I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

After the crisis on the supply bridge, the convoy paused briefly for repairs. Once the damaged vehicles were restored, the group resumed their journey along the main road toward Old Day City.

Standing atop a truck at the rear of the convoy, Feng Qi occasionally glanced toward the front, observing the movements of the various factions.

It was now clear to him that multiple domain factions were covertly operating within this mission, all with the same goal—seizing the "Miracle Bloodstone" being escorted.

The sudden crisis on the bridge had subtly altered the dynamics within the escort team. The earlier scramble to claim responsibility for guarding the Bloodstone was clearly an effort by certain factions to gain an early advantage in the eventual conflict.

Feng Qi had already come to terms with the situation.

No matter what happened, he had no intention of risking his life to protect the Bloodstone—it would be an utterly foolish act. With just himself and Lü Yue, they were far from capable of standing against the myriad domain factions that were surely lying in wait.

Even with Qin Shikong and the Qingtian Domain Combat Squad, whom Feng Qi trusted implicitly, they had no hope of fending off such overwhelming forces. If Mu Qing were here, perhaps they could afford to take some risks. But without her, putting up a stubborn fight would be nothing more than a futile sacrifice.

This timeline was already a "sacrificial line" for him, one that served only to gather critical intelligence. Dying to protect the Bloodstone would not benefit the other versions of himself in any way.

Although the Bloodstone held significant value for humanity, it could not alter the inevitable extinction that awaited their species. In comparison, uncovering actionable intelligence was far more important.

Thus, Feng Qi and Lü Yue had agreed: if an uncontrollable situation arose, they would retreat with the Dawn Domain Combat Squad without hesitation.

The fate of the Bloodstone would be left to the domain factions to fight over. If possible, Feng Qi even wished to stand aside as a spectator, using the chaos to discern the true identities of the factions behind the various squads.

Once across the supply bridge, the arid desert on either side of the road gave way to patches of vegetation. The convoy continued its journey, and Feng Qi noticed an intriguing development.

The various squads had tightened their formations, positioning themselves closer to the truck carrying the Bloodstone. It was evident that each faction was vying for proximity, their intentions all too clear.

Now, Feng Qi was curious to see which domain faction would make the first move.

The situation was tense—no one wanted to strike first, but everyone wanted to act.

Standing beside him, Lü Yue turned and said, "Qi-ge, I feel that if this delicate standoff remains unbroken and no faction is willing to risk becoming the first target, the Bloodstone might actually make it safely to Old Day City."

Feng Qi chuckled and shook his head.

"The chances of that happening are slim. Perhaps you don't yet realize how tempting the Bloodstone is to these factions. According to the intelligence I've gathered, there was once a figure who betrayed their entire race for a similar Miracle object, willingly facing their people's wrath to claim it."

"You're referring to the shadow faction behind the Institute of Technological Research, right?" Lü Yue recalled Feng Qi's past revelations about the domain faction manipulating the institute.

"Exactly. From what I've learned, Miracle objects are essentially specialized materials used in the creation of entities like Little Black."

"While the Bloodstone may not be as valuable as the materials used to craft Little Black, controlling it is equivalent to gaining an army of domain creature slaves—provided, of course, you have the means to keep it from being stolen."

Hearing this, Lü Yue nodded thoughtfully. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, "Qi-ge, do you think the Miracle materials used to create Little Black could be used to forge a sword? Such a sword might have the traits you mentioned—indestructibility, the ability to absorb energy attacks, and the capacity to transform into nanoscopic particles to mimic any shape."

Feng Qi rolled his eyes.

He had entertained similar fantasies before, such as recruiting Little Black as a guardian and becoming unstoppable in the Dream Realm. But given their current resources and knowledge, such dreams were far from feasible.

As they chatted, the two sat down atop the truck to have lunch.

There was no gourmet fare like they had at the estate—just unpalatable nutritional paste to fill their stomachs.

After finishing his meal, Feng Qi pulled a silver metallic disk from his backpack. Pressing the switch, the device projected a map with a flashing red dot marking their current location.

The disk was standard equipment for domain squads operating in the field. It connected to satellites to provide real-time positioning, displaying a retractable map unless the user was in a domain field.

Examining the map, Feng Qi noted that they had completed over one-third of their journey. At their current pace, they would reach Old Day City in less than a day.

