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

Chapter 442 Earth needs more strong individuals!
“Yes,” Rowan said firmly. “The Heart of Light and Darkness represents redemption and hope. I believe that no matter how deep the darkness, it can be dispelled by the light.”

The fleet began its return voyage, the last rays of the setting sun casting a golden glow upon the warships, bathing these steel behemoths, weathered by countless battles, in a golden hue. In the distance, the starry sky shone brightly, seemingly celebrating this hard-won peace.

Inside the medical pod, Hong slowly opened his eyes. Seeing his three brothers standing guard beside him, he gave a weak but relieved smile.

"Did we win?" Hong asked softly.

“We won,” Rowan said, shaking Hong’s hand. “We won.”

"That's good," Hong closed his eyes again, "It was worth it."

Inside the medical pod, Hong had mostly recovered from his injuries, but he was still somewhat weak. Luo Wen stood outside the pod, looking at his brother who had almost sacrificed himself to buy them time, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"What are you thinking about?" Silver Moon walked to Rowan's side and asked softly.

“I’ve been thinking, we’ve been away from Earth for too long,” Rowan sighed. “It’s been almost two years since we left. Hong is so badly injured this time, I think he should go home and recuperate for a while.”

"Back to Earth?" Silver Moon's eyes lit up. "That's a good idea. And it's not just Hong; all of you need rest. This mission was too dangerous, and the mental pressure was immense."

“That’s what I think too,” Rowan nodded. “Besides, we have family and friends on Earth, and Luo Feng has been waiting for news from us. It’s time to go back and see them.”

Just then, the door to the medical pod opened, and Hong stepped out. Although his face was still a little pale, his spirits had improved considerably.

"Hong, how are you feeling?" Luo Wen asked with concern.

"Much better," Hong said, stretching his limbs. "Although I'm still a little weak, I'm much better now. Thank you for saving me."

“Don’t talk nonsense, we’re brothers,” Rowan patted Hong on the shoulder. “By the way, I have a suggestion.”

"What suggestion?" Hong asked curiously.

“I think we should go back to Earth,” Rowan said. “You need to rest and recuperate, and we should also go back to see our families. They must be very worried about us after being away for so long.”

Upon hearing this, Hong's eyes lit up instantly. Although he tried his best to hide it, his longing for his hometown was still clearly visible on his face.

“Back to Earth,” Hong murmured to himself, “I really want to go back and see him. My parents, my friends, and everything that’s familiar.”

“It’s settled then,” Rowan said firmly. “Once Thor arrives, we’ll go together to CEO Elena and ask for leave.”

Speaking of Thor, he was sweating profusely in the training room. Despite having just gone through a fierce battle, he hadn't let up on his demands. When Rowan and Hong arrived at the training room, they saw Thor locked in a fierce battle with a virtual opponent.

"Thor, stop for a second," Rowan shouted.

Thor finished his training and walked over. "What is it?"

"We're planning to go back to Earth. Do you want to come with us?" Rowan asked directly.

Thor paused for a moment, then his face lit up with barely concealed excitement. "Back to Earth? Really?"

“Of course it’s true,” Hong said with a smile. “Don’t you want to go back and see?”

"I want to! I dream about it!" Thor's voice trembled with excitement. "I haven't seen my family for almost two years. I wonder how my parents are doing, and my mischievous little brother."

Seeing Thor, usually so carefree, display such a sincere expression, Rowan and Hong both laughed. No matter what they had experienced outside, no matter how much they had achieved, they were still essentially the same young people who came from Earth.

“Then let’s go see CEO Elena now,” Rowan said, “and request a leave of absence.”

The three entered the command room, where Elena was handling various post-war matters. Seeing them enter, she looked up and gave a gentle smile.

“You’ve come at the perfect time; I was just looking for you,” Elena said. “The headquarters of Virtual Universe Corporation has sent a commendation for your outstanding performance on this mission.”

“Thank you, CEO,” Rowan replied politely, then explained his purpose, “but we’re here today to request a vacation.”

"A vacation?" Elena was a little surprised, but then nodded understandingly. "That's right, your mission this time was too strenuous; you definitely need a good rest. How long would you like to rest?"

