Looking at the smiling Hui Xu, seated on the execution chair, Feng Qi couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter.
Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine Hui Xu to be part of humanity's hidden resistance.
Hui Xu had always given him the impression of someone utterly unreliable.
He never took his studies seriously, constantly complained about exhaustion, and surrendered at the slightest provocation. He was a textbook definition of a problematic student. If it hadn't been for his background in the Prajna Domain Combat Squad, Hui Xu's attitude would have gotten him expelled from Star City Academy long ago.
More puzzling was Feng Qi's recollection of Hui Xu's physical examination back in the academy, where his combat proficiency was certified as "unranked."
But now, the truth was evident. Hui Xu had deliberately concealed his true strength, using some method to mask his capabilities.
From a historical perspective, Hui Xu's reputation was stellar. When Feng Qi reviewed Hui Xu's personal data, the comments from netizens described him as a "spiritual mentor" dedicated to spreading humanity's legacy of resilience.
At the time, Feng Qi assumed Hui Xu's transformation had been triggered by his (Feng Qi's) death. But now, it was clear Hui Xu had always been part of humanity's clandestine resistance, secretly working against the domain forces.
Feng Qi's earlier assumptions now seemed laughably naive. Hui Xu had always been a warrior in disguise.
Watching more members of humanity's hidden factions emerge, Feng Qi felt an indescribable elation.
A few days ago, the shadow figure in the underground water prison had told him his actions had made no impact on the outside world. At the time, Feng Qi believed his entire strategy had been a failure.
Now, that despair was dispelled.
The appearance of Hui Xu and the Prajna Domain Combat Squad, along with other resistance factions, was undeniable proof that humanity had not entirely fallen. Many hidden forces were working toward a brighter future.
He was not alone in his quest to save humanity.
Just then, a shadowy figure materialized beside him.
"Do you think you've won?" the figure sneered.
Before Feng Qi could turn to face the speaker, the switch on the execution chair was activated.
A surge of excruciating pain consumed his body. His muscles spasmed violently, and blood vessels erupted in his eyes.
Yet, compared to the searing physical pain, the mental agony was far worse.
His consciousness began to blur. He could faintly hear Hui Xu shouting his name and other chaotic noises in the background.
Feng Qi's breathing was labored, each inhale a struggle as his senses dulled.
Is this it? Am I really going to die now? I still wanted to see how they'd bring down the Institute of Technological Research…
The sounds of fierce combat echoed around him, but Feng Qi could only muster a bitter thought:
Damn you, shadow figure… go to hell…
Darkness engulfed his vision entirely. His head drooped lifelessly as his body slumped in the chair.
Feng Qi had fallen.
Chaos erupted on the execution platform as the battle commenced.
Unable to sit idly any longer, the domain forces hidden in the shadows finally made their move. The livestream was abruptly cut off as figures cloaked in darkness descended upon the platform, launching an all-out assault on Hui Xu and the others.
Feng Qi's death served as the clarion call for rebellion against the Institute of Technological Research.
A grand counteroffensive, defying the tides of history, had begun.
When Feng Qi opened his eyes again, he found himself slumped against a metallic table.
On the table sat a familiar container of reinforced metal. Within the container floated a brain, pulsating slowly in suspension fluid.
The aftereffects of memory retrieval rendered him dazed for a long moment before he could regain clarity.
Two overlapping sets of memories battled for dominance in his mind. The events leading up to the memory retrieval were a hazy blur, leaving him unable to recall the immediate circumstances prior to this moment.
A familiar voice echoed in his mind:
[Qi-ge, long time no see. Miss me?]
"Haha, Narrator, it's been a while!" Feng Qi's face lit up with a smile.
[You're still suffering from the aftereffects of memory retrieval, so take your time to adjust. Meanwhile, feel free to ask me any questions.]
Acknowledging the voice, Feng Qi nodded before asking, "Narrator, did we manage to alter this timeline?"
[Congratulations, Qi-ge. You successfully altered the timeline. The future world you're in now is teetering on the brink of collapse but has not entirely crumbled. There's even a human city standing within the Star City Shelter.]
[Upon entering this dreamscape, you chose not to approach the human city directly, fearing unexpected risks. Instead, you prudently came to the Crimson Shelter first to retrieve memories.]
Hearing this, Feng Qi fell silent for a moment before continuing, "Did we defeat the Institute of Technological Research?"
[We won, but the Crimson Research Institute retreated into their underground secret base long before the battle against the Institute of Technological Research concluded amid the chaos.]
Hearing the Narrator's response, Feng Qi wasn't surprised.
The retreat of the Crimson Research Institute to their secret base had been prearranged during meetings with its leadership.
