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

Chapter 367 The Star-Winged Roc rescued the prisoner!
However, Rowan was unaware that a much larger conspiracy was quietly unfolding outside the detention center. Count Edward was meeting with several mysterious figures at his mansion, discussing their next steps.

"Things are going very well," Earl Edward said smugly. "The alien and Princess Silver Moon have both been captured."

“Very good,” one of the men in black said, “but we must make sure they can never recover. You know what to do at tomorrow's lawyers' meeting, right?”

“Of course,” Earl Edward nodded, “I’ve arranged everything. Their lawyers will find that all the evidence in their favor has disappeared.”

“Remember, this matter concerns the success or failure of our entire plan,” the other mysterious figure warned. “Absolutely no mistakes can be made.”

“Don’t worry,” Earl Edward sneered, “that alien will soon understand the consequences of opposing us in the Silver Blue Empire.”

Meanwhile, at Silvermoon's home, her parents were anxiously discussing countermeasures. As a high-ranking official in the Empire, Silvermoon's father was well aware of the complexity and seriousness of the case.

“We must find the best lawyers,” Silvermoon’s father said. “This case involves the Imperial Guardian Beasts; it’s no ordinary criminal case.”

“But who would be willing to take on a case like this?” Silvermoon’s mother said worriedly. “The crime of harming a guardian beast is too serious; no lawyer dares to touch it lightly.”

“I will find a way,” Silvermoon’s father said firmly. “No matter the cost, I will rescue Silvermoon and Rowan.”

As night deepened, the entire Sword Heart Star fell silent.

The next morning, the quiet of the prison was shattered by the screeching sound of the iron gates of the detention center. Rowan was startled awake from his light sleep and found a prison guard standing outside the door, holding a document.

“Rowan, someone wants to see you,” the prison guard said curtly. “Your lawyer is here.”

Rowan quickly straightened his clothes and followed the prison guard to the visiting room. It was a simple room with an iron table in the middle and a chair on each side. Soon, a middle-aged man in a black lawyer's robe walked in, his face looking very serious.

"Hello, I am Max, a senior partner at the renowned law firm of the Silverblue Empire," the lawyer introduced himself. "I have been retained by Miss Silvermoon's father to represent you."

“Thank you for taking this case,” Rowan said gratefully. “I know it’s a very difficult case.”

Max shook his head, his expression growing even more serious. "Frankly, this is one of the most difficult cases I've encountered in my twenty years of practice. Harming an Imperial Guardian Beast is an extremely serious crime, punishable by life imprisonment or even the death penalty."

Rowan's heart sank, but he tried to remain calm. "So, what strategies do we have?"

“First, I need to know the whole story,” Max said, taking out his recording equipment. “Please tell me in detail everything that happened at Sunrise Peak yesterday, without omitting any details.”

Rowan described yesterday's experience in detail, from climbing the mountain to watch the sunrise, to the appearance of the Star-Winged Roc, its friendly behavior, and its eventual departure. Max carefully recorded every detail, occasionally asking questions.

“Based on your description, the Starwing Roc has been very friendly towards you,” Max concluded. “This completely contradicts the fact that it was poisoned. Logically, if you had truly poisoned it, it should have sensed it and shown hostility.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I don’t understand,” Rowan said. “And Earl Edward’s claim that he saw me using a vial is a complete fabrication. I didn’t bring any vials with me at all.”

Max frowned. “Earl Edward’s testimony is currently the most damaging evidence against you. He claims to have witnessed your crimes firsthand, and as a nobleman of the Empire, his words carry considerable weight in court.”

"So what can we do to refute his testimony?" Rowan asked.

“I’ve applied to retrieve the surveillance footage around Sunrise Peak,” Max said. “If we can find video evidence to prove your innocence, we can overturn Earl Edward’s charges. But…” He paused, “I just received news that the surveillance equipment malfunctioned last night, and all the footage has been corrupted.”

Rowan felt a wave of despair. "This can't be a coincidence."

