28: Urgent procurement in the county town, with hidden agendas.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Urgent Procurement in the County, Hidden Sharpness in the Darkness

As Lin Zhou drove his car off the winding mountain cement road, the car's navigation showed the time as 9:10 AM. The system light screen in his mind was still glowing, with the crimson countdown jumping to 69:47:21.

The SUV sped along the smooth rural road, the rice fields outside the window receding rapidly. The fragrance of rice flowers was swirled into the cabin by the wind, yet it couldn't suppress the anxiety in Lin Zhou's heart. He held the steering wheel with one hand and opened his phone's memo with the other, going over his procurement list once more—the compound bow from the military surplus store needed a fifty-pound draw weight, the generator had to be a silent model, the wire mesh aperture must be smaller than five centimeters, seasonings needed to be restocked, and two thickened steel doors had to be custom-made. These details allowed for no errors whatsoever.

The county town wasn't large. The military surplus store was located in an alley in the old district, with a wooden sign hanging over the door that read "Iron Blood Outdoors." When Lin Zhou pushed the door open, the owner was sitting behind the counter wiping a military bayonet. Looking up to see him in a sharp camouflage jacket, a hint of scrutiny entered the owner's gaze.

"Boss, four full sets of tactical gear, plus one compound bow and thirty carbon arrows." Lin Zhou didn't waste words and stated his requirements directly, his tone intentionally casual. "I'm preparing them for my parents and sister; I'm taking them camping in the mountains in a few days."

The owner raised an eyebrow, set down the bayonet, and stood up. "Camping with such hardcore gear? You even want stab-proof vests and tactical helmets?"

Lin Zhou smiled and pulled out a stack of cash, slapping it onto the counter—exactly the full amount. "There are many wild beasts in the mountains; it's better to be safe than sorry. I've had a taste for this since I was discharged, and I feel more at ease using sturdy equipment."

These words piqued the owner's interest. While deftly packing the gear, he started chatting with me about the ins and outs of outdoor equipment. I responded occasionally, my peripheral vision fixed on the military bayonet. When the owner stuffed the last tactical backpack into a cardboard box, he noted that I seemed to like the bayonet. I nodded slightly. The owner said it was a gift and told me to bring more business his way in the future. 'Definitely,' I replied. I carried the box to a deserted corner at the end of the alley and, with a thought, the box silently vanished into my storage space.

The next stop was the supermarket. Lin Zhou pushed a shopping cart straight to the food section, piling in compressed biscuits, canned meat, and dehydrated vegetables. When a sales assistant came over to inquire, he simply said it was rations for construction workers, so the other person stopped asking. After loading up on rice, dried noodles, and ten cases of purified water, he specifically went to the seasoning section to stock up on several portions of common condiments like salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, dried chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns—enough for four people for two months. These supplies filled three carts, which Lin Zhou transferred to his space in three trips, avoiding surveillance blind spots the entire time.

After purchasing the generator, solar panels, and wire mesh at the Hardware Store, Lin Zhou didn't leave immediately but headed straight for a steel processing plant on the outskirts of town. Custom-making the steel doors was a top priority. He found the owner directly and took out two pre-drawn blueprints. "Boss, I need two thickened solid steel doors. One should be three meters wide and four meters high, to be installed at a narrow point halfway up the mountain cement road. The other should be made to the dimensions of the Southern Ancient Village Gate, two point eight meters wide and three point five meters high. Both must have triple anti-theft locks, and the door frames must be welded solid. They must be delivered by noon tomorrow; price is not an issue."

The owner took the blueprints and compared them for a long time, frowning. "Two doors on such short notice is no small feat. The workers will probably have to pull an all-nighter."

Lin Zhou slapped down another stack of deposit money, the amount being double the quoted price. "Pay extra for the overnight rush. I'll come to pick them up tomorrow at noon."

The owner's eyes lit up, and he immediately made the decision. "No problem! I'll have people work overtime tonight. Guaranteed delivery on time!"

After finalizing the steel doors, Lin Zhou rushed to the SUV 4S dealership without a moment's rest. The salesperson who received him recognized him as the customer who had picked up a car a few days ago and greeted him warmly. "Sir, is there an issue with the vehicle?"

"No, I want modifications." Lin Zhou was concise, pointing at his car. "Replace them with thickened off-road tires, reinforce the chassis and front and rear bumpers, install a front bumper winch, and remove all redundant interior decorations to reduce weight. I'll come to pick up the car at ten tomorrow morning. I'll pay the rush fee as requested."

The salesperson was stunned for a moment but quickly reacted. "Are you planning to go off-roading? No problem, I'll arrange for a mechanic immediately. We'll work through the night to ensure it doesn't delay your use!"

After explaining the modification details, Lin Zhou finally went to a pharmacy. He stuffed common medicines and first-aid supplies—cold medicine, fever reducers, antibiotics, iodophor, gauze, tourniquets, and more—into bags and promptly put them into his storage space.

While checking his space, Lin Zhou found that more than half of the area was filled. Tactical gear, food, seasonings, medicines, and tools were neatly stacked by category. The remaining volume was just enough for the two steel doors and accessories. He glanced at the system light screen; the crimson numbers had jumped to 65:12:09. A day had passed, and the progress was barely halfway complete.

The car needed modifying and the steel doors required waiting. Returning to the mountain now would just be a waste of time. Lin Zhou simply found an express hotel near the 4S dealership and checked into a room. After taking the last few small tools and emergency food from the car and putting them into his space, he locked the door and leaned against the headboard.

He took out his phone and clicked on the chat with his sister, seeing the screenshot of her "successful ticket purchase." He then looked at the message from his father saying they had "already packed their luggage," his fingertips gently stroking the screen.

The sky outside gradually darkened, and the neon lights of the county town lit up one by one. The sounds of traffic and people on the street drifted in through the glass, sounding somewhat muffled. Lin Zhou, however, wasn't sleepy at all. His mind was filled with the details of reinforcing the defenses—how the two steel doors would seamlessly connect with the rock walls and the ancient village gate, how the air-raid shelter should be renovated for moisture resistance and ventilation, and how to utilize the advantage of the double doors to fight a war of attrition when the zombie tide arrived.

He pulled out the military bayonet from his space. Using the light from outside the window, he looked at the cold glint of the blade. The sense of despair from being hunted by a Sixth-Order Radiation Sovereign three months ago surged into his heart once more.

This time, he would never lose again.

The countdown on the system light screen continued to tick silently: 63:59:59.