Translator: CinderTL
Two years later, Future City's central district.
8:00 PM.
Feng Qi, wearing a trench coat, walked with Liu Yue along the road leading to the Future City Central Television building.
Towering buildings lined both sides, while maglev cars zipped overhead in an orderly fashion. Virtual images projected onto the pavement along the way added to the futuristic atmosphere.
Everything here exuded a sense of technological advancement.
Yet beneath the veneer of prosperity, darkness silently crept and enveloped the world. Humanity lived within a fabricated reality woven from lies.
Feng Qi's purpose tonight was to pierce through these lies and attempt to save Human Civilization.
Over the past two years, he had arranged all his affairs.
This included transferring numerous technologies obtained by the Future Research Institute from the Technology Research Institute to the Scarlet Research Institute.
Simultaneously, he meticulously planned and arranged how to reveal the truth to the world.
One thing was clear: once he exposed the truth, every member of the Dawn Organization who dared to speak out would face mortal danger.
Therefore, he had arranged for them to leave Future City in advance.
All they needed to do was speak out online from outside the city.
This was the last thing he could do for them in his final moments.
For this mission to the Future City Central Television, he had brought only Liu Yue.
"Once we storm the television station, buy me ten minutes, then leave as quickly as possible," Feng Qi said, turning to Liu Yue beside him with a smile.
"Ten minutes is too short. I'll hold them off longer for you."
"You'll die."
"So will you," Liu Yue replied expressionlessly.
"Stop talking nonsense. You still have a purpose, so you must live longer than me. I don't need you to die with me."
After a long silence, Liu Yue suddenly asked, "Have you ever wavered over the years?"
Gazing at the bustling nightscape of the city ahead, a smile spread across Feng Qi's face. "I once doubted the meaning of my persistence. But when I crossed the River of Time to fight alongside those who shared my path, listening to the stories they left behind in the currents of time, I truly understood the weight and grandeur behind upholding justice in one's heart."
"There are many things one can pursue in life: success, wealth, becoming a wise person, or someone who commands the attention of millions. But in truth, being someone who steadfastly clings to their dreams is also incredibly cool."
Hearing this, a smile also appeared on Liu Yue's face. "It is."
Over ten minutes later, they arrived at the plaza in front of Future City Central Television.
In the center of the plaza stood a towering structure resembling a mechanical arm—the television tower, Feng Qi's target.
At this moment, Liu Yue drew the Jianlan from his back.
"Today, I'm making an exception for you. Anyone who gets in your way, kill them without mercy!"
"Take it easy. While the Technology Research Institute controls the television station, there are still many innocent civilians who don't know what's going on."
"I can tell the difference."
Looking at Liu Yue's serious expression, Feng Qi smiled and patted his shoulder. "Thanks for accompanying me."
With that, he strode toward the television station.
As they reached the entrance, the security guards on duty immediately shouted at them, demanding an explanation.
Liu Yue responded by swinging his Jianlan.
The sword's light stirred a gentle breeze that brushed past the security guards, instantly knocking them unconscious.
Feng Qi didn't stop. He walked straight into the building.
He had thoroughly studied the layout in advance and rehearsed this operation dozens of times in his mind.
Following the route on the intelligence map, he reached the elevator bank and pressed the call button.
At that moment, alarms blared throughout the building, and security personnel rushed toward them from all directions.
Feng Qi didn't look back. Liu Yue was the sharpest sword in his hand, and he had complete faith in him.
Standing behind Feng Qi, Liu Yue turned to face the oncoming guards, Jianlan spinning rapidly in his hand. Suddenly, he unleashed a sweeping sword strike.
In an instant, all the security personnel charging toward them were sent flying through the air.
Many of them were elite warriors who had retired from the domain combat teams, but before Liu Yue, they were utterly defenseless.
Ding!
The elevator arrived on the first floor, and Feng Qi stepped inside.
Liu Yue followed him in just then, as a group of security personnel in uniform lay sprawled outside.
When the elevator reached the eighth floor, the moment the doors opened, the sound of firearms being cocked filled the air.
Dense volleys of bullets followed.
Liu Yue stood before Feng Qi, his sword intent coalescing into an invisible sword shield to deflect the incoming hail of bullets.
Suddenly, Jianlan erupted in a dazzling stream of light, and a powerful shockwave of sword energy surged forward. The combatants in front staggered backward, and the windows shattered under the force of the blast.
"Dawn Organization... Feng Qi? Liu Yue?"
The only man still standing stared at them, his voice grim as he questioned them.
