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"Ahh!"A sharp, searing pain shot through Natalie Ashford's wrists, and she collapsed to the ground. Her most trusted friends had just hacked off both her hands. The emerald bracelet on her wrist clattered heavily to the floor, yet not a scratch marred its surface. Braxton White snatched it up with a greedy and triumphant grin. "Nat, since you still refuse to be mine, then you don't get to live." Tiffany Quinn, the woman clinging to his arm, snorted. "Braxton, she brought this on herself. She deserves to die! "If we'd known her father was so heartless that he wouldn't even spare her a slice of bread, we would've acted sooner. We wouldn't have starved this long." Natalie lay sprawled on the cold ground, staring at her two companions in disbelief—companions who had survived four long years of apocalyptic disaster by her side. They had fought together and endured hardship to stay alive. "What are you looking at?" Tiffany let go of Braxton's arm, gripped a boning knife, and stalked toward Natalie with malice. "The first time I saw your pretty little face, I wanted to carve it to pieces!" The blade came down next. Natalie had already lost too much blood to fight back. Pain consumed her, swallowing her consciousness bit by bit. She could feel her life slipping away into the dark. In her fading awareness, she heard Tiffany's sickly sweet voice. "Braxton, we've got meat for tonight!" At that moment, regret hit her like a tidal wave. How could she have been so blind? How had she not seen these beasts for what they were? Four years of battling through an apocalypse, only to be betrayed by the very people she trusted most. It was too bitter to accept. If she could live again, she would never spare them. ... "Ahh!" Another sharp cry tore from her lips as Natalie jolted awake, sitting bolt upright in bed. She blinked, taking in her surroundings—and froze. This is the place I had lived in before the apocalypse. But ... hadn't Braxton and Tiffany killed me? Warmth surrounded her. She hadn't felt something like this in the past four years since the disaster struck. She quickly grabbed the phone on her nightstand. The date flashed on the screen—July 8th, 2039. It's three days before the apocalypse! What? No way! I died in 2043! On July 11th, 2039, a torrential rainstorm swept across the globe. Within days, cities were swallowed by floodwaters, and countless lives were lost. At first, everyone thought it was just another natural disaster. They were wrong. It was the prologue to the apocalypse. The storms were followed by more horrors—floods, blistering heat, acid rain, choking fog, earthquakes, and freezing winters. One after another, the extremes tore the world into a living hell. For four years, Natalie had fought tooth and nail to survive. Even at her death, the disasters had not ended. And now ... she was reborn. She was back to three days before it all began. Natalie's heart surged with wild joy. Her gaze dropped instantly to her wrist. The emerald bracelet was still there. If not for this bracelet, she would never have survived her first year in the apocalypse. Without hesitation, she bit the tip of her right finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the cool green stone. A flash of white light flared, and an 8,600-square-foot storage space took shape in her mind. One side was a vast, empty expanse. The other held a bungalow of about 650 square feet. Relief washed through her. The storage space had been reborn with her. In her previous life, she was injured and bleeding after a neighbor broke into her home to rob her. A drop of her blood fell onto the bracelet, accidentally unlocking the storage space. She had discovered that anything she touched could be stored inside. The bungalow had running water, electricity, and gas. It was a perfect hiding place during emergencies. But it only allowed her to stay for one hour a day before ejecting her out. Outside the bungalow lay the rest of the storage space. No living creatures could enter; only objects could be stored through her consciousness. In this part of the storage space, time stood still, keeping any stored food fresh. In her previous life, whenever danger struck, she would take Braxton and Tiffany into the small bungalow inside the storage space, and that was how they managed to survive four years of the apocalypse. The storage space was like a cheat sheet for surviving the end of the world. Unfortunately, by the time she had unlocked it in that life, the apocalypse had already been raging for a long time. Not only did she have almost no supplies, but nearly everyone had run out of food and ammunition. There was hardly anything left to store. She could only roam from place to place with Braxton and Tiffany, scavenging for supplies. Whatever they managed to find, she would stash away in the storage space to keep it out of other people's hands. That was the only way they barely managed to stay alive. Tiffany had been her university classmate, and after