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

Chapter 479 It's in the plan!
"Damn it," Rowan thought anxiously. "If this continues, I'm definitely outmatched. But we have to hold out a little longer, at least until reinforcements arrive."

Just then, two other eighth-level stellar warriors also came over.

“Captain Carl, do you need any help?” one of them asked.

“No need,” Carl shook his head. “This kid is mine. You guys go find that woman; she’s the main target.”

"Yes!" The two warriors turned and left, searching deeper into the station.

“Oh no!” Rowan tried to stop him, but Carl stopped him.

“Your opponent is me,” Karl sneered. “Distraction can kill you.”

He launched another attack, this time even more fiercely. Rowan could only focus on fighting back, having no time to spare for anything else.

The fight lasted five minutes. Rowan's wounds multiplied, none of them fatal, but their cumulative effect was quite serious.

Karl, on the other hand, only suffered a few minor injuries, and his combat ability was almost unaffected.

“It’s over, kid,” Karl said. “You’re strong, but not enough. Be reborn into a better family next time, and come challenge me again.”

He was preparing to launch the final blow.

But at that moment, a powerful aura suddenly descended.

"Who said it's over?"

A cold voice rang out. Immediately afterwards, a figure appeared between Rowan and Carl.

When Luo Wen saw who it was, his eyes instantly welled up with tears.

He was a man dressed in a blood-red robe, with long black hair flowing down his back, a handsome face but cold eyes.

Blood King!

“Teacher…” Luo Wen murmured.

“Shut up,” Blood King said without turning his head, “I haven’t even told you to speak.”

He looked at Karl with the same gaze one would give a dead man.

"A mere ninth-tier stellar-level being dares to bully my student. You've got some nerve!"

Karl's expression changed drastically upon sensing the terrifying aura emanating from the Blood King.

"To bestow...to bestow upon a king the title of immortality?"

"Good to know," Blood King said calmly. "Now, kneel down and admit your mistake, and I might spare your life."

“That’s impossible,” Karl gritted his teeth. “I am a soldier of Alpha X-17, and I will never surrender!”

"Then die," Blood King raised his hand and waved it lightly.

Before Carl could even react, he was struck by an invisible force, flying backward and crashing heavily into the wall.

A huge dent appeared in the wall, and Karl lay paralyzed inside, bleeding from all seven orifices, no longer showing any signs of life.

Instant kill!

The Immortal Strike of the King-level Instantaneous Killed a Ninth-Tier Stellar-level

Everyone around was stunned, including the Alpha soldiers.

"Who else wants to try?" Blood King looked around, his voice icy.

No one dared to respond. All the Alpha soldiers dropped their weapons and knelt in surrender.

Blood King then turned to Luo Wen, the coldness on his face disappearing, replaced by a hint of relief.

“Well done,” said Blood King. “Although you were injured, you held on until I arrived. You have passed this trial.”

"Thank you, teacher," Luo Wenqiang said, forcing himself to stand up and bowing.

"Don't push yourself," Blood King waved his hand, "Heal your wounds first. We can talk about other things after you've recovered."

Luo Wen finally relaxed, but then a wave of pain surged through his body, and he fainted.

Before losing consciousness, he heard the voice of the Blood King.

"You've worked hard, kid. Get some rest."

When Rowan regained consciousness, the first thing he felt was physical comfort.

He lay on a soft bed, covered with a warm blanket. A faint medicinal fragrance filled the air, indicating that someone had given him high-grade healing medicine.

Rowan opened his eyes and found himself in a spacious room. The room was decorated in a simple yet high-end style, with silver-gray metallic walls and soft lighting embedded in the ceiling.

"This is..." Rowan tried to sit up and found that his injuries had mostly healed. Those wounds that were originally deep enough to expose the bone were now just shallow marks. The power of the laws within his body had also recovered to about 70-80%.

"woke up?"

A voice came from inside. Luo Wen turned his head and saw Zhang Wei sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, holding a book in her hand.

"Zhang Wei?" Luo Wen exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

“I’ve been here waiting for you to wake up,” Zhang Wei put down her book and walked over. “You were unconscious for a full twelve hours. The doctor said your injuries were very serious; it’s a miracle you’ve recovered so quickly.”

"Twelve hours..." Rowan murmured, "So what time is it now?"

