Qiu Yi is a man from 2025 who suddenly arrived on Earth in 2176, a world transformed by the appearance of mysterious Light Streams in 2100 that unleashed a devastating black mist and endless weird events. The global population plummeted, and exploratory Suicide Squads were formed to investigate the Light Streams, which led to a terrifying parallel world with its own laws, ecosystem, and human-like native inhabitants. Some brought back valuable otherworldly substances, driving many to seek fortune but few returned. Earth's technology lagged except for aerospace, as humanity rushed to colonize Mars. Over seventy years, Mars bases expanded into New Cities, and evacuation from Earth became a desperate necessity. Qiu Yi eked out a living as a scavenger on the frontlines of the black mist. He owned a strange ring that appeared with him, fused to his skin, giving him a sense of calm. He communicated online with a technical expert on Mars, a Big Shot who sent him a secret report in garbled code, stating that the document was stolen from high-level officials and was highly classified, seemingly just nonsense but certainly containing crucial information. The Big Shot warned that the black mist would worsen within months, with only a limited humanitarian evacuation planned for six million people, leaving millions to fend for themselves. He urged Qiu Yi to find a way off Earth.Qiu Yi needed 100,000 yuan to secure an evacuation ticket. To make quick money, he signed up for a newly discovered Light Stream mission with a company that paid 150,000 yuan per person. The recruiter, a glasses-wearing man, explained that the danger level was unknown and that a veteran captain, Team Leader Zhang, would lead. The team of fifteen was equipped with light protective clothing and three days of food. They drove in a convoy through the black mist to the Light Stream. Qiu Yi remembered witnessing a man being dragged into the black mist by indistinct figures, a memory that chilled him. Entering the Light Stream was instantaneous and disorienting; the world changed to a pitch-black plain with a single fireball in the sky casting faint light. Qiu Yi's ring suddenly heated, became translucent, and sank into his skin. A voice asked if he wanted to activate the Omniscient Eye. He accepted. Instantly, a three-dimensional map appeared in his mind, showing his location as a blue dot, the surrounding terrain, and multiple red dots approaching steadily from a distance. When he looked toward the sky on the map, he saw a giant finger-like object at the blurred boundaries, larger than the fireball itself, motionless. He could not see underground. He warned the others about approaching danger, but they ignored him; most intended to simply wait three days for the reward, forming small groups and lying down. Team Leader Zhang had already left with three strong men, telling everyone to explore or stay. No one wanted to team with Qiu Yi, so he set off alone toward a distant cluster of buildings he had seen on the map.After a long walk, he reached the area. The buildings were ellipsoid and cold to the touch. He saw robed figures emerge, wearing many layers of simple garments, their faces hidden. They gathered in a square around a black stone cylinder. The Omniscient Eye began translating their language: they chanted "Fire, not enough" and "Need, people." A strong robed person dragged Team Leader Zhang and the three others from the first team, all naked and terrified, through the crowd. The strong figure lifted them one by one and threw them into the cylinder. The cylinder closed and submerged underground. Immediately, the fireball in the sky expanded violently, growing intensely hot and bright, then stabilized at a warmer temperature. Qiu Yi realized that the robed people had mastered controlled nuclear fusion, far more advanced than Earth's current technology, and they were using humans as fuel for this device. He knew he had to escape. Checking his map, he saw that the Light Stream exit was now blocked by two red dots. Meanwhile, at the entrance, the two team members who had stayed behind, Brother Long and Little Brother, were attacked by a monstrous rotten-faced creature that swallowed Brother Long whole and vanished. Qiu Yi discovered a gold dot on his map thirty kilometers away, possibly indicating a valuable otherworldly substance. He decided to head toward it, avoiding red dots by taking detours. He traveled through the cold, lifeless plain, his Omniscient Eye constantly updating. On the second day, he was two kilometers from the gold dot but found many red dots encircling it. He used his walkie-talkie and connected with a male voice from Team Four. The voice laughed at him for being the lone wanderer, but Qiu Yi casually mentioned finding otherworldly substance to pique their interest. He stood at the edge of the map's unknown, the golden lure ahead guarded by unseen threats, with only his wits and the Omniscient Eye to survive.
The other team members at the Light Stream had been devoured by a creature, and the barrier to the exit was still held by red dots. Qiu Yi knew that returning was not an option. He considered joining the other team, but their mockery and the approaching deadline pushed him forward. The gold dot pulsed on his mental map, a faint gleam of hope in a world that offered none.
