Chapter 4: Procurement of 500 Banquets at a Five-Star Hotel

Karl and the two women pushed three large carts of supplies back to the community.

Along the way, many neighbors noticed the scene and couldn't help but gossip.

Karl no longer cared about being discovered hoarding supplies. After all, these two green tea bitches were already aware of his shopping spree; there was no way to hide it now.

If he only wanted to survive, he could easily sell all his assets and escape to a remote area to build an impenetrable fortress.

But how could he then take revenge on the neighbors who had torn him apart in his last life?

Unless he eliminated all of them, his heart would never find peace.

Thus, one of his plans for the apocalypse was to stay in this community and take a ruthless approach to retaliate against everyone who owed him.

Of course, this plan hinged on whether the security company could build him an unassailable shelter.

Otherwise, he would have to prepare a backup plan to construct an underground hideout in a desolate area.

As Karl observed the neighbors around him, they were laughing and speculating about the purpose of his large haul.

He could almost envision the day of reckoning when these neighbors would try to break into his home to steal his supplies.

He had lived through all of this before.

But he wasn't afraid, because this time, he would be prepared in advance.

He intended to let them see what he had but not be able to touch it, driving them to frustration.

Karl, Anna, and Cherry lived in the same apartment building.

Since Karl managed the Walmart warehouse, neighbors often asked him to help buy discounted goods, so everyone knew him.

Seeing Karl return with so many items, an elderly woman walking with her grandson approached them.

She looked at the food in the carts, particularly the fresh beef and lamb, and felt tempted.

"Hey, Zhang, why did you bring back so much? Did you get a deal at the warehouse?"

"You can't possibly use all that; why not share some with the neighbors?"

This was Aunt Jenny, who worked in the community. She often wielded her minor authority to boss around the neighbors, acting like a leader.

In the past, she frequently had Karl buy her cheap discounted goods, always looking to take advantage.

In his previous life, she had even begged him for food, but when all the neighbors rushed to rob him, she not only didn't stop them but showed more energy than the younger ones.

Anna and Cherry didn't want to provoke her, quickly replied, "These are all Karl's purchases. We're just helping him bring them back."

Aunt Jenny's eyes immediately turned to Karl, smiling sweetly, "Karl, it looks like these are from your warehouse. How about sharing some with Aunt Jenny?"

As she spoke, her grandson, Little Hu, climbed onto a cart and reached for a box of chocolate.

Despite his small size, he had a greedy glint in his eyes; that box of imported chocolate sold for over two hundred at the supermarket.

Without hesitation, Karl snatched the box back.

He coldly told Aunt Jenny, "Sorry, but I'm keeping these for myself!"

With the apocalypse approaching, he couldn't be bothered with pleasantries.

Aunt Jenny's expression changed abruptly, "You…"

Karl's blatant disregard for her as a community worker infuriated her.

Especially when her grandson, Little Hu, started crying for the chocolate after Karl pushed him away.

He pointed at Karl, his face twisted with hatred, and yelled, "You bad guy! Give me back my chocolate! Or I'll beat you up!"

Karl glared at him and said in a low voice, "Say one more word, and I'll slap you!"

Little Hu was frightened into silence, bursting into tears and rolling on the ground.

Aunt Jenny rushed to comfort her grandson, then angrily scolded Karl.

"Look at your age! How can you argue with a child?"

"It's just a box of chocolate. What's wrong with giving it to a kid?"

"Why not just give him a box of chocolate? I'll pay you back later. Who do you think is trying to take advantage of you?"

Karl merely smirked.

With mobile payments being so convenient nowadays, her promise to pay later was clearly an attempt to avoid settling up.

"I told you, I'm keeping this for myself. If you want some, go buy it at the supermarket!"

Karl let out a cold laugh, then signaled for Anna and Cherry to leave.

As they walked away, Aunt Jenny's furious shouts echoed behind them.

Karl ignored her.

Aunt Jenny's son and daughter-in-law worked outside, leaving her to care for her grandson alone.

She typically bought just enough groceries for a day.

So when the apocalypse hit, her supplies would run out first.

In the past, Karl had helped them out of pity.

But this time, without his assistance, it would be a miracle if that selfish old woman and her mischievous grandson lasted ten days.

Karl had no intention of wasting his time on them.

It wasn't that he was heartless; it was just that once that day came, everyone would struggle to take care of themselves.

The survival of others was naturally not his concern.

Once they had pushed all three carts of supplies back home, Karl dismissed the two women.

"Karl, don't forget to treat us!"

Anna winked playfully at him.

But upon seeing her, Karl felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

He gave a perfunctory response.

The two women had initially planned to stay and search for clues about Karl being a hidden rich heir.

However, seeing his disinterest in entertaining them, they had no choice but to leave.

After they departed, Karl opened his unique space and stored the supplies inside.

He wanted to observe if there would be any changes in the supplies while in his space.

After completing this, it was already quite late.

Instead of resting, Karl took out paper and pen to detail his plans for the next month's preparations.

Although he usually acted lazily, when it came to survival, one could always unleash their potential.

