Here's the revised translation with the currency changed to dollars:
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After finishing breakfast, James returned to his bedroom and entered the mysterious space once again.
As soon as he entered the mysterious space, James saw that the apple tree had already grown over two meters tall, with some apples hanging from its branches. In the other plots, a small amount of vegetables and peppers had grown a bit old, while the rice and wheat were thriving, likely to mature in two or three days.
"Today I'll pick some tender vegetables and peppers to eat, leaving the rest to mature a bit more so I can harvest the seeds," James thought. The vegetables and peppers in the field automatically flew out and landed in a prepared basket. James then filled half a bucket with well water, used a quarter to water the fields, kept a quarter for later, and drank the rest.
After drinking the well water, James followed his usual routine: using the restroom, taking a shower, and changing clothes before heading out. This morning, he needed to handle another task—getting weapons.
With the coming apocalypse, having no suitable weapon would be a problem given the number of mutated beasts and zombies.
However, despite China being known as one of the safest countries in the world, James rode his small electric scooter for over two hours and still couldn't find a weapon store. Online, there were only performance weapons, which were impractical.
With no other options, James found a steel pipe factory by the roadside, spent about $300 to select a thick-walled steel pipe about a meter long, and had it sharpened at the tip. This way, it could be used for both smashing and stabbing. James also had the craftsman engrave fine anti-slip patterns on the pipe, making it quite handy.
With the weapon issue resolved, though not perfectly, it was at least workable.
Returning home around noon, James found his father already back, and surprisingly, David was there too. Seeing David's fat face made James furious. He smiled coldly and thought, "You're enjoying yourself now, but just wait for the apocalypse in a few days, and you'll be crying."
When David saw James return, he immediately smiled and said, "James, to help you buy the house, your second uncle went out and borrowed $20,000 at high interest."
"Ugh, that's disgusting." James thought to himself, feeling speechless. He had seen shamelessness before, but never quite like this. David's audacity to act so righteous while clearly taking advantage of the situation was truly remarkable.
The market price of James's family's commercial property was now $40,000, but David bought it for just $25,000, taking advantage of James's urgent need for money. The most infuriating part was that David was now acting like he was helping James buy the property. It almost made James sick.
After a while, David left with a smug smile, and James watched from the window as David's BMW drove away, feeling a surge of satisfaction. "I'm going to enjoy this," James thought.
"James, here's $30,000. I'm giving this to you now, and your uncle will send the remaining $5,000 in a couple of days," John handed James a bank card.
James was stunned. David hadn't given the full amount? If he could pay back the money, it would be a miracle. Oh well, he might as well consider the property sold for $20,000.
James realized his father's overly trusting nature was a bit too much. Knowing full well that David was a schemer, he still dared to lend him money. It was truly...
A "ding" sound notified James that the $30,000 had been transferred. Adding the remaining $4,000, James now had about $34,000 on hand, which was a comfortable amount.
"Let's have lunch first, and then I'll go buy a car this afternoon. I can't afford to rely solely on my legs to outrun mutated beasts this time." In his previous life, James had been chased by mutated beasts, so he was determined to get a car this time around.
Lunch was hearty, and James dug in with gusto. Seeing James eat as if he hadn't eaten in days, John and Ms. Carol were alarmed. Ms. Carol, in particular, expressed concern, saying, "James, your appetite has been huge these days. Have you had your blood sugar checked?"
James smiled wryly at his parents' concern. Recently, his physical abilities had improved rapidly due to drinking the well water from the mysterious space, which had also increased his appetite significantly. He hadn't expected this to worry his parents. He reassured them, "Mom and Dad, don't worry. I'm in great health."
As he spoke, James picked up a piece of green vegetable and took a bite. His eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "This vegetable is so fragrant and sweet, it's delicious!"
John and Ms. Carol tried the vegetables as well, and both were surprised by the taste. Ms. Carol remarked in amazement, "It's really crisp and tasty, but I didn't add any sugar. How does it have a hint of sweetness?"
James knew the reason behind it. The vegetables were from the mysterious space, and Ms. Carol had used them to cook lunch.
"It looks like I'm going to be enjoying good food in this life," James thought. Perhaps due to his past life's deprivation of good food, he now paid special attention to his meals, turning into a true foodie. After finishing the vegetables, he eagerly devoured the rest of the meal.
After lunch, James told a lie about going to pay for the property. Instead, he headed to the auto city in Brightville. Not knowing much about cars, he wandered around and randomly chose a seemingly powerful pickup truck called the "Ford F150." It was priced at over $40,000, and James was about to give up due to his financial constraints. However, the salesperson hinted strongly at loan options with zero interest, which made James smile.
A loan sounded good; after all, currency would collapse after the apocalypse. After paying a $10,000 service fee, James successfully secured the loan and bought the truck for $150,000.
Driving his new pickup, James felt incredibly satisfied. With nearly $200,000 left, he could afford to do many more things.
"Basic necessities are covered. Now we need to consider higher-level needs," James said, turning the steering wheel. "Let's go buy some kitchenware!"
Indeed, after spending nine years eating nothing but worms in his past life, James had developed a deep craving for good food in this life.
James spent some time browsing the small commodity market in Brightville. He bought several of the largest cast iron pots he could find, knowing that in the apocalypse, mutated beasts would be enormous and a single pot wouldn't be enough. He also picked up a few simple stoves, a large amount of smokeless coal, dozens of gas canisters, and made sure to note the address of the gas factory, planning to return to it when the apocalypse arrived and the factory was abandoned.
He spent over $20,000 on kitchenware, smokeless coal, and gas canisters. With the remaining funds, he decided to be thoroughly prepared. Knowing that running water would stop after the first year of the apocalypse, he bought a water purification system and several sets of reusable filters, spending another $40,000 to $50,000.
"Water problems are sorted. I think I'll need to buy two more freezers," James mused, heading to the supermarket to purchase a couple of large freezers.
With these purchases, James had covered most of the essential items for surviving the apocalypse. Anything else he might need, he could figure out later when the time came. He decided to hold on to the remaining $100,000 in case he thought of anything else.
By now, including the packages he'd received over the past few days, James had finally gathered all the supplies on his list. From tonight on, he planned to prepare thoroughly and be in the best possible shape for the apocalypse that would arrive in two days.
When he returned home, he found that his parents were not yet back. An idea struck him, and he thought, "Since I've been so busy since I was reborn, I'll cook dinner today and surprise Mom and Dad."
James, not wanting to go out to buy ingredients, used the ones available in the mysterious space. He took a duck, a piece of pork, and cooked rice with a bit of well water for extra flavor.
"Once I've mastered the elemental force, I'll go hunt that boar and mutated duck in the west of the city. For now, I'll practice by making braised pork and spicy beer duck," James said to himself as he prepared the meat. He recalled the times those two mutated beasts had pursued him relentlessly, memories still vivid in his mind.
The dinner was a culinary delight. The spicy beer duck was flavorful, the braised pork was tender and sweet, and even the simplest stir-fried vegetables from the mysterious space tasted exceptional. The rice, enhanced by the well water, was unusually sweet. His parents were amazed by the meal, and the family finished all three dishes with gusto.
After dinner, James did something unusual and went up to the rooftop alone. The night sky was dark and the breeze was refreshing, clearing away the day's heat. As he gazed at the vast expanse of stars, he couldn't help but think, "These peaceful days are down to just two more."