Hijacking the Timeline

After reviewing the email content, many of Feng Qi’s lingering doubts were resolved.

At least the existing messages confirmed that the Scarlet Research Institute had been operating in the shadows, quietly preparing an Anti-Infiltration Salvation Plan to sever the connection between the dark world and the real world at its source.

Moreover, they had detected enemies lurking within human society and were secretly protecting the new generation of geniuses to prevent their assassination.

However, Feng Qi still harbored many questions.

He wondered if the Scarlet Research Institute knew the identities of the enemies infiltrating humanity.

Driven by these questions, he continued scrolling through the email content.

1103: Today I mentioned the Heaven-Reaching Road to Wei Wei, but she claimed she’d never heard of such a place... So perhaps the Scarlet Research Institute has no connection to the Heaven-Reaching Road. Then again, it’s possible Wei Wei simply doesn’t know about it.

1108: After my physical exam today, I impulsively asked her how old she was. Without hesitation, she declared she was 18... I really wanted to ask her, ”Do you have any self-awareness at all?”

1113: The cloning project for the Little Suction Cup is finally showing some progress. Here’s a video of what the seedling looks like (video attachment), but we’re still a long way from success.

Feng Qi opened the video. On the screen, a small white tadpole swam vigorously in a blue liquid.

”Whoa, it looks pretty active!”

Feng Qi: ...

Although the research seemed to be progressing, he knew this wasn’t the Suction Cup that would eventually develop.

Based on the timeline, the Suction Cup’s creation likely occurred after Mu Qing established the dawn rebels, possibly even after her death.

In previous searches of the future database, Mu Qing’s remains were always classified.

He suspected her body had been sent to the Scarlet Research Institute, where her latest genetic material was extracted and the unique rune crystal removed.

Only then could the Little Suction Cup be formally created and released by the Scarlet Research Institute when Star City faced its crisis.

What puzzled him was this: if the Scarlet Research Institute was truly benevolent, why had his future self, who worked there, died mysteriously at the age of 29?

With these questions lingering, he continued reading through the rest of the email.

Today I attended an internal meeting at the Scarlet Research Institute. Before the meeting, we underwent thorough physical examinations, including mental assessments. During the meeting, we had to change into designated attire in a secure area to ensure no eavesdropping devices were present.

During the meeting, I met the directors of several other departments. After a vote, they formally approved my inclusion in the core plan. Now, I’m officially part of the Salvation Plan, working to secure a sliver of hope for humanity’s future.

At the meeting, I finally learned the full extent of the Scarlet Research Institute’s silent efforts to protect this world. Every member was prepared to die for the cause.

Director Li of the Biochemical Department warned me that none of the Scarlet Research Institute’s activities could be leaked. Any disclosure would inevitably draw the attention of hidden forces, who would sabotage their plans.

This immediately reminded me of a timeline where the dark force had used me to uncover many of the Scarlet Research Institute’s plans, leading to various destructive actions. Back then, I had unwittingly been a pawn of the dark force. Sigh.

During the meeting, I asked the Scarlet Research Institute’s leaders a crucial question: Did they know the true identity of the enemy lurking in the shadows?

In response to my question, they all fell silent.

Wei Wei told me that they had captured infiltrators from the dark force, but these individuals would invariably choose death upon capture. The poison implanted within their bodies would activate, rendering all attempts at resuscitation futile. Their bodies would rapidly decompose, leaving no trace behind.

After officially joining the core plan, I finally saw the rune augments in the underground laboratory—the beings we had mistakenly believed to be Domain Transcenders.

These were researchers who had volunteered to sacrifice themselves for the experiments. It was through their dedication that the rune augment project had steadily advanced. The Scarlet Research Institute could now transform humans into semi-domain creatures.

The ultimate goal of this project was to send a group of elite warriors, transformed into semi-domain creatures, into the dark world to locate and destroy the teleportation points connecting the two realms.

If they never returned, then they never returned. We salute them.

A major incident occurred today. One of the Scarlet Research Institute’s branch bases, located on the outskirts of Twilight City, was attacked. Does that sound familiar?

Yes, it was the same facility Mu Qing investigated in one of the timelines.

It was her investigation records that first made us suspect Mu Qing’s betrayal of humanity was connected to the Scarlet Research Institute. We even speculated about cruel rune augment experiments being conducted within the base... Now, we know our initial assumptions were wrong.

The Scarlet Research Institute is in a precarious situation. The dark forces seem to have caught wind of something and are probing the institute’s defenses. Destroying this experimental base was likely their initial test.

The Scarlet Research Institute has now issued a new mission to the domain combat team, tasking them with investigating the situation.

A/N: The destruction of the Scarlet Research Institute’s Twilight City experimental base was described in Chapter 17 of this novel, including mission records.

At the meeting, everyone agreed that the Scarlet Research Institute has likely exposed some of its secrets. The data in Twilight City was indeed sensitive, and the dark forces are likely to launch frequent attacks against the institute in the future.

I suspect that in one timeline, Mu Qing accepted a commission from the Scarlet Research Institute, which led her to unleash her full murderous potential.

