Chapter 2: Preparation Begins

A knock at the door startled her. She hastily returned the bottle into the space ring as a woman entered the room. A middle-aged woman with worry lines creasing her face. "Miao, you’re awake!" the woman gasped, rushing to her side. "Oh, thank the heavens. You’ve been in a coma for so long! How do you feel?" The emotions in the woman’s eyes were genuine, warm. Mother? The memories she had inherited whispered the answer; her mother in this life. She had a similarity to her mother in ancient times, especially the loving eyes. It made it easier to accept her as her mother. "I..." Her voice came out hoarse, unfamiliar. She swallowed and nodded. "I’m fine." Her mother sighed in relief, brushing her hair back. "The doctors said you were lucky. That truck hit you so hard, but somehow, you pulled through." Indeed, being hit by a truck and surviving is nothing short of a miracle. Unfortunately, they will never know that the real Chu Miao has died and a different soul inhabits her body. But since she had taken over it, then she will care for the people the original host left behind. Especially her mother, father, grandfather, and brother. She was too weak and needed to do something and get better and stronger soon. Following her memories, she knew that she had just joined university and had no connections that could help her buy supplies to stockpile. Hence, she needed to find a way to talk to her family and convince them that the apocalypse was coming and prepare everything. She also understood that to do that, she will have to expose her space ring. She had one month. One month before the world changed. Her grip tightened on the bed sheet. In her past life, she had fought on the battlefield until her last breath. This world was different, but the fight remained the same. She would not be weak. She would not fall. Chu Miao had no time to waste. "Mom, don’t worry about me, since I have woken up I believe the miracle won’t stop there. I’ll be jumping around in no time." She followed the way the host communicated with her mother to reassure her. She found that it wasn’t as difficult as she had imagined. It was a pleasant surprise that the host had a personality that was almost identical to her own. This made it easy for her as she didn’t have to worry about being discovered. Even if some changes occurred due to her time in the battlefield in ancient times, it would be during the apocalypse and everyone will just associate it with the fight for survival. Hence, she didn’t have to worry. "That’s good, your father finally went to the company with your brother today after the doctor reassured them of your recovery progress. Also, your grandfather comes to the hospital almost everyday and has gone back home to rest. I will call them to let them know that you are awake." Her mother stated as she wiped the tears of joy that threatened to spill. Chu Miao was actually glad that the rest of the family members were not around. Otherwise, they would be fussing around her and it would make thinking difficult. "It’s okay mother, don’t let grandpa come to the hospital again. He is old and needs to rest. Also, my father and brother need to concentrate on their work. They can come once their work is done." After reassuring her mother that she was fine, she feigned exhaustion and asked to be left alone. The moment the door was shut, she struggled to sit up straight, her mind already calculating her next steps. From the books she had read before about the apocalypse she knew that there would be sudden typhoons and extreme weather, heat and cold that will go past 50° high or -50°. Then, the plague that turns humans into flesh-eating monsters and mutated animals and plants. There may be other disasters such as snow storms or hurricanes. And all these disasters needed different equipment to survive. She could not afford to waste a single day. Sending her consciousness into the space ring again, she dove into its contents. The ring contained a treasure trove of items from her past life; elixirs, beast cores, spiritual weapons, and cultivation manuals. Yet, while these were powerful, they were not enough for the modern world. She needed food. Medical supplies. Water purification tools and water tanks. Weapons suited for ranged combat. She needed both cold and hot weapons, vehicles, and many other things. Her gaze flickered with determination. However, she was still young and didn’t have enough money and connections to buy what was needed. Her family doted on her and would give her whatever she asked for, however, she wasn’t sure if they would believe her if she told them about the upcoming apocalypse. But she had to tell them because they had the wealth and connections that can get these things on short notice. Her father, a respected businessman, her mother, a well-known philanthropist, and her grandfather, a retired military general, had the resources she needed. Even her older brother, though young, had influence in certain circles. She had to find a way to convince them. The apocalypse was an unbelievable concept. If she told them outright, they might think that she had lost her mind. So, she needed a plan. She needed enough proof, scientific reports of changing weather patterns, news of unusual animal behavior, and other anomalies. She could approach her family with the evidence and prepare them without sounding crazy. She dragged her legs over the side of the bed, testing her strength. Her muscles protested, but she forced herself to stand. This body was weak now, but with her knowledge and experience, it wouldn’t stay that way for long. She moved back on the bed and sat down cross-legged and tried to sense the spiritual energy in the air. The sensation was faint, almost nonexistent. Compared to her past life, it was not worth mentioning, but it was there. She tried to absorb it and circulated it through her meridians. She could rebuild her strength, cultivate again, even in this strange world. She could also help her family become stronger, especially with the resources in her space. A small smile tugged at her lips. The apocalypse was coming, but she would not face It as a helpless girl. She needed to rest now. She took a healing pill from one of the jade bottles in her space ring and laid back down. Tomorrow, her real preparations will begin.