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

Chapter 381 Stay on high alert and prepare for battle!
The command center, located in the center of the warship, is a spacious circular hall. It is surrounded by various high-tech devices and displays, with a huge holographic star map at the center showing detailed information about the Misty Forbidden Zone.

Standing before the star chart was a tall man with short, silver-gray hair and a scar that ran from his left eye to his chin, giving him a fierce and dangerous appearance. Most striking were his eyes, cold and sharp, as chilling as a real shark's.

"Commander, the man has been brought here," the bearded man reported respectfully.

The silver-haired man turned around, scrutinizing Rowan and Luo Feng with his cold eyes. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke, "I am Karl Blackshark, the leader of the Black Shark Mercenary Group. You two brats, state your names."

"Rowan."

"Luo Feng."

The two briefly introduced themselves, and both could feel the powerful aura emanating from their leader. Judging from the energy fluctuations, this Karl Black Shark's strength was at least at the high-level of the Stellar Realm, and possibly even stronger.

“Very good,” Karl nodded. “I heard you’re also here to explore the Forbidden Mist Realm?”

“Yes,” Rowan answered truthfully.

"You've got guts. I like young people with guts," Karl said with a cold smile. "But guts alone aren't enough; you also need strength. How strong are you?"

“We’re all at the ninth-tier planetary level,” Rowan conservatively reported a lower level, “not very strong, but enough to protect ourselves.”

“Planetary level nine?” Karl narrowed his eyes. “It seems you’re lying. I can sense that your strength is far beyond that level.”

Having their strength exposed, both Rowan and Luo Feng were somewhat nervous. However, Karl didn't delve into the matter, instead continuing, "Never mind, it's better to be stronger; it increases the chances of survival."

"Captain, why are you forcing us to join the expedition?" Luo Feng couldn't help but ask. "With your strength, you shouldn't need our help."

“Good question,” Karl walked to the holographic star map and pointed to a certain area of ​​the Misty Forbidden Zone. “See this area? According to our intelligence, there is an ancient ruin in this area, which may contain priceless treasures.”

"But?" Rowan noticed the shift in Carl's words.

“However,” Karl’s expression turned serious, “this ruin has a special protection mechanism that requires a specific number of people to activate simultaneously to enter. Moreover, once inside, we may face unknown dangers, requiring sufficient manpower to handle them.”

"So you need us to be cannon fodder?" Luo Feng said directly, revealing his true thoughts.

“Cannon fodder?” Karl laughed heartily. “Kid, you’re overthinking it. What I need are partners, albeit forced ones.”

"What benefits will the partners get?" Rowan asked.

“If the expedition is successful, you will receive ten percent of the profits,” Karl said. “For insignificant people like you, that’s an incredible blessing.”

A 10% return may not seem like much, but if the ruins truly contain priceless treasures, it would be a considerable fortune. More importantly, they currently have no right to refuse.

"Do we have any other choice?" Rowan asked with a wry smile.

“No,” Karl said bluntly, “but this might not be a bad thing for you. Following us will greatly increase your chances of survival. The Forbidden Mist is no joke.”

"When will we enter the Forbidden Zone of Mist?" Luo Feng asked.

“Tomorrow morning,” Carl replied, “you all get some rest tonight. Tomorrow, the real adventure begins.”

After saying that, Carl beckoned to the bearded man: "Old Wu, arrange rooms for them and treat them as guests."

"Yes, Commander," Old Wu replied respectfully.

“Furthermore,” Karl suddenly turned to Rowan and Luo Feng, “although you were forced to join, now that you’re teammates, I don’t want to see any betrayal. Believe me, those who betray the Black Shark Mercenary Group never have a good ending.”

The threat in those words was quite obvious, and both Luo Wen and Luo Feng nodded in understanding.

After leaving the command center with Lao Wu, the two were assigned to a double room in the guest room area. Although the room was not large, it was fully equipped and at least better than they had expected.

