The battle between Suction Cup and Little Black continued unabated.
Despite the thick walls separating the levels, the muffled sounds of impact reverberating from above made it clear how intense the fight was.
Feng Qi continued browsing the Crimson Research Institute's database, discovering numerous bold and imaginative future proposals.
However, most of these ideas required substantial knowledge accumulation and weren't achievable in the short term.
Before mastering his infinite memory ability, Feng Qi decided to focus primarily on cultivation studies. Advancing on the technological front could only happen after eliminating the "tumor" that was the Institute of Technological Research.
For now, the invaluable biological data in the database had limited immediate applicability—it was still too early to utilize them.
After closing the search page, Feng Qi paused to think before typing the name of the Crimson Research Institute's director, Zhu Baichang.
A list of results appeared instantly on the screen.
At the very top was a mailbox labeled "Messages."
Feng Qi clicked on it, revealing a series of notes:
1.
When I decided to leave this mailbox, I felt a tinge of hesitation. I've always been skeptical about the elusive concept of time travel.
But for you, I'm willing to believe.
6.
My understanding of you comes entirely from my mentor, Wei Wei. She described you as someone unwavering in your belief that humanity would ultimately prevail. That's the quality I admire most about you.
Believing in miracles is itself a miracle.
Mentor always said your one flaw was your lack of talent. She once even created a clone of you.
In the end, she personally threw it into the incinerator… She thought the clone's talent was average—barely at the level of a common genius. Keeping it around was a waste of the base's resources.
The main issue, however, was that the clone had significant physical defects and likely wouldn't live long.
I don't mean any disrespect toward your talents.
13.
The Reverse Infiltration Plan is nearing complete failure. The operatives we sent to the Dark World have been lost without contact and have not returned.
All members of the Crimson Research Institute have entered a period of disorientation, feeling as though we've lost sight of the future.
Just as you predicted before your death, the trajectory of fate hasn't shifted in the slightest.
It feels as though no matter how hard we struggle, we can't escape the grip of fate—everything seems predestined.
At this juncture, mentor proposed an idea: from now on, the Crimson Research Institute will center its efforts around you. You are our hope and our purpose.
We live for you, we strive for you, and we believe you'll lead humanity to its ultimate victory.
19.
News from Squad One indicates that Lü Yue and his "Breaking Dawn" group have been pushed to the brink of extinction.
Even with Lü Yue's remarkable combat strength, he's found no escape from the Institute of Technological Research's relentless pursuit.
We secretly reached out to Lü Yue, inviting him to join the Crimson Research Institute.
He refused.
He said he's a warrior who made his choice knowing the risks. He'd rather die with dignity than hide in the shadows and cling to life.
Though I think he's foolish, I can't help but admire the noble stance he's taken in the face of despair.
38.
Resources in the base were already scarce, and now we're entering a period of extreme austerity.
We've decided to allocate enough energy reserves to keep Mala alive for several hundred years.
Even if it's just a gamble with no guaranteed outcome, any success would be a step closer to the world we dream of.
83.
We received the latest report on Little Black today—it's hard to believe, but Little Black is composed of psionic nanobots.
It seems the Institute of Technological Research has lost control of it. Otherwise, no force in the world could rival them.
Even domain creatures aren't monolithic. If Little Black could be controlled, the faction infiltrating the Institute of Technological Research might emerge victorious in the end.
Fortunately, Little Black appears to be out of control. Future City, home of the Institute of Technological Research, has been completely destroyed.
From Star City, we've managed to gather a substantial amount of intelligence, but we still don't know what really happened within Future City.
Our best guess is that Little Black played a significant role in its destruction.
103.
Every week, we hold a meeting centered around you.
During these discussions, we generate many suggestions related to you. They may not all be useful, but if you return here with extra time, you might find them worth reviewing.
124.
Mala has successfully integrated the rune crystal. As expected of my mentor, she's truly remarkable.
She's pushed rune modification technology to an entirely new level.
Perhaps this is why the enigmatic Mu Qing chose her. In terms of talent, I feel worlds apart from my mentor.
