Just as Feng Qi was about to leave, Tian Shu suddenly called out to him.
Under Feng Qi's curious gaze, Tian Shu turned around, revealing the Divine Mark markings on his back.
As the runes twisted and shifted, black light particles emerged, swirling rapidly in the air, expanding into a vortex—a black hole.
A moment later, a cascade of items spewed out from the black hole.
Piles of rune crystals, various spiritual minerals, jade stones, and even armor and weapons tumbled onto the ground.
In just a few moments, a small mountain of resources had formed inside the prison cell.
"The Dawn Organization will face many challenges ahead. Right now, I am in a special situation and cannot provide you with direct help. These are some of the spoils I obtained while guarding Route 32 of Path of Ascension, killing domain forces. Take them with you."
A wave of dense spiritual energy surged forward, filling the air.
Feng Qi nodded solemnly.
"Tian Shu-dashu, thank you."
"We share the same ideals. Keep moving forward. Don't disappoint me."
A faint smile appeared on Tian Shu's gaunt face as he clenched his fist toward the metal door.
A purple light streaked across, and the iron door automatically slid open.
"Come in and take them."
Hearing this, Feng Qi did not hesitate. He immediately stepped into the prison cell.
Seeing this, Mu Qing followed closely behind.
Together, they began to move the resources out of the cell.
Since neither of them had spatial storage artifacts, they had to carry everything out manually.
It took considerable effort, but eventually, they transported the entire pile outside the cell.
Once everything was moved, Feng Qi looked back toward Tian Shu.
Once again, Tian Shu clenched his fist, causing another streak of purple light to flash as the iron door shut automatically.
"Tian Shu-dashu, until we meet again."
"Go on. I will return to my slumber. Only in sleep can I quiet the loneliness in my heart."
With that, Tian Shu dragged his iron chains and took a few steps back, fading into the darkness of the cell.
Feng Qi took one last look into the shadowed corner of the prison and gave a firm nod.
History may never record the sacrifices of warriors like him, who fought for humanity's survival.
But Feng Qi will remember.
If one day, this path to salvation reaches its conclusion, he will ensure that the stories of these silent, hidden protectors are written for all of humanity to know.
Upon leaving the 40th underground level, Feng Qi immediately called the director of the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
The resources Tian Shu provided were far too many for him to take alone—he needed external help.
He decided to divide the resources into two batches:
One portion would be sent to Tiger Soul Research Institute, serving as the Dawn Organization's initial development fund.
The other portion would go to the Crimson Research Institute, particularly the rune crystals, which they could utilize to the fullest extent.
Although the Crimson Research Institute already had abundant resources, its reserves needed to last 1,500 years—which was barely enough.
This was also why, in previous timelines, when the Crimson Research Institute retreated into its hidden base, its members were forced to ration supplies.
Once they lost external support, all resources—including spiritual materials—became finite.
Now, any assistance he could provide to the Crimson Research Institute was essential.
After explaining the resource allocation plan to the Tiger Soul Director, Feng Qi and Mu Qing left the Tiger Soul sub-base and returned to Star City Academy.
Over the next few days, Feng Qi worked closely with the Dawn Organization's members to refine their development plans.
Compared to previous timelines, the Dawn Organization's current starting point was much stronger.
If Star City could be fully stabilized, then the Dawn Organization had the potential to grow into a force capable of rivaling the hidden domain factions.
Having laid the groundwork across multiple timelines, Feng Qi was determined to push further this time.
No matter how dark the night may seem— As long as they keep moving forward, the dawn will come.
Star City – Starlight Bridge, Central Section
Starlight Bridge was a historic landmark, connecting the eastern and western districts of Star City.
It spanned the city's largest inland lake, serving as a vital link between multiple regions.
Originally, Star City had been formed by merging several independent cities.
During the urban integration project, Starlight Bridge was constructed to connect East Star City and West Star City.
Now, it stood as one of Star City's most iconic landmarks.
At this moment, on one of the bridge's central support pillars, Feng Qi stood clad in black robes, a scarlet mask covering his face.
The night wind howled, making his clothing flutter.
The mask was crafted by the Crimson Research Institute—it was equipped with mental shielding, preventing spiritual perception from penetrating it.
It also had an expression simulation feature, allowing him to control facial expressions despite the mask.
A large painted smile adorned the front of the mask.
Standing beside him, Mu Qing was dressed similarly—a black cloak covering her frame, a scarlet mask concealing her identity.
The two stood silently, waiting.
