The first part of the video had revealed shocking information, leading Feng Qi to realize that Little Black was most likely a super spiritual-energy warrior created by the Institute of Technological Research.
But some questions remained unanswered.
First: Why was Little Black hunting him? How could it pinpoint his location with such precision?
From the Institute of Technological Research's perspective, Feng Qi had already been assassinated. Why, then, would they dispatch Little Black to hunt him?
One explanation could be that Little Black's programming included a directive to eradicate all humans. Upon detecting human presence, it awakened from its dormant state to eliminate him.
But such an explanation felt too simplistic.
After all, Suction Cup was technically human, being a clone, yet Little Black hadn't pursued her. Why? Was it because the Rune Crystal embedded in Suction Cup excluded her from Little Black's recognition parameters?
[That theory doesn't hold up. If anything, Suction Cup seems more human than you. She just has a Rune Crystal embedded in her, but at her core, she's still a clone. Now, take a good look at yourself—do you even resemble a human?]
Feng Qi glanced at himself.
Feng Qi: …
If Suction Cup gained domain creature abilities through the Rune Crystal, then Feng Qi had fused those abilities directly into his body. By comparison, he looked even less human.
With that question unresolved, the second issue was even harder to explain.
In a previous timeline, there had been clues about Little Black's origin. Some suggested that Little Black came from Future City—the same place where the Institute of Technological Research was based.
According to speculation from the people of the future, Little Black might have been the cause of Future City's destruction.
But why would the Institute of Technological Research unleash Little Black to destroy a city they controlled so tightly—including their own base? That was akin to blowing up their home before wiping out humanity.
If they had a weapon as powerful as Little Black, shouldn't they have used it to attack other cities instead?
[So, what if Little Black went rogue after being created? It might've annihilated all life in Future City and destroyed it completely. That would also explain why it kills domain creatures indiscriminately.]
"I don't know. It's possible," Feng Qi admitted reluctantly.
The third issue was why even mindless domain creatures held such strong animosity toward Little Black.
He had exploited this hatred before, using domain creatures as distractions to extend his survival time in the dream realm.
While Little Black's origin was now partially uncovered, its true nature remained a mystery.
Determined to find more answers, Feng Qi continued watching the video.
On the screen, the white-haired researcher in the Crimson Research Institute's uniform spoke gravely:
"Next, I will conduct comprehensive tests on the spiritual-energy nanobots."
"First, the spiritual-energy infusion test."
As his voice faded, the video cut to a close-up of a spiritual-energy nanobot. A single golden droplet fell onto the nanobot's surface.
What happened next was astonishing—the droplet was instantly devoured.
The researcher continued adding droplets of energy liquid, testing the nanobot's capacity for energy absorption.
No matter how much liquid he added, the nanobot consumed it all.
When the 68th droplet was absorbed, the intricate patterns on the nanobot's surface rippled with golden light. The screen shook violently, and tiny cracks appeared around the nanobot.
The video cut back to the white-haired researcher.
"The experiment cannot proceed further. The total volume of energy liquid used in this test was 50 milliliters. If the nanobot continues absorbing energy, its strength will increase exponentially, potentially allowing it to escape the containment field. The test has been forcibly terminated."
Fifty milliliters?
Hearing this, Feng Qi was stunned.
The spiritual-energy nanobot had absorbed energy 50 million times its own volume—and still hadn't reached its limit.
What kind of monster was this?
[No wonder Little Black could effortlessly devour the compressed energy blast from the sky behemoth. Made entirely of these spiritual-energy nanobots, Little Black is practically an ocean of energy reserves. Any form of energy attack would be useless against it.]
Feng Qi felt a headache coming on.
Defeating Little Black seemed an insurmountable task.
The video continued with the researcher conducting various tests on the nanobots: stress resistance, psychic interference, sensory disruption.
Each result left Feng Qi increasingly uneasy.
The nanobots were virtually indestructible. They could withstand physical damage and absorb magical energy. Psychic interference was ineffective against a technological construct like them. Worst of all, even electronic disruptions or signal jamming didn't work.
In short, Little Black had no weaknesses. It was the perfect weapon.
At the end of the video, the researcher faced the camera, his voice tinged with solemnity:
"Feng Qi, if you're watching this video, I know you must feel conflicted. But defeating Little Black isn't impossible. You must interfere with the timeline and destroy the Institute of Technological Research before Little Black is created. That might be the only solution."
"Additionally, I must point out one thing: I suspect Little Black's origin isn't as straightforward as it seems. Over the years of open and covert battles, we've gained a deep understanding of the Institute of Technological Research. If they had a weapon like Little Black, humanity's cities would have fallen long ago."
