Apocalypse Rebirth: Making Billions With My Fortune-Telling Skill

​April tilted her masked head, letting out a soft, mocking chuckle that sent a shiver down the spine of those closest to her.

​”I am not forcing any of you to believe me,” April replied coolly, her voice ringing clear over the mounting tension. ”If you choose to dismiss the visions that have plagued my sleep all week, that is your right. But if you fear losing your lives, if you fear watching your spouses and children turn into bloodthirsty monsters, you will listen.”

​She took a step down from the platform, her dark cloak billowing behind her.

​”Forget your jobs. In twenty-one days, your currencies and corporate titles will be worth less than dirt. Spend your savings now. Buy bunkers, secure safehouses, buy non-perishable rations, and isolate yourselves far away from heavy populations. I assure you, you will not regret a single coin spent when the world burns outside your doors.”

​Without waiting for questions or allowing anyone to approach, April turned on her heel, pulled the velvet curtains down and shut them all out.

She planned this as her final appearance in the underground market. She had no intention of ever returning to these subterranean tunnels.

​Behind her stall, an absolute uproar erupted across the subterranean plaza.

​There was no faster vector for gossip than the black market. Within hours, the prophecy of the masked Seer would spread from the underground channels into the upper city, spilling onto forums, word-of-mouth networks, and eventually, the mainstream media news outlets. An unknown seer predicting a global collapse would spark panic, hoarding, and eventual riots.

​April slipped out through the back, letting Nats enforcers lead her out until they were away from the uproar. She pulled off her mask and let out a long, satisfying breath.

She had done what she set out to do. Those who possessed the wisdom to listen would find a way to survive the coming apocalypse—and those who doubted her... would have only themselves to blame.

Waiting at the end of the stone passageway, leaning casually against the iron railing with his broad shoulders thrown back, was Nat. He held his dark sunglasses between his fingers, his eyes tracking her every step as she approached.

​”You closed early tonight, sweetheart,” Nat drawled, stepping off the railing and falling into step beside her. ”I was expecting to wait around until midnight while you handed out fortunes to five lucky fools.”

​”I got bored,” April said smoothly, tucking her mask back into her spatial dimension with a subtle flick of her wrist. ”And I felt like creating an uproar instead.”

​Nat scoffed softly, a low, rumbling cackle escaping his throat as he checked his phone. ”Well, you certainly succeeded. My boys outside are already messaging me that the plaza is in absolute bedlam. People are calling their families, buying out non-perishables, and trying to trace who the hell the ’Seer’ is.” He slid the phone into his pocket and smirked down at her. ”So, what now? Heading straight back to the estate? Any future plans for this place?”

​”Tonight was my last day down here,” April murmured, her gaze fixed straight ahead as they exited the rear access tunnels. ”I have no reason to ever return to this market.”

​”Is that so?” Nat opened the passenger door of his SUV, gesturing for her to step in. ”In that case... the night is still young.”

​April slid into the leather seat, watching him round the hood and drop into the driver’s side. He didn’t drive toward the mountain route leading back to Xavier’s estate. Instead, he smoothly navigated the vehicle out of the subterranean garage and headed in the complete opposite direction—upward, toward the steep, winding roads at the city’s outer rim.

​April tilted her head, her eyes tracking the passing streetlights as the urban grid began to thin out into dark, dense treelines. ”Where are you taking me?”

​”Relax, sweetheart,” Nat grinned, resting one hand lazily on the steering wheel while the other remained resting on the gear shift. ”I’m not kidnapping you. Just consider it a small detour.”

​”A detour into the dark woods at midnight with a psychotic Mafia lord,” April noted dryly, though there wasn’t a single trace of fear in her voice. ”Definitely not on my schedule for today.”

​If he had any ill intent, it wouldn’t matter anyway. Her spatial dimension was always accessible; And the ’door’ to get inside it only required a single mental trigger word she had already designated. She was completely untouchable.

​After ten minutes of driving up the winding mountain pass, Nat pulled the car onto a narrow, unpaved gravel clearing surrounded by towering pine trees.

He cut the engine, the headlights dying out to leave them bathed in the quiet, cool glow of the moonlight.

​”Here we are,” Nat said, stepping out of the car and walking around to open her door.

​April stepped out onto the damp grass, the crisp mountain air brushing against her skin. She looked around at the dense, shadowed forest. ”What are we doing here? Planning to bury a body?”

​”Very funny,” Nat chuckled softly. He reached out, his large, warm hand closing around hers. His fingers were broad and calloused, yet his grip was remarkably gentle as he led her along a narrow dirt path through the trees.

​He clicked on his phone’s flashlight with his free hand, illuminating the uneven ground so her heels wouldn’t catch on stray roots. April followed steadily, her hand held securely in his, feeling the steady heat radiating from his palm.

​After a short two-minute walk, the trees suddenly parted.

​They stepped onto a wide, grassy cliff edge overlooking the entire metropolis.

Spread out below them was a breathtaking, endless sea of blinking city lights—a glittering, luminous grid that stretched all the way to the horizon under the dark midnight sky.

The wind rustled softly through her hair, carrying a quiet, majestic stillness that felt entirely broke from the chaotic world below.

​April froze, her eyes widening slightly as the view washed over her. For a second, her breath hitched, and the sharp, defensive edge she constantly wore slipped away.

​She hadn’t realized the world could look this beautiful from above.

The world that had been cruel. The world that had been unkind. The world that had swallowed her whole...