Within a few minutes, the employee rushed back, looking excited like he had just caught a big fish. Right behind him came the showroom manager, a middle aged man in a suit who clearly only appeared when a serious buyer showed up. Both of them wore polite smiles, but Bai Li could tell they were thrilled on the inside.
"Miss Bai," the manager greeted her warmly, "I heard you're interested in purchasing the Grey Hawk model. Excellent choice. This is one of our strongest caravans."
The employee handed her the paperwork folder with both hands, almost too carefully, as if afraid she might change her mind if he breathed wrong. Bai Li opened it and skimmed through the details. Everything was written clearly.
The price was listed right in the center.
Five hundred thousand yuan.
Quite pricey indeed, but also completely reasonable. The engine alone probably cost more than a normal car, not to mention the reinforced frame, the upgraded fuel system, and the offroad design.
To someone living a normal life, that price would sting badly. But Bai Li was not preparing for camping trips or vacation drives. She was preparing for the end of the world. In that situation, even a million yuan caravan would be worth it if it kept her alive.
The manager continued explaining with a proud tone, "This model has recently gone up in demand because of the fuel efficiency improvement. The hybrid system lets it travel almost twice the distance of older caravans without refueling. Many survival vloggers and long distance travelers love it. It has also gotten extremely popular within the youtube wildlife vlogging community."
Bai Li nodded slightly, already knowing all this. She wasn't buying it for vlogging, of course. She needed something that could take her across ruined highways and zombie filled roads without breaking down.
She signed each page calmly, one after another. Personal information, insurance, warranty, delivery options and the payment at last. When she finished, the manager extended his hand with a sincere smile.
"Congratulations, Miss Bai. The Grey Hawk is now officially yours."
Bai Li shook the manager's hand lightly, then lifted her eyes toward him with that calm look she always had and asked, "I saw the sign at the entrance. It looked like you guys also do custom upgrades for your customers. Is that true?"
The manager brightened instantly. This was the tone of someone preparing for another sale. "Oho of course, Miss Bai," he said with a cheerful smile that practically stretched to his ears. "We have a whole list of custom upgrades. In fact, most of our buyers are wildlife vloggers or long distance offroad travelers. These people always want their caravans changed to match their lifestyle. Bigger tires, stronger walls, camera mounts, hidden compartments, that sort of thing. We got professional mechanics here, very skilled, very experienced. We can do normal offroad upgrades and also military grade upgrades if needed. So what kind of custom work are you looking for, Miss Bai?"
Bai Li actually paused for a second. She had expected to deal with another set of companies or some workshop hidden at the edge of the city. But hearing they handled everything here, she honestly felt relieved. The less running around she had to do before the apocalypse, the better. Time mattered more than money.
Bai Li did not waste any more time. Once the manager confirmed they could do military grade upgrades, she started listing everything she needed, speaking in that steady voice that made people straighten their backs without even knowing why.
"Okay then, please handle the following upgrades for my vehicle," she said. "I want all the windows changed into military grade bullet and explosion proof glass. And I want them one way only. I should be able to see outside but nobody should see inside."
The whole outer exterior needs to be upgraded too. Change everything into explosion proof and shock proof material. If something hits the vehicle, I want it to hold. No weak spots."
And the tires," Bai Li added. "Replace them with military grade ones. They should last through mud, rocky roads, broken glass, ruined streets, whatever. I do not want them bursting even if the ground is a mess."
"For the solar panels, replace them with high powered ones. It should hold energy enough to last a few days even if the weather is bad. Something steady and reliable. I do not want a weak solar system."And modify the front part of the caravan. Implant a row of high density steel spikes. Mostly for aesthetics and also to provide an extra layer of protection."
"That is it," Bai Li said calmly. "You can also make changes as you see fit if it improves the vehicle. And most importantly, I want all of this work done within the next four days. After that, deliver the caravan to my apartment. Include extra labor cost if needed."
The manager and the employee exchanged a quick look. They were a little baffled, honestly. The amount of work was enormous and the time limit was brutal. But they were also used to customers who wanted offroad tanks disguised as caravans, so after a moment they collected themselves and nodded.
"Yes, Miss Bai. We understand," the manager said.
They stepped aside for a while and discussed everything between themselves. The manager looked serious while the employee flipped through catalogs and internal price lists. They talked about materials, manpower, time schedules, and overnight shifts. Every now and then the manager's eyes widened a little at the cost, but eventually he nodded like he had accepted the number.
After a few minutes, they returned. The manager lifted the iPad toward Bai Li, showing her the full breakdown.
"Miss Bai," he said, sounding proud of himself, "I have registered all your modification requests. I also added a few things from my own experience to improve safety and performance."
He pointed to one part of the list. "For example, I added high density fog lights on the rear for better visibility. They help a lot in harsh weather. And since you requested steel spikes on the front, I decided to add an electrification function. You can activate it from inside the vehicle. This makes it safer to use and also, well, cooler looking."
He chuckled awkwardly, then pointed to other lines on the screen. "We also added reinforced bottom plates, stronger inner supports, and some structural adjustments to handle the weight of all the upgrades. Everything is listed here."
The manager continued, "Since the materials are military grade and the modification time is limited to four days, we need extra workers and rush orders. So after rounding everything up, the total cost comes to three hundred and fifty thousand yuan. Is that alright, Miss Bai?"
Bai Li barely reacted. She glanced at the number and nodded like someone buying a cup of coffee instead of a small armored home.
"Yea, it is fine. Let us close the deal."
The manager lit up like a light bulb. "Yes, yes, of course, Miss Bai."
They brought out a few more documents. Bai Li signed them without hesitation, filling in her details with neat handwriting. The assistant verified everything on the system and registered the caravan under her name. Then Bai Li opened her banking app and transferred the full amount.
The manager and employee both leaned forward slightly, waiting for the confirmation tone like children waiting for a candy wrapper to open.
The moment her phone beeped, both men straightened and smiled so brightly it almost hurt to look at.
"Payment received," the manager said. "Thank you, Miss Bai. We will begin the upgrades today and finish everything exactly on time."
Bai Li stood up. "I look forward to the delivery."
The manager bowed slightly, like he was thanking her for blessing the company with a miracle.
With her business done, Bai Li walked out of the showroom feeling completely calm. Her apartment was being turned into a fortress. Her caravan was turning into a moving bunker.
With this, most of her heavy and time consuming preparation was done.
Thinking of this, Bai Li couldn't help but feel a little proud of herself and also feel a little relaxed for the first time since coming to this world.
.
.
.
To be continued.