graduation, they'd coincidentally moved into the same building. Braxton was Tiffany's older cousin. He had pursued Natalie relentlessly after they met. Although Natalie had made her rejection clear, he still persisted in trying to win her over. When disaster struck, they had naturally banded together since they knew each other already. Little by little, Natalie had come to see them as comrades who fought side by side with her. She never imagined they had only approached her because they'd heard about her wealthy family. They had hoped to use her to get survival supplies from her father. Unfortunately for them, her scumbag father, Jacob Ashford, was no doting parent. He was a cold, calculating social climber. In her senior year, her mother had died suddenly of heart failure. Jacob immediately revealed his true colors once he inherited her mother's billion-dollar fortune and the company. He brought home a mistress and his illegitimate daughter, who was about Natalie's age. Natalie's grieving grandmother was so infuriated that she passed away. Then, without a shred of guilt, he disowned Natalie and threw her out of the villa. Her only refuge had been the condominium unit her mother had bought her in Maplecourt. But while she was still drowning in sorrow, disaster struck. Jacob's villa sat on high ground, and the wealthy residents there had stockpiled massive stores of supplies during the first storms. They lived far better than the starving millions outside. After struggling for a long time, with her food and ammunition completely gone, Natalie led Braxton and Tiffany through countless dangers to reach the hillside villa, hoping her scumbag father would save her. However, Jacob was as cruel as ever. He hoarded his food and guarded his new wife and daughter, refusing to give her even a single slice of bread. He didn't care in the slightest whether she lived or died. The moment Braxton and Tiffany realized she was no longer of use, they dropped their masks and tried to take the storage space bound to her bracelet. In the end, they even dismembered her. What they didn't know was that once the bracelet recognized its master through blood, it became permanently bound to Natalie. Even if they stole it, the storage space would remain out of their reach. This time, I will see just how long they can last without my storage space, Natalie thought with bitter resolve. As much as she wanted to hunt the two of them down and take her revenge, stocking up on survival supplies was more important right now. There were only three days left before disaster struck, and there was a lot to prepare. Braxton and Tiffany could rot in the ruins. That would be a better punishment than a quick death. As for Jacob, Natalie had died a miserable death in her previous life, and she no longer owed him anything. Natalie's heart was as cold as ice. I will let him face the apocalypse blind and unprepared. Let's see how long his precious supplies keep him alive. This time, she would only look out for herself. She would cherish this second chance and live freely, even in the apocalypse. Then, she picked up her phone and checked her bank account. She had exactly one million dollars. Fortunately, Jacob hadn't seized all her allowance when he kicked her out. In her previous life, that money had turned into meaningless numbers on a dead screen. This time, she would turn every cent into supplies. She would make sure every dollar counted. Chapter 2 Hoarding Supplies Time was running short. Natalie quickly typed a stockpiling checklist into her phone's notes app, then rushed out the door. In the neighborhood, elderly residents strolled in small groups, chatting leisurely. Young couples strolled hand in hand beneath the shade of the trees, their faces aglow with happiness. Natalie couldn't help but sigh. How long had it been since she'd seen such peaceful and harmonious scenes? Sadly, in just a few days, such beauty would vanish forever. She quickened her pace and headed straight to a nearby rental lot, where she hired a small cargo truck. Without delay, she drove to the largest farmers' wholesale market in Northlorn. Her first stop was the grain and oil section to stock up on staple foods. In a disaster, as long as a person had enough basic food and water, they could survive indefinitely. She bought 500 bags of pasta, each weighing 50 pounds, 300 bags of assorted flour, and 1,000 pounds each of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn, as well as 500 pounds of mixed beans and 500 pounds of oats, buckwheat, and other grains. This was enough staple food to feed a family of three for 70 years. Although Natalie lived alone, she bought more than she needed. The extra could be traded later for other critical items. In the apocalypse, food was currency. During the late stages of flooding, even a bag of moldy rice could be exchanged for a young girl's night of companionship. Fresh vegetables and fruit, however, could not be used for trade—especially when her storage space kept everything fresh. Trading