Time was running short. Natalie quickly typed a stockpiling checklist into her phone's notes app, then rushed out the door. In the neighborhood, elderly residents strolled in small groups, chatting leisurely. Young couples strolled hand in hand beneath the shade of the trees, their faces aglow with happiness. Natalie couldn't help but sigh. How long had it been since she'd seen such peaceful and harmonious scenes? Sadly, in just a few days, such beauty would vanish forever. She quickened her pace and headed straight to a nearby rental lot, where she hired a small cargo truck. Without delay, she drove to the largest farmers' wholesale market in Northlorn. Her first stop was the grain and oil section to stock up on staple foods. In a disaster, as long as a person had enough basic food and water, they could survive indefinitely. She bought 500 bags of pasta, each weighing 50 pounds, 300 bags of assorted flour, and 1,000 pounds each of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn, as well as 500 pounds of mixed beans and 500 pounds of oats, buckwheat, and other grains. This was enough staple food to feed a family of three for 70 years. Although Natalie lived alone, she bought more than she needed. The extra could be traded later for other critical items. In the apocalypse, food was currency. During the late stages of flooding, even a bag of moldy rice could be exchanged for a young girl's night of companionship. Fresh vegetables and fruit, however, could not be used for trade—especially when her storage space kept everything fresh. Trading fresh greens after several years of apocalypse would only raise suspicion. She had learned her lesson. In this life, no one could ever know the secret of her storage space. After stocking up on staples, she turned to cooking oils, purchasing 500 1.3-gallon bottles of soybean, peanut, corn, sunflower, sesame, and olive oils. Next, she headed to the seasoning aisle, where she bought 600 pounds of salt and 300 pounds of various sugars. She also picked up 158 gallons of different sauces and cooking wine, plus an additional 158 gallons of various vinegars. Then, she grabbed 300 pounds of chicken stock, MSG, chili powder, black pepper, and other assorted spices. Finally, she stocked up on a generous assortment of seasoning blends for fondue, barbecue rubs, meat marinades, and a wide range of sauces. Each load was driven to an uninhabited area on the outskirts of town, away from surveillance cameras, and stored in her storage space. It took her eight or nine trips before she finally cleared the purchases. Natalie was about to head for the meat and vegetable section when her stomach suddenly growled. She realized she'd been so focused on buying supplies all morning that she hadn't eaten a single bite. As someone who had starved through the apocalypse, she instantly decided that filling her stomach came first.Nearby, a lively food street buzzed with activity—fried chicken shops, milkshake stands, barbecue joints, spicy cuisine eateries, Cajun seafood spots, and pasta houses lined the bustling avenue. This wasn't just a street of restaurants—it was something she had longed for every day through four years of hell. She picked the place with the most variety and walked inside. She ordered roast turkey, baked tofu nuggets, honey-glazed bacon, grilled fish, bourbon-glazed pork belly, Caesar salad, peri-peri chicken, grilled peas, and wild mushroom soup. It shocked the waitress. "Miss, you're ordering all this for yourself?" Natalie kept a calm face. "I'm treating my friends. They're not here yet. Just serve the food when it's ready." The dishes came quickly. They were perfectly balanced in flavor and texture and generous in portion. Half an hour later, Natalie leaned back, rubbing her full stomach in pure satisfaction.God knew how much I missed real food these past few years. In the apocalypse, forget a meal like this—a person would fight tooth and nail just for a mouthful of expired bread. For a long time, she had literally eaten dirt. Not the joke people made online about "being so poor you eat dirt," but actual earth from the ground. It was dry, tasteless, and difficult to swallow. Eating too much could cause constipation lasting days, and many even died from the resulting blockages. Yet, despite all this, going without it meant starving even faster. Natalie understood better than anyone how precious food was, and she waved for the waitress. "My friends aren't coming. Please pack it all up for me." Back at her van, she slipped the takeout boxes into her storage space when no one was looking. Although she wanted to buy more snacks, the wholesale market would close early. She decided to return later that night. She went back to the market and headed straight to the meat and egg section. She bought 8,000 chicken eggs, 4,000 duck eggs, 4,000 goose eggs, and 3,000 quail eggs. Then she stocked up on 500 pounds of pork, 300 pounds each of beef and mutton, along with 500 whole chickens, 500 ducks, and 300 geese—all pre-processed and ready to cook. She also gathered plenty of chicken and duck wings and drummettes, perfect for marinating. Before the apocalypse, her favorite pastime was watching TV while enjoying grilled chicken wings. In this life, she was determined not only to eat well but also to live life to the fullest. Next was seafood. She bought 1,000 assorted fish, 500 pounds of shrimp, 300 pounds of shellfish, along with squid and octopus. With protein supplies secured, she moved on to fruits and vegetables. She purchased 2,000 pounds of leafy greens like spinach, chives, lettuce, and celery; 1,000 pounds of cucumbers, zucchini, and pumpkin; 800 pounds of cabbage for detox; and 1,500 pounds of other vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, bean sprouts, radishes, and green beans. She added 800 pounds of edible mushrooms and fungus and 800 pounds of garlic, ginger, and onion. In the fruit section, she picked her favorites, including apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, tangerines, lemons, peaches, grapes, lychees, watermelons, and cantaloupes, totaling 6,000 pounds. The variety was impressive, even including some out-of-season fruits. She knew that in the future, fresh produce would be scarce or nonexistent, so now was the perfect time to stock up. The entire afternoon, Natalie was locked in a cycle of buying food, loading the van, hauling it away, and storing it. Once the food was done, she drove to the city's largest clothing and general goods wholesale market. There was no need to buy many clothes since her wardrobe at home was already well-stocked. She only needed to get some yearly replacements. In the apocalypse, style didn't matter—comfort and practicality were what counted.She purchased about 300 pieces each of spring, summer, and fall tops, pants, and skirts. For shoes, she bought 300 pairs in total, including sandals, slippers, sneakers, and leather shoes. The real focus was winter gear. When the extreme cold came, thick clothing would be as essential as the flesh on her bones. Since it was summer, winter wear was cheap—many items were half price. Natalie stocked up on down coats, wool sweaters, thick cotton pants, hats, scarves, and gloves, plus heavy boots, snow boots, and thick socks. Lastly came daily necessities. She grabbed plenty of toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, body wash, and laundry detergent. Then, she bought 50 sets each of thick quilts, pillows, sheets, and pillowcases. She added cookware, garbage bags, scissors, lighters, disposable containers, and an assortment of miscellaneous items. Natalie wandered through the market, buying large quantities of whatever she saw.Most importantly, she loaded up a whole truck with essential hygiene products like toilet paper and sanitary pads. Thinking of the swarms of mosquitoes that would come with the scorching heat, she also bought insecticides, mosquito repellents, and clove oil. For the freezing cold, she didn't forget to get hand warmers and hot water bottles. Though she bought everything she could think of, Natalie still felt it wasn't enough. After all, she had only a few days to prepare for the next several decades, and it was impossible to cover everything perfectly. By the time the market was closing, Natalie reluctantly stopped. She organized her purchases and transported them in batches to a remote, uninhabited area, storing everything safely in her storage space. After a long day, Natalie was exhausted. She sat in her van and closed her eyes. Buzz— Her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket. Natalie couldn't help but frown when she read the message on WhatsApp.