Chapter 2: Money-Grubbing Woman

Phoenix stepped out of his home to a scene of serenity; the neighborhood square was alive with the laughter of children and the contented chatter of parents. Yet, he knew that in just a month's time, this peace would be shattered.

Without lingering, he made his way to a nearby Michelin three-star restaurant — an establishment he'd never dared to enter due to the exorbitant cost of a meal. Now, he was indifferent to the expense. Once inside, he chose a window seat and ordered the priciest dishes, accompanied by a bottle of Lafite Rothschild. The total came to a staggering fifty thousand dollars, earning him speculative glances from the staff who pegged him as a wealthy heir — the only reasonable explanation for such lavish spending.

Phoenix ignored their stares and the murmurs of other diners as he savored his meal, almost moved to tears by the flavors he had missed during the six frigid months of the world's end. His voracious eating did not go unnoticed, stirring whispers among the patrons. But such trivial concerns paled in comparison to the post-apocalyptic reality where people would grovel for a mere packet of instant noodles.

While he dined, Mira and Iris Calder passed by the restaurant window. The sight of luxury inside sparked their longing, but their finances barred them from such indulgences. Their gaze, however, was not just casual window-shopping. They were on the lookout for an affluent catch, a "kaiju" to secure their future.

To Mira's astonishment, she spotted Phoenix feasting alone. Confusion arose as she recognized the man she had once killed. "How does Phoenix afford such extravagance?" she wondered aloud. Iris, equally stunned, speculated playfully that the once docile admirer might be a rich incognito, a trope often seen in dramas where wealth is hidden in search of true love. This thought intrigued Mira, who considered the possibility with a growing excitement. After all, Phoenix had been pursuing her for months, and she had skillfully kept him on the hook.

As Phoenix reveled in his luxurious meal, Mira plotted outside, unwilling to appear as a gold-digger. She decided on a pretense of a chance encounter, maintaining the façade of a goddess to control Phoenix in the future.

Phoenix, full and content, planned his next move — to stock up on supplies. Despite his rebirth, the memory of starvation compelled him to prepare for the worst. Paying his bill, he left the restaurant to the courteous farewells of the waitstaff.

Outside, Mira's voice caught his attention. " Phoenix, what a coincidence!" Yet, her feigned surprise did not fool him. Her seductive posturing, a classic ploy, failed to stir the old flames. He knew her true nature: a manipulator who had once cost him his life. His cold gaze startled her, but he quickly masked it, dismissing her with feigned indifference.

Phoenix resolved to play a longer game; a swift end was too lenient for Mira. She would experience the full brunt of the apocalypse's despair before he would enact his revenge. Now, his priority was to build the safest of havens to ensure his survival through the cataclysmic times ahead.