Feng Qi knew all too well that as the journey progressed into its later stages, it was only a matter of time before certain domain factions could no longer suppress their greed and made their moves.

This time, he prioritized self-preservation, intending to watch the chaos unfold.

The truck carrying the Bloodstone continued to drive steadily along the main road. On either side, the greenery gradually became more lush, with occasional glimpses of lizards and antelopes adding vitality to the barren landscape.

Two more hours passed before the convoy entered a canyon. High cliffs loomed on both sides, with a paved road cutting straight through the heart of the canyon.

Looking up at the cliffs, Feng Qi noticed slanting pines clinging precariously to the rock faces. The terrain was unmistakably an ideal ambush site.

By occupying the heights above, any domain faction could easily establish a high-to-low strategic advantage.

Feng Qi scanned his surroundings cautiously.

The convoy advanced further into the canyon when the ground suddenly began to shake violently.

"It's starting!" Feng Qi exclaimed.

Lü Yue reacted instantly, forming a rapid hand seal. The sword behind him, Jianlan, unsheathed itself and hovered above his head.

"Attention all squads! There's an ambush ahead!" Wang Yi's voice rang out just as the situation escalated.

The ground cracked open in a network of dense fractures, and beneath the truck carrying the Bloodstone, a three-meter-wide hole appeared, swallowing the vehicle whole.

Lü Yue immediately prepared to act, but Feng Qi stepped forward, blocking him with a smile.

"Don't be so hasty. I refuse to believe that the other domain factions will allow the Bloodstone to be stolen without resistance. Let's just watch what happens."

As expected, the ambush quickly triggered a response.

A figure with black wings appeared in the sky, throwing a rope toward the falling truck. The rope's tip shot forward like an arrow, coiling tightly around the truck's cabin. With a forceful pull, the truck was hoisted into the air.

The black-winged domain creature swooped toward the Bloodstone in the truck. However, before it could get close, Wang Yi appeared behind it, conjuring a gray mist that morphed into chains and constricted the creature's neck.

A crisp crack signaled the snapping of its bones, and the black-winged creature fell lifelessly to the ground.

Watching this, Feng Qi became even more certain of his suspicions about Wang Yi.

With her power, she could have easily destroyed the descending black veil earlier but chose to let events unfold instead. Her actions were far too deliberate to be coincidental.

As Wang Yi descended, several figures emerged around her.

One of them, a three-meter-tall being with bull-like horns and bulging muscles, wielded a scythe-like weapon and slashed Wang Yi, sending her flying.

The creature then reached for the Bloodstone, but before it could succeed, the leaders of the various domain squads leaped into action, all rushing toward the coveted prize.

Feng Qi turned toward the Dawn Domain Combat Squad members, who were preparing to intervene, and shouted:

"Dawn Domain Combat Squad, hold your positions!"

The warriors looked at him in confusion, hesitant to follow the command.

"Vice Leader, why are we standing down?" the leader of the Eighth Unit asked.

"The situation isn't as simple as it looks. For now, stay put," Feng Qi replied calmly, his gaze fixed on the scene around the Bloodstone.

From all directions, more figures surged forward.

As the first shot was fired, the fragile equilibrium shattered, and the various factions abandoned all pretense, initiating a frenzied battle for the Bloodstone.

The domain squad leaders also dropped their disguises, mercilessly attacking anyone who held the Bloodstone, even their supposed allies.

The Dawn Domain Combat Squad members, observing the chaos, began to sense that something was wrong.

Initially, they thought the leaders were protecting the Bloodstone from being stolen by domain creatures. However, when they saw them attacking other human squads, the truth became evident.

"Vice Leader, they seem to be fighting over the Bloodstone," the Third Unit leader said gravely, approaching Feng Qi.

"Exactly. Spread the word: the entire squad should prepare for immediate withdrawal. I'll explain everything once we're out of here," Feng Qi instructed.

The Third Unit leader nodded and left to relay the order.

The canyon descended into utter chaos.

More and more reinforcements from domain factions poured in from all directions.

It was clear that many of these factions had originally set their ambushes outside the canyon but were now rushing in after receiving the signal.

Among the combatants, Feng Qi noticed a familiar figure.

The man's body was mostly mechanical, and the roar of his internal power source echoed with each move. Every punch released flashes of blue light, and even the largest domain creatures were no match for his overwhelming strength.

This was Li Xingchen, the current director of the Future Research Institute.

