Rebirth in the Apocalypse: My Little Space farm Chapter 15-16
Chapter 15: Meteorite
Silence descended upon the school building. Unseen by the others, Su Mo curled her lips into a slight smile.
A new day dawned. A fiery red sun hung high in the sky, its crimson light enveloping the heavens. The intense sunlight blazed down, seemingly intent on incinerating all impurities—an eerie contrast to the previous night’s heavy snowfall, almost making it feel like a hallucination.
In the silent city, two vehicles—one black, one white—moved slowly through the streets.
Despite the cool breeze from the open car window, Su Mo felt a wave of heat. She unscrewed a bottle cap and took a sip, feeling her temperature drop slightly. She wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead. “What kind of crazy weather is this?”
Su Hao, driving, glanced at her, then used one hand to turn on the car’s air conditioning. A blast of cold air filled the car.
As the heat subsided, Su Mo narrowed her eyes. “Ah, that’s much better.”
Su Hao’s lips curved slightly. He looked up at the sky, where a thick, crimson haze, like blood, hung heavy, beautiful yet suffocating—a harbinger of bloodshed, a seductive invitation to carnage.
His grip on the steering wheel tightened. Su Hao pursed his lips, noticing that the white car ahead had accelerated. He followed suit, closing the distance.
Seeing his furrowed brow, Su Mo spoke softly. “Brother, don’t worry. Once we leave here, we’ll find the army. Everything will be alright.” Though this apocalypse differed slightly from the last, she was confident they would survive.
Su Hao paused, then said, “Is there something in that small town?”
Before their departure, Su Hao overheard her conversation with the thugs, learning about their destination—a small town supposedly for supplies. But he knew it wasn’t that simple. Her existing supplies were enough to support them until they reached a strong military force; there was no need to detour, unless there was something specific there.
As expected, her brother remained as perceptive as in her previous life, nothing could be hidden from him. Su Mo chuckled, not concealing the truth. “There is something I need in that town.”
Su Hao turned, questioning her with his eyes. “Weapons and ammunition?”
In this apocalyptic world, that was the most likely reason for such a risk.
Su Mo shook her head. Weapons were essential, but she had plenty; there was no need to risk it for them. The thing she sought was exceedingly rare, possibly extinct within the next decade.
“What is it then?” Su Hao couldn’t think of anything else of such importance.
“A meteorite. A black meteorite.” Recalling its appearance from her past life, Su Mo uttered the words.
“Meteorite?” Su Hao repeated, surprised. That explained it.
Meteorites, celestial objects, even for a non-scientist, were known to contain immense energy, capable of affecting magnetic fields and causing mutations in living beings.
“Yes, a meteorite, or rather, a crystal.” Su Mo suddenly turned to Su Hao. “Brother, do you remember the dream I told you about?”
Su Hao nodded. Of course, he remembered. Without that dream, they would be in far worse shape.
Su Mo nodded, then looked ahead, her thoughts drifting back to her previous life. “In the dream, some humans underwent mutations, like me. Some had spatial abilities, some could control the elements—earth, water, fire, wood, metal—strength, or speed. The meteorite, or crystal, was a black stone, varying in shape, fragments of a fallen star, scattered by the atmosphere. It contained vast energy, capable of causing mutations and boosting the abilities of those with powers.”
Su Mo turned back. “So, Brother, now you understand why I need to go there.”
Su Hao nodded. Such an item was worth the risk. He thought for a moment. “You said some people will mutate and develop abilities. Are there any signs?”
Su Mo paused, then shook her head. “The signs are different for everyone, so I can’t say for sure.”
Seeing his hesitation, Su Mo smiled. “Don’t worry, Brother. In the dream, you have abilities. You’re a wind-type.”
Wind? Su Hao was startled, then relieved. As long as he had one, it would be a lifeline in this apocalypse, allowing him to protect his family.
Seeing his mood lighten, Su Mo’s own tension eased. She didn’t tell him that in her previous life, Su Hao’s abilities had awakened because of her. She had almost died, and his desperate plea had triggered his powers, saving her life. But this time, her skills and abilities were enhanced. Would his abilities have awakened without the same traumatic event?
This thought left Su Mo pensive. She hadn’t awakened her own powers yet, and she didn’t know when she would.
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Chapter 16: The Supermarket
The sun rose in the east and set in the west. The cycle continued, unchanging.
As time passed, their destination drew nearer. Su Mo looked at the sky; the crimson hue was fading, replaced by a soft purple, hauntingly beautiful.
But beauty often masked danger.
The two cars continued at a steady pace. Houses began to appear, singly and then in clusters, indicating their proximity to their destination.
Suddenly, the white van ahead stopped. The two cars were close; Su Hao slammed on the brakes.
As the car steadied, the thugs piled out. Exchanging a glance, Su Mo rolled down her window. She heard the leader say, “We’re almost there. Come with us, you two lead the way.”
Su Hao’s eyes darkened. He reached for the weapon at his side, but Su Mo stopped him. Her expression remained calm. “It’s fine. Let them guide us.”
She unlocked the car door. Three men immediately got in the back, guns still in hand, backpacks slung over their shoulders. “Turn left at the third intersection.”
Su Mo whispered, “Got it.”
She looked at Su Hao, his brow furrowed. Unseen by the others, she shook her head subtly and said, “Let’s go, Brother. It’s getting dark.”
Su Hao inhaled deeply, nodding. “Hold on tight.”
