Two streams of memories overlapped in a surreal haze as Feng Qi opened his eyes. He found himself in a room on the second underground level of the Crimson Research Institute's secret base. In front of him was a brain submerged in a specialized container filled with faintly glowing liquid.
As clarity returned, Feng Qi felt as though he had just undergone a cycle of reincarnation. It dawned on him that he had not become the Sacrificial Line.
Everything he experienced was the result of the Nightmare Ability extracting memory data.
Unlike the fragmented scenes he encountered when accessing the memories of others, the flawless synchronization with his future self's memories left him feeling as if he had truly lived a second life.
He experienced the pain and unwavering determination of his Sacrificial Line self to the point where he lost sight of his original identity amidst the flood of memories.
Caught in this vivid simulation, he had momentarily forgotten his reality, as if he were merely a guest in a borrowed dream.
Only when the Sacrificial Line's memories reached their conclusion did Feng Qi awaken to his true self.
Even now, he could vividly sense the tranquility and resolve that filled his alternate self in those final moments.
Feng Qi clenched his fists unconsciously.
Taking a deep breath, he pressed the black button on the container.
A faint blue liquid surged into the mechanism. The previously faintly pulsating brain gradually ceased all activity, lifeless.
"Rest well. I'll take the next stretch of this journey for you."
[You made me cry, Feng Qi. It's only by living through it yourself that you can truly understand the pain your future self endured. I'm heartbroken for you.]
Still overwhelmed by the emotions of his future self's last moments, Feng Qi found the Narrator's voice both unfamiliar and comforting.
In the memories, his Sacrificial Line self had lived to the age of 37.
That meant it had been 20 years since he had last heard the Narrator. Over the course of those memories, the irritation he once felt toward the voice had transformed into a deep sense of nostalgia.
"I missed you, Narrator."
[Feng Qi, your father missed you too. Experiencing your future self's memories along with you, I wanted so badly to shout out, 'Dad's here! Don't be afraid, my child!' But alas, I couldn't.]
"You're still as shameless as ever," Feng Qi retorted, rolling his eyes. Yet a familiar warmth filled his heart.
[Feng Qi, I think unless absolutely necessary, it's best not to access the Sacrificial Line memories anymore. The immersive experience makes you stronger, but it also fills you with a dangerous rage.]
Feng Qi hesitated at these words but eventually nodded in agreement.
He had noticed it himself—his heart was steeped in an unfamiliar, oppressive fury, a suffocating urge for release.
The Narrator's suggestion made sense. Unless it was absolutely necessary, it was best to avoid delving into those memories again.
As the present slowly reasserted itself, Feng Qi began recalling everything that had occurred since entering the future dreamscape, as well as the invaluable information he had obtained.
From the records left behind by the Crimson Research Institute, Feng Qi learned that after his execution, his body was taken by the Institute.
His brain was extracted and placed into a custom-designed container filled with a nutrient-rich solution to sustain its longevity.
The "Brain in a Vat" project had been conceived and proposed by none other than his Sacrificial Line self.
As predicted by Wei Wei, the project allowed his consciousness to undergo an immersive simulation akin to reincarnation, granting him an alternate life.
Through the Crimson Research Institute's records, Feng Qi discovered that after his death, the conflict between the Institute of Technological Research and the Tiger Soul Research Institute escalated significantly.
The respective forces backing the two institutions eventually revealed themselves, engaging in direct confrontation.
Amidst the turmoil, the Crimson Research Institute—having already been exposed—was forced into hiding within their secret base.
However, amidst the clashes, the Institute managed to extract key intelligence, including crucial details about the entities behind the Institute of Technological Research.
Bringing his focus back to the present, Feng Qi stepped out of Room 0 and approached the control terminal nearby.
While the retrieved memories still mingled in his mind, some details remained blurry. He decided to revisit the data.
After a brief search, he retrieved the report he had been reading prior to accessing the memories.
This particular document had been obtained at great cost.
It contained analysis derived from biological samples of the mysterious entity behind the Institute of Technological Research, acquired by Crimson Research Institute operatives during the clashes.
When the file opened, a detailed profile of "Shadow" appeared on the display.
[Shadow (Unknown – Sapient Domain Transcendent)]
Composition: 71.4% pure energy, 28.6% unknown matter.
