Stellar Steps

Chapter 8 - The Flame Crystal

Lu Yin observed the scene before him and casually ordered two dishes. For a restaurant to still be in business at a time like this, it had to have significant backing; clearly, no one dared to cause trouble here. Punishment Camp soldiers patrolled outside every two minutes, a clear sign of special protection.

“Your food, please enjoy it,” the server said, placing three dishes in front of Lu Yin without a backward glance.

Lu Yin took a bite, frowning slightly. The food wasn’t good, but it was much better than rat meat or mutated dog meat. Taking out a map, he studied it as he ate.

Not long after, a dozen figures entered the restaurant. The owner’s face lit up at the sight of them. “Young Master Kang, please come in! It’s raining so hard outside. Just tell us what you’d like to eat, and we’ll bring it right to you.”

The young man, addressed as Young Master Kang, gave a brief nod and sat down at a table not far from Lu Yin. He glanced at Lu Yin dismissively, then knocked on the table and said, “Bring him in.”

With a loud thud, a figure was thrown onto the ground, breaking a stool as he landed. Trembling, he looked up at Young Master Kang. “I’m sorry, Young Master Kang. I didn’t know that was your item! If I’d known, I wouldn’t have dared to touch it, even with ten times the courage. Please forgive me, Young Master Kang. Please spare me this one time.”

Young Master Kang sneered. “Spare you? Then how am I supposed to keep my men in line? Do you know that item was meant for my uncle? You lost a crystal, so here are your choices: either you hand over thirty energy crystals, or you die. Pick one.”

The man looked devastated. “Young Master Kang, I really didn’t know it was yours! Please, let me go. I’m willing to be your dog—just spare me!”

Young Master Kang slammed his hand on the table, pulled out a g*n, and pressed it to the man’s head. “No crystals? Then say goodbye.”

The man’s eyes widened with despair. Suddenly, he spotted Lu Yin nearby and pointed at him. “Him! That item—I gave it to him!”

Everyone turned their gaze toward Lu Yin.

Lu Yin calmly set down his cup, saying nothing. From the moment he’d entered, he’d noticed that the one being beaten was the same shifty-eyed Evolver who had sold him the map. Lu Yin had bought the map for three crystals, and the man had even thrown in a “strength enhancer” pill. Lu Yin had found it strange at the time, since that type of pill was valuable. Now he understood—it was stolen, and it happened to belong to this Young Master Kang.

Young Master Kang glared at Lu Yin for a moment, then kicked the Evolver named Xu San. “Xu San, you dare to mess with me? You think you can just find any random guy to cover for you?”

Xu San quickly protested. “It’s true! It’s really him! He bought the map from me. Look—the map on his table, it’s the one I sold him. There’s a mark in the bottom right corner.”

The group looked over, and Lu Yin also glanced at his map. Sure enough, there was a mark there.

Young Master Kang and his men, dragging Xu San along, surrounded Lu Yin. “Hey there, friend. You’ve taken something you shouldn’t have. How about you hand it over?”

“Get lost,” Lu Yin replied indifferently.

Young Master Kang’s expression darkened, and the surrounding Evolvers sneered. “Quite an attitude. Do you have any idea what Young Master Kang represents here in the Jinling settlement? You’ve got some nerve, kid.”

With that, one of them lunged at Lu Yin, reaching to grab him.

Lu Yin casually flicked his chopsticks, and they shot out, piercing the arms of several Evolvers, finally nailing them to the wall. The wall cracked upon impact, and blood splattered across the table as anguished screams filled the air.

Young Master Kang’s face turned pale, and he hurriedly retreated, with the surrounding Evolvers also backing away.

The restaurant owner was startled and immediately fled.

Young Master Kang pointed his g*n at Lu Yin. “My uncle is a leader of the Punishment Camp’s soldiers. Don’t do anything rash. Hand over the item, and we can talk.”

“Throw it away,” Lu Yin said calmly.

Young Master Kang clearly didn’t believe him. “Say that again—hand it over, or I’ll show you what true despair feels like. You don’t want to offend a ground-level expert.”

Lu Yin suddenly became curious, gazing at Young Master Kang. “If your uncle is a ground-level expert, why does he need a strength enhancer?”

Young Master Kang’s face twitched with anger. “How dare you slander my uncle! You’re asking for death! Fifth, contact my uncle immediately!” He wasn’t stupid—he knew that firearms wouldn’t work on Lu Yin.

Lu Yin’s sharp gaze swept over the nearly beaten-to-death Xu San. He had misunderstood—this Young Master Kang wasn’t after the strength enhancer, but something else. The guy had deflected blame onto him.

Lying on the ground, Xu San saw Lu Yin’s gaze and immediately lowered his head, not daring to look up.

