I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

Star City Academy.

As Feng Qi entered the cafeteria with Three Tails perched on his right shoulder, he immediately drew the attention of several students.

Although pets weren't strictly prohibited at Star City Academy, they weren't particularly encouraged either. As a result, very few students or teachers kept cats or dogs on campus.

Picking up a tray, Feng Qi headed to the self-serve food area to select his meal.

The array of delicious dishes laid out before him made Three Tails' eyes sparkle with excitement. If Feng Qi hadn't set ground rules in advance, Three Tails' carefree personality would have had it pouncing on the food without a second thought.

"What do you want? Point it out, and I'll get it for you," Feng Qi said.

Three Tails nodded enthusiastically and began pointing with its paw at the dishes it desired, its greedy expression leaving no room for doubt.

Following Three Tails' instructions, Feng Qi loaded up an entire tray with food and carried it to a quiet corner on the north side of the cafeteria.

When he arrived, Lin Ran and Mu Qing were already seated.

Seeing Three Tails perched on his shoulder, both of them looked surprised.

"Qi-ge, when did you start keeping a pet?" Lin Ran asked curiously.

"A classmate from Star City High gifted it to me. I figured keeping a pet might help improve my mood," Feng Qi replied with a smile.

He placed the tray down and sat next to Lin Ran. After giving Three Tails a gentle pat on the head, he said, "Alright, eat up."

Three Tails wasted no time. With an excited chirp, it leapt onto the table and began devouring the food on the tray with unrestrained enthusiasm.

"Qi-ge, pets need to be officially registered on campus. Have you gotten your pet license yet?" Lin Ran asked.

Feng Qi froze momentarily. This was something he hadn't considered.

Not wanting to trouble Bai Fusheng for something so trivial, he turned to Lin Ran for advice. "How do I get a pet license?"

"I'll go with you after lunch. It's a bit more complicated for students, but since you're a teacher, it should be a simple process. Just fill out a form and go through the necessary procedures," Lin Ran explained.

She then turned her attention to Three Tails. "What breed is this cat, Qi-ge? It looks so intelligent. Just now, it even showed a disdainful expression when you turned around."

Lin Ran reached out to pet Three Tails, but the cat backed away with a wary look.

"It's so cute! Now I want a pet too," said Yang Xiaoxin from the adjacent table, her face full of admiration.

The adorable appearance of Three Tails quickly made it the center of attention in the cafeteria.

However, Three Tails seemed indifferent to the gazes of those around it, focusing solely on its meal.

Seeing this, Feng Qi also dug into his food, finishing his tray in no time. Still unsatisfied, Three Tails suddenly lunged toward Mu Qing's tray, clearly aiming to snag more food.

Mu Qing raised her head and gave it a cold glance.

Three Tails, initially full of enthusiasm, froze in its tracks. Its fur bristled, and an intense sense of danger gripped it, making it feel as if taking one more step would result in instant death.

"Qi-ge, why is your cat freaking out?" Lin Ran asked, puzzled.

"Oh, it does this from time to time. Dumb cat," Feng Qi replied casually.

Glancing at Mu Qing, then at the stunned Three Tails, Feng Qi quickly pieced together what had happened. It was obvious that Mu Qing's aura had overwhelmed Three Tails, leaving it too scared to move.

This made Feng Qi even more curious about the rune crystal Mu Qing carried.

In the future dreamlines, even when captured by the Black Mist, Three Tails had never been this terrified. Now, it seemed completely subdued by Mu Qing's presence, its body stiff and unresponsive.

Even Mu Qing herself appeared intrigued. She reached out and patted Three Tails on the head.

Sensing the kindness in her gesture, Three Tails forced a flattering smile. It licked Mu Qing's hand and rolled over in a playful, endearing manner.

Watching this, Lin Ran couldn't resist trying to pet Three Tails again.

This time, the cat's expression changed instantly. It bared its teeth and backed away, clearly unamused.

[This dumb tail is such a coward. Might as well cook it into soup—it's embarrassing to have it around,] the Narrator quipped in Feng Qi's mind.

Ignoring the Narrator's snark, Feng Qi stood up with his tray, intending to grab more food.

"Three Tails."

At his call, the cat immediately leapt from the table to his shoulder.

Lunch stretched on for a while, and after finishing their meal, Feng Qi and Lin Ran left the cafeteria together.

The two headed straight to the academy's administrative office. Located in an eight-story building south of the sports field, each floor handled different administrative tasks, including pet registration.

After consulting the office directory in the lobby, they took the elevator to the fifth floor.

Arriving at Room 508, which bore the label "Pet Registration Office," Feng Qi knocked on the door.

"Come in," said a young woman's voice from inside.

