The Beginning of Natural Disaster, I Won by Hoarding Tens of Billions of Supplies

Chapter 640: Extra – Coke

Jiang Ning was half-asleep when the barking outside woke her up. 

It was an urgent, whimpering kind of bark, with scratching at the door as if something incredibly urgent was happening. 

The intense summer heat was unbearable. Although she was three months pregnant and her belly didn’t yet show, she often felt drowsy. 

They say “pregnancy makes you dumb for three years,” and it’s kind of true—especially when it’s your third time. At this point, Jiang Ning felt like she was either pregnant or recovering from being pregnant. 

She’d been dreaming just now. Couldn’t tell if it was about a past life or this one, only that Coke’s eyes were wet and full of sadness as he stared at her. 

When she woke up, her chest felt heavy, and her whole body lacked energy. 

Getting out of bed, she opened the door, assuming it was Coke waking her up again but to her surprise, it was his chubby son, Mantou. 

Mantou is Coke’s son from his later years, and the two of them look so much alike—like they came from the same mold. 

Ever since he was born, Mantou had been Coke’s favorite. Coke would often carry him around to show him off to Jiang Ning, and later trained him like a little soldier. 

One day it would be catching chicks, the next day it would be carrying wild rabbits—Coke even brought him to fight with their other sons and grandsons. 

The old father doted to the extreme, but Mantou really lived up to expectations, he had never lost a fight. 

After stuffing himself with too many chicken legs, Mantou had grown into a younger version of his father—tall, strong, handsome, and feared all over Fengcheng. People would cross the street just to avoid him. 

Jiang Ning couldn’t shake the bad feeling in her gut. 

And sure enough, what she feared was happening. Coke, who had mutated during the natural disaster, had grown much younger for a time, but now aged rapidly. 

It was like his life had been fast-forwarded. 

Every day he looked older—his once-shiny coat had gone dull and gray, his eyes were yellow and cloudy, and he moved slower and slower. 

Sometimes, when she called him, he didn’t even react. 

Even when she gave him his favorite steaming meat, he took forever to eat. 

He rarely went outside anymore, usually just waiting at home for her to come back. 

Jiang Ning had a feeling for a while now, but she just didn’t want to face it. 

Until he started disappearing. 

He’d go out and not come back. 

Fengcheng was huge—it wasn’t easy finding a dog in this city. But he wouldn’t listen. 

Feeling anxious, Jiang Ning searched the yard again. Just like before, Coke was gone. 

This was the third time. 

She quickly ran next door. Her father, Gu Tinglin, was surrounded by her three wild kids, while Shu Xueqing was chasing after them trying to feed them steamed eggs. “Grandma made it! It’s super yummy! Just one more bite!” 

They had three kids in three years—Huo Chenzhu the oldest, Huo Chenqian and Huo Enyun, the twin boy and girl. 

Gu Tinglin had been over the moon when they had twins. Even Fengcheng was shocked. 

The couple originally planned not to have more children, but unexpectedly got pregnant again with the fourth. Now she was just past three months. 

Jiang Ning asked quickly, “Father, have you seen Coke?” 

Gu Tinglin frowned. “No. He’s missing again?” 

Shu Xueqing immediately put down the bowl and said, “Anning, maybe he just went for a walk. Don’t worry, go rest—I’ll take Mantou out to look.” 

The three kids spotted Mantou and excitedly ran over to grab his tail. 

Jiang Ning snapped. “No! How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t grab his tail! He might bite!” 

Mantou wouldn’t actually bite a kid, but he wasn’t Coke. He didn’t have that same human-like patience his father had. If he got pushed too far, he would react. 

Coke, though, had always cared about the kids—even his own. For three years he was practically their dog-nanny—rocking their cradle, tucking them in, even letting them use him as a pillow. 

The three kids were usually spoiled by their mom, but now, suddenly scolded, they pouted and were about to cry. 

Jiang Ning, already stressed and upset, said firmly, “Don’t cry.” 

“Don’t scare them,” Gu Tinglin gently calmed the children, then turned to Jiang Ning. “Don’t worry, take your time. We’ll find them.” 

Gu Tinglin might’ve had a cold and strict reputation all his life, but when it came to his grandchildren, he was soft as could be. Maybe it was guilt over not being there for his daughter, but he poured all his affection into his grandkids. He was a whole different person around them—warm, gentle. Work didn’t even excite him anymore; if he had free time, you could bet the kids were in his arms. 

Pregnant women can be extra emotional, and after snapping at the kids, Jiang Ning instantly felt bad. She crouched down and gently comforted them. 

Since both adults worked, they had hired two nannies to help take care of the children. Gu Tinglin sent them out to help with the search too. 

Back inside, Jiang Ning couldn’t calm down. Her eyelid kept twitching like a warning. 

It wasn’t just Coke who had gone missing—Bai Xue was gone too. 

Mantou wouldn’t stop whining, and Jiang Ning, overwhelmed and restless, just couldn’t settle her nerves. 

In the end, she decided to go look herself. 

