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Chapter 32
The bathroom was filled with steam. At exactly nine in the morning, before Shu Fu even had the chance to turn off the faucet, the water flow from the showerhead gradually weakened until it completely stopped.
Fortunately, she had already finished washing. Thankfully, she hadn’t been idle during her days at the shelter—she had spent time researching Lou Yuncheng’s current state and daily living guidelines online. In the end, she managed to shower just before the scheduled water outage.
She changed into clean, comfortable loungewear and was drying her hair as she stepped out of the bathroom. She couldn’t help but sniff her hair and hands. She wasn’t sure if it was because the tap water in Lou Yuncheng was now all purified water or because she had scrubbed herself from head to toe with sulfur soap for disinfection.
Either way, she felt like she was giving off a strong chemical smell.
The purified water here was nothing like the purified water back on Drifting Island. It was more fitting to call it filtered water.
This was her second day inside the safety walls of Lou Yuncheng, and at the moment, she was staying in a hotel within the urban district. Most commercial facilities in the city were still operating as usual.
However, aside from the two designated time slots for daily water usage set by the authorities, using water for showers or cleaning at any other time required an additional fee. It was similar to ordering room service in the past—now, one had to call ahead to purchase extra water. The hotel would deduct the cost from the deposit before providing a limited amount of water.
The extra water was incredibly expensive. Yesterday, she had only purchased ten minutes’ worth, just enough for a quick rinse. Today, she had woken up early to ensure she could shower properly during the scheduled water supply period.
She recalled a long-pinned, highly popular post on an online platform that described the current situation in Lou Yuncheng:
Aside from daily water being limited and converted to purified water, electricity prices doubling after a certain consumption threshold, skyrocketing costs of goods, rationing of some food and water, restricted access to certain city areas, an overwhelming number of security checkpoints, road restrictions, an increase in street brawls and theft due to the influx of refugees, escalating tensions between locals and outsiders, and the endless rainfall causing moldy walls and higher rates of rheumatism… everything else in Lou Yuncheng is going great. No wonder it’s the first major city in Muzhou Province to construct flood barriers. In these disaster-stricken times, it remains a beacon of stability and hope.
To be honest, Shu Fu wasn’t sure if the author of the post was praising the city or mocking it.
In her opinion, the city’s officials had already done an impressive job. After all, within these walls, locals could still study and work as they had before, and even refugees had a shelter to keep them from the elements.
Of course, there were still plenty of issues, but they weren’t things that could be solved overnight.
Ultimately, the disaster wasn’t over yet. This was still a turbulent period, with new calamities looming at any moment. There were simply too many crises to handle, and oversights were inevitable.
Take yesterday afternoon’s tsunami—or rather, the colossal wave. When faced with such terrifying disasters, all humans were equally small and powerless.
From Sankou Province to Muzhou Province and further north to Xiren Province, from Suicheng to Guanyu County to Lou Yuncheng, and across numerous large and small cities within Muzhou and Xiren, waves and hurricanes had struck at varying intensities.
For the inland cities, this was their first time facing such a catastrophic event.
The wave that hit Lou Yuncheng wasn’t even the tallest. According to monitoring data, the highest wave reached 48 meters, crashing into another city in Muzhou Province.
That city had also built flood barriers, but since construction had started late, most of the walls were only around 40 meters high. In theory, given the usual floodwater levels, this should have been a perfectly safe height. No one had ever imagined that such waves could occur so deep inland.
The 48-meter wave didn’t completely topple the flood barriers, but the roaring waters surged over the safety walls, tearing apart the still-under-construction upper fortifications. Like a waterfall, the flood poured over the top, destroying all buildings near the safety walls.
In the city’s outskirts, vast farmlands and livestock farms were wiped out. The suburban residential buildings collapsed entirely. Countless residents were swept away by the flood, and the death toll was still being counted…
Meanwhile, in Lou Yuncheng, those who had constantly complained about the government—about the poor quality of life and how everything had turned into a mess—fell completely silent after watching the online videos, news reports, and the endless flood of SOS posts.
Back when Lou Yuncheng had pushed forward against all opposition to build the flood barriers, an enormous amount of manpower and resources had been invested. At the time, the construction had lowered living standards and caused massive inconveniences, sparking fierce debates online.
Many had condemned the government as reckless, calling them crazy.
After all, this was a mountainous city! Even the lowest part of the city sat at 120 meters above sea level, with the highest reaching 350 meters. Why would they pour half the city’s resources into building cold, lifeless walls that might never even be needed?
