Another World: When a Necromancer Possesses the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls

Caught off guard! Suffering devastating losses! Humanity's foothold in the other world was uprooted, and the survivors fled in panic back to Earth. Relying on the three spatial gates themselves and their surrounding areas, they constructed their last line of defense, entering a long and passive defensive phase. Exploring the other world? It became a blood-stained dream.

In 2336, another devastating piece of news arrived. Scientists were horrified to discover that even with the external energy supply completely cut off, the three spatial gates remained firmly in place! They seemed to have become one with the spatial structure of Earth, impossible to close!

This news was like a bucket of ice water poured over a head, completely extinguishing any illusions that humanity could "shut down and be done with it" in the short term, and panic spread like a tangible reality.

The true apocalypse has arrived. The influence of stellar energy is no longer confined to the vicinity of the gate; like an invisible plague, it has rapidly spread across the globe (except Antarctica). The mutation and evolution of native Earth's creatures have entered an accelerated phase, with their territories expanding wildly.

Monsters that once existed only in science fiction and ancient legends began to emerge from the wilderness, forests, and even the depths of the ocean. Human cities, like isolated islands in a vast ocean, endured endless onslaught. The population plummeted, and the embers of civilization faltered in the storm.

In order to survive, humanity was forced to abandon 95% of its land territory, concentrating the remaining population in cities guarded by high walls and heavy troops. Inside the cities, a minimal food supply was maintained by semi-automated farms.

Between cities, fragile connections were maintained by heavily armed trains—armed trains like mobile steel fortresses, responsible for transporting bulk supplies and troops; underground train networks were also under construction at a rapid pace, and aerial transport required close escort by fighter jets for every operation to undertake personnel transportation and emergency evacuation tasks. Human civilization had entered the "city-state era" of highly militarized management.

The political landscape was completely reshaped. Forged in blood and fire, the Asian and Southeast Asian continents were integrated into a unified "Huaxia Kingdom"; European countries united to form the "Western Federation"; and the Americas established the "American Federation". Central Asia, Africa, and other regions, due to historical, geographical, and religious factors, reverted to a loose, independent "city-state" model.

The world's population has plummeted from a peak of 10 billion to 25-100 billion, with China (Asia) accounting for approximately 30 billion, and the West and the Americas each accounting for about 3.5 million. Behind each of these numbers lies a mountain of corpses, a sea of ​​blood, and endless sorrow.

However, humans are ultimately a remarkably resilient species. Even in the depths of despair, the spark of hope has not been extinguished.

Around 2350, the situation began to stabilize. Humanity's exploration of the world beyond the gate came at a high price, but it also brought the dawn of power!

Explorers from China and the Western Federation gradually came to understand and verify the evolutionary path of "professions" through their contact with otherworldly creatures and relics! Using star energy as a source, awakened individuals can be divided into two main directions: physical (warrior, archer, assassin and their advanced forms) and summoning (fire mage, ice mage, summoner, etc.).

The Federation of America discovered advanced technological routes in the ancient ruins of the desert that surpassed the technology of Earth at that time, especially in energy weapons, materials science, and large vehicles.

The three major powers put aside their past grievances and began a large-scale exchange of technology and knowledge. The physical prowess and combat skills of the physics-based forces, the energy manipulation and mystical powers of the summoning-based forces, and the technological weaponry and defense systems of the Americas—these three combined to give humanity, for the first time, the power to truly fight back against mutated creatures and otherworldly threats!

The glimmer of hope finally pierced through the heavy gloom.

The Blue Star controlled areas began to be gradually reclaimed. Relying on newly acquired power and technology, humanity began to systematically clear threats around city fortresses, reclaim some lost territory, and significantly enhance the security of intercity passages.

Establishing a foothold in another world was a difficult process: After countless sacrifices, humanity finally re-established relatively stable strongholds in the Central Continent, the Holy Light Islands, and the edge of the desert. More importantly, in the later stages of their exploration of the other world, humanity encountered the true dominant civilizations there—the Celestial Dragons of the Central Continent, the Angels (People of Light) of the Holy Light Domain, and the interstellar civilization of the desert.

Through arduous communication, limited exchanges, and necessary compromises, humanity finally gained basic "recognition" in the other world and acquired a foothold.

The biggest breakthrough in connecting the "main city" portal occurred around 2400. Through negotiation (or rather, with permission) with the dominant civilization, humanity successfully erected a directional portal connecting to the otherworldly "main city" within the "channel area" established near the three spatial gates!

This means that humanity's movement range in other worlds has been expanded on an epic scale, no longer limited to the vicinity of their strongholds. They can be directly teleported to the capital cities of the Celestial Dragons, the temple areas of the Angels, or the main base cities of interstellar civilizations to engage in deeper cultural, production, exchange, and trade activities. They can also be teleported to safer "mature areas" controlled by dominant civilizations for development, or to dangerous "wilderness areas" for hunting and training.

