Apocalypse Rebirth: Making Billions With My Fortune-Telling Skill

​Oliver straightened his trench coat, stepping back to gesture toward the double doors of the arena floor with effortless grace.

​”Give me the truth behind your miraculous existence, Miss April, and you will have my absolute, unwavering loyalty. My mind, my scalpels, and my complete scientific devotion will belong entirely to you.”

​April watched him quietly, the gears in her mind turning as she noted his intense, singular drive.

​So it’s not power, money, or emotional attachment he seeks, she thought, a faint smirk touching her lips. It’s pure knowledge. Why am I not surprised?

”All right, Doctor,” April said instead, stepping past him into the venue. ”You’ll have a front-row seat to watch and observe my abilities. You can get your data, but that’s only now till the specified date of the apocalypse. But afterwards, when the world is being torn asunder, I cannot guarantee that.”

​Oliver raised an eyebrow, his interest instantly piqued behind his wire-rimmed glasses. ”Why so?”

​April turned her head slightly, offering him a cool, uncompromising side-glance. ”Because I plan to live in complete isolation with my sister and my pets. I don’t plan on letting anyone in or out of my fortress once the end arrives. Unless, of course, you plan to fly a chopper, land from above, gather whatever data you want, and leave... then you are free to do as you wish.”

​Oliver went quiet for a second before a dry, breathless cackle burst from his lips. He chuckled under his breath, his eyes glinting with sheer delight.

​”All right,” Oliver murmured, a faint, manic smirk curling his lips. ”It seems I am going to have to add learning how to pilot a helicopter to my schedule before the world ends.”

​He immediately turned on his heel, adjusting his glasses as he began pacing slightly, muttering swiftly under his breath in a low, rapid stream of consciousness.

​”Let’s see... six hours daily on bunker fortification, another four for clinical data analysis on the subject... If I cut my sleep cycle down to three hours, I can allocate two hours every afternoon for flight simulation and rotor mechanics. Yes, perfectly feasible without compromising my current survey phase...”

​April shook her head softly, holding back a faint, exasperated sigh. It seemed gaining this mad scientist’s trust wasn’t going to be a straightforward affair.

​”Lead the way, Doctor,” April called out coolly, cutting through his intense rambling. ”Let’s inspect the hidden stage so we can wrap this up.”

Oliver nodded, turning on his heel to guide them through the heavy, soundproof double doors leading into the main arena.

Now that she had set Oliver aside, she would focus on the agenda at hand.

The interior of the convention center was colossal. Rows upon rows of tiered spectator seating circled a massive, brightly lit central arena floor where dozens of open-concept cooking stations were currently being wired with gas lines and broadcast cameras.

Banners hung from the rafters, and crew members rushed back and forth with stainless steel prep tables and commercial refrigeration units.

Oliver led April, Emily, and Samuel past the bustling main floor toward the elevated curtained balcony overlooking the entire hall.

Pushing aside a heavy velvet acoustic drape, he revealed a hidden, reinforced doorway disguised seamlessly as part of the structural pillar.

He swiped a keycard, and the heavy door hummed open, revealing a private, soundproof sanctuary.

Inside was a state-of-the-art kitchen unit surrounded by one-way mirror glass looking directly down at the main stage below.

From inside, April could see every single contestant, judge, and spectator in crystal clarity, while from the outside, the panel appeared as a solid, dark marble fixture built into the arena’s architectural frame.

”The audio feeds are entirely one-way,” Samuel explained in his steady, measured voice, tapping a high-spec control tablet to bring up the interface. ”Your instructions and finished dishes will be delivered via an automated service lift built directly beneath your prep counter. You will be able to judge and manage your prep in complete privacy. Not even the event host will know which chamber houses the master judge.”

​Samuel stepped back smoothly, handing the tablet over to April while Oliver stood nearby, his hands tucked into his trench coat pockets, watching her reaction with quiet, clinical intrigue.

​”Samuel is correct,” Oliver added smoothly, a dry smirk touching his lips as he adjusted his glasses. ”I merely verified the acoustic structural integrity to ensure total containment. Your assistant handled the physical logistics with remarkable efficiency.”

Emily stepped up to the one-way glass, looking down at the massive arena floor with wide, fascinated eyes. ”It’s incredible... you can see everything from up here, but no one can see you.”

”That is the intention,” April murmured, walking over to inspect the high-end stainless steel stovetops, precision knives, and specialized refrigeration units lining the counters. Everything was immaculate, top-tier, and stocked with pristine utensils.

She ran a finger over the smooth steel surface, a dark, satisfied glint flashing in her eyes. ”This will do perfectly. Thank you Samuel, Oliver.”

Samuel bowed his head respectfully, his tone warm yet resolute. ”It is my duty, Miss April.”

”The ingredients shipment will arrive at 5:00 AM tomorrow under heavy escort,” Oliver added. ”Mr. Reed has personally verified the supply chain to ensure zero tampering.”

​”That’s good enough,” April said, turning away from the glass as she handed the tablet back. ”Since everything here is in order, let’s head back.”

The moment April turned toward the door, Emily eagerly bounced over, lacing her arm through April’s and pressing her side snugly against her sister. Her face was practically glowing with excitement.

​”April,” Emily asked softly, squeezing her arm, ”where am I going to be during the event tomorrow? I... I really want to watch you!”

​April looked down at her twin, her sharp expression instantly softening into something gentle and indulgent. She glanced back toward the spacious, state-of-the-art kitchen unit behind the one-way glass.

​”You’ll be right here in the private judging chamber with me,” April replied smoothly. ”We can sit back, watch the entire event in complete comfort, and taste all the top tier dishes together before I store the rest away in my spatial dimension.”

​Emily’s eyes lit up like stars, a bright, breathless smile breaking across her face. ”Really?!”

​She squeezed April’s arm happily, leaning her head against her sister’s shoulder for a fleeting second. ”That would be fantastic! I get a front-row seat and a private tasting menu with you!”

​A soft, low chuckle escaped April’s lips as she patted Emily’s hand. ”Consider it a perk of being my sister, hehe.”

​”If there are no further adjustments required for the private chamber, Miss April,” Samuel spoke up evenly, ”I will have the security team secure the secondary exit so we can return to the estate.”

​”Everything is flawless, Samuel,” April said, bringing her sharp, focused composure back. ”Let’s head out. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

​”Understood,” Samuel bowed crisply, stepping out first to clear their path through the VIP corridor.

​As the small group made their way back toward the loading bay, April got a text on her phone.

She checked it and found it was a text from Alexander saying he would come over to Reed’s Estate just so he could give her the finishing touches of her driving lesson.

Perfect timing. She thought. He’s one more person whose trust hasn’t gotten to a hundred. And just like Xavier... he is interested in me.