The person on the other end of the line fell silent for a moment. Just as she was about to say something, Chu Ning had already hung up.
“I’m really tired, Xiaoxiao. Remember to help me ask for leave.”
After ending the call, Chu Ning continued eating her breakfast.
Over the past few days, she had been trying every possible way to obtain weapons. So far, she had only managed to acquire military daggers, stun batons, machetes, and similar items. However, she had asked someone to help her look for Tang swords. She didn’t know when there would finally be any news.
Just as she was thinking about it, her phone rang again.
“Really? That’s great! It doesn’t matter if it’s expensive.”
“Alright. Two swords is fine. I’ll transfer the money now and pick them up in an hour.”
Chu Ning’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
She had found them.
A collector was selling two Tang swords.
One cost one hundred thousand yuan.
Two swords for a total of two hundred thousand.
Cash on delivery.
She immediately changed into a different outfit and headed out.
When she arrived, the other party handed her a long box.
The moment she took the Tang swords into her hands, she was overjoyed.
“Thanks, Senior Qin.”
Looking up, Chu Ning thanked the tall, handsome man standing before her.
A trace of complicated emotion flashed through her heart.
This man was the president of the university’s student council and a senior in his fourth year.
In her previous life, he had also become the leader of the largest survivor base.
He was the powerful backer supporting Song Xiaoxiao.
“Chu Ning, remember to save some money to stockpile food.”
Her entire body froze.
She abruptly looked up.
“Huh?!”
For that instant, Chu Ning felt as though her blood had turned to ice.
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind.
Had he discovered her secret?
She even briefly considered killing him to silence him forever.
Fortunately, she quickly forced herself to calm down.
“This morning, the government issued a notice. The Meteorological Bureau detected an extremely severe polluted rainstorm that’s expected to arrive in two days. They’ve advised everyone to stock up on food and daily necessities, stay indoors, and avoid going outside.”
Qin Mo looked at the girl before him and spoke calmly.
“Buy as much food and water as you can and stay at home. Don’t go outside, and whatever you do, don’t get caught in the rain. Just stay home and wait for… rescue.”
Only then did Chu Ning finally regain her ability to breathe.
She let out a quiet sigh of relief.
She didn’t notice the flaw in his wording.
Instead, another question occupied her thoughts.
In her previous life, no such warning had ever been issued.
So why had the government suddenly released an advance notice this time?
She couldn’t figure it out.
Still, it was a good thing.
A warning like this could save countless lives.
She had never considered stepping forward to warn everyone herself.
First, no one would believe her.
At best, people would think she was mentally ill.
Second…
She simply wasn’t that kindhearted.
Her relationship with Qin Mo wasn’t particularly close or distant.
They had worked together once while hosting a student council event, so they had interacted more than ordinary classmates.
She had heard that he enjoyed collecting antiques and weapons, which was why she had asked him to help her find Tang swords this time.
Looking up at him, she smiled.
“Got it, Senior Qin. You should also buy plenty of food and water. I’m heading home now.”
“Alright.”
After parting ways with Qin Mo, Chu Ning drove back toward her apartment.
Along the way, she noticed pedestrians hurrying everywhere.
Many people carried bags and boxes filled with supplies.
After returning home, Chu Ning took out the two Tang swords and examined them carefully.
She casually swung one at her solid wood dining table.
With only a gentle slash, one corner of the table was cleanly sliced off.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
She carefully stored both Tang swords inside her spatial storage before picking up her phone and preparing to head downstairs to see if there was anything else worth buying.
Her phone was flooded with notifications.
Every group chat was buzzing because of the government’s announcement.
[Holy crap, is the apocalypse coming?]
[It’s fake, right? When has the weather forecast ever been accurate?]
[Just in case, I’m going to buy a couple packs of instant noodles. Maybe if there’s a huge rainstorm, we won’t have to go to work.]
…
The neighborhood owners’ group was filled with people discussing buying supplies.
Chu Ning’s residential complex had existed for more than ten years.
