Awakening the Space

The insults outside the door continued, sharp and grating, growing more shrill by the second.

Emily stood quietly inside, letting the vulgar words wash over her, then without hesitation, she moved toward the door.

As soon as it opened, she was greeted by the sight of Mrs. Harris, apron-clad and scowling, her fury still evident. Her hand was suspended in the air, clearly having just pounded on the door with force. Mrs. Harris was about to hurl more insults, but Emily suddenly grabbed her wrist. The sheer strength of Emily's grip left Mrs. Harris in stunned silence.

Before Mrs. Harris could even react, her eyes locked with Emily's cold, piercing gaze.

The old Emily—meek and compliant—was gone. In her place was someone radiating an icy menace, like the edge of a sharp blade, capable of slicing through anything with the slightest motion.

"What... what are you doing?" Mrs. Harris stammered, her voice trembling with fear and confusion.

"You're the housekeeper. Cooking is your job," Emily's voice was cold, cutting like a frozen river. "No matter what happens with me, it's not your place to lecture me." She tightened her grip, causing Mrs. Harris's face to turn even paler as pain shot through her wrist, making her wince.

"You... filthy wretch…" Mrs. Harris tried to spit back a retort, but before she could finish, Emily grabbed both of her hands, rendering her completely immobile with ease.

Mrs. Harris had been working in the Carter family for years, long enough to recognize when the balance of power had shifted. Sensing that Emily was different today, she reluctantly swallowed her pride. "Fine, I get it. Let me go… I'll go make breakfast."

Emily narrowed her eyes for a moment, then released her grip, turning back into her room. As she closed the door behind her, it felt as though she had shut out all the noise from the outside world.

Outside the door, Mrs. Harris clutched her wrist, letting out a bitter snort under her breath. "She really thinks she's some kind of Carter family princess now? Just a stray mutt!"

Inside, Emily leaned against the wall, slowly exhaling. It was clear that staying with the Carter family was no longer a viable option. She quickly gathered her belongings. There wasn't much, but it would be enough for her to leave. She knew the apocalypse was looming. Leaving now and preparing for the future was the smartest move.

As she walked out through the back door, the security guard at the gate glanced up briefly, saw her leaving with a backpack, and said nothing. He simply returned to his phone, assuming she was just running an errand.

The Carter family estate was located in a secluded, affluent area of S City, and it took Emily twenty minutes to reach the main road.

The bright sunlight warmed her face, and the streets were filled with the usual bustle of cars and pedestrians. Everything seemed as normal as ever. Occasionally, someone glanced curiously at her unevenly cut hair, but no one approached her.

Standing among the crowd, Emily tightened the strap of her backpack and felt a sense of calm settle over her. There were just two weeks left until the apocalypse, and she had much to do. Her gaze sharpened with determination as she glanced down at the documents in her hand.

To prepare for an upcoming major bidding war, the Carter family had thrown her a grand 18th birthday party, symbolically transferring a few properties and some shares to her in an effort to gain goodwill and boost their public image ahead of the bid.

According to their plan, those assets would be taken back as soon as the party ended. However, they feared rumors might spread, ruining their reputation and jeopardizing the bid. Since they saw Emily as nothing more than an obedient puppet, they hadn't bothered to reclaim the assets right away.

What they didn't realize was that the Emily standing before them now was no longer the naive girl they could control.

With the documents in hand, Emily walked directly into a real estate agency, wasting no time in proposing to sell the villas at a low price, with one condition: payment in full.

The agency staff were surprised to encounter a client like her, but seeing that all the paperwork was in order and her reasons sound, they didn't ask too many questions. They immediately sent someone to handle the transaction.

Afterward, Emily headed to the stock exchange and sold off all of the Carter family shares she held. While this small move wouldn't shake Thomas's foundation, it would certainly keep him busy and off-balance for a while.

Once everything was taken care of, the day was drawing to a close. The golden hues of the setting sun bathed the city in a soft, warm glow as the sky was painted with delicate shades of twilight. Emily found a small, inconspicuous inn, paid for two weeks of rent, and by the time she returned to her room, she was utterly exhausted.

Lying in bed, she finally felt the weight of her fatigue settle in. Her mind began to blur as she drifted into a deep sleep.

