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

Chapter 470 Like-minded comrades!
“What if we get caught?” Rowan asked.

“Then I will be very disappointed,” Rakshasa said calmly. “What future can a martial artist who can’t even handle a technologically advanced civilization talk about?”

After saying that, Rakshasa took out another spatial teleporter and pressed the activation button. His figure disappeared in a spatial fluctuation, leaving Rowan alone standing in front of the ruins.

"Teacher... no, Rakshasa is gone just like that?" Rowan couldn't believe it.

But reality quickly brought him back to his senses.

A dozen or so aircraft suddenly appeared in the sky; they were the rapid reaction force of Alpha X-17. These aircraft were black, equipped with various advanced weapons, and looked extremely intimidating.

"Target locked!"

A mechanical voice came from the aircraft, followed by several red laser beams shooting towards Rowan.

Rowan reacted extremely quickly, dodging the lasers in a flash. But the lasers struck the ground and exploded instantly, leaving several large, charred craters.

"Such powerful force!" Rowan was shocked.

Although these lasers couldn't harm him, their power was equivalent to a full-force attack from a third-tier stellar-level martial artist. An ordinary person would have been instantly vaporized.

"The target's evasive capabilities are extremely strong," the commander inside the aircraft analyzed. "Activate the energy cage!"

A dozen or so aircraft simultaneously released a special energy field, forming a transparent cage around Rowan. This cage would restrict the movement of the targets inside and prevent the use of the power of laws.

Rowan tried to unleash the wind elemental law and found that it was indeed suppressed. Although it wasn't completely unusable, its power was greatly reduced.

"Is this the power of technological civilization?" Rowan was secretly shocked.

In his previous battles, he had never encountered a means to suppress the power of laws. Even a cosmic-level powerhouse like Karax only relied on his own laws to resist, rather than using external forces to suppress it.

But Rowan, having experienced the trials of the battlefield, quickly calmed down.

“Although this energy cage can suppress the laws, it should have an upper limit,” Rowan analyzed. “If I unleash my full power, I should be able to break through it.”

He took a deep breath and mobilized all the wind-elemental laws within his body. The power of the seventh-tier stellar-level laws surged wildly within him, forming a terrifying energy tide.

"Storm Domain - Erupt!"

Rowan roared, unleashing all his power of laws in an instant. A violent storm erupted from his body, crashing against the energy cage.

The energy cage shook violently, emitting a piercing alarm. The aircraft did their best to maintain the cage, but they still couldn't withstand Rowan's attack.

click-

With a crisp sound, the energy cage finally gave way and shattered.

"Target has exceeded limits! Warning! Target's strength is assessed as an S-level threat!"

The commander inside the aircraft's face changed drastically: "Requesting backup! Repeat, requesting backup!"

But Rowan had already given them no chance. He transformed into a streak of azure light and left the scene at an incredible speed, disappearing into the city's buildings.

The aircraft immediately gave chase, but Rowan was too fast; they couldn't keep up. After a few turns, they completely lost sight of him.

"Target missing," the commander gritted his teeth. "Activate the city-wide search system! I refuse to believe that such a large person can simply vanish into thin air!"

The entire city of New Dawn was immediately placed under martial law. Countless surveillance cameras began searching at full speed, patrols on the streets were increased tenfold, and even ordinary citizens were notified to report any suspicious persons immediately.

Rowan was hiding in the basement of an abandoned building, panting heavily.

"This is only the beginning, and it's already this dangerous," Rowan said with a wry smile. "How are we going to get through the next week?"

He took out the space teleporter given to him by Rakshasa and looked at the countdown displayed on it: 168 hours.

"A week on a technologically advanced planet, dodging the entire city's pursuit," Rowan muttered to himself, "My teacher is pushing me to the brink of death."

But he quickly adjusted his mindset. Since this was a trial arranged by the teacher, there must be a reason for it. Moreover, Rowan was never the kind of person who would back down when faced with difficulties.

“First, we need to analyze our current situation,” Rowan began to think calmly.

He is currently facing several problems:
First, his appearance and energy signature have been recorded. He will be detected immediately as soon as he appears within the surveillance range.

