Beneath the Institute of Technological Research, in the subterranean water prison.
Feng Qi's wrists were bound by specially crafted metal chains, suspending him over a pool of murky liquid. The liquid clung to his skin, inducing an unbearable itch that tormented both his body and mind.
He possessed the unique ability to liquefy his form. However, the material of the chains restraining him emitted an aura similar to that of a spiritual energy exclusion zone. It rendered him incapable of harnessing the power of the runic crystal embedded within his chest.
This environment was all too familiar to him.
In a past sacrificial timeline, when he had commanded the Third Combat Brigade under the Institute of Technological Research, he had often visited this place. He knew its punishment protocols like the back of his hand.
But now, he was no longer the executor—he was the condemned.
Everything about this place was being experienced anew, but from the opposite side.
It had been three days since this began.
He had no knowledge of what was happening in the outside world.
Yesterday, he was brought before a tribunal. It was a farce, a mere formality, with the predetermined conclusion of a death sentence.
As he contemplated his impending demise, Feng Qi felt no fear.
To him, the end of this timeline was merely the beginning of a new one.
His death was another version of himself's starting point.
He had long come to terms with the inevitability of death. This time was no different—there was no fear in his heart. So what was there to be afraid of?
At that moment, a shadowy figure silently appeared above him, peering through the gridded iron ceiling. Its raspy voice echoed in the chamber.
"I still can't understand. Can you give me an answer?"
Hearing the voice, Feng Qi raised his head.
Through the grid, he saw the familiar silhouette of the figure above.
The shadow continued, its tone cold and probing:
"When you first posted about developing a super virtual game, we noticed you. But when we later discovered you weren't human, and that there might be a powerful force backing you, we decided to stop testing you."
"As long as you didn't conflict with our interests, we were content to let you continue developing your super virtual game. Whatever plans you had for humanity, we wouldn't interfere. Coexistence was entirely possible."
"But then you started doing things I can't understand. You've chosen to oppose us, all for humanity? What exactly are you after?"
Feng Qi looked at the shadow and smiled faintly.
It was clear the shadow still thought of him as a domain creature wearing the guise of a human.
Feng Qi offered no explanation. He didn't care to.
The shadow sighed, its voice filled with frustration. "It's a shame that the Veritas Apparatus hasn't been fully developed yet. Otherwise, I would use it to uncover your secrets before sending you to your execution."
"Are you scared?" Feng Qi asked with a smirk.
The shadow nodded without hesitation. "Your actions have made me afraid. The spread of public opinion has been swift. If you succeeded, our plans for the future could have been ruined. But now, everything is back under control. All I need to do is send you to the execution ground to give humanity a satisfactory explanation."
The shadow paused for a moment, then continued:
"As for your Dawn Organization, the members who dared to speak out will share your fate. They'll follow in your footsteps."
Hearing this, a heavy weight settled in Feng Qi's heart.
This revelation—this plan to expose the truth to the world—was something he had meticulously orchestrated over a long time.
With so many influential voices stepping forward, he had anticipated the Institute of Technological Research would be thrown into disarray.
More importantly, this bold act was meant to draw out the hidden forces of humanity still lying dormant.
Once those forces revealed themselves, the Crimson Research Institute was prepared to mark and monitor them, ensuring that the information would be passed on to another version of him.
But from the shadow's words, Feng Qi discerned the bitter truth.
It seemed the storm of public opinion had been effectively suppressed.
And the hidden human factions had remained inactive.
There were only two possibilities.
First, the human factions had chosen to stay in the shadows, unwilling to escalate the situation by amplifying the public outcry or engaging in open combat.
Second, those factions never existed in the first place.
Whatever the truth might be, it was clear his plan had failed.
The shadow's voice broke his thoughts. "I have a theory about your identity. I think there's no powerful force supporting you at all. You're just a lone schemer from a minor tribe, trying to insert yourself into this game of power. Am I right?"
Feng Qi inwardly scoffed.
Clearly, the shadow remained convinced he was a domain creature. The idea that he could be human had never even crossed its mind.
Feng Qi could understand the black shadow's assumptions.
After all, the domain creatures that had previously attempted to assassinate him had witnessed his abilities and seen him activate his "Blood Source" form. Reports sent back to the Institute of Technological Research likely stated that he possessed multiple forms, with his human form being nothing more than a disguise.
Moreover, the rune crystal embedded in his chest only reinforced their misunderstanding. To the shadow, his appearance alone couldn't confirm his true nature.
And precisely because of this misunderstanding, the shadow, convinced of its superior knowledge, naturally assumed he was a domain creature.
Realizing this, Feng Qi decided to try and extract some information.
"Aren't you afraid of provoking the force behind me?" He lifted his head, his expression icy as he questioned.
"I doubt you have any force backing you, and even if you did, we fear no challenges," the shadow replied without hesitation.
Feng Qi smirked faintly. "I can answer your earlier question, but only if you answer one of mine before I die."
"What's your question?" the shadow asked, its tone carrying a mix of curiosity and amusement.
"What's your plan for the future?"
The shadow chuckled softly at the query, the sound raspy and cold. "Even if you're about to die, this isn't something you should know. I'm no longer interested in your secrets."
With that, the shadow's figure dissipated into the darkness above.
Feng Qi felt a tinge of regret.
He had hoped that as a prisoner, the shadow might lower its guard and inadvertently reveal some of its secrets. But it was clear the shadow had no intention of satisfying his curiosity.
Even when he offered fabricated secrets as bait, the shadow refused to divulge any details about its faction's integration into human society or the nature of their plans.
Three days later, the day of execution arrived as scheduled.
In the morning, Feng Qi was paraded through the streets by the city's defense forces.
