Lu Qiming was awakened by the commotion and found the water on the floor, feeling puzzled too.
Jiang Rourou crouched low, her whole belly wet, and strands of dog hair sticking to her body.
Jiang Miaomiao quickly lifted the nearby bags and held them in her arms, fearing they would get wet.
Fortunately, the plastic bags were sturdy and didn’t let water seep in.
Lu Qiming took a flashlight from his jacket pocket and illuminated the surroundings.
The entire floor of the vault was covered with water, which was flowing in from outside. Since the lock on the vault door was damaged, it couldn’t be fully closed, leaving a small gap for water to continuously flow in, causing the water level to rise.
The already enclosed environment became even more dark and damp due to the sudden change, making them uncomfortable, especially since they were used to warmth.
Their shoes were soaked, and Jiang Miaomiao rolled up the cuffs of her pants, worriedly looking at Lu Qiming’s leg.
“Your injury hasn’t healed, and this water is dirty. Will it get infected?”
Lu Qiming couldn’t pay much attention to that now, as he looked at the door and said, “You both stay here and don’t move. I’ll go out and check.”
They must figure out the source of the water; otherwise, if they let it keep rising, they might drown inside.
Jiang Miaomiao grabbed his arm and supported him, saying, “We’ll go together.”
“It’s dangerous outside. What if we encounter zombies? It’s nighttime now.”
“I know, and I’ll protect you.”
“Protect me?” Lu Qiming almost burst into laughter.
Jiang Miaomiao said, “You used to be more skilled than me, but now it’s different. With your current abilities and strength, you probably can’t even beat Rourou. How can I let you go alone?”
After some thought, Lu Qiming handed her the flashlight.
“Valid point. In that case, you go and find out the situation. Rourou and I will stay here and wait for you to come back.”
“No, we go together!”
“I’m an injured person.”
“Whether we live or die, we do it together. No one is allowed to be left behind!”
Seeing her getting anxious, Lu Qiming stopped teasing her and half-leaning on her, they walked outside together.
Jiang Rourou was scared of this unfamiliar and dark place, but she didn’t need to be leashed; she followed them obediently.
They opened the vault door and shone the flashlight on the opposite wall, not hearing any suspicious noises, and then walked out.
The situation in the corridor was not much better than inside the vault. The water had flushed the garbage from the corners, emitting a nauseating moldy smell.
Jiang Miaomiao was walking fine when she suddenly heard a loud noise beside her and instinctively picked up the chainsaw, turning it on, ready to face the zombies.
Lu Qiming raised his ear to listen and shook his head.
“It’s nothing, just the water.”
She used the flashlight to check and found an elevator door beside her, which was still making a loud noise. Apparently, water had also entered the elevator shaft.
Where was all this water coming from?
A burst water pipe? That couldn’t be, the water plant had been damaged a long time ago, and they hadn’t had running water for a while. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have had to go to the lake to get water.
The two walked through the corridor and arrived at the fire escape.
The sound of water grew louder, and looking up, they saw the water flowing down like a small waterfall from the stairs.
This dramatic scene made Jiang Rourou retreat, hiding in the corner and refusing to move forward.
Jiang Miaomiao picked her up, holding her with one arm, and supported Lu Qiming as they walked against the water flow, step by step.
On the ground floor, they saw the scene outside the window and finally understood where all the water came from.
It was raining, pouring heavily.
When they entered the vault earlier, it was just a drizzle, but now it was like someone was giving away water for free. Countless large raindrops hit the glass, making a ping-pong sound, as if it would shatter any moment.
The water on the road had turned into a river, and the lobby was also flooded. Many pieces of paper, pens, and plastic bags were floating on the water’s surface, drifting with the ripples.
Jiang Miaomiao suddenly realized, “Could it be that the zombies predicted the heavy rain in advance and hid?”
Animals often show unusual behaviors before natural disasters strike, and zombies probably have the same ability, given their heightened senses compared to humans.
“How long will this rain last?”
She lowered her head to check the water level. When they left the vault, it was only ankle-deep, but now it had risen to her calves.
Suddenly, the sky flashed violently, followed by a deafening roar.
Jiang Miaomiao was so scared that she even dropped the dog and instinctively hugged Lu Qiming, her heart pounding from the sudden lightning.
Lu Qiming picked up the dog and looked at the hallway, saying, “We’d better find a place to hide upstairs.”
“Will the water rise that high?”
High enough to drown people?
