[A/N: Hello everyone.
News from abroad in this chapter.
A proposal that would change the future.
Hit the heart button on my Webnovel profile or rate the novel.]
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In the twilight of the night.
I exhaled a sigh as I muttered, "Fuuu... 4 hours."
I found myself in the living room of Ron's mansion, comfortably ensconced on one of the most luxurious sofas I'd ever experienced. Not even that expensive furniture from the mall could compare to the softness and comfort this place offered.
As I enjoyed this well-deserved rest, a pang of envy struck me: "Why don't I have a sofa like this at home?", Emily had been by my side all afternoon, dragging me to every corner of the mansion. The first thing she did was introduce me to her friends, making it clear that I was a family friend. The young women, overjoyed by my presence, forced me to pose for photos with each of them and record messages for their friends, treating me like a star. Not knowing how to refuse, I agreed to her requests. At first, everything seemed normal, just a little awkward, but as they felt more at ease, they began to show their true colors.
Suddenly, many of them started hugging me. Some tried to take me to secluded places or requested that I get alcohol from the bar. Others were a bit over the top with physical contact, which led me to warn Emily that if they continued like this, I would speak to her father about their behavior, and that managed to calm the situation down a bit. Despite everything, they made me participate in numerous activities; I sang, danced (maybe too much), and even recorded several TikToks with some of them.
The first few hours were a bit exhausting, but as some guests began to leave, including several of Emily's friends, the intensity of the turmoil around me calmed down a bit.
"Alex. I finally found you", Ron said from behind me. I was about to text him to say goodbye when he approached without me noticing.
"Yes, I'm a little tired. I came to recharge", I replied, sounding tired. "I was just going to find you to say goodbye", I said as I got up from the couch.
"Are you leaving already?", he asked.
"Yes, it's been a long afternoon, and I want to go rest", I agreed.
"Okay. However, I need to talk to you about something before you go", he said in a serious tone. "It's about the project we talked about earlier", he added, looking around to make sure no one was listening.
"I understand", I replied with renewed vigor.
"Follow me", he instructed as he led me to the second floor. We walked down the stairs in silence, moving down a corridor that passed a couple of rooms I'd already had the opportunity to visit. Some were simple guest rooms, while others were converted into karaoke rooms, gyms, and there was even a small movie theater.
"Sit here", he instructed, pointing to a chair in front of his desk in the study hall. "Have you found out anything?", I asked Ron directly once he'd settled into his chair.
"Just rumors for now", he replied seriously.
"So, you don't believe me?", I said, a hint of disappointment creeping into my voice.
"On the contrary. I'm even more worried", he admitted, a hint of nervousness creeping into his grave tone.
"I don't understand, they're just rumors. Why are you worried about that?", I questioned.
"Because the rumors were different last time", he clarified.
"What do you mean?", I asked, feeling uncertainty beginning to settle in.
"Let me explain", he replied hesitantly, as if trying to gather his thoughts. "For those of us who operate in the gray or dark areas of the economy, there are methods for anticipating certain events. For example, during wars that broke out and affected other countries, we could obtain privileged information. This happened because we received orders for restricted materials that we could only move through the clearing points we managed at customs. Another case was during the pandemic; when the first outbreaks arose, we already had information about which products would become scarce, which allowed us to anticipate the severity of the situation", he explained, pausing to take a breath.
"I understand. So, did you manage to find any information about this new event I was warning you about?", I asked after listening to his story.
"That's the problem. Now, not only are they ordering key resources or essential products, but they're also preparing military installations with those resources", he confessed, his voice trembling slightly.
"So, is it real?", I asked again, anxious.
"I don't know", he said, showing confusion. "I only have partial information about everything I've told you. I've received confirmation that they're preparing resources globally. However, the information about the military preparations has yet to be corroborated. I heard that there are groups of soldiers escorting convoys of goods to different parts of the country, places that are difficult to track", he added, clearly worried.
"Now I have no doubts", I stated firmly, seeking to offer him some comfort. I was finally certain that those visions I'd been having were nothing more than anticipation of the future.
[A/N: Did he say it? Yes, he did!]
"Aren't you going to wait for confirmation about the information about the military?", he asked me, hesitating, as if he expected everything, I had shared to be just a fabrication.
"No need", I answered without hesitation. "I have a question. Do you know how long they've been preparing?", I probed.
"I'm not entirely sure", he told me after recalling the information he'd been given. "It seems that, for about two months now, there have been large orders for restricted materials and some raw materials. According to my contact, it was thought to be to prepare for a possible escalation of the war in Eastern Europe. However, upon reflection, it doesn't seem to fit with what would normally be expected for war preparation", Ron added after analyzing what he knew.
"I didn't realize they'd been preparing for so long. This might be more dangerous than I thought", I told Ron in a panic. I was trying to warn him without directly telling him that I knew what was going to happen.
"I think so too, Alex", he said ruefully. "If you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have realized until too late", he said gratefully.
"I just recommend you prepare as I am", I said firmly.
"I understand if you need to buy medicines and perhaps other essentials. However, I don't understand your motivation for buying weapons", Ron told me. "Do you think this time it will be worse than the last one?", he asked after hearing my recommendation.
"I think it will be much worse", I said with conviction.
"What do you mean?", he asked worriedly.
