As the Mist Lord maneuvered the warship away from the Black Abyss Domain Field, Feng Qi wasted no time in sending a distress signal to the Old Day Supply Zone.
Once the communicator connected, Feng Qi began recounting the narrative he had carefully crafted in advance.
When the warship docked, personnel from the United Military Department were already waiting at the shoreline.
Upon disembarking, Feng Qi and the Mist Lord were escorted to an office within the recruitment hall, where they underwent detailed questioning about the mission's process.
After piecing together their version of events, the United Military staff assured them that the failure of the joint operation would be investigated further. However, the staff clarified that this was not out of suspicion of wrongdoing but as a mark of respect for the fallen warriors.
When they finally left the recruitment hall, the sky had darkened into evening.
After dinner at the hotel, the two retreated to their room to refine their long-term plans for developing their forces.
During the discussion, the direction of their strategy gradually crystallized.
For the next several days, Feng Qi and the Mist Lord were summoned repeatedly to the recruitment hall to provide additional accounts of the mission.
This cumbersome process dragged on for half a month before finally concluding.
The conclusion came after a new joint action squad explored Black Abyss Island and found the traces and remains left behind by the humanoid domain faction's battle with Wang Lin's unit.
After photographing and documenting all evidence, the investigation into the events was deemed complete, and Feng Qi and the Mist Lord were no longer required to participate.
Freed from these entanglements, the pair could finally focus their full attention on strategizing for their future.
A month later.
Feng Qi was jolted awake by the sound of his alarm clock.
It was 6:30 AM. Together with the Mist Lord, he left the hotel and headed for the plaza of the Old Day Supply Zone.
By the time they arrived, at least ten domain combat squads had already assembled there.
Their attention was soon drawn to a squad arriving from the distance.
This squad's members were clad in top-tier gear forged from advanced spirit ores found in domain fields. Their equipment was uniformly painted black, and each member wore a black iron mask.
Leading the squad was a woman in a black mask whom Feng Qi recognized immediately.
It was none other than Wang Yi, the leader of the Death Star Combat Squad.
On this timeline, the Mist Lord had carefully deliberated before deciding to target Wang Yi.
This operation, initiated by Wang Yi, did not include them on the roster.
However, they had already planned to take advantage of the mission to seize control of Wang Yi's body and memory fragments, as well as her command of the Death Star Third Combat Squad.
Sitting at a breakfast stand in the corner of the plaza, they ate while occasionally glancing at Wang Yi, who was giving a speech.
According to the mission details displayed on the task panel, this operation was organized by Wang Yi and involved a total of thirteen participating squads, all rated B-grade or higher.
The objective was the Yellow Sand Domain Field in the southeastern sea region, specifically at the War Docks.
As for the precise details of the mission, they were not privy to them, given that they weren't official participants.
Half an hour later, Wang Yi issued her orders, and the squads began boarding vehicles to depart for the War Docks.
Feng Qi and the Mist Lord settled their bill and quietly followed.
After several hours, they arrived at the War Docks.
This location was no stranger to them.
During their previous mission exploring the Black Abyss Domain Field, they had departed from Dock Three of this facility.
The docks were called the War Docks for a reason closely tied to their function.
Warriors preparing to depart from these docks were entering domain fields, effectively stepping into battle zones.
In essence, the docks served as a transitional battlefield hub. From here, one could set out to various domain fields scattered across the ocean for exploration, resource collection, excavation, or combat operations.
The docks functioned like a dungeon portal in a game.
As such, this place was regarded by warriors as the starting point of all wars.
The original name of the facility had long since been forgotten with the passage of time.
At the primary dock, various types of warships were moored, including even larger war vessels.
On one of the largest warships, a banner fluttered proudly in the wind.
The flag bore a dark gray and black design, emblazoned with a burning black mask.
This was the insignia of the Death Star Combat Squad.
The ship itself was a masterpiece built by the Death Star Third Combat Squad, utilizing extensive resources from numerous domain fields. It boasted formidable defensive capabilities and a host of mysterious enhancements.
Under Wang Yi's command, the warriors began boarding the warships and heading out to sea, bound for the Yellow Sand Domain Field.
After waiting near the primary dock for about thirty minutes, Feng Qi turned to the Mist Lord.
"Let's get in the water first. There's surveillance nearby. We'll move once we're out of range."
With that, Feng Qi stepped off the dock and dove into the water.
The Mist Lord followed suit without hesitation.
