To push the Institute of Technological Research and the Tiger Soul Research Institute into open conflict, Feng Qi had tried countless methods.
Yet none of these methods yielded any significant results.
Both the Institute of Technological Research and the Tiger Soul Research Institute remained exceedingly cautious.
During this time, in a core meeting of the Institute of Technological Research, the domain force behind the institute concluded that, without a comprehensive understanding of the Tiger Soul Research Institute's depths, they should exercise restraint and avoid reckless actions.
Following this meeting, Feng Qi found it increasingly difficult to advance his plans.
Though he was the de facto leader of the Third Combat Brigade, it was highly likely that spies planted by the domain forces controlling the institute were monitoring his every move.
His prior aggressive actions could be excused as a strong desire to investigate the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
However, with the new decision reached in the meeting, continuing such actions would likely lead to the loss of his "Brigade Commander" position, demoting him back to the fourth tier of the core circle.
This was a setback Feng Qi couldn't afford.
Despite these constraints, Feng Qi had still reaped some rewards during his tenure as the commander of the Third Combat Brigade.
The intelligence provided by the domain forces controlling the Institute of Technological Research revealed a critical piece of information:
Many transcendent domain forces were now attempting to infiltrate human powers.
The force behind the Institute of Technological Research was merely one among many. Besides the Tiger Soul Research Institute, there were likely other domain forces either embedded within or actively infiltrating human factions.
Although the Institute of Technological Research did not specify the reasons behind these incursions, Feng Qi was able to confirm a previous suspicion:
The Black Mist Lord had once stated, "I did not win, but humanity has already lost."
The implication was clear—while the Black Mist Lord had defeated human civilization, he had not yet triumphed over other domain forces.
With the presence of both the Institute of Technological Research and the Tiger Soul Research Institute already being challenging enough, the thought of additional domain forces either embedded within or attempting to infiltrate human civilization underscored how long and arduous the path ahead would be for another version of himself on a different timeline.
Feng Qi resolved to ensure that this timeline's efforts would provide maximum value for his other self.
He would shine his light, even as his life dimmed toward its end.
In the days that followed, Feng Qi continued to serve the Institute of Technological Research, aiming to acquire more intelligence.
However, any plans to directly oppose the Tiger Soul Research Institute were now practically impossible.
It was at this point that Wei Wei reached out to him.
After deliberation among the upper echelons of the Crimson Research Institute, they devised a strategy to provoke the Institute of Technological Research into action against the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
The plan was straightforward: make the Institute of Technological Research believe that the Tiger Soul Research Institute was actively attempting to sabotage the Spiritual Energy Nanobot Project.
If the Institute of Technological Research became aware that the Tiger Soul Research Institute was making aggressive moves, they would undoubtedly retaliate.
Feng Qi understood that there were likely already Tiger Soul Research Institute infiltrators, such as werewolves, embedded within the Institute of Technological Research.
However, identifying these spies and explaining how he had acquired this information posed significant challenges.
The Crimson Research Institute had already devised a solution to this problem.
They intended to stage a deliberate exposure to lay the groundwork for a confrontation between the two domain factions.
To accomplish this, the Crimson Research Institute had replaced all critical data stored at their base outside Twilight City.
Aside from leaving behind some inconsequential records, they had also planted fabricated "intelligence."
This included reports detailing their investigation into the Tiger Soul Research Institute, revealing that it had infiltrated the Institute of Technological Research and was actively pursuing the Rune Energy Disruption Project to undermine the Spiritual Energy Nanobot Project.
Although the Crimson Research Institute lacked concrete evidence to substantiate these claims, their aim was solely to make the Institute of Technological Research believe them.
In the original timeline, the Twilight City Crimson Base was attacked and destroyed by the Institute of Technological Research years after Feng Qi's death.
This time, however, the Crimson Research Institute decided to bring this historical event forward deliberately.
Their plan was to openly confront the Institute of Technological Research, forcing the latter into a counterattack.
Once Wei Wei shared the Crimson Research Institute's plan with him, the operation began in earnest.
The Crimson Research Institute's subordinate combat squads launched a series of offensives against the Institute of Technological Research, swiftly drawing the attention of the Institute's upper echelons.
As the Crimson Research Institute had anticipated, the Institute of Technological Research retaliated without hesitation.
Their first target was none other than the previously designated Twilight City Crimson Base.
After breaching the base, the Institute of Technological Research uncovered a trove of information about the Crimson Research Institute. Among the findings was a crucial piece of intelligence:
The Tiger Soul Research Institute had successfully infiltrated the Institute of Technological Research.
Moreover, they were actively attempting to sabotage the most critical Spiritual Energy Nanobot Project.
This revelation sent shockwaves through the core circle of the Institute of Technological Research, prompting an immediate internal investigation.
At this stage, Mo, the Institute of Technological Research's most enigmatic figure, was tasked by the domain forces with developing a new technological marvel:
The Veritas Apparatus.
