Time Traveling System: Establishing The Last Stronghold for Humanity

Tham awoke the next morning.

A faint light filtered through the gaps in the buildings, falling across his face. The aches from last night still lingered but had faded considerably. He examined himself, finding no serious wounds, just minor scrapes from running from a horde of zombies after leaving the abandoned factory.

"I need to find somewhere safer," Tham muttered to himself. He knew sleeping in a building crevice like this wasn't a sustainable option. The encounter with strangers last night was a crucial lesson, and then encountering a horde of zombies... If he continued to be this vulnerable and couldn't control his powers better, he could easily be in danger.

He walked along the streets still filled with debris. The atmosphere of the dead city still filled him with despair. Buildings that were once centers of life were now nothing. Shards of glass and rebar were scattered everywhere, as if the world was weeping.

As he walked, Tham's eyes caught sight of something reflecting the sunlight. He walked closer and found a small shop, still somewhat structurally intact. The dilapidated shop sign was almost illegible.

"A shop..." Tham thought. "Maybe there's something interesting inside."

He decided to explore inside. The broken wooden door creaked as he pushed it open. A musty and dusty smell filled the air. Overturned shelves revealed numerous items scattered on the floor: old jewelry, crumbling books, and rusted household items.

Tham continued exploring, trying to use his wrist-mounted flashlight to illuminate various objects. He found an old wooden box hidden under a collapsed shelf. When he opened it, he discovered a notebook that seemed to be better preserved than the other items.

He picked up the notebook and opened it. The pages were yellowed, but the handwriting was still clearly legible. It was the diary of a young woman named Luna. She recounted daily life before the world fell apart. She wrote about her dreams, hopes, and small joys in everyday life. This diary gave Tham another perspective on the world he had left behind—a world that was once vibrant and full of color.

As he was reading the diary, the system notification chimed again.

---

["Past Chronicle" detected. You can use this as a reference for improving the stronghold in the past.]

[Suggestion: Studying the past will help you understand people's needs and build a more sustainable stronghold.]

---

"Okay, so that means I should keep this notebook, right?" He put the notebook in his backpack. He thought it might be useful for understanding the way people lived in the past, which would help him plan the stronghold better.

He spent a little more time exploring the shop. He was still looking for something he could take back to the past and convert into money. In this ruined world, money was worthless, but in the past, it was the most crucial factor in building everything.

Tham thought about future technology. He tried to figure out how he could adapt his knowledge. If he could create small inventions that didn't exist in the past, that might be a good way to earn money.

His eyes fell upon a wristwatch lying under the remnants of a shelf. It was a digital watch that seemed to be in good condition. Although it had some scratches, the display glass wasn't broken.

"A watch... hmm," Tham picked up the watch to examine it. He thought about the watch he was currently wearing. It was a special system watch that drew power from the body and could connect to information systems.

He tried to recall his knowledge of bioelectronics. If he could create a watch like this in the past, it should fetch a good price. No, if no one else had ever created it, he would be rich as the sole owner of this technology.

"But where would I get the materials?" Tham sighed. "I'd need a manufacturing source, tools, and more specialized knowledge than I have right now."

He continued exploring until he reached the back room of the shop, which was likely a storage room. It was dark and filled with many cardboard boxes. Tham shone his flashlight inside and found old tools that were kept in better condition than he expected.

There were hammers, screwdrivers, saws, and even a small hand-crank drill. Tham felt a little excited. This could be a good start. He couldn't create a body-powered watch right now, but these tools might help him create other useful items.

---

["Basic Tool Set" detected. You can use this for repairing or creating small items.]

[Suggestion: Learning crafting skills will increase your chances of survival and may lead to a source of income in the future.]

---

Tham stored the toolset in his backpack. He felt like he was starting to accumulate more equipment. Even if they were just small items, it was a good beginning.

Looking out the window, the sun began to set again. He couldn't stay outside at night anymore, and this old shop wasn't safe.

He needed to find shelter.

He left the old shop, trying to find a strong-looking place that could protect him from danger. He walked until he came across a large building that looked like an old office building. It had many broken windows, but the overall structure was still strong.

"This place should do," Tham murmured. He looked for things he could use to block the entrance. He saw a large metal sheet lying nearby. He tried to use his telekinetic power to lift it, but found it too heavy for him to control right now.

"Still a lot of training to do," Tham sighed.

He decided to enter the office building. Inside, it was still damp and dusty. Most of the office furniture was destroyed, but some rooms were still in good condition. Tham chose a room on the top floor with only one window that could still be closed.

He used scraps of cloth and paper to seal the gaps around the window, protecting against the cold wind and mutated creatures.

He arranged that small area into a temporary shelter, placing his backpack nearby and taking out the notebook to read again.

Reading the stories in the diary made Tham feel like he had traveled back in time. He read stories of relationships, friendships, and love that existed before everything collapsed. It made him think of his own story and his family who were gone.

"I will go back to the past," Tham told himself. "And I will build a stronghold strong enough to protect people, at least this Luna."

He took out the toolset again. He tried to think of what he could use. He saw a small pocket knife that was still sharp. He picked it up and tried to sharpen a stick he had picked up from the roadside.

Tham spent that evening experimenting with the tools. He tried assembling small parts, carving wood, and sharpening the knife. He didn't have much technical knowledge, but he tried to learn from what he had.

As he was engrossed in crafting, the system notification chimed again.

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[Your **Basic Crafting** skill has improved.]

[Progress: 1%]

[Suggestion: Continuous practice will increase your crafting efficiency.]

---

Tham smiled. He never thought he would enjoy doing something like this before. But in this ruined world, learning new things and seeing his own progress was the only thing that gave him hope.

"Only 1%," Tham murmured. "But it's better than nothing."

He decided that he would use each day he spent in this ruined world to practice his telekinetic powers and crafting skills. He had to become stronger. He had to become smarter. And he had to be ready to return to the past.

Last night, Tham learned that this ruined world was full of danger, but he also learned about the potential hidden within himself. He was no longer just the same Tham. He had power. He was stronger. And a crucial mission awaited him.

He looked out the window. Moonlight shone down on the ruins. It was a beautiful and sad sight, but in that darkness, Tham still saw the light of hope.