Chapter 4: The winning numbers

After leaving Daniel, Nami didn’t return home immediately.

She found a quiet place to sit and took out her phone. Although she was still struggling to process the fact that she had been reborn, she knew she couldn’t afford to waste time.

Her hands still trembled at her new reality. She really thought it was the end for her, but life had given her another chance.

Six months.

That was how long she had before the apocalypse began.

However, she needed money to prepare herself, and considerably more than she could earn from her ordinary job as a procurement and inventory assistant.

There was property to acquire, construction to finance, supplies to purchase, and countless other preparations to make.

She also needed to establish a reliable source of water and electricity, secure the location, and ensure she had enough resources to survive when the world descended into chaos.

Counting what she needed to do with her fingers, she shook her head with exhaustion.

Even if she saved every penny she earned from now until the apocalypse, it wouldn’t be nearly enough to cover the cost.

She sat there for a few minutes, wondering what to do.

“Wait…” her eyes widened as the realization struck. “I’m reborn. I have memories of my past life.”

A low chuckle of relief escaped her and she tried to recall anything from her previous life that could give her an immediate financial advantage. She remembered several things, but one opportunity quickly stood out.

The lottery.

Her eyes brightened.

She remembered a particular lottery draw that had taken place around this period. It had been a major jackpot,and the results had been widely discussed afterward.

At the time, she didn't pay much attention to it, but she remembered people discussing the winner and the amount of money involved.

More importantly, she remembered the winning numbers.

Nami immediately sat up straighter, starting to feel excited.

‘Wow, wow, the perks of being reborn,’ she almost squealed but quickly stopped herself since was in public.

Then she closed her eyes, trying to recall the numbers exactly. At first, the memory was somewhat unclear, but as she concentrated, fragments began coming back to her.

She repeated them silently, afraid that she might lose them if she became distracted.

After a few moments, her expression changed as she finally remembered every digit.

Nami quickly opened her browser and searched for the lottery’s official website. She needed to confirm the schedule for the upcoming draws before doing anything else.

A few moments later, she found what she was looking for and she let out a breath of relief.

The next draw was scheduled for that week and a bright smile slowly appeared on her face, thankful that she didn't miss it.

Then she opened her notes application and entered the numbers.

She checked them several times, making sure she didn't mix anything up and once she was satisfied, she searched for an authorized lottery retailer and immediately headed out to purchase a ticket.

The lottery retailer wasn’t particularly crowded when she arrived.

A few customers were purchasing tickets, while the attendant behind the counter was busy checking something on a computer.

Nami approached and explained that she wanted to participate in the upcoming draw.

The attendant gave her the necessary information and asked which numbers she wanted to select.

For a brief moment, Nami stared at the selection screen.

These numbers had once been nothing more than a collection of digits to her. Now, they represented an opportunity to change the course of her entire second life.

With a smile, she carefully entered the numbers she remembered. After checking them twice, she completed the purchase and the attendant handed her the ticket.

Leaving, she made her way home, staring at the ticket as if staring at her future.

However, she wasn’t going to celebrate prematurely. Until the results were officially announced, there was no guarantee that her memories were accurate.

She would simply have to wait.

The following days passed without anything particularly unusual happening.

Nami continued with her ordinary routine, making sure not to attract unnecessary attention. She still went to work, handled her responsibilities, and maintained the appearance of someone whose life hadn’t changed.

Daniel contacted her several times.

At first, his messages were about the money she had refused to send. Later, he began asking why she was acting strangely and whether she was upset with him.

Nami gave him brief responses whenever necessary.

She had no intention of confronting him yet. Revealing that she knew about his betrayal would only make him cautious, and she wasn’t interested in giving him that advantage.

Chloe also contacted her, casually asking when they could meet.

Nami ignored the message for the time being.

There were more important things to worry about.

The lottery results.

On the evening of the draw, Nami sat on her bed with her phone in hand, waiting for the official announcement.

Although she was confident about the numbers she had remembered, a small amount of uncertainty remained. Memories could become distorted, and she didn’t want to celebrate before confirming the results.

And after everything she had experienced, she didn't want to build her plans around an opportunity that might not exist.

Finally, the results were released.

Nami quickly opened the official results page and brought out her ticket.

Her fingers tightened around it as she began comparing the numbers.

The first one matched, then the second and the third. It all matched.

She continued checking, growing increasingly tense with every number and by the time she reached the final one, her heart was pounding.

“Correct! They're all correct!”

Nami’s eyes widened.

“Ahhhhh!!!” She squealed, bouncing on the bed. “I won!! I won!”

She collapsed on the bed, rolling back and forth in celebration.

Suddenly she sat up, and checked the results again, then refreshed the official page to make sure there hadn’t been an error, but there was none.

She had won the jackpot.

The prize was worth ten million dollars.

For several seconds, Nami simply stared at the amount.

“Ten million dollars.”

Her jaw dropped and she clutched her beating chest.

That amount was more money than she could have realistically accumulated through years of ordinary employment. And now, thanks to the memories of her past life, it was hers.

A breathless laugh escaped her lips. ‘I actually did it. I really won.’

The excitement was quickly followed by a sense of relief. For the first time in her life, she felt that she had secured something substantial enough to change her circumstances.

In her past life, she had spent so much time struggling to secure resources and ensure the survival of others. Even with her knowledge and experience, there had always been limitations.

This time, she wouldn’t have to start from the bottom.

With ten million dollars, she could purchase a suitable property, finance its development, acquire essential supplies, and establish the infrastructure necessary for long-term survival.

She could also afford to hire people with the skills needed to turn her plans into reality.

However, she wasn’t going to rush into anything.

Sudden wealth could attract attention, and she had no intention of letting Daniel or Chloe find out. She needed to claim the prize, secure her finances, and make her next moves carefully.

Nami placed the ticket somewhere safe before leaning back in her chair.

One problem had been solved.

There were still countless things to prepare for, but at least she now had the financial means to begin.