"What do we do now?" Luo Feng asked immediately after closing the door. "Are we really going to risk our lives with these bandits?"

"For the time being, we have no other choice," Rowan calmly analyzed, "and in some ways, this may not be entirely a bad thing."

"How to say?"

“First, they know far more about the Forbidden Mist than we do, so following them will definitely increase our chances of survival,” Rowan explained. “Second, if we can actually find ancient ruins, it could be of great help to our cultivation.”

“But these people are clearly not good people,” Luo Feng said worriedly. “What if they kill us to cover their tracks after they get the treasure?”

“That depends on our adaptability,” Rowan said. “Right now, the most important thing is to keep a low profile, observe the situation, and look for a suitable opportunity.”

“You’re right,” Luo Feng nodded, “but we can’t be completely passive; we need to find a way to gain some initiative.”

“I agree,” Rowan agreed. “After entering the Forbidden Mist Domain tomorrow, we must be extremely careful. We can’t appear too weak to be underestimated, nor can we appear too strong to arouse suspicion.”

The following morning, the Black Shark's broadcast system rang on time, waking everyone from their sleep.

"Attention all expedition members, it is now 6:00 AM. We have two hours left before entering the Forbidden Mist Zone. Please prepare yourselves and assemble in the third compartment at 7:30 AM for the final mission briefing."

Luo Wen and Luo Feng opened their eyes almost simultaneously. Although they had discussed strategies until late last night, both of them were in good spirits. Years of training had given them the ability to quickly adjust their state.

"How did you sleep?" Luo Feng sat up and stretched his limbs.

"It's alright, just a little worried about what might happen today," Rowan answered honestly, while starting to organize his equipment. "Have you checked all your gear?"

“I checked it three times last night,” Luo Feng patted his backpack. “Protective suits, energy supplements, emergency medical kits, and all the special items you gave me are ready.” The two quickly washed up and put on the protective gear specially prepared for exploring the Misty Forbidden Zone. This gear looked somewhat bulky, but it could effectively isolate harmful substances in the mist while maintaining basic mobility.

At 7:30, Luo Wen and Luo Feng arrived at the third cabin on time. About twenty members of the expedition team had already gathered there; apart from the two newcomers, the rest were veteran members of the Black Shark Mercenary Group. Everyone was fully armed and exuded an aura of experience.

"It seems we're the weakest in the team," Luo Feng whispered to Luo Wen. "These people are all quite strong."

“Indeed,” Rowan also sensed the powerful aura emanating from those around him, “but this is for the best; at least our safety will be higher.”

A few minutes later, Captain Karl Blackshark walked in. Today, he was dressed in heavy black armor, looking even more imposing and dangerous. Behind him were several senior members, including Old Wu, the bearded man from yesterday.

"Gentlemen, today is the day we enter the Forbidden Mist," Karl's voice echoed in the cabin. "Although we are all experienced explorers, the Forbidden Mist remains fraught with unknown dangers. I expect everyone to remain at their highest level of vigilance."

As he spoke, Karl activated the holographic projector in the center of the cabin, and a detailed map of the Forbidden Mist appeared before everyone.

“According to our intelligence, the target ruins are located deep within the forbidden area,” Karl pointed to a red dot on the map, “It takes about three days to travel from the entrance to the target location.”

"Captain, what's the environment like inside the Forbidden Mist Domain?" a team member asked.

“It’s complicated,” Karl replied. “First, there’s the fog itself, which severely interferes with our vision and detection equipment. Second, there’s the terrain; it’s said that there are many spatial distortion zones within the forbidden area, which could cause people to lose their way.”

"Are there still biological threats?" another team member asked.

“This is the most uncertain factor,” Karl’s expression turned serious. “According to the few explorers who survived, there are indeed some strange creatures within the forbidden area, but the specifics are unknown. Therefore, we must be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.”

Luo Wen and Luo Feng listened carefully to the information, gaining a clearer understanding of the adventure that was about to begin. Although it was fraught with danger, it was also full of unknown challenges and opportunities.