Secondly, he knew nothing about this city or this planet. He didn't know where it was safe or dangerous, or where to hide.

Third, he has no currency on this planet, no identification, and cannot normally buy food or rent housing.

Fourth, although he is currently hiding in the basement, this is not a long-term solution. He will be found sooner or later.

“We must find a way to change its appearance,” Rowan thought of the first solution.

Although he doesn't know the art of disguise, he can use the power of laws to alter some of his physical features. For example, he can use wind blades to cut his hair and change his hairstyle; he can use the power of laws to adjust his facial muscles and change his face shape. While he can't completely transform into another person, he can at least make himself less conspicuous.

Rowan immediately took action. He used a wind blade to cut his long hair short, then adjusted his facial muscles in front of a broken mirror on the basement wall. Stellar-level martial artists have extremely strong control over their bodies and can alter their appearance to a certain extent.

Half an hour later, a completely different young man appeared in the mirror. Although the bone structure was still the same, his hairstyle, face shape, and even his temperament had changed significantly.

"It should be able to fool ordinary surveillance systems," Rowan nodded in satisfaction.

But he knew that wasn't enough. Advanced surveillance systems not only recognize faces, but also analyze skeletal structure, gait characteristics, and even energy fluctuations.

"We must find a place to study the technology on this planet," Rowan decided, deciding to venture out and explore.

He carefully left the basement and walked onto the street.

It was already evening, and the streets were crowded. Luo Wen blended into the crowd, trying his best to appear natural.

He discovered that the planet's technology was indeed highly advanced. Holographic billboards lined both sides of the streets, displaying various goods and information. People weren't holding physical phones, but rather floating holographic interfaces that could be used for various operations. Transportation was all suspended, gliding silently through the air.

What caught Luo Wen's attention even more was the variety of robots that could be seen everywhere on the streets. There were patrolling police robots, service robots that cleaned up garbage, and information robots that helped citizens with inquiries.

"Could these robots... be searching for me too?" Rowan's heart tightened.

His fears were soon confirmed.

A patrol robot suddenly stopped in front of him, its red eyes scanning him.

“Identification,” the robot said in a mechanical voice, “Please show your citizen chip.”

Oh no! Rowan doesn't have the citizen chip for this planet, so he can't pass the verification at all.

His instinct was to run away, but reason told him that running away now would only make him more suspicious.

"I...I lost my chip," Rowan made up an excuse.

“Chip missing,” the robot analyzed. “Biometric authentication is being initiated. Please remain still and do not move.”

A blue beam of light shot out from the robot's eye, scanning Rowan's entire body.

Rowan's heart raced. He knew that if he were recognized by this robot, it would immediately attract pursuers.

But just then, a voice came from the side.

“Oh, officer, I’m so sorry,” a middle-aged man approached the robot, smiling. “This is my nephew, he just came from outer space. He’s not quite familiar with our rules here yet, I’ll take him to get his chip replaced right away.”

The robot turned to the middle-aged man: "Who are you?"

“Alan Hall, citizen number X17-3347-9582,” the middle-aged man recited a string of numbers with practiced ease.

The robot scanned him and confirmed his identity: "Identity verified. Please get your nephew a new microchip as soon as possible, otherwise it will affect his normal activities."

"I understand, thank you, officer," the middle-aged man nodded.

The robot then left and continued its patrol.

Rowan breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the middle-aged man who had saved him: "Thank you, sir."

“You’re welcome,” Allen said with a smile. “I could tell from your appearance that you’re an outsider. However, you’re unlucky to have arrived at this time.”

"What do you mean?" Rowan asked, puzzled.

“Didn’t you know? The police station was attacked today,” Allen said in a low voice. “It was supposedly done by two terrorists. The whole city is under martial law, and checks are extremely strict. If you don’t have a chip, you’ll easily become a suspect.”

Rowan felt a chill run down his spine. He hadn't realized his attack had caused such a significant impact.

"Then... what should I do?" Rowan asked.

Allen glanced at him, then suddenly said, "You wouldn't happen to be...?"