Mantou led the way with Jiang Ning slowly following behind. 

One in front and one behind, they headed toward the distant forested mountains. 

They hadn’t gone far when they happened to run into Rong Sanshao’s armored SUV driving toward them. 

Rong Sanshao stopped the car. “Sis, where are you going?” 

“Looking for Coke.” 

The weather is very hot, and it’s easy to get heatstroke if you’re not careful. Rong Sanshao, who has just become a doting father, said kindly, “Hop in, I’ll help you search.” 

Jiang Ning didn’t hesitate and got in. 

Despite his smooth talk, Rong Sanshao was dependable. He drove slowly, careful not to miss anything. 

Mantou kept leading the way. 

After winding through paths for over ten kilometers, they finally stopped at a mountain peak. 

That’s when Jiang Ning heard it—a wolf’s howl. 

It was Bai Xue. The cry was full of sorrow. 

Jiang Ning took a deep breath, trying to stay composed. 

They found them in a burrow. 

When Jiang Ning appeared, Coke was perfectly calm, lying quietly in a shallow pit. 

Bai Xue was squatting beside him, keeping guard. 

Jiang Ning rarely cried, but this time, the tears wouldn’t stop. 

She sat down and gently held Coke in her arms. 

She couldn’t help but wish—if only she could go back to the day they first met. 

Coke struggled to lift a paw and softly tapped her. Hey, poop-scooper. 

Jiang Ning pulled out a warm chicken leg and choked out, “Here, eat.” 

Coke only ate half. Then he stopped. 

No one knew how much time passed, but Jiang Ning felt him go stiff. 

He looked peaceful, even with a faint smile at the corners of his mouth. 

Rong Sanshao patted her shoulder, “Sis, try not to be too sad. In dog years, Coke lived a long life—like living to a hundred for us. It’s something to celebrate. 

He was the luckiest dog in the world to have you. As much as it hurts, this parting was inevitable. 

He left happy, so you should try to smile too.” 

Jiang Ning held Coke tightly, softly stroking his head over and over. 

Rong Sanshao grabbed a shovel from the trunk and dug a deep hole on the spot. “Coke picked a good spot—this place has amazing feng shui. It faces the sunrise and overlooks all of Fengcheng. If you look closely, you can even see your house from here.” 

Jiang Ning placed Coke in a box, along with some fresh flowers and the chicken leg. 

As the dirt was being shoveled back in, Bai Xue let out three long, mournful howls. Mantou whined along with her. 

When they drove away, Mantou followed behind. 

Bai Xue stayed, standing still by the small grave. 

She still looked young—pure white fur, just like when they’d first met her in the Arctic. 

When Huo Yishen heard about Coke, he wrapped Jiang Ning in his arms. “Don’t be sad. Coke trained Mantou to take his place. He’ll always be with you, just in another form. He never really left.” 

Bai Xue didn’t return until the third day. She was thin, her fur covered in dirt. 

Over the past few days, Jiang Ning kept hearing distant howls—sometimes in her dreams, sometimes so faint she couldn’t tell if they were real or if she was just imagining it. 

After Coke passed, she spent a long time in a daze, often mistaking Mantou for him. 

Bai Xue started disappearing for days at a time. She’d come back briefly, only to leave again soon after. 

Once Jiang Ning finally felt a little more like herself, Huo Yishen drove her up the mountain. Sure enough, Bai Xue was still by the grave, keeping watch. 

Several rains had passed, and weeds had already begun to grow around the grave. 

Jiang Ning took out a small spade and planted a few flowers nearby. 

Just as they were about to leave, a long howl echoed from the deep green mountains in the distance. 

Jiang Ning paused in surprise, and then Bai Xue lifted her head and howled back. 

Back and forth they called, like they were speaking to each other in a language only they understood. 

Jiang Ning pulled out her binoculars, scanning the hills. After a while, she spotted them—wolves. 

Three of them. Wild ones. 

Huo Yishen narrowed his eyes. “It’s San Bao.” 

Jiang Ning seemed to understand something then. She looked down at Bai Xue and said softly, “Go ahead. This isn’t your world anymore. Take them… go wherever you want.” 

Because of Coke, Bai Xue had accidentally stepped into the human world and stayed with them for years. 

But now that Coke was gone, she was free to choose again. 

Maybe Coke had known what Bai Xue would choose. Maybe that’s why he left Mantou behind—for Jiang Ning. 

Bai Xue lingered for a while, circling back a few times, but eventually vanished into the forest. 

Jiang Ning watched the distant ridge, just in time to see her join up with San Bao and the others. They let out one last unified howl toward her… then turned and left. 

Not long after, Jiang Ning asked the dog training center to launch a rewilding project. 

After her first child was born, a special salvage team had set sail again and stumbled across a ghost ship. On board, they found dozens of hibernation chamber. 

Inside were all kinds of animals—cows, sheep, horses, dogs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese… even wolves, foxes, and zebras. 

Fengcheng was once again in an uproar, feeling that the natural disasters had truly ended, and that they could once again drink milk and eat hotpot with beef and lamb. 

