The crimson flames continued to burn.
The screams of those who had ignited grew weaker and weaker. It was impossible to imagine what kind of agony the red fire inflicted—only pain beyond endurance could force such wails from human throats.
After a long, long time, their bodies were reduced to fine piles of ash.
And then, from nothingness, a single Red Soul Flower bloomed at each spot.
Only eleven people were still alive.
They stared at the scene in silent torment. Every one of them clenched their fists tightly, faces pale as paper, teeth gritted hard. Some struggled to keep the tears from spilling over, while others bit their lips until blood seeped out.
The forest was still filled with the ceaseless roar of flowing water. Red magic lilies now carpeted the woods, forming a scene as breathtaking as a fairyland—yet the beauty was steeped in eerie terror.
More than twenty piles of ash lay scattered across the ground. Just minutes ago, they had all been living, breathing people. Now, they were nothing more than small heaps of cinders. If one hadn't witnessed it with their own eyes, no one would ever believe such a thing could happen.
"My God…"
Alex sighed as he looked at the ashes. "There are only eleven of us left now. What do we do next—keep moving, or stay here? wait?"
No one seemed to hear him. Their gazes remained fixed on the ashes, as if their minds refused to accept reality.
"We keep moving!" someone finally shouted. "If we move on, there's still hope. If we stay here, we'll only die. This forest is far too strange!"
The speaker was a middle-aged man in military uniform—Elliott. The temporary squad of seven that had once followed him had been reduced to just four.
At least Mia and Wyatt, who had stayed with Alex the whole time, were still alive. They hadn't been tempted by those illusory promises of supernatural power.
"Can we… really survive?" someone asked shakily.
"Is this truly a world where humans can live? So many people died in such a short time…"
What they had just experienced had completely shattered the hope people once clung to. It all felt too unreal.
Alex spoke calmly, his voice steady.
"We've been through a lot today—things that, by all logic, should never have happened. But we still have each other. And we will return to Earth alive."
"This wasn't a random crossing meant to kill us," he continued. "We don't know the reason yet, but I believe survival is still possible."
Elliott glanced at Alex with a hint of approval. To remain this composed at such a time spoke volumes about his fortitude.
"You're right, man," Elliott said. "Do you remember the words we heard when we crossed over?"
"I do," someone with a sharp memory replied.
"Above the mist lies the dominion of all things. Below the mist is the cage of all living beings."
"The mist is the origin of all the extraordinary—and also the grave of all the extraordinary."
"Pioneers of Earth, will you become rulers… or merely one among the masses?"
Alex raised an eyebrow. He'd been asleep at the time and hadn't heard any of that. But hearing it now only strengthened his belief that survival was possible.
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
"Pioneers!"
"Exactly." Elliott nodded, rubbing his lips thoughtfully.
"Pioneers. That means we're not the only ones. More people from Earth might cross through time and space later. If we think about it in the worst way… maybe even the entire planet."
Alex frowned.
"So our role is to pave the way for those who come after us?"
After a moment of thought, he relaxed.
"If that's the case, then our chances of surviving are pretty high. Once we get out of this forest, we might find the answers we're looking for."
"Agreed." Elliott nodded again. "My suggestion is to keep moving. At the very least, we need to leave this forest."
Seeing the confidence in the two of them, the others gradually relaxed as well. At this point, any argument was less important than the simple desire to keep living.
Just as they were about to set off, something strange happened again.
Golden threads suddenly appeared on all eleven survivors.
One end of each golden thread was connected to a person, while the other stretched deep into the forest, its source unknown.
Alex first looked at the golden thread attached to himself—then his gaze shifted.
Beside it… there was another thread.
A black one.
He froze.
Judging by everyone else's expressions, no one had noticed anything unusual. It seemed that only he could see this extra black thread.
What does this thread represent?
Is it merely a guide—or something else entirely?
Why are everyone else's threads golden, while I have an additional black one?
Questions flooded Alex's mind, but there was no one who could answer them.
"What does this mean?" someone asked. "A guide?"
"Maybe," another replied. "The golden thread feels… familiar. Almost comforting."
"If our guess is right," someone said slowly, "this golden thread might be some kind of guidance. Following it could lead us to the truth."
"Of course," another voice added grimly, "there's also the worst possibility—that it's nothing more than bait."
One wave had barely settled before another rose.
Staring at the golden threads attached to them, the group exchanged a few words before falling into heavy silence.
After a moment, Elliott spoke firmly.
"We have no other choice. Let's see what's waiting for us at the end of these threads."
The sky gradually darkened. A gentle breeze swept through the forest, causing the bewitching Red Soul Flowers to sway.
Everyone's emotions churned violently. Their lives were at stake—no one could afford to take this lightly.
Five hundred meters away from the river, the golden threads grew brighter and brighter. It was clear they were nearing the source.
No one dared to delay.
They pressed on.
After another hundred meters, the golden threads began to flicker.
Then someone cried out in shock.
About a hundred meters ahead stood a palace, towering over 300 feet high, standing alone in the forest. Thick mist coiled around it, obscuring its full form.
"This palace… this must be where the threads lead," someone said. "It looks man-made."
"Does that mean there are humans in this world?"
"The answers are inside. Let's go see."
As they approached and examined it more closely, they realized the palace was enormous, covering a vast area.
One person reached out and touched the wall—only for their hand to pass straight through it.
"It's… fake? Another kind of supernatural phenomenon?"
"The source of the golden threads is inside. If it's an illusion, should we even go in?"
As if sensing their arrival, the palace suddenly shifted—
In the next instant, it transformed from illusion into reality.
The entire process was dreamlike beyond words.
For a moment, everyone nearly forgot their fear. The sight before them was awe-inspiring. This was something that had never existed on Earth.
"Genuine… supernatural power," Mia murmured in wonder.
Alex looked at the others.
"Let's go in."
"Yeah," Elliott said in a low voice, staring at the palace. "The answers we seek are probably inside."
There was no grand gate.
They stepped into the palace.
Directly ahead stood a screen wall. From behind it, a gentle golden glow rippled outward. When they moved around to the other side, they saw a sphere of golden light floating in the air, radiating a soft halo—hazy, sacred, and indescribably serene.
From the golden light extended eleven golden threads—
And the other ends were connected to them.