Chapter 6 Global Sourcing (Part 2)
The silence in the basement was broken by the shrill sound of an alarm clock. Wen Yu woke up with a start, realizing he had fallen asleep against the rice bag. The digital watch on his wrist showed: 5:47 AM. He had slept for less than two hours.
His body felt as heavy as lead, every muscle protesting. But his brain was already powered on, cold and clear. He pushed himself up on his knees, his joints making a slight "crack." There was no time to rest; today's list was even longer.
He locked the basement door and went up to the ground. Dawn was breaking, and people were already busy at the construction site. The finishing touches on plumbing, electrical work, and security were underway, and the solar panel installation team was arriving today. The air was filled with the metallic smell of welding and the scent of morning dew.
Without alerting anyone, Wen Yu quietly drove down the mountain. He needed to reach the industrial products market in the south of the city before eight o'clock.
First stop: The heart of energy.
Diesel generators are one of the lifelines of the fortress, especially during long, cold, dark nights or prolonged rainy days when solar and wind power may fail. What he needs is not just one generator, but a system.
Deep inside the market, a shop specializing in large-scale electromechanical equipment had just opened. The owner, a balding middle-aged man, was yawning and wiping the counter. Wen Yu handed him a list directly:
Three 50KW silent diesel generators (one in operation and two on standby, rotated for maintenance).
One set of automatic switching parallel cabinets
Two underground oil storage tanks (30-ton capacity, double-walled leak-proof)
Oil pipelines, filters, oil pumps and all accessories
5000-liter portable oil bladder, ten
High-quality diesel additive (antifreeze, antibacterial, improves storage stability), one ton
After looking at the list, the boss forced back a yawn, his eyes widening in disbelief: "Brother, are you... trying to open a gas station or what?"
"A backup power station project in a remote mining area." Wen Yu lied without batting an eye, this was a prepared excuse. "There are frequent power outages there, the environment is harsh, and the equipment reliability requirements are high. I need the best, in stock or with the fastest delivery time. Price is not an issue, but I need genuine original parts, complete technical documentation, and spare parts."
Upon hearing that "price is not a problem," the boss's attitude instantly warmed up. He patted his chest, guaranteeing the supply, and started making phone calls to arrange for goods. Wen Yu prepaid a large deposit and requested that all equipment be shipped to his designated warehouse in the north of the city in batches starting that afternoon.
He emphasized that the installation of the oil storage tank required a professional explosion-proof construction team, and the boss quickly said that he had a partner who could arrange it.
Next came solar and energy storage systems. He contacted a large renewable energy company with an office in the city and requested to speak directly with their technical director. Over the phone, he made almost demanding requests:
The roof and south-facing hillside are entirely covered with the most efficient monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic panels, with a total installed capacity of over 150KW (far exceeding the usage of a typical household); it is equipped with three independent maximum power point tracking controllers; the energy storage section requires lithium iron phosphate battery packs with a capacity of over 1000KWh, divided into multiple modular units, distributed and mutually backup; the entire system must be able to operate independently off the grid and achieve millisecond-level seamless switching between mains power, solar power, and diesel generator.
The technical director was taken aback and subtly pointed out that this configuration was typically intended for small data centers or remote communication base stations, and was far too overkill for home use, plus it was extremely expensive. Wen Yu simply replied, "Do it this way. Send the best engineers to conduct an on-site survey and design. I need to see the detailed plan and quote by tomorrow, and installation must begin within three days."
After hanging up the phone, Wen Yu knew that this expense would be astronomical, possibly exceeding all previous construction costs combined.
But he did not hesitate. In the apocalypse, electricity meant light, warmth, communication, running water pumps, food refrigeration... it meant the last embers of civilization. He had to ensure that these embers would never be extinguished.
Second stop: Tools and weapons.
On the other side of the industrial goods market lies a sea of hardware tools. Wen Yu, like a fish, darts among the shelves piled high with steel. His purchasing principle is simple: reliability first, redundancy second.
Hand tools: Top-brand impact wrench sets, a full set of Allen wrenches, screwdrivers of various sizes, pliers, hammers, pry bars, hacksaws, files... at least three sets of each.
Power tools: high-power electric drill, angle grinder, electric hammer, jigsaw, laser level, with multiple backups, and a large number of consumable parts (drill bits, saw blades, grinding wheels, carbon brushes) were purchased in addition.