Feng Qi didn't reply, instead turning right and walking down the corridor toward the broadcast room.
Liu Yue, however, pointed a single finger to his forehead, and a "Sword Eye" materialized there.
Through it, he saw the "death mark" within the man's body.
"Who told you to leave? I'm still here..."
The man glared at Feng Qi, his mouth opening to shout, but before the words could leave his lips, his expression suddenly turned to terror.
A bloodline appeared on his forehead, tracing down from the center of his brow and splitting his head in two, causing him to collapse with a thunderous crash.
After slaying his foe, Liu Yue immediately followed Feng Qi's lead.
Pushing open the door to the control room, they were met with a scene of terrified faces.
"Go!" Feng Qi commanded coldly, clearing a path.
The control room staff didn't hesitate for a moment, scurrying past Feng Qi and out the door.
"Liu Yue, buy me ten minutes. Then you leave first."
"Understood!" Liu Yue replied instantly, turning to leave.
Feng Qi entered the still-active news studio, sat down, and began to deliver the speech he had rehearsed countless times in his mind, staring at the still-running camera.
Outside, viewers watching the news broadcast were stunned when the live feed suddenly cut from frontline reports to Feng Qi.
As a wanted criminal on Future City's list, Feng Qi was instantly recognizable.
Suddenly, they realized that Future City Central Television seemed to have been seized by the human reactionary force, "Dawn."
Despite their anger, they patiently continued watching, eager to hear what outrageous statements Feng Qi would make.
Criticism erupted across the screen in a torrent of scrolling comments.
They were nothing more than insults and curses.
Feng Qi could see the comments on a side monitor, but he remained unfazed and continued speaking.
His calm tone belied the shocking content of his words.
He tore through the lies, exposing the bloody reality to the world.
But in the eyes of the masses, the brutal truth he spoke was itself a lie. They remained steadfast in their belief that humanity was steadily advancing toward victory.
Even if they wouldn't live to see the glorious era, their descendants would.
The comments flooding the screen proved they hadn't believed a word he said.
But Feng Qi's goal was to plant a seed of doubt in their hearts.
Flipping through history, I saw no truth, only disguised enemies standing in the sunlight, perched on the moral high ground, deciding the future of Human Civilization. The true warriors could only lurk in the shadows, searching for a glimmer of hope...
The truth was brutal.
Yet, as he revealed it, he spoke only of hope, never despair.
He refused to let people be crushed by the harsh reality, yearning for them to rise up.
Just like the martyrs who refused to compromise as the world was devoured by the domain in the early days of the catastrophe.
Outside the television station building, Liu Yue stood with Jianlan in his arms, his gaze cold and unwavering.
Having lost control of the station, the Technology Research Institute reacted swiftly, dispatching battle groups to the scene.
Military vehicles arrived one after another, parking in the station's plaza.
Combat personnel quickly deployed, and the first wave of soldiers launched an assault on Liu Yue.
Sword intent surged within him. With a wave of his hand, a towering sword intent pressed forward.
"Anyone who steps forward will die!"
Ignoring Liu Yue's warning, the soldiers pressed their attack.
Jianlan flashed, vanishing from his hand and suddenly piercing the neck of the foremost soldier.
His momentum didn't wane as he cut through one figure after another.
Blood blossomed in the crowd.
He had once said that Jianlan would never strike down its own kind. Those words were the Sword Heart he had cultivated when he first practiced sword intent.
Breaking this vow would be tantamount to denying his own Sword Heart.
If the Sword Heart shattered, his sword intent would inevitably dissipate.
But at this moment, he chose to betray his inner oath.
Yet his Sword Heart remained unshaken, even growing stronger.
He was now following his true heart, his blood surging with fervent passion.
"Kill!" he roared, as a torrent of sword intent erupted from his body, his long hair dancing with each swing of his sword.
More enemies surged forward, wave after wave, but he didn't retreat a single step.
Ten minutes passed quickly.
He had broken his promise to Feng Qi, choosing to remain standing before the building's entrance.
One sword stroke swept away ten thousand enemies.
A thousand miles of exhilarating wind.
There were things in his eyes worth dying to protect.
At this moment, Liu Yue stood like an insurmountable wall, holding back the relentless onslaught of enemies.
Figures fell beneath his sword, their souls claimed by his blade.
His clothes were torn in the battle, blood dripping from the tip of his sword, yet his face showed no fear of death.
As the fight wore on, his sword strokes grew slower, and more bloodstains marked his body.