Strength: Sample tested was evaluated at Silver High-Tier.
Abilities: Capable of mental manipulation and persuasion, combat style leans toward spiritual and arcane methods. Possesses limited regenerative capabilities similar to those of "Little Black."
Ability Notes: While Shadow's regenerative abilities are limited, Little Black's potential for infinite regeneration remains unquantified.
Origin: Unknown.
Remarks: Suspected to originate from a spiritual domain-type field. Investigation ongoing.
Reading the sampled data on "Shadow," Feng Qi fell deep into thought.
Domain Transcendent Beings—beings capable of transcending the confines of their domain fields to roam freely in the outside world—were generally highly intelligent.
They posed the greatest threat to human civilization.
Ordinary domain creatures expanded their influence only as their domain fields grew, but Transcendent Beings infiltrated human society directly, often operating covertly within it.
The forces backing the Institute of Technological Research and the Tiger Soul Research Institute were prime examples.
The data on Shadow was limited.
Apart from details on its physical composition and a brief description of its abilities, there was no information on its origin or the size of its faction.
The Crimson Research Institute's investigation into Shadow had clearly hit a bottleneck, failing to determine which domain field it originated from.
If they could locate Shadow's domain field, it might be possible to disrupt it and deal a significant blow to its faction.
Domain fields and the real world exist in a state of mutual influence and entanglement. The rules of the domain world subtly affected the real world, reshaping natural laws.
The spiritual energy that permeated the atmosphere had only appeared after domain fields descended.
If Shadow's domain field could be dispersed, some of its associated rules would vanish from the real world, significantly weakening Shadow's forces.
For example, the natural rule that water freezes into ice under low temperatures might cease to exist if the domain field enforcing it were eliminated.
Once that domain field was dispersed, water would no longer freeze, regardless of the conditions.
Thus, targeting domain fields was an effective strategy against Transcendent Beings.
But there were exceptions.
Some domain field rules became deeply integrated into the real world, remaining even after the field's dissolution.
Whether dispersing Shadow's domain field would be a fatal blow was uncertain, but it would undoubtedly have a significant impact.
This potential strategy became a key point for Feng Qi's planning of the next future timeline: locating Shadow's domain field.
As he prepared to continue reading through the data, the Narrator's voice broke into his thoughts:
[Your buddy Little Black is on its way, Feng Qi. It's time to hand over the suction cup. Little Black says, 'Give up the cup, and I'll spare your life.']
The sudden reminder caught him off guard.
Looking down, he saw the suction cup nestled comfortably on his chest, sound asleep.
If not for the Narrator's warning, he might have completely forgotten that the suction cup was still perched there, or that Little Black was already en route.
[Processing the Sacrificial Line memories takes time. You're still experiencing overlap effects, which is why you should avoid accessing your future memories unless absolutely necessary—at least until your mental resilience catches up.]
"Are you saying that if my mental strength improves, I'll adapt to the side effects faster?"
[Exactly. Alternatively, if you gained the Infinite Memory talent, no amount of memories would overwhelm you, and you'd experience no side effects after accessing them.]
"Which domain creature do I need to kill to get this Infinite Memory ability?" Feng Qi rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.
[Me.]
"Step outside so I can kill you."
[Don't get cocky. I'm calling Little Black to finish you off right now.]
Ignoring the Narrator's jabs, Feng Qi headed toward the elevator.
Moments later, he reached the first underground level of the Crimson Research Institute's secret base, settling in to wait for Little Black's arrival.
After roughly ten minutes, a shadowy figure emerged from the metallic corridor.
Surrounded by a dense black mist, Little Black approached, stirring a question in Feng Qi's mind.
In this timeline, the Tiger Soul spy within the Institute of Technological Research had been eliminated. Little Black, after its creation, should have been under the Institute's control.
Yet here it was, acting independently. Clearly, something had gone wrong.
But where exactly had the plan failed?
As Little Black drew closer, Feng Qi set aside his musings and gently stroked the suction cup resting on his chest. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward Little Black.
The suction cup tumbled midair, its eyes snapping open as radiant starlight gleamed within. Twisting her body, she lunged toward Little Black with a clenched fist.
