Translator: CinderTL
Star City Academy, Dorm 301.
Sitting at his desk, Feng Qi tallied his gains from his latest venture into the Dream Realm.
Under the control of his psychokinesis, the pen glided smoothly across the notebook, recording his thoughts.
This Future Line, centered on the Scarlet Research Institute, had finally allowed him to pierce through the mist and uncover the truth.
He now knew the true identity of the dark force lurking within Human Civilization.
His next step was to consolidate and organize this intelligence before devising a plan to target the technology research institute.
As for Le Ping'an, now that his identity as a werewolf had been confirmed, Feng Qi would show no mercy.
He had no intention of trying to redeem him.
Once someone's fundamental principles were corrupted, there was no point in seeking redemption.
Le Ping'an was fundamentally different from Mu Qing.
Though Mu Qing was known as the Great Demon King of History, she had always fought for humanity, choosing a path of hidden and noble self-sacrifice.
When Feng Qi first learned of Mu Qing's betrayal, he had considered eliminating her. However, unanswered questions compelled him to seek the full truth.
Le Ping'an's case was the opposite. While outwardly aligned with humanity, he had secretly served the technology research institute, which sought to overthrow Human Civilization.
The two were fundamentally different.
As for whether killing Le Ping'an would alert the enemy, he wasn't concerned.
In the Reality Line, Le Ping'an still hadn't suspected him, and the technology research institute behind him remained completely unaware of any threat.
With careful planning, Le Ping'an's death would never be traced back to him.
After all, he had no motive for murder.
After a moment of contemplation, he resumed writing in his notebook, recording the gains from his recent Dream Realm experience:
Ability Enhancement 1: Killing Mala granted the innate ability "Regeneration" and the prefix title "Regeneration." Bloodline evolution points reached 852, leaving only 148 points needed for advancement.
Note: In the future, the Scarlet Research Institute can prepare a rune-modified creature for each strength enhancement.
Ability Enhancement 2: Killing the evil spirit yielded a minor increase in mental strength.
Note: Evil spirits appear to be Domain Derivative Creatures similar to the living dead. No rune crystals were found on their bodies, and no innate ability was gained upon killing them... However, this marks the discovery of a domain creature capable of enhancing mental strength.
This time in the Dream Realm, only two pieces of information were recorded regarding his power enhancement.
Yet the gains were substantial.
Killing Mala, who had lived for countless ages, yielded bloodline evolution points equivalent to those from three or four ordinary domain creatures.
His cell regeneration ability was also promising, with significant growth potential in the future.
If he could avoid an early death, this regenerative ability could grant him an exceptionally long lifespan.
Next came the intelligence gathered, which proved to be his greatest reward from this Dream Realm experience.
Intelligence Gain 1: Identified the werewolf lurking nearby as Le Ping'an.
Note: He must be eliminated as soon as possible to proceed with plans against the technology research institute.
Intelligence Gain 2: Confirmed that the technology research institute is a malignant faction festering within Human Civilization.
Note: Consider collaborating with Mo Fei on a timeline to attempt the institute's destruction.
Intelligence Gain 3: Through information provided by the Scarlet Research Institute, learned that Little Black is likely an aggregate of Spirit Energy Nanoworms created by the technology research institute.
Note: Little Black may have gone rogue after its creation, escaping the institute's control.
Intelligence Gain 4: The Scarlet Research Institute's Brain in a Vat Project has made progress. Future collaboration in this area is possible.
Intelligence Gain 5: Domain creatures slain in the Dream Realm consistently vanished afterward. Hypothesize that killed domain creatures are erased from the timeline, or that historical alterations coincide with their deaths.
Note: Domain Derivative Creatures are unaffected by this phenomenon. For example, Little Cripple persists regardless of how many times it's killed, and killing such creatures yields no innate abilities.
As he continued writing, several more pages of notes filled the notebook.
These notes served more as memos, consolidating information from his mind for future reference.
He wasn't worried about the security of the information.
Before any crisis that might expose his secrets, his future self could simply burn the notebook, leaving no trace behindโeven more secure than data stored online.
In one timeline, his excessive exposure had drawn the attention of the technology research institute, leading to the deletion of all his online records.
After finishing his writing, he began reviewing the notes in the notebook.
Even now, many questions remained unanswered.
For example, if the technology research institute possessed such immense power, capable of suppressing the Scarlet Research Institute in every aspect, why had they never considered directly crushing Human Civilization?
Two hypotheses surfaced in his mind:
First, while the technology research institute was undoubtedly powerful, they were still far from being able to withstand the combined might of all humanity. Therefore, they chose to remain hidden, continuing to lurk within Human Civilization, seeking opportunities to overthrow it without bloodshed.
