Star City, outskirts.
At 2:00 AM, under the dim night sky, the once-bustling city of Star City had settled into silence.
Apart from the city guards on patrol and a handful of workers still busy at their posts, most of the residents were already deep in sleep.
After scanning his payment and getting out of the vehicle, Feng Qi lifted his gaze toward the distance.
Not far away was a fenced-off breeding facility, and the air carried a distinct, pungent odor of livestock.
Hanging from the nearest barbed wire fence was a white signboard.
His eyes focused, and the words on it became clear.
[Star City - Breeding Facility No. 22]
Below this title, a smaller font detailed the different classifications within the breeding facility.
The entire zone was divided into two sections.
Zone A housed livestock and poultry farming, specializing in the breeding of animals.
Zone B was an aquaculture area, designated for fish farming and aquatic life.
Feng Qi pulled on his crimson mask, adjusting it securely over his face, before stepping forward toward the breeding facility.
Although this was just one of many breeding zones in Star City, each facility played a crucial role. Especially the agricultural districts—food security was just as critical as energy supply.
After all, food was a fundamental necessity for survival.
Even if Star City's defenses could hold off external domain threats, a breakdown in its internal food supply would eventually cause the city to collapse from within.
But tonight, Feng Qi was not here for food.
Lin Ran's first meeting with Yin Ling had gone smoothly, setting a solid foundation for their future interactions.
Now, it was time to plan the next stage of the script.
And for that, he needed the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance.
Their main headquarters in Star City was located right inside this breeding facility.
Compared to the prosperous areas of the city, this remote and secluded location was the perfect hideout for the Domain Weak Tribe.
Furthermore, the leader of the alliance, Hei Long, was based here, overseeing the operations of the organization and profiting from its underground dealings.
All of this intel came from the previous timeline, but this was the first time Feng Qi had personally set foot here.
Standing at the eastern entrance of the facility, he paused.
Above him, a surveillance camera swiveled, adjusting its lens to lock onto his face.
A wary voice came from the intercom above.
"Who are you?"
Feng Qi's tone remained calm. "I need to speak to Hei Long."
The voice on the other end seemed taken aback. "You're looking for Hei Long?"
"That's right. Either he comes out to see me, or I go in to find him."
Silence followed.
Then, after a long pause, the voice spoke again.
"I am Hei Long. Who are you?"
Feng Qi smirked beneath his mask.
"You can call me Narrator. Now, come out and meet me."
His words were calm but carried undeniable authority.
Even through the video surveillance, his mysterious presence sent a wave of pressure crashing onto Hei Long.
The unknown identity of this stranger was already making Hei Long uneasy.
"And why should I?" Hei Long challenged.
Feng Qi's voice was casual, yet deadly.
"Because I can wipe out every single Domain Weak Tribe Alliance stronghold in Star City within a day."
To prove his point, he slowly lifted his gaze toward the camera.
The crimson mask on his face curled into an eerie grin.
"Star City East District, A-3 Street… End of the World bar.
Star City East District, C-2 Street…"
One after another, he listed the precise locations of every Domain Weak Tribe Alliance hideout within the city.
Inside the control room, cold sweat began forming on Hei Long's forehead.
Now, he was truly panicking.
The Star City Military Department regularly conducted raids on their hideouts, but every time, Hei Long had managed to rebuild elsewhere.
Yet, this man… this masked intruder…
Not only did he know Hei Long's real identity, but he also knew the exact locations of all their safe houses.
If this information was leaked to the military, then all the effort and years spent cultivating the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance's influence in Star City would be wiped out overnight.
And worse—Hei Long himself would likely not live to see another day.
Weighing the risks, Hei Long made his decision.
His voice was low. "Wait there. I'll come out."
Feng Qi wasn't surprised by his surrender.
The Domain Weak Tribe Alliance members were outlaws, and Hei Long was no exception.
They had always lived by taking risks.
And for men like them, only one thing truly mattered—profit.
They feared nothing but the loss of their own interests.
That was why this threat worked.
Threaten their power, and they will break.
—
Ten minutes later.
