Translator: CinderTL
After reviewing the email content, many of Feng Qi's lingering doubts were resolved.
At least the existing messages confirmed that the Scarlet Research Institute had been operating in the shadows, quietly preparing an Anti-Infiltration Salvation Plan to sever the connection between the dark world and the real world at its source.
Moreover, they had detected enemies lurking within human society and were secretly protecting the new generation of geniuses to prevent their assassination.
However, Feng Qi still harbored many questions.
He wondered if the Scarlet Research Institute knew the identities of the enemies infiltrating humanity.
Driven by these questions, he continued scrolling through the email content.
1103: Today I mentioned the Heaven-Reaching Road to Wei Wei, but she claimed she'd never heard of such a place... So perhaps the Scarlet Research Institute has no connection to the Heaven-Reaching Road. Then again, it's possible Wei Wei simply doesn't know about it.
1108: After my physical exam today, I impulsively asked her how old she was. Without hesitation, she declared she was 18... I really wanted to ask her, "Do you have any self-awareness at all?"
1113: The cloning project for the Little Suction Cup is finally showing some progress. Here's a video of what the seedling looks like (video attachment), but we're still a long way from success.
Feng Qi opened the video. On the screen, a small white tadpole swam vigorously in a blue liquid.
"Whoa, it looks pretty active!"
Feng Qi: ...
Although the research seemed to be progressing, he knew this wasn't the Suction Cup that would eventually develop.
Based on the timeline, the Suction Cup's creation likely occurred after Mu Qing established the dawn rebels, possibly even after her death.
In previous searches of the future database, Mu Qing's remains were always classified.
He suspected her body had been sent to the Scarlet Research Institute, where her latest genetic material was extracted and the unique rune crystal removed.
Only then could the Little Suction Cup be formally created and released by the Scarlet Research Institute when Star City faced its crisis.
What puzzled him was this: if the Scarlet Research Institute was truly benevolent, why had his future self, who worked there, died mysteriously at the age of 29?
With these questions lingering, he continued reading through the rest of the email.
Today I attended an internal meeting at the Scarlet Research Institute. Before the meeting, we underwent thorough physical examinations, including mental assessments. During the meeting, we had to change into designated attire in a secure area to ensure no eavesdropping devices were present.
During the meeting, I met the directors of several other departments. After a vote, they formally approved my inclusion in the core plan. Now, I'm officially part of the Salvation Plan, working to secure a sliver of hope for humanity's future.
At the meeting, I finally learned the full extent of the Scarlet Research Institute's silent efforts to protect this world. Every member was prepared to die for the cause.
Director Li of the Biochemical Department warned me that none of the Scarlet Research Institute's activities could be leaked. Any disclosure would inevitably draw the attention of hidden forces, who would sabotage their plans.
This immediately reminded me of a timeline where the dark force had used me to uncover many of the Scarlet Research Institute's plans, leading to various destructive actions. Back then, I had unwittingly been a pawn of the dark force. Sigh.
During the meeting, I asked the Scarlet Research Institute's leaders a crucial question: Did they know the true identity of the enemy lurking in the shadows?
In response to my question, they all fell silent.
Wei Wei told me that they had captured infiltrators from the dark force, but these individuals would invariably choose death upon capture. The poison implanted within their bodies would activate, rendering all attempts at resuscitation futile. Their bodies would rapidly decompose, leaving no trace behind.
After officially joining the core plan, I finally saw the rune augments in the underground laboratory—the beings we had mistakenly believed to be Domain Transcenders.
These were researchers who had volunteered to sacrifice themselves for the experiments. It was through their dedication that the rune augment project had steadily advanced. The Scarlet Research Institute could now transform humans into semi-domain creatures.
The ultimate goal of this project was to send a group of elite warriors, transformed into semi-domain creatures, into the dark world to locate and destroy the teleportation points connecting the two realms.
If they never returned, then they never returned. We salute them.
A major incident occurred today. One of the Scarlet Research Institute's branch bases, located on the outskirts of Twilight City, was attacked. Does that sound familiar?
Yes, it was the same facility Mu Qing investigated in one of the timelines.
It was her investigation records that first made us suspect Mu Qing's betrayal of humanity was connected to the Scarlet Research Institute. We even speculated about cruel rune augment experiments being conducted within the base... Now, we know our initial assumptions were wrong.
The Scarlet Research Institute is in a precarious situation. The dark forces seem to have caught wind of something and are probing the institute's defenses. Destroying this experimental base was likely their initial test.
The Scarlet Research Institute has now issued a new mission to the domain combat team, tasking them with investigating the situation.
A/N: The destruction of the Scarlet Research Institute's Twilight City experimental base was described in Chapter 17 of this novel, including mission records.
At the meeting, everyone agreed that the Scarlet Research Institute has likely exposed some of its secrets. The data in Twilight City was indeed sensitive, and the dark forces are likely to launch frequent attacks against the institute in the future.
I suspect that in one timeline, Mu Qing accepted a commission from the Scarlet Research Institute, which led her to unleash her full murderous potential.
Her mission was to destroy the experimental base in Twilight City, erasing all data and clues, and thus setting her on the path to becoming the Great Demon King ahead of schedule.
Upon learning of the destruction of the Twilight City experimental base, Wei Wei's spirits plummeted. She had a student she deeply valued at that facility.
On a freezing winter night, she left the headquarters alone.
I followed her out and eventually found her standing by a street outside the base.
She stood there, rubbing her hands against the biting -20°C wind, her eyes hollow and vacant, devoid of their usual warmth and vitality.
She must be in so much pain right now, I thought.
Perhaps this was the heavy burden that pathfinders had to bear.
Today, Wei Wei's mood was noticeably improved. She casually told me she had grown used to it, explaining that grief couldn't be channeled into strength, but anger could. Now she was brimming with motivation.
She even joked that she would clone ten thousand Mu Qings to swarm the dark forces. Hahaha!
Now that I've officially become a core member of the Scarlet Research Institute, I've been assigned to rune crystal analysis. My workload has skyrocketed, sometimes requiring me to stay in the laboratory for days without leaving. My future messages might become much less frequent. (Red Mark) I couldn't resist asking Wei Wei again about the rune crystal embedded in Mu Qing's body.