Chapter 163: Ah! The Flood Has Come! (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Votes)

Jing Shu was utterly speechless.

As a professional logistics company responsible for sea, land, and air transport, the fact that they could still get lost made Jing Shu feel completely exasperated.

“What’s next, roads that teleport?”

Sure, keep making things up.

Hengjin sent over a photo of the highway. Under the light of large headlights, it was clear that a few meters ahead, the road looked normal, but just beyond that, it abruptly transformed into towering black mountains. The mountains were filled with dry, withered trees.

Just like that, the massive mountains had blocked their path. There was no way to climb over because of the trees, so they had to either detour or turn back.

“You probably won’t believe this, but I think these mountains are actually moving…”

“So it really is the road’s fault, huh?”

Jing Shu narrowed her eyes as she studied the picture. This looked like a case of tectonic plate displacement. She hadn’t realized that tectonic activity had started so early—she had always thought it would begin in the third year of the apocalypse.

The massive earthquakes of the third year, according to scientists, were partly caused by seafloor expansion and frequent tectonic movements, which were linked to this year’s heavy rains and rising sea levels.

It seemed that some of the tectonic plates had already started shifting, and next year the movements would only increase. This would eventually lead to a complete reshuffling of the world map. It would be like taking apart a perfectly complete map and then chaotically reassembling the pieces into a new Earth.

In a few years, paths would no longer be paths, and mountains would no longer be mountains.

Seeing that Jing Shu hadn’t replied, Hengjin sent their current location and said, “Believe it or not, we’re detouring around the mountains and planning to take the direct route.”

Jing Shu opened the map and thought for a moment. With global flooding on the horizon, she didn’t want her camper van to get swept away. She advised Hengjin, “I recommend you stick to the mountain route. It’s rougher but much safer. Don’t go for the direct route, or you might encounter the same problem and have to detour again. Also, with the rain getting heavier, there’s a high chance of flooding. It’s better to stay on higher ground.”

Thus, every day, Jing Shu kept in touch with Hengjin to track their location. If, by bad luck, they got caught in a flood, Jing Shu would have to personally go and retrieve the camper van.

So, she had to prepare for her family to take shelter in the mountains. Otherwise, they’d end up like in her previous life—rushing out with nothing and spending several cold nights in a mountain cave, drinking rainwater when thirsty, eating nothing but air when hungry, and curling up to sleep when exhausted.

She remembered the government official’s child eating canned mystery meat while everyone in the cave salivated.

At night, they shivered from the cold, while the wind howled around them.

The damp wood on the mountain couldn’t be burned. When they finally found some dry firewood in the cave, there were no matches or lighters left to start a fire. These had been out of production for a long time, and no one had used them in years—there weren’t even cigarettes around anymore.

A dozen men spent two hours rubbing sticks together to create a fire. Rubbing sticks to start a fire was exhausting—a real workout, no argument there.

That’s why, in this life, Jing Shu had bought plenty of matches. Those matches were a result of her past tears and hardship.

Oh, and don’t ever roast red worms over a fire. They taste like burnt hair, scratch your throat, and the smell is unbearable—like roasting durian.

If anyone ever tries to roast red worms in front of Jing Shu again in this life, she swears she’ll knock them out.

Speaking of preparations, the outdoor gear Jing Shu bought last year was finally going to come in handy. She went to the second floor to pack everything they’d need so they could leave immediately when the time came:

Seven military-grade tents, waterproof, windproof, breathable, and with one-button setup. She also packed down-filled sleeping bags, waterproof ground mats, and insulated rain boots—all essential for the coming days of rain.

Jing Shu also planned to bundle up some of the wooden boards from the backyard to tie onto the car roof. These could be used as windbreaks or for privacy in the mountains.

The boards would also prevent the tent from sinking into the ground when the rainwater accumulated. Even the most waterproof tent wouldn’t hold up after several days of downpours, and the water in the cave could rise to ankle height.

She was determined to ensure they had a dry, comfortable place to sleep. Without preparation, they’d be sleeping in wet mud filled with red worms—absolute misery.

Jing Shu also packed portable cooking gear and a multifunctional kettle to brew ginger tea to keep warm. She grabbed a few barrels of mineral water as well.

As for food, three days’ worth should be enough, and it shouldn’t be anything too fragrant or attractive to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

Jing Shu had just finished preparing some convenient, portable food over the past two days, which she would “conveniently” take with her when they left.

...

On January 2, 2024, during the New Year’s holiday, the supermarket was open for three days of self-service dining. It had been a busy time for Jing Lai.

The reason for the extended opening was the introduction of a new food source: red worms. After an emergency meeting, the government decided to serve them for the first time today, making public reaction very important.

Two days earlier, the director had been lounging with his feet on the desk, asking, “How do you think we should get people to accept eating red worms? Based on the tests, you’ve all tasted them. They’re not as good as grain worms—they get stuck in your teeth, they have a fishy smell, and their texture is unpleasant. When fried, they dry out and taste like rubber bands.”

“Let’s use the holiday as an opportunity for a few days of self-service dining to help people get used to the taste.”

“Boiling them in water to remove the fishiness and mixing them with rice and grain worms might make them more palatable.”

“Let’s offer a raffle. Anyone who eats red worms for ten consecutive days can enter, and the winner gets a job at our supermarket.”

The director waved his hand. “Alright, let’s go with that. Jing Lai, you’re in charge tomorrow.”

This was the first time Jing Lai had been given such a big responsibility, and she was nervous. She started early, double-checking the ingredients and making sure everything was in place. After hours of preparation, everything was running smoothly.

As she watched the orderly crowd in the cafeteria, Jing Lai finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Hopefully, nothing goes wrong today.” Jing Lai adjusted the rain hat Jing Shu had given her, grateful for it. The events of yesterday had proven that without the hat, she might have made a fool of herself, which would have been a minor issue compared to the chaos it could have caused.

She glanced at the new automatic life vest on her right hand and resolved to always use whatever Jing Shu gave her from now on—it might save her life one day.

Just as she was lost in thought, a panicked voice rang out from outside: “Flood! The flood is coming! Water’s rushing in—flood! Ahhh!”

Outside, the blaring of alarm sirens filled the air, followed by the roar of water.

Jing Lai looked down at the automatic life vest in her hand, her expression growing more resolute. She grabbed the loudspeaker and shouted:

“Everyone, remain calm! To prevent a stampede, follow the staff to the fourth floor of the mall and wait for rescue! I repeat…”

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Side Note:

This chapter is a bonus for monthly votes. More to come!

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