A group of ten heavily-built figures emerged from the darkness.
At the front stood Hei Long.
He was around 1.8 meters tall, his cheekbones lined with brown markings that resembled fish gills.
Under the moonlight, his eyes gleamed with a faint silver hue.
Reaching the barbed wire fence, Hei Long pressed his palm against the biometric scanner on the side.
Beep—!
After a few seconds, a soft electronic chime signaled access granted.
The metal gate slid open.
Hei Long faced Feng Qi and asked, "What do you want?"
Feng Qi's response was blunt and direct.
"I want your allegiance. From now on, you work for me."
Hei Long's expression did not change.
But he didn't immediately refuse.
Instead, he calmly asked, "And why would I do that?"
The storyline had finally arrived at a familiar crossroads.
In the previous timeline, Feng Qi had subjugated the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance through a two-step process.
Step one: Demonstrate overwhelming strength.
Step two: Offer irresistible benefits.
This time, the strategy remained the same.
Strength was necessary to force them into submission.
But long-term control required more than just brute force.
If he wanted to truly keep them under his command, he had to make sure they saw benefits in following him.
Because at the end of the day—these were outlaws.
If he relied only on power, they would eventually rebel.
But if he offered a better future, then even if they had other ideas, they would still serve him for their own gain.
Looking straight at Hei Long, Feng Qi's voice was unwavering.
"Why? Because of my strength."
Hei Long narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying you want us as your subordinates?"
Feng Qi nodded. "That's right. Serve me, and in the future, your people will have a place. Far better than simply struggling to survive in Star City's shadows."
His words struck a nerve.
The Domain Weak Tribe Alliance had always been fighting for survival.
They weren't here for glory or conquest.
They were here for their clans.
And for the first time, Hei Long found himself hesitating.
The Domain Weak Tribe Alliance members were well aware of reality.
They knew that struggling for a future on their own was almost impossible.
The best outcome they could hope for was becoming a subordinate force to a powerful faction—or, at worst, being enslaved by one.
But even that path was nearly impossible to walk.
After all, why would the strong ever take notice of the weak?
Hei Long felt a ripple of emotion inside him.
He stared at Feng Qi and solemnly asked, "How do you expect me to believe you are worth following? What can you offer us?"
Feng Qi didn't respond with words.
The crimson mask on his face curved into a bright smile.
Although he hadn't brought Mu Qing along, he was confident in his own strength.
More importantly, he had acquired a new ability—a technique so visually overwhelming that it made Mu Qing's raw power seem mundane in comparison.
No more talk. Action was the best answer.
Feng Qi took a step back.
A golden, distorted symbol surfaced on his forehead, gradually becoming clearer.
At first glance, it seemed branded into his skin, but if one looked closely, they'd realize—it was floating just above his forehead.
A terrifying wave of energy burst outward from his body, stirring the elemental particles in the air.
The power of his mind transformed into blazing golden light, which surged from his forehead and wrapped around his entire body.
His flesh disintegrated in an instant, dissolving into a crimson mist that was drawn into his heart.
At the same time, golden energy fully replaced his physical body, leaving behind a divine figure of pure elemental force.
God Form—Activated.
The golden liquid flowing across his form made him look like a celestial being.
His platinum-colored eyes were void of emotion.
Even just meeting his gaze filled others with immense pressure.
Floating silently in the air, Feng Qi watched as Hei Long and his men stared in shock.
None of them understood how this "human" had suddenly transformed into an entity of pure energy.
But what truly terrified them was what happened next.
The elemental particles in the air suddenly stopped moving.
They were completely frozen in place.
Hei Long instinctively tried to summon an elemental response—but no matter how much he reached out with his will, the elements refused to answer.
It was as if something far greater had seized total control over this entire area.
The air belonged to this being now.
All elements had submitted.
Hei Long looked up at Feng Qi once more.
For the first time, he felt real, raw fear.
This was not the fear of prey sensing a predator.
It was something deeper.
It was the fear of a mortal witnessing the divine.
For a moment, his instincts screamed at him to kneel.
But Hei Long bit his tongue and forced himself to stay conscious.
