The projection continued, but the records abruptly cut off.
What remained were fragmented, corrupted data logs, the timeline halting at Year 654 of the New Era. Beyond that, nothing.
Lin Yi frowned deeply. He tried manipulating the device, but before he could do anything, a final line of text flashed across the screen:
"Lin Yi, do not tell the AI."
His pupils shrank.
"Don't tell the AI?"
A whirlwind of thoughts crashed through his mind.
Why?
The AI was the core of the Eastern Federation. If it hadn't been destroyed in the war, could it have prevented the fall of civilization?
Or was it responsible for it?
Lin Yi's breath hitched.
"Is the AI… part of the disaster?"
His brain was in chaos.
The numbers on his wristband's countdown timer blinked urgently—
00:05:12.
Less than five minutes.
Lin Yi clenched his jaw. No time.
He grabbed the terminal device, cast one last glance at the skeleton of the former Guardian Commander, then turned and ran out of the ruins.
The Present—625 NE, 3:20 AM
Lin Yi's eyes snapped open.
He found himself back in his bedroom.
Familiar ceiling. Familiar nightstand. The same framed photo of his parents smiling beside him.
Everything was normal.
As if that post-apocalyptic nightmare had never happened.
But Lin Yi knew better.
He sat up slowly, his chest rising and falling unevenly as he tried to regain his composure.
"Was it all a dream?" he muttered.
Yet his heart was still racing. His skin tingled with the aftershocks of adrenaline.
His wristband flickered to life automatically, displaying the current time—
July 21st, 625 NE, 3:20 AM.
Lin Yi's face paled.
That was the exact date and time he had fallen asleep the night before.
But his memories of the ruined world were crystal clear.
"That place… wasn't a dream."
He quickly grabbed his wristband, flipping through the interface, checking for any trace of proof.
Nothing.
No terminal device in his room. No black box in his hands.
Nothing came back with him.
"Did I really just… return empty-handed?"
His stomach twisted.
Then his screen flashed.
99+ unread messages.
Lin Yi furrowed his brows.
A notification from his girlfriend was at the top. He tapped it open.
"Lin Yi, where the hell did you go?! You weren't answering all night!"
Multiple missed calls, voicemails, worried texts.
Lin Yi sighed heavily and immediately called her back.
"Hey, babe… Sorry, I was asleep. My wristband was on silent mode."
The other end exploded.
"You scared me half to death, you idiot! I thought something happened to you!"
Her concerned tone made his tense shoulders relax slightly. He patiently reassured her until her frustration melted into worry.
"Seriously… just let me know next time, okay?"
"Yeah. I promise."
After hanging up, Lin Yi exhaled slowly, rubbing his forehead.
Then, another message caught his eye—this time, from Wang Yanfei.
"Lin Yi, you didn't reply to my texts yesterday. Are you okay?"
A few more texts followed.
"Dude, at least tell me you're alive."
"If you don't respond soon, I'm coming over."
Lin Yi stared at the screen.
Then, with renewed determination, he sent a message back.
"Wang Yanfei, come over now. I need to tell you something. It's important."
As soon as the message was delivered, he set his wristband down, fingers trembling slightly.
The final words from the black box echoed in his mind.
"Lin Yi, do not tell the AI."
His eyes narrowed.
"If this was a dream, then it was too real. But if it was real…"
"Then I need to figure out why the AI mustn't know the truth."
Wang Yanfei—Training Grounds
Wang Yanfei was in the middle of his morning warm-ups, preparing for another intensive physical test.
His wristband suddenly buzzed.
"Lin Yi, come over now. I need to tell you something. It's important."
A wave of relief washed over him.
"This guy finally responds, huh?"
Just last night, Lin Yi had completely ghosted everyone—no texts, no calls. Wang Yanfei had been genuinely worried.
But then—his brows furrowed.
Lin Yi's message felt… off.
Lin Yi always called him "Old Wang" or "Swallow", never full name. The only times he did were when something was really serious.
"What the hell happened?"
Without hesitation, he strode toward his instructor.
"Coach, I'm not feeling great. Can I take the morning off?"
The instructor eyed him briefly before nodding. "Fine. Go get some rest."
"Thanks."
Without another word, Wang Yanfei sprinted out of the training grounds, flagged down a cab, and directed it toward Lin Yi's apartment.
Lin Yi's Apartment
By the time Wang Yanfei arrived, his heart was pounding for an entirely different reason—anxiety.
He didn't bother knocking.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
"Lin Yi! Open the damn door!"
Moments later, the door swung open.
Lin Yi stood there, looking exhausted, his face pale, dark circles under his eyes.
"You look like hell." Wang Yanfei raised an eyebrow.
Lin Yi didn't respond immediately. Instead, he glanced outside, making sure no one was watching before pulling him in and shutting the door behind them.
"Dude, what the hell is going on?" Wang Yanfei finally asked.
Lin Yi gestured to the couch.
"Sit. Let me explain."
Something about his tone made Wang Yanfei swallow his usual jokes.
He sat down, leaning forward, hands clasped. "I'm listening."
Lin Yi took a deep breath.
"Do you believe in time travel?"
Wang Yanfei blinked.
Then snorted. "Are you high?"
Lin Yi didn't laugh.
He simply stared at him, expression dead serious.
Wang Yanfei's grin faded.
"Wait. You're serious?"
Lin Yi nodded.
"Last night, I woke up in a completely different world. A world that had already been destroyed. The year was 670 NE—forty-five years into the future. The entire Eastern Federation was gone."
"Bullshit."
Lin Yi continued anyway.
"I found records, Wang Yanfei. War between East and West. The AI core was destroyed. And then…"
He paused.
Then, he locked eyes with Wang Yanfei.
"You."
A chill ran down Wang Yanfei's spine.
"Me?"
Lin Yi nodded.
"In the final battle, you became the strongest superhuman in history. You single-handedly held the last line of defense."
He took a shaky breath.
"Then, you died."
Silence.
Wang Yanfei was stunned.
For the first time in his life, he was speechless.
Lin Yi clenched his fists.
"That world—everything I saw—was because of something that happens now, in 625."
His voice lowered.
"And the black box gave me one final warning."
He looked Wang Yanfei directly in the eyes.
"'Don't tell the AI.'"
Wang Yanfei stared at him.
His gut told him—this was no joke.
Whatever was coming…
It had already begun.