Chapter 7 Raiding The Mega Mall

Theresa strode into a sporting goods store, her eyes scanning the shelves with purpose. She picked out several baseball bats, prioritizing strength and durability, then shifted her focus to outdoor survival gear. Flashlights, helmets, body armor, protective pads, tents, hazmat suits, tactical clothing—she didn't hold back, ensuring every essential was accounted for. By the time she was done, her total spend had exceeded twenty thousand. While checking out, she noticed emergency tools like tweezers, pliers, adhesive strips, and thermometers on display. This sparked a realization—she still needed medical supplies. Without delay, she headed to a nearby pharmacy. There, she loaded up on necessities—cold remedies, hemostatic agents, fever reducers, vitamins, bandages, alcohol, iodine, and other first-aid necessities. She wasn't leaving anything to chance. In contrast, she barely spared a glance at the prescription drugs on display. To her, they were irrelevant—useless in the grand scheme of survival. After ten brutal years navigating the apocalypse, she had learned a hard truth—those who relied on daily medication didn't last long. A small stash of emergency drugs was all she needed, and even then, they were more of a contingency than a necessity. In a world turned upside down, a frail body was practically a death sentence. When she emerged from the pharmacy, the evening sky had already surrendered to the glow of city lights. Neon signs bathed the streets in vibrant colors, painting a lively yet surreal scene. Surveying her haul, she allowed herself a moment of satisfaction. She had secured everything critical: food, water, shelter, and the bare necessities for survival. But survival wasn't just about the basics; it was also about being prepared for the unexpected. There was still room to upgrade her supplies, to ensure she had every possible advantage. With 1.57 million still burning a hole in her pocket, she decided there was no harm in indulging. Why not splurge a little? She'd grab whatever caught her eye, stocking up without restraint. If the end of the world was imminent, she might as well do it with style. Before the chaos of the apocalypse could descend, she resolved to indulge in a final, unapologetic celebration of the world's fleeting splendor. Her journey began at a Michelin-starred restaurant, a place she had once deemed far too extravagant to enter. This time, she spared no expense, ordering a lavish banquet fit for royalty: velvety mushroom soup, fragrant garlic ribs, golden-seared cod, crispy roasted chicken, and succulent garlic shrimp. Dishes she had only ever dreamed of tasting were now her reality. The garlic shrimp and fillet steak were so divine that she didn't hesitate to have the kitchen prepare ten additional servings for her to take away. After all, Summer deserved to share in this fleeting decadence! Not content to stop there, Theresa booked a luxurious suite in the hotel and ventured to the bustling mall below. The sprawling displays of goods and the irresistible aromas of freshly prepared foods were impossible to resist. Her instincts, honed by years of hardship, led her straight to the gourmet section, where the sheer variety of delicacies was overwhelming. There, the offerings were as abundant as they were irresistible—golden egg waffles fresh off the iron, sizzling takoyaki, towering cakes, delicate floss buns, crispy fried skewers, golden chicken cutlets, savory pork chops, rich oden, creamy ice cream, silky milk tea, and fragrant desserts. It was a paradise of flavors! Confronted with the overwhelming variety of goods, she couldn't help but feel a pang of longing—there was just so much she wanted to grab. Yet, she knew deep down that time was a scarce resource, and her funds weren't limitless. These indulgences couldn't possibly make it onto her list of survival essentials. After all, they were luxuries of a peaceful era, frivolous and impractical in the harsh reality of the apocalypse. But for now? None of that mattered! Tonight, she had the freedom to splurge without restraint. To feast without hesitation, to buy without restraint, and to momentarily forget the grim future. She swept through the mall like a quiet storm, visiting shop after shop with an air of understated opulence. At each store, she approached the staff with calm confidence, uttering a simple yet jaw-dropping request. "Pack up every snack you've got." Once the payment was made, she instructed them to deliver everything to her suite upstairs. Every time, the reaction was the same—stunned silence, wide-eyed disbelief, and then a flurry of activity as the staff scrambled to fulfill her extravagant demand. Take the first bakery as an example—Theresa swept through it with a single command, having everything packed up for delivery. Freshly baked bread, velvety cheesecakes, ice cream-filled puffs, delicate cream squares, chewy mochi, soft cream rolls, decadent mille-feuille, flaky egg yolk pastries, golden waffles, and buttery cookies—all of it was bagged and sent straight to her hotel suite. Then she moved on to a Korean fried chicken joint. She didn't settle for just one flavor—she went for them all. Sweet and spicy, amber glaze, garlic soy, honey mustard—each sauce