A New World Opens

The next day, Levi woke up, washed up, ate breakfast, and immediately prepared to assemble his remote-controlled helicopter. Even though it was a toy, it was rather large, measuring up to a 1:3.5 scale, with a length of 4.25 meters and weighing 25 kilograms.

The kitten followed Levi as he carried the parts outside to the back of the villa, where there was an open space. It was a carefully built area for his RC aircraft, featuring a smooth, even, grass-covered ground, optimal for takeoffs and landings. With the help of the groundskeeper, Marco, they transported the parts for assembly. By piecing together various modular components such as the tail section and rotor blades, securing them with a few bolts, and attaching the electrical systems, Levi was able to begin preliminary tests and prepare for flight in no time.

He worked efficiently, securing components, tightening screws, and connecting the power system. With precision, he calibrated the servos, tested rotor balance, and ran diagnostics on the onboard flight computer. The system reported optimal status.

With the helicopter on the takeoff pad, Levi powered it up. The rotor blades spun faster, a low hum building into a sharp whir. He checked his transmitter, ensuring all controls responded correctly. After confirming that the battery was fully charged, he eased the throttle. The helicopter lifted smoothly, hovering steadily. Levi maneuvered it through basic flight patterns, banking, climbing, and descending. Pushing further, he accelerated, executing precise turns and loops.

Minutes passed. His hands moved instinctively, eyes sharp as he tested the aircraft's speed, agility, and responsiveness. The helicopter handled flawlessly. Levi glanced at the countdown on his interface; five minutes left.

He pushed it to max speed, weaving through an imaginary course before gradually slowing it down and bringing it back to a hover. As the timer hit zero, he landed it gently. Thankfully, the battery held up well, indicating 21% remaining. It was a custom-ordered battery he had requested from his father months ago, after being frustrated with the short flight time of standard batteries.

"Meow." The kitten on his shoulder called out, tapping his face with its paws.

[Quest Completed.]

The quest section on his interface has been updated, now displaying his second quest.

A rush of information flooded his mind. His hands tingled as muscle memory formed—he now instinctively understood aircraft controls at a master level. He exhaled, staring at the helicopter.

"Maybe I should take my license soon. It'll be a bit cumbersome," Levi muttered. He then methodically disassembled the helicopter and placed its parts back into their designated containers.

Curious, he checked his quest log. His eyes widened in shock.

Quest: Survive in the APOCALYPSE

Time Limit: 15 Days

Penalty: None

Reward: Mind Reading and Memory Manipulation (SS) – Active

Description: Enter Earth-36Z as soon as the host is ready. E-36Z is an apocalyptic world ravaged by a zombie virus that has caused mutations in all life. E-36Z time: Year 2075. Time ratio: 1:1.05. The time anchor will negate time dilation for the host.

Levi was speechless for a moment before turning to the kitten.

"That's it? What if I get infected? Or worse, what if I carry the virus back to this world?"

"Meow."

A dialogue box appeared on his interface.

[Negative.]

"Phew, that's reassuring."

Levi quickly returned to his room after storing the RC helicopter in his collection room.

He then proceeded to research all available information online, typing:

"What to do in a zombie apocalypse?"

He skimmed through published articles, social media posts, vlogs, Reddit threads, YouTube videos, and podcasts, filtering out only logical and practical information.

His dual-screen desktop flashed rapidly, opening windows of articles and fast-forwarded videos. With his Eidetic Mastery, Perfect Memory, Hypercognition, and Thought Acceleration, the only real constraint was the computing power of his desktop, which was already overheating from the sheer processing load.

In just twenty-five minutes, Levi had already skimmed through all accessible information on the web. He also hacked into several private databases, searching for any evidence of zombie-like creatures on Earth. However, he found nothing that matched the classic flesh-eating undead, only classified data on failed experiments and induced mutations.

"So, zombies probably aren't real. Good to know."

Levi considered hacking into government and military servers, but his computer was already at its limit. Based on what he had gathered, there was no current zombie outbreak, but humanity had been closer than it realized; dozens of secret projects had nearly led to catastrophic bio-disasters.

He sighed. "All that just for some zombie survival tips... I should stop letting my curiosity get the best of me."

"Meow," the kitten on his desk called out. It had been staring at the screen, making Levi wonder if it was the system's physical avatar, allowing it to interact and observe the real world.

