Pain. Agonizing, bone-deep pain.
Gu Qingran's body was drenched in blood, her own and that of countless enemies who had fallen before her. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her vision blurred by the smoke and fire consuming the battlefield. The sky was dark, the air thick with the stench of decay.
She had fought to the very end. She had clawed her way through the apocalypse, standing at the peak where no one else could reach. And yet—
A blade pierced through her chest.
Her body jolted, her fingers trembling as she grasped at the sword lodged in her heart. Her knees hit the cracked earth beneath her, her strength leaving her in an instant. The world around her faded—screams, fire, chaos—until only a deafening silence remained.
The so-called comrades who once stood beside her now loomed over her fallen body, their eyes cold, victorious.
She laughed. A weak, bitter laugh that tasted of blood.
So this was how it ended?
Her vision darkened, her body collapsed, and then—
Nothing.
A void. A silence deeper than death itself.
Then—
She woke up.
Gu Qingran gasped, her body jerking upright. Her chest heaved as she clutched the spot where the sword had impaled her—but there was nothing. No blood, no wound, no pain.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains of a familiar room. The air smelled fresh. Too fresh.
Her fingers tightened around the silk sheets beneath her. This place…
Slowly, she turned to the mirror beside the bed. The face that stared back at her was her own—but younger. Unscarred. Untouched by the apocalypse.
Her mind buzzed.
Memories of the apocalypse, of the monsters, the bloodshed, the betrayals—they were all still there. The pain, the hunger, the desperate struggle to survive. It wasn't a dream. It was real. All of it.
But now, she was back. One month before the apocalypse began.
A chill ran down her spine, but her lips curled into a slow, wicked smile.
Ding!
A crisp, mechanical sound echoed in her mind.
Omni-Alchemist System Activated.
Analyzing Host…
Host recognized: Gu Qingran.
Rebirth detected. Adjusting parameters…
Her breath hitched. A system?
In her past life, countless survivors had awakened systems that helped them thrive in the apocalypse—combat systems, healing systems, space systems—but she had never been one of the lucky ones.
Yet now…
The interface flashed before her eyes, golden letters forming in the air.
Stockpiling Module Unlocked.
Please select resources to store.
Her pulse quickened.
She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palm.
A month. She had one month before the world collapsed into madness.
This time, she wouldn't struggle. She wouldn't suffer.
She would stockpile everything—weapons, food, medicine, power. And when the world fell apart?
She would rise above it.
Gu Qingran didn't waste time.
She threw off the blanket and got up, her steps steady and controlled as she walked to the vanity mirror. The reflection staring back at her was painfully familiar—her past self, untouched by starvation, exhaustion, or the brutal trials of the apocalypse.
Her lips curled. One month. That was all she had.
Turning away, she focused on the glowing interface hovering in her vision.
Omni-Alchemist System Activated.
Stockpiling Module Unlocked.
She tapped the panel, and a list of resource categories unfolded before her eyes.
Available categories:
• Food & Water
• Weapons & Ammunition
• Medical Supplies
• Technology & Engineering
• Alchemy & Enhancement Materials
Her gaze swept over the options. If she wanted to dominate the apocalypse, she couldn't just rely on luck. She needed to move now.
Gu Qingran exhaled, her thoughts sharpening into a plan.
Step one: Money.
Before the apocalypse, money still held value. She needed to empty her bank accounts, sell off useless assets, and turn everything into resources.
She grabbed her phone, quickly pulling up her accounts. Tens of millions still sat there untouched. In her past life, she had hesitated, believing the government would provide aid. That was her first mistake.
Not this time.
She transferred large sums to various accounts she controlled, ensuring she could withdraw everything without raising suspicion. Then, she booked appointments with black-market suppliers and bulk warehouses. Food, weapons, medicine—she would take it all.
Step two: Food stockpile.
She changed into casual clothes—loose black pants, a hoodie, and sneakers—before grabbing her car keys. She wouldn't waste time hoarding snacks and junk food like clueless survivors.
She needed long-term survival food—rice, dried meat, canned goods, grains, salt, honey. Things that wouldn't spoil.
By noon, she was at a high-end wholesale market. Rows of shelves stretched endlessly, stacked with neatly arranged supplies.
Gu Qingran grabbed a cart and started filling it without hesitation.
Step one: Staples with the longest shelf life.
She pushed the cart forward and started grabbing 50-kilo bags of rice, stacking them high. Rice was a survival essential—nutritious, easy to cook, and lasted for years if stored properly.
Next came flour, oats, cornmeal, lentils, and beans. They were high in calories, filling, and versatile.
She added sugar, salt, and cooking oil in bulk. Salt wasn't just for flavor—it was a preservative. In the apocalypse, people would kill for something as simple as a handful of salt.
One cart quickly turned into two. Then three.
Gu Qingran acted fast, loading each one with canned meats, fish, dried fruits, and protein-packed foods. Every item had been carefully chosen based on her past life's knowledge—what lasted, what people fought over, and what could be bartered for weapons or medicine.
By the time she reached the checkout counter, she had four carts full.
The cashier looked stunned. "Miss, are you catering an event?"
Gu Qingran smiled. "Something like that."
The man hesitated but didn't ask further. As long as she paid, it wasn't his problem.
The total came up to an absurd amount, but Gu Qingran didn't even blink as she handed over the cash. No paper trails. No unnecessary questions.
"Would you like some help loading this into your vehicle, miss?" one of the employees asked, glancing at the overflowing carts.
"Yes, please," she replied smoothly.
A few workers followed her outside, pushing the loaded carts toward her car. This was the annoying part—she couldn't just make everything vanish into thin air. Not yet.
Her current car was a SUV—not exactly ideal for hauling supplies. She'd have to make multiple trips or, better yet, get a proper transport vehicle. But for now, she'd work with what she had.