The device was a towering machine over two meters high and three meters wide, powered by advanced spiritual energy technology.
When activated, it would induce a state of disorientation in anyone placed within it, causing their mental defenses to collapse.
In this state, they would involuntarily disclose any information stored in their memories.
Upon learning of the Veritas Apparatus, Feng Qi felt an overwhelming sense of urgency.
Fortunately, he was not among the primary targets for investigation.
As a combat-oriented operative, he was no longer involved in the Institute's internal research projects and had no direct contact with the Spiritual Energy Nanobot Project.
However, if the investigation continued systematically, his turn would inevitably come.
To address this looming threat, Feng Qi, who was stationed on an external mission, reached out to Wei Wei.
The Crimson Research Institute had anticipated this risk when devising their plan.
During this period, Wei Wei had developed a countermeasure—a memory-locking drug designed to thwart the Veritas Apparatus.
Upon ingesting this drug, Feng Qi's consciousness would plunge into a state of deep slumber once his mind began to waver, rendering it impossible to extract any information from him.
This unusual reaction would undoubtedly raise suspicions among the domain forces controlling the Institute of Technological Research, but it was far preferable to passively awaiting his "judgment."
When the Veritas Apparatus was activated, the Institute of Technological Research's investigation began in earnest.
It wasn't long before they uncovered a Tiger Soul Research Institute infiltrator.
This individual had already risen to the second-tier core of the Institute of Technological Research and was only one step away from accessing the innermost first-tier circle, which included the Spiritual Energy Nanobot Project.
The revelation infuriated the domain forces controlling the Institute of Technological Research.
Under the influence of the Veritas Apparatus, the spy was interrogated about the presence of additional infiltrators.
The answer was negative.
The Institute of Technological Research's suspicions following the discovery of the Tiger Soul Research Institute's infiltrator confirmed the Crimson Research Institute's planted intelligence—that Tiger Soul was indeed targeting their Spiritual Energy Nanobot Project.
This revelation served to stir up hostilities between the two domain-controlled factions.
However, the internal investigation within the Institute of Technological Research was far from over.
The domain forces decided to thoroughly investigate all current core members, reasoning that even if the Tiger Soul Research Institute had been exposed, other hidden infiltrators might still remain.
After several days of systematic investigation, it was finally Feng Qi's turn.
On the day he was summoned back to the Institute of Technological Research, he prepared himself for the inevitable confrontation.
Once back, he was instructed to lie on the Veritas Apparatus.
As the machine activated, an invisible surge of spiritual energy began invading his body.
As his consciousness gradually faded, the memory-locking drug he had ingested took effect, plunging him into a sudden state of sleep.
Observing this peculiar reaction, the domain forces behind the Institute of Technological Research grew suspicious.
At that moment, Feng Qi awoke violently, coughing up blood. The scars covering his body, a result of his prior biochemical modifications, cracked open, oozing fresh blood.
This unexpected turn left the surrounding researchers stunned.
The Veritas Apparatus was immediately shut down.
Subsequent examinations of Feng Qi's body revealed the cause: his biochemically modified body was incapable of withstanding the invasive spiritual energy, triggering an acute physical reaction.
This report alleviated the domain forces' doubts about Feng Qi.
Reflecting on his recent contributions to the Institute, they dismissed their suspicions, believing their concerns to have been unwarranted.
For now, the investigation into Feng Qi was abandoned.
This narrow escape marked the end of the internal investigation.
Soon after, the Institute of Technological Research launched its counteroffensive against the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
Feng Qi received his next mission: lead the Third Combat Brigade to destroy the Tiger Soul Research Institute's Victory City outpost.
Without hesitation, Feng Qi accepted the task.
The moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived.
After several days of travel, he and the Third Combat Brigade reached the outskirts of Victory City, where the Tiger Soul outpost was located. Under the cover of night, they launched their assault.
Despite his biochemical modifications granting him significant power, Feng Qi was far from the strongest within the Third Combat Brigade. He didn't even rank in the top ten, so direct combat wasn't his role.
Instead, he oversaw the operation from the rear, issuing orders.
The assault began with the deployment of the brigade's advanced technological arsenal, which unleashed devastating power.
Drones dropped compressed spiritual energy bombs, obliterating the outer structures of the Tiger Soul outpost in mere moments.
Following this, the brigade's soldiers, equipped with mechanical exoskeletons, stormed the base.
While the combatants themselves might not have been the most formidable fighters, their cutting-edge gear gave them an overwhelming advantage.
Each soldier was armed to the teeth with spiritual energy weapons, prototypes designed by Mo and unavailable to the public.
Under the shroud of darkness, advanced detectors allowed them to pinpoint the exact locations of the Tiger Soul defenders.
The spiritual energy bullets fired from their weapons, also products of Mo's ingenuity, proved terrifyingly effective.
One hit from these bullets would mark the target with spiritual energy. Switching the weapon to "tracking mode" ensured every subsequent bullet would home in on the target with unerring precision.
