My Apocalypse Godhood Begins With A Gift

Double The Price

Rex stepped down the paved walkway of the Clark estate. The heavy oak door clicked shut behind him. The sound severed his final tie to that toxic household. Director Shaw matched his brisk pace while the two security guards trailed a few feet behind them.

The afternoon sun beat down on the suburban street. Rex breathed in the humid summer air. He pulled his new phone from his pocket and stared at the screen. The banking application remained open on the digital ledger. One billion dollars sat securely in his personal reserve account.

The scale of the wealth felt heavy in his hands. He possessed the resources of a small nation. He had exactly thirty days to convert those digital numbers into physical survival assets.

Rex pocketed the phone and looked at the banking executive. "Director Shaw, what is the primary business of the Perry Corporation?"

Shaw adjusted his silver tie. "They are classified as an engineering and supply firm, Mr. Lawson. They hold several government contracts for municipal infrastructure."

"Are they developing advanced technology?" Rex asked. "Do they hold any proprietary patents?"

Shaw let out a brief scoff. "Not at all. Chase Perry inherited a legacy supply chain from his father. They only provide basic construction items. They deal in raw volume rather than corporate innovation."

"List the items," Rex commanded.

Shaw nodded without hesitation. "Heavy steel rebar, industrial concrete powder, thermal insulation foam, commercial diesel generators, and standard PVC piping. They supply the foundational materials for suburban housing developments. It is a very mundane catalog."

Rex stopped walking. A genuine smile spread across his face.

Shaw looked at him in confusion. "Is there an issue with their inventory, Mr. Lawson? If you want to acquire an advanced engineering firm, Central Reserve can provide a list of top tier tech companies by this evening."

"No," Rex said, chuckling softly. "That mundane catalog is exactly what I need."

The executive did not understand the approaching reality. When the global temperature plummeted to negative sixty degrees, advanced tech companies would collapse overnight. Silicon chips and software patents could not stop a blizzard. Raw steel, thermal insulation, and diesel generators would become the most valuable commodities on earth. Chase Perry unknowingly possessed the exact inventory required to build an impenetrable apocalyptic bunker.

Rex realized the ultimate irony of the situation. He would use his infinite capital to drain the Perry Corporation of every single resource they owned. Chase would eagerly sell his entire stockpile for a massive profit. The wealthy heir would leave himself defenseless when the snow started falling.

"I have a logistical question," Rex said, resuming his walk down the sidewalk. "If I purchase ten thousand tons of construction material, how quickly can your VIP division secure freight transport?"

Shaw pulled a digital tablet from his jacket. "For a client of your tier, we can mobilize private trucking fleets within four hours. We can secure exclusive freight train lines by tomorrow morning. We handle all transportation logistics so you do not have to lift a finger."

"Excellent," Rex replied. "I need you to establish three dummy corporations under my name. Route all my future purchases through those shell companies. I do not want Chase Perry knowing who is buying his inventory."

"Consider it done," Shaw said, tapping rapidly on his screen. "We will mask the paper trail across multiple offshore holding accounts. The Perry Corporation will only see massive influxes of anonymous foreign investment."

"I appreciate your swift assistance today," Rex said, offering his hand. "You may depart. I have local business to handle on this street."

Shaw shook his hand with both of his own. "Of course, Mr. Lawson. My private line is open twenty four hours a day. We will monitor your accounts and ensure every transaction clears instantly."

The executive signaled his guards. The men piled into the armored SUV idling by the curb. The vehicle accelerated down the street, leaving Rex standing alone on the quiet suburban sidewalk.

Rex turned his attention down Oakwood Drive. The pile of cash he had dropped on the Higgins lawn was gone. The canvas bags from the armored transport truck had also vanished. The family had clearly dragged the ten million dollars inside their home the moment Rex turned his back.

Rex began walking toward their property. He needed a secure staging ground. He could not order thousands of tons of steel and concrete without a fortified location to receive the shipments. Buying an empty commercial lot on the edge of the city would attract too much attention from the local zoning boards. He needed an established property with a footprint, high perimeter walls, and deep basement foundations.

He also needed to test the system mechanics further. He remembered the strict rules hovering in his vision earlier. He could not place physical items directly into his alternate dimension. He had to rely on the critical rebate exchanges. He needed an overwhelming amount of physical space to store the incoming materials before he found a way to trigger a system storage event.

The Higgins estate fit the structural requirements. It sat on two acres of land at the end of a private cul de sac. The property featured a reinforced stone retaining wall and a sprawling underground garage.

Rex reached the edge of their manicured lawn. He walked up the paved driveway and stood before the towering mahogany front door. He pressed the illuminated doorbell.

The lock clicked almost instantly. The door swung inward.

Toby stood in the entryway. The young boy looked up at Rex with wide, reverent eyes. The condescending sneer he wore an hour ago had vanished. Toby stared at Rex as if a deity had just descended onto his front porch.

"Mr. Lawson," Toby said, his voice breathless and eager. "You came back."

"Is your mother home?" Rex asked, keeping his tone neutral.

"Yes," Toby blurted out, stepping aside and gesturing into the grand foyer. "Please come in. She is in the living room."

Rex stepped over the threshold. The interior of the Higgins home was lavishly decorated with imported silk rugs and crystal fixtures. The distinct smell of fresh ink and paper currency lingered heavily in the air. Rex noticed a few canvas bags peeking out from behind a velvet sofa in the adjacent room. They had not even finished counting the money yet.

