But now things were different, she had Le Bao to raise as well as loved ones, friends, and companions to care for. She would have to use this space to its full potential.

Seeds were essential as were other supplies. Though Lan Shiru didn’t know exactly how things would look in the apocalypse eleven years from now, she was certain of one thing: nothing would be produced then. Her little Le Bao would need plenty. Food, clothing, shelter—anything other children had, Le Bao should have too.

In more than a decade of apocalyptic chaos, countless natural disasters and human tragedies occurred. While she couldn’t recall the precise timeline, she had a rough idea of what was coming, so she needed to prepare everything in advance.

After checking the space, she stepped out, waiting only for Jiang Xiang to wake. The sky was already darkening—the first sign of the apocalypse’s arrival.

Le Bao was still asleep, so Lan Shiru gathered the clean sheets from the hospital bed and tucked them into the small cottage in her storage space, creating a cozy nest for him. When she had to fight the corpses, she would tuck Le Bao in there, covering him with only a small backpack for camouflage.

As the city lights began to glow, illuminating the darkened streets, Lan Shiru glanced out the window and saw countless soulless figures wandering below.

Jiang Xiang stirred beside her, signaling he was about to wake. She crouched quietly by his side, keeping watch.

One minute, two, then ten minutes later, Jiang Xiang’s eyes shot open, filled with the primal fierceness of a Tibetan mastiff. His four limbs extended, revealing sharp, iron-like claws—a manifestation of his ability. His body had strengthened, his claws now ten centimeters long and sharper than steel, and he’d also evolved a speed ability, allowing him to move like lightning.

“Good boy, Jiang Xiang.” She stroked his head and playfully pinched his ears.

Recognizing her familiar scent, Jiang Xiang softened, nuzzling her palm and even giving it a gentle lick.

Lan Shiru held Le Bao out to Jiang Xiang. “This is my baby. His name is Fei Le—our little Le Bao. We’re family.”

Jiang Xiang sniffed him cautiously, resisting the urge to lick the tiny one for fear of hurting him. Instead, he gently nudged Le Bao’s little bottom with his big head, letting out a soft “woof” to show he understood.

Sensing something, little Le Bao’s tiny hand reached out and landed right on Jiang Xiang’s ear. The small, soft touch made Jiang Xiang’s ear twitch, and he tilted his head, looking adorably unsure of what to do.

Lan Shiru chuckled, rubbing Jiang Xiang’s head. “It’s okay, you can be gentle. Jiang Xiang, things are dangerous outside, but we have to go out to gather supplies, and we need to find Le Bao’s dad. Are you ready?”

Jiang Xiang was incredibly intelligent and was able to understand most of what she said. Though he couldn’t speak, he was as perceptive as a six- or seven-year-old child. He gave a resolute shake of his big head, then nudged Lan Shiru’s hand with a soft “woof.” He wasn’t afraid.

“Good boy, Jiang Xiang,” she praised, ruffling his head. “I’ll tuck little Le Bao into the hidden space, and then we’ll head out. Be ready.”

Jiang Xiang rose, stretching his powerful limbs and shaking his thick red coat. At around 1.2 meters tall and nearly two meters long, with sturdy legs and weighing over 200 kilograms, he was an imposing figure. His eyes glowed with a mysterious purple light in the dim room, inspiring both fear and awe.

Lan Shiru smiled, gave little Le Bao a final feeding and change, then carefully tucked him into the small cottage in her hidden space. She wore a backpack on her chest as a decoy, and slung a larger bag over her back to hide their supplies.

She disassembled a metal hospital bed, and with Jiang Xiang’s help, fashioned a sturdy iron rod into a weapon with a sharpened edge. Only by decapitating or destroying the heads of the undead could they truly be stopped.

With preparations complete, she and Jiang Xiang exchanged a glance, each seeing the fire of determination in the other’s eyes. On this first night of the apocalypse, most people hadn’t realized the danger yet. It was the perfect time for them to gather supplies.

The first stop was naturally the hospital they were already in. Medical supplies have always been valuable—whether they’d be needed or not, it was better to gather everything they could.

As she twisted the doorknob, the click echoed sharply in the silence of the night.

Lan Shiru peered through the crack in the door. The lights in the hallway flickered erratically, and a few undead doctors and nurses staggered nearby.

This was a single-occupancy room in a mid-to-upper-class wing, so there weren’t many people around.

Low-level undead were much like zombies—manageable as long as you weren’t swarmed.

She opened the door wider, and Jiang Xiang shot out like an arrow, his claws slicing through the undead in mere moments, severing their heads with ease.

Lan Shiru followed, glancing briefly into other rooms. Most of the patients had already turned, while some remained unconscious, and a few crouched in fear under beds or in bathrooms. She ignored them and headed straight to the small medicine room on this floor, where she gathered all the medical devices and essential supplies, leaving nothing behind.

They moved upward, where the rooms became more luxurious and were generally less crowded. The people who had stayed there had been the elite—whether they still were now was debatable.

Along the way, they encountered some undead guards, nurses, and caretakers, but no one else. Those who were merely unconscious or still alive seemed to have already fled, likely valuing their lives enough to leave at the first sign of trouble.

This suited Lan Shiru perfectly. Although the upper floors held fewer supplies, everything here was of top quality.

As for the lower floors, they were crammed with the general public—people sleeping shoulder to shoulder in crowded hallways. Lan Shiru had no intention of wasting time there; those areas were likely already teeming with the undead.

“Jiang Xiang, take the elevator. Lan Shiru instructed, knowing this option wouldn’t be available for long.

Jiang Xiang let out a low growl, crouched with his front legs lowered, ears alert, and guarded the elevator door.

Lan Shiru tightened her grip on the iron rod and pressed the button. She watched as the numbers rose slowly, finally coming to a stop.

Ding.

The elevator doors slid open, revealing a group of undead who turned sluggishly toward them, then staggered forward in a rush.

There were a dozen or so. Jiang Xiang reacted immediately, slicing through two undead heads with his claws, while Lan Shiru smashed her iron rod down, crushing the skull of one that lunged close.

Man and mastiff worked in perfect sync, swiftly dispatching the undead before stepping into the elevator.

Lan Shiru’s hands trembled slightly. Before the apocalypse, she’d been a pampered socialite, her physical training limited to light exercise. She wasn’t particularly strong, so it was no surprise that after smashing through two, then three, then ten undead, her arms were sore and her breathing ragged. If not for her survival skills from her past life, she wouldn’t have lasted this long.

It was clear now—strength training was going to be a top priority.

Jiang Xiang nudged her leg, his large eyes full of concern.

Lan Shiru smiled, giving Jiang Xiang’s head a reassuring rub. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. Are you rested? I’m about to press the button, and there’ll definitely be more undead down below.”

Jiang Xiang nodded, indicating he was ready.

Such a clever partner. Lan Shiru immediately pressed for the first floor, where both the pharmacy and storage rooms were located. Stocked with both Western and traditional medicine, as well as various medical supplies, clearing out these areas would leave little of value in this hospital.

As the elevator numbers ticked down, she steadied her resolve. The first floor would be a tough fight.

She signaled Jiang Xiang; they each took a side, pressing against the elevator walls.

Ding.

The doors slowly opened, revealing a horde of undead who turned their stiff bodies toward them, starting to shuffle closer.

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