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

Chapter 472 The Most Severe Test!

“You’ve got guts,” Ghost exclaimed. “You’re the first I’ve ever seen attack a police station in broad daylight. But do you know you’re currently an S-class wanted person? The entire planet is after you. And you actually want legal status? You’re insane.”

“I know it’s difficult,” Rowan said, “but it shouldn’t be entirely impossible.”

“It’s not entirely impossible,” Ghost laughed. “Theoretically, as long as one can hack into the government’s citizen database, add a complete identity record, and then forge a corresponding chip, a completely new legal identity can be created.”

“However,” Ghost changed the subject, “the government’s database has extremely high security, with seven layers of firewalls, three layers of physical isolation, and a real-time monitoring system. Any intrusion attempt will be detected immediately. Although I’m known as the best hacker on the planet, I wouldn’t dare say I’m 100% certain.”

"If it's not one hundred percent, then what is it?" Rowan asked.

“Fifty percent,” Ghost held up five fingers, “and even if we succeed, we might leave traces that the government can track down.”

“Fifty percent…” Rowan pondered.

“Besides,” the ghost continued, “this is extremely dangerous. If it fails, not only will you be captured, but I will be exposed as well. So why should I take the risk to help you?”

“Because…” Rowan paused, “because it’s a challenge. Don’t you want to prove you’re the best hacker on the planet?”

"Hahaha!" the ghost laughed loudly. "Trying to provoke me? Kid, I've lived for over two hundred years, what haven't I seen? Your little tricks won't work on me."

"Then what do you want?" Rowan asked directly. "Money? I can give you that. I have a billion cosmic coins."

"Cosmic currency?" Ghost's eyes lit up, but he quickly shook his head. "Not enough. A billion is far too little for something this dangerous."

How much do you want?

"Ten billion," the ghost lion demanded.

Luo Wen frowned. He only had one billion, and couldn't possibly come up with ten billion.

“Looks like you can’t afford it,” Ghost shrugged. “Then there’s nothing I can do. Allen, see him out.”

“Wait,” Allen suddenly said, “Ghost, haven’t you always wanted that thing?”

"What is that?" the ghost asked, puzzled.

“The underlying architecture diagram of the government’s core database,” Allen said. “If you can successfully hack into the database, you’ll have the opportunity to copy that architecture diagram. That’s something you’ve always dreamed of.”

Ghost's eyes lit up: "You're right. If I could get my hands on that architecture diagram, I could study the weaknesses of the government system, which would make everything much easier in the future."

He looked at Rowan: "Alright, kid, I'll help you. In exchange, you'll pay me one billion cosmic coins. Also, if it succeeds, I want a copy of the database architecture diagram."

“Deal,” Rowan agreed without hesitation.

“Excellent,” the ghost nodded in satisfaction. “Then, let’s begin preparations. First, I need to gather some information about you—biological characteristics, genetic samples, energy signatures, and so on. This information will be used to create your new identity.”

He stood up and took a scanner from a pile of equipment: "Come here, let me scan you."

Rowan walked over, and Ghost scanned him with a scanner.

"Hmm, seventh-tier stellar level, cultivates wind-elemental laws, and possesses physical strength three hundred times that of an ordinary person," the ghost said, looking at the scan results. "Not bad aptitude. However, these characteristics are too obvious; some modifications must be made to this new identity."

"How should we modify it?" Rowan asked.

“I will record your strength level as lower,” the ghost explained. “In the database, you will be a regular martial artist at the third tier of the Stellar level. This way, you won't attract too much attention. As for your true strength, as long as you don't reveal it yourself, no one will know.”

“I understand,” Rowan nodded.

“Then, I need to fabricate a complete backstory for you,” Ghost typed rapidly on the keyboard, “birthplace, family background, education, work experience… all of these must be plausible and withstand scrutiny.”