After some time, Feng Qi's gaze shifted downward—toward the depths beneath the bridge.
Three figures moved swiftly along the suspension cables of the bridge, their movements as ghostly as shadows in the night. In the blink of an eye, they landed beside Feng Qi.
Now that they were close, Feng Qi could see their faces clearly.
The leader of the trio had a humanoid appearance, standing at about 1.8 meters tall. His face bore gill-like markings on the cheeks, and his sharp eyes gleamed with intelligence.
From appearances alone, it was impossible to tell that they were domain beings.
"Your Excellency, why have you called us here?" the leader asked in a deep voice.
Feng Qi remained silent.
Instead, Mu Qing took a step forward.
Instantly, an overwhelming pressure descended upon the trio.
The leader's expression froze, and fine beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
"Your Excellency, if this is a negotiation, isn't it unnecessary to begin with such a display of dominance?" he said through gritted teeth, struggling to resist Mu Qing's oppressive aura.
"Alright, don't scare away our future allies," Feng Qi said with a chuckle.
Hearing this, Mu Qing withdrew her aura and stepped back slightly.
The suffocating oppression vanished, and the three domain beings exhaled in relief, though a trace of fear remained in their eyes as they looked at Feng Qi.
"Your Excellency, you've been ruthlessly destroying our alliance's bases recently. What exactly do you want to discuss? And what do you mean by forming an alliance?" the leader asked.
"It's simple—I want you to submit to me and work under my command," Feng Qi stated directly.
"Your Excellency, I believe you misunderstand our situation. We only established the domain alliance in Star City as a platform. We don't have authority over the various factions within it."
"I know."
"Then why—?"
"I don't need you to command them for me. What I want is control over your intelligence network, including all mission assignments within the alliance. If you refuse, I will make sure you can no longer operate in Star City.
"From now on, I'll clean out your strongholds three times a day, every day, until you give in.
"If you don't believe me, feel free to test it."
The leader's face darkened.
He did not doubt whether Feng Qi would actually do it.
After all, in recent days, 31 alliance bases had been attacked and destroyed, with hundreds dead or injured.
That was more than enough warning.
"...Your Excellency, do you intend to take full control of Star City?"
It didn't take long for the leader to piece together Feng Qi's true goal.
If Feng Qi wanted control over the intelligence network, it was clearly to eliminate potential threats and secure total authority over Star City.
"That's right," Feng Qi admitted without hesitation.
"...Do you have the strength to back this up? The Star City Military Department will never tolerate your existence. If they find out about you, they will do whatever it takes to kill you."
"What do you think?"
The mask Feng Qi wore was capable of simulating facial expressions. At that moment, the painted smile stretched slightly, exuding a chilling aura.
"I don't know," the leader replied cautiously. "Perhaps you could prove it to us."
"Fine. Then I'll show you."
As Feng Qi finished speaking, Mu Qing suddenly leaped into the air.
Her aura surged violently, the air around her shimmering with an ethereal glow.
The overwhelming pressure returned.
High in the sky, Mu Qing clenched her fist and then punched toward the center of the lake below.
The three domain beings immediately turned their gaze toward the spot her fist was aimed at.
Boom!
There was no visible fist shadow, only a thunderous explosion as the force of the punch struck the lake's center.
The water's surface collapsed inward, forming an enormous crater, with violent waves surging outward.
In an instant, the lakebed was exposed, its mud and stones laid bare.
High above, Mu Qing suddenly retracted her fist.
The shockwave vanished instantly, and the lake water surged back, forming a massive whirlpool before sending towering waves crashing in all directions.
With fluid grace, Mu Qing landed silently behind Feng Qi.
"Is that enough?"
The three domain beings stood frozen, their minds blank.
They stared at Feng Qi, their expressions now filled with deep-seated fear.
They couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of monstrous strength a man must possess to command a warrior like her.
That single punch had shaken their confidence to the core.
Seeing that the intimidation had worked, the smiling mask on Feng Qi's face tilted slightly.
"I assume that you came to Star City for profit. If that's the case, working against me goes against your own interests, doesn't it?"
After the stick, it was time for the carrot.
"...What are you offering?" the leader cautiously asked.
"Under my protection, your operations in Star City will be far more secure.
"If you swear loyalty to me, I will guarantee a fixed supply of spiritual resources every month—as a reward."
With both threats and benefits laid before them, the leader with the gill-like markings finally felt his mental defenses crumbling.
"We are willing to serve you, but I need to know—how do we contact you in the future?" the leader bowed slightly, his attitude noticeably more respectful than before.
