Chapter 5

After finishing her study of the pocket dimension, Clara picked up her pen again and continued sketching and jotting notes on paper.

She had been at it for a long time.

Physical training came first.

Even with Shadow watching over her, she couldn't let herself rely entirely on him.

In her past life, Clara had been skilled with a knife. The alertness she had honed and the techniques she had learned in the apocalypse had been solid.

But now, her body was weak, and her muscles weren't developed enough. She needed to build strength, endurance, and overall fitness.

Next came stockpiling. Food, medicine for extreme weather, clothing, daily necessities, plus supplies for Shadow, which included dog food, treats, and even dog clothes.

She also had to prepare vehicles for harsh conditions, like RVs, sleds Shadow could pull, off-road vehicles, and boats.

Tents, camping lights, shovels, solar chargers, generators, water purifiers... She couldn't overlook any of these things.

Then there was the house itself.

Clara looked around her home. It was approximately one thousand six hundred square feet, which wasn't all that small. It was also a gift from her parents and was situated in a prime location in the city center.

However, the floor level was too low.

Acid rain, floods, and even blizzards could easily submerge ten- to twenty-story buildings. For safety, she needed to be at least twenty floors up, ideally the top floor. Living on the top floor would give her a quick escape to the rooftop in an emergency, adding another layer of protection.

As Clara reflected on it, she recalled a small but unforgettable event from her past.

It had been just over a month into the apocalypse. Acid rain had been pouring nonstop, most streets were flooded, and boats were the only way to get around.

Society had already collapsed, and most households were running low on food. Everyone was frantically scavenging, unsure of what horrors might come next.

Clara and a few companions had formed an impromptu team to scavenge for supplies. By chance, they stumbled upon a twelve-story building.

The first two floors were already underwater. They entered on the third floor and discovered that the lower levels had been used as a package distribution hub, while the upper floors were packed with livestream sales companies.

The entire building had everything imaginable.

But after days of relentless rain, the structure had suffered corrosion. The packages in the courier hub were soaked, and anything that had been hit by acid rain was ruined and inedible.

The building was old and had poor waterproofing. Leaks had formed throughout the upper floors, and many of the supplies there were damaged as well.

Although everyone left with as much as they could carry, they couldn't help but feel disappointed about all the goods that were lost.

As Clara thought this over, she pulled out her phone and opened the map, in an attempt to locate the building from memory.

After a few failed searches, she finally recognized it in the satellite view. It was the Newstead Tower.

"That's it!"

Clara jumped up with excitement, dropping the pen she had been holding.

Shadow had been happily chewing on his sheep plush toy, and he was startled by her sudden movement. He looked over, mouth still frozen mid-chew, looking a little silly.

Clara went over and threw her arms around his neck. "Shadow, let's go out together!"

Startled by her sudden affection, Shadow sat up and stared at her like she'd lost her mind.

Clara didn't care. She clipped on Shadow's leash, grabbed the car keys, and cheerfully headed straight for Newstead Tower.

Clara planned to rent a high-rise apartment near Newstead Tower.

Her plan was simple. Once the apocalypse hit and the floodwaters rose to cover the lower floors, she and Shadow would slip into the building and claim all the supplies inside. After all, leaving them there would be a waste.

She drove around the area for a bit and soon found a high-rise that fit her needs.

The building had sixty-six floors. It was a mixed-use commercial and residential tower divided into two sections, A and B, with the top floor featuring large suites.

Clara needed the extra space for Shadow. Once the apocalypse hit, she couldn't exactly bring him out freely. He needed room to move.

After Clara parked, she called the agent listed on the rental app to ask about top-floor units, preferably something spacious.

The agent, Colin Mercer, sounded thrilled. "Wow, you're lucky! We just had an approximately two-thousand-square-foot penthouse open up on the top floor. Are you looking for a long-term lease or short-term?"

Shadow sat beside her, staring not at Clara herself but at the phone in her hand. He looked bored, as if even he was the one unimpressed by Colin's sales pitch.

"I'm right downstairs. Let's meet in person," Clara said.

Colin happily gave her the room number.

Clara glanced at Shadow in the car, pulled out two pet toys and a bowl of water, and cracked the window slightly. "Shadow, I'm going to see the unit, and I'll be back as soon as I can. Can you stay here for me?"

Shadow tilted his head slightly, then picked up a little rabbit-shaped toy and settled on the back seat to chew on it.

Clara sighed. It seemed she still had a lot of work to do building a bond with Shadow. He clearly wasn't the least bit attached to her.

Part of her secretly wanted to see him develop some separation anxiety, to become a total mama's boy of a dog.

Upstairs, Colin was already waiting. The moment he saw Clara, he launched into a detailed tour, gushing about the penthouse's high-end finishes and spacious layout.

He led Clara to the living room and gestured at the floor-to-ceiling windows. "Look at this view! You can see the whole street from up here. It's perfect!"

Clara stepped up to the glass and looked down. Right below her was the towering high-rise she had been keeping an eye on.

Not only that, but this building was the tallest in the area. From the top floor, she could see everything happening around her. It was perfect for keeping track of the neighborhood.

"I want to rent it for five years. I'll handle renovations myself. I'll pay every three months, and I can put down a deposit equal to two months' rent. Can we sign the lease?"

"Five years?" Colin blinked in surprise.

Units for rent here cost more than in most places, so hardly anyone rented by the year.

"Yes, I'm planning to renovate. If that works for you, we can sign the lease this afternoon."

Colin immediately nodded. Excitement crept onto his face as he called the landlord.

After all, it was peak tourist season in the city, so locking in this price for a five-year lease was a great deal.

The landlord made it clear that there should be no removal of load-bearing walls, no damage to the main structure, and that Clara would be required to restore the unit to its current state upon the expiration of the lease.

Clara agreed to all of it. She even signed an extensive compensation agreement and promptly paid three months' rent in advance.

By the time the apocalypse hit three months later, the landlord probably wouldn't return for the rest of the rent.

With her renovations, this apartment would allow Clara to weather the first half-year of the apocalypse without any issues.