Translator: CinderTL
This was Feng Qi's first time entering Star City through the main gate.
Through the car window, he noticed a watchtower every ten meters along the route, each manned by a team of fully armed soldiers scanning the traffic with vigilance.
The vehicle traveled for over ten minutes, passing through three tunnel checkpoints.
As the car emerged from the final tunnel and drove past a sign reading "Star City North District," the view suddenly opened up.
Before them rose towering buildings, and in the distance, he could see clusters of futuristic structures, creating a vibrant, bustling scene.
Everything before him felt strangely familiar.
"Where are you headed?" the woman driving asked.
"Just drop us off at the next intersection," Feng Qi said, pointing to an intersection not far ahead.
Without further questions, the woman immediately pulled over at the intersection.
After thanking her, Feng Qi and the Lord of the Mist got out of the car.
Once the woman drove away, the Lord of the Mist glanced curiously at the backpack on Feng Qi's back.
"I've noticed something odd. You always carry this backpack, no matter where we go. What exactly is inside?"
"Items left behind before my amnesia. They might help me find my clansmen."
Hearing this, the Lord of the Mist's face lit up with sudden understanding. "You're more familiar with this place," he said. "Lead the way to find us lodgings, then we'll discuss our infiltration plan."
Feng Qi nodded immediately.
He then led the Lord of the Mist toward the central avenue in the northern part of the city.
Their general approach to infiltrating the Tiger Soul Research Institute had been decided before they arrived; what remained was the detailed deployment.
Their decision to reveal their identities before entering the city was also part of this strategy.
Before reaching Star City, they had considered two methods for infiltrating the Tiger Soul Research Institute:
1. Direct infiltration: Sneak into Star City and covertly search for an opportunity to infiltrate the Tiger Soul Research Institute. This approach presented a significant initial hurdle. They had no contacts within the institute's research personnel and were unaware of its security deployments. rashly attempting body possession could prove fatal. To ensure safety, this would require prolonged covert observation and extensive intelligence gathering on the institute within Star City before any action could be taken.
2. Infiltration via current identities: Enter Star City with their existing identities and seek opportunities to connect with the Tiger Soul Research Institute. This approach carried no immediate risk. Although their identities had been exposed, this exposure was not to humans but to certain Domain Forces. Their current identities still held value and could be discarded at any time.
Once the Lord of the Mist acquired a new body, concerns about identity exposure would become irrelevant.
In his own words:
"To them, the domain creature is Wang Yi. What does that have to do with me? Changing bodies is like starting life anew."
This was one of the reasons they chose Plan B.
The only problem was that Feng Qi couldn't casually change bodies and start anew like the Lord of the Mist.
But this obstacle wasn't insurmountable.
Given the Lord of the Mist's mastery over flesh and blood, reshaping a person's facial features would be a simple matter.
After the infiltration plan succeeded, the Lord of the Mist would help him alter his appearance.
Then, the Lord of the Mist would gain a brand-new host body, and Feng Qi could start fresh with a completely new face.
From that point on, both Feng Qi and Wang Yi would cease to exist.
They would interact with the world under new identities at the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
As they chatted, they arrived at the commercial street in the northern part of the city.
They entered a clothing store, changed into new outfits, and discarded their tattered clothes.
Finally, the Lord of the Mist pulled out his phone and paid using a virtual bank card he had opened while working at the steel plant.
After finishing everything, they checked into a nearby hotel.
For their next move, they needed to wait for an opportunity to contact the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
Feng Qi wasn't worried about how long that might take.
Given the institute's frequent hosting of various events, the opportunity would likely arise soon.
It was the second month since Feng Qi had arrived in Star City.
One noon, after finishing his lunch, he lay down on his bed and opened his tablet to browse the latest news.
After scrolling for a while, he opened the Tiger Soul Research Institute's official website as usual.
A pinned announcement caught his eye:
Tiger Soul Research Institute Recruitment: Professional Cultivation Technique Experimenter
Job Requirements:
[Attempt to cultivate newly developed cultivation techniques and cooperate with staff to record physical condition.]
