I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

When Feng Qi opened his eyes, he found himself back in reality. Sitting up from the sofa, he was lost in thought. The oppressive emotions brought on by the overlapping memories of the future dreamline still lingered, making it difficult for him to return to a normal state of mind.

The sudden ringing of his phone startled him out of his reverie. Answering the call, Lin Ran's familiar voice came through the line.

"Qi-ge, time for lunch!"

Hearing Lin Ran's voice, Feng Qi couldn't help but recall the version of "Mist Ran" from the future memory.

"Alright, I'll be there soon."

After hanging up, he left the dormitory and headed straight for the academy cafeteria. Inside, the dining hall was already bustling with students. After collecting a plate full of food, he moved to the northern corner of the hall.

In the corner sat not only Lin Ran and Mu Qing but also Lü Yue and a few others. A wave of familiarity washed over him as he approached. The moment he saw Mu Qing, a peculiar feeling arose within him. In the future dreamline, Mu Qing had already matured into the formidable Leader of the Dawn Rebel Army, shedding her innocence and naivety. Her height and aura had undergone significant changes, making her present, adorable self a stark contrast.

Catching Mu Qing's curious gaze, Feng Qi couldn't help but smile. His thoughts wandered to the Scarlet Research Institute's records left by Wei Wei. According to those records, Mu Qing had hunted the "Giant Hand" entity for 20 years to avenge his death, eventually slaying it outside Old Day City.

The bond of friendship that persisted across time moved Feng Qi deeply, and he silently vowed to cherish it.

Taking a seat beside Lin Ran, Feng Qi noticed his friend turning to him with a puzzled expression.

"Qi-ge, are you having some sort of existential crisis lately?"

Feng Qi rolled his eyes at the comment, instantly understanding Lin Ran's teasing tone. It was a jab at his recent lack of enthusiasm for meals.

"Yes, I'm having a crisis. Got any solutions?"

Lin Ran's face lit up with a mischievous grin. "Why don't you try the Devouring Technique I've been working on? It's still a bit experimental but can really boost your appetite!"

The mention of the technique made Feng Qi freeze for a moment before shuddering internally. He remembered how Lin Ran had once devised a spell to eat more efficiently, resulting in the dormitory's sewage system being completely clogged.

"Can we not discuss such disgusting topics during meals? Just eat your food," Feng Qi said, grabbing a drumstick and taking a hearty bite.

The crispy, breaded exterior gave way to tender meat, bursting with flavorful juices. The savory taste instantly rekindled his appetite. The simple pleasure of eating brought a genuine sense of happiness.

With his strength steadily growing, so did his hunger. After finishing one plate of food, Feng Qi surprised the group by getting up to fetch a second, equally heaping plate. By the time he had finished, he was finally satisfied.

After lunch, Feng Qi bade farewell to Lin Ran and the others before returning to his dormitory. The weight of the overlapping memories continued to press on him. Many fragments of future dreamline experiences remained buried, yet to resurface.

Deciding to rest first, he washed up and lay down on his bed, closing his eyes. However, unsettling emotions kept bubbling up in his chest, preventing him from falling asleep.

Frustrated, Feng Qi got out of bed and stretched. He walked to his desk and opened his notebook, deciding to document the insights he had gained from the dreamline.

Due to the memory overload, many experiences from the dreamline were not immediately accessible. Feng Qi resolved to jot down everything he could recall, prioritizing critical details for future planning.

First, he reviewed his strength improvements. During this dreamline, he had managed to kill two domain creatures, resulting in a 49-point increase in his bloodline evolution stat. He had also gained two new abilities: [Stasis] and [Recoil].

Though neither ability was particularly powerful, having new talents was better than nothing. In his assessment, [Stasis] seemed particularly underwhelming, even less practical than his [Steel Fang] ability. Still, any new talent, no matter how minor, was a potential tool in his arsenal.

After documenting the characteristics and specific details of both abilities, he turned to a fresh page to summarize the intelligence he had gathered during this dreamline.

The dreamline had yielded a wealth of information. As he organized his thoughts, Feng Qi meticulously listed key findings and secondary leads in his notebook.

Key Finding One: The monk Hui Xu and the Prajna Domain Combat Squad he represented could be trusted allies. Through Hui Xu's account, Feng Qi also learned about the existence of the "Psionic Race."

Derived Insight: It became increasingly likely that the shadowy force behind the Institute of Technological Research was a splinter faction of the Psionic Race. This group had defected, taking a miracle item with them. The miracle item was likely a crucial material in the creation of Little Black.

Unresolved Mystery: The true identity of "Mo," the figure behind the Institute of Technological Research, remained unknown. Why could "Mo" create Little Black? What was his motive for aiding the institute's technological advancements?

Key Finding Two: Various domain factions were actively collecting miracle items.

Miracle Items Description: These unique, godlike artifacts lacked fixed forms and exhibited extraordinary abilities.

