Over the next few months, the blue-skinned assassin became a primary subject of research at the Crimson Research Institute. Beyond studying its unique physiology, Wei Wei intensified her efforts in interrogation, aiming to uncover the truth behind the assassin's origin—especially the mystery surrounding the black locator orb.
Language communication was resolved through external database connections, using the Galactic Research Institute's domain creature language library for real-time translation. However, despite using various torture methods, the assassin maintained silence regarding its motives. Even when injected with compounds akin to "truth serums," designed to destabilize its mental state, no valuable information was extracted.
The interrogation reached an impasse, but before Wei Wei could alter her methods, another unexpected event occurred.
Feng Qi was attacked again.
This time, the assassin was even stronger than the previous one. Even with Feng Qi activating his "Rage" ability, he barely managed to hold his ground. Fortunately, Lü Yue arrived in time and subdued the new attacker, capturing it alive. Like the first, this assassin also had blue skin, a third eye on its forehead, and, unsurprisingly, another black locator orb within its body.
The successive assassination attempts confirmed Feng Qi's grim realization—his current situation was far more perilous than anticipated. He also concluded that the seemingly inexplicable deaths in past timelines were directly tied to these blue-skinned assassins.
In this timeline, thanks to the enhancements from the Demon Dragon Rune Crystal, Feng Qi's strength exceeded his previous selves. This newfound power allowed him to resist these assassins where he previously would have succumbed silently to their mental invasion. However, the underlying question loomed larger: why were these assassins targeting him?
Their actions didn't align with the modus operandi of the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance, which often accepted tasks from stronger species to eliminate promising human talents. No tribe, no matter how bold, would infiltrate the Crimson Research Institute—a place heavily guarded by combatants on par with the top front-line battle groups. Entering was tantamount to suicide.
This made the blue-skinned species' motives even more suspicious. From a logical standpoint, Feng Qi couldn't identify what about him could drive their obsession. It wasn't his body since, in past timelines, his corpse remained intact after death. So, what were they truly after?
Their behavior eerily resembled Little Black's.
Both acted without clear motives or logic, pursuing their goals relentlessly.
To ensure his safety, Feng Qi decided to keep Lü Yue by his side at all times, serving as a safeguard against future attacks.
Two months later, as he had feared, another assassin appeared.
This new assassin was even more formidable than the previous ones. Despite Lü Yue's combat prowess, the battle left him slightly injured. Unfortunately, they failed to capture this assassin alive, killing it during the intense fight.
The constant attacks painted a bleak picture. The repeated attempts caused Feng Qi to question the assassins' approach. If their tribe wanted him dead so desperately, why not send a larger force at once? Why sacrifice one after another in a seemingly futile manner? It defied all logic.
The world wasn't like a novel, where villains sent weaklings first, giving the protagonist room to grow. A real assassination would prioritize efficiency and decisiveness. The lack of such a strategy only deepened the mystery.
Facing the escalating threat, Feng Qi realized he couldn't stay at the Crimson Research Institute any longer. If future assassins grew even stronger, even Lü Yue might not be able to protect him. There was only one person he trusted to keep him safe—Mu Qing.
In the years since their parting, Mu Qing had established the Dawn Battle Squad, rapidly propelling it into one of the top ten squads. Originally, Feng Qi had planned to join her after the Dawn Army was fully formed. However, the current situation left him with no choice. Waiting further could mean certain death.
As he had suspected before entering this timeline, his life was constantly at risk.
Though Lü Yue could offer temporary protection, the growing strength of the assassins posed a long-term threat. Soon, even Lü Yue might struggle against their power. Seeking Mu Qing's protection seemed like the only viable path.
While this decision might disrupt the timeline's preordained future for the Dawn Army, remaining at the Crimson Research Institute would only hasten his demise. He also couldn't risk waiting to meet Mu Yan in the distant future.
Resolving himself, Feng Qi called for a high-level meeting with the Crimson Research Institute's leadership.
At the meeting, Feng Qi outlined his plans in detail. After deliberation, the Institute's senior members agreed, approving his decision to leave early in search of Mu Qing. Additionally, they decided to relocate the Institute into a secure, secretive facility, accelerating their own plans for the future.
They assured Feng Qi that any findings from the captured assassins would be documented and relayed to his future self, ensuring the continuation of their efforts.
Following the meeting, Feng Qi accompanied Wei Wei to the Gene Division laboratory. Before departing, he opted to have a specially crafted locator device implanted at the back of his neck. This would allow the Institute to recover his brain for the Brain-in-a-Vat project if necessary.
Once the procedure was complete, Feng Qi reached out to Mu Qing.
