Survival Queen of the Frozen Wastes novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20 The Siege

Chapter 20 The Siege

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Anything she said now would just make things worse. Claim it was all luck? That’d come off like she was showing off. Say she’d worked for it? Plenty of people worked just as hard and didn’t get the same breaks.

She closed the chat and focused on the new golden gift box sitting in

“Level 3 Shelter First–Place Upgrade Pack”

“This is the real prize.”

inventory.

Riley took a breath, settled herself on the edge of the upgraded stone fire pit, and opened it.

“Opening successful!

“Obtained: Refined Stone Blocks x50

“Obtained: Iron Ingots x20

“Obtained: High–Grade Nutrient Solution x5(Description: One bottle keeps you going for a full day. Tastes like nothing, but it’ll keep you running at peak.)

“Obtained: Small Wind Turbine Kit (Blueprint)(Description: Contains everything you need to build a wind turbine. Gather the materials and you’ll have a steady power source even in the middle of a blizzard!)

“Blueprint Requirements: Magnets x5, Steel x20, Copper Plates x5, Zinc Ingots x5, Bagged Salt x5, Electrical Wire x3

“Unlocked: Stone Wall (Description: Ditch those flimsy wooden stakes. This is actual defense.)

“Unlocked: Wooden Lookout Tower”

“The turbine!”

Riley practically jumped off the stone platform the second she that last

Electricity.

That was the thing she needed most right everything. Lights. Heat. Real quality of life.

“Still need the materials to build it….

“But having the blueprint? That’s hope.”

the

spo

wward.

thing she’d

craving

since day one. Power meant

处

She sat back down in front of the new fire pit and glanced at what it’d take to hit “Level 4 Shelter“.

Refined Stone x500, Processed Iron x300, Copper Plates x100, Energy Cores x10, Precision

Wood x50.

Circuit

“That’s like ten

what

just spent.”

00

1/3

20:14 Mon, May 4

Chapter 20 The Siege

Riley’s eye twitched and she closed that panel immediately.

Daylight robbery. No way she’d be gathering that anytime soon.

“Whatever. Slow and steady. Level 3’s more than enough to coast on

for

a

while.”

She stretched and glanced at the friend requests flooding her

+35 Free Coins

Ever since that server announcement dropped, her DMs and friend list had been getting absolutely hammered. That little red 99+ notification was giving her low–key anxiety.

“BigBullBBQ: Yo, I’ve got abs for days. Just let me crash at your camp, I’ll take whatever role

“NoCilantro: Please take me in… I’m so scared out here…

Can you spare any supplies?”

you need.”

Riley expressionlessly hit “Block All“, only keeping a few IDs that actually seemed like they might have something to offer.

“How did these freeloaders even survive this long?”

“BattleRoyale: Hey, I’ve got blueprints. Trade for some upgrade materials?”

“LoneWolf: You

“Trade blue, sota

spare mats from hitting Level 3? I can trade for stuff you actually need.”

for materials? Not a bad deal.

“Don’t really have extras right now though. Maybe later.”

She mentally bookmarked those names.

Truth was, she was kind of a paper billionaire at the moment.

Normally, in this kind of survival scenario, you’d be living off resources you pulled from supply crates spawning out in the wild. But for whatever reason, she never seemed to find any.

Her lead came down to one thing: that early toolbox, plus her own ridiculous tree–chopping grind. It’d snowballed into a real resource advantage.

Honestly? Her lumberjack skills were probably giving Paul Bunyan a run for his money at this point.

Main advantage though? She could craft whatever she wanted as long as she had the blueprint. No. workbench level restrictions holding her back.

*****

The camp went quiet.

Riley did one last patrol.

The upgraded shelter looked solid–mixed wood and stone construction, way more reliable than before. The bedding inside looked thick, comfortable.

2

2/3

20:15 Mon, May 40

Chapter 20 The Siege

+35 Free Coins

She loaded the fire pit with enough fuel to last a couple days, watched the flames catch steady, then hit the bathroom to wash up with warm water. Clean and satisfied, she headed back to the shelter and crawled into bed.

The soft warmth wrapped around her and Riley let out a sound she hadn’t made in days.

“This is the life.”

Her thoughts blurred at the edges. Sleep pulled her under fast.

No idea how long she’d been out.

“Creak… creak…”

Some weird noise wormed its way into Riley’s sleep.

Sounded like someone messing with the outer fence. Shaking it hard.

Mixed in with it, low and rough–throaty growls. “Urgh… urgh…”

“Ook! Ook! Wa–ka!”

Riley’s eyes snapped open.

That noise. Not wind. Not snow. Wrong.

She checked the system clock.

“12:15 AM”

Dear of the night.

“What is that?”

She rolled out of bed fast. Firelight flickering through the window gave just enough glow to see by. She yanked on her insulated work jacket, shoved her feet into her snow boots.

Grabbed the two hatchets she kept by the door.

Breathed deep. Pushed the door open.

A bone–chilling wind carrying snowflakes hit her face. Camp buff kept it from being freezing, but what really made her scalp prickle wasn’t the cold. It was what she saw.

Oe

the fence, silhouettes crowded together right outside that ring of wooden stakes.

3/3

20:15 Mon, May 4

Chap