The Apocalypse Took Everything, This Time I Hoard It All First
Chapter 8: Going Abroad

Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Going Abroad

Jason’s note-taking stopped for a moment, clearly calculating the volume of the supplies. He didn’t ask any follow-up questions, however, focusing solely on her request. "Is there anything else you need?"

’There’s a lot more I need,’ Luna Dawson thought, ’but not enough money...’

She spoke slowly. "Step five: contact pharmaceutical companies to procure common medications. I need cold medicine, fever reducers, anti-inflammatories, painkillers, and first-aid supplies. Prepare a sufficient assortment of each to fill fifty boxes, and have them delivered along with the food and fuel."

"The last item is vehicle procurement." Luna Dawson glanced at her supply list. "Order six Nomadison Navigator RVs for me, along with thirty sets of core parts."

"Also, order six Paramount Marauders, again with thirty sets of core parts. The purchase orders must be completed within a week. Have the dealership deliver the vehicles and parts directly to the rented warehouse."

Jason confirmed each point. "Understood. I will execute your requests exactly as specified, and all transactions will be conducted under the new company’s name. By the way, do you need me to arrange for surveillance at the warehouse or for the subsequent transport of the goods?"

"That won’t be necessary." Luna Dawson refused decisively. "The warehouse is not to have any surveillance installed. Once all the supplies are delivered, I will be solely responsible for what happens to them next. You are not to arrange any further transportation, nor are you to keep any records of their final destination. My buyer will handle their removal."

Jason was puzzled. He asked in surprise, "You’ve already found a buyer for all these goods?"

Luna Dawson’s eyes narrowed, and she didn’t answer him directly. "You’re getting a little too talkative. Take a guess. Why do you think I’m paying you a service fee that’s far above the market rate?"

"The base service fee is one million US Dollars, payable immediately upon the project’s completion. The additional one-million-dollar bonus will be paid once all supplies are secured and the paperwork is finalized. I expect you to keep your mouth shut and refrain from any... undue curiosity."

A chill inexplicably ran down Jason’s spine as he listened to the threat in Luna Dawson’s voice over the phone.

"O-Okay..."

’Is some organization using this shipment as a cover for an operation?’

Jason’s mind raced with wild speculation.

"I’ll transfer twenty million US Dollars to your temporary account today as startup capital for registering the company and leasing the warehouse. Subsequent funds will be provided as needed based on your progress."

Luna Dawson’s sweet, clear voice came through the phone again, making it seem as if the threatening words from moments before had been spoken by someone else entirely.

Cold sweat beaded on Jason’s forehead. "This is a matter of professional integrity. Please rest assured, Ms. Dawson. I will give it my utmost. I’ll sign an NDA, and any subordinates involved will only be privy to their specific tasks, not the project as a whole. I’ll start drafting the detailed checklist right away and send it to you for confirmation in one hour."

A hint of a smile finally entered Luna Dawson’s voice. "Once you have the checklist, you can proceed. Just keep me updated on any unexpected developments."

Hearing the relaxed tone in her voice, Jason swallowed nervously. "Understood. I’ll have the checklist for you in an hour."

Luna Dawson glanced at the bright sunshine outside, her mood lightening. "I’m counting on you, Jason. I look forward to a successful partnership."

"It will be a pleasure, Ms. Dawson."

After hanging up, Luna Dawson casually set her tablet on the table, picked up her lemonade, and downed it in one gulp.

Half an hour later, Luna’s phone buzzed with a message from Jason containing the account information for the wire transfer. A detailed project checklist followed moments later.

Luna Dawson quickly scanned it and replied, "Confirmed. Proceed as planned." She then opened her mobile banking app and transferred the twenty million US Dollars in startup funds.

Far away in Lockton, Jason hung up the phone and immediately assembled his team, breaking down the mission and delegating tasks.

The generous pay and clear-cut objectives had the entire team fired up, and the work proceeded in an orderly fashion.

Luna Dawson spent a week in Kensington, coordinating the details and requirements for her villa’s renovation.