Footsteps echoed down the grand staircase. Mrs. Higgins hurried into the foyer. She had changed out of her casual blouse and now wore a formal designer dress. Her hair was styled, and she wore a fresh layer of bright red lipstick.

She stopped a few feet away from Rex and clasped her hands together. Her haughty demeanor was gone. She looked at him with an expression of intense respect and calculated greed.

"Mr. Lawson," Mrs. Higgins said, offering a wide smile. "What an unexpected honor. Toby told me you were at the door, and I could barely believe it. Please, come into the sitting room. Let me pour you a glass of our finest wine."

She gestured toward the plush velvet armchairs arranged around a marble fireplace. She was desperate to keep him in her house. She knew the man standing in her foyer could generate ten million dollars on a whim. She viewed him as a walking gold mine.

Rex did not move toward the sitting room. He remained standing firmly in the entryway. He let his eyes wander across the ceiling, calculating the load bearing capacity of the structural beams. He noted the thickness of the exterior walls. The house was a fortress disguised as a suburban mansion.

"I will decline the wine," Rex said, his voice flat and authoritative.

Mrs. Higgins faltered. Her smile slipped for a fraction of a second before she forced it back into place. "Of course. Perhaps some imported tea? You must be tired after dealing with the Clark family. We all know how difficult Mary can be."

She was already trying to align herself with him against his former mother in law. The loyalty of the wealthy elite shifted as quickly as the wind.

"I am not here to socialize," Rex stated. He looked directly into her eyes, stripping away all pleasantries. "I made your family wealthy an hour ago. You now possess the liquid capital to live anywhere in the world."

Mrs. Higgins swallowed hard. She nodded slowly, unsure of where the conversation was heading. "Yes. Your generosity was unprecedented. We are deeply grateful, Mr. Lawson."

Rex dropped his hands to his sides. He let the silence stretch for a moment, ensuring he had her undivided attention.

"I am here to buy your house," Rex said. "How much for it?"

Mrs. Higgins gasped. Her hands flew to her mouth in shock. She looked around her grand foyer, taking in the crystal chandelier and the sweeping staircase. She had lived in this house for fifteen years. It was the symbol of her social status on Oakwood Drive.

"Buy the house?" Mrs. Higgins repeated, her voice trembling. "Mr. Lawson, this property is not on the market. We have established roots in this community."

"Everything has a price," Rex replied smoothly. "You have ten million dollars sitting in your living room right now. You can afford a penthouse in the financial district. You can buy a private island. There is no logical reason for you to remain in this suburb."

Toby tugged on his mother's designer dress. The boy looked up at her with frantic energy.

"Mom, sell it," Toby whispered loudly. "If he pays us, we will have even more money. We can buy the mansion on the hill."

Mrs. Higgins looked down at her son. The greed in her eyes flared brightly, overriding her sentimental attachment to the property. She calculated the current market value of the estate in her head. The house was worth roughly two million dollars. If she played her cards right, she could extract double that amount from the billionaire standing in her hallway.

"Well," Mrs. Higgins started, smoothing down the front of her dress to buy time. "If we were to entertain an offer, it would require a significant premium. Moving an entire household is a logistical burden. We would need compensation for the sudden inconvenience."

Rex crossed his arms. He knew exactly what she was doing. She was attempting to leverage his vast wealth for a quick payout. She assumed he was an impulsive billionaire throwing money away for entertainment.

"Name your premium," Rex challenged. "Give me a number right now."

Mrs. Higgins took a deep breath. She steeled her nerves and looked him right in the eye.

"Five million dollars," Mrs. Higgins declared. She held her chin high, bracing for a negotiation. "For five million dollars, we will leave all the furniture and hand over the keys today."

It was an outrageous extortion attempt. She was asking for more than double the property value. She waited for him to scoff, expecting him to counter with a lower offer.

Rex did not blink. He mentally accessed his Central Reserve interface. Five million dollars was a rounding error in his current ledger. Purchasing the property outright gave him immediate access to the fortified basement without enduring a lengthy escrow process.

"Agreed," Rex said, his voice echoing in the quiet foyer.

Mrs. Higgins staggered backward. Her high heels clicked loudly against the marble floor. She grabbed the banister of the staircase to steady herself.

"You agree?" she asked, her voice cracking into a high pitch. "Just like that? You are not going to negotiate the price?"

"I do not waste time," Rex stated. "I will have Director Shaw draft the transfer deed within the hour. You and your son have until sunset to pack your personal belongings and vacate the premises."

Toby pumped his fist in the air, celebrating the massive windfall. His mother remained frozen in disbelief. She had just sold her home in less than two minutes. The raw power of liquid capital paralyzed her cognitive functions.

"Sunset," Mrs. Higgins whispered, glancing at the grandfather clock in the hallway. "That only gives us a few hours."

"Then you should start packing," Rex advised coldly. He turned toward the door but paused with his hand on the brass knob. He looked back at the stunned woman. "Before you start packing, I want you to go outside and spread the news to your neighbors."

Mrs. Higgins blinked in confusion. "Spread what news?"

"Tell them I just bought your house for five million dollars," Rex commanded. "Tell them I am expanding my footprint. If anyone else on this street is willing to sell their property today, I will buy it at double the market value."