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

Chapter 304 Put the core on track!

Shadow shook his head: "It's too late, Aster. We already have an alternative plan."

He suddenly pressed a hidden button on the control panel, and the shuttle immediately released dozens of small energy jammers, forming a complex array in space. These jammers began emitting energy waves of specific frequencies, creating a temporary barrier.

“This will only buy him a few seconds,” Shadow said to Rowan and the other two. “I need your cooperation.”

He quickly opened a hidden compartment and took out four strange sets of equipment—they looked like some kind of special spacesuit, but their materials and designs were completely different from ordinary protective suits.

"Put this on immediately," Shadow commanded. "This is a quantum particle teleportation device that will allow us to make short-distance space jumps and escape Aster's pursuit."

The four quickly donned their gear, and Ying carefully placed the blue crystal—the core of the Heavenly Star King—into a specially made container, which she then hung around her neck.

"Ready?" Shadow asked, his finger hovering above the control panel.

Rowan, Thor, and Hong exchanged a tense glance and nodded at the same time.

"Well then, wish us good luck!" Shadow pressed the activation button.

A strange feeling of weightlessness and dizziness washed over him, and Rowan felt as if his consciousness was being torn apart and then reassembled. When the feeling subsided, he found himself and the other three no longer on the shuttle, but inside a completely different spaceship—a significantly larger and more advanced warship.

"What is this??" Rowan looked around in surprise.

“My backup warship, the ‘Shadow Hunter,’” Shadow replied, quickly walking to the control panel. “It’s been hidden in the asteroid belt of this system, just in case.”

He skillfully operated the control panel, and the warship's engines immediately started, emitting a deep roar.

“Aster should still be tracking that shuttle,” Shadow explained. “I’ve set up an automatic program inside to make it continue flying in a random direction. This should buy us enough time to leave this system.”

Thor stared in astonishment at the interior of the warship: "Shadow, who exactly are you? Ordinary bodyguards couldn't afford a warship of this caliber, let alone that quantum teleportation device."

Shadow was silent for a moment, then finally sighed, "I think it's time to tell you the truth. I'm not an ordinary bodyguard, nor just a head镖师 (bodyguard/escort captain). I'm a special operations agent for the Black Dragon Mountain Empire's intelligence bureau. This mission is to track Aster's activities and confirm whether he is indeed conducting research on necromancy."

Rowan asked in shock, "So, you've been spying on Aster all along? But why did you help him transport that stone box?"

Shadow's expression became complex: "At first, neither the intelligence agency nor I knew what was in the stone box. We only knew that Aster had been searching for something for years that could help him break through the limits of immortality. When the Third Prince told us that Aster had commissioned him to find a suitable escort team, we saw an opportunity for infiltration."

"Is the Third Prince also one of yours?" Thor asked.

Ying shook her head: "The Third Prince was merely used by Aster. Aster told him that the stone box contained a rare energy crystal that could be used to create advanced weapons. To curry favor with Aster, the Third Prince agreed to help him find an escort team, and I used this opportunity to infiltrate and become the team leader."

"So, what do you plan to do with that core?" Hong asked, pointing to the container on Ying's chest.

Ying gently stroked the container: "This core contains the primordial energy and a portion of the consciousness of the Heavenly Star King—a king who fell tens of thousands of years ago and attained immortality. It is extremely precious, and also extremely dangerous. According to regulations, it should be sent to the high command of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire for safekeeping. But considering the current situation..."

He glanced at Rowan: "Rowan, why can you hear the core's voice? In my understanding, only those with a special connection to the Celestial Star King, or those with extremely rare talents, can sense its existence."

Rowan shook his head, equally puzzled: "I don't know. I've been hearing a faint call ever since we approached that stone box, but only today has the voice become clear."

Ying pondered for a moment: "Perhaps this isn't a coincidence. Intelligence reports indicate that the Heavenly Star King was one of the very few powerful beings in the universe who possessed 'telepathy.' Perhaps you have some special gene or energy fluctuation within you that matches the Heavenly Star King's energy."

Thor suddenly pointed alertly at the monitor screen: "Shadow! Look!"

