shields shuddered, flashed, then parted. Thor was through.

Bang! Thor attached itself to the hull of the ship.

Although battleships and patrol boats were only separated by one 'level', they were vastly differently vehicles. Patrollers were meant as supports for battleships, or their stationed planets. They were closer ranged skirmishers, and search vessels. Conversely, battleships were adept at traveling long distances, and were capable weapons for nearly all manner of combat. Because of this, its armor was considerably thicker than its smaller counter-parts. They had to be made to withstand blasts from rival battleships, after all. The result was a much hardier ship when compared to patrol boats.

But Thor didn't seem to be aiming to destroy the ship it was clinging to. As it stood there, latched to the ship, it began to pulse with waves of electric blue light. The strange energy swept across the length and breadth of Feng Ling's escape vessel.

Inside, the ship was a chaotic mess. His ship was powerful, yes, but badly understaffed. In his rush to escape, Feng Ling had brought only his most trusted men. Less than fifty mechas were available to mount a defense.

Feng Lin himself clambered in to a suit. He shook terrible as he got the machine started. He only felt safe inside the belly of one of these beasts. But, why was it so quiet all of a sudden…

Screeaacchh! The strange sound suddenly filled the cockpit. The control board sizzled as bolts of electricity raced through it. Smoke began to fill the interior. All of the ship's electrical equipment had gone haywire.

Creaks and groans arose as external pressure slowly began to crush the ship. The lights cut out.

"Ah!" Feng Lin screamed impotently, and turned on the suit's flood lights. He dove to the side and in to a corner.

Suddenly the room's interior was host to a second figure, this one encased in gold and emitting rays of brilliant, electric blue light. Gold hair, gold robe, gold mask.

That majestic figure lit up the area like a small sun, but the pirates could only feel the creeping chill of fear crawling up their spines.

Every pirate in the Shattered Starfields was familiar with this figure. The blood of countless buccaneers stained his hands, more than anyone knew.

"Zeus… Zeus, you have to listen to me. Take it easy now, alright? Let's just… let's just talk this out." Feng Ling's voice cracked from fear. Zeus wasn't in his suit, but from what he knew of the man that didn't make the slightest bit of difference.

According to the stories, he could destroy this battleship with nothing but his bare hands.

A cold, empirical voice boomed through the entirety of the vessel. "Say what you need to say."

Feng Ling's chest rose and fell with ragged breaths. "I-I know what we've done is wrong. Piracy, is wrong. But none of this was my choice! It was all the Northern Alliance, the Northerners made me do it! They said it was so the East would send ships in to the Starfields. I'll tell you everything, I swear. Just, please let me go! I'll stand trial and tell everyone about the North's plans. Is it money? I'll give you everything I own. Y-you can give it to the victim's families, as compensation."

Now, staring death in the face, nothing else mattered but life. He was on his home turf, surrounded by his men. And yet, upon seeing Zeus he knew the fight was ended.

"Did you think about this when you massacred those people? Did you give any thought to the fact that this day would come?" Zeus took a step forward. Hundreds of errant golden lightning bolts fired in all directions from his body. They were so intense, that the pirate closest to him was immediately encased in golden light. The pilot within was reduced to ash before he could scream.

The other suits reacted by turning on their shields. They began to slowly retreat – none dared face this terrifying man.

"I was wrong, I'm sorry! But, but I didn't want to do it! What could I do? I can't stand up to the whole Northern Alliance! And if I didn't do it, they'd just get someone else. Then they would come for my head! I surrender, I'll follow you anywhere. I'll do anything you want me to do."

Zeus sniffed disdainfully. "Under interstellar law, I cannot kill you once you've surrendered. And yet, when you came across that transport ship, I wonder if you extended them the same courtesy. Was it the North who told you to slaughter them like dogs? Did you give those innocent souls any second chances? You did not stay your hand once – not for the elderly, not for the children. You just cut them down. It's too late for words now. You, all of you, will be reborn in the next life as beasts. And even that will be too good for you."

"Get him!" Feng Lin howled. Zeus had made it clear he would offer no quarter. If he wanted to live, defeating the Mercenary King would be his only chance.

The interior of the battleship flashed erratically as laser rifles fired. The air hissed and sizzled. The ship's interior was sturdy and well equipped, with its own interior shielding. In fact, they were specifically installed because the pirates knew the risk of fighting on their own ship was significant. They had to avoid damaging this very expensive war machine. The haphazard rifle fire ricocheted in all directions, but left the ship itself largely unscathed.

The pirates' eyes grew wide as they watched the blasts penetrate Zeus. They did it! Did they?

But not a moment later, everything around them was painted a blinding gold.

"I command the clouds to gather!"

Foreboding mists of gold crept around them, appearing from nowhere. It reached in to every nook and every corner. Only particularly well-shielded areas seemed to keep it at bay.

"The heavens… shall splinter!"

Bolts of golden electricity – thicker than man's waist – exploded through every hallway. Countless lightning bolts surged like an ocean, obliterating everything it came in to contact with.

Where they on the planet, Lan Juwe would have needed the help of Thor to route the enemy this quickly. But in the confines of this floating metal coffin, the pirates had nowhere to run – nowhere to hide. Zeus had grown tired of speaking with these animals, so he would speak with action. Under his precise control, those terrible bolts of lightning relayed his message.

When he was finished, not even corpses remained. The pilots in their cockpits had been disintegrated, wiped from the universe by these righteous bolts.

Only one single mecha was spared the reckoning. When that terrifying lightning ceased to wreak havoc, Feng Ling remained. He sat in the cockpit, too frightened to move. His arms and legs shook, and at some point he'd urinated himself. Just the presence of this awesome protogenic power was making it hard to breathe.

This was the power of Zeus' Ascension. The mighty god of lightning made real.

Once again that golden figure appeared silently out of thin air. He stared silently at Feng Ling for a moment, then spread his arms. Loud creaking protests rang through the ship when suddenly Feng Ling's chest plate fractured and blew apart. The pirate lord tumbled to the ground.

Lan Jue's face became a sneer a he looked upon the man. The small ugly thing had soiled himself as well, and the stench hung heavy in the air.

"Tell me. Who from the Northern Alliance asked you to attack that transport?" Zeus' cold, cruel voice was like metal.

"It was…" Feng Ling spilled what he knew without hesitated or remorse.

Lan Jue huffed. With a dismissive wave of his right hand, a bolt of lightning ended the miserable man, removing him and his stench from existence.

Chapter 321: Ruinous Blow

Lan Jue picked off his cloak and wig, then calmly walked to the battleship's control panel. He flooded it with current, and the ship came back to life.

