Translator: CinderTL
By examining the memories of the body's original owner, the Lord of the Mist had also discovered a critical flaw within the Nightshadow Clan.
During their years of infiltrating the Tiger Soul Research Institute, the Nightshadow Clan had become deeply divided, riddled with internal conflicts.
The primary cause of this division was the allocation of resources.
The Nightshadow Clan's power structure bore some similarities to the high-level organization of Star City.
In Star City, supreme authority rested with the Star City Council, whose members were the highest-ranking leaders from the military department, various research institutes, and other organizations.
The Star City Supreme Council convened meetings to deliberate and decide on matters concerning the city's future development and resource allocation.
The Nightshadow Clan operated similarly.
The clan was divided into three factions, each controlled by a clan elder.
The position of clan leader rotated among these factions.
Every twenty years, the faction whose turn it was would select a member to succeed the current clan leader.
This rotation system was the root of the problem.
Since infiltrating the Tiger Soul Research Institute, the Nightshadow Clan's development had entered a golden age.
Fueled by the massive resources pouring in from the front lines, their progress over the past twenty years far surpassed that of the previous two decades.
In the vast domain world, the Nightshadow Clan was an insignificant speck, barely qualifying as one of the Weak Domain Races.
In their original world, they had been a bottom-tier clan, perpetually starved of resources.
To the Nightshadow Clan, the Tiger Soul Research Institute was an inexhaustible treasure trove.
The problem, however, lay in the unequal distribution of these resources.
This issue had plagued the Nightshadow Clan for generations.
Whenever a particular faction ascended to the clan leader's position, they invariably channeled more benefits to their own faction.
In the past, when resources were scarce, this imbalance was less pronounced.
After all, with so little to go around, the difference between having a little more or a little less was negligible and couldn't fundamentally alter the situation.
Even if one faction suffered a loss, they could recoup it in the next twenty-year cycle.
But now, the past twenty years had completely transformed the Nightshadow Clan.
Faced with the immense resources provided by the Tiger Soul Research Institute, the three major factions burned with envy.
Securing the clan leader's position now would bring unimaginable benefits to one's faction.
This was indeed the case.
After accounting for research and development expenses, the current clan leader's faction controlled over 80% of the Tiger Soul Research Institute's resources, leaving the remaining 20% to be divided between the other two factions.
This disparity bred resentment among the other factions, creating a clear rift within the Nightshadow Clan.
The Lord of the Mist viewed this problem through a particular lens.
He believed the Nightshadow Clan was shackled by a "weakling mentality," hindering their collective progress.
The internal discord stemmed from the lack of a shared, long-term goal.
In contrast, the Star City Supreme Council operated differently.
Its members shared the common objective of dispelling the Domain Field and accelerating the advancement of Human Civilization.
Every Supreme Council meeting revolved around these core themes.
Discussions about resource allocation and Star City's future were always framed within this overarching goal.
While disagreements arose, the overall direction remained consistent.
The Nightshadow Clan, however, was different.
Before entering the human world, they had always occupied the lowest rung of the domain world's hierarchy.
Survival was their primary objective, and there were no external threats requiring them to unite against.
Without a higher-level adversary, the other factions within their clan became their rivals.
This led the clan to approach problems with a consistently selfish mindset.
The three major factions within the clan resembled three competing powers within a nation, huddling together for warmth while secretly yearning for greater dominance.
The Lord of the Mist attributed their unfair treatment of their clansmen to "weakling clan mentality."
After hearing the Lord of the Mist's analysis, Feng Qi couldn't resist asking what "strong clan mentality" entailed.
The Lord of the Mist replied that modern humans possessed "strong clan mentality."
Strength and problem-solving approaches were two distinct things.
Setting aside their physical power, before spiritual energy descended upon the world, humans were undeniably at the apex of the food chain.
They held absolute authority over the world's discourse.
Who was livestock, who was a protected species—all the rules were established by humans.
When their homeland was invaded, humanity's first instinct was to resist and reclaim what was rightfully theirs.
In that moment, all internal conflicts dissolved into a unified resolve.
Facing utter despair, their immediate thought was to fight back—a hallmark of a strong race's mindset.
If the same challenge were presented to the Nightshadow Clan, they would simply submit, willingly becoming slaves to their new rulers.
Then they would retreat to their marginalized existence.
Feng Qi was deeply moved by the Lord of the Mist's analysis.
At the end of their conversation, the Lord of the Mist shared his next steps.
The "fishing plan" had undoubtedly succeeded.
The plan consisted of four phases:
1. Use the Weak Clan Alliance Platform to determine if Tiger Soul was backed by a Domain Force.
2. If a Domain Force was confirmed, accept missions to establish contact with it.
3. Exploit mission requirements to create an opportunity for body possession.
4. Infiltrate the Domain Force behind Tiger Soul to gather more intelligence.
The four steps of their current plan had all been successfully executed.
The next phase involved dismantling the Nightshadow Clan's momentum and seizing control of the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
Feng Qi couldn't offer the Lord of the Mist any assistance or advice in this regard.
During their phone call, the Lord of the Mist revealed his preliminary plan: to first attempt to internally divide the Nightshadow Clan, even going so far as to win over some of its clansmen.
Of course, he would be using his current identity as a Nightshadow Clan member to achieve this.
He intended to act as a rebel, stirring up internal conflicts within the clan.
There was another crucial reason for this approach.
The Lord of the Mist explained that after completing the body possession, he found himself high in the sky.
To avoid exposing himself, he closed his eyes, feigning unconsciousness, and allowed his body to plummet straight down.
Yet the Nightshadow Clan members from the current clan leader's faction, who had come to provide support, made no move to rescue him. Instead, they watched him fall without intervening.
Even as his body crashed to the ground, they made no attempt to help.
It was only when clansmen from his own faction rushed to the scene that he was carried back to the Tiger Soul Headquarters and given emergency treatment.
This incident clearly demonstrated the severe internal strife plaguing the Nightshadow Clan.
Compared to conquering through force, the Lord of the Mist declared that he preferred to defeat his opponents through wisdom.
Only such a victory could bring true satisfaction.
After hanging up, Feng Qi couldn't help but marvel at the Lord of the Mist's capabilities.
However, he disagreed with the Lord of the Mist's final remark.
He believed that crushing an opponent underfoot with brute force was far more satisfying than outsmarting them.
Stuffing his phone back into his pocket, a smile crept across his face.
With the call to the Lord of the Mist concluded, his worries dissipated.
History might have been altered by his actions, but he was confident that the Lord of the Mist's infiltration of the Tiger Soul Research Institute would proceed smoothly.
The thought filled him with anticipation.
Once the Lord of the Mist formally took control of the Tiger Soul Research Institute, his power would undoubtedly grow rapidly.
This would grant Feng Qi access to a wealth of valuable intelligence.
He could even leverage the Lord of the Mist's strength to eliminate several Domain Forces, using brute force to extract information.
The Technology Research Institute, for example.
In a previous timeline, Feng Qi had infiltrated the institute's core circle, but the intelligence he obtained had been limited.
Many secrets remained hidden within its walls, such as the truth about Little Black and the enigmatic genius known as "Mo."
He could use the power of the Lord of the Mist to delve deeper into these secrets.
(End of the Chapter)
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