Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 298 Violation of the Escort Code

“Don’t let your guard down,” Hong cautioned. “We’ve only gone halfway.”

As they were talking, Rowan suddenly sensed a familiar presence. He looked up and saw Ying standing not far away, seemingly talking to someone.

“That is…” Rowan squinted.

Opposite the shadow was a mysterious figure dressed in a black robe. The two spoke in secrecy, glancing around warily from time to time.

“There’s a problem.” Hong noticed it too.

"Should we follow them and see?" Thor asked, eager to try.

“No,” Rowan shook his head. “Our mission is to escort the goods; it’s best not to meddle in anything else.”

After a while, Ying finished talking and walked towards them.

"How was the meal?" Ying asked casually.

"Not bad," Rowan laughed. "The food here is quite unique."

"That's good." Ying nodded. "We're leaving in two hours, so don't stay out too late."

After Shadow left, Thor whispered, "What was he doing just now?"

“I don’t know,” Hong shook his head, “but it’s definitely related to this mission.”

"Forget it, let's not think about it too much," Rowan said. "Let's just focus on our own things."

The rest period passed quickly, and the spaceship set off again. After replenishing fuel and supplies, the spaceship was in much better condition.

"The rest of the journey is relatively safe," Shadow said in the control room, "but we can't let our guard down."

Rowan gazed at the receding Freeport, lost in thought. This mission was far more complex than they had imagined, but having already agreed, they were determined to see it through.

“We’ll reach our destination in three more days,” Hong said.

"I hope everything goes well." Rowan nodded.

night.

Rowan felt himself immersed in complete darkness, his consciousness drifting between nothingness and reality. He could hear a voice, a deep and mysterious call, echoing in the darkness, seemingly from the distant depths of space.

"Rowan Rowan"

The sound was faint yet clearly echoed in his mind. Rowan frowned in his sleep, his body involuntarily turning over. The spaceship's specially designed sleep pod emitted a slight hum, adjusting its internal environment to accommodate his movement.

"Rowan, come here."

This time, the voice was clearer. Rowan's brows furrowed even more, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. In his dream, a blurry light flickered, as if guiding him to some unknown place.

"Come find me."

Rowan snapped his eyes open, gasping for breath as if he had just surfaced from suffocating deep water. He looked around and realized he was no longer lying in his familiar sleep pod, but standing in the cargo hold at the bottom of the spaceship. Various cargo containers were piled up all around him, casting long shadows in the dim emergency lights.

"How did I get here?" Rowan muttered to himself, feeling confused. His last memory was returning to his sleep pod to rest after completing his daily training. Logically, he should still be resting, with four hours until his next shift.

The temperature inside the cargo hold was significantly lower than in the living quarters, and the cold air made Rowan shiver. He was only wearing a thin nightgown and stood barefoot on the cold metal floor. It was eerily quiet, with only the low-frequency vibrations of the spaceship's engines coming through the floor and the occasional beeping of the system self-checks.

Just then, Rowan noticed a faint light deep inside the cargo hold. The light flickered, seemingly drawing him to explore. He hesitated for a moment, but curiosity ultimately overcame his wariness, and he stepped towards the source of the light.

Passing through mountains of cargo containers and equipment, Rowan arrived at a segregated area at the deepest part of the cargo hold. The security level here was significantly higher than in the regular cargo area, surrounded by surveillance devices and projectors for protective force fields. In the center of the segregated area stood a massive stone crate.

The stone box was about three meters long, two meters wide, and two meters high. It was an ancient grayish-brown color, and its surface was covered with strange patterns. These patterns emitted a faint blue fluorescence in the darkness, which was the light source that attracted Rowan. The stone box was tightly bound by more than a dozen metal chains, each chain engraved with complex runes. It looked more like some kind of energy seal than just a physical restraint.

"What is this? It wasn't mentioned on our mission list," Rowan muttered to himself, involuntarily reaching out to touch the mysterious stone box.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the surface of the stone box, a cold and stern voice came from behind him:
"Rowan! What are you doing here?"

