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

Chapter 366 The open and covert struggles never ceased
Rowan felt a wave of dizziness; the accusation was completely unexpected. "This is impossible! We didn't harm the Starwing Roc at all! It was friendly to us, and we treated it with the utmost respect!"

"Save those words for the courtroom," Captain Carl replied bluntly. "Now, please cooperate with our work, or we will take coercive measures."

Silvermoon's mother quickly stepped forward, "Captain, there must be some misunderstanding. My daughter has loved the Empire's guardian beasts since she was little; she would never do anything to harm the Starwing Divine Roc."

“Madam, I understand your feelings,” Captain Carl’s tone softened slightly, “but everyone is equal before the law, even your daughter is no exception. If she is truly innocent, the investigation will clear her name.”

Silvermoon gripped Rowan's hand tightly, her eyes flashing with anger and resentment. "Our encounter with the Starwing Roc today was so wonderful; it showed us friendliness and acceptance. Now someone says we harmed it—this is an absolute injustice!"

Rowan tried to remain calm; he knew that getting emotional in this situation would only make things worse. "Captain, I want to know, when did the Starwing Roc show signs of poisoning? We haven't seen it since we parted ways with it this morning."

"According to the report, the Starwing Roc was found to be poisoned around four o'clock in the afternoon," Captain Karl replied. "Symptoms included lethargy, loss of appetite, and abnormally high body temperature, all typical signs of poisoning."

“But we’ve been at home all afternoon, and there are plenty of people who can testify to that,” Silvermoon said hastily. “Besides, we don’t have anything that could harm the Starwing Roc.”

“These questions will be clarified during the investigation,” Captain Carl said. “Now, please gather your belongings and come with us.”

Silvermoon's father stepped forward. "Captain, I request to see the arrest warrant and related evidence."

Captain Karl handed him the arrest warrant. "This is an arrest warrant issued by the Imperial Supreme Court; it is perfectly legal and valid. As for the evidence, it will be released to the defendant at the appropriate time."

Silvermoon's father carefully examined the arrest warrant and found it to be an official legal document, with no issues with the seal or signature. His expression grew even more grave; as a high-ranking official of the Empire, he knew all too well what an arrest warrant of this caliber meant.

"Dad, what's going on?" Yinyue's unease intensified when she saw her father's expression.

“My child, this arrest warrant is real,” Silvermoon’s father said gravely, “and the judge who issued it is the Chief Justice of the Imperial Supreme Court, which means this case is considered extremely serious.”

Rowan felt a chill run down his spine. As an alien, he was already in a relatively weak position within the Silver Blue Empire's legal system. Now, he was accused of harming the empire's guardian beast; if convicted, the consequences would be unimaginable.

“I need to contact a lawyer,” Rowan said calmly. “According to the laws of the Silver Blue Empire, the defendant is entitled to legal aid.”

“Of course, that’s your legal right,” Captain Carl nodded. “Once you’re in the detention center, you can contact a lawyer.”

Silver Moon clung tightly to Rowan's arm. "No matter what happens, I'll face it with you. We're innocent, and the truth will come out."

“Thank you, Silvermoon,” Rowan gently stroked her hair, “I also believe that justice will be served.”

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door again. A middle-aged man dressed in splendid attire walked in, a smug smile on his face. Rowan recognized him; it was Earl Edward, the father of Allen, the nobleman's son whom he had defeated in the kendo competition.

"Earl Edward, what brings you here?" Captain Karl immediately bowed respectfully upon seeing the newcomer.

“I am here as a witness,” Earl Edward said with a sneer. “This morning, I happened to be hunting near Sunrise Peak and witnessed firsthand the contact between these two men and the Starwing Roc.”

Rowan's heart sank; he realized this was likely a carefully orchestrated trap. Count Edward, harboring resentment over his son's defeat in the kendo competition, had finally found an opportunity for revenge.

“My Lord, could you please describe the situation in detail?” Captain Karl asked.

