Initial Preparation 2

Standing up, he made his way to the kitchen. 

That's when he saw her—pulling out of the driveway in her white, sedan-style electric car. 

'A chance!'

He rushed to the refrigerator, where plenty of food was left. 

One by one, he heated them up while munching on fruits between each round. 

By the time his stomach hit full capacity, he leaned back and took a deep breath. 

Then came the hard part—focusing, forcing the body to digest faster. 

KRRRUUK! 

His stomach growled, signaling that it was time to flush out the excess. 

Without wasting time, he rushed to the comfort room behind the kitchen to release it all. 

After finishing up, he headed back to the gym and started another cycle of exercise. 

Once it was done, he repeated the same process—eating, speeding up digestion, then working out again. 

There were some changes in his body already. Slight improvements. But with clothes on, it was still hard to tell. 

'Wait...'

He paused, feeling a little bit of pain in his stomach. 

'I pushed it too far,'

'I should rest, and leave some room for dinner. '

Looking around, he saw the mess he made in the kitchen. Crumbs were scattered across the counter, a few dirty dishes piled up near the sink, and empty containers lay on the counter top. 

Half-eaten fruits were tossed carelessly on the table, and the microwave still hummed from the last round of food.

It would only add more work for his dear aunt. 

So, like someone with a bit of sense and shame, he started cleaning it up. 

It wasn't a problem—he knew what he was doing. 

He might've been lazy just a few hours ago, but now he carried years of adulthood experience. 

Once he was done, he stepped outside to enjoy the sun slowly setting. It was beautiful.

People were heading home from work, all smiling, unaware that most wouldn't even make it to Christmas Eve. 

It was a sad future, but he knew he couldn't save everyone, even with the knowledge he has. All he could do was take care of his loved ones. 

As the sun dipped lower, he sighed and reluctantly turned back to his room.

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Glancing at his computer screen, he saw the price of Octocoin had gone up a bit, just as expected. But it was still too soon to sell. 

He decided to kill some time by checking the news, trying to remember if anything could help him earn more money. 

Jotting down notes, he discovered there were more opportunities. 

'That's right,'

'This year, the Playoff finals start in April. I remember the champion team won 4-0. If I bet on all of them, I'd be rich. If I time it right, I could use what I earn in crypto.' 

'There's also those e-sports games I don't know the exact win order, but I know who the final champions are. I could just bet on that. '

Just thinking about the amount of riches he could accumulate by gambling made his blood race with excitement. 

'Things are going well so far, but I can't just focus on money.' 

He paused, thinking about other factors. After the invasion, it would be survival of the fittest. Even with weapons and a bunker, they would be taken from him if he lacked the strength to defend them. 

And he wasn't just talking about his strength. 

A community with skilled people: doctors, engineers, farmers, mechanics, cooks, and even people who could handle security and logistics. All of them would be crucial to surviving the apocalypse. 

"I—"

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

"Come in," 

The door creak open and it was Effie wearing her loose top tank again, with her hair tied behind her back, she carried a tray with all the steak he ordered and put it in his table.

"Terrence, I noticed a lot of food is missing from the fridge, and I—" 

"Ah, yes, Aunt Effie. I think I over ate a little. I'm really sorry. I'll pay for everything." 

She shook her head. "No, you don't need to. You're a growing man, and you just started exercising, so you need a lot of energy. Actually, I came here to ask if you need anything. I'm planning to go shopping again." 

'She's perfect.' 

Like something out of a dating sim game—too kind, too patient, too pretty. 

Honestly, going back in time made more sense than a woman like her existing. 

'Uncle, you really scored with her. Not gonna lie, I'm kinda jealous. I'd trade a billion bucks just to have a wife like her'

Then a thought popped up. 

"Where is Uncle?" he asked. 

Her facial expression changed, but it wasn't out of longing—more like resentment. 

Effie quickly brushed it off and smiled. "He's on a business trip. You know your uncle is always busy," she trailed off. "I'll get going now. It's getting late." 

She turned around quickly, and walked out of the room. 

'Is there something wrong with their relationship?'

He touched his chin in contemplation. He was pretty sure that they never separated in the past. 

The two even had taken a vacation in Hawaii a few days before the invasion. 

An invitation had been extended to him, but outdoor activities weren't really his thing, so he declined it. That was the last time they saw them. 

He assumed they were dead. After all, ocean monsters were far more dangerous than those on land. 

'I need to figure out why she acted like that. What if Uncle's treating her bad or something?'

The idea of someone like her being hurt was unacceptable. If that were the case, he would confront him, man to man. 

Of course, it wasn't because he had some hidden motive to steal her away. He just wanted to fix their relationship, like any good nephew would.