The cars started again, but their positions had changed: the black car in front, the white car behind.
The sky’s colors continued to lighten, the purple fading to a dusky shade. It was 4:30 PM. Su Mo had the feeling that night was rapidly approaching.
The town lacked skyscrapers and bustling streets. Even before the apocalypse, it seemed to have been a quiet, simple place.
“Left at the next intersection,” the leader said, breaking his long silence.
Following his directions, they quickly reached the intersection. Su Hao turned the steering wheel, and as the car rounded the corner, they saw a slightly taller commercial building with faded but still legible characters: Xingsheng Building.
He looked at Su Mo, who was also looking at the sign. She said confidently, “This is it.”
“Are you sure?” the leader asked, his voice laced with menace. “I’m warning you, don’t try anything. My bullets don’t have eyes.”
“Don’t worry. With so many of you, we can’t escape,” Su Mo said, glancing at their guns.
She carefully observed their surroundings. “The main entrance is likely locked. Forcing it open would take time and attract zombies.”
The leader frowned. They were close enough now to see that the main doors were indeed locked, and he remembered the security window and the noise the roller door would make. “What do we do?” he said, his voice tight with frustration.
“Buildings like this usually have a back entrance,” Su Mo said, a glint in her eyes.
The leader’s eyes lit up. “Right! How could I forget?”
He barked at Su Hao, “Turn left a little further, there’s an alley. There’s a side road, and the back entrance is near the restroom.”
Su Hao glanced at the leader, then exchanged an unreadable look with Su Mo, who gave him a slight nod.
He turned to the intersection and accelerated.
Because it was the back entrance, the road was dirty and cluttered. Su Mo mentally recorded their route.
The car slowed. Su Mo saw a small side road, and next to it, a restroom with some small doors. They had arrived.
A gruff voice from behind confirmed, “Stop here.”
They got out. One of the thugs reached the door first, saw the padlock, and exclaimed, “Boss, this lock is easy to pick!”
“You can pick it?” the leader asked excitedly.
The thug seemed to be trying to ingratiate himself. “I learned a little bit before. Didn’t expect it to come in handy.”
“Good job, kid,” the leader patted him on the shoulder.
But the thug immediately looked troubled. “But I need a thin piece of wire.”
Silence fell. In this apocalypse, everyone was focused on survival; who would carry lock-picking tools?
A hot-tempered thug spat, “Damn it. There’s an axe in the car. I’ll go get it and break it open.”
The leader frowned but didn’t stop him; there was no better option.
But before he could move, a voice said, “I have one. Will this do?”
It was Su Mo. She held out a piece of thin wire, perfectly sized.
The lockpicker snatched it, excitedly exclaiming, “Perfect!”
Su Mo rolled her eyes. She’d searched her space for quite some time to find this wire. Of course, it was perfect.
Dusk was falling. Although it was only 5 PM, the sky was already darkening.
The thug was skilled. A ‘click’ sounded, and the lock was open.
The men rushed inside. Their smiles froze as they saw the interior—empty, except for a few scattered food packages.
The leader raised his gun, pointing it at Su Mo’s head. “You lied to me!”
Instantly, Su Hao shielded Su Mo, his face grim, staring down the thugs.
Tension filled the empty supermarket.
Su Mo pushed Su Hao aside, saying coldly, “I said there were supplies, didn’t I? What’s the hurry?”
The leader sneered. “Oh? Are you going to magically produce a mountain of supplies?”
Su Mo scoffed inwardly. The idiot had guessed right, but she wouldn’t admit it. She said, “The supplies aren’t on the shelves. I meant the underground storage room.”
Seeing their skepticism, Su Mo’s eyes flashed. “To be honest, I know about this supermarket because a classmate from City A told me about it. It’s her family’s business. She mentioned the underground storage room, saying it’s always stocked full.”
When they still looked unconvinced, Su Mo added, “You came all this way for supplies. Killing us isn’t urgent.”
They found her logic sound. A shorter thug said, “Boss, she’s right. We can kill them later. Let’s see if she’s telling the truth.”
The leader frowned, then pointed his gun, his voice rough. “If there’s nothing in the storage room, you’ll pay.”
He lowered his gun. Su Mo led the way, carefully examining the shelves. Someone had thoroughly cleaned the place out; there must have been many looters.
They circled the building, Su Hao meticulously memorizing the layout.
Just as they were losing patience, they found the entrance to the underground storage.
A flight of stairs led down; the lack of light and air made the space damp and dark.
They peered down. It was too dark to see anything clearly.
“What are you looking at? Get down there!” someone urged.
Ignoring them, Su Mo examined the entrance. The air circulation suggested a moderately sized space, with no unpleasant odors. It seemed safe. She adjusted her bag and was about to descend when Su Hao stopped her.
He looked intently into the darkness. “I’ll go first.”
Knowing his concern, Su Mo nodded. “Okay.”
Su Hao led the way down, the daylight allowing them to see dimly.
The passage wasn’t long. After a turn, they reached the bottom.
Su Mo, with her enhanced vision from her cultivation, saw it first.
As predicted, the space wasn’t large. Boxes of varying sizes were visible. She was surprised the looters hadn’t found this area. The quantity of supplies looked significant.
She discreetly collected some food and water.
The others arrived, unable to see clearly but sensing the presence of boxes.
The leader quickly produced a flashlight, illuminating the area.
Upon seeing the contents, they erupted in laughter.
