The sky was suffocating under the weight of dark clouds as a cold wind howled through the desolation. Opening his eyes, Feng Qi was met with a scene that resembled a glimpse of hell.
The horizon was cloaked in swirling thunderclouds, with occasional flashes of lightning illuminating fleeting shadows of a dragon-like figure weaving through the sky. In the foreground lay a road paved with bleached bones, stretching endlessly into the murk.
Unlike his initial encounter with the Dream Realm, Feng Qi now adapted quickly to the oppressive atmosphere. The realization lingered: history had changed once again. Yet two things remained constant—the inevitable downfall of human civilization and the small, pathetic figure struggling to rise nearby, ready to "perform" another clumsy act.
It was Little Cripple.
As if greeting an old friend, Feng Qi answered the creature's "enthusiastic" welcome with a precise flying kick, sending its head soaring over ten meters away.
[Interesting. Time may have its own corrective tendencies, but despite history changing repeatedly, why is Little Cripple always with you? This puzzles me greatly.]
"I'm just as curious why Little Black insists on chasing me every time," Feng Qi retorted, rolling his eyes. Without wasting further energy, he strode eastward.
This time, his anticipation was focused on discovering whether the future version of himself, collaborating with the Crimson Research Institute, had managed to identify the werewolf.
As he navigated toward the shelter's black metal monument, Feng Qi no longer avoided confrontations with the undead that wandered the area. His current strength rendered him unassailable in this region.
[Wow, look at you! You've become the big boss of this undead wasteland.]
Feng Qi: "…"
After searching extensively, he finally located the black metal monument. A few drops of his blood caused its surface to tremble as the synthetic mechanical voice sounded. The monument slid aside, revealing a metallic passage below.
A wave of iron-scented air rushed out to meet him.
Feng Qi stepped into the passage, walking calmly until he arrived at the database control station.
Pressing the red activation button, the control console, which had been dormant for untold years, shuddered to life, scattering dust in its wake. Moments later, the large screen before him lit up.
A cascade of cryptic symbols flitted across the display before a menu of options materialized. Feng Qi opened the search bar and typed in his own name. After a brief pause, detailed information about him filled the screen.
His photo depicted him wearing the Crimson Research Institute's uniform, his smile radiating confidence.
[Feng Qi (Posthumous Title: Historical Luminary)]
Age at Death: 28 years
Cause of Death: Mysterious sudden death during tenure at the Crimson Research Institute. Suspected to be linked to chronic overwork.
Date of Death: August 24, 2033
Lifetime Achievements (Honors):
S-Rank Star City Academy Graduate (Restored)
S-Rank Human Elite Medal (Restored)
Outstanding Contribution to Human Development Medal (Restored)
Crimson Research Institute S-Rank Researcher (Restored)
Research Contributions:
Cultivation Technique 2.0
Tiger Fist
Founding of the Concept of Planting Deities in the Human Body
Participant in Version 3.77 of Cultivation System Updates
Regeneration of Severed Limbs (Biological Sciences Field)
Evaluation:
Voted among the top ten historical geniuses in a public poll, Feng Qi's life was one of remarkable achievements, interwoven with hardship and perseverance.
At the age of 17, he first rose to prominence, revising the Cultivation Technique and developing Tiger Fist, alongside several other cultivation techniques. His groundbreaking work earned him the Human Development Contribution Silver Medal while still in his teens.
Over the next year, his unparalleled genius shone even brighter as he introduced three more innovative cultivation techniques, cementing his reputation as a once-in-a-generation prodigy.
However, Feng Qi's path to greatness was fraught with setbacks. For instance, his persistent pursuit of virtual technology yielded no tangible progress, despite massive investments of both time and resources.
Yet, his forward-thinking vision proved correct in hindsight. Although Feng Qi did not live to see the completion of his virtual game project, later generations built upon the virtual engine he and Fang Zhiyou developed, eventually creating the revolutionary Light of the World after 18 years of effort. This super-virtual game addressed critical safety concerns in combat training for the younger generation and profoundly shaped humanity's future.
Feng Qi's journey was also marked by other notable endeavors. He once established a domain combat squad but later abandoned his cultivation studies to join the Crimson Research Institute, where he solved numerous biological science conundrums.
His extraordinary talent was indisputable. Throughout history, few could rival his accomplishments.
However, during his tenure at the Crimson Research Institute, Feng Qi was branded a "human traitor" and faced widespread skepticism. These accusations were dismissed following the emergence of Light of the World, with his revoked honors restored two years after the game's launch.
Netizen Comments (Verified Accounts):
Liu Meng: Sometimes when I read about Feng Qi's achievements, I find them surreal. At his age, I had only just begun studying cultivation techniques, while he had already developed multiple groundbreaking systems and won the Human Contribution Silver Medal. The gap between people is truly staggering.
Huang Jiawei: Feng Qi's brilliance wasn't limited to cultivation and biological sciences. His foresight in pursuing virtual technology was unparalleled. Back then, people called it a waste of talent. Now, history vindicates him. What was once scorned is now celebrated, proving how ignorant people were.
Li Chengsi: Feng Qi's death is one of history's greatest mysteries, still unresolved to this day. The idea that he died of "overwork" seems ridiculous. As a cultivator, how could he die so easily? Moreover, the Crimson Research Institute conducted regular health checks. It's absurd to believe they didn't notice anything amiss. Considering the institute's eventual classification as a traitorous organization, I suspect Feng Qi was silenced to prevent him from further advancing humanity.