Half-asleep, Emily detected a faint, fresh fragrance in the air. She also noticed a damp sensation beneath her. Forcing her eyes open, she was stunned by what she saw.

She wasn't lying on the bed in the inn anymore. Instead, she stood in the middle of an expansive stretch of black soil, which seemed to extend for thousands of acres. A narrow stream cut through the land, its clear waters flowing towards the horizon, eventually cascading into a waterfall suspended high in the clouds. The water was so transparent that she could see the swaying aquatic plants on the stream bed, as if they were beckoning to her.

The humidity in the air felt real and tangible, making it clear that this wasn't just a dream. Suddenly, a burning sensation flared up on her wrist. Looking down, Emily saw a vivid red four-leaf clover-shaped mark, as if it had been seared into her skin.

"Could this mark be the reason?" she wondered, reaching out to touch it lightly.

The moment her fingers made contact with the mark, the pain disappeared, and the four-leaf clover began to emit a faint glow. Emily had a sudden thought. Could this mark be the key to a mysterious space?

Before the thought had fully formed, her surroundings abruptly went dark, and when she opened her eyes again, she found herself back in the small bed at the inn.

The room was pitch black, with the curtains tightly drawn, and faint sounds of commotion could be heard from outside. She switched on the light and looked down at the clear four-leaf clover mark on her wrist, confirming that what had just happened was no dream.

She pressed her fingers to the clover again and silently whispered, "Enter."

As her thoughts shifted, she was transported back to the black-soil land. This time, Emily was much calmer. She walked to the edge of the stream, pulled a piece of aquatic plant as an experiment, and then mentally commanded, "Exit."

After repeating the process several times, Emily finally figured out how to use this strange space. Initially, she needed to touch the clover to enter, but soon, she realized that with just a thought, she could come and go freely—and even bring items in and out of the space.

The discovery of this storage space filled Emily with an indescribable joy. With this dimension, she could stockpile a significant amount of supplies, ensuring her survival in the apocalyptic world to come.

Early the next morning, Emily made some minor disguises and rented a large truck, heading quickly to the biggest wholesale market in the area. Pretending to be a procurement agent, she purchased massive amounts of vegetables, fruits, seeds, and meats. Using the truck as cover, she swiftly transferred all the goods into her spatial storage.

Afterward, she made her way to a nearby farm, where she bought a large number of livestock, including chickens, ducks, and other animals. She carefully transported them into her space as well, where they were properly housed.

Entering her space, Emily looked at the neatly organized supplies and felt a sense of calm settle within her. She carefully arranged the fruits and vegetables she had just purchased, categorizing them and placing them to the side. She took out only a small portion of the seeds and sowed them carefully into the fertile black soil, initiating her first steps toward cultivating her own crops.

She set up several wooden enclosures, separating the pigs, cows, and sheep into designated areas. The area for raising poultry had already been chosen, and a section of land slightly farther away was reserved for growing feed crops. Emily's arrangements were methodical and precise, and she knew that this was only the beginning.

The space's unique time properties offered her an incredible advantage—living things inside the space grew rapidly, while all other items remained preserved, unaffected by the passage of time. This functionality made the space the perfect tool for stockpiling resources.

In the stream, she began raising various fish and shrimp, ensuring a continuous supply of food in the future. She even went as far as gathering some rice and wheat seedlings, planting them in the fields along the stream. She had already prepared farming equipment, such as a rice thresher and a millstone, setting herself up for long-term sustainability.

Meanwhile, the real estate agency worked efficiently, and within a few days, they had found buyers for the villas. The properties were quickly sold, and the large sum of money Emily received bolstered her confidence, giving her the financial leverage she needed to prepare for the upcoming apocalypse.

Emily also made a special trip to the black market in S City, known for selling rare and expensive items. Among the vendors was a famous knife shop, whose blades were known for their durability and unique retractable design. The only drawback was the high price. Without hesitation, Emily spent a significant amount of money to acquire a batch of high-quality knives, even shocking the shop owner with her bold spending.

After two weeks of meticulous preparation, Emily had filled her space to the brim with all sorts of essential supplies. She understood well that in the apocalypse, having resources meant having the chance to survive. She was now fully prepared for the disaster that was about to unfold.