But now, reality had spoken.
Since the giant wave struck yesterday, public opinion online had completely shifted.
During this monstrous storm and tidal onslaught, the only places in Lou Yuncheng that suffered losses were the shelters outside the safety walls.
Inside the high walls, aside from some flimsy suburban sheds collapsing due to heavy rain and wind, and a few low-lying areas experiencing temporary flooding due to delayed drainage, the city’s residents had remained largely unharmed.
Rescue efforts for the shelters outside the walls began immediately in the afternoon rain and were completed by this morning. The injured survivors were sent to a hospital in the suburbs, while the rest were relocated to various shelters inside the city. Emergency supplies were also being distributed.
Lou Yuncheng’s officials even had the capacity to assist other towns hit by the tsunami and hurricane.
Cheng Yu and Liu Shuang had also jumped into action as soon as the rescue efforts began. Cheng Yu didn’t even have time to treat his own wounds, and because they were so preoccupied, Shu Fu found an opportunity to slip away.
She blended in with other refugees and was escorted by staff members through an internal passageway in the dam, eventually emerging onto the surface.
Those who managed to escape the water and reach the dam were extremely lucky. Several boats had been caught in the mid-section of the flood, but only their vessel had safely made it to the dam.
Of the seventy-plus people aboard those boats, only twenty-one survived—excluding Cheng Yu, Liu Shuang, and the three other rescue team members. That burly man who had hoarded supplies without regard for anyone else, even at the cost of his own life, was never seen again.
Afterward, Shu Fu presented the green silicone wristband she had obtained long ago at the Suicheng Library.
Once her information was registered at the shelter, her personal details were updated in the wristband’s system.
Since she was a local of Lou Yuncheng, she wasn’t categorized as a refugee needing placement. She had no travel restrictions within the city and could take a bus or public transport freely.
The heavy rain provided the perfect cover. From head to toe, she was wrapped in a thick raincoat and rain boots, making it impossible for others to discern her figure or attire. No one could guess her identity. She carried only a moderately sized backpack, also concealed under her raincoat, making her inconspicuous.
She headed to the bus station, bought a ticket with cash, and waited for two hours. When the storm finally weakened to a moderate rain and the winds subsided, the buses resumed service, allowing her to enter the city without issue.
**
By the time she arrived, it was already nighttime. Along the way, she had crossed a large river—Yun River. The buildings and streets of Lou Yuncheng were illuminated, and through the rain-speckled bus window, the city looked both familiar and unfamiliar to her.
It was familiar because her mind held memories of living here for eighteen years. The layout of the city, its roads, and buildings were all deeply imprinted in her memory, giving her a sense of belonging and security.
It was unfamiliar because she knew, deep down, that she had only inherited “Shu Fu’s” memories. The real her—the true Shu Fu—had never actually lived in this city.
It was a strange feeling. But regardless, familiarity was an advantage. At least she understood the city and wouldn’t have to spend excessive time and effort adapting to an entirely foreign environment.
After leaving the bus station, she chose the most upscale hotel nearby. With the city’s declining security, a high-end hotel with strict security measures would offer better protection.
She booked a standard room on the ninth floor, about forty square meters in size, including the balcony.
Unlike her previous home, the hotel’s balcony was open-air. Since the heavy rains had begun, the sliding glass doors leading to the balcony had been locked, preventing guests from stepping outside. A layer of stainless-steel mesh had also been installed over the doors to guard against strong winds and hailstorms.
She left a deposit and reserved the room for three nights.
These three days were her buffer period—to assess the situation and establish a survival (or lay-low) plan.
As a long-time scriptwriter accustomed to drafting outlines, she always preferred planning ahead. Having a plan allowed her to self-review, identify gaps, and advance step by step.
Caution was never a mistake. That’s why, upon entering her room last night, the first thing she did was turn off all the lights and inspect the room thoroughly. She then used her phone’s scanning app to check for hidden cameras.
Only after confirming that the room was secure did she lock the doors and windows, double-bolt the main door, and take a quick shower.
She hadn’t slept well the past few nights while staying in shelters. The tsunami that afternoon had kept her on high alert. Now that she was inside the city, in a relatively safe place, exhaustion hit her like a wave. She didn’t even have the energy to eat.
After drinking some water and a glass of milk, she went straight to bed.
She needed to rest first—to regain her mental strength.
Now, she was awake, refreshed, and thoroughly cleaned. Dressed in dry, lightly fragrant clothes, she finally felt alive again.