Her mission was to destroy the experimental base in Twilight City, erasing all data and clues, and thus setting her on the path to becoming the Great Demon King ahead of schedule.

Upon learning of the destruction of the Twilight City experimental base, Wei Wei’s spirits plummeted. She had a student she deeply valued at that facility.

On a freezing winter night, she left the headquarters alone.

I followed her out and eventually found her standing by a street outside the base.

She stood there, rubbing her hands against the biting -20°C wind, her eyes hollow and vacant, devoid of their usual warmth and vitality.

She must be in so much pain right now, I thought.

Perhaps this was the heavy burden that pathfinders had to bear.

Today, Wei Wei’s mood was noticeably improved. She casually told me she had grown used to it, explaining that grief couldn’t be channeled into strength, but anger could. Now she was brimming with motivation.

She even joked that she would clone ten thousand Mu Qings to swarm the dark forces. Hahaha!

Now that I’ve officially become a core member of the Scarlet Research Institute, I’ve been assigned to rune crystal analysis. My workload has skyrocketed, sometimes requiring me to stay in the laboratory for days without leaving. My future messages might become much less frequent. (Red Mark) I couldn’t resist asking Wei Wei again about the rune crystal embedded in Mu Qing’s body.

This time, Wei Wei didn’t hold back and revealed a major secret.

She said the rune crystal had existed since the Scarlet Research Institute was founded. It was supposedly obtained by the institute’s founding director from a mysterious figure.

Oh, I forgot to mention:

The first director of the Scarlet Research Institute was the one who originally proposed the rune augment project. After the project was canceled, he fell into a deep depression for a long time.

It was during this period that he met someone who gave him the rune crystal now in Mu Qing’s body and helped him establish the initial Scarlet Research Institute.

Wei Wei claimed she had actually met this mysterious figure herself and received something from him as well.

When I asked what it was, she replied, ”Youth.”

Feng Qi’s face creased with confusion as he read further.

He couldn’t help but suspect that Wei Wei’s eternal youth stemmed from the mysterious person’s intervention.

But this raised even more questions.

Who exactly was this mysterious person, and why would they grant Wei Wei such an extended lifespan?

And why would they give Mu Qing, the first director of the Scarlet Research Institute, that rune crystal?

As he pondered, he recalled Liu Yue’s description of the ”mysterious girl.”

According to Liu Yue, she had lived for countless years, tirelessly seeking miracles for humanity. Despite repeated setbacks, she never gave up, and Liu Yue considered her a miracle in herself.

Could this mysterious person and the ”mysterious girl” be one and the same?

Still puzzled, he continued reading through the rest of the email.

1327: When I asked Wei Wei about the mysterious person, she admitted she didn’t know what they looked like, only that their voice suggested they were female.

She even gossiped that she suspected the woman was an ancient monster. After all, she’d been around since the Scarlet Research Institute’s founding—living this long would make anyone an ancient monster, right?

Hearing this, I was dumbfounded.

Did Wei Wei, the old hag, ever consider her own situation when she said that?

1329: Wei Wei, the old hag, declared I’d graduated and was ready to lead a team independently. They’re planning to appoint me as the director of the new branch base.

Damn, I’m about to reach the pinnacle of my life!

Actually, I’ve already fallen in love with biological sciences. I’m certain I can achieve great things in this field. Just wait and see, future me! I’m striking out on my own now.

1489: Officially separated from Wei Wei and arrived at the new base. Headquarters has even dispatched three domain combat teams to protect us. Time to roll up my sleeves and charge toward a glorious future!

1589: Fuck! The base was hit by a probing attack from a Mysterious Force. Thankfully, no casualties, but it seems our base has been targeted by the dark force. Am I going to die young again?

No way! I still want to fight for humanity’s rise. The Butterfly’s wings can’t be broken!

1592: The base was attacked again. I’ve requested reinforcements from headquarters, and ten domain combat teams will be deployed soon to protect the branch base.

I’ve also moved all sensitive data to my private laboratory. If things go south, we have to burn everything.

1593: This is bad. The network cable connecting us to headquarters has been cut, and the base’s signal is being gradually blocked. The dark force seems to be launching a full-scale assault. I hope we can hold out. If we don’t, I’m done for.

Sitting in my private laboratory, I suddenly wondered how I would die.

Humans need to advance under a veil of lies. The Scarlet Research Institute could never reveal the existence of the Dark Organization to the world. Perhaps I’ll die in a way that seems utterly unremarkable to your future eyes.

1594: The base’s defenses have been breached. A Mysterious Force is closing in on my core area. I’ve destroyed all sensitive data; even in death, I won’t let them uncover the secrets of the rune augment.

The Anti-Infiltration Plan must never fall into the hands of the dark force.

Now, I’ll join the fight.

It’s been too long since I last trained. My combat strength won’t change anything, but I refuse to surrender meekly.

I’ll fight to the bitter end.

1595: This may be my final message to you. Sadly, I couldn’t escape dying young.

In my final moments, I realized our lives are like lights. Countless versions of me have always managed to illuminate a path forward before being extinguished.

As for you, who will continue to bear this heavy burden, keep going!

(End of the Chapter)

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Translator’s Corner

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