Repair materials are his priority. He buys screws, nuts, washers, and bolts of all sizes by the kilogram. He also sources steel plates, angle irons, and steel pipes of varying thicknesses and materials. Welding machines, welding rods, and cutting machines are also available. Additionally, he supplies sealant, waterproof tape, and various pipe fittings and joints.
He even bought several small lathes and bench drills—basic machining skills could be life-saving in a long-term isolated environment.
The hardware store owner was overjoyed and directed his employees to load boxes of hardware onto the small truck rented from Wenyu.
As Wen Yu took inventory, he mentally compared the fortress blueprints to consider which tools should be placed in the main workshop, which should be backed up in the safe house, and which should be carried in the vehicle.
Arms procurement is a gray area and must be handled with extreme caution. He temporarily suppressed "Medicine Rat's" proposal regarding "hard stuff."
That risk is too high and requires more careful planning. Currently, he is focused on legal and practical "quasi-weapons."
He drove to an archery range and outdoor equipment store located deep inside a sports park, with an unassuming storefront. The owner was a lean, sharp-eyed middle-aged man with faded tattoos on his arms.
Without wasting any words, Wen Yu directly asked to see "the best recurve bows and compound bows, as well as hunting crossbows."
The shop owner glanced at him a few times, seemingly realizing he wasn't an ordinary sports enthusiast, but didn't ask any further questions, and brought out several long boxes from the back room.
"The domestically produced'Sanlida' Chasing Moon series compound bow has adjustable draw weight and good accuracy, suitable for beginners. The imported 'Hoyt' top-of-the-line target bow is expensive, but its accuracy is like a laser." The shopkeeper skillfully introduced, "As for crossbows, there are domestically produced 'Zhao's' hunting crossbows, powerful enough to take down a wild boar. And this one," he opened a better-sealed box, inside was a more compact black crossbow with pulleys and a scope, "imported from North America, more powerful and quieter, but the price..."
"I need them all." Wen Yu interrupted him, carefully examining the materials, craftsmanship, and trigger feel of the crossbows. "At least three of each. Five thousand arrows and crossbow bolts, carbon fiber, with hunting arrows and target arrows. Maintenance tools, spare strings, scopes, and laser pointers, all included."
The shop owner gasped, "Brother, are you trying to open an armed forces department or go to war? With so many arrows, legal storage is going to be a problem..."
"This is a group purchase for an outdoor hunting club, for use in organizing competitions." Wen Yu pulled out prepared documents from a newly registered outdoor sports club (again, a shell company). "All the paperwork is complete. Can you deliver?"
The shop owner glanced at the document, then at Wen Yu's unwavering gaze, and finally nodded: "Yes. But we'll have to do it in batches, and keep a low profile."
In addition to crossbows, Wenyu also purchased high-quality machetes, jungle knives, multi-functional entrenching tools, tactical flashlights, high-intensity dazzlers, stab-proof vests, and gloves here.
All items were invoiced as "extreme sports equipment." He paid extra for basic usage and maintenance training from the shop owner—he needed to quickly regain the feel for the items from his past life.
The third stop: The continuation of life – seeds and the future.
In the afternoon, Wenyu appeared at the agricultural science and technology park on the outskirts of the city. Here, in stark contrast to the dusty industrial goods market, the glass greenhouses were lush with greenery and the air was humid.
His goal was clear: non-GMO, heirloom seeds that could be saved for propagation. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, leafy greens, potato tubers, radishes, beans... he selected multiple varieties of each type that were highly disease-resistant and adaptable.
He also bought a small hydroponic kit, nutrient solution, grow light, and even a miniature mushroom growing kit.
In the bookstore, he emptied all the practical technical books on agricultural planting, food processing (such as brewing, pickling, and making tofu), basic medical care, machinery repair, and textile sewing.
As the heavy books were loaded onto the truck, he recalled a tattered copy of "The Barefoot Doctor's Manual" that had been sold for an exorbitant price in a shelter in his previous life.
Knowledge, after the collapse of civilization, becomes another form of hard currency.
Fourth stop: The overlooked cornerstone – daily necessities.
In the evening, Wen Yu drove to the largest warehouse-style supermarket. He pushed five shopping carts, sweeping across the shelves like a gust of wind. This time, his goal was ordinary to the point of being trivial, yet crucial.
Toilet paper, sanitary napkins, diapers (all sizes), toothpaste and toothbrushes, shampoo and shower gel, laundry detergent, soap, dish soap, garbage bags, cling film, aluminum foil, resealable bags, storage boxes of all sizes...
