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

Chapter 412 Stay on High Alert!
“Then let’s keep arguing,” Kurak shrugged. “I don’t have time to waste with you. Other teams, those who want to wait can continue waiting, those who don’t can set off first.”

Kurak's words were like a bucket of cold water, sobering everyone up. Indeed, their main task now was to break through the Imperial Legion's blockade, not to engage in endless disputes over a few spoils of war.

“I suggest we set this dispute aside for now,” Rex suggested, “and return to it after we’ve completed our main tasks. Right now, the most important thing is to maintain the unity of the alliance.”

"Shelve it? What about the spoils?" Brad was unwilling to give up.

“A neutral team can hold them for now,” Rex explained, “and they can be redistributed after the mission.”

The suggestion was supported by most teams, but Brad and Morris seemed reluctant. They worried that once the loot left their control, its distribution would be more difficult.

Ultimately, under pressure from the other teams, the two teams reluctantly agreed to the plan.

“It seems we need to draft a more detailed cooperation agreement,” Kurak said privately to several key captains, “including aspects such as the distribution of spoils, command authority, and dispute resolution.”

“Agreed,” Rex nodded. “The current agreement is too crude and simply cannot handle complex real-world situations.”

“But the problem is, do we have time to draft a detailed agreement?” Morris asked anxiously. “The Imperial Legion won’t wait for us to finish our discussions.”

Indeed, time is their most scarce resource. With the target area drawing ever closer, they have little time left to refine their internal cooperation mechanisms.

“Then let’s discuss this as we go,” Kurak decided. “We must resolve these issues before we encounter the Imperial Legion.”

Rowan stood on the ship's railing, watching the Allied fleet regroup and move forward, his heart filled with complex emotions. The argument about the distribution of spoils had given him a deeper understanding of human nature. Even in the face of life-or-death danger, greed could still drive people to make foolish choices.

"How ironic," Rowan thought to himself, "these people formed an alliance to fight the threat of the Imperial Legion, yet they almost came to blows over a tiny bit of profit."

He glanced around, observing the expressions of the other team members. Although the argument had temporarily subsided, dissatisfaction and wariness were written on everyone's face. Members of the Blazing Flame Legion glared at the Tide Exploration Team from time to time, and the warriors of the Tide Exploration Team returned the glare with hostility.

What worried Rowan even more was that subtle changes were beginning to emerge within the Wings of Freedom exploration team itself. He noticed several team members discussing something privately, their eyes gleaming with greed. Clearly, the recent struggle for wealth had made everyone realize the immense value of this exploration mission.

"Amy, what did you think of that argument just now?" a team member named Martin quietly asked the vice-captain.

“To be honest, I think the Flame Legion did take on a greater risk,” Amy replied softly. “If we were in a similar situation, I would also fight for a larger share.”

“I think so too,” another teammate chimed in. “After all, nobody wants to be taken advantage of.”

Hearing these discussions, Rowan's worries deepened. Even the usually rational Amy was beginning to be driven by self-interest, which meant that the seeds of greed had already taken root in everyone's heart.

"Captain, what do you think about what just happened?" Thomas asked Rex for his opinion.

Rex pondered for a moment before answering, "I understand their thinking, but infighting at this time is certainly unwise. However," he paused, "if we were in a similar situation, I would also fight for the team's rightful interests."

Hearing this, Rowan smiled bitterly to himself. Even Rex, who seemed the most composed, was starting to consider the distribution of profits; the future of this alliance was predictable.

“It seems I have to reassess the situation,” Rowan decided, adjusting his strategy. He had originally planned to rely on the Alliance to complete the mission, but now it seemed that such dependence was dangerous.

With that in mind, Rowan quietly activated his dedicated communication device with Silver Moon. This was a special device provided by Virtual Universe Company, enabling long-distance communication without being detected.

"Silver Moon, can you hear me?" Rowan transmitted a signal using his weak mental power.

"Can you hear me? How is it?" Silver Moon's voice echoed in his mind.

