Jia City, in a residential high-rise.

Because of the terrain, the flooding here was far worse than elsewhere.

Qi Zhiyuan lived on the sixteenth floor. The water hadn’t reached him yet—but he was already out of food.

Luckily, he was a strong swimmer. He’d risked diving into the floodwaters to fish out whatever packaged food he could find, barely holding on until now.

The moment he heard the distant thrum of a helicopter, he sprang into action. Slinging a heavy backpack over his shoulders, he rushed to the window and waved a red bedsheet like a signal flag.

The small helicopter approached and hovered steadily outside his window. The cabin door slid open.

The familiar face of his former comrade came into view, and Qi Zhiyuan’s eyes instantly reddened.

Zhou Yichen tossed a coil of rope through the window. Without hesitation, Qi Zhiyuan grabbed it and climbed aboard with practiced ease.

“This feels like a dream. I can’t believe you actually came!” he grinned, pulling Zhou Yichen into a tight embrace.

Tang Xiaoman quickly reeled in the rope. Zhou Yichen introduced them.

“Zhiyuan, this is my boss, Tang Xiaoman. Miss Tang, this is my former comrade, Qi Zhiyuan.”

Tang Xiaoman shook his hand with an easy smile. “Nice to meet you.”

Then she reached into her backpack and pulled out something that stopped him cold—a fragrant, steaming hot crispy roast duck.

She held it out to him, her voice bright as chimes. “A little welcome gift. Please accept it.”

The duck was practically pressed into his hands.

Qi Zhiyuan’s eyes widened. Drool instantly pooled at the corners of his mouth.

How could there be a hot roast duck right in front of him?

He must be starving so badly he’d started hallucinating.

Zhou Yichen said calmly, “It’s from the boss. Take it.”

Still dazed, Qi Zhiyuan reached out and touched it.

It was real.

Hot. Fresh. Fragrant.

With a growl like a starving beast, he snatched it and tore in without a shred of restraint.

God—it was good.

The skin was crisp, the meat tender, juices bursting with every bite. It tasted like it had just come out of the oven.

He devoured it in a frenzy, tears of pure happiness streaming down his face.

It had been days since he’d eaten a full meal—let alone something this rich.

In no time, the entire duck was gone.

He let out a deeply satisfied belch.

Tang Xiaoman handed him a can of cola.

His hands trembled as he cracked it open—*psst*—the sharp hiss of carbonation filled the cabin.

He took a long gulp, then froze in shock. “Ice-cold cola?”

Tang Xiaoman pointed casually at a compact microwave and a small refrigerated cabinet inside the helicopter.

“There’s power onboard. I heated the duck in the microwave—it’s just like fresh out of the oven. The cola’s been kept chilled in the fridge.”

The fridge was packed with food, fruit, and drinks. Qi Zhiyuan stared, stunned all over again.

Her clear, pleasant voice rang out once more.

“Help me out, and I’ll pay you well. And everything in that fridge? It’s all for you.”

The way he looked at her shifted—from gratitude to something closer to reverence.

*Good heavens… this girl must be an angel sent to save me.*

—

The helicopter touched down in a shallow valley halfway up a mountainside.

The three of them stepped out.

Qi Zhiyuan froze at the sight before him.

Nine large trucks of different types were parked in the valley—tankers, heavy-duty haulers, refrigerated transport trucks, and courier vehicles.

One of them, a massive sixteen-wheeler, was covered tightly with a tarp. Judging by how deeply its tires sank into the soil, it had to be carrying at least fifty tons.

There were also four high-end cars—Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota Prado, and Jaguar.

How on earth had all these vehicles ended up here?

It felt like an unsolved mystery of the century.

Seeing his stunned expression, Zhou Yichen explained, “These were all salvaged from the flood. Can you make keys for them?”

Qi Zhiyuan snapped back to reality.

So this was why they’d come for him.

Without another word, he shrugged off his heavy backpack and pulled out his tools—a multifunctional key-cutting machine.

“If it’s just mechanical keys, no problem. I only need to check the VIN. But those four cars need electronic keys—that’ll take at least three or four hours.”

He was top-tier at his craft—fast, precise, among the best in the business.

Tang Xiaoman didn’t hesitate. “Just mechanical keys.”

In the apocalypse, practicality came first. Fancy features meant nothing—if it worked, it worked.

Qi Zhiyuan was about to mention the lack of power when Zhou Yichen hauled out a diesel generator.

It had been modified—low noise, high output. More than enough to run the key machine.

Qi Zhiyuan said nothing more. He plugged it in, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work.

Zhou Yichen recorded VIN numbers. Qi Zhiyuan cut keys.

Within minutes, the first mechanical key was ready. Zhou Yichen used it to unlock a tanker truck.

Tang Xiaoman asked what parts needed replacing, casually pulling wires and circuit boards from her “bag.”

“These vehicles are relatively clean—no mud contamination,” Qi Zhiyuan noted. “That lowers the risk of failure after repairs.”

Zhou Yichen quickly replaced wiring and the main control board, checked essential components, and turned the key.

The engine rumbled to life.

The tanker was running again.

Qi Zhiyuan grinned as he kept working. “Diesel engines are tougher. As long as they weren’t running when submerged, water damage isn’t too bad. The smaller cars might be trickier—but if needed, I’ll handle them personally.”

He maintained a steady pace—one key every few minutes—until all were done.

Every vehicle could now be opened. Starting them, however, still required repairs and part replacements.

Flooded vehicles feared mud most of all—but fortunately, these hadn’t been contaminated.

Still, water-damaged wiring had to be completely replaced, along with the onboard control systems.

With the keys done, Qi Zhiyuan joined Zhou Yichen in the repair work.

Tang Xiaoman supplied whatever parts they needed, pulling them one after another from the helicopter’s “toolbox.”

The sheer variety left Qi Zhiyuan speechless.

“I swear… that toolbox of yours is like a treasure chest. Endless supplies.”

Tang Xiaoman flashed a neat smile, her tone light. “I work for a big boss. Naturally, his inventory is well-stocked.”

In truth, she had looted a mid-sized auto parts store underwater, securing a massive supply of components—most of them sealed and waterproofed.

She kept the parts flowing.

The two men worked like machines—efficient, precise, perfectly in sync. Not a single wasted motion, not a second squandered.

Watching them, Tang Xiaoman couldn’t help but think—

This was what real military discipline looked like.

Fast. Decisive. Relentless.