Faced with Liu Yue's death-defying resolve, the remaining combatants hesitated to advance.
But as reinforcements arrived, the group leaders of several domain combat teams led their forces in a renewed assault on Liu Yue, aiming to kill him and reclaim control of the Future City Central Television station.
His body grew increasingly weary, and his sword techniques became less fluid.
At this moment, the current group leader of the Wolf Pack Battle Group suddenly launched a surprise attack from the side, slamming Liu Yue to the ground. A short dagger flashed toward Liu Yue's neck.
Facing the incoming attack, Liu Yue's eyes turned white.
Sword intent surged from his body like a raging tide, and Jianlan, under his control, suddenly pierced toward the Wolf Pack Battle Group's leader.
Faced with Liu Yue's desperate exchange, the Wolf Pack Battle Group's leader chose to defend.
Jianlan burst into brilliant light, shattering the dagger and slicing across the enemy's neck. An open-eyed head flew into the air.
Liu Yue stood up again, drenched in blood.
Jianlan hovered beside him, humming like a death knell, as if daring anyone to take another step forward.
But soon, the enemy attacked again.
Led by the elites of various domain combat teams, they launched another assault.
With each kill, Liu Yue's body became more crimson with blood. His increasingly exhausted body could no longer fight with the same ferocity as before.
As his wounds multiplied, Liu Yue's consciousness began to fade.
After slaying another enemy with his sword, he stumbled back two steps.
In the haze of fading consciousness, a scene suddenly flashed through Liu Yue's mind: Feng Qi smiling and teasing him.
"Liu Yue, you stubborn mule! You just don't know how to be flexible..."
Gazing at the crowd surging forward once more, Liu Yue grinned.
"You're right... as long as a single breath remains, hope never dies! Kill!"
The hope in Liu Yue's eyes was the man he was now protecting behind him.
Jianlan, as if sensing its master's resolve to die, trembled and let out a mournful cry.
Blood blurred his vision, but his sword continued to obey his heart, relentlessly cutting down enemies.
Sword intent erupted in dazzling light, brighter than the stars in the night sky above.
Before his consciousness completely faded, Liu Yue unleashed his final strike.
Where the sword energy passed, the ground was plowed into a deep trench several meters wide. The energy continued to surge forward, slicing and pulverizing every enemy in its path.
The sword energy traveled hundreds of meters before dissipating.
By now, the television station square was completely destroyed, leaving only the Future City Central Television building behind Liu Yue unscathed.
No one dared to take another step forward as they watched Liu Yue, leaning on his sword to stay upright.
Feeling his life force gradually draining away, he looked at the terrified enemies before him and smiled.
At this moment, he was radiant, his face flushed with color.
"I don't regret walking this path with you," he said.
The Flame of Life flickered out in that moment, leaving a smile frozen on his face. His body remained upright, refusing to fall.
The wind swept across his blood-stained cheek, lifting his long hair.
At that instant, Jianlan suddenly shattered, choosing to accompany its master on the lonely Road to the Underworld.
Inside the television station.
As Feng Qi revealed the truth to the world, members of the Dawn Organization also stepped forward to speak out.
They used their influence on forums, online communities, and chat groups—everywhere they could reach—to unleash their defiant roars.
The internet had already exploded.
Initially filled with curses, the online discourse gradually shifted.
"I'm starting to believe Feng Qi. My teacher has spoken out too. I'm wavering."
"Has the Technology Research Institute really been taken over by domain creatures? That's terrifying. I still find it hard to believe."
"I don't believe it. The Technology Research Institute releases a series of technologies every year that advance Human Civilization. Wouldn't it be foolish for the Domain Force to do this?"
"If the Technology Research Institute is truly controlled by the Domain Force, the consequences are unimaginable. Waiting online for the institute to come forward and prove it's not true."
Watching the comments scrolling across the right-hand screen, Feng Qi knew he had achieved his goal.
A seed of doubt had been planted.
Now, all he had to do was wait for time to water it until it took root and sprouted.
It would stir the River of Time, leaving a profound impact on the future.
Just then, a commotion erupted outside.
Realizing he had no time left, he turned to the camera and smiled faintly.
"Fellow humans, I call upon you to rise and fight for the survival of our race!"
As his words faded, the door to the control room was violently smashed open, and figures in black uniforms swarmed toward him.
Feng Qi stood up and chose to meet the attackers head-on.
He knew this timeline was nearing its end.
This moment was exactly like that moment.
The only constant was the unyielding spirit in his heart, which had never wavered or bowed.
(End of the Chapter)
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