“We want to go back to Earth, it will probably take about three months,” Rowan said. “Hong needs to recuperate, and we also want to go back and see our families.”

Elena pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Three months is too short. How about this, I'll approve a six-month leave for you all. You've made a great contribution to the company; this leave is well-deserved."

"Six months?" All three of them were somewhat surprised.

“Yes, six months,” Elena confirmed, “and it’s paid leave. Go back to Earth with peace of mind. Don’t hesitate to let us know if you need any help from the company.”

"Thank you so much!" Thor said excitedly.

“You’re welcome. By the way, where’s Silvermoon? Isn’t she going back with you?” Elena asked.

“Silver Moon still has work to do, and her home isn’t on Earth,” Rowan explained. “The three of us are all from Earth, so we wanted to go back and visit together.”

“I understand,” Elena nodded. “So when are you leaving?”

"The sooner the better," Hong said impatiently.

“Then let’s do it tomorrow,” Elena smiled. “I’ll arrange a fast spaceship to take you back to Earth. It’ll take about five days to get from here to Earth by fast spaceship.”

"Great!" Thor jumped up excitedly.

After leaving the command center, the three immediately began preparing their luggage for returning home. Although they had been fighting abroad for many years, there wasn't much they really needed to take back. Some souvenirs, some local specialties, and most importantly—their longing for their families.

“I’m planning to buy my mom a set of high-end skincare products,” Thor said, flipping through the online store catalog. “She keeps saying she’s getting old and her skin isn’t good.”

“I’ve prepared some longevity potions for my parents,” Hong said, taking out several exquisite little bottles. “Although they’re not old yet, it’s always good to be prepared.”

"You've all thought of everything very carefully," Rowan chuckled. "I've also prepared a few things. I also need to bring some cultivation resources for Luo Feng; that guy should be diligently cultivating right now."

Just as the three were packing their luggage, Silver Moon arrived. She was carrying a package.

"What is this?" Rowan asked curiously.

“These are some Earth specialties that I had prepared,” Silver Moon said. “Although I can’t go back with you, I would like to send my regards to Luo Feng through you.”

"You know Luo Feng?" Thor asked, somewhat surprised. "We've met a few times through communication," Silver Moon explained. "He's a very promising young man. When you go back this time, please check on his cultivation progress for me. If he needs any help, just contact me."

“Don’t worry,” Rowan said, taking the package. “We will.”

The next morning, the moment of parting arrived. Elena and the other executives came to the tarmac to see the three off.

"Take care on the road," Elena said sincerely. "When you return in six months, the company has even more important tasks awaiting you."

“We will,” Rowan nodded solemnly. “We won’t slack off in our training these next six months, and we’ll return stronger.”

Silvermoon stepped forward and hugged the three of them. "Take care, I'll miss you all."

"Take care too," Hong said with some reluctance. "Contact us anytime if anything happens."

“Alright, stop making it sound like a life-or-death situation,” Thor broke the heavy atmosphere. “We’re just going home for a vacation; we’ll be back in six months.”

Everyone laughed. Yes, this was only a temporary separation; they would reunite in six months.

The spaceship slowly ascended, and through the porthole, the three watched the crowd below grow smaller and smaller. Only when the spaceship had completely escaped the planet's gravity and entered interstellar travel did they turn their gaze away.

“We can plan our next five days of travel carefully, and then we can start planning what we need to do when we get back to Earth,” Rowan said.

“I’ve already made up my mind,” Thor said excitedly. “I’ll go home to visit my parents on the first day, see my old friends on the second day, and go to the Extreme Martial Arts Gym on the third day.”

"Your plan is too detailed," Hong laughed. "There will definitely be changes. But I do want to visit the Extreme Martial Arts Gym and see how it's doing."

“It’s definitely better than when we left,” Rowan said confidently. “After all, our achievements outside have certainly enhanced the reputation of the Extreme Martial Arts Academy.”

The five-day journey wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. The three spent most of their time practicing and researching new combat techniques, occasionally chatting and reminiscing about their time on Earth.

"Do you remember the first time we entered the wilderness?" Thor suddenly said. "Back then, we were just Warriors, and we almost died of fright when we encountered a Lord-level monster."

