I Hoard Supplies and Raise a Child in the Wasteland World by Drawing Cards (GL) - Chapter 4

Early on the third day, Lin Ran went to the largest local outdoor supplies store. Here, they had a complete selection of axes, machetes, entrenching tools, and tents, but they didn’t have the compound crossbow she wanted. Lin Ran bought an axe, an entrenching tool, a machete, a fire starter, and other outdoor gear.

As she was checking out, she quietly asked the owner, “Hey, I’m an enthusiast, and I’m going to a nearby county for a few days to do some survival training. Do you know where I can buy a compound crossbow?”

The owner smiled; it was clear that she wasn’t the first person to ask him about this. Seeing that Lin Ran was a quick shopper and didn’t haggle, he smiled and said, “I have a local outdoor survival group. There’s someone in there who specializes in that. You can join and ask them.”

“Great, thanks. I’ll add you, and you can pull me into the group,” Lin Ran said with a smile.

The owner added Lin Ran on his phone and put her in the Jiangbei City Outdoor Group. Lin Ran didn’t make a big fuss in the group, thanked him, and then took a taxi. She had arranged for the delivery to be made at 6 p.m. that afternoon.

Lin Ran got into the taxi to go to the private hospital from yesterday for an IV drip and to get her wisdom tooth re-medicated. She sat in the car and opened the group chat she had just joined, scrolling through it. People who sell things often add an “A” to the front of their name to make it more noticeable. Sure enough, after a few glances, Lin Ran saw the fourth person’s name was “A Selling Outdoor Supplies.”

Lin Ran clicked on the person’s profile and added them as a friend. She was accepted quickly.

Lin Ran: Do you have a compound crossbow? I want a high-quality one with a long range.

A Selling Outdoor Supplies: Absolutely. My stuff is top-notch. You can come and choose for yourself. I also have other things, like kukri knives and more. If you come over, I’ll send you the address.

Lin Ran: Okay. I need it quickly. I’m going on a wilderness survival trip in the county tomorrow.

A Selling Outdoor Supplies: Don’t worry, it’s all in stock. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.

Lin Ran received the address and planned to go and sort out the weapons after her IV drip.

By the time her IV was finished, it was already noon. Since her mouth was still sore, Lin Ran settled for a bowl of white porridge and then took a taxi directly to the place that sold compound crossbows.

The place had a physical store, but it looked like a legitimate storefront that sold security windows. Lin Ran arrived, told the owner what she wanted to buy, and the owner immediately led her into a room inside the store. The room was large, probably two rooms combined, about twenty square meters.

The walls were lined with compound crossbows, binoculars, and other outdoor gear. Two large tables in the center displayed various types of machetes. Lin Ran walked over and picked out a kukri knife and the best and most expensive compound crossbow.

But Lin Ran was still a little unsure. “Do you have a place where I can test it, Boss?”

“Of course, that’s what we’re here for. Go ahead and try it out over there.” The boss pointed to a wooden chopping board hanging on the wall that had a lot of holes in it, apparently from other people’s test shots.

Lin Ran took a crossbow bolt and skillfully loaded it into the crossbow. The boss was about to teach her, but seeing how smoothly she did it, he smiled and said, “I didn’t expect that. You’re a pro. Nice.”

Lin Ran nodded. “I just moved here. I used to play with these a lot back home.”

What Lin Ran didn’t mention was that she was also an expert with all kinds of firearms. As an international bodyguard, she was not only skilled with guns but could also pilot helicopters, speedboats, and boats.

She held the crossbow with steady hands and even felt the distance was too short, only stopping when she was right up against the wall. She adjusted the aim, pulled the trigger, and the bolt whizzed through the air and embedded itself right in the center of the wooden board.

The boss had been worried that Lin Ran might miss, but seeing her posture, he realized she was clearly a wilderness survival expert. “Wow, you’re really good at this.”

“It’s not bad. Boss, I need to get a lot more bolts. Do you have three hundred of them?” Lin Ran asked, looking at the crossbow in her hands.

