Solflare: The Painter's Secret

Chapter 180: Starfire Opal

Birds’ hum filled the sky as the first light lanced through the clouds.

Beneath it, ruined towers and broken streets stretched across Agathan like old scars.

Along one of the main roads leading out of the Agathan Special Force workshop, MRAPs dashed at high speed to the outside world, where every breath meant death.

Crows scattered in the sky, spiraling over every collapsed building.

Except for the collapsed buildings, other cities in Agathan were alive. Children chased each other, bars served drinks, and security men ensured order.

At the border of the Agathan land, a white BMW slowly drove through after being checked by security personnel.

Laughter surged out from the vehicle when they exited the female guard’s sight.

"Is this the so-called advanced border post?" Demon asked, slamming his hand on his thigh while staring at the guards through the rear-view mirror.

"They didn’t even check the boot," Nora exclaimed, laughing her heart out.

The driver, who wore Thule Country’s military hat, smirked, loosening his grip on the steering wheel.

He stepped on the accelerator and drove above the speed limit when they reached the Agathan police checkpoint.

Nora pushed against Demon’s side and brushed her palms on his chest, smiling. "This vacation will surely be enjoyed by us."

Demon looked into her eyes, then smiled back. "Indeed."

Though he smiled, it was not for Nora but for someone only he knew.

Beyond the windshield, ruined towers slipped past them like broken teeth. With each one, Demon’s smile deepened as the thought of Agathan’s coming chaos pleased him.

...

Near the Madhouse, leaves drifted across the street as a few military personnel in joggers and singlets walked lazily.

Liu Yan’s eyes opened when the rays of the morning sun fell on her. She woke up and muffled her yawn.

She blinked twice, turned, and watched Leon’s bed. "He came. I thought he wouldn’t join us," she whispered, swinging her legs off the bed.

The floor was cold, but she walked barefoot to the bathroom and came out with water dripping from her hair, face, and neck.

She neared her wardrobe section and stood holding her waist. "It’s been a while since I went jogging. At least I have to try today."

She picked up her joggers, put them on, and left the room.

The door clicked shut behind Liu Yan, leaving the room quiet again. And after two minutes, Leon eyes slowly opened.

"Yesterday’s flight lessons were crazy. But they were nice also." He giggled slightly as memories of both the simulation and the real training rammed his mind as he yawned.

The sharp turns, warning sirens, and the crashes all lingered in his nerves, leaving behind an excitement that refused to fully settle down.

He turned sharply toward his back, checking for the Triarch controller. "Huh... It’s there. I would have screamed if it wasn’t."

Leon zipped the bag, swung himself off the bed, and watched the beds of his other roommates.

The floor had warmed, but chills ran down Leon’s spine when his feet touched the ground.

"It feels cold," he said, warming himself before turning toward the backroom door.

Inside, he pulled down his trousers, then entered the shower for a bath.

After five minutes, he exited, water dripping from his jet-black hair.

"Why is everyone asleep? Aren’t we supposed to start planning for the task ahead?" He glanced at An Lang, who was snoring heavily. Turned to Wu Ze, who had covered herself in her white bedsheet.

When his gaze reached Liu Yan’s bed he paused...

...

When An Lang and Wu Ze woke up, they prepared for the daily training, then left, locking the door behind them.

By the time An Lang and Wu Ze joined Leon and Liu Yan outside, the air between them had already stiffened.

"Guys, what’s going on?" An Lang asked, stepping between Leon and Liu Yan and wrapping his hands on their shoulders.

"Nothing," Liu Yan replied, then pulled away.

An Lang watched her go with a confused expression, then focused on Leon. "What’s the matter? Did you two fight?"

Leon’s face remained still and unemotional, then he sighed softly. "I don’t even know."

But the silence dwelling between them had not started outside. It begun earlier, when he was on the call with Zoe Qing.

...

The trees’ shadows drifted from side to side as minutes turned into hours.

Inside the instructor’s chamber, Hei Yung sat staring at the swinging door. "Where is Liu Yan?"

An Lang threw a sharp glance at Leon, but Wu Ze shook her head and replied, "She will be here soon."

"Soon? All four of you had to be here before I give you full details of the place you’re heading to." Hei Yung insisted, making them wait until Liu Yan appeared.