She had never experienced a flood before and had no concept of it.
Lu Qiming said, “Better safe than sorry. The vault is too low, and we can’t stay there for now.”
Jiang Miaomiao nodded and supported him back to the hallway, continuing to climb upstairs.
A box of instant coffee floated by. She quickly picked it up and stuffed it into a plastic bag.
With the flashlight leading the way, they quickly reached the second floor.
The second floor was not flooded, with only some rain leaking in from the broken windows, much drier than downstairs.
This area was a large food court, covering several thousand square meters, and they couldn’t see the end of it.
The sound of the rain was so loud that it masked all the faint sounds.
Lu Qiming was worried that there might be zombies hiding here, so he shone the flashlight into every corner.
When the beam passed over a certain area, Jiang Miaomiao suddenly said, “Don’t move!”
He stopped, and she walked over and looked carefully, saying in delight, “There’s a vending machine here!”
The light was too dim to see what was being sold inside, but she could see many small boxes.
If they were snacks, that would be a big win, as she hadn’t eaten enough tonight.
Jiang Miaomiao tried to open the machine, but it was very sturdy. No matter whether she used her teeth or kicked it, she couldn’t open it.
“Move aside.”
Suddenly, Lu Qiming’s voice came from behind her. She stepped aside, and he brought over a stool from somewhere, smashing it down on the machine, breaking the tempered glass on the outside.
“Amazing!”
Jiang Miaomiao praised him happily and reached out to take something.
However, he blocked her hand, shining the flashlight into the machine, clearing away the broken glass, and then picked up a box and handed it to her.
Jiang Miaomiao felt warm inside, feeling like a newborn kitten, being carefully taken care of by a big cat.
But the situation was special now, and she didn’t have time to think about such things. She quickly opened the box.
After seeing what was inside, she felt disappointed.
Lu Qiming asked, “What is it?”
“Alas, don’t mention it. It’s a lipstick.”
She remembered the label on the machine outside. No wonder it looked so familiar; it was one of those common lipstick vending machines.
The one in her hand was a Dior 999, which she had always wanted but couldn’t bear to buy.
Now she finally had it, but the joy it brought wasn’t even comparable to a pack of shrimp snacks.
If only it was food, sigh.
But Lu Qiming picked and unscrewed a few more items from the machine, handing her another one.
“This color suits you.”
Jiang Miaomiao: “…Are you kidding me?”
“Just take it and check what’s ahead.”
She had no choice but to accept it and followed him as they continued walking forward.
They found a beverage vending machine, smashed it open, and took several bottles of Red Bull and Assam milk tea.
The Red Bull was self-explanatory, a little helper to replenish their energy. As for the high-calorie, high-sugar Assam milk tea, which was once despised by many, it might be a life-saving option for them considering the severe shortage of food.
The food court had many restaurants, which meant there must be food inside.
Fresh food would probably have gone bad, but maybe some dry goods were still stored in the warehouses.
Feeling that there was no immediate danger, they began searching the nearby areas.
Unfortunately, the food in the warehouses and freezers had mostly rotted away. Some food that didn’t rot easily was also contaminated by nearby spoiled food and became inedible.
In a noodle shop, they did find several unopened bags of flour, and each shop had a lot of seasonings like oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, etc., which were still within their expiration dates.
However, they didn’t have pots and stoves to cook the food.
Jiang Miaomiao stuffed many packs of tomato sauce and several bottles of chili sauce into the plastic bag, preparing to lick them when she was starving to satisfy her cravings.
The rain was still pouring heavily, making a deafening noise that gave them a headache.
She was hungry again, her clothes were wet, and she was eager to rest.
Lu Qiming closed the door of a shop and used tables to create a small bed. The two of them, along with the dog, huddled on it to sleep.
As the saying goes, people think during the day and dream at night. Jiang Miaomiao also had a dream.
In the dream, a flood like in disaster movies chased after them like a fierce beast.
She ran desperately, but in the middle of running, Lu Qiming and Jiang Rou disappeared, leaving her alone.
In the end, she was too tired to lift her feet, and when she looked back, the water level was dozens of meters higher than her head, crashing down like a deluge, waking her up from the dream.
Opening her eyes, she found that it was already bright outside.
But the rain was still falling, and there was no sign of the sun; it was gloomy.
Lu Qiming had gone somewhere, and he was limping as he walked in from outside. He saw her sitting soullessly on the table.
“Awake? Hungry?”
Jiang Miaomiao covered her stomach, unable to speak.
