Chapter 9: The First Day of the Apocalypse
Chapter 9: The First Day of the Apocalypse
Gu Pan didn’t belong to many groups—just her high school classmates, university classmates, and a homeowners’ group. Usually, both she and Lu Ruisheng were busy with their business and rarely had time to chat, but now they finally had some free time.
The university group was scattered across the country, and while there wasn’t much useful information, it became clear that the whole world was engulfed in disaster. Buildings in the south weren’t very cold-resistant, so the situation there was even worse. Southern classmates said many families had already lost loved ones.
Of course, Gu Pan knew that when the extreme heat arrived later, the death toll in the north would surpass that of the south. But these were things she dared not speak of, so she only observed quietly and didn’t join the discussions.
The high school group was all local, so they had a more detailed understanding of the city’s situation. Still, no one expected the disaster to be this severe, and few had stockpiled supplies.
Now everyone pinned their hopes on the government, believing that even if they couldn’t leave, the government would deliver food, so there was less panic.
Gu Pan recalled that after the blizzard in her previous life, the government did indeed air-drop food via helicopter—but only once.
As she read, she shared these memories with Lu Ruisheng. Then she opened the homeowners’ group for their building, which was lively as well.
Some people were relieved they had stocked plenty of supplies and even posted photos. Others thought it was foolish to hoard since the government would take care of food distribution anyway.
Lu Ruisheng looked at the person showing off their stockpiles and said to Gu Pan, “Isn’t this the place that got robbed first?”
Gu Pan smiled. “Your intuition is sharp. Even if they weren’t the very first, they were definitely among the first.”
“So it pays to keep a low profile. Maybe we should hold off on installing the security iron door. We don’t want others thinking we knew something in advance.”
“I agree. Let’s just minimize our presence for now.”
As they spoke, Gu Pan tagged everyone in the building group chat: “The pipes have frozen, and the water supply has been cut off. Do you all have stored water?”
The resident from unit 402 replied, “We always keep a good stock of water, so we have enough for two days. Hopefully, the cold wave will pass by then and the water will come back.”
The resident from 901 responded, “We usually drink purified and mineral water, so we have some, but everything’s frozen solid now.”
The resident from 501 said, “At my age, I like to keep some water stored. Unlike the younger ones, who live without much planning.”
The resident from 802 tagged 901: “Hey, can you sell me a few bottles of mineral water? We have none at all, and I can’t even make instant noodles.”
The 901 resident replied generously, “Selling? It’s just neighbors helping neighbors. I’ll bring you a couple of bottles upstairs in a bit.”
802 thanked 901 warmly.
At that moment, the 501 resident, the one who had just criticized the younger generation for not stocking water, sent a message: “My grandson is small, and I’m worried the water I’ve stored for a few days isn’t clean enough. 901, can you also give me a couple of bottles of mineral water?”
She didn’t tag anyone specifically, just said it openly, but no one responded. Earlier, she had shown off how wise she was and wasn’t short on water herself, so now asking for water seemed like pretending she hadn’t seen the offers. Since she didn’t tag anyone, 901 didn’t reply.
Suddenly, the group chat grew cold.
Gu Pan laughed and said to Lu Ruisheng, “That old lady from 501 is a troublemaker. Also, the building manager likes to play the moral card. She caused a lot of trouble last time, but we had no supplies then. This time, we have to watch out for them.”
Lu Ruisheng said, “Anyway, we’ll just stay silent and keep a low profile.”
“Exactly. In the apocalypse, the last thing you want to be is a martyr.”
Gu Pan took out some soy milk, tofu pudding, and two fried dough sticks from her storage. “Let’s have breakfast.”
They switched on the TV to watch the news while eating.
The news was still optimistic, saying the cold wave wouldn’t last long and people shouldn’t worry.
Gu Pan sighed. “Just like last time.”
Lu Ruisheng said, “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I’d also believe the disaster would pass soon.”
Just after finishing breakfast, Zhuang Jie called. As soon as the call connected, he kept asking about their well-being, but there was no strong emotion behind his words.
Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng confirmed he still didn’t know they had cleared out the warehouse. He was only laying groundwork for later attempts to seize the pendant.
So there was no need to waste time, and Lu Ruisheng told him to hang up if there was nothing else.
They maintained contact mainly to track Zhuang Jie’s whereabouts, in case he moved elsewhere to hide and they needed time to find him when seeking revenge.
In the previous life, Zhuang Jie and his wife robbed the space and killed people. This time, Gu Pan was determined to watch the couple suffer and die with regrets.
Just as Lu Ruisheng ended the call, Gu Pan’s phone rang—it was her childhood friend Tian Zhenzhen.
Gu Pan didn’t have many close friends. Tian Zhenzhen and Dong Mingyue were old neighbors; the three had gone to the same elementary and middle schools. They split up in high school but still met on holidays. They were the closest people in Gu Pan’s life aside from her grandmother.
In the previous life, once communication broke down, they lost contact and never saw each other again. This time, Gu Pan wanted to help her friends within her means.
But she would never reveal her rebirth or the apocalypse, nor mention the space. After all, the apocalypse tested human nature, and many relatives fought viciously over food in the later stages.
Reborn, Gu Pan could only fully trust her husband. She would help Tian Zhenzhen and Dong Mingyue quietly, without exposing herself.
She answered the call. Tian Zhenzhen’s voice was cheerful. “Was that the stuff you sent me yesterday?”
Gu Pan couldn’t deny it and had already prepared an explanation: “I have a client at the meteorological bureau who said this weather might last a long time. The news is just to keep people calm. So I stocked up a bit, just in case, and brought you some too.”
Tian Zhenzhen happily kissed the phone several times. “You’re amazing! You know, I’ve been working overtime until midnight every day. I barely have time to shop, eating all my meals at the office. Thanks to you, I have supplies; otherwise, I’d be starving today.”
She didn’t live at home now, having bought a small apartment with a loan. Her goal was to stay single and childless and live freely.
Gu Pan smiled. “Eat sparingly. My meteorological client said the snow might go on for a while. If you can’t get out, it’s better to have food stored. Oh, and don’t be too kind by lending your food to others. You’re a woman living alone; try not to attract attention—that’s safer.”
Tian Zhenzhen agreed. “Got it, I’ll be careful. I almost froze to death this morning. I envy you—someone to warm your bed.”
“I envy myself too.”
“Okay, you’re feeding me dog food first thing in the morning. I’ll just go eat my bread.”
“Go ahead. Call me if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
(End of chapter)