novellhall Chapter 242: Return - Statistics
Chapter 242: Return - Statistics
Translator: CinderTL
He opened his eyes to find himself back in reality.
Feng Qi sat up from the sofa, lost in thought.
The lingering effects of the memory overlap still weighed heavily on him, making it difficult to shake off the oppressive mood.
Just then, his phone rang, jolting him awake.
He answered, and Lin Ran's voice came through the line.
"Brother Qi, lunch is ready!"
Hearing Lin Ran's familiar voice, the image of "Mist-Dyed" involuntarily flashed through his mind.
"Alright, I'll be right there."
After hanging up, he left the dormitory and headed straight for the Academy Cafeteria.
When he arrived, the cafeteria was already packed with students.
He grabbed a tray of food and made his way to the north corner of the room.
There, he found Lin Ran, Mu Qing, Liu Yue, and the others already gathered.
A familiar warmth washed over him.
Seeing Mu Qing, in particular, stirred a peculiar feeling.
In his memories from the future timeline, Mu Qing had become the leader of the Dawn Battle Group, having long shed her youthful naivety and endearing clumsiness.
Both her height and her aura had undergone significant transformations.
Seeing this clumsy, adorable version of Mu Qing again suddenly struck him as amusing.
When Mu Qing noticed his gaze and tilted her head in confusion, a smile involuntarily crept across his face.
As he sat down next to Lin Ran, his mind drifted back to the information Wei Wei had left in the Scarlet Research Institute's database.
Mu Qing had relentlessly pursued the giant hand's true form for twenty years, driven by vengeance.
She finally cornered and killed it outside Old Day City.
He would never forget her friendship.
Lin Ran turned to him, his expression puzzled. "Brother Qi, have you been having some mental issues lately?"
He couldn't help but roll his eyes, understanding Lin Ran's implication: he hadn't been eating with his usual enthusiasm.
"Yes, I'm having issues. Do you have a solution?"
Lin Ran grinned. "Why don't you try my Devouring Technique? It's still experimental, but it can significantly boost your appetite."
He froze, a chill running down his spine.
He remembered the time Lin Ran had developed an art magic to accelerate digestion, all so he could eat more.
The result? The sewers beneath their dormitory building had been completely clogged.
"Let's not talk about disgusting things while we're eating. Just eat," he said, grabbing a large chicken leg and taking a massive bite.
The chicken leg was coated in crispy breadcrumbs, its exterior charred yet tender, and each bite released a burst of savory juices that splattered across his palate.
The delectable flavor instantly ignited his appetite.
The simple joy of a good meal was truly unadorned.
Delicious food rapidly triggers dopamine release, bringing both physical and mental pleasure.
As his strength grew, so did his appetite.
After finishing one plate, he stood up and, under the astonished gazes of the others, filled another plate to the brim.
Only after devouring this second plate did he finally stop eating, completely satisfied.
After lunch, he bid farewell to Lin Ran and the students and returned to his dormitory.
The lingering effects of the memory overlap persisted, with much of the information gleaned from his memories still submerged.
He decided to take a nap first, then begin organizing the intelligence he had acquired from this Future Line.
After washing up, he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes.
Yet for some reason, oppressive emotions kept surfacing in his mind.
After several failed attempts to fall asleep, he grew restless and sat up.
Stretching his limbs, he moved to his desk and sat down.
Opening his notebook, he began recording the information he had gathered from this timeline.
Due to the overlapping memories, many experiences from his future dream timeline hadn't fully surfaced in his mind yet.
He decided to first record the relevant information he could recall.
By organizing this intelligence, he could better prepare for his next future dream timeline.
First, he focused on his power enhancements.
In this future dream timeline, he had slain two domain creatures.
This earned him 49 bloodline evolution points and two new innate abilities: Sluggish and Countershock.
Neither ability was particularly strong.
Sluggish, in particular, was practically useless, even weaker than his Adamant Fangs innate ability.
Still, having new innate abilities was better than nothing.
After meticulously documenting the characteristics and details of both abilities in his notebook, he started a new page.
Next, he tallied his intelligence gains.
This future dream timeline had yielded a wealth of information.
As he recalled the memories, he jotted down key details in his notebook.
Soon, the page was filled with writing.
In this future dream timeline, he had compiled five major intelligence points and numerous minor ones.
Future Dream Timeline Intelligence Gain 1: He confirmed that the monk and his Prajna Domain Combat Team were reliable allies. Through the monk's account, he learned of the existence of the Spirit Energy Clan.
Derived Intelligence: It's almost certain that the Black Shadow Faction behind the Technology Research Institute is the same group that defected from the Spirit Energy Clan, taking miracle items with them. The materials used to create Little Black were likely among these stolen miracle items.
Unresolved Questions: We still don't know who "Mo," the mastermind behind the Technology Research Institute, is. Why was he able to create Little Black? And why is he helping the institute develop various technologies?
Future Line Intelligence Acquisition 2: We learned that all Domain Forces are collecting miracle items.
Miracle Item Notes: A special divine artifact with no fixed form, possessing various miraculous functions.
