The man they were following this time was an ex-convict who had escaped from prison with him.

Even before the apocalypse, he’d been involved in shady dealings—carrying a murder charge and surviving by skimming off the underworld.

Yu Xifeng would be enjoyed by the big guy first.

Then he could have some leftovers.

Ma Tian felt an unprecedented excitement.

For what was about to happen.

Yu Xifeng glided straight over, like a lamb walking into a trap.

But what came first was a gleaming arrow.

The young woman had, at some point, straightened up.

Yu Xifeng’s eyes flashed coldly in the darkness.

It was the aura of a hunter.

In the blink of an eye, Ma Tian yanked the big guy in front of him, using him as a human shield against the arrow.

That woman actually had a crossbow!

Ma Tian shivered.

He took a step back.

This one was tough.

Not just brave—her mindset, her skills—how could such a beautiful woman be this dangerous?

Under Yu Xifeng’s half-narrowed gaze, Ma Tian felt like he was under a sniper’s scope.

It took time to reload a crossbow. Ma Tian gritted his teeth, clenched his kitchen knife, and charged.

As long as he could get close, pin Yu Xifeng down, things could get back on track.

They were very close. As soon as the arrow was loosed, Yu Xifeng let go of the crossbow and pulled out a stun baton from her waist.

What came next was simple.

Ma Tian didn’t even make it to Yu Xifeng.

Electric sparks exploded on him, wrapped in water.

His body convulsed twice and collapsed into the water.

A huge splash erupted from the surface.

Yu Xifeng turned slightly to avoid it.

The man Ma Tian had brought was struck in the shoulder by the arrow. Stumbling, he fled, cursing Ma Tian to high heaven in his mind.

But Yu Xifeng wasn’t going to let him go.

Since you came, you’ll stay forever.

Gunfire rang out.

The man looked down in shock. A dull pain radiated from his chest.

How… how could there be… a gun?

As the electric sparks in the water faded, Yu Xifeng walked over, crossing the water, stepping over Ma Tian’s corpse.

She lowered her gaze.

They had picked a good spot, truly.

The residential community was just a stone’s throw away, yet everything that had happened was hidden behind storefronts.

No one even realized what the gunfire meant.

A flash of white light passed, and the man’s body disappeared into the storage space—along with Ma Tian.

One corpse out, two more in.

Yu Xifeng sighed inwardly—one less bullet.

After dealing with the two men, Yu Xifeng returned home the way she came.

The fish had been made into fish balls, boiled, and dipped in marinade—skewered, bite-sized, one at a time.

The rain had fallen for three whole months.

The damp weather caused wooden items to grow all kinds of fungi.

Thanks to these mushrooms, many families didn’t starve completely.

Experienced elders would pick the right varieties to add into fish soup. The mushrooms were tender and silky, and combined with the umami of the fish broth, made for a delicacy.

But it came with risks.

Pick the wrong one—poisonous mushrooms could cause anything from vomiting and headaches to death.

And even mushrooms that were once edible might not be safe after the natural disaster.

Yu Xifeng also added various things to her fish soup:

Sliced ham, enoki mushrooms, perilla leaves, chopped scallions, quail eggs.

The scallions were a gift from Aunt Hu.

Aunt Hu had grown plenty of scallions and leeks. After harvesting once, they’d grow again.

Yu Xifeng had been quite tempted.

She scattered scallion seeds in the corners of her garden plot in her space. Within a few days, they had grown lush and green.

She transplanted two pots onto the balcony for decoration. Just those two pots were enough for daily use.

While other homes were filled with the fishy smell of boiled fish, the aroma from Yu Xifeng’s home was especially rich and mouthwatering.

Outside, the floodwaters were slowly receding.

Many lives had been lost in this unprecedented torrential downpour.

The days had dragged on so long, it felt like there would be no end.

But finally, it was coming to an end.

Many people breathed a sigh of relief.

The weather gradually brightened, and more people were able to move about. News from outside started trickling in.

That afternoon, Sister Yun came by with a big bag of flatbread from who-knows-where.

She invited Yu Xifeng over for a taste.

Yu Xifeng selected a bit and brought over a can of lamb meat from her storage space.

The can weighed a full pound.

Sister Yun scolded her lightly, “Why’d you bring that? Looks like the New Year’s coming soon. This stuff’s hard to come by—save it for New Year’s Eve to have something decent.”

Yu Xifeng smiled, “It’s perfect with the bread.”

“My friend got hold of a batch of rice, but it’s pricey—cash only.”

Four thousand yuan a bag, and each bag was only twenty jin (10 kg). Sister Yun ran a mahjong parlor, so she did have some cash, but she was still hesitant.

With what she’d brought back from the hotel, her household wasn’t exactly lacking.

The flatbread had chili powder sprinkled on top and looked wonderfully crisp.

Sister Yun used the canned lamb to cook soup.

Fresh meat was hard to keep these days—Sister Yun had turned all of hers into preserved meat.

No matter how good the cooking, it lacked that fresh flavor.

This canned lamb was rare.

The bread soaked in lamb soup softened slightly. One bite filled the mouth with flavor.

The meat fibers were dense and firm, with a hint of that distinctive lamb taste.

One bite could make your soul melt.

Yu Xifeng dipped the bread in soup and took a bite. “Buy as much as you can.”

At least for now, food still had a price.

Those who could sell grain likely had enough themselves—and believed that, after the rain, production would slowly recover.

That was what most people believed.

Sister Yun said, “I’ve got some cash, but not enough. Should I try to borrow some?”

Yu Xifeng looked up through the steam from the lamb soup, her voice calm but firm: “Borrow it.”

Sister Yun could hear a kind of chilling determination in Yu Xifeng’s tone.

“But the rain stopped, didn’t it?”

“The rain stopped, but that doesn’t mean the disaster is over.”

Sister Yun’s eyes were dazed. Though confused, she eventually made a decision.

“How much do you want to buy?” she asked.

Yu Xifeng still had 18,000 yuan in cash. She thought for a moment and stoked the fire a little: “This is all I’ve got left. Use it all for me.”

She then casually added, “This winter hasn’t been cold—feels more like autumn. I remember the old folks saying, in years like this, there’s usually a big cold snap after the New Year. If possible, it’s best to prepare early.”

Sister Yun nodded. “My quilts aren’t thick. I’ll ask around, see if I can get two more.”

After finishing the lamb soup and another bowl of rice soaked in the broth, Yu Xifeng handed over the cash to Sister Yun.