He wasn't happy with the obliteration of the pirates, on the contrary his brows were furrowed ominously. He conncted to Zeus-1 on the planet below through a secret cipher code.

"Jewelry Master? Everything went smoothly? Don't worry, everything on the surface is normal. Beta squad has found fifty-six Eastern women who had been held hostage by the enemy. They've already escorted them to safety. The remaining teams are cleaning up the stragglers."

Lan Jue's quiet voice responded. "Relay my command, Accountant: Everyone is to fall back to Zeus-1. Take off and pick them up. Once you've got 'em, come and get me. Quick, now."

The Accountant felt nervous as he heard Lan Jue's urgency. He didn't dare dally, and performed his task without hesitation. The students, as well, felt strange as the commands were relayed. Didn't he say not to give any quarter? Wasn't their job to eliminate all of the pirates? They were well in control of the battle, and the pirates had no chance at victory. What's the idea?

Although their were uncertain, their time on An Lun had taught them a little something about following orders. So despite their confusion, they did what they were told as fast as they were able.

Zeus-1 rose quickly under the Accountant's command. Flashes of light sputtered from its thrusters as the ship swept by, landing just long enough to gather up the rescued women and the students. The ship – already near capacity – was downright crowded with the addition of fifty more souls. The students had to remove their suits before boarding, obviously, though it slowed the escape process.

The seats were all given to the captives, who all looked relieved to be freed from their ordeal. But one could tell they were scarred. There was a vacuity in their eyes, like their souls were dead or locked away. A few wept silently, or stared blankly at nothing. Seeing them, the students couldnm't help but clench their fists and gnash their teeth. Who knew how much torment these poor women had to endure from these despicable pirates.

"Quick!" Lan Jue's urgent voice pulled their minds back to the present.

"Everyone's here," the Accountant said. "We're in flight, en route to your position."

Lan Jea, meanwhile, was watching the the screens at the battleship's control panel. Sweat dotted his forehead.

Lan Jue had used his Ascension powers and protogenic abilities to quickly deal with the pirates. Doing so that quickly, of course, drained a good deal of energy.

Of course, his command to recall the troops wasn't a pointless endeavor. Despite his handling of the situation, a terrifying sensation washed over him as he did. Something that made it hard to breathe.

It was a sensation he hadn't even felt on Taihua during the invasion. The fighting there had been more or less within his ability to deal with, however the feeling he had now was enough to rattle him. There was something… deadly.

It was a feeling he felt only once before. The day Hera died.

This was why he was so quickly commanding his students to retreat.

Zeus-1 tore through the air under the Accountant's expert flying, headed for Lan Jue and the battleship. Lan Jue wasted no time with explanations, sending the ship on a speedy trip in to the recesses of the Starfields. The two boats followed the same path, one in front and one behind. The Crimson Star shrunk as they raced away.

"We're boiling up in here, Jewelry Master. We're like a bowl of dumplings. Why don't you take some people with you on your ship! I can barely breathe!" The Accountant's voice was a little irritated.

In fact, he was downright depressed. As far as he knew, the Starfields were positively rife with pirates but at least here they'd be handled. But they were ordered to leave before they could even divvy up the spoils!

The students didn't care – they hadn't done this for riches. It was enough for them to have saved these women, some of whom clearly would need years of help to get over what had happened.

Lan Jue didn't answer. He kept up the speed, forcing Zeus-1 to push full throttle to keep up. Before long both Zeus-1 and the battleship were at light speed. The ships weaved between the countless failed planets and fractured asteroids as they made their escape.

The Accountant glowered with his brows knotted as he watched the pirate battleship. The Jewelry Master was too cautious, he thought to himself. There was nothing going on! According to the star maps, there weren't even any other pirates clans in the vicinity. What's more, how could any of these piddling pirates stand up to the Jewelry Master and his awesome power?

As the confusion in his heart grew, the Accountant's eyes were stabbed by a fierce light outside of the window. It was pure white, and so powerful that the whole of Zeus-1's interior was blanched by it.

The women cried out in alarm with one terrified voice.

They could see it clearly from the windows. As they sped away a massive column of light – fifty kilometers long – tore through the darkness of space, right toward the Crimson Star. As the pearly light struck it, the entire planet adopted the pallid hue.

The Accountant's eyes grew large, and threatened to pop out of his head. The lollipop in his mouth tumbled to the floor. The planet disappeared in a stupendous explosion before the lollipop even stopped rolling.

It was a small planet, but it was a planet. The Crimson Star disappeared as this enigmatic attack reduced it to space dust. So powerful was the blast, that even the errant asteroids in the vicinity were instantly vaporized. The resulting displacement of energy condensed in to a powerful wave. Both ships had their shields up and full of energy by the time it hit them.

The Accountant's face was a sickly white, and his heart was absent any further doubt or blame. How could he even describe what he was seeing? Terrifying didn't cover it.

The students were equally stunned by the display. Never had they seen something like this before. What the hell was that white light?! An entire planet was erased by this light, to the point where even the asteroids around it were destroyed.

The women had stopped crying. They had been rendered speechless – had not these people come for them, they would have suffered the same fate as the Crimson Star.

Lan Jue, meanwhile, took deep gasping breaths as the light show concluded. Finally, safe at least for now, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Though the students and the rescued women didn't know what that light was, the Accountant and Lan Jue were well familiar. The Savage Goddess and Wang Hongyuan could guess some of it as well.

Nothing in the natural universe could produce an attack that powerful. This was something beyond that, a supernatural power with enormous destructive power. In the realms of men there was only one thing that could produce power like that: A Bastion ship.

The battleship slowly began to decelerate. When it slipped behind Zeus-1, it listed to the side and took the brunt of the shock wave. Immediately the souls on Zeus-1 felt her stabilize considerably.

In all the vastness of the universe, the power of man was infinitesimal. But Bastions, those were different. Not even the strongest Paragon could survive a blast from a Bastion's main battery. It had the power to effect galaxies.

"Boss!" Mika and Xiuxiu shouted as they saw the battleship shudder violently from the impact of the wave. There was nothing they could do.

The harshest part of I was coming. If they could survive this, they would make it home.

The students were stunned, and afraid. They could see the battleship on the main screens, protecting their rear and being pummeled in the process. It looked as though its shields would fail any second.

It was more than fair to say that these students had endured torturous conditions since the beginning of the ARC classes. Especially Lan Jue's needles and electricity, it was a living nightmare. How could there not be a bitter hatred for their Demon Drillmaster?

Eventually, however, they discovered the sweetness after the bitter. They saw what this cruel training had forged them in to. There would always be hatred there, but that and the fear were reduced as they got stronger. Now there was also respect.

As they watched that ship behind them, protecting them from the worst of the blast, their fear grew but their resentment disappeared.