No matter what happened, the Crimson Research Institute was to remain uninvolved in the direct confrontation against the Institute of Technological Research.
The Crimson Research Institute was one of Feng Qi's most vital sources of information. If it were to collapse, he would lose access to critical resources, such as memory extraction via the brain-in-a-vat system, psychic technology, and memory implantation techniques.
Ensuring the stability and safety of the Crimson Research Institute was paramount. Preserving its repository of essential data was its core mission.
"Since we've managed to defeat the Institute of Technological Research in this timeline, does that mean Little Black is gone?" Feng Qi asked, voicing a concern that had been plaguing him.
If Little Black had disappeared, he would finally rid himself of the ever-present death sentence hanging over his head in the dreamscape. Future endeavors could proceed with much-needed time and freedom to prepare.
[I regret to inform you that it hasn't disappeared.]
[According to the data you reviewed earlier, Wei Wei left a message stating that even after the annihilation of the domain force behind the Institute of Technological Research, Little Black still emerged!]
"How is that even possible?!" Feng Qi exclaimed, eyes widening in disbelief.
[We suspect it may be related to the mysterious entity known as Mo, which was central to the Institute of Technological Research. Although the domain force behind the institute was dismantled, it wasn't completely eradicated. Before abandoning the Institute of Technological Research, they took Mo with them. It's plausible that Little Black's existence is tied to Mo, and it was reborn through their machinations.]
"Is Little Black already on its way to hunt me down?" Feng Qi asked nervously.
[Uncertain. Little Black hasn't entered my sensory range yet, so it's possible it has abandoned the chase in this timeline. However, don't get your hopes up. It might just be navigating treacherous terrain and making its way toward you.]
"Damn, what an eternal curse."
[So sad. This timeline didn't even give us a chance to witness Little Black's clumsy splits. Missing it already.]
Ignoring the Narrator's playful banter, Feng Qi reached out and pressed the black switch on the metallic container before him.
Black liquid drained out of the container, and the brain suspended inside gradually ceased pulsating. Its once-vivid glow faded into lifeless stillness.
"Rest now," he murmured softly.
Sealing the container, Feng Qi placed it into a recessed compartment in the center of the metallic table and closed the lid.
Looking down, his gaze fell upon the small suction cup creature nestled against his chest.
While history had changed, the suction cup remained—a constant companion through these uncertain times.
Deciding on his next move, Feng Qi resolved to journey to the Star City Shelter. There, he planned to engage with the future's human population to uncover more about the altered timeline.
Riding the elevator to the first level of the Crimson Research Institute's secret base, Feng Qi made his way toward the exit.
The passage of time had left little visible impact on this pre-established stronghold. After a cursory glance around, Feng Qi abandoned the notion of further exploration.
Stepping through a metal corridor to the outside world, he emerged from the ruins of an abandoned hospital.
The sun loomed high in the sky, but its light was dim and devoid of warmth.
Surrounding buildings stood in varying states of decay, overtaken by sprawling vegetation. The area bore no signs of recent human activity.
This was no surprise to Feng Qi.
Fifteen centuries later, even if the domain fields hadn't swallowed the world entirely, the surviving human population would have already retreated into the safety of the Star City Shelter. Remaining in cities rife with domain creatures was a death sentence.
Gazing westward, he saw a crimson moon hanging ominously in the sky, pressing against the shrinking space of the sun.
The division between the human world and the domain fields was starkly visible—a distorted black line delineating their boundary, creeping ever so slowly into humanity's domain.
The familiar sight weighed heavily on Feng Qi's heart.
Despite the victories of the past, this world remained on a trajectory toward an apocalyptic collapse.
Steeling himself, Feng Qi switched into his battle form, his body coursing with newfound strength as he sprinted toward the Star City Shelter.
As time passed, the lingering effects of overlapping memories began to subside. His fragmented recollections gradually merged, painting a clearer picture of recent events.
Within these reconstructed memories, flashes of critical insights surfaced—information gleaned from the Crimson Shelter's database. Occasionally, fragments of game code and technical data floated through his mind, a testament to Wei Wei's breakthroughs in knowledge implantation technology.
The Crimson Research Institute had left behind a treasure trove of invaluable knowledge. After Feng Qi's death, the institute's prearranged contingencies had been enacted. His body was retrieved from the execution grounds by a Crimson Research Institute combat squad, who promptly extracted his brain. Preserved in a specialized container filled with nutrient-rich active solution, his brain had been safeguarded against decay.
The retreat of the battle group carrying Feng Qi's brain container had been fraught with challenges.
After Feng Qi's death, the domain forces backing the Institute of Technological Research abandoned their strategy of subtle infiltration and launched a full-scale offensive to seize control of Future City.
