C4 Preparations Before the End of the World

Suddenly, Jiang Feng halted and turned to face Director-general Lee, his voice earnest. "Director-general Lee, you might find my words hard to believe, but I must warn you, a grave crisis looms after midnight. You need to arm yourself with firearms and weapons for protection today."

"Oh, is that so? A grave crisis, you say? Hahaha. Sure, I can handle it in no time. Rest easy, young man." Director-general Lee assumed Jiang Feng was pulling his leg and played along, not taking the warning to heart.

Jiang Feng wavered, contemplating whether to exert effort to convince Director-general Lee of the impending danger.

Despite Director-general Lee's self-serving nature, Jiang Feng felt a desire to save him. After losing his parents, Jiang Feng had become reclusive, friendless except for Director-general Lee, who occasionally showed him kindness and offered support in various ways.

With resolve, Jiang Feng clenched his jaw and turned to Jiang Wei. "Jiang Wei, summon the flames. Make him believe."

Jiang Wei paused, then began to furiously rub her hands together. But as minutes ticked by without a single spark, both Director-general Lee and Urendir watched in puzzlement.

"Little Feng, what's the girl doing?" Director-general Lee inquired, bemused.

"Jiang Wei, what's happening?" Jiang Feng echoed, equally perplexed.

"It's... not guaranteed," Jiang Wei admitted. "I just used it this morning, and I'm not sure I can do it again so soon. Just give me a moment to recalibrate."

After taking a deep breath, she resumed her fervent hand-rubbing.

"Xiao Feng, are you feeling alright? Are you troubled? Maybe you should get checked out at the hospital," Director-general Lee suggested, now genuinely concerned for Jiang Feng's mental well-being.

Jiang Feng remained silent. Without the flames, his words would carry no weight. Watching Jiang Wei's persistent efforts, his heart grew heavy with sympathy.

"That's enough, stop," he said gently, taking Jiang Wei's small hands in his. "Let's go."

As he closed the door behind them, Jiang Feng left Director-general Lee with one last piece of advice, "Please, be cautious, Director-general Lee. The threat of a biochemical crisis is all too real."

Director-general Lee still thought Jiang Feng was pulling his leg and chuckled in response, "Rest assured, I've been through the wringer. Zombies? I'll pop their heads off in no time, haha."

As Lee's easygoing laughter echoed, Jiang Feng shut the door with a sense of resignation. He felt a heaviness in his heart, yet he knew he had to press on; there were things that needed to be done.

Once outside the director's office, Urendir asked Jiang Feng for an hour to pack her belongings.

Jiang Feng pondered for a moment and glanced at his watch. It was already eleven o'clock, and time was tightening its grip.

"An hour is a luxury we can't afford. We'll come with you and help you pack."

"Do we really need to rush? It's just an hour," Urendir said, sensing something off about Jiang Feng.

"We do. We've got a busy day ahead and lots to prepare. Just trust me on this, okay? And remember, your job is to protect me."

"You're quite the handful, aren't you?"

Ten minutes later, Jiang Feng and Jiang Wei accompanied Urendir to the police dormitory.

Urendir's room was small and the dorm's amenities were basic, but the space was impeccably tidy, reflecting Urendir's excellent personal habits.

Initially, Urendir had pegged Jiang Feng as somewhat difficult to get along with. But as she watched him earnestly assist with packing, she felt a wave of relief. "He's actually easy to get along with. Good thing, or this would be awkward."

Unlike many girls, Urendir didn't have an array of makeup or trinkets, so in under thirty minutes, the packing was complete.

"Urendir, all set? What about the ammunition? Didn't Director-general Lee mention you had a sizable stockpile?"

Without a word, Urendir crouched beside the bed and heaved out a large cello case.

"Urendir, that's not actually a cello in there, is it?"

"Inside, there's a customized sniper rifle, a Desert Eagle, and plenty of ammo."

"A Desert Eagle? You actually have such an impressive firearm."

