Echoes of a Lost World

chapter 02

What's going on? I can feel a tightness in my chest—I can't breathe. It feels like I'm having a panic attack. But no, that's not it. I know exactly what's happening. All those books I spent 27 years reading described this condition very specifically: I've been transmigrated to another world. But knowing and accepting are two very different things.

I can barely stand; my legs feel like they're going to give out. But I can't afford to collapse—not now, not when I have no idea what's going on.

The buildings are in ruins, and greenery has overtaken everything. I can even see a car with a tree growing through it. There's an eerie silence, as if the world itself has stopped.

I glance down at myself. Long, lustrous white hair cascades down to my feet. My small, pale hands look like they've never touched anything in their life. And what's with these strange clothes? The fabric is soft, but the design is elaborate—almost too fancy for such a desolate place.

There was a bit of water on the ground, and I caught a glimpse of my reflection—an angelic face staring back at me. Wait a minute... this beauty, the white lustrous hair, and the ruined city... Then it hit me: "Adam." Oh my God, did I transmigrate into that villain?

This time, I really couldn't keep myself standing. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the ground, the events of the book flooding my mind. A post-apocalyptic world, zombies everywhere. "I need to run and hide," I thought, but I couldn't move at all.

Just a moment ago, all I cared about was making a good first impression. And now, I have to focus on survival. Isn't it usually the case that when you transmigrate, you get some kind of system, a gift pack, or at least some cheats?

"System?... Panel?" I called out uncertainly. And just then, a blue screen popped up from thin air.

Name: Adam
Age: 16 years old
Level: 01
Power: *******, *******, *******, *******
Participant: Number 14

Missions:
Finished: [Click for more info]
Unfinished: [Click for more info]

Characters: Busybody, Kind, Doctor, Dumb, *******, *******, *******, *******, *******

Gifts:
Space (Access Denied)
Survival Manual
Clothes
Phone (Access Denied)
Map
*******, *******, *******, *******

Message: Survive.

So, only a first name, no family name. Well, I'll just go with my name—"Hart."

As soon as I said it, a "ding" sound echoed in my head, like a notification, and the panel updated to show my full name. So, this body is 16 years old. In the original story, Adam appeared when he was 18, which means I have two missing years to account for. Since the story was told from the perspective of the main protagonist, I don't have much information about Adam's life before then.

Next, the level. Judging by the state of destruction around me, I'd say it's been over four years since the apocalypse started, and I'm only at level 01. That must mean I awakened not too long ago. But where was this body before? The clothes and the condition of the body suggest that he didn't suffer much, so where did this body live, and why did it show up here, right now? That's another mystery I need to solve.

Then there are the powers. I have four blank slots, which means I possess four abilities. That's strange. In the story, Adam only used healing and zombie immunity. Before I could think further, another "ding" resounded in my head.

Name: Adam Hart
Age: 16 years old
Level: 01

Powers:

HealingZombie Immunity******************

Participant: Number 14

Missions:

Finished (Click for more info)Unfinished (Click for more info)

Characters: Busybody, Kind, Doctor, Dumb, *******, ********, *******, *******, *******

Gifts:

Space (Access Denied)Survival ManualClothesPhone (Access Denied)Map********************************

Message: Survive

I need to figure out the rest. I tried using my healing ability, but only a faint, warm light appeared—so small that it was barely noticeable in the daylight. "Maybe I need someone injured to test it properly," I thought as I kept walking, looking for a safer place to think. Being out in the open wasn't ideal.

Then, I spotted a coffee shop called "Paw Coffee." The doors seemed closed, and the glass wasn't broken. I peered inside, hoping not to see any zombies waiting for me. After confirming it was empty, I carefully opened the door and went inside. I headed to the second floor, choosing a seat that faced the street, and opened the panel again.

Number 14... Does that mean there are thirteen other people summoned to this world? What happened to them? Are they still alive here? Or do they summon someone new when the old one dies? The character traits section... Sigh, I'll ignore that for now.

Next, the missions. I clicked on finished missions first, but there was nothing. Well, what did I expect? I moved on to unfinished missions and clicked to see what was there.

Missions:

Finished: NoneUnfinished:Find a sturdy shelter to survive the day (Daily)Have a full meal (Daily)Take a warm bath (Daily)Survive the night (Daily)Use your power to save a lifeTouch the hand of a human

"...Okay, what's with the last part? Are you trying to set me up with someone?" I muttered, shaking my head. "You know what, never mind. So, I need to find a sturdy shelter. Does that mean this place isn't considered sturdy enough? Fine."

I shifted my focus to the gifts section. "Space... like a storage space from novels?" I clicked on it. A screen popped up, displaying a grid with 10 cubes. Only the first one was accessible, and it showed as 40% full. Intrigued, I selected it and found... clothes. A hundred pairs of clothes, shoes, scarves, and bags. Most of them had a futuristic, interstellar style that didn't match this world's current era. I remembered that this world was supposed to be set in the same timeline as my original world.

"Whatever," I muttered, examining the items further. To my surprise, the clothes came with buffs. For example, one outfit had a stealth buff, and the shoes allowed for silent movement. "Nice, so all the clothes are useful."

Next, I checked the 'Survival Manual.' It contained food, water, camping materials like tents and torches, knives, first aid kits, medicines, and various other helpful items. At least I wouldn't have to worry about basic necessities for a while. But no matter how hard I tried, I still couldn't access the phone. "Damn, I really need it to re-read the story again," I sighed in frustration. Finally, I turned to the map.

When I clicked on the map, a holographic display appeared before me. I assumed the green star represented my location. There were no living beings within a 20-kilometer radius, which was somewhat reassuring. As I explored the map further, I noticed clusters of red skulls, varying in size—most likely indicating zombies. There were also other red symbols scattered around, suggesting different types of dangers.

"Good, at least I'm safe for now," I muttered to myself. I continued searching the map, zooming in and out, but no other green signs appeared. This place seemed practically deserted, except for those dangerous entities. No humans were anywhere nearby.