Most of the residents were elderly people and families with children.
The surrounding commercial area was exceptionally well developed.
Within one kilometer of the neighborhood were more than twenty convenience stores, three large supermarkets, three produce markets, and five grain and cooking oil shops.
Three kilometers away stood an even larger shopping mall.
With a backpack slung over her shoulder, Chu Ning walked out of the neighborhood.
She discovered that nearly every convenience store and grain shop downstairs had already been emptied.
Left with no choice, she drove to a larger supermarket farther away.
It was packed with shoppers.
Everyone was scrambling to buy supplies.
Not wanting to attract attention, Chu Ning pushed a shopping cart through the aisles, filling it with beverages she enjoyed, biscuits, spicy snack strips, chocolate, milk candies, and ice cream.
These items weren’t attracting much attention, so competition was relatively low.
After paying, Chu Ning glanced at the balance in her account.
She still had six hundred thousand yuan left.
She loaded everything into her vehicle and, once no one was watching, quietly transferred it all into her spatial storage.
Afterward, she went to the bank and withdrew all the remaining cash.
Once she got back into her car, she secretly stored the money inside her spatial storage as well.
It couldn’t have been safer.
Next, Chu Ning visited two more supermarkets.
She bought even more of her favorite snacks and drinks.
As for rice and noodles, she only managed to grab one bag of rice and a single bag of instant noodles.
Those few items alone cost over five hundred yuan.
Because of the government’s warning, prices had skyrocketed to outrageous levels.
When she returned home, everyone inside the elevator was carrying bags full of supplies.
They chatted and laughed casually, looking completely relaxed.
“Old Zhou, what did you buy? Look at this. Rice that used to cost fifty yuan a bag is selling for one hundred now. If you ask me, it’s nothing but a marketing gimmick.”
A plump woman in her fifties carrying a bag of dried noodles looked at a tall, thin man in his sixties and complained.
“I trust the government. It’s better to stock up on more food. Besides, grain won’t spoil anytime soon.”
Old Zhou smiled cheerfully, completely unbothered.
“I’m not falling for it. Everything’s ridiculously expensive. Honestly, people like you are just foolish. Those greedy merchants are making money off suckers exactly like you.”
The moment she finished speaking, everyone’s expressions inside the elevator darkened with displeasure.
Fortunately, her floor had arrived.
She twisted her body as she walked out.
“Young lady, couldn’t get much grain?”
Old Zhou suddenly spoke beside Chu Ning.
“You should hurry and visit one of the larger supermarkets farther away. That little bit of rice won’t last long.”
Chu Ning blinked before lowering her head to look at the bag she was carrying.
Inside was a bag full of snacks.
The outermost item just happened to be a ten-kilogram sack of rice.
Chu Ning: “…”
“Okay.”
After returning home, Chu Ning immediately started cooking.
She loved preparing her own meals and rarely ate outside.
Over the next few days, she planned to cook as much as possible and store the finished dishes inside her spatial storage.
Once the apocalypse arrived, she wouldn’t need to cook anymore.
By the later stages of the apocalypse, everyone would be desperately short of supplies.
The aroma of freshly cooked food could easily spread and attract unnecessary trouble.
She decided to prepare a large pot of braised foods.
Braised pig’s trotters.
Braised pork.
Braised eggs.
She also planned to add lotus root, kelp, and other vegetables.
After preparing the spice blend and simmering the master stock, she took out another batch of duck feet, chicken feet, duck wings, chicken wings, duck carcasses, chicken legs, duck legs, and quail eggs.
She boiled the quail eggs before peeling them one by one.
Everything simmered together on the gas stove.
At that moment, she wished her apartment had several more stoves.
Once the apocalypse began, electricity would gradually fail, followed by running water.
Eventually, even the gas supply would be cut off.
In the end, survivors would have no choice but to burn firewood for cooking.
Fortunately, while stockpiling supplies, Chu Ning had purchased a large number of portable gas canisters and camping stoves.
She had also bought a full one thousand kilograms of smokeless charcoal.