Apocalypse: Every Woman I Invest In Makes Me Stronger

The villa district was eerily quiet.

Too quiet.

Ethan walked along the base of the high perimeter wall, Debbie close behind him with Nina resting against her shoulder. Their footsteps were soft against the cracked pavement. Every now and then the wind moved through the trees, sending dry leaves skittering across the road like restless insects.

That was it.

No cars. No voices. No distant traffic. Not even the usual low groans of wandering zombies.

Just silence.

Ethan didn’t trust it.

He kept his sword within easy reach and constantly scanned the streets ahead. Most of the villas they passed were completely dark. A few still showed faint light behind their curtains, but it wasn’t the bright glow of electricity~only the weak, flickering light of candles or emergency lamps. People were still living here. They were just doing everything they could to stay invisible.

The farther they went, the more isolated the district became. The villas grew larger, sitting farther apart behind tall walls and overgrown yards. Trees and vines had begun reclaiming the sidewalks, their branches hanging low over the road. It looked less like a residential neighborhood and more like a forgotten luxury resort that time had quietly abandoned.

Finally Ethan reached the last row of houses and stopped.

Villa 8 stood directly beside the district’s perimeter wall.

Unlike most of the other properties, this one immediately caught his attention. The outer wall was nearly five meters high, topped with rusted barbed wire. Its smooth concrete surface offered almost no footholds. Getting over it from the outside would be difficult. The main entrance was even more impressive~a heavy blast-resistant security door built into the wall, complete with an electronic lock that still looked intact.

Ethan studied it for several seconds.

”Getting through the front door would be a pain.”

He looked up. Three stories of dark windows stared back at him. Then his eyes settled on the skylight set into the roof.

An idea formed.

”I’ll go in through the roof.”

Debbie looked up.

”The roof?”

”Yeah.” He pointed toward the wall. ”Stay here with Nina. Once I’m sure the place is clear, I’ll come get you.”

Debbie nodded, shifting Nina a little higher against her shoulder.

”Be careful.”

Ethan gave her a quick smile.

”I will.”

He stepped back. A large old locust tree grew right beside the villa, its thick branches stretching toward the roof like an invitation. Perfect.

Ethan grabbed the lowest branch and pulled himself up. He climbed quickly, using both hands and feet as he worked his way higher. The rough bark scraped against his palms, but he barely noticed. A few minutes later he crouched beside the skylight and examined the lock.

Manual. Good.

He drew his sword and carefully worked the blade into the narrow gap. The lock resisted at first. Ethan applied steady pressure.

Click.

The mechanism finally gave. He pushed the skylight open and peered inside.

Nothing. No movement. No sound.

He lowered himself through the opening. His boots touched the dusty attic floor. For several long seconds Ethan simply stood there and listened.

Still nothing.

He slowly descended the stairs.

The first floor looked untouched. Dust covered almost everything, but there were no signs of a struggle. In the dining room several dirty plates still sat on the long table. A half-finished meal had long since dried into something unrecognizable. The scene gave Ethan the strange feeling that the owners had simply stood up one day and walked out, never planning to return.

He checked the kitchen. The refrigerator was empty. The cabinets were neatly arranged. Plates and cups were still stacked exactly where they belonged. No blood. No corpses. No zombies.

Ethan relaxed slightly.

”Looks clear.”

He walked to a first-floor window and pulled the curtain aside. Debbie was still waiting below. He waved her over and pointed toward the side entrance.

A few minutes later the door opened and Debbie stepped inside with Nina in her arms. She stopped almost immediately. Her eyes slowly traveled across the living room~the high ceiling, the expensive furniture, the polished floor, the enormous windows that still held their original glass.

For the first time in days, her shoulders visibly relaxed.

”This place...” She looked around in quiet disbelief. ”It’s huge.”

Ethan smiled.

”And we haven’t even checked upstairs.”

He led the way. They moved slowly through the house, checking every room before going farther. The second floor was just as impressive. The master bedroom door stood slightly open. Ethan pushed it wider. A faint cloud of dust drifted through the air.

Then he stopped.

The room was enormous. A massive circular bed sat in the center, surrounded by elegant furniture and soft carpeting that still felt thick underfoot. But what caught Debbie’s attention was the large portrait hanging above the bed.

A woman in an expensive designer gown stared back at them. Beautiful. Confident. Almost unreal.

Debbie’s mouth fell open.

”Wait... is that Bella Rowan?”

