Chapter 2 Stocking Up

In the apocalypse, what was most lacking was supplies. To survive, one had to stock up as much as possible!

Lin Xiaodou spent a full two hours compiling the most comprehensive hoarding guide she could find online. She had already decided where to put everything. Earlier, she had wandered around her space with intent, discovering that the stone houses, which appeared small from the outside, were infinitely large inside—perfect for storing provisions.

There were more than ten stone houses, each ready to hold different types of goods. She had already tested it: anything placed inside the space remained fresh, so she had no worry about spoilage.

Soon, Lin Xiaodou began her journey of stockpiling.

First and foremost was food. Only when one’s stomach was full could one muster the strength for anything else.

The Northeast was the largest grain-producing region in the country. Before heading there, Lin Xiaodou had already called several suppliers and rented several huge warehouses on the outskirts online. She ordered twenty thousand pounds of various rice, and ten thousand pounds each of flour, corn, soybeans, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Miscellaneous items like beets, beans, and dried goods came to five thousand pounds each. She didn’t bother to buy anything else; after all, her space was vast, so she bought extra crop seeds and planned to be self-sufficient later.

After buying seeds, Lin Xiaodou went to a farm equipment dealer. She bought ten sets each of harvesters, tractors, rice transplanters, fertilizer spreaders, seeders, pesticide sprayers, and irrigation machines, plus a supply of fertilizers and chemicals. She even made sure to get instruction manuals—otherwise, she wouldn’t know how to use them.

This trip to the Northeast cost Lin Xiaodou tens of millions.

When asked why she was buying so many agricultural products, she always gave the same reply: she was opening a super-sized supermarket and needed to select a large amount of supplies.

This vague answer satisfied the suppliers; they did not pry further. Only a fool would refuse to earn money—there was no need to ask so many questions, just deliver the goods.

Next, Lin Xiaodou went to Shan Province, the nation’s largest vegetable-growing base. She bought five thousand pounds each of tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, wax gourds, cabbage, spinach, amaranth, coriander, green beans, chili peppers, onions, garlic, and more. Of course, she stocked up on vegetable seeds—over two hundred varieties—to plant in her space later.

A proper meal needed rice and vegetables, but meat and fruit were just as essential.

Lin Xiaodou headed to the largest meat wholesale market.

She bought five thousand pounds each of chicken, duck, pork, lamb, beef, and rabbit meat, and purchased one thousand live chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep, cattle, and rabbits each. As soon as these creatures entered her space, they became excited, happily roaming about. The space was vast and airy, and they loved their new environment.

Near the meat market were frozen food and delicatessen sections, so she bought some items there too. Especially in the deli section: stewed chicken, marinated chicken legs, marinated duck, marinated chicken necks, marinated chicken livers, marinated chicken feet, marinated chicken gizzards... as well as marinated pork head meat, pig ears, pig trotters, pork belly, intestines, and so on, one thousand pounds each.

Lin Xiaodou’s favorites were the spicy series. Especially spicy duck heads—fresh, fragrant, and spicy, each bite was immensely satisfying. She bought three thousand pounds each of spicy duck necks, duck feet, duck stomachs, phoenix claws, pig trotters, and more. If she ever didn’t feel like cooking, gnawing on a plate of duck heads and duck feet would be enough to fill her up. Pure bliss~

As for fruit, Lin Xiaodou’s favorite was grapes. The sensation of juicy, translucent grapes bursting in her mouth was simply unparalleled. Now that she had money, she didn’t even look at the price tags. She bought five thousand pounds of premium, sun-kissed Muscat grapes at ninety-nine yuan per pound. In the past, Lin Xiaodou only dared buy knock-off Muscat grapes from street carts, which were still pricey at nine yuan ninety cents per pound—she could only afford them once a month. Now she could spend millions in one go; it felt unbelievable. Indeed, once you have money, you stop caring about it.

Besides Muscat grapes, she bought Kyoho, Red Globe, Golden Finger, Green Grapes, nearly emptying the inventories of several grape suppliers.

But she wasn’t done yet. Lin Xiaodou went to the largest fruit wholesale market. She bought five thousand pounds each of durian, strawberry, mango, apple, banana, pear, dragon fruit, kiwi, guava, wax apple, blueberry, cherry, and more. She also bought dozens of types of fruit seeds to plant in her space.

Of course, she couldn't forget her favorite seafood.

She purchased all kinds of live aquatic products: grass carp, snakehead, crucian carp, bass, eel, yellow croaker, turbot, and more. Various shellfish: red scallop, razor clam king, giant sea snail, red-lipped conch, black abalone, clams, Arctic surf clam, and so on. Various shrimp and crab species: Australian lobster, Boston lobster, giant river prawn, whiteleg shrimp, swimming crab, flower crab, king crab, and more. She bought ten thousand pounds of each—enough to last a hundred years. Conveniently, her space had a huge lake, perfect for keeping them.

After sorting out the food to fill her belly, she had to buy snacks.

Lin Xiaodou ran to the largest snack wholesale market and started buying in earnest. Bread, milk candies, peanut brittle, fruit preserves, pistachios, macadamia nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, plums, wafer biscuits, mung bean cakes, chocolate... and her favorites: potato chips, jelly, spicy strips—thousands upon thousands of snack varieties, five thousand pounds each.

These snacks were piled up in a stone house reserved for them, forming a small mountain.

She also bought beverages and alcohol. Cola, yogurt, coffee, mineral water, beer, red wine, white spirits—thousands of kinds. With a grand gesture, Lin Xiaodou ordered ten thousand bottles of each.

She made a special trip to the famous gourmet street.

Snail noodles, Beijing roast duck, hot pot, lamb soup, seafood feast, egg-filled pancakes, stinky tofu, spicy tenderloin, fried meatballs—she packed everything up to take away!

All the vendors were so busy they felt dizzy, but their smiles were wide and genuine.

With food almost fully stocked, condiments and kitchenware were essential too.

For condiments: soy sauce, salt, dark soy, cooking oil, vinegar, peanut butter, honey, Sichuan peppercorn, chili, ginger, scallions, garlic, MSG, oyster sauce, fish sauce—three thousand pounds each.

For kitchenware: bowls, chopsticks, plates, sterilizing cabinets, rice cookers, kettles, induction stoves, refrigerators, juicers, ovens, microwaves, pressure cookers, air fryers—five hundred sets each.

In the apocalypse, aside from food, medicines were the most scarce.

Lin Xiaodou had hoped to buy directly from a pharmaceutical factory, but that wasn’t possible. So she had to visit multiple pharmacies in different cities. She bought hundreds of packs each of anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, painkillers, herbal medicines, and so on. For rarer items, she planned to buy abroad, where regulations were less strict.

Next, Lin Xiaodou went to the largest domestic household goods wholesale market.

She bought out every shop from the first to the last.

“Miss Lin, your tissue paper, sanitary pads, toiletries, soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, slippers, clothes hangers—five thousand sets each—are all ready!”

“Miss Lin, I’ve prepared your bedding: sheets, quilt covers, mattress protectors, pillowcases, pillows, blankets, cooling mats, mosquito nets, cotton quilts, silk quilts—five thousand sets each!”

“And from my side: all the cosmetics you need, face washes, toners, skincare sets—ten thousand sets, all packed and ready!”

“There are also baby products, hardware, all kinds of equipment...”

Every shop owner waved their supply lists and called out loudly.

Their eyes sparkled, faces full of excitement as they looked at Lin Xiaodou.

She was their benefactor—no one dared offend her!