This was just one of many formidable pieces of technology in their arsenal.
Mo's creations had revolutionized the Institute of Technological Research's combat capabilities. His innovations made him not only the institute's core figure but also a prime asset fiercely protected by the domain forces.
The battle lasted less than two hours.
Every member of the Tiger Soul outpost was eliminated, leaving no survivors.
With the outpost secured, Feng Qi instructed his soldiers to stand guard while he entered the base alone, carrying a data storage device.
Inside the command center, he approached the main control console and began copying the outpost's data.
The data transfer process was remarkably straightforward.
All he had to do was insert the specialized storage device designed by the Institute of Technological Research into the console. The device would automatically and rapidly copy the data, bypassing any security measures.
Additionally, the storage device had built-in safeguards to intercept and prevent any attempts at data self-destruction.
Once connected, it could extract the entire database's contents within minutes.
However, before using the Institute's storage device, Feng Qi took out a portable drive provided by Wei Wei.
He decided to make a copy of the data for the Crimson Research Institute first.
Unlike the Institute of Technological Research's advanced device, the Crimson Research Institute's drive was far slower, taking ten times longer to complete the transfer.
After a lengthy wait, Feng Qi removed the Crimson Research Institute's drive and replaced it with the Institute of Technological Research's storage device to finalize the data extraction.
With both copies secured, Feng Qi led the Third Combat Brigade back to Future City.
This mission was a success, but the war between the Institute of Technological Research and the Tiger Soul Research Institute had only just begun.
To ensure safety, Feng Qi refrained from bringing the Crimson Research Institute's drive back to the Institute of Technological Research.
On his way back, he deliberately left the drive in a secluded, uninhabited area.
He then sent a message to Wei Wei using the customized phone provided by the Crimson Research Institute, informing her of the drive's location.
Upon receiving the message, Wei Wei immediately confirmed that their operatives had been dispatched to retrieve it.
Back at the Institute of Technological Research, Feng Qi handed over the official storage device containing the data from the Tiger Soul Research Institute's Victory City outpost.
As the Lunar New Year approached, he was granted a three-day break upon completing his mission.
Leaving the Institute, Feng Qi used his break to send another update to Wei Wei, who assured him that the retrieval operation was progressing smoothly.
During his short leave, he received an invitation—a reunion of his old classmates from Xincheng High School.
Feng Qi declined the invitation without hesitation.
He couldn't bear to attend, nor did he dare.
The current state of his body—scarred and inhuman—would frighten his old friends.
His injuries, the aftermath of countless battles and biochemical modifications, often reopened, and during the quiet hours of the night, he endured the searing pain in silence.
But even more excruciating than the physical agony was the torment in his heart.
To this day, his hands were stained with the blood of 289 compatriots.
Their cries and faces haunted his dreams, leaving him waking in a suffocating fog of guilt.
For the first time, he truly understood the words spoken by the version of himself from a previous timeline: "Death is liberation. The path for those who continue forward is far more agonizing."
Yet, despite the pain, he did not regret his sacrifices.
To achieve success, there must always be a price to pay.
Even if he wasn't the one to reach the utopia he dreamed of, he was willing to clear the path, enduring every thorn, every wound, as long as it meant others could walk forward.
Death could break his body, but it could never extinguish his faith.
On the eve of Lunar New Year, snow fell heavily over Future City.
Taking a brief respite from his responsibilities, Feng Qi wandered the bustling streets alone.
Red lanterns adorned every storefront, their glow mingling with the starlight above.
Every passerby wore a bright smile, the festive atmosphere bringing warmth even amidst the winter chill.
At the end of the street, a large screen displayed the latest uplifting news:
A joint effort by the Domain Combat Squads had successfully cleared another domain field. Humanity had taken one more step toward ultimate victory.
The crowd around him erupted into cheers and applause, their joy palpable.
But Feng Qi stood motionless amidst the celebration, his face devoid of emotion.
He had not yet seen the bloom of spring.
Sadness coursed through him, silent yet overwhelming.
Still, deep within, he held a fragile hope—for the day when true warmth and renewal would finally arrive.
As laughter and cheers filled the air, Feng Qi turned away and walked on.
The road to salvation required the lives of countless to pave the way forward.
When one version of himself fell, another would rise to take up the mantle, the torch of faith passing endlessly from hand to hand.
They would not stop until the shore was reached.
Feng Qi would remain unwavering in his dreams.
Even if it meant breaking himself into pieces, even if it meant facing an endless cycle of calamity, he would endure.
Time would not spare him, and he would not spare time, until the day humanity's fate was rewritten.
As the midnight bells tolled across the city, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
Checking the screen, he found a message from an unknown number:
"Happy New Year, little brother Feng Qi~"
For the first time in a long while, a smile graced his weary face.
Amidst the heavy snowfall, his figure slowly disappeared into the distance, a lonely silhouette against the white canvas.
The road ahead was long, but perhaps, at its end, sweetness awaited.