Facing Mu Qing, who stood before him holding the black iron mask, Feng Qi felt a wave of embarrassment.
He hadn't anticipated that Mu Qing would still recognize him despite his disguise.
It seemed like the idea of masking one's identity with a simple mask, as seen in television dramas, was nothing but fiction.
Glancing toward the distance, his eyes landed on the Mist Lord.
Thankfully, the Mist Lord had already pushed into the outer edge of the battlefield's core, entirely focused on the Miracle Bloodstone. He hadn't noticed the situation here, sparing Feng Qi from any immediate trouble.
"Qi-ge, why are you here?"
Mu Qing's expression was a mixture of confusion as she looked at him.
In truth, she had already noticed Feng Qi back in the plaza outside the recruitment hall.
The crimson rune crystal not only endowed her with extraordinary physical capabilities but also granted her several peculiar abilities.
One of these abilities was something she referred to as "Aura Perception."
This ability was uniquely sensitive, allowing her to discern the emotional aura emanating from individuals.
For example, if someone harbored murderous intent toward her, she could immediately detect the killing aura within their emotional state.
This perceptive ability enabled her to anticipate her opponents' movements with pinpoint accuracy, even exploiting openings when they feigned attacks.
Her combat intuition, to a significant extent, stemmed from this capability.
When she encountered the Mist Lord at the recruitment hall, she had felt a faint sense of familiarity from his aura.
The familiarity wasn't from herself, though—it was something she sensed in the Mist Lord's demeanor. Mixed into his aura was a faint trace of suppressed fear.
That was why she had approached "Wang Yi" and inquired if they had ever collaborated in joint missions.
Later, when she met Feng Qi at the plaza, she again perceived a sense of "familiarity" from his emotional aura.
When Feng Qi looked at her, it felt as though he was gazing at someone he knew well.
Moreover, his aura carried a subtle undertone of avoidance.
These observations sparked her curiosity.
She couldn't understand why the captain of the Death Star Third Combat Brigade, Wang Yi, and his deputy, Feng Qi, seemed to recognize her when she had never crossed paths with their group before.
Out of this curiosity, she began observing both Wang Yi and Feng Qi more closely during the journey.
But just moments ago, when the Mist Lord charged into the battlefield's core, Feng Qi's aura revealed an unmistakable trace of resolve.
At that moment, Feng Qi's mind was firmly set on a singular thought: no matter what, he would risk his own life to ensure the Mist Lord's survival.
This same aura of unwavering determination had once surfaced at the lakeside of the Star City Academy during a summer night years ago.
That night, she had asked Feng Qi about his aspirations for the future.
His answer back then carried a similar emotional undertone—a steely determination to face whatever obstacles lay ahead, even if it meant risking everything to try.
From that moment onward, she had never doubted Feng Qi's resolve to lead humanity toward its resurgence.
Even now, Feng Qi no longer had the brilliance of his youth and was no longer the peerless genius whom the world had once praised.
But Mu Qing believed that Feng Qi had never abandoned his ideals and was still treading the path toward them.
The aura he carried just now struck her deeply.
It reminded her of that familiar presence she had almost forgotten—a presence she hadn't seen or contacted for years but often revisited in her memories and journal entries.
Overwhelmed by this familiarity, she couldn't help but approach him to confirm her suspicions.
That's why she reached out and removed the black iron mask from Feng Qi's face.
As expected, beneath the mask was indeed him.
The last time they had seen each other had been at the Star City Academy's graduation banquet.
Now, staring at the familiar face before her, Mu Qing was momentarily stunned.
Memories from years past surged within her mind.
The confident smile that had always graced Feng Qi's face overlapped with the man standing before her now.
It dawned on her that eight years had already gone by.
Feng Qi's expression was one of utter shock, and Mu Qing had been about to speak further when her gaze shifted toward the battlefield.
Within the chaotic battleground, the Mist Lord's mask had been shattered, revealing his purple eyes.
At the same time, part of his body began to transform into mist as he charged deeper into the battlefield's core.
In that instant, Mu Qing finally recognized the Mist Lord's true identity.
The aura emanating from the Mist Lord now bore slight differences from the past, but Mu Qing could still recognize it.
After graduating from Star City Academy, she had joined the frontlines.
The first intelligent domain creature she had encountered was the young man with purple eyes and hair in the Silent Domain Field.
What left the deepest impression on her was his ability to transform into gray mist—something unforgettable to this day.
These characteristics confirmed her suspicions: the Mist Lord was indeed the same individual she had faced back then.
Yet, doubts began to surge in her mind.
Why was Feng Qi with the Mist Lord?
Wasn't he supposed to be working at the Crimson Research Institute on cultivation technique research? Why was he here?
The entire escort mission had carried an unusual air since the first attack by domain forces on the supply bridge.
There were three possible routes from the Old Day Eastern Supply Zone to Old Day City, and aside from the main route, the other two required significant detours.
If domain forces had ambushed the supply bridge on the main road, it could have been assumed that they had set traps on all three routes.
