Thomas groaned, staring at the Super Monopoly screen. The square his piece had landed on was still marked with a "?".
Seriously? Again? He flopped back onto the cot, burying his face in the blanket.
[Survivor has triggered a random event: Windfall. +200 points. ]
He sat up, eyes wide. Well, that's something. He wasn't complaining. Guess praying to Lord Guan does work. Even a random event gives me money.
His point total was now a healthy 609. He closed the screen, his mood considerably brighter, and began planning his day. It was day four. The temperature was dropping noticeably. Surviving the blizzard was still his top priority. His hideout was well ahead of the curve, but this wasn't a competition against other survivors. It was a fight against the elements.
He still saw room for improvement. He had a fireplace for warmth, a kitchen for cooking, and insulated walls, but he wasn't sure how severe the blizzard would be. Polar blizzard implied temperatures of -50°C or lower. Even with the fireplace's 50°C boost, that was still barely above freezing. And what if it got even colder? The blizzard was supposed to last three days. He needed more heating options.
He also needed more fuel for the generator, bedding for the rest area, and medical supplies. He'd been too busy to craft bedding since upgrading the rest area. He'd trade for the materials today. He'd already felt the chill this morning, despite the insulated walls. He didn't want to risk getting sick. Food and a storage upgrade were also on his to-do list.
He decided to stay in the hideout today, focusing on upgrades, trading, and crafting. No new properties to explore anyway. He had a mountain of loot to process.
He checked the storage upgrade requirements.
[Storage Room] (Level 1)
Effect: Adds a 5x8 (40-slot) storage room to the hideout.
Requirements: 10,000 Apocalypse Coins, Backpack (6+ slots)
Construction Time: 30 minutes
Next Stage: Expanded Storage Room (Level 2)
Requirements: Storage Room Level 1, Ventilation Level 1, 50,000 Apocalypse Coins, 12+ slot containers x3, Wood x2, Nails x1, Waterproof Sealant x1
Upgrade Time: 1 hour
The requirements were steeper this time, but he had a few 12-slot chest rigs from yesterday's haul. He could trade for the rest.
He checked the new crafting recipes for the rest area:
[Comforter: Requires Cotton x25, Needle and Thread x1
Comfortable Bed Sheet: Requires Fleece Fabric x2, Polyester x1, Needle and Thread x1
Buckwheat Pillow: Requires Buckwheat x3, Pillow x1, Needle and Thread x1]
He wasn't impressed. Trading is the better option.
He opened the World Chat and composed his trade message.
City - Thomas: [Images of weapons and armor] Submachine guns x13, AK rifles x7, Shotguns x3, Pistols x23, Knives x23, Level 2 vests x20, Level 3 vests x4. Trading for blueprints, items, equipment, and materials. Prioritizing rare items, warmth, and heating. Limited quantities. DM me your offers.
He posted the same message in Zone Chat. Both chats went silent for a few seconds, then exploded. His private messages flooded in.
He's not even trying to hide it anymore! He's emptying his armory!
Isn't he worried about inflation?
This is awesome! More people will have a chance to survive! Just wish the prices were lower.
Don't complain about the prices! He risked his life fighting twenty refugees for this stuff!
Whoa! Inside info! Is that true?
Thomas ignored the chat, focusing on the trade offers. A long day ahead.
The price of warm clothing and bedding had skyrocketed. Yesterday, he could trade a rifle for a rare item. Today, the price was double or triple. The sudden temperature drop had made it clear that the blizzard was coming sooner than expected.
Thomas wasn't surprised. He'd anticipated this. He was glad he'd stocked up on essential supplies before the price hike. He was generous with his trades, accepting most reasonable offers. He prioritized hideout upgrade materials.
After a morning of trading, he'd cleared out his excess weapons and armor. Besides a mountain of upgrade materials, food, and Apocalypse Coins, he'd acquired several valuable items and blueprints, including a hideout upgrade blueprint that had cost him a tenth of his traded goods. Worth every penny.
[Hideout Upgrade Blueprint – Underground Bunker]
Type: Rare Blueprint
Effect: Upgrades and modifies the survivor's hideout.
Requirements: hideout, Stone x300, Concrete x20, Waterproof Sealant x5, Expanding Foam x5, Alloy Steel x20, 100,000 Apocalypse Coins
Upgrade Time: 5 seconds
He was standing outside his hideout. He initiated the upgrade.
"Yes!"
The hideout shimmered, sinking deeper into the ground. Five seconds later, he opened the door. The interior had transformed.
The short staircase had become a longer, steeper descent. He walked down three meters before reaching the hideout floor. The layout was still L-shaped, but the area had doubled. A three-meter security corridor now connected the entrance to the main living area. The flat ceiling had been replaced by a vaulted, bunker-like ceiling. The existing facilities – rest area, kitchen, ventilation, generator – were in their original locations, but with more space between them, presumably for future upgrades. The facilities themselves had also been subtly rescaled to fit the larger space.
The most significant change was the ventilation system. The single small vent had been replaced by three larger vents along the longer wall of the L-shaped room. The air was fresh, despite being underground.
His mental map showed the hideout was now thirty meters below ground level. This should be sufficient for now.
He began constructing new facilities.
[Rest Area Modification Blueprint – Heated Floor]
Type: Rare Blueprint
Effect 1: Replaces the cot with a heated floor, increasing the rest area temperature by 10-40°C.
Effect 2: -30% chance of catching a cold or frostbite, +40% water consumption.
Requirements: Rest Area Level 1, Ventilation Level 1, Firebricks x50, Heat-Resistant Mat x1
Modification Time: 1 hour
---
[Water Collector Modification Blueprint – Purifier Model]
Type: Rare Blueprint
Effect 1: Produces 500ml of purified water per hour. 5L storage capacity. Requires 2 filter replacements per week.
Effect 2: Filters 2L of wastewater per hour. Requires 2 filter replacements every three days.
Requirements: Kitchen Level 1, Water Collector Level 1, Generator Level 1, Filters x2, Duct Tape x1, Corrugated Hose x1, 20,000 Apocalypse Coins
Modification Time: 1 hour
---
[Kitchen Modification Blueprint – Water Heater]
Type: Rare Blueprint
Effect 1: Adds a water heater to the kitchen, providing 24/7 hot water. -12% kitchen energy efficiency.
Effect 2: -10% chance of digestive illness or catching a cold.
Requirements: Kitchen Level 1, Water Collector Level 1, Generator Level 1 or Fireplace Level 1, 25,000 Apocalypse Coins, Faucet x1, Metal Parts x1
Modification Time: 1 hour
He started the heated floor modification immediately. He then built the Water Collector, the required materials readily available. He hadn't planned on building it so soon, as he had plenty of bottled water and other drinks, but the purifier and water heater upgrades were too good to pass up. And they were cheap, only costing him a rifle each. The sellers, both city survivors, clearly didn't value them as much as he did. They were happy to trade them for a weapon, a much more valuable commodity in the current market.
Thirty minutes later, the Water Collector was complete. He applied the purifier and water heater blueprints. The storage upgrade had also finished, expanding his inventory to 200 slots. He organized his loot, storing food, water, and medical supplies in the storage room. He stacked the twenty canisters of generator fuel he'd traded for in a corner. A week's supply per canister. He'd traded for them with a survivor who'd spawned in a gas station. Apparently, the guy was making a killing selling fuel. Resourceful, Thomas thought, impressed.
He piled the wood and charcoal for the heated floor in another corner. It was 2 PM. The upgrades were complete.