Even though Feng Qi hadn't made a single move yet, Hei Long already understood his power.
He had felt bloodline suppression before.
Whenever he encountered members of the stronger domain tribes, he would experience a suffocating sense of helplessness—like prey cornered by an apex predator.
But this… this was different.
This was spiritual suppression.
Hei Long no longer saw Feng Qi as a mere warrior.
Now, he was convinced—this masked man was a messenger of a greater force.
At that moment, Feng Qi raised his right hand.
BOOM!
The frozen elemental particles suddenly burst into action.
Countless fire elements surged toward his palm, converging into a glowing mass of flames.
A wave of intense heat blasted outward.
Hei Long and the other domain creatures instinctively staggered backward, shielding themselves from the scorching air.
Even from several meters away, the temperature was suffocatingly high.
They watched in horrified disbelief as the flame mass compressed further and further, growing more unstable with each second.
And yet—it did not explode.
It remained calmly suspended in Feng Qi's palm, completely under control.
Then, with a casual flick of his fingers, the compressed fireball shot upward.
It rushed into the night sky, becoming a tiny distant dot.
And then—
BOOOOM!!
A fiery explosion tore through the heavens.
The sky ignited in flames.
The entire landscape was bathed in blazing red light.
A rolling inferno spread through the clouds, turning the night into day.
Hei Long felt his throat go dry.
His mind could barely process what he had just witnessed.
If that explosion had detonated on the ground…
He could already imagine the carnage.
A single attack—a force beyond imagination.
Before he could recover, Feng Qi raised his hand again.
CRACKLE—!
A new power began to form.
This time, lightning gathered at his fingertips.
Sparks of blue-white energy arced across his palm, forming a sphere of crackling electricity.
The ball of lightning expanded rapidly—from the size of a pebble, to a fist, to a basketball-sized orb.
Then, suddenly—
It compressed back down to the size of a marble.
And with a simple flick, Feng Qi sent it flying skyward.
BOOM!
The moment it reached its peak, it detonated.
A sea of thunderous energy erupted.
Bolts of lightning slashed through the sky.
The air roared with the sound of a thousand storms.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Thousands of lightning bolts streaked across the heavens, splitting the sky apart.
Hei Long and his men stood frozen in awe.
Their minds had gone blank.
They were watching a god at work.
They had no doubt—this man could erase them all in an instant.
And yet—
Feng Qi was not done.
Before their eyes, three more spheres of energy began forming.
One radiated an icy chill.
One shimmered with eerie black mist.
One pulsated with deep, earthy vibrations.
Ice, darkness, and earth.
The temperature dropped instantly.
Frost spread across the ground.
And then—snow began to fall.
Hei Long felt his heart pound.
The entire area was turning into a frozen wasteland.
If this continued, all the livestock in the breeding facility would die.
For the first time, Hei Long broke.
His voice trembled as he shouted out:
"Narrator-sama, please stop!
Your Ice Domain Field will kill all the livestock in the facility!
If that happens, the authorities will come to investigate us!"
The moment those words left his mouth, Feng Qi grinned beneath his mask.
This was exactly what he had been waiting for.
Creating this Ice Domain Field wasn't just for intimidation—he had expected Hei Long to say this.
And so, without hesitation—he waved his hand.
The three swirling energy spheres dissolved instantly, dispersing into the air.
The overwhelming cold vanished in an instant.
And then—
Feng Qi's golden body shattered.
Like a burst of stardust, his elemental form collapsed.
A moment later—
His flesh reformed.
His blood regenerated.
And just like that—he was human again.
Feng Qi endured the stabbing pain in his head, his face showing no emotion as he looked at Hei Long and spoke in a steady tone, "Hei Long, right now, you and your people have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change your future. I can guarantee you the benefits you seek. So now, tell me—
Submit or die."
Faced with both overwhelming power and irresistible temptation, Hei Long's mental defenses completely collapsed.
Without hesitation, he and his kin fell to one knee.
"Narrator-sama, from now on, Hei Long and my clan are at your disposal."
Feng Qi nodded slightly, satisfied. "I will contact you in a few days. Meet me at the designated location when the time comes."
