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

Chapter 337 The Enemy's True Purpose?
Not to be outdone, the three powerful figures, including Emperor Yan, immediately launched a counterattack. Emperor Yan's spatial laws, another powerful figure's time laws, and the third powerful figure's life laws—various profound laws clashed fiercely in the universe.

Rowan, inside the observation cabin, was completely stunned by this level of battle. The battle between immortal-level powerhouses was something utterly beyond comprehension. Every attack they launched tore through space, and every collision generated an energy storm.

"This is terrifying," Rowan muttered to himself. "Is this what a true battle of the strong is like?"

At the start of the battle, Emperor Yan and his two companions could barely hold their own, but as time went on, their numerical disadvantage became apparent. A battle of ten against three was inherently unfair.

"Emperor Yan! Be careful!"

A massive beam of energy shot towards the Flame Emperor. Although he dodged it in time, he was still grazed. In battles at the Immortal level, even a minor injury can be fatal.

"Damn it!" Emperor Yan cursed, "If it weren't for the huge difference in numbers..."

The other two Immortal-level powerhouses in the Giant Axe Arena are also in a bad situation. They are surrounded by enemies and, although they are still putting up a tenacious resistance, they are clearly at a disadvantage.

"We can't hold out much longer," one of the powerful figures said telepathically. "We must find a way to break through!"

"Break through?" Emperor Yan smiled bitterly. "Do you think they'll let us go?"

Indeed, the enemy had formed an encirclement, giving them no chance to escape. This was a premeditated ambush, aimed at completely annihilating the Giant Axe Arena's forces here.

"Since that's the case, then let's fight them to the death!" roared the third Immortal-level expert. "Even if we die, we'll take a few down with us!"

The three began burning their life force, preparing for a final, desperate battle. While this could significantly boost their strength in a short period, the cost was enormous, and it could even lead to death.

Seeing this, Rowan was filled with grief and indignation. These warriors who fought to protect Blue Crystal Star were about to lose their lives here!
"It can't end like this!" Rowan cried out in his heart. "There must be another way!"

He began frantically searching for a way to break the deadlock. The enemy's numerical advantage was absolute, but were there other possibilities?
Suddenly, Rowan thought of a question: "Wait, why would the enemy send ten Immortal-level experts?"

This question made him think deeply. Logically, attacking the Blue Crystal Galaxy would require at most five or six Immortal-level experts. Ten Immortal-level experts—that configuration would be more than enough to attack the core stronghold of the Giant Axe Arena.

“Unless…” A flash of realization crossed Rowan’s eyes, “unless their target isn’t just Blue Crystal Star!”

This thought sent chills down Rowan's spine. If the enemy's true target wasn't Blue Crystal Star, but rather the high-ranking powerhouses of the Giant Axe Arena like Emperor Yan, then this whole affair was a massive conspiracy!

"They're after the Flame Emperor!" Rowan finally understood. "Blue Crystal Star is just bait; their real target is to eliminate the key figures in the Giant Axe Arena!"

This realization gave Luo Wen a completely new understanding of the situation. If this was a trap targeting Emperor Yan, then the identity of the mole became even more worthy of consideration.

The battle continued, but the situation grew increasingly unfavorable. Although the three Yan Emperors were fighting desperately, their defeat was only a matter of time before they were surrounded by ten immortal-level powerhouses.

At this critical moment, a rift suddenly appeared in outer space. A figure flew out of the rift, his aura far surpassing that of any of the immortal-level powerhouses present.

"May he be granted the title of King and live forever!" someone exclaimed.

This suddenly appearing powerhouse was actually a King-level Immortal!

"Who dares to run wild on the territory of my Giant Axe Arena?" The newcomer's voice echoed like thunder throughout the universe.

The ten enemy immortal-level experts paled upon seeing this newcomer. An immortal-level being who had reached the King level was someone they simply couldn't contend with.

"Retreat! Retreat immediately!" the enemy commander shouted.

However, now that the Immortal King has appeared, how could they be allowed to escape so easily?

"Trying to leave? Too late!"

A terrifying attack swept in, instantly severely injuring several Immortal-level powerhouses who were slower to escape. The rest managed to escape, but at a considerable cost.

