Global Mutations:I Built a Safe House

Chapter 4 All-Inclusive Stockpiling

Luo Qingtian had originally planned to return to Walmart’s warehouse on Judgment Day for a “zero-credit haul,” but her hidden vault proved impossible to fill. Once she realized the pocket’s true potential, a new scheme took shape. Rather than heading home, she raced to the used-car market—where dealers often had secret reserves of gasoline and diesel.

At first, the proprietor laughed her off. “I’ve got nothing here—check the station down the street!”

“Boss, I need a lot. Whatever you’ve got, I’ll take it all.”

He sneered. “You want it all? I’ve got dozens of tons. Can you even handle that?”

“Dozens of tons? Really?” she blinked. He thought she’d be intimidated, but she pulled out her phone. “Show me. If it’s real, I’ll pay today.”

That stunned him into action. He led her to the back warehouse, where rows of 3,000-liter drums sat on pallets. Luo Qingtian activated her Psychic Sense to verify they were gasoline and diesel—then transferred the payment on the spot. She collected the warehouse key and said, “I’ll send trucks tomorrow.”

Only as she walked away did the dealer realize he’d just sold his entire stash. He paused at the door, a cold smile creeping across his face. If she’s only collecting tomorrow, I’ll snag some for myself tonight… With that thought, he sprinted back to his office.

Once he’d gone, she scanned the yard to ensure no one watched, then transferred every barrel into her hidden pocket. Dust-free and grinning ear-to-ear, she left.

Night had fallen, and with her safe house under construction, she didn’t return there. Instead, she booked the grandest suite at the city’s finest hotel—paying two months’ rent up front—and treated herself to dinner at the Michelin three-star restaurant upstairs. She didn’t glance at prices; she simply ordered the most expensive dishes and ate with wild gusto. Only when the last bite of foie gras vanished did she prepare to stand—when a voice cut through the hush:

“Qingtian? You’re here?”

Liu Shiqi waved from the doorway. Luo Qingtian frowned, rose without a word, and headed for the exit. Liu Shiqi rushed forward—but a waiter intercepted her.

“Miss, are you dining with this guest?”

“She’s my friend—we came together!” Liu Shiqi stammered.

The waiter looked to Luo Qingtian for confirmation. She shook her head. “I don’t know her. Fetch your manager—I have a request.”

Liu Shiqi’s face went pale as security began escorting her out. A young manager approached Luo Qingtian.

“Miss, is there an issue with your meal?”

She picked up the menu and pointed. “Cancel these dishes, and those. For everything else, prepare fifty servings daily and deliver them to the Presidential Penthouse on the top floor—for two months.”

He blinked, certain she was joking—until she produced her black card. “I’ll pay half now. The rest at the end of next month. Any problems?”

He fumbled the POS, processed the deposit, and reluctantly exchanged contacts. As she left, he stood there in disbelief.

Not ready to rest, Luo Qingtian revisited the night market—ordering hundreds of portions of her favorite snacks and drinks, leaving behind her contact and delivery address. Only then, satisfied, did she return to her suite.

A few paces behind, Liu Shiqi trailed until Luo Qingtian stepped back into the hotel lobby. Liu Shiqi burst forward:

“Qingtian, what’s going on? Is there a misunderstanding? I know you still like Han Shuo, but he and I—”

“Innocent of what?” Luo Qingtian’s half-smile held steel. She’d known Liu Shiqi was following her—she’d just wanted to see why. At school everyone thought Qingtian was a poor orphan clinging to Liu Shiqi’s coattails. Only Liu Shiqi knew Qingtian actually picked up most of the tabs.

“I get it—you like Han Shuo. We never did anything behind your back!”

“So what?” Luo Qingtian’s tone was cold. “I don’t care if you’re innocent. Just stop bothering me. And the money I covered for you? Repay it within a week. I’ll send you the bill—miss the deadline, and I’ll see you in court.”

