Standing before the distant metallic walls, Feng Qi halted his steps.
In an instant, the markings etched on his body twisted, and a scarlet mist rose to envelop him.
His flesh rapidly reformed, and as he switched back to his human form, he used his Bone Vein ability to reshape his appearance. He then adjusted his path toward the city's main gate.
The Crimson Research Institute had already suggested a cautious approach for his contact with the future inhabitants.
Claiming to be Feng Qi outright would undoubtedly cause too much of a stir. Moreover, the likelihood of other domain entities lurking within the shelter was high, given that this timeline only saw the downfall of the Institute of Technological Research. Other domain forces infiltrating human civilization were likely still active.
He suspected that this lingering domain influence was also why much of the shelter's cultivation information remained access-restricted.
Revealing his identity too soon would greatly increase his risks. He could be assassinated the moment he entered the shelter.
After taking a detour, Feng Qi arrived at the main entrance. Before he even reached the city gates, his gaze fell upon a familiar statue standing tall at the gate.
It was the same statue as he remembered.
The sunlight beamed down on its head, forming a faint halo around it.
The statue depicted him, holding a book in his left hand and a sword in his right, gazing resolutely in the direction of the domain's expanding frontier.
Time had proven that his efforts were not in vain, granting humanity a chance to survive—however fleeting that chance might be.
Looking at the statue, he couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
This honor didn't belong to him alone. His companions had stood with him, defying the odds and shedding their blood for the arrival of this day.
Visions of those comrades appeared vividly in his mind.
"Today, I'll break my vow. Whoever stands in your way, I'll kill them."
"This is the path I, Li Xingchen, have chosen. You don't have the right to deny it, even if it means I must stoop as low as a dog."
"Qi-ge, do you remember the last time you saw the sun?"
Fifteen centuries had passed.
The history they had fiercely fought to forge might be but a speck of dust in the vast river of time. Yet, to him, it was as weighty as a mountain.
No one could erase the blood and sweat they had poured into ensuring this day's arrival.
His gaze shifted upward, catching sight of a familiar banner fluttering atop the metal walls.
The flag's base was a deep crimson. At its center were a sword and a book, surrounded by a constellation of stars.
Seeing the banner, he froze.
Memories surged, vivid and clear.
He recalled the day they graduated from Star City Academy, when they stood under the stars and envisioned the future.
"Qi-ge, I made this flag for the Breaking Dawn organization. The book represents your time teaching at Star City Academy, the sword symbolizes your fight to establish Breaking Dawn against the domain forces, and the stars around them represent us—your companions."
"Hahaha, I vote for this flag. It looks amazing!"
"I hope this banner never falls."
"Don't worry. Even if we fall, there will always be successors to carry it forward. I, Xia Long, will dedicate my life to seeing this day. I firmly believe that one day, it will rise in the sunlight."
As he watched the Breaking Dawn banner flutter in the wind, bathed in sunlight, Feng Qi felt his eyes sting as if sand had blown into them.
The Breaking Dawn flag had indeed risen as they had wished, standing tall and proud under the sun.
But none of them were here to witness it.
[They've seen it. The Breaking Dawn banner stands in their place, overlooking a future built with their blood and sacrifice. This altered future may be fleeting, but it's real.]
Hearing the Narrator's words, Feng Qi nodded firmly, his gaze becoming resolute.
[Perhaps in a future timeline, you could have Wei Wei research advanced longevity technologies. That way, in a guaranteed victory timeline, you could bring them back to witness the flourishing future they dreamed of.]
"Narrator, you really know how to cheer people up," Feng Qi replied with a wry smile.
[Hehe, that's my job.]
After a brief pause, Feng Qi resumed his steps toward the city gate.
When he reached the base of the statue, he noticed the familiar inscriptions carved into it. He glanced over the words briefly before lifting his gaze to the walls.
A figure stood atop the wall, their gaze fixed on him.
The figure, clad in light armor and holding a sharp blade, observed him through their helmet with a penetrating stare.
As their eyes met, the figure suddenly leaped from the wall.
Landing gracefully, the figure approached Feng Qi and stopped a short distance away. Just as they were about to speak sternly, their gaze fell on the creature clinging to Feng Qi's chest.
"White-Eye?" the guard exclaimed in shock, their eyes widening with surprise.
White-Eye was regarded as the savior and a legendary figure of Star City.
To see this reclusive being attached to a stranger left the guard utterly stunned.
"I'm a refugee from Victory City. May I enter the city?" Feng Qi asked, his voice steady.
