A fine drizzle was falling when she left the Lancaster Villa.

Melody Summers’ legs felt weak. Scenes from the apocalypse in her past life flashed through her mind like a relentless nightmare. Shaking her head, she fumbled for her phone to call her adoptive mother.

In her past life, her adoptive mother and uncle had been preparing to leave town to buy tree saplings around this time. They didn’t return until the following evening, right when the massive mudslide hit...

The call connected. Her mother, Winnie Summers’, voice came through the receiver. "Hello, Melody?"

"Mom!" Melody choked out.

Hearing her mother’s voice again after three long years, Melody was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of emotions—joy, grievance, and excitement all crashed over her at once.

"Melody, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?" Winnie Summers asked anxiously from the other end of the line.

"Mom, you and Uncle just left, right? Don’t go. I need you to come home. Have Uncle call Auntie and tell her to come back too. I have something important to tell you all. It’s very, very important," Melody said, forcing back a sob.

Winnie immediately replied, "Okay, okay, don’t cry. Your uncle and I are heading back right now. We’ll be home soon."

After hanging up, Melody quickly went over the timeline in her head. ’It’s March 1st. In the early morning hours of the 3rd, a mudslide will hit Mount Anworth. I have to get my family off this mountain by the 2nd.’

Her mind made up, Melody hailed a taxi and headed straight for Anworth Village.

On the way, the female driver made small talk with Melody. "This rain’s been coming down for over a week straight," she said. "No idea when it’s going to stop."

Melody watched the rain outside the window, her heart heavy. This was the very rain that would trigger the mudslide on Mount Anworth. After the mudslide would come a once-in-a-century tornado, followed by a year-long global heatwave. Then, multiple volcanoes would erupt, shrouding the sky in ash. The world would be plunged into darkness, and the endless, frozen night would officially begin. During those two long years, the one thing people missed most was a rainy day.

After a moment’s thought, Melody decided to say to the driver, "The weather’s been strange lately. It might be a good idea to stock up on some food and medicine at home. You know, better safe than sorry."

The driver nodded enthusiastically in agreement, but whether she actually took the advice to heart was out of Melody’s hands.

After getting out of the taxi, Melody didn’t go straight home. Instead, she headed directly for the mountainside of Mount Anworth.

Following her memory, Melody found a massive white granite boulder in the woods on the hillside. She and her cousin used to play around here all the time, but she’d never imagined that a hidden space was concealed within it.

The boulder was about eight meters long and three to four meters in width and height. In her past life, it had been washed down the mountain by the mudslide.

When the floods hit during the apocalypse, Sylvia Lancaster had stumbled upon this boulder and activated the space within it by chance.

At the time, floods were devastating the region and an epidemic was rampant. Using the space, Sylvia developed a water that could cure the disease. This allowed the bankrupt Lancaster Family to make a comeback. The Lancasters, who already doted on Sylvia, began to hang on her every word.

When Sylvia proposed selling Melody to a criminal syndicate, her birth mother, Elaine Hughes, personally fed Melody drugged water.

A moment after drinking the water, Melody’s vision went black and she collapsed to the floor.

In the darkness, she heard the voices of her birth mother, Elaine Hughes, and her birth father, Robert Lancaster:

"Sylvia, you can rest easy now. Daddy promises that from now on, you’ll be my only daughter."

"Sylvia, no one will make you unhappy again."

Then came the voices of her older brother, Simon Lancaster, and her younger brother, Silas Lancaster:

"This should’ve been done a long time ago. That woman has always been jealous of Sylvia. She’s made Sylvia’s life miserable for years."

"She wasn’t raised a Lancaster, after all. Her character takes after her adoptive parents. This is for the best. Let her go learn a hard lesson."

In the darkness, Melody’s heart filled with boundless panic and helplessness. She wanted to scream at these people, her own flesh and blood, and ask them why.