“Of course,” Earl Edward cleared his throat and began to weave his lie, “When I saw those two approach the Starwing Roc, the alien took a small bottle from his person and secretly sprinkled it on the ground. At the time, I thought it was just ordinary spices, but now it seems that it was very likely poison.”

"This is a frame-up!" Rowan exclaimed angrily. "I didn't bring any bottles, let alone poison!"

“Young man, anger won’t solve anything,” Earl Edward said hypocritically. “If you are truly innocent, the law will clear your name. But now, the facts are clear: the Starwing Roc was indeed poisoned, and you are the only ones who had contact with it.”

Silvermoon's father looked coldly at Earl Edward. "Your Excellency, are you sure what you saw is real? As a nobleman of the Empire, you should know the consequences of perjury."

“Of course I know,” Earl Edward said without backing down, “It is precisely because I know the seriousness of this matter that I have volunteered to testify. The Empire’s guardian beasts are the wealth of all of us, and any act that harms them is unforgivable.”

Captain Carl checked the time. "Alright, it's getting late, we should go. Rowan, Miss Silvermoon, please cooperate with our work."

Silver Moon's mother hugged her daughter tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Child, don't be afraid, Mommy will find a way to get you out."

“Mom, I’m not scared,” Silver Moon said, fighting back tears. “We are innocent, and the truth will always come out.”

Luo Wen also bowed deeply to Yin Yue's parents, "Uncle and Aunt, I'm sorry to have worried you. I promise, we will definitely prove our innocence."

The guards stepped forward and placed specially made energy-suppressing bracelets on Rowan and Silvermoon. These devices prevented martial artists from escaping using their internal energy. Although the bracelets weren't heavy, the humiliation of losing their freedom was unbearable.

“Please come with us,” Captain Karl said.

Just as they were about to be taken away, Xiao Shi suddenly ran in, his face full of anxiety and confusion. "Miss Yin Yue, Mr. Luo Wen, what happened?"

Seeing Xiao Shi's innocent eyes, Yin Yue's heart ached even more. "Xiao Shi, we've run into a little trouble, but don't worry, everything will be alright."

"What's wrong? Can I help?" Xiao Shi asked eagerly.

“This is not something you can help with,” Rowan said gently. “You should focus on your cultivation. I believe we will be back soon.” The guards began escorting Rowan and Silver Moon away. As they walked out of Silver Moon's courtyard, they found a large crowd of onlookers gathered on both sides of the street. The news had spread so quickly that it was clearly being deliberately spread.

"That's the alien!"

"I heard they harmed the Starwing Roc!"

"This is outrageous! The Star-Winged Roc is our guardian beast!"

A cacophony of voices rose from the crowd—angry, questioning, and sympathetic. Rowan, striving to maintain his dignity, walked through the crowd with his head held high. He knew that at a time like this, any sign of weakness would be interpreted as a guilty conscience.

Silver Moon stayed close to him, her face showing no fear, only determination and trust. "Rowan, no matter what others say, I believe in you."

“I believe in you too, Silvermoon,” Rowan replied softly. “We’ll get through this together.”

The escort fleet's aircraft was already waiting at the other end of the street. It was a special spaceship specifically designed for transporting prisoners, equipped with various security features. When Rowan and Silvermoon were escorted onto the spaceship, an even louder murmur erupted from the crowd.

The spaceship slowly ascended into the air. Through the porthole, Rowan saw Silver Moon's parents standing in the yard, their faces filled with worry and reluctance. Little Stone was also standing in the crowd, tears welling in his eyes, waving vigorously.

"We will definitely come back," Rowan silently vowed in his heart.

The spaceship flew swiftly through the night sky, soon arriving at the Imperial Detention Center located in the eastern district of Swordheart Star. It was a massive complex, surrounded by a high-energy shield and heavily guarded. The detention center housed prisoners awaiting trial; while conditions weren't too bad, the lack of freedom was oppressive.

