Chapter 21: Chapter 21: A Plan? Just Do It

Passing by a mall, Sue Lawrence ducked inside. She headed straight for the outdoor equipment section and bought twenty sets of cold-proof diving suits and their accompanying gear, stuffing her car to the brim.

She drove back to the mining site, hid the body in a concealed stone cave, and by the time she rushed home, her family had dinner ready.

Sue Lawrence acted as if nothing had happened. She leisurely changed her clothes, washed her hands, and sat down to eat, as if the dangerous encounter from earlier had never taken place.

She gave the [B Level Grappling Skill] to Vincent Lawrence, hoping that in the future, if her father went out alone, he wouldn’t be followed and killed.

She gave the [C-class Self-defense Technique] to her sister-in-law, Jenny Norris. ’Since my sister-in-law hasn’t terminated the pregnancy, it must mean my brother wants this child too. I hope they’re able to raise it well.’

As for the Golden Left Hand and the boxer’s right hand she’d gotten from Adam Zane, she gave one to Vivian Young and the other to her son. She kept the [C Level Professional Sanda] and [B Level Firearms] for herself.

’As for working out to improve my stamina, there’s just no time right now. I’ll have to wait until the apocalypse and do it while we’re hiding in the mining tunnels.’

Elliot Lawrence pointed to his nose. "What about me?"

"You?"

Sue Lawrence sized him up. "You’re a strong young guy who already has a thing for working out. Surely you don’t need to be fighting over Skills with this bunch of old and infirm people, huh?" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Elliot Lawrence: "..."

’Fine, you’re ruthless!’ He pouted, but he wasn’t actually angry.

The family went to bed early. But just as midnight struck, Sue Lawrence’s eyes snapped open. She heard two sets of synchronized footsteps outside her door.

Vincent Lawrence and Elliot Lawrence were already dressed and ready. Tonight, they were going to clean out the supplies the Sterling Group had hoarded.

’The very thought is exciting.’

"Let’s go."

Sue Lawrence kept it brief. As was their routine, the three of them finished twisting some spider silk before driving straight for the Sterling Mines.

The moment he stepped out of the car, Elliot Lawrence shivered. "Holy crap, why is it so cold?"

Sue Lawrence pulled out her phone to check the weather, her expression darkening instantly.

The forecast showed a low of negative six degrees and a high of only three for the day.

In her past life, the temperature at this time had still been above zero. It had never been this cold.

’The apocalypse is starting early. We have to move faster.’

"Daughter, do you have a plan?"

Vincent Lawrence asked, his expression serious.

Sue Lawrence shook her head. "No plan. While it’s empty, we clean the place out!"

She had already hidden the GPS tracker under a rock near her house. Jason Sterling would simply assume the private investigator was still on their tail, never imagining the monumental shift that had occurred.

The three of them arrived at the Sterling Mines. Activating [Gecko’s Climbing Ability], they scaled the rock face in one go, reaching the roof of the mine’s entrance.

Sue Lawrence peered through the small hole they had chiseled out on their last visit. She scanned the interior with her [Eye of Barrier Breaking] and Perception. After confirming that the area was empty and there was nothing out of the ordinary, she said in a low voice, "Move out!"

Vincent Lawrence and Elliot Lawrence immediately took out explosives and detonated them precisely.

BOOM! A tremendous explosion blasted a large hole in the thick mountainside, sending rubble raining down.

The three of them entered in single file. Vincent Lawrence and Elliot Lawrence made a beeline for the forklifts inside, while Sue Lawrence started grabbing lighter supplies off the ground, deftly loading them into a minecart.

Snowmobiles? Hauled away! Sleds, snow poles, and snow goggles? Bagged them. Hot water bottles, heat packs, and hand-crank generators? Shoved them all onto the cart! Compressed biscuits, dried fish, dried fruit, and dried vegetables; all sorts of grains and vegetable seeds; even muzzled sled dogs, two strong horses, and a few cages of chicks—they herded and carried everything they could onto the minecarts.

