77: Last hot pot meal

The helicopter's loudspeaker repeated the evacuation notice.

Jiang Fei contacted her teammates via walkie-talkie, asking them to come to 2202 for a meeting.

Lu Yu and the others quickly arrived.

“Everyone is evacuating the day after tomorrow. It’s bound to be chaotic. We have a lot of supplies, so let’s load our luggage tonight.”

“Water, food, weapons, medicine, daily necessities—take enough for yourselves, at least a week’s worth.”

“I’ve found reliable friends. When we leave, they will come upstairs and deliver the remaining supplies to the Safety Shelter.”

Jiang Fei lied without batting an eye.

She could secretly put the supplies her teammates couldn't take into the Supermarket warehouse, but without a suitable reason to bring them out, she could only invent friends.

Xiao Chuxia’s eyes sparkled: “Miss is so thoughtful! Now I don’t have to feel bad about the supplies we’re leaving behind!”

Ling Zhaorui: “With Sister Jiang’s friends, I won’t pack so many things into my bag. The zipper is almost broken.”

Su Liuyuan looked expectant: “Sister, dear sister, can your friends go to the deserted mountain villa and bring out my supplies?”

“No.”

She didn’t have the ability to be in two places at once, nor could she teleport, so she couldn't go there.

Su Liuyuan was saddened.

Lu Yu’s lips twitched, wanting to say something, but he remained silent.

Only after everyone had left to reorganize their luggage did he speak: “I have some dangerous items at home that need to be handled with care. Can your friends safely take them away?”

“What dangerous items?” Jiang Fei followed Lu Yu to 2203, puzzled.

Seeing the neatly arranged weapons in the second bedroom—rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles, mini pistols—Jiang Fei didn't feel they were dangerous.

Turning her head, Lu Yu pulled out a wooden box.

Inside was a rocket launcher and two shells.

“...Are you planning an attack?”

Lu Yu looked innocent: “The rats that Dark Night is responsible for hunting number over a thousand. I made extra preparations just in case.”

2203 was indeed an armory.

“My friend’s car is very stable and can transport a rocket launcher.”

With Jiang Fei’s assurance, Lu Yu felt relieved and went to pack his luggage.

Late at night.

The people in Building A were already asleep. Jiang Fei and Lu Yu went downstairs first, driving the pickup truck and MPV they had hidden earlier to the community entrance.

“You use the walkie-talkie to call Chu Xia and the others down to load their luggage. I still have another car hidden, and I’m going to get it now.”

After saying that, Jiang Fei got out of the pickup truck and walked away.

Once she confirmed no one was around, she retrieved the heavy-duty off-road RV—the Unimog—from the Supermarket warehouse.

The car had a bathroom for washing and showering, and the beds and sofa area could sleep four or five adults.

Even if they left Yulan Garden, she wanted to live comfortably, otherwise, finding the car would have been pointless.

After filling it with fuel, Jiang Fei drove the car back.

As soon as she got out of the car, a dark, shadowy figure rushed over, and Jiang Fei quickly dodged.

Su Liuyuan was practically sprawled on the car door, his excitement uncontrollable: “The King of Off-Road, the Unimog! And it’s the latest model RV! Where did you get it?!”

“A friend gave it to me.” Jiang Fei shifted the blame to a non-existent person.

Ling Zhaorui, who didn’t understand cars, curiously asked Su Liuyuan: “Is this car very powerful?”

“Of course! Snow, sand, wilderness—as long as it’s not in the sea, there’s nowhere the Unimog can’t go!”

“Moreover, this car is so sturdy it’s bulletproof, and it’s not only insulated but also keeps warm.”

“It’s no exaggeration to say that with the current outdoor temperature of minus fifty degrees Celsius, you wouldn’t need to turn on the heater inside the car.”

“I’ve always wanted to buy this latest model, but unfortunately, it was never released.” Su Liuyuan turned to Jiang Fei, smiling like a pug.

“Sister, can I drive this car around once to get a feel for it?”

Jiang Fei: “When we depart.”

Driving it now would be too ostentatious and noticeable.

Su Liuyuan happily went to load the car.

Each person only brought one backpack and one box of supplies, so the MPV was perfectly sufficient.

Jiang Fei packed Big Yellow’s supplies into the RV.

The cat villa was two meters high and couldn't be disassembled, so Jiang Fei replaced it with a small cage for the litter box.