After reading through the future evaluations of himself, Feng Qi couldn't help but chuckle bitterly.
He never imagined that in one timeline, his achievements were all revoked due to suspicion, only to be redeemed later by the emergence of something akin to the Savior virtual game, clearing his name and establishing him as a hero. He could picture how tumultuous the life of that version of himself must have been.
[In the past, you carried the blame for others' mistakes. Future humanity casually tosses out "It's all Feng Qi's fault" whenever things go wrong. Who would've thought it'd flip, and now the Crimson Research Institute is shouldering your blame? Still, I'm more curious about how you actually died in that timeline.]
Feng Qi sighed at his premature demise. It was clear to him that his short lifespan had to have been affected by some external interference.
Closing the personal information page, he entered his email address into the search bar. After a few seconds, the inbox interface opened.
A flood of messages appeared on the large screen. Alongside his own entries, another name now adorned the sender's list: Wei Wei.
It was apparent that before his death, the future version of him had entrusted the email account to Wei Wei.
Without hesitation, Feng Qi began scrolling through the messages.
4. The "Werewolf Hunt" officially begins.
Today, I contacted Wei Wei and decided to visit the Crimson Research Institute. Of course, I couldn't divulge too much over the phone—who knows if the lines are being monitored? Naturally, my official reason was a casual "tour" of the institute. (Laughing emoji)
6. A conversation with Wei Wei.
I didn't beat around the bush. I directly told Wei Wei that I had the ability to traverse timelines and possessed extensive knowledge about the future. This, I explained, was how I had been able to develop several cultivation techniques at such a young age.
Her reaction? That woman thought I was insane. She even gave me a look as if I was a fool, saying, "Why don't you time travel again and show me?"
7. Wei Wei finally believed me.
After some heated discussion, she came around to the idea that I had traveled to the future, though not without a dramatic twist. At one point, she nearly had me detained.
When I revealed information about projects like the Reverse Infiltration Plan, Semi-Domain Biological Modifications, the Dark World, and Mu Qing's cloning, Wei Wei initially thought I had stolen classified information from the Crimson Research Institute and was on the verge of imprisoning me for interrogation.
Fortunately, I brought up a detail about Mu Yan—that he once gifted her "youth." This was a secret known only to her and Mu Yan. Hearing this, Wei Wei finally believed me.
12. High-level meeting at the Crimson Research Institute.
Due to my revelations, the Crimson Research Institute convened an emergency top-tier meeting, with all senior leaders present. Just as my future self described, stringent checks were conducted beforehand—body scans, mental evaluations—to ensure no attendees were carrying surveillance devices or under any form of mind control.
During the meeting, I faced a barrage of questions. But I had come prepared, reiterating numerous secrets about the institute. I even revealed the origin of the Crimson Research Institute's name.
After my presentation, the institute's leadership believed me and agreed to collaborate on capturing the werewolf hiding among the students.
13. The plan unfolds.
The next day, another meeting was held where I detailed my strategy for identifying the werewolf.
The institute's leaders took this matter very seriously, pledging full support. Wei Wei was assigned as my primary point of contact.
They admitted their own frustrations with the lack of leads regarding the shadowy forces infiltrating human civilization. This werewolf, they speculated, could serve as a critical entry point.
The plan required me to continue building the "Breaking Dawn" organization while hinting that I was aware of the shadowy forces. This would draw the werewolf's attention and pique their curiosity about me.
68. A test of trust.
Today, I gathered Lu Yue and the others, revealing to them the truth about this world. I explained the existence of shadowy forces embedded within human civilization, observing each student's reaction closely.
Judging by their expressions, everyone appeared genuinely shocked—there was no way to discern who the werewolf might be from this alone.
Of course, I never expected to catch the werewolf with such a straightforward test. The next phase involved creating a trap for them.
121. Setting the trap.
The plan was simple: I would create an opportunity for the werewolf to implant a monitoring chip into my body.
Chances to do so would be rare, requiring me to be completely off guard. Reflecting on past messages from my future self, I recalled a specific moment—the celebration banquet after Mu Qing's "Breaking Dawn" was formed.
During this banquet, my future self had already established an awareness of shadowy forces, and the students were aware of the lurking dangers.
It was likely during this banquet that the chip was implanted. Normally, I never drink alcohol, so such an event provided a rare opportunity.
124. The Crimson Research Institute sets the stage.
Today, the institute sent me a case of merit wine, ostensibly as a reward for my groundbreaking "Planting Deities in the Human Body" concept and its impact on human biology.
The real purpose? To provide me with an excuse to celebrate, lulling the werewolf into a false sense of security and prompting them to implant the chip.
125. The final step.
I knew the werewolf wasn't foolish. To catch them, I had to truly get drunk. Pretending to pass out would only arouse their suspicion and ruin the plan.
Moreover, feigning unconsciousness might tip them off that I suspected my students, leading to the plan's failure.
Fortunately, I had a backup plan in place. Wei Wei had already arranged for elite operatives from the Crimson Research Institute to monitor the event secretly.
Finally, the night came. Upon waking, I discovered the chip had indeed been implanted. And at long last, I knew the identity of the werewolf lurking in the darkness.
It was Le Ping'an!