After purchasing the medicine, Lin Mo didn't linger. She headed straight to the nearby hardware store and, as planned, bought a chainsaw, a multi-tool folding knife, and a multi-purpose pliers.
Then she went to the water station near her apartment and ordered a water dispenser suitable for bottled water. This dispenser had a built-in pump tube that could directly connect to the bottle placed beside it, so she wouldn't have to manually pour water. She had found that carrying water barrels and pouring them was very strenuous; a dispenser with a pump tube that also integrated boiling, insulation, and tea-making capabilities was much more convenient.
The dispenser owner also gave her a press-type water pump.
That reminded Lin Mo: "I'll buy one more electric water pump. How much?"
"Thirty-five yuan each."
"Okay."
The delivery guy was the same young man as last time.
He familiarly greeted her: "Just the water dispenser, right? How about you hop on, and we'll go together?"
So Lin Mo rode an electric tricycle for the first time, and he quickly took her back.
The train was cramped, so she had to first move the unused solar generator to the bathroom. Since the shower wasn't usable anyway, it served as temporary storage, freeing up space for the new purchases. After a bit of organizing, she stored the hardware tools, medicine, water dispenser, and other supplies neatly inside the train.
Once everything was arranged, Lin Mo softly asked the air: "System, am I up to standard? Is this considered a simple shelter now?"
Silence. No response from the system.
Lin Mo was used to the system being offline. Not discouraged, she turned to her computer, opened the pre-organized Excel spreadsheet of supplies, and checked item by item: water, food, warmth materials, and medicine were all prepared as planned. What was missing were emergency tools and communication devices.
After a moment's thought, she decided to make another trip to an outdoor supply store to fill in the gaps. Having checked everything, she also ordered a fireplace heater and a bathroom heater on JD.com; the page showed delivery expected after 6 PM.
After finishing these tasks, a thought suddenly occurred to her: to survive long-term in a shelter, relying solely on stockpiling wasn't sustainable. Maybe she should try growing food. Vegetable and fruit seeds were essential. Besides that, she needed fertile soil.
As for raising livestock, she quickly shook her head. She had no experience in animal husbandry, and the shelter was a fully enclosed train—not suitable for raising animals. Surely the system wouldn't require that.
Organizing her things, she drove to the flower market. Compared to the noisy, crowded vegetable market, the flower market was much cleaner with fewer people. As soon as she entered, a mix of moist soil and faint floral scents greeted her.
Along the roadside were various potted plants: lush pothos with soft vines, plump succulents packed into small pots, and vibrant roses in full bloom.
Lin Mo didn't have time to admire the scenery. She hurried to the gardening supplies area and directly addressed a shop owner: "Boss, I need some potting soil and fertilizer suitable for growing everyday vegetables."
The shop owner glanced at her and smiled: "Looks like a beginner? Then choose this soil—it's fertile and works well for greens and tomatoes. Even a novice can grow them."
"Alright, then I'll take two bags of fertilizer and ten big bags of potting soil," Lin Mo said decisively.
Delighted, the owner said, "I'll go get them from the warehouse! By the way, want to look at seeds? I just got new stock: lettuce, baby bok choy, cherry tomatoes—all easy-to-grow varieties that don't require much care."
Lin Mo walked over and picked up a pack of lettuce seeds. The package showed plump, fresh lettuce leaves. She asked cautiously: "Are they really easy to grow? I've never planted anything. I'm afraid I'll kill them and waste the soil and seeds."
The owner waved his hand and patiently explained, "Don't worry, they're foolproof! Just sow the lettuce seeds, water them, and they'll sprout in a week. Baby bok choy is even faster—five days." He pointed to a plant laden with bright red cherry tomatoes: "Cherry tomatoes need a simple trellis, but they produce a lot. Just remember to water them regularly, and you'll get plenty. Also, chives and scallions are perennials—plant once and harvest multiple times. Perfect for beginners."
"Can you include a trellis?"
"Of course. As many as you want."
Lin Mo was completely sold. She immediately took a dozen large packs of each seed type the owner mentioned, cleaning out his stock: "Then I'll take all of these. Thanks, boss."
Then she picked out over a dozen appropriately sized large planting boxes, paid, and asked the owner to help load them into her car.
