After his conversation with Xiao Yu, Feng Qi successfully recruited the first coach for the Virtual Coach Team.
After hanging up the phone, he had someone personally escort Xiao Yu to the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
Once there, he provided him with the official Virtual Coach certification and relevant permissions.
From now on, Xiao Yu would carry a special identification in the virtual game and would be required to provide technical consultation to other players every day in the soon-to-be-launched virtual consultation room.
In addition, Feng Qi also gave him the right to create player guilds in Breaking Dawn.
He hoped that Xiao Yu would help nurture a group of talented newcomers.
As for compensation, Feng Qi initially intended to grant Xiao Yu additional income rights.
For example, if players came to Xiao Yu for advice, he could charge a fee according to a set price list.
But Xiao Yu proactively declined this offer.
He explained that as a retired frontline soldier, the subsidies he received were enough to get him through the rest of his life. He didn't need extra income to improve his living standards.
No matter how much money he made, it wouldn't change anything for him.
What he truly wanted was for Breaking Dawn to be better promoted, so he could help train more excellent soldiers for the frontline.
Xiao Yu's resolve showed Feng Qi the unshakable belief inside a retired veteran's heart.
So, Feng Qi agreed to his decision of not needing additional income.
In Feng Qi's view, charging players for consultation might feel like a desecration of Xiao Yu's beliefs.
With that, the first member of the coach team was officially in place.
Over the next ten days of testing feedback, Feng Qi saw Xiao Yu's potential and the significance of the Crimson Research Institute's plan for the Virtual Coach Team.
In just ten days, the backend data from Breaking Dawn showed that Xiao Yu had provided technical consultations to 329 players and conducted numerous practical drills, receiving a 100% positive feedback rate.
Moreover, his special coach identification also sparked discussions in the Breaking Dawn forum.
At this stage, most of the players in Breaking Dawn had never seen the frontline. Xiao Yu was like a walking encyclopedia.
He was able to teach them many combat techniques that would be useful in real-life battles.
For example, how to identify direction in a domain field without navigation or how to command actions during team battles.
Whenever players encountered problems with combat techniques, Xiao Yu would pull them into a combat simulation and guide them step-by-step through practical techniques.
This retired veteran, who should have faded into obscurity, had finally found his new path.
In just over ten days.
The appearance of Xiao Yu after joining the Tiger Soul Research Institute had undergone a dramatic transformation.
When he first arrived, he was reeking of a sour smell, his hair was messy, and it seemed like he hadn't bathed in a long time. His face was unshaven, resembling that of a homeless man.
But now, Xiao Yu had cut his long hair and shaved his beard, giving Feng Qi the impression of someone entirely refreshed.
The depressed mental state he had carried for years had disappeared in just over ten days of self-rehabilitation.
Now, Xiao Yu's eyes were sharp, and he had regained the vigor of a frontline soldier.
This transformation deeply moved Feng Qi and further solidified his decision to create the Virtual Coach Team.
Many retired frontline veterans were like Xiao Yu, unwilling to live out their remaining years in mediocrity.
But injuries and disabilities prevented them from determining the future direction of their lives.
Even if they applied to return to the frontline, their requests were always denied.
The creation of the Virtual Coach Team would offer these veterans a platform to shine once again.
As he had written in the recruitment plan:
[Even if you no longer step onto the frontline, your beliefs will be carried by the fresh faces embarking on the journey you once walked.]
In the following months.
The number of applicants for the coach team steadily increased.
Many retired veterans who had heard of Breaking Dawn began to sign up, eager to take the trials and become virtual coaches.
During this time, a group of rather naïve players also appeared.
These players were mostly newcomers who had never seen the frontline, but they had exceptionally high rankings in the game.
When they saw the veterans with coach badges, they also wanted to have one. It seemed cool, so they all applied for the trials.
A very few players actually passed the initial trial and entered the review phase.
For these potential players, during the review stage, Feng Qi had no hesitation in giving them a "rejected" evaluation.
These gifted players might be highly skilled on their own.
But they lacked any real frontline experience and certainly had no teaching experience. Wanting to become members of the coach team was just a fun hobby for them.
Hiring them would be irresponsible to the other newcomers.
After all, real combat and the game were still different.
Even though Breaking Dawn achieved a perfect level of realism, there were still fundamental differences in another aspect.
That difference was rooted in multiple factors.
For example, mentality.
In the game Breaking Dawn, players could face death without fear, so they were incredibly brave during combat, completely unaware of what it meant to be afraid.
