The tense atmosphere in the post-apocalyptic base was thick, as Red and the others prepared strictly for the possible arrival of a zombie horde. Every corner was filled with a sense of impending storm.
However, all of this was unknown to Celine, who was in a different time and space.
Back at her small apartment in the city, she didn't even have time to enjoy a moment of peace.
After shedding the fatigue from her journey, the first thing she did was take out her phone and quickly book a high-speed train ticket back to her hometown for the next day.
It was the same train as before, and again the expensive business class seat.
For Celine now, time and efficiency were far more important than money.
The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Celine drove her second brother Shenan to the city hospital.
Outside the hospital, Kaylee had been waiting for a long time.
"Kaylee, please take good care of my brother."
Celine quickly handed Shenan over carefully to Kaylee and slipped the keys into her hand.
"My brother's rides will be in your care. I have to go back for a while, probably a few days."
Kaylee took the keys and nodded seriously. "Don't worry, Celine. Your brother has me."
Celine didn't say more. She told Shenan a few things about resting and to call if he needed anything.
Then she turned and hurriedly hailed a taxi by the roadside and left.
Luckily, the trip went smoothly.
The high-speed train departed on time and sped steadily forward.
Around noon, Celine dragged her small suitcase out of the train station at her hometown.
At a glance, a familiar figure leaned against a brand-new domestic electric car, waving to her vigorously.
It was her second brother, Eleanor.
"Celine! Over here!"
Celine walked quickly over, her eyes caught by the sleek lines and bright color of the electric car.
"Eleanor, your new car looks really nice!"
Eleanor immediately showed a proud smile on his face and eagerly took Celine's suitcase, putting it into the trunk. He boasted:
"Hehe, how is it? My taste isn't bad, right? This is popular now, eco-friendly and saves money! The key is, look at this."
He sat in the driver's seat and tapped a few times on the screen.
"It even has smart driving! Set the route, and it drives by itself. Pretty cool, huh?"
The car started smoothly, merging quietly into the traffic. It felt very high-tech, attracting many curious glances from passersby. This made Eleanor's vanity greatly satisfied.
On the way, Eleanor talked nonstop about his new car, from the battery range to the smart interaction, almost wanting to recite the manual to Celine.
"Oh, right, while you were gone these days, our supermarket started construction."
Finally, Eleanor changed the subject.
"I hired three construction teams, all working at the same time to speed things up! At most, two weeks, the renovation will be done! Then let it air out for a few days, and we can start putting up the shelves!"
Celine nodded, the speed was not bad.
"But," Eleanor's tone shifted, his brows furrowed a little, "the paperwork is a bit troublesome."
"The business bureau needs to approve the supermarket's name first, then you have to submit a bunch of documents to apply for the business license."
"After that, you have to apply for the food safety operation permit. If selling cigarettes, you also need the tobacco retail permit. Finally, you have to register with the tax office."
Celine felt a bit overwhelmed hearing this. She had never dealt with such processes in her past life.
"So, how long will it take to get everything done?" she asked the question she cared most about.
Eleanor estimated, "For our scale, not too big, not too small, if all the paperwork is complete, it will take about three months."
"Three months?" Celine frowned deeper, feeling disappointed.
Three months was too long.
Was there any way to open earlier?
While Celine was thinking, Eleanor suddenly seemed to remember something and slapped the steering wheel.
"Oh, right." His voice was a little strange. "Grandpa came to visit yesterday."