"Goodbye and thank you for confirming the payment," said Karina with a smile, shaking hands.
"Well then, I'll take my leave now." After saying that, she stepped forward, leaving the house while glancing at her bank check.
Finally, she had money, even if it was from selling her house.
Karina crossed her arms, her eyes gazing at her new villa, which was more secluded, surrounded by trees and 45 minutes away from central J city.
Karina had considered buying a villa in a more remote area. However, there were things she needed to do in the capital, and this location seemed just right.
Inside the spacious villa, she pondered her future plans. She visualized how the layout of the villa would be transformed to suit her desires.
Renovating the backyard became her top priority, with the construction of stronger walls, the addition of various traps, solar-powered generators, and the building of a large warehouse equipped with cooling systems and adequate water supplies.
All of this was planned to create a safe and comfortable environment for her to relax during the apocalypse.
In the backyard of her new villa, she trained her physical fitness and combat skills, preparing for the things that would happen in the future.
But after just a few minutes of training, she was already exhausted, sweat pouring down her flushed face. She could only sigh tiredly, longing for her stronger body in the future.
The ringing of her phone interrupted her training. Without looking at the caller ID, she answered and brought the phone to her ear.
"I've already transferred the money. You dared to borrow, so you'd better pay on time. If not, be prepared!"
"Relax, I'll definitely pay on time," Karina said, ending the call, smiling happily as she checked the balance on her phone.
"Ah, too bad, it only totals five thousand dollars," she muttered softly after managing to borrow from eight different loan sharks. After all, two months later, she wouldn't have to repay the money.
Feeling sufficiently tired, she stopped her training and pulled out a piece of paper she had saved, listing the things she needed to do.
...
Night fell, and Karina began driving her Jeep through Jakarta at full speed, heading toward one of the capital's famous casinos.
With ten years of survival skills in tough situations, she was confident she would make a lot of money. In the post-apocalyptic era, gambling had become her daily bread, something she had mastered.
Once Karina arrived at the casino, she confidently stepped into the room.
Although she wasn't a model or a celebrity, her beauty attracted the attention of several people around her.
After finding the exchange spot, Karina immediately sat down to exchange her cash for colorful casino chips.
With survival skills honed over ten tough years, Karina was confident that she had the advantage in this game.
Carefully and with precision, she began playing. She used her knowledge and intelligence to make the right decisions with each bet.
Even though the game was full of uncertainty, Karina remained calm and focused on her main goal—to win as much money as possible.
Time passed without her realizing it, and Karina remained engrossed in her game. She continued observing the patterns of her opponents' plays, looking for gaps and opportunities to take advantage.
In a relatively short time, she managed to accumulate a significant amount of winnings.
However, she was also aware of the risks involved with gambling. She didn't become too fixated on her winnings and made sure not to get too emotional. After several hours of playing, she decided to stop.
Though there were still chances to earn more money, she knew the importance of knowing when to end the game.
She glanced at the considerable amount of money she had won and confidently walked out of the casino with a satisfied smile on her face.
As she stepped outside, suddenly two large men covered in tattoos extended their arms, blocking her path.
She scowled and glared at the two men, showing her hostility.
"You, young lady!" shouted an old man, possibly in his fifties, his voice booming through the room.
"I heard you've had some remarkable luck tonight. But do you dare to face a bigger challenge?"
"Who are you? If there's no business, I'm leaving," Karina said, turning to face the old man.
"Surprising, a great gambler like you doesn't recognize my face."
"I don't have time for this," she replied dismissively, preparing a small knife hidden in the fold of her pants.
The old man glanced at the knife behind Karina. "Wait, I'm just intrigued by your skills. Surprising for a young woman to come to a place like this alone, and it seems we've never met before."
"Stop the small talk!" she said, annoyed.
"Listen carefully, young lady, I just want to gamble with you," the man continued, staring sharply at Karina. "If you win, you can ask for anything you want. But if you lose, you must give up all the money you won tonight. How about it?"
As the man's words echoed in the room, the tension grew thicker.
"Ah, unlucky for her to run into Mr. Peter."
"I think the girl can win, look at that bag full of money."
"She won because she played against the henchmen, not the boss."
"How about betting? Twenty red chips for the pretty lady."
"Hahaha, 35 chips for Mr. Peter."
Karina felt immense pressure on her shoulders after hearing the murmurs of the gamblers. She sensed that this man was not ordinary and quickly noticed the hidden pistol behind the expensive suit he was wearing.
Her brow furrowed as she contemplated whether to accept the challenge or just kill him right away. But after glancing around once more, she saw many large men around, making it impossible for her to fight alone. This unfavorable situation irritated her greatly.
"Fine, I'll accept the challenge, and don't try to cheat."
With confident steps, they re-entered the gaming room.
Karina felt the eyes of the spectators in the room fixed on her, eagerly anticipating what would happen next.
The old man smirked, mocking Karina. But in her heart, she was driven by burning spirit and confidence.
"Our challenge is simple," said the old man, pointing to the gaming table where a deck of cards was laid out.
"You must correctly guess which card will be laid on the table."
"If you succeed, I'll grant your wish. But if you fail, you must give up everything you own."
Karina realized the stakes were high, but she didn't hesitate for a second. She felt sure that she had the skills to win.
"Any questions? Young lady, I'll let you go first," the man said with a sinister smile.
Karina stared sharply at the deck of cards on the table. She pondered for a moment, feeling the gambling energy flowing through her. Without hesitation, she pointed to a card.
"That one, the ten of hearts," Karina said with a steady voice.
With a pounding heart, all eyes in the room were glued to the gaming table as she calmly flipped over the chosen card.
Suddenly, the room fell silent.
The chosen card was correct.
Cheers erupted throughout the room.
"By the way, I don't know my opponent's name," the man said, trying to break Karina's focus.
"I'm Karina," she replied indifferently.
Karina revealed the card, and it was correct again.
"Karina, that's a nice name."
"Ah, let me introduce myself as well. My name is Peter Nelson, the largest shareholder of NLS Company."
Upon hearing the company's name, Karina paused for a moment.
"Go on, why are you hesitating? Have you realized something?" Peter taunted.
Scoffing, Karina replied, "Ah, I'm just curious what a conglomerate like you is doing in a back-alley casino." She pressed her words, smiling faintly.
She continued revealing the correct cards, but a few moments later, she made a wrong guess.
"Ah, it seems I guessed wrong. It's your turn now," Karina said with a mocking smile.
Peter raised an eyebrow at Karina's mistake. He smiled. "Isn't running a company just like gambling?"
It was Peter's turn to guess. He guessed without much difficulty, but after several correct guesses, he finally made a mistake.
Ignoring Peter's words, Karina said, "Ah, it looks like your session is over," and began her turn again.
Earlier, she had been momentarily distracted by the fact that she was facing the largest shareholder of NLS Company. Although the old man's identity was not simple, she hadn't expected to meet such a powerful figure from a major company in her country—a company that even held influence during the post-apocalyptic world.