Apocalypse Queen: My Space, My Rules Chapter 47: Danger

The supplies Mariella had stockpiled suddenly felt pitifully small.

The storage space had expanded massively. It should've been good news, but looking at all that empty space made her chest ache.

There was no way she'd let all that space go to waste. She had to keep stocking up until there was no room left.

...

The rain kept getting heavier, with no sign of easing even after nightfall.

Traffic across the city had completely collapsed, and low-lying areas had turned into vast stretches of water.

Cars were floating everywhere. Even freight trucks, water tankers, and fire engines had been lifted by the flood.

In some places, entire first floors were submerged, forcing people to climb to higher levels as the water kept rising.

Those who had rushed out earlier to enjoy the rain were now trapped. The unlucky ones had already lost their lives out on the streets.

Emergency calls flooded in nonstop, but with limited manpower and traffic completely paralyzed, rescue efforts could only rely on watercraft.

Liraelith was an inland city built on hilly terrain. It had never experienced floods like this before, and it was severely lacking in flood control equipment.

Fortunately, someone mentioned that a batch of inflatable boats, kayaks, and life vests had recently been donated by a kind citizen. They could finally be put to use.

The police chief was overjoyed and immediately ordered the supplies to be retrieved. The response came back that they were already underwater.

The storage location had been in a low-lying area and was hit first when the storm arrived.

With no other option, the police had to send divers to salvage the supplies from the flooded warehouse.

While they were busy retrieving equipment, the disaster escalated even further.

The torrential rain was now accompanied by a level-ten typhoon. The sky turned pitch black, like the end of the world.

From their windows, residents saw what looked like an endless ocean, waves rising and crashing under the violent wind.

Towering buildings swayed like fragile saplings, as if they could snap at any moment.

People who had tried to escape on small boats were quickly overturned by the typhoon and swallowed by the raging water.

Ironically, it was fortunate that those rescue supplies had been submerged. The delay in retrieving them kept the police from deploying too early and getting caught in the full force of the storm.

If they had launched immediately, the boats would've been flipped by the typhoon, leading to even greater casualties.

The storm tore roofs off buildings. Entire neighborhoods of older housing collapsed, and those that remained were completely submerged.

People clung to washbasins and plastic tubs, trying to stay afloat, but the powerful winds dragged them into trees, utility poles, and even walls.

In the face of nature's fury, humans were as helpless as ants.

The night was pitch-black, the storm relentless. The world had turned into a living hell.

...

Mariella stepped out of the storage room and saw Serena still standing guard at the door, clutching a small scalpel, with Lucky by her side.

"Serena, come on. Time to eat." She took the girl's hand.

Serena shook her head seriously. "There are a lot of valuable emeralds in there. Until my dad comes back, Lucky and I have to guard it. Right, Lucky?"

"Woof!" Lucky barked, agreeing to stand his post.

"I already moved everything," Mariella whispered in her ear.

Serena's wide eyes blinked as she looked Mariella up and down, not seeing anything hidden on her.

"I put it somewhere no one can find. It's safe," Mariella added.

Only then did Serena relax and happily follow her to dinner.

She didn't know where Mariella had hidden everything, but if Mariella said it was safe, then it was.

...

The storm and typhoon swept through, quickly submerging the entire city.

Traffic was completely paralyzed. No matter how much Mariella offered, no delivery service could make it through.

Luckily, the team had just brought back four vehicle loads of supplies. Beer, fried chicken, instant noodles, jerky, sandwiches, bread rolls... Everything imaginable.

A quick reheat in the microwave, paired with beer and cold drinks, turned into a surprisingly hearty dinner.

The massive TV mounted on the dining hall wall played local news footage, showing one devastating scene after another.

Only then did everyone realize how serious things had become, far worse than they had imagined.

"...a once-in-a-millennium superstorm combined with a level-ten typhoon. Our city has suffered catastrophic damage. The entire area is submerged. Emergency signals have been sent, but heavy rain is affecting not just the nation but the entire world. The cause remains unknown.

"Residents are advised not to go outside. Those on lower floors should monitor water levels closely and move to higher floors as needed. Residents in older neighborhoods and suburban areas should evacuate immediately and seek higher ground.

"Police have deployed dozens of inflatable boats and over 100 kayaks across the city for rescue operations. Citizens seeking refuge should watch for flashing police lights and signal for help..."