Ethan looked at the portrait again. He recognized her from the original owner’s memories. Bella Rowan~one of the biggest celebrities in the Eagle Kingdom before the apocalypse.

Debbie covered her mouth with one hand.

”This is her house?” She stared around the bedroom. ”No wonder everything looks so expensive.”

Ethan nodded slowly. It explained the heavy security. A celebrity with money and fame had every reason to build a house that could keep unwanted people out.

His gaze moved toward the walk-in closet. He opened the door and his eyebrows rose. Clothes filled the racks from floor to ceiling~designer dresses, jackets, shoes, handbags, accessories. There was enough expensive clothing inside to stock a boutique.

Ethan shook his head.

”She’s definitely not coming back for these.”

Debbie gave him a strange look.

”Are you planning to wear them?”

Ethan glanced at the clothes.

”Not unless I suddenly develop a passion for designer handbags.”

Debbie laughed. It was quiet, but it was genuine.

Ethan smiled. It felt good hearing that sound again.

They continued exploring. The third floor contained a private study and a large observation deck. The moment Ethan stepped outside, he understood why the room had been built this way. The balcony overlooked the entire inner side of the perimeter wall. From here they could see most of the surrounding streets. Anyone approaching the property would be visible long before reaching the house.

Ethan nodded.

”This is useful.”

Debbie walked to the railing and looked out.

”It could be a lookout.”

”Exactly.”

They returned downstairs. As they passed through the living room, Debbie suddenly stopped.

”Wait.” She pointed toward a small wooden door tucked into the corner. ”There.”

Ethan walked over and pulled it open. A staircase disappeared into darkness. He stared down.

”There’s a basement.”

”Do you want me to come?”

”No.” Ethan took out his flashlight. ”You stay here with Nina.”

He started down.

The first basement level was enough to make him stop halfway down the stairs.

A swimming pool occupied most of the underground room~and it was full. Not dirty rainwater. Not stagnant, cloudy water. Clear water. Crystal clear. The surface barely moved under the soft emergency lights still working along the walls.

Ethan stepped closer. Along the edges sat several lounge chairs and small tables, arranged as if someone might walk in tomorrow and start relaxing beside the pool.

Then he noticed something else.

A tiny green light blinked on a control panel near the wall.

Ethan frowned.

”Power?”

He walked over and pressed a button. Nothing happened for a second. Then a low mechanical hum filled the room. Water slowly began circulating through the pool.

Ethan stared at the system.

”No way.”

He checked the panel carefully. The villa still had power~not from the city’s grid, but from an independent system. That explained everything: the lights, the circulation, the equipment. The house had been designed to function on its own.

Ethan’s expression slowly changed. For the first time since entering the villa, genuine excitement appeared in his eyes.

”This place is a gold mine.”

He followed another staircase deeper underground.

The second basement was even larger. And this time he actually laughed.

Two diesel generators occupied a dedicated power room. Beside them sat more than a dozen sealed fuel drums. Ethan hurried over and checked the gauges. There was still plenty of fuel~enough to keep the generators running for at least another month.

He looked around again. The rest of the basement had been turned into a private entertainment and fitness area: treadmills, weight machines, a pool table, a home theater, a large lounge. It looked more like a luxury private club than the basement of a house.

Ethan stood there for a moment, then shouted upward.

”Debbie! Come down here!”

Footsteps quickly approached. Debbie appeared on the stairs with Nina in her arms.

”What happened?”

Then she saw the basement.

She froze. Her eyes widened as she slowly looked around.

”This is... this is a basement?”

Ethan laughed.

”Apparently.” He pointed toward the generators. ”This place has its own power supply.” He walked toward the pool. ”The water can’t be drunk directly, but with proper filtration it could last us a long time.” He pointed toward the ceiling. ”And there’s a ventilation system. Most importantly, the second basement is completely hidden. Nobody outside would know there’s a room down here unless they already knew the house’s layout.”

Debbie slowly turned in a circle.

For days she had been living with the constant fear that someone would break down their door. Every sound had meant danger. Every night had been spent wondering whether they would survive until morning.

But here...

There were walls. Power. Water. Food storage space. A lookout. A hidden basement.

For the first time since the apocalypse began, Debbie allowed herself to truly breathe. A genuine smile appeared on her face~not the nervous smile she used when trying to reassure Nina, not the forced smile she wore when pretending everything was fine. A real one.

”We...” Her voice softened. ”We found a home.”

Ethan looked at her, then at the enormous underground room.

”Yeah.” A faint smile touched his face. ”I think we did.”