Thus, the "interdimensional invasion" phase, which lasted for 72 years, was finally successfully resisted by the humans of Earth.

At the same time, an amazing discovery has brought new hope: scientists have confirmed that the stellar energy permeating the Earth is slowly and deeply penetrating into the planet's core! This penetration is not destructive; on the contrary, it enhances the planet's "activity" to some extent and extends its geological lifespan.

Even more remarkably, Earth itself seems to have begun to passively "breathe" this energy, causing the concentration of stellar energy on the planet's surface to slowly and steadily increase. This change feeds back into the biosphere, with the most significant effect being increased lifespan! The changes are not yet obvious in ordinary people, but for awakened individuals who embark on professional paths, as their levels increase and their bodies are tempered by stellar energy, their cell division cycles are significantly lengthened.

Some professionals who have broken through to higher levels can still maintain the appearance and physical functions of a young adult even when they are over 100 years old! This undoubtedly greatly stimulates people's desire for "professional awakening".

"call……"

Li Xingyao exhaled a long, silent breath, as if trying to temporarily dispel the heavy picture spanning a century in his mind. The city lights and shadows outside the window flashed by quickly; the cold steel, efficient machinery, and shuttling vehicles were all products of this century of disasters, struggles, reconstruction, and compromises.

He murmured to himself, “Star Energy…” This key word that runs through the modern history of Earth is both the source of disaster, tearing apart the old civilization and bringing more than seventy years of darkness; and the key to the new era, opening the door to professional evolution and reshaping the way of human survival.

This realization, carrying the dust of history, weighs heavily on my heart.

At the same time, this is also the "power" he gained.

The scene of yesterday's awakening ceremony reappeared in my mind—the violent light of the star energy crystal pillar, the dazzling "100" on the monitoring screen, and the fleeting glint in Director Zhao's eyes... Behind all of this, the mysterious Ten Thousand Souls Banner in my mind played a crucial role.

It was this that guided the stellar energy and triggered the extraordinary phenomena; it was this that endowed me with initial capital far exceeding that of ordinary people; and it was this that opened up a desolate realm called "the Necromancer's Space," leading me onto the path of a necromancer, a path filled with unknowns and taboos.

But Director Zhao's expression yesterday... never mind, I won't think about it. The surveillance system in this world is so advanced; as long as you don't leave the city, your personal safety is generally guaranteed.

Li Xingyao slowly swept his gaze across the carriage. In the front row, a girl was quietly reciting the basic theories of the elemental system; next to her was a boy wearing old clothes, with a basic smart ring on his wrist issued by the government. He stared blankly out the window, perhaps one of those who had not yet awakened.

In the back row, two boys dressed in obviously high-end custom-made casual clothes were excitedly discussing which warrior class was more powerful in the later stages, their words filled with anticipation for the future... These young faces, whether awakened or not, regardless of their background, are all descendants of this grand epic of "catastrophe and revival" that has lasted for a century and is still not completely over.

They, including themselves, stand at the starting point of a path of power built upon stellar energy and ascended through professions. Some may stop halfway, while others may reach legendary or even saintly heights, writing their own chapters.

"Beep—Tianshui City Third Advanced Training Camp Station has arrived. Passengers, please prepare to disembark in an orderly manner. Next stop, Xinghui Commercial Plaza..."

A soft yet cold electronic synthesized voice rang out in the carriage, instantly pulling Li Xingyao back to reality from the vast river of history and his complicated thoughts.

He snapped back to reality and realized that his palms were slightly sweaty. He took a deep breath, and the cool morning air filled his lungs, also calming the heavy feeling in his heart caused by revisiting history.

No matter how grand history may be, it is ultimately in the past. The present is the starting point.

Today was the first day of the preparatory course. Li Xingyao stood up and followed the crowd to the car door. His body was still tired, but his eyes had regained their clarity, revealing a subtle yet unwavering curiosity and determination. The weight of history had not disappeared, but had been transformed into a thirst for knowledge about the source of power, a cautious approach to the future, and a hidden excitement and vigilance regarding his own "uniqueness."

The car door slid open, and the cool morning air rushed in, carrying the unique scent of the campus—a mixture of grass, trees, and youthful energy. He stepped out of the car, looked up at the "Tianshui No. 3 High School" before him, a place that embodies the dreams and hopes of countless young people, and then joined the flow of people heading towards the school gate.

Li Xingyao stepped into the teaching area of ​​the preparatory grade of the Third Advanced Training Camp in Tianshui City. People were still coming and going in the corridor, but an invisible selection process had already taken place.