The Apocalypse Took Everything, This Time I Hoard It All First
Chapter 20: Yes, Boss

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Yes, Boss

She forced herself to remain calm and coughed awkwardly. "Ahem, just get to the point. What kind of cooperation are you proposing?"

​"On the afternoon of the 26th, Lynn Shelby intercepted various emergency directives being sent from Kensington to all parts of the country."

Kevin Keane’s deep-set eyes were locked on Luna Dawson, unwilling to miss the slightest change in her expression.

"We have no intention of asking why you began procuring all sorts of supplies before the government took action, only to hoard them without moving or transferring them anywhere.

Nor do we want to investigate where the supplies you’ve stockpiled in two massive domestic warehouses have gone, or whether you have some other power backing you..."​

The more Luna Dawson listened, the more alarmed she became. ’Damn sicko, damn sicko,’ she cursed Kevin Keane inwardly. ’What a waste of a handsome face.’

On the surface, however, she remained perfectly calm and asked bluntly, "Let’s hear the terms. What do you need from me? And what can you offer in return?"​

A glint flashed in Kevin Keane’s eyes as he said in a deep voice, "We have multiple secret warehouses, both domestic and international. We need you, or the power behind you, to help us store some supplies temporarily.

If global turmoil breaks out later, we’ll come to you to retrieve them.

Of course, if you agree, you can have fifty percent of the supplies. Furthermore, for the duration of our cooperation, the four of us will be in your employ and will do everything in our power to protect you and your family."​

Luna Dawson didn’t respond immediately. She propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hand, her gaze unfocused as if she were seriously considering the offer.

Lynn Shelby picked up where he left off, slowly adding, "Your family has the elderly and the young. Miles Dawson is still just a reckless kid, and Evan Olson is only one person. Do you really intend to rely on him alone?"

​"We’re just trying to gather more bargaining chips," Aaron Palmer chimed in eagerly, his tone earnest. "If Brother Evan is really against it, then let’s just forget it. We’re still friends, right?"​

Blake Blue, standing nearby, couldn’t help but smack him on the head. "Just stop talking," he said with a sigh. "Evan isn’t going to ignore you."​

Evan Olson glanced at Aaron Palmer. ’The kid still has a conscience, at least,’ he thought. He then leaned close to Luna Dawson and whispered in her ear.

"Domestic controls are strict right now. If they don’t move the contents of their warehouses soon, it’s only a matter of time before they’re discovered."​

Luna Dawson waited for him to finish, then nodded.

She looked Kevin Keane straight in the eyes and said calmly, "I want sixty percent."

​’Actually, I’d already figured it out on the way here. Brother Evan said these men were his comrades-in-arms, not bad people. His earlier impatience was just him being angry that I was being used as leverage because of my connection to him.

Besides, in my past life, Brother Evan left the country after Grandpa Olson passed away. Since these guys were already working as mercenaries abroad, they might have already teamed up back then.

In this life, starting with saving Grandpa, I’ve been like a butterfly flapping its wings, triggering a series of changes. Just keeping Brother Evan here was enough to make my path cross with these mercenaries.

Looked at another way, by demanding sixty percent of the supplies, I’m essentially using their remaining forty percent to hire these four elite combatants.

They’re right. My family is full of the old and the vulnerable.

In my past life, my superpower was mediocre. Relying on Brother Evan alone would put immense pressure on him, and the risk to our group’s survival would be too great.’​

The moment Luna Dawson finished speaking, not only were the four men across from her stunned, but even Evan Olson at her side went rigid.

Clearly, they hadn’t expected her to agree so readily, let alone immediately demand a larger share.

​The corners of Kevin Keane’s mouth curled into a smile, his dark eyes fixed on Luna Dawson. As the squad leader, he immediately gave his assent.​

"You got it, Boss."

Luna Dawson nodded, and the deal between the two parties was sealed.

Afterward, right in front of Luna Dawson, Evan Olson issued a series of cold, sarcastic threats to the other men.

