Translator: CinderTL
Star City Shelter.
Listening to the teacher's interpretation of him in the classroom, Feng Qi couldn't help but reflect.
From an unknown figure in history to a historical villain, and finally to the historical hero of today.
The repeated sacrifices of the Future Line had finally earned him the respect of the Future People.
However, he still disagreed with the teacher's explanation.
In his opinion, his personality wasn't nearly as extreme as the teacher described.
He was human, not a saint.
"How does Victory City interpret Feng Qi?"
The researcher beside him, wearing glasses, turned to him with curiosity.
Feng Qi smiled calmly at the question.
"Your history and ours are different. In the history I know, Feng Qi also experienced confusion, hesitation, and despair, even doubting himself. But ultimately, he overcame his inner demons and chose to face despair head-on, embarking on the path of changing the future, like an ant trying to shake a giant tree."
"You must have been reading fake history," the researcher said firmly, nodding. "In the true history, Feng Qi never hesitated. The Dawn Organization's founding members, who once followed him, all said the same."
Feng Qi:...
[Hahaha, I agree with him. Feng Qi, you must have been reading fake history. I hope you'll face the truth.]
Feeling helpless, he suddenly realized the researcher might not be entirely wrong.
He had indeed struggled and been confused before, but not in this Future Line.
When he chose this path, his heart was unwavering, never wavering.
He had already experienced confusion and despair in other timelines.
His heart had grown stronger with each failure.
As the soul of the Dawn Organization in this Future Line, he had to project absolute resolve for all members to see.
Next, guided by the researcher, he began touring the publicly accessible rooms within the shelter.
The entire shelter had developed a highly sophisticated internal circulation system.
Farming, cultivation, resource allocation, technological research, cultivation research... Everyone in the shelter, except children under 15, had a designated role.
After touring about half the shelter, he stopped before a closed iron door.
On the iron gate, he saw a familiar emblem: a crimson gem set against a black background.
It was the symbol of the Scarlet Research Institute.
Seeing the emblem, he suddenly remembered something.
The Lord of the Mist hadn't snapped his fingers this time. Logically, the descendants of the Scarlet Research Institute should still be here.
Why was the Scarlet Secret Base deserted?
The aftereffects of overlapping memories still lingered, and he couldn't recall the explanation he'd read in the database.
He immediately asked the Narrator in his mind:
"Narrator, why is the Scarlet Secret Base deserted even though the Lord of the Mist hasn't snapped his fingers this time?"
[They left you a message, but you simply haven't remembered it yet. As you can see, they moved to the Star City Shelter 278 years ago, long before the Lord of the Mist's snap.]
"Why?"
[Haven't you noticed? With each timeline you've traversed, the Scarlet Research Institute's tasks have grown increasingly burdensome. From the initial Brain in a Vat research and subsequent preservation efforts, they've now added the complex technology of memory implantation. There are also the costs associated with Old Wang's research on Flesh and Blood Sacrifice, and so on.]
[In short, the Scarlet Secret Base could no longer sustain itself on its existing resources. Training new combat personnel for resource gathering outside the base required even more cultivation resources. Even with severe rationing, the base couldn't afford it. Yet, they gritted their teeth and endured 365 days of eating toothpaste-flavored nutrient paste, saving all the technology intended for you.]
[When they could no longer hold out, they chose to leave the Scarlet Base and seek help at the Star City Shelter. In this Future Line, the Scarlet Research Institute wasn't a faction of human traitors, so they didn't need to worry about being targeted.]
[Crucially, before leaving, they used Wei Wei's memory technology to erase all memories of you and the information the Scarlet Research Institute had left for you from their minds. This was a safety precaution, as they believed Domain Forces might be lurking within the Star City Shelter, making the information in their minds too dangerous.]
[If Domain Forces discovered the Scarlet Secret Base, all their efforts to set things up for you would be in vain.]
Hearing the Narrator's explanation, Feng Qi finally understood.
As the Narrator said, the Scarlet Secret Base's resource acquisition efficiency hadn't improved, but the consumption of Future Lines had increased with each use.
In the early stages, the Scarlet Base could even save resources to cultivate a Talent Blind Box. Now, the Talent Blind Box had been completely abandoned.
Wei Wei had explained this in a message, stating that the base's resources were critically strained, and research was an insatiable black hole. Adding domain creature cultivation would cripple the entire operation.
