Chapter 30
Could a little hamster truly survive the apocalypse all on his own?
That was an excellent question.
If it were the body’s original owner, surviving would have been completely out of the question. But for him? He could live quite freely. Mutated beasts and corrupted plants wouldn’t necessarily stand a chance against a genuine spirit creature like him.
Granted, Big Orange and that fat calico cat had chased him all over the place not long ago, but he hadn’t been taking them seriously! He was a spirit beast, after all. No matter how you looked at it, a spirit creature was vastly superior to ordinary animals.
Besides, he could dig holes. His burrows were grand, spacious, and cozy!
The little hamster had even toyed with the idea of bringing his uncle and sister down into a massive underground den to live out their days in safety. But humans were inherently social creatures; they weren’t like solitary spirit beasts who thrived in total independence.
Hamsters, by nature, were strictly territorial individuals. In fact, unless they were raised together from birth and accustomed to one another’s scent, a hamster would ferociously attack any unfamiliar intruder that dared enter its domain. Beneath this fluffy, adorable exterior beat the heart of a fierce little fighter!
Licking his moist pink nose, the little hamster looked up, his dark eyes gazing earnestly at his uncle.
He gently rubbed his head against the man’s knuckles. “I can dig burrows. Whenever we run low on supplies, I can just shift into a mouse and scavenge for food.”
He could live comfortably even on his own, so there was no need to worry about him.
However!
“Since I’m here, I naturally brought a cheat code with me!” he suddenly remembered.
“Wait for me right here.”
With a soft pop, the little hamster vanished into thin air.
A second later, he reappeared on the desk, holding a small plastic bottle of mineral water. “Here! This is spiritual spring water from the jade realm!”
“Really?!” Tianwei’s eyes flared with excitement. “Does it work like the elixirs in apocalyptic web novels?”
“Yes, it serves almost the exact same purpose,” the little hamster affirmed with a solemn nod. “However, the spring water inside the Kuntian Jade is very limited. Its supply is bound directly to the realm’s internal energy reserves. If we consume too much or use it recklessly for agricultural irrigation, the spring—being the very foundation of the realm—will slowly wither away. If it dries up entirely, the Kuntian Jade will degenerate into an ordinary storage pocket.
“Furthermore, the spring water purifies the soil. Depleting it will stall the realm’s future upgrades.
“I just consulted the artifact spirit,” he added, glancing around the desk. “Uncle, you and Sister only need a tiny sip to build up resistance.”
Spotting his uncle’s traditional kung fu tea set, the hamster scampered over, tilted the bottle with both paws, and carefully poured out two shallow porcelain cups. “Just this much will do.
“Mind you, it won’t trigger any dramatic body-cleansing or bone-forging miracles,” he warned, turning back to them. “It simply boosts your vitality so your cells can resist contamination from the initial zombie pathogen.
“Miraculous as the Kuntian Jade is, it was forged by an ancient immortal. In that immortal’s eyes, mortal cultivators and ordinary humans only required the bare essentials: a healthier body, secure storage, and the foundational tools for farming and raising livestock.”
Yu Yuanzhou lifted the delicate cup, sniffed the clear liquid, and took a tentative sip.
It tasted crisp and sweet, like water scooped from an untouched mountain spring. Without hesitation, he drained the cup in one swallow.
It truly went down like ordinary water; there was no miraculous surge of refreshing energy like the novels described. In fact, it felt no different from drinking standard bottled water.
Tianwei followed suit, downing her portion with identical results. Still, Yu Xiaoyuan’s explanation grounded the artifact’s purpose in practical reality, helping them understand its natural limits.
“In an immortal’s eyes, mortals are frail creatures prone to illness, so this water simply keeps disease at bay,” Yu Yuanzhou murmured, intrigued. “Still, why would a transcendent being forge such a divine treasure for a common mortal in the first place?”