Claiming to be from Victory City was part of the Crimson Research Institute's plan.
Since Star City had long lost contact with Victory City, there was no way to verify his claim.
"Victory City? Wait here."
The guard, still eyeing the creature on Feng Qi's chest, sheathed their blade. They pressed a series of buttons on their right arm, causing a glowing projection to appear.
Moments later, the projection shifted to display the image of a woman.
The guard began explaining Feng Qi's situation to the figure on the screen.
Hearing the explanation from the guard, the woman in the holographic projection hesitated briefly. Her gaze shifted to Feng Qi, who stood silently beside the guard, and she spoke, "We've long since lost contact with Victory City. Do you have any proof to verify your identity?"
Faced with her question, Feng Qi shook his head. "I can't prove it."
"Then how can we trust you? After all, you could very well be a disguised domain creature." As she said this, her eyes drifted toward the creature clinging to Feng Qi's chest. Realizing her words might come across as inappropriate, she quickly added, "I find you credible, but you still need to provide some evidence to verify your identity."
[Well, well, the almighty suction cup proves its worth again! If it weren't for that little guy, their attitude toward you definitely wouldn't be this cordial.]
"I believe the city has methods to determine whether I'm human, correct?" Feng Qi asked calmly.
The woman nodded at once. "We do. I'll allow you entry, but on one condition."
She turned toward the guard. "Langtou, put restraining bands on him and take him to Research Lab No. 3. Let Director Lu conduct an examination."
"Understood," the guard, called Langtou, replied immediately.
After cutting the communication feed, Langtou reached behind his waist and retrieved a pair of metallic cuffs.
Feng Qi cooperated fully, extending his hands without resistance.
As the metallic bands snapped onto his wrists, he immediately noticed his spiritual energy slowing and his telekinesis becoming completely unusable. These restraints reminded him of the "Spirit Energy Exclusion Zone" technology that the domain forces once employed. He suspected these were an improved version.
"Don't act rashly until we've verified your credibility. Stay close to me once we're inside," Langtou instructed.
"Got it," Feng Qi nodded.
Langtou looked toward the guards on the wall and shouted a brief command. Then, tapping twice on the holographic screen on his forearm, he triggered a response from the massive metallic wall. A seam appeared in the center, and the wall split open, retracting to reveal a passage leading inward.
Following Langtou's lead, Feng Qi stepped through the gate into the city.
The scene before him was a testament to preparation for war. Rows of combat equipment were neatly arranged just beyond the gate.
To the left was a drone deployment area, organized by size. At the front were the small reconnaissance drones resembling hummingbirds, followed by mid-sized multipurpose drones, and finally the large-scale heavy drones designed for firepower coverage.
On the right stood rows of plasma cannons, their sleek black casings gleaming in the sunlight. Behind the cannons were sealed missile silos.
As they walked further, the ground beneath their feet transitioned into an expanse embedded with luminous spirit crystals. Nearby were formation flags radiating a soft, hazy glow.
Everywhere Feng Qi looked, he saw weapons and equipment of all kinds.
The entire city felt less like a shelter for civilians and more like a colossal arsenal. Both cultivation-based and technology-based weaponry were present in abundance.
The ground-level spaces of the city were entirely dedicated to the deployment of war assets.
Feng Qi understood the reasoning. With so many weapons, storing them in the underground shelter would consume valuable living space. The more practical solution was to deploy them on the surface for quick access in emergencies.
The two walked deeper into the city for roughly half an hour before arriving at a black metal monolith.
For the first time, Feng Qi saw the words "Star City Shelter" inscribed clearly on its surface.
Langtou raised the holographic screen on his forearm and aimed it at the monolith. A green beam scanned the surface, causing the massive structure to tremble slightly before sliding aside to reveal a hidden pathway.
Curious, Feng Qi couldn't help but ask, "Are there other ways to open this monolith?"
Langtou's expression immediately turned cautious. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason, just curious. Forget I said anything," Feng Qi waved dismissively, realizing his question might arouse suspicion.
After a moment of silence, Langtou glanced at the suction cup clinging to Feng Qi's chest and finally replied, "If the outside world is destroyed, Star City Shelter will activate its internal circulation system. However, a single lifeline will remain open for potential survivors. That's the second way to open the shelter."
Langtou's cryptic explanation offered no further details, but Feng Qi quickly pieced together the implications.
The so-called "lifeline" was undoubtedly the blood trough detection system hidden beneath the monolith.
