Chapter 178: The Mark of Catastrophe — Domain

"Tian Dao, are you sure my brother’s going to be fine on his own? Shouldn’t we—"

Chen Xing stood atop a clock tower outside the Gear Church, her brow furrowed as she watched Chen Kong slip silently into the church’s depths through the 'Void Pattern'. He moved like a shadow, unseen, undetected. Even though Isabelle had promised to keep an eye on him, why had this reckless fool waded back into such dangerous waters?

Beside her, Tian Dao—his disguise finally shed—sat casually on the edge of the rooftop, legs dangling. In his lap, Dannika, munching on potato chips and wearing a tiny backpack, lounged like she was on a picnic. The two of them looked utterly at ease, as if they were merely enjoying a sunny afternoon.

Tian Dao toyed with a coin between his fingers, his gaze flicking sideways as Dannika pulled out another bag of chips. With a quick flick of his left hand, he snatched it mid-air and popped it into his mouth, grinning.

"Relax, Star. Kong’s not in any real danger."

But Chen Xing’s frown didn’t ease. She still didn’t trust her brother’s judgment—not when it came to diving headfirst into trouble.

Seeing her hesitation, Tian Dao gently patted the green-headed little dog beside him, who was growling in outrage, clearly ready to bite his arm. "Kong might be a bit too kind for his own good," he said, "but he’s no weakling. Far from it."

He paused, letting the coin spin once more between his fingers. "In fact, his strength ranks among the top in the entire Steam Capital right now."

He smirked. "And don’t forget—he’s got the strongest backup in the city. This one’s a guaranteed win. He’s literally on a win streak."

"Strongest backup?" Chen Xing arched a brow, the morning wind tugging at her brown hair, lifting a strand that fell across her ear.

She didn’t need to ask. The answer came to her instantly.

"You mean Liam—the head of Steam Branch?"

Just as she spoke, Tian Dao flicked the coin, and it landed perfectly on his fingertip with a soft click. The timing was flawless.

"Correct. Too bad there’s no prize," he said, winking.

Chen Xing’s tension finally melted. If Tian Dao was certain… then Chen Kong really might make it out of this unscathed.

What she didn’t know, though, was that in the original arc of The Stars · Faint Light, Liam would have been quietly holed up in the branch office, ignoring the power struggles between the Upper and Lower Cities. In that timeline, Chen Kong’s only ally would have been Yu Chen—a figure who didn’t exist in this world, where the Fifth Squad’s Captain Ink never existed, and thus the humiliating assassination attempt on Steam Branch never happened.

Liam might be reclusive—rarely seen outside the branch, rarely even stepping foot in public—but no one dared underestimate him.

Because Catastrophe wasn’t just a title. It was a chasm. A divide so vast that even the strongest non-Catastrophe were left behind.

Even if Liam was only a lower-tier Catastrophe, his power still dwarfed that of ordinary individuals—by a margin that defied comprehension.

Except, of course, for Tian Dao.

But if Liam remained in the branch, even Tian Dao’s mastery of All-Forms Concealment wouldn’t make escaping easy after retrieving the two Quantum Keys hidden within the association.

Because that was the true nature of a Catastrophe: one person, alone, could generate effects akin to Catastrophe itself.

That effect was known as — Domain.

And with Liam’s Domain guarding the branch, and the Steam Branch’s Stellar Envoys prowling like wolves, Tian Dao would have to pay a steep price to leave—if he left at all.

Even more critical: if Liam learned someone was secretly gathering the Quantum Keys of the Twelve Brass Nobles, he’d immediately protect the remaining keys.

That would make collecting the full set nearly impossible.

But if Liam left the branch—just for thirty minutes—Tian Dao had absolute confidence he could take the keys without a fight.

Thinking this through, Tian Dao spun the coin once more between his fingers. His smile widened. His mood was high.

Chen Xing noticed it. The wind tugged at her hair again, and she smiled too.

As for whether Liam would come?

She didn’t worry. Not one bit.

A man who’d killed the Golden Knight and a squad captain—no, not just a man. An organization like that? Would you risk betting it was just one person?

For a man like Liam—cautious to the bone—sending someone in person was the only truly safe choice.

The Steam Branch couldn’t afford another death.

She looked down at the church. Chen Kong had vanished into the shadows, fully inside.

"Even now," she said softly, "you’re already planning against a Catastrophe. I can’t even imagine what you’ll do in a few months."

Tian Dao shrugged, then tossed the coin into the air. It spun, caught mid-flight.

"Who knows?" he said, voice light. "Maybe one day, I’ll even bring down the current strongest Stellar Envoy."

His tone was casual—almost playful.

But Chen Xing knew better. Behind those calm, pale-blue eyes lay something far deeper. Something not meant for jest.

He could do it.

At that moment, distant explosions echoed from the Nut Hub Station.

A fierce clash was unfolding.

Chen Xing’s frown returned, her gaze fixed on the flames now lighting up the horizon.

"Tian Dao… the Lower City’s getting worse."

Tian Dao caught the coin mid-air, silent.

Chen Xing didn’t care who won the so-called "War of Two Cities." She only cared about what Chen Kong had promised just hours ago—his desperate vow to the Lower City citizens.

Now, with the Lower City having breached the Nut Hub Station, they were surrounded by the Upper City’s steam-powered police force. The situation was volatile.

To prevent more bloodshed, Chen Kong had slipped inside using the Void Pattern, and promised the citizens below:

He would clear Vivian’s name. He would prove Justice could exist in the Steam Capital. In the Rust Iron District.

And he would find a way to convince the Twelve Brass Nobles to grant the district the dignity it deserved.

It was naive. Unrealistic.

But still… it gave the people a sliver of hope.

So they gave Chen Kong a chance.

The deadline? Until Vivian was executed.

The Lower City had paused.

But the Upper City’s nobles? They weren’t stopping.

The gunfire and explosions continued, relentless.

Tian Dao exhaled slowly, watching the distant chaos.

"Star," he murmured, "your brother… really picked the hardest path."

Chen Xing didn’t answer.

Because she knew—exactly what that path meant.

It was a road of solitude.

A road paved with danger.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end