“Indeed, this is clearly a case of someone deliberately destroying evidence,” Max agreed, “but it’s difficult for us to prove that. Right now, we can only look for other evidence, such as the poison residue on the Starwing Roc, or other eyewitnesses.”

Just then, a prison guard walked in. "Time's up. Visit is over."

“I will continue to try to find favorable evidence for you,” Max said, tidying up the documents, “but I must warn you, the situation is not optimistic. The investigating judge has decided to hold a formal trial tomorrow and has denied your bail application.”

Rowan was taken back to his cell, his mood even heavier than before. He realized he had fallen into an elaborate trap, and that the other party's power was far greater than he had imagined. The ability to destroy all surveillance evidence overnight was something Earl Edward couldn't have accomplished alone.

In the afternoon, Rowan met with another lawyer, this time Yin Yue's defense attorney. However, the situation was equally dire; Yin Yue faced charges as serious as Rowan's, and similarly lacked strong evidence to defend herself.

As evening fell, an unexpected visitor arrived at the detention center. A guard told Rowan that a high-ranking official from Virtual Universe Corporation wanted to see him. This surprised and filled Rowan with hope; Virtual Universe Corporation, as one of the most powerful organizations in the universe, might be able to help him out of his predicament.

The visitor was a middle-aged woman wearing the uniform of Virtual Universe Corporation, with a badge representing senior management pinned to her chest. "Mr. Rowan, I am Lillian, the executive director of Virtual Universe Corporation's Galaxy division," she introduced herself concisely.

“Madam Director, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Rowan said respectfully. “I didn’t expect the company to be interested in my situation.”

“Virtual Universe Corporation protects the legal rights of every employee,” Lillian said. “We are aware of your situation, and the company is deeply concerned about the allegations made by Silverblue Empire.”

Rowan felt a glimmer of hope. "Then will the company help me?"

“We have already sent a formal note to the Silverblue Empire government through diplomatic channels,” Lillian replied, “demanding that they ensure you receive a fair trial and allow the company to send legal experts to participate in your defense.”

“That’s wonderful,” Rowan said gratefully. “With the company’s support, I feel much more confident.” However, Lillian’s expression turned serious. “But I must tell you, the Silverblue Empire’s reaction has been very strong. They claim this is an internal affair of the Empire and brooks no outside interference, and they have refused our request to participate in the defense.”

Rowan's hopes were dashed once again. "What do we do now?"

“The company is exerting pressure through higher-level diplomatic channels,” Lillian said, “but that takes time, and your trial is tomorrow. All I can say is that the company will not abandon any employee, but it may not be able to directly intervene in this case in the short term.”

After Lillian left, Rowan felt an unprecedented sense of despair. Even a powerful organization like Virtual Universe Corporation couldn't rescue him in such a short time, which meant their background was indeed unfathomable.

Night fell, and the detention center became unusually quiet. Rowan lay on the hard bed, contemplating tomorrow's trial. According to his lawyer's analysis, given the existing evidence, the likelihood of his conviction was very high. And if convicted, he would face a long prison sentence, or even the death penalty.

“I can’t just give up like this,” Rowan vowed to himself. “Even if I’m convicted tomorrow, I will continue to search for the truth and clear my and Silvermoon’s names.”

The trial proceeded as scheduled the following day. The courtroom was located in the Grand Courtroom of the Silver Blue Empire's Supreme Court, a solemn and dignified place where a massive scale representing justice hung beneath a high dome.

The Chief Justice was a highly respected elderly man, whose every movement exuded authority and impartiality. The jury, composed of twelve experts from various fields, would deliver the final verdict based on evidence and the law.

"The trial of Rowan and Silvermoon for allegedly harming the Imperial Guardian Beast is now in session," the Chief Justice solemnly announced.

The prosecutor began with an opening statement, detailing the charges. "After the two defendants came into contact with the Starwing Divine Roc at Sunrise Peak, the guardian beast immediately showed symptoms of poisoning. Eyewitnesses confirmed that defendant Rowan used a suspicious liquid at the scene. This is an extremely heinous crime that seriously endangered the Empire's sacred guardian beast."

