Lin Shi spent a whole day setting up the shelter, preparing everything except for the electronics. He also bought several carpets to lay in the living room and bedrooms of the shelter. The electronics would have to wait until after the geomagnetic storm had passed, to avoid damage. After the shelter was completed, Liao Peng, who had been following Lin Shi around with nothing to do, was given a task. "Go and prepare some supplies, put them in your rented apartment," Lin Shi instructed. With the apocalypse approaching, he didn't mind giving Liao Peng a hand as a reward for his hard work over the past two months. As for any further wages, they were out of the question. Of course, if Liao Peng didn't listen, Lin Shi wouldn't remind him again.
After sending Liao Peng off, Lin Shi took out his phone and pulled a number from the blacklist: Zhao Xiao. He dialed the number.
"Lin Shi?! Is it really you?! Where have you been? I saw in a short video that you were taken away by the police, are you okay?!" Zhao Xiao's voice was filled with genuine surprise. Indeed, over the past two months, he'd been almost driven mad by his parents' complaints, and their plan to buy a new house had been delayed because he couldn't borrow money from Lin Shi.
"I'm fine, just feeling down, traveling in Shashi. Do you want to come and hang out for a few days?" Lin Shi asked. Without hesitation, Zhao Xiao agreed, "Sure! I'll take a few days off and spend time with you!"
After a brief chat, Lin Shi hung up. How could he forget Zhao Xiao, the man who had betrayed him in his past life? Although he couldn't return to Haishi, that didn't mean he would let Zhao Xiao off the hook. Bringing Zhao Xiao to Shashi to deal with him was just as good.
Lin Shi then stocked up on ten tons of bottled water and some of his favorite foods. In the extreme cold, water was abundant; snow was everywhere, and one could quench thirst by eating it, though it would make the body colder. Compared to the scarcity of food, water was not a concern for survivors. Viruses and bacteria were omnipresent, and whether or not one ate snow, the chances of getting sick were not significantly different. Most survivors developed antibodies after a few years in the post-apocalyptic world. Eating raw meat, consuming snow, and wearing animal hides, humans gradually adapted to the harsh conditions, and those who couldn't adapt died. Lin Shi prepared some water just in case.
He also purchased two more computers and downloaded countless documents, movies, anime, and games from the internet. These included instructions for making various tools, repairing electrical systems, and generators—information that might become invaluable in the future. Besides the gold bars he had replicated, Lin Shi had less than 100,000 yuan left in cash. Everything was ready.
Three days before the SSS-class solar flare, Zhao Xiao hurriedly arrived from Haishi. It was clear that Zhao Xiao had not been doing well in the past two months; he looked thinner. Upon seeing Lin Shi, Zhao Xiao greeted him with a flurry of apologies and pleasantries, appearing very humble. While apologizing, he carefully watched Lin Shi's reaction. "Lin Shi, I truly see you as a brother, which is why I didn't think much about it. Can you forgive me? I promise to do more for you in the future!" Lin Shi gave an ambiguous smile and nodded noncommittally. "Stay here for a week, and I'll cover all the expenses." A look of joy spread across Zhao Xiao's face. Indeed, Lin Shi was still the same old pushover. It seemed that last time, he had indeed gone too far and angered Lin Shi.
"Alright!" Zhao Xiao readily agreed, planning to find a chance to ask Lin Shi for a loan. "By the way, when did you come to Shashi alone? I heard online that you were expelled from school, is that true?" Zhao Xiao appeared concerned, but the gleam of schadenfreude in his eyes was poorly concealed. "It's true," Lin Shi nodded, pretending not to notice. Zhao Xiao offered a few insincere words of comfort and then discussed the plans for the next few days. Lin Shi genuinely wanted to relax. The risk of acting before the apocalypse was high, and he wasn't in a rush. His goal was to keep Zhao Xiao in Shashi, and once the apocalypse came, let him experience the despair and die.
Lin Shi never considered himself a good person. After losing his parents in his past life, he had placed all his emotional investment in his so-called "good friends" like Zhao Xiao. At the beginning of the apocalypse, when money still held some value, he had shared the gold bars left by his father, giving them hope to survive. During the apocalypse, while relying on each other, Lin Shi always took on the dangerous tasks. But his efforts only led to betrayal. Part of it was due to his own weakness and poor judgment. This time, he wouldn't be soft-hearted, nor would he trust in such foolish sentiments. Even though many betrayals hadn't happened yet, Zhao Xiao's nature was such that, even if given another chance, he would still use Lin Shi for his own gain. Lin Shi lowered his gaze, hiding the coldness in his eyes.
"Hey, isn't Xu Qin also studying in Shashi? Should we invite her to join us?" Zhao Xiao raised an eyebrow at Lin Shi, giving him a look that men understood. Xu Qin was the second girl in their group, aside from Xu Feifei. Lin Shi's memory of her was from eight years ago. In high school, others often tried to pair him with Xu Qin, and being talked about together, Lin Shi had developed a different feeling towards her. However, it had been eight years since he last saw her, and he could hardly remember her face. When she was mentioned again, Lin Shi felt nothing, but under Zhao Xiao's persistent encouragement, he casually agreed.
They found a hotel and settled Zhao Xiao in, with Lin Shi staying in the adjacent room. As expected, Zhao Xiao invited Xu Qin. The next day, May 29th, two days before the SSS-class solar flare, Lin Shi and Zhao Xiao went to the beach in Shashi, where they met Xu Qin, whom they hadn't seen in eight years. As a dance student at the Arts College, Xu Qin had a great figure. Because they were at the beach, she wore a daring bikini, catching Zhao Xiao's attention. Underneath his clothes, Lin Shi wore swimming trunks, and when he took off his shirt, his solid, yet not overly muscular, physique caught Xu Qin's eye. "Lin Shi, when did you get in such good shape?" Xu Qin ignored the ordinary-looking Zhao Xiao and kept glancing at Lin Shi's abs. "I've been into fitness lately," Lin Shi replied casually, setting up a beach chair, putting on sunglasses, and starting to enjoy the sun. In two days, no one would need sunglasses to look at the fiery ball in the sky. Before the apocalypse, Lin Shi intended to enjoy the last two days of warm sunshine, allowing himself to unwind. Xu Qin also lay beside Lin Shi, basking in the sun. They chatted idly, completely ignoring Zhao Xiao, whose expression darkened, but he forced a smile and joined their conversation. The three stayed until sunset, then left the beach and had dinner somewhere.
On the last day, Lin Shi continued to spend time with Zhao Xiao and Xu Qin in Shashi. Finally, the date arrived: June 1st, Children's Day, and the day of the SSS-class solar flare.