My older sister was always kind-hearted, while I was born a natural troublemaker.

When the intense heatwave struck, our family stocked up on supplies and stayed indoors.

My sister saw a little boy, who seemed about seven or eight years old, crying and asking for help. She decided to take him in.

“We’ve plenty of supplies anyway. One more person won’t make much difference. Besides, he’s just a child.”

I warned her that the boy looked oddly mature and might not be as innocent as he seemed. I suggested we observe him a bit longer.

She said I was a cold-hearted troublemaker by nature. Then, she went and let him in anyway.

Not just that, but she also convinced our mother to force me to share a room with the boy.

That night, the scheming “little boy” secretly climbed into my bed.

I was brutally assaulted. Yet my sister told me to let bygones be bygones and marry him.

To force me to obey, she locked me out on the balcony at over 140 °F.

Enraged, I set a fire and killed everyone.

When I opened my eyes again and saw my sister safe and unharmed, I smiled.

This time, I would show them what a troublemaker really was.

“Brielle, you’re a lifesaver! You’ve stocked up a ton of supplies.

“Even if that official warning about a month-long heatwave is true, we’re all set for now.”

The memory of being consumed by the fire was still raw when my sister, Eleanor’s voice, cut into my thoughts.

“Hey, Brielle, you should go get some more. If we stockpile supplies, we’ll be able to help others as well.”

I stared blankly at her. I clearly remembered the fire. I should have perished with her.

When I did not react, Eleanor pushed me.

“Hello? I’m talking to you! Are you even listening?”

I nodded and said, “I heard you.”

The palpable reality of it all hit me. I had gone back in time!

Not just that, I had also gone back to the day before the nightmare began.

Eleanor kept muttering, “That’s more like it. I’ve always told you that you need to control your temper and learn to be kind. That way, you’ll become a better person.”

That was exactly how it happened in the past. I tried to be patient and listened to her and our mother.

Not only did I spend all my savings, but I also stockpiled a massive amount of supplies even though we already had enough.

But within days of my desperate efforts to secure those supplies, she gave them away to some neighbors who had not made it to the store in time.

Seeing me still motionless, she said again, “Hurry and go! What’re you just standing there for?”

I wiped the sweat from my brow and licked my cracked lips. Then, I walked to the fridge, pulled out an ice-cold soda, and downed it in one go.

Only then did the burning, parched feeling finally cool down.

I then looked at her and said, “Let’s go together.”

Eleanor was momentarily stunned when I invited her along. She was accustomed to ordering me around like I was her servant.

She swiftly said, “Are you kidding? It’s so hot outside! I could die from the heat. No, thank you. I’m staying put.

“You’re strong and experienced. If I tag along, I’ll just slow you down.”

So, they knew it was dangerously hot out there.

Back then, the temperature had soared to 115 °F, but they did not bat an eye. They just ordered me back out to stock up on more supplies.

I smiled and looked at my mother. “An extra pair of hands would be helpful. Besides, if Eleanor is worried about the heat, she can just put on proper sun-protective clothing and bring along an umbrella.

“Mom, how about you come with me instead?”

My mother naturally felt reluctant. She looked at Eleanor and said, “Just go with Brielle since she asked. An extra pair of hands is useful. I’m too old to endure such high temperatures.”

They could not endure the heat, but they expected me to do it.

Eleanor had no choice. She could only follow me out the door with a sullen look on her face.

In the past, my mother had always been biased toward Eleanor.

I had always believed it was because I was not hardworking or obedient enough.

It was not until I was on the brink of death that I discovered the real reason.

It turned out everything was because of my wonderful elder sister.

Eleanor was three years older than me and worked in genetics research.

She claimed that, through big data studies, she had ample evidence proving I was a born troublemaker.

She told our mother that I had dissected frogs alive as a child.

Not only that, but she also alleged that any dead mice or cats found around our home were my doing.

She even presented numerous case studies she had found that stated that people like me were born without empathy but with high IQs. This explained my cold personality and good grades.

She warned that if left unchecked, I would eventually commit acts like murder and arson.

My mother believed her. She was wary of me in every way. Eleanor merely suggested I had an emotional disorder and needed to obey her and do good things.

Only after being given a second chance did I realize that these “good deeds” were whatever suited her.

It was precisely because of Eleanor’s words that even when I was tortured to the brink of death, my mother did not show a hint of sorrow. Instead, she seemed relieved.

The universe has a sense of justice. It gave me a second chance.

This time, I would show them what a troublemaker really was.

…

I had claimed that I needed Eleanor’s help to find supplies as merely an excuse.

Why should I be the only one to suffer in this extreme heat?

The moment we stepped outside, a wave of heat rushed to meet us.

The scorching sensation made our instinct scream for us to turn back and dive into the air-conditioned house.

But I knew that I had to go out.

If I missed today, the temperatures would later climb even higher. The heat would eventually soar to a terrifying 140 °F.

Once we were outside, I ditched Eleanor and headed straight for my destination.

Sure, I used to be naive and trusted them blindly, but I was not a complete idiot.

The extreme weather, insane heat warnings, and anomalous magnetic field were all clear signs of an impending crisis.

So, I had been storing the majority of the stockpiled supplies in a rented basement, while leaving only a portion at home.