“Because our ancestors nearly went extinct saving his life,” the little hamster explained, tugging at the fur around his neck to reveal the smooth jade pendant nestled beneath. “He divined that our bloodline would face a great calamity in the distant future, so he refined the Kuntian Jade as a protective heirloom.
“It is bound exclusively to my soul now. The artifact spirit inside is a treacherous dog, but once I’ve thoroughly broken its pride, I’ll find a way to let Sister access its space as well,” he scoffed.
A flicker of cold disgust passed through Yu Yuanzhou’s eyes. “Since it betrayed its master once before, can’t we simply destroy it?”
“Unfortunately, no. If the spirit dies, the jade’s core will suffer catastrophic damage,” the hamster sighed. Still, his whiskers twitched with satisfaction. “I’ll just keep it in a weakened, half-dead state. Besides, I forced it into a master-servant soul contract; it has zero power to rebel.”
Having formally introduced the divine heirloom, the little hamster caught an index finger from each of them, pulling them directly into the jade realm for a proper tour.
“Look over there—that mountain ridge is our pasture. All the chickens, ducks, and geese are roaming the lower slopes, while the fruit orchards are planted along the adjacent hill. Once the saplings mature and the poultry flock multiplies, I’ll open the dividing gate and let them forage across both slopes.
“And down there is the freshwater lake I dug, filled with clean tap water from outside.”
Perched on his uncle’s broad shoulder, the little hamster pointed down toward the shimmering basin. “I’ve already stocked it with fish fry, freshwater shrimp, river snails, and aquatic plants.
“The pigs, cattle, and sheep are on free-range grazing. I sowed several acres of dense alfalfa pasture over there, so they can graze whenever they’re hungry, and those stone troughs are lined with mineral salt licks. Once Uncle brings in the draft horses and water buffalo, we’ll turn them loose in the meadow as well.”
The little hamster rubbed his cheeks happily. “And that cleared plot near the center is a pre-existing spirit medicine bed. I bought seeds and roots for traditional herbs—mostly anti-inflammatories, analgesics, and fever reducers—and planted them in rows.
“For the main crop fields, I’m dedicating plots to wheat, paddy rice, potatoes, and sweet corn,” he outlined with clear pride. “Crops inside the realm mature in roughly one-third of the normal time, and best of all, we don’t need a single drop of synthetic pesticide!”
“You’ve managed this brilliantly, boy,” Yu Yuanzhou praised, genuinely surprised by the orderly, thriving landscape.
Cattle and sheep strolled leisurely along the earthen berms between the fields. Whenever an animal stretched its neck toward the verdant grain or herbal plots, an invisible spiritual barrier pushed it back, preventing any grazing on the crops.
“The poultry can swim in the lake or feed on grain and pasture grasses; they should thrive even without commercial feed,” the hamster added. “The only issue is harvesting. We desperately need automated agricultural equipment. Otherwise, my little slave will have to harvest everything by hand, and he simply can’t keep up~”
He glanced over at Kun Tianya, who was standing stiffly in the shadow of the cottage, his eyes dark with suppressed fury, yet unable to utter a single complaint.
Yu Yuanzhou didn’t ask why the figure was mute, nor did he have any desire to interact with it. The defiance burning in the spirit’s eyes made it abundantly clear that without the absolute suppression of the soul pact, it would never serve willingly. What that creature had done in the previous timeline needed no elaboration.
“Leave it to me. I’ll arrange a full suite of automated machinery before the week is out,” Yu Yuanzhou said, a profound sense of relief finally washing over him.
With this divine sanctuary in hand, their family possessed an unshakeable foundation to weather whatever horrors lay ahead. The only critical rule was absolute secrecy; even if they extended aid to other survivors down the road, the Kuntian Jade had to remain entirely hidden. A spatial storage ability could be explained away as an awakened superpower, but a living, harvestable dimension was a treasure that would incite deadly greed.
