The Apocalypse Survival Manual

An apocalypse driven by natural disasters. Survival of the fittest. Typhoons, floods, deadly cold, scorching heat, earthquakes, tsunamis, insect plagues, acid rain… After struggling through three years of the apocalypse, Nicole Floyd met a brutal death. Miraculously, she woke up and found herself three days before it all began. Nicole seized the advantage to reclaim her storage space, flipping the switch on full-on stockpiling mode. She shopped until she ran out of money, and her storage was packed tight. She also looked for the dog that had saved her life once before. She sharpened her knives, stacked her supplies, and took care of unfinished business. She paid back every debt, whether owed in blood or in kindness. And then, disaster struck. Her right hand gripping a knife and her left stroking the dog, Nicole pressed on through the ruins of a world without order or morals. Chapter 1 "Ah!" Nicole Floyd jolted upright in bed, gasping. Sweat streamed down her forehead, her eyes unfocused and hollow. The sight in front of her cut through the haze in her mind. This was her old apartment, the one from before the apocalypse. Ding, ding… Text alerts kept chiming. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand. September 14, 2029. 9:32 a.m. Nicole had more than a dozen unread messages. All of them were warning about a super typhoon named Cleaver, projected to make landfall early on the 17th along the coast. There would be category-breaking winds and days of relentless rain. Nicole stared at the screen, dazed. Hadn't she died? She remembered dying in that cannibal world devoid of light. Had her refusal to accept it dragged her into some dying hallucination? Ding! Another alert came in, updated at 9:37 a.m. Nicole twisted her arm hard. Pain shot up her nerves, sharp and real. This wasn't a dream. She had been reborn, back to three days before the storm that cracked the world open. No. To be exact, two and a half days. Nicole didn't feel happy. The exhaustion had settled deep in her bones. Typhoons, floods, deep freeze, extreme heat, earthquakes. One hell after another. What was there worth reliving? And yet, she was back. Was she supposed to sit still and wait to die all over again? Not a chance! Nicole splashed cold water on her face. The mirror showed a younger version of herself with smooth skin and clear eyes, no hollowed-out desperation yet. For a moment, everything looked fine. Her gaze dropped to the crystal pendant at her neck. She had been wearing it when she was abandoned at the hospital as a newborn. Later, Edward Austin had taken it from her and given it to the school's beauty queen, Mary Cannon. Three years into the apocalypse, Mary still looked flawless. Her clothes were clean, her skin rosy, as if the old world never ended for her. Once, when Nicole collapsed from hunger, she saw Mary casually pull a vanilla ice cream bar out of that pendant and lick it, slow and unbothered. Nicole's breath hitched. She grabbed a blade, sliced her fingertip, and let a drop of blood fall onto the pendant. A blinding light exploded. When her vision cleared, she stood inside an empty apartment with no front door. There was running water and electricity, but no furniture. The place had two bedrooms and a living room, totaling about 860 square feet. The ceilings were nearly 10 feet high. Next to the balcony was a small garden, roughly 110 square feet, filled with dark soil. A glowing timer floated in the living room. 01:56:13. This was the storage space that let Mary live like royalty. Or rather, the one she had tricked out of Nicole's hands. When Nicole stepped out, the space stayed with her, embedded in her mind. The moment she focused, she could sense everything inside. Nicole tested it with boiling water. Everywhere except the balcony and the garden kept things perfectly fresh. She could store things using thought alone. When nobody entered physically, the timer froze. Once she stepped inside, it started counting down. There wasn't time to unravel how it worked. She had a second life and a storage space. That was enough for her to change her gruesome fate last time. In her past life, she had survived only three years. She had no idea what disasters came after. With that in mind, Nicole searched online for types of natural disasters. When she looked at the results filling the screen, she nearly collapsed on the spot. Gosh, staying alive was hard! Pushing aside the extra emotions, she took out a pen and notebook and started listing supplies. Nicole grew up in an orphanage. It looked peaceful on the surface, but underneath, the fighting was constant. That place taught her early how to protect herself and never take a loss. She had been insecure by nature. In elementary school, she collected cardboard and recyclables. In middle school, she worked part-time tutoring, doing homework for others, and cleaning bathrooms. As long as it paid, she did it. She ranked near the top in every major exam. Even after getting into the medical program and reaching her sophomore year, she was still tutoring five seniors preparing for college. She charged 40 dollars per session. Nicole had a nose for money. She had sold insurance and run a small video channel, chasing any legal hustle she could find. Over more than ten years, she had saved about 40 thousand dollars, thinking that if she kept going, she'd have enough for a down payment by graduation. Now, it was all meaningless. She was supposed to have classes in the afternoon and tutoring at night, but none of that mattered anymore. She messaged the parents, saying she had been hospitalized and wouldn't be able to tutor for a long time. She asked them to find replacements and settle the fees. Tutoring fees were paid every two weeks. The parents weren't short on money. Two of them even sent her 100 dollars as a get-well gift. Altogether, 1,200 dollars hit her account. Before closing the chat, Nicole reminded them that a once-in-a-century typhoon was coming and that they should stock up on food and emergency medicine. Natural disasters never came alone. Just the medication list alone filled three full pages. Many of those drugs were expensive, and some couldn't even be found in regular pharmacies. Nicole snapped photos and sent them to a pharmaceutical sales rep who also happened to be her childhood friend. [Urgent order for a big-spending client. Needs delivery tonight. Help me out with a serious discount.] Jeremy Cross replied instantly. [Got it.] Less than five minutes later, her phone rang. "This list is weird as hell. Are you messing with me?" Jeremy asked. "The money's already transferred. The only requirement is that everything arrives tonight," Nicole replied. She had no time to argue. She hung up and sent ten thousand dollars with a note. [Let me know if it's enough.] There was too much to prepare. Nicole grabbed her keys and headed out, then caught sight of the limited-edition Air