Volume One, Chapter Two: Countdown to the Apocalypse

Lin Ye stared intently at the date on his phone screen, his heart gripped fiercely by an icy hand. Blood rushed to his head before receding swiftly, leaving behind a chilling void.

He remembered it all too clearly—etched into his soul.

January 1st, 2110, precisely 8 a.m.

That strange, crimson rain, laced with a deadly virus, would suddenly engulf the entire world without warning.

Countless people, caught off guard while playing, exercising, or commuting, would be drenched and, in an instant, transformed into bloodthirsty living dead.

Order would collapse in a flash, civilization reduced to ruins. That was the dawn of the apocalypse—the first day of hell on earth.

And now, less than twenty-four hours remained before that cataclysmic rain?

This harsh and sudden reality struck Lin Ye’s newly kindled flames of vengeance and survival plans like a hammer blow.

He had thought that with the original owner’s immense wealth—a fortune worth billions—and this sprawling villa in the clouds, he had ample time to build an impregnable fortress for the end times, stockpile vast supplies, and calmly await his moment of revenge, even living like a king in the apocalypse.

But what now?

Only one day remained.

One day!

This was no grand opening move.

At best, it was just a temporary safe house slightly better than the rented room he’d had in his past life.

His grand blueprint instantly shrank to the most basic and urgent needs for survival.

“Damn it!” Lin Ye growled, a fierce urgency tightening every muscle, making each second unbearably precious.

Now was no time for regret or hesitation. Every moment had to be used to its fullest.

Stockpile supplies! Immediately! As much as possible!

This villa covered over ten acres, plenty of space—it was the perfect time to fill it up!

As his mind raced wildly, a mechanical voice suddenly sounded:

“Detection: apocalypse imminent. Merit War System activation countdown…”

“Countdown begins: 23 hours…”

At the sound of this, Lin Ye’s expression instantly froze, then gradually turned excited.

He began to wonder if he had misheard.

But the hourglass countdown in his mind kept reminding him, “System incoming.”

His heart leapt with joy—after all, novels never lie.

Though the system’s true function was still unclear, from all the novels he’d read, how wrong could it be?

Still…

Facing an unknown “system” and his own safety, he decided to be cautious.

He resolved to first secure immediate and future supplies and survival necessities.

What if the system’s demands were harsh?

Better to control his fate himself in this uncertainty.

Without hesitation, he spun around, completely ignoring the growing confusion and curiosity on Lin Xueqing’s face.

Relying on the original owner’s memories, his fingers darted through the contacts list to find a number, then he dialed without hesitation.

The call was answered almost instantly by a rough, deferential, and obsequious male voice:

“Hello, Young Master Lin! What are your orders?”

“Chen Dashan,” Lin Ye’s tone was firm and commanding, leaving no room for doubt. “I need supplies. A lot of living supplies—food, drink, daily necessities, clothing, and medicine. Immediately! Right now! Send everything to the Cloud Villa!”

There was a brief pause on the other end before a cautious question came:

“Young Master Lin… why are you stockpiling these things? With your status, a single call could get you anything… this…”

“Enough nonsense!” Lin Ye cut him off sharply, cold as a blade. “Can you do it or not? If not, I’ll find someone else! There are plenty eager to take this order!”

“Y-yes! Yes, of course! I can handle it! I must!” Chen Dashan’s voice instantly rose, filled with urgency and flattery.

“Calm down, Young Master Lin! I’ll arrange it immediately! You’ll be satisfied, guaranteed! How much do you need? So I can have an idea…”

“How much?” Lin Ye’s lips curled into a near-mad smile. “As much as you can get! Money is no object. However much you can procure today, I’ll pay you that much! But remember, you only have today! Before nightfall, I want the first batch of supplies in my warehouse! Understood?”

“Understood! Understood, understood!” Chen Dashan was ecstatic, the prospect of huge profit instantly sweeping away any doubts. His voice even cracked with excitement.

“Great, Young Master Lin! Just wait! I’ll empty the warehouses and pull every shipment from the city for you! Guaranteed delivery before nightfall! Just watch!”

The call ended, and Lin Ye exhaled slightly. The first step was taken.

Only then did he notice Lin Xueqing staring at him as if he were an alien, her eyes full of disbelief.

“Young Master Lin… what are you doing?” she hesitated.

“I have urgent matters. You should go. Aren’t you on a tight schedule recording your album?” Lin Ye waved his hand; he had no time to explain.

“Oh? Right, right!” Lin Xueqing snapped back to reality and hurriedly grabbed her bag. “I really have to go, Young Master Lin, or I’ll be late! After I finish…”

Her words faltered as Lin Ye suddenly looked up, his gaze grave and serious.

“Wait!” he called out, his tone more solemn than ever. “Lin Xueqing, if you trust me, do as I say: after recording your album, come straight home.

Use all the money you can mobilize to buy food, drink, medicine, and long-lasting supplies—get as much as possible.

Then lock yourself in the safest room in your house. Fortify the doors and windows!

Remember, starting from 8 a.m. tomorrow, do not open the door for anyone. Absolutely no one. Unless you are absolutely certain they are safe.”

His words struck Lin Xueqing like a thunderclap, leaving her stunned.

Instinctively, she blurted out with a tremor and a hint of absurdity, “Young Master Lin… do you mean… is tomorrow the end of the world?”

Lin Ye paused, surprised at her quick reaction.

He didn’t answer directly—just looked at her intently and said in a low voice, “Just think of it that way. Believe it or not, I say this only once. Your life is yours to protect.”

For a few seconds, uncertainty flickered on Lin Xueqing’s face as she met Lin Ye’s cold, urgent gaze—no hint of a joke, only grim seriousness. Her heart began to pound inexplicably.

Finally, she nodded firmly, a flash of resolve in her eyes.

“I… understand, Young Master Lin. Thank you! I… I’ll leave now!”

Without hesitation, she turned and hurried away, the sound of her high heels striking the pavement tinged with anxiety.

Only after settling into her sports car and starting the engine did she notice her hands trembling on the steering wheel, her mind repeatedly echoing Lin Ye’s words and the phrase “end of the world.”

She pulled out her phone and looked at the date and time—December 31st, 2109, 8:25 a.m.

Only 23 hours and 35 minutes remained until “8 a.m. tomorrow” as Lin Ye had said.

A chill crept up her spine.

Watching Lin Xueqing’s car vanish beyond the villa gate, Lin Ye took a deep breath.

The apocalypse was coming, and human nature was unpredictable.

If not for the fact that she had at least tried her best last night, and the faint instinctive goodwill left by the original owner, he would not have bothered to say another word.

Whether she listened or survived was now her own fate.

Forcing himself to calm down, he quickly sank back into the leather sofa in the living room, his mind racing.

“Let Chen Dashan handle supplies. With his connections and greed, filling several warehouses today won’t be a problem. But that’s far from enough!”

Memories of struggling in despair in his previous life surfaced vividly.

Electricity.

Within days of the apocalypse, the global power grid would collapse. Without electricity, food in refrigerators would rot, and lighting, communication, and heating would become impossible.

Water.

The strange rain would contaminate most water sources. Tap water systems would quickly fail or become deadly.

“Hardware. I must solve power and water purification immediately!”