Chapter 2 Something dirty…

Words : 1941 Updated : Sep 9th, 2025

Warren strode into Ethan's yard, a group of thugs trailing behind him. They all had a cocky swagger, their bodies covered in tattoos of skulls and cobras, clearly trying to project an air of intimidation. But Ethan's expression remained calm, completely unfazed by their presence."Hey, Warren," Ethan greeted him casually, his tone as cool as ever. Warren gave a slight smile and got straight to the point. "Ethan, you know why I'm here. Have you thought about what we discussed regarding this land?" His tone was polite enough, clearly intending to start off civil before applying pressure later. But to his surprise, Ethan nodded and replied calmly, "Yeah, I've thought it over. I'm willing to sell it to you for the price you offered." Sёarᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Warren froze for a moment, a look of disbelief crossing his face. He hadn't expected Ethan to agree so easily. Even the thugs behind him exchanged confused glances, as if the script had suddenly changed. "You… you're really agreeing?" Warren asked again, his voice tinged with uncertainty. Ethan nodded again. "Yep. No need for my little farm to get in the way of your big plans." Hearing this, Warren's face lit up with joy, and he couldn't help but feel smug. Finally, this kid's come to his senses. "Hahaha, great! Let's sign the contract right now," Warren said eagerly. His assistant immediately handed over a contract that had clearly been prepared in advance. They'd come ready, just waiting for Ethan's approval. Without hesitation, Ethan sat down, picked up a pen, and began signing page after page. The land his farm sat on wasn't small—it was worth a solid $20 million at market value. As Warren watched Ethan sign, he still couldn't quite believe how smoothly things were going. "Ethan, what's going on with your farm? Why'd you suddenly decide to sell?" Warren couldn't help but ask, his curiosity getting the better of him. Ethan didn't even look up, his voice as calm as ever. "Because I need the money." "Need money?" Warren's eyes narrowed slightly as his mind started working. He wasn't just a real estate developer—he was also a seasoned loan shark. The thugs he kept around weren't just for show; they helped him handle certain "special" business matters when needed. Suddenly, an idea struck him. This could be another opportunity to make some extra cash. "Ethan, are you still short on money? If you need more… I might be able to help you out," Warren said, his tone softening, as if offering a lifeline. Ethan paused for a moment, lifting his head to meet Warren's gaze. He looked at the man's broad, scarred face, and for the first time, the usually arrogant bald guy seemed almost… pleasant. With the end of the world looming, here was someone not only buying his farm but also offering to lend him money. What a generous guy! Ethan couldn't help but feel a wave of gratitude, almost moved to tears by Warren's unexpected "kindness." ... "Warren, your help came at just the right time. We're definitely going to make a fortune in the future," Ethan said, breaking the silence. "Haha! Haha!" Warren burst into laughter, as if he could already see the money rolling in. "Helping you is no problem, but you know my rules. The interest isn't low, and I'll need collateral." "No problem. I've got a supermarket, an estate, and a house," Ethan replied without hesitation. Warren already knew Ethan's assets inside and out. The estate was in the suburbs, a luxurious private property. The house? A spacious penthouse in a prime area of Los Angeles, worth at least $30 million. And the supermarket? Located in a prime spot, the land alone was worth $50 million. "Ethan, since you're being so straightforward, I can lend you $80 million. How's that sound?" "Deal," Ethan agreed, quick and to the point. Warren was secretly thrilled, feeling like he'd just scored a huge win. This deal was a sure thing for him, practically risk-free. He couldn't help but feel proud of his business acumen. "Hahaha, Ethan, let's stick to the usual process. You'll need to sign a promissory note, leave your fingerprint, and hand over the property deeds." "No problem," Ethan responded calmly. The deal was wrapped up quickly. Ethan sold off his farm and secured an $80 million loan, bringing his total funds to a cool $100 million. Warren, satisfied, left with the contracts and promissory note, his crew following behind him. Ethan stood at the entrance of the farm, watching as Warren's car disappeared into the distance. His gaze was deep, as if he was contemplating something. The endgame was about to begin. What would Warren think when the time came? Oh… maybe he wouldn't be thinking anything at all. … After selling the farm, Ethan started packing up, getting ready to take whatever supplies he could with him. He planned to head to the supermarket and store the new inventory. The supermarket wasn't just stocked with fresh meat; it also had clothes, towels, soap, detergent, and other essentials. Even though Ethan had turned into a zombie, he was different from the others. He became more rational—and even more obsessed with cleanliness. Beep beep beep! Just as he was about to get moving, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and saw a message from "Lola." "Something dirty…" Ethan muttered to himself. Lola was the campus beauty at University of Southern California, sweet and cute, with countless admirers. She was known as