Jordans sitting on the table. She almost wanted to smash her head into the wall. She had always been practical. Then she met Edward, and she completely lost her mind. To pursue him, Nicole moved out of the dorms and rented an overpriced apartment near campus. She stood in line at dawn outside a sneaker store just to buy those shoes for him. She never spent more than 60 dollars on her own shoes, but she didn't blink at dropping over 1,700 on those Jordans. And what did she get? Edward accepted the gift, asked for her pendant, and never gave his answer to her confession. During the typhoon, he and Mary ate through all the food Nicole had stockpiled. During three years of disasters, Edward had never helped Nicole once. When she was beaten and slaughtered by monsters, he only watched coldly from the side. Had she known how it would end, she would've rather fed those Jordans to a dog than give them to him. This time, Nicole wanted to see how well he and Mary could live without her supplies or her storage space. The super typhoon lasted half a month, followed by three straight months of record-breaking rain. The entire city drowned. Nicole lived on the 18th floor. The floodwater never reached her, but her life was still miserable. - After leaving the complex, Nicole stopped at a roadside diner and ate until she was full. Without wasting a second, she went to a rental lot and picked up a box truck. Her first stop was the sneaker store. The clerk was stunned by her return request. After all, this was a brand-new limited-edition pair of sneakers. People were lining up to buy them. Nicole got back about 1,700 dollars, which was enough to buy rice, flour, oil, and canned food to last two or three years. That was way better than having a man. She drove to a street packed with door and window suppliers and ordered two extra-thick stainless steel security doors with triple-bolt top-and-bottom locks. Even a sledgehammer wouldn't break them. Installation included, the total came to about 1,200 dollars. To save time, Nicole had measured everything before leaving home. The shop owner worried about accuracy at first, but once he heard which apartment complex and building it was, he relaxed. He had done plenty of jobs there. "If you need it rushed, we can install the day after tomorrow," he said. Across the street was a glass shop. Nicole chose the thickest impact-resistant glass available, sparing no expense. Installation was scheduled for the same morning. Let them knock. Let them smash. In this life, no one was getting through her door with a knife ever again! Chapter 2 After paying the deposit, Nicole drove straight to the largest outdoor gear store downtown. The outdoor gear market was fiercely competitive. The store was in full clearance mode, shutting down with brutal discounts. Some items were marked down to 20% of the original price. Perfect timing. Nicole grabbed two rigid-hull assault boats and four inflatable rafts, emergency kits for earthquakes and fires, tents, a fire axe, climbing rope, binoculars, radios, waterproof flashlights, and oversized solar chargers. Anything meant to keep her alive had to be top quality. No compromises. Seeing a big spender, the staff got enthusiastic, pushing jackets and sleeping bags. "Everything's on sale today. Quality guaranteed." Nicole looked unimpressed. "Got anything that works at minus 90 degrees?" The clerk gasped, "Minus 90? It's summer all year long here. What good is that to anyone?" "I'm heading to Northreach for research," she replied. She didn't look like she was joking. The clerk quickly called around, then lowered his voice. "We can get polar-grade cold-weather suits and mummy sleeping bags. Layered together, they'll hold. Price is high, and the stock's out of state." The supplier ran an online shop. The reviews looked solid. Overnight express delivery could get them there by tomorrow afternoon. Nicole ordered two sets of each and paid about 1,200 dollars. She spent another 2,400 at the outdoor store. The truck was packed full. When no one was looking, she slipped everything into her storage space. The boats needed gasoline, but gasoline wasn’t sold to private buyers in bulk. She bought siphon pumps and fuel drums from an auto shop, filled her truck at several gas stations, and then drove to a spot without cameras. Using the siphon, she transferred fuel into the drums. After several trips, she had around 130 gallons of gasoline. The apocalypse was chaos. Violence was everywhere. She stopped by a security supply store. "I'm going to Downrange." The owner's expression changed instantly. He pulled out his best stock. "You must have the best equipment." Nicole bought three sets of slash-resistant, stab-resistant armor and two bulletproof vests. With no time to waste, she drove straight to the largest clothing wholesale market on the outskirts. Down jackets, military-style coats, cashmere sweaters, thermal layers, scarves, gloves, socks, snow boots with grip, lightweight sneakers, insulated shoes, and slippers. Nicole got anything she could think of, anything she might possibly need. She didn't care about the brand. Just quality. She dropped another 2,400 dollars on clothes, then crossed over to the neighboring household goods wholesale center. There, she got comforters and down blankets. For thick cotton quilts, she bought three each in 8-pound and 10-pound weights, all vacuum-sealed. She also bought shampoo, body wash, laundry detergent, sanitary pads, tampons, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes, insulated thermos bottles, lighters, and rubber hot water bottles She bought 20 thousand disposable heat packs. Those things saved lives in the deep freeze. One vendor sold rare items online, such as glass kerosene lamps and storm lanterns, waterproof and windproof. They were old-school designs from decades ago. She bought five of each. "Do you have kerosene?" They did, but it barely sold. The shop had only about 26 gallons in stock. Nicole bought every drop and asked for extra lamp wicks. Those were way more durable than candles. Then she purchased alcohol stoves, solid fuel blocks, and portable gas burners. Remembering that her storage space had power, she added a few induction cooktops. She also got bug spray, disinfectant, water purification tablets, and insect repellent. Anything she could think of. The total damage came to about 4,000 dollars. Next door was the produce wholesale market. She bought apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, melons, peaches, and more; around twenty kinds of fruit. Another 1,200 was gone. When Nicole left the market, it was already dark. Several missed calls lit up her phone. They were all from Jeremy. His message said the shipment was ready. Nicole drove to his company's building. More than 20 large boxes waited for her. Inside were antibiotics, anti-inflammatory meds, iodine solution, medical alcohol, gauze, and even tetanus vaccines. These were all