Encased in a bubble of spiritual energy, Feng Qi moved swiftly through the water, with the Mist Lord trailing closely behind.
Once they were out of the surveillance area, the Mist Lord transformed into a cloud of gray mist and carried Feng Qi into the sky.
The Mist Lord's speed in flight was exceptional, and it wasn't long before they caught up with the fleet led by Wang Yi and the allied combat squads.
To avoid detection, the Mist Lord ascended to a higher altitude.
Even if noticed, it would likely be mistaken for a patch of low-hanging clouds.
They trailed the allied action fleet for half a day before the horizon revealed a new domain field.
This domain field's barrier was a dull yellow hue, obscuring any view of the interior.
Feng Qi and the Mist Lord had already researched this domain field before setting out.
It was known as the Yellow Sand Domain Field.
The rules inside it differed significantly from those of the human world.
For instance, there were no water-attributed spiritual energy particles within, making it impossible to form water-based spells. Additionally, it housed exceptionally powerful sand-elemental lifeforms.
These beings were fundamentally different from humans in their physical structure.
Unless their internal energy cores were destroyed, they could effortlessly regenerate their bodies, no matter how many times they were shattered.
The Yellow Sand Domain Field had already been 89% explored, leaving only a small portion untouched before it could be fully dispelled.
Wang Yi's organization of this joint operation, involving exploratory warfare, was clearly a preparatory step for the final dispelling battle.
War brought chaos, and chaos was the ideal cover for seizing Wang Yi's body.
Feng Qi and the Mist Lord had discussed the possibility of ambushing Wang Yi earlier.
They had considered attacking her while she was asleep or when she was alone.
However, after a thorough analysis, they concluded that such actions were too risky.
As a battle-hardened veteran, Wang Yi's true strength was an unknown factor.
The process of body possession was bound to cause significant disturbances.
If the ensuing battle drew the attention of the numerous domain warriors in the supply zone, the situation could spiral out of control.
While the Mist Lord was confident in his ability to possess Wang Yi, he had no assurance of surviving an all-out assault by the supply zone's warriors. He even doubted his chances of escape.
Thus, attempting a possession within the supply zone would only be feasible if they had overwhelming power to ensure her complete suppression. Otherwise, any resistance or struggle would be a monumental risk.
This was the primary reason they had abandoned the idea of a sneak attack.
The situation inside the domain field, however, was entirely different. The inherent dangers provided numerous opportunities to execute a possession.
As the fleet continued to sail for several more hours, the sun dipped lower in the sky.
The sprawling red clouds of the setting sun painted the sky crimson, their reflection shimmering on the waves—a breathtakingly beautiful sight.
When the fleet arrived at the Yellow Sand Domain Field's periphery, their pace slowed. They anchored their ships and vessels nearby.
Leaving behind a team to guard the ships, Wang Yi led her warriors into the water, crossing the yellow barrier into the domain field.
Without hesitation, the Mist Lord followed, passing through the sand-hued barrier.
Their vision was immediately enveloped by swirling sandstorms.
The endless yellow sand, swept up by fierce winds, obscured their surroundings as if they had stepped into an entirely different world.
The land was desolate and barren.
In every direction, there were no signs of vegetation—only yellow sand and howling winds dominated the landscape.
The warriors of the allied combat squad, having prepared in advance, donned breathing masks and followed Wang Yi further into the field.
Their silhouettes soon vanished into the sandstorm.
Feng Qi and the Mist Lord landed cautiously, their steps following the footprints left behind. They used their spiritual senses to maintain a safe distance from the squad ahead.
Thanks to the memories from a previous sacrifice line, Feng Qi knew that Wang Yi would eventually be possessed by the Mist Lord and become part of its power.
However, he couldn't confirm if this possession would occur during this specific operation.
Thirteen days passed.
Over a dozen days of following the squad brought Feng Qi and the Mist Lord deep into the domain field.
Along the way, they encountered numerous energy wells constructed with human technology. These wells were used to extract liquid spiritual energy from beneath the sands.
However, these facilities, having long since depleted the resources in their areas, were now abandoned and corroded by the relentless sandstorms.
Despite their extended journey, they hadn't encountered a single domain creature.
Feng Qi wasn't surprised by this.
Given that this domain field had been nearly 90% explored, the path they were on had been traversed countless times by domain warriors.
Any domain creatures that once inhabited these areas had likely been eradicated.
The only remaining creatures were likely the intelligent species still guarding the spatial crystals deeper within the field.
