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Chapter 5

Author: Memo Harbor
"My name is Cyrus Knovell," he said evenly. "I want to order food for 500 tables. Is that a problem?"

Dylan's heart skipped. In all the years the hotel had been open, no one had ever placed an order this outrageous.

Nonetheless, business was business. A 400,000-dollar deal could not be refused so easily.

"Mr. Knovell, 500 tables will cost over 400,000 dollars," Dylan said carefully. "If you confirm, we can begin at once, but we'll need an 80,000-dollar deposit upfront."

"No problem," Cyrus replied. "Send me the account, and I'll transfer it."

Money opened doors. The manager added him as a contact, sent the bank details, and within minutes Cyrus had wired the deposit.

Once the financial department confirmed the funds, Dylan went into full battle mode. "Hurry! We've landed a massive order. Purchasing, stock up immediately. Kitchen, stop taking outside requests. We've got 500 tables of food to prepare within a day!"

On the other end, Cyrus hung up and exhaled. "Money will be worthless in a month, but for now, it's still the key to everything."

Between his parents' inheritance and his own savings, he had about 800,000 dollars. Half was gone in a single transfer. The sting passed quickly. It was better to spend it than watch it turn to waste paper. Most people would never even have the chance to do so.

Still, he needed more. Much more.

His gaze swept across the apartment. The 1,300-square-foot unit sat in Volaris' central ring and had been purchased outright a decade ago. At over 800 dollars per square foot, its market value easily exceeded 1,000,000 dollars

Cyrus grinned. "I'll mortgage it. That'll give me the cash."

The best part? He would never need to repay it.

He grabbed his keys, left home, and drove straight to the bank. Halfway there, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Diana.

Diana: [Cyrus, weekends are so boring. I wish someone would take me out.]

He glanced once before tossing the phone aside.

At the bank, the process was smooth. His house was fully paid, his documents in order, and he requested a large loan. They approved 800,000 dollars. It was less than he wanted, but he did not argue. Free money was free money.

He signed the papers, and soon the funds hit his account.

'After the banquet transfer, I still have about 400,000 dollars left,' he calculated. 'It's enough to turn the apartment into a fortress. But weapons and medicine will cost plenty. This still won't be enough.'

Cyrus rubbed his chin, plotting ways to raise more cash. Just then, a street punk with bleached hair and a sly grin spotted him.

The punk's eyes flashed, and he strolled over. "Hey, buddy. Need money?"

"Who are you?"

The punk leaned closer and lowered his voice. "I asked if you need cash. The bank wouldn't lend to you, right?"

Cyrus' eyes narrowed. 'A loan shark.'

A plan flickered in his mind. He let out a heavy sigh and forced a troubled look.

"Yeah. My family business needs urgent capital, but the bank…" he trailed off.

The punk smirked. Anyone who could borrow from a bank wouldn't be standing there.

"Yeah, banks are slow and picky these days," the punk said smoothly. "But me? I can help. If you need fast money, I've got connections."

Cyrus gave him a cautious look. "You? Are you sure? I need at least 1,000,000 dollars."

The punk's eyes lit up. 'Big fish.'

He whipped out a business card. "Our company specializes in rescuing people from desperate situations. If you need money, you came to the right place."

The card read: [Duomore Finance. Mason Hackett, Sales Manager.]

Cyrus' face brightened with feigned excitement. "You can really lend me money? I need a million. Help me through this, and I swear I'll pay it back within three months."

Mason chuckled. "That can be arranged. Our company is capable. We exist to help people like you. Come on, let's go to the office. We'll discuss the details there."

Cyrus nodded eagerly and followed.

The "office" was tucked inside a shabby building. Mason led him straight to his employer's room. A broad-shouldered man in a sharp suit sat waiting, his businesslike smile undermined by his menacing gaze.

Mason made the introduction. "Mr. Brond, this is the client I told you about."

Russell Brond smiled widely and gestured for Cyrus to sit. "Mr. Knovell, how much do you want to borrow?"

'Typical loan shark—straight to the point. No contracts, no red tape. Just the money and the price of it,' Cyrus thought.

"One million," Cyrus said calmly.

Russell's brows lifted. "That's not a small sum. Let me be clear. Our interest rates are very high. You'll need to be prepared."

Mason jumped in quickly. "But Mr. Knovell just needs cash to keep his business afloat. Once it turns around, paying us back will be easy. Right?"

The two played off each other, their act obvious to Cyrus.

