After the “gathering” ended, Bai Yaoyao carefully explored the villa. This would likely be their home for nearly a year. Without the strength of a Level 5 Power User, traveling recklessly across the nation would be like serving themselves on a platter to the zombies and Mutated Beasts.
Leveling up was relatively easier at first, but after reaching Level 4, advancing required massive amounts of Crystals. Relying solely on herself and a few companions made it too difficult. Stockpiling so many supplies was also intended for trading with Huaguo’s authorities for some Crystals.
The villa had one basement level and four above-ground floors.
The spacious living room on the first floor featured a large circular sofa, ample for everyone. The reception room, renovated by Peiqi into a conference room, was located to the left of the living room, while the dining area and kitchen were on the right.
At the far end were two bedrooms, where Fatty and Shitou chose to reside, acting as the twin guardians of the entrance.
The second floor centered around a fitness and activity area, surrounded by four bedrooms. Outside the activity zone was a large balcony offering a clear view of Fengming Mountain—perfect for enjoying meat and drinks. Xiao Shiliu, Dada Juan, and Chen Xuan settled on this floor.
The third floor mirrored the second in layout, though it lacked a balcony. Monkey, Xiaomi, and Keke each occupied a bedroom.
Bai Yaoyao, Lulu, and Peiqi took the top floor.
Bai Yaoyao left some ingredients in the kitchen for everyone to practice cooking, only to realize it was all in vain—none of them could even manage to cook a proper meal!
In the following days, no one ventured out. Those injured focused on recovery, while the others sparred with each other.
Bai Yaoyao noticed her combat awareness had significantly improved compared to her previous life at this stage. Coupled with her extensive stockpile of supplies and foresight into the apocalypse’s trajectory, she felt like she had been dealt a winning hand from the start.
After the shelving units arrived, Bai Yaoyao’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies kicked in. She spent an entire day categorizing and organizing all the supplies.
Initially, she thought the numerous shelves would be excessive, but they turned out to be insufficient. Consequently, she segregated firearms and weapons into a separate corner, reserving the shelves solely for food, drinks, and daily necessities.
The shelves, each seven meters long and five tiers high, were arranged in neat rows of ten.
Rows one to five were filled with various ready-to-eat foods—items that required no preparation and could be consumed immediately.
Rows six to ten held semi-prepared foods, needing simple microwave heating or boiling.
With little to do indoors recently, the injured took charge of cooking rice and boiling water, stockpiling them while processing these semi-finished products—all in meticulous preparation for the apocalypse.
Rows eleven to thirteen contained all beverages. Due to limited shelving, boxes were stacked tightly against one another. Water purchased from Wang Fugui was stored separately, not here; these shelves held bottled water and assorted drinks.
Row fourteen was dedicated entirely to hotpot bases and ingredients—yes, it occupied an entire row by itself.
Rows fifteen to thirty stored staples like rice, flour, oil, and condiments.
Rows thirty-one to thirty-eight housed all clothing, footwear, and bedding.
Rows thirty-nine and forty were packed with snacks.
Rows forty-one to sixty were allocated for fruits and vegetables.
Beyond the sixtieth row lay miscellaneous goods. For someone as meticulous as Bai Yaoyao, it was essential to clarify the contents now—otherwise, she’d never recall them later.
Just hoarding supplies without using them is pointless. Even with a storage space, you need to know what you have to make use of it. So, after organizing everything, I unpacked each box one by one to see what was inside.
I made a list for each row and stuck it at the front to avoid forgetting.
All the seeds were also properly stored.
I planted the first batch, and within just a few days, they had already sprouted. The only issue was that the planting area was too small.
By the time everything was tidied up, it was already dark. Bai Yaoyao had long passed the point of feeling sleepy, so she decided not to sleep. She opened a can of dark beer, left the space, and went out to the balcony. Propping her feet on the railing and leaning back on the sofa, she sipped her beer, enjoying the gentle breeze. It was pure bliss.
But then…
Was it raining?
It really was raining!
Bai Yaoyao checked her phone and saw that there was still a full month left until the apocalypse! In her previous life, before the apocalypse, it had never rained except for artificial rainfall!
Bai Yaoyao hurriedly called everyone out.
“Sis Yao? Is it time? Has the apocalypse arrived?” Xiaomi shouted as she rushed downstairs.
Hearing the commotion, the others quickly ran out as well, their faces tense with worry.
“Ah-ha! Wind, come! Fire, come! Transform, transform, transform! Thunder! Teleport! Summoned beast, appear!” Monkey pranced around like a shaman in the living room, howling loudly, and finally couldn’t resist asking, “Sis Yao, where’s my superpower?”
Bai Yaoyao’s previously tense expression suddenly broke into a smile. Rolling her eyes, she said, “Do you think this is some kind of immortal cultivation? Stop acting crazy with all that ‘wind and rain’ nonsense. If you want to command the wind and rain, you’d need at least a level-nine superpower.”
Seeing that he had lightened the mood, Monkey stopped fooling around. His master had once told him that he was the “mood-setter” and couldn’t stand seeing anyone frown.
Everyone gathered on the balcony, watching the pitch-black sky intermittently lit up by thunderous flashes of lightning. Their hearts tightened with anxiety.
The rain grew heavier and heavier, as if the sky had sprung a leak.
“Let’s go back inside,” Bai Yaoyao said, leading everyone to the living room.
They all sat on the sofa chatting and soon realized that the water and electricity had already been cut off.
As they talked, one by one, they began to fall asleep. Fatty was the first, snoring loud enough to shake the heavens.
Xiaomi laughed and said, “I can hear Fatty’s snoring even when I’m sleeping on the second floor. Shitou, how do you manage to sleep next door to him?”
Before she could finish her sentence, Xiaomi also fell asleep. Then it was…
Gouzi’s turn.
In her previous life, everyone had gone to visit their master, and Gouzi had stayed behind in the city. By the time they returned and found him, he was nearly starved to death.
This time, with daily servings of large bones and milk, she wondered if the outcome would be different.
Watching everyone fall asleep one by one, Bai Yaoyao grew nervous again. Suddenly, she noticed Lulu frowning deeply, repeatedly pinching her own arm.
“Lulu…”
“Lao Yao’er, I’m afraid to sleep.”
Bai Yaoyao felt a lump in her throat, unsure of what to say. She tightly grasped Lulu’s hand.
“I turned into a zombie in the previous life, didn’t I?” Lulu said calmly.
“Fatty knows too, right? These past few days, when I snatched meat from him, he started letting me have it. And you—you always avoid making eye contact with me. Hmm, Xuan Di probably knows as well.”
Bai Yaoyao smiled helplessly and replied, “I knew I couldn’t hide it from you.”
“Yeah, I figured it out when you asked Fatty, Xiaomi, Shitou, and Monkey to help you gather supplies but didn’t contact me.”
“She probably doesn’t know how to face me.” Lulu gently pinched Bai Yaoyao’s cheek.
She hadn’t done this since they grew up – the feeling was wonderful, though she might never get to do it again.
“In your previous life you did turn into a zombie, but back then your gunshot wound hadn’t healed and your resistance was weak. Now you’re plump and healthy, you’ll be fine.” Ignoring the little hand messing with her face, Bai Yaoyao pulled Lulu into her embrace and spoke seriously.
“Yaoyao… if I become one of those ugly monsters, kill me quickly. I won’t allow anyone to see me looking so hideous…”
“I also want to tell you something – that time when Master got angry and beat you, the lollipop under your pillow was placed by me. The cockroach in Master’s shoe was also my doing…”