Kevin Keane and his men looked both awkward and embarrassed, while Luna Dawson watched them with amusement. ’Their dynamic is actually pretty interesting,’ she thought.

The apocalypse was only ten days away. Afraid the meteor shower might come early, Luna Dawson booked flights to the various warehouses as soon as she returned to the villa. She and Evan Olson then set off for their destinations without a moment’s delay.

Over the next few days, they completely cleared out the men’s ten secret warehouses. One of them was an underground storage facility that could rival a mob armory.

Even Evan Olson was stunned. ’These guys really know what they’re doing,’ he thought.

Unlike Luna Dawson, who hoarded a bit of everything, their supplies focused on specific survival gear, including military rations, canned food, concentrated juice, personal self-heating cookers, and compressed biscuits.

This perfectly filled the gaps in Luna Dawson’s own procurement.

She was like a little squirrel preparing for winter, growing more and more excited with every warehouse they cleared.

After all, it was basically a free haul. The vicious insults she’d been mentally hurling at the men even started to subside...

------

In a certain conference room, the air was heavy and tense. The cold glare of the overhead lights cast sharp shadows on everyone’s strained faces.

A printout of Luna Dawson’s email prophesying the apocalypse lay silently on the conference table, the ink seeming to burn with a scorching heat.

Expressions of disbelief were etched on many of their faces, and the unconscious drumming of fingertips on the table betrayed their inner turmoil.

"Making preparations internally is one thing, but a public announcement is probably unwise."

The head of a certain department was the first to speak, his face gaunt and his voice edged with impatience.

The moment he finished speaking, a chorus of agreement arose from around the table.

Victor Lewis, who had already recovered from the initial shock of the email, turned to the person behind him and asked, "What’s the Prophet’s condition?"

Dr. Wright, the head of the medical expert team sitting in the back, stood up to report, his tone grave. "Sirs, the girl’s bodily functions are exhibiting an irreversible degenerative trend. She is currently in a deep coma, and the medical team is doing everything in its power to save her."

Victor Lewis nodded, then used a computer to pull up the surveillance footage from the hospital room. He replayed a video clip of a young girl speaking with the leaders several times.

In the footage, a long-haired girl of about sixteen or seventeen was sitting in a chair. Shortly after she began speaking with several leaders, her hair visibly turned gray and brittle, and her skin shriveled like an old woman’s. An instant later, she went rigid and collapsed.

When the playback finished, the conference room fell into a brief silence.

One of the leaders spoke slowly, "Even if the email and the girl’s prophecy align, we cannot rashly release the details to the world. A miscalculation would not only damage our international credibility but could also incite widespread panic. The consequences would be unthinkable."

Victor Lewis’s tone was firm. "Regardless, we must prioritize the safety and survival of all humankind."

With differing opinions from all sides, the meeting erupted into a heated debate.

Some prioritized domestic security, others worried about the international repercussions, and a third group insisted that saving lives must come first.

Each side had its own valid points and refused to concede.

Finally, after weighing all options, they reached a consensus: to avoid unnecessary controversy and panic, they would temporarily withhold the details of the email and any information related to the girl’s prophecy.

However, they would issue an authoritative warning based on scientific observation, alerting all nations to the potential catastrophic risks associated with the subsequent meteor shower.

Celestia would thus fulfill its duty as a major global power. How other nations chose to respond would be their own decision; Celestia would not intervene, nor would it assume any additional responsibility.

All the leaders present voiced their approval, and the plan was passed unanimously.

Not long after Luna Dawson’s return, Celestia’s official state media issued an authoritative announcement at noon on the seventh.

"Following continuous observation and analysis by domestic scientific expert teams, it is predicted that a major disaster will arrive with the meteor shower in approximately one week. This event will have a significant impact on the global human survival environment. We hereby issue a warning to all nations of the world, imploring each to afford this matter the highest priority and to take effective measures to fully protect the lives and property of their citizens."

The news sent the entire world into an uproar.