Known Miracle Items:
Little Black (created from miracle item materials) Holy Spirit Consciousness Repository (a divine artifact of the Spirit Energy Clan) Bloodstone (a fragmented miracle item that sparked a Domain Force war and even attracted the attention of super domain creatures) Deduction (a Miracle Fragment on Qin Shikong's body)
Hypothesis 1: I may also possess a miracle item. (Narrator: My ability to plunder innate abilities and travel through timelines could both be powers granted by miracle items.)
Hypothesis 2: Based on the previous hypothesis, the Blue-skinned Assassin might have been hunting me down because of the residual aura of a miracle item on my body.
Unresolved Mystery 1: Why are various miracle items hidden within human society, and how were these items created?
Unresolved Mystery 2: The great power struggle over the bloodstone revealed its near-indestructibility. Why, then, are some miracle items found in fragmented states?
Unresolved Mystery 3: Are the specific reasons behind the various Domain Forces' desperate pursuit of miracles and their desire to enhance their racial power related to the Great Tide's Descent? What exactly is the Great Tide's Descent?
Future Line Intelligence 3: Through Mu Qing's connection, we learned that the Lord of the Mist initially infiltrated Human Civilization because of his encounter with Mu Qing, during which she destroyed his Domain Field.
Future Line Suggestion: Perhaps the next Future Line should begin with the Lord of the Mist's Domain Field being destroyed. By following the Lord of the Mist as he infiltrates human society, we could gain more intelligence from the perspective of a Domain Force. (This timeline could involve establishing a Domain Force.)
Future Line Intelligence 4: Lin Ran's Spiritual Immortality (Uncensored Version) could become a mandatory art magic for the Sacrifice Line. Although it carries significant risks, it would still be a worthwhile investment for the Sacrifice Line.
Future Line Intelligence 5: Lin Ran has successfully Anti-Parasitic Mist Lord, gaining the Mist Lord's power. In future Dream Realm timelines, Lin Ran will become my companion.
While recording the intelligence, he frequently paused to ponder.
Several hours later, he finally organized the information gleaned from this Future Line into a coherent form.
Closing his notebook, he sat at his desk, lost in thought, recalling the intelligence he had gathered from the Future Dream Timeline.
After a moment, he picked up his phone and dialed Wei Wei's number.
The phone rang several times before Wei Wei's familiar voice answered.
"You're back?"
"Mm-hmm."
"You must be exhausted. Do you have any new intelligence for me?"
"Yes, you should take notes."
"Are you underestimating me? Not to brag, but as a young inventor prodigy, my memory is practically photographic."
Analysis Complete: The old woman is clearly exaggerating. I'd believe she has short-term photographic memory, but permanent photographic memory for such a vast amount of information? Even if she lived for centuries, there's no way she could remember everything she's ever experienced.
Ignoring the Narrator's snarky commentary, he chuckled and said, "Sister Wei, let me give you a rough overview of my experiences in this timeline, focusing on the key points..."
He then recounted his experiences in the Future Line, along with the relevant intelligence he had recorded in his notebook, to Wei Wei.
During the explanation, Wei Wei occasionally interrupted to ask clarifying questions.
He meticulously reviewed every detail to ensure Wei Wei wouldn't misremember any information.
Several hours later, he hung up the phone.
Leaning back in his chair, he still felt a lingering sense of unease.
The cumulative effect of these negative emotions left him deeply agitated, constantly craving an outlet for his pent-up feelings.
He stood up and walked to the refrigerator.
Grabbing a bottle of ice water, he twisted open the cap and took a long, deep gulp.
The icy liquid slid down his throat, momentarily suppressing some of his negative emotions.
Next Future Line: Try capturing the Three-Tailed with Lin Ran's help. Otherwise, in your current state, you won't be able to continue accessing brain memories without risking madness.
Hearing the Narrator's warning, he immediately nodded.
The Three-Tailed's agility was extraordinary; even activating his "blood source" ability wouldn't guarantee capture.
Besides continuously enhancing his own strength, only Lin Ran, the Anti-Parasitic Mist Lord, possessed the means to help him resolve this issue.
Setting down the ice water, he walked to the balcony.
The setting sun cast long shadows across the sky.
The lake before the dormitory shimmered with rippling reflections of the evening glow. Willows swayed gently along the shore, and students could be seen sitting on benches by the water's edge, while others strolled along the pathways...
The vibrant life before him instantly pulled him back from the oppressive weight of the Dream Realm.
With each return, he felt a renewed appreciation for the beauty of the Real World.
A cool breeze brushed against his skin as he stretched, feeling the tension in his heart ease.
The path to saving the world is long. Are you tired?
The Narrator's voice echoed in his mind.
"Tired? What's tired? A man never admits to being tired," he grinned.
Can a virgin even call himself a man? At best, you're just a boy.
Hearing the Narrator's mocking tone, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Still better than you. You're just a system. What can you do besides talk?"
Wanna bet I can pull out something bigger than yours?
"Asshole System."
Reflected.
"Immature brat."
Asshole Bone Man!
After their exchange, he looked up at the setting sun, about to be swallowed by the horizon.
The lights of Star City Academy gradually began to illuminate the campus.
The evening breeze rustled his hair as a smile spread across Feng Qi's face.
He realized he no longer feared the darkness, knowing that each sunset heralded a new beginning.
Darkness was merely the starting point, not the end.
Just as the end of each Sacrifice Line marked a fresh start for him.
Having embarked on the path to save the world, he would never stop moving forward.
(End of the Chapter)
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