lifesaving supplies in a disaster scenario. It had cost her a fortune, but the knot in her chest finally loosened. Jeremy transferred her a 400-dollar cut of his commission as a thank-you for the massive order. He flashed his phone at her with a grin. "Here’s your cut. Check your phone. I gotta say, that list of yours was wild. A lot of stuff wasn't even available, so I had to pull some major favors—but I got it all sorted." "I'll deliver this first," Nicole said from the driver's seat. "I'll treat you to a big meal in a few days. A super typhoon's coming. Remember to stock up on food and fuel." Jeremy didn't take it seriously. They'd had over a dozen typhoons this year already. Every time, it was the same story: lots of warnings, but hardly any damage. Nicole stored the medicine, then drove to the food street near Westbridge University. She ordered burgers, loaded fries, and a couple of beers. The street was packed with students and couples, all wearing smiles and full of life. No one had any idea what was about to hit. The burgers took time. Nicole stared at the grill. Then, it hit her. Damn it. She almost forgot the most important thing. She immediately asked the vendor for contacts selling charcoal, coal briquettes, and propane tanks. She called them one by one, asking for next-day delivery. But luck wasn't on her side. All the shops were in low-lying areas. Authorities had ordered them to move the inventory, so no one had time. Three of them were clustered in the same zone. Nicole didn't even wait for her food. She drove straight there. Charcoal was cheap but bulky. She checked her storage space and ordered 500 pounds of smokeless high-heat charcoal, plus a charcoal grill and fire starters. One propane tank lasted about two months. In case the power cut out, she bought ten. Coal briquettes burned forever, but with nationwide power shortages and trade sanctions against Travinia, prices had gone insane. Nicole bit the bullet and bought 2,000. It was nearly nine when she got back to the apartment. She took a short break, then entered her storage space to organize the chaos. To save room, she stacked the propane tanks, briquettes, and charcoal tightly in the kitchen area. She stripped unnecessary packaging, vacuum-sealed anything fluffy, and stacked everything layer by layer up to the ceiling. Money really did vanish fast. By the end of the day, Nicole had spent a staggering amount. The small bedroom and kitchen were filled, taking up roughly 1,800 cubic feet. She had just finished when something slammed into her. Nicole flew backward and tumbled out of the storage space. She sat there, stunned. "Huh…?" She tried to enter again, but an invisible barrier blocked her. What the hell? The storage space had swallowed her supplies and kicked her out! Chapter 3 Nicole jolted, then immediately checked with her mind. The storage space was still there. The supplies were still there, too. She tested it; she thought of an item, and a coal briquette appeared in her hand. Sweeping the space again, she noticed the glowing timer had reset to zero. That was when it clicked. The storage space only allowed two hours inside at a time. Two hours… Fine. Better than nothing. After showering, it was already past midnight. Nicole checked again. A fresh two-hour window had replenished. Only then did she finally breathe a little easier. She lay in bed, but couldn't fall asleep. In the end, she took some melatonin. Her sleep was shallow and broken. She dreamed of being chased again, rust-stained blades swinging down toward her body. Nicole woke up drenched in sweat. It was five in the morning, and the sky outside was still dark. She went into the storage space and looked over her supplies just to steady herself. Only then did her heart slow down. She didn't go back to sleep. Grabbing her car keys, she headed to the largest agricultural wholesale market in town. Dawn was barely breaking, yet traffic around the market was already packed. Nicole went straight to the produce section and bought fresh items still beaded with dew. She bought 100 pounds each of onions, carrots, squash, tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, and cucumbers, as well as 200 pounds each of potatoes and sweet potatoes. She also bought 100 pounds of ginger and garlic, respectively. They could be planted and used for seasoning. During the deep freeze, a cup of hot ginger tea could keep someone alive. She bought steadily as she walked. Aside from leafy greens, she skipped nothing. By the time she grabbed breakfast, it was close to 9 a.m. The crowd had thinned. Nicole started stocking staple foods, comparing prices stall by stall. She got 100 50-pound bags of rice, 50 50-pound bags of flour, as well as 500 pounds each of various noodles and starch. Then she bought 200 pounds each of various dried beans, including lentils, chickpeas, and peanuts, as well as 50 large containers each of different kinds of vegetable oils. She spent under 6,000 dollars and talked the vendor into tossing in three extra bags of rice. Just this alone could feed her for 30 years. While the vendor packed the order, Nicole headed to the seasoning section. She got ten 5-gallon barrels of condiments, such as soy sauce and vinegar. She also purchased 30 pounds each of spices, including black pepper, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Then she got 300 pounds of brown sugar, white sugar, and rock sugar, as well as 3,000 pounds of salt. Food mattered in the apocalypse, but salt mattered more. Without it, the body collapsed. In her third year of surviving, Nicole had seen someone trade one bag of salt for 60 pounds of grain. Three thousand pounds of salt barely took up space. When resources ran dry, it would be priceless. If she'd had room, she would've stocked tons. Once the truck was loaded, Nicole drove to a quiet corner with no cameras and transferred everything into the storage space, then headed for the frozen foods section. She got ten large boxes each of various frozen breads, sweet pastries, and savory breakfast buns. She avoided premade fillings and stocked up on frozen tortillas, something to keep her busy when floods kept her indoors. Next came dried goods, such as dried mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, dried herbs, and dehydrated vegetables. Another 2,000 was gone. At the meat section, Nicole found the stall that supplied the university cafeteria. The owner lit up when he saw her. "Nicole, what are you looking for today?" The air before the typhoon was thick and stifling. There wasn't much meat left, and the freshness was average, but the prices were fair. Nicole ordered various cuts of pork, lamb, and beef, 200 pounds each. She also got 100 each of chickens and ducks, 50 turkeys, and assorted organ meats in bulk. The owner stared at her. "Are you serious?" His wife worked at the slaughterhouse. Nicole had sent plenty of customers his way before. "It's for a family wedding," she