However, in real frontline combat, mentality was undoubtedly one of the biggest factors influencing combat strength.
Fear, anxiety, and other emotions could easily change the outcome of a battle.
Especially when dealing with domain creatures that possessed mental manipulation abilities, the fear in human soldiers' hearts became the creature's weapon.
Aside from mentality, there were also many special circumstances that Breaking Dawn could never simulate.
So, while the game could serve as a training ground, no matter how well it was designed, it could never compare to actual combat.
But there was no doubt that Breaking Dawn would greatly improve the combat skills of new players, offering improvements in technique, awareness, and many other aspects.
Feng Qi was looking forward to the surprises this game would bring him, as well as the changes it would bring to the future.
However, he had recently encountered a troubling issue.
The virtual game was gaining continuous exposure in Star City, and its popularity was rising rapidly.
This was the inevitable process of virtual game development, and Feng Qi had been prepared for it.
The problem was that other cities outside Star City had also started to take notice of Breaking Dawn.
Just as he had predicted.
The initial objective reports had clearly started to take a turn toward demonizing the game.
The domain forces hiding in various cities had obviously seen the potential development of Breaking Dawn.
Naturally, they didn't want the game to enter the regions they controlled, fearing uncontrollable situations. For example, Old Day City, which was under the control of the Psionic Race.
The public opinion began to criticize and attack Breaking Dawn.
Feng Qi could understand why they were doing this.
If Breaking Dawn were introduced to Old Day City and spread rapidly there, it would result in a large number of players within the city.
But the core rights of the game wouldn't be in the hands of the Psionic Race, creating an uncontrollable factor.
All Feng Qi needed to do was issue an announcement in the game, stating that Old Day City had been taken over by domain forces, and it would immediately stir unrest in the city.
The importance of controlling public opinion was clear.
In fact, you could even see from the pre-cataclysm world order that controlling the situation was the primary concern for domain forces.
At the moment, each domain force, in order to prevent things from spiraling out of their control, had to choose to resist Breaking Dawn.
But the key to resisting was finding a reasonable justification.
Whether the reason was completely reasonable didn't matter much. What mattered was that they needed an excuse to oppose Breaking Dawn.
As for the media in Star City, they were naturally unaffected.
Thus, the acceptance of Breaking Dawn among Star City residents was incredibly high, and under the promotion of various media, virtual game rooms were popping up like mushrooms across the four major districts.
And the occupancy rate had surpassed 80% daily.
More and more players who had never been in touch with cultivation studies could now learn about various aspects of cultivation through this game, even learning practical combat techniques.
Feng Qi was confident that with enough time, Star City would become a place where everyone was a soldier.
But he truly didn't have much time left.
The rapid promotion of Breaking Dawn had stirred an undercurrent of public opinion outside Star City, and the various hidden domain forces might soon take infiltrative actions against Star City.
If they realized that the development of Breaking Dawn had become uncontrollable, they might even unite to launch a war against Star City.
After all, for domain forces, the most important thing was maintaining control over the situation.
Any uncontrollable scenario that could disrupt their future plans would draw their full attention.
And the best way to eliminate hidden dangers was always to solve them.
With time running out, Feng Qi began to plan his next military action towards Future City.
…
Two years later.
Star City East District, Hope Café.
Looking at Mo Fei, who sat confidently in front of him, a familiar feeling washed over Feng Qi.
They had been brothers for many years, promising each other they would often meet after graduation.
But the busy life after graduation had kept them from reuniting.
After all these years, Mo Fei had graduated from the Science Academy and joined the Institute of Technological Research as a researcher.
The phrase "flesh weak, machinery ascends" that Mo Fei used to say often when they were younger was still fresh in Feng Qi's mind. Now, Mo Fei was working toward that very goal.
Having joined the Viper Department of the Institute of Technological Research, Mo Fei had already become a rising star with great potential.
According to the normal timeline, he would develop many outstanding technological weapons for the Institute of Technological Research, spending his life advancing toward his dream of a technological empire.
As he thought about the past, a smile appeared on Feng Qi's face.
"Why are you staring at me and grinning like that?" Mo Fei laughed and scolded him.
"Xiao Fei, it's been so long since we've seen each other. I'm really happy to see you," Feng Qi said sincerely.
Upon hearing Feng Qi say this so earnestly, Mo Fei froze for a moment, then shook his head with a smile.
"You're just saying that. All these years, you never came to Future City to visit me. I kept sending you video emails to check in, and you never replied!"
"Hahaha, actually, I'm even busier than you, I really don't have any free time," Feng Qi chuckled.