Rowan whirled around and saw a tall figure standing at the cargo hold entrance. A bright light shone from behind, casting shadows over the man's face, but Rowan immediately recognized the imposing silhouette—it was Shadow, the captain of this escort mission.

Shadow approached slowly, his powerful aura causing Rowan to involuntarily take a half-step back. As the distance closed, Rowan could clearly see Shadow's sharply defined face. He had short, stiff black hair, eyes as deep as the starry sky, and a scar on his right cheek running from his brow bone to his jaw, making him appear even more cold and ruthless. Shadow wore a black combat uniform, with a special mission unit insignia on his chest, and the energy gun at his waist gleamed coldly in the dim cargo hold.

“I-I don’t know,” Rowan stammered, feeling somewhat bewildered. “I only remember resting in a sleep pod, and then I ended up here.”

Shadow's gaze sharpened, as if trying to see through Rowan's soul: "Do you think I'd believe your nonsense? Without authorization, no one can enter this isolated area. How did you crack the security system?"

"I really don't know!" Rowan raised his voice, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "I was just sleeping and have no idea how I got here!"

Shadow ignored Rowan's explanation and instead raised the communicator on his wrist: "Security team, proceed immediately to cargo hold D section and escort an intruder." "Wait!" Rowan exclaimed hastily, "There must be some misunderstanding. I'm a member of the escort team, not an intruder!"

Shadow's eyes were icy cold: "You were discovered in an unauthorized high-security area and attempted to access contraband. According to the Interstellar Escort Association's regulations, this constitutes a serious violation, sufficient grounds for your detention and investigation."

Rowan felt a surge of absurdity: "This is ridiculous! I don't even know how I got here, what makes you accuse me?"

“I don’t need to make any accusations; the evidence is sufficient.” Ying pointed to the surrounding surveillance cameras. “Your every move has been recorded.”

Just then, the cargo hold door opened again, and two figures hurriedly walked in.

"Rowan! What are you doing here?" a familiar voice called out.

Rowan looked in the direction of the sound and saw Thor and Hong walking quickly towards him. Thor was tall and burly, with his hair combed back like golden flames, and his arms as strong as if forged from steel. He wore a well-fitting gray uniform, and the energy core on his chest emitted a soft blue light. Hong, on the other hand, was relatively thin, but lean and powerful, with black hair and black eyes, and always had a faint smile on his face, making it difficult to fathom his true thoughts.

“Thor, Hong,” Rowan breathed a sigh of relief, “I don’t know how I got here. I woke up and found myself standing in the cargo hold.”

Thor frowned, looking puzzled. "What do you mean? Did you sleepwalk here?"

Hong's gaze shifted back and forth between Rowan and the mysterious stone box, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

Ying coldly interrupted them: "That's enough chit-chat. Rowan has violated the rules and must be investigated and punished."

“Wait,” Thor stepped forward, standing between Rowan and Shadow, “You can’t just take Rowan away like this. He’s part of our team, and if there are any problems, we have the right to know the details.”

Shadow's gaze grew even colder: "Are you questioning my authority? Thor, don't forget, on this ship, I am the highest-ranking person in charge."

Hong cleared his throat, his tone calm yet undeniably firm: "Captain Ying, we are all bodyguards who have undergone rigorous vetting by the Alliance. Luo Wen's file is spotless. If he has indeed violated regulations, we respect the investigation process, but he should at least be given a chance to explain."

The atmosphere inside the cargo hold instantly became tense. Thor's muscles tensed, ready to deal with any possible conflict; Hong appeared relaxed, but quietly adjusted his posture, entering a state of combat readiness; Shadow's right hand was already on the energy gun at his waist, his eyes cold and icy.

“I’ll say it one last time,” Rowan took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady, “I don’t know how I got here. I only remember resting in a sleep pod, and then I found myself standing in this cargo hold.”

"Ridiculous!" Shadow sneered. "Are you trying to tell me that some mysterious force transferred you from the sleep pod to here? I bet you infiltrated the cargo hold yourself, trying to uncover the secrets of this special shipment."