said calmly. "Just keep the price low." "Between us? I'm giving it to you at cost." He laughed. "I'll give you 30% off." Meat burned money fast. Pork prices had dropped recently, but beef and lamb hadn't. Buying from someone she knew saved a fortune. The total came to around 6,000 dollars. Nicole didn't haggle; she just added one request. She asked for two heavy cleavers and a butcher knife. Weapons mattered, but she had no time or channels. This would have to do. The owner looked uneasy. "What do you need those for?" "Relax. I'm not killing anyone." With both profit and the relationship in mind, he agreed. Nicole moved on to the fish stall and ordered 100 whole fish, cleaned but not cut. She then picked up 3,000 chicken eggs and 1,000 duck eggs. Thinking the disasters might end someday, she also bought fertilized eggs, including chicken, duck, turkey, and quail, plus a small home incubator. Remembering the garden in her storage space, Nicole stopped by a seed shop. She bought seeds for fast-growing vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, kale, and mustard greens. Seeds were cheap. About 100 dollars bought enough for decades. There were only about 100 square feet of black soil, but she had two balconies. Her farming instincts kicked in. She bought planters, soil, shovels, hoes, and potting mix. With cautious hope, she went to the nursery section. She picked up three mature plants each from a dozen fruit varieties, including apple and citrus trees, grapevines, and berry plants like blueberries and strawberries. Fresh meat wouldn't last forever. As disasters dragged on, even powerful groups wouldn't have access to it. Nicole bought a breeding pair of rabbits. They survived on vegetables and reproduced fast. She would have plenty of meat for a long time. She favored foods that could be eaten cold or lightly dressed. She bought hundreds of pounds of beef shank, beef brisket, and smoked meat. Money drained fast. It hurt. But seeing the supplies stack higher and higher inside the storage space gave her a quiet sense of security. She spent the entire day in the wholesale market. When she finally stepped out, the streets were blazing with lights. Crowds flowed. The city's best hours were just beginning. Nicole walked into a restaurant and ordered barbecue ribs, meatloaf with gravy, and mashed potatoes. She ate until she was full and boxed the rest. It was still early when she got home. She hauled everything into the storage space, filling the large room completely. Vegetables and fruit trees went into the living room. The rabbits stayed on the balcony. Nicole was careful. When the timer dropped to ten minutes, she stepped out. The moment she exited, the two rabbits were kicked out as well, thudding onto the floor. They almost didn't make it. Nicole stared. She first felt frustration, then wild joy. The storage space had limits. And as long as she wasn't inside, no living creature could stay either. Which meant no one could steal it. In a great mood, she sat down to check for anything she had left out. She bought everything she could still think of. Her balance dropped to about 4,000 dollars. In the storage space, only the living room and bathroom remained empty. To survive extreme disasters, there was still more to prepare, but she wouldn't stock bulky items anymore. Nicole opened a delivery app and ordered from all the top-rated places she had always wanted to try but never dared. She ordered burgers, fried chicken, mac and cheese, pizza, pasta, and a dozen other dishes, ten portions each. She also got several varieties of baked goods, breakfast items, sandwiches, fried sides, and drinks. She spent over 2,000 dollars, choosing scheduled pickup to keep everything fresh. Though exhausted, Nicole wanted to see the city one last time while it was still alive. That afternoon, a notice came out. To prepare for the incoming typhoon, schools would close for three days. Reopening would be announced later. Students exploded with excitement. Friends called friends. Nightlife plans filled the air. The coast saw typhoons every year. People always hoped for classes to be canceled. This time, their wish came true. Nicole felt the same. But the others didn't know this one was real. They would never need to go back to class again. Nicole ate barbecue and drank beer, her emotions tangled as she kept running pickups. Back home, she had the nagging feeling she had forgotten something important. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember what it was. Chapter 4 Just after midnight, the timer refreshed. One hundred thirty minutes remaining. That meant time could stack. Nicole nearly laughed out loud. Seconds mattered. During crucial moments, even a minute could mean the difference between living and dying. She decided that unless it was absolutely necessary, she wouldn't enter the storage space again. She would save the time during the deep freeze or earthquakes. With food secured and the storage space as a safety net, she finally felt a little steadier about the disasters ahead. She slept through the night without dreams. The next morning, a phone call dragged her awake. The stainless steel door installers had arrived. "Are you putting stainless steel doors in here?" one of them asked, surprised. "Yeah. There have been break-ins lately. I want something solid." The worker laughed helplessly. "Those top-and-bottom locking bolts are secure, but we'll have to drill into the ceiling and floor. Aren't you worried about damage?" "That's fine. Safety comes first." Her landlord had moved away for work. By the time the apartment collapsed in the earthquake later on, she never heard from the landlord anyway. Renovations weren't a concern. The blast-resistant glass installers arrived right after. Both crews worked nonstop, drills whining through the morning. Since it was the weekend, and Nicole didn't want to annoy the neighbors, she sent a quick message in the building chat and tossed in a small cash gift. She opened a food delivery app and kept ordering, spending whatever was left. In under two hours, the doors and windows were finished. After paying the remaining balance, Nicole stared at the fortress-like apartment and finally relaxed. Her phone rang. She assumed it was a delivery driver. Instead, it was Edward. "It's my birthday party today. When are you coming?" His voice sounded warm and bright, layered with laughter and chatter in the background. Nicole sneered, "Sure. Just wait." She knew Edward had feelings for Mary. He just kept her dangling for surprise gifts and the pendant she wore. Even through the phone, she could hear Mary's soft, sweet voice nearby. In Nicole's last life, she threw herself at him, and he barely acknowledged her. Now, he was suddenly reaching out. Alarm bells rang in her head. How had Mary known about the pendant's storage space? Judging by Edward's attitude, he probably didn't know the secret. The call was likely Mary's