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

Chapter 473 A Forgotten Ruins!
A red scanning beam shot from the robot's eye, scanning Rowan's entire body. Rowan could sense that this beam was not only scanning his appearance, but also analyzing his biological characteristics, energy fluctuations, and even his heartbeat and body temperature.

"Scan complete, connecting to database," the robot said.

Those few seconds felt like an eternity to Rowan. His palms began to sweat, but his face remained calm.

“Identity verified,” the robot finally said. “Kevin Stone, a third-tier stellar-level warrior, from Hope Star. Welcome to New Dawn City.”

"Thank you," Rowan said, relieved.

The robot turned and left to continue inspecting the others.

Rowan sat back down on the bench, a surge of excitement welling up inside him. Success! The new identity created by Ghost had withstood the test, even fooling the government's identity verification system.

He now truly has a legal identity and can move freely in the city, no longer having to hide like a rat.

"Teacher, did you see that?" Rowan thought to himself, "I did it. Not just hiding for a week, but truly earning the right to live here."

Just as Rowan was about to leave the square, a piercing alarm suddenly sounded.

"Alert! Alert! S-level wanted criminal detected!"

Luo Wen was startled. Had he been exposed?

But he soon discovered that the alarm was not sounded by the robot that had just checked him, but by another robot on the other side of the square.

The robot is examining a woman.

Rowan looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman who appeared to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. She had long black hair, a slender figure, and was wearing a simple gray tracksuit. At that moment, her face was filled with terror.

"Target locked," the robot said. "Zhang Wei, female, 26 years old, wanted level A. Charge: Unauthorized intrusion into government systems and theft of classified information."

"No, this is a misunderstanding," the woman—Zhang Wei—quickly explained, "I'm not a wanted criminal!"

But the robot wouldn't listen to her explanation. Its eyes turned red, and it signaled to the other robots.

"Requesting backup! Class A wanted criminal has been identified!"

Instantly, the three robots that were patrolling the square all flew towards Zhang Wei. Not only that, but more than a dozen other robots rushed over from a distance, surrounding her from all sides.

Panic gripped the crowd in the square, and people scattered in all directions. Nobody wanted to get involved.

Zhang Wei's face was pale. She looked around and realized she was surrounded. But instead of waiting to die, she suddenly burst forth with astonishing speed, rushing towards a weak point in the encirclement.

"The target is attempting to escape," the robots reacted immediately, "Activate the energy network!"

A dozen robots simultaneously released energy beams, which intertwined in the air to form a huge net that enveloped Zhang Wei.

At the crucial moment, Zhang Wei performed a side somersault, narrowly avoiding the energy net. Her movements were very agile, clearly indicating that she was a trained martial artist.

“Stellar-level, Tier 5,” one of the robots analyzed, “threat level upgraded, allowing the use of force.”

Several laser beams shot out from the robot, heading straight for Zhang Wei. Zhang Wei barely dodged them, but one of the lasers still grazed her arm, leaving a charred wound.

"Ah!" she cried out in pain, her speed noticeably slowing down.

More robots arrived from afar. Zhang Wei was now surrounded by at least twenty robots, and with her injuries, her hopes of escape were dwindling.

Rowan stood in the crowd, watching this scene unfold.

He didn't know this woman named Zhang Wei, nor did he know why she was wanted. Logically, this matter had nothing to do with him; he should have left the scene quickly like any other citizen and avoided getting involved.

But for some reason, looking at the woman's desperate eyes, Luo Wen felt a surge of impulse.

Perhaps it was because she, like herself, was someone being hunted by this city.

Perhaps it was her unwavering gaze that reminded Rowan of his experiences over the past few days.

Perhaps it was simply because he didn't want to see someone get arrested right in front of him.

“Damn it,” Rowan cursed, “What’s wrong with me?”

But his body reacted before his brain did.

Rowan took out a scarf he had bought while shopping for clothes and quickly covered his face. Then, he took a deep breath and rushed into the circle of robots.

"Wind Blade!"