They were smart, talented youths. They knew Lan Jue must have considered these things before making his decision. There were limits to the shields of a battleship that had already been boarded. Plus, who knew how long they'd have to defend against this aftermath? Regardless, he put himself between them and danger without hesitation, and they knew what that meant. There wasn't just respect now; he was like a strict father who – although stern – came to their defense in their hour of need.

Zhou Qianlin watched with large, frightened eyes. Her hands held on to Tang Mi with a white-knuckle grip.

Tang Mi grabbed her in a hug and held her tight.

Chapter 322: Arachnid Class Bastion

Zhou Qianlin was truly scared, but it wasn't because of the shock wave.

For almost a full minute, the violent shaking continued. Eventually their speed helped them escape from the diffused destructive energy. As they stabilized, the passengers gradually calmed.

Sweat soaked everyone in the airship. They had felt the cold chill of death at their shoulder, and knew they had just narrowly avoided destruction. Had their reactions been even half a second slower, they'd all be space dust.

The Accountant was more affected. He'd performed his earlier task begrudgingly, but he also knew how important following instructions was in situations such as this. Thinking back, if he would have dragged his feet their bodies would have remained in the Starfields for ever.

Anyone who claimed to not be afraid after staring death in the face, was a liar.

Lan Jue was also shaking slightly, though he wasn't as fearful. Most was rage. The only thing capable of carnage like that was a Bastion ship. There was only one group in this area that had one.

The Northern Alliance.

Deep Space.

A colossal silhouette hung in the emptiness of space. It spread out like an enormous spider, with it's spindly legs crawling through the black. It was over ten kilometers long, and weighed in the hundreds of millions. It stalked the recesses of the galaxy in darkness and in silence.

The Arachnid, one of the Northern Alliance's seven Bastion ships. It defended them from the Starfields, and any sneak attacks that might try to pierce their borders. It was equipped with the strongest military weaponry available to mankind, and housed the North's Seventh Cosmic Fleet. The fleet was composed of a Sovereign-Class Mothership, four Commandships, and a large number of battleships. And yet all of this comprised only one-seventh of the North's total military power. The armed might of the North was unquestioned.

Within the blly of the massive spider sat a silvery-haired man. Slowly, he dropped his finger from the large, blood-red button.

The distinguished gentleman sat straight and tall, in a crisp white military uniform. He was a towering man, with steely blue eyes that made people uncomfortable. An hooked nose hung over a thin mouth that gave him a distinctly vulture-like appearance.

Three golden stars adorned the labels on his shoulders. They glinted in the fluorescent light.

This was the commander of the Arachnid, Admiral Holmen.

He represented the more hawkish faction of the Northern military. Since the beginning he'd advocated for a firm and combative stance toward the East and West. He was a legend among soldiers.

He was seventy-six years old this year. At eight he'd begun his training in mecha combat. By fourteen, he was a full-fledged pilot. He transferred to battleship command training when he was eighteen. By the time he was twenty-two, he was in the army and wracking up commendations. It took him forty years to earn the title of Admiral, where he committed himself to exploring the frontiers of space for mankind. The Seventh Fleet under his command was the North's trump card, and was known for it's strength.

Eight years ago he had achieved his latest promotion – Chief of National Defense. That was when he was given command of the Arachnid. Now he was among the top echelons of Northern command.

His political leanings were certainly more hostile toward outsiders. His techniques were always raze and occupy, and would crush any indigenous populations he came across. There were constantly calls for his removal from the more peace-loving factions, so in the end he was given command out here. Let him destroy pirates, they thought, and his proximity to the East would certainly frighten their neighbors.

Ten years ago Admiral Holmen had proposed a military campaign for An Lun, but was ultimately denied due to vociferous opposition. Lately, however, the more military minded had begun to grip the political majority. With the recent attacks on their exploratory expeditions, the calls for action were growing louder. Already there were plans put to the Ministry of National Defense for an eighth Bastion ship and three more Cosmic Fleets.

"Admiral!" A colonel shot to his feet and saluted. He was always shown the utmost respect.

"Speak." Holmen's voice was deep, rich, and cold.

"Our long-range satellite imaging confirms, designation Crimson Star has been destroyed. The nearby planets and asteroid belt were also destroyed or displaced by the resulting shock wave. The test fire of our main battery has completed successfully."

"Excellent. Commence radiation recharge." Holmen rose to his feet, slapped a military cap on his head and left the bridge. The red button he'd used to erase a planet retracted, and disappeared in to the admiral's chair. Only admirals had the right to fire a Bastion's main weapons.

Holmen's face revealed a cold satisfaction as he traversed the halls. Zeus? Even someone like him was destined to become ash in the face of a Bastion. One pirate clan for one of the East's top adepts was more than a fair trade, he felt.

Feng Ling's calls to help had been sent to the Arachnid. Of course, why should they have any cause to listen to him? Only Holmen gave the commands here. Once the Admiral had heard of Zeus' presence, things changed.

There were simply too many pirates on that cursed planet who had evidence of the North's involvement. It was unallowable, they had to be silenced. He advocated war, yes, but on their terms. Sometimes it was best to avoid conflict while you prepared to strike. He was bound by congressional regulations, like everyone else, and they were always hungry for more evidence. But with all trace removed, along with that nuesance they call Zeus, how could anything be brought back to him?

With his pirate influence, and the ever present fear of the Arachnid hanging over them, Holmen was certain it wouldn't take long to put together another batch of reprobates for his purposes.

The passengers from Zeus-1 were transferred to the battleship, and its controls were relinquished to the Accountant. Clearly this was his area of expertise. Mika and Xiuxiu were more than capable of piloting Zeus-1.

Lan Jue was less than pleased. It was not because of his brush with death, but because of how the pirates were destroyed.

He sat in the commanders chair in the cockpit of Zeus-1, mulling over memories from three years ago.

"Run! Jin Yu, RUN!"

"It's too late, Lan Jue… it's already too late. Goodbye, my heart. I love you. Please forget me… fare well."

Boom– — –!

Lan Jue squeezed his eyes shut. He'd unconsciously curled his hands in to fists. Those past wounds still festered, and now he knew at least part of what happened. The difference from today, was that was a fixed planet Hera was on. There was no way anyone survived.

That powerful light from the distance had re-opened old, deep scars.

Could this all be some sort of coincidence? Although all of evidence said it was an accident, but how could it have been so sudden? What if it wasn't?

After Hera's death, Lan Jue lost himself for a long while. When he finally came to, he set out for any indication of what happened. But with the planet's destruction, any hope of following a trail was gone.

So it was that he hid himself on Skyfire, and chose a quiet life on the Avenue. But for more than half a year, he would dream of that explosion every night. Now he had seen those nightmares come to life.

