Magic Space: Struggling to Survive in the Apocalypse-Chapter 52: High Temperature, The Cellar 1

Vultures are scavengers. They’re large birds that can soar to great heights, so their meat is not only tough but also carries all sorts of parasites and bacteria. On top of that, they’re not easy to process.

Evelyn Ford laid out the pros and cons for the two of them, but judging by Roy Henderson’s expression, he had no intention of giving up on the two vultures.

"Drying it out in the sun to make Dried Meat will get rid of the parasites. Besides, our immune systems are strong. We aren’t afraid of germs. Miss Ford, forget vultures—people have already started digging up tree roots."

"In that case, be careful when you’re handling it. Don’t cut your hands. Salting, air-drying, smoking, and sun-drying—it all has to be done thoroughly." Evelyn Ford went back inside and found a sharp kitchen knife to lend the two of them.

There’s a way to live in a civilized age, and there’s a way to live in the apocalypse.

Evelyn Ford was well aware that if she hadn’t been reborn and obtained her dimensional space, her situation would be far more dire.

The next day, when Roy Henderson came to return the kitchen knife, he brought Evelyn Ford about half a pound of vulture meat. The meat had been cut into strips and coated with chili powder, which they had brought back from their last supply run.

The vulture meat was handled very well; Evelyn Ford found herself somewhat admiring their skills.

Two days later, Officer Graham took the other two out on another supply run. Officer Graham was not the type to sit still. Perhaps due to his profession, he was extremely meticulous and had a keen sense of impending danger.

The daytime temperature climbed higher each day. When it reached fifty-two degrees, even the vultures outside couldn’t withstand the scorching sun, letting out bursts of sharp, piercing screeches.

The ground below had already cracked open. In the middle of the night, Evelyn Ford went downstairs to take a look. The fissures were now five centimeters wide, and the soil had turned to sand. The slightest breeze would kick up a storm of yellow dust.

The next day, after Officer Graham’s group returned, they made a point of knocking on Evelyn Ford’s door to share some good news. They had found supplies at the Temple of Eternal Peace on West Mountain. There was a lot, and they wanted her to come with them that night to help move it.

"Mr. Graham, Roy Henderson, Owen Chapman, you should divide what you found among yourselves. The things I brought back from Caelan Manor last time are enough to last me a long time."

"Don’t say no. There’s really a ton of stuff. This is all thanks to Roy Henderson. He said his mom used to take him to the Temple of Eternal Peace to burn incense, and one time he happened to see the monks moving sacks of rice into a cellar. We just went over last night to try our luck and, unbelievably, the cellar was still there. We were so fortunate!" Officer Graham was animated as he spoke, using his hands to show how large the cellar was.

"He’s right, Miss Ford. I want all five of us to make it through this. We need to stick together now, help each other out, and not worry about who owes whom. Please don’t refuse. If you do, we won’t feel right asking you for help if one of us gets sick in the future."

Evelyn Ford looked at Roy Henderson and gave a resigned smile.

"Fine, I’ll go. What time tonight?"

"We’ll head out at nine-thirty. Bring ropes and sacks." Officer Graham, who was wearing a watch, set the time. With that, everyone returned to their own apartments.

At nine o’clock that night, Evelyn Ford began to get her gear ready. She gathered two burlap sacks and a coil of hemp rope. She equipped her crossbow and Imperial Blade, and put on an airtight, sun-proof suit. Then, an idea came to her. She took out a large water canister, filled it to the brim, and slung it over her body.

Wendy was, as usual, locked safely in her home by Officer Graham. At precisely nine-thirty, the four of them set out from Prosperity Gardens, heading for the Temple of Eternal Peace on West Mountain. The walk would take fifty minutes. No one spoke along the way; everyone just kept their heads down and pushed forward. Officer Graham took the lead, with Evelyn Ford bringing up the rear.

Roy Henderson and Owen Chapman had less stamina, but they gritted their teeth and kept up, not slowing the group down in the slightest.

At ten-twenty, the four of them reached the foot of West Mountain. The floods had completely washed away the stairs and paths here. Now, with piles of jagged rocks and loose soil, the climb up the mountain had become exceptionally difficult.

West Mountain had only ever been a forest park, but now, all the trees had been chopped down, leaving only stumps. They each picked up a branch to use as a walking stick and began the ascent, practically scrambling up on all fours.

The Temple of Eternal Peace had also been severely damaged by the floods. The giant Buddha statue at its entrance was half-buried in sand, its compassionate gaze still looking down over the city.

"The cellar’s in the back. This next part is treacherous, so watch your step."

To avoid attracting trouble, they had to move in complete darkness. Evelyn Ford kept her flashlight off. Fortunately, she was wearing night-vision goggles, which made things much easier for her than for the other three.

Roy Henderson and Owen Chapman kept stumbling and falling. Evelyn Ford could see their knees were scraped and bleeding, but neither of them made a sound.

After much stumbling and scrambling, they reached a small, detached courtyard behind the Temple of Eternal Peace. Roy Henderson explained that this was the kitchen, and the cellar was right underneath it.

After they moved a large boulder out of the way, Officer Graham used a small shovel he had brought to dig for a bit. He scraped away the topsoil, revealing an iron plate. It was only then that Evelyn Ford understood how the cellar had survived the torrential rains and floods intact.

It was a cellar built as sturdily as an iron cage. Once the four of them were inside, Evelyn Ford discovered that besides food supplies, it also housed a vast number of books, Buddhist sutras, and many priceless artifacts.

"When we came in last night, there were several bodies by the entrance. They must have been hiding in here to protect all this. The iron plate on top can only be opened from the outside. The people who were supposed to let them out must have died, so everyone inside was trapped and perished here."

The bodies had already been moved to a corner, and Officer Graham had covered them with a black cloth.

Evelyn Ford scanned her surroundings. The cellar wasn’t huge, about one hundred and fifty square meters. According to historical records, the Temple of Eternal Peace was over a thousand years old, and this cellar was likely built by people from that ancient time as well. It was airtight, the oxygen was thin, and the temperature was very low. The walls were adorned with exquisite, breathtaking murals.

"Such a shame," Officer Graham sighed, then started moving supplies.

Besides rice, flour, and noodles, there were also lots of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cabbages.

Evelyn Ford took a fifty-five-pound bag of rice, five heads of cabbage, three bundles of noodles, and about eleven pounds of potatoes.

"Let’s come back for another run," Officer Graham suggested.

Roy Henderson and Owen Chapman agreed, and Evelyn Ford had no objections.

The four of them loaded up with as many supplies as they could carry and left the cellar in single file. Officer Graham replaced the iron plate, covered it with sand and soil, and finally, all four of them worked together to push the large boulder back on top.

The path down the mountain was treacherous. The soil was loose and soft, causing them to slip the moment they stepped on it. Even Evelyn Ford fell several times. Hot sweat beaded on her forehead, dripping into her mouth with a salty, bitter taste. Her socks were soaked through, making walking an ordeal, as if her shoes were full of water.

Weighed down by their haul, their return trip was much slower. Evelyn Ford shared her water with the others. After drinking, they regained some strength and continued the journey.

The return trip alone took an hour and a half. Fortunately, they didn’t run into anyone. They unloaded their cargo, rested for thirty minutes, and then set out again for the second haul.

There was enough food in the cellar to last them all for a year. Now, the only remaining problem for their survival was the lack of water.