On the way to the airport, the streets became increasingly congested.
The country’s already fragile public order was now completely collapsing. Days of extreme heat, combined with frequent blackouts, had finally ignited the anger of the lower class.
Ahead, at a high-end duty-free mall, a very “traditional local performance” was unfolding—a full-scale looting riot.
Countless rioters smashed storefront windows and rushed inside, grabbing TVs, sneakers, and electronics. Sirens echoed everywhere, but it was completely useless. Chaos reigned.
The car was forced to stop.
Jack gripped the steering wheel nervously.
“Damn it! These lunatics! Miss Lin, we need to detour—”
“No. Stop the car.”
Lin Chu looked out the window at the chaos and instead showed a sharp glint of interest.
“There are still two hours until takeoff. Enough time.”
She pushed open the door.
Instead of avoiding the chaos, she calmly smoothed her dress and walked into the rioting crowd like a noblewoman attending a banquet.
Since she was already here—how could she leave empty-handed?
She ignored the men fighting over heavy TVs and headed straight for the luxury goods and cosmetics sections.
That was the real “soft gold of the apocalypse.”
First stop: luxury skincare counters
The rioters were only focused on electronics. They didn’t care about these small bottles and jars.
The counters were empty. The sales staff had long fled.
Lin Chu stopped at the La Mer counter.
In the apocalypse, when survival becomes the only concern, women’s desire for beauty doesn’t disappear—it becomes even more desperate.
An unopened cream could be exchanged in a base for a month of laundry service from a young girl, or even a family heirloom jade bracelet from a fallen noblewoman.
“Take it.”
Her palm swept across the counter.
Creams, serums, eye creams—all vanished instantly.
Then came SK-II, CPB, Helena…
She strolled like she was in her own garden. Wherever she passed, nothing remained.
“These will be my future ‘salary.’”
She smiled faintly.
When she builds her base later, she will need rewards to win people over. These things will be far more persuasive than stale bread.
Second stop: watches and jewelry
This area had already been smashed to pieces. Broken glass covered the floor.
Lin Chu walked carefully in high heels, avoiding blood stains, and arrived at Rolex and Patek Philippe counters.
Some watches had already been looted, but the stockroom remained.
She placed her hand directly on the steel vault door.
Spatial perception—capture!
She couldn’t see inside, but that didn’t matter.
Just take everything.
In the apocalypse, gold was currency. Rolex was “currency among currency.”
A single “Green Water Ghost” could be exchanged for a semi-automatic rifle—or a crate of penicillin.
Third stop: luxury bags section
Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel.
She didn’t bother choosing.
Birkin bags, Kelly bags—real leather or not—everything was taken.
Even silk scarves and perfumes on display were swept away.
In just thirty minutes, Lin Chu had circled the entire mall like a ghost.
Inside her space, mountains of luxury goods now formed several towering piles.
“This is what they call… a worthwhile trip.”
She brushed nonexistent dust from her hands.
Before the chaos escalated further and riot police arrived, she calmly exited through a side door and returned to the Chevrolet.
“Drive. Airport.”
Jack stared at her, unscathed and even looking refreshed.
He swallowed hard.
This Eastern woman had walked into hell… and come out looking even more radiant?
International Airport – First-Class Lounge
Announcements of delays and cancellations echoed nonstop.
Due to extreme heat, many aircraft engines had triggered failure warnings. The airport was in total chaos—stranded passengers, crying children everywhere.
Lin Chu held her golden first-class ticket.
This was the last flight back home.
After a few more hours, once temperatures crossed the critical threshold, global air routes would shut down completely.
“This is the last Noah’s Ark.”
She boarded successfully and sat in her spacious first-class seat, taking the champagne handed to her by a flight attendant.
The plane began taxiing.
Acceleration.
Takeoff.
Breaking through the clouds.
Lin Chu turned to look out the window.
Below her was a burning city.
Fires raged in the streets—the flames of riots. Police lights flashed near the harbor—the aftermath of her “gift.” Even the refinery in the distance stood silent, already drained of its lifeblood.
“Goodbye, old world.”
She gently clinked her glass against the sky outside.
From this moment on, she would no longer be the bullied Lin family heiress.
She would be the ruler of the apocalypse, holding unimaginable wealth and absolute power.
“Next…”
She closed her eyes.
Gu Yan’s and Lin Wan’s disgusting faces appeared in her mind.
“It’s time to go home… and close the net.”