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

Chapter 475 My Savior!

He paused, then smiled and said, "My teacher sent me here to gain experience, so I would learn to survive and cope in complex environments. Now it seems the trials he arranged for me might have been more profound than I imagined."

“Your teacher must be a very visionary person,” Zhang Wei said.

“More than just visionary,” Rowan said with a wry smile, recalling the Blood King’s cold face, “he was practically a demonic instructor. But it was precisely because of his strictness that I’ve gotten to where I am today.”

“Get a good rest tonight,” Rowan said. “I’ll contact my friend tomorrow. If all goes well, we can take action the day after tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Zhang Wei nodded, “I will continue analyzing the data here to see if I can find more useful information.”

The next day, it was early in the morning.

Luo Wen left the abandoned research institute alone. He told Zhang Wei that he was going to contact a friend and asked her to wait there for news.

Crossing the wasteland on the edge of the city, Rowan carefully avoided all surveillance cameras, using his ability to sense the wind to detect the surrounding patrols in advance, and stealthily made his way back to the slums.

It was already 10 a.m. when he knocked on Allen's apartment door.

The door opened, and Allen saw Rowan. He was taken aback at first, then immediately pulled him into the house and closed the door.

“My God, you dare to come back?” Allen said in a low voice. “Do you know the whole city is looking for you? News of what happened in the square yesterday has spread far and wide. The government has raised your wanted level to S, and the bounty has increased from 100 million to 500 million!”

“I know,” Rowan said calmly, “but I had to come back to you because I need your help.”

"What kind of help?" Allen looked at Rowan. "You're not going to do something crazy again, are you?"

"More or less," Rowan said with a wry smile, "but this incident might be even more serious than the attack on the police station."

He looked around to make sure there were no listening devices, then began to recount what had happened the day before—how he had saved Zhang Wei, how he had learned about the conspiracy behind the "Divine Punishment" weapon, and how they planned to stop the disaster.

Allen was stunned.

After Rowan finished speaking, Allen sat on the sofa for a long time without saying a word.

"You don't believe me?" Rowan asked.

“No, I believe it,” Allen said slowly. “I believe it completely.”

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the gray sky outside.

“Actually, I’ve long suspected the government was secretly researching some forbidden weapon,” Allen said. “Back when I was a journalist, I investigated a strange case.”

"What incident?" Rowan asked curiously.

“Six years ago, in a small town in the mountains west of the city, a mass coma suddenly occurred,” Allen recalled. “Nearly five thousand residents of the entire town lost consciousness at the same time. Although most of them later woke up, more than three hundred never woke up again.”

"The government said it was a sudden nerve gas leak and sealed off the entire area. But my investigation revealed that there were no chemical plants or toxic substance storage facilities near that town. Moreover, according to survivors, they all felt a strange energy fluctuation before they lost consciousness."

Rowan's heart skipped a beat: "You mean...?"

“I suspect it was a weapons test,” Allen said, turning to Rowan. “Moreover, based on your description, the ‘Divine Punishment’ weapon works by attacking living beings through energy resonance. That incident was very likely an early test.”

"Do you have any evidence?" Rowan asked.

“No,” Allen shook his head. “I tried to investigate further, but I was quickly warned. My superiors told me not to pursue the matter any further, or I would face the consequences. I ignored the warning and continued investigating, and as a result, I was fired from the newspaper.”

He smiled wryly and said, "At the time, I thought it was just the government trying to cover up an accident. Now, hearing what you've said, I realize they're covering up a much bigger conspiracy."

"So, you're willing to help me?" Rowan asked.

“More than willing,” a determined glint in Allen’s eyes, “this is an opportunity I’ve waited six years for. If I can expose this conspiracy and bring justice to those who have died, I’m willing to do anything.”

He walked up to Rowan and said solemnly, "Tell me, what kind of help do you need?"

Rowan breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that Allen was a man of justice and would not stand idly by.

“First, I need you to take me to see Ghost again,” Rowan said. “We need his help to create a more convincing disguise and to gather intelligence on the cargo port.”

