Hijacking the Timeline

After the skill assessment, Feng Qi gathered the students in a custom game room.

Once everyone had entered, he opened the settings menu, revealing the configuration options.

First, he set the team size to 6v6. Then, he dragged his own avatar to the spectator area, participating as an observer.

Next, he adjusted the combat mode settings.

He equalized all the students’ physical stats to the same starting values, ensuring no one would have an overwhelming advantage.

When adjusting Mu Qing’s stats, he noticed her physical stats were unreadable, displaying a question mark instead.

The monk’s stats also showed a question mark.

While Mu Qing’s unreadable stats could be attributed to the game pod’s detection limitations, the monk’s stats had clearly been hidden using some special method.

However, this didn’t prevent Feng Qi from adjusting their values.

After equalizing everyone’s stats, he opened the map selection menu.

The available maps appeared:

Cloudpeak Mountains (Complex Terrain)

Twisted Forest (Complex Terrain)

Dragonscale Plains (Simple Terrain)

Lavafire Caldera (Balanced)

The map selection list contained over a dozen options.

This was only a fraction of the maps currently available.

He had thoroughly researched the super virtual game in the future database.

Developed by multiple generations of game development teams, the game featured nearly a thousand simple and complex combat maps designed to enhance cultivators’ training effectiveness.

After its creation, the game had evolved beyond mere entertainment.

While traditional MOBA games benefited from a single map to help players familiarize themselves with the environment, this game’s purpose could be described as a ”war factory”—specifically designed to cultivate warriors. Complex terrain was therefore essential.

After all, the battlefield was not a game; there were no identical environments to adapt to.

Map diversity was crucial for training adaptability to any environment.

His gaze swept across the map options before settling on ”Random Map” mode.

Finally came personnel assignments.

He assigned Mu Qing, Cai Guo, the Xia Family Brothers, and Xu Hongyun to the Blue Team.

Liu Yue, Lin Ran, Yan Yue, Yang Xiaoxin, the monk, and Jia Yi were assigned to the Red Team.

After assigning the teams, he clicked the ”Enter Game” button.

A triumphant fanfare immediately blared in his ears.

The screen briefly went black before transitioning to the skill selection interface.

On the left were Mu Qing’s six teammates, and on the right were Lin Ran’s six. Between them lay a large screen displaying skill icons.

An electronic voice announced:

”Skill Ban Phase: Each player may preemptively ban three skills from appearing in this match.”

Hearing the game prompt, everyone immediately began making their choices.

Too lazy to use the skill search bar, they casually tapped the screen and dragged their selected skills into the ”Skill Ban Box” on their respective sides.

Once the skill ban phase concluded, the skill selection phase began.

Each player could equip eight skills, with ten minutes allotted for selection. The game would start immediately once everyone had finished.

Already familiar with the skill equipping process, the players swiftly got to work.

Feng Qi opened the spectator list and immediately saw the skill choices of both teams.

Particularly noteworthy were Mu Qing and Cai Guo. Mu Qing had selected exclusively self-buffing skills, clearly intending to play as a tank or warrior.

Cai Guo chose skills that would amplify her teammates’ abilities, true to her in-game name: ”Life-Saving Veteran Physician.”

Once everyone had selected their skills, the screen transitioned to the weapon selection interface.

A variety of melee weapons were available.

Except for Lin Ran and Yang Xiaoxin, who opted not to choose weapons, everyone else selected a weapon that suited them.

After the weapon selection phase concluded, a countdown timer appeared before each player’s eyes.

The screen then went dark for a long wait.

Ten minutes later, the view suddenly cleared.

Feng Qi found himself suspended high in the air, flanked by Mu Qing, Lin Ran, and the others, all hovering above the clouds.

As a strong sensation of weightlessness washed over him, his vision pierced through the thick cloud cover, revealing a lush, verdant forest below.

The words ”Twisted Forest” flashed briefly across his vision before fading away.

Just as their bodies were about to make contact with the ground, the scene shifted again.

Two pillars of light rose from opposite ends of the forest, drawing the red and blue team players into their respective base light barriers.