Note: The cultivation techniques tested by experimenters have passed data simulations, animal cultivation trials, and three safety checks, achieving a 99.99% safety rate.
Recruitment Criteria:
1. [Minimum of five years of cultivation technique experience, having practiced at least five different techniques (no requirement for the star rating of the techniques practiced).]
2. [High physical fitness, with bloodline strength not below 1580 points.]
3. [Understanding of cultivation studies (examination required!).]
Note: Basic knowledge of cultivation studies is necessary to promptly rectify errors during technique operation, as failures could cause irreparable harm to the experimenter.
4. [Age between 20 and 50, with no history of serious injuries or illnesses (existing conditions may interfere with technique operation and affect experimental progress).]
5. [Graduates of cultivation classes from renowned academies will be given preference.]
6. [Retired front-line soldiers or active front-line soldiers willing to transition to cultivation technique experimenter roles will be given preference (basic theoretical knowledge of cultivation studies is still required).]
Recruitment Notice: Candidates meeting the above criteria may apply by December 3rd. The examination date will be scheduled separately after application review.
Upon seeing this recruitment notice, Feng Qi realized an opportunity had arisen.
Originally, he and the Lord of the Mist had planned to make initial contact through events hosted by the Tiger Soul Research Institute, such as the Cultivation Concept Competition.
However, this time Tiger Soul was recruiting cultivation technique experimenters externally, which would clearly make it easier to connect with the institute's internal staff.
That afternoon, he filled out the application form.
After completing the form, he began waiting for notification from the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
Based on his resume, Feng Qi felt confident he could secure the position of cultivation technique experimenter. After all, his Human Outstanding Contribution Medal had been awarded precisely for his work in "developing cultivation techniques." He also met all other requirements.
The only problem was that the Lord of the Mist could clearly not apply to become a cultivation technique experimenter to contact the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
His current public identity was "Wang Yi" from the Death Star Third Battle Group. A sudden application to join the Tiger Soul Research Institute as a technique researcher would inevitably raise suspicions. Moreover, "Wang Yi's" age did not meet the institute's external recruitment requirements.
After discussing the matter with the Lord of the Mist, they decided that Feng Qi would enter the Tiger Soul Research Institute first to gather information.
The next morning, Feng Qi received a call from the Tiger Soul Research Institute. The staff member on the other end informed him that he could report for duty at any time.
Feng Qi wasn't surprised by this. No matter how the outside world discussed him, it couldn't erase his past successes in cultivation studies. Years ago, he had even been hailed as a historical genius who could revolutionize the field. With his resume, he could have easily joined the Tiger Soul Research Institute as a technique researcher without any issues. Moreover, he was only applying for the position of cultivation technique experimenter.
As the Lord of the Mist put it, this was a "crushing blow." He added that it bore a striking resemblance to a novel he had read while working as a lowly laborer in the steel plant, a novel titled:
[The Supreme Being of the Immortal Realm Returns to Be a Security Guard in the City].
In essence, it was a case of overqualified talent being underutilized.
After receiving Tiger Soul's confirmation, Feng Qi and the Lord of the Mist discussed the next steps of their infiltration plan. They ultimately decided that Feng Qi would enter the Tiger Soul Research Institute first, while the Lord of the Mist would continue to wait for Tiger Soul to host an event before initiating contact and exchange.
That noon, Feng Qi packed his bags and set out.
Following the address provided by the staff, he arrived at the gate of a branch base of the Tiger Soul Research Institute located in the northern suburbs of the city.
After getting out of the car, the staff member he had contacted in advance was already waiting.
After exchanging greetings, he passed through the security gate with the staff member and entered the Tiger Soul branch base.
He walked down a corridor lined with futuristic lighting for over a hundred meters, passing several studios filled with large computing machines, before arriving at a door.
"Go ahead."
Without hesitation, Feng Qi pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The room was sparsely furnished, with walls covered in charts of human acupoints and the desk piled high with files.
As he looked at the figure hunched over the desk, writing, Feng Qi suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.
At that moment, the figure looked up.
Their eyes met, and a familiar smile appeared in his eyes.
"Brother Qi, it's been a while."
(End of the Chapter)
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