“It’s 10 a.m. on the second day,” Zhang Wei said, then paused, “and something big has happened outside.”

"What's wrong?" Luo Wen keenly noticed the unusual tone in Zhang Wei's voice.

"See for yourself," Zhang Wei said, walking to the wall in the room and pressing a button.

Suddenly, the entire wall became transparent, and the outside view was clearly presented to Rowan.

Rowan gasped.

Outside the window lies the vast expanse of space, where an astonishing battle is raging.

Hundreds of warships clashed in orbit around Alpha X-17. On one side was Alpha X-17's defensive fleet, and on the other were warships bearing the logo of Virtual Universe Corporation.

Lasers, missiles, energy cannons—the light of various weapons flashed in space. Warships were hit from time to time, exploding into fireballs.

Further away, Rowan could see the surface of Alpha X-17. On that azure planet, several areas were billowing smoke—clearly, the war had spread to the ground.

"This is..." Rowan was so shocked he couldn't speak.

“Virtual Universe Corporation has officially declared war on Alpha X-17,” Zhang Wei said, her tone complex. “While you were in a coma, the company’s top management verified the evidence we provided, confirming the ‘Divine Punishment’ project was genuine. Therefore, the company immediately filed a complaint with the Cosmic Arbitration Committee and dispatched a fleet to stop the Alpha government from continuing to develop forbidden weapons.”

“But…the war came so quickly?” Rowan asked incredulously. “Less than a day has passed since we submitted our evidence.” “It was very quick,” Zhang Wei nodded. “Abnormally quick. Virtual Universe Company mobilizing so many warships and preparing for such a large-scale military operation should have required a long time. But they seem to have been prepared for this for a long time…”

She looked at Rowan, her eyes filled with doubt: "Don't you find it strange?"

Rowan was naturally puzzled. Military operations require detailed intelligence, operational plans, logistical support, and various political considerations. Even a behemoth like Virtual Universe Corporation couldn't launch a war of this scale in a single day.

Unless... they already knew.

“Where are we now?” Rowan asked.

“On the flagship of the Virtual Universe Company, the ‘Conqueror III,’” Zhang Wei replied, “is the fleet’s command ship. After you fell unconscious, your teacher brought you here and arranged for the best medical team to treat you.”

Where is the teacher?

“In the command center,” Zhang Wei said, “he is the overall commander of this military operation.”

Rowan was stunned.

Is Blood King the commander-in-chief?
An immortal king personally taking on the role of commander-in-chief of a military operation against a level three civilization? This is highly unusual. Operations of this level usually only require a few cosmic-level powerhouses to oversee, and there's no need for an immortal king to personally take charge.

Moreover, Blood King is a disciple of Venerable Azure Sky, and theoretically should be in a more important position. Letting him command such a "small-scale" war is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Unless... all of this was planned in advance.

Countless thoughts suddenly flashed through Luo Wen's mind, and many details that he couldn't understand before were now connected.

Why did Blood King send him to Alpha X-17 for training?
Why this particular planet that is secretly developing forbidden weapons?
Why did he have Rowan attack the police station to create a situation where he was wanted?
Could all of this have been arranged by the Blood King from the very beginning?

Luo Wen took a deep breath and said to Zhang Wei, "I want to see my teacher."

“Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet…” Zhang Wei said worriedly.

“It’s alright,” Rowan shook his head, “I have to go.”

He got out of bed and found that his clothes had been changed into the uniform of the Virtual Universe Company. He looked in the mirror and although his face was a little pale, he was in good spirits.

"How do I get to the command center?" Rowan asked.

“I’ll take you there,” Zhang Wei said.

The two left the room and walked into the corridor. The corridor was bustling with staff, some transporting supplies, others relaying orders. The entire warship was on high alert, the atmosphere tense yet orderly.

“This flagship is huge,” Rowan remarked, looking at the wide corridor.

“‘Conqueror III’ is one of Virtual Universe Corporation’s top-tier warships,” Zhang Wei explained. “It’s ten kilometers long and equipped with state-of-the-art weapon and defense systems. This single warship could destroy a small planet.”

"Ten kilometers..." Rowan could hardly imagine a warship of this size.

The two used the internal teleportation device to quickly reach the bridge level. Security here was much tighter, with fully armed guards stationed at every key location.