Observing the match, Feng Qi found himself floating in mid-air, a miniature, semi-transparent map hovering before him.

After clicking, he discovered he could instantly teleport to any location on the map.

As he was in spectator mode, he was only visible to himself and could summon the overall player statistics panel at any time.

The method of determining victory between the two teams was straightforward:

There were three ways to win:

At the center of the Twisted Forest map stood a spirit ore mountain, where players could mine spirit ore. Each player could carry two spirit ore back to their base per trip.

The first team to mine a total of spirit ore equal to ten times the number of participants would be declared the winner.

If a player carrying spirit ore was killed, the ore would drop.

Additionally, the spirit ore stockpiled in the bases could be stolen. The amount of ore that could be stolen per trip was increased by one, making it three.

This victory method required a high degree of teamwork.

Defense, offense, and mining needed to be coordinated effectively to achieve ultimate victory.

This was a custom room with only twelve players. In large-scale matchmaking battles with dozens of participants, the teamwork and coordination between the two teams would be even more crucial.

The second method was simpler and more direct.

Victory was determined by kill count. The first team to exceed five times the total number of participants was declared the winner.

To ensure fairness, respawn times increased after each death, with a maximum of ten respawns allowed.

The final method of victory was the classic ”base rush” strategy common in Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games.

Each faction’s base contained a flag with health equal to ten times the number of participants. Destroying the enemy’s base flag secured victory.

All three methods were designed to train domain warriors.

The first method, focused on resource accumulation, mirrored the domain combat teams’ real-world operations, where they explored Domain Fields while simultaneously extracting resources. This mode emphasized strategic planning and tactical maneuvering.

The second method, centered on kill count, honed warriors’ combat skills. It was the most popular competitive mode, requiring only strong teamwork and coordinated combat to achieve victory.

While the third method, base rushing, might seem like a cheap tactic, it was actually the most crucial of the three modes.

Feng Qi wasn’t alone in this belief; the high-ranking members of the Scarlet Research Institute shared the same view.

In reality, dispelling a Domain Field wasn’t about eliminating all the domain creatures within it, but about destroying the spatial core at its heart.

Once the spatial core was shattered, the Domain Field would slowly dissipate.

This was the key strategy employed by Domain Combat Teams to dismantle Domain Fields.

From a practical standpoint, ”stealing the base” meant directly destroying the spatial core within the Domain Field, making it the most challenging way to secure victory in the game.

Attempting to steal the base would inevitably trigger a defensive response from the opposing team.

If a battle erupted at the enemy base, the attacking team would quickly find their casualties mounting faster than their opponents’.

This was due to the game’s resurrection mechanics. The team defending their base would respawn within it, while the attacking team would respawn at their own base on the opposite end of the map, requiring over ten minutes of travel time to rejoin the fight.

Unlike traditional Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games, this game lacked level or attribute advantages. Achieving a crushing victory through sheer dominance required exceptional team coordination. Without such synergy, directly stealing the base to win remained an exceedingly difficult feat.

The most common scenario was that the team attempting to backdoor the enemy base would repeatedly feed kills, allowing the defending team to reach the required kill count for victory.

All three victory conditions were designed from a practical combat perspective.

Each victory method served to hone players’ real-world combat skills.

As the horn sounded, players from both teams, who had already learned the victory conditions during the newbie tutorial, crossed the base light barriers and headed toward the center of the map.

In the voice channels, both sides began discussing which victory method they should pursue.

Switching back and forth between the red and blue team voice channels, Feng Qi’s face lit up with a smile.

He discovered that both teams had opted for the simplest and most direct approach: achieving victory through kill count.

From his god-like perspective, he watched as both teams converged on the spirit ore mountain at the map’s center.

The Twisted Forest’s terrain was complex. Although every player could access a map, it initially appeared as a fog of war. Even after the mist was cleared, players couldn’t see the positions of their opponents.

The spirit ore mountain thus became the primary battleground for team battles.

Players seeking to mine resources inevitably converged on this area.

The Twisted Forest’s complex terrain forced both sides to navigate for some time before reaching the spirit ore mountain region.

The two groups ascended the mountain paths, eventually meeting on a mid-mountain plateau.

