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Translator: CinderTL
After settling into the chair across from his desk, the Lord of the Mist looked at Feng Qi and said:
"Now that our control over the Tiger Soul Research Institute has stabilized, it's time to consider how to infiltrate the Technology Research Institute. I need to uncover the secrets of the Black Reaper Project as soon as possible; it could significantly impact our future development."
Feng Qi nodded in agreement. "So, what's your plan? We can't recruit spies from within the Tiger Soul Research Institute. The youngest recruits here are already graduates—we can't expect them to relearn technological fundamentals, can we?"
"Of course not," the Lord of the Mist replied, shaking his head decisively. "If a spy were compromised, it would be too easy to trace them back to the Tiger Soul Research Institute. We're no match for the forces behind the Technology Research Institute yet. Such a move would be far too risky."
"Then where do you plan to find candidates to infiltrate the Technology Research Institute?"
"Finding suitable candidates would be too troublesome. I've decided to leverage the Nightshadow Clan's abilities to control promising individuals and infiltrate the Technology Research Institute. This approach has an added advantage: even if our agents are discovered, we can sever the mental connection, rendering them untraceable by the Black Shadow Faction behind the institute."
Hearing this, Feng Qi suddenly understood.
He realized why, during his previous undercover mission, the spies sent by the Tiger Soul Research Institute had been exposed by the Technology Research Institute's Black Shadow Faction, yet no amount of interrogation could extract any information about the Tiger Soul Research Institute from them.
This was clearly related to the mental control techniques.
Now it seemed the Lord of the Mist's decision not to exterminate the Nightshadow Clan, despite their mental control abilities, had been remarkably wise.
Though the clan's combat prowess was weak, the mental control abilities granted by their bloodline could sometimes yield unexpected surprises.
Feng Qi was also eagerly anticipating the infiltration of the Technology Research Institute.
At the very least, once the infiltration succeeded, the spies would undoubtedly bring back crucial intelligence and information that he had been unable to uncover during his previous Sacrifice Line.
After a lengthy discussion, the Lord of the Mist suddenly spoke up:
"Besides infiltrating the Technology Research Institute, I've been considering a new plan recently. If successful, it could significantly accelerate our growth."
Feng Qi's face lit up with curiosity. "What plan is that?"
"A plan targeting the Scarlet Research Institute."
Hearing the Lord of the Mist's intention to target the Scarlet Research Institute, Feng Qi's heart skipped a beat.
"What do you mean by 'targeting' them? We have no conflicting interests with the Scarlet Research Institute. Moreover, even the Tiger Soul Research Institute's highest clearance levels can't access their data, so their true capabilities remain unknown."
"We haven't even fully established ourselves within the Tiger Soul Research Institute yet. Launching a premature attack on the Scarlet Research Institute could bring about our complete annihilation."
The Lord of the Mist nodded with a smile. "Your analysis is correct. I share your concerns about the risks of a premature attack on the Scarlet Research Institute... but you're mistaken about one thing. We actually have fundamental conflicting interests with them."
"What conflict of interest?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Spiritual resources gathered from the front lines are consolidated at Star City Airport before being distributed. The Star City Small Research Institute receives only a small share; the bulk goes to the military department, the Scarlet Research Institute, and our Tiger Soul Research Institute."
"To secure more resources, we must undermine the other two factions."
"We can't touch the military department. Their position is too secure, with strong ties to the United Military Department. Besides, their resource needs rarely clash with ours."
"By contrast, the Scarlet Research Institute is our greatest competitor for resources."
"If we could cripple the Scarlet Research Institute, our resource allocation would increase dramatically each time."
Hearing this, Feng Qi immediately understood the Lord of the Mist's intentions.
But the Scarlet Research Institute was crucial to the Sacrifice Line. He couldn't possibly allow the Lord of the Mist to target it.
Moreover, in previous timelines, there had been no record of the Tiger Soul Research Institute attacking the Scarlet Research Institute.
With this in mind, he immediately spoke up:
"I understand your thinking, but attacking the Scarlet Research Institute directly is far too risky."
The Lord of the Mist nodded with a smile. "That's precisely what I wanted to explain next. I never intended to attack the Scarlet Research Institute myself. We can rely entirely on external forces to confront them."
"Elaborate."
"My plan is simple: create conditions that will compel the Technology Research Institute to strike against the Scarlet Research Institute. I believe that once the Technology Research Institute and its Black Shadow Faction allies mobilize, they will inevitably crush the Scarlet Research Institute."
