Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 85: Are We bringing All Ten Of Them With Us?

Chapter 85: Are We bringing All Ten Of Them With Us?

I hope you’re not planning to bring all ten of them with us, Scarlett? he asked, his tone sharp. At least these ones won’t make it difficult for us to leave afterward since you’re not showcasing your powers in front of them.

He paused before adding, Just treat whoever you want and let’s get out of here.

Scarlett’s reply came swiftly, tinged with both concern and determination. They have nowhere else to go but to remain in hiding. I believe staying here is safe for now. The monsters haven’t detected them all this time. We’ll just provide them with food and other necessities, they’ll manage. Once that’s done, they should be able to continue living a relatively healthy life.

Whatever, Kato replied dismissively, severing the mind link as he turned and walked away from the scene entirely, his dark figure disappearing into the shadows.

Scarlett sighed softly, her thoughts swirling like a storm. She barely noticed Garvin approaching with a bucket of water until his voice broke through her haze.

"Are we taking all ten of them with us, Scarlett?" Garvin asked, his tone practical yet concerned. "Our journey is already dangerous enough, and some of them are sick. Bringing them along would only slow us down I hope you know that."

"I know, Garvin," Scarlett whispered back, her expression clouded with worry. "That’s why I believe they should remain here in hiding for now. With proper food and medicine, those who are sick can recover faster. We’ll provide them with enough supplies to last for years."

Garvin nodded thoughtfully, his voice lowering as he continued. "I’ve thought about that too. This hiding place of theirs seems secure, at least temporarily. But we haven’t even checked it ourselves. How can we be so sure it’s safe?"

Scarlett gave a faint smile, her gaze drifting to the survivors. They looked more relaxed now, eating the food they’d been given while receiving treatment from Ethan, Larry, and Maya.

"Let’s find out," she said finally. Rising to her feet, she beckoned for Garvin to follow. The two walked away from the group, leaving the survivors in capable hands.

Scarlett’s blue, ocean-like eyes glowed faintly before turning crimson red. A translucent map appeared before her, showing their current location marked in green, a zone free from immediate danger. However, beyond a few meters, the map lit up with red markings, signaling numerous threats. Her focus sharpened as she pinpointed the survivors’ hiding place: a concealed cave camouflaged by thick overgrowth, nearly impossible to detect.

"They’re safe here," Scarlett said, a warm smile replacing her earlier worry as she turned to Garvin. "We only need to stock them up with food and supplies, as I said."

"Thank goodness," Garvin replied, his tense shoulders relaxing. Despite her glowing crimson eyes, he found himself staring at her, mesmerized. He quickly shook off the thought and added, "Let’s get started on the preparations then. How do you plan on helping them? I noticed you avoided using your powers in front of them, and so did Ethan and Larry."

Scarlett’s smile turned wistful. "Yes, I did that intentionally. After what happened at the prison, I didn’t want to risk scaring anyone." Her voice softened as she added, "Just follow me, Garvin."

Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed his hand and led him toward her tent. Garvin’s heart thudded in his chest, and he swallowed hard, his voice coming out unevenly.

"Wh... why did you bring me to your tent?" he asked nervously. "We could’ve just talked outside. The fresh air was nice, you know."

Scarlett didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she called for her system in her mind and a glowing interface appeared before her as she began purchasing supplies from the system. One by one, crates of food, medicine, and other essentials materialized, filling the tent to the brim.

Garvin stood frozen, wide-eyed as the tent transformed into a miniature warehouse.

"Woah," he breathed. "This is... incredible."

Scarlett didn’t stop there. She walked briskly into Garvin’s tent, repeating the process until his space was similarly packed with provisions.

"This is great," Garvin murmured, scanning the mountains of supplies in awe. "They’ll have everything they need now. This could stock fifty supermarkets back on Earth!"

A faint chime echoed in Scarlett’s mind, followed by a message from the system.

Ding!

{Host is spending a significant amount of coins. Current balance is running low. Kill monsters to replenish your funds.}

I know, Scarlett replied inwardly, a small smile tugging at her lips. She then purchased more goods which filled outside the tent ground.

"This should be enough to last them a long time," she said aloud, her gaze meeting Garvin’s. "We only need to transport the goods to their hiding space now."

Garvin nodded, his expression both grateful and impressed. "It’s more than enough. But won’t they question how we know where their hiding place is?"

"Let them wonder," Scarlett replied with a sly smile. "What matters is ensuring their safety."

Determined, Scarlett began stacking food and supplies into wheelbarrows she’d purchased, carefully hiding her use of elemental powers from the survivors. Garvin assisted her, his admiration for her growing with each passing moment.

"Hey, Louise! Get over here and give us a hand!" Garvin called out, waving his hands in the air.

Louise jogged over, his eyes widening as he took in the staggering amount of supplies. "Are we feeding ten thousand people or something?" he asked, clearly astonished. "This could start a small economy!"

"Stop talking and start helping," Garvin replied with a smirk.

Louise nodded without protest, diving into the work. Garvin glanced at him, surprised by the lack of argument but decided not to question it.

As they finished loading the supplies, Scarlett stepped back, hands on her hips. She then proceeded by keeping some of the goods in her system, leaving only the ones in the wheelbarrow visible.

"Once we reach their cave, we’ll reveal the supplies gradually," she explained. "For now, let’s transport the ones in the wheelbarrow ourselves. It’s better they see us working hard than wondering about powers they can’t understand."

Ding!

{Host has zero coins left.}

Scarlett ignored the notification, her resolve unwavering. Together, they pushed the heavily loaded wheelbarrows toward the survivors’ hiding place.