Chapter 69: If You Succeed, I’ll Grant You 1 Request
"What happened?" Cillian Forrest’s voice was low and heavy as he gazed at the severely injured, unconscious man before him.
"Marshal, they sent Leo Fane out to clear some Starbugs. The briefing said it was just a simple swarm, but..."
Everyone saw what happened. This wasn’t just a simple swarm; it included an S+ Mutant Series Starbug, and the other insects were high-level as well.
They weren’t equipped for this kind of fight. Most of them perished in the swarm. If The Seventh Legion and Cillian Forrest hadn’t arrived in time, they might have all been wiped out.
At the thought, Ethan Cross’s eyes reddened with fury. He clenched his fists, grinding his teeth. "With you gone, did those people really think the First Legion was theirs for the taking? How dare they be so brazen!"
He and Leo Fane were Cillian Forrest’s right-hand men. He’d left Leo Fane to manage the First Legion’s affairs while he searched for the Marshal. He never imagined they would plot against Leo Fane like this. ’Were they really that confident the Marshal wouldn’t make it back?!’
Cillian Forrest’s eyes darkened, his aura oppressive. "They won’t be running rampant for much longer."
He then looked over at Leo Fane. "How is he?"
"It’s not looking good." Ethan Cross’s expression was grave, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Leo Fane’s Spiritual Sea had already suffered severe damage in the past. The poison from a previous Starbug encounter was already deeply rooted, and now with the toxin from this S+ Starbug, his spiritual power can no longer suppress it."
Leo Fane’s eyes were shut tight, his face completely drained of color. The violent turmoil in his Spiritual Sea twisted his features in agony, even in his unconscious state.
Ethan Cross said, "Marshal, Miss Wexler is the only one who can save him now."
Only Sophie Wexler had the ability to cleanse Starbug toxins. She was their only hope.
「Meanwhile」
Sophie Wexler was utterly drained. She had spread her spiritual power to its absolute limit, holding nothing back. She had been running on pure willpower, and now that the crisis was over, she felt completely hollowed out. She collapsed into a chair and closed her eyes to rest.
She was still clutching the Crystal Stone Felix York had given her, and her body instinctively began to absorb its energy. Her Spiritual Sea, like a dying fish gasping for water, frantically drew in the energy from the stone.
She was exhausted to the bone. With her eyes closed, her thoughts drifted uncontrollably. ’I wonder how Cillian Forrest is doing. I was about to ask, but then Ethan Cross called him away.’
Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt a touch—a large hand pressing against her forehead.
Sophie Wexler’s eyes snapped open. The man was standing before her, leaning over slightly. Seeing she was awake, his hand paused on her forehead for a moment before he pulled it back.
"Not feeling well?"
Sophie Wexler hummed in acknowledgment, assuming he was worried she had overexerted her spiritual power. She then offered a small smile. "But I’m feeling a little better now."
"This is the first time I’ve felt this way... being able to help them, to defeat the Starbugs... a little discomfort is nothing."
"Sophie Wexler," Cillian Forrest said, his voice slightly hoarse.
Sophie Wexler looked up, surprised. "Yes?"
’He rarely used her full name. Most of the time, he just called her ’you’.’
It was only then that she noticed how exceptionally grave his expression was.
Sophie Wexler immediately sat up straight. "What’s wrong?"
"I need your help with something." Cillian Forrest’s eyes were fixed on her as he spoke, his expression unreadable.
’He knew perfectly well that Sophie Wexler was in no condition to help. After such a massive expenditure of her power, her Spiritual Sea was unstable. But she was the only one who could save Leo Fane.’
Sophie’s expression immediately turned serious. "Tell me."
"Someone has been poisoned by a Starbug..."
Before Cillian Forrest could finish, Sophie Wexler cut him off. "You need me to cleanse the poison, don’t you?"
Though phrased as a question, her tone was one of absolute certainty.
’That battle just now, the Mutant Series Starbug, and the soldier’s report mentioning The Capital Planet...’
"The warship we rescued is from The Capital Planet. It’s someone you know, and he’s been poisoned by a Starbug, hasn’t he?"
Cillian Forrest watched as Sophie Wexler laid out the situation, not missing a single detail. "Yes."
Sophie Wexler got up from her chair and headed for the door.
Seeing that he hadn’t moved, she turned and called back, "What are you standing there for? Let’s go. We have to save him."
They quickened their pace toward the other warship. Along the way, Sophie Wexler asked, "A moment ago, were you hesitating because you were worried I wouldn’t agree to help, since I’ve already used up so much of my spiritual power?"
Cillian Forrest’s gaze rested on her.
Sophie continued, "Don’t worry, I’ll do it. Besides, I just absorbed some energy from the Crystal Stone. I can handle it."
With that, she picked up her pace and headed for the warship.
Cillian Forrest followed, watching her with a complex expression.
’In truth, that moment he saw her leaning back with her eyes closed... even he wasn’t sure what he was thinking.’
’But it was definitely not that he thought she would refuse to help.’
’He knew she would agree.’
’She was different from the "Sophie Wexler" he once knew.’
When they arrived, a military medical team was already there—personnel from The Seventh Legion.
Felix York knew they had suffered heavy losses, so he had immediately dispatched the medical team.
Inside the medical bay, Leo Fane lay with an expression of agony.
When the others saw Sophie Wexler, they greeted her at once, their voices filled with respect. "Miss Wexler."
After this battle with The Swarm, everyone in The Seventh Legion held Sophie Wexler in even higher regard.
Before, at the military base, they had been grateful to her for soothing their Spiritual Seas. Now, that gratitude had blossomed into admiration and respect.
Without her, they never would have been able to eliminate The Swarm so easily, nor would they have been shielded from the Starbugs’ toxic energy waves.
Sophie Wexler nodded. "What’s his condition?"
"Not good at all," the medic said, frowning. "He already had Starbug poison in his system, and with this new dose on top of it, his spiritual power can no longer keep it suppressed. If his Level wasn’t so high, he probably wouldn’t have even made it this far."
"If the poison overwhelms his system, then..."
The medic trailed off, but everyone understood what he meant. If the poison ran rampant, the man’s life would hang by a thread.
They had already administered medication to stabilize his vital signs as best they could.
Sophie Wexler said, "I’ll try."
It was the only option they had left.
Seeing this, the medic immediately stepped aside for Sophie Wexler. After witnessing her abilities earlier, they knew she could cleanse Starbug poison.
Meeting Cillian Forrest’s gaze, Sophie Wexler said, "Don’t worry. I’ll do everything I can."
"If you succeed, I’ll grant you one request," Cillian Forrest said, his gaze fixed on her, his voice low and serious.
"Alright, it’s a deal," Sophie Wexler replied with a smile.
"It’s a deal."