"Moreover, the materials used to create the spiritual-energy nanobots are unlike anything we've ever seen. These materials don't exist in any known domain field, suggesting they might come from what you referred to as… the Path of Ascension."
"As for the Path of Ascension's location or whether it aligns with our understanding of the Dark World, we don't know. Every elite we've sent to the Dark World has failed to return, and cross-dimensional communication remains impossible. Our reverse infiltration plan is almost a complete failure."
"The answers to these mysteries might only be uncovered by the enigmatic Mu Qing."
At the end, the researcher smiled warmly at the camera.
"Feng Qi, you're not alone. We are all walking this path with you. In every timeline, we stand by your side. Humanity will prevail."
These words brought a surge of warmth to Feng Qi's heart.
Closing the video, he wasted no time and immediately searched for the access credentials.
Clicking on the topmost file, a man in a blue uniform appeared on screen, exuding an air of authority.
"This video was specifically preserved for you, Feng Qi," the man began. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Zhu Baichang, the current director of the Crimson Research Institute."
"I deeply apologize for the truth about the access credentials," Zhu Baichang began, his voice tinged with helplessness. "We are powerless in this regard. The Crimson Research Institute is currently seen as a rogue force by the outside world. Contacting them directly would expose us, inviting attacks from multiple factions. We're forced to hide in this secret base, scavenging external information carefully and discreetly."
He sighed before continuing, "The residents of Star City Shelter each have a unique account identifier. We've been unable to infiltrate their system. In attempting to do so, we've already lost three comrades. For that, I offer my deepest regrets."
Zhu's face showed a flicker of guilt before he continued, "Now, I have three updates to share with you."
"The first update is regarding your proposal for the brain-in-a-vat plan. Our subsequent research in this area has borne fruit. We've developed a specialized container capable of preserving your brain. Significant progress has also been made in studying active biological substances. Perhaps during your next timeline traversal, you could leave your brain here in the secret base, allowing you to access and retrieve memory information as needed."
"The second update pertains to our ongoing investigation into Little Black. We've discovered that Little Black's unique nature goes far beyond its composition of spiritual-energy nanobots."
"In its aggregated state, Little Black has evolved into a new life form, a domain creature, rather than just a mere conglomeration of countless nanobots."
He paused, his tone turning more serious. "Further research also revealed that Little Black doesn't only exist in two states: fog and solid form. Each nanobot's mysterious engravings contain three energy nodes. Typically, Little Black alternates between the first and second nodes, which correspond to its fog and solid forms. However, the third form has never been activated. If this third state is unlocked, Little Black's true potential might finally emerge."
At this point, Zhu Baichang took a deep breath before exclaiming, "Damn it! I have no idea how the Institute of Technological Research managed to develop Little Black. If humanity could master such technology and control it, we might finally gain the upper hand in the long war against domain invasions."
"Perhaps you could explore this avenue—find a way to acquire the Institute of Technological Research's Little Black research data. But I can't shake the feeling that this technology is taboo. The Institute's destruction, perhaps even caused by Little Black itself, reinforces this."
"That thing seems to have gone rogue upon its creation, indiscriminately hunting both domain creatures and humans."
These words solidified Feng Qi's earlier suspicions.
Little Black seemed to have gained autonomous consciousness after its creation, escaping any form of control. Its ability to precisely locate and hunt him remained an enigma.
Zhu Baichang continued, "The third update involves a gift my mentor Wei Wei left for you in Room 203. While you might not find it immediately useful, if you can, you'll witness history in the making."
The video concluded with Zhu Baichang offering a faint smile. "Good luck on your path ahead, fellow traveler."
As the video ended, Feng Qi's curiosity about Wei Wei's gift piqued. What could she have left for him?
Another pressing question arose in his mind.
Where had the inhabitants of the Crimson Research Institute's base gone?
If they had hidden within this secret facility, they should have been able to avoid the apocalypse. At the very least, there should have been remnants—bodies, documents, something.
Yet there was nothing here. It was as if everyone had simply vanished. Could it be that during the final apocalyptic battle, everyone had gone to participate in the ultimate confrontation?
With lingering doubts, Feng Qi began searching the database for any relevant information.
After combing through the files, he found nothing. There was no data about what might have happened to the Crimson Research Institute's personnel.
It was as though they had disappeared overnight, leaving no trace and no time to leave any messages behind.
This only deepened Feng Qi's curiosity. What exactly had transpired in the moments before humanity's annihilation?
