Yan Mo and his team took out the inflatable boat and began inflating it on the water’s surface. The people from nearby buildings, who were also looking to get out, all turned their attention to them. When they saw that there were only two of them, their eyes gleamed with an eager desire to join them.

However, when their gazes landed on the long knives in Yan Mo and Bu Xiangwen’s hands, their excitement turned into hesitation.

After exchanging a few glances with one another, someone finally couldn’t hold back and approached with boldness.

“Hello, could you take us with you? We can pay, or if you have any conditions, we’re willing to comply.”

Yan Mo didn’t refuse and stated his terms.

“We’ll take you, but no money is needed. Once we get the supplies, you’ll have to give us a share of one-tenth.”

The man, clearly not foolish, didn’t find Yan Mo’s condition unreasonable. After all, getting out safely and returning with supplies in exchange for one-tenth was a good deal. Soon, the man returned with two other young men in tow.

“My name is Zhang Song, these two are my brothers—Ma Zhengzhen and Bao Xingsi. We agree to your terms,” Zhang Song introduced the two young men following him.

“I’m Yan Mo,” Yan Mo replied briefly, not interested in engaging in further conversation. He left the rest to Bu Xiangwen.

“I’m Bu Xiangwen. Come on, let’s go. We’re leaving soon, and if we’re late, we won’t get anything.” Bu Xiangwen called out, inviting the three men to board. The group set off, disappearing from the gate of the residential complex under the envious gazes of others.

Throughout the journey, Bu Xiangwen’s chatter never stopped. He skillfully guided the conversation, drawing out information he wanted to hear. Although it seemed like Yan Mo was focusing on steering the boat, in reality, the inflatable boat didn’t need anyone to steer it. Yan Mo listened intently, catching every word of what was being said.

When they arrived near the supermarket, they could already see a large crowd of people, all there to fight for supplies. Some of them were also using inflatable boats, so they didn’t stand out too much.

After a brief discussion, they decided to deflate the boat and pack it away for now, intending to inflate it again when they were ready to leave.

Given the massive crowd outside, it was easy to imagine how chaotic the supermarket would be. By sticking together, they could avoid attracting unwanted attention, and if anyone tried to pick a fight, they were confident they could handle it.

Inside the supermarket, the situation was far more chaotic than Yan Mo had anticipated. The flood had only just happened, and if people had followed the official instructions and stocked up for a week, there should still be plenty of rice, noodles, and other goods left. It wouldn’t be too hard to survive for a week, and if they were careful, even a month could be managed.

The rain hadn’t stopped, and the government had not issued any updates or launched any rescue operations. It was normal for people to panic, knowing that supermarkets were still operating and opening for business. However, it didn’t explain why fights were breaking out over a single pack of instant noodles.

It seemed that staying at home for so long, combined with the endless rain, had deeply affected people’s emotions, making them irritable, impulsive, and uneasy. In such an atmosphere, people were more likely to engage in actions that were a form of emotional release, letting off steam from their inner turmoil.

Yan Mo hadn’t considered the impact of people’s emotions, which was a significant oversight on his part. If the government didn’t take action soon, even if people still had food at home, things were bound to descend into chaos.

To avoid drawing attention to themselves, Yan Mo and Bu Xiangwen had no choice but to get involved in the frantic scramble for supplies. Both of them were tall and stood out in the crowd.

Being tall had its advantages—long arms meant they could easily grab items placed on higher shelves, avoiding the intense competition for goods on the lower shelves. However, even with their hands full, they were still caught in the throng and couldn’t escape. They had no choice but to go with the flow.

Perhaps because they were both tall and carried long knives, no one dared to snatch anything from their hands. As they made their way through the crowd, they saw many people trying to steal items from others who had managed to grab supplies.

Before entering the supermarket, they had agreed on a designated meeting point in case they got separated. The first one out would wait at the southeast stairwell, a relatively hidden area behind some stacked boxes. It was hard to notice unless you were paying close attention, making it a relatively safe place to hide.

Yan Mo and Bu Xiangwen arrived early, and as the crowd grew thicker, they managed to blend in unnoticed and safely made their way to the stairwell.

As they waited, Bu Xiangwen couldn’t help but strike up a conversation with the people around them, trying to gather more information. Yan Mo, as usual, paid close attention to what others were saying, picking up useful tidbits of information. The more they learned, the more solemn their expressions became.

Once they reached the stairwell, Bu Xiangwen was eager to speak, but Yan Mo gave him a look to stop him. Bu Xiangwen held back the words he wanted to say, pacing nervously in the stairwell for over half an hour.

Finally, Zhang Song and his group came out. When they had entered, they looked neat and tidy, but now they were a mess. Their clothes were wrinkled, and there were clear handprints on them, evidence of how fiercely they had struggled.

Their faces were tired, and they were still catching their breath, gripping the supplies they had managed to get without letting anyone take them.

Before they could recover, voices from outside the door became audible.

“Big brother, I saw them go in just now. They haven’t come out yet. They must still be in there! Those three had a lot of supplies. If we can get them, we’ll have enough for a long time.”

“Good job, kid. If you’re right, we’ll make sure you get a bigger share when we go back.”

The footsteps grew closer. Yan Mo quickly locked the door to the stairwell and signaled to everyone to be quiet. He motioned for them to follow him upstairs.

The three men who had just entered understood immediately—they had been careless and hadn’t noticed they were being followed.

Yan Mo led them up the stairs. He had already observed that the supermarket’s upper floor had a food court. With the water level rising, they could escape through the windows on the second floor without having to go through the front door.