NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12: – One Man’s Trash
| September 25, 2023 - 12:30 PM
Lin stood next to William Zhao, watching as he surveyed the run-down hardware store like it personally offended him.
The building was old but solid, its faded sign barely readable: Harper's Tools & Supply. The inside? Dusty shelves, forgotten stock, and equipment that hadn't been touched in years.
Zhao exhaled sharply, arms crossed. "What a dump."
Lin raised an eyebrow. "You bought it sight unseen?"
"I don't waste time on details," Zhao said flatly. "It was cheap, the land is valuable, and it's in a prime location."
Lin glanced around. Prime location for what?
Then she saw the fancy bakery and boutique down the street.
Zhao smirked. "We're turning this into a high-end coffee shop. Classy, expensive. The kind that makes people think they need to spend ten dollars on a latte."
Lin resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"Get rid of this junk," Zhao waved a hand at the shelves. "I want the place gutted by next week."
Lin tapped her chin, thinking fast.
The shelves were metal and sturdy. The tools? Usable. Some things were old but repairable—scrap wood, nails, wiring, even a backup generator in the back.
To Zhao, it was worthless.
To Lin?
It was gold.
She looked at him. "Can I take it?"
Zhao blinked. "Take what?"
"All of it." Lin gestured to the supplies. "Instead of tossing it, let me haul it away. Saves you cleanup costs."
Zhao gave her a long look. "...You want this junk?"
Lin smiled. "You did say you don't waste time on details."
Zhao exhaled, already bored. "Fine. Do whatever you want. Just get it out of here."
| September 25, 2023 - 12:45 PM
Lin hid her smirk as she walked out, already pulling out her phone.
She had just scored an entire hardware store's worth of supplies—for free.
All she needed now?
A truck big enough to haul it all.
| September 25, 2023 - 5:02 PM
Lin clocked out on time.
For the first time in years, she didn't feel obligated to stay late, drown in emails, or pretend to care about corporate deadlines.
Because now?
She had bigger priorities.
| September 25, 2023 - 5:15 PM
She pulled up to the abandoned hardware store, her newly purchased diesel truck rumbling as she parked near the loading dock.
The air was still warm, the sun beginning to dip toward the horizon.
The building was exactly as she left it—dusty, half-forgotten, and filled with things no one else valued.
Lin stepped out, rolling up her sleeves.
Time to work.
| September 25, 2023 - 5:30 PM
She moved fast, loading the most valuable supplies first:
Metal shelves—could be repurposed for storage or barricades.
Hand tools—hammers, saws, wrenches, screwdrivers.
Buckets of nails, bolts, and screws—small but priceless in an apocalypse.
Coils of chain and thick rope—future defense materials.
Spare wood planks—for repairs or reinforcement.
Backup generator—old, but fixable.
By 6:45 PM, the truck bed was full, but Lin still had more to take later.
That was fine.
She had time—for now.
| September 25, 2023 - 7:00 PM
With the last box secured, she climbed into the driver's seat and started the two-hour drive to Sunrise Valley.
The city lights faded behind her, replaced by long, empty roads, rolling hills, and open sky.
Lin exhaled.
For the first time, it felt real.
She wasn't just planning anymore.
She was building.
And this?
This was only the beginning.
Chapter 27 – First Drop at the Farm
| September 25, 2023 - 6:20 PM
Lin pulled into Sunrise Valley Hotel, her truck's headlights cutting through the evening haze.
She had made good time. No traffic, no stops. Just two hours of open road, the distant city lights long behind her.
As she rolled onto the gravel driveway, the land stretched out before her—quiet, untouched, waiting.
She parked near one of the outbuildings, an old storage shed sitting just past the main hotel.
For now, it would do.
| September 25, 2023 - 6:25 PM
Lin climbed out, stretching her arms before heading to the truck bed.
One by one, she unloaded the supplies tucked away, out of sight, out of mind for now.
Lin wiped the sweat off her forehead, stepping back to survey her work.
The shed wasn't much—dusty, worn, spiderwebs in the corners—but now?
It was a storage depot.
One that no one knew about.
| September 25, 2023 - 7:00 PM
She leaned against the truck, breathing in the crisp country air.
No sirens. No city noise. Just the rustling trees and the faint flow of the nearby river.
Lin exhaled, the tension in her chest easing slightly.
She wasn't just stockpiling supplies.
She was building a future.
And soon?
This place would be impenetrable.