Chapter Fifteen: The Hotel Exchange

They left swiftly, without alerting anyone upstairs. Jiang Huan quickened her pace, leading her younger brother away from the area. Not far ahead was a convenience store, but it had already been broken into. Apart from a few shelves and some trivial daily necessities, nothing remained. Jiang Huan took a set of fabric wardrobes, which weighed about three and a half kilograms—still manageable—and Jiang Xi carried them.

Continuing toward the city, they found that all the convenience stores had been looted. She decided to try a clothing store instead, but was surprised to find not a single piece of winter clothing left in stock.

Stepping out of the clothing store, the entire street lay desolate, resembling a scene from that show she’d once watched about the walking dead, with only the scattered debris bearing witness to chaos.

“Hey! Psst, psst!” A poorly hushed voice called down from above.

Jiang Huan backed away several steps before looking up. A thoroughly bundled head poked out from a window. “You’re not from around here, are you? Everything has already been taken and sent to the police station. Those people are no good—they’ll even rob passersby. You’d best avoid the police station.”

She had indeed been planning to try her luck there, hoping to find weapons. The cold glint in her eyes and the intimidation of knives were nothing compared to real guns, but now, with this warning, it seemed wiser to take a detour.

“Thank you,” she replied, tossing a courier parcel at the base of the building and signaling to it before quickly disappearing with her brother.

The person above cried out in surprise, hurried downstairs, and found the package surprisingly heavy. Across the way, a neighbor—one of the few still alive—asked curiously what it was.

“A scarf, I suppose. They must have picked it up along the way as thanks for my warning. It’s cold—well, I’d better get back inside,” the person replied, dashing upstairs, locking every window and door before opening the parcel. “Oh my! Five pounds of flour—enough gruel to last over a week!” It paid to be nosy sometimes. Those two looked young, and she hadn’t been able to help warning them about the police station, hoping to spare them trouble. She’d never expected such a reward—best to hide it quickly.

Jiang Huan led her brother around the police station, and by chance they ended up at the back entrance of a large supermarket. The expansive parking lot was filled with dozens of cars, frozen in place. In this weather, once the engine died, it was useless.

She raised her binoculars, scanning the rear entrance and the upper floors. Only when she was certain that no one was watching did she approach the supermarket with her brother. The crunching sound beneath their feet was unavoidable; both moved cautiously, Jiang Huan gripping a baseball bat.

The rear glass door was already cracked with frost, shards scattered everywhere. She peered inside. No one. She instructed her brother to wait at a triangular corner where he could quickly react to threats from either side, while she moved forward, collecting items with every step. To an observer, it looked as if she was merely dusting surfaces, but in truth, items vanished wherever she passed. As always, she never took everything, leaving scraps behind in inconspicuous places.

Reaching a locked door, she cut the lock open and pushed inside, her eyes lighting up. It was a storeroom—recently restocked! Apparently, someone had braved the frozen world in search of food but had been stymied by the lock, leaving the warehouse untouched. She took most of the supplies, packed a backpack full, and left with her brother.

Barely had they departed when a group approached the supermarket.

“Boss, this is the place. One of the boys said there was still a lot left here this morning. The storeroom is locked, but peeking through the small window, you can see it’s packed full.”

A man with shifty eyes nodded. “You’ll be rewarded for this. Let’s go in.” Swaggering, he followed his men inside.

Someone pushed the front shelves aside with force. Not far away, Jiang Huan glanced back, then led her brother into a nearby alley, making sure they left no traces before pressing deeper into the city.

Many shops marked on the map had already been picked over, or their windows smashed by the frost, making entry easy. True to her method, Jiang Huan took ninety percent, leaving ten behind, methodically sweeping through the city. Four hours passed in a blink. Near a hotel, she glimpsed movement inside.

She and Jiang Xi each carried a backpack now. She handed the baseball bat to her brother, keeping a knife ready for herself, and carefully skirted past. They hadn’t gone far when someone called out.

She’d expected this; otherwise, she would have avoided the place. She was eager to learn more about the city’s situation.

Against the biting wind, a woman with a warm, amiable face approached, her smiling eyes adding to the effect, making her seem instantly trustworthy.

“Hello, I’m Linda, the manager of this hotel. May I ask where you’re from?”

“Nearby,” Jiang Huan answered.

Jiang Xi’s mouth moved slightly. The candy in his mouth wasn’t finished yet, so he shifted it to make it dissolve faster.

“Oh, I see.” Linda’s smile faltered; clearly, this wasn’t the answer she wanted. Still, she was curious what had brought them out in such cold weather.

Her gaze lingered on their packs.

Jiang Huan didn’t take offense. “We picked these up on the street. Is your hotel still running? Looks like there are quite a few people here.”

“Ah, several nearby homes became uninhabitable. When supplies were delivered, the authorities arranged for the residents to stay here. Forty or fifty people—half the hotel is full, and they say more will be sent with the next shipment.”

Linda quickly added, “Though we’ve received some supplies, it’s hardly enough. I see you’re wearing the same issued coats as us—those aren’t enough, and food is scarce, right? You two are lucky, finding so many things. Where did you get them?”

Jiang Huan pointed back the way they’d come. “The supermarket, convenience stores, courier station entrances.”

“The courier station? Why didn’t we think of that?” Linda muttered, stamping her foot in frustration.

Jiang Huan instantly lost interest in the hotel. Since it had been designated a gathering point by the authorities, it was relatively safe for now.

She was about to leave when Linda grabbed her arm.

Seeing Jiang Huan’s displeasure, Linda gave a sheepish smile. “I mean no harm. It’s just that we’re short on resources and don’t have many people willing to go out searching. Some here have jewelry or gold and silver. If you’re interested, we can trade. We also have brand new mattresses, pillows, towels. Would you like to come in and have a look?”

Offering two options at once showed their desperation for supplies. They were eager to trade.

Jiang Huan didn’t decline. “Alright. But the exchange must be on the first floor.”

Linda beamed. “Of course, of course. For safety, naturally.”

She led the siblings into the hotel’s lobby. Inside, two people had been watching for a while; seeing Linda bring in guests, they didn’t question her but simply made way, following the siblings at a cautious distance.

Jiang Huan inspected the mattresses and pillows, finding them inferior to what she’d already collected. Still, since she was here, it wouldn’t do to leave empty-handed. She deliberately said, “I’ve always wanted a gold bangle. If you have one, I’m willing to trade this packet of soda crackers and this bag of candy for it.”