"The situation is more complicated than we anticipated," Rowan briefly described the argument that had just taken place. "This alliance is very unstable and could collapse at any moment."

“My situation is similar,” Silvermoon replied. “There are many internal conflicts within the Treasure Hunters’ Alliance. Everyone appears harmonious on the surface, but in reality, they are all pursuing their own selfish interests.”

"It seems we underestimated human greed," Rowan lamented. "In the face of enormous profits, any promise or agreement is fragile."

"So what do we do next?" Silver Moon asked.

Rowan considered for a moment, "I don't think we can rely entirely on these makeshift teams. From now on, you need to find a way to break away from the Treasure Hunters' Alliance and get closer to my location."

“Break away? That might raise suspicion,” Silvermoon said worriedly.

“We don’t need to completely sever ties. We just need a plausible excuse, like reconnaissance or communication,” Rowan explained. “In short, when real danger comes, we need to be able to support each other.”

“Understood, I’ll figure something out,” Silver Moon agreed.

After ending communication with Silvermoon, Rowan re-surveyed his surroundings. The Alliance fleet had been sailing for nearly six hours, and according to the navigation, they were less than one hundred kilometers away from their target area.

"Attention everyone," Kurak broadcast to all teams via the Alliance communications channel, "We are about to enter a danger zone. From this moment forward, all vessels must remain on alert."

Following Kurak's warning, the atmosphere across the entire Alliance fleet became tense. Each unit began inspecting its weapons and equipment, mages began gathering their magical power, and the entire fleet entered a state of combat readiness.

"Jack, has the detection equipment found anything?" Rex asked the technician.

“Nothing unusual yet,” Jack replied, staring at the screen, “but I sense a very strong energy fluctuation ahead, possibly from some large building or magic array.”

"Buildings?" Amy asked curiously. "What kind of buildings would there be in this deep-sea area?"

"It could be the residence of a King-level Immortal before his death, or some kind of special training ground," Thomas analyzed. "Strong-level martial artists usually have their own exclusive domains."

Rowan used his mental power to probe ahead and indeed sensed a powerful and ancient energy fluctuation. This fluctuation felt familiar, as if he had seen a similar aura somewhere before. "This energy fluctuation," Rowan thought carefully, "is somewhat like the characteristics of some ancient ruins, but with far greater power."

Just as everyone was discussing, a thick fog suddenly appeared in front of the sea. This fog was different from the ones they had encountered before; it was a pale blue color, and there seemed to be some kind of regular energy pulsation within it.

"What's that?" someone asked, pointing to the mist ahead.

"It looks like some kind of protective barrier," Kurak analyzed. "It's very likely a protective measure set up by an Immortal King."

"A protective barrier? Can we get through it?" Brad asked worriedly.

“It should be possible,” Kurak replied. “After so many years, the barrier’s power must have weakened considerably. But we still need to be careful.”

The allied fleet cautiously approached the blue mist. As the first ship entered the mist's range, its hull was immediately enveloped in a layer of blue light, but it did not exhibit any aggressive reaction.

“It looks safe,” Kurak breathed a sigh of relief. “All ships, follow and maintain formation.”

As the fleet fully entered the fogged area, Rowan felt a strange sensation. The fog seemed to possess some kind of filtering function, detecting everyone's strength and intentions. The feeling of being watched made him very uncomfortable, but he carefully controlled his aura, ensuring he didn't reveal his true strength.

"This barrier is very interesting," Rowan thought to himself. "It's not a simple attack or defense system, but some kind of intelligent recognition system."

After passing through the blue mist, the sight before them astonished everyone. On the sea ahead stood a colossal complex of buildings. These structures were in a classical style, their main structures made of some kind of transparent crystal material, shimmering in the sunlight.

The most striking feature is a central tower, at least 300 meters tall, with a spiraling structure and a giant storm symbol slowly rotating at the top. The entire complex is protected by a transparent energy shield, making it appear both mysterious and spectacular.

