Apocalypse Queen: My Space, My Rules Chapter 87: The Flood That Devours All

No matter the time, electrical power is irreplaceable.

This is because people have grown used to relying on it.

...

Mariella returned to the villa, and as usual, Lucky was the first to pounce on her.

The dog circled her excitedly, rubbing and sniffing her over and over, only calming down after confirming she was unharmed.

Almost no one on the team had gone to sleep, and only after seeing the two return safely did they finally relax.

Number One asked Chandler about what had happened outside that night, still shaken. "A few of us went to check the outskirts of the neighborhood. The flood destroyed a lot of high-rises in the city... Good thing you two made it back."

Chandler followed the story he and Mariella had agreed on earlier. "We happened to be inside a high-rise collecting supplies, so we avoided the worst of it."

Matthew added, "Power is still out, and there's no word on when it'll be restored. Mobile signal and internet were completely down for a while. Now, it's only 2G. Cable TV is gone too, but Kieran said in the group chat that he had people install large satellite receivers. Celestine Ridge can now watch TV normally again."

Each household in Celestine Ridge could invite three people into the group chat, but Mariella had only added Matthew. From her past life experience, he was the one she trusted most.

Whenever there was important information in the group chat, Matthew kept track of it for her since she was too busy.

Mariella nodded and remarked, "Kieran does have the makings of a leader."

In a sense, Celestine Ridge was like a large team. If there were a strong leader who could unite all the residents, they could defend against external threats together.

In her previous life, that leader had been Harvey.

He had supplies, firearms, and a talent for manipulating people, so the residents had followed his lead.

But Harvey was cunning and selfish. He only talked big and never actually shared resources. Over time, people saw through him, and his authority declined.

Later, when disaster victims attacked Celestine Ridge, Harvey didn't send help or organize any real defense.

Only when his own villa was targeted did he finally realize the danger.

If his neighbors were wiped out, he would be next.

Only then did he begin organizing resistance, managing to hold out for over a year.

But as more and more survivors gathered, the wealthy villas became like a mountain of gold, attracting endless swarms of desperate people.

Hungry survivors came from everywhere, driven by rumors of abundant supplies. They were desperate enough to bite even if it broke their teeth.

Eventually, the wealthy fled by helicopter to official shelters.

As for those without connections or means, they were left behind to be consumed.

For now, however, the apocalypse had only lasted a little over half a month. People hadn't reached that level of desperation yet.

In this life, because of Mariella's intervention, many people and events had changed.

Kieran, who had originally planned to lie low and wait things out, had stepped up. He quickly took control of two key supply businesses in Celestine Ridge, gaining authority over resource distribution, and with it, influence and status.

Now, when disasters struck, he acted quickly to solve problems within his ability, further strengthening his position.

If Kieran could truly take on the role of leader in this life and help Celestine Ridge hold out longer, Mariella wouldn't mind lending him a hand.

...

By the time Mariella returned to her bedroom, it was already past 2 a.m.

Her body was exhausted, but she couldn't sleep.

Seeing that the emerald bracelet on her wrist had nearly turned invisible, she knew the storage space had upgraded significantly.

She slipped inside and eagerly checked her gains.

What she saw shocked her.

The haul from the three jewelry stores had converted into 26,000 cubic feet of storage space, bringing the total to 65,000 cubic feet. The villa inside had expanded to three floors, covering 3,800 square feet, and the garden now measured 1,000 square feet.

Looking at the expanded space, the three-story villa, and the bigger garden, all her fatigue was replaced by excitement.

Tonight's operation had been incredibly worthwhile.

Of course, she didn't forget to mentally credit Chandler with a major contribution.

She didn't waste time bathing in the storage space and instead returning to her room's bathroom.

After drying her hair and stepping out, she habitually checked her phone again.

Kieran had just posted a shocking piece of bad news in the group chat.

"All residents of Celestine Ridge, please be advised: we've just received an emergency notice. The flood has destroyed the largest prison in Liraelith, and thousands of violent offenders are now unaccounted for. In addition, the flood has brought in a large number of crocodiles. There have already been cases of crocodiles entering residential buildings and killing children. Please make sure your doors and windows are securely closed to prevent further incidents."