Countless transparent wind blades flew from Rowan's hands, slashing towards the robots. He precisely controlled the power of these wind blades, ensuring they could damage the robots' critical components without causing an energy explosion that would harm innocent bystanders.

The three robots were instantly sliced ​​into pieces and fell from the sky.

"Alert! New intruder detected!" The remaining robots immediately turned to Rowan. "Energy level analysis in progress... Stellar level 7! Threat level S!"

"Attention all units," a robot issued an order, "The newly emerged target has a higher threat level; prioritize its handling!"

A dozen robots attacked Rowan simultaneously. Lasers, energy blasts, electromagnetic pulses—a barrage of attacks rained down.

Luo Wen sneered. If it were before, he might have been wary of these high-tech weapons. But now, after his training on Blood Luo Star, his control over the wind element had reached a new level.

"Storm Domain - Gale Shield!"

A shield composed of rapidly spinning winds appeared around Rowan. All attacks that struck the shield were deflected or disintegrated; none could penetrate its defenses.

"My turn," Rowan said, flashing into the swarm of robots.

He didn't use his full strength, because that would reveal his true identity. He only used the power expected of a seventh-tier stellar-level being, but even so, it was more than enough to deal with these robots.

Rowan weaved through the swarm of robots, slicing one to pieces with his wind blades wherever he went. His movements were as fast as a ghost, and the robots' attack systems simply couldn't keep up with his speed.

In just thirty seconds, all twenty-odd robots were destroyed, their parts scattered all over the ground.

The square fell silent; everyone stared in stunned disbelief at the scene.

Luo Wen turned to look at Zhang Wei, who was also staring at him blankly, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"What are you all standing there for? Let's go!" Luo Wen hissed. Zhang Wei finally snapped out of her daze and nodded.

Luo Wen grabbed her wrist, used his movement technique, and quickly took her away from the square.

More robot alarms and police shouts came from behind. Clearly, the commotion had been too great, attracting even more pursuers.

Luo Wen led Zhang Wei through the buildings, using the complex terrain to shake off their pursuers. He wasn't familiar with the city's layout yet, but with a martial artist's intuition and perception of laws, he could always find the best escape route.

A dozen minutes later, the two finally shook off all their pursuers and arrived at an abandoned factory area.

This place has clearly been abandoned for a long time, with rusty machinery and broken windows everywhere. But because of this, the surveillance system is also out of order, making it a temporary safe haven.

Luo Wen released Zhang Wei's wrist and leaned against the wall, panting heavily. Although the fight hadn't been intense, he had to constantly control his power output and couldn't reveal his true strength, which actually took a toll on his mental energy.

"Thank...thank you," Zhang Wei gasped for breath, "you saved me."

“You’re welcome,” Rowan waved his hand, removing the scarf covering his face. “I just can’t stand what those robots are doing.”

Zhang Wei looked closely at Luo Wen, then her eyes suddenly lit up: "You are...you are the one who attacked the police station?"

Rowan was startled, but remained outwardly calm: "What are you talking about? I don't understand."

“Stop pretending,” Zhang Wei laughed. “I sensed your energy fluctuations just now. The characteristics of that wind-elemental law are exactly the same as those of the person who attacked the police station in the surveillance footage. Although you’re disguising yourself very well now, you can’t fool me.”

"Who exactly are you?" Rowan asked warily.

“My name is Zhang Wei, and I’m a data analyst,” Zhang Wei said. “Or rather, I used to be. I was listed as a wanted criminal because I discovered some government secrets.”

"What secret?" Rowan asked curiously.

“It’s a long story,” Zhang Wei shook her head. “Simply put, I discovered that the government was using citizen chips to monitor everyone’s thoughts and actions, and was even researching how to control people’s consciousness through these chips. When I tried to expose this conspiracy, I was hunted down.”

Luo Wen frowned. If what Zhang Wei said was true, then this seemingly glamorous high-tech civilization hid a darker secret.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Rowan asked.

“Because you saved me, and,” Zhang Wei looked earnestly at Luo Wen, “you are also being hunted. We are the same kind.”