It had been a small planet, the Crimson Star, but it was still home to thousands of pirates. But while they certainly deserved death, their families were innocent.

Even during Lan Jue's own pirate purge, he'd never visited harm upon their families, nor plundered their belongings. Bringing those things back had no meaning anyway. Their families needed to eat, so he left them their ill-gotten goods.

This time there was nothing left. Every living thing on that planet had vaporized in the blink of an eye. Tens of thousands of lives, gone.

If he'd thought pirates were cruel, what about the ones responsible for this? There were no words to describe this monstrous act.

These were innocent lives!

"Jewelry Master… Jewelry Master do you read?" Lan Jue's coms crackled to life. He connected, and isolated it from the outside noise.

"What is it?"

The Accountant's nasaly voice answered. "Guess what I found. Hehehe, these pirates were some really crafty bastards. You know they hid their entire cache of stolen goods on this ship? This whole thing's a damn treasure vault! This is the first time I've ever seen this much wealth in one place, and I live on the damn Avenue. They got mecha suits, power gems… so many power gems. It looks like they traded for them, for convenience. We're rich! Ah-hehehehe! We've got enough here to outfit an army."

"Shut up." Lan Jue's voice was curt, he didn't have the patience for the Accountant's nonsense. He cut the connection without another word. Riches had never been his goal. If all it took was money to bring back that one person, he'd give up everything he owned.

Chapter 323: Training Ends

At long last, the training was done!

Zeus-1 led their trophy, the pirate battleship, back to Planet Skyfire. When they arrived, the ship remained in orbit as Zeus-1 shuttled her occupants back to ground. It was, after all, rife with pirate markings and was an unregistered warship. The planet's defensive systems would be on it immediately I they got too close.

This was also the seat of the Eastern government, and home planet to the Alliance. You could guarantee its defenses would be a great deal more troubling than the Crimson Star's.

Lan Jue immediately got in to contact with the Wine Master, and they deliberated on what to do with the women. They would need a good deal more manpower at the very least. That went double for the battleship.

Through testing the Accountant had discovered that the battleship had undergone a series of significant adjustments. First, it's energy stores were comparable to Zeus-1, and that was impressive. It was armed to the teeth, too, but unfortunately a lot had been damaged by Feng Ling and Lan jue's acquisition. In its current state, they certainly couldn't get the most out of the ship's impressive armaments. Most importantly, though, was that its shields far outstripped anything else of its class – enough to ward that terrible blast.

Lan Jue stood with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes glinted with a cold light that flashed intermittently, and each time it did space seemed to warp around Lan Jue's face. It only appeared to calm when he watched the soldiers take away those poor women to safety.

The Wine Master stood at Lan Jue's shoulder, and watched as well. He nodded his head, ever so slightly. "What you all did today was a great service. However, it would be very difficult to officially commend you, considering the fact this was done of your own accord. Still, private remunerations can be arranged. What do you think would be appropriate?"

He was obviously appraised of the situation by this point. There was nothing in it he felt inappropriate; in fact, if not for the fact Paragons had to be careful about revealing themselves he'd have done the same.

Lan Jue answered by shaking his head. "Nothing. Just look after these poor women. I can't imagine what they've gone through. Also, help sell the power gems we recovered, and make sure they get all of it."

The Wine Master shot his young friend a surprised look. "Are you aware of how many power gems you brought back?"

Lan Jue's brows furrowed. "Is that important? Will any number be enough for these women to forget what they had to live through?"

A small smile appeared on the old man's craggy face. "You know, it's really no wonder the Clairvoyant was always ranked higher than I. Even his ability to read people was damn near superhuman. He told me once that although we couldn't understand you, he knew you had a good heart. This kind of personality roots you, keeps you grounded. Anyway, you don't have to worry. The Alliance will make sure they're very well taken care of. They'll have specialists in traumatic psychosis on hand as well, using state of the art medical and psychological treatments. They're families will be alerted and trained in how to help them reintegrate in to society. They will also be given compensation. So take those power gems you captured, and maybe you'll find out why they say too much wealth can be a bad thing."

Lan Jue's features relaxed. "As for the battleship, I'd ask that you help me donate it to the Alliance. Don't mention my name – I don't want them snooping around."

The Wine Master laughed in spite of himself. "Very well, I'll have someone take care of it. I'm starting to feel like a fence 1."

Finally a bemused smirk cracked Lan Jue's glower exterior. "It's not such a bad job, I reckon. In that case I'll probably make another few runs in the near future."

The Wine Master's face suddenly grew serious. "Now considering what you've done here I'm willing to forgive your past transgressions. Except for that horse-pucky with the Gourmet and that vagabond. If you hear anything about it, you tell me right away!"

Lan Jue suddenly remembered the news, that the Gourmet and Pauper had stolen away with some extraordinary wine from the Wine Master's vault. He gave a wry smirk. "Look, I didn't benefit from any of that. I'm just suffering the result. Those fellas have definitely drank it all by now, anyway. Just don't dwell on it."

Lan Jue could actually see the Wine Master's face twitch. "'Don't dwell on it'? Did you know they took the single most prized bottle of my entire collection? But at least I can be sure that no, they haven't opened that bottle."

Lan Jue chortled. "Fine. You'll be hearing from me soon anyway, to help find one of the Three Great Master's descendants like I promised. Lately things have been… hectic, but they're slowing down. Have you been able to discover anything?"

The Wine Master's eyes flashed excitedly. "Yes, in fact. I'm organizing things now, and I'll let you know when we're ready. It looks like we'll be taking a little trip to the West."

"Alright," Lan Jue answered with a nod. "I'll wait to hear from you."

The students had all been sent home to their families. They were exhausted, and after being gone from home for so long they deserved a good long rest with their family. It had been Wu Junyi's suggested after hearing about the entire ordeal.

Lan Jue's first order of business had been to seek out the Wine Master and deal with the poor women they'd rescued, so he hadn't seen the students as they left. He didn't mind – after the explosion at the Crimson Star, and the memories they brought up, he wasn't in the best of moods.

"Boss." Mika's voice at his shoulder caught his attention.

"Hm?" He said, turning his head.

"The students asked me to bid you farewell on their behalf," she said. "That Tan Lingyun woman was looking for you, too."

"I swear to God, I can't get away from that woman," Lan Jue moaned. "Anyway, this training regimen seemed to have gone very well, but they have to keep it up. If not, the whole thing will have been a waste. Let them rest for a little while, then Wu Junyi and I will see whether or not this training needs any work. I'm leaving those power gems to you to deal with. Might as well put them in the store first. After processing, we're give a third to the Skyfire Council."