I did not have the chance to tell them about the stash in the past before they betrayed me.

With my supplies already covered, I did not need to scramble for more. Instead, I went to purchase a lithium-powered chainsaw.

It might not be as deadly as a blade in close combat, but it would make anyone think twice.

On top of that, I picked up several real self-defense items, such as knives and daggers, for emergencies.

Finally, I purchased a few sets of hidden cameras.

I gathered the items I needed and placed them in my backpack. My final stop was the basement.

While procuring supplies in the past, I had discovered that the basement was cooler than the air-conditioned rooms.

Given the current temperature of over 104 °F, I estimated the basement’s temperature would not exceed 86 °F.

Back then, when I was exhausted from hauling and storing supplies in the heat, I would simply rest down there.

The basement was originally a storage space for the landlord’s random junk.

Fortunately, during the cleanup, I had found a large inflatable pool.

I had always been frugal. After checking that the pool was intact, I had not thrown it away. The pool could serve as a water storage tank.

Once I made up my mind, I got the hose and started filling it up.

It was important to know that by the tenth day of the ongoing heatwave, water would become the most critical issue.

…

Only after completing all these preparations did I return home.

Seeing me return empty-handed, especially in contrast to Eleanor, who had just come home from outside looking thoroughly disheveled, my mother yelled at me. She blamed me for abandoning Eleanor outside.

I sneered and said, “Who’s supposed to be the older sister here, me or her?

“If a grown adult can’t manage to keep up and gets lost, that’s not on me. That’s just not being the sharpest tool in the shed.”

Eleanor shot me a glare. Just as she was about to argue, both my mother’s and my phones vibrated simultaneously.

It was a message from the group admin in the neighborhood residents’ group chat. The message announced the arrival of a relief supply shipment.

The reason our phones buzzed was that the group admin had just tagged my mom and me.

That was when I knew the real drama was about to begin.

In the past, when the group admin asked everyone to list their supplies, Eleanor would immediately post a complete inventory of our stockpile.

She reported twenty bags of all-purpose flour, weighing about 22 pounds per bag, and over 110 pounds of potatoes and cabbage. She also mentioned that our refrigerator was fully stocked with various meats.

She also included canned goods and other ready-made foods. Our home was not only fully equipped but had enough supplies to sustain us for two or three months without having to go outside.

Her message sent the group chat into a frenzy. Everyone expressed their envy.

Eleanor, ever the generous soul, declared that her door was open to anyone who fell short on supplies.

In an instant, all 500 of our neighbors in the group chat praised her for her beauty and kindness.

Eleanor’s post was what prompted her to give our supplies away.

It was also what marked us as an easy target.

Later, when supplies ran low, our home was the first one the neighbors looted.

At the moment, Eleanor was slumped on the sofa as she was exhausted by the heat.

Her phone had automatically shut down due to the extreme outdoor temperatures. She was completely unaware of the admin’s message.

I, however, had not been exposed to the high temperatures for too long. My phone was functioning normally.

She could not be bothered with me. She snatched the towel my mother was using to wipe her sweat and headed for the bathroom. “I’m hopping in a cold shower. I can’t take this heat.”

Meanwhile, I took out my phone and began to fill out the supply list.

I listed that we had 20 bags of all-purpose flour, each bag weighing roughly 22 pounds, followed by 10 cartons of instant macaroni and cheese.

…

I followed what Eleanor did in the past and unreservedly posted a list of supplies we currently had at home.

Just then, Eleanor finished showering and stepped out of the bathroom.

She then turned on her phone. She immediately saw the lengthy message I had shared in the neighborhood group chat.

A lot of people responded to my message as well.

[Holy moly!]

[That’s amazing!]

[Unit 1304 truly is incredible!]

Seeing this, Eleanor’s expression darkened. She hurled her phone onto the couch and began to berate me.

“Brielle, are you out of your mind?”

I finished reading the messages with a smile, then looked at her with feigned confusion. “What’s the problem?”

Eleanor let out a bitter laugh in anger. “What’s the problem?! Don’t you dare play dumb with me! Here I thought you were clever, yet you go and do something this stupid!

“You just told the whole neighborhood what supplies we’ve stockpiled! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?

“What happens when someone runs out of supplies and comes knocking? What if they don’t just ask but decide to break in and rob us?”

I asked her the very same thing in the past. But Eleanor only accused me of being selfish then.

She insisted the heatwave would not last much longer and even stated outright that she was okay with giving away our supplies for free.

She even convinced our mother, who then joined in to yell at me.

It turned out she was fully aware of all the risks. She only thought of them when someone else was the one making this stupid move.

I then threw her own words back at her and accused her of being selfish.

“Eleanor, weren’t you the one who always taught me to be helpful and honest? I’m just telling it like it is.

“Besides, everyone is good-natured. This heatwave won’t last much longer. You’re making it sound way more dangerous than it is.

“You always said only someone with a twisted mind assumes the worst in everyone. So, what does that say about you, Eleanor?”

Her face twisted in rage. She shot me a glare and muttered under her breath, “What I meant was it’s fine to be nice, but don’t be a complete pushover. Don’t take everything literally!”

She then joined the discussion in the group chat and ignored me.

By the end of the conversation, she had successfully taken credit for securing the supplies. She was showered with praises by the other neighbors in the group.