Sitting across the sofa, the white-haired elder was the current Supreme Commander of the Star City Military Department.
This wasn't the first time Feng Qi had seen this face.
In the history textbooks, there was a chapter titled The Light of the Dead Star. It recounted a pivotal moment in this elder's youth when he established the Dead Star Battle Regiment.
Feng Qi had already learned about his background in detail from the director of Tiger Soul Research Institute.
His name was Li Huayan, a graduate of Victory Academy's Command Program.
During his academy years, he had already demonstrated outstanding strategic and command abilities. He had led his class to four consecutive victories in the inter-academy Command Simulation Battles and was awarded the Human Outstanding Contribution Medal by the United Military Department.
At the time, he was widely recognized as the most promising young commander in Victory Academy.
After graduation, Li Huayan received invitations from both the military and the Red Lotus Regiment, one of the ten great battle regiments at the time. He chose the latter, embarking on a twenty-year-long career on the frontlines.
During those years, he excelled within the regiment and rapidly ascended through the ranks.
It took him only three years to rise to the position of Deputy Commander of the Fifth Red Lotus Battle Regiment.
In numerous joint operations, he leveraged his brilliant tactical mind to execute perfect missions in domain exploration and battlefield conquests.
By his seventh year on the frontlines, he made the unexpected decision to leave Red Lotus and establish his own force—the Dead Star Battle Regiment.
This was the very regiment Feng Qi had read about in his textbooks.
He wasn't unfamiliar with this regiment either.
In the previous timeline, the Mist Lord had parasitized Wang Yi, who was the Third Regiment Commander of the Dead Star Battle Regiment.
Under Li Huayan's leadership, Dead Star eventually ascended to become one of the ten great battle regiments.
At the age of 48, Li Huayan passed his title of Supreme Commander to his deputy and retired from the frontlines, returning to Star City. Without hesitation, he enlisted in the military and became a mid-ranking officer in the Star City Military Department.
Many speculated about his decision.
Some believed that his true aspiration had always been to command from the military rather than fight on the frontlines, and his years of war had merely been a means to hone his skills.
Others suspected that after years of relentless combat in domain battlefields, he had developed severe injuries that forced him into retirement.
Whatever the reason, the military extended an invitation to him, hoping he would join their ranks to further Star City's strategic development.
Li Huayan agreed without hesitation.
Regardless of the reason for his transition from the battlefield to the military headquarters, one thing was certain—his life was nothing short of legendary.
At 67, he secured 92% of the military's support votes and was officially appointed as the Supreme Commander of the Star City Military Department.
He was a warrior who had spent his entire life paving the future for humanity.
Now, nearing eighty, he remained a formidable presence.
Feng Qi remained respectful throughout their conversation.
But when Li Huayan suddenly asked if the explosion at Starshine Lake was related to him, he was momentarily stunned.
"It seems it was you," Li Huayan said with a knowing smile.
"It was indeed us," Feng Qi admitted. "But how did you figure it out?"
There had been no leaked information about their dealings with the Domain Alliance.
The military's investigation of Starshine Lake hadn't yielded anything significant yet.
So how did Li Huayan, sitting at headquarters, deduce the truth? Feng Qi was deeply curious.
In response, Li Huayan shifted his gaze to Mu Qing.
"Because of her… Mu Qing."
"You know my name?" Mu Qing, who had been silently listening, looked up in surprise.
"Of course. You're one of the highest-rated threats in our military records."
As Feng Qi and Mu Qing exchanged puzzled glances, Li Huayan chuckled and elaborated.
Years ago, when the Rune Modification Experiment was underway, he had kept a close watch on its progress.
He believed that if the experiment succeeded, it could mass-produce powerful warriors for the military.
At the time, he frequently visited the Crimson Research Institute to monitor its developments.
During those visits, he had met the young Mu Qing several times, always by Wei Wei's side.
He had even heard from Wei Wei herself that Mu Qing was the next designated challenger for the Crimson Rune Crystal.
However, Mu Qing had been too young to remember those encounters.
But that wasn't their first meeting.
Li Huayan then revealed something that surprised Feng Qi—he had first encountered Mu Qing outside Star City.
Back then, a scavenger migration convoy was attacked by a domain-transcendent creature on one of the city's main roads.
