Boom—

Above the city of Evington, in what was once a pitch-black sky, a bizarre ripple suddenly appeared. A crystal, shimmering with golden brilliance, forcibly broke free from the constraints of time and space, shooting toward the north of the city.

Meanwhile, Kane, who was about to close up shop for the day, laughed as he said goodbye to the two young ladies who were finishing their shifts. He then locked the door of the store he had started with a friend.

Pulling out his phone from his pocket, he unlocked the screen and sent a message to his buddies: "Where are we heading for dinner?"

Soon after, Kane learned that his friend's shop still had a few customers and would close a bit late. He decided to walk back to his rented apartment in the city to take a shower first.

After a busy day, sweating was inevitable, leaving him feeling sticky and uncomfortable.

However, before he could take more than a few steps, a flash of golden light suddenly appeared before his eyes. In the next second, darkness engulfed his vision, and he collapsed headfirst onto the sidewalk, unconscious.

Due to the sudden loss of consciousness, his instinctual self-protective reaction did not activate. His head hit the hard stone pavement, inevitably resulting in a cut on his forehead.

Soon, blood pooled around him, creating a shockingly gruesome scene on the ground.

Halfway between dream and wakefulness, Kane heard a familiar voice calling his name. He slowly opened his eyes.

Looking up at the figure standing in the darkness before him, radiating a faint golden glow, Kane, unable to feel his limbs, wondered, "Have I traveled through time? Or am I experiencing some supernatural phenomenon?"

But before he could ponder further, the man in front of him turned around.

"You... you... who are you?"

As the man turned, Kane realized that he looked exactly like him, except for a scar over the left eyebrow, instilling an overwhelming sense of dread in him.

Faced with Kane's astonished cries, the man gave a faint smile.

Shortly after, as the man's golden glow flickered, he frowned slightly and ended their eye contact, saying, "Honestly, I never thought that my last shred of soul could break through the barriers of time and meet you here and now... Well, as you might have guessed, I am you, thirty years from now."

"What?"

Although Kane had harbored such suspicions, hearing them confirmed by the man left him utterly bewildered.

Seeing Kane's confused and speechless expression, the man, obviously having anticipated this scene, said, "I know this situation seems bizarre to you, but considering you’ve read a fair share of web novels, you should be able to grasp this seemingly inconceivable scenario, right?"

Just as he said this, the man's golden glow unnaturally flickered a few more times.

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Realizing that his time was running short, he cursed softly, "Damn," before continuing, "Time is running out. Let's cut to the chase."

"In three days, the game chosen by the gods that could save humanity will officially commence. As one of the first twelve pioneers, you'll be transported to the land of Korlos. In this high-fantasy realm of powerful martial prowess, you all will fight for the right of humanity in this world to continue their existence..."

"Uh, are you trying to tell me I'm supposed to be some kind of savior?"

Facing Kane's interruption, the man, not the least bit upset, just nodded and casually agreed, "Perhaps."

Hearing the man's response, Kane was taken aback. As someone who had been just an average Joe for over twenty years, he didn't possess such a noble sense of enlightenment. "What? Seriously, isn’t this joke a bit too much?"

"Who knows? Just remember, you have about six years left."

"Why six years?"

With Kane's question, the man fell into reminiscence before continuing, "In 12 months, the alien species will discover humanity, still bound to its mother planet, unable to venture into the stars. Their aggressive approach will unfold. After five more years, humans will completely lose the Earth!"

"They're that powerful? We have no chance at victory?"

"Yes!"

The man nodded, "In every aspect, they're beyond what humans at our current stage can contend with."

"So, the game chosen by the gods you mentioned, that's humanity’s last resort?"

"You could say that... although Korlos is fraught with danger, there is still a glimmer of hope for resistance."

Listening to the man, Kane realized the so-called living conditions of Korlos would not be optimistic. Otherwise, his thirty-years-later self wouldn't have come to him at this moment.

Kane asked, "You failed?"

"Yes, we managed to extend the survival time for the entire human race by twenty-six years, but ultimately, we failed..."

As he spoke, the man's legs began to slowly dissolve into faint golden particles!

Surprised, a thirty-year-future Kane stated, "Don't be surprised. As I said from the start, standing before you now is merely the last shred of my soul."

"Alright, time is short. Listen closely and try not to interrupt."

"There are three key things you must pay attention to, which is why I came back to this point in time. First, once you're transported to Korlos, remember to quickly enhance the summoning limitations of the Provisioning Crystal after gaining the ability to protect yourself, to expedite the transmission of humanity from this world to the plane of Korlos..."

Seeing Kane's questioning look, he continued, "Don't ask now; you'll understand once you get to Korlos. Also, this is crucial—our initial negligence of this led to our downfall. In the events that followed, 'insufficient numbers' became the weak point for us, the arrivals. Hindered by limitations everywhere, we continually suffered defeats, and humanity eventually faced extinction on Korlos!"

After this, the man's lower half had completely vanished.

"The second point is to refrain from aggressively opposing the alien races, as it will only accelerate Earth's destruction. Lastly, if you get a chance, start leveling up your god-chosen profession, 'Pioneer,' as soon as you can. While it's costly to upgrade, it always brings unexpected benefits. Remember these three points. Well, my piece is said. Now, if you have any questions, ask away."

Watching the man dissipate into golden particles before his eyes, Kane, filled with questions, asked, "Can’t any of this be avoided?"

"The discovery of Earth by the alien species was a result of their active exploration; it’s inevitable."

At a loss for words after this reply, Kane saw only a head remaining as the man vanished into golden particles.

Out of urgency, Kane blurted out a swear, "Damn! That's too fast... so, you came back here just to tell me this? Aren’t you supposed to tell me where to find unclaimed artifacts or hidden treasures on Korlos to give me a head start?"

Even as the man's mouth faded away, his voice still echoed in the darkness, "Without the ability to protect yourself, possessing artifacts or treasures might not be a blessing, right?"

"Alright, it seems it's time to say goodbye. One last tip, once you've settled down over there, remember to visit the Helensburgh library..."

Puzzled by this final tip, Kane mumbled, "Huh? What kind of tip is that?"

Realizing he was still in the pitch-black space, Kane shouted in frustration, "Hey... shouldn't you tell me how to get out of this damned place?"