After organizing the rare items, Thomas turned his attention to the mountain of weapons and common supplies scavenged from the Trading Center and the Opera House. He categorized them meticulously.
First came the weapons, his largest stockpile by far. Having cleared out the armories of two refugee camps, he now possessed enough firepower to equip a small army.
Next were the diverse supplies from the two buildings: electronics, medical kits, household goods, tools, flammables, fuel, and more – a veritable department store of post-apocalyptic necessities. This category, however, was the most headache-inducing, making Thomas roll his eyes just thinking about sorting through it all.
The last category consisted of the undamaged or lightly damaged furniture and appliances he’d collected. These, along with the weapons, took up the most space in his hideout. Unlike the rare items and crafted equipment, these weren’t recognized by the Apocalypse Game and lacked even a basic item panel. They offered no special benefits or effects.
Yet, Thomas had gathered a considerable amount. His reasoning was simple: comfort and enjoyment. In his past life, he’d slaved away for a month and still couldn’t afford a single one of the leather and hardwood chairs he now possessed. Why not indulge now that he had the means? All his meticulous planning and calculated risks were for this very purpose: to survive the apocalypse in comfort and style. What was the point of all the hard work if he couldn't enjoy the fruits of his labor?
So, instead of tackling the daunting task of organizing the weapons and miscellaneous supplies, Thomas prioritized setting up his living quarters. He’d expanded his living space to occupy an entire underground level. The single sofa and small coffee table were no longer befitting his upgraded hideout.
Now, a luxurious sheepskin rug lay spread across the floor before the fireplace. Facing the fireplace, three meters in front of the trophy display case, sat a plush three-seater sofa. Flanking the fireplace were matching single and double sofas. A solid wood, marble-topped coffee table rested between the three-seater and the fireplace. Smaller end tables sat beside the single sofa and between the double and triple sofas. On one of the end tables, the rare “Breathing Pothos” plant purified the air, filtering out any lingering smoke from the fireplace.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Surveying his cozy new living area, Thomas mused, “A fruit platter would be perfect right now.” His gaze then fell upon the statue of Lord Guan, which had been inadvertently moved downstairs with the fireplace during the renovations. He smacked his forehead. “My apologies, Lord Guan. I’ll move you right away.”
He carried the statue and its pedestal to the top floor, placing it against the wall facing the hideout’s security door. As he prepared to light incense, he remembered his daily Super Monopoly roll. Apologizing to Lord Guan again, he went to the bathroom to wash his hands and freshen up.
Returning to the statue, he stood solemnly. “Lord Guan, I, Thomas Smyth, humbly offer my respects. Grant me good fortune and prosperity.” He bowed three times and placed the sandalwood incense in the burner.
He then opened the Super Monopoly panel. The day’s investment income of 425 wealth points had arrived. Added to the remaining 521, he now had 946. He rolled the dice, his eyes following its spin. It landed on six.
As his miniature avatar hopped across the Super Monopoly board, Thomas’s eyes widened. “Is that…?”
“Spend 300 points to purchase Ram Station?”
“Yes.”
His wealth points decreased to 646. A new virtual map appeared in his mind, highlighting Ram Station. Two points of light within the station caught his attention: one yellow, one red.
Red signified hostility, while yellow indicated neutrality. Their presence in the same station intrigued him. Closer inspection revealed they were located at opposite ends of the station’s tunnels.
“Likely the same group of survivors, unaware of their neighbors,” Thomas deduced. He wasn’t concerned about the red marker. Hostility towards him was commonplace. Jealousy, resentment, envy – the reasons were numerous. As long as they didn’t interfere with him, he wouldn’t bother with them. But if they dared to step out of line… well, he’d deal with them then.
“Another station acquired,” he thought. “I wonder what features Super Monopoly will unlock after the first calamity. I’m looking forward to it.”
Back in his living area, Thomas poured himself a cup of black tea and checked the time. The Bullet Workshop would be finished in half an hour. He opened his panel to review the achievements and titles he’d earned the previous night: Refugee Nemesis II, Nightwalker, Refugee Conqueror, Disaster Traveler, Rising Legend, and Child of Calamity. He’d already examined the first three. Now, he focused on the remaining three.
[Disaster Traveler]
Type: Achievement
Requirements: Find a Calamity Relic and witness its creation during a calamity.
Effect 1: During a calamity, calamity impact -10%, chance of finding Calamity Relics +10%, effects of using Calamity Relics +5%.
Effect 2: Each time a Calamity Relic is found and its creation witnessed during a calamity, the effects of Effect 1 are stacked.