The monotony of this environment was starting to wear on Feng Qi.
His vision was filled with nothing but yellow sand and wind, devoid of any other colors to break the monotony.
As they continued following the allied combat squad, the wind intensified.
Tracking their footprints was becoming increasingly impractical as the wind erased the traces almost as soon as they were made.
They had no choice but to rely on their senses to navigate forward.
Finally, three days later, they arrived at the central area of the Yellow Sand Domain Field.
The long-anticipated exploratory war was about to begin.
Under Wang Yi's command, the allied combat squads launched an assault on a city formed entirely of condensed yellow sand.
Observing the battle through his spiritual senses, Feng Qi turned to the Mist Lord.
"Time to act," he said.
The Mist Lord nodded solemnly before transforming into a cloud of gray mist and heading toward the battlefield.
Feng Qi remained in his position, carefully monitoring the battle from afar.
The combat zone was chaotic. Yellow sand filled the sky, obscuring visibility to the extent that only spiritual senses could be used to detect nearby movements.
This was the territory of the intelligent domain creatures formed from yellow sand.
These creatures could condense their bodies using the sand around them and hide within it to launch ambushes on the allied combat squads.
However, it was evident that neither side was going all out, with both probing each other's strength.
The Mist Lord hovered in the air, his gaze fixed on Wang Yi, patiently waiting for the right moment to strike.
Time ticked by.
Countless warriors fell, their lives forever buried in the sands, while numerous yellow sand domain creatures were destroyed, their life cores shattered.
War was always cruel, inseparably tied to death.
After an extended observation, the Mist Lord seized an opportunity. Wang Yi had stepped out of formation to chase down an intelligent domain creature. That was the moment he launched his attack.
A cloud of gray mist enveloped Wang Yi, lifting her into the air.
Her personal guards, sensing her sudden disappearance, immediately rushed toward where she had been.
But Wang Yi had already ascended into the skies, leaving no trace behind.
Feng Qi's spiritual senses followed the mist as it soared into the air.
Though captured by the Mist Lord, Wang Yi didn't surrender. She fought back fiercely, her internal energy surging like waves, striking the mist and creating visible gaps.
However, the mist quickly reformed, refusing to release her.
The intense struggle continued for over ten minutes, with flashes of energy periodically illuminating the sky.
The battle occurred high above, and the wind and sand muffled the sounds of their clash, ensuring the warriors below, preoccupied with their own fights, remained oblivious.
After another ten minutes of fierce combat, everything fell silent.
The Mist Lord descended, carrying Wang Yi, and came to a stop in front of Feng Qi. A face formed from the mist, turning to Feng Qi as it spoke.
"I'm starting the possession now. Protect me," it said.
Feng Qi nodded immediately.
The gray mist began to contract, seeping into Wang Yi's body through her mouth, nose, eyes, and ears.
What followed was an intense battle of wills on a spiritual level.
Feng Qi couldn't perceive the specifics of their confrontation and could only wait.
After an indeterminate amount of time, he noticed changes in Wang Yi's body.
A faint gray mist began to emanate from her, circulating around her body.
Gradually, streaks of purple appeared in her jet-black hair, spreading rapidly until the black was entirely replaced by purple.
Seeing this transformation, Feng Qi realized the Mist Lord had clearly gained the upper hand. The possession was nearing completion.
He had already observed this trait during previous interactions:
Every human possessed by the Mist Lord would exhibit a distinct feature—purple hair and eyes.
This included Lin Ran.
After waiting for several more minutes, Wang Yi opened her eyes. A familiar smile spread across her face.
"I've succeeded," she announced.
"Congratulations," Feng Qi replied with a smile. "Next, you should return to the battlefield. This mission is a reconnaissance war, and it's about time to lead the troops back. These warriors are valuable resources we can utilize in the future—try to minimize casualties."
"No rush," the Mist Lord replied through Wang Yi's voice, a grin spreading across her face. "I've uncovered something unexpected in her memories."
"What did you find?"
"I discovered that Wang Yi was a spy planted in human society by a domain faction," the Mist Lord revealed.
"Wang Yi, a servant of the domain forces?" Feng Qi was visibly shocked.
He had always believed Wang Yi only came under the domain faction's influence after being possessed by the Mist Lord. This revelation turned that assumption on its head.
The Mist Lord grinned wider.
"How amusing. Not only have we gained control of her combat squad, but this identity might also allow us to extract benefits from that domain faction."