Chapter 49: Thunder (Part One)

Chapter 49: Thunder (Part One)

Equipped with an armor space button on his person, Rong Mi was clad in the standard-issue mecha of the First Legion, bestowed upon him by Lu Yi.

However, confronting an evidently enraged lion with a high-powered mecha would only exacerbate the animal's agitation.

A spacecraft proved to be a significantly safer and more suitable option.

By Rong Mi's side sat the captain of the guard.

He had already disembarked from the mech, clad in the white uniform of a Guardian, somewhat questioning the wisdom of his decision.

At Rong Mi's request, the laser cannons mounted on the aircraft were all removed.

Each of them carried only a single laser pistol holstered at their waist, their sole weapon.

Aside from that, the only source of combat power was the cub perched on the young man's shoulder.

...The rabbit in the other party's pocket was clearly not capable of participating in any combat.

Sheets of lightning amassed above them.

As the aircraft ascended, the Roaring Thunder Lion's roars grew more terrifying.

Sinuous currents of electricity descended alongside its cries, resembling falling raindrops that brushed past the wings of the aircraft, detonating around it.

Rong Mi peered down and noticed that the lightning did not strike the ground.

This was good news.

It indicated that although the Roaring Thunder Lion was refusing the approach of the aircraft and using electric shocks as a show of force, it had no intention of engaging the escort team in battle just yet.

As the aircraft climbed higher, the oppressive sensation brought on by the lion intensified.

The captain of the guards grew nervous and began to second-guess his decision to agree to Rong Mi's request.

"The situation up there is unclear. Apart from the Roaring Thunder Lion, there might be other members of the First Legion. We might not stand a chance," the captain said, gripping his laser gun with slightly sweaty palms, explaining to Rong Mi, "During today's transfer of Yadi's corpse, Squad One consisted of twenty people – ten members from the First Legion and ten from the headquarters guard team. But now, all the headquarters guard team members have already left."

Rong Mi was familiar with this arrangement.

The ten members of the Military Headquarters' guard detachment had left the capital planet right after the news of Lu Yi's collapse was released, joining the First Legion's fleet to escort Yalide's remains.

Rong Mi asked, "The transfer of Yalide's body started at noon. Why hasn't it been completed yet?"

"The team led by Dr. Ural, who was responsible for receiving Yalide, happened to be in a crucial stage of another experiment today," explained the guard captain, well aware of the significance of the event. "The headquarters' guards had other tasks at night and thus departed in the afternoon. The First Legion's guards stayed behind to wait for Dr. Ural's experiment to finish."

Rong Mi fell into deep thought.

"You think, from the perspective of the research institute, that the First Legion's guards were the ones who launched the attack," he said. "From my point of view, your research team is more suspicious."

"The research team doesn't have any weapons!" the guard captain frowned. "Dr. Ural has served in the research institute for over a hundred years. It's impossible for him to suddenly turn traitor."

In the sky, lightning was striking frequently.

Maneuvering his aircraft nimbly to avoid the Thunder Lion's attacks, Rong Mi mulled over his thoughts. "They were studying Ice Butterflies. Capital Planet rarely conducts experiments on Ice Butterfly corpses, right?"

Rong Mi recalled that there had been disagreements between Lu Yi and some military officials regarding whether Yalide's body should be brought back to the capital planet.

"The doctor used to work at the Research Division in the Outer Ring," the guard captain raised his voice to refute. "But he couldn't possibly…"

"Don't be angry," Rong Mi said calmly. "We don't need to argue over this. Perhaps that's exactly what they want to see."

The captain of the guards was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Yes," he eventually replied. "We should assess the situation first before making any judgments."

"But..." He looked upward.

As they ascended, the lightning grew thicker, almost blotting out the sky.

Rong Mi piloted the aircraft with remarkable agility, maneuvering it with the dexterity of a mecha.

Unable to stop the Thunder Lion, it angrily emerged from the rubble.

Most of its body was now visible, exposing the horrifying wounds on its body.

Rong Mi hissed softly, feeling the lion's pain.

"Are there Ice Butterflies up there?" Rong Mi asked Damon Rabbit, looking down.

Damon: "..." (squeak!)

Damon, nestled timidly in Rong Mi's pocket, dared to expose only the tip of his rabbit head amidst the mental pressure unleashed by the Thunderclaw Lion. His ears remained safely tucked within Rong Mi's pocket, yet his head shook vigorously.

Its response was steadfast, conveying a definitive no.

"Roar!!! ——"

Thunderclaw's patience had finally worn thin.

Robust bolts of lightning, flickering amidst the looming clouds, lashed out in all directions, converging upon the aircraft from every side.

The security detail stationed beneath the building, the guards rushing over, the staff who had just been evacuated from the Academy of Sciences, and the panicked passersby all instinctively looked up at the sky.

"What is that... an isolated autumn thunderstorm in the lower atmosphere?"

In the more distant districts of the capital planet, many pedestrians were still unaware of what had transpired. A group of young professionals, just finished with their overtime, emerged from a corporate building. The guitarist, Phantom Chord, slung his guitar over his back and gazed blankly into the distance. "Such a terrifying thunderclap? Could it be a lightning strike?"

Seiko, engrossed in examining her communicator, lifted her head at the sound, her movement pausing mid-gesture.

"Not just a localized thunderstorm." He closed the chat with Rong Mi and casually commented.

It was a massive downpour that would sweep across the entire capital planet.