The military had dispatched emergency reinforcements.
Back then, Li Huayan was not yet the Supreme Commander of the Star City Military Department, but he was in charge of that rescue mission. He successfully evacuated a large number of scavengers and relocated them to Star City, among them was Mu Qing's family.
As for why he remembered Mu Qing so vividly, it was because her parents had been severely poisoned at the time. They were unable to move and had to be carried back to Star City by the soldiers. Mu Qing, who was just a child, cried hysterically the entire time. She fainted several times from exhaustion, only to wake up and cry again. That heart-wrenching scene left a deep impression on him.
The next time they met was at the Crimson Research Institute. By then, Mu Qing had grown taller, constantly tugging at Wei Wei's sleeve while following her around, her mouth always chewing on something.
Pausing for a moment, Li Huayan continued, "While the drone fleet was conducting a full-scale search around Starshine Lake, it simultaneously scanned and matched the faces of passersby against our database. A list was then sent to me."
"This list contained individuals with known records in our database, all of whom possess significant strength. Mu Qing's name was among them. That's how I confirmed you two were near Starshine Lake."
"As for why I asked if the explosion was your doing… that was just a casual guess. I wasn't entirely certain that Mu Qing was responsible. She was simply one of my primary suspects."
Feng Qi immediately understood upon hearing Li Huayan's explanation.
"Let's continue," Li Huayan said with interest. "I'm very curious about this so-called time travel you've mentioned."
Feng Qi nodded and continued recounting his experiences.
As he spoke, Li Huayan's expression grew increasingly solemn. He listened intently, nodding occasionally as if trying to discern any logical inconsistencies in Feng Qi's story to verify its authenticity.
Time passed along with the story.
Outside, dawn gradually broke.
Before they realized it, six hours had gone by.
If he were to explain everything in full detail, Feng Qi could talk for days on end.
But for now, he only covered the key points in his interactions with Li Huayan.
Regarding the Crimson Research Institute, however, he deliberately kept things vague.
After all, he still wasn't entirely sure whether the military could be fully trusted.
Ensuring the safety of the Crimson Research Institute was the top priority when taking risks in this timeline.
After hearing everything, Li Huayan fell into deep thought as he digested the information.
Feng Qi remained silent, patiently waiting for his response.
Moments later, Li Huayan finally spoke with a serious expression. "To be honest, I was already aware that certain domain forces were lurking in Star City—what you call the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance. Over time, we've uncovered and eradicated several of their strongholds. But only after hearing your story did I realize the sheer scale of their operation. I had no idea they had established dozens of bases across the city…"
Through Li Huayan's words, Feng Qi learned that the military had long suspected potential infiltrations within Star City.
They had conducted multiple investigations and managed to locate several bases similar to the End of the World Bar, eliminating the domain factions operating there.
But these forces were like weeds—cutting one down only led to another sprouting elsewhere, and the newly established bases became increasingly well-hidden.
This persistent issue had been a major headache for the military.
Hearing Feng Qi's account, Li Huayan finally grasped just how difficult the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance was to deal with.
They were essentially a gathering of mercenaries and outlaws. Even if the military wiped out every last domain faction in Star City, a new alliance would simply emerge to take their place. Eradicating them entirely was next to impossible.
When Li Huayan learned that Feng Qi had already gained control over three of the alliance's key leaders, his interest was piqued.
During their discussion, Feng Qi also explained his proposal.
The Dawn Organization's future operations would inevitably cause major disruptions.
He hoped that when the time came, the military wouldn't succumb to external pressure or public opinion and would instead support Dawn in every possible way.
After understanding Feng Qi's intentions, Li Huayan fell silent for a long while before finally saying, "Feng Qi, you should know how the military's chain of command works. Even as Supreme Commander, I can't mobilize the entire military at will to support you."
Pausing briefly, he continued, "But I can guarantee that I will do everything within my power to support Dawn's development. I will also convene a military meeting, gathering all the key decision-makers to discuss your situation. If the motion is approved, the military will become a force backing your battlefront."
"Thank you."
"There's no need to thank me. It's I who should be thanking you for your dedication to the survival of humanity." Li Huayan smiled warmly.
