First Intergalactic Emperor: Starting With The Ancient Goddess-Chapter 393: The Engagement Ceremony (ix)

Rin stared at her. "Please tell me you’re not here to arrest us."

Althea didn’t holster her weapon. She stepped aside to give herself space, eyes never leaving Xavier as the tower shook again.

"I have solid evidence now," she said, voice clipped and steady. "Witnesses, recordings, bodies. A lot of bodies. Whatever story you were running before, it’s over. You’re done."

Xavier glanced past her at the elevator shaft, watching dust spill down like sand. "You can finish your speech later," he replied, calm in a way that made Rin uneasy. "If we don’t leave this tower in the next few minutes, there won’t be anyone left to arrest."

Althea’s jaw tightened. "Don’t get comfortable. I will make sure you pay for every crime you committed tonight. Every death. Every explosion. I’ll expose you piece by piece if I have to."

She moved fast. The cuffs snapped around Xavier’s wrists with a sharp click, reinforced bands humming as they locked. Rin took a step forward, hand already reaching for his weapon.

"Commander, that’s a bad—"

Xavier shook his head without even looking at him. "Not now," he said. "Priority is getting out. We can argue law and justice after we’re not standing in a collapsing tower."

Althea hesitated for half a second, then nodded once. "Fine. Move."

They turned back toward the elevator together.

The floor lurched.

There was a metallic shriek, followed by a violent jolt beneath their feet. The elevator car dropped out of sight, cables snapping like gunshots as it vanished into the shaft. Wind rushed up, dragging smoke and debris with it.

Rin froze at the edge, staring down into the darkness. "You’ve got to be kidding me."

Althea swore under her breath and backed away, scanning for alternatives as another explosion rippled through the structure. "Stairs are gone. Backup shafts are compromised. This whole section is unstable."

Xavier looked at the empty shaft, then at the cuffs around his wrists. He rolled his shoulders, unfazed, and let out a low chuckle.

"Well," he said, glancing at Althea, "guess your paperwork’s going to have to wait."

They moved without any real direction, cutting through half-lit corridors and service passages that weren’t meant for guests or security teams. Every route Angel had marked as viable on the blueprint was either sealed by collapsed bulkheads or burning from secondary detonations. Floors tilted just enough to mess with balance, and the air smelled like scorched wiring and concrete dust.

Rin tried forcing open a maintenance hatch near a stairwell, only for the entire frame to tear loose and fall away into smoke. Althea checked her wrist display twice, then cursed when the signal dropped again. Whatever control systems the tower once had were gone. No lifts, no emergency rails, no external bridges responding.

"This place is coming down section by section," Althea said, louder than she meant to as another tremor rolled through the structure. "We’re running out of time."

Xavier stopped near a partially collapsed observation corridor. Through the shattered glass, the city looked distant and warped, lights flickering as debris fell past. He leaned against the wall for a moment, more thoughtful than tired.

"There is one way out," he said. "But it’s not clean."

Althea turned toward him immediately. "Explain."

"There’s an external descent rig stored in the old executive emergency bay," Xavier replied. "Single-use. One-person capacity. It was meant for board members who wanted a guaranteed exit if everything went to hell."

Rin looked between them. "You’re saying only one of us walks out."

"That’s exactly what I’m saying," Xavier answered.

Silence hung there for a few seconds, broken only by another distant blast. Dust drifted from the ceiling, sprinkling over their shoulders.

Althea studied Xavier’s face, searching for something she could use. "And you just happen to know about this?"

"I didn’t plan on using it tonight," Xavier said. "But it exists."

Rin exhaled sharply. "So what now?"

Xavier shrugged. "If you take it, Commander, you live. You also lose me, and whatever case you think you’re building dies with this tower. If I take it, I walk away free, just like you said you wouldn’t allow. If Rin takes it, same result. I’m still gone."

Althea clenched her fists. "You’re enjoying this."

"No," Xavier replied, voice flat. "I’m being honest."

The floor dipped again, sharper this time. A section of the corridor behind them collapsed inward, cutting off the way they’d come.

Xavier looked at both of them in turn. "So decide," he said. "Because the tower already has."

Rin broke the silence first, glancing between the two of them while the tower groaned around them. "Then the one who uses it should be someone worthy," he said. "Someone whose life actually matters."

Xavier snorted and shook his head. "That’s a stupid way to look at it. Everyone thinks their own life matters, even when they’re old, broken, or already half a step into the grave. Nobody volunteers to die just because someone else sounds more important."

Althea narrowed her eyes at him. "You’re awfully calm for someone standing inside a collapsing tower. What are you really planning?"

Xavier met her gaze without hesitation. "Nothing heroic. I don’t care if I live or die." He tilted his head slightly. "And that exit isn’t even guaranteed. Someone might’ve used it already. Or it might be crushed. Or it might fail halfway down."

Rin frowned. "Then what’s the point of standing here arguing?"

Xavier shrugged. "We could fight over it." His eyes flicked briefly to the cuffs on his wrists, then back to them. "But you both know how that ends."

Althea didn’t even blink. "I’m not stupid enough to uncuff you."

"Fair," Xavier said. "So let’s make it simple."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Simple how?"

Xavier cracked a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Rock, paper, scissors."

Althea stared at him for a second, then scoffed. "You’re joking."

"Not really," Xavier replied. "Chance doesn’t care who you are."

Another tremor ran through the floor, stronger this time. A chunk of ceiling collapsed nearby, forcing the decision.

Althea exhaled sharply. "Fine. One round."

They played. Xavier won.

"Best of three," Althea said immediately.

"Of course," Xavier replied.

Second round. Althea won.

Rin stepped in for the third., and he won that one.

Rin didn’t even smile. "Again."

They played again. Rin won.

Xavier shook his head. "That’s two wins. Best of three means three."

Althea shot him an annoyed look but didn’t argue.

In the next round, Xavier won.

The tower lurched hard enough to throw Rin against the wall.

"One more," Rin said quietly.

They raised their hands again.

Rock. Paper. Scissors.

And this time... Xavier won.

He let his hand drop and looked at them both. "Looks like luck’s got a twisted sense of humor."