She ordered large quantities of Kensington’s specialty dishes from major restaurants, constantly running back and forth between her warehouse and the villa.

Time was tight, and she was running around non-stop, relying on daily doses of spirit spring water to fight off exhaustion.

A few days later, Luna Dawson landed in Meridia.

To her surprise, Lockton was being hammered by a torrential downpour, and massive flooding was sweeping through the city.

Luna Dawson’s flight landed roughly amidst the turbulence. Outside the porthole was a white-out curtain of rain. The runway was submerged, and visibility was less than a hundred meters.

Outside the airport terminal, gale-force winds slammed sheets of rain against the glass with a dull, percussive sound. On the tarmac, indicator lights flickered dimly through the mist and rain.

Jason had been waiting at the arrivals gate for some time. He looked to be in his forties, with curly, golden-brown hair and a high-bridged nose. Dressed in a dark gray suit, he had the distinct air of a top-tier professional.

After picking up Luna Dawson, the two of them headed straight for the Lockport Warehouse.

The large warehouses were filled with supplies, all stacked with perfect neatness.

The inspection and confirmation took an entire day. Once the handover was complete, Jason and his team left in a hurry, clearly afraid of being implicated. Luna was very satisfied with his efficiency.

After cutting the power and confirming there were no cameras, Luna Dawson began moving the supplies into her space, leaving only one RV behind to use as her lodging for the night.

Luna Dawson lowered the RV’s electric steps, went inside, and turned on the A/C. She then made the bed in the ground-floor bedroom with her favorite linen set.

She took a quick, military-style shower, then sat on the sofa. Pulling out some barbecue and a cold beer she had packed back home, she began to eat at a leisurely pace.

Having stored the massive haul of supplies in her space, a great weight was lifted from her shoulders. In high spirits, she opened the weather forecast to see how much longer the downpour would last.

She marveled at how the heavens seemed to be on her side. Lockton was being hit by a massive storm, and the torrential downpour had caused severe flooding in multiple areas of the city center.

Traffic on the main roads was completely paralyzed, with stalled vehicles creating gridlock that stretched for miles.

Widespread power outages swept across multiple districts, leaving the once-bustling city of Lockton shrouded in darkness.

Looking at the chaotic scene, Luna wondered, ’Should I go looting, or should I go looting? I think I’ll go looting...’

Once she had eaten and drunk her fill, Luna logged into an anonymous account on an encrypted dark web platform. She sent a coded message to Housen: "Delivery tomorrow. Cash on delivery. Fifty million US Dollars. Await pickup instructions."

The message self-destructed upon being sent, leaving no trace.

The rain hadn’t let up by the next day. Fat drops still hammered down, shrouding the world in a gray, hazy mist.

Her tires cut through the standing water on the road, sending up sprays half a meter high.

Luna Dawson drove into an abandoned industrial park on the eastern outskirts of Lockton. The sound of her tires splashing through puddles echoed clearly in the deathly quiet complex.

The car door opened, and a gust of wind carrying icy rain immediately rushed in. Luna Dawson’s appearance shattered the dead silence of the industrial park.

She wore a black-and-white color-blocked baseball jacket and a baseball cap pulled down low, the brim just barely obscuring the top half of her eyes.

A black, structured face mask covered the lower half of her face, revealing only a pair of wary, almond-shaped eyes. Their usual charming liveliness was gone, replaced by a cold, keep-your-distance chill.

She reached up and tugged the zipper of her jacket, pulling the collar a little higher. The brim of her cap bobbed with the movement.

The wind whipped a fine spray of rain against the fabric of her clothes, making a soft pattering sound.

The heavy steel door of the warehouse slowly rolled upward, and a gust of wind carrying the metallic scent of rain was the first thing to rush inside.

Housen approached, flanked by four heavily armed bodyguards. All of them wore waterproof combat gear, their shoulders still dripping with rain.

Upon seeing Luna Dawson, several of the bodyguards couldn’t help but glance at her. A flicker of surprise crossed Housen’s eyes before it was swiftly replaced by greed.