Chapter 54: The Freshmen List

After finishing lunch, Feng Qi returned to his dorm room.

For the first month after freshman enrollment, the students were scheduled for special training sessions. As a result, he wasn't required to start classes or meet the students of Combat Class Three right away.

Sitting at his desk, Feng Qi opened the list of freshmen in Combat Class Three.

There were a total of eleven students in the class.

Among them, he had already encountered the monk, who seemed somewhat unreliable. After presumably being repressed for too long, the monk's personality struck Feng Qi as odd.

Claiming to be a "bitter ascetic," he lacked the calm demeanor or resilience one might expect from such a title.

The list's introduction section revealed that the monk's real name was Hui Xu, and he came from the largest Buddhist institution in Star City, the Golden Immortal Temple. He was the sole personal disciple of the current temple abbot—a significant background.

Golden Immortal Temple wasn't just famous for its religious status but also for the Prajna Domain Combat Squad it had established.

In this era, cultivation techniques were globally shared, a time before restricted access to such knowledge became a reality. Consequently, numerous exceptional civilian combat squads emerged. The Prajna Domain Combat Squad was one of the finest among them.

During the protracted struggle against domain invasions, this combat squad had contributed extensively, earning the elite S-Rank designation and securing a reputation as one of the world's top domain combat squads.

Feng Qi continued scanning the list until he came across a particular name that caught his attention.

One student, named Lü Yue, had a blank information field.

Out of all eleven students in Combat Class Three, Lü Yue was the most enigmatic. No background information about him was recorded.

Even Mu Qing, who had a relatively concealed history, wasn't entirely untraceable.

For instance, a cursory search of Star City Academy's forums could provide basic information about Mu Qing.

But Lü Yue's complete lack of any background information piqued Feng Qi's curiosity.

After reviewing the information for all eleven students, Feng Qi closed the file.

Aside from Lü Yue, the rest of the special admission students had remarkable backgrounds.

The group included children of high-ranking officers in Star City's Defense Corps, offspring of major business moguls, heirs of top-tier domain combat squad leaders, and even descendants of prominent research institute directors. In short, the class was undeniably a "connections club."

Having read through their profiles, Feng Qi couldn't help but develop a sense of anticipation toward this group of freshmen.

If their character and talent proved sufficient, he considered the possibility of recruiting them into the organization he planned to form to oppose the Crimson Research Institute.

Given their influential backgrounds, while they couldn't directly rival the mysterious Crimson Research Institute, they could potentially provide significant resources and support for the organization's growth.

However, this idea remained hypothetical for now.

Before confirming the reliability of this batch of students, Feng Qi would disclose no sensitive information. Otherwise, the organization to oppose the Crimson Research Institute might be sabotaged before it even came into existence.

Closing the freshmen file, Feng Qi leaned back at his desk and opened his tablet to browse shopping websites.

Moments later, he purchased another Twilight Wolf Rune Crystal.

Watching his bank balance dwindle further, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

This financial strain was why he meticulously planned each trip into the Dream Realm, striving to maximize the benefits gained from his time there.

After finalizing the order, Feng Qi opened his notebook and began drafting plans for the future.

While jotting down ideas, he also noted messages he wished to convey to his future self.

His future self remained a critical key to understanding what lay ahead.

Without the assistance of his future self, during his last visit to the Dream Realm, he wouldn't have discovered that the Crimson Research Institute had been infiltrated by domain creatures.

With his pen scratching against the paper, Feng Qi's resolve solidified. His plans weren't merely for himself—they were for humanity's future.

Perhaps he was still tirelessly copying future cultivation techniques, unaware that the system had already been infiltrated from within. The result? No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't alter the outcome of human civilization meeting its end.

The ongoing secret research within the Crimson Research Institute was like a poison corroding the very foundation of humanity's progress. If these toxins weren't eradicated, even if civilization grew into a towering tree, it would ultimately collapse.

Communicating with the future self also allowed him to gain crucial information not available in the historical database.

While reflecting, Feng Qi jotted down four new plans in his notebook.

Establish an Organization to Oppose It: Form a group capable of standing up to the Crimson Research Institute. Lin Ran, Mu Qing, Old Wang, and, eventually, your students will all be part of the team. However, before gaining sufficient power, ensure you do not expose yourself.

Continue Investigating It: Carry on with the investigation, but avoid reckless actions. Consider seeking help from Mo Fei. If he ends up working at the Institute of Technological Research, he might assist with advanced stealth technologies.

Survive Long Enough: Try to live until the period when the future Mu Qing forms the "Dawn Rebel Army." Strive to prevent her from going down that path and uncover what truly transpired. Also, if you can live long enough, you may stop Lin Ran from releasing his cultivation methods. Under your guidance, he might even create a technique superior to the "Seal Formation Flow." So, endure and persevere.

Leave a Legacy: If possible, have descendants. Pass down a family tradition urging them to help you obtain access credentials to the database. This will be crucial for me.

After finishing the four points for his future self, Feng Qi paused for a long time.

He knew that once he left, his future self would endure immense suffering. All the debts for his reckless actions would fall on his future self's shoulders.

Losing access to the Dream Realm also meant losing the opportunity to copy advanced cultivation techniques. The road ahead for his future self would be fraught with difficulty.

At this thought, he sighed deeply and added a final note below the four plans:

"Don't doubt yourself. You were Star City High School's most outstanding graduate. Even without cheats, you can still achieve great things through effort. If there's no shortcut, forge your path with determination."

Closing the notebook, he sat at his desk in contemplation.

While it felt like a conversation with the future, the notes in the notebook were simply extensions of his current thoughts.

In essence, even if he didn't write these down, his future self would likely follow the same path because they shared the same mindset.

The purpose of recording these thoughts was to ensure no crucial details were forgotten.

After all, once he entered the Dream Realm, new ideas would undoubtedly flood his mind, potentially altering or obscuring his original intentions.

Thus, writing down these key pieces of information served as a reminder to his present self—to never forget.

As he pondered, time slipped by unnoticed.

It wasn't until Lin Ran's call came through that Feng Qi realized four hours had passed. It was already dinnertime.

Closing the notebook, he stood up and stretched, preparing to head to the academy cafeteria for a meal.

While the energy he gained from food was minimal, every bit counted. Moreover, eating was an enjoyment he wasn't willing to forgo.

No matter what, eating could never be neglected.