Chapter 723: Duty-Bound to Rescue
Tears streaked down the Pharmacistās face, twinkling like small crystals. Of course she knew her decision was foolish and emotional. But years of pain bubbling up to the surface was impossible to ignore.
Lan Jue wanted to hit something. Heād known she wasnāt in her right mind but heād believed her and let her go. However, he also knew he wouldnāt have been able to stop her. He remembered that sheād been about to say something but held back. Suddenly the sentimental and reluctant look in her eyes that day made sense.
āI suspect my chances of coming back are slim. Junāer has grown and has all of the Avenue to look after her. That brings me peace. Donāt tell her what Iām doing, just tell her that Iāve gone far away and I wonāt be back for a long time. Iāve locked this with your fingerprint to ensure she canāt see it. Iām sorry, Junāerā¦ but I canāt wait any more. Iām sorry. Iām so sorry!ā
The hologram stopped here and the Pharmacistās image vanished.
āMama. Mama!ā Junāer squirmed uncomfortably.
Lan Jue understood right away that the little one had lied to him. But how could he criticize her now after what theyād seen?
There was no question as to her destination, she was after the alien planets. Her goal was also plain as the nose on his face. She was on a suicide mission to make them pay for what theyād done to her late husband.
āJunāer, donāt rush. Iām going to go get your mother back, alright?ā He hugged her tightly to his chest, using his warm embrace to try and soothe her.
But Junāer was calm. She spoke plainly. āMama will come back. Definitely. Go and get her daddy ā youāre the only one who can.ā
Lan Jueās heart sank for he knew the dangers, and the likely outcome. Could he bring her back? It didnāt matter what the answer to that question was, he had to try. He had to for Junāer, for himself.
āLet me take you back, Junāer. Then Iām going to go find your mom.ā He carried her from Zeusā Jewelry Store with hurried steps and told no one of what theyād seen. After dropping her off at the Skyfire Museum he left immediately for the airship hangars.
Lan Jue knew it clear, he had to go on this journey alone. The chances they would have the alien planets was high, and the chance of coming back very low. Yet despite that he had to go, because if he didnāt the Pharmacistās death was assured. Perhaps if he were lucky the Pharmacist would get lost in the Starfields and heād have a chance to convince her to come back.
Lan Jue quickly took a verti-car to the hangar, boarded Zeus-1 and departed Skyfire. Heād had no time to rest before his next mission. Once he was free of the planetās atmosphere he urged Zeus-1 to top speed and raced for the Shattered Starfields.
He dialed a number into the shipās systems.
āShouldnāt you be on Skyfire?ā Lan Qingās face appeared on the screen.
Lan Jue wasted no time. āSomething came up that needed handling right away. The Pharmacist has gone after the alien planets by herself to seek revenge. I need to find a way to stop her. Iām by myself and it will be dangerous. If I donāt come backā¦ā He trailed off.
He hadnāt brought Lin Guoguo and thus had no way to hide his presence from alien patrols. He didnāt want to force anyone to share the dangerous situation he was putting himself in.
Lan Qingās brows furrowed. āDo you understand how irresponsible this is? Star Division needs you, all of Skyfire Avenue needs you. How can you act on impulse like this and rush off alone?ā
Lan Jue sighed. āLook, I understand everything youāre saying and I understand the responsibilities that have been put on me. But you know me, you know the kind of person that I am. If I didnāt help when my friends were in need than I wouldnāt be me. Iām sorry, I need you to tell Skyfire Avenue. If I donāt make it back then Xiaosu will be in command of Star Division. Sheās the best choice. Iāll do whatever I can to stay safe and come home.ā
Lan Qing stared at him through the screen for a long time. Eventually he replied. āBe careful.ā
āYeah, ok.ā He hung up then blocked all further communications. Once the word got back to the Avenue he knew people would be trying to get him to come back. However, it was already too late to change his mind. He was going to save the Pharmacist for the benefit of Junāer and the woman herself, even if she didnāt want it.