And with her prolonged lifespan, she's become the Crimson Research Institute's treasure, continuously driving innovation and progress.
176.
Mentor grows frailer by the day. Though she speaks with indifference, I can sense her internal struggle and unwillingness to let go.
Today, I formally assumed the role of Director of the Gene Division. Mentor, on the other hand, has made a decision: she wants to see the outside world one last time.
With a heavy heart, we must continue moving forward, not letting go of even the smallest sliver of hope.
Before parting, Wei Wei left behind a message to describe you.
She once believed that when a ray of light pierced through the darkness only to leave just as quickly, that light was guilty.
Only if the light chose to remain forever in the darkness could it be considered salvation.
But after meeting you, she no longer clung to her old belief.
Because you are that light—a fleeting presence that came and went, yet it allowed us to glimpse hope.
Now, we are pursuing the path illuminated by that departing light, moving forward without confusion about the future.
May you never lose the steadfastness in your heart.
204.
Today, I was promoted to Director of the Crimson Research Institute, and the weight on my shoulders feels heavier than ever.
I've found myself growing accustomed to sharing my deepest thoughts with you in this mailbox.
I wish we could meet.
Unfortunately, we can never cross paths, for we do not share the same era.
In the days when you shone brightest, I had not yet been born. And in the days when you returned after disappearing, I may have already turned to dust.
I've learned about your life through history, just as you read about mine through this mailbox.
How funny and strange that is.
221.
I've realized I'm also growing old. The effects of genetic longevity treatments are becoming less effective for me.
We've left behind a wealth of technology for you.
But we also know that much of it may be useless to you.
254.
Today, we bid farewell to another elder of the base. Looking in the mirror at my own graying temples, I felt a wave of emotion.
Time rushes forward, yet we've never let go.
Through this journey, time has aged our faces, experience has sharpened our minds, and what remains is an unshakable conviction in our hearts.
We were fortunate to have you, ensuring our later years weren't spent wandering aimlessly.
298.
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind—what if Wei Wei deceived us?
Perhaps there was never a Feng Qi who crossed time again and again to save the world.
Maybe it was all a benevolent lie Wei Wei left behind before her departure—a way to give us hope and prevent us from spending our remaining days in despair.
Yet even if you were never real, you've become real now.
Because everyone believes in you and firmly believes you've always existed.
320.
I cough up blood daily now, much like Wei Wei did toward the end. I'm surviving only by relying on genetic injections.
Fortunately, I've trained a successor. Her personality is much like Wei Wei's—her delicate thoughts are hidden deep within, while the part she shows the world is always bright and sunny.
I've decided to gradually transfer authority to her, allowing her to lead the Crimson Research Institute into the future.
I suspect my own end will mirror Wei Wei's. Before I die, I'll visit the surface one last time.
Even if the world above is broken and desolate, it's still our homeland.
Many of the children in the base long to see the outside world. Born within these walls, their only knowledge of the surface comes from pictures, videos, and our stories.
What a sorrowful future this is.
Only you can change all of this. You can create the ideal future we dream of with your own hands.
376.
I've decided to leave. This will be the last message I leave for you.
Feng Qi, forge ahead boldly. We'll guard your path.
Though the road is long, there is always a way forward.
The bitterness will fade, and sweetness will return.
Reading Zhu Baichang's messages, Feng Qi couldn't help but sigh deeply.
Flipping through the messages was like experiencing Zhu Baichang's life—the bitterness, the sweetness, the struggles, and the triumphs.
From a bright and ambitious young man full of dreams, he steadily grew, step by step.
After losing the protection of his mentor, he explored his own path, shouldering ever-increasing burdens until he carried the weight of the Crimson Research Institute as its Director.
His thoughts matured with time, though he admitted to moments of doubt. He once questioned whether Feng Qi truly existed, wondering if everything was merely a benevolent lie from Wei Wei.
But in the end, he overcame the confusion in his heart and once again believed in the light that exists in this world.
When his temples grayed and he stood at the twilight of his life, he chose, like his mentor, to make his way to the surface one last time.
