I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

The sudden inclusion of the Devouring Wolf Domain Combat Squad in the escort mission made Feng Qi sense that something was off.

He knew exactly who backed this faction. Furthermore, according to the mission initiator, Li Duo, this operation was initially designated for twelve squads, including the Dawn Domain Combat Squad. The sudden appearance of the Devouring Wolf Domain Combat Squad, without prior notice, raised suspicions.

Yet, Wang Yi, the commanding officer, claimed the Devouring Wolf Domain Combat Squad was originally part of the roster. This contradiction made Feng Qi question her motives, even with her illustrious record and reputation. He even speculated that there might be other hidden forces within the escort team, each harboring their own agendas, most likely revolving around the Bloodstone.

Where this chaotic web of deceit and ambition would lead, he didn't know. However, he remained resolute in his desire to deliver the Bloodstone safely to Old Day City. If successful, the Scarlet Research Institute could collaborate with the Old Day Research Institute to uncover the secrets of the Bloodstone—secrets that might also provide answers about the blue-skinned assassins.

As dawn broke and the sun painted the sky, the journey proceeded without incident. The route, flanked by desert landscapes, stretched across a barren expanse. On the left, cacti and scattered shrubs dotted the desolation, while to the right, endless sands gave way to the deep blue sea, where the sun rose from the distant horizon.

The unobstructed terrain allowed for clear visibility in all directions, a crucial factor in ensuring security during the mission. The pre-mission protocols had explicitly stated that the convoy was to travel without stops, with all necessities handled onboard, to minimize risk.

Feng Qi glanced toward the right, where Qin Shikong sat atop a truck, observing his surroundings. Their eyes met, and they exchanged knowing smiles before turning back to their respective posts.

After two hours of uneventful travel, the convoy arrived at the Supply Bridge. The vehicles did not stop and continued forward in formation, now three vehicles abreast. Beneath the bridge, muddy yellow waters roared, rushing eastward to the sea.

The Old Day Supply Bridge was a critical structure on this route. Spanning 1,459 meters in length and 45 meters in width, it was constructed during the early days of the Supply Zone's establishment to facilitate the transportation of construction materials and resources. In the initial stages, when the Supply Zone lacked an airport, this bridge played a pivotal role.

As the convoy proceeded onto the bridge, Feng Qi's vigilance heightened. If there was an optimal location for an ambush, it was here. The bridge provided attackers with a bottlenecked target, with limited options for retreat.

"Ah Yue, use your Heart Eye to check the area beneath the bridge," Feng Qi instructed.

Lu Yue nodded, activating his Heart Eye. A faint glow appeared on his forehead, and the bridge's solid surface faded into transparency, revealing the scene below. As his gaze swept across, his expression turned grim.

"There's an ambush 200 meters ahead. A large group is hanging under the bridge!" Lu Yue reported.

Before Feng Qi could relay this information, a coarse voice crackled over the communication device.

"Attention all squads! This is Lin Shu, leader of the Green Mountain Domain Combat Squad. I've detected multiple life signals approximately 200 meters ahead. Prepare for combat!"

Relieved that the warning had already been issued, Feng Qi dropped the communicator and shouted, "Everyone disembark and get ready for battle!"

Similar commands echoed from other leaders. The well-trained members of the Dawn Domain Combat Squad leapt off their vehicles, moving swiftly into formation while maintaining pace with the convoy.

The distance to the ambush point shortened rapidly. As they neared, thick steel cables burst through the bridge's surface, piercing the vehicles and dragging several trucks to their sides. Moments later, humanoid figures covered in black scales emerged from the bridge, swinging on the cables to infiltrate the convoy's center.

Their target was clear—the Miracle Bloodstone.

At that moment, Wang Yi's calm voice resonated through the communication channel.

"All leaders, handle the enemies in your designated zones. I'll secure the Bloodstone. No assistance is needed here."

The battle began swiftly.

Facing the black-scaled domain creatures swarming from beneath the bridge and both sides, the warriors formed small squads of three to five members, efficiently working together to eliminate them one by one.

The initial clashes revealed that these black humanoid domain creatures were not particularly strong. The soldiers were able to handle them with ease, and soon, numerous black figures lay lifeless on the battlefield.

Observing this scene, Feng Qi furrowed his brows.

For these domain forces to ambush the convoy at such a strategic point, they must have had prior knowledge of the Bloodstone's transportation schedule. This suggested that they were likely infiltrators embedded within human society.

