Chapter 10: Underwater Salvage

When disaster strikes one region, others lend support.

But now, disaster is everywhere. The best that can be done is to divert manpower from regions closer to the coast to offer help.

Floating City redeployed 50,000 personnel to the coastal areas, resulting in a severe shortage of manpower for distributing relief supplies.

With no food left at home and the rescue team nowhere in sight, many people couldn’t just sit around anymore. They tried everything to craft makeshift tools to move across the water.

Some dismantled wardrobes to build rafts, others taped water barrels together, and some even dragged out their inflatable swimming pools…

Looking down from the balcony, there were crowds braving the heavy rain, all out searching for food.

Knock knock knock—

A steady knocking came from the door.

“Xiaoman, it’s me.”

Hearing Sun Qing’s voice, Xia Xiaoman still habitually checked the peephole before opening the door.

“You’re up early? What about those thieves from yesterday?”

Sun Qing shook her head. “No idea. Their accomplices probably came and rescued them.”

They had beaten those thieves and tied them up in the hallway last night, but didn’t keep watch. By morning, only some ropes were left on the floor.

“You coming with us later?”

“Where are you going?” Xiaoman asked.

“The supermarket across the street. We have diving gear and plan to dive for supplies.”

Xiaoman facepalmed. Why are they so fixated on that supermarket?

“I just saw a lot of people heading out from the neighborhood. They might also target that same supermarket. I suggest we go somewhere less crowded. It’ll be safer.”

Sun Qing thought for a couple of seconds. “Then let’s go to the department store at the street corner instead. It’s farther away, so fewer people should go there.”

“That supermarket has apartments above it. The residents might not let us salvage anything,” Xiaoman replied.

After a moment of thought, she added, “You go ahead first. I’ll pack up and come over to your place in a bit.”

Sun Qing nodded. The creep from apartment 702 lived next door—discussing salvage plans at the door wasn’t ideal.

Xia Xiaoman washed up, ate two pieces of bread, changed into athletic wear, and headed out.

Sun Qing and Ye Xiaojie had already invited Zhou Qiuyang over. The three of them were huddled around an iPad, looking at nearby maps.

“Xiaoman, come here!” Sun Qing waved. “We were just talking—how about going to Wanhui Plaza?”

“There’s a supermarket on the basement level, and lots of restaurants on the upper floors.”

“Regulations say any restaurant over 300 square meters or with more than 150 seats can’t install natural gas—so they must be using gas canisters.”

Xiaoman raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”

Sun Qing grinned. “My family runs a restaurant—I know this stuff.”

Wanhui Plaza had gas canisters, a supermarket, and wasn’t too far. Normally, a ten-minute drive or a forty-minute walk. The area was all commercial shops, no residents, so they didn’t need to worry about being seen salvaging supplies.

…

This time, it was still Xia Xiaoman, Sun Qing, and Ye Xiaojie heading out.

They had already offended most of their building yesterday. Before leaving, they moved their valuables to Zhou Qiuyang’s place—at least on the surface. Where the truly important supplies were stashed was something only the three of them knew. After all, they weren’t that close with Zhou Qiuyang, so they wouldn’t trust him with their best stuff.

Plenty of people had missed out on supplies the day before. On their way to Wanhui Plaza, the trio saw all kinds of makeshift watercrafts being paddled through the flooded streets.

The three of them squeezed into a two-person inflatable kayak, drawing envious stares as they swiftly paddled toward the plaza.

After rowing all day yesterday, their arms ached, and the blisters on their hands had burst. But none of them complained or stopped—they just gritted their teeth and rowed on.

When they reached Wanhui Plaza, they paddled around the mall, looking for a way in.

Suddenly, Ye Xiaojie pointed. “Aqing, there’s a hole in that window.”

“Let’s check it out,” Sun Qing said, steering them over.

Xia Xiaoman examined the broken window edge. “Someone smashed this open. There might be others inside. Let’s be cautious.”

The window led into a qipao boutique. Intricately embroidered dresses lined the walls, but the girls ignored them, pushing the kayak deeper into the shopping mall.

Inside, they spotted two men guarding a pile of supplies.

The men eyed them warily. Xiaoman took one glance and said, “Let’s go over there, far from them. You two stand guard—I’ll dive.”

Sun Qing agreed. She and Ye Xiaojie weren’t great swimmers; Xiaoman was clearly the best person for the dive.

Xiaoman put on her diving gear, adjusted it a bit, and, after confirming she knew how to use it, jumped into the water.

The two men across the hall looked at her gear with greed in their eyes.

Their own supplies had been carried down from the higher, unflooded floors. With diving equipment, they could access even more in the submerged areas.

Sun Qing noticed the two whispering to each other. She quietly told Ye Xiaojie, “If they try to steal from us and we can’t fight back, just jump in the water. We have gear—they don’t. We can escape. Don’t risk your life for a few supplies.”

Ye Xiaojie nodded, gripping her hiking stick tightly.

Meanwhile, underwater, Xia Xiaoman turned on her waterproof flashlight.

The supermarket was on the basement level. Floodwaters had ravaged most ground-floor stores, and the supermarket hadn’t been spared either.

Luckily, the basement was enclosed, so most of the goods had stayed in place. But things were scattered, so it would take time to sort through it all.

They’d agreed beforehand that they were short on hands, so they’d only grab necessities: salt, sugar, food, medicine, sanitary pads, and gas canisters. Other items—if they could take them, great. If not, leave them.

Xiaoman had expected it to be hard. But once inside, she saw that most vacuum-packed and lightweight items had floated to the ceiling.

She began collecting everything into her storage space.

Midway through, she came across a huge stash of sanitary pads and tampons, all perfectly sealed.

She took out two extra-large garbage bags, poked holes in the bottoms, and stuffed them full of the hygiene products.

Only after filling both bags did she stop, storing them away for retrieval when she resurfaced.