She hadn’t been to the restroom since yesterday, and she was on the verge of not being able to hold it anymore.
Lu Qiming noticed her distress and said, “The restroom is right next door, I’ll take you there.”
She quickly jumped off the table and followed him to the restroom. After resolving the “flood” inside her, she felt relaxed.
“Did you also come here to use the restroom? You should have woken me up; I could have helped you.”
Lu Qiming shook his head. “I went to look for breakfast.”
“Did you find anything?”
“No.”
“Sigh, there are still some bread slices left. Let’s go back and make do with them.”
Suddenly, Lu Qiming smiled cunningly, like a fox.
“I lied to you. Look over there.”
He pointed at a table by the window. Jiang Miaomiao focused her gaze and saw that the tabletop was piled with snacks.
“…Where did these come from?”
“There’s a Bai Cao Wei snack shop near the mall, and they have plenty of food.”
Lu Qiming raised his face slightly, with a smug expression that said, “Praise me.”
Jiang Miaomiao didn’t have the time for it and rushed excitedly towards the snacks.
The variety of snacks was abundant, with biscuits, nuts, and dried fruits, everything one could want.
Most importantly, there were pork floss, beef jerky, crab sticks, and marinated snacks.
Spicy duck necks and duck wings—these were what she had been dreaming of!
The two of them sat on chairs by the window, enjoying the rare treat of food while watching the heavy rain outside.
Jiang Rou Rou was awakened by the smell and wagged its tail, coming over to beg for food.
Its fur had been soaked in sewage yesterday, but after a night’s time, it had naturally dried, though it appeared a bit dingy.
Jiang Miaomiao planned to give it a bath later, but then she realized there was no water now, and even in the future, she wouldn’t be able to bathe or wash her hair. Suddenly, the duck necks in her mouth didn’t taste as good as before.
She gazed at the heavy rain outside the window, heaving a deep sigh. The rain was too intense, and she couldn’t even see the nearby buildings clearly.
The world outside looked murky, like a world before creation.
Lu Qiming said, “There should be no zombies on this floor. We can stay here temporarily for two days. After finishing the meal, let’s gather the snacks in the shop and not waste anything.”
“Okay.”
The two of them hastened their eating and had a bottle of Red Bull each to drink after their meal before starting to work.
Jiang Miaomiao hadn’t taken a bath yesterday, and she didn’t wash her face or brush her teeth today, feeling quite uncomfortable.
There was water on the first floor; maybe she could go wash herself?
She walked to the stairwell and found that she didn’t need to go downstairs—the water level had risen to the second floor and was just about to spread in.
She immediately informed Lu Qiming, and they made a new decision.
Continue moving upstairs.
There were too many snacks, and it was impossible to carry them all.
They found some cardboard boxes and packed the ones they liked and those that were more filling.
Jiang Miaomiao went back to the beverage vending machine and took many bottles of Red Bull. In no time, the boxes were filled.
Lu Qiming prepared to carry the boxes, but she took them all away, hugging them to her chest.
“I’ll do it.”
“Are you sure you can handle it?”
“Don’t underestimate me. I haven’t eaten for nothing all these years. You take care of yourself… and my dog.”
She put a leash on Jiang Rou Rou and hung it on Lu Qiming’s wrist, then stacked several boxes together, took a deep breath, and lifted them up.
Lu Qiming frowned. “Are you sure you’re okay? Don’t force yourself.”
“Don’t talk nonsense; let’s hurry.”
If they didn’t leave now, she wouldn’t be able to hold on anymore.
Lu Qiming led the way with the dog, heading upstairs.
Jiang Miaomiao followed, holding the boxes, but every step was shaky.
He looked back at her from time to time, wanting to help.
But as soon as he stopped, that woman seemed to have X-ray vision, sticking her face out from behind the boxes and urging him to keep going.
The water level rose too quickly. Staying on the third floor was not safe. They climbed all the way to the fifth floor in one breath, both of them gasping for air and collapsing on the floor upon arrival.
【The issue of slow updates for the new chapters has finally been resolved on the Huanyuan App, which is a source-changing app. Download the Huanyuan App here and check out the latest chapters of this book on multiple platforms.】
Jiang Miaomiao’s hands were trembling non-stop, and her arms were so sore that they didn’t feel like her own.
Lu Qiming moved over to pinch her arm, sounding somewhat reproachful.
“I told you not to force yourself.”
She grimaced and tried to pull her hand back.