Closing his computer, he stretched and headed downstairs for lunch.

Since it was Sunday, the household's main chef had the day off. Instead, a hired chef named Selene is cooking lunch for him. Her suggested menu for today is pan-roasted chicken with leeks and mustard sauce, crispy potatoes, and Romanesco on the side.

While Selene is cooking, Levi focuses on his phone, placing an order for various pre-made dishes online. He specified his requirements and price range to the customer service representative, who assured him that they would source the meals from multiple registered restaurants.

Additionally, he orders multiple MRE assortments, cans of beverages, survival gear like a sleeping bag and tent, daily necessities, and extra raw food supplies, including fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, and meat.

He designated the delivery to another property owned by his father, planning to retrieve all the supplies that night. He even requested that the temperature-controlled delivery van remain parked overnight, promising that they could pick it up the following morning. Since he paid extra, the request was readily accepted.

"It's good. Is this your original recipe?" Levi complimented as he slowly savored his lunch.

"Thank you," Selene bowed slightly. "Yes, sir. I experiment with recipes in my free time."

"I see. Did you attend culinary school?" Levi asked.

"No, sir. My father is a chef, he taught me how to cook."

"I see. When you cook, do you use your brain more?" Levi asked curiously.

"Pardon?"

"I mean, do you think analytically while cooking?" Levi clarified.

"Oh! Well, if you already know how ingredients work together and how they taste, you can cook mostly by instinct. I'm not great with numbers and measurements, so I guess not," Selene admitted sheepishly.

"Gosh… why is this hunk asking so many questions?" she thought.

Levi looked at her strangely. With his skills, he could easily analyze micro-expressions, practically reading her thoughts.

"My name is Levi. I'm seventeen, nice to meet you," Levi introduced himself.

"Yes, I know you from the internet. I'm Selene, sir. Can I take a picture with you?"

"Can."

Selene blushed slightly and took a selfie with Levi in the background. She examined the photo carefully, saving it. Very handsome, blond hair, gray eyes, and a typical hunk figure. He looks at least nineteen, she thought.

Snapping back to reality, she handed Levi a peach cobbler for dessert and returned to tidying up the kitchen.

Levi finished lunch, went up to retrieve a bag, and shoved wads of cash inside, along with his phone and house keys. He instructed the kitten to stay put in his room and greeted Nana Violet informing her that he was going to Villa 2, twenty minutes away, and that there was no need for a driver or security. Grinning, Levi opened his father's safe room. Inside were two large safes and a wall-mounted acrylic shelf displaying his father's collection of car keys.

When Levi pressed his fingerprint on the lock, an alarm was triggered in Mr. Richard's office, 518 miles away in New York. Mr. Richard picked up his phone and opened his safe monitor.

"Levi?" His voice came through the safe room speaker.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm borrowing your car."

"Where are you going? Why not let the driver take you there?"

"I can drive, Dad. I'm going to Villa 2 for something."

"Okay, but can you put that back and choose something else?"

Levi looked at the Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail key in his hand. His father talked about cars so much that it sometimes made Levi's ears ache, but among the entire collection, the Droptail was the most comfortable for him to drive and sit in. His father had saved for two years to buy this car as soon as it was released, spending a fortune. But for Levi, what was the use of a car if you didn't drive it?

"But why? It's comfortable to drive…" Levi rolled his eyes, tossing the key in his hand.

"Nonsense! Listen here, that Droptail is—"

"Wait! Alright, I'll choose another… jeez." Levi cut him off before he could start ranting.

He grabbed another key from the shelf and held it up to the camera.

"That's okay. It's a Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge. The black one in the last row, it's a—" Before he could explain further, Levi had already closed the door behind him.

"Sigh, kids these days." Mr. Richard exhaled in exasperation.

Levi drove leisurely, turning heads along the way. Villa 2 was a 1.13-acre property, a family home with six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, offering over 12,000 square feet of custom-designed living space in a conveniently gated community near US-23 and the DTW airport. He had been born there but felt little to no sentimental attachment since he hadn't grown up in the community.

Levi parked in the garage and waited for the deliveries. Late in the afternoon, an insulated delivery vehicle arrived, carrying over eighty ready-to-eat meals from multiple cuisines. Since he wasn't a picky eater and had no health restrictions, he simply requested delicious food regardless of calories. He accepted the van, tipped the driver, and dismissed him. Shortly after, a refrigerated truck arrived bringing the other food supplies he had ordered, along with another van for the MREs and gears. If you knew where to look, you could get almost anything with money.