"It's merely gold-plated. No need to get worked up over it."

"Isn't it against the rules to have a sniper rifle stashed away?" Jiang Feng asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I was in the special forces before; sniper rifles are my weapon of choice. Director-general Lee is aware of it. He's willing to turn a blind eye, as long as it stays under wraps."

"Director-general Lee sure knows how to be understanding."

"Enough chit-chat. Let's get moving. I'll take the cello case, and you grab the suitcase."

Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to tremble, and the room started to sway.

"Is this an earthquake?" Urendir exclaimed, startled.

"No, it's nothing. It'll pass in a moment," Jiang Feng assured.

After half a minute, the shaking ceased. Urendir stood up slowly, his face etched with confusion.

Jiang Feng, who had a better grasp of the situation, took the time to explain at length. "This is the beginning of the end. At 11:11 a.m., tremors were felt across various regions. They weren't severe and lasted only thirty seconds. People started to panic, but as quickly as the shaking began, it stopped. There were no injuries, no damage to buildings—it was as if the Earth merely let out a snore before settling back to sleep. Because of this, few took the odd tremors seriously. But in reality, the apocalypse has already started. A massive fissure has formed at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, with bubbles rushing to the surface, releasing gas into the atmosphere at an alarming rate..."

"Hold on, hold on, you're confusing me. Are you sure you're alright? You were spouting some bizarre stuff to Director-general Lee earlier, too."

Jiang Feng glanced at Urendir's bewildered face and sighed, "Never mind, just forget I said anything. Your job is to protect me and this young lady here. Just focus on that."

With that, Jiang Feng picked up two suitcases and left the dorm. Jiang Wei, ever helpful, carried a bag and followed him out.

Urendir watched their departing figures, her mind a whirl of confusion, unable to make sense of it all. She had no choice but to follow them at her own pace.

By 11:50, Urendir had caught up with Jiang Feng at the Heyday Building.

"Look at you, looking like the typical underdog, yet you're living in the Heyday Building? This place is high-end real estate. Is it rented or what?" Urendir remarked as she stepped into the elevator.

"It was my parents' place. Sadly, they passed away the year they finished paying off the mortgage. Now, all I have is this apartment—no savings, and my job barely covers my basic needs," Jiang Feng explained, pressing the button for the 27th floor.

"Still, owning a place like this means you're quite well-off. Your parents would be comforted to know you're well provided for," Urendir offered some consolation.

A four-bedroom suite like this was worth millions, but soon, such possessions would lose their significance as the entire world would no longer fret over housing.

Minutes later, Urendir, Jiang Feng, and Jiang Wei arrived at Jiang Feng's suite. Jiang Feng invited Urendir to pick any room she liked. She chose a smaller one, feeling more at home in compact spaces.

As they made up the bed, Jiang Feng inquired, "Urendir, what about your parents?"

"I have no idea," Urendir replied crisply.

"So, you're an orphan?"

"That's right. I was raised in an orphanage and drafted into the military when I turned 18."

It was a harsh reality, but it was the answer Jiang Feng had hoped for—no parents, no attachments, less hassle.

In just over ten minutes, they had settled everything. Glancing at his watch, Jiang Feng noted it was past noon; time to start the afternoon's plans.

He changed into a casual suit and, with 20,000 yuan in his pocket, was ready to enjoy a blissful afternoon before the end of days.

"Let's head out."

"Where to?" asked Urendir.

"We're going to Bluecliff's largest snack plaza. My treat," Jiang Feng said, his face beaming with a full smile.

Jiang Feng had rented a car worth over a million yuan for the day, costing 1,000 yuan. Jiang Wei had never seen such a stunning car and was ecstatic, squealing with delight.

Jiang Wei's lively nature meant the spacious back seat was best for her, while Urendir took the seat beside Jiang Feng.

En route to the snack plaza, Jiang Feng struck up a conversation with Urendir to sidestep any awkward silences.