“No problem,” Allen nodded. “That old Ghost may be greedy, but he also deeply resents the government. If he knew about this, he would definitely help.”

“Secondly, I need to understand the situation at the cargo port,” Rowan continued. “You used to be a journalist, so you should know some people who work at the port, right?”

“Well…” Allen thought for a moment, “I do know a few people. However, they are just ordinary workers and can only provide limited information. But I can give it a try.”

“Any information is useful,” Rowan said. “Even just a port layout or a spaceship timetable can help us develop better plans.”

“Understood,” Allen said. “Is there anything else you need?”

“Yes,” Rowan said, taking out the box containing the metal sphere. “This is the core component of the 'Heavenly Punishment' weapon that Zhang Wei stole from the research facility. I need to find a safe place to store it, and ideally, I'd like to analyze its principles to confirm whether what Zhang Wei said is true.”

Allen took the box, carefully opened it, and looked at the metal ball inside.

“This thing certainly doesn’t look simple,” Allen said. “While Ghost is a hacker, he also understands some energy technology. Having him assess it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then I’ll have to trouble you,” Rowan said.

“Don’t mention it,” Allen laughed. “We’re in the same boat now. By the way, where is your friend, Zhang Wei?”

“In a safe place,” Rowan said, without revealing the exact location, “I’ll take you to see her once we’re ready.”

“Alright,” Allen understood Rowan’s caution, “then let’s go find the Ghost now. The sooner the better, after all, time is running out.”

After quickly tidying up, the two headed to the lower city area again.

This time, Rowan was more careful. He used the laws of wind to alter the surrounding airflow, creating a thin layer of refraction that made himself and Allen appear blurry on the surveillance cameras. While not completely invisible, at least they wouldn't be detected by facial recognition systems.

Upon arriving at the ghost's underground workshop, Allen once again struck the cipher.

When the door opened, the ghost saw Rowan and was clearly taken aback.

“You’ve got some nerve,” Ghost said. “You caused a huge scene in the square yesterday, and now you dare to wander around the city?”

“There’s a reason for this,” Rowan said, “and I’m here today to discuss something important with you.”

“Come in and we’ll talk,” Ghost said, ushering the two inside. In the underground workshop, Rowan recounted the story of the “Heavenly Punishment” weapon once more. This time, he went into greater detail, recounting all the information Zhang Wei had provided.

After hearing this, the ghost's expression became extremely solemn.

“If what you’re saying is true, then this is more serious than I imagined,” Ghost said. “A weapon of mass destruction targeting a star is a violation of the highest-level cosmic conventions. Once exposed, the entire top brass of the Alpha X-17 government will be on trial.”

“So we must stop them,” Rowan said, “but first, I need to verify the authenticity of this intelligence.”

He took out the box containing the metal sphere and handed it to Ghost: "This is a core component of a weapon that Zhang Wei stole from the research facility. Can you identify it?"

The ghost took the box, opened it, and its eyes immediately lit up.

“This energy structure…” He carefully observed the metal sphere, then walked to an analytical device and placed the metal sphere on the scanning stage.

Complex energy waveforms and data were immediately displayed on the screen.

The ghost stared at the screen for a long time, his expression growing increasingly serious.

"How was it?" Allen couldn't help but ask.

“This is indeed a very dangerous weapon core,” Ghost said slowly. “Its principle is to use energy waves of a specific frequency to resonate with the energy within a living organism. When the resonance reaches a critical point, the energy within the organism will run out of control, causing the cells to disintegrate.”

“Simply put,” Ghost turned to Rowan, “if this weapon were deployed on a large scale, it could kill all life in an area in a short time. Moreover, the deaths would appear as sudden illnesses, making them very difficult to trace.”

"The incident in that small town six years ago..." Allen's face turned pale.

“It’s very likely their experiment,” Ghost nodded. “And judging from the sophistication of this core, their technology is quite advanced. If it really can be completed in three months, then this threat is far too imminent.”

He looked at Rowan: "What do you plan to do?"