The atmosphere instantly became tense, both sides clearly immersed in their game factions.

The Blue Team, led by Mu Qing, already exuded the leadership qualities of the future Dawn Army commander. She immediately began issuing tactical commands through the voice channel.

The Red Team, led by Lin Ran, also began outlining their combat strategy through the voice channel.

Mu Qing initiated the attack, charging alone toward Lin Ran, the Red Team’s leader.

Cai Guo waved her hand, her spell trajectory automatically completed with the aid of the game’s assistance features. As her mana bar depleted, a surge of emerald light erupted from her body, enveloping Mu Qing in an amplifying aura.

The Xia Family Brothers launched a flanking maneuver, while Xu Hongyun remained behind to protect Cai Guo.

The battle was about to erupt.

Facing Mu Qing’s headlong charge, Lin Ran retreated a step, Yan Yue stepping forward to intercept her.

Lin Ran released a golden wave of energy that transformed into a shimmering golden ribbon, coiling swiftly toward Mu Qing.

Though Mu Qing no longer had the Scarlet Rune Crystal amplifying her abilities, her reflexes remained lightning-fast. She leaned forward to evade the golden ribbon, landing on one foot and immediately pushing off to continue her charge.

At that moment, Yan Yue’s body glowed crimson as he threw a punch aimed squarely at Mu Qing’s face.

But before his fist could connect, a solid punch landed squarely in his gut. Mu Qing’s momentum carried her forward as she braced herself with her right hand on the ground, her left leg snapping up in a vicious kick that slammed into Yan Yue’s jaw.

As damage numbers flashed above Yan Yue’s head, his body flew backward through the air.

The golden ribbon, still under Lin Ran’s control, coiled toward Mu Qing once more.

Anticipating the attack, Mu Qing executed a swift handstand spin, dodging the ribbon with practiced ease.

A sword, thrust at a sharp angle, pierced upward from beneath Mu Qing’s landing point.

”Cai Guo, shield!”

Cai Guo, who had been channeling her energy, completed the final step of her spell trajectory. A pale golden shield materialized instantly beside Mu Qing, blocking the sword’s thrust.

As Mu Qing landed smoothly, she didn’t even glance back before instinctively delivering a side kick that sent Liu Yue flying.

Feng Qi was stunned by the sight.

Mu Qing’s combat style resembled a martial arts performance, utterly breathtaking.

She not only anticipated her opponent’s attacks but also communicated with her teammates through the voice channel during the fight, precisely seizing the moment to strike.

He had always believed Mu Qing’s strength stemmed from the Scarlet Rune Crystal.

He never imagined her innate abilities were so exceptional.

Yet doubts lingered in his mind.

Given that Mu Qing had no prior combat training, her mastery of fighting techniques seemed implausible.

[Perhaps she received specialized training at the Scarlet Research Institute... But it’s also possible that her combat skills are instinctive reactions granted by the rune crystal.]

Hearing the Narrator’s explanation, he nodded in agreement.

He had experienced the instinctive techniques granted by rune crystals himself.

In the previous timeline, after embedding the ferocious shadow rune crystal, the fusion of his body with the crystal had unlocked a series of innate abilities.

The ability to liquefy was one such example.

Initially, using the liquefaction ability felt clumsy and awkward. But as time passed, it gradually became as natural as breathing, effortless to execute.

This wasn’t the result of training, but rather the degree of fusion with the rune crystal.

Even in reality, organ transplants have been known to alter the recipient’s personality.

In comparison, the rune crystal’s effects were far more profound.

The emotional outbursts after embedding a rune crystal were also related to this phenomenon.

Fusing with a rune crystal was essentially a process of taming it. Failure to do so meant being completely controlled by the crystal, transforming into a monster.

Therefore, the Narrator’s hypothesis that Mu Qing’s combat instincts stemmed from the Scarlet Rune Crystal was entirely valid.

The battle raged on.

Xia Long, flanking the enemy, clashed with Yan Yue, engaging in a fierce martial arts duel.

In terms of pure martial skill, Xia Long clearly held the upper hand.

Yet Yan Yue was no pushover. He supplemented his physical prowess with offensive art magic, posing a considerable challenge to Xia Long.