Technicians managed to unlock the chambers, and the animals, still in deep sleep, were gradually revived and raised. 

Rabbits bred the fastest—not only providing fresh meat, but also fur for clothing. 

Jiang Ning gave birth to her third child, a daughter. Guilty, Huo Yishen stayed with her throughout and then underwent a vasectomy procedure himself. 

As happy as they were, this last baby had been unexpected. They knew they couldn’t risk another. Her body needed real rest now. 

Zhang Chao came to visit. Zheng Weili had a son who was just half a year old, and Ding Qi was seven months pregnant. 

They had all caught the last train, and with that bit of luck, it felt like everyone could finally breathe. Life felt full of possibilities again. 

Six months later, the rewilding program officially kicked off, and a batch of animals—rabbits, snakes, mice, wolves—were released back into the wild. 

Jiang Ning often went into the mountains. Sometimes alone, sometimes with Mantou. 

One day, after a heavy storm, the skies cleared and stretched out endlessly. 

Jiang Ning discovered fresh footprints around the grave, wolf tracks, and not just from one wolf. 

Mantou’s nose twitched, and he bolted off into the trees. 

Not long after, a howl rang out from the other side of the mountain. 

Jiang Ning raised her binoculars. She caught a glimpse of a white wolf, and beside it, animals that looked like wolves… but not quite dogs either. 

Bai Xue had come with San Bao, Da Bao and Er Bao. 

Mantou rushed over, clinging to Bai Xue, whining and making noises. 

It wasn’t clear if it was expressing longing or complaining about being abandoned by its mother.  

Bai Xue had never truly been tamed. She had only stayed for love, but her heart had always belonged to the wild. 

She’d had many pups with Coke, and many more grandchildren. Their pawprints could be found across numerous cities. 

There were plenty of reasons for her to stay. But still, she chose to leave. 

Even so, she came back from time to time… just to check on her children and grandchildren. 

But the visits became fewer and fewer. 

After being away from humans, life didn’t seem so bad for them. Her eyes gradually returned to the coldness they had when they first met. 

Bai Xue noticed Jiang Ning too, and slowly walked over with the three wolves. 

When they parted ways, the three had already grown up. They still remembered Jiang Ning—they even wagged their tails, though clumsily—but didn’t choose to come any closer. 

Meanwhile, Mantou ran back and forth between them, whining anxiously. 

Jiang Ning stroked his head and said with a heavy, nasal voice, “If you want to leave, then go with Bai Xue. Coke was with me for a lifetime, that’s enough.” 

Bai Xue stood still, staring at her for a long time. She let out a few howls, paced back and forth several times, then turned and left. 

Mantou spun in circles, torn between going and staying, and then suddenly took off running. 

He ran out… then came back… then ran again. 

Jiang Ning waved at him and turned to leave. 

She missed Coke. 

She missed him so much it hurt.  

That silly dog who used to beg for steaming hot chicken legs… he was gone, and he wasn’t coming back. 

She lay on the steering wheel, unable to let go of the grief. 

Once she calmed down a bit, she started driving. 

Halfway there, she saw a shadow sprinting behind her in the rearview mirror. 

That running silhouette—it was so familiar. She’d seen it countless times in her life. 

Jiang Ning hit the brakes without thinking. Could it be… Coke? 

But no—it was Mantou. 

Whether it was his own choice or something his father had taught him… he came back. 

This time, there was no hesitation. It ran toward her with the wind. 

Two lifetimes of meeting, a bond that went beyond life and death, a family connection deeply etched into the bones—it wasn’t something that could be forgotten just by saying so. 

Even after a year, Jiang Ning still couldn’t let go. 

She opened the door, and the shadow threw itself into her arms. 

She held him tightly. This was Coke’s gift to her. 

Mantou had come back. 

Just like Coke, he loved sticking by Jiang Ning’s side. Even after he found a mate and had his own pups, he never left her. 

Wherever Jiang Ning went, Mantou was always there. 

And she spoiled him too, sneaking him those hot chicken legs just like before. 

As the four kids grew older, they went through a mischievous phase. They loved tugging on Mantou’s ears or tail, and the youngest even liked lying on top of him. 

But Mantou never got mad. He patiently played with them like a gentle big brother. 

Two years later, one day while Jiang Ning was up in the mountains, she spotted fresh wolf tracks near the grave. 

Bai Xue had come back, leading a whole pack on the other side of the mountain. She stayed far away, watching Jiang Ning from across the hills. 

The wolf pack had grown to over ten wolves, with a terrifying presence, but they never approached. 

After that, Jiang Ning never saw Bai Xue again. 

Not until many years later, when she found a decaying body near the grave. 

The body had decomposed for months, and its face was unrecognizable, but from the white fur, it was easy to guess it was Bai Xue. 

She came back, in the end. 

Jiang Ning built a small grave beside the old one. Now it wasn’t so lonely. 

The mountains around them all belonged to her. This area was marked as the ancestral grave site now. When her own time came, she’d be buried here too—quietly watching the sun rise and set.