Chapter 15: Abundant Harvest

She found twenty thousand yuan in cash in the office drawer, which Lin Buwan pocketed, along with the tea leaves from the office mini-fridge. The moment her consciousness reached into the space, Lin Buwan paused in surprise—the space had expanded. The Maitreya Buddha she had casually placed inside had vanished without a trace; had the space devoured it?

The living room of the portable apartment had doubled in size. What was once a cramped area piled high with supplies was now spacious, and it was obvious that the golden Maitreya Buddha was the “culprit” behind the enlargement.

Lin Buwan contemplated for a moment, then removed the gold necklace from her neck and placed it inside the space. In the blink of an eye, the necklace disappeared too—yet the apartment remained unchanged.

“Not enough weight,” Lin Buwan muttered. That necklace weighed less than ten grams, utterly insignificant compared to the Buddha.

A new idea took shape: she needed to acquire more gold to test further, though finding a source was easier said than done. That tea shop owner was truly extravagant, to leave such a massive golden statue casually out on the table. The world of the wealthy was indeed beyond comprehension!

She had lingered long enough at the tea company. Seeing nothing else worth taking, Lin Buwan headed up to the ninth floor.

The ninth floor housed an e-commerce live-streaming company, filled with miscellaneous small appliances that would only waste space if stored. Lin Buwan passed them by without a second thought.

On the tenth floor, a business dealt in food imports and exports. Lin Buwan found a small storeroom filled with snacks—some commonly found, some not, but all edible. She stowed them away. In half a year, food would be more precious than gold; if she didn’t collect it now, there would be no chance later.

At last, she reached her own company. Standing at the entrance, she felt a wave of familiarity tinged with estrangement. She’d worked here for over a year. Though the boss often acted inhumanely, she still harbored some attachment.

With a swing of her hammer, glass shards scattered across the floor. Lin Buwan, practiced and unhurried, went to the front desk, found the keys, and unlocked the company’s small medicine storeroom. Inside, boxes upon boxes of pharmaceuticals were piled high. The company represented many brands, with a wide and varied assortment—perfect for stockpiling in the apocalypse.

She took everything, not leaving a single item behind, and then headed for her boss’s office. She recalled the boss had a private stash; according to the receptionist, there was a safe inside, said to be filled with gold bars.

The safe wouldn’t open, but fortunately, it was freestanding. Lin Buwan stored the entire safe inside her space, extending her consciousness to observe. After a moment, she noticed the kitchen seemed slightly larger—perhaps by about ten centimeters. She deduced this from the extra space beside the fridge, which had been flush against the wall.

The boss must have kept gold bars, now thoroughly absorbed by the space. Lin Buwan retrieved the empty safe and put it back where it belonged.

There were still some display medicines on the company’s showcase, but she left them for others. With what she had already stored, plus her previous stockpile, she had more than enough. One shouldn’t be too greedy; it was best to leave something for others.

So, with stops and starts, she made her way up to the twentieth floor. A glance at the time showed it was already past one in the afternoon. Her stomach rumbled with hunger. Since setting out, she had rowed a boat, climbed stairs, and gathered supplies—her strength was waning.

She sat in the stairwell, knowing no one would be there, unfolded a small table, and set up a chair. From the space, she took out a bowl of beef noodles. The dark broth bathed strands of noodles, topped with generous chunks of braised beef, a crispy fried egg, and fresh green vegetables. The aroma filled the air.

Ravenous, Lin Buwan tucked in, and after finishing the bowl, felt warmth spread through her body. The sensation of being full was unparalleled.

Leaning back in her chair, she fetched a cup of milk tea—one of a dozen she’d ordered before the apocalypse. If not for financial constraints, she would have bought a hundred. After drinking half, she put the milk tea back into her space. Now she was truly full.

Thinking of the puppy waiting at home, Lin Buwan didn’t dare linger. She packed up her table, ended her break, and resumed her diligent scavenging.

The twentieth floor belonged to a company founded by the scion of a wealthy family. Back when she worked here, she’d heard plenty of gossip—the young master was starting his own business, supposedly in jewelry design.

Lin Buwan quickly climbed the stairs and pushed open the fire door. The entrance was lavishly decorated, screaming luxury. Through the glass doors, she could see the reception area, far more stylish than her company’s bar counter. Lin Buwan hefted her hammer and smashed the glass with a resounding crash.

She bypassed the reception and walked into the office area. Her eyes widened at the sight—

Wow! He truly was a rich heir. The design was impeccable, and the display cabinets showcased exquisite jewelry. With the right lighting, the pieces would look dazzling.

She couldn’t tell what materials the jewelry was made of, nor whether the space would absorb them, but she wanted to try. Even if it didn’t work, it would still be a pleasure to admire the pieces later.

She smashed the display cases and stored all the jewelry inside her space. After circling the office, she discovered a large kitchen, its fridge still running on an independent power supply.

Opening the fridge, Lin Buwan’s eyes lit up at the sight of high-end ingredients: caviar, foie gras, wagyu beef, and thinly sliced, vacuum-packed cured ham filled every shelf. The kitchen racks were lined with fine wines and seasonings.

What kind of company was this? The extravagance was beyond belief.

Lin Buwan didn’t stand on ceremony—she took everything. These were delicacies she could never have afforded before the apocalypse, yet here they were, free for the taking.

Next, she entered the boss’s office—so dazzlingly luxurious it almost hurt her eyes. The office was enormous, one wall entirely converted into a display case filled with diamond-encrusted figurines, each worth more than the average person could dream of spending.

Lin Buwan had no interest in figurines or diamonds, but she put one into her space to test it. Seeing no change after a while, she took it back out. However, she did find a safe embedded in the wall—impossible to remove. She wasn’t bothered; if she couldn’t take it, so be it. The ingredients she’d already collected from the kitchen were more than enough.

Satisfied, she considered the job done.

Lin Buwan hurried downstairs. By now, it was after two, nearing three. The puppy had been alone for so long—who knew what kind of howling awaited her at home?

Reaching the seventh floor, Lin Buwan noticed the water level had risen again. When she’d first arrived, it barely covered her feet; now it reached her ankles. She took the inflatable kayak from her space, set it on the water, and pushed herself toward the window.