idea. Nicole grabbed her keys and went downstairs. Edward lived on the eighth floor. Laughter spilled from his apartment. Nicole walked right past without a glance and exited the building. The air was still heavy, but the typhoon's advance winds had arrived. Whistling gusts cut through the streets. A new alert popped up. The typhoon was expected to arrive at 9 p.m. Nicole froze. It had moved up. She headed to the university library and gathered medical textbooks, disaster response manuals, martial arts guides, and books on mental conditioning. During the floods, this entire library would vanish underwater. Countless books would be lost forever. The thought made her chest ache, but there was nothing she could do. She avoided cameras, stacked the books with others, and quietly slid them into her storage space. Stealing books wasn't right, but the library would be destroyed soon anyway. These books were part of human civilization. Nicole couldn't save everything. If the disasters ever ended, she would donate what she took. Edward called again. Nicole blocked his number without hesitation. After leaving campus, she went to a large supermarket. She rode the elevator up to the rooftop parking lot, walked around carefully, then came back down. Faced with shelves packed full of goods, she didn't buy a single thing. She wandered the second floor several times, then drove off. The rental company called. The typhoon had arrived early, and they were closing. The vehicle needed to be returned by 3 p.m. Nicole agreed verbally, but returned it at 4 p.m. The wind was already howling, tearing through the streets. The owner was decent. After inspection, he refunded her 400-dollar deposit. Disasters didn't strike all at once. They always gave a buffer. Humans just never noticed. Nicole kept the cash on hand and stopped spending. Back at the apartment, she grabbed her laptop, tablet, and phone and started downloading materials nonstop: medical references, survival guides, movies, music, life skills, cooking recipes, offline maps, and emergency response manuals. A shipping notification popped up. Nicole's heart skipped. The polar cold-weather suits! She had completely forgotten. They were supposed to arrive yesterday evening, but the seller shipped late, and delays piled up. The packages had just reached the courier station. She called immediately. The station said the typhoon had already hit, and deliveries were suspended. If she really needed it, she could come pick it up before 6 p.m. Outside, the wind screamed. Trees in the complex thrashed wildly. Once the rain came, the courier station would flood. And without polar gear, surviving temperatures of -90°F would be impossible. No ride-hailing drivers were taking orders. Nicole had no choice. She ran downstairs, scanned a shared bike, and pedaled hard toward the station. The station was two miles away. Nicole could barely keep her eyes open. Trash and cardboard flew through the air like shrapnel. By the time she arrived, she was soaked in sweat, hair plastered to her face. Typhoon delays had jammed the station. Packages were stacked everywhere. Nicole didn't stop to catch her breath. She rolled up her sleeves and dug through the piles. Thankfully, the boxes were huge. After more than ten minutes, she finally found them. Outside, the wind had grown even stronger. The sky was so dark that it looked like night. Nicole gritted her teeth and hugged the massive package as she stepped out. The moment she cleared the doorway, a sudden gust slammed into her. Her feet left the ground. At the last second, a man loading boxes into a vehicle reached out and grabbed her arm. His stance was solid. He hauled the soaked, shaken Nicole back to safety. She tried to thank him, but her voice vanished into the wind. He glanced at her. "Typhoon's here. Carrying that like this isn't safe." Caught off guard by how fast the storm escalated, Nicole had no choice but to retreat inside. She refreshed the ride app nonstop, even adding extra tips. Three hundred people were ahead of her in the queue. Not a single driver accepted. The man finished loading packages, stuffing them into a Hummer until it was packed. Seeing her anxious expression, he hesitated. "Where do you live?" Under the lights, Nicole finally saw his face. He wore a black T-shirt and jeans. He looked to be in his early twenties, with short, clean-cut hair, a sharp jawline, and hard, sculpted features. He was tall, at least six feet, with long legs that caught the eye right away. She thanked him again. He looked indifferent. "No big deal." "I live at Crownview Residences," Nicole said. "Could you give me a lift? I can pay." He nodded and opened the door. The back seat was full. Opening the front door, Nicole saw a little girl in the passenger seat. She looked four or five years old, with a pale, timid face and big dark eyes that watched Nicole in silence. She wore a pink dress. "Poppy, let her hold you," the man said calmly. With the apocalypse starting, who cared about traffic cameras anymore? Nicole lifted Poppy onto her lap and wedged the package under her feet. The wind howled, but the Hummer moved steadily forward. The sky pressed low and heavy. Broken branches spun through the air. Sheet metal clattered violently. Down the street, a woman in a summer dress clung to a utility pole, mouth wide open, screaming for help. The natural disasters had officially begun. Chapter 5 Two miles was nothing. The Hummer reached the entrance to the complex in just a few minutes. Nicole handed the man 400 dollars, thanking him for saving her and for ignoring traffic rules. His voice stayed cool. "No need. I was heading this way, anyway." Seeing he wouldn't take it, she didn't push. As she got out, she added, "The typhoon might cut water and power. While you still can, stock up on rice, flour, and oil, the basics." She pushed the door open and ran into the complex, clutching the package as wind slammed into her. Fat raindrops crashed down like pellets. She wiped her face and stumbled out of the elevator, then looked up and froze. Edward and Mary were standing in front of her apartment. They had clearly been waiting a while. Edward looked irritated. Mary, on the other hand, wore a sweet smile. She was clad in a white sundress, looking innocent and spotless. "What took you so long?" Edward snapped. "We've been waiting forever!" Seeing them dragged up memories Nicole had buried. She remembered how she was bullied during the apocalypse, and how they stood by while she was torn apart. Her mood dropped instantly, sharp and ugly. She had been stupid last time. That was on her. This life, if they still wanted to leech off her and steal what kept her alive, they could dream on. What she'd suffered, they would suffer twice over. Nicole's face went cold. "What do you want?" She used to treat Edward like the center of her world. Now, she didn't even bother hiding her indifference. Edward stalled, then shot