Global Freeze: Constructing the Doomsday Safe Haven

Chapter 2 White Lotus Flower

Dr. Emily Clarke stepped out of her house, greeted by a serene scene filled with earthly joy and contentment. Many parents were playing with their children in the square of the community, their faces adorned with smiles of happiness. However, Emily knew that in just one more month, all of this would vanish into thin air. She briskly walked out of the neighborhood, not far from which stood a Michelin three-star Western restaurant. A meal there would cost at least five or six thousand dollars, an extravagance Emily had always hesitated to indulge in. But now, she couldn't care less.

Entering the restaurant, Emily found a window seat and proceeded to order the most expensive dishes on the menu, along with a bottle of Lafite Rothschild wine. The bill came to fifty thousand dollars. Even the waitstaff couldn't help but cast ambiguous glances at Emily, assuming she must be an affluent heiress. After all, who but a wealthy second-generation could afford such extravagance? Emily paid no heed to their assumptions and delved into her sumptuous feast with gusto.

Perhaps it was the six months of surviving the icy apocalypse that made this gourmet food taste like heaven to her. Overwhelmed with emotion, tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she devoured the delicacies with a hint of ferocity, drawing whispers from the other diners. Emily paid them no mind. In the apocalypse, people would kneel and bow for a packet of instant noodles. When civilization crumbled, so did morality.

As Emily indulged in her meal, a woman passing by outside caught her attention. It was none other than Fang Yuqing, the woman who had caused Emily's demise in her previous life. Beside her walked her good friend, Li Caini. Both couldn't help but cast envious glances towards the restaurant.

Unable to afford such luxury, they could only admire from afar. But perhaps, they hoped, they might catch the eye of a wealthy benefactor inside. Fang Yuqing was surprised to see Emily dining lavishly inside. "Isn't that Emily? How can she afford to eat here?" she exclaimed in disbelief. Li Caini, equally astonished, covered her mouth, "Emily, I had no idea she was so wealthy."

Her eyes flashed with a hint of malice as she glanced at Fang Yuqing. "Yuqing, you're so lucky! That guy who's been chasing after you turns out to be a hidden rich kid."

"Look at all that food on his table, it must cost fifty or sixty thousand. Who could afford to eat such expensive food?" Li Caini's tone was tinged with envy. She knew that Emily had been pursued by Fang Yuqing for the past six months. But Fang Yuqing, being a gold-digger, was reluctant to let go of Emily, who had been pursuing her. So, she had always kept Emily on the backburner. However, seeing Emily dining extravagantly now made Fang Yuqing begin to doubt.

"Could it be that Emily is actually a hidden rich kid?" Fang Yuqing pondered, propping her chin on her hand. The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. "In TV dramas, there are often people like this, right? Clearly wealthy but pretending to be ordinary in search of true love."

The more Fang Yuqing thought about it, the more convinced she became. "Right, let's go in and find Emily!" Li Caini suggested. In truth, she had her eyes set on the sumptuous feast. This was a Michelin three-star restaurant, and ordinary people would never have the chance to taste such a meal in their lifetime.

Fang Yuqing hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "It's not a good idea! He might think I'm a gold-digger."

"Let's wait outside and pretend it's a chance encounter," she suggested. Fang Yuqing wasn't stupid; she wouldn't lower her standards for a meal. Even if Emily turned out to be wealthy, she had to maintain her image as a goddess. Only then could she control Emily in the future and continue to use her as a lapdog.

So the two of them hid nearby, waiting for Emily to come out. After more than an hour of dining, Emily, her belly full and content, patted her round stomach happily. Next, she planned to go to a nearby supermarket to buy some supplies. Even though she was confident in her ability to raid the Walmart warehouse for supplies, it never hurt to be cautious and stock up in advance. After all, she had experienced hunger firsthand and couldn't afford any mishaps.

Emily paid the bill, smiling at the attentive server, and walked out of the restaurant's doors. Just then, a familiar voice sounded beside her. "Emily, what a coincidence!" Emily turned her head to see Fang Yuqing and Li Caini. Fang Yuqing reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, deliberately revealing her fair neck and pink earlobes.

Emily sneered inwardly at this classic green tea tactic—using subtle gestures to stir a man's heart. Fang Yuqing, the ultimate green tea plus white lotus, was naturally well-versed in this art. Unfortunately for her, Emily was no longer the naive lapdog she once was. After all, not long ago, this woman had caused Emily's demise, even going so far as to suggest boiling soup with her broken ribs!

Thinking of this, Emily's gaze suddenly turned cold, brimming with naked murderous intent. In just a little while, it would be the apocalypse, and killing her would pose no problem whatsoever. Fang Yuqing felt a chill run

down her spine, nervously stammering, "Emily...are you...alright?" Emily quickly softened her gaze and replied casually, "Nothing, I mistook you for someone else." She suddenly changed her mind. It would be too easy to kill her now; instead, Emily wanted Fang Yuqing to experience the despair of the apocalypse before using her methods to kill her. With ample time to prepare and the memories of her previous life, Emily had a hundred ways to make her suffer before her eventual demise.

So there was no need to deal with her now. The most crucial thing was to create the safest refuge possible, ensuring Emily could survive comfortably in the apocalypse.