Chapter 699 – Soone Here Wants to Redecorate The Hallway Using My Organs
He smiled. Not seductive. Not sarcastic. Just calm.
"Hello, everyone," Lux began smoothly. "I appreciate everyone attending on such short notice."
Quills hovered, ready.
"I am aware that recent rumors regarding my... unfortunate demise have circulated across multiple interrealm communication networks," he continued. "Allow to confirm personally that I am alive, operational, and regrettably still responsible for several economic infrastructures."
A faint ripple of polite celestial amusent moved through the crowd.
"I was on scheduled leave following Lord Zavros Vaelthorn’s return to executive leadership within the Greed Dominion," Lux said. "During that period, all infernal trade operations remained stable, contract enforcent remained active, and treaty obligations between our realms were fully maintained."
He placed one hand lightly over the glowing podium.
"There has been no disruption in the relationship between the Infernal and Celestial administrations."
Behind him, Solara nodded once. Selena remained composed. Celestaria radiated quiet approval.
"Our cooperation continues to focus on sustainable soul cycle managent, ethical reincarnation reform, and balanced economic exchange between divine and infernal jurisdictions," Lux continued.
A reporter lifted a hand but stopped when the floating question sheet lit up, signaling pre-approved inquiry order only. Extrely on brand for heaven.
Lux continued calmly.
"I understand that uncertainty generates concern. I hope my presence today resolves that uncertainty."
He paused just long enough for his words to settle, then offered a polite, reassuring smile.
"There is no conflict. There is no crisis. rely... scheduling misunderstandings."
The room remained quiet. Organized. Reassured.
Vizreel stood beside him like an immovable wall of authority. The goddesses stood behind him like institutional trust incarnate.
Lux folded his hands neatly atop the podium.
"Thank you."
And just like that, the conference moved forward exactly as planned.
The applause was polite. Controlled. Celestial audiences did not cheer. They acknowledged. A soft ripple of wing rustles, glowing quills finishing their last notes, reporters already packaging his speech into official harmonized news scrolls. The atmosphere slled like polished marble, sanctified ink, and very expensive public reassurance.
Lux stepped away from the podium, smile still glued into that flawless CFO diplomacy mask. The goddesses remained behind him, answering approved follow-up questions in asured divine cadence. Vizreel moved beside him like a silent armored escort as they descended the crystalline stage steps.
Everything was smooth.
Everything was safe.
Everything was exactly how it should be.
And then Lux felt it.
Not loud. Not obvious. Not explosive like a demonic ambush or a drunken hell warlord trying to stab him with a cursed fork.
It was subtle.
A glint.
A flicker of aura. Thin. Razor sharp. Carefully hidden beneath celestial press credentials and sanitized holiness.
Murder.
Lux’s eyes shifted slightly toward the third row of reporters. He didn’t turn his head. Didn’t break his stride. But he felt it like a knife hovering a centiter from his throat.
Soone in that crowd wanted him dead.
Not emotionally.
Not politically.
Literally.
His heartbeat didn’t spike. Years of assassination attempts had trained his instincts to go ice calm instead of panic.
He stepped off the stage platform.
Vizreel moved beside him instantly, matching his pace. The Archon’s armor humd faintly as if reacting to invisible threat calculations.
"You feel it too," Vizreel muttered under his breath.
Lux kept walking, smile still politely in place for any lingering observers.
"Third row. Left side. Reporter wing cluster," Lux murmured.
Vizreel’s wings shifted slightly, micro adjusting defensive angles.
"Solara and Selena are moving to intercept," Vizreel said, voice low.
Lux’s smile didn’t change, but his eyes sharpened.
"No."
Vizreel blinked once. "No?"
"It could be a diversion," Lux said calmly. "Classic multi-vector bait. Draw celestial enforcent attention toward one suspect while actual execution happens elsewhere."
Vizreel frowned slightly. "You think this is coordinated?"
Lux chuckled quietly. "Archon. When people put divine bounty on my head, they don’t usually do it solo."
They turned into a hallway, leaving the main press chamber behind. The corridor curved with luminous pillars and drifting script banners announcing conference summaries.
Their pace quickened.
Not running. Running in celestial halls caused diplomatic incidents. But definitely walking with the intent of two n who suspected reality might explode at any mont.
Vizreel tapped his gauntlet once, activating internal surveillance wards. "I am scanning for hidden relic signatures."
Lux adjusted his cuffs, looking absurdly composed while actively calculating exit routes, teleport vectors, assassination angles, and PR disaster containnt simultaneously.
"You know," Lux said casually, "next vacation I am choosing sowhere less stabby."
"You attract danger," Vizreel said.
"I attract opportunity," Lux corrected.
[System Alert: Elevated hostility detection.]
[Threat probability rising: 47%... 63%... 79%]
Lux’s pupils contracted slightly.
"Oh," he muttered.
Vizreel glanced sideways. "What?"
Lux’s smile flattened slightly.
"Soone here wants to redecorate the hallway using my organs."
Vizreel nodded. "Accurate translation."
They reached a junction corridor leading toward private safety chambers. The light flickered once. Barely noticeable to anyone not trained in dinsional security.
Lux noticed.
Vizreel noticed.
They both slowed.
[System Warning: Hostile intent locked on primary user.]
[Multiple vectors detected.]
[Containnt pattern forming.]
Lux stopped.
"Vizreel," he said calmly.
"Yes."
"Run."
Vizreel didn’t argue.
Both of them moved simultaneously. Vizreel’s wings flared open in a flash of armored silver while Lux snapped his fingers, summoning his teleport skills.
Reality folded.
Light twisted.
And then...
-CRACK!
They slamd into sothing invisible.
Lux rebounded backward, stumbling one step as his teleport sigil shattered into sparks around his feet. Vizreel’s wings collided with the unseen barrier, sending a tallic shockwave through the corridor.
Lux stared at the air.
"Oh no," he muttered.
Vizreel summoned his sword instantly. A massive blade of condensed judgnt manifested in his hand, runes igniting along the edge.
"Invisible containnt do," Vizreel growled. "Preconstructed. High level."
Lux tapped the air in front of him. The surface shimred like glass, rippling with hidden celestial and abyssal hybrid runes.
"That is extrely illegal," Lux said, impressed.
Vizreel slashed once. The sword struck the barrier with a thunderous crack that echoed down the corridor. The wall rippled... but held.
"Reinforced," Vizreel muttered.
Lux crouched, fingers brushing the floor, analyzing glyph currents.
"This is layered reality trap technology," Lux said. "Soone blended celestial enforcent relics with infernal void engineering. That is... disturbingly creative."
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