You know how characters in a apocalyptic setting that suddenly happens start to horde supplies like food and water? Has there ever been a mc or their friend with a good business sense. For example I was just reading a game/apocalypse novel. A random side character was selling cooked food for points/game currency as a side job. And it blew my mind when I realized just how much the mc could have made if he didn't just horde food that he could never eat and would eventually go bad if he cooked it and sold it to the weak players who can barely hunt and earn money and are starving. Potentially, he could make far more points a day than if he just hunted monsters. People like well cooked food even in the end of days, so it would sell higher. If you horde things like spices and other ingredients you can monopolize the market of good food. Another example was a mc who sold his future knowledge on a shared forum the players use for gold. Rather be afraid of someone suspecting him of coming from the future he sold his knowledge to gain a massive advantage.
The MC of My Doomsday Territory makes a lot of money selling things, but It's hard to say how smart that makes him. His power kind of makes things easy mode for him.
In an apocalyptic setting, if MC is going around selling food everywhere, wouldn't he just get robbed? Everyone buying food from him would probably get together discuss, and some people raid MC's house while others distract him. Hmm thats a very basic plan, but i could definitely make a better one if I had more time to think about it. Or roaming bandits hear of a goods and commodities stockpile and come to rob. Are we talking about a Fallout 1 / Fallout 2 style apocalypse? Or a fake apocalypse where law and order is still very much in effect?
I think Return Survival (manwha, not sure if it also has a novel or not) has an above average MC in terms of smarts (future knowledge also helps ofc), though it doesn't have much to do with business sense or anything. MC did a lot of prepping, not just hoarding food but also making lots of bunkers/safe houses spread around. He's got the survival smarts and solid decision making when it counts as well
The first is called Global Gamification: God-level internal beta player. It was a side character who was selling fast food around a 100 chapters in. I'm reading this MTL. The latter where the mc sold his future knowledge is called Heavenly Calamity. It was abandoned years ago with only 27 chapters ever translated. Mc sold his knowledge very early to buy skills and items I believe. Never read the raws. The setting was a modern times. A system bringing about the apocalypse starts. A bit similar to Omniscient Read Viewpoint. Not well as written and more mc focused with the cliche of a OP mc using future knowledge. My idea was the mc just makes a force to guard his territory and shops. He hires cooks promising protection and comfort, and they cook for him meals to sell to the public. Long as mc isn't going solo and people know his group is powerful no one would dare to casually try to rob him. Mc would also ideally have the majority of food, spices, and cooks in his control. And the appeal of such a restaurant is well cooked food. People are desperate in the apocalypse, but if the choice is to eat chocolate bars and unseasoned food over professionally prepared food at a small cost I would chose the well cooked and nutritional food. And I would be lining the pockets of the mc who didn't have to shake down normal players and can maintain a good reputation. Surprised most characters in apocalypse setting don't get sick or get sick of eating the cliche high calorie chocolate bar and bland meals.