Chapter 20: Expanding Operations
[Countdown Timer: 348 days, 10 hours, 42 minutes]
The theatre room was alive with light and soft hums of the interface as the system synced the overnight warehouse updates. Streams of crops, animal products, and early industrial blueprints glimmered across the flat-screen. Ava leaned forward, tracing the flow of wheat, milk, honey, and eggs into neatly labeled compartments.
"This is just the beginning," she said, a smile tugging at her lips. "Phase one supply run is done, Energy points gained, and the warehouse is stocked. Now… we expand."
Zephyr bounced beside her. "Expand how? Bigger supply runs? More stealthy grab-and-go operations?"
"Exactly," Alyssa answered, pointing at the floating map panels. "Phase two will require multiple teams, simultaneous extractions, and staggered timing. We also need to prepare for distribution and reallocation in the warehouse without leaving traces. The system can handle trace wiping, but human oversight will prevent anomalies."
Kael folded his arms, looking serious. "The more people involved, the more chance for error. We need rigid timing, contingency paths, and communication protocols. The interface shows everything, but the real world is unpredictable."
Brian nodded. "We should assign each of us sectors according to distance, warehouse priority, and risk level. That way, no one overlaps, and we avoid drawing attention."
Lyra tapped a panel, her finger hovering over the HQ warehouse icons. "And we should coordinate so that the system can start distributing items automatically while we're out. Folded-space logistics means we don't need to haul everything ourselves—it'll go straight to its designated storage."
"Exactly," Ava said. "Automation is our backbone, but we provide strategy and oversight. Energy points are our unlock currency. The more supplies we accumulate efficiently, the more Energy we earn. And with enough, we can start unlocking factories—flour mills, dairy plants, oil presses, textile units, mead breweries—each one multiplying our capacity and independence."
The flat-screen shimmered as the system responded:
[Phase Two: Supply Run Planning Interface Activated]
[Projected Resource Yield: 230% of previous run]
[Energy Reward: 90 upon completion]
[Factory Unlock Thresholds Displayed]
Zephyr's eyes went wide. "Flour mills? Cheese plants? I can't even—" He stopped himself, grinning. "Okay, I can. Totally can."
Alyssa smiled faintly. "We have the blueprint for expansion. Now we schedule simultaneous extractions from three main zones. Northern, central, southern warehouses. Each team gets a route, time window, and backup in case something goes wrong."
Kael's voice cut in calmly. "Safety and stealth first. Efficiency second. Fun last."
"Fun is first," Zephyr muttered, earning an eye-roll from Lyra.
Ava laughed softly. "Focus, everyone. First, we review our resources."
The screen projected warehouse contents in three layers: crops, animal products, and stored refined materials. Potatoes, wheat, corn, vegetables, fruit, eggs, milk, honey, wool, and meat were each represented by glowing icons. The system highlighted their projected growth rates and efficiency scores for the upcoming cycle.
Alyssa pointed to the wheat stocks. "We'll need to rotate plots to prevent depletion. Folded-space hides large portions of the farm, but the system predicts soil and yield. Crop rotation plus automatic harvesting ensures sustainability."
Brian examined the animal panels. "Chickens and cows have staggered maturation cycles. Eggs, milk, and meat flow automatically to the warehouse. The system handles feeding and health metrics, so we don't need to micromanage every hen or cow—just monitor output."
Lyra grinned. "Bees still get my attention. Pollination is critical. Plus, honey!"
Zephyr nudged her. "I'll handle the bees with you. Somebody has to appreciate the buzz."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "You're not allergic?"
Zephyr smirked. "Not yet."
Ava's focus returned to the map. "Northern warehouses—Zephyr and I. Central—Lyra and Alyssa. Southern—Kael and Brian. Five-minute stagger between departures. Supply routes marked. Folded-space transport integrated. System tracks all movement and erases traces in real time. Retrieval efficiency is expected to increase by at least forty percent."
The flat-screen pulsed, showing the interface of the northern warehouses. Light beams traced paths from storage to loading docks, then into invisible folded-space transport channels. Ava studied the holographic projections carefully.
"See that?" she asked, pointing. "Everything is being moved as if by invisible hands. The interface makes it visible, but in reality, the warehouse network is massive. Folded-space lets us handle quantities that would be impossible in the real world. And we only see what we need to see."
Zephyr whistled. "It's like magic, but better. Because it's all ours."
Alyssa tapped a panel, displaying potential factory unlocks. "We have enough Energy points to unlock the flour mill if this run goes well. That'll turn wheat into flour, bread, and pasta automatically. Dairy factory next would process milk into butter, cheese, and yogurt. Wool into textiles. Honey into mead or wax refinement. Each factory increases efficiency and Energy gains."
Brian rubbed his chin. "So every successful supply run isn't just stock—it's progress. Unlocks. More production. Better planning. Basically, more control."
Kael nodded. "Exactly. And each step requires careful coordination. Timing, stealth, and strategy are just as important as automation."
Lyra leaned back, stretching. "I like this part. Planning, working as a team, and then seeing everything flow automatically. It's like a game, but real—and we win."
Ava smiled, feeling the familiar thrill of creation pulse through her chest. "That's the point. Survival is temporary. Creation is permanent. Every Energy point we earn is an investment in the future. Every warehouse, every supply run, every factory unlock makes Hope's Refuge stronger."
Zephyr jumped, eager. "When do we start?"
"Now," Ava said firmly, tapping the interface. "Phase two begins. Move efficiently, coordinate, trust the system, and watch as everything flows."
The flat-screen displayed departure times: five-minute intervals for each team, synced with invisible folded-space channels. As each team set out, the system silently guided them, removing traces of human presence and updating the warehouse inventory in real time.
By midday, all supply runs were complete. The flat-screen updated:
[Phase Two Supply Runs Complete]
[Warehouse Inventory: +280% of initial resources]
[Energy Points Awarded: 90]
[Factory Unlock Eligibility: Flour Mill]
Soft cheers filled the room. Zephyr pumped his fists. "We did it! Flour mill, baby! Bread for days!"
Lyra giggled, nudging him. "Don't eat it all at once."
Alyssa smiled. "Perfect execution. Warehouse inventory updated, traces cleared, and Energy gained. Phase two is complete. Folded-space network handled the logistics flawlessly."
Kael's calm voice added, "We executed strategy. Automation did its part. Coordination ensured safety. That's teamwork at its best."
Brian leaned back, satisfied. "Everything worked. The plan, the execution, the system. Our foundation is solid. And now, factories."
Ava felt a rush of pride and excitement. "Exactly. Step by step, harvest by harvest, supply run by supply run, we're building Hope's Refuge. Today, we've secured supplies, gained Energy, and unlocked the first factory. Tomorrow, we scale further, refine production, and prepare for multiple simultaneous operations. The future is ours to shape."
[Countdown Timer: 347 days, 15 hours, 18 minutes]
The flat-screen shimmered softly, reflecting streams of glowing inventory across the room. Ava leaned back, watching the numbers tick upward. Each point, each successful operation, each carefully executed supply run was another brick in the foundation.
For the first time, the apocalypse felt less like an ending and more like a canvas—a place where they could plan, create, and thrive.
And with the first factory unlocked on the horizon, the team's ambitions had just begun.
---