In case of an emergency, Big Yellow could also be locked inside.

The RV’s cabin and driver’s compartment were separated by a separate bar door.

Normally, Big Yellow roamed freely in the car, so there was no fear of him messing with the main driver.

After loading everyone’s luggage, Jiang Fei and the others returned upstairs, removed the electric doors from the 21st and 22nd floors, and placed them in 2101.

The excuse was that her friends would deliver them to the Safety Shelter for use.

“You all go back and rest for a bit. Come to 2202 for a late-night snack in half an hour. Remember to call Xu Qianyao and Grandma Xu as well.”

Jiang Fei went home to prepare the hotpot utensils and ingredients.

The side dishes chosen were the familiar cabbage, crown daisy, radish, rapeseed, and also packaged bamboo shoots and sweet potato noodles.

The meat selection was richer than before, with lamb rolls, beef rolls, chicken rolls, and black fish slices, three large plates of each.

There were also two large bags of chilled squid, octopus, prawns, and scallops.

Since there were many people today, Jiang Fei used three gas stoves for the hotpot, and there were also three types of soup bases: spicy butter, savory mushroom, and sweet and sour tomato.

For drinks, she chose hawthorn juice, apple juice, and green tea.

Not wanting to hear Xiao Chuxia and Ling Zhaorui wailing, Jiang Fei didn't take any alcohol.

As usual, all items were made to look old.

The last hotpot meal at Yulan Garden had to be a good one.

After all, they might never return.

Jiang Fei was almost done when Lu Yu and the others arrived.

Old Mrs. Xu carried two bags of dried fruit and was stunned when she saw the food on the living room table: “Little Jiang, it’s not like we’re not going to live past today, are we?”

Xu Qianyao was also shocked: “You said we’d just have a simple late-night snack, but this is too extravagant…”

“These things will spoil without a refrigerator, and we can’t take them with us anyway, so we might as well eat them.”

Jiang Fei, uncharacteristically, made a joke: “But they’ve been stored for a bit long, so don’t blame me if you get an upset stomach.”

“Then I’m willing!” Su Liuyuan eagerly invited Old Mrs. Xu to sit down, and only then did he pick up his chopsticks.

“We’re leaving Yulan Garden the day after tomorrow. I hope we arrive safely in Qingyang City. Cheers!”

Xiao Chuxia raised her cup for a toast.

With hotpot and friends, a subtle smile spread across Jiang Fei’s lips.

If the apocalypse could end sooner, that would be even better.

—

On the day of departure.

At 5 AM, Feng Chenlu and Xiao Jia began waking survivors door-to-door, notifying them to gather downstairs.

Xu Qianyao had already left before dawn, taking Old Mrs. Xu to the car early, fearing that he might be too busy later to attend to her.

Jiang Fei and the others had also woken up early and gathered in 2202 for breakfast.

Corn and pork rib noodle soup, delicious and warming.

“You all go down and start the cars first. I still have a few things to pack. I’ll come find you after I’m done.”

After her teammates left with Big Yellow, Jiang Fei put the generator and heater from 2202 into the Supermarket warehouse.

Immediately after, she went to 2201, 2203, 2101, and 2103 to collect items.

As for the rat meat and official brand meat patties, Jiang Fei didn't touch them.

They had plenty of food, so there was no need to torment their taste buds. She would leave them for any future survivors who might come here.

After another check to ensure nothing was left behind, Jiang Fei went downstairs.

Downstairs was packed with a dense crowd of people.

Some carried suitcases, others lugged urea bags, pots, pans, and bowls.

“Who stepped on my foot?!”

“My basin fell on the ground! Move aside! My grandpa left this for me!”

“Why are you pushing?! It’s not like they won’t let you get on the car!”

The scene was no less chaotic than a Spring Festival travel rush.

Jiang Fei struggled with all her might and squeezed to the community entrance.

Outside, on the icy road, military trucks were parked one after another, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Armed soldiers stood outside each truck to prevent survivors from climbing directly onto the vehicles without following rules.

“Miss! Over here!”

Xiao Chuxia stood on the wall, waving at Jiang Fei.

The wall of Yulan Garden was very high; even half-frozen, it was still about two meters tall.

Jiang Fei painstakingly made her way over, climbed onto the wall, and felt her breathing become easier.

“Where are Lu Yu and the others?”