“Three hundred? Are you kidding? You only need about a dozen for a trip. You really don’t need to bring so many.” The boss tried to persuade her. He was a little uneasy about selling so many. A dozen or two was fine, but three hundred was a bit much.

Seeing that he was hesitant to sell, Lin Ran smiled and said, “Don’t worry. I’m also buying for a few friends. We go through a lot of bolts. Last time we shot at some pheasants, we used up over a dozen. I’ll just keep the rest at home. If you’re really worried, you can take a picture of my ID. It’s really nothing. I’m a law-abiding citizen.”

“Alright. But for so many, it won’t be cheap. This crossbow may not be a foreign brand, but it’s definitely the best quality knockoff. Look, it has a sight, a light, and even an infrared laser. The quality is excellent. The bolts are also great; they can tear through an animal’s skin from a hundred meters away.” The boss kept promoting his products.

Lin Ran looked at them, and it was true. The crossbow and bolts weren’t brand-name, but the quality was good. “Okay, Boss, you’re a straightforward person. I’ll take five of these compound crossbows and three hundred bolts. Also, I need five kukri knives with sharpened blades. The best quality ones. Please make sure they’re sharp.”

“No problem. How else are you going to kill chickens and clean fish in the wild?” the boss said, acting like he understood everything.

Lin Ran took another look around the store, her mind racing, thinking of anything else she might need. As if something just came to her, she quickly said, “Oh, right. Do you have charcoal for grilling? And military-style mess kits and canteens?”

“Of course! Just tell me how many you want,” the boss said, his face lighting up with a big smile at the thought of another sale. He no longer mentioned the large number of crossbow bolts Lin Ran was buying.

“I’ll take five sets of the mess kits and canteens. And five of the high-magnification military binoculars. Also, two large boxes of charcoal. That’s all. Go ahead and tally up the price.” Lin Ran urged. She had to go home soon. She had been so focused on reinforcing the room that she forgot about electricity. Once the apocalypse started, she didn’t know how long the power grid would last. So, she needed to install solar charging equipment on her balcony to at least maintain her daily power consumption.

“I just did the math. The total is a little over 31,000. Since you’re buying so much, I’ll give you a discount and round it down. Just give me 30,000. Do you need us to deliver it for you?” the boss asked thoughtfully.

“Yes, please deliver it. I’m going home soon, and someone’s there.” Lin Ran ended up paying the boss 30,500 yuan.

Seeing the extra 500, the boss asked, “It was 30,000. Why did you give me an extra 500?”

“It’s nothing. Delivering all this stuff is hard work. You can consider the 500 a delivery fee,” Lin Ran said with a smile.

Seeing that she wasn’t concerned about the money, the boss’s impression of Lin Ran improved even more. “Alright, since you’re so generous, I’ll make sure these items are delivered perfectly. I’ll have them sent directly to your home.”

“Thanks. I have to go now.” Lin Ran sent her address to the boss and immediately took a taxi home.

As she sat in the car, she was still thinking about what else she could prepare. The sewage system was too complicated, and since her apartment wasn’t on the top floor, it would be difficult to deal with. Besides, it was already the third day; the apocalypse was coming in just two days. There was no time left. She would just have to put her waste in bags and throw it out the window. Oh, and the water!

She had prepared a lot of drinking water, but she hadn’t considered water for showering. Her bedroom had a balcony and a private bathroom. She could install a water purification system in the bathroom to recycle the shower water. As long as she got a large enough storage tank, she could at least guarantee a hot shower for the next six months.

Thinking about that, Lin Ran finally let out a sigh of relief. She had prepared for food, medicine, defense, weapons, and heating. As for cold weather, she had blankets and quilts at home. Lin Ran didn’t know if there was a place in Jiangbei City that sold cold-weather clothing. If there was, she needed to get a jacket as well to feel completely at ease. Besides, she planned to go back to her hotel tonight and read the book in her mind more carefully to see if she had missed anything else.