Chapter 26: Do You Believe in the End of the World?

"Boom!"

A deafening roar pierced the sky as a massive silver Boeing passenger jet descended from the clouds, touching down on the runway at Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport. Its engines emitted a thunderous rumble, and the moment the tires met the tarmac, a series of piercing screeches erupted. The aircraft taxied down the runway, gradually slowing until it came to a steady halt.

Once the plane was secure, flight attendants quickly stepped forward to open the cabin door, allowing a breath of fresh air, mingled with the heat rising from the runway, to flood the cabin. Passengers began to disembark in an orderly fashion, filing through the corridors and into the terminal, where they collected their luggage before heading off on their respective journeys.

As the majority of the passengers departed, Sun Xiaoyan, seated in first class, rose unhurriedly. Unlike the travelers around her burdened with bags and suitcases, she carried no heavy luggage, only a simple backpack slung over her shoulder. Today, she had abandoned her usual corporate business attire for a minimalist white T-shirt, light blue high-waisted jeans, and a pair of white canvas shoes—a look that was simple yet stylish.

Sun Xiaoyan soon navigated her way through the arrivals hall to the taxi stand and quickly boarded a cab.

"Driver, the Wild Animal Park, please."

"You got it."

As soon as she entered the vehicle, she stated her destination. The driver, wasting no time, engaged the meter and pulled away. The taxi sped out of the airport, heading toward her goal.

As the car moved, Sun Xiaoyan gazed out the window. She had three tasks during this trip to Shanghai. First, with March 12th approaching, she needed to purchase a second lottery ticket here; buying them all in Beijing was starting to draw too much attention. Second, she needed to visit the Wild Animal Park, find Monkey Mountain, and leave a marker under a specific tree. Once Qin Chong confirmed he could receive it in the apocalypse, the next phase of their plan could begin. Third, once the second task was confirmed, she needed to build an underground shelter in a remote location—ideally one with advanced technological capabilities—to store all the millions in supplies she had prepared, waiting for Qin Chong to retrieve them in the post-apocalyptic world.

The hour-long drive passed quickly. Sun Xiaoyan appeared before the gates of the Shanghai Wild Animal Park. Taking in the distinctive entrance, she did not delay and walked briskly toward the ticket office.

An hour later, Sun Xiaoyan walked out of the park looking relaxed, though as her hands swung at her sides, one could see that the ring she had been wearing on her left hand was now gone.

Half an hour later, she was seated in a Western-style café by the Huangpu River, across from a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigner.

"Miss Sun, hello. I am Jack, a senior sales representative for the China office of MineARC."

As soon as Sun Xiaoyan sat down, the foreign man politely handed her a business card. Despite his appearance, he spoke with a fluent Beijing accent.

"Mr. Jack, your Chinese is excellent."

Taking the card, Sun Xiaoyan glanced casually at the information. This company, MineARC, had been recommended by Wang Meng. According to him, they were a world-leading company in the design and manufacture of safety shelters and disaster-proof bunkers, possessing immense expertise in the development and application of remote monitoring, tracking, and communication technologies. Their China office was actually in Beijing, but the crucial issue was that Qin Chong was in the Shanghai of the apocalypse; therefore, this first shelter had to be built in Shanghai.

Before flying to Shanghai, Sun Xiaoyan had contacted MineARC and requested they send someone to discuss the project. She intended to survey sites with their representative to ensure construction on the shelter could begin as soon as possible.

"Miss Sun, I have a Chinese name: Li Kai. You can call me by that. I heard on the phone that you are planning to build an underground shelter in Shanghai. May I be so bold as to ask what it will be used for?"

"Mr. Li, do you believe in the end of the world?"

Sun Xiaoyan did not answer Li Kai's question directly, opting to pose one of her own instead.

"Uh!"

Li Kai frowned, a hint of confusion crossing his eyes. After a moment of thought, he replied, "The Bible contains many descriptions regarding the end of the world. I am particularly struck by a passage in the Gospel of Matthew, which describes celestial signs after the apocalypse—the sun turning dark, the moon ceasing to shine, and the stars falling from the sky."

He shifted his tone, adding, "However, I believe that the Almighty God will save us. So, beautiful Miss Sun, while the end might come, there is no need to worry too much!"

Sun Xiaoyan offered a slight smile and said slowly, "What if I told you that the end of the world is coming on July 4th, ten years from now? What would you do, Mr. Li?"

Li Kai shuddered, a look of shock crossing his face, but he quickly composed himself, shrugging with a feigned air of indifference. "Who knows? Perhaps I won't even live for another ten years!"

"Pfft!"

Sun Xiaoyan laughed. "Mr. Li, I was just giving you a hypothetical. You asked why I wanted to build an underground shelter. The reason is simple: I believe the apocalypse will arrive sooner or later, and I want to be prepared."

Li Kai spread his hands, shrugged, and smiled. "Of course, that is your prerogative, Miss Sun!"

Li Kai then slid an Apple tablet across the table toward her. "Miss Sun, these are some of MineARC's concepts and design blueprints for underground shelters. We have sixteen different sizes and design philosophies; please take a look."

Sun Xiaoyan nodded, accepted the tablet, and began to examine them carefully without a word. Li Kai remained silent, sipping his black coffee and waiting patiently.

About fifteen minutes later, Sun Xiaoyan looked up from the tablet and rubbed her forehead, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

Having been observing her closely, Li Kai noticed her disappointment and felt a stir of concern. "Miss Sun, if I may ask, did none of our designs appeal to you?"

"Yes."

Sun Xiaoyan pushed the tablet back toward him and said bluntly, "Mr. Li, I've reviewed your company's designs, and to be honest, I'm disappointed. They fall too far short of what I have in mind."

"Oh?"

Li Kai raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Miss Sun, could you elaborate on where the gap lies?"

"It's quite simple."

Sun Xiaoyan took a sip of her coffee. The bitter, charred flavor helped sharpen her focus, clearing the slight mental fog she had been feeling. Setting the cup down, she continued, "The shelters your company designs are mostly built for the wealthy. The largest one I saw is only intended to accommodate ten people for a period of three years. That means these people would have to resupply after three years, or the shelter would become useless."

"That is correct." Li Kai nodded, explaining clearly, "Building a shelter is no small feat; the costs are astronomical. The client is usually looking to protect their family, and the number of family members isn't typically large—ten is already quite a few. Furthermore, we have researched the three-year limit. If a global catastrophe were to occur, the climate would likely begin to shift again after about two years, and the Earth should return to a state of stability after three."