Lan Jue had a great deal of experience in cultivating how to deal with people. Failing to share a windfall with others was not appropriate behavior, and he prided himself on propriety in this regard. The Avenue had its own needs, and he was happy to contribute. He had a clear conscience, but they shared in times of rain or shine.

As for the Accountant, he'd already grabbed one of the larger gems and disappeared. More than likely he was going to present it to his grandfather, to make himself look good.

When Lan Jue entered the doors of Zeus' Jewelry Shop, he immediately felt himself begin to relax. That familiar scent filled his nostrils as he made his way to the back apartments. He took a shower, then sat on the bed to rest. Physically he felt fine, but mentally was another matter. They'd all gone through a great deal these last couple of months.

The god-battles, the Citadel visit, the ARC classes, then An Lun and the Starfields… one thing after another, entirely contrary to the life of comfort he'd sought on the Avenue. And although the entire experience had been an enriching one, he was certainly fatigued.

He slipped in to a deep sleep, and in his dreams he was once again assailed by the visions of that terrible explosion. He could still see Hera's warm eyes, full of tender affection. She reached out with a spectral hand, as though to grab him, but was always just out of reach.

When sunlight touched his window, Lan Jue awoke. He felt refreshed, but the shadow that had crept in to the back of his mind was darker now, and clearer. He felt haunted.

With a bitter smile he took a cold shower, to wake him up for the day. He changed his clothes, then exited out in to the shop.

He still had a great deal he needed to do. The follow-up to the god battle was of the highest priority currently. He also had to visit the school and see what needed to be done there. His etiquette class was a total mess he'd need to deal with.

Thinking about normal classes, the smile on his face grew. More and more he was enjoying the life of a professor. It was never more true than when he was in class.

There was only one etiquette teacher on staff, and that was him. Everyone thought he was a normal man, and treated him as such. The life of a 'normal' professor was a nice one, relaxing and enriching. The dark cloud that hung over him dissipated somewhat when he was teaching.

Yeah, I have to go to school and check things out tomorrow. There are classes to prepare. Today, I'll have to figure out what I want to teach them.

His leisurely stroll quickly brought him to his destination: Sunbucks Coffee.

Lan Jue pushed his way inside. It was early still, so the shop was empty. Two pretty young women were busily preparing things behind a counter. Both were clad in fine white button-down shirts and coffee-colored suit pants.

The Coffee Master was nearby as well, quietly enjoying a steaming cup of a pungent brew. He jumped a little when he spied Lan Jue, then smiled.

Lan Jue approached and took a seat without invitation. He was smiling, as well. "You know, I really want to kick your ass."

The Coffee Master's face dropped. "What the hell?! You just got back yesterday and already you're talking about beating people. You're the leader of the Star Aliance now, too. Is this how you treat your compatriots? Your fellow warriors? Do you have any humanity?"

Lan Jue just chuckled. "Humanity? I guess it depends on who I'm dealing with. A clown, for example. I think I have the least humanity for clowns."

The Coffee Master dropped it. He knew there was quite a large difference in ability between he and the Jewelry Master. Outside of a mecha suit, he was like a toothless tiger. His muscle speed and Lan Jue's lightning were an unfavorable match-up, regardless.

"So did you just come here to threaten?" The god-ranked pilot asked in agitation.

1. For those who may not be aware: A fence is someone who specializes in moving stolen goods Thieves will come to them with their ill-gotten gains in exchange for untraceable cash.

Chapter 324: Blue Mountain

"No actualy," Lan Jue said. "I haven't had breakfast yet. Fetch us a little something yeah?"

"Shit!" The Coffee Master used his quick hands to deliver to Lan Jue the international symbol of displeasure 1. "You'll be lucky if I don't poison you!"

Lan Jue chuckled. "I trust your moral quality, Mister Knave."

The Coffee Master rose to his feet in a huff. He stomped to the counter and shared a few words with the women there.

Lan Jue, meanwhile, simply sat with noble air upon his chair. He politely nodded in greeting to the ladies. "If you wouldn't mind, I would love some Blue Mountain Coffee. I'd also like a sandwich and some greens as well, please."

The Coffee Master turned back around and shot Lan Jue a venomous look. "No Blue Mountain!"

To this, the Jewelry Master sighed. "Fine. Might as well cancel any plans you might have with the Wine Master or Gourmet, I suppose. I'll be sure to tell them about your sudden lack of inventory. They're probably low as well."

"Ruthless," the Coffee Master snarled.

Blue Mountain coffee was considered among the best of brews. It was a rare product of a place called Jamaica, on former era Earth. It was still sold today, though modern Blue Mountain was a simulated approximation of the real thing. They had to reproduce the conditions on former era Jamaica, and that contributed to its higher cost. Even the Coffee Master couldn't as much as he'd like, much less enough to sell. He only ever brewed a pot on particularly happy occasions.

The Coffee Master didn't return to his seat beside Lan Jue. Instead, he walked behind the counter and busied himself with other things. The entire process – grinding the beans, filtering the coffee – wasn't quick and it wasn't slow. Each movement the Coffee Master made was purposeful, and graceful. His eyes were especially focused.

Watching the man at work dispersed some of the gloominess that still hung around Lan Jue. Coming back to the Avenue was always pleasant. He got to watch a master at work.

Lan Jue rarely drank milk due to his lactose intolerance 2. Too much undoubtedly aggravated his stomach, and he couldn't each for the whole day. His preference was for straight black coffee, and since it was high-grade coffee there was no need for sugar. It would adversely mask the coffee's natural flavor.

After a short while, a waitress arrived with a plate, upon which sat Lan Jue's sandwich and assorted greens. The Coffee Master eventually returned with another tray.

His was occupied by two delicate china coffee cups, and their saucers. A sophisticated silver coffee pot steamed between them. The Coffee Master placed the tray on the table, and extricated the cups. The white porcelain cups seemed exceptionally thin, almost transparent.

It was Lan Jue's first time in the many he's visited, that he saw such fine chinaware. He nodded in satisfaction. "Very nice. Sixty degrees centigrade, more or less, to ensure it doesn't adversely affect one's body temperature when you drink it 3. It also keeps the aroma, and Blue Mountain is especially good when boiling hot."

The Coffee Master lifted the silver pot and filled their glasses. Immediately their noses were filled with the rich fragrance of the coffee. It was warm, and refreshing, and Lan Jue could feel all his pours opening from the scent alone.