With a mental command, Yu Xiaoyuan brought them back into the third-floor study, casually scratching behind his ear with a hind paw.
Yu Yuanzhou opened his mouth, preparing to outline their strategic schedule for the remaining four days, when a sudden, violent spasm gripped his lower abdomen!
Clutching his stomach, he bolted for the study’s en-suite bathroom. “Didn’t you claim that water didn’t have any cleansing effects?!”
“I said it didn’t do marrow-cleansing, not that it wouldn’t clean out your digestive tract~” the hamster squeaked innocently, shrugging his tiny shoulders.
Tianwei pressed her lips together, her brow furrowing with nervous anticipation. She sat upright on the sofa for several long minutes, waiting for a reaction, but nothing happened.
She couldn’t help peering down at the little furball. “Did I not drink enough?”
“Does Sister suffer from chronic digestive sluggishness?” the hamster asked, inspecting her with a very subtle, knowing tilt of his head.
Well… guilty as charged.
Relieved, Tianwei promptly poured herself another half-cup of the sweet spring water, downed it with determination, and trotted off toward her own bedroom to await the results.
Left alone in the quiet study, the little hamster sat on the mahogany desk, staring out the sunlit window before turning his attention to the documents spread before him.
They were the detailed dossiers of the private security contractors, complete with high-resolution portraits, backgrounds, and full birthdates.
Lifting his uncle’s heavy fountain pen between his paws, the hamster carefully picked out three specific files and drew a bold, deliberate black ‘X’ across each of their faces.
Setting the pen aside, he collapsed onto his belly, propping his chubby cheeks on his paws.
He needed a concrete plan. Later tonight, he had to make a run to the warehouse and their suburban apartment to sweep the meat deliveries into his dimension, alongside the bulk grain shipments Senior Qian’s village was sending over.
What else is missing from the survival checklist?
Fuel! He desperately needed things that could burn.
Firewood, kiln-dried lump charcoal, solidified alcohol fuel blocks, liquid disinfectants… Actually, effervescent chlorine disinfectant tablets were far superior—they took up almost no space, and a single tablet could purify an entire liter of water. And medical alcohol. High-concentration isopropyl alcohol was non-negotiable for sanitizing wounds and sterilizing tools.
Then came broad-spectrum antibiotics, sterile bandages, and assorted pharmaceuticals.
Right! Although he had gathered plenty of seeds and fruit saplings from Qian Family Village—including several flats of strawberry starts—they were all growing inside the realm. He hadn’t stocked any fresh, ready-to-eat produce for immediate snacking.
Sitting upright, he took up the pen once more, carefully scribbling down his supply priorities.
“Stockpiling is truly hard work,” he sighed, his whiskers drooping. “There are still so many things to buy, buy, buy…”
Including… “Toilet paper.”
His velvety ears flushed with embarrassment. He had completely forgotten to buy paper products days ago, and hadn’t picked up a single roll since. That was a critical oversight. If they ran out of tissue during the apocalypse, would they honestly be reduced to using tree leaves?
As he was diligently scribbling, the study door cracked open, and his sister tiptoed back inside.
“We need to buy more self-heating hot pots, instant rice bowls, and bulk thermal heating packs,” Tianwei said, pulling up a leather chair and uncapping a gel pen to add to the ledger. “Be realistic, little hamster: are you going to cook? Am I going to cook? Or do you expect our corporate executive father to stand over a stove?”
“You… you make a fair point,” the hamster admitted, twitching his ears. “Should we just keep ordering takeout?”
“Prepared meals have a shelf life, no matter how many we freeze. We can’t buy an entire lifetime of restaurant food in advance, and hauling boxed dishes around isn’t practical during a disaster,” she pointed out. Leaning down, she planted a soft, stealthy kiss right on his fluffy back.
The affectionate peck knocked the round furball off balance, but he hugged the heavy pen tight and righted himself.
