NOVGO.NET Chapter 17 A grocery raid plan.
Chapter 17: Chapter 17 A grocery raid plan.
Rain continued pouring outside, reaching the point where it became a normal routine, almost like it wasn’t going to end anytime soon. The days passed with nothing changing. Luna remained mostly on her own, sitting on her favorite couch while planning her next trip.
It was dangerous, of course, but how else was one supposed to survive an apocalypse? Especially one that had come this suddenly.
Next on her list was a grocery raid.
She also had to recruit the second partner her system had discovered. According to it, he was currently staying inside one of the government’s so-called safe zones alongside other survivors they had managed to gather.
The useless authorities had gone around pretending they were doing something meaningful. They kept announcing entire districts as lost and declaring the inhabitants extinct.
It wasn’t exactly a lie.
From everything Luna had seen, nearly one-third of the population was already gone, and this wasn’t even the second phase of the apocalypse yet.
She had no idea when Phase Two would begin, but waiting around wasn’t part of her plan.
Instead, she quietly mapped out another strategy.
Her Apocalypse Coins were disappearing far too quickly. If she wanted to keep purchasing equipment from her supermarket, she needed to replenish them as fast as possible.
Which meant one thing.
More stockpiling.
"Dang..." she muttered, rubbing her forehead. "I just realized half the stores around the world are probably submerged underwater already."
That made things even worse.
While Luna buried herself in planning, Kai was outside on the veranda training.
He had taken her warning seriously after witnessing her butcher the men who had betrayed her.
As for Miles...
Her newest worker remained just as efficient as ever. He barely spoke unless spoken to and always carried the same stiff expression.
Luna honestly didn’t care about his personality.
As long as he did his job properly, that was enough.
When Kai finally finished training, he walked back into the house, sweat dripping down his body as he headed straight for the kitchen.
It was already afternoon, though none of them had noticed.
The thick black clouds had swallowed the sky, leaving the world in an eerie darkness despite the hour.
His bare chest glistened with sweat, toned abs leading down to well-defined V-lines as he searched through the kitchen.
He ignored the insulated flask sitting on the counter.
Instead, he reached for ingredients.
He intended to cook for himself.
Luna, who had been secretly watching him from the living room, finally spoke.
"What’s wrong with the food in the flask? Isn’t it still hot?"
Kai paused before looking toward her.
"I don’t do well with noodles," he answered calmly. "I wanted to make something proper. Something heavier that’ll keep me full through the day."
Luna nodded once.
"When you’re doing that," she said evenly, "remember we’re rationing food. We haven’t gathered nearly enough yet."
Kai remained silent.
"We don’t get to choose what we eat anymore," she continued. "Not when the world’s ending. If you were outside starving in the rain, would you still complain about noodles?"
Her words made him stop moving.
"So... what are you insinuating?" he asked, his face remaining as calm as ever.
Luna finally lifted her eyes toward him.
"Maybe you should be grateful I saved your dying ass."
Her voice remained flat.
"And grateful that you even have food to complain about."
She leaned back against the couch.
"Getting supplies isn’t easy anymore. Don’t waste them."
She gave him another once-over before wrinkling her nose.
"And wear some clothes. Then take a bath."
A slight pause.
"I can smell you from here, and I hate dirt."
Kai couldn’t even argue with that.
After all, when Luna had executed the traitors inside her house, Miles had been ordered to clean everything.
He had spent hours scrubbing every carpet, every floor, every wall.
Anywhere a speck of blood or dirt remained was cleaned immediately.
"Understood," Kai replied. "But I can’t go upstairs without eating first."
Luna simply nodded.
She had already shown him his room.
There wasn’t anything else she needed to do.
Kai grabbed the flask, poured the noodles onto a plate, and carried it over to the dining table.
After taking a few bites, he finally spoke again.
"I haven’t thanked you yet..."
Luna didn’t even look up from the notebook resting on her lap.
"...for saving me."
He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"And... sorry for whining the whole time."
Without raising her head, Luna simply waved a hand, silently dismissing it before continuing whatever she had been writing.
Kai continued eating quietly.
His gaze, however, kept drifting toward Luna.
She had lectured him about conserving food...
But where exactly was all the food?
He discreetly looked around the room.
There were only a few storage containers scattered around the house, none of them looking capable of holding enough supplies for long-term survival.
If that was truly all she had...
How exactly was she planning to survive?
Then there was the house itself.
Its location...
Its sturdy structure...
The mountain behind it...
Everything looked too perfect.
