After finishing her skewers, Qingran wiped her hands with a napkin, feeling satisfied. The spicy heat still tingled on her tongue, making her crave sothing cold to balance it out. She glanced around, spotting a nearby stand selling fresh fruit juices.
Before she could say anything, Feng Yizhou spoke up. "You want a drink?"
She blinked at him. "Are you reading my mind now?"
He didn’t answer, just nodded toward the stand. "Go ahead."
Qingran huffed but walked over, scanning the options. Fresh waterlon, orange, and lemon juice were displayed in large glass containers, condensation dripping down their sides.
"One waterlon juice," she ordered, reaching for her nonexistent wallet before sighing. She turned to Feng Yizhou, already expecting his expression.
He exhaled, handing over the cash without a word.
Qingran grinned. "At this rate, I really should start an IOU list for you."
"You should," he muttered.
She took the cold cup and sipped, sighing in satisfaction as the sweetness cooled the spice lingering on her tongue. "Ah, this is perfect."
Feng Yizhou shook his head but didn’t comnt.
After finishing her drink, Qingran stretched. "Alright, let’s keep going."
They strolled down the busy sidewalks, the city’s energy pulsing around them. Qingran took in the sights, modern glass buildings mixed with older, more traditional architecture, neon signs blinking alongside hanging red lanterns.
It was an interesting blend, a clash of past and present that sohow worked.
She wasn’t sure how long they had been walking when she suddenly stopped in front of a high-end boutique.
Through the glass window, mannequins were dressed in tailored outfits, the kind that exuded quiet luxury. Qingran tilted her head.
"You should go in," Feng Yizhou said.
She glanced at him. "What? Why?"
He gave her a once-over. "You could use better clothes."
Qingran scoffed. "Excuse , are you saying my fashion sense is bad?"
"I’m saying your wardrobe consists of cheap hoodies and practical jeans."
She crossed her arms. "I like my cheap hoodies and practical jeans. They’re pratical."
He didn’t argue, just opened the boutique door. "Co on."
Qingran scoffed and shook her head. "No thanks. I have enough clothes at ho."
Feng Yizhou raised an eyebrow. "Enough? You an those oversized hoodies and the sa three pairs of jeans?"
"They’re comfortable," she shot back. "And more importantly, I don’t need to waste money on style when the apocalypse is right around the corner."
He gave her a dry look. "You do realize you’ll still have to wear clothes when the world ends, right?"
"Yes, and I’d rather they be practical than stylish." She waved a hand dismissively. "No tight skirts, no fragile fabrics, and definitely no high heels."
Feng Yizhou didn’t argue further, just gave a slight nod as if filing that information away. "Fine. Your loss."
"Not really," Qingran muttered, already moving past the store.
They went back to the car, thinking it was ti to head back to the hostel and rest up a bit before preparing for the auction.
"Aren’t you also preparing?"
"What?"
"The apocalypse aren’t you also preparing? You look way too calm.."
Feng Yizhou chuckled, he was rich and powerful, who was going to question him if he bought a truck load of food or resources?
"I’ve already taken care of anything food or resources. I’m looking into more lucrative things..."
Qingran didn’t say anything, giving him a long glance before turning away.
She had her own long term plans as well, things like clothes or looking good didn’t matter during the apocalypse.
Qingran side-eyed Feng Yizhou as the car moved smoothly through the city streets.
"Lucrative things," huh?
That could an anything, but knowing him, it wasn’t just about survival.
She leaned back, arms crossed. "Lucrative how?"
Feng Yizhou smirked but kept his eyes on the road. "You assu I an power?."
Qingran tapped her fingers against the armrest. "Don’t you?"
He let out a quiet chuckle. "Lucrative doesn’t always an power. It could be sothing that gives the upper hand."
That confird her suspicion. He wasn’t just stockpiling supplies—he was thinking ahead, setting up sothing beyond just surviving the apocalypse.
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "You’re not talking just about food or water, are you?"
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he made a smooth turn onto another road before glancing at her briefly. "Those are necessities. They won’t give you real leverage. 2 years tops and you’ve ran out. Lucrative is long ti."
Qingran scoffed. "Why am I not surprised?"
Feng Yizhou remained calm. "Survival isn’t just about having enough to eat. It’s about knowing who will be the most valuable when everything collapses."
She turned her head to look at him. "And you think that’ll be you?"
He smirked. "Why wouldn’t it be?"
Qingran huffed a short laugh but didn’t answer imdiately. Instead, she shifted in her seat, watching the passing scenery.
"You know," she said after a mont, "when people start fighting over food and water, an advantage won’t an much if you don’t have a way to protect it."
Feng Yizhou’s smirk deepened. "That’s what makes an upper hand truly lucrative."
Qingran rolled her eyes. "Right. Keep dreaming."
He didn’t argue, just kept driving.
"Lingquan what could be lucrative during the apocalypse?"
Lingquan’s voice ca through almost instantly. [That depends on what you’re aiming for. Short-term wealth? Long-term control? Or pure survival?]
Qingran thought for a mont. "Long-term. Sothing that doesn’t just keep you alive but puts you in a position of power."
[Then forget food and water. They run out. Think about things that don’t.]
She frowned. "Like?"
[dicine, knowledge, and monopolies.]
That made her pause. "Monopolies?"
[The world is about to collapse. Governnts will fall. Infrastructure will break. If you own sothing irreplaceable—sothing no one else has access to—you control the people who need it. That’s a monopoly.]
Qingran tapped her fingers against the armrest, her mind turning. That was exactly what Feng Yizhou was getting at.
"What’s the most valuable monopoly in an apocalypse?"
[Information.]
She blinked. "Information?"
[Who controls information controls survival. Where are the safe zones? Which places are overrun? Where can you still find supplies? If you know before everyone else, you have the power to decide who lives and who dies.]
Qingran narrowed her eyes. "You’re saying intel is more valuable than food?"
[In the long run? Absolutely. But there’s another.]
She waited for a bit before the reply ca in.
[Technology.]
That made her sit up slightly. "You an weapons?"
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