Xu Lian sat on the floor of her apartment, staring at the open space before her. Her heart was still racing from her reunion with Chen, but now that the initial shock had settled, reality was sinking in.
They had four months.
Four months to prepare, to gather supplies, to get stronger.
Four months before the apocalypse consumed the world.
She took a deep breath and focused.
Her space ability was their greatest advantage. If she could store anything and even grow food inside it, they could ensure long-term survival. But she needed to test its limits.
She reached for a book on the coffee table and willed it into her space. The same sensation from before returned, a tugging force in her chest. In an instant, the book vanished.
Lian closed her eyes.
She could feel it inside the space floating in an empty void, weightless but waiting. With a simple thought, she made it reappear in her hand.
Her lips curled into a satisfied smile.
It worked.
But this was just the beginning.
She stood up, determination settling over her. She needed to see how much she could store and whether she could control what happened inside the space.
She grabbed random objects a chair, her laptop, a stack of clothes and sent them in. Each one disappeared effortlessly, and she could still sense endless space remaining.
No limit.
Her breath caught. If she could store food, medicine, weapons anything they needed they wouldn't have to worry about running out of supplies.
She turned to Chen, who had been watching her from the couch, arms crossed, his sharp eyes assessing everything.
"You're thinking of something," he said.
She nodded. "I need to test the farming ability. If I can grow food inside my space, we'll never go hungry."
His expression darkened. "We don't have time to experiment. We need to start stockpiling now."
"I know," she said, meeting his gaze. "But if I can confirm it works, we can prioritize crops instead of just hoarding canned food."
He exhaled. "Fine. But don't waste too much time."
Lian grabbed a small potted plant from her windowsill. She placed her hand over it, concentrating. The plant vanished into her space.
Closing her eyes, she focused inward.
For the first time, she saw her space.
It wasn't just a dark void. It was an endless, open field. The potted plant sat in the middle, but to her shock, its leaves were already greener, its stem stronger.
Time moved faster inside.
Her eyes snapped open. "It works."
Chen raised a brow. "Already?"
She nodded, excitement bubbling in her chest. "Time moves differently inside. I don't know how fast yet, but the plant looks healthier already."
Chen ran a hand through his hair. "That's… a game-changer."
She grinned. "I know."
---
Testing His Power
Chen stood in the center of the apartment, rolling his shoulders. "My turn."
Lian stepped back, watching him with curiosity. "So, what exactly happened to you?"
He clenched his fists, feeling the strange energy that had been stirring inside him since waking up. "During my mission, I dodged a bullet."
Lian's brows shot up. "Okay, that's not normal."
"No kidding." He exhaled. "It wasn't just reflexes. It felt like my body knew what was coming before I did."
She folded her arms. "Try something now."
He nodded, turning toward the empty wall.
Closing his eyes, he focused on the strange sensation running through his veins. It was like a second instinct, a silent whisper guiding his movements.
Then
He moved.
Faster than he thought possible, his body lunged forward, his fist colliding with the wall. A loud crack echoed through the room.
Lian gasped.
Chen pulled back, eyes widening. The plaster where he had struck was fractured, as if hit by a sledgehammer.
His hand barely hurt.
Lian stared. "Holy shit."
Chen flexed his fingers, his heart pounding. He hadn't even used his full strength.
Lian reached for his arm, eyes filled with something between awe and concern. "You didn't have that ability in our last life."
"No," he murmured. "But I have it now."
She exhaled. "This changes everything."
Chen met her gaze, his expression hardening. "It means we can fight back. We don't just have to survive we can win."
Lian swallowed. "Then let's get started."
---
Making a Plan
They sat at the dining table, a map of the city spread between them.
"We need a stronghold," Lian said. "Somewhere secure, easy to defend, but big enough to store everything we need."
Chen nodded. "The military base is ideal, but it won't be accessible right away."
She tapped the map. "Then we need a temporary location. A warehouse, a secluded building, something we can reinforce before everything collapses."
Chen studied the map. "There's an abandoned factory on the outskirts. It's isolated, has a high fence, and enough space for storage."
Lian's lips curled. "Perfect."
"Next," Chen continued. "Weapons and supplies."
"I can start storing everything immediately," she said. "We'll buy in bulk, but not enough to draw attention."
Chen smirked. "Legal supplies are good. But I'll handle the real weapons."
She raised a brow. "Illegal connections?"
He didn't deny it. "We'll need them."
Lian sighed but didn't argue. "Fine. But no unnecessary risks."
He leaned back. "And people? We need allies."
She hesitated. "We should find our old allies first."
Chen's expression darkened. "Not all of them were trustworthy."
"I know," she admitted. "But some of them… they were family."
A heavy silence hung between them.
Finally, Chen nodded. "We start tomorrow."
Lian's fingers tightened on the map.
Four months.
This time, they wouldn't just wait for the world to end.
They would be ready.
---