Chapter 33
Some time ago, Suzy had stocked her space with an absurd amount of milk tea, late-night snacks, and all kinds of packaged treats.
Whenever she felt peckish, she would simply reach in with a thought and retrieve something—effortless, instant, almost magical.
Now, craving something sweet, she tried to summon a cup of milk tea.
Nothing happened.
She stilled.
In the past, it had taken only a single thought. The item would shift seamlessly from the space into her hand, as natural as breathing.
But now?
Suzy closed her eyes and focused.
Enter the space.
Silence.
No shift in perspective. No familiar sensation of being drawn into that boundless storage world.
Her expression slowly changed. It felt as though the space had vanished into thin air.
Something was wrong.
The realization hit her like a bucket of ice water.
No. This couldn’t be happening.
The space was her greatest advantage in the coming apocalypse. More than that, she had already stored massive quantities of supplies inside.
If the space malfunctioned...
If everything inside disappeared—
The thought made her chest tighten painfully. Her vision swam for a moment.
She regretted it instantly. She shouldn’t have put that bracelet into the space. She should have left it in her room.
Just moments ago, she had been planning to scroll through shopping apps and place another round of orders. But now, with the space seemingly broken, she couldn’t even muster the mood.
Suzy sat stiffly on the edge of her bed, anxiety coiling in her stomach.
Then she remembered something.
She lifted her wrist.
On her pale skin, the small crimson mole was still there.
𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
When she had first bonded with the space, that red mark had appeared out of nowhere.
It had never faded.
If the mole was still there... did that mean the space still existed?
Her thumb gently rubbed over the tiny mark.
Her breathing steadied a little.
Calm down.
Even if the space was temporarily inaccessible, she still had to keep stockpiling. If the apocalypse came and she stopped preparing because of panic, that would be a true disaster.
She couldn’t afford to spiral.
After giving herself a few minutes to regain composure, Suzy picked up her phone and began reviewing her preparation list.
One person’s mind was limited. So she had earlier posted on an apocalypse enthusiast forum, asking for suggestions on what kinds of supplies would be necessary in a doomsday scenario.
The post had exploded with responses.
No one mocked her. On the contrary, they enthusiastically joined in. Most apocalypse hobbyists had hoarding tendencies anyway.
Several users even attached photos of dozens of boxes of canned goods they had stored, proudly declaring their long shelf life.
She had originally posted the thread casually while lying in the hospital.
Now, reopening it, she saw 99+ replies.
She scrolled carefully.
Most of what people mentioned, she had already purchased. The supermarket supplier’s inventory alone covered daily essentials—food, drinks, and hygiene products.
But one particular comment caught her attention.
22L: If conditions allow, I’d suggest stocking some frozen foods—dumplings, rolls, fish balls, stuff like that. Pre-made meals are also worth considering. These days they’re actually pretty good.
The comment sparked debate.
Many argued that frozen food was unreliable. If the power went out during the apocalypse, everything would spoil.
But Suzy focused on something else.
Pre-made meals. That was smart.
Just heat them up in boiling water and eat.
As for storage? She had the space.
And even if the space didn’t work, she planned to buy a large number of generators to ensure her house maintained electricity.
She mentally reviewed her current inventory.
She had already ordered plenty of frozen dumplings and tangyuan. The supermarket list included frozen bread, fried rice, even pizza.
But pre-made meals? She hadn’t specifically considered those.
That could be added.
Modern pre-made meals were nearly restaurant-quality. Many eateries secretly used them anyway. In the apocalypse, having food at all would be a blessing—she wasn’t about to be picky.
Without hesitation, she searched online, comparing brands with good reputations.
Soon, she found a few manufacturers specializing in pre-made meals. She called one of them directly and expressed interest in placing a bulk order.
Coincidentally, their factory was located in C City and even supplied several well-known convenience store chains.
They arranged a visit in two days. If the hygiene standards looked acceptable, she would place a massive order on the spot.
Suzy continued scrolling through the forum, mentally adjusting her supply plans.
Then—
Knock, knock.
"Suzy!" Leonard’s voice came from outside her door.
She quickly opened it.
"Haven’t eaten yet, have you?" he asked gently. "Hungry? I’ll take you out for dinner."
He looked like his usual self again—composed, steady.
Suzy realized she had been so busy receiving shipments earlier that she barely ate. She had tried to grab milk tea out of habit, which was how she discovered the space issue.
Now, she nodded. "Okay. Let me freshen up."
"I’ll wait downstairs."
Back in her room, she applied a bit of lipstick to add color to her pale face, grabbed her bag, and went downstairs.
"Let’s go," Leonard said.
They drove to a private kitchen restaurant tucked away on a quiet street.
After parking, Leonard explained, "Adam is joining us. He helped us a lot yesterday. We should treat him."
Suzy nodded. "We definitely should thank Adam."
They entered together.
Adam Bennet was already seated, having even ordered the dishes in advance. "Finally," he greeted them calmly.
Leonard nodded in acknowledgment.
"Adam," Suzy said brightly.
He glanced at her and gave a slight nod.
The dishes were served one by one, fragrant steam curling into the air.
But Suzy had little appetite. Her mind was still tangled in thoughts about the space.
She picked at some vegetables, then slowly moved rice around in her bowl. Though she kept chewing, the rice level barely changed.
Adam’s gaze drifted toward her briefly before shifting to Leonard.
"What are you planning to do about it?" he asked bluntly.
Suzy’s ears perked up. They were talking about the car accident.
"I’ve already hired a lawyer," Leonard replied.
A cold glint flickered in his eyes. "They’ll pay the price."
It wasn’t just a traffic incident. It was attempted murder.
And Leonard was no longer foolish enough to excuse someone who had tried to take his life.
He turned to Suzy suddenly, guilt and remorse evident in his eyes.
"Suzy, don’t worry. Uncle will get justice for you, too."