Chapter 25

【System Prompt: Detected food reserve gap in safe house, staple food and hydration supplies are 0, survival endurance risk increased to 50%】

Lin Chen had just moved the last box of AKs into the 45th-floor living room when he stopped abruptly—the food column on the material list was blank; he had been so panicked about transferring weapons and medicine this morning that he had left all the food and drink at the warehouse.

"I'll go back and get them," he grabbed the car keys and was about to leave.

Xia Nuan suddenly pulled him back: "Don't go! The warehouse is too far from here, what if you run into the police or the laboratory people?"

She pointed to the shopping list on her phone, "Milk tea and instant noodles aren't practical anyway, better to go to the supermarket and buy things that store well, it'll save time too."

Lin Chen frowned: "What about the ones in the warehouse..."

"Leave them for Su Qing and Zhang Hao, we can't use them anyway," Xia Nuan handed the list to him, "I listed things that can be stored for a long time, much more reliable than instant noodles."

Lin Chen glanced at the list, looked up and asked: "Not buying instant noodles?"

"Instant noodles waste too much water, aren't nutritious, and have a short shelf life," Xia Nuan spoke quickly, "Water is more precious than anything in the apocalypse, where would we have the energy to boil hot water to soak them?"

【System Prompt: Xia Nuan's suggestion to "optimize material structure" meets doomsday survival needs, adopting it can reduce survival endurance risk by 30%, suggest executing immediately】

"Fine," Lin Chen took the list, "You guard here, lock the door, don't open it for anyone."

He handed a pistol to Xia Nuan, "Call me if anything happens."

【System Prompt: Triggered side quest "Efficient Material Replenishment", must complete procurement within 3 hours, current remaining apocalypse countdown: 5 days, 19 hours, 20 minutes】

There weren't many people at the nearby Laoliu Supermarket, Lin Chen pushed three shopping carts straight to the shelves.

First to the snack area, he swept 50 boxes of compressed biscuits and energy bars, each block 400-600 calories, the longest shelf life being 5 years, piling them full in the carts.

"30 boxes of dehydrated rice and dehydrated noodles each," Lin Chen said to the guide.

He also grabbed a dozen bags of freeze-dried porridge—only needing water to soak for a few minutes to eat, much more durable than ordinary rice and flour. More than 20 bags of vacuum-packed rice, millet, and oats were stuffed into the shopping carts, making a rustling sound.

【System Prompt: Staple food material reserve progress 50%, already meets the basic needs of 3 people for 1 month, suggest continuing to replenish】

Turning to the canned food area, Lin Chen didn't hesitate: 40 cans of luncheon meat and beef each, 30 cans of fish, fermented bean curd, and fermented black beans each, all with a shelf life of over 2 years.

A dozen bags of freeze-dried meat and dehydrated shrimp skin were packed, more than 50 bags of braised tofu and vegetarian meat, all ready to eat upon opening.

"Where is the drinking water?" Lin Chen asked the guide.

The other party pointed to the refrigerated area, he immediately pushed over, moving 50 boxes of bottled pure water and mineral water each, and also took 10 boxes of water purification tablets—in case there's no water, tap water or rainwater can be treated with this to drink.

More than 20 boxes of sports drinks and electrolyte powder were packed, half the shelf of dehydrated fruits and vegetables swept, freeze-dried apples, banana chips, and dehydrated carrots piled until the cart handle couldn't be seen.

Passing the health supplement area, he took 10 bottles of multivitamin tablets—eating processed food for a long time, afraid of lacking nutrition.

【System Prompt: Protein and hydration material reserve progress 80%, nutritional balance increased to 75%】

Finally to the grain and oil area, 30 bottles of small-packaged olive oil and rapeseed oil each, more than 20 blocks of vacuum-packed butter and lard.

High-sugar snacks weren't left out, 20 catties of dark chocolate and hard candy each, 10 jars of sealed honey—honey has an almost infinite shelf life, eating a mouthful when hungry can last a long time.

"Checkout," Lin Chen pushed the three carts piled like small mountains to the counter.

The cashier was dumbfounded: "Sir, are you... wholesaling?"

Lin Chen didn't speak, swiping his card directly. The supermarket manager hurriedly called 10 employees to help pack, more than 300 large shopping bags piled at the entrance.

Lin Chen spent another 200 yuan to hire a truck to transport the things to Tianyu Building.

【System Prompt: Side quest "Efficient Material Replenishment" completed, material reserve progress 100%, survival endurance risk decreased to 10%, rewarded with 5 "Space Storage Slots"】

When he returned to the 45th floor, Xia Nuan was lying by the window looking downstairs.

Hearing the door open, she immediately ran over: "Bought them?"

"Yes," Lin Chen directed the workers to pile the materials by category, staple food in the corner of the living room, canned food and freeze-dried meat into the storage room, drinking water and sports drinks placed next to the terrace—convenient to take, and also convenient to observe the situation outside at any time.

Xia Nuan squatted to the side to count: "Compressed biscuits, canned food, water... enough for us to eat for several months."

She looked up at Lin Chen, "Now it's just missing the generator fuel and the water for the water tanks."

Lin Chen nodded, walking to the terrace to look down with binoculars—there was no abnormality downstairs, the laboratory people were gone.

He took out his phone, the apocalypse countdown showing: 5 days, 12 hours, 35 minutes.

【System Prompt: Current safe house material reserves already meet the 3-month survival needs of 3 people, safety rating increased to 95%, remaining to be replenished: fuel (for generator), emergency fuel (gasoline, diesel)】

"I'm going to the gas station to buy fuel," Lin Chen grabbed his coat, "You check the medicine again, especially the antibody serum, don't let it be missing."

Xia Nuan had just nodded when Lin Chen's phone suddenly rang—it was an unknown number.

After connecting, a burst of static came through, followed by a hoarse voice: "Tianyu Building 45th floor, looking quite clearly, huh."

Lin Chen's heart sank, looking abruptly at the high-rise opposite—there was a reflection point on the top floor, like the lens of a telescope.

【System Prompt: Detected lurking behavior from a high-rise 500 meters away, suspected to be laboratory personnel, danger coefficient instantly increased to 60%】

"Who?" Lin Chen gripped his phone, his voice as cold as ice.

The person on the other end of the phone laughed, the laughter harsh: "You'll know soon, those things you hoarded will soon be ours."

The phone hung up suddenly, Lin Chen staring at the high-rise opposite, his eyes full of coldness.

He knew that the laboratory people had already set their sights on this place, the remaining 5 days wouldn't be peaceful.

Must finish buying fuel and return as soon as possible, and reinforce the defenses.

Otherwise, let alone the apocalypse coming, they might be broken into tonight.