To the north of Star City.
A fine misty rain fell from the sky.
The towering mountains ahead stretched endlessly, and the Dawn Army moved like a giant serpent, winding its way through the terrain.
The rain-soaked soil turned to mud, slowing the march.
Floating in mid-air, Feng Qi gazed into the distance. The misty rain veiled the mountains and the road ahead.
Once they crossed this mountain range, Dawn Army would step onto the open plains—Future City was now within reach.
The years of effort were about to be tested.
Would their sacrifices bear fruit? The answer would soon be revealed.
His figure rapidly descended as he landed at the front of the formation.
"At this pace, we'll reach Future City in two days at most. How do you feel about that?"
Beside him, Qin Shikong, wearing a tattered Daoist robe, walked over.
"What's there to feel? Just charge forward and get it done." Feng Qi grinned, then continued, "Why don't you try divining our outcome? See how this trip ends."
Qin Shikong shook his head helplessly.
"I've tried many times, but I can't see through the Heaven's Will. You know how I divine fate—I need to grasp the Heaven's Thread, but it hasn't appeared for me. Without it, I can't predict the outcome. This rarely happens... I suspect there's something in Future City that blocks Heaven's Will."
Hearing this, Feng Qi immediately thought of Little Black.
If there was anything in Future City that remained a mystery across multiple timelines, it had to be Little Black—and the enigmatic figure behind its creation, Mo.
Little Black was an old acquaintance.
Although they had never met in the sacrificial timeline, every time he traveled 1,500 years into the future, Little Black was always there to "greet him warmly."
But Mo was the real mystery.
During his time infiltrating the Crimson Research Institute, he had learned that within the Institute of Technological Research, there was a shadowy scientist known as Mo.
From Psionic Technology, the Black Reaper Project, the Spirit-Dispersing Bomb, to the Truth Machine—all these advanced technologies had Mo's fingerprints on them.
If Shadow was the ruler of the Institute of Technological Research, then Mo was its technical core.
With Mo's support, Shadow had led the Institute of Technological Research to surpass the once-dominant Future Research Institute.
Even Li Xingchen's cybernetic modifications had Mo's technological backing.
During his years undercover, Feng Qi had personally witnessed two terrifying inventions by Mo.
The first was the Spirit-Dispersing Bomb.
This weapon had nearly no physical lethality, but its impact was devastating.
Once detonated, it would eradicate spiritual energy within a one-kilometer radius, creating a vacuum of spirit energy.
For cultivators who relied on spiritual energy to fight, this was a death sentence—as if someone had struck their vital weakness.
Unless they had massive reserves of internal energy, they would be instantly crippled, unable to cast any spells or techniques.
Fighters who heavily depended on external energy absorption would be completely powerless in such an environment.
Even worse, the lack of spiritual energy meant cultivators couldn't recover their energy naturally.
To counter this, Feng Qi had prepared in advance.
He opened the Tiger Soul Armory and the Military Storage, distributing spirit stones to every soldier. If they ever encountered a spiritual vacuum, they could draw from these stones to maintain their combat ability.
The second invention was the Truth Machine.
This device had almost exposed his cover.
If it weren't for Wei Wei's help, he would never have passed the internal test.
But even Wei Wei couldn't fully counteract the Truth Machine—all she could do was develop a special drug that made Feng Qi fall into a coma when the machine detected spiritual intrusion.
At the time, his body had been severely weakened from biochemical modifications, and Shadow had assumed it was a side effect of the experiments.
Because his physical condition was truly deteriorating, they didn't suspect him of espionage—allowing him to barely survive.
This experience had solidified how terrifying Mo was.
To this day, Mo remained an unsolved mystery in Feng Qi's mind.
Some believed Mo was human.
Others speculated Mo was a non-human being captured by Shadow.
Some even believed that Mo was actually Shadow himself.
But inside the Institute of Technological Research, only Shadow had direct access to Mo.
Among all the theories, Feng Qi leaned towards the idea that Mo was Shadow.
He had seen Shadow's abilities firsthand.
If the Fog Lord was a master strategist, then Shadow was a manipulator of human hearts.
He could make warriors sacrifice themselves without hesitation.
He could make people betray humanity for him.
That alone was proof of his terrifying influence.
But Shadow's true strength wasn't just his ability to manipulate people—it was his origin.
Through multiple timelines, Feng Qi had uncovered the truth.