fresh greens after several years of apocalypse would only raise suspicion. She had learned her lesson. In this life, no one could ever know the secret of her storage space. After stocking up on staples, she turned to cooking oils, purchasing 500 1.3-gallon bottles of soybean, peanut, corn, sunflower, sesame, and olive oils. Next, she headed to the seasoning aisle, where she bought 600 pounds of salt and 300 pounds of various sugars. She also picked up 158 gallons of different sauces and cooking wine, plus an additional 158 gallons of various vinegars. Then, she grabbed 300 pounds of chicken stock, MSG, chili powder, black pepper, and other assorted spices. Finally, she stocked up on a generous assortment of seasoning blends for fondue, barbecue rubs, meat marinades, and a wide range of sauces. Each load was driven to an uninhabited area on the outskirts of town, away from surveillance cameras, and stored in her storage space. It took her eight or nine trips before she finally cleared the purchases. Natalie was about to head for the meat and vegetable section when her stomach suddenly growled. She realized she'd been so focused on buying supplies all morning that she hadn't eaten a single bite. As someone who had starved through the apocalypse, she instantly decided that filling her stomach came first. Nearby, a lively food street buzzed with activity—fried chicken shops, milkshake stands, barbecue joints, spicy cuisine eateries, Cajun seafood spots, and pasta houses lined the bustling avenue. This wasn't just a street of restaurants—it was something she had longed for every day through four years of hell. She picked the place with the most variety and walked inside. She ordered roast turkey, baked tofu nuggets, honey-glazed bacon, grilled fish, bourbon-glazed pork belly, Caesar salad, peri-peri chicken, grilled peas, and wild mushroom soup. It shocked the waitress. "Miss, you're ordering all this for yourself?" Natalie kept a calm face. "I'm treating my friends. They're not here yet. Just serve the food when it's ready." The dishes came quickly. They were perfectly balanced in flavor and texture and generous in portion. Half an hour later, Natalie leaned back, rubbing her full stomach in pure satisfaction. God knew how much I missed real food these past few years. In the apocalypse, forget a meal like this—a person would fight tooth and nail just for a mouthful of expired bread. For a long time, she had literally eaten dirt. Not the joke people made online about "being so poor you eat dirt," but actual earth from the ground. It was dry, tasteless, and difficult to swallow. Eating too much could cause constipation lasting days, and many even died from the resulting blockages. Yet, despite all this, going without it meant starving even faster. Natalie understood better than anyone how precious food was, and she waved for the waitress. "My friends aren't coming. Please pack it all up for me." Back at her van, she slipped the takeout boxes into her storage space when no one was looking. Although she wanted to buy more snacks, the wholesale market would close early. She decided to return later that night. She went back to the market and headed straight to the meat and egg section. She bought 8,000 chicken eggs, 4,000 duck eggs, 4,000 goose eggs, and 3,000 quail eggs. Then she stocked up on 500 pounds of pork, 300 pounds each of beef and mutton, along with 500 whole chickens, 500 ducks, and 300 geese—all pre-processed and ready to cook. She also gathered plenty of chicken and duck wings and drummettes, perfect for marinating. Before the apocalypse, her favorite pastime was watching TV while enjoying grilled chicken wings. In this life, she was determined not only to eat well but also to live life to the fullest. Next was seafood. She bought 1,000 assorted fish, 500 pounds of shrimp, 300 pounds of shellfish, along with squid and octopus. With protein supplies secured, she moved on to fruits and vegetables. She purchased 2,000 pounds of leafy greens like spinach, chives, lettuce, and celery; 1,000 pounds of cucumbers, zucchini, and pumpkin; 800 pounds of cabbage for detox; and 1,500 pounds of other vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, bean sprouts, radishes, and green beans. She added 800 pounds of edible mushrooms and fungus and 800 pounds of garlic, ginger, and onion. In the fruit section, she picked her favorites, including apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, tangerines, lemons, peaches, grapes, lychees, watermelons, and cantaloupes, totaling 6,000 pounds. The variety was impressive, even including some out-of-season fruits. She knew that in the future, fresh produce would be scarce or nonexistent, so now was the perfect time to stock up. The entire afternoon, Natalie was locked in a cycle of buying food, loading the van, hauling it away, and storing it. Once the food was done, she drove to the city's largest clothing and general goods wholesale market. There was no need to buy many clothes since her wardrobe at home was