Both warriors hailed from domain combat teams, their combat styles relentlessly aggressive.

In the game, where concerns about injuring their opponents were irrelevant, neither held back, unleashing their deadliest techniques.

On Lin Ran’s team’s left flank, Xia Hu and Xia Bao launched their assault, facing the monk and Jia Yi.

Jia Yi and Xia Hu clashed first. Having already prepared a formation-based art magic spell, Jia Yi immediately activated it, trapping Xia Hu within a small formation that temporarily hindered his escape.

Meanwhile, facing Xia Bao’s relentless assault, the monk dodged and weaved with seemingly nonsensical movements, yet Xia Bao found himself unable to land a decisive blow.

Feng Qi, who knew the monk’s true background, understood the situation perfectly.

As the sole direct heir of the Prajna Domain Combat Team, one of the Ten Great Domain Battle Groups, this guy couldn’t possibly be weak.

His perpetually listless demeanor had been nothing more than a facade.

If not for his experiences in the previous Future Line, Feng Qi would have almost fallen for the deception.

He had initially assumed that the monk, backed by the Prajna Combat Team, was merely a hedonistic slacker with no ambition.

But now, recalling the monk’s sudden transformation in history, Feng Qi realized this wasn’t a sudden change at all—it was simply the monk shedding his disguise and returning to his true self.

In the clash between the two sides, the peak combatants were Lin Ran and Mu Qing.

Although Liu Yue was powerful, the numerical values for his sword intent were absent even from the future database. This prevented him from using his sword control techniques, forcing him to rely on Body Refinement Combat Techniques combined with sword strikes for his attacks.

Lin Ran, the absolute king of art magic, launched his assault on Mu Qing, utilizing not only the eight skills from his equipment but also the art magic he had mastered in the real world.

Mu Qing’s performance completely exceeded Feng Qi’s expectations.

As a natural-born warrior, she seamlessly combined team command, Body Refinement Combat Techniques, and precise observation with predictive abilities. She united her team into a cohesive force, constantly monitoring her teammates’ conditions and issuing commands throughout the battle.

Under her strategic guidance, Xia Long abruptly abandoned his duel with Yan Yue and charged toward Lin Ran, who was still casting spells.

Seeing this, Lin Ran immediately retreated.

Seizing the opportunity during Lin Ran’s retreat, Mu Qing decisively kicked Liu Yue in the neck.

The brutal kick caused Liu Yue to lose health and stagger to the ground.

At that moment, Yang Xiaoxin, who had been standing beside Lin Ran charging her spell, finally unleashed her skill.

Countless ice thorns materialized above Mu Qing’s head and plummeted downward.

What followed left everyone stunned. Mu Qing moved with astonishing agility, weaving effortlessly through the hail of ice thorns. She effortlessly evaded the overwhelming barrage, making the seemingly inescapable attack look trivial.

[As expected of the Great Demon King of History, who nearly became the Historical God of War. Her combat consciousness is truly unparalleled. With further training, her potential is limitless.]

”I hope I can one day possess such formidable combat consciousness and instincts,” Feng Qi murmured, impressed.

[Don’t even think about it. Just stick to your muscle-bound brute path. As long as your muscles are hard enough, no enemy can withstand a single punch. If they do, just throw two, three... or a hundred! Pegasus Meteor Fist!]

Feng Qi: ...

Suppressing the urge to flip off his inner voice, he turned his attention back to the ongoing battle.

The Team Battle had reached a fever pitch.

Yang Xiaoxin, Lin Ran, and Liu Yue were completely outmatched against Mu Qing and Cai Guo.

The only advantage lay with Jia Yi’s side.

Jia Yi’s formation wasn’t merely for restraint.

The defining characteristic of formation-based art magic could be summed up in two words: ”versatility.”

As the formation flags, condensed from spiritual energy, shifted, the formation’s functions would change.

Standing outside the formation like a chess master, Jia Yi calmly manipulated the flags with a wave of his hand, relentlessly suppressing Xia Hu and whittling down his health.

Feeling trapped and frustrated, Xia Hu attempted a desperate counterattack, but Jia Yi’s meticulously crafted formation left him no escape.