The battle is over, but more mysteries remain.

"Your Excellency, what brings you here?" Emperor Yan asked in confusion.

"I received an emergency distress signal," the Immortal King replied, "but it seems I arrived just in time."

"A distress signal?" Emperor Yan was even more puzzled. "We didn't send out a distress signal."

“It wasn’t you who sent it,” said the Immortal King. “It was from headquarters. They said there might be trouble here and they wanted me to come and provide support immediately.”

This news puzzled everyone. How did headquarters know about the situation here?

"It seems our internal problem is more complex than we thought," Emperor Yan mused. "He may not only be leaking our operations, but also helping us in some way."

"How is this possible?" the adjutant asked, puzzled.

"Some things are far more complex than they appear," said the Immortal King with a meaningful look. "This incident is likely just the beginning of a much larger conspiracy."

The outer space after the battle was eerily quiet, as if the breathtaking battle had been nothing more than an illusion. The enemy fleet had retreated, leaving behind only scattered wreckage and fading energy fluctuations.

The Skybreaker slowly approached the suddenly appearing rescuer. Rowan carefully observed the powerful figure who had saved them at this crucial moment through the observation cabin window.

He was a tall, middle-aged man with bronze skin and long, silver-white hair. He wore a black battle robe with intricate gold embroidery on the chest, exuding a deep and powerful aura. Most striking were his eyes—a pair of deep, penetrating eyes that seemed to see through the very essence of the universe.

"Is he the King-level Immortal?" Luo Wen wondered to himself. "He is indeed significantly different from ordinary Immortal-level powerhouses."

After returning to the Breaking Void from outer space, Emperor Yan immediately went to the command room. His expression remained grave, clearly indicating that the battle he had just experienced had made him realize the seriousness of the situation.

"Rowan, come with me," Emperor Yan said to Rowan, "I want to introduce you to an important person."

The two arrived at the VIP reception room of the Breaking Void, where the silver-haired powerhouse was already waiting. As Rowan entered the room, he immediately felt an invisible pressure, as if he were facing not a person, but a towering mountain.

"Lord Aloy, this is Rowan, whom I mentioned earlier," Emperor Yan respectfully introduced. "A wise man from Earth, he was the one who completed the tactical analysis for this operation."

"Rowan, this is Lord Aloy," the Flame Emperor turned to Rowan, "a King-level Immortal powerhouse, and also my half-master."

“Greetings, Lord Aloy,” Rowan bowed respectfully. Although he wasn’t a formal member of the Giant Axe Arena, basic courtesy was still necessary when facing a powerhouse of this caliber. Aloy scrutinized Rowan, his deep eyes seeming to see right through him. After a moment, he nodded: “An interesting young man, possessing an unusual gleam of intelligence.”

"You flatter me, sir," Luo Wen replied modestly.

“It’s not a compliment, it’s the truth,” Aloy said. “The insight to analyze such complex intelligence and pinpoint the enemy’s true objective is rare.”

Emperor Yan explained from the side, "Lord Aloy was my mentor in the Giant Axe Arena. Although we weren't formally master and disciple, he was a great help to me."

“You’re still so polite, lad,” Aloy chuckled, then his expression turned serious. “But now’s not the time for reminiscing. The battle we just had has left us with a serious problem.”

"The issue of an internal traitor," Emperor Yan nodded in confirmation, "is that the enemy is fully aware of our actions, and this is definitely not a coincidence."

"Moreover, judging from the enemy's configuration, their target is likely not just Blue Crystal Star," Aloy analyzed. "Ten Immortal-level powerhouses—that's enough to conquer the capital of a medium-sized star system."

Upon hearing this, Rowan couldn't help but interject, "I was just thinking about this too. From a tactical perspective, the enemy's configuration is indeed far too powerful."

“Tell me your thoughts,” Aloy gestured for Rowan to continue.

“I think this might be a multi-pronged plan,” Rowan organized his thoughts. “The first step is to lure Emperor Yan to Blue Crystal Star; the second step is to concentrate superior forces to surround and kill him; and the third step might be to use the news of Emperor Yan’s death to achieve some larger objective.”