Of course he wasn’t about to become careless.

”This place still needs work.” He started counting the problems in his head. ”Stronger locks. Reinforced windows. Warning devices around the perimeter. And more fuel.” The generators were the heart of the villa. If they stopped, they lost power, water circulation, ventilation, and most of the advantages this place offered. That couldn’t happen.

Over the next several hours Ethan and Debbie worked together. They cleaned. Organized. Checked every room. Ethan moved supplies out of his Space Ability and arranged them inside the first basement’s storage room. The second basement’s lounge area had a private bathroom, so Debbie and Nina took that room. Ethan claimed the entertainment room next door.

Nina adapted surprisingly well. The little girl spent most of the time looking around with wide, curious eyes before exhaustion finally caught up with her. Within minutes of being placed in her crib she was asleep.

When everything was finally settled, the villa felt different. Not abandoned anymore. Occupied. Alive.

Debbie stood near the pool and stared at the clear water. Then she turned toward Ethan.

”Ethan.”

”Hmm?”

She hesitated. Then she reached out and gently tugged on his sleeve. A faint blush appeared across her cheeks.

”Do you... want to go swimming?”

Ethan blinked.

”Now?”

Debbie nodded.

”I haven’t had a proper bath in so long.” She glanced toward the pool. ”There’s hot water here. The pool is clean. And we’re finally somewhere safe.” A small smile appeared on her face. ”It would be nice to relax for once.”

Ethan looked at the pool, then at Debbie. She looked genuinely excited. He couldn’t bring himself to say no.

”Alright. I’ll go get some clean clothes.”

As he walked away, Ethan made a simple decision. A quick swim. Nothing more. He would relax for a few minutes, wash off the grime, then get back to work. Simple. Easy.

Except when he returned to the pool area...

He stopped. Completely.

Debbie was already there.

She had changed into a swimsuit she must have found among Bella Rowan’s things. The soft lights around the pool reflected off the water, casting gentle ripples across the walls and across her skin. For the first time in weeks she didn’t look like a terrified mother trying to survive the end of the world. She looked relaxed. Young. Alive. The exhaustion that had been weighing on her seemed to have lifted for a moment.

Ethan’s brain simply stopped working. His eyes widened.

Then the system’s rules suddenly flashed through his mind like a cold slap.

His expression changed instantly.

”Uh...” He turned around so fast he almost tripped. ”I just remembered something.”

Debbie blinked.

”What?”

”I need to check the generator.”

”What?”

”The generator.” Ethan nodded seriously, already walking. ”Very important.”

Before she could respond he walked faster. Then practically fled.

Debbie stood there, completely confused. She looked at his retreating back, then down at herself. Her cheeks slowly turned red.

”Why is he running?”

She frowned. She had found the swimsuit in one of the closets and simply wanted to enjoy one normal moment in clean water. She hadn’t expected Ethan to react like he’d seen a ghost.

”Dummy Ethan,” she muttered under her breath.

But despite herself, a small smile tugged at her lips. She stepped into the warm water. The heat immediately spread through her tired muscles. Her shoulders dropped. Her eyes slowly closed.

For a few precious minutes there were no zombies. No hunger. No fear. No running.

Just warm water and silence.

Meanwhile Ethan stood beside one of the generators in the second basement, his heart still beating faster than it should have been. He leaned against the machine and let out a long breath.

”Get a grip.”

He rubbed his face hard. Then his attention shifted to his Space Ability. Inside, the stack of canned beef sat neatly arranged. His eyes narrowed. He had made the right decision. Whatever happened, he couldn’t afford to mess up the system’s gift mechanics right now.

His consciousness moved deeper into the space.

Then he noticed something.

Ethan’s expression changed.

The small crystal core he’d obtained from the mutant cat was glowing faintly.

Except it wasn’t where he’d left it.

The crystal was slowly disappearing~being absorbed.

”What the hell?”

Ethan focused on it. The white glow flickered once. Then the entire crystal vanished.

Gone.

He stared at the empty space.

”You’ve got to be kidding me.”

He understood immediately. The Space Ability had absorbed it.

”Hey!” He looked around as if the ability itself might answer him. ”You couldn’t wait until after I gave the gift?”

Nothing.

Ethan sighed.

”Great. So if I get another Core, I can’t store it in here. Otherwise this thing is just going to eat it again.”

A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.

Because if the Space Ability could absorb a Core...

Then the real question wasn’t whether it would change.

It was how much.

And what would happen after it devoured enough?