In the suffocating darkness, Nova held his breath, his body coiled with tension. The soft knock at the door echoed through the silence—delicate, but uneven, almost faint. It was the signal from Lin Yue, their prearranged code to let him know she was back.
Barely moving, Nova shifted the table blocking the door just enough to produce a subtle scraping sound in response.
"Commander, it's me…" Lin Yue's voice was soft but unmistakable.
Nova hesitated, unsure if it was truly her. But after a moment's doubt, he quickly moved the heavy objects away from the door, opening it just enough for her to slip inside. He resealed the barricade immediately after, his priority clear—securing the shelter.
"How did it go? What did you find?" Nova whispered, his voice low.
Lin Yue entered, her movements swift and purposeful. She moved directly toward the bathroom, using the wall for cover. One hand clicked on a tactical flashlight, while the other dropped three full backpacks onto the floor.
"Commander, everything's here!" Lin Yue's voice held a quiet pride as she began to unpack the bags. Inside, Nova could see a solid haul of supplies.
At that moment, a notification chimed in Nova's ear:
[Mission Complete!]
[The explorer has returned with the following supplies:
20 packs of biscuits
35 boxes of chocolate
6 large bags of candy
3 small rolls of toilet paper
3 boxes of painkillers
2 boxes of cold medicine
8 boxes of Huoxiang water
20 cans of assorted fruit and vegetable preserves
20 bags of dried fruits]
[Mission Rating: Excellent!Your shelter has earned 10 survival points.**Survival Points Store unlocked! Use points to buy post-apocalyptic items or enhance character attributes.]
Survival points? Nova raised an eyebrow, glancing at the notification. He'd seen that option in the shelter's data before but hadn't fully understood its importance. It seemed like the more points he accumulated, the stronger his shelter could become. And right now, exploration missions were his only reliable source of survival points.
"Well done," Nova said, giving Lin Yue a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Turn off the light, put some of this in the freezer, and let's eat."
Lin Yue shook her head slightly. "I'm not really hungry."
"You should still eat something," Nova insisted, his gaze flicking to the energy bar above Lin Yue's head. It had dropped from green to yellow, signaling the exhaustion from her eight-hour mission. She needed rest.
Seeing this, Nova abandoned the idea of continuing with the night's exploration. With only one shelter talent available, overexerting her would be risky. Having Lin Yue around was a game-changer, and he couldn't afford to wear her out.
By 10 PM, they managed a simple meal, opening two cans to replenish their nutrition. Then, Lin Yue suggested reinforcing the shelter's defenses—setting up traps and early warning systems.
Nova agreed immediately. After all, having a professional soldier handle the setup was far better than trying to do it himself.
As Lin Yue worked, Nova helped where he could. "What else do you need? Let me know, and I'll try to get it for you."
"I still need nylon ropes, more knives, and some regular supplies like chili powder," Lin Yue responded carefully, knowing the shelter's situation. She wasn't asking for anything unreasonable.
"I'll get those for you," Nova replied, nodding.
He opened the trade platform and began looking for the items she needed. Ever since the platform had been introduced, people from all over the city had been trading everything from food and water to even used sanitary pads. It had become a vital lifeline.
Nova used some of his perishable food and a bottle of ice water to buy the supplies Lin Yue requested. Just as he was about to close the platform, a new offer caught his eye.
[Police equipment available for trade—exchange with food and water. Interested parties, please reply.]
Police equipment? The seller had to be from the police station!
Without wasting any time, Nova sent a trade request with a note:
"I'm Cold Water Brother, still have 3 bottles of ice water. Do you have handguns or bullets? Grenades would work too!"
The seller's response came quickly—but with a rejection:
"Hello Cold Water Brother, we need food and water in larger quantities. Your 3 bottles are a start, but we can only offer a 54 handgun and 10 rounds of ammo—enough to protect yourself until rescue comes."
Rescue? Nova's brow furrowed. It seemed the seller was still holding out hope for the city's salvation, the mentality of a survivor waiting for outside help. A hopeful mentality—a little bit naive, but still hanging on.
Nova considered the offer. It wasn't a firm no—more like a negotiation to get better terms. The seller was clearly hesitant to part with too many weapons, likely worried about weapon recovery and the social implications post-disaster.
Turning to Lin Yue, who was still busy reinforcing the defenses, Nova asked quietly, "What type of ammo does your gun use?"
"CZ75 submachine gun," Lin Yue replied, not looking up. "The magazine's been modified to hold 20 rounds. It uses 9×19mm handgun ammo."
Nova made a mental note of it, then responded to the seller's offer:
"3 bottles of ice water, 100 rounds of 9×19mm ammo."
The seller replied almost instantly, a touch of confusion in his message:
"Cold Water Brother, who are you? How do you have firearms? Are you one of my comrades? I can't give you that many rounds. I can only offer 20 rounds."
Nova didn't answer directly. Instead, he offered a counter:
"Add 10 bags of biscuits, 100 rounds of ammo."
The seller was more confused than ever, but agreed:
"Are you sure? Alright, 50 rounds. That's the best I can do."
Nova stood firm:
"Add a box of painkillers, a box of cold medicine, and a box of Huoxiang water. 100 rounds of ammo."
The seller hesitated, but finally, the deal was struck. Nova received 100 rounds of fresh ammo, and the platform processed the trade, deducting 10% of his supplies.
It was worth it.
Nova looked at the two small boxes of ammo and smiled. "Lin Yue, did you use any ammo today? How much is left?"
"Commander, I've been saving it. I didn't use the gun today. There are 60 rounds left."
"Here, take these 100 rounds," Nova said, handing over the boxes. "Don't hold back. Use them if needed. It's a pity I couldn't get more magazines. I'll figure out how to buy more next time."
"Thank you, Commander!" Lin Yue's eyes lit up at the sight of the ammo. She quickly took the boxes, understanding that her weapon and ammunition were now crucial to their survival.
Feeling a sense of relief, Nova smiled. "Lin Yue, let me help you with the traps."
But just as they started to relax, a sudden, deafening crash rang out from outside, followed by a blinding flash of an explosion.
BOOM!
The sound was like a missile striking the earth, and for a split second, the night sky was lit up as though it were day.