Apocalypse Hoarder: I Have Billions in Supplies

Jiang Si, Bailiman, and Aisar returned to their makeshift cave, carrying large bundles of firewood.

Before Jiang Si even got close, she saw countless snakes of all sizes slithering into their cave.

Their supplies must have been completely overrun by the swarm of snakes.

If Jiang Si were to burn the entire nest now, she had no idea if they would face a frenzied retaliation.

She hesitated for a moment, realizing the snakes seemed to follow a routine, always finding a place to hide at this particular time.

Perhaps, then, they could find a chance to retrieve their belongings when the sun came out tomorrow.

Jiang Si had already given up on the idea of staying here.

For one, they would constantly have to deal with so many snakes. For another, their location was likely exposed to other dangerous creatures.

Just a moment ago, Jiang Si had seen a giant Vulture swoop down and snatch away dozens of snakes in one go.

Jiang Si had no desire to become its next target, to be stored away as food.

Bailiman looked guilty. She mouthed the words "I’m sorry," feeling that if she hadn’t failed to guard the cave, they wouldn’t have lost everything.

Jiang Si reassured her, "It’s alright. As long as there’s food on the island, we’ll be fine."

As for other daily necessities, they were no challenge for someone like her, who had endured ten harsh years in the apocalypse.

What they needed to do now was find a new shelter as quickly as possible.

And figure out how to get off this island.

Neither of the other two had any combat skills, so Jiang Si decided to just keep them with her.

There were many snakes on the rocks, and there were bound to be just as many in the forest.

Digging a hole for shelter was even less reliable.

After some thought, Jiang Si decided to lead Bailiman and Aisar in weaving hanging shelters.

When they needed to sleep, they could hang them from the trees and make do. If danger appeared, they could move to a new spot immediately.

The forest was full of vines—kudzu, no less. If they were going to be stuck here for a long time, at least with this plant around, they wouldn’t have to worry about running out of clothes.

By twisting the kudzu vines together, they could fashion them into much sturdier ropes.

Jiang Si had Bailiman and Aisar follow her lead. They stripped all the leaves from the kudzu vines, twisted them into a sufficient length of rope, and then began to weave.

She was weaving a concave-shaped hammock. It was rather stiff, and looked sturdy.

However, it also looked incredibly uncomfortable to sleep in.

So Jiang Si led them to strip the bark from several palm trees, using it to pad the hammocks. That way, it wouldn’t be so prickly when they slept in them with their clothes on.

With deft hands, Jiang Si fashioned the remaining palm leaves and bark into a roof that resembled a bird’s nest. She attached two kudzu ropes to either end so that if it rained, they could rig the roof above their hammocks for shelter from the elements.

They worked for a long time, until everyone’s hands were rubbed raw. Finally, their three miniature "hammock villas" were complete.

The leftover palm hearts could be chewed like sugarcane. Jiang Si cut off a piece and shared it with the others.

It was sweet and juicy, with a fresh fragrance.

It just wasn’t very filling.

They had to eat and get to sleep quickly, before nightfall, or they would be in for a rough night.

The beach often provided plenty of free, ready-made meals.

Using her clothes as a makeshift basket, Jiang Si quickly gathered several large green crabs from the beach. The tide pools among the reefs teemed with schools of palm-sized fish.

Mussels were so plentiful they pricked your feet as you walked.

A little further on, she spotted a massive lobster among the sharp rocks.

Jiang Si locked her eyes on the lobster and smiled. "You’re the main course for tonight."

Jiang Si expertly pinned the lobster, which lost all of its earlier fight.

Since they didn’t have a pot, their only option was to roast it.

They gathered a large pile of firewood and began roasting the lobster and some coconuts.

The roasted coconut meat was tender and fragrant, with a texture almost like soft bread.

They were also able to sip some of the sweet coconut water.

The crabs cooked first. Jiang Si was an expert at eating them, and after her instruction, Bailiman and Aisar also found it much less of a struggle.

Suddenly, Jiang Si spotted something yellowish about a hundred feet away along the coastline. It looked like some kind of pineapple-like fruit.

She shot to her feet and headed toward it.

Soon, she confirmed her suspicion: they were wild pineapples.

They were all ripe, too, each one looking plump and tempting.

Fruit was a rare delicacy in a survival situation.

Jiang Si picked several and carried them back to the tree where they had decided to make camp.

’Grilled pineapple is delicious, too.’