"Any thoughts, Narrator?" he asked aloud.
[Thoughts? My head's gone bald trying to figure out what happened. I wasn't there to witness the eve of the apocalypse. The only glimpse I have is from the memory fragments you accessed from Mu Qing, where she singlehandedly defended humanity's final glimmer of hope against the domain field's encroachment, perishing alongside the world.]
[If you want to uncover what happened during the final days, your only option is to keep correcting the timeline. Delay humanity's extinction and witness the events yourself—even participate in the final battle.]
Feng Qi nodded solemnly.
He then typed "Wei Wei" into the search bar, hoping to find more information left behind by her.
The search results quickly populated, with a message box pinned at the top.
Clicking on the message box revealed a collection of text logs and video clips.
"You little brat, the creation of Little Mu Qing has made progress. The only issue is that the resulting Little Mu Qing can't survive for long and is prone to premature death. Perhaps you were right; without Mu Qing's Rune Crystal, I can't recreate her. So, we're planning to retrieve Mu Qing's body."
"We got it."
"Mu Qing's body is now sealed in Room 101. The Rune Crystal has been removed and is ready for implantation into Little Mu Qing—you call her Little Suction Cup. Wish me luck... and look forward to me crafting you the ultimate weapon."
"This crimson Rune Crystal is truly extraordinary. It contains boundless vitality. When implanted into Little Mu Qing's left arm, her life signals gradually stabilized. Her body seamlessly fused with the Rune Crystal, achieving a state of perfection."
"Unbelievable. Sustaining Little Mu Qing's life was as simple as using this Rune Crystal."
"Here, take a look at Little Mu Qing's condition. (Video attached)."
Feng Qi clicked on the video, and the screen displayed a three-meter-tall, two-meter-wide nutrient pod filled with pale green liquid.
Inside the pod, a tiny version of Suction Cup with a Rune Crystal embedded in her arm was energetically kicking her little legs, swimming around.
Compared to her current state, Suction Cup in the video appeared much more animated. Her eyes sparkled with life, not the dull gray they had become.
"Little Mu Qing, look over here and give us a smile," Wei Wei's voice echoed as the camera zoomed in on the nutrient pod.
Suction Cup seemed to hear the call. She turned her head toward the camera, a naïve, adorable smile spreading across her childish face. Then she began gulping down the nutrient fluid with enthusiasm.
In just a few moments, she had consumed more than half of the liquid in the pod.
Seeing this, Wei Wei set down the recording device, walked over to the pod, and pressed a green button on the side.
Immediately, a soft tube at the top of the pod wobbled, and a fresh supply of green liquid poured in, quickly refilling the pod to its original level.
Returning to the camera, Wei Wei brushed her bangs behind her ear and sighed helplessly. "I can't afford to feed her anymore. Little Mu Qing eats way too much. This is already the eighth refill of nutrient fluid today."
"Our resources here are already scarce. Starting today, I'm putting her on a diet. A young lady shouldn't eat too much—what if she gets fat and can't find someone to marry in the future? I'm only doing this for her own good."
Feng Qi: …
Hearing this, he was left speechless.
He couldn't help but wonder if Wei Wei herself believed the words she was saying.
He continued to browse through the subsequent messages.
36:
"The research on Little Mu Qing is now complete. Moving forward, I plan to focus on extending life. I hope everyone in the Research Institute can live as long as I have. Watching old friends pass away over and over again... it's so lonely. QVQ."
62:
"I've decided on my next research direction and goal: lobsters."
"Setting aside the cultivation system, from a purely biological perspective, lobsters are nearly immortal. If they're not hunted, starved, or diseased, they can theoretically live forever and grow indefinitely."
"All living organisms have a life cycle."
"Humans grow during the first stage after birth, reach maturity in the second stage, and then cease growing, entering a period of decline that leads to the end of life."
"This happens because human cells divide and replicate during growth, but most cells can only replicate about 40-70 times. After reaching this limit, they stop replicating, and aging begins."
"This is due to telomeres in human DNA, which prevent errors during replication. However, with each replication, telomeres are worn down. Once they're too damaged to maintain their structure, replication ceases, and aging occurs."
"Lobsters, however, are an exception. Their telomeres don't degrade, allowing their cells to replicate indefinitely, keeping them in a constant state of growth."
"So, I'm going to start my research with lobsters and see if I can unlock the secret to longevity."
78:
"The experiment has begun. I've created an environment for the lobster with no natural predators, no bacteria, and an abundance of food."
"I'm also helping the lobster with its most challenging molting stages to ensure its survival and study its longevity."
