3: Stocking up

It was Day Two before the apocalypse.

Vivi felt relieved when Ward didn’t call her back throughout the morning. It was a clear sign that he was completely consumed by his sudden and inexplicable financial ruin.

That gave her the time and freedom she needed to carry out her plans without interruption.

‘I need to leave Rostia by Day Five and head to Veridia,’ she thought as she washed up and tied her light brown hair into a neat ponytail. ‘That gives me only a few days to finish all my preparations.’

After changing into a comfortable pair of trousers and a loose top, she left her apartment in search of a suitable place to stay.

Her city apartment was perfectly fine for everyday living, but it would become a death trap once the apocalypse began. When the Day of the Rising arrived, ordinary residential buildings would be dangerously exposed to structural collapses, roaming monsters, and desperate survivors willing to kill for food and shelter.

She needed something better.

A proper stronghold, far removed from the chaos of the city streets. A secure refuge where she could comfortably ride out the next two years of the coming disaster without worrying about monsters breaking through her doors or desperate people trying to rob her.

Using part of the money she had taken from Ward, Vivi acquired a decommissioned storage property on the desolate outskirts of the city.

The building itself was plain, but it had a deep basement level constructed with solid concrete walls and a heavy metal door, originally built decades ago for secure record-keeping.

Tucked away in a decaying industrial sector where even stray dogs rarely wandered, it was entirely off the grid and perfect for what she needed.

Once the deed was legally transferred under an anonymous shell company, Vivi got straight to work transforming the basement into her personal shelter.

Over the next two days, she deliberately ignored Ward’s frantic, incessant phone calls, dedicating every waking hour to visiting wholesale food suppliers, hardware stores, and pharmacies.

Because the apocalypse hadn’t struck yet, buying provisions in bulk drew a little suspicion but then whenever cashiers looked twice at her loaded shopping carts, she simply offered a bright, polite smile and explained that she was stocking up for a massive, remote camping project.

Trip after trip, she transported her purchases to the basement and arranged everything carefully on the metal shelves she had installed.

Boxes of dried foods, canned goods, and other long-lasting provisions soon filled the storage units. She also stocked up on bottled water and large water containers, along with basic filtration equipment to ensure she could obtain safe drinking water if her supplies eventually ran low.

Knowing that years of isolation could become unbearable, she even set aside a few crates of beer and soda, along with several board games to keep herself entertained.

Survival wasn’t just about staying alive. She also needed to maintain her sanity.

Next came the medical supplies.

Vivi gathered first-aid kits, bandages, antiseptics, and a generous stock of ordinary medicines. Once the apocalypse began, hospitals and clinics would quickly become overwhelmed, and many would eventually cease functioning altogether. Even a minor injury could become dangerous without proper treatment.

She also gathered practical tools like a reliable backup generator, spare fuel cans, flashlights, extra batteries, and sturdy locks for the doors.

She had no intention of repeating the helplessness of her previous life.

She also acquired practical equipment, including a reliable backup generator, spare fuel containers, flashlights, extra batteries, and sturdy locks for the entrances. Every item had a purpose, and she made sure everything was arranged neatly and remained easy to access.

Gradually, the empty basement transformed into a clean, organized, and well-stocked shelter.

Vivi handled all the heavy lifting herself. She refused to hire movers or ask anyone for assistance because she didn’t want unnecessary attention. The fewer people who knew about her preparations, the better.

Besides, she couldn’t afford to have anyone remembering her face or becoming curious about why she was stocking an abandoned building with enough supplies to survive for months.

By the time she finished arranging everything, she was exhausted.

Vivi stood in the middle of the underground room, breathing heavily as she surveyed her work. The shelter was nearly complete, and for the first time since her rebirth, she felt a genuine sense of security.

However, something was still missing.

“I still need a bed and a sofa,” she muttered, rolling her eyes as she wiped a smear of dust from her forehead. “Dragging those things down here by myself is going to be a nightmare.”

Regardless, she knew she had to get it done.

She needed somewhere comfortable to sleep and a place to relax during the long months of isolation ahead. There was no point in preparing to survive the apocalypse only to make herself miserable in the process.

With a resigned sigh, she pulled out her phone and opened her calendar.

The date was getting dangerously close to her deadline.

By tomorrow, she needed to finish the remaining preparations and catch her flight to Veridia. She had to arrive before the first midnight crystal drop, or she risked losing the greatest opportunity of her second life.

There was no time to waste.

Rest could wait.

She had too much to do and too little time to do it.

She needed somewhere comfortable to sleep and a place to relax during the long months of isolation ahead. There was no point in preparing to survive the apocalypse only to make herself miserable in the process.

With a resigned sigh, she pulled out her phone and opened her calendar.

The date was getting dangerously close to her deadline.

By tomorrow, she needed to finish the remaining preparations and catch her flight to Veridia. She had to arrive before the first midnight crystal drop, or she risked losing the greatest opportunity of her second life.

There was no time to waste.

Rest could wait.

She had too much to do and too little time to do it.

Little did she know that high above her, mounted discreetly on a rusted pole just outside the building’s perimeter, the tiny lens of a hidden security camera blinked softly, recording her every move.