Hei Long immediately pulled out a contact card and offered it with both hands. "Narrator-sama, this is my contact information."
Feng Qi didn't even look at it. "No need. I already have it."
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and walked away without another word.
Hei Long and his clan remained kneeling, watching his retreating figure, their emotions in turmoil.
There was excitement, fear, and a deep sense of uncertainty.
Feng Qi's power was undeniable, but the question was—could his promises be trusted?
Would following him lead to prosperity, or would he discard them the moment their usefulness ran out?
But then again…
An opportunity like this only came once in a lifetime.
Hei Long's eyes gradually grew firm. This was a gamble.
But it was a gamble worth taking.
For the first time in a long while, the future of his people wasn't just a hopeless abyss.
Feng Qi walked for a long time, making sure he was completely out of sight.
Then, suddenly—
"Hsss… F*! This hurts like hell!"
The mental exhaustion hit him like a sledgehammer.
His spiritual energy was completely drained, and the searing pain in his head had become unbearable.
The aftereffects of using God Form in this sacrifice timeline were much worse than in the real timeline.
It felt like someone had taken a metal rod and was stirring it inside his skull.
The pain was so intense that he thought he might actually pass out.
It reminded him of that sharp brain freeze from eating ice cream too fast as a kid—except this was ten times worse.
And it wasn't going away.
Instead, the pain only grew stronger.
Feng Qi squatted down, his face twisted in agony. "F*… one second of showing off, an eternity of suffering."
The next day.
Back at Crimson Research Institute, Feng Qi finally recovered after several doses of mental soothing agents.
But the experience still left him shaken.
The aftermath of using God Form was much harsher than he had expected.
For a moment, he genuinely thought he was going to die.
It was even worse than the backlash from using Blood Source.
This was likely because he didn't have the enhanced physique of his real-timeline self.
At least in the real world, his body could slowly recover over time.
But in the sacrifice timeline, he lacked that resilience.
Wei Wei had warned him about this.
She had told him—the mental soothing agent was only a temporary fix.
In the real world, his enhanced body could naturally process and remove the side effects.
But in the sacrifice timeline, his recovery would take far longer.
Feng Qi had listened to her explanation.
He just didn't care.
Side effects?
That wasn't even a problem.
For someone like him, who had no future, there was no such thing as long-term consequences.
All that mattered was pushing forward while he was still alive.
By the time the side effects became fatal, he'd probably already be dead for other reasons.
So, why even worry about it?
His mind cleared.
Live fast, die hard.
That was the way forward.
In the training room, Feng Qi sat in front of the console, going through domain studies.
Just then—
The door swung open.
Feng Qi turned his head and saw Gu Ke walking in.
Without a word, Gu Ke stepped forward, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small vial of purple liquid.
He handed it over. "Got it."
Feng Qi took it with a grin. "Thanks, Uncle Gu."
Gu Ke simply nodded, smiling slightly before turning to leave.
After Gu Ke was gone, Feng Qi lifted the small vial, observing the deep purple liquid inside.
This was "Task List", a special intelligence record serum used by the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance to log missions and confidential information.
Since he didn't have Tiger Soul Research Institute as his base this time, he couldn't risk giving Hei Long the coordinates to Crimson Research Institute.
Instead, he had Hei Long drop the vial at a secret location, and Gu Ke had picked it up for him.
Feng Qi twisted off the cap without hesitation—
And drank it all in one gulp.
His consciousness immediately sank into his spiritual sea.
Swirling purple mist emerged in his mindscape.
A scroll formed above his mental ocean, slowly unrolling itself.
It contained a list of active missions from the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance—tasks that had been accepted but not yet released to the public.
Feng Qi scanned through the assignments.
Then—his eyes landed on the newest listing.
[Assassination Task: Kill Star City Academy student Lin Ran. (Reward: 290 Heavenly Spirit Stones)]
Feng Qi wasn't surprised.
This was exactly what he had predicted.
In the previous sacrifice timeline, he had been shocked when he found an assassination order for himself.
At the time, he had thought he was in control of Star City's forces.
