It had already been five days since Doleia returned after the ceremony. Today is June 19th.
Marc had given her two days off from training, and she decided to use the time wisely—practicing at home to reinforce her basics.
Besides, she wanted to visit the electronics store. The base needed only the best equipment. If time permitted, she also planned to check out some plant seeds—ones she could grow in the greenhouse after the apocalypse.
Just like the day before, her alarm rang at exactly eight. After a quick breakfast, she headed straight to the gazebo to train, staying there all the way through to lunch. Even after eating, she barely gave herself a break, practicing until dinner time without even realizing it. It wasn't until her grandfather came to call her for dinner that she finally paused.
She had trained for nearly eight hours today. She could feel real progress—her movements flowed much more naturally. Still, without a sparring partner, it was hard to simulate real combat. She made a mental note to ask Marc for a sparring session soon. It would help sharpen her reflexes and agility—critical in the apocalypse.
As she thought about it, another idea came to her. Maybe she could ask Marc about the vehicle. Since he was a retired soldier, he might be able to help her get something... more durable. Like a tank—
She nodded to herself, approving her own plan.
After dinner, she took a hot shower and got into the car, asking the driver to take her to the electronics store. It was a bit far—just over 12 kilometers—but this particular store was known for having the most high-end security and surveillance equipment in the entire city.
From the outside, the store didn't look all that impressive. Clearly, the owner preferred to keep a low profile. Inside, the place was packed with gear, crammed into every available space. Even someone as slim as Doleia had a hard time walking through the aisles. Maybe because it was a Thursday night, the store wasn't crowded—most people were probably getting ready for work the next day.
"If there were any more people here, I probably would have to come back next time," she muttered under her breath.
No staff came to greet her, so she headed straight for the counter. She didn't know much about this kind of equipment, so she'd have to rely on the staff to explain everything. Still, she figured that if she paid enough, they wouldn't dare give her subpar service.
At the counter, Doleia pulled out a prepared checklist. She had compiled it after asking an AI about the most essential equipment for surviving a zombie apocalypse. One by one, she read out the items to the employee:
"Hi, I need surveillance systems, thermal imaging monitors, seismic sensors, laser tripwire alarms, facial recognition machines, fingerprint locks, military-grade rugged industrial PCs, fanless heat-dissipation displays, solar panels...."
By the time she finished the list, the clerk looked dazed. He seemed unsure where to begin, let alone remember everything she just said.
After some quick back-and-forth, the staff recovered and began explaining their top-tier models in a professional manner. Doleia listened carefully—then casually waved the card in her hand and paid in full.
Before giving the address for delivery, she took out her phone and messaged James:
"Hi James, does anyone on your team know how to install these?"
She snapped a picture of the checklist and sent it over.
A few minutes later, James replied:
"Yeah, Darryn handles electrical stuff for us during construction."
She quickly responded:
"Could I ask him to help install everything later? I'll pay extra for installation."
There was a brief pause. James was probably checking with Darryn.
Three minutes later, he replied again:
"Darryn said it's no problem."
"Here's his number: Darryn - +1 xxx xxx xxxx"
"Do contact him directly if you need anything."
Doleia saved the contact and finally provided the store with the delivery address to her shelter.
She didn't schedule a specific delivery time—she preferred to control exactly when things arrived. The fewer people who knew what she was building out there, the better. Ideally, no one would set foot inside the base except James and his crew. She'd make sure of that—if discretion had a price, she was more than willing to pay it.
This trip cost her another 600,000 dollar. The staff member stared at her in disbelief, silently wondering who this mysterious, loaded young woman really was.
Satisfied with the purchase, Doleia returned home.
-----
The next day, she decided to head out again in the evening to buy seeds. She really did enjoy her shopping during nighttime.
Her morning and afternoon mirrored the previous day—breakfast, training, lunch, more training. The only differences were in what she ate and how much better she'd become. Her ankle was healing, too. These past few days, she had been practicing gun loading, aiming, and shooting entirely from memory. She hoped she hadn't forgotten anything critical. A single mistake could cost her everything. Still, she was confident she remembered the steps correctly.
After dinner, she hopped into the car again, headed for a seed shop.
During the ride, she reviewed a different checklist from the day before. She was quite pleased with it. Aside from staple food crops, she'd also listed medicinal and poisonous plants.
She murmured quietly to herself,"Staples: wheat, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes. High-protein: soybeans, quinoa. Veggies: carrots, kale, spinach, onions. Herbs and spices: chili, garlic, basil..."
"Aloe vera, echinacea, mint, calendula... belladonna, foxglove, poppy..."
-----
The seed store looked cozy, like a small cottage painted in creamy white. The furniture and decor had a fairytale vibe, like something out of a Seven Dwarfs' home. Warm yellow lights glowed from the ceiling, casting a soft and peaceful ambiance.
Inside, an adorably chubby old lady was misting a potted plant. Upon seeing Doleia, she adjusted her round-framed glasses and smiled kindly,
"Welcome to Magic Beans & Petals!"
Doleia's tone softened instinctively.
"Good evening. I'm looking for these—"
She handed over the checklist.
The elderly woman squinted and took a step back to adjust her glasses before slowly reading through the list.
"Sweetheart, do you want one packet of each?" she asked.
Doleia scratched her head. She hadn't asked the AI how many packets she'd need for each type.
"Is it okay if I just… buy all your stock?"
The old woman's eyes widened, cheeks turning pink. Who knew what was going through her mind?
"Wait right here, dear. I'll go check the stocks in my storage."
She took the list and waddled off toward the back of the shop—like a cheerful dumpling on a mission—and disappeared behind a row of neatly arranged plants.
She was gone for quite a while—over ten minutes. Doleia began to worry. Had something happened?
Zombies?
The memory of that night flashed through her mind, and fear began to creep in. She reached for the doorknob—
Just then, the door swung open. The old woman's face appeared inches from hers, making her jump.
Luckily, there were no injuries—just a sweaty forehead. It must have been hot in the store room. Relieved, Doleia let out a breath.
"I'm so sorry for letting you wait this long, dear," the old woman said with a sheepish smile, wiping her face with her sleeve. "My eyesight's not what it used to be, and it took me a while to find everything…"
Behind her, she was pulling a trolley filled with brown paper seed packets, each labeled with pictures and descriptions. There were more than Doleia expected.
Before ringing up the purchase, she kindly explained the planting process and warned her about certain dangerous species—especially belladonna and foxglove. If used improperly, they could be fatal.
Looking at all the seeds, Doleia felt reassured. These could sustain her and the people she intended to bring to the base. She spent about 12,000 dollar on seeds. Compared to her other expenses, seeds were surprisingly cheap.
She head out and asked the driver to help load the brown paper seed packets into the trunk. After thanking the old woman, she headed home.
That night, she put a little check mark next to the seed list—and drifted off into sleep with a smile on her face.