She brushed past a speechless Liu Shiqi and disappeared into the hotel elevator.

Behind her, Liu Shiqi seethed, shouting threats as the doors closed. Qingtian let the echo of those words fade—her vengeance would wait for the apocalypse. When that day came, she’d return every ounce of pain they’d caused, magnified many times over.

Luo Qingtian returned to her suite and ran through her inventory one last time. A few items still needed buying, so she set an alarm and turned in early.

The next morning, her phone rang. At the other end was the consortium of grain-and-oil vendors:“Miss Luo, our shipment is ready—when would you like to inspect?”“Perfect, I’ll swing by later today.”

She forced herself out of bed, freshened up, and drove her van straight to the wholesale district. By the time she arrived, dozens of suppliers were already milling outside her rented warehouse, eager to greet her. Luo Qingtian jumped out, exchanged nods, and supervised as they unloaded pallets in neat order. When the floor space ran out, she told them to leave the rest inside and that she’d send trucks tonight. They readily agreed, left their addresses, and departed.

Once the warehouse was empty of people, she activated her hidden vault and swept every crate and bag inside. Over the next three days, she cleared out the entire rice-and-oil market, settled the final invoices on the spot, and couldn’t help but admire her growing stockpile.

With bulk staples secured, she shifted her focus to the antiques market and jewelry stores—knowing her vault craved precious metals and gems. There, she discovered a new benefit: her Psychic Sense now detected real jade from fake at a glance. She filled her arms with exquisite necklaces, rings, and carved stones, then left the market in high spirits—unaware that two pairs of eyes tracked her every step.

Soon after she drove off, two men emerged from the antiques hall. One was Sun Qiang, the used-car dealer. “That’s the girl who bought all that oil?” he muttered. “Let’s tail her.” They slipped into an SUV and joined her on the road.

That night, Sun Qiang used his spare key to sneak into her warehouse—confident that even if she caught him, she couldn’t prove anything. But when he opened the door, the yard was empty. Not a single drum remained. Puzzled, he checked the cameras: only footage of Luo Qingtian leaving, alone. No trucks, no helpers. Just one person and a vanished inventory. Sun Qiang’s jaw dropped.

He scoured the city records, discovered her identity and new address—and rushed to her hotel…only to find she’d already moved out. It wasn’t until he spotted her again at the antiques district that he realized she truly was slipping through his fingers.

Back at the hotel, Luo Qingtian bolted her door and emptied every piece of jade and gold into her vault. A sudden dizziness washed over her as the hidden realm expanded again: rolling fields stretched to the horizon, two new mountain peaks rose in the distance, and a clear stream now wound between them. Perfect, she thought—and smiled, imagining endless fresh water.

Her thoughts barely settled before a commotion erupted outside her door. Heart pounding, she dropped into a defensive stance and activated her Psychic Sense. Through the thin barrier of plaster and wood, she “saw” two men skulking in the hallway—Sun Qiang and his accomplice—circling her suite.

They lingered, uncertain, outside the only door on this top floor. This penthouse level cost more per night than most people earned in six months—how had this “orphan girl” afforded it? They hovered, plotting their next move.

Luo Qingtian counted the days until the apocalypse—just over a month remained. She wasn’t ready to strike, but she couldn’t allow this threat to linger. She dialed the front desk at once. “Security,” she whispered. “Two men are acting suspiciously outside my door. Please send help immediately.”

As a VIP guest with a two-month reservation, her call drew an instant response. Within minutes, uniformed guards burst through the corridor, cuffed Sun Qiang and his partner, and hauled them off.

Moments later, the hotel manager stood apologetically at her door. “Miss Luo, I am so sorry. Our oversight caused you distress. Please—anything you need, just let us know.”

Luo Qingtian nodded curtly. As the manager hurried away, she closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the room’s reinforced walls around her. One more threat neutralized—and her fortress grew ever stronger in the face of what was to come.