All Chapters of After Prison, I Became the Apex of the Stars: Chapter 71
- Chapter 80
80 chapters
CHAPTER 71
Cassandra Kane was not what Eddard had expected.She was young, perhaps thirty, with a calm, measured voice and eyes that held a depth of sorrow. She carried herself with the confidence of someone who had been trained to lead, but there was also a weariness about her, a sense that she had been carrying a heavy burden for too long."The Phoenix was supposed to be dead," Eddard said, his weapon still trained on her."The Phoenix can never truly die," Cassandra replied. "It rises from the ashes, again and again. That's what the Phoenix does.""You're one of the First's children.""I am his granddaughter. The daughter of his son,
Last Updated : 2026-06-27
CHAPTER 72
The battle was short and brutal.Eddard and his team stormed the estate, taking the allies by surprise. There was gunfire, shouting, the sound of bodies hitting the floor. Kaelen tried to escape, but Eddard blocked her path."Kaelen," he said, his voice cold. "It's over."She stared at him, her eyes wide with shock. "How did you find me?""I followed you. I knew you were the mole. I just needed to prove it."Kaelen's expression shifted from shock to anger. "You set me up. You used me.""I used you to find the allies. To finish what the First started." Eddard steppe
Last Updated : 2026-06-28
CHAPTER 73
The journal revealed a network of allies that was far larger than Eddard had imagined.There were safe houses in a dozen countries, agents in every major city, and a shadow council that had been operating in secret since the First's death. The council was led by a man known only as the Architect, a figure who had been the First's most trusted advisor."The Architect," Eddard repeated, looking at the name in the journal. "Who is he?"Raven shook her head. "I don't know. No one does. He always wore a mask, even when meeting with the First. He was the only person the First truly trusted.""Then he's the one we need to find."Easi
Last Updated : 2026-06-28
CHAPTER 74
The castle in the Swiss Alps burned behind them as Eddard and his team made their escape. The explosives Kurt had rigged detonated in a cascade of fire and stone, consuming the ancient fortress in a pyre of destruction. Eddard watched from the helicopter as the flames reached toward the night sky, his heart hollow with grief.Kurt Davis. The man who had been his mentor, his confidant, his friend. The man who had helped him build the Apex of the Stars, who had stood by him through every battle, every betrayal, every near-death experience. And all along, he had been the Architect, the mastermind behind the First's empire."Are you all right?" Diana asked, her voice barely audible over the roar of the helicopter's rotors.Eddard shook his head slowly. "
Last Updated : 2026-07-01
CHAPTER 75
The information on the USB drive was more detailed than Eddard had dared to hope.Kurt's network was vast, spanning five continents and dozens of countries. He had agents in every level of government, every branch of the military, every major corporation. He had been building this empire for decades, waiting for the right moment to strike."He's been planning this for years," Diana said, studying the files on her laptop. "The First was just a pawn in his game. Kurt was always the real power behind the throne."Eddard nodded slowly. "He used me to eliminate the First. He knew I would destroy his rivals for him, and he would step in to fill the vacuum.""He's been playing chess while we've
Last Updated : 2026-07-02
CHAPTER 76
The photograph felt like ice in Eddard's hands, burning with a cold that seeped into his bones. He stared at the image of his mother, her smile so familiar, so warm—and beside her, the man with eyes that mirrored Kurt's. The man who had been erased from his life, from his memory, from everything he thought he knew."Is this some kind of joke?" Eddard's voice was barely a whisper, the words scraping past the tightness in his throat.Kurt's voice echoed from the speakers, smooth and mocking. "No joke, Eddard. That's your father. Your real father. Not the man you grew up believing was your parent. That man was just a caretaker, a pawn in a much larger game."Eddard's grip tightened on the photograph, his knuckles white. "You're lying."<
Last Updated : 2026-07-02
CHAPTER 77
The discovery of Eddard's true heritage sent shockwaves through his team.Diana was the first to speak, her voice sharp with concern. "This changes everything. If you're really the heir to two bloodlines, then Kurt's claim might be legitimate. He might have a legal right to the First's legacy."Raven shook her head. "The First's legacy is not a legal entity. It's a conspiracy. A shadow network. Bloodlines don't matter. Only power matters.""Then why did Kurt go to all this trouble?" Mira asked. "Why reveal the truth now?""Because he wants Eddard to join him," Raven said. "He believes that Eddard is the rightful heir, and he wants to use that claim to legitimize his own rise to power."Last Updated : 2026-07-03Read more
Last Updated : 2026-07-03
CHAPTER 78
The revelation came in the final moments before the assault.Eddard had found a hidden message in Victoria's communications, a code that linked her to Kurt. She had been playing both sides, feeding information to Kurt while pretending to help Eddard."You're working for him," Eddard said, confronting Victoria in the command center. "You've been working for him all along."Victoria's face was pale, her eyes filled with something that might have been regret. "I had no choice. Kurt has my daughter. He's been holding her hostage for years, using her to control me.""You should have told me. We could have helped.""No one can help
Last Updated : 2026-07-04
CHAPTER 79
The contact was a woman named Helena Vance, a former intelligence officer who had worked for the Collective for years before defecting.She lived in a remote cabin in the mountains of Canada, hidden from the world and everyone in it. She agreed to meet Eddard, but only on her own terms.Eddard traveled alone, his team waiting at a safe distance. The cabin was small and weathered, its windows dark, its chimney cold.Helena opened the door, her face pale, her eyes wary."Mr. Collins," she said. "I've been expecting you.""Then you know why I'm here.""The Collective.
Last Updated : 2026-07-05
CHAPTER 80
The ravine was cold and dark, the walls of earth and stone rising on either side like the sides of a grave. Eddard's body screamed with every movement, his ribs bruised, his shoulder dislocated from the fall. He had survived the Sovereign's trap, but barely.Diana helped him to his feet, her face etched with concern. "We need to get you to a doctor. That shoulder needs to be set.""No time." Eddard winced as he tried to move his arm. "The Sovereign knows I survived. They'll send more. We need to get back to the safe house and regroup."Diana supported him as they made their way through the darkness, her eyes scanning for threats. They moved slowly, carefully, every step a struggle.Two da
Last Updated : 2026-07-06