Still, Cyrus maintained an eager expression. "Yes, exactly. I can repay quickly. High interest or not, I'll take it—as long as you lend me the money."
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  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 207

    There was no way this small armory was the only one.After storing everything from the first room, Cyrus climbed out and used the excavator to clear snow along the concrete wall. Before long, he uncovered a second armory.This one held fewer weapons, but he still found several thousand rounds of ammunition and two more crates of grenades.A satisfied smile crossed his face. "More than enough for now."With this much firepower, no one in Volaris City could threaten him in a straight fight.He had never used grenades before, but he could ask Kenneth or look up instructions once the power returned. As for heavier weapons, he found none. The unit stationed here was infantry. No artillery, no tanks. Anything like heavy machine guns had probably been taken when the soldiers evacuated.If the Frostfall had not hit so suddenly, even the leftover supplies Cyrus gathered today would likely be gone."No matter what, these weapons are enough for me. And this shows the path forward. From now

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 206

    Cyrus did not have time to stand around and think. The days stayed short and the nights stretched on. If he did not locate the armory soon, he would end up returning in the dark.The dormitory at least gave him a reference point. He climbed out through the snow and surveyed the area again, matching each landmark with the direction Kenneth had mentioned yesterday.The excavator roared back to life. This time, he did not search long before he found the real structure.The armory was sealed tight. Buried under snow, its full shape stayed hidden, but it felt like a solid concrete box. He found a metal door secured by a heavy silver lock.Cyrus wedged a crowbar under it and pulled with everything he had. After a long struggle, the lock did not budge."Figures. A military armory is not something you pry open easily. But I also cannot use a gun on it."He set his hands on his hips and thought for a moment. Then he remembered the machine he arrived with.He smacked his forehead, climbed

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 205

    The next morning, Cyrus left the complex on his snowmobile as usual. After the ambush the day before, he took a wide detour and exited from a different direction.He did not bring Kenneth. He planned to reach the army base and dig out the buried weapons. He also wanted to cut trees for future use.Last night, Brandon Siphox, Lyla Colwill, and the others contacted him again with the same questions as before. What had he decided? Would he cooperate?Cyrus brushed them off with a vague reply and said he needed more time. Even so, impatience pressed through every word on their side.He did not care about their tone. He cared about when they would act. Twenty-nine buildings could not unite in a day. They still needed time to negotiate, and Cyrus intended to use that window to prepare everything.…After two and a half hours of travel, Cyrus reached the spot he remembered from yesterday. A white plain spread underfoot. Aside from a few distant landmarks, nothing broke the view.He pul

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 204

    At that hour, the neighbors in Building 25 curled up in their rooms with the rations Cyrus had handed out. They ate dinner in the dark, each family pressed together for warmth.No one had showered in nearly a month. Their skin itched until it burned. Several had developed raw patches. They had no way to heat enough water, and even a pot boiled over a small stove felt wasteful. They needed that water to drink. A bath meant sickness, and sickness meant dying in bed with no hope of rescue.Rowan and Callum shared a room. They had been close since college, worked at the same company, and lived like brothers.That night, they felt unusually lucky. Cyrus had given each of them a boxed beef meal. The boxes had been pulled from a supermarket shelf long ago and frozen into bricks. That did not stop them. They tucked the meals under their down jackets and warmed them for nearly half an hour until the food softened enough to bite.In the pitch-black room, buried under blankets, only their hea

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 203

    Zoey brightened at the praise. "Really? If you like it, I can make it for you every day."Cyrus nodded with a faint smile.They ate across from each other. Even as he chewed, his mind stayed on the same problem: how to deal with the troublesome neighbors in the complex.He already had a rough plan. 'No large fights for now. If a confrontation comes, it will come after I've dug out the army's arsenal and gathered enough firewood for the burn strategy.'Only then would he have absolute certainty. Only then could he wipe out everyone who meant him harm.They were mid-meal when Zoey spoke. "A lot of people in our unit died these last two days."The thought cut through his planning. He looked at her and kept his voice flat. "Oh? And?""I think they hold resentment toward you," Zoey said. "You should be more careful."Worry showed in her eyes. Women sensed shifts in a room with little effort. She had caught every change in the neighbors' faces today.Cyrus smiled softly. He reached

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 202

    After Cyrus handed out the day's rations, he noticed how far the food went. A dozen people had died in the last two days, so supplies stretched farther now.Many familiar faces were gone. He had not seen Diana or Natalie for days, most likely frozen or starved in the dark.…Back home, Zoey stepped out of the kitchen in an apron with a warm smile. "You're back, Master."Her gentle, capable air eased his mood a little.Time had shaped her into the role she chose. She was a smart woman who understood that in this world, clinging to a strong tree offered the closest thing to safety. She met every demand he voiced and many he did not."What are you making?" Cyrus stripped off his cold-weather gear as he spoke.Zoey knelt, set his slippers in place, and moved his snow boots to the rack. "Beef brisket with potatoes. You like it, right? I'm trying it out. I hope it tastes good."Cyrus wanted something hot in his stomach. He settled on the couch.Zoey brought over a basin of steaming

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