Chapter 103
"Doesn’t seem like many people live here," Leonard observed.
"Yeah," Suzy said. "Low occupancy. Most units are still under renovation."
On their way up, they had passed piles of construction debris—every few floors, abandoned and untouched.
Leonard nodded. "That’s a good thing."
Fewer people meant fewer eyes.
They might finally get some peace here.
He handed the cup back and looked around. Compared to Building Three, the corridor here was wider and cleaner.
The twentieth floor had clearly been maintained—no trash, no clutter.
There were security doors on both sides.
Suzy’s safehouse was on the left—one apartment per floor. On the right, two units shared a single elevator.
Three households in total on this level.
"Anyone living over there?" Leonard asked, pointing to the right.
"No."
Whether they had been sold or not was unclear—but from Suzy’s observations, those units were still empty.
"I’ll take a look." He pushed open the right-side security door—it wasn’t locked—and stepped into the elevator lobby.
Suzy followed.
Beyond it, two doors stood at opposite ends of the corridor. Both were shut tight. Dust blanketed the floor. The protective film on the doors hadn’t even been peeled off.
"No one’s living here," Leonard concluded.
Suzy nodded.
They didn’t have the keys anyway. After a quick look, they returned.
Suzy’s side was different. Her security door had been specially reinforced. From the outside, it looked ordinary, but its strength was five times that of a standard door.
Above it, a discreet 360-degree pinhole camera watched everything. Unless you looked closely, you’d never notice it.
Leonard reached for the handle and turned it.
Click.
The handle came off in his hand. He froze.
Slowly, he looked down at it, his expression turning awkward. "...Suzy, is there something wrong with this door?"
She couldn’t help it—she burst out laughing.
"No. It’s designed that way."
She took the handle from him, pressed her thumb against the connector—
Click.
The lock disengaged.
"The handle’s magnetic," she explained, reattaching it before pushing the door open.
Inside was a spotless elevator foyer. Directly across from the elevator stood a shoe cabinet.
Leonard stepped in, finally getting a proper look at the door. It was even thicker than he’d imagined—easily twice the thickness of the one across the hall. Even the walls around it had been reinforced to accommodate it.
Suzy flicked on the lights.
The dim space lit up instantly.
Leonard’s gaze shifted to the elevator doors, which had been sealed behind an additional iron barrier. Normally, the elevator would open directly into the apartment.
Now, with no power, it didn’t matter.
But Suzy had sealed it anyway.
Just in case.
They both changed their shoes, then opened yet another heavy door, finally arriving at the main entrance.
Suzy pressed her fingerprint against the scanner.
The door unlocked.
Lights came on automatically as they entered.
Three doors—just to get home. The sense of security was overwhelming.
This house had never lost power. The system detected their presence and warm lighting flooded the space.
The darkness retreated.
At the center of the living room, a red fireplace stood quietly.
"...Finally," Suzy murmured.
The air inside was fresh, filtered, faintly scented. Even with the windows sealed shut, it felt clean and comfortable.
Then, they checked every door. Every window.
Everything was intact.
The windows were top-tier, blast-resistant, layered and tightly sealed. The storm outside meant nothing here. Not a single drop of rain had seeped in.
"Uncle, sit for a bit. I’ll start bringing things out," Suzy said.
"Alright."
She headed into the kitchen.
One by one, she powered everything on.
Electricity. Gas. Water.
Then she filled the refrigerator and the cabinets.
Stocked. Organized. Complete.
Looking at the abundance, a quiet sense of satisfaction settled in her chest.
When she returned, Leonard was already lounging on the sofa, flipping through channels.
The safehouse had independent power. The network was still stable. He could watch anything he wanted.
Suzy placed a plate of fresh fruit on the coffee table and sat beside him.
For the first time in a long while... There was calm.
Outside, the wind howled like a living thing. Heavy storm clouds pressed low over the city, as if they meant to swallow it whole.
Inside, however, time seemed to slow.
Warm amber light bathed the room, softening every edge, casting a quiet glow across their faces. The air was calm, almost tender.
Suzy picked up a slice of watermelon and took a bite. "Uncle, what should we eat later?"
"Anything’s fine."
"Then... beef noodles?"
"Sounds good."
A sudden roll of thunder tore through the sky, drawing both their gazes toward the window.
Leonard stared out at the storm, a strange feeling rising in his chest.
What kind of life am I living now...?
In the middle of the apocalypse, he had warm food, electricity, safety.
It felt unreal.
I must have saved the entire galaxy in my past life...
His eyes drifted back to Suzy, softening with an almost paternal warmth.
That look.
Suzy caught it—and instantly felt goosebumps crawl up her arms.
She stood abruptly. "I’m going to check something in my room."
Without waiting for a reply, she slipped away.
***
Her bedroom had its own bathroom.
The bed was already made—fresh sheets, everything in place, ready to use at any moment.
Leonard’s room was the same.
She lay down for a moment, then took out her phone. Outside, the wind still raged, but the rain had eased.
She messaged Adam Bennet first, letting him know she and Leonard had moved to Building Eight.
Then she contacted Derek Martin.
From him, she learned that his neighborhood had flooded even worse.
That settled it. Suzy made her decision immediately.
While things were still manageable, she would go to him and bring supplies.
And... perhaps improve their relationship a little.
She got up and stepped out of her room, heading back to the living room.
"Uncle, I’m going out for a bit," she said, explaining her plan.
Leonard frowned instantly. "It’s too dangerous right now. Why not wait?"
Suzy shook her head, expression firm. "It’s only going to get more dangerous."
That made his frown deepen. After a moment of silence, he said, "Then I’ll go with you."
There was no way he felt comfortable letting her go alone.
In times like these, a young woman by herself was an easy target. At the very least, his presence could deter trouble.
Suzy almost agreed, but then, a weird thought crossed her mind.
What if something... happens between Derek and me...
If Leonard was there... That would ruin everything.
So, without hesitation, she refused.
"I’ll go alone. It’s more convenient that way," she said calmly. "If something happens, I have ways to handle it."
She had a gun. She had her space.
Worst case, she could disappear instantly, just like she had during the car accident.
But Leonard couldn’t follow her into that. And that made all the difference.