Waiting until it got dark, Levi stored all the items in his Dimensional Storage. He then drove to Detroit, calling home to inform them he would be late. After parking the car in a secure location, he entered a Mediterranean restaurant for a meal. When he emerged, his appearance had changed. Using his Divine Body's Cellular Manipulation, he altered his hair color to black, aged his skin slightly, and made micro-adjustments to his face, making him appear around forty years old.

He entered a gun shop and was greeted by a middle-aged man in a suit with neatly combed-back hair.

"What can I do for you, mate?"

"Les étoiles dansent à minuit." Levi spoke in french.

"Le vent chante aux vieux chênes." the shopkeeper responded.

"Demain, l'ombre disparaîtra." Levi uttered the final code.

This was a highly secretive arms dealer in Detroit that Levi had discovered in the deeper sections of the web. The shopkeeper nodded in recognition and formally introduced himself.

"Je m'appelle Fran, bienvenue. Vous pouvez choisir librement ce qui vous plaît pour ce soir."

My name is Fran, welcome. You are free to choose whatever you like for tonight. The shopkeeper asked.

"Merci, Monsieur Fran. Veuillez montrer le chemin."

Thank you, Mr. Fran. Please lead the way. Levi responded to him but did not introduce himself because its the custom, Fran does not require customers to do so.

Mr. Fran glanced at a monitor on his right and pushed a button. A seamless door at the back of the counter slid open, leading to a small elevator that descended to the basement. Without a word, Levi followed him and was slightly taken aback by the sheer volume of merchandise displayed. Rows of firearms were mounted on the walls: sniper rifles, bolt-action and automatic rifles, machine guns, shotguns, pistols, and more. There were even shoulder-mounted rockets and grenades.

Walking among the shelves, Levi carefully scanned the inventory and selected what he needed based on his prior research. For his primary weapon, he chose an FN SCAR 17S fitted with a red dot sight and suppressed with a SureFire RC2 silencer. For his secondary, he picked the FN Five-seveN chambered in 5.7x28mm. He also selected a Benelli M4, a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, and ordered a mix of slug and buckshot ammunition for close-quarters combat and dealing with fast-moving threats. For long-range and precision shooting, he took two weapons: the M110A1, a 7.62x51mm semi-automatic designated marksman rifle, and the Barrett MRAD chambered in .338 Lapua, which he equipped with a thermal scope, suppressors, and bipods. Additionally, he acquired a box of M67 fragmentation grenades, one Crye Precision JPC body armor, and a PVS-14 night vision device. The total cost came up to more than fifty-five thousand dollars, including multiple boxes of ammunition and extra magazines for each weapon.

"Ce sera en espèces ou par virement, Monsieur?"

Will it be cash or bank transfer, sir? The store owner asked.

"Espèces, veuillez l'apporter à cet endroit dans 20 minutes."

Cash, please bring it to this location in 20 minutes. Levi replied, handing over six full wads of bills along with a note containing an address. The location was a storage unit he had booked earlier while searching for this place.

"Soyez assuré, c'est un plaisir de faire affaire avec vous."

Rest assured, it is a pleasure doing business with you. Mr. Fran readily agreed.

Levi hailed a car to the storage unit and waited. Less than twenty minutes later, a van arrived, and four men unloaded the boxes before leaving. He scanned the surroundings to ensure there were no prying eyes, then entered the unit and locked the roll-up door behind him.

Lifting the tarp, he opened each box one by one, swiftly checking and loading the magazines with superhuman speed and precision before storing everything in his Dimensional Storage. Conveniently, he could retrieve any item simply by imagining it, and with his skill, it was easy to keep track of everything.

After covering the empty boxes again with the tarp, Levi locked the unit and walked outside the compound. He had leased it for a month, and when storage hunters eventually bid for it, they would be in for a surprise when they found it completely empty.

Levi hailed another taxi back to his car, drove home, parked, and greeted his father who's in the living area reading a newspaper.

"Did you crash it?" His father asked.

"No, I'm not so clumsy," Levi replied, rolling his eyes.

"Good to know." His father chuckled, watching him leave for upstairs. He noticed that Levi had started to get things sorted out and was back to his usual self. As a father, he couldn't be more relieved.