"The weather forecast said it's going to pour all over the capital tonight," the guitarist glanced at his communicator. "I'll take my leave, friends! I don't want to get drenched on my way home..."

In front of the Academy of Sciences, Lu Yi sat in his aircraft, gazing at the lightning flashing high above.

Focusing intently, he monitored the battle through his wolf's senses. Suddenly, he heard a few muffled thuds coming from the side of the aircraft cabin.

Lu Yi furrowed his brows slightly and turned his head to look outside.

"Xiao Yi?" A man dressed in a gray military casual uniform, with an elegant demeanor, hesitantly waved inside, unsure.

The aircraft cabin had one-way glass, so he couldn't see clearly inside. It wasn't until Lu Yi rolled down the window that he broke into a smile.

"This aircraft looks like the one you used to fly frequently," the visitor said, relieved. "Thankfully, I didn't mistake it."

"Uncle," Lu Yi unlocked the cabin door, relaxing his brows.

Outside, someone entered the vehicle, observing his expression.

"Long time no see," Lu Tianhang said with concern. "I heard you fainted during a military meeting. Your health hasn't been great lately."

Lu Yi acknowledged with a low hum.

He didn't offer an explanation, nor did he fear being exposed. The illness that would be disclosed as part of the fishing operation was exaggerated, but the injuries and ailments on Lu Yi's body were real.

He had been running a low fever for days, and coupled with the aftereffects of the mental domain episode, his complexion was exceptionally pale. Without his uniform, leaning back in the seat, there was no need to feign; his weariness showed naturally in his eyes.

"You look terrible," Lu Tianhang sighed softly. "You can't just rely on painkillers and fever reducers all day. Did you take the elemental supplements I prescribed?"

He worked at the military hospital on the capital planet and, due to his expertise, often treated his family members. Whenever Lu Yi returned to the capital, he would help him recover.

"I've told you before, put them in small bottles to carry with you. It's not hard to take one whenever needed. I keep them on me every day." As he spoke, he took out a bottle of supplements, poured out two pills, and handed them to Lu Yi. "What are you doing here so late? It's going to rain soon."

"I'm waiting for someone," Lu Yi reached out to take them, swallowing the pills. "What brings Uncle here?"

"I was just finishing up an overtime report." Lu Tianxing glanced in the direction of the Academy of Sciences. "I saw that something seemed to have happened up ahead. I came over to see if there's anything I can assist with. But it looks like the security team and medical crew are already on site."

He looked at the aircraft descending from above.

"Since we've run into each other, I'll check you out at your apartment later," he redirected his gaze back to Lu Yi. "After all, your apartment's medical room is fully equipped... Early examination, early treatment."

Lu Yi knew Lu Tianxing's character; as a doctor, he had a strong and assertive demeanor, making it hard to refuse him. He nodded and simply said, "Wait until Rong Mi returns."

He wasn't one for many words, and at the moment, his focus was on the situation at the Academy of Sciences.

Lu Tianxing was a family member he had grown up with; there was no need for any guard to be up.

So, Lu Yi leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and fully immersed his consciousness into Ayin's body, merging with the wolf's consciousness.

Assuming that Lu Yi was getting tired, Lu Tianxing fell silent.

His gaze swept across the lightning and thunder in the sky before returning to Lu Yi after a brief moment.

"Boom! —Rumble—"

Thunder rumbled like drums, and the electric curtain shimmered with an ominous bright white glow.

The massive assault sealed off all avenues around Rong Mi. To avoid being struck by lightning, one could either descend the aircraft or charge head-on with reckless courage.

Rong Mi had always chosen to evade in order to avoid further provoking the Thunder Roaring Lion.

But now, it seemed that there was no other choice but to provoke the mighty beast.

Rong Mi: "Are the restraints secure?!"

Captain of the Guard: "?? They're secure!"

If the restraints hadn't been properly fastened earlier, he would have been flung against the cabin wall during Rong Mi's 360-degree evasive maneuver and likely knocked unconscious!

He roared, "What are you planning to do? This lion already has an A+ mental strength. With its energy burst, its mental power is probably at least an S-class—"

"That's not what I'm worried about," Rong Mi replied, slipping the wolf into his other pocket as he buttoned up both his jacket pockets tightly. "I just fear that any resistance will drive it even more insane."

Rong Mi: "You pilot the aircraft."

He maneuvered the control stick towards the Captain, forcefully pushing open the aircraft's hatch.

Captain: "Wait, what... Rong Mi?!!"

The strong winds from the altitude howled past, and in that instant when the door opened, he nearly felt himself being sucked out of the aircraft!

In the next moment, the aircraft tilted sideways, on the verge of rolling over. The Captain's mind went blank, not understanding why anyone would execute such a perilous move. Instinctively, he pulled on the lever to stabilize the flight.

Amidst the raging wind, Rong Mi released his own restraints.

Captain: "!!!"

The young man supported himself with one hand on the wide-open hatch, while placing a foot on the aircraft seat, leaning his body outward.

Lightning crackled above him, the air sizzling with electricity.

Within the overwhelming white bolts that could drown and electrocute, purple spirit energy calmly spread above the aircraft.

"Sandor!" Rong Mi called out amidst the purple glow, "Big Lion! It's me! ——"

That purplish mental energy intertwined with the lightning, bursting in all directions. Amidst the dense blanket of dark clouds, it cascaded down like a dazzling display of fireworks.