Hearing this, his heart tightened.
In the previous timeline, the Scarlet Research Institute had retreated to its Secret Base early due to pressure from the Technology Research Institute. Now, hearing the Lord of the Mist's plan, he couldn't help but suspect the Lord of the Mist's involvement in that event.
Thinking of this, he immediately asked, "Do you have a detailed plan yet?"
"I have a plan, but it still needs refinement."
"The first step is to create conflict between the Technology Research Institute and the Scarlet Research Institute."
"For this, I've targeted the Wolf Domain Battle Group under the Technology Research Institute. I recently used my authority to review the frontline mission list and discovered that the Wolf Domain Battle Group will be deployed to Old Day City in forty days for a construction assistance mission. I intend to ambush them during this operation."
"Of course, I won't annihilate the Wolf Domain Battle Group. I'll only kill its high-ranking officers and release most of the warriors, letting them return to inform the Black Shadow Faction behind the Technology Research Institute."
Wolf Domain Battle Group?
Hearing the Lord of the Mist's words, he suddenly recalled a major incident that had occurred during his infiltration of the Technology Research Institute.
At the time, the Wolf Domain Battle Group's high-ranking officers had mysteriously died, leaving the battle group without a leader.
It was then, in order to gain higher clearance within the Technology Research Institute, that he had undergone biochemical modification and ultimately been promoted to become the Wolf Domain Battle Group's new group leader, becoming a member of the Technology Research Institute's second-tier core circle.
Now it seemed clear that the collective demise of the Wolf Domain Battle Group's officers had been orchestrated by the Lord of the Mist.
But what puzzled him was what the Lord of the Mist had done after killing the officers to make the Technology Research Institute turn its attention to the Scarlet Research Institute.
With this thought, he turned to the Lord of the Mist and asked, "And then what? After killing the Wolf Domain Battle Group's officers, how did you shift the blame to the Scarlet Research Institute?"
A smile spread across the Lord of the Mist's face. "The Wolf Domain Battle Group's mission is related to Twilight City, an outer city affiliated with Old Day City. Twilight City happens to house a branch base of the Scarlet Research Institute."
"I still don't understand."
"Don't forget, the Wang Yi I possessed was a first-tier member of the Technology Research Institute's core circle. I know how the institute sends internal communications."
"The Wolf Pack Battle Group's mission will bring them into contact with the Scarlet Branch Base in Twilight City. I'll seize that opportunity to strike."
"After eliminating all the Wolf Pack Battle Group's high-ranking officers, I'll use my knowledge to simulate their communications and send false intelligence to the Black Shadow Faction behind the Technology Research Institute."
"The content of the intelligence doesn't matter. What I want is to make them suspect that the Scarlet Base in Twilight City has a research project targeting them."
"I even want the Black Shadow Faction to suspect that the Scarlet Research Institute has discovered their infiltration of human society."
"If this plan succeeds, it will plant the seeds of doubt in the Black Shadow Faction's minds. If they still want to proceed with the Black Reaper Project, they'll inevitably try to suppress the Scarlet Research Institute, viewing it as a thorn in their side."
"After all, the Black Shadow Faction behind the Technology Research Institute also relies on human power to grow. They can't afford to be exposed to the world. How can they rest easy as long as the Scarlet Research Institute remains standing?"
"To deepen this conflict, I'll be launching a series of 'fire-stoking' operations."
"In essence, the core of this plan is to leverage the power of the Technology Research Institute to help us dismantle the Scarlet Research Institute, thereby achieving our desired objectives."
"Once the Scarlet Research Institute falls, our Tiger Soul Research Institute will become the undisputed top institution in Star City. The majority of the resources originally allocated to the Scarlet Research Institute will then be redistributed to us..."
As Feng Qi listened to the Lord of the Mist's explanation, a chill ran down his spine.
A clear timeline formed in his mind, finally providing answers to many long-standing questions:
The mysterious deaths of high-ranking members of the Wolf Pack Battle Group. The Technology Research Institute's sudden attack on the Scarlet Research Institute's branch base in Twilight City. * The subsequent series of propaganda campaigns and sabotage operations launched by the Technology Research Institute against the Scarlet Research Institute.
These previously perplexing events now fell into place, revealing the truth behind them.
Watching the Lord of the Mist continue to analyze and refine his plan, Feng Qi could only think:
This child is terrifyingly cunning. He must be eliminated.
(End of the Chapter)
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