“Then what’s the solution?” he asked, tilting his head with wide, questioning eyes. “I’ve already hoarded plenty of dried bamboo shoots and root vegetables, and the bamboo grove in the realm can be harvested for raw materials.”
“Commercial meal-kit manufacturers,” Tianwei replied, pulling up her phone’s contact directory. “They operate under strict industrial standards. Even if mass-produced meal rations aren’t gourmet health food, I am still the direct heiress of the Yu Corporation. Placing an expedited commercial run for two or three thousand vacuum-sealed meal packs by tomorrow morning is child’s play.”
Beaming with pride, she leaned in and planted another loud kiss on his furry head. “Tell your sister: am I incredible or what?”
“Mm-hmm! Sister is amazing!” The hamster nodded obediently, clutched his pen, and solemnly added a new entry to the bottom of the manifest: Cookbooks.
Tianwei narrowed her eyes: I have a very distinct feeling this little hamster is insulting my domestic capabilities, yet I have zero evidence.
“Kiss, kiss, kiss! I’m going to cuddle you to death, you cheeky little brat!”
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!” Aaaah! Human, why do you always invent ridiculous excuses to smother the little hamster?!
I hate it! I hate it so much!
Throwing the pen aside in pure, theatrical outrage, the hamster flopped onto his back, thrashing his four paws in the air as he rolled across the mahogany desk, chattering a relentless stream of protests. His sister had kissed him half a dozen times today!
Amused, Tianwei quickly cracked open a fresh roasted peanut and tucked the golden kernel into his flailing paws. “All right, all right, don’t throw a fit. If Dad walks in and sees you rolling around like a kicked soccer ball, he’s going to blame me for bullying you!”
The little hamster tossed the peanut aside with a haughty flick of his paw. “Hmph.” Not a chance—he wasn’t the kind of creature who could be bought off with a single peanut.
Looking at the round little furball, Yu Tianwei had no choice but to coax him gently: “Tomorrow! How about tomorrow Big Sister goes shopping with you at the supermarket?”
Only then did the little hamster deign to look back over his shoulder. “Really?”
“Really. We’ll hit the wholesale market to stock up on salt, sugar, and everything on your list—solid fuel alcohol blocks, matching portable stoves, all of it,” Tianwei said, noting down figures on the notepad. “High-grade fuel blocks burn for about an hour and ten minutes each. Let’s call it an hour per block. Cooking a pot of noodles or boiling grain porridge takes two to three hours a day, not to mention heating daily wash water.
“That means we’ll burn through at least four blocks every day, and that doesn’t even factor in winter heating.
“We need to plan for at least a three-year baseline—that’s a minimum of fifteen hundred blocks.” Actually, that wasn’t an overwhelming bulk, since compressed alcohol blocks were relatively compact. Checking the parcel dimensions on her phone, she added, “If your space can handle the volume, we might as well stock enough for five or six years.”
“Mm-hmm!” The little hamster nodded vigorously. He adored hoarding; gathering supplies brought him pure, unadulterated joy.
“First thing tomorrow, I’ll order the bulk salt, sugar, and industrial fuel blocks through the corporation,” Tianwei continued, her practical instincts taking over. “Procuring those quantities requires corporate licensing to avoid suspicion. But aren’t you still planning to pick up hardware from abroad?”
“Abroad” meant the tactical survival equipment his uncle had ordered from overseas distributors.
The little hamster nodded. “I was planning to fly out tomorrow night. Having the hardware physically secured in my space will give me peace of mind.”
“No, push it back by a day or two so my contacts can bundle more gear together,” Tianwei countered. “I have reliable friends stationed overseas. I’ll instruct them to ship everything directly to my private villa in City A, right next to the international airport.
“Once you touch down, you can drive straight there, sweep everything into your dimension, and board an immediate return flight.”
Ideally, Tianwei would have preferred to handle the overseas courier run herself. As the older sister, she instinctively wanted to shoulder the heavy burdens. But Yu Xiaoyuan was the sole master of the spatial realm; only he could command the Kuntian Jade and keep its treacherous artifact spirit under control.