The screen showed that the shuttle they had been traveling in suddenly exploded in space, turning into a dazzling sphere of light. Immediately afterward, Aster's figure appeared at the center of the explosion, surrounded by distorted space.

"He's found it!" Shadow quickly operated the control panel. "Prepare for an emergency jump!"

The warship's engines were running at full power, preparing to enter hyperspace. But just as the jump was about to be completed, a powerful energy wave struck from afar, hitting the warship's stern.

"Damage report!" Shadow commanded, his hands flying across the console.

The ship's onboard AI immediately responded: "Stern engine damaged by 27%, warp system temporarily offline. Estimated repair time: 3 minutes."

Shadow cursed, "Too late! Aster is approaching, we must prepare for battle!"

The warship's weapon systems activated automatically, with dozens of energy cannons extending from various parts of the ship and aimed at the approaching Aster.

"You think you can escape?" Aster's voice came through the communication system, filled with distorted echoes. "I'm not the same Aster I used to be! Now, I can sense the energy flow of the entire galaxy!"

Shadow calmly replied, "Aster, you are no longer yourself. The consciousness of the Heavenly Star King is eroding your spirit. Stop now; perhaps it's not too late."

"Shut up!" Astor roared. "I'm fully conscious! Now, hand over the core, and I might consider sparing your lives!"

Shadow didn't answer, but suddenly ordered, "All weapons, fire at once!"

All the energy cannons on the warship fired simultaneously, dozens of blinding energy beams shooting towards Aster. However, these attacks, enough to destroy small planets, were like a gentle breeze to Aster. With a mere wave of his hand, he changed the direction of all the energy beams, sending them into the depths of space.

“A futile struggle,” Aster sneered, slowly approaching the warship. “Without a core, my transformation cannot be fully stabilized. What you’ve taken isn’t just an energy crystal, but the key to my becoming a new generation of immortal king!”

Shadow's expression turned unusually serious: "Listen to what you're saying, Aster. 'A new generation of immortal kings'? This delusion is proof of the influence of the Heavenly Star King's consciousness. No one can become a king by stealing the power of others. That requires millions of years of accumulation and enlightenment!"

Aster burst into maniacal laughter: "That's because they dare not try! I've found a shortcut! As long as I complete the final ritual, I can completely absorb all of the Celestial Star King's power and memories, becoming the most powerful being in the universe!"

As he spoke, he reached out, and an invisible force began to tear at the warship's hull, metal plates peeling off piece by piece, drifting through space like scraps of paper. "Engine repair status?" Shadow asked urgently.

The AI ​​responded: "Repair progress 75%, estimated completion time: 45 seconds."

“We can’t hold out that long,” Shadow gritted his teeth, turning to Rowan and the other two. “I need you to buy me time. Rowan, since you can sense the core’s existence, perhaps you can help us.”

He quickly opened the specially made container, took out the core of the Celestial Star King, and handed it to Rowan: "Try communicating with it and see if it can help us."

Rowan hesitated before accepting the core. The instant they made contact, he felt a powerful surge of energy flow into his body. Then, the voice rang in his mind again, this time clearer than ever before:
"Young man, you've finally arrived."

Rowan's eyes widened in shock: "I...I can hear it! It's talking to me!"

“Ask it how to fight Aster,” Shadow said urgently. “We need its help!”

Rowan closed his eyes, attempting to communicate with the core in his mind: "Please tell us, how do we stop Aster?"

After a moment of silence, the voice spoke again: "Aster has been corrupted by my residual consciousness. He is no longer himself, but he has not been completely transformed. There is still a chance."

Rowan opened his eyes and relayed the core message to the others.

Shadow nodded: "Just as I expected. Aster's transformation is not yet complete, which is why he is so obsessed with retrieving the core."

“But how do we stop him?” Thor asked, looking outside at the sight of Astor slowly disintegrating the warship’s hull.

Rowan closed his eyes again, continuing his communication with the core: "Please tell us, how do we defeat him?"