“That makes sense,” Aloy nodded in agreement. “Anyone capable of devising such a complex plan is definitely not an ordinary enemy.”

"So what should we do now?" Emperor Yan asked.

“First, we must find the mole,” Aloy said. “This person not only knows your operational plans, but also your specific combat force configuration. Not many people have access to this level of intelligence.”

"Do you mean to conduct an internal investigation?" Emperor Yan asked.

“Absolutely,” Aloy confirmed, “and it has to be done very carefully. This mole is high-ranking and has access to top-secret information.”

Over the next few hours, Aloy began organizing an investigation into those involved. Because this was a highly classified operation, few people had prior knowledge of the matter, but each one had to undergo rigorous scrutiny.

The investigation took place in a secret room on the Voidbreaker, equipped with state-of-the-art lie detectors and mental detection devices. While these devices had limited effectiveness against immortal-level powerhouses, they were still quite useful for ordinary personnel.

“We’ll prioritize them according to the degree of access to classified information,” Arloy outlined the investigation plan, “starting with the most likely.”

The first person to be investigated was Yan Di's adjutant, a long-time subordinate who had served Yan Di for many years. He appeared very nervous during the mental examination, but was ultimately proven innocent.

The second was the analyst in charge of intelligence gathering. He knew the enemy's operational plans but not his own combat strength. After detailed questioning and testing, he was also ruled out as a suspect.

The third was the communications officer, responsible for liaison with headquarters. He was the prime suspect because he had the opportunity to leak information. However, after a rigorous investigation, no problems were found.

“It seems we need to broaden the scope of our investigation,” Aloy mused.

"Wait a minute," Emperor Yan suddenly thought of something, "Rowan also knows the details of this operation, shouldn't we too?"

“I understand,” Rowan stood up voluntarily. “To ensure the impartiality of the investigation, I am willing to undergo inspection.”

"Luo Wen, you don't need to." Emperor Yan was a little embarrassed.

“It’s alright,” Rowan waved his hand. “Since it’s an investigation, everyone should be treated equally. Besides, I also want to prove my innocence.”

Aloy gave Rowan an approving look: "Very good, a responsible young man. But before that, I'd like to talk to you first."

"Please speak." Rowan sat down in the investigation chair.

“First of all, when did you find out about this operation?” Aloy asked.

"I was told this by Lord Yan Emperor when he invited me to participate in this operation three days ago," Luo Wen replied truthfully.

"Do you know how many combat troops we brought this time?"

“I don’t know the exact number,” Rowan shook his head. “I only know that Emperor Yan will participate, but I don’t know how many Immortal-level experts there will be in total.”

"Did you know I would come to help?"

“I had absolutely no idea,” Rowan said definitively. “I didn’t know about this support until you appeared.”

Aloy nodded, then activated the mental detection device. A soft light enveloped Rowan, beginning to scan his mental world.

A few minutes later, the test was completed.

"What was the result?" Emperor Yan asked with concern.

“Innocent,” Aloy replied, “and I’ve discovered something interesting.”

"What phenomenon?"

“This young man has a very special mental strength, with a natural ability to resist interference,” Aloy explained. “This trait makes him very difficult to control or brainwash.”

"What does this mean?" Emperor Yan asked.

"This means he is highly unlikely to be a controlled spy," Aloy analyzed. "Moreover, logically speaking, he has neither the motive nor the ability to leak classified information."

Indeed, as Aloy said, Rowan knew about the operation, but he didn't know the specific combat strength of his own side. The fact that the enemy could accurately send ten Immortal-level powerhouses indicated that they had a precise understanding of the combat strength of the Giant Axe Arena, information that Rowan couldn't provide.

“Furthermore,” Aloy continued, “if Rowan were a spy, he wouldn’t have advised you to participate in this operation. From his perspective, participating wouldn’t benefit him personally; it would only increase the risk.”

“This analysis makes a lot of sense,” Emperor Yan nodded in agreement. “Rowan truly had no motive to leak the secret.”

“More importantly,” Aloy said, “his tactical analytical skills are invaluable to us. If he were an enemy spy, why would he help us analyze the enemy's true objectives?”

(End of this chapter)