Jiang Yuan didn't linger at the supermarket. He loaded his backpack to the brim and headed back to his apartment building, taking a longer, safer route. The sun was setting, painting the sky in hues of sickly purple and red.
He reached his building without incident and locked himself inside his apartment. He emptied his backpack onto the floor, staring at the pile of food, water, and medical supplies. It was enough to last him a week, maybe more.
He sat on the floor, eating a can of beans, and checked his phone. A new notification had appeared.
[New mission available: Establish a Safe House.
Objective: Fortify the apartment and secure a sustainable water source.
Reward: 100 evolution points, blueprint for a rainwater collector.]
Jiang Yuan smiled. A safe house. A place to breathe, to plan, to survive. He looked at the crowbar in his hand and the bandages on his arms.
He wasn't just surviving anymore. He was building something.