Building My Empire in the Frozen Apocalypse (Riley Carter) novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74 Skis and an Ice Fishing Rod

Chapter 74 Skis and an Ice Fishing Rod

Riley tensed up at once, her grip tightening on the twin axes in her hands.

Neeko trotted over and began clawing rapidly at the deep drift of snow.

+30 Free Coins

Soon, a wooden crate, frozen solid, lay exposed. Not only was it without a lock, but someone had painted a silly, cartoonish smiley face on its lid.

“Discovered: Forgotten Wanderer’s Crate (Common)”

“A white crate…”

Riley felt a twinge of disappointment. Those were usually the bottom tier–most of the time they held little more than junk.

But then it hit her–she’d taken off that “Unlucky Fool” title. What if her luck had actually turned?

‘Let’s open it.”

Rubbing her hands together, Riley lifted the lid, hope flickering inside her.

‘Obtained: Cotton Glove (Left) x1

‘Obtained: Crackers x2

‘Obtained: Odd Glass Marbles x5”

Riley stared.

She looked down at the lone left–handed glove in her palm, then at the marbles that looked like they’d been pulled from a kid’s toy Dox. A vein throbbed faintly at her temple.

‘So it really wasn’t about the title, huh? This is just personal now.”

She was tempted to kick the crate to splinters.

Neeko seemed to sense her frustration. The jaguar padded closer and nudged the back of Riley’s hand with her cool, damp nose–a quiet gesture of comfort. Then she batted one of the glass marbles with her paw, rolling it through the snow, clearly amused.

“Alright, fine. As long as you’re happy with them.”

Riley sighed and tossed everything into her inventory.

Even a mosquito’s leg had some meat on it. Maybe the marbles could keep Neeko entertained later.

They pressed on.

Perhaps her annoyance had stirred the heavens, or this area was simply far more resource–rich, for they soon came upon another

crate.

This one was tucked inside the hollow of a frost–encrusted tree.

It looked far more promising than the last, trimmed with what appeared to be weathered copper.

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Chapter 74 Skis and an Ice Fishing Rod

+30 Free Coins

“A bronze crate!”

Riley’s eyes lit up all over again.

She signaled Neeko to stay back, then raised the blunt side of her axe and slammed it down on the lock.

“Bang!”

The lock gave way instantly.

The lid sprang open.

“Obtained: Quality Ski Blueprint x1

“Obtained: High–Grade Lubricant x2

“Obtained: Chocolate–Flavored Energy Bar x5

“Obtained: Ice Fishing Rod (Finished) x1”

“No way,” Riley whistled softly.

So this was what normal luck felt like? She could get used to this.

A ski blueprint–in a world buried in snow, that was basically a god–tier mobility tool. With these, her travel speed would easily double.

And the ice fishing rod…

Riley glanced toward the nearby frozen river.

“Neeko, we’re having something extra for dinner tonight. Fish.”

Neeko might not have understood “skis“, but she knew “fish” perfectly well.

The jaguar perked up at once, spinning in a quick circle and wagging her tail excitedly.

The rest of the exploration felt more relaxed, almost leisurely.

Without the crushing pressure of pure survival, this once–desolate snowscape began to show glimpses of its own stark beauty.

They came across a group of long–furred snow hares darting over the powder. Neeko shot after them like a bolt, but the hares were expert burrowers–in seconds they’d vanished into hidden snow tunnels, leaving Neeko digging furiously at the entrance in frustration.

Later, they passed through a grove of crystal–clear ice formations. Frozen stalactites hung like delicate crystal curtains, chiming softly whenever the wind stirred.

Riley couldn’t resist breaking one off to taste it, but it was just cold and flavorless.

She also tried drilling a hole in the river ice to fish, but came up empty. Eventually, Neeko–seeming to notice her lack of success- slipped into the water herself and emerged with a sleek, silver fish held gently in her jaws.

Before Riley knew it, daylight was fading.

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Chapter 74 Skis and an Ice Fishing Rod

She checked her nearly–full inventory and felt a quiet warmth spread through her.

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None of it was groundbreaking loot, but that steady, satisfying accumulation–hauling useful things back to base bit by bit–that was the real heart of the survival experience.

For once, she finally understood the simple joy other survivors talked about.

“Let’s head back. Time to go home.”

Riley gave Neeko a pat on the shoulder.

Night fell heavily across the plains.

Back at camp, Riley heaved the sturdy stone gate shut and slid three thick iron bolts into place before letting out a long, steady

breath.

‘Click.”

With the gate secured, the pervasive danger of the wilderness seemed to fade instantly.

Right on cue, the now–familiar howls rose from the darkness beyond the walls.

Uuugh… grraawwl…”

Shouls.

hose things never seemed to tire, even in the deep freeze. Every night they crawled out from beneath the snow to prowl around ¡urvivors‘ camps.

During her first few nights here, the sound used to knot Riley’s stomach and keep her awake.

But now?

she didn’t even glance toward the wall. She just gave the jaguar beside her a gentle scratch behind the ears.

‘Come on, girl. Let’s get inside.”

With a Level 3 camp, solid stone walls, and solid gear, the Ghouls outside were nothing more than nighttime ambiance–no more alarming than the sound of the wind.

nside the main cabin, Riley reached for the switch on the wall.

‘Click.”

Warm golden light flooded the room, pushing back the deep blue of twilight. (!

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