"Inspect the equipment now," Karl ordered. "Everyone check the condition of their equipment; report any problems immediately."

For the next half hour, everyone carefully checked their equipment. Rowan took the opportunity to observe the equipment of the other team members and found that they were indeed well prepared, with everything from weapons and protective gear to detection instruments and survival supplies.

"Equipment checks complete," Old Wu reported to Karl. "Everyone is ready."

“Very good,” Karl nodded. “Now we prepare to enter the Forbidden Mist. Remember, maintain formation once inside, and no one is allowed to act without authorization.”

The Black Shark warship slowly approached the edge of the Misty Forbidden Zone. Through the observation window, everyone could see the massive, silvery-gray mist drawing ever closer. When the warship was completely enveloped by the mist, the entire world suddenly darkened, as if entering another dimension.

"Sure enough, most of the electronic equipment has been interfered with," the spacecraft's technician reported. "The navigation system is almost completely disabled; we can only rely on basic orientation."

“This was expected,” Carl said. “Activate the backup navigation system and proceed along the planned route.”

After sailing through the fog for about two hours, the warship finally stopped in a relatively open area. The fog was a little thinner here, and visibility was about a few hundred meters.

“This is our base camp,” Carl announced. “From here, we will proceed on foot to our target location. Everyone, take your necessities and prepare to disembark.”

Everyone shouldered their backpacks, checked their weapons, and prepared to leave the warship. Luo Wen and Luo Feng followed along, feeling both nervous and excited.

As the hatch opened, a blast of air carrying a strange odor rushed in. The smell was hard to describe; it was neither putrid nor fragrant, but a completely unfamiliar scent.

"Air quality is normal," the technician reported. "Although the composition is somewhat unusual, it is harmless to humans."

“Very good, let’s go!” Karl was the first to step out of the cabin.

Stepping onto the land of the Misty Forbidden Zone, Rowan immediately sensed the difference. The ground beneath his feet was somewhat soft, like some kind of special soil. The surrounding scenery was hazy, and visibility was indeed very limited. Most peculiarly, there seemed to be a special energy field here, which somewhat affected his perception.

“Everyone stay close,” Carl said, leading the way. “In this environment, falling behind is very dangerous.”

The expedition began its ascent deeper into the forbidden area. They maintained a tight formation, with one person approximately every ten meters, ensuring mutual support even in the mist. Rowan and Luo Feng were positioned in the middle of the group, both for protection and easy surveillance.

"How are you feeling?" Luo Feng asked Luo Wen in a low voice as they walked.

“It’s very strange,” Rowan replied. “The energy field here is indeed peculiar, seemingly interfering with our senses. And have you felt something moving in the air?”

“I have the same feeling,” Luo Feng nodded in confirmation, “It’s like some kind of invisible energy moving through the air.”

As the two were talking, the captain suddenly gave a hand signal from ahead—stop! The entire team immediately halted, and everyone became alert.

"What's wrong?" Old Wu asked the scout ahead in a low voice.

"There's something up ahead," the scout said, pointing into the depths of the fog. "I heard strange noises."

Everyone held their breath and listened intently. Sure enough, a deep roar came from the mist, sounding unlike any known animal.

“It seems we’ve encountered our first challenge,” Carl said calmly. “Everyone prepare for battle, but do not attack first; assess the situation.”

The roar grew closer, and soon, a huge black shadow appeared and disappeared in the mist. When the creature was fully revealed, everyone gasped.

This was a monster unlike any seen before, enormous in size, approximately three meters tall and five meters long. Its body was covered in gray scales, its limbs were thick and powerful, and its head resembled that of some kind of reptile, but its eyes emitted an eerie purple light. Most strikingly, it had several tentacle-like organs on its back, which constantly waved in the air.

"What is this?" a team member asked nervously.

“I don’t know, but it looks dangerous,” Karl gripped his weapon tightly. “Everyone, be on high alert and prepare for battle.”

(End of this chapter)