Mary closed her bedroom door carefully, slid the latch into place, and whispered,
"Return to mindscape."
The world shifted.
Light bent around her, and in the blink of an eye, she was standing once more inside the quiet, glowing expanse of her inner world. The moment she arrived, a small blur of fur shot across the ground toward her.
The pet cat—her spirit companion—leaped at her feet and rubbed itself eagerly against her ankles.
"Master! I missed you! Why did you only come back now?" The voice was sweet and soft, like a tiny girl speaking from inside a kitten's body.
Mary laughed despite herself. She bent down, scooping up the fluffy creature with both hands. It was so soft her fingers practically sank into the fur. Cradling the kitten, she walked toward the bamboo house.
"I have to make time to visit. I can't just disappear into the bathroom for hours every day." She stroked its head gently. "By the way, do you have a name?"
The kitten's tail swished with excitement. "Master, I don't! Please give me one!"
Mary pushed open the bamboo house door and set the kitten on the soft bedding. Then she tapped the little head lightly and asked, "Are you a boy or a girl?"
The kitten shrank back shyly, paws together. "Master… I'm a female. The space is still too low-level, so I can't transform yet."
Transform? Into a human??
Mary's eyes widened.
So upgrading the space really is a big deal…
She rubbed the kitten again, unable to hide her delight. She had always wanted a cat in her previous life, never having the chance to own one with the apocalypse constantly devouring her time.
"How about… Cleo?" she suggested. "Soft and cute, just like you."
The kitten flipped onto her back, stretching lazily. "If Master likes it, Cleo it is."
Mary grinned. "Alright then, Cleo. Now—what exactly is an energy stone?"
Cleo hopped off the bed with surprising grace and padded toward a small bookshelf. She pulled down a green-covered book with her teeth and placed it in Mary's hands.
Mary sat down with the book heavy on her lap. She opened it.
Space Upgrade Guide.
Her eyes scanned the pages.
Space had five levels—blue, green, red, gold, and finally black.
Each tier required an energy stone of the corresponding color.
Energy stones…
They were described as naturally occurring stones infused with spiritual energy. In her mind, they looked almost like pieces of jade carved straight from the earth.
But where was she supposed to find them?
The world was huge, and there were no flights or cars to travel faster either. it would take forever to find them.
Cleo flicked her ears and interrupted softly. "Master, don't worry. If an energy stone is nearby, I will sense it and tell you."
Mary's head snapped up. "Wait—Cleo, you can hear my thoughts?"
"Yes," Cleo said proudly, chest puffed out. "Inside the space, I can sense Master's spiritual fluctuations."
Mary could only stare.
A mind-reading cat. Wonderful.
But she had come here for a reason.
"Cleo, bring me the inventory list. I need to check what supplies I have left from the apocalypse."
Cleo leaped to the bookshelf again and dragged down a thick binder. Mary flipped through it—page after page of items she had collected.
Weapons.
Ammunition.
Tools.
Medical supplies.
Antibiotics.
Clothes.
Seeds.
So many items. So many possibilities.
But also with their own limitations.
Weapons couldn't be taken out—not unless she wanted to be arrested on sight.
Medicine would draw attention.
Clothes were possible, but she had to be careful about style.
She sighed deeply.
Then her eyes lit up.
"Cleo… can I plant crops here? And can the spring water cleanse my body?"
Cleo's whiskers twitched. She placed several items neatly on the bed as if arranging a demonstration.
"Master, the spiritual spring is at the primary level. It can cleanse toxins, beautify the skin, and strengthen the body slightly. When upgraded, it will maintain youth and greatly increase strength."
Mary's heart pounded.
That meant… she could fix this heavy, sluggish body.
She could become strong again.
"And the land? What about the land?" she pressed.
"The farmland can grow vegetables and grains," Cleo replied. "They will mature very quickly because of the spiritual energy. And since time flows 100:1, Master can harvest endlessly without interrupting your real life."
Mary's breath caught in her throat.
This space…
This was better than gold.
Better than money.
It was the strongest advantage she could possibly have.
When the apocalypse came again—and she knew it would—this space would keep her alive.
Cleo curled beside her, tail wrapped around her paws.
