Chapter 3 Stocking
A thought struck her then: beyond the tunnel stretched a section of barbed wire, much of it dilapidated and collapsed.
With some repairs and electrification, the bomb shelter’s defenses would be drastically enhanced.
This was a task well worth undertaking.
Just as the idea took shape, a voice echoed in her mind once more.
“Supreme Lord System activated!
“Please reinforce the original base. Rewards will be granted based on the degree of reinforcement! Countdown: 15 days!”
Iris’ eyes lit up. Before she could fully process the new mission, another system notification chimed.
“Ding. Detected base war dog. Reward: 100x increase in combat power and physical fitness!”
Iris watched in awe as Summer’s body began to transform.
His build doubled in size, claws and fangs lengthening into razor-sharp weapons. The signs of aging that had once marked him faded entirely, replaced by the imposing aura of a ferocious beast.
Summer let out a deep, thunderous bark, his voice now far more powerful than before.
Iris gasped, impressed by the dramatic change.
*****
Driving the sedan left by Alice, Iris arrived at the building materials market.
She was prepared to embark on a frenzy of base reinforcement.
She located a barbed wire factory and ordered 21530 square feet of razor wire and coiled barbed wire first. These materials could be wrapped directly around the existing dilapidated fence, minimizing work while maximizing effectiveness.
Priced at 70 cents per foot, the total cost came to 14 thousand dollars.
Given the large order, the factory owner dispatched a truck to deliver the goods. Iris directed the drivers to unload the wire in an open field on the outskirts of the suburbs.
“I’ll send a vehicle to pick it up later,” she told them.
“No problem,” the driver replied with a nod.
Iris had no intention of revealing the base’s location.
Fortunately, dusk had fallen, casting the area in shadow. Once the truck departed, Iris instructed Summer to stand guard and, taking advantage of the desolate, uninhabited surroundings, stored all the wire in her storage space.
With 10215 cubic feet of storage space—most of it still vacant after stowing her furniture from the house—there was more than enough room for the wire.
After clearing the area, she drove back to the shelter with Summer.
On the way, Iris resolved to rent a warehouse as a temporary transfer point, a precaution to avoid drawing attention by unloading goods in open areas like she had today.
Half an hour later, Iris returned to the bomb shelter and immediately set to work reinforcing the section of worn barbed wire.
She wrapped the new razor wire around the old fence while Summer periodically fetched tools for her in his mouth.
The pair worked tirelessly from dusk until dawn, finally completing the reinforcement of the entire 21530 feet of fencing.
Eager to claim her reward, Iris waited anxiously.
As soon as she secured the last strand of wire, the system’s voice sounded in her mind.
“Detected barbed wire reinforcement. Reward: 100x increase in defensive effectiveness!”
As the reward took effect, Iris watched in amazement as the entire length of reinforced wire visibly thickened, densified, and sharpened.
Every blade on the razor wire glinted menacingly, and the tiny steel thorns lengthened significantly.
Even the flimsy wire gate was transformed into a sturdy steel sliding gate.
Iris pushed against the fence with all her strength, but it didn’t budge an inch.
Earlier, she had worried that while the wire could deter individual intruders, it would be no match for a vehicle ramming through or a massive horde of zombies.
Now, even thousands of zombies swarming together would never tear through her defenses.
Thrilled with the result, Iris was eager to buy more materials for further reinforcement.
But a more pressing need soon made itself known.
Her stomach rumbled loudly.
Summer circled around her, his tail drooping, clearly just as hungry.
“You’re starving too, right?” Iris said softly.
Summer whimpered in response.
The pair hadn’t eaten since the previous day. They’d been working nonstop and hadn’t yet begun their official supply stockpiling.
Remembering the food she’d collected from the house, Iris focused her thoughts, and a steaming package of beef empanadas materialized in her hand.
Still hot?
Curious, she retrieved the refrigerator from her storage and opened it—to find it cold inside, even without power.
“It stays exactly as it was, no electricity needed!”
The system’s spatial storage was a sealed dimension with no heat loss. Whatever was stored inside would remain in perfect condition indefinitely.
Joy surged through her. This meant she could stockpile unlimited supplies without worrying about spoilage.