If she carried the pendant across international borders, the spirit might stage a rebellion in transit, locking up the dimensional gates or refusing to store items. Worse still, if she were flagged by airport customs with unexplainable hardware, the situation would spiral out of control. It simply wasn’t worth the risk.
Tianwei’s gaze drifted upward, settling on the silent countdown ticking down in the corner of her vision.
She let out a soft sigh. Though the numbers shifted in complete silence, she could almost hear the steady tick-tock of an invisible clock. The relentless pace left her chest tight with unease, like an executioner’s scythe hanging above her head, ready to drop at any second.
Reaching down, she gently stroked the hamster’s plush back. “Have you had to stare at this timer the entire time?”
Had her brother lived under the crushing pressure of this countdown from the very beginning? Was that why he had thrown himself into frantic preparations, desperate to shield her and their uncle from disaster and rewrite their tragic past?
“Not at all—it only showed up this morning right before Mu Feiyi came looking for me,” the little hamster squeaked. With a soft thud, he rolled onto his side across the paperwork, generously offering his tummy for strokes while his tiny mind kept working through the supply checklist. “Do you think we should introduce beneficial soil insects into the spatial realm’s ecosystem?”
“Biologically speaking, that makes sense, but what if they breed unchecked into a full-blown infestation?” Tianwei replied.
Her fingers had already drifted down to the little fellow’s soft belly. The pale, fluffy fur was parted, exposing his plump, pinkish tummy. Beneath the downy coat, the flesh was soft, warm, and delightfully squishy.
The hamster shot her a brief sideways glance, then went right back to studying the scribbles on the desk. Sprawled out on his side, he looked lazy, docile, and utterly trusting.
Tianwei’s self-control shattered. Leaning down, she planted a loud, smacking kiss right onto his round tummy!
“Aaargh!” Cupping her glowing cheeks, Tianwei practically squealed in delight. “My little brother is just too cute! No wonder a ruthless operator like Mu Feiyi offered his crown jewel—that prime downtown parcel in S City—just to buy you!”
She began pacing around the study, practically bouncing on her heels with giddy excitement. “That scoundrel actually offered a literal fortune! That land is virtually priceless! Well, at least he has impeccable taste in fluff.
“Still, my brother is just too adorable~ Look at that tiny, round belly!”
Unable to resist, she leaned down for another peck.
However, today’s allowance for cuddles was strictly depleted. The little hamster thrust out a pink paw, pushing her nose away with a firm squeak: “I’m warning you—I’m getting angry.”
“Fine…” Tianwei pouted, staring down at the soft belly with lingering longing. Watching that velvety stomach rise and fall with each tiny breath was almost painfully cute. If he were just a little bigger, she would have buried her entire face in his fur.
“Little Yuan, your belly is so plush. Just let your sister cuddle you one more time, okay?” she coaxed, leaning closer. “Give me one good sniff, and I’ll call my overseas contacts right now to double the tactical order!
“How about compound hunting crossbows? We can order crates of high-tension crossbows and carbon arrows. Bolts can be retrieved and reused, making them far more sustainable than limited firearm ammunition, right?”
“That’s a very good point,” the little hamster agreed, nodding solemnly. “And they’re completely legal for civilian purchase over there.”
“Exactly! So let Big Sister have a proper cuddle!” Tianwei gently pinned the hamster onto his back on the leather blotter. “Just one kiss, I promise~”
“Hmph.” The little hamster sneered from his overturned position.
Humans always claimed it was “just one kiss,” which inevitably turned into seventeen or eighteen kisses in a row! And every time they took a “sniff,” they acted like they wanted to vacuum up every single strand of fur!
Case in point: her “single kiss” had already lasted an uncomfortably long time without a single pause for breath. His sister’s lung capacity was truly terrifying.