Thor raised an eyebrow: "Special cargo? Our mission log shows this is just a shipment of ordinary interstellar trade goods and a few boxes of research equipment."

Shadow's expression flickered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure: "That's precisely why Rowan's behavior seems so suspicious. Why would he be so interested in an ordinary cargo box?"

Hong narrowed her eyes slightly: "Captain Ying, you seem to know a lot about this stone box. According to standard procedure, the escort team members only need to ensure the safety of the cargo, not know its contents. Why are you so wary of this stone box?"

Ying's expression darkened further: "This is none of your business. My only responsibility is to ensure the supplies arrive safely at their destination. Anyone who tries to interfere with this process will be severely punished."

Rowan noticed that Ying's reaction was somewhat unusual, which aroused his suspicion. He cautiously took a step back, moving closer to the mysterious stone box, wanting to get a better look.

"Halt!" Shadow shouted sharply, drawing his energy gun and pointing it at Rowan. "Take one more step, and I'll arrest you for obstructing the mission!"

Thor immediately stepped in front of Rowan, crossing his arms over his chest. Energy surged within him, causing faint crackles of electricity to appear on his skin: "Shadow, you've gone too far! Pointing a weapon at your own teammate violates the code of conduct for bodyguards."

“As the captain, I have the authority to take any necessary measures to ensure the mission’s safety,” Shadow said coldly, his energy gun motionless. “Now, Rowan, you have two choices: either obediently accept detention, or I will have to use force.”

The situation was tense, and the air in the cargo hold seemed to freeze. Just at this critical moment, the spaceship's public address system suddenly blared:
"Attention, all personnel, the spacecraft is about to enter the edge of the chaotic star system. All personnel, prepare for potential spatial turbulence. Repeat, the spacecraft is about to enter the edge of the chaotic star system."

Shadow's attention was momentarily diverted by the broadcast, and Rowan seized the opportunity to quietly observe the mysterious stone box. In the dim light, he noticed that the patterns on the surface of the stone box seemed to form some kind of ancient script or symbols. These symbols felt strangely familiar to him, as if he had seen them somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place them.

"Get to the cockpit, now!" Shadow commanded, but the energy gun remained pointed at Rowan. "You two," he said, looking at Thor and Hong, "make sure Rowan doesn't approach this cargo box again. Report any further suspicious activity to me immediately."

Thor snorted in dissatisfaction: "We're a team of bodyguards, not your subordinates. If Rowan has any problems, we'll handle it."

Ying sneered, "Don't forget who's paying for this mission. If you can't follow the rules, I have the right to terminate your service contract."

“Threats have no effect on me, Shadow.” Thor remained unyielding, his lightning crackling even more intensely. “If you intend to make things difficult for Rowan, you’ll have to get past me first.”

Hong sighed and stepped forward. "Everyone, calm down. The ship is about to enter the Chaotic Star System; this is not a good time for infighting. Captain Shadow, I assure you, we will keep a close eye on Rowan and make sure he doesn't approach this cargo hold again. However, we need your promise not to take any drastic action against Rowan before reaching our destination."

Shadow pondered for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, and finally nodded slightly: "Alright, that's settled for now. But I'll have people monitor this cargo hold, and if Rowan exhibits any further unusual behavior, I won't hold back."

After saying that, Shadow put away his energy gun and turned to walk towards the cargo hold exit. But before leaving, he turned back and gave Rowan a cold look: "Remember, Rowan, you're being watched."

After the shadow disappeared through the cargo hold door, Rowan let out a long sigh of relief, feeling his legs go weak and almost collapsing to his knees. Thor immediately rushed over to support him: "Are you alright, buddy?"

Rowan shook his head: "I really don't know how I got here, Thor. My last memory is resting in a sleep pod, and then... it was like I was summoned here by something."

Hong's gaze fell on the mysterious stone box, lost in thought: "Summoned? You mean, you heard some kind of voice?"

Rowan looked at Hong in surprise: "How did you know? Yes, I heard a voice in my dream, calling my name."

(End of this chapter)