back, "It's my birthday. Why didn't you come to my party?" "We're not close. Why would I?" she snapped. "What…" Edward faltered. She had been pursuing him. She had even said she would get him the gift he wanted most. Of course, he wasn't here for a present. Mary had taken an interest in Nicole and wanted to meet her. Mary studied Nicole with a smile and said sweetly, "Hey, Nicole." "We don't know each other," Nicole cut in flatly. "Don't call me with that affectionate tone." Mary looked awkward but kept her tone soft. "It's Edward's birthday. We're all from the same college. Come hang out with us." Edward's birthday party had already ended at noon. Dragging her to the eighth floor now was just about stealing her pendant. "Are you deaf?" Nicole sneered. "I said we're not close. Why the hell does his birthday have anything to do with me?" Edward hadn't expected that. His face stiffened. "Nicole, what's your problem?" "You two are wearing matching couple rings, but you keep inviting me to your place. Are you trying to make me part of a throuple?" "Don't flatter yourself!" Edward snapped, furious and embarrassed. "I've never had that kind of interest in you. Mary, let's go." However, Mary didn't move. She forced a smile. "I'll be honest with you. We came out for his birthday, but with the typhoon, we couldn't get home. Could I stay here for the night?" "Are you out of your mind? I already said we're not close," Nicole spat. Edward's face darkened. "Nicole, watch how you talk!" "This is how I talk," she retorted. "If you don't like it, don't come bothering me." Edward grabbed Mary to leave, but she resisted. Gritting her teeth, she kept smiling. "Nicole, that pendant you're wearing is really pretty. Where did you buy it?" Nicole took the pendant off. "Do you want it?" Mary's eyes lit up. "Would you sell it? I really like it." Nicole let go. The pendant hit the floor. She lifted her foot and stomped it hard, again and again, until it shattered into pieces. Once the storage space bound to her, the pendant had lost its shine. It was useless now. People were dangerous. If Nicole didn't destroy it in front of them, who knew what Mary might try next? "Because you like it," Nicole said, "I find it disgusting now." Mary stared at the broken pieces, stunned, before letting out a frightened gasp. Seeing his girlfriend upset, Edward exploded and started hurling insults at Nicole. Nicole's eyes went sharp. "Get lost! And don't ever come back and get in my way!" Edward's face went gray. He dragged Mary off, furious and humiliated. Only then did Nicole unlock the stainless steel door and rush inside, tearing open the package. The polar cold-weather suit was thick but soft, instantly warm when she put it on. The mummy sleeping bag was stitched in layers of down, heavy and solid. These would keep her alive during the deep freeze. Outside, the wind screamed. The sky had sunk into a deep, heavy black. Nicole shut all doors and windows tight, pulled out large white plastic barrels, and filled them with water. Several went straight into the storage space bathroom. Once the typhoon rains fully set in, the complex would lose water and power fast. No matter how wild it sounded outside, Nicole stayed busy in the kitchen, washing rice, chopping vegetables, cooking nonstop. Braised beef, roasted chicken with mushrooms, baked fish, and beef and root vegetable stew. Each pot was huge. She packed everything into stainless steel containers, steaming hot, and stored them away. While the storm had just begun and everyone still had food, it was best to cook strong-smelling dishes now. Later, lighting a fire would only invite trouble. She steamed dinner rolls, baked bread, and made pastries. The gas stove and induction cooktop ran full blast until well past midnight. She changed out of her greasy clothes, took a hot shower, and collapsed into bed. Her sleep was shallow. A drilling noise dragged her awake. Nicole pulled the curtain aside. Outside was a gray blur, wind and rain howling together. She thought it was still early, but her phone showed it was already after nine in the morning. WhatsApp was exploding. The neighborhood group and class group both showed over 99 unread messages. People were cheering the arrival of Typhoon Cleaver. Office workers were celebrating a break from endless overtime. Students were thrilled about the unexpected days off. Photos and videos flooded the chats: trees ripped out by the roots, luxury cars crushed, a metal factory sliced open by a tornado. Some people were starting to panic, complaining they hadn't stocked up on food. They said supermarkets were wiped clean by the time they got off work, with only a few sad packs of instant noodles left. The drilling continued, coming from next door. Nicole frowned. The building had three units per floor, and the other two were supposed to be empty. In her last life, floodwater reached the second floor. People who fled their homes never got rescued and started targeting vacant apartments. At first, everyone kept the peace. As food ran low, eyes grew darker, greed sharper. More than once, they tried to pry open Nicole's door in the middle of the night. This time, she had a fire axe. If they tried, she wouldn't hesitate. Then, she heard it. Not just drilling. A child's voice. Nicole opened her door. The door to unit 1801 was wide open. A brand-new stainless steel door leaned to the side. A young man in light-colored casual clothes was drilling into the wall. Hearing her door open, he turned. Nicole froze. "It's you?" Chapter 6 Nicole never expected the new resident of 1801 to be the same young man who had helped her at the courier station. He looked mildly surprised, too. He nodded once at her, then went back to work. Up close, he was striking in a cold, sharp way. He was tall and lean, with broad shoulders and clean lines under his clothes that hinted at strength ready to explode at any moment. Nicole felt a prickle at the back of her scalp. She exchanged a brief greeting and quickly retreated into her apartment. This life was already different. The typhoon had arrived early. And now, there was a new neighbor. What kind of normal person would install three stainless steel doors in a row? Peaceful coexistence would be ideal, but caution was nonnegotiable. Saving someone didn't mean much once the disasters dragged on. When order collapsed, who could promise anyone would stay the same? Nicole locked her door, brushed her teeth, washed up, and ate breakfast. The sky outside was a little brighter, but still pressed low and dark. Standing on the balcony, she watched the screaming typhoon slam into the building. Rain battered the blast-resistant glass nonstop. Just overnight, streets had turned into rivers. Cars were half-submerged. In low-lying areas, entire vehicles were swept away. Rain blurred everything. The distance was gray and indistinct. The sky sank lower and lower, like invisible hands squeezing the city in a