He pondered for a moment, then said, "How about this? I'll set you up as an immigrant from a marginal planet. You were born on an asteroid called 'Hope Star,' where records are poorly maintained and difficult to verify. Your parents died when you were young, and you learned martial arts through your own efforts, only recently arriving on Alpha X-17 in search of opportunities."

"Is there a plot hole in this story?" Allen asked.

“Yes, but not much,” the Ghost said. “Hope Star does exist, and many immigrants did come from there. Even if the government investigates, it will be difficult to find anything. Besides, records on peripheral planets are incomplete; some gaps are normal.”

He continued typing: "Name... what do you want to be called?"

“Whatever,” Rowan said.

“Then let’s call him… Kevin Stone,” Ghost said casually. “A very ordinary name, it won’t attract attention.”

For the next few hours, Ghost remained busy. His fingers flew across the keyboard, and countless lines of code scrolled across the screen. Rowan and Allen stood by, watching him work, not daring to disturb him.

“Preparations are complete,” Ghost finally stopped. “Now comes the crucial step—hacking into the government database. This will take a while, and there can be no interruptions. You two, go wait outside.”

“How long will it take?” Allen asked.

“If all goes well, three hours,” the ghost said. “If not… it’ll be forever, because we’ll all be caught.”

Rowan and Allen walked out of the basement and into the alley outside.

Night fell deeper, and the alley was almost deserted. Only occasional noises could be heard from afar.

"Do you think he can succeed?" Rowan asked.

“I don’t know,” Allen said honestly. “Spectre is indeed a top-tier hacker, but the government’s defenses aren’t to be underestimated. We can only pray.”

The two waited in the alley, and every minute felt incredibly long.

Rowan began to understand his teacher's intentions. This experience was not only about learning to evade capture, but also about learning how to survive in complex environments, how to cooperate with strangers, and how to utilize various resources to achieve his goals.

These skills cannot be learned on the battlefield.

Three hours later, the basement door opened.

The ghost emerged, a weary but excited smile on his face. "Success," he said, holding up a small box. "Inside is your new identity chip. From now on, you are Kevin Stone, an ordinary warrior from Hope Star."

Rowan took the box, a surge of excitement welling up inside him.

He did it. In less than two days, he went from a wanted terrorist to a citizen with legal status.

“Thank you,” Rowan said sincerely.

“Don’t thank me too soon,” Ghost cautioned. “After the chip is implanted, you need to be careful. Although there’s a record of you in the database, any unusual behavior will still arouse suspicion. Remember, you are now Kevin Stone, an ordinary third-tier stellar-level martial artist. Don’t display power beyond this level.”

“I will remember,” Rowan nodded.

“Also,” Ghost added, “chip implantation is a minor surgery, but it requires specialized equipment. Tomorrow I’ll take you to a private clinic where the doctors won’t ask too many questions.”

“Okay,” Rowan agreed.

Watching Rowan's departing figure, Ghost turned to Allen: "This young man is no ordinary person. His mentor throwing him into this kind of environment for training shows he has high hopes for him."

“Yes,” Allen remarked, “I hope he can successfully navigate this ordeal.”

“He will,” the ghost laughed, “because he has enough wisdom and courage. Such a person can survive wherever he goes.”

The next day.

In the morning, Rowan stood on the operating table at a private clinic to undergo chip implantation surgery.

The clinic, located in a secluded alley in the downtown area, was dilapidated on the outside but surprisingly well-equipped inside. The owner, a thin, middle-aged man named Victor, was, according to Ghost, a former surgeon at a government hospital who was dismissed for some reason and now ran this illegal clinic in the downtown area, catering to people who didn't want to leave a record.

“Relax,” Victor said as he prepared the surgical instruments. “It’s a minor procedure, it’ll only take ten minutes. The chip will be implanted in your cerebral cortex and connected to your nervous system. The process will be a little uncomfortable, but there’s no danger.”

Rowan lay on the operating table, staring at the bright lights on the ceiling. Although Victor spoke casually, he was still somewhat nervous. After all, this involved implanting a foreign object in his brain.

