Chapter 7: Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

Navigating a raft through a flooded city wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

The city’s underground was full of storm drains, each one forming a swirling little whirlpool. It was their first time using a raft, and the group found it hard to steer. Even the smallest mistake sent them spinning in place.

After more than four hours of bumping along and struggling, they encountered several rescue teams. Each one came over warmly, asking where they were going and if they needed help.

Xia Xiaoman and the others didn’t dare admit they were heading to Xinbai Mall to scavenge supplies. They claimed they were out of fuel at home and were going to collect some firewood to cook with.

Xinbai Mall stood in the city center, low-lying and by the riverside.

By the time they arrived, floodwaters had already reached the third floor.

But Xinbai Mall’s third floor wasn’t the same as in a normal building—each level was 4.5 meters tall, a full 1.5 meters higher than a residential floor.

If the mall was flooded up to the third floor, surrounding residential buildings would be under water up to the fourth or fifth floor.

Circling the mall halfway, they found a floor-to-ceiling window near the roadside, leading into a restaurant.

Xia Xiaoman raised her axe and swung it with force.

Glass made to national standards really was different. It took two solid blows before the cracks started to snake across the window.

She smashed the glass and crawled in first.
“Get in quickly! Residents across the street might’ve seen us breaking in. They could come try to steal supplies.”

Hearing that, Sun Qing hurried in with Ye Xiaojie, tying the raft’s rope to a table leg before following Xia Xiaoman deeper into the restaurant.

The front entrance was locked. Xia Xiaoman was about to force it open when Sun Qing quickly stopped her. She pulled two iron wires from her backpack and, with a couple of clicks, had the lock open.

Xia Xiaoman eyed her with suspicion.
“You can pick locks. So why did you have to bust open 704’s door back then?”

Sun Qing grinned sheepishly.
“I only know a little. If a door isn’t deadbolted, I can handle it. But 704 had three locks. No key, no way.”

Xia Xiaoman: “…”

She made a mental note to triple-lock her door when she got back.

They were now on the fourth floor, while the outdoor gear store Sun Qing mentioned was on the second.

Of the three, Xia Xiaoman was the strongest swimmer.

Ye Xiaojie tied a rope around her waist, and with her swim goggles and waterproof flashlight, Xia Xiaoman dove in.

After several dives, she finally found the outdoor gear store.

The mall’s first floor had been completely overwhelmed by floodwaters, damaging many shops. The second floor had flooded gradually, so the stores above that remained mostly intact.

Xia Xiaoman forcefully broke into the shop and didn’t bother sorting. She just dumped everything into her dimensional space.

When she was close to running out of air, she tugged the rope, and Sun Qing and Ye Xiaojie hauled her up. As she surfaced, she pulled out a few items that looked like diving gear and handed them to Sun Qing for identification.

When it turned out they weren’t diving gear, she dove back down and emptied out the rest of the store.

This outdoor gear shop was indeed the most well-stocked one in the area. Xia Xiaoman ended up diving eight times to empty it out completely.

The first time, she brought up bundles of climbing rope and hooks, which Sun Qing and Ye Xiaojie quickly strung together.

The second time, she took the rope back down and began fastening equipment to it, which they then pulled up from above.

By the final dive, they had a mountain of supplies behind them.

Pulling off her goggles, Xia Xiaoman gasped for breath.
“Sun Qing, get the inflatable kayaks out. We need to leave—now.”

Still excited, Sun Qing blinked.
“Already? But there are still so many stores here. Isn’t it a waste to leave now?”

“Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

While packing the salvaged goods, Xia Xiaoman explained,
“There’s just three of us. Getting this much stuff back is already pushing it.”

“Even if we find more, we wouldn’t be able to carry it home.”

“And we’ve been here nearly an hour. That’s more than enough time for the residents across the street to piece together a raft and come over.”

“If we delay any longer, we might not be able to take even this much.”

Only then did Sun Qing remember the people who’d likely seen them from the opposite building—people who might be getting ready to move in on them.

She immediately unpacked the inflatable kayak and started blowing it up.

They had collected so much that one two-person kayak definitely wouldn’t be enough.

Once they had three kayaks ready, the group began quickly loading the supplies.

While moving cargo, Sun Qing spotted people in the distance paddling over on makeshift rafts. She was so panicked she abandoned her own wooden raft and urged Xia Xiaoman and Ye Xiaojie to hurry.

They paddled away fast. Looking back, Sun Qing saw someone hijack her wooden raft. Her heart ached—but when she turned back and saw her own kayak stuffed with gear, she felt instantly healed.

…

Compared to the raft, the inflatable kayaks were much easier to steer. The return trip took just over two hours.

When they arrived near their building, they saw many residents gathered at the stairwell, likely waiting for a rescue supply drop.

Xia Xiaoman squinted.
“Don’t paddle any closer. Stay here. I’ll go find Zhou Qiuyang to help us.”

Sun Qing and Ye Xiaojie nodded, telling her to be careful.

Xia Xiaoman swam alone into the building. Just as she started up the stairs, a middle-aged woman spotted her.
“Hey, young lady! Are you here delivering supplies for the rescue team? Why aren’t you bringing the goods in?”

Her act of feigned confusion couldn’t hide the greed in her eyes.

Xia Xiaoman ignored her and kept climbing.

The woman grabbed her arm.
“Wait, don’t go! Tell your teammates to bring the supplies over and share them. We’ve been hungry all day!”

Xia Xiaoman nearly tripped from the tug. Her face went dark as she yanked free.
“If you’re brain-dead, just shut up. Don’t advertise it.”

“Rescue teams wear red vests and bring crates of instant noodles.”

“Do I look like I’m wearing a vest? Do you see any instant noodles?”

“You want to share our supplies? Why don’t you share your family’s gold first?”

The woman staggered back from the shove. Her husband immediately stepped forward, puffing himself up with seniority.
“Hey, you little brat. That’s no way to speak to your elders! You even laid hands on someone—where’s your respect?”

Another neighbor chimed in,
“She just mistook you for the rescue team. No need to be so aggressive.”

A chorus of voices followed, all with the same righteous indignation, acting as though Xia Xiaoman had committed a terrible crime—when all she did was defend her food.