In this world, both men and women have their own ways of surviving.
Lisa's survival strategy is to depend on Miles, to weather the harshness of this apocalyptic era. Mary, on the other hand, thrives by using her capabilities to reshape the world.
Lisa understands her role clearly.
She can tolerate Mary moving into the villa because their goals are fundamentally different. There's no need for petty fights over affection. Nicole, however, is a different story. That woman's allure is too dangerous—having spent her life in the entertainment industry, seducing men comes as naturally to her as breathing.
After a brief rest, Miles donned his protective suit and stepped out of the villa.
In the freezing winds, Mary stood waiting outside, her purple down jacket unable to shield her from the cold. Her lips had turned a faint shade of blue, yet she remained upright, as resilient as a winter plum tree braving the frost.
Miles glanced at her frosty yet striking appearance. With a slight sigh, he retrieved a set of insulated protective gear from his storage and handed it to her. "Put this on. It's much warmer."
"Thanks."
Mary accepted the suit with a calm nod, clutching it silently in her arms.
"Let's go," Miles said, producing a snow vehicle from his storage space. They both climbed aboard and drove off.
"Where are we headed?" Miles asked.
"Bright Horizon Security. I assume you've heard of it," Mary replied coolly, her tone laced with subtle mockery.
Her aloofness grated on Miles. "Ever had anyone tell you your attitude stinks?" he asked dryly.
"Plenty of times," Mary said without missing a beat. She turned her gaze to the window, her expression unbothered. "But they always respected my abilities more."
"You win," Miles muttered, deciding to let the matter drop.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the city center, pulling up outside a snow-laden building.
"Bright Horizon Construction? Aren't they in the construction business? Since when do they have a security branch?" Miles asked, prying open a frozen second-story window to gain entry.
Mary followed behind, exhaling a puff of frosty air as she tightened her jacket. "What was the size of your company before the apocalypse?" she asked casually.
"Just a few million in valuation… Why?"
"That's about right," Mary said as she made her way to a stairwell and began descending. "Bright Horizon Security provides services exclusively for billionaires. The company has been around for years, but it's low-profile. Ordinary people couldn't afford its services, so few have ever heard of it."
Miles was momentarily speechless, nearly choking on his own breath.
The two descended three floors via the emergency stairwell.
"This is the end of the line," Miles observed, noting there were no further steps downward. "Where's this weapons cache you mentioned?"
"There's one more level," Mary replied. She led him a short distance to an unassuming fire hydrant cabinet. Opening its glass panel, she revealed a concealed electronic lock.
The lock was self-contained, immune to signal disruptions—a top-tier security feature.
With a soft click, the lock disengaged, and the wall beside them slid open to reveal a hidden door.
A gust of cold air wafted up, hinting at the vast space below.
"You rich folks sure know how to live it up," Miles said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Without Mary's guidance, he would have never found this place, even if he'd searched the building from top to bottom.
"Mary Enterprises is the majority stakeholder in Bright Horizon Group. Every business decision and personnel movement ties back to us," Mary said with a touch of pride before her tone turned wistful. "In times of peace, my family could have thrived for a century or more. But fate had other plans."
Miles nodded in agreement. "In a peaceful era, wealth and legacy mattered most. Now? It's all about fists and firepower. The rules have changed, and so has the value system."
Mary didn't respond.
As they descended the damp stairwell, Miles raised his flashlight. The sight before him made his eyes widen.
The basement spanned an impressive 2,000 square meters, filled to the brim with weapons and explosives. Rows of assault rifles, grenades, and advanced demolition equipment gleamed under the dim light.
"Holy…" Miles muttered. "This arsenal could outfit an entire reinforced battalion!"
"I wouldn't know," Mary said indifferently. "My uncle managed this place. He was a deputy chief of staff in the South Military District and sourced all of this."
"Wait, what? With this much firepower, how did the authorities not crack down on it?" Miles asked, astonished.
"To some extent, we were the authorities," Mary replied with quiet confidence, her expression faintly proud.
"That sounds like blatant corruption," Miles said, exasperated. "This is straight-up embezzlement!"
"Think whatever you want." Mary's voice remained calm. Gesturing to the neatly arranged weapons, she said, "There's always a demand, and where there's demand, someone will supply. Governments can't do everything, which is why private entities like this exist. It's simple economics."
"You've got it all figured out, don't you?" Miles remarked, his tone equal parts admiration and irritation.
"Take everything," Mary said offhandedly, as though discarding junk. "It's a good thing only a handful of people know about this place. Otherwise, it would've been looted long ago."
"Even Bright Horizon's executives don't know?" Miles asked skeptically.
"They don't," Mary replied with a small smirk. "This was a Mary family secret. That entrance? It's not just for show. The security here is leagues beyond your villa's."
"Fine, fine. I get it. I'm garbage compared to you, okay?" Miles grumbled, tired of her constant jabs.
"No," Mary said, glancing at him with a faint smile. "You're better than garbage—you've got that car-dropping trick up your sleeve."
"Damn it!" Miles grabbed her wrist, his voice low and menacing. "Listen, lady, I'm not your subordinate. Keep this up, and I won't guarantee I'll stay civil."
"Civil?" Mary's gaze met his, unflinching. Her eyes gleamed with faint amusement. "Let me guess… You'll take me by force?"
"Huh?" Miles blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
Mary's expression didn't waver. Her tone sharpened as she continued, "That woman in your villa—Lisa, isn't it? I've seen her before. Her grandfather was one of America's most esteemed medical scholars. And now she's with you. I suppose that makes you feel very accomplished."
"Damn it, I…" Miles's anger surged.
"And Nicole, the fallen starlet," Mary added, her gaze cutting into him like a blade. "Everyone in Cloud Heights knows she's yours too. Quite the collection you're building, isn't it?"