After chatting a bit longer, Feng Qi got up and bid farewell.
As he stepped out of the military headquarters, he and Mu Qing boarded the vehicle Li Huayan had arranged for them, heading back to Star City Academy.
Now, all that remained was to wait for Li Huayan's decision.
During this time, he would organize an internal military meeting to discuss Feng Qi's revelations.
The military's final stance on the Dawn Organization would soon be determined.
Feng Qi was full of anticipation. If the Star City Military Department fully supported the development of Dawn, the organization would complete its establishment within Star City, securing a stable base of operations. At that point, the city would be completely under his control. Regardless of external public opinion, there would be no internal forces manipulating discourse against Dawn, nor would there be any interference in their actions.
The next day, after returning to Star City Academy, Feng Qi decided it was time to officially launch Dawn's operations within the city. With Li Huayan's assurance, more than half of the groundwork had already been completed. The military's upcoming internal meeting was beyond his control, but regardless of the outcome, Dawn's growth had to continue. That day, he gathered all the students and announced their next mission.
Since Dawn was still in its early stages, recruitment was crucial. Feng Qi decided to divide the work and formally begin recruiting the individuals in Star City who had been marked as "trustworthy." Expanding Dawn's manpower and influence was now the priority. He split the compiled list of potential recruits into multiple sections, assigning them to different students to begin the enlistment process.
The students stepped up immediately, showing remarkable enthusiasm. Among them, Xu Hongyun, who had always been relatively low-profile, declared that he would return home to convince his family to provide financial and material support for Dawn's development. The Xu family was incredibly wealthy—one of Star City's top financial backers—and a major sponsor of the academy's cafeteria.
Shortly after returning home, Xu Hongyun delivered good news. His family had agreed to fully support Dawn, pledging to provide assistance in Star City and other cities whenever possible. For Feng Qi, this was another major victory.
Meanwhile, he and the other students continued their recruitment efforts, gradually strengthening Dawn's forces. The process was not particularly difficult. Everyone on the recruitment list was not only reliable but also committed to the advancement of human civilization. As long as they understood the current threats facing humanity and Dawn's ultimate mission, there was no need for excessive persuasion—they joined willingly.
In just a few days, over twenty new members had been recruited. Feng Qi arranged for them to be stationed at the Tiger Soul Research Institute, which would serve as Dawn's headquarters in Star City, supporting all future operations.
Five days later, Feng Qi received a call from the Star City Military Department.
The caller was Li Huayan.
During the conversation, Li Huayan confirmed that the military's internal meeting had successfully passed the resolution to support Dawn. Moving forward, the Star City Military Department and Dawn would be aligned as allies.
Upon hearing this, Feng Qi clenched his fist in excitement.
From this moment on, he no longer had to worry about threats within Star City that could jeopardize Dawn's expansion.
With the military's support secured, Feng Qi shifted his focus toward Future City.
The Institute of Technological Research was his primary target in this timeline.
The hidden forces behind the institute harbored many secrets—especially those concerning Little Black, the mysterious entity that had relentlessly pursued him. Cracking the institute's defenses might finally reveal why Little Black was after him, or even give him a way to control it.
But before launching an operation against Future City, he had another matter to handle first.
That evening, Feng Qi dialed Wei Wei's number.
After a few rings, the call connected.
"What's up?" Wei Wei's voice came through.
"Wei-jie, I've decided to begin external operations."
"Understood. Looks like I'll have to say goodbye to the outside world and hide in our secret base ahead of schedule. I'll notify the director and arrange a meeting."
"Make sure you have one last meal before you go—get some spicy lobster."
…
Moving the Crimson Research Institute into its hidden base was the first step in Dawn's external expansion.
After updating Wei Wei, Feng Qi turned his attention to another pressing issue that needed to be dealt with.
The next evening, he called Mu Qing and Lü Yue.
When the two arrived at his dormitory, Feng Qi pulled out two tickets from his backpack—flights to the Winterfell Supply Zone.
Seeing the tickets, Mu Qing and Lü Yue exchanged puzzled glances.
Feng Qi looked at them and said, "Come with me to Winterfell. It's time to visit an old friend."
"And send him on his way?" Lü Yue asked casually.
Feng Qi: …
Mu Qing: …