Zeus-1 shot through space like a comet. He set the ship on cruise control and shut his eyes. He needed to gather his thoughts. He didnāt want to die, but the only way to bring he and the Pharmacist back in one piece was to have a plan.
Her goal was to find her husband, or exact vengeance for his murder. That meant that she was searching for the alien planets, specifically Monarch. If the Violet Prince was to be believed that was the one that had kill him all those years ago. Ultus was there.
If Lan Jue wanted to stop her, his best shot was somewhere around Monarch. That meant that evading aliens along the way was paramount. Zeus-1 could cloak and Lan Jue had some psionic skill, though nothing like Lin Guoguo.
His ship was small and he didnāt have the Photographer of Wine Master here to make a quick getaway. If he was discovered he only recourse was to kill or run. That was a real problem.
Strong as he was, there were limits to the number of creatures he could handle himself.
Oh, but wait. He wasnāt alone. Heād hesitated to bring her but in the end Qianlin had remained safely tucked away in his spirit. Heād made her a promise that no matter what they would stay together.
Zeus-1 had undergone many upgrades over the last couple of years, and that showed itself in its speed. There likely was no other ship in its class that could catch it. Lan Jue hoped that would be enough to stop the Pharmacist. It wasnāt easy to make it to the Starfields from Luo. Getting a ship was one thing, but then she had to navigate the infamously difficult Starfields by herself. Even if she found a safe route it wasnāt certain sheād find the planets.
It was actually farther to the planetsā last known location from Luo than it was from Skyfire. Once she was in the Starfields her progress would also be considerably slowed. Only Xiaosu could navigate the broken currents of asteroids with speed and dexterity.
Space travel was a lengthy process, and therein lay his chances to catch up with the Pharmacist.
Xiaosu wasnāt piloting Zeus-1 this time. However, several trips and a state-of-the-art onboard computer was enough for Lan Jue to manage, he was confident. A couple days of travel later, heād arrived.
As he plunged into the Stafields Lan Jue engaged the shipās cloak. He wasnāt reckless, he tried to remain under the enemyās radar. No one knew what the planets were like now, or what they were up to. But just the fact they were there meant the Starfields was a place fraught with dangers.
Things seemed unsettlingly still, even more than his last visit. It was probably because all life had been stolen from this sector. The swath he traveled was vast, who knew how much the enemy had gained from their systematic sweep.
Hua Li was probably right in his analysis, even the aliens were limited in how far they could evolve. They strove to break free of the restraints imposed by universal protogenia, but it was not so easy.
Once more Lan Jue was faced with just how little humanity understood about their foe.
He was on yet another scouting mission, Lan Jue mused helplessly, though this one was not his choice. This visit was far more dangerous since his target was the strongest known enemy they faced.
Keep it slow, sis. You need to give me a chance to catch up.
Lan Jue didnāt drive Zeus-1 directly to Monarchās location ā he wasnāt that foolish. If he did he was far more likely to run into patrols first. Then heād be forced to face them, possibly a lot of them.
After discovering the aliensā ability to psionically locate their targets, Skyfire Avenue dedicated a lot of energy toward learning more. The Keeper had designed something called a Psionic Generator which, after some testing, was able to perform at roughly one-third the capabilities of Lin Guoguo. Of course it didnāt have anywhere near the flexibility of the Psychic Tide, meaning it could only emulate a few kinds of enemy pulses. Hardly stellar, but at least it held some use. At least it extended Zeus-1ās safety net. Still Zeus-1 was small and the technology was knew. It was hard to say how effective it would be in practice. Yet, Lan Jue had no choice but to rely on it.
Lan Jueās first destination was the small base theyād built for Zeus-1. It was the best place for him to launch his search. Lan Jue knew from the beginning that approaching the planets in Zeus-1 was impossible. The only way he could get close was by himself.
But going solo with limited equipment also had its advantages. He was a small target.
Star Divisionās former basecamp was still there, the same as it had always been. Lan Jue coaxed his ship into the hidden valleys on the small planetās surface, then gathered some supplies and set out on his own.