crushing grip. Nicole raised her binoculars. From above, the roads were drowned. Clouds hung frighteningly low. A twisting funnel connected sky and ground, spinning fast, sucking in rain, trees, cars, everything in its path. A tornado. Nicole's breath caught as she watched it tear through an elevated roadway. Lightning struck trees and sparked fires, only for the rain to smother them seconds later. Had there been tornadoes in her last life? She couldn't remember. Too many things were different now, and all of them felt worse. Her phone kept buzzing. Irritated, she disconnected from the internet and went into the kitchen, washing and chopping without stopping. She blanched frozen beef brisket and beef shank to clear out the impurities, then pulled out an assortment of spices to start the braise. Cleaning organ meats took time and patience. After hours in the smoke, her appetite disappeared. For lunch, she made a simple bowl of chicken noodle soup. As she turned off the exhaust fan, she thought she heard a child crying. At first, Nicole ignored it. She bagged the trash and stepped outside, but the crying came again, clearer this time. From next door. She had only studied medicine for a year and had barely scratched the surface. Still, she knew enough to recognize when a child's cry wasn't normal. After a moment of hesitation, she knocked on the door of 1801. "Poppy?" she called. The triple-layer stainless steel door was thick. Nicole knocked for a long time with no response. Just as she turned to leave, there was a click. After a lot of fumbling inside, the door finally opened. Poppy stood there, eyes swollen and red, tear tracks streaking her face. Dried vomit clung to the corner of her mouth. Her cheeks were flushed in a way that felt wrong. "Why are you crying?" Nicole asked. Nicole reached out and touched Poppy's forehead. It was alarmingly hot. Her nose ran clear and nonstop. A cold with a high fever. "Where's your dad?" Nicole asked. "My brother, you mean? He's gone." Poppy's voice was hoarse from crying. She rubbed her eyes over and over. "He's left me, too…" Too? So the girl had been left behind before. Nicole glanced at the fortress of doors behind her, then gently rubbed the girl's head. "He probably just stepped out. He'll be back. Do you want to come to my place for a bit?" A sick five-year-old would understandably be scared if she were invited to a stranger's house, but Poppy remembered Nicole. After a moment, she nodded. Nicole brought Poppy inside and checked her temperature. It was over 103°F. Nicole found children's cold medicine with fever reducers and carefully fed Poppy a dose. Worried Poppy's brother might panic, Nicole wrote a note and stuck it on the door of 1801. Listening to the storm raging outside, Nicole couldn't help wondering what kind of person would go out in weather like this. It was practically suicide, Thunder cracked again and again. The TV had no signal. Poppy curled up on the couch, trembling, fear written all over her. Nicole was suddenly pulled back to her own childhood. She had been like this once; she had watched other kids get comforted by their parents while she lay sick alone, hugging a pillow, convinced the whole world had abandoned her. She didn't know how to take care of kids. All she could do was pull out a tablet and put on a cartoon she had downloaded earlier. It worked. Poppy's attention slowly shifted to the screen, her breathing easing. Nicole sat beside Poppy and checked her phone. Several profile pictures lit up. Edward was one of them. [I didn't mean to be harsh yesterday. Don't be mad. I was really looking forward to you coming to my birthday. When you didn't, I felt pretty down.] He looked decent enough on the outside. Turned out, he folded fast. But it wasn't surprising. There were probably still seven or eight people at his place. Birthday parties meant chips, beer, and cake. No one cooked, so they didn't have any real food stored. Even if they had instant noodles or crackers, they wouldn't last with that many mouths. Nicole checked the timestamp. The texts were sent an hour ago. Right on schedule. Edward was hungry. Several friend requests came in after his messages. She ignored them all. Two tutoring parents messaged Nicole, thanking her for the warning. They had managed to buy food just in time. Otherwise, their families would've gone hungry. One even sent money as a thank-you gift. Nicole didn't accept it. Even if she did, there was nothing left to spend money on. She kept scrolling through group chats. People showing off seafood feasts. Others, bragging about camp stew and expensive wine while listening to the storm. Some opened their freezers wide to flaunt their stockpiles. The comparisons escalated into games and message chains. No one seemed to realize what kind of price they would pay later. There would be two weeks of nonstop rain and wind. Even if rescue teams tried, the environment wouldn't allow it. Once food ran out, these people would be the first targets. For every person bragging, there were more begging. Most of them were young adults who lived on takeout. They spent freely and never cooked. They had closets full of clothes and skincare products, but not a single meal at home. [Went to the supermarket last night. Instant noodles were gone. Can anyone spare something?] [I only managed to grab two bags of flour, but I have nothing to cook with.] Once one person spoke up, others followed. Someone even invited women to come over for camp stew. Too bad they weren't in the same building. Most people just watched. Real help was rare. And then, someone suggested trading: five sheet masks for a pack of instant noodles. Someone replied almost immediately. Messages flew past too fast. Nicole scrolled quickly and stopped on a forwarded video. It showed a car swept into floodwaters. Firefighters fought through the storm to rescue the driver, only to be swallowed by a sudden surge from upstream. There were many videos like it. Some ended in rescues, others with silence. Nicole felt her chest tighten. She was about to close the app when Edward popped up again. Chapter 7 Nicole didn't hesitate. She blocked Edward right away. Less than a minute later, her phone rang again. It was an unfamiliar number. She didn't need to guess; this was Edward's classmate or one of his friends. Given a second chance at life, Nicole had zero interest in being taken for a fool. She wouldn't let anyone get a single grain of food out of her. And so, she powered off her phone. Poppy had fallen asleep on the couch, curled into a tight ball, her dreams restless and uneasy. Nicole checked the girl's temperature. It had dropped to just over 100°F. With Poppy here, Nicole couldn't keep cooking. You never let wealth show. She ate the clumped chicken noodle soup and somehow found them incredibly good. The balcony had an emergency window. Every other window was covered with frosted film. Light could get in, but no one outside