31: A thrilling scene

"Shi Xu, you're not trying to sell me, are you?"

Su Mianmian turned her head to look at the dense forest outside, feeling that if Shi Xu abandoned her here, she would never find her way out.

She had to admit, it was really a bit eerie here.

This was in broad daylight; if it were night, Su Mianmian felt they could shoot a movie here.

She thought of those ghosts and couldn't help but shiver.

When Shi Xu glanced at her, he saw her body shiver.

"Are you cold?"

"Do you want me to turn up the air conditioning?"

After Shi Xu finished speaking, he reached out to adjust the air conditioning.

Su Mianmian stopped him, "No, no, I just thought of some non-existent things."

Shi Xu didn't react at first, but when he did, he looked at Su Mianmian with a complex expression.

That look made Su Mianmian feel her face flush.

The rest of the journey was silent.

Shi Xu drove the car to the warehouse exactly at ten o'clock.

Su Mianmian looked at the large flat ground in front of her, feeling a bit unreal.

So there was still so much flat land on the mountain.

"Mianmian, it's time to collect supplies, what are you still standing there for?"

Shi Xu turned off the monitor, then saw Su Mianmian still standing in place, looking stunned.

He shook his head and couldn't help but call out.

Su Mianmian snapped back to reality and quickly began collecting supplies from each warehouse.

She started very quickly, but then began to feel a bit exhausted.

Shi Xu glanced at the time; it was twelve o'clock.

He stopped Su Mianmian, who was about to head to the next warehouse, and told her to rest.

He then went to the car and brought back two insulated lunchboxes.

One pink, one blue.

Su Mianmian glanced at them, feeling they looked a bit like a couple's set.

She guessed Butler Li must have bought them; Shi Xu didn't seem like the type to buy such things.

Su Mianmian didn't ask further, she took them and started eating.

She was starving.

After Su Mianmian finished eating, she didn't rest any longer, but immediately went to the next warehouse to collect supplies.

By the time she finished collecting from all the warehouses here, it was already two o'clock.

"There aren't many warehouses left, and they won't have as much as this one."

"Get in the car, let's go."

Shi Xu glanced at Su Mianmian, and seeing that she seemed fine, he felt a little relieved.

Su Mianmian nodded and followed him.

This time, the warehouse was in a large wasteland, barren all around with nothing else.

Su Mianmian didn't know how the Shi Family found such desolate warehouses.

She asked and found out that these were all built by the Shi Family themselves long ago.

As expected of the Shi Family, their warehouses were built so secretly.

"Shi Xu, are the remaining warehouses all weapons?" Su Mianmian looked at Shi Xu with curiosity, a little hopeful that his answer would be affirmative.

Most of what they had collected earlier were medicines and medical equipment, so she thought it was highly likely that the rest would be various weapons.

Shi Xu turned his head to look at Su Mianmian, and seeing her expectant expression, he couldn't bear to refute her, but still denied it: "No, the weapons are all abroad. We'll collect weapons when we go abroad to gather supplies."

Su Mianmian was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "...Hmm, that makes sense."

Weapon management abroad was indeed not as strict as domestically, and transporting weapons into the country would be quite dangerous.

Many people were currently watching the Shi Family, and the Shi Family might have considered this when making their decision.

After realizing this, Su Mianmian didn't say anything more.

She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Seeing her close her eyes, Shi Xu reached out and turned off the music.

The car immediately fell silent.

Su Mianmian was woken up by Shi Xu; she groggily opened her eyes and saw Shi Xu's 'offending' hand hadn't been withdrawn yet.

"Shi Xu, next time you wake me up, could you please not pinch my face?"

Su Mianmian rubbed her face, looking helpless.

Why did she feel that Shi Xu had a special fondness for her face?

Su Mianmian looked at Shi Xu with a suspicious expression, her face showing a hint of scrutiny.

Shi Xu smiled and casually agreed.

Su Mianmian was about to get out of the car when Shi Xu pulled her back.

She turned her head to look at him questioningly, only to find him staring straight ahead with a serious expression.