"Master, if you eat food grown in space for a long time, your spiritual energy will increase. When the space upgrades, new books and guides will appear to help you."
Mary felt excitement bloom inside her chest like fire.
For the first time since waking up in this era… she felt hope. Hope to turn around her fate completely.
After giving Cleo a few more instructions, she pressed her palm to the birthmark on her back.
She had to get out before Ryan came home.
In a blink, she disappeared from the space.
Mary planned her next steps carefully. If she wanted strength, if she wanted freedom, if she wanted to prepare for the future she knew would come, then the first thing she needed was a stronger body.
And that meant soaking in the spirit spring.
"Cleo, I'm going to soak first," Mary said, unfastening her clothes. "Help me sense if anyone comes near the bathroom outside."
Cleo scrubbed her tiny face with one paw like a proper little lady and nodded solemnly. "Master, don't worry. I'll keep watch."
Mary stepped into the warm, shimmering spring. The spiritual water wrapped around her body instantly, like a comforting embrace. As she sank deeper, heat spread through her limbs, then her bones, then her very marrow.
Soon her skin tingled—then prickled—and then something oily and foul began seeping out all over her body.
The impurities of her original body slid off her skin like thick black mud. The smell was… well… indescribable.
"So smelly…" Mary gagged, half-laughing, half-crying. Before she knew it, she dunked her head underwater and scrubbed it vigorously, trying to erase the stench clinging to her hair.
Six hours passed in the space just like that.
However, only a few minutes outside.
When she stepped out, her limbs felt lighter, her body felt cleaner, and her mind felt clearer than it had in years. She reached for her clothes but then froze in her spot.
They were loose.
Really loose.
She hurried back to the bamboo house and stood before the old mirror. The woman staring back at her was still round—but her face had visibly shrunk. She reduced from a pudgy ball to an oval.
Her skin glowed faintly.
Her hair was darker and smoother.
Her jawline was more defined.
She touched her cheek in disbelief.
Will Ryan notice?
Then she snorted. Who cared? If he asked too many questions, she could beat him up—gently.
"I've never even tested his strength. Hmph. I wonder how good Ryan actually is…"
*
Meanwhile, far away at the steel factory
Ryan sneezed loudly as he prepared for work.
He paused, rubbing his nose.
For some reason, a vivid image of Mary sleeping and clinging to his arm popped into his mind, making his ears burn.
He shook his head violently and busied himself preparing breakfast so she wouldn't go hungry.
What is that little chubby wife of mine doing right now?
He hoped she'd make something delicious for dinner. Yesterday's meal had been the best he'd eaten in months.
*
Back at home;
Dressed in clean clothing again, Mary pocketed money, left a note for Ryan, and hurried out. After a few minutes of waiting, the bus chugged toward the stop, belching oily smoke.
There were only a handful of passengers. The air inside, however, was thick and unpleasant.
But Mary noticed something startling—after the spirit spring cleanse, her senses had sharpened. She could smell everything more strongly, hear the driver muttering under his breath at the front of the bus.
A little girl with a ticket bag shouted, "It's time to get on! Hurry up!"
Mary stepped forward. "How much to go to the city?"
"2 shillings," the girl replied, looking her up and down.
Mary handed over a pound, received 18 shillings back, and found a seat. The scenery outside was dull and empty—dry land, scattered weeds, dusty roads.
After an hour's bumpy ride, the bus reached Liverton City.
"Ma'am," the ticket girl called, "first return bus is at 10:30. Last bus is at 4:30. Don't miss it!"
"Thank you," Mary replied. "I'll be here."
She stepped onto the street. The smell of roasting sweet potatoes drifted toward her, warming her empty stomach.
She approached an old man selling them. "Sweet potatoes, Grandpa?"
He didn't even look up. "2 shillings and 6 pence a kilo."
She pointed. "Can I weigh these two?"
That got his attention. He quickly weighed the sweet potatoes— a hundred fifty grams less than a kilo. He hesitated, thinking about whether to add more.
Mary waved a hand. "No need to add extra. But can I ask you something? Where can I buy lots of seeds?"
She smiled politely.
Life was hard enough. She wasn't going to bargain over a few grams of sweet potato.