“We plan to smuggle ourselves into the orbital transfer station and send the evidence to the various factions,” Rowan said, “but we need your help to create a false identity and gather intelligence on the cargo port.”

“Smuggling?” Ghost frowned. “That’s not easy. The cargo port’s security system is state-of-the-art; I noticed they had just upgraded the port’s security system when I hacked into the government database last time.”

“But it’s not impossible, right?” Rowan asked.

“It’s not impossible,” Ghost admitted, “but it will take time and preparation. First, I need to hack into the port’s systems to understand their security procedures and vulnerabilities. Then, I need to create perfect cover identities for you, not only with database records but also complete background and travel history.”

"How long will it take?" Rowan asked.

“At least two days,” the ghost said, “and I need some help.”

"What kind of help?"

“I need to get closer to the port to better infiltrate their systems,” Ghost explained. “The port’s network is physically isolated, making remote intrusion difficult. Establishing a base near the port would significantly increase the success rate.”

“I know someone,” Allen suddenly said, “who owns a small restaurant near the port. We used to be on good terms; I should be able to use his place.”

“Very good,” Ghost nodded, “then we’ll act tonight. Time is of the essence; we can’t delay any longer.”

“There’s another problem,” Ghost said. “How do you plan to board the spaceship? Even if you pass security, you’ll need a legitimate reason to board.”

“Zhang Wei said she had a way,” Luo Wen recalled. “She has a friend at the port who can help make arrangements.”

"Is that friend reliable?" Ghost asked doubtfully. "Zhang Wei is a wanted criminal; won't her friend betray her?"

“Well… I’m not sure either,” Luo Wen admitted, “but Zhang Wei wouldn’t joke about something like this.”

“It’s best to be careful,” Allen cautioned. “High bounties can tempt many people to abandon their principles.”

“I’ll be careful,” Rowan said.

As evening approached, the three headed towards the vicinity of the port.

This area is unlike the city center or downtown; it's filled with massive warehouses and freight facilities. Cargo ships constantly take off and land in the air, emitting deafening roars. On the ground, various freight vehicles come and go, creating a bustling scene.

Allen led the two to a small restaurant. The restaurant was inconspicuous, sandwiched between two warehouses, but it was very clean inside.

"Old Chen," Allen called out as he pushed open the door.

A middle-aged man in his fifties emerged from the kitchen. He was stocky and had a scar on his face. Upon seeing Allen, he paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Allen? Long time no see!" Old Chen walked over enthusiastically. "It's been at least two years since you last came, hasn't it?"

“Yes, I’ve been quite busy lately,” Allen chuckled, then lowered his voice and said, “Old Chen, I have something I’d like to ask you for help with.”

Old Chen glanced at Rowan and Ghost behind Allen and realized that things were not simple.

“Come in,” Old Chen led the three to the restaurant’s backyard, where it was quiet and there was no one else around.

"Speak, what is it?" Old Chen asked.

Allen hesitated for a moment, but decided to be honest: "We need to borrow your restaurant for a few days to do some... things that are not convenient to disclose."

"How inconvenient is it?" Old Chen frowned.

“This might cause trouble for the government,” Allen confessed, “but I promise you it won’t affect you. If we’re found out, we’ll take full responsibility.”

Old Chen remained silent for a long time before asking, "Is it related to that wanted criminal who attacked the police station?"

Allen was startled: "How did you know?"

“I’m not blind,” Old Chen pointed at Luo Wen. “Although he disguised himself well, that kind of aura can’t be hidden. Besides, what happened in the square yesterday has been widely reported, and I’ve seen the surveillance footage.”

Luo Wen's heart tightened, and he prepared to act at any moment. If Old Chen wanted to call the police, he would have to stop him first.

But what Lao Chen said next put Luo Wen at ease.

“However, I won’t report you,” Old Chen said. “Allen is my savior. Ten years ago, I was seriously injured in an accident, and he risked his life to take me to the hospital and even paid all the medical expenses. I’ve always remembered that kindness.”

(End of this chapter)