Standing up, he made his way to the kitchen.
That's when he saw her—pulling out of the driveway in her white, sedan-style electric car.
'A chance!'
He rushed to the refrigerator, where plenty of food was left.
One by one, he heated them up while munching on fruits between each round.
By the time his stomach hit full capacity, he leaned back and took a deep breath.
Then came the hard part—focusing, forcing the body to digest faster.
KRRRUUK!
His stomach growled, signaling that it was time to flush out the excess.
Without wasting time, he rushed to the comfort room behind the kitchen to release it all.
After finishing up, he headed back to the gym and started another cycle of exercise.
There were some changes in his body already. Slight improvements. But with clothes on, it was still hard to tell.
'Wait...'
He paused, feeling a little bit of pain in his stomach.
'I pushed it too far,'
'I should rest, and leave some room for dinner. '
Looking around, he saw the mess he made in the kitchen.
It would only add more work for his dear aunt.
So, like someone with a bit of sense and shame, he started cleaning it up.
It wasn't a problem—he knew what he was doing.
Once he was done, he stepped outside to enjoy the sun slowly setting. It was beautiful.
People were heading home from work, all smiling, unaware that most wouldn't even make it to Christmas Eve.
It was a sad future, but he knew he couldn't save everyone, even with the knowledge he has. All he could do was take care of his loved ones.
As the sun dipped lower, he sighed and reluctantly went back to his room.
=====
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Glancing at his computer screen, he saw the price of Octocoin had gone up a bit, just as expected. But it was still too soon to sell.
He decided to kill some time by checking the news, trying to remember if anything could help him earn more money.
Jotting down notes, he discovered there were more opportunities.
'That's right,'
'This year, the Playoff finals start in April. I remember the champion team won 4-0. If I bet on all of them, I'd be rich. If I time it right, I could use what I earn in crypto.'
Just thinking about the amount of money he could accumulate by gambling made his blood race with excitement.
'Things are going well so far, but I can't just focus on money.'
He paused, thinking about other factors.
After the invasion, it would be survival of the fittest. Even with weapons and a bunker, they would be taken from him if he lacked the strength to defend them.
And he wasn't just talking about his own strength.
A community with skilled people: doctors, engineers, farmers, mechanics, cooks, and even people who could handle security and logistics.
All of them would be crucial to surviving the apocalypse.
"I—"
knock!
knock!
"Come in,"
It was Effie, bringing his meal.
"Terrence, I noticed a lot of food is missing from the fridge, and I—"
"Ah, yes, Aunt Effie. I think I over ate a little. I'm really sorry. I'll pay for everything."
She shook her head. "No, you don't have to. You're still growing, and now that you've started exercising, you need the energy. Actually, I came to ask if you needed anything—I'm heading out to shop again."
'She's perfect.'
Too kind, too patient, too pretty. Like a dating sim character.
Honestly, going back in time made more sense than a woman like her existing.
'Uncle, you really scored with her. Not gonna lie, I'm kind of jealous. I'd trade a billion bucks just to have a wife like her'
Then a thought popped up.
"Where is Uncle?" he asked.
Her facial expression changed, but it wasn't out of longing—more like resentment.
Effie quickly brushed it off and smiled.
"He's on a business trip. You know your uncle is always busy," she trailed off. "I'll get going now. It's getting late."
'Is there something wrong with their relationship?'
'I need to figure out why she acted like that. What if Uncle's treating her bad?
The idea of someone like her being hurt was unacceptable. If that were the case, he would confront him, man to man.
Of course, it wasn't because he had some hidden motive to steal her away. He just wanted to fix their relationship, like any good nephew would.