The Apocalypse Took Everything, This Time I Hoard It All First
Chapter 18: Return to Kensington

Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Return to Kensington

At the beginning of the month, while everyone was eating together, Luna Dawson announced something major.

She had won the lottery and bought a house in Kensington, and she was inviting everyone present to come stay for a while.

She said it felt like the country was preparing for war, and her house just happened to be inside the designated safe zone. She suggested they all go to Kensington to seek refuge and, while they were at it, do some sightseeing and relax.

Miles Dawson, acting as the resident hype man, was just short of waving a flag and cheering.

Hector, her number-two fan, was also jumping for joy.

It was as if all the strange speculations circulating throughout the country couldn’t affect this family in the slightest.

The Dragon Lake Villa Area in Kensington.

Two Dongfeng Mengshi vehicles drove slowly into the quiet villa area, finally stopping in front of a stately, European-style villa.

Luna Dawson opened the car door and said to everyone with a smile, "We’re here. This is our new home from now on."

Everyone got out of the cars, instantly stunned by the sight before them.

The villa was securely encircled by a three-meter-high fence. The barrier was made of a high-strength alloy, its surface smooth yet hinting at a hidden sharpness.

An intelligent perimeter defense system installed on top of the wall was operating silently, the indicator lights of its infrared detectors blinking almost imperceptibly in the sunlight.

The villa had three and a half stories above ground and two below. Its off-white stone exterior was paired with dark, carved colonnades, giving it a dignified and imposing presence.

The two-thousand-square-meter garden in front was impeccably maintained, with a lush lawn and a winding stone path leading to a gazebo. Hidden surveillance cameras were tucked away in the corners.

Wayne Dawson slowly walked up and touched the exterior wall, murmuring, "This house looks so sturdy. Luna, this is what you meant by ’buying a house’!?"

Luna Dawson nodded with a shy smile and led everyone inside.

As soon as she pushed open the heavy, solid wood door, Mrs. Dawson exclaimed, "This door... it must weigh half a ton!"

Luna Dawson explained, "Mom, safety comes first. It’s a custom-made, bulletproof, and blast-proof door from D Nation. It can withstand high-intensity impacts."

Inside the villa, the living room had high, open ceilings. The decor was minimalist yet stylish. The walls had concealed protective steel plates embedded within, and the sprinkler system and smoke detectors in the ceiling were hidden among the decorative molding.

Her grandfather reached out and touched the smooth wall, a look of astonishment on his face. "It looks no different from regular decor, but it’s this sturdy?"

Walking to the staircase, Luna Dawson pressed a hidden button on the wall. An alloy security door instantly descended with a heavy THUD.

"This is an emergency blast door. There’s one on every floor. It can partition the space if there’s danger."

She explained as she led everyone down to the basement levels.

The second basement level was a spacious supply storeroom, with shelves neatly lined with all sorts of provisions. The first basement level was an emergency command center, fully equipped with an array of surveillance monitors and communication devices.

"This house... it’s practically a fortress." Evan Olson circled the equipment in the command center, his eyes shining. "This setup looks more professional than what some of those scared-stiff politicians have!" He walked over to Luna Dawson, his eyes filled with relief and admiration. "You’ve thought of everything."

Luna Dawson looked at everyone and said seriously, "I spent fifty million to have a top team from D Nation build it. It’s designed to handle all kinds of emergencies and give everyone a truly safe home."

Her grandfather took Luna’s hand and said emotionally, "Good child, you’ve been so thoughtful. Evan and I can’t stay here for free. I’ll have Evan pay you! For rent."

Wayne Dawson chimed in, "You spent so much money on this place and put so much care into renovating it. Even though we’re family, we can’t just live here for free. We’ll pay, too!"

A warmth spread through Luna Dawson’s heart as she looked at them. "Grandpa, Uncle, don’t worry. Of course you’re not staying for free. Brother Evan is a great fighter, so he’ll be in charge of our security. And Hector will be responsible for taking care of me in my old age! We’re all one family from now on, so don’t overthink it!"

Everyone present couldn’t help but get teary-eyed, deeply moved.

Just then, Miles Dawson shouted, "I call dibs on picking the first room!"

