Chapter Three: Ambushed on the Road — The Apocalypse Comes Early

Fang Yun entrusted two close friends to coordinate with the various bosses she had contacted, insisting they monitor the delivery of the goods she ordered to the warehouse within three days.

Soon, dozens of large trucks began arriving for three consecutive days at a half-abandoned warehouse located at the southernmost edge of Haishi.

Such a commotion naturally attracted some attention, but Fang Yun paid no mind to those prying for information.

Once she confirmed all the items she required had been delivered, she took advantage of the night to swiftly transfer the supplies to her spatial villa.

Although the spatial villa was nearly bursting at the seams, Fang Yun still felt that many things remained unprepared.

Fortunately, the so-called Sign-In System proved somewhat useful; in the past few days, the rare materials it provided upon signing in were precisely what she needed. Though quantities were limited, it was still better than not having them at all.

As she left the warehouse, she noticed it was already two in the morning. Being alone in such an abandoned place at this hour naturally stirred unease.

Lowering her head, Fang Yun quickly got into the car outside. The moment she started the engine, she sensed something amiss.

In the rearview mirror, she spotted a dump truck parked just around the corner. According to her knowledge, within a ten-kilometer radius of the warehouse there were no residences or ongoing construction projects. The presence of such a vehicle here was suspicious beyond doubt.

Before she could dwell on it further, the dump truck suddenly roared to life, its high beams flashing directly into her eyes through the mirror.

Instinctively, she shut her eyes briefly, but her sense of danger prompted her to release the handbrake and floor the accelerator. The surge of adrenaline pushed her back into the seat, forcing her to open her eyes again.

Her car’s performance was excellent, allowing rapid acceleration. Despite the dump truck’s reckless pursuit, Fang Yun’s swift reflexes created significant distance between them.

Calming down, she cast a cold glance at the persistent truck in the rearview mirror. Easing off the gas slightly, she toyed with the pursuer like a cat playing with a mouse—just as they thought they were about to catch her, she pressed the accelerator again, widening the gap.

After several such maneuvers, the driver of the dump truck finally realized he was being toyed with and angrily honked his horn in frustration.

Hearing the irate blaring, Fang Yun smirked, knowing the time had come.

She led the dump truck onto the national highway.

The highway was nearly empty at night, but those in the know understood some large vehicles preferred night travel. Besides, the southern outskirts of Haishi were mountainous, making the highway anything but straight, filled with winding curves.

Fang Yun’s driving skills were exceptional—something she had never revealed before Chen Yuanlin—and now they became crucial for her survival.

Her speed never dipped after entering the highway. The dump truck doggedly kept up, but being cumbersome and heavy, it lacked the agility of a regular car. Several times it narrowly brushed against oncoming vehicles in near misses.

The nerve-wracking chase only made the truck’s driver more desperate. He slammed the accelerator to the floor, gradually closing the distance.

Just as a collision seemed imminent, Fang Yun made a sharp turn, tires screeching loudly against the pavement.

The dump truck, expecting her on the original path, suddenly found itself facing a mountainside. It was too late to brake.

A tremendous crash echoed as the dump truck smashed headlong into the mountain, instantly disintegrating.

Fang Yun stopped her car at a safe distance, pulled down the window, and snapped a photo of the burning wreckage. She sent it to Ji Qingwan on WeChat with the caption: “Idiot!”

After making a call to report the accident, she quickly left the scene.

When she returned to the rented place shared by Liao Zhaonan and Feng Li, a light rain had started, and the breeze carried an unusual chill.

Fang Yun’s expression darkened. She hurried upstairs and woke the two.

“Quick, pack up. We have to leave now.”

Startled and groggy, they barely comprehended what she said but scrambled out of bed to gather their belongings at her urging.

Sitting on the living room sofa, Fang Yun rapidly typed out an email on her laptop, her fingers almost striking sparks from the keyboard, revealing her urgency.

While Liao Zhaonan and Feng Li busied themselves packing, they kept glancing at her. Her phone kept lighting up with calls from unknown, relentless numbers.

An hour later, Fang Yun exhaled deeply after seeing the “sent successfully” notification.

This was all she could do; the rest depended on whether they believed her and how swiftly they acted.

Indeed, Fang Yun had discovered that the apocalypse seemed to be arriving prematurely. She compiled the sequence and timing of disasters she had foreseen in her past life into an email and sent it to every government department she could find contact information for.

There was also a private email—sent to someone who had once been kind to her in her previous life.

Thinking of that person, Fang Yun’s gaze faltered for a moment, hesitating. But then recalling the hardships that individual had faced the last time they met, she dismissed her doubts.

Even without her, that person was capable of carving out their own path; there was no need for her to worry about others—better to focus on herself.

Two hours later, Liao Zhaonan and Feng Li finished packing. The three of them hurried downstairs, each with luggage in hand.

“Is it raining? Why is it so cold?” Feng Li shivered as soon as they stepped outside the apartment building. The sudden gust of wind and the fine drizzle sent chills down her spine.

Fang Yun didn’t have time to respond. She brusquely loaded their bags into the trunk and called them to get in.

Once inside the car, she handed them each a windbreaker.

“Put these on; it’s going to be cold.”

“Though it’s late summer, isn’t this a bit much?” Feng Li examined the jackets curiously, having never worn such clothing before.

Haishi enjoyed a spring-like climate year-round; even in the coldest times, windbreakers were unnecessary. No wonder Feng Li thought Fang Yun was overreacting.

Fang Yun gave no explanation. Once they were dressed, she sped off toward the southeast.

She remembered the southeastern district of Haishi was a newly developing area—open and spacious, and in her previous life, the only place that hadn’t cracked during the catastrophe.

Back then, the majority of survivors in Haishi had gathered in that district.

They raced along at breakneck speed, reaching the new district just after eight in the morning. Yet, instead of daylight, the sky grew darker.

Heavy clouds clustered on the horizon, oppressive and foreboding, weighing heavily on their hearts.

“Look! So many birds!” Feng Li suddenly shouted, pointing out the window in alarm.

An immense flock of birds had appeared from nowhere, their numbers so vast they nearly blotted out the sky. They swarmed overhead, fleeing toward the distance as if escaping death.

Animals were often more sensitive than humans; Feng Li pressed her lips tightly, her face pale with worry.

The atmosphere inside the car grew heavy, even their breaths felt burdened.

The nightmarish feeling settled deeply among them as they pressed onward.