He was in a wretched state. Days of submersion in the murky liquid had caused his rune crystal to fracture. Linked to his life force, the crystal's damage had drained much of his vitality. In just one night, his hair had turned streaked with white, and his face bore the marks of decades of aging.
The gazes of the onlookers along the route were complex.
Some were filled with anger and disgust, their expressions twisted with hatred. But amidst the hostility, he also noticed confusion and doubt in their eyes.
This gave Feng Qi a sliver of solace.
He had believed his plan to expose the truth had utterly failed. Yet the hints of uncertainty in their eyes told him otherwise. The seeds of doubt he had sown had taken root in their hearts.
Perhaps, someday in the future, these seeds would grow into towering trees, tearing apart the veil of lies that cloaked the world.
But it would be a scene he would never witness.
After hours of being paraded, Feng Qi was brought to the execution grounds and strapped to the "Rune Execution Chair," the same device that had once claimed the life of Li Xingchen.
Facing the crowd gathered before him, Feng Qi chose to meet their gaze with unwavering calm.
Ever since gaining the ability to traverse dream realms, he had known that his life's path would never be one of passivity.
No matter how many versions of him fell, another would rise to carry on.
Time might erode, but resolve remained unshaken.
Still, he couldn't help but feel regret.
For this timeline, coming to its end, there were countless things left unfinished.
This attempt to expose the truth would cost all his fellow members of the Dawn Organization their lives. Yet the human factions he had hoped to unearth remained hidden.
Thinking of this, he sighed inwardly, lamenting the loss.
In his final moments, a memory of Lü Yue surfaced in his mind.
It felt as though their parting had only been yesterday. As Feng Qi was being escorted out of the television tower that day, he had glanced back to see Lü Yue still standing at the entrance.
For years, Lü Yue had been like a steadfast guardian, protecting him from harm.
Time and again, in moments of life and death, Lü Yue had shielded him, ensuring his safety and escorting him away from danger.
Their last battle had been no exception.
Lü Yue had stood firm, sacrificing his life to buy Feng Qi precious time.
Lü Yue was a man of few words, rigid and unyielding, yet his loyalty was unmatched. He had been Feng Qi's closest brother over these past years.
History, Feng Qi thought bitterly, would only record Lü Yue in a few fleeting lines of text.
But only those who lived through these moments could truly understand their weight and meaning.
Lü Yue had once told him that he hoped they could meet one day under the sunlight, rather than always in the depths of the night.
Feng Qi had laughed and replied, "When we succeed, we'll embrace the first light of dawn over Future City together."
That promise had been the essence of the Dawn Organization's name.
As Feng Qi looked at Lü Yue, his lifeless body standing as a silent sentinel in the past and his memory, he knew he had broken his promise.
Lü Yue would forever remain in yesterday, a part of his history and his heart.
"Prepare for execution," the broadcast rang coldly through the air.
Two executioners moved to stand before the controls of the Rune Execution Chair, awaiting the final order.
Feng Qi gazed at the crowd before him and smiled faintly.
This life of struggle and rebellion had finally reached its conclusion.
His fractured rune crystal had drained the vitality from his body, leaving his once-vibrant figure aged and weathered, his hair streaked with gray. In his final moments, his eyes carried a complex expression—detached and serene, yet tinged with lingering regret for the things left undone.
But deep in his clear gaze was a reflection of something else: a new beginning.
Whether he would be remembered as a villain or a hero of history, he could no longer care. He knew that judgment belonged to those who came after.
What he believed, though, was that someday, the dreams he and his comrades had carried would bloom brightly in the soil of a future they fought to nurture.
No matter how many setbacks they faced, no matter how many lives it cost, another him in another timeline would burn with the same fervor and continue down the road toward those dreams.
Fly, Feng Qi! he thought.
As the appointed hour arrived and the executioners moved to press the switch, a shadow appeared on the execution platform.
The figure wore tattered robes, dressed like an ascetic monk, holding a simple book in one hand. His eyes were steady, locked onto Feng Qi.
Feng Qi's brows furrowed slightly in confusion.
The monk had long severed ties with the Dawn Organization. After graduating, he had chosen to walk a different path. What could have brought him here now? Was he not afraid of being implicated by standing so close to him?
As if reading his thoughts, the monk opened the book and began to chant loudly from its pages.
The city guards rushed toward the platform to apprehend him.
"Monk, run!" Feng Qi called out.
But the monk stood unmoving, his voice steady as he recited the scripture.
As the guards approached, he suddenly stopped his chanting and scratched his head, looking down at the book with a puzzled expression.
"Hmm... I don't get what this passage means." He frowned, then his face lit up in realization. "Oh, I get it now. It means: To hell with it!"
With those words, the monk's aura shifted drastically. His voice turned icy as he bellowed, "Prajna Domain Combat Squad, warriors, where are you?"
"Here!" a thunderous chorus answered.
From within the crowd, hundreds of warriors emerged, their voices resonating with power and resolve.
Another figure leaped onto the execution platform, tall and broad-shouldered. He turned to Feng Qi with a grin. "Sorry I'm late!"
Turning to face the crowd, he roared, "Victory Squad, where are you?"
The ground trembled as hidden warriors stomped in unison, sending shockwaves through the execution square.
"Brothers of the Future Research Institute, where are you?" another voice called out.
Seemingly from nowhere, Jia Hui appeared within the crowd, vaulting onto the execution platform.
A deafening roar erupted inside and outside the square as warriors emerged from every direction. Their unified cry was a defiant response, telling Feng Qi: they were all his comrades, answering his call to arms.
As more and more stood forward, Feng Qi's heart swelled with emotion, disbelief etched on his face as he turned toward the monk.
"Monk, you hid yourself well."
The monk grinned and winked at him. "Teacher Feng, you never asked."