Harem Legion: Queens of the Apocalypse-Chapter 4 Vehicles Are Humanity’s Refuge

"Wade, your Miss Sarah is in my hands. If you want her alive, you’ll do exactly as I say. Otherwise, I swear you’ll be looking at her arm within an hour. I give you my word..."

Magnus was behind the wheel, tearing down the road toward the Zero Mile auto dealerships. He was using Sarah’s phone to call her family’s housekeeper, Wade. Magnus knew all about the man - he’d been with Nicholas since his youth and had strong influence in Ironcrest Realty.

"Who are you? What have you done to Miss Quinn? I warn you - " Wade’s voice was calm, but tense.

"You’re warning me?" Magnus snapped, pretending to go off the rails. "You think I give a damn about your warnings? You people always wait to see blood before you believe it’s real. Ten minutes. That’s all you get. I’ll have her arm delivered right to your doorstep."

He cut the call with one swift motion. Only seconds later, the phone rang again. This time, Wade’s tone had softened.

"Let’s talk this through. Please, don’t do anything rash. You want money? Fine. Just don’t hurt her. Whatever it is, we can figure something out..."

"Glad we’re finally speaking the same language," Magnus said coldly. "Now listen carefully. I want more than money."

He paused for effect, then laid it all out.

"First, I don’t care how you do it - within thirty minutes, I want five truck drivers sent to the Zero Mile auto dealership. Second, in one hour, you show up in person with three million in cash and fifty security guards. Meet me in front of the main entrance at Titan Mart on Main Street. That’s where you’ll see me. Right now, that’s all I’m asking for. Of course, you can always call the guards and try to take me down. But do that, and you’ll see I’m ready. You’ll find out soon enough what I’ve got waiting."

He ended the call again. On the other end, Wade sat stunned, going over every detail in his head. This wasn’t a normal ransom demand. Truck drivers? Fifty guards? The whole thing reeked of something off.

But three million? That was nothing. If the kidnapper asked for thirty million or even three hundred million, Wade wouldn’t blink. He’d never risk Miss Quinn’s life over money.

*****

Springvale City’s Zero Mile - the place was packed with all kinds of car dealerships. Four hours and seventeen minutes later, Magnus arrived and stopped in front of a self-service bank. He used Sarah’s black card to withdraw the daily limit - twenty thousand - then dashed back into his vehicle.

The rain was coming down like a waterfall. Magnus didn’t slow. He rushed into a dealership selling heavy-duty trucks.

Inside Smoothload Heavy Trucks, the quake had just shaken the building, and now the storm was hammering the roof. The staff weren’t in great shape, faces pale and tight. But when someone finally walked through the door, a female salesperson forced a smile and came over.

"Sir, is there something I can help you with?"

"Buying trucks. Get your manager," Magnus said coldly, not wanting to waste time.

From a distance, he spotted a fat man in a suit jogging over. Magnus matched his pace, pulled out a thick wad of cash - ten thousand - and stuffed it straight into the man’s hand.

"Best panel trucks. Long-distance sleeper coaches. What do you have in stock?" he asked directly.

The manager blinked, stunned by the cash. This was a first. "This money... what’s - "

"It’s a tip. Save your breath. Just tell me - panel trucks and sleeper coaches. Got them or not? How many? Is that hard?"

"N-no... not hard, not at all. Wait a second, sir. I’ll check inventory right now - just give me a moment..."

A ten-thousand-dollar tip? Guy would’ve called him ’Dad’ for that.

He led Magnus into an office at a jog and started hammering away on the computer. "In stock... we have three Foton panel trucks. Also, two triple-decker sleeper buses from Youngman..."

"I’ll take them. Total price?" Magnus cut in, tugging him toward the door. "I’ll handle any paperwork tomorrow. Where do I swipe?"

"Swipe card? Uh, this way - please..."

Still feeling like he was dreaming, the manager led him to the card terminal.

"The Foton panel trucks are 550,000 each - three comes to 1.65 million. The Youngman sleeper coaches are 950,000 each - two is 1.9 million. Total: 3.55 million. I’ll round off the change for you. Do you need an invoice?"

Magnus didn’t even blink. He pulled out Sarah’s black card and looked at the manager, word by word.

"No invoice. Just make sure all five vehicles are fully fueled. The two sleeper coaches need to be delivered to Springvale University’s faculty housing in 90 minutes. The trucks need to be parked outside this shop in 30. Can you handle that?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Absolutely! Without question! Ninety minutes, I swear!" He was grinning so hard his eyes nearly vanished, patting his chest in promise.

After charging 3.55 million to the card, Magnus tossed out a quick, "I’ll be back in 30 minutes," and dashed into the heavy rain toward the next target - Dongfeng dealership.

Same play as before - slammed down another ten-thousand-dollar tip and bought two civilian-grade Dongfeng Warrior SUVs. That cost him another 1.9 million.

In the apocalypse, vehicles meant survival.

Magnus, with nine months of hell behind him, knew it all too well. In the world to come, a vehicle wasn’t just for moving - it was home, defense, and lifeline. Sometimes even more valuable than food or water. Especially sleeper buses - with a toilet, no less.

But beyond vehicles, food, and water, what really mattered were the Crystals.

Still, Crystals could wait. Right now, food and transport came first. The world didn’t even know Crystals existed yet. That panic wouldn’t hit for another month. By then, Magnus planned to have stripped all the meteorite Crystals near Springvale City clean.

Owning them all - just the thought had his blood pumping.

But to secure every last one, he’d need an Ice Regiment that was big enough, tough enough, and loyal - loyal to the core.

If this time around, the Ice Regiment rose to power fast enough to take every last meteorite, they might even hold their ground against the full might of the Emberleaf Legion’s 20,000-strong army...