The guards had a hunch, but they couldn't quite believe it.
"It has to be her! I knew she was trouble!" Ned said, his teeth clenched tight.
"The Lev got hit when Pyrodrake showed up, the surveillance went haywire, and we saw nothing," Cuss said, still rubbing his sore neck. He felt a bit silly, thinking he'd been outsmarted by a girl. But seeing Ned's swollen face made him feel a tad better.
At 4 AM on Bionysus, Cohen stepped out of the healing pod, completely naked. His black hair and blue eyes paired perfectly with his chiseled muscular body.
Afterward, the military doctor checked him over to ensure there were no lingering effects. The guards, sulking for nearly two days, finally managed to smile.
No matter what had happened, Cohen was safe now, which was a huge relief. Otherwise, they wouldn't know how to face the admiral.
With a sense of duty, Lyra picked up the remaining Hemoplant and reminded him, "Your right arm's function is mostly back, but since a lot of your energy has been used for its growth, make sure to replenish your nutrients over the next month, Lieutenant Commander."
The doctor agreed with her assessment.
Even Cohen, usually so calm, let out a sigh of relief after his brush with death. "Thank you. Your efficiency exceeded my expectations."
Lyra closed the Hemoplant box, ready to ask about her recommendation letter when Cohen suddenly threw a punch at her.
She dropped the box and dodged, but Cohen turned the punch into a powerful chop.
She raised her elbow to block, feeling the force shake her arm and lower her by two inches.
"What do you think you're doing, Lieutenant Commander?" she asked, her breath heavy.
Her previously dull, cat-like eyes now gleamed with a sharp, icy intent. This wasn't the look of an innocent nineteen-year-old.
Cohen's tone was casual, "Just testing my recovery."
He aimed another punch at her abdomen.
Lyra gritted her teeth, deflecting the blow with her elbow, and pushed his fist down.
Her slender wrists, not even half the thickness of his, bulged with veins.
She backflipped to avoid his kick, landing on the table. And then she turned her defense into an attack, her sweeping kick whistling through the air.
Cohen raised his hand to block and kicked at the table leg, breaking the metal table with a single blow.
Lyra side-flipped to the ground, dodging his attack by bending backward at the sound of the wind. She then ran a few steps up the wall and kicked back at him.
The difference in their strength was clear; all she could do was push him back a step.
Even so, the impact was impressive.
Someone whispered to Cuss and Ned, "You two didn't get beaten for nothing."
Cuss coughed lightly, grinning awkwardly, "No kidding, she can even spar with the young master."
Ned, still struggling with his words, repeated, "So we were all tricked by her delicate appearance!"
Before he could finish, a gut-wrenching cough echoed through the room. The agile and tough young woman was now half-kneeling on the ground. Her pale face flushed unnaturally as she trembled, like she was on the verge of collapse.
Cohen frowned and barked at the nearby doctor, "What are you waiting for? Treat her now!"
The doctors sprang into action, their exclamations filling the room with shock.
"My God, there's a hole in her lung!"
"And we can't heal it with either the treatment device or medication."
The medical scanner images showed her lungs were otherwise perfect, except for a glaring five-millimeter black hole where the two lobes met at the trachea.
"If she wasn't a healer, she'd have been dead long ago."
Cohen and the guards fell silent. Ned, especially, felt a nudge from his teammates.
Her frailty wasn't an act at all.
The doctor's description of Lyra as a critically ill patient struggling to breathe clashed starkly with their previous perception of her.
When Lyra woke up, Cohen was discussing her dietary plan with the doctor.
"Sorry, I didn't know about your condition..." he began, only to be interrupted by Lyra's wary gaze. "Examining someone without permission and then announcing the results—how kind of you to repay kindness with ingratitude."
Her weakness was a deadly secret. Even Sorren hadn't figured it out over the years, but now the military had it in their hands.
"Miss, our young master only meant well," the doctor who examined her tried to explain.
"Apologies," Cohen said, fully understanding her concerns. "I've ordered everyone to keep it confidential. You have my word."
To him, this young woman was like a wild animal, preferring to lick her wounds in private rather than expose them.
"Hmph." Lyra didn't buy his explanation and held out her hand. "The recommendation letter."
Cohen hesitated, "With all due respect, your body isn't suited for the military academy. You wouldn't pass the physical exams."
"That's my concern, not yours, Lieutenant Commander."
Cohen sighed and pulled an envelope from his pocket. The seal bore the Whyte family crest, and inside was his personal stamp.
"Give it to the president. He'll know what to do."
Lyra pocketed the thin envelope, nodded, and walked away.
Meanwhile, Sorren was dozing off against a table in his room, with a bottle of nutrient solution beside him. He jumped up as soon as he heard Lyra return.
"You're back?"
"Pack up. We're heading to Todd's ship and going home."
Lyra gulped down the nutrient solution and began packing her things.
"Those military guys really have some nerve, bringing us here and not even caring about our return trip," Sorren muttered under his breath, wary of being overheard.
"Enough with the complaints," Lyra snapped. She had no desire to get entangled with the military any more than necessary.
Knowing that Lyra was hitching a ride, Todd blocked the spaceship door, stopping the two clad in basic mecha suits.
"Sis Marv, there's something I need to clarify. That Lavaberry..."
"I ate it. Any objections?" Lyra replied bluntly, crossing her arms.
Todd's hand trembled slightly. The distant sounds of explosions and beast roars seemed to mock him. He asked again, unwilling to give up, "You... ate it?"
"Good fruits should be eaten while it's fresh off the tree. Why wait for others to snatch it?"
Todd almost wanted to roar in frustration. That was a Level 9 plant, a Level 9! Priceless and rare! If he could have, he would have grabbed it himself, but... he studied Lyra's cold face behind the visor and exhaled heavily.
"You can hitch a ride, but the price..." Sticking to the principle that the guild never loses money, he had to get some benefit from this young woman; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to explain it to his boss.
Just as he was hesitating, however, Lyra just turned and walked away. Not far off, Liliana warmly welcomed her.
"Dear Sis Marv, we're honored to have you as our guest on our ship."
Once they were aboard, Liliana turned around and blew a kiss through her spacesuit at Todd, who was so furious he nearly dropped his glasses.
The hunters from Voidstar came with high hopes and left disappointed, gradually departing one by one.
Cohen watched this scene unfold from the command room and connected a call to his father.
"Are your wounds healed?" The admiral's tone was cold, but he scrutinized his son up and down several times.
Cohen stood at attention and saluted. "Thanks to the efforts of Captain Harris and his team." Then he asked directly, "Father, I remember the elastic metal, Schedar, is still classified, right?"
Schedar was the name of the elastic metal Lyra possessed, a high-level metal currently under secret development by the research institute. Once completed, it was expected to be applicable to all current smart machinery, including mecha core chips, significantly improving the efficiency of smart machines.
His father pondered for a moment, recognizing the seriousness of the issue, and said, "Some people couldn't resist the temptation and leaked it. I've already initiated an investigation into this matter. You don't need to worry about it."
"Understood," Cohen replied.