For the next three days, the freight elevator at Cloudtop International became my private lane.
I was a hamster with a severe hoarding disorder, frantically converting the cold numbers in my bank account into tangible survival supplies.
"Hello, is this Mr. Steele? This is your order: two Honda EU30is silent inverter generators and five sets of 200W foldable solar panels."
"Mr. Steele, five hundred kilos of vacuum-sealed rice and fifty cases of military-grade braised pork cans. Please sign."
"Mr. Steele, here are the antibiotics, painkillers, bandages, and surgical suture kits you requested, all top-spec..."
Delivery guys came in waves, almost breaking the threshold of Unit 3201.
The spacious living room soon looked like a logistics hub.
To their confused looks, I gave a standard excuse: "I run an outdoor adventure club. This is gear for the team."
I didn't care if they believed me. As long as the money was good, no one asked questions.
Late at night, like a miser, I would sort the supplies and move the most critical items into Shadow's [System Space].
Shadow's inventory had expanded to 3 cubic meters after reaching Lv.2. Still small, but enough for the expensive electronics and meds that couldn't get wet.
The rest—rice, oil, water—I stacked in the living room and bedroom, covering them with tarps.
Watching the luxury apartment fill up gave me a sense of security words couldn't describe.
Day 3. Morning.
Skyhaven's sunlight always carried a lazy warmth.
I woke up in a bedroom filled with crates. Stretched. No zombie screams. No generator roar. Just the whisper-quiet hum of central AC.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
Angry barks erupted from the living room, mixed with mechanical clatter.
Heart pounding, thinking it was a burglar, I grabbed the Tang Dao from under my pillow and rushed out.
"What is it?!"
I froze in the living room.
Shadow was arched, fur bristling, growling at a disk-shaped object on the floor.
The landlord's robot vacuum. It was flashing blue, fearlessly bumping into Shadow's paws, humming.
"Stupid iron plate! You dare provoke this Lord!"
Shadow slammed a paw on the robot. "I'll dismantle you!"
Beep—Obstacle detected. Rerouting. The robot chirped in a mechanical female voice, turned, and persistently bumped him again.
"It's mocking me! Scooper! It's mocking me!" Shadow yelled at me, golden eyes full of disbelief. "Is this world's tech tree focused on annoying things? Making a broom move? I'm gonna slice this round monster with a Wind Blade!"
"Stop stop stop!"
Laughing and crying, I sheathed the sword and turned off the vacuum.
"It's just a vacuum cleaner. Like... an automatic broom. No consciousness. It's not mocking you."
"Hmph." Shadow eyed the silent disk suspiciously. "It looks punchable. If it hits my foot again, I'm throwing it like a frisbee."
"Fine, fine, you're the boss."
I grabbed a bottle of Evian from the fridge, poured it into his bowl. "Cool down. Drink some water. Last shipment arrives today."
Ding-dong.
Doorbell.
I checked the time. 10:00 AM. "That fast? My dehydrated vegetables are here?"
I went to open the door.
Standing there wasn't a delivery guy in uniform. It was someone unexpected.
Selina.
Today she wasn't wearing the coat. She wore a casual home outfit—beige knit cardigan, loose grey pants. Hair clipped up with a claw clip, loose strands framing her face.
Less cold, more gentle. More human.
She held a nice Tupperware box. Seeing me in a T-shirt and shorts, holding a Tang Dao (forgot to put it down), her eyes flickered.
"Morning." Her voice was still lovely, like morning dew. "Did I disturb you?"
"No, just woke up." I hid the sword behind my back, body blocking the view of the mountain of supplies inside. "Something up?"
"Just moved in. Made some cookies. Thought I'd bring some to the new neighbor."
She lifted the box, smiling unnaturally. "Low sugar. I baked too many."
Terrible excuse.
Only two units on this floor. "Baked too many"? Clearly intentional.
"Thanks." I took the box. Warm. Smelled like butter. "Too kind."
Selina didn't leave. Her gaze drifted over my shoulder, searching. When she saw the golden lump on the sofa, her eyes lit up.
"Is your dog... home?"
"Yeah."
I hesitated, then stepped aside. "Want to come in?"
I didn't want to show the supplies, but blocking a neighbor at the door was suspicious. Plus, I wanted to know her angle.
"Then... pardon the intrusion."
Selina changed into slippers.
Seeing the crates stacked to the ceiling, surprise flashed in her eyes, but she recovered quickly. Polite enough not to ask.
Shadow saw a beauty and dropped the "Destroyer of Worlds" face. Sat up straight. Wagged his tail slightly. "I am a Good Boy."
Pervert dog.