The hotel no longer provided breakfast, but she wasn’t planning to go out just yet. She had plenty of food stored away in her personal space—like a buffet she could access anytime.
She took out a bowl of savory tofu pudding topped with dried shrimp and seaweed flakes, a serving of fresh meat soup dumplings, and a portion of fried dough-wrapped mochi.
The mochi was savory, coated in seaweed and meat floss. Crispy fried dough encased the chewy mochi, cut into bite-sized pieces and stored in a takeaway box. It was still warm—crisp and fragrant on the outside, soft and glutinous inside.
The soup dumplings weren’t many, just six, but each had a thin, delicate skin and was filled with rich, flavorful broth. A single bite released an explosion of delicious soup.
The tofu pudding was smooth, savory, and fresh—exactly to her taste.
Food has a way of healing the heart. Just as she was in the best of moods, Cheng Yu’s call came through. She figured he must have finished the rescue operations on his end, returned inside the walls, and then realized she wasn’t in the shelter.
Shu Fu looked at the screen displaying the caller ID “Ruoyun’s Uncle” and answered on speaker:
“Hello?”
There was a long silence on the other end.
Shu Fu took a sip of her savory tofu pudding. “Captain Cheng?”
“…Yes.” Cheng Yu sounded a bit at a loss, probably not expecting her to pick up the phone so readily this time. “I just realized you weren’t at the shelter. I’m sorry, yesterday was an emergency, and I didn’t get a chance to settle you in first.”
“No need to apologize. I should be the one thanking you. Thank you and Captain Liu for saving me yesterday. Also, I’ve already made it into the city, so there’s no need to worry about me. After all, this is where I grew up…”
Shu Fu’s tone was sincere, but she deliberately avoided mentioning anything about Suicheng.
She knew exactly what Cheng Yu was most curious about. But from his perspective, this involved her personal life and likely contained unpleasant memories. As long as she didn’t bring it up, he probably wouldn’t ask outright.
Sure enough, Cheng Yu fell silent for a moment before simply reminding her to be careful living alone in the city. If anything happened, she could call him anytime.
“Calling might not be the best idea. Phone rates have gone up, and interprovincial calls are so expensive now…” Shu Fu said seriously.
Cheng Yu: “….”
Sensing his silence and speechlessness, Shu Fu slowly followed up with, “…How about we add each other on WeChat, Captain Cheng?” After all, her phone had an unlimited data plan, and using WeChat was free.
Not long after hanging up, a friend request from him popped up.
Shu Fu accepted it and sent him a waving “Xiong Tiantian” emoji as a greeting.
Cheng Yu’s “typing…” indicator appeared for a while before he finally sent back a single word: “Mm.”
So serious and such a conversation killer. Shu Fu immediately lost the motivation to continue chatting and exited the conversation.
She glanced at Lu Zheng and Yao Ruoyun’s profile pictures and sent both of them a check-in message, accompanied by a “Xiong Tiantian Apologizing” emoji.
These two replied much faster than Chen Fa and the others. They first asked about her current situation, then pressed her about what had happened—why she had disappeared for so long.
Especially Yao Ruoyun, who bombarded her with a series of “Xiong Tiantian Crying for Comfort” emojis: “I thought something happened to you!! Why didn’t you send a single message if you were alive?!”
Shu Fu wanted to reply, “Life is unpredictable; I didn’t see it coming myself,” but after recalling Cheng Yu’s reaction earlier, she reworded her response carefully:
“You both know why I stayed behind back then… but some things happened that are hard to talk about. I still don’t know how to explain it…”
As expected, after she put it that way, neither of them pressed further. Instead, they comforted her, telling her to let the past go and focus on moving forward—staying alive was the most important thing.
After learning she was now in Lou Yuncheng, they updated her on their own situations.
Lu Zheng and his brother had evacuated to Pincheng early on. Pincheng was in Lankou Province, further northwest than Muzhou Province and Xiren Province, where Lou Yuncheng was located.
Yao Ruoyun and the other students had initially thought they’d only be staying in Ningcheng temporarily, waiting for the rain to stop and the floodwaters to recede before returning. But the rain never stopped, and the water levels in Suicheng never went down…
Eventually, the flood continued to rise, and soon, it reached Ningcheng. Cheng Yu was transferred to Lou Yuncheng due to the dam construction project, while the other students either sought refuge with relatives in other cities or continued evacuating with the main refugee group.
Pincheng, where Lu Zheng had relocated, was one of the government-designated refugee cities. It had a low population, high altitude, and was safer than Lou Yuncheng.