Next, Earl Edward testified as the principal witness. He vividly described his so-called "eyewitness account," claiming that he personally saw Rowan spill an unidentified liquid in front of the Starwing Roc.

“I knew something was wrong right away,” Earl Edward said dramatically, “but I was too far away to stop it. Looking back, I should have rushed over and stopped them immediately.”

Rowan's lawyer, Max, countered, pointing out numerous doubts about Earl Edward's testimony, such as the distance making it impossible to see details clearly and the dubiousness of his motives. However, lacking compelling counter-evidence, these challenges proved weak and unconvincing.

Silvermoon also defended herself, stating passionately, "I have always revered the Empire's guardian beasts since childhood, and I would never do anything to harm them. The Starwing Rocs have been very friendly to us, which in itself proves our innocence."

However, the prosecutor immediately countered, "It was precisely because the guardian beasts trusted the defendants that they had the opportunity to poison them. This exploitation of the guardian beasts' kind nature is even more heinous."

The trial lasted a full day, with both sides' lawyers fiercely debating every detail. However, overall, the evidence was extremely unfavorable to Rowan and Silvermoon. The "accidental" damage to the surveillance footage caused them to lose their most crucial evidence, while Earl Edward's testimony seemed so "credible."

That evening, the Chief Justice adjourned the court, and the jury would deliberate before announcing the verdict the following day.

Rowan was escorted back to the detention center, his heart heavy as lead. Judging from today's trial, a conviction seemed almost certain. He thought of his family and friends back on Earth, and of the wonderful experiences he had had in the Silver Blue Empire, his heart filled with resentment and anger.

Night fell, and the detention center was silent. Rowan lay on his bed, gazing at the starry sky outside the window. Tomorrow, he might be convicted, losing his freedom, or even his life.

Just then, a long, drawn-out cry suddenly rang out from afar. The sound pierced the night sky, reaching the depths of everyone's hearts. Rowan immediately recognized the sound—it was the cry of the Star-Winged Roc!

"Impossible!" Luo Wen sat bolt upright in shock. "Wasn't the Starwing Roc poisoned? How could it be here?"

The cry grew closer, startling the entire detention center. The guards rushed out to see what was happening, and there before them, a gigantic figure appeared in the night sky. In the moonlight, the feathers of the Star-Winged Roc shimmered with a silver-blue light; it was flying towards the detention center.

"Quickly, activate the protective shield!" the detention center supervisor shouted.

However, the Star-Winged Roc's power far exceeded everyone's expectations. With a single flap of its wings, a powerful energy surge instantly struck the detention center's protective shield. Under the immense energy impact, the shield shattered instantly, like paper.

What happened next left everyone speechless. The Starwing Roc pinpointed Rowan's cell and then tore through the thick metal wall with its powerful claws as easily as tearing paper.

"Rowan," a voice rang directly in Rowan's mind, "come with me."

To Luo Wen's astonishment, he was able to understand the Starwing Roc's "speech." This wasn't conveyed through sound, but rather through direct telepathic communication, much like a mental connection.

"Is that you talking to me?" Rowan tried to respond with his mind.

“Yes, child,” the Starwing Roc’s voice echoed in his mind, “I sense your injustice, and I sense that familiar aura emanating from you. Now, leave with me.”

Rowan didn't hesitate; he knew this was his only chance. He quickly crawled out of the torn hole in the wall, and the Starwing Roc immediately and gently grabbed him with its claws before taking flight.

The whole process happened so fast that the guards at the detention center had no time to react. By the time they came to their senses, the Starwing Roc had already disappeared into the night sky with Rowan.

"Quickly, notify headquarters!" the detention center supervisor shouted frantically. "The Starwing Divine Roc has rescued the prisoners!"

High in the sky, Rowan felt the cool night breeze and the freedom of flight. The Starwing Roc's flight was very smooth, as if it was deliberately making Rowan feel comfortable.

"Why did you save me?" Rowan asked telepathically. "Besides, weren't you poisoned?"

(End of this chapter)