The Coffee Master lifted his own glass to inspect it's contents. Without fear of being scalded, he took an appreciative sip of the dark liquid. Lan Jue did as well, despite his hunger. He wanted a taste of the coffee while it was still fresh. As it slipped passed his lips, Lan Jue could taste the bitterness on his tongue. That was part of what made Blue Mountain special, and he could feel it sliding from the tip of his tongue to the root like silk. As it poured down his gullet the bitter flavors became subdued, and complicated. The heat filled him, causing the hairs on his arms to rise. The comforting sensation was like being swaddled.

Lan Jue's eyes brightened right away. When he looked to the Coffee Master, he was much the same as when Lan Jue entered; eyes closed, smiling, enjoying the flavor. Almost like he was drunk off the stuff.

Neither paused, or wasted the moment with idle chatter. They sat in silence, sipping the excellent coffee from equally exquisite glasses until they were empty.

As he'd mentioned, Blue Mountain was best served in white china at sixty degrees Celsius. It was best to finish it off quickly, before it got too cold. And yet, every detail of every sip was important, otherwise it was just a waste.

When Lan Jue reached for the pot to refill his glass, he was surprised to find it empty. The Coffee Master had made enough for two cups; no more, no less.

"Is the handle to your refrigerator broken?" Lan Jue complained as he lifted his sandwich. He was as yet still hesitant to eat, savoring the lingering flavor of the coffee.

"Eh?" The Coffee Master opened his eyes, awoken from his appreciative coma.

"You're stingy!" Lan Jue whined.

The Coffee Master almost bound out of his chair. "You're a damn beast! Finish your food and get the hell out of here! I share a glass of my Blue Mountain and you still call me stingy? Have you no shame? You're just like the Wine Master – you sure look like a gentleman, but you're really just a damn thief."

Lan Jue continued to eat, unperturbed. "You don't offer enough to satisfy, which is a minimum of three cups. I've been far too kind before, I thought to even that out with some authentic Blue Mountain. I never expected you to get so bent out of shape about it. At the least I'll bring you out for a meal."

"And when are you going to let me have some of that finer liquor," the Coffee Master asked with a huff.

"When you abstain from coffee for a while," Lan Jue answered.

"That's impossible," the Coffee Master returned. "Coffee is my life, alcohol takes a back seat."

Lan Jue smirked. "Not all fine alcohol is forbidden, I guess. Wine, with it's rich flavors, is a waste if your taste buds are dulled. Single-malt whisky is another story. Smoking a cigar and sharing a bottle is a lovely experience. I'll call you over the next time I visit the Driver and Seamstress. They have a good stock. I hear he's supposed to be back soon."

"Indeed, in a few days," the Coffee Master confirmed. "He left when you did, just saying there was a competition. Now don't think we went about trying to fool you, because between you and me we didn't know who anyone was before the fight. We only figured it out when we got together in DreamNet. I had no idea he was Thunderclap. I've wanted to test my strength against him many times. After you, he was my second target. After the god battles the two of you have since swapped places. You're eighth on the total aggregate power scale now."

"Not important," Lan Jue said. "What is important, is when DreamNet's going to be ready."

The Coffee Master shrugged. "This, I have no idea. I'm looking forward to it. If DreamNet can actually pull it off, it'd be revolutionary. There's already a year-long waiting period for the new generation of sim pods, and that's with production plants in all three Alliances churning them out night and day. Someone's made one hell of a lot of cash."

Lan Jue raised a brow. "You mean the Keeper and Bookworm."

But the Coffee Master's expression spoke otherwise. "You can't really not know… DreamNet is used by all Alliances, true, but it's also publicly owned. The Clairvoyant and Bookworm own twenty-eight percent of its shares. The Keeper came later, but his contributions for the last upgrade were so integral that he was given five percent of the shares. All together they comprise one-third of DreamNet's total stock. So who profits, you ask. Well, the Clairvoyant transferred his fifteen percent to the Avenue, setting it up as part of the organization's fixed assets. Since that news was published the other Alliances have lifted some of the economic restrictions they've had in place for Adept exchanges and so forth. Don't you feel like there have been more people around lately?"

Lan Jue was surprised indeed. Just yesterday he'd given a great deal of power gems to the Council. Compared to the wealth from those DreamNet stocks, his power gems were like trying to get meat from a mosquito's legs. When he spoke, it was with a bitter note in his voice. "It really isn't conducive to happy living to be so kind. How am I supposed to know how many people have been wandering the Avenue, though. I just got back last night. I still haven't been to the underground."

The Coffee Master sat back in his chair. "The two Citadels failed pretty badly with their visit. They failed to find out anything about us, and failed to apply the pressure they'd hoped. Though the Clairvoyant is busy staving off death, the Avenue now have five Paragons! This is more than the West and North put together. Granted, the Bookworm and Gourmet are new to the power, but they're Paragons nonetheless. In fact, we received an invitation from the North. They want us to send an Adept to participate in the Great Adept Battle they're preparing."

Lan Jue shot him a glance. "Are you going?"

Again, the Coffee Master shrugged. "Why should I? To be disgraced? Nothing will make me face that sort of embarrassment. I heard there's an age limit as well, ostensibly to increase cooperation among the younger generation of adepts. Something about raising the foundation for humanity."

Lan Jue's lips curled in to a sneer. "I'm definitely getting a 'bad premonition' kind of feeling from this whole thing."

This caused the Coffee Master to chuckle. "Well, if they ask for my recommendation it's going to be you! Young, strong in Discipline and piloting ability – 'able men are always busy', isn't that what they say? You may as well volunteer, really – I don't think you're going to have much of a choice."

Lan Jue glowered. "Give me another cup of Blue Mountain, then!"

"No!" The Coffee Master returned without an ounce of hesitation. "I can't have any fine red wines, so there's nothing you can threaten me with!"

A sinister smile spread across Lan Jue's lips. "Alright, your decision. You're right, anyway, I should probably take the initiative. It's our duty to share the burdens of the Avenue. The Wine Master leads us now, and I'm sure he'll respect my opinion, since I'll be recommending several people come along with me. I don't want to be angry. You know, you have an average Discipline, but who knows where you could be with a little training…"

1. That's how it's described here, heh. I'm sure you can figure it out.

2. This was likely put in because a staggering amount of Chinese have some level of lactose malabsorption. It makes him more relatably Chinese.

3. ~37°C for our American and UK audience.

Chapter 325: God of Wine

The Coffee Master's face hardened. "You can't do that!"

Lan Jue rose to his feet. "Why not? I'll go do it now." He made for the door.

"Fine! I'll make more Blue Mountain." The Coffee Master's voice was urgent.

"Too late! I'm a gentleman of moral integrity. I won't accept gifts given in contempt."

"Rrrggh!"

Lan Jue cackled.

Clearly he felt torturing the Coffee Master was an enjoyable past-time. Lan Jue was in a much better mood leaving Sunbucks.

