[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-frozen-apocalypse-building-my-own-safe-house":3,"chapter-frozen-apocalypse-building-my-own-safe-house-frozen-apocalypse-building-my-own-safe-house-chapter-2":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Frozen Apocalypse: Building My Own Safe House",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2215491,3904,"Chapter 2: The Thief","frozen-apocalypse-building-my-own-safe-house-chapter-2",2,"\u003Cp>December 16, 2012, 3:00 AM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen kicked Xia Nuan awake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shift change.\" He shoved a steel pipe into her hands,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then curled up in the cellar corner, falling dead asleep the moment his head touched the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he opened his eyes again, Xia Nuan was staring blankly at the system panel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She poked the text reading \"Safe House Reinforcement Progress: 15%\" with her fingertip,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then looked up at Lin Chen: \"Can this thing be turned off? It's making my eyes dizzy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\" Lin Chen climbed to his feet,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>pulled out a compressed biscuit, and handed it over. \"Eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Nuan took a bite, crumbs falling onto her clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly remembering something, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out a thermos:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's hot. I filled it with hot water yesterday.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen took it and drank a large mouthful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water flowed down his throat, warmth trickling down his esophagus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>System Notification: [Target Affinity +5].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Today we go to Xia Nuan's home.\" Lin Chen wiped his mouth,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"for the things you didn't finish bringing yesterday,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and any supplies your parents might have left behind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Nuan nodded, stuffing the thermos back into her bag:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My mother has a medical kit; it's on the very top of the wardrobe.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two locked the warehouse door; the snow had already risen to their ankles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen found a tricycle left behind by the warehouse owner;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>its chain was heavily rusted, clattering loudly with every pedal stroke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Nuan sat in the back, tying herself to the cargo bed with a rope\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>so she wouldn't fall off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passing the supermarket from yesterday, they saw the rolling shutter pulled down,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>with several trash bins piled outside, rummaged through into a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen glanced over; the system gave no supply notification,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>so he pedaled straight ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the entrance to Sunshine Community, the security guard had been replaced by a young man\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>who was huddled in the booth playing on his phone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen rode straight in; curses erupted from the booth,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but he didn't look back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door to Building 3's unit wasn't locked, likely broken by someone the night before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen told Xia Nuan to wait downstairs while he took the steel pipe up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Door 502 was still ajar; he pushed it open to find a puddle on the living room floor, leftover from yesterday's incomplete mopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the bedroom, the medical kit Xia Nuan mentioned was indeed on top of the wardrobe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen dragged over a chair and stepped up; as he reached down, the box bumped his forehead, making him wince in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>System Notification: [Obtained Basic Medical Kit, containing Antibiotics x10, Bandages x20].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the bedside table drawer lay a photo album; he flipped through it casually, finding pictures of Xia Nuan with her parents against a seaside backdrop,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>where she smiled, revealing her tiger teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen closed the album and shoved it back into the drawer,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then turned to search the balcony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several packs of laundry detergent sat atop the washing machine, alongside a bottle of disinfectant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stuffed everything into the woven sack he had brought,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>triggering a System Notification: [Obtained Cleaning Supplies, Safe House Rating +2].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lin Chen!\" Xia Nuan shouted from downstairs, her voice urgent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen grabbed the woven sack and rushed down,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>colliding on the stair landing with a man in pajamas who was trembling while holding a cleaver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't come closer!\" the man roared. \"This is my home!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen ignored him and continued running down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reaching the first floor, he saw Xia Nuan blocked by two men in security uniforms;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>one was the young guard from that morning, and the other was Auntie Wang, who had stopped him yesterday, now wielding a crowbar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She's a thief!\" Auntie Wang shouted,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"acting suspiciously yesterday, and today she brings a man to move things!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Nuan's face turned crimson with anxiety: \"This is my home!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young guard reached out to yank her bag; Lin Chen charged forward, smashing the steel pipe onto his wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard screamed and retreated; Auntie Wang lunged forward with the crowbar, but Lin Chen sidestepped and casually hurled the woven sack at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The medicine bottles inside the sack clattered loudly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>knocking Auntie Wang back two steps as she cursed: \"Have you gone mad!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen yanked Xia Nuan up and ran toward the tricycle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Footsteps echoed from behind; the man with the cleaver was chasing them down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouted, \"Catch the thieves!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen shoved Xia Nuan onto the vehicle, then jumped on himself to pedal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chain suddenly jammed, nearly tipping the tricycle over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn!\" He lowered his head and kicked at the chain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man had already caught up, swinging the cleaver down. Lin Chen raised his arm, blocking with the steel pipe. A loud \"clang\" rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact numbed his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Nuan fished a thermos out of her bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smashed it directly onto the man's head. The thermos bounced off, splashing hot water all over his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He let out a miserable scream, covering his face as he staggered back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go!\" Lin Chen finally kicked the chain free, pedaling furiously. The tricycle lurched forward, swerving wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It nearly crashed into the curb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barrier gate at the community entrance hadn't risen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen didn't slow down, charging straight through. The gate groaned under the impact; a falling iron bar\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>grazed past Xia Nuan's hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your parents' things...\" Xia Nuan looked back,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>her eyes reddening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We'll come back next time.\" Lin Chen didn't turn his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Survival first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Halfway there, the tricycle chain snapped completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen cursed, threw the vehicle to the roadside,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and grabbed the snakeskin bag. \"Let's walk back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snow grew heavier again; the wind whipped snowflakes against their faces like tiny knives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Nuan stumbled along, stepping deep then shallow, when she suddenly said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My father has a shotgun, hidden in the cellar of the old house.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen stopped. \"Where is the old house?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the suburbs of Chengxi, not far from the warehouse.\" Xia Nuan wrapped her coat tighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I lived there as a child. It's been empty since we moved.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>System Notification: [Side Quest Triggered: Acquire the Shotgun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reward: 50 Bullets, Firearm Maintenance Kit].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two changed course toward Chengxi. Along the way, they passed a breakfast stall\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>where the owner was packing up to go home. Lin Chen walked over and dug out all his loose change:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll take every bun you have.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The owner paused, then quickly stuffed the steamer buns into plastic bags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing nearby, Xia Nuan suddenly pointed into the distance:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn't that Su Qing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen followed her gaze. Su Qing was running out of a pharmacy,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>carrying two large bags. Zhang Hao followed behind her,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>his arm in a cast, his face grim. The two got into a taxi, which drove off toward the city center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She's stockpiling medicine too,\" Xia Nuan said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen said nothing. He took the buns from the owner, handed half to Xia Nuan. \"Eat quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time they reached the old house, it was already noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a single-story house with a courtyard. The yard gate was so rusted it wouldn't open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen kicked it open directly...\u003C\u002Fp>",1213,"2026-06-17T08:57:08.554Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","d8951d3fbc2a723d9c121bfc2eb7911ec4e9c73be88ad8a4e88e441eac0b9295","frozen-apocalypse-building-my-own-safe-house-chapter-3","frozen-apocalypse-building-my-own-safe-house-chapter-1",3,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffrozen-apocalypse-building-my-own-safe-house-cover.jpg"]