was paired with a variety of chicken cuts: boneless pieces, crispy wings, tender drumsticks, and even whole roasted chickens. Milk tea shops were no exception to her spree. She made sure to sample every flavor from every shop—classic milk teas, fruity infusions, ice cream teas, creamy milk cap blends, and even slushy concoctions! She moved through each store like a phantom of extravagance, paying her bill, leaving her address, and disappearing without a trace. By the time she completed her whirlwind tour, she had spent over 200,000 on snacks alone, indulging in a feast worthy of her fleeting moment of luxury. Each store had an inventory worth over ten thousand, but for places like the cold noodle and waffle shops, which Theresa didn't feel the need to stock up on, she simply grabbed one of every flavor. These smaller shops only set her back a few hundred to a few thousand each. With her total exceeding 200,000, she had thoroughly explored all the snack stalls on the second and third floors of the mall. Afterward, she headed straight to the supermarket—a place she couldn't miss! She grabbed two large shopping carts and made her way through the massive, warehouse-style aisles, picking up everything she could think of. By the time she reached the checkout, her carts were filled with an assortment of single items, each one chosen carefully. She picked out a single packet of every flavor of chips, a box of cookies and candy, and a bottle of each kind of drink, from juices to sodas. She also grabbed a selection of ready-to-eat meals: sausages, grilled chicken, fish, sushi, rice balls, and boxed lunches—nothing was left out! For the semi-prepared foods, she didn't hesitate to choose marinated chicken, pork chops, fish fillets, and ingredients for hot pot. Her daily necessities were just as well thought out—she stocked up on toiletries, face creams, and even remembered the essentials like sanitary pads, disposable towels, and wet wipes. Since this spree was all about upgrading her lifestyle, she didn't skip on the home appliances either. A washing machine, a robotic vacuum, and a refrigerator were all added to her list—things she never thought about before. But with my newfound wealth, why not? After completing her purchases, she wheeled her two carts full of goods to the checkout. She then approached the manager and requested that, aside from the appliances, the entire stock of everything in her carts be packed up and delivered to her. However, she had clearly miscalculated both the quantity and the cost of the items she wanted. Before she could even finish buying everything she had planned, her funds were completely depleted! Out of the 1.3 million she had, she was only able to purchase a fraction of what she had intended. It was awkward! While the basic staples she had stocked up on earlier were relatively cheap, these processed foods were costing her several times more! Looking at her empty bank account, Theresa finally resigned herself to what she had—this would be enough. She provided her address to the manager and inquired if it would be possible to have the goods delivered today. The manager assured her that it would be no problem at all! With a hint of regret, she glanced around at the vast supermarket, still brimming with so many items she had hoped to take, feeling a touch of disappointment. After finishing her time at the supermarket, she decided to head upstairs and explore further. Up until now, she'd only explored the food courts on the B1 and B2 levels, plus the massive supermarket. The clothing sections on the upper floors were still out of reach due to her dwindling funds. She figured there were only about seventy left in her account. But seventy was still enough for a bit of fun! Even if I was nearly broke, I could still enjoy some window shopping! She started by picking up an iced cocoa for 14 from the convenience store and then wandered from one clothing store to the next. By the time she had finished browsing the third floor's fashion outlets, her iced cocoa was all gone. While strolling through the stores, she did find a few pieces that piqued her interest. "How much is this baseball jacket?" she inquired. "Miss, it's on sale right now—half off, just two thousand!" She fell silent after hearing the price. Two thousand, even with the discount. This was the most upscale mall in the area, known for its designer brands. It was simply beyond her budget. After she left the store without making a purchase, the manager, Ms. Lorne, gave a nudge to the salesperson who had just quoted Theresa. "Why waste your time with her? It's clear she's broke—just a poor soul. Did you see her wandering around empty-handed for several floors? She's not going to buy anything from us! Next time, be more discerning and learn to judge people..." The salesperson, who had been scolded, simply pursed her lips and remained silent. Theresa overheard their words but didn't let it faze her. She kept walking forward as if nothing had happened. Having survived the hardships of the apocalypse for so long, she wasn't the type to be easily provoked. She didn't feel the need to argue or act impulsively just to prove a point. In the end, the apocalypse had taught her one thing: it wasn't about pride—it was about survival.