“Stop pinching; it hurts…”
“Hurting is good. It’ll feel better afterward.”
Surprisingly, Lu Qiming’s method was effective.
After the initial pain passed, the feeling turned into a mix of soreness and pleasure, making her feel so comfortable that she almost didn’t want him to stop.
“I wonder how long this rain will last. What if the water keeps rising?” she asked.
Lu Qiming sounded relaxed. “If it keeps rising, we’ll keep climbing up. This building has 80 floors; it should be enough for us to climb. It’s such a good building; it shouldn’t collapse immediately. If it really happens, we can dismantle a few doors and make a raft to paddle out.”
Jiang Miaomiao’s worries lessened when she heard his words. She thought of something and suggested:
“I glanced at the third and fourth floors just now. It seems like they sell clothes. Shall we take a look while the water hasn’t flooded up yet?”
Since the rain started, she had been feeling sticky all over without being able to take a bath.
If she didn’t change into dry clothes, she might get sick, and that would be even more troublesome.
Lu Qiming didn’t feel like moving. “Sister, my leg is like this. Can you bear to make me climb up and down?”
“Fine, I’ll go by myself.”
“If you go and encounter zombies, what will you do?”
Jiang Miaomiao said, “Are you trying to scare me?”
He couldn’t help but chuckle and tapped her forehead. “Scaredy-cat, help me up.”
Jiang Miaomiao pouted and helped him stand up. The three of them went down to the fourth floor.
As they entered the shopping area, Lu Qiming used a flashlight to look around. She saw the surrounding shops and almost cried out in excitement.
Oh, my mother, she had arrived in heaven…
Dior on the left, Armani on the right, and Chanel in front.
There were also many luxury brands that she had only dared to look at online before, and now they were all displayed in front of her.
Due to the lack of lighting, the stores didn’t look as luxurious as usual.
But that didn’t matter; the clothes were still beautiful!
Jiang Miaomiao walked into a store and touched the formal dress on the mannequin, marveling at its elegance and exquisite design.
Lu Qiming said, “The water won’t flood up for the time being. Give it a try.”
She shook her head and sighed. “Why?”
“It’s not convenient to move in a long dress.”
Lu Qiming was injured, and right now, she was the main labor force. She had to do all the heavy work.
The long dress looked beautiful, but how could she carry boxes while wearing it?
Never mind.
Jiang Miaomiao walked out with regret and said, “Below are regular brands. Let’s find some T-shirts and sportswear.”
Her shoes were soaked too, so she needed to grab several pairs of shoes.
However, Lu Qiming didn’t follow her out; he hopped around inside with one foot.
Jiang Miaomiao waited for a while but didn’t see him coming out. She went back and found that he had brought several large bags and put all the nice clothes, shoes, and bags in them.
She was astonished. “What are you doing?”
“Beautiful things should be kept for appreciation. Leaving them here will also be flooded by water, so why not take them away?”
As he spoke, he stuffed another pair of high heels into the bag. Jiang Miaomiao looked at him in shock but after a few seconds, she also started moving, putting her favorites into bags to take away.
She ran up and down between the fourth and fifth floors, carrying back more than a dozen sets of clothes.
Finally, the two of them went down to the third floor and found some lightweight clothes and shoes.
The water had risen to the stairs on the third floor, and Jiang Miaomiao held several bags, looking at the abundant goods, feeling a pang of heartache.
So many things, being submerged like this. How much resources and labor had been spent to create them?
The makers of these products, who knows how many of them were still alive in this world?
“Miaomiao, hurry up.”
Lu Qiming stopped and called her.
She turned her gaze away and hurried a few steps to catch up.
Above the fifth floor were office areas, and many company headquarters were located here.
They were physically exhausted and afraid of encountering zombies they couldn’t deal with. So, they temporarily stopped searching and found a small company nearby. After checking it to ensure there was no danger, they closed the door and rested inside.
In the CEO’s office, there was a comfortable large sofa, and Lu Qiming lay down to rest. He wanted to take out cigarettes to smoke, but his pocket was empty.
A pack of cigarettes flew over and landed in his arms. Jiang Miaomiao said, “Smoke less; if you get lung cancer, no one can save you.”
He smiled. “I only smoke half a pack a day.”
“Half a pack is still a lot, you know? If you switch to candy, you’d have high blood sugar by now, and you’re making me and Meatball inhale second-hand smoke. It’s not a problem for me, but Meatball is still so small, and it’s all your fault.”