At that, everyone laughed and happily went to explore the rooms.

Luna Dawson wasn’t without her selfish reasons. In her past life, she had no dimensional space, no spirit spring water, and certainly not enough supplies to live securely.

Awakening a Water Ability had undoubtedly made her lucky. Her family had a decent amount of food and supplies, enough for her to hold out for a while.

So, she had obediently listened to the radio broadcasts and didn’t leave her house, holing up for over half a year, just waiting for the official rescue.

But you can’t have your cake and eat it too. By staying safely at home, Luna had missed the initial window of opportunity at the start of the apocalypse to collect Crystal Cores for advancement, becoming just another ordinary low-level Superpower User.

After entering the Southen Base, she was all alone and didn’t dare join any privately organized teams.

Countless ordinary Superpower Users who joined private squads ended up as sacrificial bait, used to attract mutated creatures and zombies during supply runs...

She had worked hard to join the official reserve team for Superpower Users, getting randomly assigned to various official squads for missions outside the base, all to accumulate points she could exchange for meager survival supplies.

She knew she couldn’t blame the country or the base. The entire human race was struggling...

Reserve members with average abilities were always waiting to be chosen, while the powerful ones could climb the ranks.

A small number of those with weak superpowers, like her, tried to keep a low profile and become invisible.

Other Superpower Users would shamelessly suck up to the official team members, fawning over them and currying favor without any sense of dignity, all in the hopes of one day securing a permanent position and a steady meal from the Southen Base.

She felt that people were no longer people, but pieces of pork on a cutting board, carved up into different parts with different values.

Watching the people around her die off or leave, she desperately longed for a permanent team of her own...

And more than strangers, she wanted the people by her side to be family—people she knew inside and out.

That evening, the whole family was busy preparing their first meal in the new house. Wayne Dawson, with his decades of experience as a food stall owner, directed everyone’s efforts.

Luna Dawson and Rhonda Dawson were in charge of washing, chopping, and prepping the vegetables, while Mrs. Dawson handled steaming and frying various cuts of meat, fish, and meatballs.

Evan Olson and Miles Dawson were assigned to process the chicken, duck, and fish, which included the task of plucking and cleaning them.

Grandpa was in charge of watching cartoons with Hector, making sure he didn’t run into the kitchen and cause trouble.

Meanwhile, Rollo and Little Tiger were happily familiarizing themselves with their new territory, running all over the inside and outside of the house.

Everyone chatted while keeping their hands busy, the lively atmosphere filling the kitchen as they cooked.

Wayne Dawson was busy frying, simmering, and boiling at the stove. Over the WHOOSH of the high-powered flames, he shouted his praise, "This setup is seriously professional! The fire is even stronger than what we had at my stall!"

"Of course it is! You’ve spoiled my palate, Uncle. The kitchen had to be good enough to meet our master chef’s needs. If the equipment held you back, my taste buds would be the ones to suffer!"

Luna Dawson shouted back, thinking gleefully to herself, ’I’ve got a dozen more sets of these in my dimensional space. I definitely can’t let myself live poorly this time around.’

Everyone burst into laughter at her words. After a busy afternoon, the family finally sat down at the dining table.

A long, solid-wood dining table was laden with food. In the center sat tempting, bright-red hairy crabs and glistening, braised pork belly. There were more than a dozen other dishes, including wasabi giant river prawns, mallard duck stewed with abalone, steamed sea shrimp with vermicelli, and roasted goose. The aroma of hairy fig and free-range chicken soup filled the entire house.

"Mom, this duck is stewed so perfectly! It’s delicious!" Miles Dawson praised as he picked up his chopsticks.

Luna Dawson smiled and picked up a piece of the braised pork belly. "Uncle’s pork belly is amazing. It’s rich but not greasy."

Rhonda Dawson ladled soup for everyone. "You’ve all worked hard. Food always tastes better with more people around."

Wayne Dawson raised his glass as well. "May all our days ahead be as lively and prosperous as this one!"

"Hear, hear!"

"To the health and safety of our family!"

Amid the delicious food and joyful laughter, the family’s lingering anxiety about the city walls being built was temporarily washed away.