Pushing the door open, he found himself in a room less than 100 square meters in size. A woman in a Star City Academy staff uniform was treating the wound of a small dog. She looked up as Feng Qi entered and froze in surprise.

"You're Feng Qi?"

Cradling Three Tails in his arms, Feng Qi smiled warmly and said, "Yes, I'm Feng Qi, a teacher from Combat Class Three. I'd like to register my pet."

The woman glanced at Three Tails with evident curiosity. "What breed of cat is this?"

"I have no idea. Probably a mixed breed."

"Let me take a look," she said, reaching out toward Three Tails.

The cat lifted its chin arrogantly, clearly uninterested in engaging.

"Behave," Feng Qi said firmly.

Under his "threat," Three Tails reluctantly leapt into the woman's arms.

After a brief inspection, the woman looked up at Feng Qi with a puzzled expression.

"I can't seem to figure out what breed your cat is. Feng Laoshi, where did you get it?"

"A classmate gave it to me. They didn't mention the breed, only told me its name is Three Tails," Feng Qi replied casually.

"I see. Alright, I'll record its characteristics and register it."

The woman then took out a scanning device and captured Three Tails' appearance, uploading the data into the registration system. Afterward, she retrieved a metal tag, engraved Three Tails' name on it with a laser, and hung it around the cat's neck.

"Feng Laoshi, the registration is complete. That'll be 13,500 yuan, and don't forget to renew it every six months."

Without hesitation, Feng Qi pulled out his phone and scanned the QR code to pay.

Paying for pet registration didn't surprise him. On their way over, Lin Ran had explained the process in detail.

While the academy supported its students and teachers, their pets weren't included. Any expenses incurred by pets—like damages to lawns, plants, or cafeteria usage—had to be covered by their owners.

Even at 13,500 yuan every six months, it was a relatively modest fee. This was one of the main reasons the academy discouraged students and teachers from keeping pets.

"Thank you. Sorry to trouble you," Feng Qi said politely.

"It's no trouble, Feng Laoshi. Next, you'll need to take Three Tails to the pet store in the south square to get its latest vaccinations," the woman added helpfully.

"Understood."

Feng Qi picked up Three Tails and left the registration office with Lin Ran.

Following the outlined procedure, they headed to the academy's south square.

The south square was a bustling commercial street.

Since it was break time, the street was filled with students browsing shops that sold a wide array of items—though none offered snacks or specialty foods.

It was said that food vendors had once operated there, but they couldn't compete with the academy cafeteria, which provided 24/7 service, and eventually went out of business.

The most crowded shop on the street was a store called "Unbeatable".

Although its name suggested a weapon shop, it wasn't. Instead, it specialized in collectible trading cards featuring famous frontline warriors, akin to pre-catastrophe "sports cards."

Students were enthusiastic about collecting these cards, which came in different rarity levels. The rarest, "Legendary Cards," fetched exorbitant prices.

The Unbeatable chain had over a hundred branches in Star City alone and numerous outlets in other cities.

In terms of revenue, a portion of the shop's annual income was allocated to purchasing the image rights of frontline warriors. Profits from card sales were shared with the featured warriors—or their families if they had fallen in battle.

This model ensured that even the families of deceased warriors received ongoing financial support from their loved ones' legacy.

Interestingly, the company behind the Unbeatable chain was also a sponsor of the academy cafeteria.

After walking deeper into the lively street, Feng Qi and Lin Ran arrived at a pet store tucked into a corner.

Since pets weren't widely kept at the academy, the store wasn't particularly busy.

As they pushed open the door, a bell jingled.

Inside, a middle-aged man in a work uniform was trimming a dog's fur, while a student stood nearby watching.

The student's expression shifted when they noticed Feng Qi, and they immediately greeted him.

"Feng Laoshi!"

Feng Qi smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

"All done. That'll be 1,000 yuan," the shopkeeper said to the student after finishing the grooming session.

"1,000? Why is it so expensive? My haircut costs 50!" the student exclaimed in disbelief.

"Can you really compare a person to a dog?" the shopkeeper retorted, rolling his eyes.

"How are they any different?" the student argued.

"Well, dogs eat poop. Do you?"

"What if I dare to?"

"Then you come get a haircut here, and I'll charge you 1,000 too."

Hearing this exchange, both Feng Qi and Lin Ran couldn't help but chuckle.

After some back-and-forth, the student reluctantly paid the 1,000 yuan and left with their freshly groomed dog.

Once Feng Qi explained the purpose of his visit, the shopkeeper promptly prepared a vaccine for Three Tails.

Three Tails wasn't thrilled about the injection. It bared its teeth and glared, clearly displeased. If not for Feng Qi's presence, the cat might have swatted the syringe away with a paw.

