Chapter 6: Bountiful Harvest

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Bountiful Harvest

An hour and a half seemed to fly by as Xu Mo focused on his planning. Outside, the sky gradually darkened, and the light in the room grew dim. Xu Mo stood up and stretched his body, which had grown a bit stiff from sitting for so long. Feeling that his stamina was much fuller than before, his gaze became sharp and determined.

Regardless of whether the "familiar" home lay behind the door, he had to seize these sixty seconds and fight for a more secure future—for his very survival.

00:02:10

As the countdown approached zero, Xu Mo walked to the security door. He placed his palm lightly on the cold metal panel, like a patient hunter, quietly waiting for the moment to strike.

The countdown in his mind, like a fuse burning to its end, finally reached its conclusion—00:00:00!

A gleam flashed in Xu Mo’s eyes. Without any hesitation, he applied slight pressure with the hand already resting on the door and shouted inwardly:

’Open!’

A faint light shimmered, and the scene behind the door suddenly changed—

Xu Mo took one look, and his heart sank.

’It’s not the same home as last time.’

His hopes were instantly dashed, his meticulously planned scavenging run now useless. Behind the door was a completely different room layout, and... it was a bit of a mess.

Time wouldn’t allow for disappointment; the sixty-second countdown had already begun ticking away relentlessly! He shot inside like a cheetah, his gaze sweeping around like radar. He had to re-evaluate the worth of this new environment in the shortest time possible.

This was a typical apartment, filled with an otaku aesthetic. The walls were covered in colorful anime posters, and several exquisitely crafted figurine display cases hung on them, though he couldn’t name any of the characters. The bookshelf was stuffed with manga and light novels. On the desk, besides the computer monitor, were piles of model kits and painting tools.

A faint, lingering smell of food hung in the air. Xu Mo’s eyes quickly locked onto the computer desk—which also served as a dining table and a workstation. There was a takeout container with half-eaten egg fried rice, and next to it, a disposable box holding a few leftover duck necks and braised chicken feet. But what really made his gaze harden were several blister packs of capsules and instant drink packets scattered near the keyboard, as well as a heavy-looking, waist-high cardboard box by the leg of the desk.

Xu Mo’s brain made a swift judgment: food, medicine, and that unknown cardboard box!

Action came faster than thought. Xu Mo rushed to the computer desk first, sweeping the blister packs of medicine into his hand with one motion. A quick glance—amoxicillin capsules! The exact antibiotic he desperately needed! There was also a box of Lianhua Qingwen granules. Xu Mo was ecstatic. ’With this medicine, my sickness can probably be cured.’

Next, Xu Mo’s target shifted to the two large bottles of cola. One was already open and about half-drunk, while the other was completely intact, its label pristine. In the apocalypse, high-sugar carbonated drinks were excellent for quickly replenishing energy, and an unbroken seal meant they were perfectly safe. He unhesitatingly grabbed the unopened large bottle of cola. Its substantial weight felt reassuring.

By now, twenty seconds had passed.

Xu Mo’s gaze fell back on the half-open cardboard box. It seemed to be stuffed to the brim. A thought flashed through his mind like lightning—’A container.’

Xu Mo bent down and yanked open the box’s lid with his free hand.

The sight before him made his heart race—the box was neatly packed with all sorts of vacuum-sealed snacks: beef jerky, nuts, cookies, and several packs of vacuum-sealed braised meats.

These were all high-energy, easily stored, top-quality supplies.

A clear plan formed in his mind instantly. Xu Mo steadily placed the large bottle of cola in his hand into the box. Then, he hurried back to the desk, swept several unopened packs of braised meats into the box, and grabbed the other half-full bottle of cola as well.

Forty seconds.

All the valuable supplies that could be quickly obtained were now collected in the cardboard box. Xu Mo’s gaze, like the most precise scanner, swept across the room again, not missing a single corner. There was still no sign of a backpack. ’It seems the owner of this room didn’t keep their backpack in an obvious place.’

Just as Xu Mo was about to give up, his eyes fell on the slightly messy bed. An idea struck him. He strode forward, and without bothering to sort them out, he grabbed and rolled the bedsheet, along with the comforter and pillowcase on top of it, into a bundle. Although it was bulky, clean textiles were just as precious in the apocalypse—they could be used for warmth, to filter water, or even as emergency bandages.

He stuffed the bundle of bedding on top of the already overflowing box, then used both hands to heave the entire thing off the ground.

’Heh, this is actually pretty heavy.’

The weight of the box itself, combined with the dense snacks, braised meats, and cola inside, plus the bulky bedding on top, made it quite an effort for him to carry, but it was still within his ability to move. He adjusted his breathing and his grip on the box to stabilize his center of gravity.

00:55

The countdown reminded him that time was almost up.

Xu Mo no longer hesitated. Cradling the bulky but hope-filled box, he stepped steadily across the shimmering threshold.

The moment both his feet were firmly back on the floor of his apocalyptic room, the glowing doorway behind him dissipated silently like smoke scattered by the wind, reverting to the cold, hard, ordinary security door.

THUD.

Xu Mo carefully placed the heavy cardboard box on the floor and couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief. Beads of sweat had already formed on his temples. The intense concentration and physical exertion were a significant burden, even for someone whose body was in the process of recovering.

He looked down at his spoils: on the very top was the rolled-up clean bedding. Lifting the bedding revealed the tightly packed snacks, braised meats, and the two crucial 1.5-liter bottles of cola underneath. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the life-saving blister packs of amoxicillin and the cold-remedy granules, and carefully placed them on the box.

Although he hadn’t found the ideal backpack, this sturdy cardboard box and the unexpected bedding had far exceeded his expectations. The acquisition of antibiotics, in particular, gave him great peace of mind.

Xu Mo leaned against the wall and sat down. While resting to recover his strength, he began to carefully sort and categorize his new supplies.

Medicine:

Three blister packs of amoxicillin capsules

One box of Lianhua Qingwen granules

Beverages:

One 1.5-liter bottle of cola (unopened)

One 1.5-liter bottle of cola (opened, approx. 60% remaining)

Twelve bottles of mineral water (they were at the bottom of the box, no wonder it felt so heavy when Xu Mo carried it)

Food (in the cardboard box):

Ten packs of vacuum-sealed beef jerky

Six individually-wrapped packs of nuts

Five individually-wrapped packs of cookies

A total of 25 packs of vacuum-sealed braised chicken legs and duck necks

Household Items:

One insulated mug

One bedsheet, one comforter, one pillow.

Containers:

One sturdy cardboard box

Looking at the dazzling array of supplies before him, the first truly relaxed smile in days finally appeared on Xu Mo’s face. Although there were some twists and turns, the haul from this "door opening" was immense. Not only did it solve his most urgent need for medicine, but his food and water reserves were also greatly replenished, and he even got the unexpected bonus of bedding.

Xu Mo carefully sorted and stored the supplies. He paid special attention to the half-full bottle of cola, tightening its cap securely and setting it apart from the other items to prevent spills. After finishing all this, Xu Mo felt an unprecedented sense of security. The foundation of his survival was being solidified, bit by bit.

’Thank you, otaku culture,’ Xu Mo thought gratefully.