"Do you like luxury cars, Urendir?"

"No," Urendir replied curtly.

"Aren't luxury cars every girl's dream?" Jiang Feng teased with a grin.

"Can you not stereotype me based on other girls? I was driving tanks when you were still memorizing vocabulary in school."

"Haha, that's quite the assertive response. But don't underestimate me. I'm a graduate of the Jiang Mengtian Eagle Police Academy. I would have been a cop like you if my mom hadn't made me promise to stay out of the force before she passed away."

"Really? You seem pretty frail to me," Urendir shot back.

"I may not be soldier material like you, but I can handle myself just fine against the average Joe. So, what made you switch to becoming a police officer?"

"We're not close enough for me to delve into my history with you."

"Guess we'll save that chat for when we're better acquainted."

"Can you just focus on driving instead of babbling?" Urendir's patience was wearing thin.

Jiang Feng just smiled and let the conversation drop.

He was now convinced that Urendir was a straight shooter, speaking her mind without a filter. While her frankness might rub some the wrong way, Jiang Feng found her simplicity endearing. They had a long road ahead, and he felt more at ease with straightforward people by his side.

Upon reaching the snack plaza, Jiang Wei was a bundle of joy, hopping around and indulging in her favorite treats. Her appetite was impressive, even outdoing Jiang Feng's. She flitted from one stall to the next, her mouth never resting. Throughout, her most repeated phrase was, "What's this? It's so tasty!"

Urendir thought Jiang Wei's behavior odd, as the food was quite ordinary, yet Jiang Wei seemed unfamiliar with it.

After their feast, Jiang Feng took Jiang Wei to the amusement park.

In her original future, Jiang Wei's hometown was West Gate, a city on the western frontier devoid of amusement parks. The sight of the park filled her with glee, and she danced with unbridled joy.

Watching the joyful Jiang Wei, Jiang Feng made a silent vow to one day build her a special amusement park of her very own.

Despite the allure of other attractions beyond snacks and amusement parks, Jiang Feng's budget was strictly limited to indulging in food and drink.

Later, Urendir joined Jiang Feng and the exuberant Jiang Wei for an afternoon shopping spree. They spent nearly the entire 20,000 yuan on food, primarily on non-perishable items like biscuits, instant noodles, bread, rice, and vacuum-packed goods, leaving the supermarket staff utterly astonished.

Throughout the afternoon, Urendir grew increasingly uncomfortable, beginning to suspect that Jiang Feng might be suffering from a mental illness.

Jiang Feng employed five workers to transport all the food, bottled water, natural gas cylinders, and more to his home, filling nearly every inch of the living room, kitchen, and other rooms.

By the time everything was in place, it was already 7 PM. Jiang Feng handed out glasses of water to the workers, who expressed their heartfelt thanks.

The original deal was 100 yuan per person for the moving job, but with 800 yuan remaining, Jiang Feng generously told them, "Take this 800 yuan and divide it among yourselves. Also, with the apocalypse looming, spend it while you still can."

"Haha, you're such a generous boss," they laughed.

"Absolutely, we'll make sure to spend it wisely."

"So, boss, you're stocking up for the end of days? Haha, we should take a leaf out of your book."

"Indeed, well then, boss, we're off."

Jiang Feng sent them off with a smile and a wave, closing the door but leaving a slight crack open. Through this sliver, he could distinctly hear the workers' snide remarks.

"Do you guys think that guy's lost his mind? He's actually doing something this foolish."

"I bet the earthquake at noon scared him witless, making him think the apocalypse is upon us."

"Man, you find all sorts in this world. There's probably no shortage of fools like him. That weird tremor has got a bunch of people running scams under the guise of doomsday."

"People have been crying 'apocalypse' forever, but it's never actually happened."

Jiang Feng gave a rueful shake of his head, mustered a wry smile, and firmly shut the door, ensuring the safety locks were securely in place.