Apocalyptic World: Surviving with my husband and my cute little babies-Chapter 172: The dog lives better

"Do you think they can hear us?" General Kaiser asked, glancing at the steel gate.

They had been knocking and calling out for some time, but no one had answered yet.

Brother Elias then closed his eyes and concentrated.

"Just wait a moment. They’ll come. I can sense movement upstairs."

A few seconds later, the sound of footsteps echoed from above.

Elena and Ethan soon appeared, pretending to be surprised even though they already knew they were coming.

"Brat! Elena! I’m glad to see you’re both safe," General Kaiser said with a grin, clearly impressed by their well-maintained condition despite the extreme cold.

"Uncle Kaiser, Brother Elias. What a surprise. We’re happy to see both of you here," Elena replied warmly, then nudged Ethan to open the gate.

"How are you managing in this freezing weather?"

"We’re surviving," Brother Elias said, appreciating the warm greetings.

"It’s so cold! I really dislike this kind of weather. I have to wear thick clothes just so I won’t freeze," General Kaiser complained, rubbing his hands together to warm them.

Worried about his pregnant wife getting cold, Ethan gently interrupted the conversation.

"Alright, let’s talk inside," he suggested, opening the gate for them.

As they walked up the stairs, Elena quietly observed the group.

Twelve soldiers were with them, not counting General Kaiser and Brother Elias.

Moments later, they stepped into the unit, and the warm air from the wood-burning stove wrapped around them.

The cosy heat was a welcome change. Everyone sighed in relief as the warmth slowly eased the stiffness in their bones.

"It’s really nice to be in a warm, spacious place like this," he said, looking around the room.

His eyes scanned the neatly arranged equipment and supplies.

There was a trace of amazement in his voice, but also a bit of curiosity.

It seems they were very well-prepared... like they knew something was coming.

"We’re just lucky that a shop opened downstairs; otherwise, we would’ve had to figure everything out on our own," Elena remarked.

"Indeed. This building seems to be blessed—especially with that mysterious shop showing up during a crisis," General Kaiser agreed with a nod.

Everyone had their own thoughts about the situation, but one thing was clear: there was a quiet tension in the room.

They probably had already guessed that the shop was somehow connected to Elena and Ethan.

Elena could feel their curiosity.

They clearly wanted to ask more questions, but for now, they were holding back—perhaps to maintain the status quo.

The group continued chatting, sharing bits of their experiences and thoughts, until a sudden knock at the door broke the rhythm of their conversation.

Ethan stood and opened the door to find Oslo, Xander, and Grandpa Caldwell waiting.

Right behind them was Poochi, looking just a little annoyed that he’d been left behind by his master once again.

Earlier, Elena had insisted that Poochi stay in Grandpa Caldwell’s unit. The hallway was bitterly cold, and the dog disliked wearing his thick winter clothes.

But now, here he was—marching into the room like a loyal little soldier—clearly coming to check on his beloved mistress... and the baby growing in her belly.

"Aw~~aww~~aww!" he barked with an accusing tone.

’Mistress, you left me again!’

Seeing him all wet, with ice forming on his fur, Elena sighed in frustration and concern.

"Come here, Poochi. Let me dry you off," she said, gesturing for him to come closer.

Poochi trotted over happily, wagging his tail as he waited for his mistress to dry him.

"Aw~~aw~~aww."

’Thank you, Mistress.’

"I told you to stay in Grandpa’s unit. Look at you, you’re all soaked!" Elena scolded him gently while grabbing a towel, clearly worried that the dog might catch a cold.

The others in the room watched the scene in quiet amazement.

Poochi’s behavior was almost human—obedient, expressive, and affectionate. He acted more like a toddler than a dog.

They couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

Poochi’s healthy body, glossy fur, and cheerful energy showed that he was well-fed and well-loved.

In contrast, many of them had to stretch their weekly rations just to make it through the week.

Seeing a dog living so comfortably in such hard times made them wonder just how well-off this family really was.

Their thoughts were interrupted when Grandpa Caldwell called out to them.

"General Kaiser, Brother Elias. It’s good to see you here in City A," he greeted his former colleagues from Military D with a warm smile.

"Same to you, General Caldwell," Brother Elias replied, though he was clearly surprised.

He could sense that Grandpa Caldwell’s spiritual aura had completely vanished.

’What is going on with this family? First Ethan, then Elena, and now General Caldwell too...’

"I’m no longer a General—just an ordinary citizen now," Grandpa Caldwell said as he walked toward the sofa and sat down.

Seeing a retired high-ranking officer, the soldiers who had followed saluted him respectfully. Grandpa Caldwell returned the gesture with a simple nod.

"How are things on the military side?" he continued.

"This disaster has hit every part of the government hard," Brother Elias explained.

"Even the military was paralysed at first because the calamities just kept coming. We’ve started building a base, but a lot of planning is still needed. No one knows how long this disaster will last. Worst of all, satellite communication has completely stopped. We’ve lost contact with the other military camps."

"What really happened?" Grandpa Caldwell asked, frowning deeply.

"The Meteorological Department reported that a super typhoon has formed. It’s so massive that it now covers the whole world, turning the planet into a frozen wasteland—maybe even starting a new ice age. The big question is: how long will this continue?"

Everyone in the room fell silent, clearly disturbed by the news. Unease filled the air.

Everyone—except Elena.

To her, nothing had changed. The situation was the same in her past life, only the timeline of events was different now.

"I see... so what brings you here around the area?" Grandpa Caldwell asked.

"There are rumors about a mysterious shop that opened during the disaster. I wanted to check it out with my own eyes," Brother Elias replied.

"And, of course, I also wanted to visit everyone since we left for the military camp so suddenly last time."