It’s Not Easy Making Money In the Apocalypse

“Your mother owed quite a lot.”

“S-sorry…” Misty scrapped her feet on the ground nervously.

I shrugged and signed the contract that the receptionist had prepared for me. There was an assortment of debts, but the most expensive happened to be Misty’s mom, who had nearly 1000 large crystals in debt. This was the sum that would make any merchant sweat. That amount was a year’s profits for a successful traveling merchant group like Tom’s, which would normally be split numerous times among his various guards and carriers. That didn’t even count the overhead costs, bullets, maintenance, local fees, and taxes. In the end, most transporters brought in only about 50-100 large crystals a year, and that was considered a high salary in a high-risk field.

Unfortunately, Misty’s mother was the one person I needed to continue my plans. Skilled workers were a limited resource in this world. There was no formal education system, and few people went out of their way to become skilled at anything. Although any slave with the same skills as Misty should have been less, and also didn’t come with a time limit, I wasn’t in a situation where I could afford to wait to find another, and I didn’t have any contact with any other slave caravans. Gunner’s contacts mostly worked outside of Argo city, as did her group until its unfortunate collapse under the Syndicate.

Although I had to spend 1000 crystals to get Misty, I had spent closer to 10,000 large crystals to buy all fifteen of the available debtors. There were numerous reasons for this. First of all, my labor was limited. The raiders were willing to work, but they wouldn’t put their lives at risk nor do any hard labor. They were free spirits, and would quickly rebel if I started forcing them to dig ditches or build walls. Similarly, the survivors from the auction were even less loyal, and a few slipped away every day.

I wanted the three skilled workers Tom had mentioned, but I also needed some people who were willing to do the less skilled and undesirable jobs too, even if it wasn’t by choice. Of course, I wouldn’t put their lives in danger as per the contract, but they would be doing some dirtier jobs. That wasn’t the only reason. I bought everyone also to hide who I was particularly after. I wanted all the skilled workers, but that might end up pointing to some of my future goals. By buying everyone, it was hard for anyone to guess what I was doing.

As for the three skilled workers, they were also the most expensive of the bunch. To put it simply, if a skilled worker was affordable, someone would have already snatched them up. As for expensive unskilled workers, it was difficult to fall into that much debt when you didn’t have any skills in the first place. Their debts were usually manageable. Just like it would be hard for an employee at a fast-food store to end up in a million dollars of debt. Who would lend someone like that so much money? On the other hand, a doctor could easily end up in that kind of debt whether it be through student loans, malpractice suits, or gambling addiction.

“It looks like all of the paperwork is in order.” The secretary finished what she was doing, and then gave me a far more polite bow than she had before. “Follow me to the back.”

Looking closely though, there was a slight shimmer of disdain in her eyes. It was the kind of look that said that I was probably going to become another debtor. In her mind, I was likely recklessly spending money. I imagined anyone would think that who didn’t know my sources. I was confident that I could pay back any debt though. The councilman and I had already worked out the prices, and I’d settle this debt in only a few months of business.

I followed the receptionist as she led me into a back room. We ended up in a dark hallway lined with jail cells. Misty ran down the hallway, her eyes darting from room to room, while the receptionist stopped at the first room. Since I had already purchased everyone, there didn’t seem to be any reason to stop Misty, since she was with me.

“Mom!” Misty cried out, stopping at a cell a few down.

Although I couldn’t see into the room, I saw two hands come out, and Misty grab onto the person on the other side of the cell.

“Misty, what are you doing here?”

“Mom! I found someone to help. They are paying off your debt!” Misty spoke proudly.

“Is that so…” Her mother responded, but her voice sounded unconvinced.

I kept quiet and allowed the receptionist to do things by the book. She opened one cell at a time. She plugged in a Perco that she had around her wrist into the person’s neck collar. It was only a Perco 3000, but its working condition immediately showed the value of the woman. With no other skills, that Perco made her valuable enough to keep on at the collection agency. After tinkering with her Perco a bit, she unplugged it and had me plug mine in.

[A peer-to-peer contract request has arrived. Would you like to accept?]

After accepting the contract, the person whose collar this was would become my responsibility. Even though I would get control of the person, it was only limited control, and not administrative control. The collar would be tracked by the collection agency. This would allow them to find the indentured service, trigger their release, or cite me should they end up dying before the end of their contract. While the collection agency promised anonymity, it was still a bit uncomfortable to give them such a chance to spy on me.

I could have used my Master Code and taken control of the collar as an administrator. I could then remove any tracking they had forcefully, but they would be able to detect if that happened. With Cecelia, I could probably get the collar to release a false signal, but I had to remember these weren’t slaves. They were indentured servants and I was supposed to follow their rules. Even if I wanted to go against the rules later, I wouldn’t do that while I was still in Twin Elms. That was just suicidal.

We finally reached the cell with Misty’s mother. Misty barely was willing to let go of her mother so that the receptionist could unlock the cell door and open it. As soon as the door swung open with a creak, she threw her arms around her mother again. The woman couldn’t help but look at us apologetically. Overall, she resembled Misty, but she was old enough that the wasteland had left a notable mark on her. She was thin, with a gaunt face and bony fingers. She might have been pretty once, but countless times in the irradiated sun had taken away most of that beauty.

“You’re the man who is paying my debt?” She asked, eyeing me cautiously. “I take it I’m going to be forced to work for you?”

“What?” Misty finally let go of her mother a bit to look at me in confusion. “Aren’t you freeing mother?”

“No one does anything for free,” I responded helplessly.

Misty was young, so I supposed I couldn’t fault her for not reading the room. I would have thought she would have realized the situation already. Yet, after saying that, Misty shot me a look as if I had betrayed her. It felt a bit awkward to be stared at like that.

“Misty, this is just the way things are.” Her mom declared. “I had a lot of debt. It would be irresponsible for me if I didn’t work it off and just let someone else assume it, right?”

“Mom!” Misty tried to protest, but she didn’t seem to be able to find the right words. “At least… he has a place… it’s in the upper district!”

I had told her about the place I had in the upper district on the way over here. She must have assumed that her mother would be working there.

“Oh really…” The woman sounded a bit surprised by that.

I cleared my throat. “I’m not located in Argos city at all. I have a… place… south of here.”

“Leave the city?” Misty looked at me in disbelief. “It’s dangerous out there!”

“Enough honey.” Her mother put a comforting hand on her daughter while shooting me a worried look.

She wasn’t the only one. The other people who had already been released were also eyeing me nervously. Having to work was fine as long as they were still in Argos city, but once they were forced to leave, it was dangerous.

“I won’t lie to you all. There is a danger in traveling. However, I can guarantee if you follow me, you’ll have more comfortable lives than you’d ever find here.”

I was unsure if my words got through to any of them. The receptionist looked almost offended that I had even suggested such a thing. It didn’t matter though. I owned their contracts, and with that, they had to follow me whether they wanted to or not.