Chapter 1
June 6, 2014
At exactly 1:00 PM, Marcus Foster sat in front of his computer, a sudden shiver running through him.
"Where am I..." Marcus looked around, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.
Although he could now identify his surroundings as his bedroom, Marcus felt something was off; he had a vague feeling that this shouldn't be the case.
"Strange..." Marcus frowned, getting up from his ergonomic chair and walking towards the living room.
In the living room, Marcus carefully examined everything, including the small decorations on the coffee table, the sofa arrangement, and even the position of the TV remote.
After careful observation, Marcus confirmed that everything was arranged correctly, indeed according to his own habits, but he still felt an inexplicable awkwardness.
If he had to describe this awkward feeling, it was probably like stepping out of an air-conditioned room in the summer and being enveloped by scorching heat.
Marcus had a similar feeling now!
He felt that everything was wrong!
"What's going on..." Marcus muttered to himself, then took out his phone and dialed a number.
After waiting for the other party to answer, Marcus spoke first, "Jake, where are you?"
"I'm at work, what's up?" Jake Mitchell asked.
Marcus was silent for a few seconds before speaking, "Do you still remember my first girlfriend?"
"Huh?" Jake was stunned for a moment, "Holy crap! Marcus, what's going on with you?"
"Nothing, I'll hang up now." Marcus replied casually and hung up the phone.
Marcus sat on the sofa and turned on the TV.
The news was playing.
"...Given the recent abnormal activity in the Bermuda Triangle, major airlines have canceled related flights, and the specific reasons are not yet clear. Dr. Reynolds, what are your thoughts on the abnormal situation in the Bermuda Triangle?"
"The Bermuda Triangle has been the subject of various legends for decades. My personal theory about this abnormal situation is that it's a chaotic magnetic field, which has caused navigation problems for airplanes and ships." Dr. Reynolds spoke confidently.
Marcus frowned again as he watched the news. This particular broadcast gave him a sense of déjà vu, as if he had been to a place before, and seeing it again brought a feeling of familiarity.
"Why do I have this feeling..." Marcus muttered to himself. He got up and went to his bedroom to search online for information about the Bermuda Triangle, hoping to recall more details.
Marcus searched online for information about anomalies in the Bermuda Triangle. After some research, he discovered that anomalies weren't limited to the Bermuda Triangle; they also occurred within the United States.
For example, the "Devil's Gate" in Yellowstone National Park, the "Vanishing Point" in the Mojave Desert, and Area 51 all exhibited anomalies. These three areas were already rumored to be forbidden zones, and now they were experiencing a series of strange phenomena.
These included sudden dense fog, satellite detection failures, navigation failures, electromagnetic communication outages, and even probes connected by cables losing control when entering the anomaly zones.
There were all sorts of speculations online about these situations, including bizarre theories such as invasions from other worlds, alien invasions, and interdimensional breaches.
Marcus reviewed the various information, and a sudden flash of inspiration struck him, but it was like trying to see through a fog—always obscured and unclear.
"What happened... ah... ah... ah..." Marcus suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, and he couldn't help but cry out.
About three minutes later, the pain subsided, and Marcus was soaked in sweat.
He lay pale on the floor, the intense pain almost causing him to pass out. He gasped for breath to calm himself.
Nearly three more minutes passed before Marcus calmed down a little. He tentatively murmured in his mind, "System?"
"Hello, host, the Transcendence System is now at your service." A voice, almost synthesized electronically, sounded in Marcus's mind.
"Transcendence System... what is your function?" Marcus asked the crucial question.
"The core function of the system is to assist the host in transcending time and space to achieve eternity!" the Transcendence System responded.
"How do I transcend time and space?" Marcus asked again.
The Transcendence System responded, "There are many paths to transcend time and space. The system is currently integrating into the current timeline. Please wait patiently, host. Once the integration is complete, it will provide the host with corresponding strategic solutions."
"Was that intense pain just now a side effect of the system's integration?" Marcus asked.
The Transcendence System gave an affirmative answer, "Yes. The Transcendence System has just integrated into the host's soul, becoming the host's soul imprint, completely becoming a part of the host. Even if the host dies, even if the host's soul is shattered, even if some indescribable being takes the host's soul, the host's soul and the Transcendence System's imprint will still be reborn with the help of the Void Fire."
"Does that mean I'm immortal?" Marcus grasped the key point.
"Theoretically, yes, but please note that once the host truly dies, if the situation is too extreme, the host's resurrection time could very well be measured in billions of years," the Transcendence System reminded Marcus.
"At the same time, after the host dies, the system cannot retain the host's physical characteristics. Therefore, please pay special attention; if death can be avoided, please do so," the Transcendence System added.
"By the way, System, I've encountered something strange. Can you analyze it?" Marcus quickly voiced his doubts, including his feeling of being out of place in the world.
"Please wait, host, the system is analyzing the corresponding information..."
"Warning! Time Cage detected..."
"Warning! Host marked by Time Cage..."
"Warning! Time Cage detected as an ordered entity..."
"Warning! Abnormal fluctuations detected in the host's time river..."
Marcus saw a series of warning messages in his mind. He quickly asked, "What is a Time Cage? What does 'ordered entity' mean? What does the abnormal fluctuation in my time river mean?"
The Transcendence System responded, "A Time Cage can be simply understood as a cage, but its bars are made of time itself. A Time Cage with an ordered entity means that this Time Cage is a non-natural object created by some intelligent being."
"The abnormal fluctuations in the host's timeline are because the host has been marked by the Time Cage and is trapped within it. The host feels out of place in the world, and even feels familiar with various news reports of anomalies, because the host has been traveling through time within the Time Cage," the Transcendence System explained to Marcus.
"You mean... I'm a time traveler?" Marcus was utterly shocked!