In response, Little Black's form dissolved into a swirl of mist, engulfing the suction cup completely.
Thus began the suction cup's clash with Little Black in this timeline.
Observing for a moment, Feng Qi turned and headed toward the metallic corridor's exit.
In the coming days, he planned to visit the Star City Shelter to review portions of the Savior's source code.
At the same time, he intended to delve deeper into the database, seeking clues about which domain field Shadow originated from to launch a more targeted counterattack.
Feng Qi carefully weighed his options.
The first was to focus on advancing humanity's collective strength. If the Savior project could be realized ahead of schedule, its historical impact would be immeasurable, and humanity's future would grow stronger under that influence.
The second was to eliminate the hidden threats and obstacles on humanity's path to resurgence, ensuring the healthy development of civilization.
Both goals were critical.
If the apocalyptic future glimpsed through Mu Yan's memories was indeed the grand calamity hinted at by Shadow, humanity's challenges would extend far beyond clearing out domain forces lurking in the shadows.
Even after resolving internal crises, external ones would remain.
The journey would be long, but at least the Narrator was there to keep him company.
[Narrator just wants a break. Can't we take a day off?]
"Useless system, can't you be a bit more dependable? How can we save the world without you?" Feng Qi smirked.
[Dumb zombie, hmpf, take this! spit!]
Walking down the metallic corridor, he left the Crimson secret base and stepped out into the abandoned hospital grounds.
The world outside was shrouded in darkness, with a hazy blood-red moon hanging prominently in the sky.
As he looked down the nearby street, he spotted a slumbering domain creature.
The beast was blood-red, shaped like a leopard with sharp fangs protruding from its maw and a violet rune crystal embedded in its forehead. It remained unaware of Feng Qi's presence, still lost in sleep.
"Narrator, can we handle this?"
Feng Qi's lingering aggression made him eager for a fight to vent his frustration.
This domain creature had now become his target.
[Bone warrior, charge!]
Hearing the Narrator's enthusiastic response, Feng Qi grinned. His flesh evaporated into a mist of blood that was absorbed into his skeletal frame, forming dark crimson sigils etched across his bones.
In an instant, he transformed into a skeletal figure devoid of flesh.
In this battle form, his physical strength surged dramatically.
He felt an overwhelming power coursing through him, as if nothing could stand in his way.
[So strong, huh? Why don't you charge back into the Crimson base and fight Little Black for three hundred rounds?]
Ignoring the Narrator's taunts, Feng Qi focused on the sleeping blood leopard. With a determined stride, he rushed forward. Before the leopard could react, he landed a powerful punch squarely on its head.
"Wake up, your mother's calling—get up and fight me!"
The blood-red leopard was sent flying three meters, tumbling across the ground. Its eyes shot open, full of bewilderment—it had been completely stunned by the sudden attack.
But that confusion quickly turned into ferocity. With a roar, it sprang to its feet and lunged at Feng Qi.
Without wasting words, Feng Qi charged at the domain creature head-on.
The situation was vastly different from the past.
In his earlier encounters, Feng Qi had to tread cautiously, fearing that a single mistake could cost him his life against a domain creature.
After acquiring the Blood Source ability, his circumstances improved somewhat, but its limitations were severe. Once the transformation ended, he would find himself vulnerable again.
However, with his bloodline evolution complete, he now possessed genuine strength to protect himself in the dream realm and even actively challenge domain creatures.
Moreover, the Sacrificial Line memories in his mind gave him a wealth of combat experience.
On that timeline, he had led the Institute of Technological Research's Third Combat Brigade in countless battles. While he didn't personally fight often, the combat training had honed his skills and instincts.
These experiences, retained through memory absorption, had become a core part of his abilities.
This was one of the reasons he yearned for the Infinite Memory ability.
If he could acquire this talent, every skill, technique, and piece of knowledge gained across various timelines would become a permanent addition to his capabilities.
Such growth would have no ceiling.
With enough determination, he could become a supreme genius in any field.
His memory bank could evolve into a library of unparalleled knowledge, rivaling the most advanced databases.
[Stop daydreaming. You can fantasize about Infinite Memory after you manage to defeat Little Black. For now, focus on the fight.]
The Narrator's sharp interjection snapped Feng Qi back to the present.
"Got it!"