So he couldn't understand which domain faction wanted him dead.
To investigate, he had set up a trap—using Hei Long to lure the enemy out.
But Yin Ling had outplayed him using a puppet decoy to deliver the final payment.
He had failed to capture her, and that mistake had almost led to Star City's destruction.
Fortunately, Tian Shu had intervened, holding back the Silver Moon Clan's invasion.
But this timeline was different.
This time, Yin Ling was in the open—and he was the one in the shadows.
He knew all of Yin Ling's tricks now.
Everything was within his control.
As for why Yin Ling wanted Lin Ran dead…
That was easy to understand.
Lin Ran's situation was identical to his own in the previous timeline.
Back then, Yin Ling had viewed him as a potential threat—
Because his research in cultivation techniques was accelerating humanity's progress and strengthening Star City.
And now—
Lin Ran was doing the same thing.
To Yin Ling, Lin Ran was a future disaster waiting to happen.
A human genius who could reshape the battlefield.
And that—
Was something the domain factions could not allow.
But why wasn't Yin Ling killing him personally?
The answer was obvious.
Yin Ling and her people had already gained control over Star City's energy institutions, completing their preliminary infiltration task. All that remained was to wait for the right moment to strike.
At this point, carrying out an assassination—even if the risk of exposure was low—was still a gamble.
Risking their perfectly laid-out plans this early? Only an idiot would do that.
The best move right now was to use the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance.
As long as the right price was offered, the alliance would get the job done. And even if the operation failed, nothing would lead back to Yin Ling.
After all, domain creatures targeting human geniuses was nothing unusual.
Even if the assassins got captured, Yin Ling's identity would remain hidden.
Feng Qi's consciousness withdrew from his spiritual sea.
The moment he opened his eyes, a smirk appeared on his face.
Everything was within his grasp.
At that moment, he finally understood why Old Mist, even after gaining control over Tiger Soul Research Institute, never truly eradicated the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance.
This organization had its uses.
Recruiting them twice now, Feng Qi had managed to extract valuable intelligence and accelerate the progress of his sacrifice timeline.
This was exactly what they called "crossing the river while stepping on Old Mist's stones."
Following in Old Mist's footsteps made everything fall into place.
Feng Qi picked up his phone from the table and dialed Hei Long.
The moment the call connected, he issued his orders.
The assassination attempt on Lin Ran could continue, but he couldn't allow any real harm to come to him.
Hei Long needed to send someone trustworthy for this mission.
The assassination was fake—what mattered was the performance.
At the same time, Feng Qi attached another mission to it—
A hit on Yin Ling.
His goal? To deepen the bond between Lin Ran and Yin Ling.
After ending the call, Feng Qi immediately dialed Lin Ran.
The line rang for a while before Lin Ran's voice finally came through.
"Qi-ge, what's up?"
"What the hell are you doing? Why'd it take you so long to answer?"
"I was studying how to break Yin Ling's chess formation. This game is amazing! I think it has great potential for widespread use in human society—it can significantly enhance our perception of spiritual energy and elemental flow…"
Hearing Lin Ran ramble on enthusiastically, a vein twitched on Feng Qi's forehead.
"You still remember you're on a mission, right?"
"Of course! But I see Spirit Chess as an important tool to get closer to Yin Ling. The best part is—I never planned to win. Losing gives me the perfect excuse to keep challenging her."
Feng Qi was momentarily stunned.
"…You're not actually obsessed with Spirit Chess, are you?"
Lin Ran chuckled confidently.
"Come on, Qi-ge. You really think I'd lose sight of the bigger picture? I'm Lin Ran. A once-in-a-century genius recorded in history books—I know exactly what I'm doing."
Hearing Lin Ran's smug laughter, Feng Qi shook his head helplessly.
Thinking about it again—Lin Ran didn't need a babysitter watching over him all the time. He had his own plans.
Feng Qi immediately explained, "By the way, Yin Ling issued an assassination order on you. But I already instructed the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance to stage a fake attack. Just play along—it's all part of the plan."
After briefing Lin Ran on the full details, Feng Qi ended the call.
