Chapter 3

The second I came to, I didn't hesitate for a moment. I rushed straight into the private study my parents left me.

This study was the only place in the house I kept secret from Margaret and Emily. It held all my financial records, bank cards, trust documents, property contracts, and various safes with combination locks.

In my previous life, I trusted them too much and even shared some of my passwords with Emily. That was how they slowly figured out everything I owned, and in the end, they teamed up with outsiders to strip me of everything.

This time, I wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

I shut the study door, locked it behind me, and drew the curtains, making the room completely safe and private.

Then I booted up my desktop, my fingers dancing across the keyboard as I logged into account after account without hesitation.

I logged into my stock account, fund account, wealth management account, bond account, precious metals account, overseas trust account, and other accounts.

Rows upon rows of assets appeared on the screen, overwhelming in their abundance.

Staring at those astronomical figures, I felt nothing but calm, decisive resolve.

After the apocalypse, money would be nothing but useless paper. It couldn't be eaten, couldn't quench thirst, couldn't stop zombies, and definitely couldn't buy a chance to survive.

I had to turn those empty numbers into real, life-saving resources, like food, gear, and anything I could use to stay alive.

I took a deep breath, then hit the keyboard hard. I sold all my assets. A one-click liquidation. Everything would be converted into cash instantly.

I didn't care if I made money or lost it. I didn't care if it was long-term or short-term. None of that mattered to me.

What I wanted was cash that could be transferred at the fastest speed, for the largest amount, and with full amount credited to the account.

[All stocks sold. 42,883,333 dollars just hit your account.]

[All funds cashed out. 28,810,000 dollars received.]

[Investment products liquidated. 18,733,333 dollars credited.]

[Gold sold. 4,400,000 dollars added.]

Within two hours, my phone was blowing up with bank alerts, one after another, nonstop.

Billions of dollars flowed into my account like a river.

The numbers kept flashing, finally settling on a figure so massive that an ordinary person could never dream of reaching it in a lifetime.

I didn't hesitate for a moment. I grabbed my phone and dialed the private number of Robert King, the CEO at the city's biggest real estate agency.

The phone barely rang before he answered, his tone both respectful and eager. "Ms. Summers? What a surprise. Is there a property you need me to take care of?"

I got straight to the point, my voice cold and commanding, leaving no room for negotiation. "Mr. King, I want to sell off all my real estate. Three penthouses downtown, two villas, five street-facing shops, eight parking spots, and a suburban estate.

"Put them all up for a fire sale. I want them gone fast. I need the full payment in my account within three days. Not a day later."

There was a few seconds of dead silence on the other end. He was clearly shocked by my demand.

"M-Ms. Summers, are you in some kind of trouble?" he asked. "These properties are all in top locations. Selling them cheap is such a waste. I can help you sell them for more if you're willing to wait."

"No," I cut him off, my tone icy. "I want this done as fast as possible, with the full payment in my account. I'm fine with selling at twenty percent below market value.

"Start arranging it right now. Buyers who can pay everything upfront get priority. I don't care how you make it happen. Three days from now, I want every dollar sitting in my account."

A twenty percent discount below market value and priority for cash buyers were both tempting offers.

Robert was momentarily speechless, then burst out with enthusiasm. "Ms. Summers, you can count on me. I'll start showing the properties today, contracts signed tomorrow, and the full payment will be in your account the day after."

"Good," I said coolly. "If you pull this off, I'll give you a generous bonus on top of your commission."

After I hung up, I finally let myself relax.

With real estate this high-end and prices that low, selling everything in three days was a sure thing.

After liquidating all my assets, I grabbed a fresh sheet of paper, gripped my pen, and started writing at breakneck speed.

I was determined to create the most comprehensive, detailed, and bulletproof apocalypse stockpile list in history.