The Coffee Master's words had made a great deal of sense; if age was a factor, he was the most likely candidate. There were also other considerations. The Citadels were likely surprised when, during their bullying, so many high-class Adepts responded. In truth, Lan Jue himself was surprised by the sheer number. With the addition of the Gourmet and Bookworm as Paragons, the Avenue was certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Of course the North, with their storied high-handed nature, were not happy with this situation. This was likely a large part of their decision to hold the Adept tournament. Going would be nothing but helpful, and the patterns would be insightful. There was still a month to prepare.

If he didn't go, he'd then have to find the descendant the Wine Master was after. The Wine Master was a…. tenacious fellow, so their trip was unlikely to be without incident. So much to do!

Despite the negative line of thought, he didn't feel upset. Perhaps it was because he'd spent three years wasting time. In these last few months, with everything going on, he felt life to be more enriching. The crippling sadness he'd felt was slowly abating, the busier he became.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Lan Jue's communicator started to buzz. He lifted his arms and smiled ever so slightly when he saw the number. He answered.

"You're back?" A familiar voice greeted him.

Lan Jue chortled. "Yeah! Why, you didn't save me any alcohol?"

The Gourmet's voice was direct, and without mirth. "Come by."

Lan Jue, who had been heading for the Underground, changed directions.

He found his way to the small building. When he arrived, he found the door shut and the lights off. However, with closer inspection he could see a screen blocking the light from inside. He pushed the door open, moved the curtain to one side, and entered. 1

He was greeted with the sight of several people, seated on either side of the Gourmet's pride table. Among them was one of his more surprising recent discoveries – Windbreaker, the Seamstress. Her face bearing a bewitching smile, she waved him over. The Gourmet and the Pauper were on the opposite side. The newly minted paragon smiled warmly at Lan Jue.

The Jewelry Master pulled out a seat and joined them. "You two… so honest, so much integrity. You succeed, and then off you go leaving me in the Wine Master's warpath. Luckily I had important business, otherwise he'd still be grilling me."

The Gourmet smirked. "So we were supposed to wait around for him to catch us? You know as well as we do, the Wine Master's famous temper. But in the end that stingy and crotchety exterior is an act – he's a good man. At worst, we'll find ways to compensate him in other areas."

"Well if you haven't drunk it yet, let's take a look," Lan Jue offered. For the Gourmet to result to outright thievery, it had to be a particularly special acquisition.

The Gourmet answered by rising to his feet, and walking to the back. He returned a moment later, holding a bottle.

It looked very similar to former era French bottles, from the burgundy area. The rich, dark red fluid was filled to the bottle's shoulders. Clearly, someone had had a taste already.

The label was faded and yellow, but Lan Jue could still make out some of the lettering. At the very top was a coat of arms, but the ink was too worn for him to make out any detail besides an animal on its back legs swinging some sort of flag.

Beneath the image was a string of words: Vosne-Romanée. Lan Jue's knowledge of fine wines immediately revealed it as a wine's location – Romanée!

Beneath that was another: Cros Parantoux. It was a smaller area within the larger Vosne-Romanée.

In Ancient France, wines were labeled differently. Bordeaux, for instance, was labeled according to Chataeu. Chateau Lafite Rothschild, or Chateau Letour were examples. Burgundies were labeled by their region, often going from large to small. Romanée was a larger swath, with the second name being a smaller region within it. That was considered the wine's name.

"Cros Parantoux!"

He read it out loud, his voice rising with every syllable. He could feel his whole body tingling.

There were so few people who spoke the ancient French dialect, but his basic knowledge allowed for a passable translation. What this meant, made Lan Jue's heart start racing. He quickly snuck a peek beneath the foot of the bottle. That was the name that would confirm it all.

As expected, stamped there in the glass was indeed a name: Henri Jayer!

Lan Jue let out a low gasp. "This is really it. It's a bottle hand made by the legendary Henri Jayer. No wonder you resorted to thievery, who knew the Wine Master was hiding such a treasure!"

Henri Jayer. The name reverberated like thunder in Lan Jue's ears. He was one of the three great vintners from ancient France – in fact, he was probably the greatest of them all! All with only a few choice fields.

Two of those fields were considered special, and one was 'first class'. Richebourg and Cros Parantoux were those special regions. Once his Richebourg wine hit the auction, it was immediately adored, and fetched sky-high prices.

However, those who truly understood Henri Jayer, knew that the richebourg was not his masterwork. No, this master's true magnum opus hailed from that first-class vineyard, a place they called the Vintner's Jewel; Cros Parantoux.

The Wine Master always use to say that drinking was an never-ending hobby. He meant that there were always better wines out there. But this one was legendary. This was the wine the Wine Master was really talking about.

It indeed was special. In wine, the year it was produced is important. Only specific wines on specific years were really classified as legendary wines. They were uncontested treasures of the wine world.

For example, the Bordeaux 1941 and 1961 Chateau Letour. The 1941 and '82 Lafite were also spectacular. There were a dozen perhaps, in all the thousands of years and types of wine.

There were a few burgundies, however, that are lauded as eternally special. No matter the year, this wine is the top of its class. One, was the Romanée-Conti he'd forced the Wine Master in to sharing. The bottle before him now was another.

If that Romanée-Conti was the King of Wines, than the Cros-Parantoux was God. Lan Jue couldn't compare their flavors, since he'd never before been lucky enough to sample a Cros-Parantoux. What Lan Jue did know was that only roughly three hundred bottles had been produced for that year, and exceedingly small number. The Romanée-Conti, by comparison, was a lo yield but still produced six thousand bottles. That quite clearly underlined how uncommon a discovery like this really was.

For the longest time, Lan Jue had thought Henri Jayer was more legend than man. The likelihood of him ever coming across one of his storied bottles was nonexistent. The demand for this was astronomical, and so few remained. But here it was, made by the hands of a master. A 1993 Henri Jayer Cros-Parantoux.

Lan Jue almost felt dizzy. This thing would fetch enough at auction to buy a battleship. It would still not be enough to do it justice.

"What do you think? Was it worth it?" The Pauper finally chimed in, his face split in a wily smile. "I'll tell you, I had to call on every ounce of willpower when nabbing this thing not to steal a swig or two!"

Lan Jue shot him a glance. "Oh this was worth it. This is like a glimpse of heaven."

The Pauper took an appreciative gulp. "Well we're all here, Gourmet. I say it's time to start. You know how hard its been to wait!"

The Gourmet nodded. "People usually drink at night. The Wine Master wont expect anything if we're missing during the day."

"No! You can't open it!" Lan Jue blurted out.

"Why?" The Pauper asked, incredulously.

Lan Jue sighed. "This is all so sudden. I had coffee this morning."