Pausing for a moment, he picked up the textbook "Domain Studies – Beginner Volume (Upper Book)" and started studying again.
Lin Ran's simp campaign was already rolling smoothly.
Meanwhile, he couldn't afford to slack off either—the entrance exams were only a year away.
Domain knowledge was a critical tool for gathering intelligence in the future.
As a sacrifice timeline iteration, his job was to pave the way for his real self in the main timeline—to burn bright before burning out.
The Narrator once said:
"If the sacrifice timeline doesn't work hard, the real timeline suffers."
Energy Research Institute.
Inside a simple yet elegant office, Yin Ling sat at her desk, flipping through the latest energy reports.
Suddenly, the air beside her distorted.
A silver-haired youth holding a jade flute materialized out of thin air.
Without even looking up, Yin Ling asked, "Where did you go?"
The silver-haired youth hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Sister… I want to be friends with Xiao Dong."
There was a hint of expectation in his eyes.
But instead of approval, he was met with a chilling gaze.
"How many times do I have to tell you? You must never develop feelings for humans."
"…But—"
"No buts." Yin Ling's voice was ice-cold. "This is my final warning. If I catch you secretly interacting with humans again, I'll lock you away. Do you have any idea how much damage your actions could cause to our race's future?"
The silver-haired youth lowered his head, silent.
A moment later, Yin Ling's tone softened.
She stood up, reached out, and gently ruffled his hair.
Lowering her voice, she said, "Everything we do is for the survival of our race. If you truly want to see our parents again… if you want to reunite with old friends… then you must learn to endure."
The silver-haired youth lifted his head, his gaze meeting Yin Ling's.
"Sister, why can't we be friends with humans?"
Yin Ling's expression remained cold.
"I've told you before. What we want—humans will never give us willingly. The only way to obtain it is to take it by force."
"What is it?" The youth pressed further.
Yin Ling smirked.
"For a race to survive, it must be ruthless to outsiders. In a world with limited resources, there is no such thing as mutual prosperity."
She observed the youth's thoughtful expression before asking, "Have you been reading human history books?"
"Yes." The youth nodded obediently.
"Then let me ask you—how does a nation ensure its citizens become rich? And if everyone in a country is wealthy, who will do the lowest-level jobs?"
The youth hesitated, then shook his head.
"It's simple."
"The wealthiest nations outsource their lowest-level jobs to people from other countries. This is just another form of oppression. Only by doing this can they maintain their wealth while keeping their society functioning."
"This principle applies even more brutally to races."
"Here's an example—our Silver Moon Clan controls several spiritual mines. The resources mined there keep our race running."
"But these mines are filled with radiation and chaotic energy. Anyone working there for long periods would suffer irreversible damage to their body. Yet, we cannot afford to stop mining."
"To ensure that our own people don't suffer, we use slaves from other races."
"That is reality."
Yin Ling's tone remained cold. "Within a species, there may be compassion. There are laws and regulations to protect the weak. But between species? There are no rules—only a battle of survival."
Hearing this, the young man opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he simply nodded.
After her younger brother left, Yin Ling sat back in her chair and let out a soft sigh.
Her brother was exceptionally talented—even more so than she was. But he was too naive.
This was undoubtedly the result of their family's excessive indulgence in his upbringing.
Hoping for true cooperation between different species was the most foolish fantasy imaginable.
If he didn't correct this mindset, he might one day become a hindrance to their race's future.
The Silver Moon Clan cooperating with humanity?
Yin Ling scoffed at the thought.
Were humans even worthy?
Just then, her phone rang.
She picked it up, and Lin Ran's playful voice came through:
"Ling, come play chess. Today, I'm definitely beating you!"
Yin Ling was genuinely interested in Lin Ran. She wanted to see the true limits of his talent in spellcraft.
Besides, he probably didn't have many days left to live.
Thinking this, Yin Ling responded casually:
"Noon, same place. I have work to handle in the morning."
"Alright!"
After hanging up, Yin Ling picked up the report on her desk and began reading through it carefully.
When it came to work, she was always rigorous and serious.