Secondly, domain creatures are not a monolithic entity; they harbor mutual animosity. The Domain-Transcending Creature controlling the technology research institute fears other hidden forces lurking within Human Civilization and is unwilling to act rashly, lest these rivals seize the opportunity to profit from the chaos.
Regardless of the outcome, the technology research institute must be eliminated.
Closing his notebook, he sat at his desk, lost in thought.
How could he kill Le Ping'an without exposing himself? This was the critical dilemma he now faced.
The academy was riddled with surveillance cameras. Charging into Le Ping'an's dormitory with a blade would inevitably reveal his involvement. He needed to find a way to lure Le Ping'an out.
Even the act of arranging a meeting couldn't involve cell phones or other communication devices.
Call records would be a liability, potentially revealing the content of their conversations.
At that point, he would have no defense.
Could he explain to the public that he had killed Le Ping'an, the werewolf, for the sake of Human Civilization's advancement?
Who would believe such a claim?
They would undoubtedly brand him a madman who murders his own students, sentencing him to life imprisonment.
After prolonged deliberation, he rose and strode toward Le Ping'an's dormitory building.
Moments later, he arrived at Le Ping'an's room.
After several knocks, the door opened.
Seeing it was him, Le Ping'an smiled shyly and said softly, "Brother Qi, what brings you here?"
"I have some questions about spirit medicine studies. Do you have time now?"
"I'm always free. Come in," Le Ping'an immediately stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter.
Feng Qi stepped into the room, which was filled with a faint medicinal aroma. The desk was piled high with books on cultivation studies, and an open notebook lay covered with important notes.
Seeing this, Feng Qi felt a pang of emotion.
Even now, he still couldn't understand why Le Ping'an had betrayed humanity.
What could domain creatures possibly offer him?
If humanity were destroyed, did these traitors really think they could coexist peacefully with domain creatures? Wouldn't they just become slaves?
"Brother Qi, take a seat. I'll get you a drink."
After Le Ping'an left, Feng Qi picked up the notebook from the desk. The densely packed notes showed how diligently Le Ping'an had been studying.
When Le Ping'an returned, he placed a glass of orange juice on the desk and smiled. "Brother Qi, I've been having some trouble with my Cultivation Technique Research lately. It's perfect timing that you came."
Hearing this, Feng Qi didn't respond directly. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Ping'an, you're studying cultivation studies so diligently. What are your plans after graduation? Why not follow in your parents' footsteps and study mechanical science?"
"I'm not interested in mechanical science," Le Ping'an replied. "My dream is to work at the Cultivation Technique Research Institute."
Feng Qi's mind raced with possibilities.
Initially, he had assumed Le Ping'an, like Mo Fei, had simply chosen a future path aligned with his personal interests.
But now that he knew Le Ping'an was a werewolf, he couldn't help but question his motives for wanting to join the Cultivation Technique Research Institute.
Is the Technology Research Institute trying to infiltrate the Cultivation Technique Research Institute through Le Ping'an?
He didn't dwell on this question for long.
After some casual conversation, during which he answered a few of Le Ping'an's questions about cultivation studies, Feng Qi got to the point:
"Ping'an, come to the back mountain after midnight tomorrow night. I need you to test a new cultivation technique for me."
"You've developed another new technique?" Le Ping'an asked, his interest piqued.
"Yes, but this one's quite special. It's best practiced late at night and has a strong wood element affinity, making it ideal for cultivation in lush, forested areas."
Hearing this, Le Ping'an didn't hesitate and nodded immediately.
"No problem."
"Actually, I don't want you to test it for me. That would be irresponsible. This cultivation technique isn't perfected yet, and testing it could cause physical problems. I mainly want you to keep an eye on me. For example, if I make a mistake during cultivation, call for help immediately. Otherwise, I might die without even realizing it."
"Brother Qi's cultivation technique is definitely flawless," Le Ping'an said, scratching his head with a grin.
After making the agreement, he left Le Ping'an's room.
He gave Le Ping'an a day to prepare, and himself a day to prepare as well.
During that time, he first ordered an anti-eavesdropping detection device. Then, he carefully examined the security cameras around the dormitory building. After roughly determining the location of each camera, he finalized his plan.
The next day, late at night.
A full moon hung high in the sky, its radiant light bathing the earth.
Feng Qi opened his window, psychokinesis surging from his body to envelop him. He levitated out of the window, rising over a hundred meters into the air. Skirting all the surveillance cameras, he flew directly toward the back mountain of Star City Academy.
His psychokinesis rapidly drained during the flight, but it held out just long enough to carry him to the academy's back mountain.
The area was lush with vegetation, featuring a pavilion flanked by inscriptions from the academy's elder scholars. Standing here, one could take in the entire night view of Star City Academy.