“Here we go,” Victor said, picking up a special syringe and aiming it at Rowan’s nape. “It might sting a little.”

As the needle pierced his skin, Rowan felt a slight stinging pain. But with his seventh-level stellar physique, this pain was nothing.

What truly made him uncomfortable was what followed. As the chip entered his body through a needle and moved along the nerve pathways toward his brain, he felt a strange sensation, as if something was wriggling inside his body.

“Don’t be nervous, it’s normal,” Victor said, looking at the monitor screen. “The chip is automatically finding the optimal location. It’s found it; now it’s connecting to the nervous system.”

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Rowan's mind.

Immediately afterward, a semi-transparent interface appeared in his field of vision, like a holographic projection floating in mid-air. The interface displayed various information—Name: Kevin Stone, Age: Twenty-three, Level: Stellar-level Tier 3, Account Balance: 100,000 Alpha Coins
“Success,” Victor nodded in satisfaction. “The chip is activated. Now try using your mind to access the menu.”

Following Victor's instructions, Rowan mentally selected the "menu." The interface immediately changed, displaying various options—communications, payment, maps, news, settings, and more.

“Excellent, very responsive,” Victor said. “This chip is the latest model, performing even better than the standard chips issued by the government. Use it wisely.”

After the surgery, Rowan paid the medical bills and left the clinic.

Walking down the street, Rowan felt as if he had been reborn. He now had a completely new identity, a completely new record, and was theoretically a legal citizen of Alpha X-17.

"It's time to test this new identity," Rowan decided to go for a walk downtown to test the reliability of his new identity.

He rode the levitation rail to the most bustling commercial district of New Dawn City—Star Avenue.

This place is completely different from the downtown area; it's filled with upscale shops, luxury restaurants, and entertainment venues. The streets are teeming with well-dressed middle-class and wealthy people. Various private aircraft fly overhead, displaying their owners' wealth and status.

Rowan walked into a clothing store, intending to buy himself a few decent outfits. After all, he was still wearing the old clothes Allen had given him, which made him look out of place in this upscale area.

"Welcome," a robot waiter greeted us. "How can I help you?"

“I want to buy a few sets of clothes for everyday wear,” Rowan said.

“Okay, please follow me,” the robot waiter led Rowan to the display area. “Based on your size, I recommend these.”

Luo Wen selected three outfits, all simple and elegant in style, neither ostentatious nor shabby. After trying them on, he was very satisfied.

"The total is eight thousand Alpha coins," the robot waiter said. "Please pay using your chip."

This was the first time Rowan had used the chip payment function. Following the method he had learned before, he used his mind to bring up the payment interface, confirmed the amount, and then authorized the payment through his mind.

"Payment successful, thank you for your patronage," the robot waiter said.

Luo Wen breathed a sigh of relief. His first attempt to make a purchase using his new identity had been successfully completed.

He changed into his new clothes and threw his old ones into the store's recycling bin. Now, he looked like an ordinary young martial artist, completely arousing no suspicion.

After leaving the clothing store, Rowan continued to stroll along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He deliberately appeared in various public places and passed by multiple surveillance cameras to test whether his new identity could withstand such intense monitoring.

As he walked, Rowan came to a square. In the center of the square was a huge fountain, surrounded by various street performers. Rowan sat down on a bench, admiring the bustling city.

Just then, three black patrol robots hovered over and landed in different locations in the square.

“Routine check,” one of the robots announced in a mechanical voice, “All personnel, please cooperate with identity verification.”

Rowan's heart tightened, but he remained outwardly calm. He knew this might be the most severe test of his new identity.

The robots began randomly checking pedestrians in the square. One robot flew towards Rowan.

“Hello, citizen,” the robot stopped in front of Rowan, “Please verify your identity.”

“Okay,” Rowan said, trying to make his voice sound natural.

(End of this chapter)