"How busy are you?" Mo Fei asked, rolling his eyes.
"By the way, I've recently learned fortune telling, do you want me to take a look at your situation?" He suddenly shifted the topic.
"Fortune telling? Weren't you studying cultivation techniques? How did you end up learning fortune telling?" Mo Fei was confused, clearly not understanding the meaning behind his words.
Looking at Mo Fei, who had a puzzled expression, Feng Qi raised his right hand, then casually made a few gestures as if he was calculating. He said seriously, "I just calculated it. Aren't you in the Viper Department of the Institute of Technological Research, researching the X-model unmanned combat drone, and preparing to join the newly established project, responsible for the external design of this super project?"
"Damn!" Mo Fei's eyes widened in shock. "Where did you get that information from? Accessing confidential information from the Institute of Technological Research, you're asking for trouble!"
"I said I calculated it, do you believe me?" Feng Qi grinned.
"Bullshit. We've shared a dorm for years. I know exactly how many hairs you have on your head. You're a staunch atheist."
"Well then, our conversation can move on to the next step." Feng Qi's expression grew serious as he realized the moment had come. He took a deep breath and said, "Xiao Fei, I need your help!"
"Help is no problem, but you've got to tell me how exactly you want me to help," Mo Fei replied.
"I need you to be my mole in the Institute of Technological Research, passing on internal information about the institute," Feng Qi said.
"Eh?" Mo Fei's expression shifted from calm to fear. He gripped his coffee cup so tightly that some of the coffee splashed out.
While wiping the spilled coffee with a napkin, Mo Fei looked at him in horror. "Are you crazy? If what you just said gets out, you'll be labeled a human traitor and sent to the execution ground!"
"I know that place well. I visit it often. Once you get used to it, you don't fear it anymore," Feng Qi said casually.
Mo Fei: ???
"Alright, I'm not joking with you. I'm serious, no joke."
Seeing the grave look on Feng Qi's face, Mo Fei's expression grew serious too.
"I want to know why. I can't believe you'd betray humanity," Mo Fei said.
"Because the Institute of Technological Research has been completely infiltrated by domain forces. The higher-ups in control of the institute are no longer human. The super project you're about to participate in is actually part of the behind-the-scenes forces of the domain forces aiming to create a super weapon," Feng Qi explained.
At this, Mo Fei fell silent.
After a moment's hesitation, he spoke. "I'm willing to believe you, but the reason you gave me is too far-fetched. The Institute of Technological Research is the most powerful institution in Future City. Could the entire Future City be under the control of domain forces?"
"You're not wrong in your analysis," Feng Qi nodded.
Taking a deep breath, Mo Fei's eyes were filled with disbelief, then his voice turned hoarse as he spoke, "I want to see the evidence."
"Follow me," Feng Qi stood up and said.
Mo Fei immediately followed.
When they left Hope Café, they saw a military vehicle parked outside, with a man in full gear, wearing sunglasses, waiting by the car.
As soon as he saw Feng Qi, the man immediately opened the car door and got into the vehicle.
"Tiger Soul special vehicle?" Mo Fei was shocked when he saw the insignia on the car.
"Let's go. You'll understand once we get there. I'll explain everything in detail."
Once inside the car, Feng Qi began to explain his experience.
This battle line was his internal contact in Future City.
But Li Xingchen was managing the Future Research Institute, and the internal information of the Institute of Technological Research was still difficult to access. He could only get a rough idea of these battle groups' directions through the mobilizations of the battle teams under the institute.
Even Li Xingchen had no access to the Institute of Technological Research's internal projects.
Therefore, he needed a mole inside the Institute of Technological Research. If anything uncontrollable happened, he would be notified immediately.
Now, with Mo Fei gradually getting closer to the third tier of the Institute of Technological Research, he was the best choice.
In the earlier timelines, Mo Fei had been his companion, collecting a large amount of information from the Institute of Technological Research for him.
He believed Mo Fei would agree to continue working alongside him on this battle line.
Once Mo Fei agreed, the war could begin.
Now, the Star City Military Department was ready for battle. Over the past two years, the academy graduates from Star City had been recruited into the military and the domain battle squads.
Everything was ready. All that was left was for him to raise the Breaking Dawn Flag and officially march toward the Institute of Technological Research.
With multiple timelines of moles and investigations, this time, he wouldn't need to worry too much. He could now openly declare war on the shadowy forces behind the Institute of Technological Research. Feng Qi was filled with anticipation.
Perhaps... this time, he might also find a way to control Little Black.