I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

Late at night.

Feng Qi strolled along the lakeside, lost in thought. His mind wandered between planning for the future and contemplating the structure of human civilization.

A faint breeze carried a melody to his ears. He looked up to see Mu Qing sitting beneath a willow tree by the lake, knees drawn to her chest, quietly playing a tune on the silver harmonica he had gifted her.

Without announcing his presence, he stepped closer and sat on the grass beside her, listening as she continued to play.

The melody was different from before—less sorrowful, more imbued with warmth. Each note seemed to carry a story, resonating with a tranquil yet resilient spirit. Feng Qi found his emotions moving in rhythm with the music, as if he were living the story it told.

When the tune ended, Mu Qing lowered the harmonica and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She turned to Feng Qi and asked softly, "Why did you give me this harmonica? Why are you so kind to me?"

"Because I understand the feeling of clinging to an object for comfort. This harmonica isn't just a gift for a friend; it's also my way of encouraging you to walk out of the shadows."

"Are you an orphan too?" Mu Qing asked, surprised.

"They were members of a domain combat squad. During an exploration mission, they went missing. The team only managed to recover their torn clothing and personal weapons. When I learned the news, I cried for days and couldn't recover."

"Now, my memories of them are blurry. But whenever I think about them, there's still this lingering sadness in my heart."

"What about you? How many days did you cry?" Feng Qi turned to look at her, his tone curious.

Mu Qing: …

Under his inquisitive gaze, Mu Qing hugged her knees tightly and spoke softly, "When they really left, I didn't cry. Instead, it was the little things—the wilting green plants on the windowsill, neglected for lack of care, the mosquito bites at night that no one tended to, and the silence when there was no one to sing me to sleep—that pierced me with waves of pain and loneliness."

"But I've gotten used to it now. My memories of them have blurred too," she said, her voice steady, her expression devoid of emotion.

"Stop pretending. That day your harmonica broke, you couldn't hold back and cried miserably. Acting tough every day—aren't you tired?"

Mu Qing: …

Facing Feng Qi's teasing smile, she suddenly looked down, as if hiding from the feeling of being seen through.

"Have you thought about what you'll do after graduating from Star City Academy?" Feng Qi asked, changing the topic.

Mu Qing raised her head again at his question, nodded slightly, and replied, "After graduation, I want to join a domain combat squad and fight on the frontlines against domain creatures. One day, I'll die a heroic death, ending my life there."

Her words stunned Feng Qi.

If this was truly her heartfelt desire, then why, in the future, would she establish the Dawn Rebel Army, become a sworn enemy of humanity, and lead her forces to slaughter multiple human cities?

Puzzled, he asked, "Why would you want to fight on the frontlines against domain creatures?"

Instead of answering directly, Mu Qing posed her own question: "You know I'm a scavenger, right?"

"Yes," Feng Qi nodded.

"You're from the city, so you wouldn't understand the hatred we scavengers hold for domain creatures. It's a hatred etched into our very bones, taught from childhood and impossible to erase."

Feng Qi remembered something Wang Jinsheng had once said during a lecture.

In a discussion about those who fought most valiantly against domain creatures, Wang Jinsheng had named the scavenger teams from outside the cities.

At the time, a student had stood up to argue, claiming that city-dwellers were just as brave in fighting domain creatures.

Wang Jinsheng's response had left the student speechless.

In the classroom that day, Wang Jinsheng had posed a chilling question to the students:

"If you were captured by domain transcenders and tortured for information about Star City, who among you could resist breaking under the pain and fear?"

After a pause, he added, "I suspect fifty percent—no, even eighty percent of you—wouldn't hold out. Not because you're cowards, but because you lack something critical: an all-consuming hatred for these invaders!"

He had walked to the front of the class and stared at the students.

"Imagine your once-happy life suddenly shattering. Your city is overrun by monsters. Your mother is beheaded before your eyes. Your father has his limbs twisted and torn off, his body consumed piece by piece. Your pregnant wife is sliced open, her unborn child ripped out and devoured as you're forced to watch..."

The classroom fell silent as his voice grew heavier.

"Now, back to my original question: After witnessing such horrors, being captured by domain transcenders, their claws pressing against your skull, and enduring unspeakable pain, would you break? Would you beg for mercy? No! You'd want nothing more than to tear them apart, to feast on their flesh in revenge. That hatred would burn within you, unquenchable and unrelenting."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.

"Many scavengers have lived through this nightmare. They weren't born scavengers. They were once city dwellers, just like you, until one day, their homes were engulfed by domain fields."

He had continued, giving a specific example.

"Take the legendary figure you've all read about—Ye Huang. You know him as a historical hero, but do you know his story?

"Seven members of his family died under the claws of domain creatures. His beloved younger sister had her arms torn off, one by one, followed by her legs, before his eyes. Only Ye Huang survived the ordeal, walking out of that domain field alone. And in the years that followed, over a hundred members of the Ye family would die as martyrs in the fight against the domain fields.

"That kind of hatred is etched into their very bones, passed down through generations. Can you even begin to fathom such pain?"

Feng Qi remembered how silent the class had been afterward. Wang Jinsheng's words had been raw, unfiltered, and undeniable.

As Mu Qing had said, the hatred scavengers held for domain creatures ran deeper than anything city dwellers could understand.

The stereotypes about scavengers—violent, greedy, selfish—were surface-level judgments. Few recognized the unwavering resolve and generational hatred that drove them to stand against domain creatures.

Reflecting on this, Feng Qi felt he now understood why Mu Qing's family had willingly participated in the Rune-Enhanced Human Project. It wasn't just for Mu Qing's future; it was their way of contributing to humanity's survival against the domains.

Even as a child, Mu Qing had absorbed that hatred and resolved to continue the fight, even if it meant risking her life.

So why, he wondered again, did she later betray humanity? What hidden events in that classified history had pushed her to lead the Dawn Rebel Army against her own kind?

His train of thought was interrupted by Mu Qing's voice.

"Feng Qi, what about you? What are your plans after graduation?"

Snapping back to reality, he grinned.

"I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll start a domain combat squad of my own and make you the vice-captain. We'll hunt monsters together, and one day, we'll die heroically, remembered as legends by future generations."

Mu Qing: …

"What? You don't want to team up with me?" Feng Qi teased.

"Actually, I've thought about forming a squad too," Mu Qing said with a rare smile. "But maybe you should be my vice-captain instead."

"Sounds like a thrilling career path."

"Thrilling enough to end with a death sentence, most likely," Feng Qi joked internally.

"What was that?" Mu Qing asked, her brows furrowing adorably.

"Nothing. Just that as the team captain, you'd better pay me well so I can support myself."

"We'd be fighting for humanity's future. Talking about money cheapens the cause," she retorted, shaking her head.

"Fair point," Feng Qi said, laughing.

As the night breeze swept around them, the two continued talking. The conversation was light but profound, gradually strengthening the bond of friendship between them.