Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Stockpiling

After negotiating with the wholesalers, Ling Mo had them deliver everything to a warehouse she’d rented in advance. She also had a small portion sent to her home—just enough to look normal.

People were hoarding supplies, sure, but most weren’t going overboard. It was mostly for peace of mind. If she stockpiled too aggressively, she’d stand out.

She bought hundreds of water buckets, each holding around ten liters. She wanted more, but the seller only had that many available.

The pocket space had water, but she couldn’t rely on it forever. She needed reserves.

Next came emergency food: biscuits, compressed rations, instant noodles, chocolate, canned goods, vitamins, milk powder.

She’d already bought a lot of medicine abroad, but she wasn’t satisfied. You could never have too much when it came to survival. She stocked up on common medications, medical masks, protective suits, goggles—anything that might matter later.

For fuel, she didn’t dare go too big. She bought only limited quantities of canister gas, gasoline, diesel, and coal.

Then she grabbed things people always overlooked until it was too late: sugar, table salt, tea. If even the government considered them important, she wasn’t going to argue.

Her gaze landed on cigarettes and alcohol.

She didn’t drink or smoke, but after a brief pause, she bought them anyway. Later, they could be traded for things she actually needed.

By the time night fell, she went to the warehouse again. The wholesalers had delivered everything, and the place was packed.

Ling Mo stood there and smiled, satisfaction rising in her chest like warmth.

She didn’t know when it had happened, but collecting supplies had become the one thing that eased her fear. Every box and bag felt like a little more control in a world sliding toward chaos.

Back home, she stacked the smaller deliveries in her rooms—props for anyone watching.

That night, she lay on her bed and shopped online without stopping: snacks, drinks, cups, plates, small appliances, lighting equipment, candles, lighters, matches. If she saw it or thought of it, she ordered it. Today’s purchase would arrive tomorrow.

And if the deliveries looked suspicious? She’d just moved in. A lot of packages was normal.

Once the basics were handled, she turned to something else: boredom.

She ordered physical novels and comics, and downloaded anime and TV dramas until her storage nearly exploded. In the end, she decided it was easier to buy more devices—several tablets and portable hard drives.

The next morning, she left early, before the heat fully climbed, and marched straight to an electronics store.

After listening to the clerk, she didn’t hesitate. She bought the most expensive, highest-performance, largest-capacity tablet they had.

Then she bought several more.

And while she was at it, she bought extra laptops and phones, too.

In extreme heat, electronics could die fast. Better to have backups than regret it later.

She knew how it looked—who bought devices in bulk like this?—so she made herself act deliberately childish, like a spoiled kid throwing a tantrum.

While ordering, she huffed and muttered, “If you won’t let me play on the computer, I’ll just buy my own. Hmph.”

The clerk’s expression softened with sudden understanding. So that was it—a rich kid fighting with family.

Before she left, the clerk warned her that phones and computers couldn’t be returned unless there was a defect. They were probably imagining a parent or guardian storming in later to cause trouble.

Ling Mo simply nodded, grabbed her purchases, and walked out without looking back.

She wandered into a mall and headed straight for the restroom. These days, if you wanted to avoid cameras, that was about the only place you could.

She stored the devices in her pocket space, and her bag immediately felt much lighter.

Instead of leaving, she started roaming the mall, searching for anything she’d missed.

She bought as she walked—whatever looked useful, whatever she wanted, whatever sparked an idea. It wasn’t just practical. It was… satisfying. She finally understood why drama heroines went shopping when they were upset.

Later didn’t matter. Owning what she needed now made her feel safer.

She also took advantage of the season. Winter supplies were cheap in summer, so she bought down jackets, thick quilts, military coats, winter shoes—anything to fight cold if the weather flipped.

She left her address with the merchants and told them to deliver everything, then kept moving.

She’d left home at eight. Two hours later, the temperature outside had already climbed to forty degrees Celsius. The streets were nearly empty, aside from passing cars.

When she stepped out of the mall, heat slammed into her like a wall. For a heartbeat, she almost turned around and went back inside.

But she couldn’t.

The hotter it got, the less time she had.

Passing a pharmacy, she went in and bought more medication, cooling ointment, and Huoxiang Zhengqi Water.

Then she passed a car dealership and hesitated.

This body was only eighteen and didn’t have a driver’s license. In her last life, she’d never learned to drive either.

But she didn’t need to drive a car to benefit from it. A vehicle could be temporary shelter.

That realization felt like a door opening.

She went inside.

The first floor was hosting an RV exhibition. Massive vehicles lined the display area, hulking and impressive.

No wonder people dreamed of owning one.

To get close and tour the RVs, you had to pay a twenty-thousand deposit. That explained why the dealership was crowded, but the exhibition itself had so few visitors.

Ling Mo paid the deposit without blinking. Under the envious stares of the bystanders, a salesperson led her into the display area.

Up close, it was even bigger than she’d imagined.

The wheels alone rose nearly to her chin, and the whole thing looked sturdy enough to make her feel safe just standing beside it.

The salesperson entered a code. A concealed ladder lowered, the door swung open, and the salesperson handed her shoe covers.

Ling Mo put them on and stepped inside.

“This off-road RV is our company’s newest model,” the salesperson said. “It’s fifteen meters long, 2.5 meters wide, and four meters high. Two levels, fully equipped.”