Near the cashier's desk lay an array of cigarettes and condoms.
Annan herself did not smoke, but she knew these items could serve as currency in the future.
To seasoned smokers, these cigarettes were the epitome of luxury in a post-apocalyptic world, where every cigarette smoked was one less to spare.
As for the condoms... Although she had no boyfriend, she recalled that in her previous life, the wealthy wives in the villa district would spare no expense in purchasing such items.
After all, in a world where people devoured each other without a second thought, pregnancy was tantamount to a death sentence.
With a swift motion, Annan gathered everything into her space.
By now, the floodwaters had risen considerably, so Annan hastily swam to the staircase and climbed to the second floor.
The second floor featured a variety of cosmetics counters on one side and bags and shoes on the other.
Annan hurried from south to north, collecting everything her hands brushed, not bothering to check brands or types.
The third floor was dedicated to branded women's clothing.
Though she had already stocked up on clothes from the wholesale market, their quality was no match for these high-end brands.
Especially when it came to intimate garments, she knew that it was best to wear quality items.
After clearing the third floor, Annan noticed that her space was nearly full, so she bypassed the fourth floor, which featured men's and children's clothing.
She made her way straight to the fifth floor, the home goods section.
Here, there were not only leather sofas, solid wood beds, rosewood coffee tables, and massage bathtubs but also mosquito nets, cooling mats, beddings, and various household appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, as well as small appliances like fans, ovens, blenders, and hairdryers.
Though her home was already furnished, she decided to stock up on new household items in case of a future move.
After all, even in peaceful times, who doesn't have to move a few times in their life?
With such ample supplies, Annan could settle anywhere.
The sixth floor was a cinema, but after a quick tour, she found nothing of value other than a popcorn machine.
Finally, she reached the top floor, the seventh.
This floor was the private space of the mall owner, which was off-limits.
Undeterred, Annan took out her hydraulic pliers and sledgehammer, forcefully breaking the door open.
Upon entering, she was immediately struck by the extravagant decor.
An enormous desk and tea table, rare and valuable teas and tea sets, priceless calligraphy and paintings on the walls, and even every single ornament in the room appeared to be an antique.
But the most captivating item was a four-meter-long, three-ton landscape sculpture against the wall.
It was made of jade.
The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the quality was outstanding.
Annan admired it for a moment, then without hesitation, stored it in her space.
Instantly, her already packed space expanded by 4000 square meters.
The drab, two-story building was now transformed into a 200-square-meter, two-story villa.
Such a significant change in space?
Annan marveled as she inspected her surroundings.
It seemed that the space upgrade was connected to the jade's quality.
The piece was large and of excellent quality, instantly enhancing her space so dramatically.
Her bracelet had also upgraded from a jadeite variety to a much rarer form.
Annan couldn't help but feel that this trip had been truly worthwhile.
After her excitement settled, she began to collect the other valuables in the office.
A mini-fridge containing A5 Wagyu beef, Boston lobsters, caviar, black truffles…
The wine cabinet held prestigious bottles such as Dom Pérignon, 1982 Lafite, and Flying Moutai.
She also collected cigars, tea, golf clubs, and foreign classics.
Then, a box of car keys caught her eye.
Oh well, no matter—if it was visible, it was going into her space.
She also grabbed antiques and paintings.
While antiques might not hold value in the apocalypse, in the extreme cold of the coming era, these items could easily be burned as scrap paper.
Might as well collect them now, especially since she had the space.
Before long, the place was stripped bare, leaving only a bird-patterned porcelain vase that refused to fit into her space.
What was going on?
Annan tried to move it but realized it was fixed to the ground.
No wonder it wouldn't fit into her space.
"Could this vase have some secret?"
Curious, she began to inspect it and found that while it couldn't be lifted, it could be rotated.
Slowly, she turned the vase.
To her surprise, the bookshelf in front of her also began to shift, revealing a hidden door.
A secret room?
Annan cautiously took out her combat knife and entered.
The room was empty, containing only a simple bed and a small wardrobe.
Hmm? This didn't seem to fit the CEO's extravagant tastes.
Was this perhaps a hidden retreat the CEO had prepared for himself?
As a child, Annan had fantasized about carving out a secret space in her bedroom, somewhere to hide if intruders broke in.
It seemed the CEO shared her paranoid tendencies.
She inspected the surroundings and, in a state of boredom, opened the unremarkable wardrobe.
Inside, however, were stacks of gold bars.
Who keeps gold bars in a rundown wardrobe instead of a safe or a bank?
Such eccentricity.
Annan didn't hesitate to collect them all into her space, then noticed a large box at the bottom of the wardrobe.
She dragged it out and opened it.
Inside was…
An Uzi submachine gun?!
This boss was truly extreme.
Annan stared at the gun and half a box of ammunition, shocked.
It seemed this CEO wasn't just paranoid—he had likely crossed paths with a criminal syndicate.
Rather than using a simple handgun, he had gone straight for a submachine gun, ready to shoot down ten people in one burst.
How insecure must he be, keeping a gun in his office?
Annan clicked her tongue in amazement as she stored both the gun and the ammo in her space.
Grateful for the CEO's generous gifts!
With the Uzi in her possession, Annan felt invincible.
Having cleared the seventh floor, she descended and, on a whim, went back to the fourth floor to collect the men's and children's clothing as well.
Now that her space had expanded, she figured it was best to gather everything she could, regardless of whether it was useful.
After all, the wealthy never stopped acquiring assets, no matter how much they already had.
With the mall cleared, Annan moved on to the adjacent high-rise office building.
The office building had 40 floors, was owned by the same mall, and had only recently been put into use.
Inside, she found that many areas were still vacant, with only a few floors occupied.
Since she was here, she figured she might as well see if there were any treasures to be found.
Taking advantage of the working elevator, Annan ascended to the top floor.
It was completely empty, except for a small, tightly locked door on the east side.
Her experience looting the CEO's office told her that the more securely something was locked, the more valuable it probably was.
So, she took out her tools and began to force the door open.
After a bit of struggle, she realized it was simply a staircase leading to the rooftop.
Why was the door locked so securely? Annan wondered in frustration.
She'd put so much effort into opening it, but decided to go ahead and take a break on the roof.
After running around all night, she was in dire need of a rest.
Once on the roof, she was surprised to find a helipad, though it was empty.
She couldn't help but imagine how useful it would be if a helicopter were parked there, ready to escape a disaster like an earthquake or tsunami.
As she regretted the absence of a helicopter, a dark figure caught her eye in the distance...