He didn't buy by the "piece," but by the "box," directly contacting the supermarket manager to use the wholesale channel.
The manager watched as the young man calmly recited enough stock to open a small supermarket. His expression went from surprise to numbness, and finally, only a professional smile remained.
Wen Yu requested that the goods be delivered directly to the designated warehouse and paid an additional logistics fee. Looking at the mountain of daily necessities piled up on the flatbed truck, he recalled the third year of the apocalypse, when someone was willing to trade half a moldy biscuit for a roll of rough toilet paper.
The collapse of civilization often begins with these most subtle everyday breakdowns.
Fifth stop: The fortress of the spirit.
Late at night, Wen Yu returned to her hotel suite. Her body was utterly exhausted, but part of her brain was still working at high speed.
In front of him were ten brand-new high-speed NAS network storage devices and fifty large-capacity mechanical hard drives.
On the computer screen, dozens of download tasks were running frantically, their progress bars flashing.
This is a "spiritual fortress" he built for himself and for his potential future companions.
He downloaded over 500TB of content, including TV shows, movies, and documentaries (especially those on nature, science, and history), ranging from classic films to the latest series, covering various languages and genres.
It's not for entertainment, but to fight against madness and despair in the long nights and extreme loneliness.
A familiar melody, a fictional story, can sometimes keep people going more than a piece of bread.
E-books were of paramount importance. Through some shadow library websites, he almost emptied the entire Chinese Internet's database of practical technical information: from "Handbook for Dual-Use Personnel" to "Wiseman's Survival Handbook", from "Principles of Chemical Engineering" to "Making a Small Wind Turbine", from "Illustrated Guide to First Aid for External Injuries" to "Illustrated Guide to Identifying Wild Vegetables".
There are also a great many novels, essays, historical works, and philosophical writings—the spirit needs nourishment, especially when material food is merely for survival.
Music and games were not neglected either. He downloaded a massive amount of lossless music, from classical symphonies to natural white noise.
Single-player games, especially older games that are highly replayable, support mods, and even allow LAN multiplayer, are also carefully collected.
A high-performance gaming laptop and several large-capacity external hard drives are ready.
He even bought a beginner-level guitar, a Go set, several decks of cards, a dartboard, some dumbbells, and a yoga mat. Physical exercise is essential for survival, while simple entertainment is the last line of defense for maintaining humanity.
At 2 a.m., all downloads were finally completed. Wen Yu numbered each hard drive, affixed waterproof labels, packed them into shockproof boxes, and then locked them in custom-made moisture-proof and anti-magnetic cabinets. These cabinets will be transported up the mountain tomorrow along with other supplies.
He slumped into a chair, the only sound in the room the low hum of the server fan. Outside the window, the city lights were still bright, but much thinner now.
The phone screen lit up with a progress report from Liu Mingda: "Boss Wen, the solar panel base has been poured, the battery room has been waterproofed, and the diesel tank pit has been dug. Installation will begin tomorrow."
Also, how many boxes of those'sports equipment' (referring to crossbows) you requested arrived? Where should we put them?
Wen Yu replied: "Put it in the east section of the basement, separated from the rest. Thank you for your hard work."
He put down his phone and walked to the window. His blurry reflection was visible in the glass; he was thin, with bloodshot eyes, but his gaze remained sharp as a knife.
The second half of global procurement is essentially complete. The energy backbone, the defense mechanisms, the hope for continuity, the daily minutiae, and the spiritual reserves... are all converging at an astonishing pace.
But the most crucial part—the final transaction of the drugs, and the truly deterrent "hard weapons"—is still on its way. And the final step of revenge must be precisely initiated in these last few days.
Countdown: 11 days.
Time is running out, like a noose around the neck that is slowly tightening.
Wen Yu took a deep breath of the cold air from the air conditioner, turned around and went back to the table, opening another encrypted file. Inside were the names, photos, current addresses, and activity patterns of six people.
His fingers tapped lightly on the name "Lu Jin".
"Soon," he whispered, his voice fading into the empty room.
"Your good days are coming to an end."
He closed the file and began drafting plans for tomorrow: receive the last batch of medicine, meet with the "medicine rats," confirm the feasibility of the weapons supply chain, and simultaneously initiate "special attention" to the first target on the list.
The fortress is transforming from blueprints into reality, and supplies are filling the granaries.
And it's time to draw the blade of revenge.