The ensuing conflict turned into a bloodbath.
The domain forces supporting the Institute of Technological Research numbered in the thousands, and even the weakest among them were of Silver-tier strength, with their strongest fighters reaching Gold-tier.
The battle drew in numerous human factions, each incurring devastating losses during a prolonged, brutal war within Future City.
Even the battle group affiliated with the Crimson Research Institute wasn't spared. They were attacked by warbands loyal to the Institute of Technological Research's domain allies.
In the end, the Crimson Research Institute's forces managed to retreat, but not without heavy sacrifices. They lost one-third of their members to ensure the safe evacuation of the container holding Feng Qi's brain.
With their departure, Future City plunged further into chaos.
This battle marked a turning point, but it came at a steep cost. Hui Xu, the leader of the Prajna Domain Combat Squad, perished in the fighting. His team suffered nearly fifty percent casualties. The Future Research Institute was almost entirely wiped out, with Jia Hui—Li Xingchen's successor—heroically sacrificing himself in battle.
Other groups, such as the Victory Research Institute, the White Skeleton Domain Combat Squad, and the Awakener Domain Combat Squad, also participated in the grueling campaign against the domain forces behind the Institute of Technological Research.
The war lasted for six months, with more human factions gradually joining the fight. Eventually, the domain forces backing the Institute of Technological Research were defeated.
Victory came at a steep price, but the Institute of Technological Research was finally reclaimed by humanity.
All traitors who had defected to the domain forces were systematically purged. One by one, they were sentenced to death on the gallows.
As the dust settled, the story of Feng Qi's sacrifice and the events leading to the victory was made public. He was no longer seen as a traitor to humanity but celebrated as a hero.
Feng Qi's thoughts returned to the present. Within his mind was a list of human factions that had stood against the Institute of Technological Research. This list was one of the most valuable pieces of information obtained in this timeline.
The existence of so many hidden human forces gave him hope, and a faint smile crept onto his face.
[Don't celebrate too soon, Ah Qi. Look closely at the names on that list. Haven't you noticed anything suspicious? Didn't the Crimson Research Institute warn you about something?]
"What warning?" Feng Qi was taken aback.
The effects of overlapping memories were still lingering, leaving many details he had reviewed in the Crimson database fuzzy and incomplete.
[The Crimson Research Institute cautioned you not to fully trust that list.]
"Why not?"
[Let me put it this way. Look through the names on the list carefully. Tell me if you spot anything that doesn't add up.]
Heeding the Narrator's advice, Feng Qi began mentally reviewing the list. As he sifted through the names, a particular entry jumped out at him—Tiger Soul Research Institute.
During his planning of this timeline, the Tiger Soul Research Institute had been deliberately excluded from his strategy.
The rationale was straightforward. Direct confrontation with the Institute of Technological Research alone had already caused drastic changes in the timeline. Introducing the Tiger Soul Research Institute into the mix would introduce even greater uncertainty.
Yet here it was, listed among the human factions that had risen against the Institute of Technological Research.
"Unbelievable. The Tiger Soul Research Institute also opposed the Institute of Technological Research?"
[Exactly. When the Institute of Technological Research's domain allies were fully exposed, many factions jumped in to exploit the situation—including Tiger Soul Research Institute. They even sent their combat squads to participate in the assault. What's more infuriating is their slogan: 'Eradicating domain forces.' Ridiculous, isn't it?]
Feng Qi: …
From both the data in his memories and the Narrator's explanation, the issue became crystal clear.
As the Institute of Technological Research's collapse became inevitable, numerous factions—some human, some not—joined the fray to claim credit or consolidate their own positions. The Tiger Soul Research Institute was a prime example.
"So, apart from the initial few factions that stood up early on, the rest of the so-called human allies on this list might not be trustworthy?"
[Exactly. Many of the factions that showed up later only did so because they saw the Institute of Technological Research was doomed.]
"Bunch of vultures," Feng Qi muttered.
[Still, it's not a complete loss. At least the human factions that openly opposed the Institute of Technological Research from the very beginning can be trusted.]
"Alright. In the next timeline, once I've gathered enough intelligence, I'll attempt to connect with them," Feng Qi said with determination.
Hours of running brought him past the outskirts of the desolate city.
In the distance, a fortified human settlement loomed—a city surrounded by towering metal walls.
This was the Star City Shelter, the haven of humanity.
Feng Qi had glimpsed this city in previous dreamscapes. Back then, he had been in a corpse-like state and nearly mistaken for a threat by its inhabitants.
This time, however, his human form gave him a chance to make contact and forge meaningful connections with the future residents.
With renewed resolve, he quickened his pace toward the shelter.