“Of course I remember,” Hong laughed. “Rowan saved us that time. He used the power of the storm to trap the monster, giving us a chance to escape.”

"Back then we were still very weak," Rowan remarked. "Who could have imagined that a few years later, we would be able to fight against King-level Immortals and even participate in epic missions like purifying the Lord of Darkness?"

“Yes, it feels like a dream,” Thor said, “but it’s all the result of our hard work, step by step.”

“Yes, through our own efforts,” Hong said firmly. “That’s what we’re most proud of.”

Just as the three were reminiscing about the past, the spaceship's intelligent system issued a warning.

"We are about to enter the Milky Way galaxy and are expected to arrive in the solar system in three hours."

"We're almost there!" Thor jumped up from his seat excitedly. "We're almost home!"

The three of them rushed to the porthole, gazing at the familiar starry sky outside. The Milky Way stretching across the sky, the twinkling stars—these were sights they had grown accustomed to seeing since childhood.

“It feels like I’ve never left,” Hong murmured to himself.

Two hours later, the solar system came into view. The golden sun radiated a warm glow, and the eight planets each moved in their own orbits. And in the third orbit, the beautiful blue planet was slowly rotating.

“Earth.” Rowan’s eyes were a little moist.

The spaceship pierced through the atmosphere and headed towards the Huaxia base city. Through the porthole, the three saw the familiar city outline, the familiar buildings, and everything else.

“Home, we’re home.” Thor’s voice was choked with emotion.

The spaceship landed on the Extreme Martial Arts Academy's dedicated helipad. The moment the hatch opened, warm, humid air rushed into the cabin—the unique scent of Earth.

The three of them stepped off the spaceship and took a deep breath.

"The smell of this air is the smell of home," Hong said, closing his eyes and enjoying the familiar feeling.

There were already people waiting on the tarmac. When the three of them saw the person's face, they were all stunned.

"Luo Feng!" Luo Wen shouted excitedly.

Yes, it was Luo Feng who came to pick them up. Two years had passed, and Luo Feng had matured considerably. He was now a fifth-level planetary-level martial artist, his strength many times greater than before.

"Third Brother! Brother Hong! Brother Thor!" Luo Feng excitedly ran over, "You're finally back!"

The four brothers embraced tightly; at that moment, all words seemed pale and powerless. Only this embrace could express their joy at being reunited.

"Let me see you," Rowan said, sizing up Luo Feng. "You've grown so tall, and your strength has improved quite a bit."

"Compared to you, I'm far inferior," Luo Feng said modestly. "I've heard about your deeds. My goodness, you actually participated in the mission to purify the Lord of Darkness! Martial artists all over Earth are talking about it."

"It's nothing, just doing my best," Hong said with a smile. "But you, you've made great progress these past two years."

“Thanks to the cultivation resources and guidance left to me by my three older brothers,” Luo Feng said. “By the way, everyone is waiting for you at the martial arts school. The headmaster said that he will hold a grand welcome ceremony for you today.”

"A welcoming ceremony?" Thor scratched his head. "Isn't that a bit too much trouble?"

“Absolutely!” Luo Feng said firmly, “You are now the pride of the Earth, heroes of all mankind!”

Led by Luo Feng, the four walked towards the main hall of the Limitless Martial Arts Hall. Along the way, martial artists constantly bowed and paid their respects to them. The eyes of these martial artists were filled with reverence and longing, for standing before them were true interstellar warriors.

“Third Brother, Brother Hong, Brother Thor,” Luo Feng said as they walked, “A lot has changed on Earth in the past two years. Under your influence, more and more young people are starting to cultivate diligently, hoping that one day they can also leave Earth and see the outside world.”

“This is a good thing,” Rowan nodded. “Earth needs more strong individuals.”

“Yes, and Earth’s overall strength is also improving,” Luo Feng continued. “The Virtual Universe Company has established a branch here, providing many advanced cultivation resources. The five major powers are also strengthening their cooperation, no longer acting independently as before.”

"It seems that Earth is developing very well," Hong said with satisfaction.

(End of this chapter)