“Welcome to the East Detention Center,” a senior female prison guard greeted them. “I am Leona, the administrator here. Here, you will await your trial in court.”

Leona led them to the registration desk to begin the jail admission process. "Name, age, occupation, crime." A series of routine questions made the whole process feel cold and mechanical.

“I need to contact a lawyer,” Rowan reiterated.

“You can meet with the lawyer tomorrow morning,” Leanna replied. “Now, go to your rooms and rest.”

The rooms in the detention center were simple but relatively clean. Since Silvermoon was a woman, she was placed in the women's section, while Rowan was placed in the men's section. This meant they would not be able to see each other before their trial.

“Wait,” Silvermoon suddenly said, “I have something to say to Rowan.”

“You have five minutes,” Leanna said, glancing at the time, “and then you must part ways.”

Facing the impending separation, both felt an unprecedented sense of unease. In this unfamiliar environment, they were each other's only support and comfort.

“Rowan, no matter what happens, I will not give up,” Silver Moon said, holding his hand tightly. “I believe the truth will eventually come out.”

“I won’t give up either,” Rowan said firmly. “We all know we are innocent, and that’s enough. Although it seems difficult now, I believe justice will ultimately prevail over evil.”

“It’s time,” Leona reminded them.

The two were forced to separate and taken to different areas. As the cell door closed, Rowan felt an unprecedented loneliness. This small room became his temporary refuge, while the outside world seemed impossibly distant.

Lying on the hard bed, Rowan began to carefully recall everything that had happened that day. From the wonderful trip to Sunrise Peak, to the friendly appearance of the Starwing Roc, and now to his sudden arrest, everything seemed so unreal.

“This must be a conspiracy,” Rowan analyzed in his mind. “The appearance of Earl Edward is no accident; he is very likely the mastermind behind the whole plan. But how did he manage to poison the Starwing Roc?”

Luo Wen recalled the situation when the Star-Winged Roc landed; it appeared perfectly healthy, showing no signs of poisoning. Moreover, given the Star-Winged Roc's immense power, ordinary poisons would be incapable of harming it. This meant that if the Star-Winged Roc was indeed poisoned, it must have been with some extremely rare and potent poison.

“But where did this poison come from?” Rowan continued to ponder. “And how could Earl Edward dare to risk poisoning the Empire’s guardian beast? That’s a capital offense.”

Thinking this through, Rowan realized that the complexity of this conspiracy might far exceed his imagination. Earl Edward might only be the apparent mastermind, while a much larger force might be manipulating everything behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, in the women's area, Silvermoon was pondering the same question. As a princess of the Silverblue Empire, she had a deep understanding of the empire's political landscape. She knew that someone capable of orchestrating such a complex conspiracy could not possibly be a minor figure like Earl Edward alone.

“As an alien visitor, Rowan is naturally a thorn in the side of certain forces,” Silver Moon analyzed. “His outstanding performance in the swordsmanship competition and the recognition he received from the Sword Saint have all made some people feel threatened.”

She recalled her father's words about the political struggles within the empire. Although the Silver Blue Empire appeared prosperous and harmonious on the surface, the open and covert struggles between various forces never ceased. Rowan's appearance disrupted a certain balance and threatened the interests of some, so they wanted to eliminate this "threat."

"But why did they frame me too?" Silver Moon felt even angrier at this thought. "Is it simply because I've been too close to Rowan?"

Time ticked by, and the detention center became exceptionally quiet in the dead of night. The occasional sound of footsteps and the closing of iron gates reminded everyone there that they had lost their freedom.

Rowan lay in bed, gazing at the small window in the ceiling. Through the iron bars, he could see the starry sky outside. The same starry sky that had witnessed his and Silver Moon's beautiful time on Sunrise Peak, now witnessed their tragic end.

"The lawyer will be here tomorrow," Rowan told himself. "I must tell him all the suspicious points and let him help us find the truth."

(End of this chapter)