In the murky darkness of the night that enveloped the city, Tham returned to the abandoned building.
Neon lights from outside streamed into the room, casting dancing shadows on the walls.
His mind was still focused on the information he had just received.
Dr. Aldus Crane... Neo Arcadia... Project Apocalypse...
These names echoed in Tham's head, like reflections from a ruined past.
A system alert he had just received momentarily stopped him.
[Danger: You are about to violate the rules of time travel. You cannot eliminate key individuals who will directly impact the world.]
[The goal is to establish strongholds for the survival of humanity. Please do not violate the rules unnecessarily.]
He frowned slightly. He understood that dealing with Dr. Crane might not be the best solution for the world.
But the surging anger from his losses almost made him overlook reason.
He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. His resolve wasn't about revenge.
It was about stopping Project Apocalypse and establishing strongholds.
Tham collapsed onto a rusty metal chair, resting his head against the cold, bare concrete wall.
Red neon light from an advertising sign outside splashed across his face, clearly revealing the pain and confusion in his eyes.
"Dr. Aldus Crane..."
He whispered. The name still felt like a needle in his heart.
The fact that he couldn't touch Crane was like being bound by invisible chains. He was here to stop it.
"Project Apocalypse."
The project that destroyed the world he knew, yet he couldn't do anything about its source.
The time travel system that brought him to the past had clear limitations.
"You cannot eliminate key individuals who will directly impact the world."
And
"The goal is to establish strongholds for the survival of humanity."
This system was like a double-edged sword. It gave him a chance to change the future but also bound him with iron rules. Tham understood that without these rules,
Time travel could lead to chaos even worse than the impending catastrophe.
He closed his eyes. Images of the ruined world, the barren land, shattered tall buildings, and the screams of the infected still haunted him.
Those memories fueled his rage, a rage ready to consume everything, but then the system reminded him of his limits. He couldn't seek revenge.
He could only prepare for the coming destruction.
"So, what do I do?"
Tham mumbled to himself. A feeling of powerlessness gripped his mind. He had come here with a glimmer of hope to change the future but found himself merely a pawn in a game far larger than he had ever imagined.
He opened a map from the device he had built.
The map showed several key points related to Crane and the Neo Arcadia project.
"Neo Arcadia"
was the name of the new city Crane was building under the guise of a climate restoration project. But Tham knew it was truly the breeding ground for disaster.
He traced his finger across the map to the location of "Omega Research Center," the core of Project Apocalypse. There, Crane was developing the virus that would engulf the world, and he couldn't directly stop it.
"I have to find another way."
Tham gritted his teeth. Anger still simmered, but he tried to channel it into driving force. He had to think outside the box, beyond the scope of his limitations.
Strongholds for the survival of humanity... that was his mission. He remembered the information he had gathered from the future.
Information about the virus outbreak, the pattern of civilization's collapse, and some safe zones that some survivors had established.
He had to build those strongholds ahead of schedule, preparing for what was to come.
"Resources."
Tham began to think systematically. He needed to gather resources: food, water, medicine, weapons, and shelter. He needed to find skilled people who could help him: doctors, engineers, scientists, soldiers. He needed everyone who could help build a new world.
But first, he had to avoid detection. He was from the future.
His presence in the past had to be as clandestine as possible. The system constantly reminded him that any actions directly impacting history would be recorded and could lead to unforeseen changes.
Tham walked to the window, looking out at the city full of lights. People were living their daily lives, oblivious to the creeping disaster.
"You don't know what's about to happen,"
He mumbled with a mix of pity and sadness. He couldn't warn them. He couldn't tell them the horrifying truth.
Because that might be considered a violation of the rules of time travel.
He turned back to the empty room. The darkness surrounding him seemed to reflect his inner feelings.
The loneliness and the heavy burden he carried. He was fighting an invisible enemy, fighting a predetermined fate, and fighting his own sense of powerlessness.
"I need to find a safe spot."
Tham began to plan seriously. He remembered an old underground train tunnel that had been a refuge for survivors in the future.
The tunnel was quite far from the city and had a good ventilation system. There was also an underground water source that could be utilized.
But transforming an old tunnel into a stronghold wouldn't be easy. He would need many tools, equipment, and a lot of labor. He would have to build defensive walls, security gates, and a backup power system.
"How long will it take?"
He asked himself. Time was a precious commodity he had limited. The faster the virus spread, the less chance he had of successfully building the strongholds.
Tham walked to his backpack, pulling out a small tablet he had repaired himself.
A diagram of the old train tunnel appeared on the screen. He began to plan in detail, marking out where to build living quarters, storage rooms, a infirmary, and a control room. He simulated scenarios of infected attacks and meticulously planned defenses.
He knew that building just one stronghold might not be enough. He would need to create a network of smaller, interconnected strongholds to ensure as many safe havens as possible for survivors.
"I can't do anything... except build strongholds."
Tham reminded himself again, trying to calm his anger and disappointment.
He couldn't stop Dr. Crane. He couldn't prevent the virus outbreak.
But he could prepare for it. He couldn't change the past, but he could change the future of the survivors.
He started by surveying the area around the abandoned building to find a safe route to the old train tunnel.
He had to avoid unnecessary encounters with people and be careful not to leave any traces that could lead to his exposure.
"My mission is not to fix the past, but to prepare for the future."
Tham said to himself firmly. His determination began to return. He couldn't let anger obscure his reason. He couldn't let powerlessness undermine his resolve.
He took a deep breath and opened his eyes again. His eyes were filled with determination and resolve. The neon lights from outside still streamed into the room, casting dancing shadows.
But now, those shadows no longer seemed scary. They were just a part of the darkness he would have to face.
Tham knew the path ahead wouldn't be easy, but he was ready to face it.
He had knowledge from the future, a system to assist him, and a clear goal: to build strongholds for the survival of humanity.
No matter how difficult it was, he had to succeed.
Perhaps not being able to change the past was for the best, because it forced him to focus on what was most important: building a better future for those who survived.
And in the darkness of that night, Tham began his mission. A mission that, although it had no fierce battles,
was full of hope and immense challenge. He was ready to be a builder in a world on the verge of collapse.