already well-stocked. She only needed to get some yearly replacements. In the apocalypse, style didn't matter—comfort and practicality were what counted. She purchased about 300 pieces each of spring, summer, and fall tops, pants, and skirts. For shoes, she bought 300 pairs in total, including sandals, slippers, sneakers, and leather shoes. The real focus was winter gear. When the extreme cold came, thick clothing would be as essential as the flesh on her bones. Since it was summer, winter wear was cheap—many items were half price. Natalie stocked up on down coats, wool sweaters, thick cotton pants, hats, scarves, and gloves, plus heavy boots, snow boots, and thick socks. Lastly came daily necessities. She grabbed plenty of toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, body wash, and laundry detergent. Then, she bought 50 sets each of thick quilts, pillows, sheets, and pillowcases. She added cookware, garbage bags, scissors, lighters, disposable containers, and an assortment of miscellaneous items. Natalie wandered through the market, buying large quantities of whatever she saw. Most importantly, she loaded up a whole truck with essential hygiene products like toilet paper and sanitary pads. Thinking of the swarms of mosquitoes that would come with the scorching heat, she also bought insecticides, mosquito repellents, and clove oil. For the freezing cold, she didn't forget to get hand warmers and hot water bottles. Though she bought everything she could think of, Natalie still felt it wasn't enough. After all, she had only a few days to prepare for the next several decades, and it was impossible to cover everything perfectly. By the time the market was closing, Natalie reluctantly stopped. She organized her purchases and transported them in batches to a remote, uninhabited area, storing everything safely in her storage space. After a long day, Natalie was exhausted. She sat in her van and closed her eyes. Buzz— Her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket. Natalie couldn't help but frown when she read the message on WhatsApp. Chapter 3 Get Lost, You're Blocked Braxton had sent Natalie a message. "Nat, I've moved right across from Tiffany's place. From now on, we're neighbors. "I'm sincerely inviting you over to Unit 801 tomorrow night for a housewarming dinner. I'll cook a few dishes to celebrate." After reading the message, Natalie deleted him from her contacts and blocked him. You people killed me, and now you're inviting me over for a housewarming meal? Where's your shame? I'm counting down the seconds until I get to celebrate your death instead! She took a deep breath. I'm not going to let this filthy man ruin my mood. Chill, calm down—anger makes you sick, and nobody's going to take that sickness for you. Starting the car, she headed back to the food street she had visited earlier that day. She was going to have dinner outside because once the apocalypse came, there'd be no more dining out. She found a barbecue joint and indulged herself, ordering plenty more skewers to take away. She quietly stashed them into her storage space back in the car. Afterward, she bought a milkshake and wandered from shop to shop. She already had enough food stockpiled to survive, but during the apocalypse, she would never get to taste these delicious treats again. Natalie loved cooking and was quite good at it, but some flavors just couldn't be recreated at home—like spicy tomato bisque, pasta, seafood platters, pizza, burgers, cake, stuffed crepes, soup buns, milkshakes, and more. She bought a hundred servings of each favorite. That emptied the last of the money on her card. Natalie did the math. She spent 540,000 dollars at the farmers' market, 280,000 dollars at the clothing wholesaler, 140,000 dollars on various daily necessities, and the rest on snacks. She still hadn't finished stockpiling, and the money had evaporated fast. It wasn't like she'd bought luxury goods, yet a million was gone. But she wasn't worried. An idea for making more money was already forming in her mind. The world had never lacked targets to exploit ... Tomorrow, I'm going after the big fish! By now, the sky was dark and all the shops had closed. It was time for her to go home and rest. Natalie checked the piles of supplies in her storage space and felt a wave of security. Facing a disaster that could last for who knows how long, having ample supplies was her greatest confidence. At this pace, she would have everything on her list before the torrential rains arrived. Natalie drove the car back home after feeling much more at ease. Meanwhile, Braxton had been waiting a long time for Natalie's reply. When nothing came, he sent a smiley face. A single tick popped up, and Brandon was taken aback. Huh? Natalie had never accepted his advances, but because of Tiffany, she'd always been polite with him. Why had she suddenly blocked me? Braxton frowned. What had I done to offend her? No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure it out. His attitude toward Natalie