But the timing and location of their ambush made it clear that they had specific knowledge of this route.
The only individuals privy to the exact route and timeline were the team captains involved in the operation.
This anomaly led Mu Qing to suspect that a mole was embedded within their mission.
After the battle at the supply bridge, she began scrutinizing the joint operation team for suspicious behavior, determined to identify the culprit.
However, by the time the convoy reached the canyon, she realized her assumption was flawed.
It wasn't a matter of a single mole—almost the entire operation team consisted of traitors.
The only two she couldn't yet decipher were the overall commander Wang Yi and Qin Shikong of the Qingtian Combat Brigade.
These two groups had withdrawn far from the battle over the Bloodstone, avoiding involvement.
Mu Qing couldn't discern their true stance.
Initially, she believed that some of the combat squads fighting for the Bloodstone might still be loyal.
However, this hope quickly dissipated.
Their relentless struggle for the Bloodstone was rife with greed and hysteria, betraying none of the composure expected of guardians.
Even worse, several squads appeared to be colluding with domain forces, with some combatants openly revealing distinct domain creature traits.
Realizing this, Mu Qing halted her steps, abandoning her original plan to join the fight.
She had discerned the truth: many of these combat squads were already under the domain forces' control. Some weren't even human anymore.
Still, suspicions required proof. Without concrete evidence, she wouldn't act against her own kind.
Thus, she chose to observe and analyze the situation.
She began recording the names of suspicious squads.
Over the hours of battle, she confirmed that six combat squads included domain creatures among their ranks, while others required further investigation.
Some domain creatures possessed traits nearly indistinguishable from humans.
Without close inspection, it was impossible to differentiate them.
Certain transcendent domain creatures even had disguising abilities, masking their life signatures entirely to blend seamlessly with humans.
As the struggle for the Bloodstone intensified, Mu Qing devised a plan to expose them all.
She memorized the names of the suspicious squads, intending to later seek the assistance of the Crimson Research Institute.
When it came to research on domain creatures, no institution surpassed the Crimson Research Institute.
Since its establishment, the institute had been at the forefront of domain creature studies, leaving other organizations far behind.
If anyone could distinguish between disguised domain creatures and humans, it would be them.
Her strategy became clear.
Under the guise of the Crimson Research Institute, she could invite the suspicious combat squads to a meeting, possibly even including other squads for broader coverage.
Once assembled, the institute would identify the domain forces among them.
The result would be a comprehensive operation to annihilate every identified squad.
Returning to the present, Mu Qing turned her gaze toward Feng Qi.
One thing was certain—Wang Yi was problematic and undoubtedly a domain creature.
As the vice-captain of the Death Star Third Combat Brigade, Feng Qi held a high-ranking position, evidently trusted by "Wang Yi."
Despite this, she couldn't believe Feng Qi had betrayed humanity.
She firmly believed that Feng Qi still upheld his ideals of justice and would never abandon his dreams.
Thus… he must have been coerced by the domain creatures!
Some sort of mind-control ability must have been used to manipulate Feng Qi into this situation.
This couldn't have been his true will.
The thought ignited a surge of murderous intent within Mu Qing.
Without waiting for Feng Qi's response, she turned abruptly to glare at the distant Mist Lord.
The killing intent in her heart roared like a storm.
When Feng Qi saw Mu Qing suddenly shift her attention to the Mist Lord, her clenched fists trembling, his heart sank.
He had every reason to believe that Mu Qing intended to beat the Mist Lord to death on the spot.
"Senior, don't be impulsive! Let me explain!" he blurted.
Mu Qing paused and glanced back at him.
"Do you think I believe you've been manipulated by domain forces?"
"Isn't that the case? The Feng Qi I know would never serve the domain forces," she retorted.
Realizing her misconception, Feng Qi felt a pang of frustration but remained composed.
"Senior, let's find somewhere else to talk. I'll explain everything," he said, turning and heading toward a secluded spot.
Mu Qing hesitated briefly before following him.
Several minutes later, they stopped five kilometers from the canyon.
Feng Qi turned to face her just as she landed nearby.
By now, he realized that an explanation alone wouldn't suffice—he needed to reveal part of the truth.
However, he wasn't about to disclose everything.
Especially when it came to the secrets of the Crimson Research Institute—those were off-limits.
The institute was central to every sacrificial timeline. Any mishap there would render all their efforts futile.
Moreover, there was another issue: Mu Qing had someone untrustworthy by her side.
In earlier timelines, Feng Qi had entrusted information to Mu Qing via email, only to find it entirely erased.
Revealing the institute's secrets to her could jeopardize its existence, eliminating the possibility of the Crimson Secret Base in 1500 years.
Preserving some secrets was his way of safeguarding their collective efforts on this timeline.
Finally, he spoke.
"Senior, I haven't been controlled. I'm deliberately infiltrating their ranks."
"Infiltrating? What's your goal?"
"What if I told you I've been to the future—1,500 years from now?"
Mu Qing's serious expression faltered, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"I think you've really been brainwashed by the domain forces," she said bluntly.
Feng Qi: …