She also had a dozen discarded flower pots at home that could be repurposed.
Earlier, when researching online, she had read that growing wheat wasn't too hard, nor were fruits like strawberries and watermelons. If she could grow them successfully, she could become self-sufficient without relying solely on stockpiles.
So Lin Mo visited seven or eight more shops in the flower market. She successfully found strawberry and watermelon seeds, but couldn't find any grain seeds. Asking a shopkeeper, she learned that farmers usually bought grain seeds from specialized agricultural supply stores or seed companies; the flower market didn't sell them.
After a round, she found a shop selling "Vegetable and Fruit Pot Plant Gift Packs," each containing 100 random seeds covering various common vegetables and fruits. Lin Mo bought fifty gift packs and specifically asked the shop to send her a PDF version of the planting guide. She thought: anyway, I'll have free time later; I can slowly learn planting techniques.
The flower market wasn't far from the agricultural wholesale market. After finishing her gardening purchases, Lin Mo drove there directly. This time, she had a clear goal: head straight to the vegetable section and buy 100 kg of potatoes and 100 kg of sweet potatoes. She had just realized these two ingredients are storable—they can be eaten directly or cut into pieces for seed.
Then she went to the grain and oil section and stocked up on 100 kg of noodles and 100 kg of rice. Food and water were fundamental for a simple shelter; the system surely had requirements for supplies, so she didn't hesitate and bought as much as her small van could hold.
Next, she got red beans, Job's tears, and other grains. She only stopped when the van couldn't fit any more.
Back home, just as Lin Mo had sorted everything and put it away, the doorbell rang. Opening the door, she saw a SF Express courier carrying two heavy boxes—so heavy his arms were bent.
"Dried goods?" Lin Mo was momentarily surprised. Curious, she took the boxes and opened the packaging.
The boxes were stuffed full of dried beans, dried mushrooms, and cured meat. A rough estimate put the weight at least 40-50 jin (about 20-25 kg). The mushrooms were wild hazel mushrooms with a mountain fragrance, the dried beans were the golden hook variety, and the cured meat was from free-range pigs—lean and fatty, fragrant.
Without a second thought, Lin Mo knew it was from her friend Bai Jie. This was classic Northeastern home-style quality ingredients. No wonder Bai Jie had asked about logistics this morning—she must have sent the package earlier, worried Lin Mo's supplies weren't enough.
Lin Mo quickly took out her phone, snapped a photo of the full box, and sent it to Bai Jie with a "Thankful heart!" and a hugging emoji.
After a short rest and a cup of hot water to warm up, Lin Mo went out again, driving to the outdoor supply store to fill in the emergency tools and communication devices. She purchased item by item according to her list: a down sleeping bag with a fleece lining for excellent warmth even in extreme cold; several boxes of windproof lighters and waterproof matches; and a magnesium rod that could still work in extremely low temperatures, ensuring she could start a fire in critical moments. She also bought two small folding shovels for clearing snow.
For communication, she bought a satellite phone and a shortwave radio. The satellite phone didn't rely on ground networks, so she could make calls even in remote areas. The radio could receive external messages, ensuring she wouldn't be completely cut off.
On the way back, she detoured to a building materials market to buy more materials for future expansion. After stowing everything in the train, Lin Mo expected a notification from the system, but none came.
Given the system's past behavior, it should have notified her once the standards were met.
Lin Mo frowned. Had she missed something?
She walked to the bedroom and packed the down comforter, electric blanket, and other sleeping supplies into the train. She also stored all thermal accessories and clothing to ensure nothing was left out.
Now, even the bathroom was stuffed with various supplies.
She asked the air again: "System, is my task complete?"
Silence. No response.
Lin Mo was a bit speechless. This system really liked to "play dead" at critical moments.
She forced herself to calm down and systematically checked for possible omissions: "Not enough food and water? Or insufficient building materials and energy supplies?"
She glanced at the down sleeping bag in the train and wondered: Could it be that she lacked furniture? But the train was already cramped; there was no room for extra furniture. The sleeping bag should suffice, right?
Or maybe she was missing entertainment facilities? But a simple shelter didn't need entertainment. What exactly didn't meet the system's requirements?
Author's note:
Next update, tonight at midnight.