83:
"In theory, if the lobster can truly grow indefinitely, it could eventually grow into a 100-meter-tall super monster."
"Of course, if it got that big, it might collapse under its own weight."
"So I had a wild idea—what if I implanted a Rune Crystal into the lobster to strengthen its body?"
"Hmm, would that count as creating a new type of domain creature?"
"First, we had Rune-Modified Humans, and now it's Rune-Modified Lobsters… I really am a genius, hahaha!"
194:
"The lobster has molted 479 times, and its weight has reached over 400 pounds. Little Mu Qing can't stop drooling at the sight of it. I'll have to keep her away from it, or one day my experiment might end up as her dinner."
"QVQ Honestly, I want to eat it too. I miss the days on the surface when we could eat spicy lobsters."
208:
"Its increased weight is becoming a burden. I've decided to implant a Rune Crystal from a Giant Python into it. Hopefully, it'll survive the process."
"If it doesn't… well, I could always cry while eating five pounds of it."
211:
"The Rune implantation was a success. The crystal has started merging with the lobster."
"Of course, this was my handiwork. As the pioneer of the global Rune Modification Program, I just want to shout to the world: 'Who's better than me?!'"
233:
"With the Rune Crystal enhancing it, the lobster has continued to grow larger. Its body is now so massive that I had to move it to Lab 203. I'm looking forward to seeing how much further it'll grow while periodically collecting samples for research."
"Watching its increasingly plump body, I can't help but drool. It looks delicious."
258:
"I think this research direction might be a mistake. The lobster keeps growing, but I can't extract any useful data from it. It seems to have fully transformed into a domain creature. Its traits as a lobster are becoming less and less recognizable. Maybe… I should just eat it?"
482:
I realize I'm aging day by day. So much for eternal youth—what a tough pill to swallow. Am I really turning into an old hag? But I haven't even figured out the secret to immortality yet! This is driving me crazy.
483:
That old woman came to see me today. I immediately grabbed her and tried to get the truth about the rebellion, but she refused to tell me anything. She just gave a few instructions to Little Mu Qing and left. He~tui.
484:
The Silver Moon Domain Field suddenly descended, and it looks like I'll have to release Little Mu Qing. If Star City falls, the Scarlet Research Institute will be doomed too.
485:
Your weapon ran away from home. It successfully repelled the Silver Moon Domain Field but came back severely injured. Even the rune crystal was shattered. My poor child, it hurts to see her like this.
486:
Just as you predicted, after losing her consciousness, Little Mu Qing doesn't want to come back. Even when I got approval and went out to find her myself, she only showed some affection for me but refused to follow me home.
QVQ, I lost my child. Crying is the only way to ease the pain.
709:
I'm aging rapidly. I might not have many years left. Why won't that old woman come back and extend my life again? I really want to live for another five hundred years!
I thought about eating "Mala" before my death, but on second thought, I decided against it.
I remembered you said once that when you kill domain creatures, you gain their abilities.
So I've decided to leave it for you. See if killing it will grant you a special ability like "immortality."
I've prepared plenty of energy resources for Mala in Room 203 to ensure it can survive until then.
803:
My thoughts are slowing down. I need daily nutrient injections just to stay alert. I can't continue with the research anymore.
It's game over. My time is almost up. From now on, no more video messages from me—I'm afraid my frail image will ruin the heroic impression you have of me.
807:
My hands are trembling as I type. This feeling of old age is utterly miserable, like being perpetually ill, unable to muster any energy.
I feel like staying alive now is just wasting the base's resources. So I've decided to spend my last moments outside.
It's been so long since I went out, and even if I get caught, it doesn't matter anymore.
808:
Approval granted. I've decided to go out and have a meal of spicy lobster. I can't wait.
809:
This is my final message to you. I'm leaving.
Before you appeared, I often felt lost about humanity's future.
Our weakness compared to the enemy's strength made hope seem unattainable. That's why our salvation plan relied on infiltration rather than direct confrontation.
But after meeting you, I firmly believe humanity will eventually triumph.
I never gave up on my dreams before. I just felt lost at times.
It's like groping through the darkness, searching for a way out while fearing the night will never end.
You, with your fire, illuminated the vast night of my life.
With you here, the future is promising.
Keep carrying our dreams forward, little brother Feng Qi. You've got this!
Spicy lobster, here I come!
...
As the deputy captain of Team Two escorted me out of the base, I suddenly remembered something and rushed back.
One last thing to add: there's a seasoning packet in my room. If you butcher "Mala," make sure you cook and eat it.
QVQ, it's so big, I'm sure it'll taste amazing.