Chapter 3

I smashed the last case of water hard on the concrete ground downstairs.

The dull thud instantly ignited a long-prepared commotion in the surrounding area.

The open space downstairs was surrounded by dozens of pairs of hungry, wolf-like eyes. The air was thick with the stench of sweat and the anxious urge of despair.

"What the hell are you up to?" The scarred man across from me squeezed through the crowd, wielding a baseball bat, his eyes fierce. "Let me make this clear, I don't have a single penny of cash on me! Trying to take advantage of the situation? My bat doesn't discriminate!"

Without even lifting my eyelids, I pulled out a utility knife and slashed open the cardboard box.

"Take it." I slammed two bottles of Evian mineral water into his arms. "It's free. Next one."

The entire venue was completely silent for a full three seconds.

Immediately afterward, the crowd surged forward like madmen. Doubt was instantly swallowed up by fervent gratitude, and cries of "God bless you!" and "You are a saint!" were deafening.

"Line up! Anyone who tries to steal it, get out!" A sharp female voice shattered the chaos.

A dusty Ford SUV screeched to a halt on the side of the road. My colleague Emily grabbed a handful of bear spray, jumped out of the car, and rushed into the crowd to help me maintain order.

The next two hours were an extreme tug-of-war between physical strength and humanity.

After the last can of soybeans was carried away by the old lady from 3B with profuse thanks, only a mess of cardboard boxes remained on the open ground.

Emily leaned against the scorching car door, panting heavily. She stared at me intently, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Nolan, are you crazy?" she whispered, her voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping. "You've given everything away, what are you going to drink? Just wait to die?"

I chuckled and patted my deflated tactical backpack.

“Don’t worry. My family has a private oasis deep in the Mojave Desert. I’ll go there and meet them right away.”

"The desert?!" Emily looked at me like I was crazy. "You're going to the desert at a time like this? The temperature there will roast you into jerky!"

"This is a family secret," I said with a knowing shrug.

She bit her lip, half-believing and half-doubting, but ultimately didn't ask any further questions. She hugged me tightly, stepped on the gas, and hurriedly drove away from this place of trouble.

Watching her taillights disappear into the heat, I turned and walked into the staircase. With each floor I climbed, the sweltering air grew stronger.

I pushed open the door to an empty apartment. The only thing working was my cell phone, its screen flashing.

I opened the secret family group chat that was named "Root Network".

Hundreds of unread messages were coordinates sent by elders using secret codes.

"Mojave Desert, three thousand feet underground in a cavern. Absolutely dry, the perfect bed for hibernation."

The uncle's message was filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Don't bring any water. The faster we dehydrate, the greater our chances of being reborn. Nolan, set off immediately!"

What a brilliant irony. Humans are frantically searching for damp refuges, while we, the "resurrection plants," are searching for the most extreme drought hell.

I locked my phone screen, grabbed the backpack strap, and slammed it onto my shoulder.

The instant my fingers touched the doorknob.

"Ding-dong—"

The extremely abrupt sound of the doorbell pierced the deathly silence like a cold steel needle.

Every fiber of my being tensed instantly. The supplies had run out; who would knock on an empty door at a time like this?

I clenched my fist and yanked open the security door.

There were no desperate rioters outside the door, nor were there any neighbors begging for water.

Standing there was a strange woman wearing an immaculate white dress. In this sweltering apocalyptic heat, not a single bead of sweat appeared on her pale skin.

“Hello, Nolan West.” She smiled slightly and handed over a black business card. “My name is Blanche White, and I’m a medium.”

I didn't take the business card, and coldly looked down at her: "I have no more water for you. Get lost."

“I’m not here for water.” Blanche didn’t back down; instead, she took a step closer, her eyes fixed on my pupils like those of a venomous snake.

She lowered her voice and uttered a whisper that made the fluids inside me freeze completely:

“I’m here to seek cooperation with you. After all… I know you’re not human at all.”