The first kill soon followed.

Player ”Half a Move Ahead of Heaven” has secured the first kill. Red Team kills: 1

As the announcement reverberated across the map, Xia Hu’s figure slowly dissipated, entering the cooldown phase.

After eliminating Xia Hu, Jia Yi immediately turned his attention to Mu Qing, the most formidable opponent. With a wave of his hand, several formation flags materialized in the air, coalescing into a small formation that pressed down on Mu Qing.

Lin Ran simultaneously formed a hand seal, launching his own assault to assist Jia Yi in restraining Mu Qing.

Despite the relentless attacks, Mu Qing swiftly retreated, communicating with Cai Guo through the voice channel.

In a flash, a light barrier materialized before Mu Qing, blocking the encroaching formation flags. A white light then emanated from Cai Guo’s deity, connecting with Mu Qing.

Mu Qing’s stamina rapidly replenished. Without hesitation, she stepped forward as the barrier shattered, striking the formation flags with a powerful punch.

With a roar of a tiger, a ferocious beast materialized behind Mu Qing, formed from pure spiritual energy, and tore through the eight formation flags.

Feng Qi wasn’t surprised to see Mu Qing unleash the Fierce Tiger Fist’s ”Tiger’s Roar Pounce.”

He had already reviewed Mu Qing’s skill selections during the entry phase.

The Fierce Tiger Fist had recently passed review and certification, making its inclusion in Dawn’s Skill Library perfectly logical.

After shattering the formation flag, Mu Qing charged straight at Jia Yi.

With no time to conjure another flag, Jia Yi turned and fled.

But his speed was no match for Mu Qing, who had chosen body cultivation skills.

In the red team’s voice channel, Jia Yi’s panicked cries echoed:

”Brothers, save me! Save me! I’m done for!”

Realizing Jia Yi was in danger, Liu Yue swung his sword at Mu Qing, attempting to block her path.

Then, something completely unexpected happened.

Mu Qing abruptly halted her charge, then unleashed a lightning-fast side kick at Liu Yue. The seamless transition between movements revealed she had anticipated Liu Yue’s intervention.

Her true target wasn’t Jia Yi at all; she had locked onto Liu Yue from the start.

Caught completely off guard, Liu Yue took the full force of the brutal side kick to the neck.

Player ”Slurp” has secured a kill. Blue team’s kill count: 1.

Liu Yue’s sudden elimination by slaughter caught everyone off guard, instantly shattering the battle’s equilibrium.

Lin Ran knew they should prioritize eliminating Cai Guo to stand a chance against the formidable Mu Qing.

However, splitting their forces to target Cai Guo would leave no one to contain Mu Qing, exposing their backline to a unilateral massacre.

Soon, Jia Yi became Mu Qing’s second target.

The battle had already devolved into a one-sided rout.

Fueled by Cai Guo’s support buffs, Mu Qing’s stamina remained inexhaustible. After eliminating Jia Yi, she immediately turned her attention to Lin Ran, their highest damage dealer.

Though Lin Ran possessed a wide array of art magic, combat wasn’t his forte, especially against Mu Qing’s terrifying battle consciousness.

He managed to hold out for ninety seconds using defensive spells before Mu Qing exploited a gap in his defenses, landing a decisive blow to his neck that drained his health bar and forced his retreat.

Next fell Yang Xiaoyi, followed by Yan Yue.

One by one, their health bars were emptied by Mu Qing’s ferocious combat skills.

Finally, the monk, realizing he was the last member of his team, resolutely lay down and ceased resisting, allowing Xia Bao to drain his remaining health and eliminate him.

In this team battle, Mu Qing once again demonstrated her terrifying combat prowess.

The resurrection cooldown period after the battle.

In the gray-white cooldown space, Lin Ran and the other four members sat huddled on the ground, knees drawn to their chests, watching the kill replay on the screen before them, their hearts trembling.

Mu Qing’s performance in this battle had left them mentally devastated.

At that moment, the monk’s figure appeared.

”Hey guys, is there a surrender option? Should we just give up?”

(End of the Chapter)

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