Chapter 14: Continued Heatwave

As soon as June arrived, temperatures began to rise steadily. Unlike previous years, where June remained relatively mild, this year saw a rare spike past thirty degrees.

Shu Xin and Yan Mo had finally moved into their newly renovated home. The two were almost entirely settled, with only the last batch of supplies left to organize.

While sorting through their inventory, Shu Xin realized that although their space had nearly everything they needed, it lacked entertainment options.

How could this be? Life in the apocalypse would already be miserable enough. There had to be adequate mental nourishment and entertainment to relax and relieve stress. Otherwise, over time, people would go insane!

Acting immediately, Shu Xin ordered several thousand large-capacity storage cards on her phone and then had her boyfriend write a program to efficiently download movies, TV shows, novels, and variety programs.

Having a capable boyfriend was a household essential. It seemed like there was nothing he couldn’t do!

She also bought numerous offline games to ensure they had enough to play.

Regarding the impending apocalypse, Shu Xin had already discussed it with Yan Mo three months ago. Ultimately, they decided to anonymously leak part of the information to the government. This way, they wouldn’t expose their identities while still giving the country a warning.

In the face of apocalyptic natural disasters, individual strength was insignificant. If the government could receive an early warning and make preparations, perhaps more people could survive.

The more survivors there were, the greater the hope of ending the apocalypse.

In the early stages of the apocalypse, the most severely impacted aspects of human survival would be water and food. Floods, freezing temperatures, and extreme heat would rapidly deplete humanity’s resources.

After the outbreak of the zombie virus, mutated plants and animals would aggressively encroach upon human living spaces, reducing habitable areas. Land capable of growing normal crops would become increasingly scarce.

Under such dire survival conditions, food—something once taken for granted in times of peace—would become an invaluable resource. Only those with sufficient power would be able to obtain even a small amount.

Ordinary people without abilities would be forced to survive on insect carcasses or consume laboratory-engineered food that tasted like mucus.

This was the cruel reality of the apocalypse!

By mid-June, temperatures in City A had already reached a scorching 38 degrees, with the national average climbing to 40 degrees. Every day, social media was flooded with trending news about delivery workers and couriers collapsing from heatstroke on the streets.

While people vented their frustrations about the heat online, Ye Yu’an, having accepted her newfound identity as the long-lost daughter of a wealthy businessman, received a substantial sum of money. She used it to purchase supplies.

Since her rebirth, she had never fully trusted anyone but herself.

Initially, she worried about where to safely store her supplies. Then, during a casual visit to a street-side antique stall, she bought a bracelet on a whim—only to discover that it contained an interdimensional space the size of a basketball court. It was the perfect solution to her problem.

If Shu Xin knew that Ye Yu’an had acquired her own spatial storage after losing hers, she would undoubtedly be frustrated by the sheer unfairness of the universe.

Coincidentally, after her rebirth, Ye Yu’an purchased a penthouse in the same residential complex as Shu Xin and Yan Mo. However, their buildings were situated at opposite ends of the neighborhood.

Barring any unusual circumstances, the chances of them running into each other were slim.

Meanwhile, Yan Mo privately arranged to meet with Bu Xiwen and Mu Qimai at their usual gathering spot.

“Tsk, how does a busy man like you suddenly have time to meet us?” Bu Xiwen lounged lazily on the couch, looking boneless.

“I called you here today because I have something important to discuss. What I’m about to tell you may completely overturn your understanding of the world, so you’d better prepare yourselves.”

Unlike his usual sarcastic self, Yan Mo went straight to the point.

His unusual seriousness and the implicit meaning behind his words immediately made Bu Xiwen and Mu Qimai sit up straight, their expressions turning solemn.

“Is this about the massive arms purchases you’ve been making?” Mu Qimai, who had been handling Yan Mo’s underground transactions, was more aware of his activities than Bu Xiwen.

“Yes, but that’s only part of my preparations. You two must have noticed the erratic weather this year. At the earliest, the end of this month, and at the latest, early July, the country will experience widespread heavy rainfall lasting three months.”

“This prolonged rain won’t mark the end—it will signal the beginning of the apocalypse.”

Bu Xiwen and Mu Qimai’s expressions became a mix of shock and disbelief. If they didn’t know Yan Mo to be a person who never spoke without reason, they would have assumed he was joking.

A heavy silence fell over the room as they processed this revelation. Yan Mo waited patiently for them to digest the information.

“Should we start preparing now? Stocking up on food, water, fuel—every essential supply?”

Mu Qimai adapted the quickest, immediately grasping the gravity of the situation.

“I gathered you here to ask one thing: When the time comes, will you stand by my side?”

Yan Mo met their gazes seriously as he posed the question.

“Mo-ge, of course, I’ll follow you! You saved my life—I’ll stand with you for the rest of mine!”

Without hesitation, Mu Qimai declared his loyalty. Not to be outdone, Bu Xiwen quickly followed.

“Tsk, what kind of nonsense is that? Were you planning on abandoning us and flying solo? Even if you try to shake me off, I’ll cling to you like glue!”

“What about your family… what’s your plan?” Mu Qimai hesitated before asking.

“Sigh. You already know my situation. With a stepmother comes a stepfather. I gave up on that family a long time ago. I’ll send them some supplies anonymously—that’s the last shred of filial piety they’ll get from me.”

Even the usually carefree Bu Xiwen couldn’t help but show a bitter smile. Every family had its own troubles.

“Since you’ve both decided to stick with me, you should move in with us. That way, we can all look out for each other.”

Yan Mo laid out his plan, and neither of them objected. Instead, they began making mental lists of what they needed to purchase.

Though they knew Yan Mo had likely prepared supplies for them in advance, they couldn’t simply show up empty-handed and freeload.

Before they left, Yan Mo advised them to exchange some of their money for gold and cash and to avoid bulk-buying food.

Thanks to Yan Mo’s earlier warning, the government had already started subtly regulating the food supply. Any large-scale purchases now would attract unwanted attention, so it was best to keep a low profile.