Chapter 7: Mountain Collapse, Earth Fracture, and Mudslides

The notice immediately sparked an uproar in the Versailles group. Not only had they been trapped in the tourist area due to the torrential rain, and gone hungry for two days without food deliveries, but now they were also being told that supplies would be rationed. This so-called distribution according to need—was it an insult to them, or did someone think they couldn’t afford more?

“I’m coming to the restaurant right now—you must give us an explanation!”

“Are you looking down on me? I have plenty of money!”

“What the hell is this slop? Is this for people?”

“This is disgusting!”

“Didn’t you say supplies were abundant? Why are we being given this?”

The group chat was aflame with complaints, especially from those who had previously thrown the tourist area’s comfort packages into the trash; their curses were the loudest.

Su Miao glanced at the pictures they’d taken of the food currently being served in the restaurant. It didn’t look bad, but the way it was presented—it resembled the boxed meals sold outside, which must have offended their sensibilities.

She herself was not particular about food.

Unable to go to the restaurant, Su Miao took out hotpot base, sauces, and premium beef rolls from her magical storage, ready to make a self-serve hotpot meal using the induction stove in her villa’s kitchen.

In just over ten minutes, juicy beef dipped in mildly spicy sauce entered her mouth, fresh and delicious—a true delight.

While enjoying her hotpot, Su Miao kept an eye on WeChat.

As tempers in the Versailles group rose, Xiaoyan, the customer service representative from the tourist area company, responded again.

“Dear guests, regarding the rationing of supplies: there are currently over 2,500 people in the entire tourist area. During this disaster, we must ensure that everyone trapped has enough materials and food. We ask for your understanding.”

“When will rescue arrive?”

“Dear guests, we have already requested rescue from higher authorities, but there are floods and disasters everywhere. Our area is on higher ground, so we’ll be considered later. Before rescue arrives, please be patient—our current supplies can support everyone here for three months.”

“Damn!”

“How are we supposed to eat this slop for three months?”

“If it weren’t for the rain, I could just get a helicopter here.”

“Mr. Li, you have connections—contact them and see if they can rescue us first.”

“Don’t waste your efforts—no matter what, we’ll have to wait for the torrential rain to stop, and who knows when that will be.”

“True, clearing the mudslides blocking the roads will also take a long time.”

“Forget it, let’s be reasonable.”

“Such bad luck.”

“…”

Bad luck?

Su Miao sipped her hotpot and found herself speechless.

Compared to those in low-lying areas facing the floods and rain directly, the ones staying at the Pan Mountain tourist area were actually very lucky. As long as they didn’t leave the safe zone, they wouldn’t be in any real danger.

But according to the apocalypse prophecies, the rain would last three months, followed by five months of blizzards, seven months of extreme heat, then another three months of blizzards…

That meant the supplies in the tourist area would last for three months, but beyond that, there was no way they’d make it.

No supplies, no food—what would happen then? Su Miao dared not imagine.

She had already seen related videos.

In some cities in North America and Europe, people living close to supermarkets had already resorted to American-style Iaido, emptying entire magazines in food fights.

The battles captured on video were intense. In one clip, a top expert wielding a submachine gun cut down all comers, only to be shot from behind by someone lurking in the shadows after winning a single chocolate bar.

In conditions of extreme food scarcity, similar disasters could happen here.

Terrifying.

She had to prepare in advance.

Su Miao glanced at the umbrella sword lying nearby and decided she would practice fencing every day.

Though she didn’t know martial arts or combat, she had read plenty of wuxia and xianxia novels. All the world’s martial arts are invincible to speed; as long as her sword-drawing and thrusting were fast enough, even if she only mastered this one move, it would grant her a measure of self-defense.

Additionally, she needed to practice the small fireball and waterball spells she’d learned. These bits of magic would be her trump cards for survival.

Su Miao found a notebook and wrote down everything she needed to do.

Suddenly, a thunderous crash outside shook the ground violently.

“Ah!”

Su Miao was knocked to the floor.

The steaming hotpot tumbled off the table, crashing down and spilling broth everywhere.

If that boiling soup had landed on her, she would have been scalded for sure.

But she had no time to think about that.

She was gripped by terror.

What was happening? Was this an earthquake?

Frightened by the sudden event, Su Miao leapt up and ran straight for the door.

The moment she opened it, a wall of rain crashed into her, drenching her clothes in an instant. The raindrops stung her face.

She wanted to dash out of the villa, but the water at the foot of the steps was at least thirty centimeters deep and looked even more turbulent after the quake.

Wait—the ground had stopped shaking?

Su Miao was badly shaken.

But as long as the earthquake was over, everything would be fine.

The wild wind and rain helped her regain her composure.

But why would there be an earthquake here?

She remembered that a renowned geography expert on the forums had marked this area as one of the best places to ride out the apocalypse and specifically noted that it was not on a seismic belt—the chance of an earthquake was extremely low.

No…

Perhaps this wasn’t an earthquake at all.

Su Miao looked east, and what she saw chilled her to the bone.

An entire section of villas had collapsed into the earth, swallowed by a landslide that thundered away into the distance.

Because the ground had split open there, the rainwater that should have flowed away was now rushing east into the new chasm.

Su Miao was still trembling.

If she’d chosen a villa just a bit further east, her reclusive habits would have doomed her.

“Mom! Mom…”

Suddenly, a desperate, hopeless cry rose in the distance.

A girl of about twelve clung tightly to a small, wind-tossed tree not far from the fissure, seemingly about to be swept away by the furious rain at any moment.

With the wind, rain, and raging torrent, the girl couldn’t hold out for long.

What should she do?

Su Miao looked around anxiously, hoping someone else would notice the trapped girl and rescue her.

But the neighboring villas were either unoccupied, their residents had gone to the restaurant, or those inside couldn’t hear the cries over the storm. Even if they could, the voice would sound faint and far away.

“Mom! Mom…” The little girl called out, sobbing for help.

Su Miao’s heart twisted with worry, but she couldn’t risk wading through the torrent to reach her.

If the ground shook again, she’d be swept into the fissure and carried off by the landslide.

She shivered at the thought.

But if she did nothing, the girl would surely die…