Having interacted with multiple domain infiltrator factions in the past, Feng Qi understood their cunning and deceptive nature. This clumsy, sacrificial strategy felt out of character for such shrewd adversaries. It was almost as if these creatures were intentionally throwing their lives away as a distraction.

His gaze shifted to the truck carrying the Bloodstone. The situation seemed more like a diversion, a smokescreen to cover another ploy.

"Ah Yue, check the Bloodstone," Feng Qi ordered.

"Got it!" Lu Yue responded immediately.

At that moment, the entire bridge trembled violently. A massive black chain shot through the sturdy road surface, unfurling into a giant black curtain that descended to envelop the area.

As the ominous curtain spread, Feng Qi's suspicions were confirmed. Without hesitation, he shouted, "Ah Yue, move now!"

Responding to Feng Qi's urgency, Lu Yue drew his sword, Jianlan, from its scabbard. With a resonant hum, the blade unsheathed, and Lu Yue leapt into the air, stepping onto the sword as he sped toward the truck carrying the Bloodstone.

Watching Lu Yue's departure, Feng Qi activated his spiritual power, allowing him to levitate. Invisible tendrils of mental energy extended from his body, snaking through the air toward the black-scaled creatures below.

If these tendrils were visible, one would see countless threads of spiritual power emanating from Feng Qi's figure. Directed by his gaze, the tendrils lashed out, seizing the black humanoid creatures mid-motion, hurling them into the air. Once ensnared, the creatures were engulfed by the writhing tendrils and torn apart.

This was the power of the Spirit Assault Technique.

With near-tangible spiritual energy at his disposal, Feng Qi wielded an abundant reserve of mental force, avoiding the exhaustion typical of standard telekinesis.

As he unleashed wave after wave of spiritual attacks, Feng Qi began to notice something unusual. His spiritual energy seemed to be drawing on the residual consciousness of the slain creatures, absorbing it to grow stronger.

The phenomenon bore a striking resemblance to his ability in alternate timelines to absorb the blood essence and talents of fallen creatures. However, there was a notable difference: the efficiency of the absorption process was much lower. Even so, it was several times faster than conventional cultivation methods.

As his spiritual power swelled, an intense, piercing pain radiated throughout his body, as though his very essence was being reshaped. Yet Feng Qi ignored the discomfort, focusing on coordinating with the soldiers to clear the battlefield.

The domain creatures were weak, and the Dawn Domain Combat Squad soldiers were formidable. Within moments, the area was cleared of enemies.

Feng Qi's gaze returned to the truck carrying the Bloodstone. The black curtain, initially aimed to shroud that specific section of the convoy, was now riddled with massive tears. The once-intact screen was nearly split in two. Lu Yue, maneuvering with his sword, slashed through the curtain, causing it to disintegrate entirely.

As the remnants of the black curtain dissipated, Lu Yue directed his attention to the truck. The Bloodstone, still covered with its black cloth, remained undisturbed. Standing beside it was Wang Yi, the mission's commanding officer. Her gaze met Lu Yue's briefly before she looked away.

Lu Yue returned to Feng Qi's position, landing lightly atop the truck.

"How's the situation?" Feng Qi asked.

"Wang Yi didn't make any suspicious moves, but something feels off. If that curtain had fully descended, something might have happened," Lu Yue replied solemnly.

Feng Qi nodded thoughtfully. "I suspect Wang Yi has her own agenda. The weak initial assault was likely a diversion to occupy us while she executed her plan. Your intervention probably forced her to abandon it."

"What now?" Lu Yue asked, awaiting instructions.

Before Feng Qi could respond, another black chain erupted from beneath the bridge. This time, it expanded into an even larger black curtain that descended rapidly, accompanied by a surge of shadowy figures pouring from the fissures in the ground.

The sudden appearance of the new curtain caught everyone off guard. As it spread, chaos ensued, with warriors struggling to discern friend from foe.

"Something's happening!" Lu Yue exclaimed.

No sooner had he spoken than the black curtain contracted sharply, rushing upward into the sky.

Feng Qi noticed that the Bloodstone near Wang Yi had disappeared.

Seeing this, Lü Yue prepared to act immediately. However, before he could move, Qin Shikong, standing not far to the right, suddenly inflated like a balloon and unleashed a compressed jet of air.

The stream of compressed air was narrow, so it didn't affect the others. When it collided with the black curtain, it easily sliced through it. The air current swirled and shredded the entire curtain into pieces.

The Bloodstone immediately fell from the sky.

At this moment, Wang Yi leapt up and caught the Bloodstone, landing steadily back on the truck.

Witnessing this scene, Feng Qi felt even more certain of his suspicions—Wang Yi was up to something.