Lu Yin smiled, unfazed. Whether he was being blamed didn’t matter to him. What piqued his curiosity was the kind of item that could interest a Punishment Camp leader. Earth had gone through an evolution, and many valuable items had emerged, which was one of the reasons that had attracted many students from various academies across the universe. Perhaps this Punishment Camp leader had indeed obtained something important.

Soon, a middle-aged man entered the restaurant and waved his hand, ordering all the Punishment Camp soldiers to disperse. His gaze scanned the room.

“Uncle, you’re here!” Young Master Kang said joyfully, raising his g*n higher.

Lu Yin glanced over—it was someone he knew. It was Kang Dafeng, one of the leaders who had been defeated by Zhao Yu. The name sounded familiar.

Kang Dafeng nodded to his nephew, Kang Shao. “Did you find the item?”

Kang Shao replied fiercely, “Yes, it was taken by that guy.” He pointed straight at Lu Yin.

Following his nephew’s gaze, Kang Dafeng’s face shifted dramatically as he saw Lu Yin. They had just seen each other recently. The strength Zhao Yu displayed was still fresh in his mind, yet Lu Yin had effortlessly bested her. Kang Dafeng had been envious and was even considering asking Lu Yin for a few pointers. He hadn’t expected to encounter him again so soon.

“Ah, so it’s Brother Lu,” Kang Dafeng greeted them warmly, walking over to Lu Yin with a smile.

Lu Yin smiled back. “What a coincidence, Brother Kang. Here to grab a bite?”

Kang Dafeng chuckled. “This restaurant is owned by Brother Li, so we often meet here for a meal. I owe you an apology on behalf of my nephew, Brother Lu. He’s young and inexperienced—please don’t take his actions to heart.”

Everyone stared, stunned. What was happening? Had they misjudged the situation and stumbled upon a real powerhouse?

Lu Yin smiled. “No problem, just a bit of fun.”

Kang Dafeng shot a stern look at his nephew. “Well? Go and apologize to Brother Lu.”

Kang Shao wasn’t a fool; he immediately put on a smile and bowed respectfully. “It was my fault—I didn’t recognize you, Colonel Lu. Please forgive me.”

Lu Yin waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine.”

Kang Dafeng waved his hand, signaling for Kang Shao and the others to leave. After exchanging a few more words with Lu Yin, he departed as well—this wasn’t the time for prolonged conversation. However, before leaving, Lu Yin made sure to keep Xu San behind.

Once they were gone, the restaurant owner personally refilled Lu Yin’s water and served several beautifully plated side dishes, saying they were complimentary.

Outside, Kang Shao looked confused. “Uncle, why were you so respectful to him? Is he a leader too?”

Kang Dafeng lowered his voice. “Remember this—always show respect if you encounter him again. This man is exceptionally strong.”

“But aren’t you a leader too? How strong could he be?” Kang Shao muttered.

Kang Dafeng glared at him. “Quiet! I’m telling you, this man is several times stronger than I am. In Jinling, aside from Xing Sheng, no one could beat him outright. Even our strongest commander, Li Hongliang, might not stand a chance.”

Kang Shao’s jaw dropped. He glanced back at the restaurant in shock, then quickly hurried off, realizing he had just got close to death.

Inside, Lu Yin fixed Xu San with a cold stare. “You’ve got some nerve, trying to frame me.”

Xu San felt like the unluckiest man alive. He had not only stolen from Kang Shao, but he’d also dragged in an even more terrifying figure, someone who even Kang Dafeng was cautious around. He felt utterly defeated, like fate itself had turned against him.

“What was that item Kang Dafeng was after?” Lu Yin asked casually.

“A red crystal,” Xu San answered bitterly, collapsing to the ground. “I…sold it.”

A glint appeared in Lu Yin’s eyes. “A red crystal? Warm to the touch, right?”

Xu San looked surprised. “How did you know?”

Lu Yin understood now. It was a flame crystal—a crystal that was sealed in fiery energy, capable of producing fire on contact. Many flame-based techniques require it as an enhancer. Similar to how Zhao Yu’s ice techniques worked, it was an external aid for wielding certain battle skills. Flame crystals were a valuable commodity in the universe, and naturally even rarer on Earth. No wonder Kang Dafeng was so tense about it.

“Do you know where it came from?” Lu Yin asked.

Xu San shook his head. “No idea.”

Lu Yin chuckled. “So you framed me, earned me an enemy, and I got nothing out of it. Is that about right?”

Xu San’s face went ashen, and he hastily apologized, “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Lu Yin toyed with a chopstick. “What do you think—would this chopstick pierce your throat? Let’s test it.”

Terror flashed in Xu San’s eyes as he recalled the earlier scene when several other evolutionaries had their arms pierced. He begged desperately, his forehead hitting the floor repeatedly.

Lu Yin shook his head. He was only scaring him. Sometimes, in a post-apocalyptic world, people’s nerves are stretched too thin. After taking a sip of water, he decided it was time to leave.

(End of Chapter)