After waiting for several hours, Le Ping'an, still wearing his academy uniform, emerged from the distance, hurrying along the mountain path.
"Brother Qi, you're here!" Le Ping'an greeted him with a shy smile upon spotting Feng Qi standing before the pavilion.
Looking at Le Ping'an, Feng Qi felt a pang of emotion.
But he had no choice. Now that he was certain Le Ping'an was a werewolf, he couldn't afford to hesitate.
The mountain wind brushed against his face. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Ping'an, why did you betray humanity and side with the domain creatures?"
Le Ping'an's smile froze instantly. "Brother Qi, what are you talking about?" he stammered, clearly flustered.
Feng Qi had already scanned Le Ping'an's body with his psychokinesis, confirming he carried no devices other than his phone. The area monitoring equipment Feng Qi carried also remained silent.
He then used his psychokinesis to snatch the phone Le Ping'an had secretly pulled out, crushing it into dust with a clenched fist before tossing the fragments down the mountain.
"Ping'an, stop pretending. I know everything."
Le Ping'an's face twisted with bitterness as he stared at Feng Qi's icy expression. "Can you tell me how you found out?"
"First, tell me why you chose to betray humanity," Feng Qi demanded coldly.
Le Ping'an's body trembled slightly, as if realizing what awaited him. The shy smile on his face instantly transformed into a hysterical snarl.
"Why? There's no why! Is it wrong to live for myself?"
"That's no reason to betray humanity," Feng Qi said coldly.
"Don't act so righteous! You haven't experienced what I have, so don't stand on some moral high ground and judge me. You're not worthy!"
Le Ping'an had completely shed his former humble demeanor.
Trembling, he continued, his voice shaking as he stared at Feng Qi's icy expression:
"I didn't want to, but I had no choice. Truly, I had no choice."
Even before Feng Qi could react, Le Ping'an suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Heh, Brother Qi, don't think you'll get any information from me. Now that I've been exposed, I have no intention of living."
Seeing Le Ping'an vomit blood, Feng Qi suddenly recalled the information left by his future self.
All captured members of the dark force would use a mysterious suicide method, allowing them to die swiftly while their bodies gradually decomposed and vanished.
Realizing Le Ping'an was using this method, Feng Qi immediately stepped forward and reached out to grab him.
As his fingers brushed against Le Ping'an's already fading consciousness, his Nightmare ability activated.
A flood of fragmented memories surged into Feng Qi's mind.
Ping'an, you must grow up to be someone useful to society.
Ping'an, what are your dreams?
The technology research institute? Just like your old man! Technology is the future.
Son, if I can't finish this research, you must complete it for me when you grow up. This technology could change the future of humanity.
Countless memories swirled through Feng Qi's mind.
He witnessed scenes from Le Ping'an's childhood:
The young Le Ping'an grew up surrounded by his parents' love, living a life of happiness and abundance. As high-ranking officials at the technology research institute, his parents ensured he lacked nothing materially.
Throughout his childhood, Le Ping'an's face was always lit with smiles. He particularly loved to snuggle in his parents' arms, listening to their stories.
As Feng Qi skimmed through the bulk of Le Ping'an's memories, one scene caught his attention.
In this memory, Le Ping'an lay in bed, seemingly ill, with an oxygen mask strapped to his face.
From Le Ping'an's perspective, he could see his parents leaning over the bedside, their faces etched with sorrow as they gazed at him.
Periodically, his father would slap himself, muttering self-reproachful words.
Le Ping'an lay in bed, his body growing weaker with each breath, his life force quietly ebbing away.
Suddenly, a dark figure appeared at the foot of his bed.
Feng Qi couldn't hear what the figure was saying, but he watched as the couple's faces twisted with anguish as they listened.
Finally, Le Ping'an's father drew a spirit energy gun from his waist and aimed it at the figure, his hand trembling visibly.
But Le Ping'an's mother pressed down on the barrel, nodding in pained agreement.
As if drained of all strength, Le Ping'an's father collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down his face.
The dark figure placed a hand on Le Ping'an's forehead. With a gentle touch, a wisp of black energy seeped into his body. A faint blush rose on Le Ping'an's pale cheeks, and his ragged breathing began to even out.
As Feng Qi watched this memory unfold, he suddenly understood why Le Ping'an's parents had betrayed humanity.
To save Le Ping'an's life, they had chosen to let him live after a torturous internal struggle.
This was undoubtedly a deal with the devil.
In the days that followed, Le Ping'an, as expected, began serving the Domain-Transcending Creature that had infiltrated the technology research institute.
It was his parents' choice, leaving him no other option.
