Reborn with Nothing but My Farm and Vengeance in the Apocalypse novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: A Mine of Her Own

After the supermarket closed, Melody Summers, Winnie Summers, and Colin Summers said goodbye to Crystal Lynch and her family and walked home along a small path.

Although the air was still very hot at night, it was much more bearable than during the day without the direct sunlight.

To save electricity, the streetlights in The Metropolis Residences were off. Thankfully, the bright moonlight illuminated the path for those returning home late.

Suddenly, Melody noticed a green sprout emerging from the ground beside a utility pole. The splash of green was especially striking in the current environment. Surprised, she ran over and bent down for a closer look, quickly recognizing what it was—

A Desert Vine!

’It’s already October,’ Melody thought. ’In my past life, the Desert Vines did start appearing right around now.’

The Desert Vine was a previously undiscovered species, but many experts speculated that it originated in the desert.

Experts theorized that the initial wave of global tornadoes had carried the Desert Vine seeds from deep within the deserts, scattering them across the globe.

The Desert Vine was highly adaptable, capable of surviving even in the most extreme conditions. It could thrive in hot, dry climates and also endure blizzards and severe cold.

The prolonged heat had wiped out other plant species. With no competition, the Desert Vine seeds took root and multiplied, quickly spreading and climbing everywhere.

The thickest parts of the vines were about two fingers wide, covered in a layer of tiny, transparent, and densely packed thorns. Inside the vine’s skin was a gel-like substance similar to aloe vera, rich in moisture.

Cutting open the vine revealed large, glistening white insect eggs, resembling round grubs. It was disgusting, but in the apocalypse, it was the most precious source of protein.

The Desert Vine is poisonous, but it becomes edible once the toxins are removed through a special process. The sand vine cakes made from the processed vine not only replenish water but also provide protein. In her past life, after the granaries ran out, sand vine cakes became the primary disaster relief food.

Melody even remembered how many theists in her past life had claimed that the Desert Vine was God’s salvation for humankind—a final lifeline from the heavens.

With strong government support, agricultural corporations led by Rhodes Enterprises began to research and improve the Desert Vine. Thanks to the relentless efforts of experts and scholars, its growth rate was significantly boosted.

The government then encouraged these corporations to cultivate the Desert Vine on a massive scale, processing it into edible sand vine cakes that were distributed to the public as disaster relief supplies.

Melody also remembered her past life, after the Lancaster Family went bankrupt and its assets were liquidated. They had survived solely on Elaine Hughes’s personal savings.

At the time, Elaine Hughes had told Melody that the Lancaster family was struggling and asked her to be understanding. Melody’s heart ached for Elaine, and she wanted to ease her burden. As a result, the other Lancasters ate the food rations Melody was entitled to, while Melody herself subsisted on sand vine cakes.

Seeing Melody suddenly run to the side of the road and crouch down, Colin and Winnie walked over, looking puzzled. "Melody, what are you doing?"

Winnie followed Melody’s gaze to the tiny green sprout. "Is that... a vine?" she asked, surprised. "Sprouting in this heat, in a place this dry? That’s incredible."

Colin clicked his tongue in wonder. "The sun has been brutal these last few months, and we haven’t had a drop of rain. The landscaping strips are all scorched. For this little thing to sprout... it’s really something else!"

"Mom, Uncle, this thing is poisonous," Melody warned. "From now on, be careful not to touch it."

"You recognize it, Melody?" Winnie asked, curious.

"Of course she does!" Colin said to Winnie with a completely serious face. "Don’t forget, our Melody is a college student. We should just listen to her!"

Ever since Melody had correctly predicted the typhoon, Colin had developed an unwavering faith in her. After she also foresaw the heatwave and led the family to a comfortable apocalyptic life with meat to eat and air conditioning, her words had become nothing short of gospel to him.

Melody couldn’t help but laugh. She blinked playfully and teased, "You’re my biggest supporter, Uncle."

Then Melody turned serious again. "This plant is covered in thorns," she told them. "They’re transparent, fine, and densely packed, so they’re hard to see. If you get pricked, the skin will start to rot."

"Mom, Uncle, this plant is incredibly resilient and perfectly adapted to dry conditions. It’ll probably start climbing all over the place soon. You have to be really careful not to get pricked."

Winnie and Colin both nodded gravely.

*

When the three of them got home, Grace, their grandmother, and Miss Lowell had already prepared a lavish dinner.

The main course was the pork Melody had left in the refrigerator, now roasted to fragrant perfection. The fat had rendered completely, leaving the skin crispy and the meat tender. It filled a massive bowl.

"You’re all back! Quick, wash your hands. It’s time to eat!" Grace called out.

At the dinner table, their grandmother, Grace, and Miss Lowell all had worried expressions.

Grace spoke first, turning to Colin. "I saw in the group chat that there was a murder in Building 9. People are also saying there’s a gang in our complex. You and Winnie are at the supermarket from dawn till dusk every day. Are you safe?"

Her grandmother immediately chimed in. "That’s right! You’re guarding all those supplies day in and day out. Have any gangs come to stir up trouble?"

Colin took a bite of a pork rib. "Don’t worry, Mom," he said. "There are two armed police officers stationed at the supermarket, plus a whole group of property management staff and security guards. It’s as safe as can be!"

Miss Lowell hesitated before asking, "The supermarket might be guarded, but the walk from there to the villas is at least ten minutes. You two are out from early morning to late night. What if you get ambushed on the road?"

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