“I’m not like you,” Rowan said. “I attacked the police station simply because… well, that’s too complicated to explain. Anyway, I had no intention of overthrowing the government or exposing any conspiracy.”

“I know,” Zhang Wei nodded, “but whatever your purpose, you’re involved now. You just publicly destroyed over twenty robots and rescued a wanted criminal. The government won’t let you get away with this.”

Rowan then realized that his impulsive actions might have brought him even greater trouble.

“Damn it,” Rowan said regretfully, “why did I act so impulsively…”

“Don’t regret it,” Zhang Wei said. “If it weren’t for you, I would be arrested by now. Besides, saving me wasn’t a bad thing.”

"Why?"

“Because I can help you,” Zhang Wei said. “Although I’m a data analyst, I’m also proficient in hacking. If you need to hide your identity, evade tracking, or need any technical support, I can help you. Consider it repaying the life you saved.”

Luo Wen pondered for a moment. Although Zhang Wei was a stranger, what she said made sense. Luo Wen did need help now, and Zhang Wei's skills could come in handy.

“Alright,” Rowan said, “but I need to confirm one thing first—are you really being framed? Or have you actually committed some crime?”

“I swear to God,” Zhang Wei said earnestly, “everything I did was to expose the truth and protect citizens’ rights. I didn’t harm any innocent people, nor did I steal any private information. I simply discovered a government conspiracy and tried to let the public know.”

Luo Wen carefully observed Zhang Wei's eyes, trying to determine if she was lying. In his experience, he could usually tell whether someone was sincere.

Zhang Wei's eyes were clear, without any evasion or hesitation. She was probably telling the truth.

“I trust you,” Rowan finally said. “So, let’s cooperate for now. You help me evade pursuit, and I’ll protect you. How about it?”

“Deal,” Zhang Wei said, extending her hand.

Rowan shook hands with her.

“However,” Rowan added, “I’ll be leaving this planet in a few days. Until then, I’ll try my best to help you. But after I’m gone, you’d better take care of yourself.”

"A few days?" Zhang Wei asked疑惑地, "Where are you going?"

"Well... it's a long story," Rowan didn't want to explain too much, "but in short, I won't be staying on this planet for long."

"Okay," Zhang Wei didn't press further, "So what do we do now?"

“First, let me treat your wounds,” Rowan said, looking at the burns on her arm. “Then, we need to find a safer place. This factory is safe for now, but it’s not a long-term solution.”

“I know a place,” Zhang Wei said. “There’s an abandoned research institute on the outskirts of the city. It’s been deserted for ten years and there’s no surveillance system there. I hid there before.”

“Then let’s go there,” Rowan said. “But be careful on the road; the whole city is searching for us.”

“Don’t worry, I know some secret passages,” Zhang Wei said, “that can bypass most of the surveillance.”

After resting for a while, the two, led by Zhang Wei, headed towards the edge of the city along the sewers and abandoned underground passages.

The abandoned research institute is located at the northernmost tip of New Dawn City. It was once an experimental base for a biotechnology company, but was shut down ten years ago due to an accident. Now, the entire building is covered with lush vegetation, making it look like a forgotten ruin.

Luo Wen followed Zhang Wei into the research institute through a side door. The interior was a mess, with broken experimental equipment and overturned furniture everywhere. Vines climbed the walls, and a thick layer of dust covered the floor. But just as Zhang Wei had said, there was indeed no surveillance system, and even the power was out.

“It’s safe here,” Zhang Wei said. “The government removed this place from the map a long time ago; no one will come here.”

She led Rowan to the second basement level and opened a hidden door. Behind the door was a small storage room, which surprisingly contained some daily necessities—a simple bed, canned food, bottled water, and even a portable computer.

"You prepared all of this?" Rowan asked in surprise.

“Yes,” Zhang Wei nodded, “After I was wanted, I’ve been looking for a safe haven. This research institute was the best place I found, so I prepared some supplies here. It’s rudimentary, but at least I can survive.”

Luo Wen looked around and couldn't help but admire Zhang Wei's meticulousness. To be able to calmly prepare an escape route even while being pursued—this woman was no ordinary person.

(End of this chapter)