"He's beautiful." Selina walked to the sofa. Didn't sit. Squatted down and extended a hand tentatively.
Shadow nuzzled her palm.
Selina smiled. A genuine, defenseless smile. In that moment, she wasn't the mysterious high-class neighbor, just a girl who liked animals.
"What's his name?" She looked up.
"Shadow." I put the cookies on the table and poured her water.
"Shadow..." She stroked his golden fur. "He's yellow. Why Shadow?"
"Because he runs like a black whirlwind... uh, I mean, it sounds tough." I lied. Can't say it's because his heart is black and his hand is heavy.
Selina smiled and sat on the corner of the sofa (the only spot without junk). Shadow rested his chin on her knee, enjoying the massage.
I sat opposite. Opened the box. Took a bite.
Crispy. Not too sweet. Surprisingly good.
"By the way, last time you said..." Selina petted the dog, asking casually. "Your name is Victor?"
"Yeah."
"Victor... what?" She looked up. Deep brown eyes fixed on me. Expectant.
I paused. Why ask for the full name?
"Victor Steele," I answered. "Steele as in the metal."
Selina's hand paused. The light in her eyes dimmed instantly. Replaced by unconcealed disappointment.
"Steele..." She mumbled. Bitter smile. "Right. No such coincidence."
"What's wrong?" I caught the shift. "Weird name?"
"No..." Selina looked down. "Just reminded me of someone. His name was Victor too. Victor Stone."
"Boyfriend?" I probed.
"No." She shook her head. Eyes drifting, looking through time. "Just... an old friend I haven't seen in a long time. He saved me when we were kids."
"Lucky guy," I said. "To be remembered by Miss Selina for so long."
"Lucky?" Selina laughed bitterly. Subconsciously touched her chest.
Under the knit shirt, I saw the outline of an irregular lump.
Shadow's ears twitched.
Telepathy: "That rock is hot. Her heart rate is up. She's lying. Or hiding something."
I narrowed my eyes.
Steele vs Stone. Same concept, different material. Is the person she's looking for... me?
But I don't remember saving a rich girl. I grew up in an orphanage, then adopted. Fought a lot, but never did the "Hero saves Beauty" thing.
"Never mind."
Selina took a breath. Adjusted her mood. Looked around at the crates. Changing the subject.
"Your 'E-commerce business' seems big." She pointed at a box labeled [Military Ration - MRE]. "You sell these too?"
"Cough... Hobby. Hobby." I coughed awkwardly. "World's unstable lately. Hoarding makes me feel safe."
"World's unstable..."
Selina repeated the phrase. Eyes turned serious. She looked at me, hesitating.
Finally, she spoke.
"Mr. Steele, since you like hoarding, a suggestion."
"What?"
"If you have spare cash, buy more medicine and water purification tablets." She lowered her voice. Serious. "Especially antibiotics and antivirals."
My heart skipped.
What does she know?
"Miss Selina, did you... hear something?" I asked calmly.
Selina stood up. Didn't answer directly.
"I'm just a biology researcher. Sensitive to trends." She smoothed her clothes. "It's late. I should go. Thanks for the water."
At the door, she stopped. Looked back at Shadow, then me.
"Victor."
"Yeah?"
"Your dog is special. Treat him well." She said. "And... don't go out at night recently. I heard there are 'Rabies' incidents in the East District. Very violent."
She left.
"Rabies..."
I closed the door. Leaned against it. Face dark.
"Shadow, hear that?"
"Heard it." Shadow jumped on the table, stealing a cookie. "East District. Rabies."
"Precursor to the Zombie Virus." I clenched my fist.
Peace in Reality wouldn't last long. Selina knew inside info. "Biology researcher," plus the rock that triggered Shadow. She wasn't simple.
"The stone on her," Shadow chewed the cookie. "Resonates with the core I ate. Not a normal rock. It's... [Origin Ore]."
"Origin Ore?"
"Yes. The source of mutation. Key to evolution." Shadow's eyes gleamed. "If I eat that rock, I might break through to C-Rank directly."
"Don't even think about it." I patted his head. "It's her necklace. We don't rob good people."
"Tsk. Soft-hearted." Shadow snorted. "But for the sake of the cookies, this Lord will spare her for now."
I looked at the room full of supplies.
I thought this was enough for a while in the apocalypse. But Selina's words gave me a new crisis.
If Reality falls, this is no longer a safe rear base. It's a new battlefield.
"Plan change."
I walked to the window. Looked at the traffic below.
"Shadow, we need to speed up."
"Buy everything we can. Move everything we can."
"And..." I thought of the name 'Victor Stone' she mentioned.
"Maybe I should look into that name."