Translator: CinderTL
A/N: This chapter is best enjoyed with the background music "Banished Immortal" by Luo Tianyi, as that's what I was listening to while writing it.
The scene showed Mu Qing, clad in black combat armor and wearing the group leader's insignia of the Dawn domain combat team, devouring food in a restaurant.
Compared to Feng Qi's memories of her, the current Mu Qing had shed her childishness, her appearance having undergone significant changes.
The gazes of passersby were no longer filled with fear or disdain, but with awe and respect.
This Mu Qing was no longer the cute, food-loving little girl. Now exuding the aura of a mature woman, her eyes held only cold determination.
The mysterious girl suddenly appeared in the frame, sitting across from Mu Qing and curiously studying her as she ate.
Mu Qing looked up, her expression puzzled. "Do you need something?"
"Heh, I knew I wasn't wrong about that old man. They actually did it!" The mysterious girl beamed, her gaze fixed on the crimson rune crystal embedded in Mu Qing's left arm.
Under Mu Qing's questioning gaze, she eagerly proposed, "Mu Qing, interested in pulling off something big with me?"
"I don't think I know you," Mu Qing said.
"But I've known you for a long time. I've been watching you grow, and I know what you yearn for. What you desire is exactly what I desire."
Hearing these words, Mu Qing's expression shifted slightly.
"What do you think I yearn for?" she asked.
"You share the same yearning as Feng Qi. It's a pity he died so young, or I would have definitely supported him."
At the mention of Feng Qi's name, Mu Qing's body visibly trembled.
She hadn't heard that unfamiliar name in ages, yet it remained vivid in her heart.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Mu Qing asked coldly.
"I want to fight for humanity." As she spoke these words, the mysterious girl's playful smile vanished, replaced by an utterly solemn expression.
"I am already fighting for humanity," Mu Qing replied gravely.
"What you're doing now is just small-scale skirmishes. After years of training, you've developed exceptional combat command skills. Combined with your extraordinary strength, you should be doing something truly significant..."
As time passed, the restaurant emptied, but Mu Qing continued listening to the girl's impassioned words.
As the girl spoke with passion, she couldn't help but gesture wildly, using her body language to emphasize her points, making her appear both mischievous and endearing.
Mu Qing's cold expression gradually softened, a hint of emotion flickering across her face.
"So, you're suggesting we establish a scavenger army and merge all scavenger factions?"
"Exactly! First, we build a powerful army, then we can proceed with our subsequent plans."
"What are these subsequent plans?"
"Heh, I can't tell you yet. I'm worried about the safety of those around you. Revealing them now would be too risky. Let's focus on building the army first. I'll help you."
The memory fragment blurred at this point.
When Feng Qi saw Mu Qing appear in the memory, he suddenly realized the identity of this mysterious girl.
She was Mu Yao, the enigmatic figure he had seen in the database, and the second-generation leader of the future Dawn Army.
These fragmented memories confirmed his earlier suspicion:
Mu Yao was the "miracle" Liu Yue had spoken of.
She seemed to be constantly searching for any force that could help humanity rise again.
The founders of the Scarlet Research Institute, Mu Qing, Emperor Ye, the mysterious boy, Wei Wei... Apart from the boy, whom he knew nothing about, every one of them stood on the front lines against the domain creatures.
At that moment, he recalled Liu Yue's words about the mysterious girl:
"She has lived for countless ages, tirelessly seeking miracles for humanity. Her repeated failures have never deterred her. To me, she is humanity's miracle."
The scenes unfolding before him seemed to confirm Liu Yue's description.
She relentlessly pursued miracles, or perhaps nurtured their emergence, only to be met with constant failure.
Emperor Ye's Domain Combat Team Alliance had long vanished from history.
Mu Qing's Dawn Army was crushed under bloody suppression.
Wei Wei and the Scarlet Research Institute suffered the same fate, ultimately overthrown by the machinations of a dark force.
Perhaps there were many details he remained unaware of, but every force connected to Mu Yao that he knew of had ultimately met its demise.
As the fifth scene concluded, a new memory flashed into Feng Qi's mind.
His head throbbed with excruciating pain, as if it were about to explode. The sheer volume of information threatened to overwhelm him.
The sixth scene unfolded within the Scarlet Research Institute, in Wei Wei's private laboratory.
In the scene, Mu Yao hugged Suction Cup, pressing her face against the creature's and rubbing affectionately. Her voice carried a hint of seduction:
"Little Muqing, you must grow up quickly. Once you've mastered your skills, you must strive for humanity's resurgence."
Suction Cup, despite her expression of disdain, nodded vigorously.
Nearby, Wei Wei, clad in a lab coat, watched the scene with a hint of exasperation. "Old woman, it's time to leave. This isn't your place. Be careful, or I'll capture you and use you as an experimental subject. I've been eyeing your body for quite some time."