Chapter 454: Chapter 454

"Thank goodness, thank goodness!" Mrs. Jing’s hands shook as she reheated a pot of chicken soup noodles, bringing it over to give everyone an added meal. In the apocalypse, no family could afford such luxury anymore.

Aunt Wang Fang cried in distress while Su Long ate his noodles carelessly. Uncle’s face also looked quite grim, but he gratefully took Mrs. Jing’s hand.

"Sister, we owe Jing Shu a great deal this time. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if it wasn’t for her. It’s as if it was fated for her to come back on this day and to call us over just at the right time. As your older brother, I don’t have much else to say, but once Su Long and his mother are settled, I will personally come to thank Jing Shu. She saved our family of three."

Mrs. Jing nodded with red eyes and pressed her hands together in prayer, "Amitabha, may the heavens bless us. Jing Shu has changed a lot over the last two years. She has her own ideas. If she says she has something important to discuss with you, then it must be urgent. It was heaven’s will that prevented you from going."

"Sister, please have my brother-in-law drive me back again. This disaster took many lives. As someone managing the residential community, I must return to take a head count and make arrangements. The news is exploding over there. Su Long and his mother..."

Aunt hurriedly stood up and wiped away her tears. "Please take care of Su Long for another day for me. I’ll go too. Many buildings collapsed, and people need to dig out bodies, scavenge for clothing, and gather supplies. Old Su can’t manage all that by himself. Besides, we have to dig out whatever food, clothing, and old furniture we can, otherwise it’ll all be taken by others. We’ve lost our home, so we’ll just have to stay in the big square for now. I still have some Virtual Coins. We’ll look for a place after this is all over."

That was what they said. However, if the second year’s flooding had still left people with some hope of returning home, the third year’s earthquake shattered it completely. Housing was even scarcer, and the weather was getting colder. There was no hope of finding a house anymore. For origınal chapters go to 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾·𝗇𝖾𝗍

They had no choice but to cram dozens of people into one place.

Jing Shu knew the scene all too well. Before the earthquake had even ceased, countless people rushed in with their baskets, hoping not to be too late—first for food, then for scraps of cloth and clothing, old furniture, usable door frames, and broken beds. These items had become ownerless. Of course, there were those who wept bitterly or cursed loudly. In the pitch-dark ruins, few spoke. They silently shoveled dirt or tossed stones aside, using their hands to differentiate between trash and what could be used. Some were even hurt in the process from digging too deep. Only after the valuable items were all taken did they begin to drag out bodies, strip them of clothing, and carry them to the platform. This was the designated area for collecting the dead, where a little Virtual Coin would be paid out for each body. Jing Shu was familiar with the grim task of body recovery. While others scavenged for various materials, she carried a homemade basket straight for the corpses. Sometimes she found only half a body; other times, limbs torn from torsos lay at the edge of the rubble. Jing Shu, emaciated to skin and bones, lacked the strength to compete with men. But she was fast, relying on collecting and digging up scattered remains. Even though the pay for these fragmented remains was low, there were many such pieces, and they added up. On a good day, she could earn one or two Virtual Coins.

"Those days were truly hard."

Jing Shu stretched out her hand, looking at her full-fleshed and slender fingers, and sighed deeply.

Mrs. Jing swallowed the words she had intended to say. She had wanted to suggest that her brother live closer, or at least find a house in the Banana District, so that in these apocalyptic times the family could stay near one another for support in times of need. Ah well, she would mention it to Jing An when she had the chance and see if there was any way they could help.

"Well, you can go after you’ve finished your noodles."

The RV returned to its calm, still occasionally shuddering with aftershocks. Jing Shu drifted back to sleep in a daze until she was awakened by the gentle touch of feathers. Fat Chicken had learned the latest technique to please its master, though its skill could use a little improvement.

Jing Shu murmured, snuggling under the luxurious goose-down comforter on the grand bed. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the 270° panoramic glass view, which showed the dimly lit hills behind and the densely packed tents, iron sheds, and stone houses. It all looked much less pretty than the ice and snow world of the fifth year.

Mr. Jing, in order to save fuel, had only turned on the hot water pipe’s constant temperature system, which still left it a bit cold. The warm lights in the RV were on, and Fat Chicken strutted about, holding the vibrating phone in its beak, appearing smugly pleased with itself.

The Ant Queen that used to compete with it for attention in the United States was gone. Now it was once again the ruler here. As long as it still laid eggs, it was the King.

Glancing at the number, she saw it was Li Yuetian. Jing Shu lazily answered on speakerphone, "Hello? Captain Li?"

But Li Yuetian’s tone was urgent. "Jing Shu! I only found out you were back when I called Yang Yang. Where are you? Behind the Banana District?"

"You need to come to Second Team right away; the address hasn’t changed. The supplies you had brought over a few days ago were all taken yesterday! I’ll explain in detail when you get here! Those bastards even cleaned out my warehouse while I was away!"

It seemed Li Yuetian was also fuming with anger.

Jing Shu narrowed her eyes, and in an instant, all drowsiness vanished. An icy aura seemed to emanate from her, causing Fat Chicken to CLUCK fearfully and scamper away.

"I’ll be there right away."

Good. After being reborn, Jing Shu just wanted to develop quietly and stealthily. It wasn’t that she lacked the ability to become an influential and powerful person in Wu City, or even all of China. Jing Shu could, with her foresight and the abilities of the Magic Cube Space, use behind-the-scenes tactics to safely develop and sell more luxury goods and Domestic Poultry, various medicinal herbs, run auctions and trade fairs, and like Qian Duoduo, build the Stone Garden base. Then she could establish her own forces, hire private bodyguards, and live a rich life. She believed she could become one of the top material merchants in Wu City within two years, but she hadn’t done so. Until she had the ability to save everyone, the faster she grew rich, the faster she would die. Jing Shu’s low profile didn’t mean she was afraid of trouble. She didn’t seek trouble, but she wasn’t afraid of it either. If anyone thought she was as easy to bully as a sheep and dared to target her, they shouldn’t blame her for baring her ferocious fangs. It was foreseeable that whoever could take things from Li Yuetian couldn’t be simple; it just wasn’t clear whether the culprit was connected to power or influence, to the public or the private sector.

She changed into a black leather jacket and pants, then donned her modified bulletproof trench coat and a black Yanbian bulletproof helmet. She armed herself with several weapons just in case and rode out on her Shark Submarine.

Even though it was only a kilometer, she had to project the right image. Both Second Team and the canteen hadn’t moved. Unless the earthquake caused a direct collapse there, the area should be largely undamaged, as there were no other buildings nearby.

People were queuing at the canteen during mealtime. Seeing a vehicle approaching, they conscientiously made way, whispering among themselves. Nowadays, anyone who could still afford to drive a car was someone not to be trifled with. Electric cars had essentially disappeared after the Government monopolized charging stations, with every charge costing five Virtual Coins. Consequently, these vehicles were no longer affordable for ordinary folks.

Jing Shu passed by Third Aunt Jing Lai’s Ai Jia Canteen and saw Third Aunt bustling about. She didn’t disturb her and went straight upstairs, where she found Li Yuetian.