Once vaccinated, Three Tails was officially recognized within the academy.

With this task complete, Feng Qi and Lin Ran decided to head to the academy library next.

Three days later.

After completing the preparation of Clear Mind Brew, Feng Qi meticulously cleaned the equipment.

With everything tidied up, he sat at his desk.

For this timeline, he had already planned his route.

This time, he would fully embrace the villain's path, using the perspective of domain forces to gather as much intelligence as possible.

The process might be brutal, but he had steeled his resolve.

Some pain had to be endured.

Opening his notebook, he reviewed the densely written plans for this timeline:

Join the Crimson Research Institute and implant the Demon Dragon Rune Crystal.

Undergo three years of physical adaptability training to ensure his body remained under control.

Cultivate "Eternal Spirit" to further enhance his strength.

Note: The cultivation speed of Eternal Spirit must be slowed to avoid premature death.

After re-reading the plan, Feng Qi picked up the Clear Mind Brew and moved to the sofa.

Unscrewing the cap, he drank a third of the brew.

His body temperature quickly began to rise.

Calling up his status panel, he watched the fluctuating percentages as he lay back on the sofa and closed his eyes.

Time passed. Sleep gradually overcame him, and his tense expression softened into one of peace.

When he opened his eyes again, it was already dark outside.

The narrator, Three Tails, and his abilities… they all felt like remnants of a fleeting dream.

Now awake, everything had faded away.

Bending forward to sit up, he picked up his phone from the coffee table and dialed Wei Wei's number.

The call connected:

"Wei-jie, the new timeline has begun…"

Three years later.

A private jet marked with the logo of the Crimson Research Institute landed at the Winterfell Supply Zone.

As the hatch opened, Feng Qi stepped off with a backpack slung over his shoulder.

Snow blanketed the landscape, and the temperature had plunged to -23°C.

After three grueling years of training, his strength had improved significantly.

Even in a short-sleeved shirt, he didn't feel the biting cold.

These three years of preparation were critical for his villain plan.

Strength was paramount in this timeline.

His past experiences had shown him that the competition among domain forces was just as ruthless as humanity's struggle for survival.

To gather the intelligence he needed, he had to be powerful enough to secure his place in this cruel hierarchy.

The past three years had been dedicated to that goal.

Implanting rune crystals, cultivating Eternal Spirit—these methods of growth had drained his lifespan, but he no longer cared.

The moment he decided to use this timeline as a sacrificial path, he was ready for the trade-off.

Exchanging life for strength? A deal well worth it.

Breathing in the icy air, he headed deeper into the supply zone.

The reason he waited three years to launch his villain plan was simple.

To execute it, he needed Mu Qing's help.

Mu Qing had graduated three days earlier and was now stationed at the Winterfell Supply Zone.

According to the original historical timeline, she would have already joined a domain combat squad by now.

In the near future, she was destined to cross paths with the Mist Lord.

Their encounter would inevitably lead to a fierce battle. The Mist Lord wouldn't die, but its domain would be shattered by Mu Qing.

That would be the Mist Lord's lowest point—a moment of desperation and vulnerability.

Feng Qi's villainous entry point was set for that moment.

He would meet the Mist Lord, rise together with it, and grow alongside it.

Through this alliance, he could uncover a wealth of valuable information.

However, this plan carried significant risks.

If the Mist Lord proved unapproachable, his attempt could end in failure before it even began.

But to develop the villain arc effectively, this risk had to be taken.

Braving the wind and snow, Feng Qi pressed onward.

Reaching a lodge in the supply zone, he checked in and settled into a room.

In the days that followed, he patiently waited for the Crimson Research Institute to provide information on Mu Qing's movements.

In the meantime, he didn't waste any time. Each day was spent on high-intensity training, although he rarely ventured out.

His main concern was that running into Mu Qing at the supply zone could disrupt the timeline's historical progression.

Three weeks later.

Feng Qi, still groggy from sleep, was awakened by a call from Wei Wei.

Answering the phone, he heard her familiar voice:

"Ah Qi, get ready. Mu Qing's domain combat squad is heading toward the Silent Domain Field."

"Understood!"

"This path will be harsh…" Wei Wei hesitated.

"It's fine. Even if I'm condemned by all of humanity, it doesn't matter. I'm used to it," Feng Qi replied with a chuckle.

"Then… good luck. Let's talk again in the future."

"Mm. Goodbye."

Hanging up, Feng Qi began packing his belongings.

After checking out of the lodge, he headed to the parking lot and climbed into the snowmobile he had purchased a few days earlier.

Bracing against the howling wind, he set off toward the Silent Domain Field.

"Mist Lord, here I come!"