He would look upon the homeland he once knew and then, standing in the fading light of the setting sun, embrace the final chapter of his life.
As Feng Qi let out a soft sigh, his heart was filled with an indescribable mix of emotions.
Feng Qi quickly regained his resolve.
Just as Zhu Baichang said in his final message: "The road ahead is long, but there will always be a way forward. Though the aftertaste is bitter, sweetness will come in the end."
This journey was one Feng Qi knew he must continue, no matter the cost.
From the very beginning, it had been about chasing his dreams. Yet along the way, he had come to realize that his shoulders now carried the dreams of many.
He was not walking this arduous path of salvation alone.
Even though they lived in different times, they were companions on the same journey. The fading light of those who had come before illuminated his way forward.
[It is precisely because of these pioneers who selflessly sacrificed themselves that I firmly believe you can save the world and usher in a brilliant future. Don't let the bumpy road ahead discourage you. The path to chasing dreams has always been winding.]
Hearing these words from the narrator, Feng Qi nodded silently.
Suppressing the emotions churning within him, he turned and walked toward the elevator.
Next, he planned to return to the Star City Shelter to delve into the data on cultivation systems, pushing forward the development of humanity's cultivation path.
Now that he had identified the dark forces working against humanity, he resolved to act against the Institute of Technological Research once he returned to reality.
If he could eliminate them, it would be akin to removing a massive stumbling block from humanity's path. It would mark the beginning of an era of rapid development.
With humanity's overall strength increasing, they would be better prepared for the final battle.
If human civilization was a single entity, then the Institute of Technological Research was a virus festering within it. Unless that virus was eradicated, no amount of effort would make the body stronger.
Only by eliminating the virus could humanity grow healthy and robust with every effort.
When he reached the elevator, a green light swept over him, and the metal doors slowly opened.
Stepping inside, the doors closed behind him.
After a brief wait, he stepped out to a scene of chaos.
The plaza was riddled with craters of various sizes, and rubble was scattered everywhere. Several of the surrounding buildings had partially collapsed.
As he walked out of the elevator, he turned toward the sound coming from his right.
Suction Cup, its expression as impassive as ever, was furiously chasing Black Mist, its fists flying at a speed so fast Feng Qi could barely see the blurry shadows of its punches.
Wherever they went, the ground was marked with fist-sized craters.
Their battle looked less like a fight and more like a demolition crew at work. Feng Qi had no doubt that if they continued, the entire Crimson Research Institute's base would eventually collapse.
"Suction Cup, keep going! Show them who's boss!" he yelled halfheartedly before turning and heading toward the corridor.
[Really, Qi-ge? That's the best you've got? You couldn't at least shed a tear and say, 'I'll avenge you,' before leaving?]
"If crying worked, I'd cry nonstop for 24 hours straight until Black Mist keeled over," he shot back, rolling his eyes as he continued down the metal corridor.
Leaving the underground base behind, he stepped out of the abandoned hospital and began heading toward the Star City Shelter.
Despite his curiosity about the spatial node in the East that the narrator had mentioned, Feng Qi knew better than to let his interest lead him astray.
The narrator had warned him that venturing East had a near-certain probability of death. He stood no chance of reaching the node, let alone uncovering its secrets.
Wasting precious time in the future dreamscape on such a futile endeavor would be utterly foolish in Feng Qi's eyes.
With what little time he had left, he believed returning to the Star City Shelter was the most practical choice.
After killing Mala, his withered heart had been reinvigorated with blood energy. He could once again use his Blood Source ability.
If the opportunity arose, he even hoped to hunt a few more domain creatures along the way, gaining new talents to strengthen himself further.
Leaving the overgrown, abandoned hospital grounds, Feng Qi broke into a run.
As he sprinted, his telekinesis surged outward, transforming into an invisible force that propelled him forward at even greater speeds.
The wind roared past his ears.
In that moment, memories flooded his mind—his classmates' farewell messages, Wei Wei's hopes, Zhu Baichang's unwavering resolve…
All these emotions roiling within him now burst forth, fueling his every stride as he ran.
No matter how treacherous the path of salvation became, Feng Qi would never give up.