Rowan's expression changed, and he instinctively wanted to make a move.

But Allen laughed: "Don't be nervous, I'm not going to report you. On the contrary, I might be able to help you."

"Why should I help you?" Rowan asked warily.

“Because…” Allen smiled mysteriously, “I don’t really like this government either. Come with me, I’ll take you to a safe place.”

Rowan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately followed Allen.

He knew this might be a trap, but he had no other choice. Besides, his intuition told him that this middle-aged man named Allen didn't seem to have any ill intentions.

The two walked through several alleys and arrived at an old apartment building on the edge of the city. It was clearly much more backward than the city center, with dilapidated facilities and dim lighting everywhere.

“This is a slum,” Allen explained. “The government doesn’t monitor this area very closely. Many people who don’t want to be noticed live here.”

He led Rowan up to the sixth floor and opened a rusty iron door.

“Welcome to my home,” Allen said. “It’s a bit basic, but at least it’s safe.”

Rowan stepped inside and found it to be a small apartment of less than fifty square meters. The furniture was old and worn, and the paint on the walls was peeling. But it was very clean, showing that the owner was a tidy person.

“Sit down,” Allen said, gesturing to the sofa. “I’ll get you a glass of water.”

Rowan sat down and looked around the room. He noticed some newspaper clippings on the wall, all reporting on social issues such as government corruption and the wealth gap.

"Are you... an anti-government activist?" Rowan asked tentatively.

"Anti-government?" Allen walked over with two glasses of water and sat down opposite Rowan. "No, I'm just dissatisfied with the status quo. This planet appears glamorous and technologically advanced on the surface, but it's actually riddled with problems. The government is corrupt, the gap between rich and poor is enormous, and the lives of the lower classes are incredibly difficult."

He took a sip of water and continued, “I used to be a journalist, specializing in reporting on these social issues. But then I was fired from the newspaper because my reporting was ‘too sensitive.’ Since then, I’ve lived in this slum, occasionally helping people in need.”

"Then why are you helping me?" Rowan asked. "You should know that helping me will bring you trouble."

“Because I hate those arrogant guys,” Allen said, a flash of anger in his eyes, “Whether you’re a terrorist who attacked the police station or not, at least you dared to challenge this corrupt system. I admire that.”

Rowan fell silent. He didn't know how to respond. He hadn't attacked the police station to challenge the system; he was simply completing an assignment from his teacher.

But seeing the sincerity in Allen's eyes, Rowan decided to tell the truth: "Actually, I'm not an anti-government person. Attacking the police station was a training mission given to me by my...mentor."

"A training mission?" Allen was stunned. "What do you mean?"

Rowan briefly explained his situation—he was a martial artist from the Virtual Universe Company, training under the Blood King. The attack on the police station was to create a hostile environment, forcing him to learn how to survive the pursuit of a high-tech civilization.

After hearing Rowan's explanation, Allen remained silent for a long time.

“I see,” Allen said with a wry smile. “I thought I’d met a like-minded comrade. Turns out, he’s just a student thrown out by the teacher for some training.”

"I'm sorry," Rowan said, somewhat apologetically, "I've let you down."

“Disappointed, not quite,” Allen shook his head. “Whatever your purpose, you are indeed being hunted by the government. That hasn’t changed.”

He stood up and looked out at the city. "Since you need to hide here for a week, I'll help you to the end. Anyway, my life is boring enough."

"Really?" Rowan's eyes lit up. "Thank you so much!"

“Don’t get too excited,” Allen said seriously. “This city’s technological surveillance system is extremely powerful. You’ve changed your appearance, but your energy fluctuations, behavioral patterns, and even micro-expressions can all be analyzed. Escaping a week-long manhunt won’t be easy.”

“I know,” Rowan nodded, “that’s why I need your help.”

“Alright,” Allen said, “from now on, you’ll live here. I’ll teach you how to survive on this planet, how to evade pursuit. Your mentor will come to pick you up in a week, right?”

“Hmm,” Rowan said, taking out a space teleporter. “This device will automatically activate in a week and teleport me back to Blood Luo Star.”

(End of this chapter)