Translator: CinderTL
Feng Qi spent the entire night awake.
While the residents of Star City celebrated the New Year with their families, Feng Qi sat alone on the balcony all night.
During that time, he received New Year's greetings from the Lord of the Mist, Lin Ran, and Wei Wei.
Now, as he watched the crimson sun gradually rise above the horizon, he stood up and brushed the snow off his clothes.
With the arrival of the New Year, he would embark on a new journey toward his ideals.
Entering the house, he cast one last glance at the familiar objects within the old room before stepping out.
He tucked the key back into the crack in the wall and descended the stairs without looking back.
From this point forward, the past would fade like the wind, and he would follow the Lord of the Mist into complete darkness.
Stepping out of the residential complex, he found it still snowing heavily.
The streets outside were nearly deserted, save for snow-clearing robots working overtime to push the thick layer of snow to the sides of the road.
Exhaling a cloud of white mist, he walked along the sidewalk toward the bus stop three kilometers away.
The Tiger Soul Research Institute did not grant uniform holidays to its staff and researchers.
Researchers working on critical projects had to return to work the day after the New Year's Eve dinner.
Those working on less critical projects could enjoy a few extra days off.
Feng Qi clearly belonged to the latter group.
Yet he knew he needed to return as soon as possible.
Last night's New Year's blessing from the Lord of the Mist had already signaled the complete takeover of the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
When he first heard the news, he felt no surprise.
Knowing the Lord of the Mist as he did, he understood that the deity would never risk launching an operation without near-absolute certainty of success.
The plan had likely been meticulously deduced countless times in the Lord of the Mist's mind before it even began.
Even if unforeseen circumstances arose during the operation, he trusted that the Lord of the Mist's power would ensure his safe retreat.
From the Lord of the Mist's phone call, he also learned that the Nightshadow Clan's internal war had been exceptionally brutal that night.
In the end, none of the three factions emerged victorious.
Just as they were all exhausted, the Lord of the Mist struck.
He sustained severe injuries in the battle, but fortunately, his life origin remained intact.
However, his new body had been ravaged beyond repair during the fighting and would soon become unusable.
Yet, according to the Lord of the Mist, none of this mattered anymore. He had now completely seized control of the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
His method of control was simple: he hadn't killed all the Nightshadow Clan members.
He believed their mental control abilities still held value, aiding him in maintaining a tighter grip over the institute.
Thus, after securing complete dominance, he chose to enslave the remaining Nightshadow Clan members.
To ensure their compliance, he forcibly made the remaining few dozen Nightshadow Clan members cultivate the Flesh and Blood Sacrifice.
He then activated a trigger switch, killing three of them to demonstrate the consequences of betraying him.
This also made them understand that after cultivating the Flesh and Blood Sacrifice, a mere thought from the Lord of the Mist could drain their qi blood and kill them.
The three Nightshadow Clan members used as cautionary examples dissolved into blood mist, meeting a gruesome end.
Having cultivated the Flesh and Blood Sacrifice, the Nightshadow Clan members were now marked with a death mark by the black shadow behind the Technology Research Institute, their lives no longer their own.
This confirmed the Lord of the Mist's earlier assessment of the Nightshadow Clan.
Their problem-solving approach was rooted in "weak clan mentality." Faced with an inescapable fate, the remaining Nightshadow Clan members lowered their heads and chose submission over annihilation.
During the final part of the call, the Lord of the Mist revealed his next move:
He would transfer both himself and Lin Ran back to Tiger Soul Research Institute Headquarters, then initiate the body possession of Lin Ran.
This was precisely why Feng Qi needed to return to the Tiger Soul Branch Base as quickly as possible.
Lost in thought, he arrived at the platform.
After a long wait, an autonomous bus slowly pulled up to the curb.
He boarded the vehicle, finding it still completely empty.
Taking a window seat, he entered his destination.
The bus began to move, gradually accelerating.
Several hours later, Feng Qi arrived back at the main gate of the Tiger Soul Research Institute's branch base.
Just as he was about to verify his identity and enter the base, he looked up at the sky.
A helicopter bearing the "Tiger Soul" insignia was hovering above the branch base, preparing to land on the helipad within the compound.
After verifying his identity, he stepped inside the base.
Turning his head toward the helipad, he saw Lin Ran, laden with bags and packages, disembarking from the helicopter.
Their eyes met from a distance. Lin Ran's face lit up with a smile, and he hurried toward Feng Qi.
Feng Qi stopped in his tracks.
"Brother Qi, why are you back so soon? Shouldn't you have taken a few more days to rest?"
"What about you? How was your rare visit home?"
"My relatives showered me with praise, making me their bragging rights abroad," Lin Ran replied with a laugh. "Oh, and after not seeing my sister for a year, I suddenly realized she's grown taller than my chest..."
Looking at Lin Ran's beaming face, Feng Qi suddenly didn't know how to broach the subject.
He could sacrifice himself without hesitation, but sacrificing others stirred an entirely different kind of anguish.
Demanding such a sacrifice from others, even for a noble cause, went against his deepest convictions.
Even though Lin Ran had explicitly stated his willingness to sacrifice himself for the greater good, Feng Qi couldn't help but reflect on their differences.
Feng Qi was alone, unburdened by personal attachments, with only the burning desire to pursue his ideals fueling his heart.
Lin Ran, however, had family and loved ones.
Every individual in every timeline was a living, breathing person, and Lin Ran was no exception.
Lin Ran's choice to sacrifice himself would undoubtedly inflict immense pain on his family.
Noticing the shift in Feng Qi's expression, Lin Ran's smile faded as he suddenly asked, "Brother Qi, is it time?"
Feng Qi gazed at Lin Ran and couldn't help but sigh.
A smile returned to Lin Ran's face as he playfully punched Feng Qi's chest. "You've sacrificed yourself across so many timelines already. It's my turn to experience the feeling of throwing myself wholeheartedly into our ideals."
"Let's not discuss this outside. We should head inside the base first."
With that, they walked into the base together.
(End of the Chapter)
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