"4-1209 Slacking Off: I saw that too. The mastermind who withheld our community’s coal is named Zara Walsh. I heard she’s some rich heiress. *Spits*! So disgusting!"

"2-1408 Bella Grant: I’m disgusted too. That woman is so malicious. We should put up a sign at the community gate one of these days that says: No Zara Walsh or dogs allowed!"

"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: The worst part is, her name reminds me of my Buddy’s nickname. I feel like Zara Walsh has tainted it. What terrible luck!"

"2-1408 Bella Grant: Did you guys see the list of illegally withheld supplies in that announcement? At first, I was angry when I saw that our community’s coal was being withheld, but the more I read, the more shocking it got..."

"2-1408 Bella Grant: Some communities didn’t even get down jackets, and others have their food supplies cut off from time to time. It’s just awful. What kind of lives are they living? I can’t even bear to think about it..."

"6-2102 A Happy Family: @2-1408 Bella Grant Your community is actually doing really well! My family just moved here from another community. I’ll be honest with you, before we came here, I had no idea you could get two sand vine cakes every day!"

"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: @6-2102 A Happy Family So how did you get them before? Wasn’t it two a day?"

"6-2102 A Happy Family: @3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two Two a day from Monday to Friday, and one a day on Saturday and Sunday! And sometimes the supply would be cut for a day on Thursday!"

"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: @6-2102 A Happy Family Huh? No way! My husband can’t even get full on two cakes a day. If it was only one, wouldn’t he starve to death?"

"6-2102 A Happy Family: @3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two Sigh, I don’t know if anyone starved to death, but plenty of people froze to death..."

"6-2102 A Happy Family: My family moved out of our old community a week ago. I heard four or five people froze to death that very night! Your community only had this one shipment of coal withheld. Our old community never got any at all!"

"3-1007 Kiki, Mom of Two: @6-2102 A Happy Family Oh my god, that’s horrible..."

"12-1803 AAA Lawson’s Building Materials - Closed: @6-2102 A Happy Family Sounds like the supply managers over there were really lining their pockets."

"6-2102 A Happy Family: @12-1803 AAA Lawson’s Building Materials - Closed You’re telling me! Every last one of them is fat and flush with cash! I heard one of them even bought a sprawling, river-view apartment in the city center!"

"Property Management: @All Hello, residents. Due to the recent blizzards making travel difficult, The Metropolis Residences Emergency Office, in accordance with government directives, has decided to distribute a two-month supply of provisions, effective today."

"Property Management: @All All residents, please proceed to the supply distribution point with your ID. Each person can collect a two-month supply of sand vine cakes, five pounds of rice, one bag of white sugar, one barrel of drinking water, 10 solid fuel tablets, and one box of coal..."

"Property Management: @All For those who have difficulty leaving their homes to collect supplies, such as the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, please contact Property Management staff to register. A staff member will deliver the items directly to your door shortly thereafter."

"Property Management: @All Furthermore, the Emergency Office will be setting up temporary stations on various floors of each apartment building in preparation for potential road blockages from the blizzard. We ask that residents do not panic if the blizzard makes it impossible to go outside."

The moment the message from Property Management appeared, the community group chat exploded.

"2-1408 Bella Grant: Five pounds of rice?! Oh my god, I can’t even remember the last time I ate rice!"

"7-901 Adventurous Lawson: @2-1408 Bella Grant I remember. It was last New Year’s! For last New Year’s, they not only gave out rice, but pork too! I’ll never forget that New Year’s Eve dinner for as long as I live..."

"4-1009 Lowell On Deadline: Sigh, more than half a year has passed in a flash. In that time, we’ve lived through a volcanic eruption and the long night, and now a blizzard is starting... I wonder what’ll be waiting for us this time next year."

"4-1209 Slacking Off: Who cares? Let’s just focus on surviving until then! For now, just let me eat my rice."

"7-901 Adventurous Lawson: With five pounds of rice and a bag of sugar, I’ve got the motivation to keep living again!"

"7-408 Gone with the Wind: There’s still rice? No one’s been able to farm for the past two years. It couldn’t be from the stockpile two years ago, could it?"

"2-1908 Coco: @7-408 Gone with the Wind No, I saw the government document. This is a new grain harvest. It’s being supplied by that government-backed Rhodes Enterprises. I heard they started preparing for this over six months in advance. That must have been really tough."

"4-1009 Lowell On Deadline: My cousin works at Rhodes Enterprises! He just does odd jobs there, but he’s so proud he could burst."

"4-1209 Slacking Off: Are you guys still chatting? Hurry up and go get the supplies! While the snow isn’t too heavy."

"4-1009 Lowell On Deadline: @4-1209 Slacking Off What’s the rush? It’s the first day, so it’s bound to be crowded. I’d rather wait until tomorrow than freeze waiting in line."

"4-1209 Slacking Off: @4-1009 Lowell On Deadline The snow was already over three feet deep this morning. If you wait until tomorrow... Aren’t you afraid the entrance to the building will be buried in snow by then?"

"4-1009 Lowell On Deadline: @4-1209 Slacking Off Good point... I’m heading out now!"

"..."

Melody Summers scrolled through the chat messages. Seeing everyone heading out excitedly to collect their supplies, she thought for a moment and decided to donate some of her own supplies to the community residents as well.

After all, Zara Walsh had withheld The Metropolis Residences’ coal because of her. The other residents of The Metropolis Residences were just innocent victims caught in the crossfire.

Even though Zara Walsh, the perpetrator, had now been punished, Melody Summers still wanted to do her part to compensate the residents a little.

So, Melody Summers locked her apartment door and returned to the Arcadian Space.

She walked over to the Arcadian Warehouse, where the coal she had previously mined from the Arcadian Mines was piled in a corner.

Melody Summers had originally prepared this coal for heating during the blizzard, but a while ago she had unlocked the "Offshore Oil Field."

The Offshore Oil Field was incredibly productive, producing at least several hundred liters of fuel oil and natural gas every day, which was enough to heat the Summers family’s home for the next six months. Therefore, she could spare some of this coal for her neighbors in the community.

Melody Summers had Albus manipulate the space, transferring several dozen tons of coal to a hidden spot on the mountain behind the community.

Then she rummaged around the warehouse again and found the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins she had stockpiled before. These items were all very easy to store, could be eaten after simple cooking, and were high in starch, providing plenty of calories.

She had Albus transfer these items to the mountain as well.

After arranging the supplies, Melody Summers had the system send a message to Manager Grant from a virtual number:

[Hello. I have left some coal and food on the mountain behind The Metropolis Residences. Please take some people to retrieve it and distribute it to the residents.]

After sending the message, Melody Summers still felt a little uneasy. She asked Albus, "They won’t be able to trace the message back to us, will they? I don’t want to blow my cover."

Albus replied:

[Rest assured, Host. This message, just like with the Arcadia Shop before, was directly implanted into Manager Grant’s phone! There’s absolutely no way to trace it.]

Hearing this, Melody Summers finally relaxed.

She stretched, picked up her hoe, and got ready to plant more potatoes and sweet potatoes!