Chapter 4: Remodeling

After receiving help from Yuxin, Jiang finally had enough funds to purchase the necessary materials for the minibus upgrade. He ordered all the materials he could online.

However, many of them could not be purchased on websites. So, he had no choice but to personally search for these materials in the city. Some of the rarer ones could not be found in regular stores, and he had to buy them at auto parts stores.

Luckily, he was acquainted with the sellers, after all, he often helped them with various repairs. Electronics, appliances, even assisting in fixing some cars. So, they did not make his life difficult and sold him the materials.

Jiang spent the next few days running around the city, buying all the missing materials. Meanwhile, he kept an eye on the news. And as the days went by, he noticed that world leaders were appearing less and less, until they finally disappeared from the news entirely.

After three days of intense shopping, Jiang finally finished loading all the materials into the trailer with great difficulty. His right leg, marked by the scars from the accident, was a huge impediment when it came to any physical exercise, forcing him to take numerous breaks and rely on his crutch more often than he'd like to admit.

Inside the minibus, Jiang placed his hands on the vehicle's steering wheel, his expression serious, reflecting the magnitude of the moment. "Initiate remodeling protocol."

"The remodeling protocol is being initiated," Starseed's voice echoed in his mind. "Confirm the previously established settings?"

"Yes," Jiang responded without hesitation. The AMF configuration was essential to ensure that the minibus could face the challenges to come and also ensure Liushi's safety.

"Affirmative. The remodeling process will last 72 hours. During this period, the vehicle will be inoperative," Starseed informed, and Jiang nodded, already expecting this.

Right after the confirmation, the materials stored inside the vehicle began to disappear, consumed by the transformation process. Light electrical arcs sporadically appeared, illuminating the interior of the minibus with a bluish light. It was a fascinating spectacle to see the matter being so precisely and efficiently reorganized.

After observing for a few seconds, Jiang got out of the minibus; after all, it didn't make sense for him to sit inside the vehicle for all that time. Outside, the night was calm, a contrast to the storm of emotions and plans simmering in his mind.

Inside his house, all the supplies he had ordered were arranged in boxes, ready to be placed inside the AMF as soon as the transformation was completed. The delivery man, who had brought the last items earlier, looked at him as if he were some kind of madman. But Jiang was used to inquisitive glances, especially from those who did not understand the gravity of the imminent situation.

As Starseed carried out the vehicle's remodeling, Jiang focused his efforts on downloading as many resources as possible onto his hard drives. Movies, maps, basic information – everything he thought might be necessary in a future where the internet probably wouldn't work. He also took care to mark any location on the maps that might be interesting or useful, from sources of drinking water to potential shelters and supply warehouses.

Lastly, he took his personal project out of his workshop and carefully placed it inside the AMF, along with his drawings and notes. This project was something he had been working on since the accident that crippled his leg.

Before Starseed came into his life, his chances of completing this project on his own were slim. Now, with the help of Starseed's advanced technology, he saw a light at the end of the tunnel to finally finish this invention that might, at last, allow him to move without depending on a crutch.

...

After finishing arranging the supplies inside the vehicle, Jiang sat down, exhausted but satisfied with the progress. It was at that moment his phone began to ring. Pulling the cell phone out of his pocket and seeing the name on the screen, his eyes widened, and he quickly answered.

The enthusiastic voice of his sister, Jiang Zhuying, sounded on the other end as soon as he answered. "Hello, brother! You won't believe the adventures we had in the mountains!" she began, excited, ready to share every detail.

However, Jiang interrupted her story with an unusually serious voice, "Jiang Zhuying, I need you to pay attention to all my words."

Noticing the change in her brother's tone, Zhuying immediately stopped talking, her curiosity piqued by the urgency in his voice. "What happened, brother?" she asked, realizing that something serious must have happened because of the gravity in her brother's voice.

"I need you to tell me where you are," Liushi requested, his voice carrying a weight that he rarely used.

Zhuying hesitated for a moment before responding, "I'm at college. We and the group ended the excursion earlier, but my phone's battery died, so I could only call now that I've arrived at the dormitory."

Jiang then said, trying to remain calm, "I want you to book a flight home immediately."

Even without understanding the reason behind the sudden request, Zhuying agreed, "I'll buy it now. Give me a moment."

After a few tense minutes, Zhuying's voice returned, tinged with frustration, "All flights are full."

"And for the next two days?" Jiang asked, hoping against all expectations that there would be some gap.

"They are also full," she replied.

Jiang quickly realized that this could not be a simple coincidence. It was clear that the airlines and possibly the government had suspended flights. "Zhuying, after three days it will be too late," he said, the urgency clear in his voice.

She then suggested an alternative, "I could go by train," but Jiang had already checked that. "All tickets have been purchased," he informed, his frustration evident.

At this point, even Zhuying realized there was something terribly wrong. In normal times, it would be unthinkable for all modes of transport to be completely full. "I'll go to the bus station and rent a car," she proposed, determined.

"No," Jiang responded almost immediately, panic rising in his throat at the thought of his sister on the roads at the moment chaos erupted.

Jiang, realizing there was no other alternative, said, "Zhuying, I need you to do exactly what I'm going to tell you."

Zhuying, who had always been very close to her brother and respected him immensely, especially after they became the only remaining members of their family. Even with the problem with his leg, he used his skills to earn money and allow her to go to college in another city.

She immediately replied, "Alright, brother. I will obey you."

Liushi then explained, his voice laden with seriousness, "In three days, a cataclysmic event will ravage the planet. I know it sounds crazy, but you must have noticed something is wrong. World leaders have disappeared from the public scene in recent days."

"So, I want you to rent an apartment outside of college and stock up on supplies. Barricading the apartment is essential to ensure your safety. You must not, under any circumstances, leave the apartment in three days."

Despite her mind being filled with doubts and concerns about her brother's words, Zhuying agreed, "I will do that, brother. If you say it's important, I trust you."

Jiang, feeling a weight in his heart for placing such a burden on his sister's shoulders but knowing it was the only way to protect her, ended the call with a promise, "I love you, Zhuying. And I will do everything to get to you. Until then, stay safe."

Hanging up the phone, Jiang felt a mix of relief and anxiety. Relief that his sister had agreed to take the necessary precautions and anxiety about what the coming days would bring. Now, more than ever, he knew he needed to finish the remodeling of the minibus. Starseed would be crucial in this process, not just in the transformation of the vehicle, but to ensure that he can protect his sister.