Shadow was the surviving member of the Psionic Race—the one who had fled with the "Miracle."
Coming from the Psionic Race proved that Shadow was a genius.
Every member of the Psionic Race was naturally gifted, possessing the Miracle—Sacred Spirit Consciousness Vault, which allowed them to continuously absorb knowledge and skills from their ancestors and kin.
For Shadow to have once been a member of the Psionic Race and to have had access to such a rare and invaluable Miracle, it was clear that he had been one of their core figures.
This alone explained his vast knowledge.
And knowledge, at any time, could be the deadliest weapon.
Lost in thought, Feng Qi and Qin Shikong climbed over a mountain ridge, continuing toward Future City.
…
Future City—Institute of Technological Research
Standing before Shadow, Li Xingchen recounted the details of his mission, including how they were discovered in the end, leading to heavy casualties.
When he finished, he glanced at the subordinates standing behind him, their mechanical bodies heavily damaged.
Originally, twenty members had returned with him, but now only eight remained.
Before entering Future City, over ten of them had chosen to take their own lives.
He had told Feng Qi not to worry about how he would explain things to Shadow.
But he knew better than anyone how terrifying Shadow was.
This operation had initially involved ninety-six people.
Now, with only his twenty-man team surviving, it was bound to raise Shadow's suspicions.
Knowing Shadow, he understood that there was no way to simply gloss over this.
Before entering Future City, he had his subordinates draw lots.
Thirteen received death lots, while eight drew life lots.
No one complained about his decision—they accepted their fates without hesitation.
This was his sacrifice to Shadow, proving how brutal the battle had been and justifying their severe losses.
After listening to his report, Shadow, who was floating a short distance away, remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"I understand. You may go."
Li Xingchen gave no reply. He turned immediately, leading his subordinates out of the Institute of Technological Research.
Passing through the high-tech corridors of the core zone, he exited the facility.
The moment he stepped outside, the bustling metropolis of Future City greeted him.
Above, countless maglev vehicles zipped along predetermined routes in perfect synchronization. The city glowed under the night sky, illuminated by its endless lights.
He ordered his subordinates to return to the Future Research Institute, then set off toward home.
As he walked, the sights around him felt like scenes from a cyberpunk movie.
Holographic billboards flickered on massive skyscrapers. Even the roads had integrated projected signage, guiding both pedestrians and autonomous vehicles.
Among the Five Great Cities, Future City had the shortest history.
After the Great Cataclysm, humanity had slowed technological development, shifting their focus toward perfecting the cultivation system.
During this transition, many industries became obsolete, especially tech-related ones.
At the time, Star City and Victory City were at the forefront of cultivation research, converting much of their land into training academies and cultivation research institutes.
With nowhere else to go, the tech industries migrated to Future City.
It was under these circumstances that both the Future Research Institute and the Institute of Technological Research were founded.
Among them, the Future Research Institute had absorbed vast amounts of pre-cataclysm technology, quickly becoming the most promising hub for technological innovation.
Over centuries, with the combined efforts of these two institutes, Future City had evolved into a technological metropolis.
Everything in this city prioritized convenience.
Ordering a taxi required only a tap on a smartphone, and within moments, a self-driving vehicle would arrive. Passengers simply input their destination, and the AI would calculate the optimal route.
Despite the sheer volume of traffic, the city never experienced congestion.
This was thanks to its centralized AI traffic system, which monitored and adjusted vehicle speeds in real time, ensuring smooth traffic flow.
Even the roads were embedded with wireless charging technology, keeping public infrastructure powered at all times.
Among the Five Great Cities, Future City was undeniably the most efficiently managed.
Its technological advancements had influenced the later developments of the other cities, many of which adopted Future City's designs and smart infrastructure.
Arriving at a taxi pickup zone outside the Institute of Technological Research, Li Xingchen took out his phone and summoned a ride.
Moments later, an autonomous vehicle pulled up.
After getting in and verifying his identity, he entered his home address into the system.
The self-driving car lifted off the ground, joining the dense stream of aerial traffic.
It hovered briefly before merging into the flow of vehicles, smoothly heading toward its destination.
A short while later, Li Xingchen arrived at his home.
He pushed open the door.
The house was vast, covering an immense area with an interior decorated in extreme luxury.
Sensing his presence, the automatic lighting system gradually illuminated the rooms, and the dormant butler robot activated, beginning its routine tasks.