the "heartbreaker." Back when Ethan was lonely and desperate for a sense of belonging, he'd gotten into a relationship with her. "Babe, my birthday's next month. What are you getting me?" Lola's message came through, her tone playful and teasing. "The gift's already ready," Ethan replied coldly, his eyes devoid of any warmth. Lola seemed pleased and quickly responded, "Thanks, babe! Honestly, the gift doesn't matter. What matters is your little swimmers." "My swimmers, huh… You'll find out soon enough," Ethan's reply was short, and his heart remained unmoved. In his previous life, Ethan had been hiding in his supermarket when he received a desperate message from Lola. She said she was holed up in her dorm room, hadn't eaten in days, and was on the verge of starving to death. But to save her, he risked everything, leaving the safety of the store to bring her food. Unfortunately, he ended up getting infected and turning into a zombie. Even after becoming a zombie, he couldn't let go of his obsession. He still tried to bring her food. Using his new zombie form to avoid attacks from other zombies, he dragged his stiff body through the hordes. But when he arrived at her dorm, the sight that greeted him shattered him completely. Lola was having sex with five other men. When she realized Ethan had turned into a zombie, she didn't hesitate. She tied him to a post and forced him to watch as she and the five men continued their wild orgy. Afterward, they tortured Ethan mercilessly, and in the end, one of them blew his head off with a shotgun. At the time, Ethan had desperately tried to explain, but he'd already lost the ability to speak. All that came out were low, guttural growls, like a helpless animal. Maybe… whether Ethan was a zombie or still human didn't matter to them at all. There were twelve days left until the apocalypse, and Ethan had already planned a "surprise" for those people. He smirked coldly, silently deciding that it was time to show them his "attitude." After all, in this soon-to-collapse world, living humans were just another form of "resource" to him. He put down his phone after replying to Lola's message, feeling nothing inside. Next, he began organizing the supplies from the farm. Generators, solar panels—these were all things that would be useful in the apocalypse. He stored them one by one in his spatial storage ring. He even took a digger. Nothing was off-limits. The ring had more than enough space, so there was no need to worry about running out of room. Besides the practical supplies, Ethan also packed a few items that held special meaning for him. On the wall hung an old photograph, a group picture of some kids. It was taken at the orphanage where he grew up, and it carried nearly all his childhood memories. Most of the kids at the orphanage had been abandoned by their parents. Some had physical disabilities, others had intellectual challenges. In the photo, the two most noticeable children were Ethan and a girl named Mia. Mia was holding a teddy bear, her skin pale like porcelain, and her big, watery eyes radiated innocence. However, Ethan remembered the head of the orphanage once telling him that Mia had mental health issues. When she was twelve, she had bitten off half of a boy's face and was sent to a psychiatric hospital. Ethan never saw her again after that. But before that incident, they had been close. They would often fold paper, draw, and play games together. Ethan had never thought there was anything wrong with Mia. What he remembered most clearly were her crescent-shaped eyes when she smiled and the warmth in her expression when she looked at him. He carefully placed the photo into his storage ring as well. Once everything was packed, he got into his yellow Chevy Cruze and headed to his supermarket. When he arrived, there were several trucks parked outside, and workers were busy unloading goods. Nina, the warehouse manager, came running over, sweating and holding a ledger. "Boss, you're back. Here's today's delivery list. Can you check it over?" Nina said, panting. Nina was a college student who worked part-time at the supermarket to pay for her tuition. Lately, the supermarket had been receiving a lot of stock, and she was swamped with work. Ethan nodded, took the ledger, and flipped through a few pages. Then, looking at Nina's exhausted face, he said calmly, "It's getting late. You should go home and rest." Nina froze for a moment, then smiled gratefully. "Thanks, boss. But I have class tomorrow morning, so I might not be able to come in until the afternoon." Ethan looked at her, his tone flat. "You don't need to come in anymore." Nina's smile instantly stiffened. She clearly hadn't expected to hear that. "B-boss, did I do something wrong?" she asked cautiously, her voice tinged with unease. Ethan shook his head. "It's not you. I've just run into some trouble lately, and the supermarket's going to be closed for a while." Nina lowered her head. She understood what he meant, but she still felt a bit disappointed. In a soft voice, she said, "Oh… I see." Ethan looked at her and added, "I'll pay you double for this month. Go home." Nina lifted her head, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes, though it was overshadowed by sadness. She quietly thanked him and turned to leave the supermarket. Ethan watched her go, but felt no emotion. The end was coming, and soon, everything would be reset. …

Chapter 2 Something dirty…

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