Frozen Apocalypse: My System Gives Me Infinite Supplies

Chapter 4: The Stockpiling Frenzy and the Collateral Trap

I signed the contract, paid the required amount, and took the keys. 

With the villa secured, I could finally start preparing for the apocalypse, but I had no time to waste. Just then, a chime rang inside my head.

[Territory Established: Blackwood Ridge Homestead.]

[New Task: Complete stockpiling and base fortification within five days.]

[Reward: Stockpiled supplies will be converted into permanent combat power.]

[Newcomer Bonus: +10 Combat Power, +10 Intelligence, +10 Luck, +10 Charm.]

A wave of heat spread through my body, and the soreness in my back disappeared. My eyesight sharpened, allowing me to pick out even the smallest movements among the trees outside.

The system was giving me a head start. If I wanted to survive the apocalypse, I had to make good use of it.

I took out my phone and called Apex Contracting. A man answered after a few rings, sounding like he was in the middle of something.

“Luke speaking. What do you need?”

“I need a crew at Blackwood Ridge Homestead,” I said. “Reinforced window shutters, anti-ram barriers around the villa, and high-strength fencing topped with barbed wire. I want the work finished within two days.”

Luke went quiet for a moment before letting out a short laugh. “Blackwood Ridge? That's miles from the city. My crews are booked for the next two weeks, and I can't just drop everything for one job.”

“Triple your usual rate, paid upfront.”

“Triple?” His tone changed immediately, but he still sounded doubtful. “Even with that kind of money, two days is a tight deadline.”

“Then bring your best crew and the best materials you can get. I'll pay extra for the rush, but the work must be finished within forty-eight hours.”

I heard him moving around on the other end of the line. “All right. I'll get the team together and send the trucks over as soon as possible.”

“Good. Don't waste time.”

I ended the call and drove toward the outskirts of the city. I needed somewhere to store my supplies before moving them to the villa, so I rented a warehouse with a private loading dock in a quiet industrial area.

Once the lease was settled, I headed straight for the supply markets.

My first stop was a large outdoor and emergency equipment supplier. I placed an order for twenty assault boats, thirty commercial rubber dinghies, fifty extreme-cold-weather survival suits, a hundred insulated sleeping bags, fifty trauma kits, and thirty commercial solar charging stations. I also arranged for five thousand gallons of fuel to be delivered to the warehouse.

The clerk stared at the order on his screen. “That's a lot of equipment. Are you supplying an expedition?”

“Does it matter?” I asked. “Can you deliver everything today?”

He quickly nodded. “We'll do our best. I'll check the stock and arrange the shipments.”

The first disaster would be a cold wave lasting nearly a month. Temperatures would plunge, roads would freeze, and people without proper heating or warm clothing would struggle to survive. Many would freeze to death, and some of the dead would rise again as zombies.

I knew what was coming, so I wasn't going to waste money on things I wouldn't need.

From there, I went to a medical supply warehouse and bought antibiotics, painkillers, bandages, surgical kits, and large quantities of water purification tablets. At another supplier, I purchased bulletproof vests, sturdy machetes, and compound hunting crossbows with plenty of bolts.

I didn't have time to visit every shop in the city, so I made my next stop a wholesale distribution market. There, I ordered pallets of thermal clothing, blankets, hygiene products, feminine hygiene supplies, and more water purification tablets. I also bought twenty tons of fruit that could be stored and transported properly.

The distribution manager checked the list twice before looking up at me. “That's a substantial order. We'll need several trucks to move it all to your warehouse.”

“Arrange them. I want the deliveries completed as soon as possible.”

My final stop was a regional food depot. I ordered more than a hundred tons of rice, twenty thousand cartons of instant noodles, and as many ready-to-eat meals as they had available.

The supervisor looked stunned. “Over a hundred tons of rice? That's a huge order. Are you sure you can handle the cost and storage?”

“I'm sure. Prepare the order and send it to Depot Nine on Fourth Street.”

By the time I finished, most of my money was gone. Between the equipment, medicine, weapons, clothing, fuel, and food, I had spent millions in a matter of hours.

I sat in my truck and checked my bank balance. Only a few hundred dollars remained, and the system still expected me to prepare a proper base within five days.

I couldn't stop now. There had to be another way to get money.

As I searched through the glove compartment, I found a folder containing Tamsin's identification card, tax documents, and the original ownership papers for Unit 18B. I'd handled most of the household paperwork during our marriage, so her documents had ended up in my possession.

Martha had taken the signed transfer papers, but I still had the original documents. More importantly, I'd sold the apartment for three million dollars, even though its market value was around that amount, and the money was already gone.

A plan began to take shape.

I took out my phone and called a private lending company I'd heard about before. They were known for offering quick loans at high interest rates, usually demanding property or other valuable assets as collateral.

A rough voice answered. “Fast Cash Capital. What do you want?”

“I have documents for a property in Crestwood, Unit 18B,” I said. “The apartment is worth around three million dollars. I want to know how much you can lend against it.”

“Do you own the property?”

“I have the original ownership documents and the transfer paperwork. I also have identification documents for the person whose name is on the property.”

The man on the other end paused. “Bring everything in, and we'll have a look. If the paperwork checks out, we may be able to arrange a loan quickly.”

“Good. I'll be there soon.”

I ended the call and looked at Tamsin's identification card. Her family had been so eager to get their hands on the apartment that they'd barely thought about anything else.

Now they would have another problem to deal with.

I wasn't going to let them enjoy an easy life after what they'd done to me. If they wanted to fight over the apartment, I would make sure they had plenty to fight about.