"To live comfortably in the apocalypse, the first step is to secure food. That's manageable."

"In addition to my regular purchases, I can retrieve other supplies from the warehouse. But I can't rush this; I need to conduct proper investigations first."

"Moreover, I should only collect the supplies a few days before the apocalypse to avoid drawing attention. If I get caught, I won't last long in a cell."

Karl wrote the word "Food" in his notebook and checked it off.

"Next is heating."

"After the apocalypse, energy supplies will be severely limited, and air conditioning will quickly become unusable."

"In that case, I'll have to use the simplest method. A fireplace is the best choice!"

The principle of a fireplace is similar to that of a kang (a traditional Chinese heated bed), using primitive methods for heating.

"Then I'll need to remodel the house completely, preferably adding an insulation layer."

When it came to remodeling, Carl couldn't help but recall the time in his past life when someone broke into his home, causing his heart to clench.

"I also need to turn my house into an impenetrable fortress."

"First, I must install thick steel plates or alloy materials throughout; it must at least withstand a standard explosion."

In the wake of the apocalypse, people would do anything to survive, so preparations must be thorough.

Life and safety are not something to joke about; Carl had tasted death once and had no desire to experience it again.

The issue of a safe house was also straightforward.

In Hai Tian City, there are security companies that specialize in providing protection for the elite.

Among them is a service dedicated to building secure homes.

Carl remembered reading in the news that a top billionaire from a certain country had constructed a super fortress that could even withstand attacks from small-scale firearms.

"Next, I need to consider medication. I must prevent myself from falling ill without access to treatment."

"Walmart's warehouse has many common medications that can treat minor ailments like colds and fevers, but that's far from sufficient."

"The Cambrian Storm could last for decades; I need to be fully prepared."

Fortunately, Carl had decent connections in Hai Tian City.

As someone involved in warehouse management, he knew a few people who worked in hospital logistics.

As long as he could offer enough money, he could obtain any medication he needed.

After resolving these issues, Carl tapped his pen on his notebook.

"Now, there's one final problem to tackle."

His gaze sharpened.

"And that is weapons!"

With the apocalypse upon them, humanity lost its morality, and battles erupted over resources everywhere.

Life became as disposable as grass; to survive, one must possess sufficient firepower.

Carl wasn't a martial arts expert, but no matter how skilled one is, a knife can still be dangerous.

As long as the weapons he prepared were powerful enough, he wouldn't need to worry about that.

"Mountain knives, crowbars, and axes are easy to acquire."

"Bows, air guns, and composite bows also have channels for procurement."

"But the most formidable, of course, is the American katana."

He spent three hours formulating the perfect plan before finally enjoying a hot shower and sinking into his comfortable bed for a good night's sleep.

...

The next morning, Carl got out of bed.

He hadn't slept well, waking up several times due to nightmares.

Upon waking, he found himself still lying in the warmth and comfort of his big bed, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

The time during the apocalypse had inflicted significant damage on his psyche.

To avoid repeating the past, Carl was more determined than ever to ensure he was fully prepared!

After getting up, Carl made himself breakfast.

Then he opened his spatial pocket to check on the supplies he had stored inside.

To his delight, the meat, fruits, and vegetables he had left overnight showed no signs of change.

While meat might not show immediate signs of spoilage, fruits and vegetables usually become less fresh after a night.

However, after being placed in the spatial pocket, those fruits and vegetables were just as fresh as when he bought them yesterday.

"My spatial pocket is independent of this world; perhaps the rules of time are different here."

"It could be that time flows more slowly or even stands still. This is fantastic news!"

"That means I can freely store a variety of items inside."

However, when Carl checked the fish he had placed inside, he found they were all dead.

Even in death, they looked lifelike and showed no signs of deterioration.

Carl stroked his chin, beginning to understand some of the rules regarding the use of the spatial pocket.

"Living creatures can't be stored, or if they are, they can't survive for long. It seems my idea of living in there isn't very practical."

But that wasn't a major issue; the vast emptiness of the spatial pocket couldn't compare to the comfort of his own home.

As long as he could store items inside, that was sufficient.

With that thought, many ideas flooded Carl's mind.

If he could preserve fresh meat, vegetables, and fruits, what about cooked meals?

Although Carl could cook, he was still far from the level of a professional chef.

Relying solely on his cooking would eventually become tiresome for him.

So, Carl immediately called the largest five-star hotel in Hai Tian City.

This hotel also offered takeout, and their dishes were top-notch, which Carl loved.

"Hello, this is Hongfu Tianxia Hotel. How may I assist you?"

Carl quickly replied, "I'm hosting guests at my home and need to arrange a three-day banquet, so I'd like to reserve 500 tables of food!"

The person on the other end was taken aback.

500 tables of food would take them a considerable amount of time to prepare.

Moreover, as a five-star hotel, the cheapest banquet table would cost at least five to six thousand yuan.

For 500 tables, that would amount to over a million!

The staff member, not daring to make a decision on their own, quickly said, "Please hold on; I need to consult with our manager."

After a while, another person took over the call.

"Hello, sir, I'm the manager of Fuyuan Hotel. May I ask your name?"