An empty seat was beside Leon, another beside Hei Yung, but Liu Yan sat by Hei Yung as if she hadn’t noticed Leon’s.

She rolled her eyes at Leon, smiled at everyone, then finally greeted the lieutenant.

"Good. Now that all four of you are here, let me start briefing you on Starfire Opal before the other lieutenant comes and gives you the rest," Hei Yung announced, pulling out photos from the envelope he carried.

Hei Yung passed them out one by one, making sure everyone, including himself, had a copy. "Familiarize yourselves with it while we wait."

’Starfire Opal?’ The name rang in Leon’s head as he focused on the blue gem that looked similar to that of the moving crystals he had once seen in Shattered Land.

Leon’s eyes slowly dropped from the image to the small passage that was written boldly beneath it, then began to read it in his head.

’A gemstone that contains the sleeping flames of a fallen star.’ His eyes widened. "Wait, really?" he whispered, muffling his voice when he saw everyone staring. "Sorry."

He smiled, covered his face with the sheet, and continued reading. ’It purges deadly poison, heals incurable diseases, sharpens the mind, accelerates mastery of skills and knowledge, and greatly refines cultivation.’

He paused and swallowed hard as his mother’s face flashed in his mind. ’Then this gemstone can help improve her condition.’

For the first time since he arrived back to the Agathian land, hope pierced through Leon’s guarded thoughts. It was so sudden that his fingers tightened around the sheet before he could even notice.

He smiled, then devoured the remaining notes. ’Direct contact with bare skin is fatal.’

He slowly read the short passage beneath the image in his head when the sound of boots cut through Leon’s thoughts.

He lowered the sheet at once as Hei Luo and two other officials in Agathan uniform stepped into the room.

Hei Luo sat, but the others didn’t. They simply stood there, watching the young boys and girls’ faces.

By the time the briefing ended, excitement replaced the earlier stiffness in the room, at least for some of them.

When the Madhouse squad returned to their room, An Lang jumped with joy. "I can finally boost my skills with that once we’re there."

Wu Ze shook her head. "Yes, you can, but what about the consequences?"

"Forget them. I will touch it with my bare hands. Accidents sometimes bring immortal beings," An Lang laughed.

He threw himself on the bed, hands crossed behind his neck, legs crossed. "Leon, I saw your expression change when asked what you would use it for. Why?"

An Lang didn’t let Leon speak, then turned to Liu Yan. "At least your reasons were clearer than ours."

Leon smiled, then lowered his eyes, unwilling to speak too soon. He knew one that, once his reason was spoken aloud, it would stop being a thought.

While Leon kept his reason buried in silence, the threat from Thule was slowly nearing him.

Far from the barracks, in a nearby city where lights streaked across the streets, the white BMW stopped behind a hostel—La Crusa.

Nora’s face gleamed with joy as she stepped out and watched the neatly built structure. "Wow, Thandor sure has great buildings."

Air swelled beside the vehicle as the back door opened. The ground creaked loudly when Demon’s boots touched it.

A swing of his white suit sent a lazily hanging pipe crashing to the ground. He turned toward the road leading to Eastgate, where the Agathan Special Force Barracks was, then smiled.

"Darling," Nora called out, pulling Demon’s left arm. "I want our honeymoon to be one of a kind."

Demon shifted his eyes from the road to Nora. "You don’t need to worry, dear," he said, brushing his fingers through her brown hair.

Though his voice carried warmth, the cold calculation in his eyes made it clear that romance was never part of his plan.

...

As night fell, the sky rumbled with thunderous sounds, colorful, and angry lightning that struck the tall trees like rain.

Inside the Black Ops building, a blue-haired silhouette stood by the window, watching the lighted room in Madhouse.

From the other side, An Lang saw someone watching. "Guys," he called to his roommates, pointing toward the Black Ops building. "I think someone wants to join us."

He walked to the balcony and waved. "Hey!" he called, but no response came.

An Lang laughed and waved again. "You’re welcome to join us if you want."

Still, the figure on the other side didn’t move.

In the Black Ops building, Samir stood and walked toward Tiger, then placed a hand on his shoulder. "Looks like you’re being invited," he said with a grin.

Tiger remained still, his gaze fixed on the Madhouse window. "Let them laugh," he whispered.

Lightning flashed across his face for a second, then vanished. "By this time tomorrow, one of them will be crawling back without a face."