Ultimately, Yao Ruoyun’s family joined the mass evacuation to Pincheng. Xun Huiming, naturally, wanted to follow, but his parents were in Xiangzhou Province.
Xiangzhou Province was west of Muzhou Province, closer to Lou Yuncheng. Yao Ruoyun kept urging him to reunite with his family—after all, in times of disaster, nothing was more important than being with loved ones.
Although Xun Huiming didn’t want to be separated from Yao Ruoyun, he was also worried about his family. In the end, he returned to Xiangzhou Province.
At the end of the conversation, Lu Zheng sent an address and a phone number, saying it was for the house he and Lu Ce were staying at in Pincheng. If Shu Fu ever wanted to leave Lou Yuncheng, she could go there.
For refugees arriving in a new city, if they had relatives with property there, they could quickly gain entry and move freely after verification.
Even though Shu Fu wasn’t sure if she could go or not, she appreciated the offer. She thanked Lu Zheng and sent him a “Xiong Tiantian Bowing” emoji.
—
During breakfast, Shu Fu contacted all the friends she needed to.
After finishing her meal, she packed up the takeout containers, threw the trash into her storage space, and began drafting her Lou Yuncheng Survival (Lying Flat) Plan.
The first and most important step was to determine her current state—could she leave Lou Yuncheng? Or was she still trapped by the same invisible barriers and unseen forces that had kept her confined in Suicheng?
She had come from Suicheng. Currently, she had no movement restrictions from the eastern outskirts of Lou Yuncheng all the way to Suicheng via the waterways, as well as within the entire Suicheng area. But given that the remaining buildings in Suicheng had likely been destroyed by hurricanes and giant waves, this direction no longer held much significance for her.
What she really wanted to confirm was whether she could move in other directions from Lou Yuncheng. Simply put, she still wanted to go to Shacheng.
Secondly, if she couldn’t leave Lou Yuncheng, did that mean she had to complete the entire Level 3 progress bar task here? She had no idea how long it would take. She couldn’t stay in a hotel forever—she couldn’t afford it. She needed to rent a place and blend into the city.
This brought up the issue of money. As long as society hadn’t completely collapsed, living in a functioning city required money.
With inflation soaring, her remaining savings wouldn’t last long. She really didn’t want to get a job. Fortunately, during her time alone in Suicheng, her automatic water fishing rod had reeled in quite a lot of gold jewelry.
She was familiar with this city and knew how to convert those gold accessories into cash. Of course, if a landlord was open to bartering, that would be even better.
During her long stay in Suicheng, the most common thing her automatic water fishing rod had salvaged was vacuum-sealed and canned food. Not only had it filled up her inventory space, but she had also stacked boxes neatly in her drifting island house, piling them up high.
She had researched the most sought-after items in the local trade market. Besides fresh fruits and vegetables, the next best thing was vacuum-sealed and canned food—long shelf life, resistant to spoilage, and convenient to carry and eat.
…
At the end of her plan, she wrote down one word: Car.
For convenience, she needed to rent a vehicle.
After finalizing her survival plan, she was finally in the mood to check the rewards from her latest task.
[Task Completed: Check-in at Any Refuge Shelter on the Outskirts of Lou Yuncheng]
– Earned 15% progress on the Level 3 Raft
– Bonus Progress: +10%
– Received 4 Spin-the-Wheel Draws
(Current Level 3 Raft Progress: 25%)
Although the rewards weren’t as abundant as the library check-in task, she had advanced one-fourth of the way to upgrading her raft and even earned four lucky draw chances. That was already a great outcome.
A true raffle enthusiast couldn’t resist drawing immediately—so she used all four chances at once.
1️⃣ Green (Third Prize): Raft Usage Extension Card (24 Hours)
The first reward was an absolute treasure—an extension card that increased the raft’s usable time. With this, she could now continuously use the raft for two days and two nights!
No—even more than that!
Including the 12 hours before and 12 hours after the extension, she could now use the raft for a full 72 hours—three entire days and nights!
No wonder this was ranked as a third-prize green reward.
Then came—
2️⃣ Red (Fourth Prize): Milk Tea Gift Set (1 Set)
A massive milk tea package appeared:
A total of 50 cups of assorted flavors, dazzling in variety.
3️⃣ Blue (Fifth Prize): Floor-to-Ceiling Window
Her excitement began to fade.
Until the last draw—the needle landed on gold.
And it wasn’t just the smallest gold prize slot.
This was… Second Prize in Gold!?