When Iris went shopping for food next, she could buy without hesitation.
*****
“Three hundred dollars a month, deposit and first month’s rent up front!” a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties said, standing in an empty rural house on the outskirts.
Iris stood beside him with Summer.
Along the suburban highways, countless such farmhouses lay vacant. Most families had moved to the city, leaving entire stretches of homes empty. Many of the better-located ones had “For Rent” signs posted with phone numbers.
Iris chose a spacious, easily accessible farmhouse near the main road leading to her bomb shelter, planning to use it as a transfer station.
She could stockpile supplies here before moving them to the shelter via her spatial storage, keeping her activities discreet and facilitating her shopping trips.
“Four hundred dollars, no deposit. I’m only renting it for a month, as a warehouse,” Iris negotiated.
“That’s out of the question,” the landlord replied firmly.
“Then I’ll check another place,” she said, turning to leave.
The landlord quickly stopped her. “Fine, fine! Four hundred it is. But you can’t damage anything, and you have to leave on time!”
“No problem,” Iris agreed, handing over the money and taking the keys.
She had no intention of staying until the end of the month. The apocalypse would arrive long before then.
Besides, paying an extra hundred dollars saved her from losing a two-hundred-dollar deposit.
She couldn’t negotiate a better price for the bomb shelter, so she had to cut costs wherever else she could.
With the warehouse secured, Iris began stockpiling supplies—starting with food.
She visited ten different stores, buying 400 bags of 50-pound rolled oats and quinoa from each, totaling 100 tons combined.
A hundred tons of these staples wasn’t as much as it sounded; most dedicated bulk food wholesale stores could supply it easily.
It would only take up a 16.4-foot cube of space, well within her storage capacity.
The oats and quinoa cost her over 400 thousand dollars, enough to feed her for a lifetime.
Next, she stocked up on 1000 cases of instant mac and cheese, in every flavor available: classic cheddar, bacon cheddar, broccoli cheddar, and more.
In the post-apocalyptic world, these shelf-stable quick meals would be a luxury—convenient to prepare with just hot water or a microwave, flavorful, and packed with calories and nutrients, eliminating the need to scavenge for seasonings.
They were the perfect survival food.
Instant mac and cheese prices ranged from 50 to over 100 dollars per case.
A standard case of 24 classic cheddar packs cost 54 dollars, while premium bacon cheddar varieties cost around 100 dollars for 30 packs.
With an average cost of 75 dollars per case, the 1000 cases came to 70 thousand dollars.
No instant meal stockpile was complete without complementary snacks.
Iris bought 200 cases of her favorite beef jerky and 150 cases of dried fruit mixes, plus 100 cases of canned baked beans—affordable, protein-packed, and easy to prepare.
These items totaled less than 30 thousand dollars.
After securing the basics, her attention turned to self-heating meals and pre-cooked meal kits—convenient options that only required heating.
She visited numerous brands, buying one case of every available dish: BBQ pulled pork, beef stroganoff, meatloaf, creamy garlic chicken, sausage and peppers, chicken fajita, and more.
The meal kits averaged 7 to 8 dollars per pack.
Iris bought over 20 thousand packs from more than a dozen stores, totaling around 150 thousand dollars—enough to last her a lifetime if she ate one pack per meal.
With enough food to ensure she’d never go hungry, Iris finally felt a sense of security.
A well-stocked pantry allowed her to focus on other essentials.
She’d spent nearly 700 thousand dollars in a single day.
She had over 300 thousand dollars in savings before, half from years of rent on her mother’s house. Plus the two million dollars from selling the house, she still had 1.7 million dollars left.
But she hadn’t even started buying other supplies yet.
Money vanished too quickly. It was far too easy to spend.
A dark glint entered Iris’ eyes. She held out her hand, and a property deed materialized in her palm.
Calmly, Iris searched online for a local private lending company and made a call.
“Hello, I’d like to mortgage a property for a loan,” she said.
“Sure. Come to my office tomorrow at ten for a face-to-face discussion!” the lender replied.
Iris hung up the phone. She was going to mortgage the house—the very same house she’d sold to Ryan.
Those who’d wronged me would pay twice over.
Be prepared for my “gift.”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