"All intelligence and missions you gather should be delivered to Tiger Soul Research Institute. On the first day of every month, you can also go there to collect the resources I've promised you as compensation. Whether you keep them for yourself or distribute them among your people is none of my concern."
Hearing this, the leader's expression shifted subtly.
"Tiger Soul Research Institute?" he asked in surprise.
"Your Excellency, may I ask… does this mean that the Tiger Soul Research Institute is now under your control?"
Instead of answering, Feng Qi stretched out his right hand.
In his palm lay a small transparent glass bottle, revealing a handful of black pills inside.
"Take one right now," Feng Qi ordered, his voice calm yet commanding. "You've sworn loyalty to me, but now it's time for you to prove your sincerity."
The black pills inside the bottle were a special formulation developed by the Crimson Research Institute's Spiritual Botany Department.
It was concocted from over twenty types of spiritual plants, carefully blended to induce a powerful dependency in those who consumed it.
This dependency was not merely psychological.
Once someone ingested the pill, their body would develop an intense reliance on its effects, requiring daily consumption to maintain stability.
If they stopped taking it, their spiritual energy would destabilize, leading to mental collapse or even fatal consequences.
If withdrawal lasted for a full month, the probability of sudden death increased dramatically.
This formula had already been tested extensively on various domain beings.
With the exception of pure elemental creatures, any being with flesh and blood was susceptible to its effects.
Unless one possessed a unique ability like Mu Qing, who could instantly break down foreign substances into raw energy, eliminating the pill's effects completely, there was no escape.
That being said, despite its controlling nature, this pill was also beneficial.
Regular consumption not only posed no long-term harm, but also nourished the body over time.
In the previous timeline, the Mist Lord had used Flesh Sacrifice to control domain creatures.
This time, Feng Qi had no intention of using that method.
Instead, this new approach—devised by the Crimson Research Institute—would suffice.
Unlike Flesh Sacrifice, which was too domineering and outright invasive, this pill's control was subtler.
It wouldn't work on beings with overwhelmingly strong constitutions, but for the three domain beings in front of him, it was more than enough.
The leader hesitated, conflict flashing across his face.
But after a brief moment of struggle, he took the bottle and poured a single pill into his palm.
Without further hesitation, he placed it in his mouth and swallowed.
Then, he tilted the bottle, letting two more pills fall into his hand before passing them to his two subordinates.
The other two domain beings exchanged glances but ultimately followed suit, each swallowing a pill without resistance.
At that moment, Mu Qing stepped forward.
She placed her hand on the leader's shoulder, and a soft jade-colored glow seeped into his body.
The pill's medicinal effects quickly dispersed within him.
Without saying a word, Mu Qing then turned to the other two and repeated the process, ensuring all three had fully absorbed the drug.
Once finished, she stepped back to stand beside Feng Qi.
"It's done," she reported.
Feng Qi nodded, then looked at the leader with a faint smile.
"Congratulations," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "You've made the right choice. I'm sure you'll look back on this day with gratitude."
"Now, let's return to your previous question—whether or not I control the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
"As you've already guessed—Tiger Soul now works for me."
The three domain beings were momentarily stunned.
Then, their expressions shifted from shock to undisguised delight.
In their eyes, now that they had pledged loyalty to Feng Qi, the stronger his influence, the better their prospects.
Perhaps, with his protection, they could lead their people through the upcoming great upheaval.
With these thoughts of a promising future, subtle smiles appeared on their faces.
Seeing their reactions, Feng Qi inwardly smirked.
Manipulating people always required the right tools.
First, he had instilled fear—ensuring they saw him as an untouchable force.
Then, he had offered them incentives—because desperate beings were always driven by profit.
Finally, he had sealed the deal—using both control and empty promises to bind them to his will.
This methodology was the exact same strategy that the Mist Lord had used in the previous timeline.
And now, Feng Qi was simply replicating it.
Of course, just like the Mist Lord, he never intended to see them as equals.
To him, they were nothing more than tools—useful for now, disposable when necessary.
For now, Dawn Organization was still in its early development phase.
There were uses for them.
But once their value was exhausted, Feng Qi wouldn't hesitate to erase them completely.
"Your Excellency," the leader suddenly bowed again, his tone far more deferential.
"If we may ask, what name should we address you by in the future?"
Feng Qi pondered for a moment.
Then, a smile formed beneath his mask.
"You may call me…"
"The Narrator."
At that moment, a wolf's howl echoed in the distance—breaking the silence of the night.