She knew exactly what had allowed her to hold this high-ranking position.
If her performance slipped, the Supreme Council of Star City had every right to remove her.
Simply slacking off was not an option.
Only by excelling in her role could she continue her infiltration, preparing the perfect conditions for her clan's eventual arrival.
Three Days Later. Crimson Research Institute.
After finishing his notes, Feng Qi closed his book.
For the past few days, he had spent most of his time studying, while occasionally checking in on Lin Ran's progress.
Every day, Lin Ran met up with Yin Ling under the excuse of playing chess.
According to Lin Ran's reports, he was now completely capable of beating her.
But he never did.
Instead, he deliberately let Yin Ling win by a narrow margin each time.
There were two reasons for this.
First, it gave him a continuous excuse to meet up with her, using Spirit Chess as a conversation starter.
Second, he wanted to test the upper limits of Yin Ling's potential.
In terms of combat strength, Yin Ling had the backing of the Silver Moon Clan, meaning she could overwhelm Lin Ran completely.
But when it came to innate talent, Lin Ran had the clear advantage.
Yin Ling was completely unaware of this fact.
Lin Ran also noticed that Yin Ling had a strong competitive streak.
She took every match seriously, afraid of losing even once.
He had already made a mental note of this trait—it might serve as a breakthrough point in the future.
But chess alone was not enough to bring Yin Ling and Lin Ran closer.
The next stage of the plan—the "hero saving the damsel" scenario—was about to unfold.
A wounded hero, battered and bloodied, always had a way of tugging at the heartstrings.
Of course, this was just one part of the overall strategy.
The true goal was not to make Yin Ling fall in love with Lin Ran—that was unrealistic.
This wasn't some romantic drama where the heroine falls for her savior at first sight.
Yin Ling was far too rational for that.
She would always prioritize the interests of her race over personal emotions.
That's why the second phase of the plan had to be designed from a racial standpoint.
This next step was the true core of the operation.
If successful, Lin Ran would gain Yin Ling's trust, and once that happened, extracting intelligence on the Silver Moon Clan would become effortless.
But before that, Feng Qi had another task to take care of—
A visit to Tiger Soul Research Institute.
Unlike the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance, which had strategic value, the Night Shadow Clan currently controlling Tiger Soul Research Institute needed to be eliminated entirely.
The institute would play a crucial role in the upcoming plans.
Thinking this, Feng Qi opened the control panel in front of him.
After navigating to the official website of Tiger Soul Research Institute, he submitted a request for a tour.
This tour application would be his entry ticket to meeting the Night Shadow Clan.
As for whether they would approve his request?
He wasn't worried at all.
The Night Shadow Clan was desperate for talent.
Based on his knowledge from the previous timeline, his request would be approved quickly.
Once he was inside, the Night Shadow Clan would approach him first.
And when that happened—
The operation to take back Tiger Soul Research Institute could begin.
Back in his previous timeline, the institute had sent recruiters to Star City Academy to personally invite him to join.
Thinking back now, he realized that the invitation had actually been a trap.
The Night Shadow Clan had planned to enslave him mentally, forcing him to assist in their "Super Joint Spellcraft" project.
Their goal had been to turn him into a spiritual puppet.
This time, however, he was the one setting the bait.
Once the application was approved, he would gain entry to Tiger Soul Research Institute.
From there, the Night Shadow Clan would reveal themselves.
And when that happened—he would be ready.
Everything was going according to plan.
His enemies were in the open—he was in the shadows.
Even better, he had the future script in his hands.
Every move his enemies would make, he had already seen before.
Because he wasn't walking blindly into the future—
He was standing on the sacrifices of countless past iterations, moving forward on a path paved by his own past lives.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Feng Qi glanced at the corner of the screen.
It was now 10 PM.
According to the timeline, Hei Long and his people should be mobilizing soon.
Picking up his phone, he called the Crimson Research Institute's transport division.
After ordering a private vehicle, Feng Qi stood up and left the institute.
Tonight—
He planned to personally watch Lin Ran and Yin Ling's meeting.
Not just as an observer—
But to ensure nothing went wrong.