Arriving at the metal door on the eastern side of the house, Li Xingchen pushed it open and stepped inside.
Before him was his private laboratory. The walls were lined with shelves filled with various mechanical components, neatly arranged.
He walked to the center of the lab, where an advanced workstation stood. The overhead screen adjusted itself to the optimal height for his field of vision.
With a few quick commands, the eight robotic arms of the workstation activated and reached toward him.
In under thirty minutes, everything below Li Xingchen's neck had been completely dismantled.
The robotic arms then retrieved new mechanical parts from the storage shelves and began reassembling his body.
Before long, his damaged mechanical frame had been fully restored.
As the blue energy indicators on his arms lit up one by one, Li Xingchen, who had been momentarily unconscious, opened his eyes.
He lowered his gaze, looking at his newly repaired mechanical body. His expression remained unchanged.
He slowly stood up and walked toward the corner of the lab.
There, on a small table, stood a framed photograph—a picture of him and his teacher. Back then, he had been young, and no matter what happened, his teacher had always been there to support him.
Unknowingly, so many years had passed.
His fingers traced over the photo's surface, and for a moment, the infamous Li Xingchen of the Institute of Technological Research looked almost nostalgic.
In his mind, he recalled his teacher's final moments—the unwavering determination in his eyes.
"Xingchen, I am your proof of loyalty. Standing beside the demon is the only way to kill the demon. There's no need to mourn me."
He had personally sent his teacher to the execution platform, earning the demon's trust in return.
Reaching into a drawer, he pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with a small flame from his fingertips.
Taking a deep drag, the smoke curled around his vision.
"Teacher, I see your shadow in that man… I will help him succeed."
Setting the photo down, he turned back to his workstation.
His eyes shifted toward the right side of the lab, where a pulsating red energy core expanded and contracted like a beating heart.
Taking a deep breath, he swiftly tapped a series of commands on the screen.
The robotic arms activated again, locking his body into place with the restraint system.
A sharp scream echoed through the lab.
When it was over, the blue energy core in Li Xingchen's chest had been replaced with red.
This energy core had been personally developed by his teacher. Its output power was more than five times stronger than the Institute of Technological Research's blue core, but it was also extremely unstable, carrying the constant risk of detonation.
From a purely technical standpoint, this red core was inferior to the Institute of Technological Research's standard blue cores.
But this time, he didn't care about risks. He only needed raw power.
Feeling the surge of energy coursing through his body, Li Xingchen slowly stood up from the workstation and stepped out of the lab.
His gaze drifted toward the digital clock in the upper-right corner of the room.
The Dawn Army would be arriving soon.
This time, Shadow's strategy was clear—it had no intention of making the first move.
That meant that as long as the Dawn Army didn't fire the first shot, Shadow wouldn't attack, even if Future City was surrounded.
The reason was simple.
Shadow wanted the world to see that Dawn Army was the one who attacked first, forcing Future City to "retaliate in self-defense."
Once that happened, public opinion would overwhelmingly side with Future City. Other cities might even be pressured into providing resources and aid.
The longer the battle dragged on, the more pressure the Dawn Army would face.
There was also a high chance that domain forces infiltrating other cities would be forced to send reinforcements.
Finishing the drink in his hand, Li Xingchen stood up and left his room.
…
Several hours later, Li Xingchen arrived at Future City's southern gate.
Over the past few days, the war preparations had been fully implemented. Several city defense units had been transferred to reinforce the southern gate, and civilians in the area had been evacuated in advance.
Looking up at the city walls, he saw that an array of high-tech weapons had already been deployed and activated.
His gaze shifted toward the main gate.
Outside Future City, a wide moat encircled the city. It was 180 meters wide, its waters filled with highly toxic substances synthesized from domain energy.
Apart from filling the moat, the only other way to enter Future City was through the main gate.
However, the gate itself was constructed from a mysterious metal provided by Star City's military, making it extremely resilient—difficult to breach in a short period.
This would be a critical obstacle for the Dawn Army.
With that in mind, Li Xingchen turned his gaze toward a tall building on the right.
That was where the southern gate's control center was located—the place that controlled the opening and closing of the gates, as well as the city's defensive weapon systems.
Lowering his head, he checked the time.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
He knew that his own strength alone wouldn't be enough to change the course of the war.
But he was determined to do whatever he could.