had always been gentle and patient. Though he never succeeded in winning her over, he believed in the power of persistence. Girls were emotional creatures, and sooner or later, he was sure she'd be moved by him. So he had offered warmth, maintained respectful boundaries, and avoided making her uncomfortable. It was troublesome, but he thought it was worth it. The first time he saw Natalie, he thought she was beautiful—not just the typical beauty of a young woman, but she had a kind of noble elegance that only someone from a privileged background could have. Tiffany had told him that the company they were interning at in their senior year belonged to Natalie's family. She might not hold shares or a position yet, but as the only daughter, she would inherit it one day. A modest, low-key heiress with delicate features was his perfect marriage candidate. The more he thought about her, the less willing he was to let go. He immediately called Tiffany. "Tiffany, Natalie blocked me. Can you find out why?" "She blocked you? Why?" "No idea. That's why I'm asking you to check." "Alright, I'll ask." Tiffany hung up in annoyance. Ugh! Natalie is so annoying! Acting all high and mighty just because she's rich! Sure, she's pretty, but her cold, icy attitude isn't attractive at all. In college, while other girls joined art clubs, Natalie chose to train in boxing instead. At 5′7″, she wasn't exactly delicate, and she swung her fists like a prizefighter. There's no way she would be as cute as me! If it weren't for her wealthy background, how could an undergraduate like her be a match for Braxton, who was pursuing his PhD? Braxton was refined, charismatic, and had plenty of girls chasing after him on campus. Yet this bitch doesn't appreciate what she has! Still, Tiffany obediently picked up her phone and sent Natalie a message. Braxton had promised her that once he got together with Natalie, she could climb the social ladder too, and he'd help her find a wealthy husband. Otherwise, she wouldn't have put up with being Natalie's little sidekick. Once she married someone richer than Natalie's family, she'd step on her without hesitation. When Natalie got home, Tiffany's message popped up, "Dear Nat, what are you doing?" So, she's here to dig for information for Braxton, huh? So touching. Natalie snorted and blocked her too without a second thought. Dear Nat? Eww. Throughout college, Tiffany stuck to her side like glue, always calling her "Nat" this and "Nat" that. If she hadn't experienced her previous life, she never would have guessed Tiffany had been jealous from the very first meeting. She's a talented actress! It's a shame that she isn't in the entertainment industry. With both siblings blocked, her phone suddenly felt much cleaner. She couldn't be bothered wasting time on them; the real show was still ahead. After a long day, Natalie turned on some music, soaked in a relaxing bath, and then lay in her comfortable bed for the first time in ages, planning the next day. The top priority was safety. Once the apocalypse hit, she would face not only natural disasters but also dangerous people. Neighbors who once smiled and waved would reveal the darker sides of human nature as resources dwindled. Home invasions and robberies became common. The strong would gang up, and the weak were left to suffer. In her previous life, even with her boxing skills, she had been injured by intruders. This time, she would be prepared. With her plans set, exhaustion pulled her under. Since the looming apocalypse, she hadn't slept this peacefully. There were no worries about society collapsing, neighbors turning hostile, or fear of waking to find armed men breaking in. Moonlight spilled gently across her serene face. Thud, thud, thud! Natalie jolted awake, her four years of post-apocalyptic caution kicking in. She sat up instantly. What's that sound? Listening carefully, it seemed to come from downstairs. It sounded like someone chopping up bones. At this hour? If they wanted ribs, why chop them themselves? Should have ordered takeout. Natalie hated that sound. In the later days of the apocalypse, when food was gone, people started eating corpses. Breaking them down made exactly this noise. Although it was still a time of peace and nothing so terrifying would happen now, hearing that noise made it hard to sleep. After waiting for quite a while, the sound was still going on. Natalie rubbed her goosebumps, put on some clothes, and opened the door to go downstairs. Had there been sounds like this in my previous life? I don't remember noticing at all ... She lived in Unit 1402; by the time she reached downstairs, the door of Unit 1301 was open. Daniel Huxley, sporting a buzzcut, hammered loudly on the door of Unit 1302. "Enough already! It's the middle of the night! Let people sleep!" Inside, everything suddenly went quiet. After a long pause, just as both Daniel and Natalie were about to leave, the door cracked open. A chubby, greasy face peeked out.

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