"I don't think you'll believe me, but I'll tell you anyway", I clarified before explaining what I would tell him in broad strokes in the future. "This pandemic will be different from the last one. This time, people will get sick, and the effects will be different. People will become aggressive and attack others, like rabid animals. This time, they won't be able to find a cure soon, and the worst part is that it will be a highly infectious disease. That's all I know", I told him, watching his mood swings reflected on his face. At first, it was just confusion and concern, which then transformed into despair and fear.
"You're joking, right?", he said, panicking. He probably wanted everything I had told him before to be mere delusions, the exaggerations of someone who didn't have all the facts. "Unfortunately, that's the truth. I too wish it was all a dream, but after hearing your confirmation, I no longer have any doubts", I said, displaying a similar sense of humor to his.
"Do you know when this will all start?", he asked me with a hopeful tone.
"I can only guess. Surely this week you'll be able to find information about larger military movements, and the following week there will be chaos in some less developed countries. Perhaps they'll try to cover everything like simple accidents or rebel movements from those countries, but that will be an indication that everything will get worse from there. Eventually, the governments will ask the population to stay indoors like last time, but this time they won't be able to control anything, and we'll be at the mercy of fate." I explained in detail what I knew without directly telling him that zombies would be the main problem, since my story would surely lose all credibility if I mentioned something as fantastical as the living dead.
"Just a little over a week", he murmured after hearing my explanation. "I'll have to prepare supplies. At least I can store a lot of things in this house", Ron said, trying to be optimistic.
"You should find another place to stay", I suggested, interrupting the thoughts he was currently mulling over.
"What's wrong with this house?", he asked me with surprise on his face. He seemed to trust this house a lot, but I knew that once this place was surrounded by hundreds of zombies, it would become his grave.
"Well… First, once the chaos starts, you'll be an easy target for looting. I know you'll rely on the weapons you have on hand, or the ones you'll buy later, to defend yourself, but I don't think it'll be enough. On the other hand, without high walls, you won't be able to defend yourself against angry mobs of sick people", I said, trying to show him the kind of scenario he might face if he stayed in this house for the apocalypse.
"Do you think people will start attacking each other?", he asked me with fear on his face.
"It's very likely", I assured him, although he didn't seem to want to hear my answer, as he avoided looking at me while we talked. I don't think he was afraid of himself, but rather afraid of losing his loved ones. "Fuuu… I can't believe it", he said after a long sigh. "Now that I think about it, no matter how hard I try to prepare, I won't be able to hold out for long on my own with my family", he said worriedly after analyzing his situation, and that of his family, in the future.
"That's also a problem I've been thinking about", I said, also worried. "However, you have a better chance if you play your cards right", I said encouragingly.
"What do you mean?", he asked me, his face tinged with new hope.
"You have many more resources than ordinary people like me, so you can prepare plenty of supplies. Also, you have people working for you, relatives and acquaintances, with whom you can form a mutual aid group. On the other hand, you have the contacts to receive information in advance, to be able to get things that others couldn't, even build some kind of shelter in a short time", I named some of the things I had, which could be of great help to him.
"You're right", he said, surprised. "It seems the fear of what might happen has clouded my mind. I have a few ideas now that I think about it carefully", he told me with renewed hope.
"Yes, you must think carefully about everything you can do. You can make a step-by-step plan with everything you need. Even though you'll spend a lot of money, you can avoid disastrous results when facing what's coming", I said, supporting his new attitude.
"I'll spend a lot of money, that's for sure", Ron said. "Either way, if it all turns out to be a lie, I'll settle the score with you later… Hahaha", he said, laughing. His spirits seemed to have revived, and he was back to his usual self.
"What?!", I asked, surprised.
"Hahaha… I was just joking", he clarified, laughing.
"I hope it's just a joke", I muttered. "It's late, I should go", I said, changing the subject as I stood up from my chair.
"Right, it's getting late... I'll walk you out", Ron told me as we both made our way toward the front entrance. Around us, people were still coming and going: some guests, family members, and employees taking care of the last details. From the back of the house, music was playing loudly, and joyful laughter and singing could be heard. I remembered the moment of despair I'd felt upon arriving, but this time I decided not to let those negative thoughts drag me down.
"Thanks for joining me. I really enjoyed the party", I commented to Ron as we reached the door.
"Actually, I'm the one who should be thankful. Not only did you help me organize this party, but you also took care of my family. I owe you more than you know, Alex", he replied in a tone full of gratitude.
"I told you, Ron, you don't need to thank me. Besides, we're just helping each other out", I assured him cordially.
"That's true", Ron nodded. "Would you like to help me with the preparations? We could do it together. I could offer you a safe place, and you could help me with a plan. You seem to understand the danger ahead", he suggested after a moment of thought.
"Should I accept his proposal?", I wondered after listening to him. "If I decide to join Ron and take advantage of the resources at his disposal, wouldn't that alter everything I know about the future?", I thought, as memories of my dreams returned to me.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Thank you all so much for reading.
In this chapter, Alex had a long conversation with Ron, which will define his future steps and also give him the option of having a backup plan.
Now the question is: Will Alex follow the visions or will he follow his own path?
Read my other novel called Vinland Kingdom: Race Against Time.
You can find it on my profile.]