Known Miracle Items:

Little Black (constructed using miracle item materials)

Sacred Spirit Consciousness Repository (Psionic Race artifact)

Bloodstone (a fragmented miracle item that incited a battle among domain factions, even attracting high-level domain creatures)

The "Deduction" fragment carried by Qin Shikong

Speculation One: I might also possess a miracle item (Narrator: Abilities like talent plundering, time travel, and other extraordinary powers may be tied to a miracle item).

Speculation Two: Based on the previous assumption, the Blue-Skinned Assassin might have been hunting me due to traces of a miracle item's aura lingering on me.

Derived Unknown Questions:

Why are various miracle items hidden within human society, and how were these miracle items created?

Observing the battles fought over the Bloodstone reveals its near-indestructible nature. However, why are some miracle items incomplete?

Domain factions are vying for miracle items to enhance their racial capabilities. Could this urgency be related to the "Great Momentum"? What exactly is the Great Momentum?

Key Finding Three: Through the events involving Mu Qing, it became evident that the Mist Lord first infiltrated human civilization after an encounter with her, during which she destroyed the domain field he controlled.

Derived Future Dreamline: The next future dreamline could explore the destruction of the Mist Lord's domain field. By infiltrating human society alongside the Mist Lord, I could gather intelligence from the perspective of a domain faction. This could involve establishing a domain force.

Key Finding Four: Lin Ran's development of [Eternal Spirit (Uncensored Version)] can be a vital skill for sacrifice dreamlines. While the risks are significant, the benefits far outweigh the costs in such scenarios.

Key Finding Five: Lin Ran has already succeeded in reverse-parasitizing the Mist Lord, effectively acquiring his powers. In future dreamlines, Lin Ran will likely become one of my most important allies.

While recording these findings, Feng Qi often paused to reflect. Hours later, the information from this dreamline was thoroughly organized and documented. Closing his notebook, he leaned back in his chair, lost in thought. He carefully revisited the intelligence gathered during the future dreamline.

Moments later, he picked up his phone from the desk and dialed Wei Wei's number.

After several rings, her familiar voice answered.

"You're back?"

"Yeah."

"Good work. Got new intel for me?"

"Plenty. Grab a pen and jot this down."

"Who do you take me for? I'm a self-proclaimed genius inventor with a memory sharp enough to recall anything at a glance!"

[This boastful old woman is exaggerating. I'd believe short-term photographic memory, but there's no way her memory retains everything permanently. She'd need to live for centuries to recall everything she's experienced.]

Ignoring the Narrator's commentary, Feng Qi chuckled.

"Wei-jie, let me summarize this timeline's experiences and highlight the key findings…"

Over the next few hours, he recounted his dreamline experiences and read out the detailed intelligence he had written in his notebook. Wei Wei occasionally interrupted with questions, and Feng Qi answered each one with clarity to ensure she wouldn't misunderstand any points.

After hanging up the phone, Feng Qi reclined in his chair, still feeling a heavy sense of oppression. The accumulation of negative emotions left him restless, yearning for a release.

He got up and walked to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of cold water. Twisting off the cap, he took a large gulp, the chill calming some of his inner turmoil.

[In the next dreamline, you should focus on capturing Three-Tails with Lin Ran's help. At your current state, attempting to continue alone might push you to the brink of insanity.]

Hearing the Narrator's reminder, Feng Qi nodded in agreement.

Three-Tails' agility was unmatched. Even with his [Blood Source] ability, capturing it was nearly impossible. Aside from improving his own strength, Lin Ran's ability to reverse-parasitize the Mist Lord might hold the key to solving this problem.

Placing the water bottle aside, he walked onto the balcony.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting its warm, golden glow across the horizon. The lake in front of the dorm reflected the vibrant hues of the setting sun, its surface rippling gently in the breeze. Willows swayed along the shoreline, and students sat chatting on benches while others strolled leisurely down the pathways.

This lively scene pulled Feng Qi out of the oppressive shadow of the dreamline.

Every time he returned, the beauty of reality struck him anew.

The wind carried a refreshing coolness as he stretched and relaxed, feeling the weight in his chest lighten.

[The road to salvation is long. Feeling tired yet?]

"Tired? What's that? Real men don't get tired," Feng Qi replied with a grin.

[A virgin calling himself a man? At best, you're just a boy.]

Rolling his eyes at the Narrator's sarcastic jab, Feng Qi shot back, "Still better than you. At least I'm a person. All you do is talk."

[Believe it or not, I could whip something out and prove I'm bigger than you!]

"You're hopeless."

[Reverse uno card.]

"Childish idiot."

[Says the bonehead who fell for it.]

Their banter eventually gave way to a serene silence. Feng Qi turned his gaze to the setting sun, its fiery hues slowly sinking into the horizon. Around him, the lights of Star City Academy began to flicker on, one by one.

The evening breeze tousled his hair, and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

He realized he no longer feared the darkness. To him, every sunset signaled the beginning of a new chapter.

Darkness was merely the starting point, not the end.

Each sacrifice dreamline's conclusion marked the start of another, and Feng Qi would never stop moving forward on the path to salvation.