could see what was happening inside. Nicole took out planting pots and soil. She pulled out a few pounds of potatoes, cut the sprouting ones into chunks, dusted the cut sides with ash, and planted them. She set up around 20 pots and moved them onto the storage space balcony. Then she planted garlic, green onions, lettuce, spinach, and a few other fast-growing greens. Using hanging hooks, she suspended some of the pots along the metal railing. With proper care, fresh vegetables wouldn't be a problem. She hadn't even washed her hands when loud knocking slammed against the door. "Nicole! Nicole!" The voice was unfamiliar. If she had to guess, it was Edward's classmates. Nicole almost laughed. They must really be starving. "Nicole, you're always cooking. Can you spare us something?" "We'll buy it from you. Double the price. No, five times!" "Just accept the friend request! I'll transfer the money right now!" "Come on, we're all friends! We'll see each other again. Do you really have to be this heartless?" Even with two stainless steel doors between them, the noise was grating. The words got uglier. Someone kicked the door in frustration. Nicole grabbed a kitchen knife from the counter, yanked the door open, and swung it down hard. "Who kicked the door?" she snarled. Three guys stood outside. When the door opened, they looked relieved at first. Everyone knew Nicole used to fawn over Edward. Surely she wouldn't let her dream guy starve. They had finished all the snacks last night. They didn't have breakfast or lunch today. They only finished the leftover bottles of beer they had left, which only made them hungrier. Edward had told them Nicole was weird and obsessed with stockpiling. He said she lived like a grandmother, with food rotting in her place because she hoarded too much. They had mocked her plenty behind her back. Never had they expected it to pay off like this! Before they could say anything, the knife came down. They jumped aside, instantly furious. "Nicole, are you crazy?" Nicole blocked the doorway, eyes cold. "Get lost! I don't have shameless sons like you." They stared, stunned, then snapped back. "What the hell are you talking about?" "I'm not your mother," Nicole said, blade pointed straight at them. "Why should I feed you? Kick my door again, and I'll chop you up and serve you with beer." She had survived three years of hell, fought and killed plenty. She had seen how ugly people could get. Her killing intent was real. Their scalps tingled. "W-We're friends, right? And we're paying." "Even if I had food, I'd rather feed it to a dog than give it to you. You think I didn't hear how you talked about me?" Nicole's gaze swept over them. "If you look down on me so much, don't come begging. Two missed meals, and you digested your backbone?" Their faces burned red, bodies shaking with anger and shame. "Tell Edward to stop clinging to the campus beauty while begging me for food on the side," Nicole said flatly. "Living off others and still pretending to be proud… It's pathetic. Try this again, and I'll post everything on the school forum and the neighborhood group. Let's see if he's really that shameless." "Y-You've got nerve!" they retorted. It was only two missed meals. They still cared about appearances. Besides, Nicole looked unhinged with a knife in hand. From her gaze, she seemed like she might actually eat someone. They assumed she had snapped over Edward and Mary. "You'd better watch your back!" With that, they retreated in a hurry. Nicole didn't reply. Instead, she slammed the knife into the wall. That was enough; they bolted. Nicole closed the door and turned to see Poppy awake, tears trembling in her eyes. She wanted to cry, but didn't dare. Her small body shook on the couch. Something about this child felt wrong. She seemed like she had been hurt badly before. Nicole put the knife back and softened her voice. "It's okay. Those were bad people. I chased them away." She touched Poppy's forehead. The fever was gone. Poppy's stomach growled. "Are you hungry?" Nicole asked. Poppy nodded, then shook her head. "Where's my brother?" The neighbor in 1801 still hadn't returned. Nicole used the excuse of cooking and brought out a plate of spaghetti with meatballs from the storage space. Poppy was starving. She ate while sneaking glances at Nicole, as if afraid Nicole would get angry at any moment. She seemed very sensitive. She likely had a rough home life. Nicole gently rubbed her head and handed her a lollipop. "Thank you." Poppy curled up quietly on the couch. Nicole checked her phone again. In the group chat, she saw Edward asking for help. Edward looked bright and friendly. He ranked high among the good-looking guys at school and knew how to act popular. Many students rented in the complex. Once he spoke up, replies came fast. [I've got bread and instant mac-and-cheese. If you need it, come grab some.] Nicole tapped the profile. It was a girl from the 12th floor. She was an accounting major, if Nicole remembered correctly. She was petite and pretty in a soft, delicate way. And just like the rest, she had been orbiting Edward. Both sides knew what they were getting into. They could suit themselves, really. But the girl probably didn't realize Edward wouldn't be the only one to show up. Rather, it would be a whole group. These people were like locusts, leaving nothing behind. Nicole had seen the girl carrying groceries before. She probably cooked and had supplies. If she wised up after being drained once or twice, she might still cut her losses in time. After thinking for a moment, Nicole posted a message as well, saying she was hungry. No one replied. She tried again, offering four dollars for instant noodles or bread. Still nothing. Outside, the typhoon raged. Old windows in the neighboring building shattered. Wind roared through the apartments. Floodwater climbed higher and higher. It really was a once-in-a-century storm. The group chat grew quiet. The excitement from the morning was gone. Poppy fell asleep again, and Nicole tucked a blanket around her. A series of knocks came, steady and familiar. "Poppy." Recognizing the voice from 1801, Nicole opened the door. He stood there in a raincoat, soaked through, holding the note she had taped to his door. "Is Poppy with you?" Nicole nodded. "She caught a cold and had a fever. She cried until she threw up and almost choked. I gave her medicine, and the fever's down. Just keep giving her cold medicine." He looked shocked. "Are you a doctor?" "Not really. I know some basics." He stepped inside and touched Poppy's forehead. Nicole thought he would take her and leave. Instead, he hesitated, then said, "Sorry to bother you. My name's Zeph Dawson. I just moved in last night, and I've got nothing at home. The storm doesn't look like it's stopping anytime soon. I need to go get supplies. Can Poppy stay with you for a bit? I'll come get her tonight." Nicole frowned. "You're going out in this weather?"