Building My Empire in the Frozen Apocalypse (Riley Carter) novel Chapter 30

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Riley finally pieced together what she was trying to say. The girl wanted to go back to the forest, check things out. But she was scared that if she left, Riley wouldn’t let her return.

Riley gave her a reassuring pat, then smiled and handed her another piece of white bread.

The girl’s face lit up. She took it, then did this quick little flip. A flash of light surrounded her.

When it faded, she was a cougar again.

The cougar gave Riley one long look. Then she turned, hind legs launching her forward like a golden blur. Gone. Into the distant trees.

Riley watched her disappear. Wasn’t too worried.

Ghouls were gone. With her shape–shifting, she could handle herself in the woods during daylight.

Riley grabbed her axes, pulled the sled from where it leaned against the cabin. Time to chop wood. Camp needed more lumber now. Might grab some stone along the way.

Morning air in the forest hit like a blade. Sharp. Cold.

“Huff.”

White mist left her lips. Before it could even fade, her axe split it in two.

Low shout. The axes became blurs. Heavy thuds against the tree in front of her.

“Thud. Thud.”

Rhythmic. Echoing through the woods.

Riley wasn’t the same person anymore.

“Unlucky Fool” title? All attributes +5. “Pioneer’s Bracers” on her wrists? Strength +3, lumbering efficiency +20%. Plus the axe attack speed bonus.

Every swing sent wood chips flying.

The frozen timber? Might as well have been foam board.

**

Morning went fast.

“Tree numbe

twenty.”

Riley wiped sweat from her forehead. Looked at the pile. Satisfied.

Twenty big trees. One morning.

1/3

20:18 Mon, May 40

Chapter 30 Return

Back in her old world, lumberjacks would’ve called that impossible.

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But with all her boosts? Barely felt tired. Arms were after a real workout.

warm, Sure.

But

was that good kind of tired. Like

Clearing branches, she kept her eyes on the ground.

System was picky. Only certain rocks counted as “Stone Block“. Lucky for her, her eyesight was good now. And strength? Those boulders half–buried in snow that normal people couldn’t budge? She pried them out one–handed. Tossed them aside for later.

By the time she finished, she’d grabbed eight

“Alright. Time to head back.”

stones that met requirements. Plus the mountain of lumber.

She slid the axes into her belt. Grabbed the makeshift sled.

Rope. Logs. Tie them down. Rope over the shoulder.

嫣讆

Few hundred pounds? With Strength twenty? It wasn’t nothing. But it wasn’t killing her either.

Just as she started dragging, something flickered at the edge of her vision. Gold–yellow. Moving fast through the distant trees.

“Huh.”

She stopped. Hand on axe handle. Alert.

Big cougar. Sleek. Muscular. Something bright red in its mouth. Sprinting toward her. Fast.

“Sylvie?”

Riley didn’t relax yet.

Looked familiar. But in this game world? No guarantees a second real beast hadn’t spawned. Walking up thinking it was Sylvie? That was how you become lunch.

She narrowed her eyes. Stood her ground. Body low, ready to fight.

The cougar spotted her. Didn’t slow down. Got more excited. A happy growl rumbled from its throat.

Ten yards away.

“Poof!”

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