Early the next morning, Rangga was already standing outside his hut as the sun rose over the horizon.
Laid out neatly beside his feet was all the equipment he planned to bring that day.
Stone Knife. Two Stone Axes. Two Stone Pickaxes. Composite Alloy Bow. Thirty Alloy Arrows.
Rangga nodded with satisfaction.
"Alright... Today's the swamp."
He had barely taken a step toward the dock, when the Administrator's voice echoed across the world.
《The first seven-day period has been completed.》
《Communication between Pioneers and Earth has been unlocked.》
《Each Pioneer will receive one message from Earth and may send one reply.》
Rangga froze.
A blue screen slowly appeared before him. A single message was already displayed.
Mas, it's me, Putri. I'm with the military now, and I'm okay. I watch you every day from here. Stay strong until you come home. I'll be waiting for you.
Rangga read every word slowly. His hands began to tremble.
The screen then shifted to a second message.
Official Message from the Government of the Garuda Nation
To every Pioneer of the Garuda Nation, Thank you for your courage and perseverance.
The resources you have sent have greatly helped the people of our nation.
We have established an information-sharing network among all Garuda Pioneers, with Major Deri serving as coordinator.
We hope every Pioneer will cooperate and share information to improve everyone's chances of survival.
Stay safe, and keep fighting.
Before he realized it, the axe, pickaxe, and the rest of the equipment in his hands slipped to the ground one after another.
Thud.
Thud.
Clang.
Tears slowly streamed down his face.
"...Putri..."
His voice trembled.
"You're... You're really okay? I'm okay too..."
He bit his lip, struggling against the tightness in his chest. A few moments later, the screen changed again.
Please record your reply.
Is this the message you wish to send?
Rangga fell silent then he slowly shook his head.
"No."
The screen disappeared. He took a deep breath and wiped the tears from his face.
Looking up toward the sky, he spoke again—this time much more calmly.
"Putri... I promise I'll keep fighting until the very end. Until we meet again... Keep watching over me, okay?"
He paused before continuing.
"To the Government of the Garuda Nation... Please take care of my little sister. In return... I'll do everything I can to send the best resources possible and I'll cooperate with Major Deri."
"Please... Take care of my sister."
A few seconds after he finished speaking, the blue screen reappeared.
Is this the message you wish to send?
Rangga wiped away the last traces of tears. This time, without the slightest hesitation, he pressed Yes.
《Message successfully sent.》
The screen slowly disappeared.
Rangga lowered his head for several moments before quietly picking up each piece of equipment from the ground.
When he finally looked up again, his eyes held far greater determination. He began walking toward the dock once more.
Now he knew the one thing that mattered most. Putri was still waiting for him to come home.
At the same time, a large auditorium inside the military complex was filled with an atmosphere unlike anything before.
Long rows of tables had been arranged throughout the room. On each table sat a screen displaying a different Pioneer.
Every family of the Garuda Nation's Pioneers had been gathered there.
Near the front of the hall stood General Suryo and President Prabu. Neither of them spoke.
Today wasn't about strategy nor meetings. It was the first chance families had to exchange news after seven long days apart.
Throughout the hall, quiet sobbing gradually filled the air.
One mother cried while embracing the screen after hearing that her son was still alive.
A father lowered his head, wiping away tears after receiving a brief reply from his daughter.
Elsewhere, a wife smiled through her tears as her husband assured her he was safe.
Not far away, Putri stood hugging the screen showing Rangga.
Her brother's recorded reply had just finished playing.
"Putri... I promise I'll keep fighting until the very end... Until we meet again... Keep watching over me, okay?"
Fresh tears rolled down Putri's cheeks. But this time, she was smiling.
"Okay, Mas... I'll be waiting."
Behind her, the female officer who had cared for Putri smiled softly. General Suryo silently looked across the room. President Prabu did the same.
Neither of them intended to interrupt. They simply allowed every family to cherish what might be their only opportunity to exchange words after seven days of separation.
Within that hall... Tears... Smiles... Hope... And longing... All blended together. And for the first time since the Pioneers had disappeared from Earth...
Every family felt just a little more at peace. Because they knew the people they loved were still alive and they were still fighting.
At that same moment, livestream platforms across the world experienced an enormous surge in viewers.
Not because of battles. Not because of new discoveries. But because of the first communication between Earth and the Pioneers.
The comment sections moved so quickly they became almost impossible to read. Not only on Rangga's stream. Every Pioneer received the same outpouring of support.
"Stay strong! Come home alive!"
"We're waiting for you on Earth!"
"Don't give up!"
"Thank you for fighting for us!"
"You're all heroes!"
"Stay alive!"
"We're praying for your safety!"
"Take care of yourselves!"
"We pray for you every day!"
"Thank you for every resource you've sent!"
On Rangga's stream, the comments poured in nonstop.
"Rangga, Putri's okay!"
"Come home, brother! Give your sister a better life!"
"We'll take care of Putri here!"
"Keep fighting, Rangga!"
"Don't forget to eat!"
Meanwhile, Deri's stream filled with messages of support after viewers learned that the government had chosen him as coordinator.
"Major, we're counting on you!"
"Hope the Garuda Pioneers can work together!"
"Take care of everyone, sir!"
The same scenes unfolded across every other Pioneer broadcast.
Some offered encouragement. Some expressed gratitude. Others simply left prayers.
Everyone understood one painful truth. The Pioneers could never read any of those comments. Yet nobody stopped typing.
As though writing those words allowed them to stand beside the people struggling to survive in another world.
For a brief moment, the entire world seemed united by the same hope. May they all find their way home.
Not long afterward, Rangga stood once again aboard his newly upgraded boat.
He took a deep breath before opening the exploration menu.
This time, the available destinations were unlike anything he had seen before.
Select Exploration Destination
Swamp Island ⭐ (1-Star)
A muddy island filled with marshes and pools of water. May contain unique minerals and natural resources unavailable on other islands.
Time Remaining: 20 Hours
Tropical Island ⭐⭐ (2-Star)
A richer tropical ecosystem containing more abundant resources—but with significantly greater danger.
Time Remaining: 16 Hours
Desert Island ⭐⭐ (2-Star)
A barren island with extreme temperatures. Rich in rare minerals but scarce in water and home to unknown threats.
Time Remaining: 15 Hours
Rangga frowned.
"...Huh? New ones?"
His gaze shifted toward the two two-star islands.
"Two stars... So they're more dangerous?"
He then noticed the timers beneath each destination.
"And... They disappear even faster."
Rangga rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"The higher the difficulty... the less time you've got."
He briefly looked at the Two-Star Tropical Island and the Two-Star Desert Island, but quickly shook his head.
"No... Not yet. I need clay first."
Without another thought, he selected the One-Star Swamp Island.
A moment later, his Level 2 boat vibrated gently as the System's propulsion activated.
Slowly, the boat pulled away from the dock and cut across the sea, carrying Rangga toward the swamp island that awaited his next expedition.