The Pauper's face suffered an irritated tick. "What coffee? Ugh, that taste wont be gone for a whole day."

"tomorrow," Lan Jue offered. "I'll come back tomorrow morning, and we'll enjoy the spoils of our misadventures."

The Gourmet and the Pauper exchanged a glance. They each swallowed again, this time trying to choke down their regret. Together, they sighed. "Alright."

The Seamstress finally let out a small laugh. "Look at you guys, all afraid of backbiting like little thieves. Relax, I wont drink your precious grape juice. On another note, Jewelry Master, what are your plans for the Star Alliance? The Clairvoyant put it in your hands, and that means you lead the way."

1. Door curtains are often used in China, both decoratively and practically. They can be used as mosquito nets, to keep in the cold, or just for looks. Here's an example.

Chapter 326: Returning to University

"I just got back, and haven't even had time to settle in," Lan Jue explained. "Now that I'm one of you our numbers are back to five. A small group, but each one of you are impressively strong. I believe we should focus on expanding, making our group the largest gathering of god-ranked pilots in the universe. If the threat mankind is indeed on its way, a team like that could stand to do some real good. No task would be too difficult."

The gourmet nodded his head, sagely. "The elitist approach, it may work. Under certain conditions, skill can trump any odds. And the more you keep striving for perfection, the more interested and hard-working your fans will become."

It was Lan Jue's turn to nod. "After DreamNet's upgrade we'll be sure to see some restructuring around Dreamburg's god pilots. The real ones will quickly rise to the head of the pack. We can start taking a closer look then."

"Also," the Gourmet went on, "the Northern Alliance has sent out an invitation for us to join in their pan-alliance Grand Adept tournament. Did you know about this?"

Lan Jue grunted. "I just heard about it from the Coffee Master. It's pretty unlikely I'll be able to weasel out of this one, huh."

"What do you think?" was the Paragon's response. "Really, this shouldn't be such a terrible task to accomplish. There's quite a lot of tasty things to sample in the North. I'll show you around."

Lan Jue lifted a brow. "You're going as well?"

The Gourmet grunted. "I'll be the chaperone. If there wasn't a Paragon there, what would you do if things go south? If I'm there, they'll at least have to be less blatant about trying to murder you."

Indeed, the presence or absence of a Paragon was a strategic aspect for these sorts of visits. They were a deterrent from more overt and violent action, simply due to their immense destructive capabilities. A Paragon with no concern over his own life could destroy an entire planet! The gourmet's assurances were no boast, but fact.

Lan Jue chortled. "I guess I had no real plans to escape anyway, and now that you say that I'm happy to go. Just let me know when we're supposed to leave."

"It'll take place on Planet Luo, rather far away. We'll probably be leaving in around twenty days," he said.

Lan Jue nodded. "How many of us will be going?"

The Gourmet leaned back in his chair. "The rules state that the participating Adepts can be no older than forty. We're planning to send around ten. With myself as the chaperone, we're looking at the Seamstress, the Coffee Master, the Driver, you, the Barber, the Beautician, and the Bartender. We're still considering people for the remaining spots."

Lan jue snickered. "Sounds good to me. I shall obey as ordered."

"I saw you and the Pharmacist getting on famously," he said. "Perhaps you can convince her to come along as well. She is exceptionally strong, and with her on the team we're sure to fare well. Remember that we'll be representing the Avenue – we have to make a very good showing."

"I'll try," Lan Jue promised. "I can't make any promises."

The Gourmet smiled. "Very good. If there's nothing else then you're free to go. Remember to keep our secret, though. We mustn't let the Wine Master find out before we have a chance to drink this wine. If he does, losing this opportunity will be the least of our worries."

Lan Jue shot him a roguish grin. "He's really sore over this whole thing. We should invite him when we open it up. If we don't, he'll never forgive us. What do you think, should we also prepare something tasty to go with such an exquisite wine?"

The Gourmet grunted. "With this sort of wine, you don't need anything at all to go with it," he explained. "I'll prepare some fine cheeses – those will go well. Make sure you don't eat anything else with a strong taste today. If you do, we won't be able to wait for you. I'm not used to all this sneaking around."

At this, Lan Jue laughed openly. "Alright, alright. I'm out of here."

Drinking this fine wine without the Wine Master would likely turn out very poorly, he felt. It was entirely possible there would be a fight. So, after leaving the Gourmet's tiny shop, Lan Jue left immediately for the school to deal with those matters quickly. He had his own classes to prepare for. In truth he was a pretty terrible part-time teacher. He'd just taken a long leave of absence, and was about to request another.

He got his antique bicycle from the store and lazily made his way to the university. Rickety tires brought him down the road as a light breeze caressed him. It was a very comfortable and satisfying ride.

This is the life! Lan Jue could certainly get used to this feeling.

By the time he arrived at the school, it's large gates had already been shut. It was long past the normal time for students to be coming in for morning lessons. Of course, as a teacher he had no trouble, and the guards let him right in. He made directly for the electives department. As his antique bicycle rattled along the small pathways, he shot a quick call to Wu Junyi to tell him know he'd arrived.

The Director's response was swift. He said he'd come find him in the offices soon. When Lan Jue arrived, the electives offices were practically empty. Only four or five teachers were there. His friend Jin Yan was not among them, and neither was Wang Hongyuan. It was likely the latter was still recovering; the last couple months were hard on him as well.

The few teachers present couldn't hide their surprise when they saw him. They were absolutely flabbergasted that this teacher would have so much leeway! He was polite enough, but the man barely showed up for classes! They'd lost count of how many times this etiquette class was cancelled. This last time – over a month – was almost too much to bear. They guessed – maybe hoped – he was here to clear away his things.

When Lan Jue made his way to his desk, he was surprised to find it very clean and in order. Most likely, Jin Yan had helped him keep things neat in his absence. A small smile crept unsuspectingly across his face.

As he settled into his seat, he began to ponder on what he would teach. Although he would be leaving again soon, he wanted to speak with Director Wu and see if he couldn't fit a few classes in before then.

Before long, the director's serious face peeked around the office door.

"Professor Lan. Could I speak with you privately for a moment?"

Lan Jue complied. As he walked to the door, he could clearly feel the other teachers' eyes following him. They looked sympathetic, obviously believing their determinations had been correct. Surely this was the last they would see of Lan Jue the etiquette teacher.

What they could not see once Director Wu shut the door, was the man's joyous expression. "Professor, you've worked so hard. You should really take a couple more days off. Are you sure you'd like to come back so quickly?"

Faced with Wu Junyi's warm smile and kind words, Lan Jue felt strangely melancholy. After all, all this 'business' was a direct result of this cunning fellow before him.

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