Lu Qiming had no words to respond and had to put the cigarette case away and not smoke.
Jiang Miaomiao squatted on the ground, inspecting the contents of the bags. Hearing him sigh continuously, she helplessly turned back.
“Go ahead and smoke; we’ll worry about other things once your injury heals.”
It was difficult to endure without something to comfort herself when her body was in so much pain.
Lu Qiming was as happy as a 160-pound child. He took out a cigarette and praised her endlessly. “Our Miaomiao is beautiful, sensible, and so caring. In the future, she will definitely find a good man.”
Jiang Miaomiao blushed and scolded him, “Who’s looking for a good man? You’re nuts! Stop talking nonsense.”
He shrugged, smoked, and looked as comfortable as a fairy.
She turned her head back, deciding not to pay attention to him, and lowered her head to look at the clothes. However, her mind couldn’t help but wander.
Lu Qiming was handsome and tall. Although he could be annoying at times, he had an acceptable personality.
Most importantly, he was strong and capable of doing physical work, which completely met her current requirements for a boyfriend.
Also, there was no one else around them to choose from. If they kept living, when it came time to choose a marriage partner, would they have to choose each other?
Would they have a boy or a girl? What would they look like?
Lu Qiming had a high nose, which would be good-looking if inherited by a boy. But his pointed chin and facial shape would also look good if inherited by a girl.
She liked girls; if they really had a girl, whose surname should the child take?
She didn’t like her own surname. If the child took Lu’s surname, what name should they give her?
She squatted on the ground, holding her chin, and thought of several names, but none were satisfactory.
Just as she was lost in thought, Lu Qiming called her. When she turned back, she said, “Your surname is not easy to name someone.”
Lu Qiming: “???”
Jiang Miaomiao withdrew her gaze, covered her face, and howled.
Lu Qiming didn’t know what crazy idea she was having again, but he was already used to it and asked, “Where’s the food?”
She directly handed him a box and looked at his dirty T-shirt and boxer shorts. “I got you some clothes too.”
After saying that, she brought over a big bag and took out a brand-new plaid suit from inside.
It was from Armani, and he had a good figure. He would definitely look handsome wearing it.
Lu Qiming laughed, pointing to his nose, “Are you giving it to me?”
“Yes.”
“My legs can’t even bend; how can I wear it?”
“Then keep it until your injury heals. There will be a chance.”
“Alright, I’ll take your good wishes.”
He reached out to take it but suddenly said, “Or maybe you should keep it to give to your future boyfriend…”
Jiang Miaomiao interrupted him fiercely, “If you say those three words again, I won’t take care of you anymore!”
“…Okay, I won’t say it. Why are you so fierce?”
He grumbled while packing away the bag and then lay on the sofa, rummaging through the box for something to eat.
Jiang Miaomiao happened to see his perfectly curved buttocks. Her hard-earned composure was disrupted again, and she quickly averted her gaze.
After Lu Qiming finished his meal, he rested, but Jiang Miaomiao couldn’t sleep. She held Jiang Rou Rou in her arms and searched the office to see if there were any useful items.
The office belonged to a trading company, not very large, with about thirty to forty people.
Several walls divided the company into different sections: a large office that could accommodate dozens of people, several separate small offices, and a pantry.
The offices were equipped with standard office supplies such as printers, computers, paper, and pens.
But each desk had its little secrets.
Jiang Miaomiao saw many family photos, couple pictures, and sticky notes stuck beside computer screens with powerful handwriting that read, “Opportunity will definitely come earlier than death.”
She noticed that every desk had coffee and tea bags. Some positions clearly belonged to females, neatly organized with spare lipstick and shoes in the drawers.
Others were messy, hiding favorite car photos, action figure models, and even small engagement rings kept in boxes.
She closed her eyes and could imagine what they looked like when they were busy.
They were so full of life, making it feel like a dream now.
The snow-white walls were stained with many horrifying bloodstains, and the scene of the outbreak of zombies must have been terribly tragic.
Jiang Miaomiao sighed and returned to the CEO’s office. She opened the desk drawer and found something good.
It was a very expensive and useful electric shaver.
She glanced at Lu Qiming, who was still fast asleep, with a faint stubble growing on his chin.
She secretly hid the shaver, planning to give him a little surprise when he woke up.
Outside the window, the rain was still falling, and the city had turned into an ocean.
Only here, in this office, was a temporarily safe haven.
Leave a Reply