Melody had cherished her family ties, diligently caring for them throughout the apocalypse. After Mr. Lancaster went bankrupt and dismissed the housekeepers, she took on all the chores. When her older brother and mother came down with a relentless high fever during the deep freeze, she had braved a blizzard to find them medicine...

Just before she passed out, Melody felt Sylvia Lancaster walk up to her. Sylvia tapped her face with the toe of her shoe and whispered, "Come to think of it, I really should thank you for that rundown mountain of yours... If I hadn’t cut my hand on that white boulder... I never would have obtained this magical space."

...

Snapping out of her apocalyptic memories, Melody bit her finger, drawing blood. She gently pressed her bleeding palm against the boulder. ’One... two... three...’ A flash of white light, and both the boulder and Melody vanished into thin air.

[Hello, and welcome to the Arcadian Space.]

Melody Summers opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a clear stream. To one side of the stream lay a large expanse of farmland, while the rest of the area was shrouded in a thick, white mist.

[Welcome, Host. Upon first activation of the Arcadian Space, you have unlocked "The Arcadian Stream" and "The Arcadian Fields."]

A small, mottled white cat hopped over to Melody’s feet, stretched lazily, and sized her up with curiosity.

"A kitty?!"

Melody studied the small cat in surprise. She realized its fur had the exact same coloring as the granite boulder—a marbled white.

[I am the Arcadian Space.]

’A talking cat, no less!’

Suppressing her shock, Melody surveyed the area. ’So this is the magical space Sylvia obtained in my last life.’

Noticing the white mist surrounding them, Melody asked with some confusion:

"Little kitty, what’s behind all this mist?"

[Behind the mist are locked areas. For now, the Arcadian Space can only unlock the fields and the stream. The unlocking of further areas must be figured out by the Host.]

[Fish and shrimp can be raised in the stream, and seeds can be sown in the fields.]

"Planting? What season is it in the Arcadian Space? Which seasonal seeds should I buy?"

[The Arcadian Space is suitable for the growth of all crops, regardless of season. You may plant whatever you wish. All crops, fish, and shrimp will experience optimal growth and reproduction within the Arcadian Space.]

Albus circled Melody, looking rather proud.

[The Host bound to the Arcadian Space also possesses the ability to manipulate it. Please try moving an object within the space using only your thoughts.] 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Melody focused on a small stone next to the stream. At her mental command, it flew through the air.

Albus continued to explain:

[The Host can move objects from inside the space to the outside, and vice versa.]

[Please note: You can only bring an object into the space if you are sufficiently close to it.]

[If you find you’re unable to bring an item in, just get a little closer and try again!]

Just then, her phone rang. Melody answered it to hear her mother, Winnie Summers’, voice. "Melody, your uncle and I are home. Where are you?"

Melody hurriedly replied, "I’ll be home right away."

After hanging up, Melody turned to Albus. "Little kitty, how do I get out of here?"

[The Host simply needs to imagine themself as an object and will themself to move outside.]

Melody did as Albus instructed. With a flicker of her will, she opened her eyes to find herself back on Mount Anworth.

The huge white granite boulder that had been on the hillside was gone without a trace, as if it had never existed.

On her way home, Melody passed a fishpond where an automatic feeder was active. Pellets shot out from the machine—WHIRR, CHUG, CHUG—attracting a swarm of fish that scrambled over each other to eat.

Looking at the school of fish before her, Melody tried to use her will, attempting to transfer them into the Arcadian Stream.

[Crucian Carp x30 received.]

[Grass Carp x30 received.]

[Yellow Croaker x30 received.]

[Perch x30 received.]

[Receiving...]

[Transfer complete. The Arcadian Stream has purified the fish. All parasites have been eliminated.]

’So the stream has a purifying effect. Could it be? Was the water Sylvia used to cure the epidemic in my past life just water from this Arcadian Stream?’

Lost in her thoughts, replaying the events of her past life, Melody arrived at her front door before she even realized it.

Pushing aside the torrent of thoughts in her mind, she gently pushed open the gate to the familiar farmhouse courtyard she hadn’t seen in so long.