Once his parents had made the deal with the domain creature, he could no longer choose the path of light, forced to walk a dark road to its bitter end.
Yet the domain creature infiltrating the technology research institute remained shrouded in mystery.
Even before Le Ping'an, it never revealed its true form.
"Cough, cough!" Le Ping'an coughed up blood again, interrupting Feng Qi's memory reading.
"Brother Qi, when I was a child, my dream was to dedicate my life to the rise of humanity."
In his final moments, Le Ping'an regained a fleeting clarity, like a dying flame flickering brightly before being extinguished. He looked at Feng Qi and continued:
"Brother Qi, let me ask you something... If your child had a terminal illness, lying in a hospital bed with no hope of recovery, and a devil approached you..."
"He claims he can not only save your child's life but also grant you near-eternal life and fulfill any material desire. The price? The deaths of a group of people who have nothing to do with you, and no one will ever know what you've done... What would you choose?"
Faced with this question, Feng Qi already understood what Le Ping'an was thinking.
As if talking to himself, Le Ping'an continued to murmur:
"You don't need to answer me. Just remember what you feel in your heart. Perhaps one day you'll face a similar choice. They weren't wrong."
Watching Le Ping'an's spirit gradually wither, Feng Qi couldn't help but sigh.
"The moment human nature collapses is undoubtedly ugly. But when they face such a choice, every second of their internal struggle between good and evil deserves respect. Ultimately, they made the wrong decision."
"Yes, they made the wrong decision... but they weren't wrong either. At least, in my eyes, they weren't wrong. Good and evil are relative, changing with one's perspective... They weren't wrong."
By now, Le Ping'an could barely speak clearly, continuously vomiting blood.
Seeing Le Ping'an in such a state, Feng Qi felt a pang of unease.
After reviewing fragments of Le Ping'an's memories, he knew that Le Ping'an's childhood dream of fighting for the rise of humanity had been genuine.
That was also his parents' hope for his future.
But his parents had betrayed that promise first, willingly plunging into darkness for his sake.
After his parents made their choice, he had no choice left.
This was the price of making a deal with demons: his path forward could only lead him to the dark side.
"Brother Qi... it's so cold... Am I going to die?"
Holding Le Ping'an in his arms, Feng Qi remained silent, his hatred for domain creatures growing stronger with each passing moment.
Le Ping'an could no longer speak, coughing up blood as the last embers of his life burned out in his eyes, clinging to his love for this world.
Finally, his body gradually dissolved in Feng Qi's arms like fragments of energy, transforming into shimmering specks of light in the night.
The mountain wind swept through, carrying the crystalline mist away.
Feng Qi stood up and gazed at the brightly lit nightscape of Star City Academy, a complex mix of emotions churning within him.
"Narrator, do you believe human nature is inherently good or inherently evil?"
Human nature is inherently evil. A newborn infant only knows how to take, incapable of giving or gratitude... But I believe that throughout life, humans learn how to become good. The love of family, friendship, and romance, every beauty in the world teaches us a measure of kindness.
Hearing the Narrator's response, Feng Qi nodded.
The mountain wind brushed against his cheeks, rustling through the swaying grass and trees.
The emotions in his heart surged like the night wind.
Le Ping'an was pitiful, but choosing the wrong side made him wrong.
Le Ping'an claimed he hadn't experienced such things and couldn't understand, but Feng Qi already knew the answer.
He would never accept the devil's choice, nor would he ever give up.
He would strive to find a glimmer of hope, even if it seemed impossible, until he was utterly exhausted and helpless... even if the ending was tragic and filled him with anguish.
The path to one's dreams was inevitably strewn with thorns, but regardless of the outcome, he would remain true to himself.
Every journey over mountains and valleys might not lead to spring blossoms.
Every arduous journey through wind and rain might not end with a sky ablaze with sunset hues.
But he would never choose to surrender, compromise, or abandon his path.
Even if he ultimately stood before the twilight of the apocalypse, witnessing his own failure, he would emulate Mu Yao, raising his spear to point at the Blood Moon and fighting to his death against overwhelming enemies.
Le Ping'an had said that good and evil were not fixed, but shifted with one's perspective.
To Feng Qi, that was merely the stance of the wavering.
As a human, why not face the storm of arrows with unwavering resolve, sacrificing oneself to carve out a brighter future for humanity?
The enemy's overwhelming strength was no excuse for surrender.
Though born as ants, we should aspire to be swans; though our lives are as fragile as paper, our spirits must remain unyielding.
At that moment, the newly risen sun peeked over the horizon, its crimson edge piercing the darkness.
Standing atop the mountain, he gazed upward and witnessed the dawn's radiant rays tear through the night sky, painting the heavens crimson.
(End of the Chapter)
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