This time, the core's response was more complex: "He has now absorbed most of my power, rendering ordinary attacks ineffective. However, his transformation is unstable. If my core energy can be guided, a resonance can be created, forcing the energy within his body to collapse."

Rowan relayed this information to Shadow, who immediately understood: "Resonance! That's right, if we can make the core generate energy fluctuations at a specific frequency, we can interfere with the unstable energy structure within Astor's body, forcing the energy conversion to collapse!"

He quickly turned to the control panel: "AI, does the warship have an energy resonance device?"

The AI ​​responded: "Confirmed. The stern experimental compartment is equipped with a quantum resonator with an adjustable frequency range of 0.1Hz to 100000Hz."

Shadow immediately ordered, "Activate the quantum resonator and connect it to the main energy system. I need to create an energy channel to guide the core's energy into the resonator."

The sounds of various machines operating began to rise from inside the warship, and a glowing track appeared on the floor, leading towards the stern.

Shadow turned to Rowan: “I need you to place the core on that track and direct its energy to the resonator. But be careful, once the process begins, Aster will do everything in his power to stop us.”

Rowan nodded and carefully carried the core toward the glowing track. As he approached, the core suddenly became unusually active, its internal starlight flashing violently, as if sensing what was about to happen.

“It seems to understand what we’re going to do,” Rowan said. “It wants to help us.”

Just then, the warship suddenly shook violently, and Aster's voice rang out again: "I know what you're planning! Don't even think about using the core against me!"

The entire warship began to twist and deform, as if being gripped by an invisible giant hand. Alarms blared throughout the cabin, and multiple pieces of equipment began to explode and catch fire.

"We can't hold on much longer!" Thor shouted, trying to steady himself, but the violent shaking almost knocked him off his feet. The warship's metal structure groaned unsettlingly, as if it might disintegrate at any moment.

Rowan held the core of the Heavenly Star King tightly, feeling it grow increasingly hot in his hand. The starlight inside the core flickered faster and faster, seemingly responding to Aster's attack.

"Rowan! Now!" Shadow yelled at the control panel, "Put the core on the orbiter!"

Rowan gritted his teeth and struggled forward on the swaying deck. When he finally reached the glowing track, the core suddenly pulsed in his hand, as if it had come to life.

"It wants to get there by itself," Rowan said in surprise. "It knows how to do it!"

Rowan carefully placed the core on the track, and immediately, a dazzling blue light burst forth from it, flowing rapidly along the track to the quantum resonator at the stern. The entire warship trembled slightly from the infusion of this energy, but this tremor was entirely different from the destructive distortion caused by Astor; it was more like a kind of resonance.

"Energy connection successful!" Shadow shouted excitedly. "Resonator charging 60%, 70%, 85%!"

Astor seemed to sense the danger, and his attacks became even more ferocious. Large sections of the warship's hull began to peel away, several critical systems failed one after another, and alarms sounded incessantly.

"Resonator fully charged!" Shadow announced, his finger hovering above the launch button. "Ready—launch!"

As Ying pressed the button, an unprecedented energy wave erupted from the stern of the warship, striking Aster not far away. It was a peculiar blue beam of light, shimmering with countless tiny star points within, looking like a river composed of stars.

Aster was clearly unprepared for this attack. The instant the beam struck him, he let out a scream that was somewhere between surprise and pain. His translucent body began to tremble violently, and the starlight flowing within him became chaotic and disordered.

"It's working!" Hong excitedly observed the situation on the monitor. "The resonance is disrupting the energy structure within his body!"

Astor writhed in agony, trying to resist the attack, but the resonance effect had already begun to take hold. The energy belonging to the Celestial King within him resonated intensely with his core, a resonance that was tearing apart the energy system within him.

"Engine repair complete!" the AI ​​suddenly reported. "The warp system is online and can be activated immediately."

Without hesitation, Ying declared: "Initiate emergency jump! Target: Coordinates XJ-921, an unmarked star system three thousand light-years from the Ali Galaxy!"

The warship's engines roared with high-energy power as the warp drive activated. Meanwhile, the resonance attack continued, and Aster's struggles grew weaker and weaker.

(End of this chapter)