The call didn't go through, a sign that Mu Qing was busy.
So, Feng Qi sent her an email and began waiting for her reply. After more than ten days, he finally received a response. Mu Qing had sent him an address, accompanied by a smiling emoji.
Upon receiving her reply, Feng Qi decided to set off for the front lines.
That day, he and Lü Yue left the Crimson Base together. Outside the base, a specialized aircraft bearing the Crimson Research Institute's emblem waited for them in the open field.
Before boarding, Feng Qi carefully checked his backpack to ensure all necessary items were packed. His attention lingered on a metallic box labeled "Brain Repair." Inside were ten vials of brain tissue activity restoration fluid—arguably the most critical items he was carrying.
Once a person dies, brain activity deteriorates rapidly. If he were to die on the front lines, it was likely the Crimson Research Institute wouldn't recover his body in time before brain death occurred. The Institute only had the technology to preserve a brain, not revive it.
Wei Wei had emphasized the importance of these vials: "Inject one into your brain just before death. Then wait for the retrieval team to arrive. The fluid will maximize the preservation of your brain's activity."
After his inspection, Feng Qi boarded the Crimson aircraft alongside Lü Yue. Under Wei Wei's watchful eyes, the aircraft took off, heading directly for Winterfell City.
The Next Day
Guided by signal lights, the Crimson aircraft landed at the airport in the northern supply zone of Winterfell.
The supply zone's airport was massive, occupying one-fifth of the zone's area. Its flight traffic surpassed even that of Winterfell City itself. The reason was straightforward: though this was just one of several frontline supply zones, vast amounts of domain resources were shipped daily from here to major cities. This airport was specifically designed to handle such logistics.
If it were merely about transporting domain warriors, they could easily travel along the supply routes connecting Winterfell City to the airport. However, the demand for resource shipments required specialized facilities.
As Feng Qi stepped off the plane, he was greeted by a sudden drop in temperature. Snow blanketed the ground, and large snowflakes fell steadily from the sky, transforming the landscape into a winter wonderland. Even the vapor from his breath crystallized into ice particles in the cold air.
After retrieving his luggage, he turned to Lü Yue, who was still dressed in a short-sleeve shirt.
"Do you want to change into something warmer?" Feng Qi asked.
"No need, I'm not cold," Lü Yue replied calmly.
Hearing that, Feng Qi, who only felt a slight chill, dismissed the idea of changing clothes as well. Taking out his phone, he opened a map application to locate the address Mu Qing had provided. Once the navigation route was set, he said, "Let's go."
Braving the wind and snow, the duo set off toward the Dawn Battle Squad's estate. Behind them, the Crimson aircraft, having completed its mission, took off and began its return journey.
This was Feng Qi's first visit to the front lines. Along the way, he curiously observed his surroundings.
The small supply zone city was almost entirely blanketed in snow. Workers equipped with snow-clearing machines constantly cleaned the streets to keep them accessible. Despite the harsh conditions, the city boasted all the necessary facilities.
Even within the city, frontline warriors were always fully armed. This precaution didn't surprise Feng Qi. Each supply zone was situated dangerously close to domain fields, making them highly vulnerable to sudden attacks by domain transcendents. Constant readiness was a hard-learned lesson from past experiences.
Winterfell Supply Zone spanned approximately 23 kilometers from north to south and 27 kilometers from east to west. A major route connected it to Winterfell City. Surprisingly, the supply zone's technological advancements surpassed many areas in the city. Advanced technological equipment was visible everywhere, and surveillance cameras lined every street.
In the city center, Feng Qi could see a tower over a hundred meters tall. Known as the Watchtower, its top-level housed personnel working around the clock to monitor the expansion of nearby domain fields.
Despite years of effort to disperse the domain fields, the frontline hadn't advanced much. Often, recently cleared fields were quickly reoccupied by new domain fields. As a result, the supply zones had undergone constant upgrades, evolving from transitional areas into full-fledged supply cities.
Following the navigation, Feng Qi and Lü Yue eventually arrived at the area where domain squads were stationed. This area consisted of sprawling estates, each marked with the names of their respective squads.
After some searching, they found themselves standing before a massive metal gate. The gate bore the words "Dawn Battle Squad," along with an official badge signifying its S-rank squad status.
Standing at the half-open gate was a familiar figure.
Their eyes met.
"Long time no see, Ah Qi," the figure called out warmly.
As snowflakes danced in the air, memories of the past resurfaced in Feng Qi's mind.
"Senior Mu Qing, it's been a while," he replied with a smile.
In that moment, the weight of the recent months melted away. As they exchanged knowing smiles, the familiarity of an old bond filled the space between them.