"It seems I'll need to find a way to help the Scarlet Research Institute secure a new resource acquisition channel after returning to reality. Otherwise, future research will become impossible."
[You now possess the complete game code for a super virtual game in your mind. Upon returning to reality, you can begin developing it. Then, leverage the Scarlet Research Institute's influence to release the game. A portion of the game's revenue can be allocated to the institute, enabling them to purchase and stockpile resources in the early stages.]
He agreed with the Narrator's suggestion.
In the Sacrifice Line, he had spoken with the black shadow.
The black shadow believed Feng Qi was a representative of a Domain Force. If he hadn't offended the Technology Research Institute, they wouldn't have interfered with his plans for the future—the development of the super virtual game.
From this perspective, launching the super virtual game as soon as possible in the Reality Line was actually quite safe. After all, the Reality Line prioritized stability and wouldn't actively seek contact with the Technology Research Institute.
Launching the super virtual game quickly could also allow Human Civilization to leap forward by hundreds of years, saving vast resources that would otherwise be consumed by research and training. As for issues like game servers, he could seek assistance from the Scarlet Research Institute or the Future Research Institute after returning to reality. With these fellow travelers to help, he no longer needed to handle everything himself.
Just then, the researcher standing behind him pointed at an iron door and explained, "This is the Scarlet Research Institute's exclusive laboratory. It's not open to the public. Let's continue exploring elsewhere."
Feng Qi nodded immediately.
They continued strolling along the perimeter. The researcher occasionally glanced at the Suction Cup clinging to Feng Qi's chest and enthusiastically described the shelter's layout.
Through the researcher's introduction, Feng Qi gained a general understanding of the shelter's layout.
The Star City Shelter currently had 218 rooms. Four rooms at the cardinal directions—north, south, east, and west—connected to the three underground levels.
The third underground level served as the living quarters for the shelter's residents.
The remaining rooms in the underground plaza served various purposes: manufacturing workshops for crafting weapons and equipment, storage rooms for food, research labs for innovation, cultivation rooms for growing plants, and more.
Three hours of wandering passed quickly. The researcher accompanying him received a communication call.
Director Lu reported that the test results were in.
The report clearly indicated that Feng Qi's bloodline was human.
Director Lu had already sent the report to the Base Commander.
He then instructed the researcher to take Feng Qi to meet the Base Commander.
Feng Qi was curious about the Star City Shelter's commander, but also harbored a sense of caution.
Based on the available information, it was impossible to determine whether the Star City Shelter was controlled by humans or by Domain Force infiltrators within the base.
Next, he followed the researcher to a room on the north side of the underground plaza.
After explaining the situation to the guards stationed at the door, the iron gate swung open, revealing a corridor leading deeper inside.
The researcher gestured for him to proceed to meet the Commander and then turned and left.
As he explored the corridor, the overhead lights flickered on one by one.
On both sides of the corridor hung portraits.
He stopped when he saw one.
The subject of this painting was none other than himself.
The scene depicted the execution ground of Future City. He was dressed in prison garb, his face pale, seated in the electric chair.
A radiant sun blazed overhead. The artist had captured his expression facing death in exquisite detail—a hint of serenity in his eyes, but also a longing for the future.
The faint smirk on his lips seemed to mock the Domain Force lurking within human society.
In the lower left corner of the painting, a date was inscribed, followed by a line of text:
Someone must step forward to change the world. Why shouldn't that person be me?
Reaching the end of the corridor, he pushed open the door.
Before him lay a room filled with advanced technology.
The room was decorated in black and white. A curved screen, three meters high and over ten meters wide, dominated the front wall. Three men sat before it, monitoring the situation outside in real-time through drone footage.
To the right of the room stood an iron door, above which were the three characters "Commander."
Feng Qi walked directly to the door and knocked.
The iron door opened, slowly retracting into the wall. He immediately stepped inside.
The room's decor was simple. A black desk with a metallic sheen under the lights stood before a bookshelf. Seated at the desk was a stern man in his late forties or early fifties, his temples already streaked with gray.
The Commander, Xia Qian, was studying Feng Qi with curiosity, his gaze occasionally lingering on the sleeping Suction Cup.
"Please, sit down."
Feng Qi didn't hesitate, immediately taking the chair in front of the desk.
"Let me introduce myself. I am the current Commander of the Star City Shelter. My name is Xia Qian."
Feng Qi nodded. "My name is Feng Qi, from Victory City."
"Oh, the same name and surname as the Great Man?" Xia Long asked, slightly surprised.