While she worked, Sue Lawrence simultaneously erased all traces of their presence. By the early hours of the morning, the vast mine tunnel was picked completely clean. Not so much as a chicken feather remained.

"That’s about it." Sue Lawrence glanced at the time. "Let’s collapse the entrance. Make it look like a natural cave-in."

Elliot Lawrence silently gave her a thumbs-up. The trio divided the labor and moved with incredible speed.

A few more loud BOOMS, and the entrance to the Sterling Mines was completely buried under rubble, leaving no sign that anyone had been there.

Riding back in the minecart, surrounded by the haul of supplies, Sue Lawrence couldn’t help but wonder, ’What kind of face will Jason Sterling make when he sees his empty mine?’

’But who cares? He brought it on himself!’

Sue Lawrence called over to Vincent and Elliot, and they began moving the supplies into their family’s warehouse. The designated space was soon filled to the brim, and there wasn’t even room in the corners for the rest of the goods.

"The contractors are coming today to do the interior finishings and install cameras and wiring," Sue Lawrence said, taking a deep breath. "Leaving this stuff piled up outside is too conspicuous. It could expose our mining tunnel." Her yearning for a [Storage Space] grew even more desperate.

’I have to get Maeve Walsh’s [Space Ability] as soon as possible. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter how good these supplies are—not being able to store them is a total waste!’

"So what do we do?" Elliot Lawrence scratched his head, his tone betraying his frustration. "We can’t exactly move it all back—we blew up the mine."

’Return it?’ Sue Lawrence laughed internally. ’Not a chance. Why would I ever do that? I’d sooner feed this stuff to the dogs than give it back to Jason Sterling!’

"Don’t worry. We’ll give it to the military base next door."

Vincent Lawrence and Elliot Lawrence: ???

"Give it to the base next door?"

"That’s right. We’re handing it over to the state!" Sue Lawrence declared, making the final decision.

’If we don’t have the space, we’ll give it to the country! Anything is better than giving it back to that scumbag!’

Without further hesitation, the trio drove the minecart out of their own tunnel and docked it with the truck waiting outside. They nimbly transferred all the remaining supplies.

Taking advantage of the pre-dawn fog, they drove the truck straight to the military air-raid shelter. They unloaded the supplies in a patch of woods not far from the entrance, and Sue Lawrence purposefully left a note:

Donated to the country. No thanks necessary! —A Good Samaritan

Having done all this, the three of them turned, got back in their vehicle, and drove away.

The young soldier on duty at the shelter had long since spotted the movement through the morning fog. However, the distance was too great and the fog too dense to make out any faces. He remained vigilant, cautiously reporting the activity. Only after the truck had vanished down the road did the shelter’s heavy doors slowly swing open, and a tall, imposing figure emerged first.

The man wore a custom-made, charcoal-gray wool overcoat. The material draped exquisitely, outlining a perfect silhouette of broad shoulders and a narrow waist.

His jet-black hair, slightly damp from the fog, clung to his temples. His brow was sharp, as if chiseled, set above deep-set eyes. He had a high, straight nose, and his thin lips were pressed into a hard, cold line. A frigid, unapproachable aura surrounded him, the kind possessed by both a long-reigning sovereign and a soldier forged in iron and blood. Yet, his face was so handsome it was almost unearthly, making it difficult to meet his gaze. He seemed less like a living man and more like a flawless statue carved from ice and snow.

At his side was Theodore Frost, clad in a crisp military uniform, his posture rigid. He looked at the man with a mixture of reverence and awe. "Mr. Hawthorne, it’s this way."

Silas Hawthorne’s gaze landed on the small mountain of supplies piled in the woods, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Theodore Frost strode forward and picked up the note. "’Donated to the country. No thanks necessary! —A Good Samaritan?’"

"Did... word get out?"