[It's precisely this lifeline that allowed you to uncover the truth about the future world,]the Narrator chimed in.
With no further delay, Feng Qi followed Langtou into the metallic passageway.
As they walked, overhead lights flickered on one by one, illuminating their path.
Stepping out of the metal passage, Feng Qi's vision opened up to reveal a bustling underground square.
Unlike the empty expanse he remembered, the square was now crowded with people. It was almost congested with activity. Uniformed staff sat at previously dusty control panels, wearing headsets as they maintained real-time communication with city defense personnel and teams sent out to gather resources.
In front of the control panels, a massive screen displayed dozens of split sections, each showing real-time surveillance footage that switched rapidly. Overhead, high-powered air purification machines whirred, working at full capacity.
Around the square, several iron doors stood open, with workers and residents busy performing their respective duties.
The city defense soldier accompanying Feng Qi turned to him, curiosity apparent in his expression. "Does Victory City also have an underground shelter?"
"Yes," Feng Qi replied smoothly, nodding. "It's built similarly to this one."
Satisfied with his answer, the soldier led him to an open iron door on the right. They descended a set of stairs into a spacious laboratory.
Inside, numerous researchers in lab uniforms were busy at their workstations. After instructing Feng Qi to wait, the soldier approached an elderly man with white hair, engaged in a brief conversation, and then returned to Feng Qi.
"I've explained your situation to Director Lu. Next, you'll need to cooperate with some tests. If you pass, you may be issued a Star City Shelter resident ID. But keep in mind, no one here gets a free ride. Everyone contributes."
After explaining, the soldier nodded at Director Lu before leaving the room.
Following the elderly director, Feng Qi underwent a series of thorough examinations. Reports were generated swiftly, but for added caution, Director Lu performed additional tests, including drawing three vials of blood.
During the blood extraction, Feng Qi couldn't help but worry about the suction cup creature attached to his chest potentially lashing out. Fortunately, the creature remained docile, its eyes shut tight even during the procedure. Relieved, he let out a quiet sigh.
While waiting for the final results, Director Lu glanced at him with a smile. "You said you're from Victory City?"
Feng Qi nodded, then asked, "How much longer will the results take?"
"To be thorough, we'll need a few more rounds of tests. It should take another three hours. After that, we'll bring you to meet the base commander."
"Can I explore a bit while I wait?" Feng Qi asked.
Director Lu's gaze fell briefly on the suction cup before he surprisingly nodded. "Sure, but we'll need to take additional precautions."
"By all means," Feng Qi replied.
With that, the director secured two more restraint bands around Feng Qi's ankles and assigned a researcher to accompany him. With these measures in place, Feng Qi was free to roam.
Ascending the stairs, he returned to the bustling square.
The activity around him sparked countless questions in his mind. He noticed children's voices reciting something in unison and turned toward the sound. Through an open iron door, he saw a classroom filled with children around ten years old, all attentively reading aloud from a virtual screen projected on the blackboard.
When the recitation ended, the teacher standing at the podium began passionately introducing historical figures mentioned in the lesson. Standing outside the doorway, Feng Qi watched the scene unfold. The teacher's fervent explanations and the children's focused expressions brought a wave of nostalgia.
Once, he too had been a student, eagerly absorbing Old Wang's teachings, imagining a brighter future as he revered the historical figures they studied.
To Feng Qi, it wasn't strange to see history being taught even in these apocalyptic times. History, after all, was the soul and backbone of a people. Without it, a society was nothing but scattered sand. It was history that forged shared identity and purpose.
Just then, the teacher smiled at the students and asked, "We've finished learning about these two great historical figures. Now, let me ask you a question."
"You all know that Lin Guyuan is regarded as the most ingenious mind in history and Zhang Daowen as the most talented polymath. But do you know of a genius whose life may not have shone as brightly as theirs, yet surpassed all the talents of his era? This person laid the foundation and direction for the survival of humanity. His brilliance continues to shine through the annals of history as an eternal beacon. Do you know who he is?"
Feng Qi's curiosity was piqued. Before he could guess, the children's unified voices rang out:
"Taizu, Feng Qi!"
Hearing his own name, Feng Qi was taken aback.
[Oh, wow! That's a shocker… A monument, the flag of Breaking Dawn, and now Taizu? Feng Qi, you're unstoppable!]
[Wait a second… Damn! Why is there no mention of Taizu's dad, the Narrator? So unfair! History always forgets the most handsome ones like me. Depressing… Feeling unappreciated… slipping into melancholy.]