"Yes, that's why my parents gave me this name."
Hearing this, a smile spread across Xia Qian's face.
"Feng Qi is also someone I deeply admire. He ushered in a new era of internal struggle for humanity. Without him, Human Civilization might have perished long ago."
As the conversation turned to Feng Qi, Xia Qian's interest piqued.
He then began to discuss Feng Qi's past from a historical perspective.
Hearing a slightly different version of himself from another person felt incredibly strange to Feng Qi.
He could only force himself to continue the conversation, occasionally adding a few self-praising remarks that earned him a round of mockery from the Narrator.
But through Xia Qian's words, Feng Qi learned something important.
Xia Qian's ancestor was Xia Long, one of the Xia Family Brothers who had followed him to establish the Dawn Organization.
Upon learning that Xia Qian was a descendant of an old comrade, Feng Qi couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder.
He never imagined that Xia Long's descendants would become the leader of humanity in Star City 1,500 years later.
The conversation grew less formal as they chatted.
Just then, Xia Qian suddenly looked at the Suction Cup clinging to his chest and asked, "Can you tell me why White Eyes is so fond of you?"
Feng Qi shook his head. "I have no idea. When I first met her, she latched onto me and wouldn't let go."
To prove his point, he grabbed the Suction Cup, which was clinging to his chest, and tossed her a short distance away.
The sleeping Suction Cup immediately opened her eyes. Her body rapidly adjusted in mid-air, and upon landing, she leaped back onto him, quickly maneuvering into position on his chest before closing her eyes again.
Xia Qian watched this with astonishment.
He picked up the medical report on the table and scanned it again, then exclaimed, "This is the first time White Eyes has ever voluntarily interacted with a human! But your medical report shows absolutely nothing wrong with your body, and we can't find any explanation."
After a moment of silence, Xia Qian continued, "The reason we let you into the shelter before conducting any tests was also related to White Eyes. Since she's drawn to you, you can't possibly be a domain creature."
"Why?" he asked curiously, gently stroking the Suction Cup's small head.
"White Eyes has never attacked a human, but she treats domain creatures completely differently. When the Silver Moon Domain Field suddenly expanded, Star City was spared from disaster thanks to White Eyes' protection. She also intervened repeatedly during the construction of the shelter, ensuring the project could be completed normally."
"You could say White Eyes is the guardian deity of Star City's people."
Hearing Xia Qian's explanation, Feng Qi finally understood.
Though he knew from history that Suction Cup had been hailed as Star City's mascot and guardian deity, he had clearly underestimated the city's people's reverence for White Eyes.
His ability to enter Star City early without undergoing screening was clearly due to Suction Cup's favor.
"Commander, now that it's been confirmed I'm human, may I request resident access to Star City's database? I'm deeply curious about the city's historical development."
"Since you've earned White Eyes' approval, you're naturally welcome as a member of the Star City Shelter. Once you complete registration and receive your Identity Code, you can access the database anytime," Xia Qian replied with a smile.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Xia Qian glanced at the monitor on his desk, which showed the situation outside. He pressed the button to open the door.
As the iron gate swung open, a man in a white uniform entered, carrying a document.
He placed the document on the desk and respectfully addressed Xia Qian:
"Commander, this is today's patrol report. With nothing else to report, I'll take my leave."
"Thank you," Xia Qian nodded immediately.
Hearing this, the man nodded and turned to leave, but before he did, he glanced deeply at Feng Qi.
That single glance was enough to reveal something amiss.
Suction Cup, who had been sleeping, suddenly opened her eyes.
Breaking free from Feng Qi's embrace before he could react, her eyes flickered with starlight.
A jade-colored radiance enveloped her, and her clenched fist suddenly shot out at the departing man.
Boom!
The man, along with the iron door, was sent flying through the air, and the entire wall instantly collapsed.
The three observers working outside the command room were startled, removing their headsets and staring toward the commotion.
As the urgent alarm blared in his ears, Feng Qi looked down at Suction Cup, who was standing on his thigh in a punching pose. He then glanced at the shattered wall and the man, now a mangled mess plastered against the distant wall. Finally, he turned to Xia Qian, who stood frozen in shock.
Feng Qi: ...
At that moment, the Narrator's mocking voice echoed in his mind:
[Descendant of the Xia Family, let your ancestors explain what just happened. Whatever you do, don't overreact!]
(End of the Chapter)
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