Chapter 574: The Red Carpet

The hover-limousine glided silently through the neon-drenched clouds of Vandermis Aventine, eventually docking at the private gold-leafed spire of the PurpleSpring Penthouses.

As the doors hissed open, Xavier stepped out onto the red carpet, adjusting his silver half-mask. The humid air of the upper atmosphere tasted like ozone and expensive filtration systems.

‘One wrong move and the corporate enforcers will turn this gala into a slaughterhouse,’ Xavier thought, feeling the familiar weight of his sidearm tucked beneath his tailored midnight-blue jacket. ‘Which… honestly, doesn’t sound bad. Easier to deal with everything when violence is involved. But I can’t have this planet on lockdown beforeI get everything I want. Unlike Helior Prime on Jupiter, the entire planet follows one system.’

Behind him, the rest of the crew emerged. Lyra and Reva walked side by side, radiating a competitive elegance that made the surrounding paparazzi hesitate. Their dresses flowed like liquid silk, concealing enough hardware to level a small outpost.

Rin and Kylus followed, looking visibly pained by their restrictive formal wear. Kylus kept tugging at his stiff collar, his opalescent skin glowing faintly under the festive lanterns.

“Stop fidgeting,” Rin hissed, his hands resting naturally near the small of his back where his short blades were hidden. “You look like a guilty man.”

“I feel like a strangled man,” Kylus muttered back. “I have never worn such clothes before. I feel… incomplete without my combat suit.”

The group approached the primary security archway. This was the moment of truth. High-frequency scanners hummed, designed to detect everything from bio-toxins to concealed kinetic slugs. Xavier felt a slight vibration in his collar—Malakor’s signal.

[ Security Bypass Active. Weapon Signatures Ghosted. ]

The guards, dressed in pristine white tactical suits, checked their tablets. The green lights flashed across the board. They stepped aside with professional bows, signaling the crew to enter the Grand Ballroom.

The doors swung open to reveal a sprawling chamber of white marble and floating crystal chandeliers. Thousands of masked guests mingled, sipping champagne that cost more than a mid-rim starship. The air was thick with the scent of synthetic perfumes and the low hum of high-society gossip.

Xalvoria stepped into the room last. The conversation in the immediate vicinity died instantly.

The crimson silk of her gown clung to her with a regal precision that made every other woman in the room look like a commoner. Her golden eyes scanned the crowd with a chilling, predatory disdain.

‘These insects wouldn’t survive a single cycle in the First Pillar,’ she thought, her lips curling into a faint, mocking smile.

Within seconds, a group of overdressed nobles separated from the crowd. Leading them was a man dripping in excessive jewelry, his mask fashioned from pure platinum.

“My lady,” the noble began, his voice oily with unearned confidence as he reached for Xalvoria’s hand. “I have traversed every sector of this planet, yet I have never seen a star shine as brightly as you tonight. I am Baron Vane. Surely, you are not here with these… associates?”

Xalvoria didn’t even look at his hand. She looked through him, as if he were a pane of dirty glass. “You smell of cheap desperation, little man. Move, or I shall remove your arm from your torso.”

The Baron froze, his smile faltering as the temperature in the immediate area seemed to drop ten degrees. Xavier stepped in smoothly, placing a possessive hand on Xalvoria’s waist. He felt her muscles tense, but she didn’t pull away.

“My wife is quite protective of her personal space, Baron,” Xavier said, his voice laced with a dangerous charm. “I suggest you find someone more… approachable.”

The Baron sputtered, retreating into the crowd as the onlookers whispered.

“Wife?” Xalvoria whispered, her voice a low, vibrating threat near Xavier’s ear. “You are bold, human.”

“It’s a cover,” Xavier replied, his eyes scanning the balcony. “And it’s working. Everyone is looking at you, which means they aren’t looking at Rin or Reva.”

On the far side of the ballroom, Reva caught Xavier’s eye and gave a subtle nod. She had spotted them. Near the center of the VIP lounge, surrounded by a wall of armored corporate enforcers, sat Lorde.

He was a portly man with a cybernetic eye that glowed a faint, sickly red. Standing right behind him, looking like well-paid lapdogs, were the three mutineers.

[ Targets Identified. Synchronizing Extraction Points. ]

Xavier extended his hand toward Xalvoria and offered a perfectly polite bow. “May I have this dance, Empress?”

She glared at his outstretched fingers as if they were coated in acid. ‘I should disintegrate him for his sheer audacity.’

Yet, she noticed the heavily armed guards shifting their weight near the VIP lounge. Playing along served her ultimate goal of securing the vault keys and leaving this miserable planet.

She placed her hand in his. Xavier pulled her smoothly onto the polished marble center of the Grand Ballroom.

The string quartet shifted into a sweeping, dramatic waltz. Xavier guided her through the steps with practiced ease. Their combined presence completely hijacked the room’s attention. Xalvoria moved with terrifying grace, her crimson gown flowing like spilled blood, while Xavier led her with undeniable confidence.

Even Lorde leaned forward in his plush VIP booth, his cybernetic eye whirring as he watched the couple spin. The three mutineers standing directly behind him completely relaxed their guard, utterly mesmerized by the Empress’s overwhelming aura.

‘Perfect,’ Xavier thought, spotting Rin and Lyra slipping through the shadows toward the distracted traitors. ‘Just a few more seconds.’

Then, the massive crystal chandeliers exploded.

Shards of glass rained down like shrapnel as the ballroom plunged into absolute darkness. Screams erupted from the high-society guests. Through the shattered ceiling domes, a dozen mercenaries rappelled into the room wearing sleek tactical gear.

“Lorde dies tonight!” one of the heavily armored assassins roared, tossing a glowing plasma grenade directly toward the VIP lounge.

‘What’s going on?’ Xavier raised his brow. ‘Someone else wants to kill Lorde too? That would save me the trouble, but… what’s with this coincidence? I feel like I have been… played.’