Having undergone partial psionic-mechanical transformation, Li Xingchen was a formidable force. Close-quarters combat was just one of his many specialties.

His body was equipped with various advanced technological ranged weapons, capable of providing long-range firepower suppression.

It was evident that the Future Research Institute had also participated in this operation. Li Xingchen must have received orders from the shadow faction backing him to seize the Bloodstone.

However, Li Xingchen was not the strongest on the battlefield.

Many were more powerful than him.

For instance, Wang Yi. The sword in her hand, condensed from mist, was akin to a legendary demonic blade.

Any wound inflicted by the mist sword would cause blood to gush uncontrollably from the cut, only to be absorbed into the bloody mist surrounding it.

The domain creatures present were also exceptionally strong.

Clearly, all parties had come prepared, leading to a fierce and brutal battle. Whoever obtained the Bloodstone immediately became the primary target of concentrated attacks.

Under these conditions, taking the Bloodstone and escaping unscathed seemed impossible.

Yet the lure of the Bloodstone was too strong, compelling every faction to engage in an all-out brawl.

Several times, figures managed to grab the Bloodstone and attempt an escape, only to become the focus of relentless attacks. If they lacked sufficient strength, they inevitably fell on the spot.

The epicenter of the conflict had turned into a meat grinder, with figures being torn apart by overwhelming forces.

"Good thing we didn't join in earlier; otherwise, not even my remains would be found," Feng Qi muttered as he observed the frenzied battle.

"As long as your brain's intact, it's usable," Lü Yue retorted.

Feng Qi: …

Seeing how chaotic the battlefield had become, with the potential to spill over at any moment, Feng Qi finally shouted:

"Dawn Domain Combat Squad, full retreat!"

The Dawn Domain Combat Squad warriors, who had been on standby, immediately started their trucks and retreated.

Once they reached a safe distance, Feng Qi ordered a halt. Standing atop the truck with Lü Yue, he continued to watch the battle unfold.

The canyon trembled under the relentless fighting. Rocks tumbled from the cliffs, and the ground beneath the combatants began to sink. In mere moments, the battlefield had transformed into a massive sinkhole.

Far from reaching a conclusion, the battle only intensified as more figures arrived to join the fray.

Among them, Feng Qi spotted a familiar figure.

A lean blue-skinned assassin darted through the chaos, its movements precise and calculated.

As Feng Qi had suspected, the shadow faction behind the blue-skinned assassins was actively collecting miracle items and wouldn't pass up the chance to fight for the Bloodstone.

Just as Feng Qi was engrossed in the spectacle, Lü Yue suddenly stepped forward, thrusting his sword into the air.

The Jianlan sword pierced through an invisible barrier, striking the small blue-skinned figure.

Realizing he had also become a target of the blue-skinned assassins, Feng Qi quickly ordered the squad to retreat further. After pulling back another hundred meters, they stopped again.

Looking to his right, he noticed Qin Shikong had made a similar decision. Qin Shikong and his team had retreated to a vantage point to observe the battle.

Sensing Feng Qi's gaze, Qin Shikong turned, grinning widely and giving a nod of acknowledgment.

Feng Qi returned the gesture before focusing back on the battlefield.

The battle had raged on long enough for him to notice something peculiar: despite being struck by all manner of energy attacks, the Bloodstone remained unscathed.

This near-indestructible characteristic reminded him of Little Black.

"Qi-ge, Wang Yi's mask broke!" Lü Yue's voice snapped him back to reality.

Feng Qi immediately looked toward Wang Yi's location.

The black iron mask that had concealed her face was now shattered, revealing most of her features. Long purple hair streamed behind her as she moved swiftly through the chaos.

Contrary to rumors that Wang Yi's face had been disfigured by a domain creature's curse, forcing her to wear the mask, her face was youthful and unblemished.

Her purple eyes added an eerie touch to her appearance.

Feng Qi frowned as he observed her.

Although he had never seen this figure before, her features bore a striking resemblance to the Mist Lord he remembered.

The Mist Lord, who had once taken over Lin Ran's body and assumed a human form, had looked almost identical to Wang Yi.

Aside from minor differences in appearance, the other traits matched perfectly.

Looking at the gray mist sword in Wang Yi's hand, Feng Qi became even more certain.

Wang Yi had long been possessed by the Mist Lord, and her squad was likely under the Mist Lord's control as well.