"Is this the palace of Severus, the Storm King?" someone asked in astonishment.

"It should be," Kurak said, his tone tinged with awe. "Only a powerhouse at the King-level Immortal realm could construct a building of this scale."

“It’s spectacular,” Amy exclaimed. “This construction technique is beyond our comprehension.”

Rowan carefully observed the complex and discovered that it contained extremely profound laws and mysteries. Every architectural element was meticulously designed, and the entire complex resembled a giant rune of laws, radiating powerful and stable energy fluctuations.

"This is more than just a residence; it's more like some kind of sacred cultivation ground," Rowan analyzed in his mind. "The Storm King must have studied many profound mysteries of the laws here."

Just as everyone was awestruck by the magnificent sight of the complex, the Alliance's detection equipment suddenly sounded an urgent alarm.

"Enemy activity detected!" a guard shouted. "A large number of ships are approaching at high speed from behind."

Everyone immediately turned to look behind them and, sure enough, saw dozens of warships rapidly approaching. These warships were clearly different in design from ordinary exploration vessels; their hulls were more robust, and their weapon systems were more advanced.

“It’s the Imperial Legion,” Kurak’s expression turned serious. “Judging by its size, it’s at least two legions.”

Through his telescope, Rowan could see the flags fluttering on these warships. Half of them bore the Black Dragon Flag of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, and the other half the Thunder Flag of the Qianwu Empire. It seemed the two great empires had truly joined forces, which was definitely not good news for the alliance.

“They’re very fast,” Jack reported nervously, “they’ll catch up with us in half an hour at most.”

“Then we must hurry,” Kurak decided immediately. “All teams, prepare to land and enter the complex immediately.”

“Wait a minute,” Brad questioned, “we don’t even know what’s inside that building. Wouldn’t it be too dangerous to just go in?”

“There’s no choice now,” Kurak calmly analyzed. “Either enter the complex to seek opportunities, or be surrounded by the Imperial Legion at sea. Which option do you think is better?”

Indeed, fighting on the open sea against an enemy several times one's own strength is clearly unwise. The complex, though unknown, at least provides cover and a possible escape route.

“I agree to enter the complex,” Morris stated in support. “In a complex environment, our chances of success are greater.”

The captains of the other teams also agreed. Although they had concerns about the unknown structure, this was the best option compared to directly confronting the Imperial Legion.

“Then begin the operation,” Kurak ordered. “All non-combatants remain on the ship; combat personnel prepare to land. Remember, once inside the complex, everyone must remain alert.”

Each team immediately began preparing for landing. Warriors checked their equipment, while mages stockpiled their magical power for the upcoming battle. The entire alliance fleet was carrying out pre-battle preparations in a tense but orderly manner.

"Ron, are you ready?" Amy asked Rowan with concern.

“No problem,” Rowan replied, while secretly confirming his communication with Silvermoon. He needed to ensure Silvermoon's safety amidst the chaos of battle.

"Wings of Liberty Exploration Team, prepare to land," Rex ordered the team. "Everyone stick close to me, don't fall behind."

At a command, Alliance combatants began leaping from the ships into the sea and swimming towards the complex. Rowan followed the Wings of Liberty exploration team, carefully observing the surroundings.

As they swam near the complex, Rowan discovered that the transparent energy shield did not prevent them from entering. It seemed that this protective system was primarily designed for large-scale external attacks, and did not restrict individual entry.

"This protective shield is very intelligent," Rowan thought to himself. "It can differentiate between threat levels, allowing explorers to enter, but it should also be able to withstand military attacks."

The warriors of the alliance quickly reached the outer platform of the complex. This platform was made of a special material and remained intact even after thousands of years.

“I’ve never seen this material before,” Jack said, crouching down to examine the platform’s construction closely. “It feels even stronger than the highest-grade alloys.”

“This must be some kind of law-based material,” Thomas analyzed. “Building materials formed from the condensation of law-based power possess unimaginable durability.”

(End of this chapter)