Her actions seemed deliberately coordinated to facilitate the theft of the Bloodstone. Otherwise, with her strength, she could have easily destroyed the black curtain earlier. Why would she let the curtain take the Bloodstone in the first place?

Despite his suspicions, Feng Qi chose not to expose her. He suspected that apart from Wang Yi, there were other infiltrators among the escort team. He wanted to see what moves the other forces would make.

Turning to Lü Yue, Feng Qi said, "Ah Yue, go clear out any domain creatures still alive beneath the bridge."

"Got it," Lü Yue replied, flying down on his sword.

By now, the domain creatures on the bridge had been wiped out. The soldiers were busy assessing losses and repairing damaged vehicles.

The communicator crackled to life with Qin Shikong's voice:

"Commander Wang, I need an explanation. Why did the Bloodstone get taken by the black curtain?"

Hearing this, Feng Qi shifted his gaze to Qin Shikong, who stood atop a nearby truck.

Among the twelve squads participating in the escort mission, Qin Shikong was the only one Feng Qi felt he could trust. Clearly, Qin Shikong had also noticed something suspicious and was now questioning Wang Yi in an angry tone.

"It was my mistake," Wang Yi admitted calmly, without attempting to defend herself.

"Commander Wang, I believe you are no longer fit to protect the Bloodstone. My squad will take over its security," the commander of the Green Mountain Domain Combat Squad interjected.

"I think it would be better if the Steel Bones Domain Combat Squad handled it," another voice chimed in.

"No, let the Black Shark Domain Combat Squad take responsibility," yet another proposed.

Listening to the heated debate over the communicator, Feng Qi smirked.

A total of nine squads were vying for the right to guard the Bloodstone. Three squads, including the Dawn Domain Combat Squad, the Qingtian Domain Combat Squad, and the Death Star Domain Combat Squad, remained silent.

In Feng Qi's view, it didn't matter who was in charge of guarding the Bloodstone. The only reason these squads were so eager was because they had ulterior motives.

Amidst the clamor, Qin Shikong's voice rang out again, cutting through the noise:

"What the hell is wrong with you all? Stop fighting and just get on with the mission!"

His reprimand caused the channel to fall into an awkward silence. After a moment, Qin Shikong spoke again:

"If you can't agree, then let's drop the debate. Wang Yi will continue to handle it."

"I agree," Feng Qi said into the communicator with a smile.

"In that case, let's get ready and resume the mission," Wang Yi announced flatly.

Feng Qi glanced at the soldiers repairing the vehicles. Lü Yue soon returned from beneath the bridge.

"Qi-ge, what's the plan now?" Lü Yue asked.

"Things are about to get interesting. We might witness a grand spectacle of domain factions turning on each other," Feng Qi replied with a grin.

The situation was becoming increasingly clear.

The squads that had jumped forward to claim responsibility for the Bloodstone's protection were clearly suspect. It was obvious they didn't want the Bloodstone falling into another faction's hands.

As a result, infighting among the factions was inevitable. Open and covert struggles would unfold along the way, eventually culminating in a final showdown to seize the Bloodstone.

These squads had practically stopped pretending. Their eagerness to secure the Bloodstone revealed their intentions.

The only person who hadn't shown any questionable behavior was Qin Shikong.

Feng Qi understood this. If he hadn't gathered so much information from various timelines, he might be just as clueless as Qin Shikong, wondering why the squads were scrambling to guard the Bloodstone. He might even mistake their behavior for a sign of responsibility.

Feng Qi turned to look at Qin Shikong, who sat on the roof of a distant truck. Qin Shikong held a bagua disk in one hand, his other hand making quick calculations.

Noticing Feng Qi's gaze, Qin Shikong turned to meet his eyes and gave him a sly wink.

Feng Qi was taken aback. Qin Shikong seemed to be hinting at something, though he didn't say it outright.

"Qi-ge, do you think Qin Shikong has realized there's something wrong with the team?" Lü Yue asked suddenly.

"It's possible. That guy can read fortunes, so maybe he really figured something out," Feng Qi replied thoughtfully.

"Fortune-telling?" Lü Yue asked, surprised.

"Yeah. If we make it back alive, I'll have him read your love life," Feng Qi teased with a smirk.

"I already have a wife," Lü Yue replied, shaking his head.

"What?"

"My wife is Jianlan," Lü Yue said matter-of-factly, referring to his sword.

Feng Qi rolled his eyes.

"Can your sword give you children?"

"It can give me sword energy," Lü Yue replied earnestly.

Feng Qi: …