First Island
White light filled Rangga's vision.
Slowly, he opened his eyes, greeted by the sound of crashing waves and an unfamiliar sea breeze.
"Ugh..."
His head throbbed violently, forcing him to sit up while clutching his temples. As his senses gradually returned, his eyes darted frantically in every direction.
"Put! Putri! Where are you?!"
No answer came.
All he saw was a stretch of white sand, scattered trees, and an endless ocean surrounding him.
Then the same voice echoed directly inside his mind once again.
《Welcome, Pioneers.》
《Congratulations on being chosen as humanity's second chance.》
Rangga immediately looked up at the sky.
"HEY, YOU BASTARD! SEND ME BACK! SEND ME BACK RIGHT NOW!"
He grabbed a rock at his feet and hurled it toward the sky with all his strength.
Naturally, it simply fell back to the ground.
The voice continued its explanation as though completely ignoring his outburst.
《Each Pioneer will have one opportunity per day to send resources from this world back to Earth.》
《Every shipment will be multiplied ten thousand times, with a maximum limit of five kilograms per day.》
"I DON'T CARE! SEND ME BACK!"
Rangga kept picking up rocks and throwing them skyward, hoping someone would hear his desperate screams.
《Every Pioneer will receive a personal island that can be developed.》
《A boat has been prepared on the shore for exploration and resource gathering.》
Rangga turned toward the beach.
A small boat was docked at a simple wooden pier.
Without a second thought, he sprinted toward it.
"I have to go back... My little sister's all alone."
The voice continued.
《Resource islands will sink after a certain amount of time.》
《The remaining time can be viewed through each island's status.》
Rangga jumped into the boat.
He immediately searched for an oar.
There wasn't one.
He looked for an engine.
Nothing.
Before he could curse again, a translucent blue screen appeared directly before him.
Please select your exploration destination.
Island A
⭐ (1-Star)
A tropical island with several coconut trees.
Time Remaining: 22:34:17
Island B
⭐ (1-Star)
A swamp island covered in shallow pools of water.
Time Remaining: 21:54:12
Rangga stared at the two choices in confusion.
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"What the hell is this now...?"
The voice echoed again.
《If a Pioneer survives for ten years, those who remain alive will be returned to Earth.》
《While in this world, every Pioneer will be broadcast live to their home country, except while inside their private residence.》
Rangga slowly raised his head.
He looked at the unfamiliar sky before turning toward the endless sea.
As far as the eye could see, there was no other land.
No ships.
No trace of civilization.
"Damn it... Where the hell am I? What about my sister?"
He jumped out of the boat and ran around the island, still clinging to the hope of finding a way home.
But no matter where he ran, all he found was the same tiny island surrounded by an endless ocean.
The voice delivered its final announcement.
《Every seven days, Earth may send one message to each Pioneer.》
《Every seven days, each Pioneer may send one reply back to Earth.》
《No other form of communication is permitted.》
《May you become humanity's hope.》
At that very moment, another phenomenon unfolded on Earth.
Gigantic screens suddenly materialized in the courtyards of every presidential palace and government headquarters around the world.
Each screen displayed the one hundred Pioneers from that nation, now stranded on their own mysterious islands.
Some were screaming.
Some were crying.
Some sat motionless in stunned silence.
Others ran aimlessly, desperately searching for a way home.
The Administrator's voice echoed once more inside the minds of every human being.
《The Pioneers will send resources back to Earth every day.》
《Every shipment will be multiplied ten thousand times, with a maximum limit of five kilograms.》
Not long afterward, military convoys rolled into the government compounds.
Police officers and soldiers quickly surrounded the giant screens, establishing security perimeters to prevent anyone from approaching.
The same scene unfolded in the Garuda Nation.
The voice continued.
《The resource reception points have been designated.》
《All shipments will arrive in the courtyard of each nation's leader.》
President Prabu, General Suryo, cabinet ministers, and leading experts hurried outside.
The moment they saw the enormous screen up close, everyone fell silent.
The faces of the Pioneers were displayed with remarkable clarity.
General Suryo pointed at one of the smaller windows.
"Sir... that's Andres... one of our country's actors."
His finger shifted to another screen.
"And that's Dita... a fairly famous influencer."
President Prabu's eyes widened.
"Then... it's true... They really were chosen."
His gaze swept across dozens of unfamiliar faces that continued changing across the display.
"Hurry."
"Identify every Pioneer from our country."
"Yes, Mr. President!"
General Suryo saluted before immediately organizing an identification team.
The Administrator's voice echoed once again.
《Every seven days, Earth may send one message to each Pioneer.》
《Every seven days, each Pioneer may send one reply back to Earth.》
《No other form of communication is permitted.》
Vice President Dirga immediately issued his orders.
"Secure this entire area."
"Install cameras."
"Broadcast these screens across the entire country."
"Yes, sir!"
Staff members and officers rushed into action.
Meanwhile, the Pioneers on the giant screens remained trapped in their own panic.
Some pounded the ground.
Some cried out for their families.
Others simply sat staring at the endless sea.
On one of the screens, a young man covered in bruises ran along the shore of a tiny island while shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Putri! Put! Where are you?!"
After circling the tiny island eight times without finding anything except beaches and trees, Rangga finally stopped.
He dropped to his knees at the shoreline and slammed both fists into the sand.
"Damn it! Damn it all! What the hell is this, you bastards?!"
His breathing became ragged as rage and despair consumed him.
Suddenly...
Another voice echoed inside his head.
This one was different.
More mechanical.
Colder.
As though it didn't belong to any living creature.
[Ding!]
[Analysis System installation initiated.]
Rangga immediately looked toward the sky, then to his right.
Then to his left.
No one.
"What now...?"
A few seconds later, the mechanical voice returned.
[Installation complete.]
[Congratulations. You have successfully obtained the Analysis System.]
Rangga looked around once more in confusion.
His gaze accidentally landed on a seashell lying in the sand.
Instantly, a golden interface appeared beside it.
Sea Shell
Description: A common shellfish found along beaches and in shallow coastal waters. A source of protein.
Weakness: Its hard shell can be opened more easily after being heated over fire.
"WHOA!"
Rangga instinctively jumped several steps backward.
"What the hell is that?!"
He stared at the golden screen for quite some time.
Then he realized something.
"...It's different."
"This isn't the same screen as before."
The island selection interface on the boat had been translucent blue.
This one was golden.
Rangga cautiously reached out to touch it.
His hand passed straight through the screen without feeling anything.
"Damn... this just keeps getting weirder."
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the panic that had consumed him ever since arriving in this strange world.
Once his emotions settled slightly, he began walking toward the center of the island while carefully observing his surroundings.
Only now did he truly notice the island's size.
It wasn't very large.
By his estimation, the entire island was only about the size of a single soccer field.