Chapter 3: The Doomsday Proposal

Chapter 3: The Doomsday Plan

Purchasing such a massive amount of supplies would require a significant fortune. Over the years, Gu Pan and her husband had only managed to save about two hundred thousand yuan after buying their apartment. Houses were no longer of much consequence, as all economic systems would collapse once the apocalypse arrived. Therefore, she concluded that a mortgage loan was the fastest way to secure capital; selling the property would take too long, but a mortgage could be processed quickly.

In their previous life, they had endured the extreme cold, the plague, and the scorching heat within this very apartment. Later, when the national base was established, they relocated there. Thus, they could continue living here for now, using the mortgage money to hoard supplies without having to move out. It was perfect. She also owned an old house inherited from her grandmother—a single-story dwelling with a large courtyard—which could also be mortgaged.

They lived in a provincial capital in the north. While property prices weren't as astronomical as those in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, the two properties combined could easily fetch two to three million yuan through a mortgage. That should be enough to stockpile supplies. Once society descended into chaos, they could scavenge items from shopping malls and other locations that others could no longer carry but she could.

After finalizing these thoughts, she decided to test her spatial dimension again. Could she control it with her mind? She looked at the coffee table in front of the sofa and willed it into the space. It vanished instantly. She then sent the refrigerator and the television inside; it worked smoothly. When she willed them back out, they reappeared just as easily.

Furthermore, she placed a half-eaten apple into the space and retrieved it a while later. There were no signs of oxidation. This suggested she could store prepared meals—grilled fish, hot pot, or barbecue—and enjoy the tastes of the pre-apocalyptic world whenever she pleased. She hadn't ordered lunch, so she boiled some noodles, and after finishing, she placed the leftovers into the space before continuing to list everything she needed to buy and do.

The couple had a simple social circle. After her grandmother passed away, Gu Pan had no other relatives, and Lu Ruisheng was an orphan. This was a major reason they had come together; both were on their own, and even holidays were spent alone. Gu Pan had supported Lu Ruisheng through six years of starting his business, and they had only married two months ago. They hadn't considered having children yet, which was a blessing. Pregnancy and childbirth would be a matter of life and death in the apocalypse. She needed to start practicing contraception and prepare plenty of supplies. She hurriedly wrote this down; if she didn't record every thought, she might forget, and in the apocalypse, the lack of a single item could mean the difference between life and death.

By late afternoon, the groceries Lu Ruisheng had ordered arrived. Gu Pan did not go out to receive them directly; she had the delivery person leave them at the door, and only after ensuring it was safe did she bring them inside. By evening, Gu Pan had filled ten pages with notes.

The sound of the electronic lock echoed from the door. Gu Pan sprinted over, peered through the peephole, and upon confirming it was Lu Ruisheng, she flung the door open and threw herself into her husband's arms. "Ruisheng, I missed you so much."

Lu Ruisheng, standing 1.85 meters tall and hardened by years of physical training, lifted Gu Pan with one arm. A smile broke across his rugged, handsome face. "Missing me this much after just one day? I suppose I'll have to satisfy my wife's request." As he spoke, he started to head toward the bedroom.

Gu Pan realized he had misunderstood her intentions. There was no time for that now. "No, Ruisheng, I have something incredibly important to tell you."

Seeing the sincere urgency in his wife’s tone, Lu Ruisheng knew something was truly wrong. He carried her to the sofa and set her down. "Whatever it is, I’m here for you."

Hearing her husband’s habitual indulgence and doting tone warmed her heart. This was the reason she had been able to endure the hardships of the apocalypse. She knew that explaining her rebirth and the impending doom would be a waste of time; it was better to let him see the space first. Once he saw it, he would have no choice but to believe.

She pulled her husband up and used her mind to enter the space. Inside, Lu Ruisheng was stunned. "What is this place?"

"It’s a spatial dimension," Gu Pan explained. "It came with the pendant my grandmother left me." With that, she willed the sofa and coffee table from their living room inside as well.

Lu Ruisheng’s expression shifted from shock to absolute conviction. "Is this real?"

"Yes, and this is only one of the secrets I need to tell you. Let’s go back out; for now, the space can only be entered for three hours a day." Gu Pan brought him back out and moved the furniture back as well.

Sitting on the sofa, Gu Pan told him everything—the apocalypse, her rebirth, and the situation with Zhuang Jie. Finally, she placed the pendant on the table. "I’m not sure which of us should hold this to ensure our lives are more secure in the apocalypse."

She trusted her husband implicitly. In their previous life, he had died for her. She wouldn't doubt him even if she doubted herself. She also hated secrets between husband and wife; their relationship had always been about facing and solving everything together.

Lu Ruisheng picked up the pendant. "Keep it with you. I have better combat skills and stronger self-preservation abilities. If we encounter danger and you hide in the space, I can fight the enemy without distraction. This is the optimal choice for us. As for the pendant itself, I suggest we destroy it. There’s no need to pass it down to descendants. Having children in the apocalypse is too dangerous; I won’t let you take that risk. Even if life returns to normal, our children will make their own way. No one is more important than you."

Gu Pan conceded that his reasoning made sense. If she could protect herself, it would make things easier for him, and they would always be together anyway. If he were gone, she wouldn't want to live alone. The existence of the pendant was indeed a lingering danger, so she nodded. "Alright, I'll do as you say."

Lu Ruisheng picked up a nutcracker from the coffee table and crushed the jade pendant. He then took a small bottle, placed the shards inside, and handed it to Gu Pan. "Keep it as a memento."

Gu Pan stored the small bottle in the space; it became the first item of sentimental value in her dimension. She then pushed the ten pages of notes toward Lu Ruisheng. "This is everything I could think of for now. Take a look and add anything you can think of. We have to start hoarding supplies; seven days is far too short."

After reading through the list, Lu Ruisheng said, "I'll have my friends handle the weapons and outdoor survival gear. We can't apply for loans at this hour, and the farmers' markets are already closed. Let's go to the mall first and buy the electronics."

Gu Pan nodded. "Okay, let's go." She had already changed her clothes, waiting for him to return.

Lu Ruisheng added, "On the way, we'll stop by a car rental agency and rent a small truck. It will be easier to move our purchases tomorrow."

Gu Pan agreed. This way, they could avoid Zhuang Jie's suspicion; once they bought items, they could find a secluded spot to transfer them into the space before moving on to the next purchase. Both donned windbreakers, hats, masks, and sunglasses before heading out.

At the door, Lu Ruisheng examined the walls and the entryway. "Tomorrow, I’ll get some steel bars and an iron door. When the apocalypse hits, we need to reinforce this place."

"Yes, the extreme heat and cold will be brutal, so the windows need to be addressed as well."

"When we get back, we'll measure the windows. I’ll call my contacts in the door and window industry and pay extra to have them custom-make unidirectional bulletproof glass for us. We need to get it installed as soon as possible."

Gu Pan didn't need to worry about these details; her husband was a contractor, so he could handle all of this perfectly. As they spoke, they descended in the elevator. Their complex was one of the better ones in the city, consisting of over twenty buildings. Their unit was in the second row from the street, on the seventh floor of an eleven-story building. Even if the elevators stopped running, it wouldn't be too difficult to climb the stairs.