Just then, his sharp ears caught the faint rustle of slippers in the hallway.
The previously docile hamster instantly began shrieking at the top of his lungs, thrashing his paws in theatrical distress!
Before Tianwei could comprehend what was happening, the study door flew open with a resounding slam!
Yu Yuanzhou stood in the doorway, his face pale from his recent bathroom ordeal, his eyes blazing with fury.
“You rebellious brat! I knew you’d take advantage of my absence to bully your brother!” He scanned the room, looking for a suitable weapon to discipline his unrepentant daughter. “Using your status as his older sister to pick on his gentle nature just because his animal form is a tiny mouse?! I’m going to teach you a lesson you won’t forget!”
“Ow, ow! Dad, wait! Let me explain!” Tianwei yelped, darting around the mahogany desk.
“Explain what?! Seeing is believing! Do you think I’m blind?! You had him pinned to the desk, practically trying to swallow him whole!” Weak as his legs felt, Yu Yuanzhou rolled up his sleeves. “Stand right there!”
“I’d have to be crazy to stand still!” Spotting an opening, Tianwei bolted through the door into the corridor.
“Shameless girl! Pinning your own brother down like that—stop right now!” Yu Yuanzhou shouted, marching after her.
“Little Yuan, save me! Clear my name!” Tianwei’s panicked cries echoed down the hall.
Meanwhile, the “victimized” little hamster had already scrambled upright, clutching his fountain pen to resume his inventory list:
Windproof storm lighters, ferrocerium fire striker rods, waterproof matches, and bulk lighter fluid. Modern convenience was a blessing, but having primitive fire-starting backups was non-negotiable.
He paused, zoning out for a brief second before his whiskers twitched with sudden inspiration. “Goodness, I’m brilliant!”
He had nearly made a catastrophic oversight: he had forgotten to plant sunflowers and peanuts! Those were his absolute staples; how could a proper mouse survive without them?
“Right, tomorrow I’ll pick up premium peanut starts and giant sunflower seeds,” he muttered, nodding firmly. “And fruit saplings—we still need jujube and fig trees.” Dried dates and figs were calorie-dense and packed with natural sugars, making them ideal survival rations.
If conditions stabilized down the road, he could even distribute cuttings to other survivors. High-grade heirloom seeds were an absolute necessity, so he marked those down for his uncle to procure. His uncle had also mentioned that one of their corporate subsidiaries handled heavy transport logistics, which meant they had ready access to industrial diesel and gasoline reserves. They could arrange to draw those fuel drums directly from the regional distribution depot the day before departure.
Counting on his front paws, he ran through the household essentials: Thermal cold-weather gear is packed; down quilts, linens, and pillows are squared away. Summer clothing, winter parkas, and Sister’s personal wardrobe are all accounted for.
Tianwei had mentioned stocking a ten-year supply of personal hygiene products. The little hamster pondered the figure, wondering if that was sufficient. Better safe than sorry—let’s bump that up to a thirty-year supply to ensure she has enough for a lifetime.
Scribbling with frantic focus, he filled the entire sheet of paper, clamped the corner of the manifest between his teeth, and trotted out toward the second-floor railing.
Poking his head through the balusters, he called down toward the living room: “Sister! Sister, are you still taking me to the wholesale market tomorrow for everything on this list?”
“No way!” Tianwei shouted back from behind the sofa, looking thoroughly disheveled from being chased. “You little traitor, you didn’t lift a single paw to defend me just now! Big Sister is officially on strike!”
She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. “Unless I get two more sniffs!”
little hamster: Her shameless obsession truly knows no bounds.
Downstairs, Yu Yuanzhou’s voice boomed from the foyer, disbelief dripping from every syllable: “Yu Tianwei! You dare plot to harass your brother right in front of my face?!”
“Ah! I forgot you were standing right there!” Squealing in panic, Tianwei spun on her heels and dashed down the corridor.