"Halt!" Two guards stopped them. "The command room is a restricted area; unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter."

“I am Rowan,” Rowan said, “a student of the Blood King. I wish to see my teacher.”

The guards hesitated for a moment, then one of them took out a communicator and consulted his superior. After a brief pause, he nodded: "Lord Blood King has approved your entry. You may go in. But this lady must remain outside."

“I’ll be waiting for you here,” Zhang Wei said.

Rowan nodded and followed the guard into the command room.

The command center was even more magnificent than Rowan had imagined. It was a huge, hemispherical space with a suspended holographic star map at its center, displaying the real-time situation of the entire battlefield. Dozens of control panels surrounded it, with officers busy at their respective posts, issuing various commands.

On the highest command platform, Blood King stood overlooking the entire battlefield.

He still had that indifferent demeanor, dressed in a blood-red robe, his long hair flowing freely. But the aura he exuded at this moment was completely different from that on Blood Luo Star—it was an aura of dominance, of commanding the entire situation and pointing out the flaws in the world.

"Report! The enemy's Third Fleet has broken through our fire blockade and is moving towards Base X-37!" an officer reported.

"Have the seventh and eighth battle groups intercept them," Blood King said calmly. "Stop them from approaching the base at all costs."

"Yes!"

"Report! Ground troops have captured three defensive outposts on the outskirts of the capital and are advancing towards the city center!"

“Very good,” Blood King nodded, “but be careful of civilian casualties. Our goal is to destroy the ‘Divine Punishment’ project, not to slaughter innocent people.”

"Yes!"

Rowan stood quietly at the entrance to the command room, watching Blood King decisively direct the entire battlefield. This teacher was completely different from the "demon instructor" who had only ever attacked him on Blood King Star.

“What are you still standing there for? Come here,” Blood King suddenly said. Although he didn’t turn around, he had obviously already noticed Rowan’s arrival.

Luo Wen stepped forward and came to the command platform.

"How is your recovery going?" Blood King asked.

“I’m much better now,” Rowan replied. “Thank you for saving my life, teacher.”

“It was only right that I saved you, after all, you are my student,” said Blood King, then turned to look at Rowan. “Moreover, your performance this time was indeed quite good. Being able to hold out for so long against a ninth-tier Stellar-level opponent shows that you have truly mastered what you learned on Blood King Star.”

“Teacher, you flatter me,” Rowan said. “If you hadn’t arrived in time, I would surely be dead.”

"That's because your cultivation level isn't high enough," said Blood King Luo. "Once you break through to the eighth or ninth rank, or even the cosmic level, you won't be in such a sorry state."

Rowan nodded, then remained silent for a moment before finally asking the question that had been on his mind.

"Teacher," Rowan looked at Blood King, "did you already know that Alpha X-17 was developing the 'Heavenly Punishment' weapon?"

The command room fell silent for a moment, then returned to its usual clamor. But Rowan noticed that several officers who were nearby glanced over discreetly.

Blood King did not answer immediately, but instead looked at the battle situation on the holographic star map.

After a long silence, he finally said calmly, "What do you think?"

“I think… you should have known this long ago,” Rowan said, his tone growing increasingly firm. “Moreover, not only did you know, this military operation was probably planned long ago.”

“Tell me your reasons,” Blood King looked at Rowan with great interest.

“First, the time,” Rowan analyzed, “from the time we submitted the evidence to the fleet launching the attack, it took less than a day. But mobilizing so many warships, formulating a battle plan, and preparing logistical supplies couldn’t have been done so quickly. The only explanation is that the fleet was already on standby nearby.”

Blood King nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

"Secondly, regarding your position," Rowan continued, "you are a King-level Immortal, a disciple of the Azure Sky Venerable. Logically, dealing with a Level 3 civilization wouldn't require your personal involvement. But not only did you come, you also took on the role of commander-in-chief. This indicates that this operation is very important to you, or rather… you spearheaded it."

"Is there anything else?" Blood King asked.

“And most importantly,” Rowan took a deep breath, “the timing of your decision to send me to Alpha X-17 for training is too coincidental. This planet happens to be developing forbidden weapons, and I just happened to meet Zhang Wei, just happened to learn about the 'Divine Punishment' project, and just happened to deliver the evidence to Virtual Universe Company.”

(End of this chapter)