Sister Yun finally stuffed the filter cartridge into Yu Xifeng’s hand.

When Yu Xifeng returned home, he searched in his space and sent Sister Yun a battery.

It had about two units of electricity—enough to be economical, just enough to boil water and provide some light.

When Sister Yun received the battery, her expression was very shocked.

How could anyone keep something like this at home?

But she didn’t ask much and carefully accepted the battery.

The community distributed supplies two more times after that.

The shelters were overcrowded, so the community had to take in some of the survivors, making the stairwells even more cramped. People lay wrapped in blankets, their heads pressed against the feet of the person in front of them.

According to the new survivors, this environment was already much better than the shelters.

When supplies were distributed in the community, it was usually these newcomers who rushed to the front of the line.

The original residents of the neighborhood shouted, “Isn’t it only residents who get supplies? These people don’t even live in our neighborhood, so why should they get our food?”

“Are you trying to get me killed? So what if you bought an apartment? Don’t act like you’re some emperor.”

“I paid money, so why can’t I get food?”

“Exactly, exactly,” the disaster victims echoed.

Someone pointed at one of the outsiders: “You’re not from our neighborhood; you’re obviously from West King Road.”

“Where I live is none of your business. If I can’t buy it, can you buy more or what?”

Because every place had purchase limits and personal information registrations weren’t networked, a person could buy once at one community point. It was hard to check thoroughly anytime soon.

Hu Qiangyong also found Yu Xifeng.

He came to borrow a kayak: “The neighboring Fenghuchao community is also distributing supplies. Let’s go buy some together?”

Yu Xifeng took the opportunity to go out and see the outside situation.

Hu Qiangyong’s rent for the kayak was one silver bracelet.

The market price of this silver bracelet was just over a thousand yuan, but in private transactions, it couldn’t even buy a compressed biscuit.

The silver bracelet was passed to Yu Xifeng, who tossed it into his space, where it instantly dissolved into a faint wisp of air.

Better than nothing.

Sister Yun also came over and handed over a round copper coin with a square hole in the center.

It was from her old collection, and its effect was better than the bracelet.

The slope behind the yard peeked out, shrouded in layers of mist.

Unfortunately, there were no plants on the slope—just desolation.

Compared to the back slope, the front yard’s fruit trees were laden with fruit, branches bustling with life.

Yu Xifeng planned to plant the remaining flower beds completely this time.

This time, potatoes and sweet potatoes would be planted, with leafy greens in the corners and edges, making sure not to waste any bit of land.

Yu Xifeng looked at the hillside, curious about the boundaries of this space—how far it could stretch.

It would definitely require many ancient artifacts.

He planned to search more museum ruins whenever he had the chance.

Yu Xifeng tried planting fruit trees on the hillside.

The saplings were planted in the slope, but at this point, there was no immediate sign of growth.

If it worked, the flower beds would be used solely for vegetables in the future.

Yu Xifeng walked around the backyard, ate a small packet of spicy strips, rinsed his mouth, and then left the space.

He played with little Ju for a while, steamed two pots of rice at lunch, and stir-fried a pot of vinegar-flavored shredded potatoes.

In no time, it was time to meet Sister Yun and Hu Qiangyong as arranged.

The first destination was set at Fenghuchao community.

The neighborhood’s security gates were useless; they just took the kayak straight to the busiest, most crowded area.

They passed by the supermarket from the last time—they had it tightly guarded with real weapons now, and it was no longer open.

The supplies currently being distributed might have even been requisitioned from that supermarket.

They stopped the kayak; Hu Qiangyong ran over happily, then came back with a bruised face.

Fenghuchao community was very exclusive. To buy food from the community, you needed at least five people to vouch for you.

They had to be neighbors or survivors placed there in the same group.

In Kokoya County, you could muddle through, but Fenghuchao didn’t allow that.

Hu Qiangyong felt extremely wronged.

Sister Yun comforted him: “Let’s go see the next community.”

Yu Xifeng was still steering.

They went on to three more communities, this time traveling farther.

One was a dead end—the supplies had all been distributed, and there was nothing left for them.

Another community had a very capable building captain who organized the residents, arranged patrols, and rescue efforts.

Before Yu Xifeng and company could enter, the patrol stopped them.

“The leader here is someone,” Sister Yun said with a bit of envy.

They arrived at the third community.

From far away, they could smell the stench of blood.

Getting closer, they saw blood flowing out of the stairwell, mixing with the murky water—dark with a reddish tinge.

Yu Xifeng’s eyesight was good; he turned his head toward the others and shook it: “We don’t need to go over there.”

Hu Qiangyong, less perceptive, looked confused: “What’s wrong?”

Sister Yun was more sensitive. Something in the air made her chest tight and short of breath; her legs even felt weak.

The instinct to be alert around dead bodies was natural to all living creatures.

In a civilized society at peace for so long, many fears were buried deep in the genes, hidden by the greenhouse environment.

Even when someone came knocking with violence, Sister Yun had never been this scared.

Hu Qiangyong didn’t give up, but after half a day with no results, he gave in.

“Let’s just take a look,” he said.

Sister Yun bit her lip, wanting to stop him but couldn’t find a reason.

He grabbed the life ring and waded into the water. Yu Xifeng sat in the boat without moving; Sister Yun grabbed Yu Xifeng’s hand.

“There… is that… are those dead people?”

She gripped his hand too tightly. Yu Xifeng glanced at her and nodded.

Broken windows, bloodstained security nets, food wrappers scattered everywhere.

Not just dead people—calling it hell would not be an exaggeration.

Hu Qiangyong hadn’t even entered the stairwell.

“Dead people! So many dead! They’re all dead!”

His face turned pale; he swallowed water several times. Yu Xifeng grabbed the rope on the life ring and pulled the struggling Hu Qiangyong back.

Sister Yun also rushed over and pulled him up.

Once on the boat, the first thing Hu Qiangyong did was to claw at his throat.

Water, blood, so much blood.

Ugh—

Hu Qiangyong leaned on the edge of the kayak, vomiting with a gray face.

His face was wet, but it was hard to tell if it was rain or tears.

“Let’s go, let’s go home. Didn’t check the almanac before going out today; saw a ghost and ran into this kind of thing.”

Mentioning ghosts, looking at the towering apartment buildings, and thinking about the bodies scattered in the stairwell, even the heavy rain seemed a little more eerie.

Hu Qiangyong quickly slapped himself.

“Let’s go, let’s go,” he urged.

Yu Xifeng steered the kayak and turned around.

Seeing they would come back empty-handed, Yu Xifeng suggested, “Let’s go check Weifang.”

Weifang was the five-star hotel Yu Xifeng had visited before.

Hu Qiangyong was stunned, his mind not catching up: “Are they distributing aid there too?”

Yu Xifeng’s eyes looked through his waterproof goggles; staring at the blood flowing out of the stairwell, his expression was neither fearful nor sad.

There would be no more aid.

Such tragedies were happening in many places.

The world had changed.

Sister Yun reacted first, biting her teeth and saying firmly, “Let’s go!”

Food would only become harder to get.

No matter the method, getting even a little was better than nothing.

Yu Xifeng had returned from his past life with no moral burdens, but that didn’t mean Hu Qiangyong shared that mindset.

He silently waited for the two to discuss.

In the end, Hu Qiangyong gave in.

He still had parents, a wife, and children at home.

Among the three of them, Hu Qiangyong carried the greatest pressure, which was why he was so eager to go to other relief points to buy food.