Almost as if someone had deliberately chosen this place knowing the apocalypse would happen.
As though...
She had known.
But that couldn’t be possible.
No one had known.
Right?
Luna suddenly stopped writing.
Kai noticed her place the notebook aside before casually opening a packet of biscuits she had found not long ago.
She took a bite before speaking.
"Finish eating."
Kai looked up.
"Then go take your bath."
She bit into another biscuit.
"We’re raiding the government’s safe zone."
"I need their stockpile."
Kai nearly choked.
The noodles almost came flying out of his mouth as he coughed violently.
Thankfully they weren’t spicy.
Otherwise, he would’ve been in real trouble.
"The safe zone?" he repeated after finally catching his breath.
"You do know why it’s called a safe zone, right?"
"It’s heavily protected."
His brows furrowed.
"That’s suicide."
"We could both die."
Luna didn’t react.
Not even a blink.
Kai sighed.
Could she at least show some emotion?
Living with her felt like living beside a statue.
Miles wasn’t any better.
The man moved like a ghost, silently appearing whenever needed before disappearing back to his quarters.
And Luna...
She constantly looked lost in thought.
Yet somehow she never actually was.
"I have my ways," Luna replied simply.
"So get ready."
"We’re leaving."
Kai stared at her.
That had to be one of the dumbest things he’d ever heard.
Yet...
For some reason...
Something deep inside him believed she wasn’t bluffing.
She was terrifyingly smart.
Without another word, he quietly finished his meal before heading upstairs to get cleaned up.
The moment he disappeared, Luna focused on the information displayed before her.
The person inside the safe zone was Rowan Asfaang.
His affinity allowed him to control beasts.
Although he was still only F-Class, his potential alone made him valuable.
She wanted him.
But another name caught her attention.
Someone even more useful.
The Space User.
His ability specialized in spatial manipulation.
Objects...
People...
Even supplies.
With enough growth, he could make things disappear without physically touching them.
Someone capable of stealing entire stockpiles without walking into danger?
That was exactly the type of partner she needed.
A smile slowly formed on Luna’s lips.
Perfect.
[Host, the target is thirty meters away.]
[He is inside the same safe zone.]
Luna blinked.
"So both of them are there..."
That complicated things.
Which also meant she had no choice but to infiltrate the place herself.
Her and Kai.
"System."
"Yes, Host."
"I need armor that can blend perfectly with our clothes."
"Something light."
"It should make us invisible when needed."
She continued listing everything.
"I also need camouflage for the amphibious vehicle."
"Shoes that’ll let us jump higher."
"And communication chips."
"Holographic glasses too."
"I want something that lets us scan and observe long distances."
She slowly exhaled.
Hopefully...
Her remaining coins would be enough.
[Purchase successful.]
[Combat Armor installed.]
[Adaptive camouflage installed.]
[Communication chips installed.]
[Holographic tactical glasses installed.]
[Jump-enhancing footwear installed.]
[All equipment will automatically attach itself to both hosts upon departure.]
Luna smiled.
"Nice."
She stood up from the couch.
For the first time since the rain had started...
It stopped.
Silence settled outside.
Then...
Heat.
The sunlight suddenly intensified.
Its color wasn’t normal.
It was blood red.
Scorching.
Almost as if the sky itself had been set on fire.
Luna narrowed her eyes.
"The sun..."
Something wasn’t right.
[Do not worry, Host.]
[Your combat armor will protect you from the abnormal sunlight.]
She slowly nodded.
This wasn’t supposed to happen yet.
Everything was progressing far too quickly.
The timeline...
It was changing.
"What happens next?" she whispered to herself.
No answer came.
"Map out the safest route."
"And tell me the amphibious vehicle is fixed."
[Mission route has been mapped.]
[Vehicle repairs completed successfully.]
[Ready for deployment.]
Looking at the system panel, Luna shifted her attention toward the reward store.
0 Apocalypse Coins.
She had spent everything.
Every last coin.
Still...
It was worth it.
Now all she had to do...
Was earn them back.
"Miles!"
Her voice echoed through the house.
"Where are my things?"
"I told you we’re going out."
Almost immediately, footsteps approached.
Miles appeared before her and lowered his head.
"Everything has been prepared, Miss Luna."
A small grin spread across Luna’s face.
Good.
Very good.
People needed to know their place.
She had already experienced betrayal once.
She wasn’t about to tolerate it a second time.
And she certainly wasn’t going to keep wasting bullets on those foolish enough to test her patience.