Su Mianmian followed his gaze forward and saw a group of normal-sized rats gnawing on an excessively large rat.

They gnawed very quickly, and in a short while, they scattered in all directions.

"Mianmian, let's get out of the car." Shi Xu withdrew his gaze and turned to Su Mianmian.

Su Mianmian nodded. The situation was unclear now, so it was better to collect the supplies quickly and leave.

This time, the supplies included weapons, mostly cold weapons like daggers and machetes.

Su Mianmian guessed that the ones abroad must be firearms.

She didn't ask further and collected them very quickly.

Shi Xu didn't suggest resting. While Su Mianmian collected supplies inside, he stood guard outside with a serious expression.

Seeing him like this, Su Mianmian couldn't help but feel anxious.

Soon, everything was collected.

As soon as Shi Xu saw her finish, he pulled her towards the car.

The two got into the car. Su Mianmian hadn't even fastened her seatbelt when Shi Xu stepped on the accelerator, and the car quickly sped off.

Su Mianmian turned her head to look at Shi Xu's serious expression, and she silently closed her mouth.

"Mianmian, look at your side mirror," Shi Xu suddenly said.

Su Mianmian took a look, and the next second, cold sweat involuntarily dripped down her back.

Those rats had all come out!

Their bodies had grown as large as the rat that had been gnawed on.

Their eyes were blood-red, and their fur looked like sharp, long needles.

Perhaps because they had just mutated, they only chased their car for a moment before giving up.

Su Mianmian breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't expected the mutation to start so early.

"Shi Xu, it's a good thing they just mutated, otherwise..."

"Mutated rats are even more terrifying than zombies in the apocalypse."

Su Mianmian thought of the mutated rats described in the novel, which could even occupy a small base, and she felt terrified.

"I understand."

"These warehouses can't be used anymore."

Shi Xu didn't slow down. He heard Su Mianmian's words, thought for a moment, and nodded silently.

Su Mianmian nodded. Warehouses were minor, safety was paramount.

The two returned to the villa with grave expressions.

Shi Xu needed to make a call, so Su Mianmian went in first. She was stunned when she saw Father Shi and Mother Shi.

"Mom and Dad, you're here!"

"We just went to collect supplies."

Su Mianmian hadn't expected them to come over. She guessed they probably wanted to ask about the situation.

Mother Shi nodded, walked over, and pulled Su Mianmian to sit on the sofa.

"You've worked hard, Mianmian."

"Did you encounter any danger?"

Mother Shi's question was just a casual inquiry; she didn't think there would be any danger.

Su Mianmian told her about the mutated rats, and she was completely stunned.

"Mutated rats appeared so quickly?"

"This is too terrifying!"

Mother Shi patted her chest, looking frightened.

Seeing her like this, Su Mianmian couldn't help but comfort her: "Mutated rats aren't that scary. We just need to kill their leader, and the rest will scatter on their own."

Upon hearing this, Mother Shi's worry did not lessen.

"The leader shouldn't be that easy to kill, right?"

"It should be very well protected."

"It's better not to encounter mutated rats."

Mother Shi shook her head, her face expressing refusal.

Su Mianmian smiled. Whether they encountered them or not, no one could decide that.

The best approach was to maintain an attitude of fighting whatever came their way.

Su Mianmian was indifferent now; she would kill whatever she encountered.

"Mom, I hope so too."

"But it doesn't matter, if we encounter them, we'll fight."

"Besides mutated rats, there are many other terrifying things in the apocalypse."

"Many things are unavoidable."

Su Mianmian gave Mother Shi a reminder.

Mother Shi pondered the meaning of Su Mianmian's words, and she felt much clearer-headed.

"Mianmian, you're right."

"If we don't encounter this, we'll encounter that. We won't be allowed to live peaceful lives."

"Otherwise, why would it be called the apocalypse?"

Mother Shi's voice was full of laughter, and the casual Zen-like calm in her eyes, Su Mianmian saw this and knew she had come to terms with it.