Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - Chapter 1

Dust was everywhere, veiling the sky and shrouding the world in a thin haze. The hotel stood on an abandoned, deserted street, its orange-yellow lights radiating a faint warmth.

Gu Huaiwei hung up the “Open for Business” sign and nervously adjusted her non-prescription glasses.

Her slender figure was wrapped in a blue work uniform. Wearing high heels, she returned to the front desk, turned around, and put on her professional smile.

This was the first day.

The bell hanging at the door chimed crisply.

Gu Huaiwei opened the registration form, straightened her posture, and looked at the first customer of the day, trying her best to appear skilled and natural.

“Welcome. Is there anything I can help you with?”

The man’s attire was strange.

He wore a gas mask, and through it, only a pair of gray eyes could be seen-like a lone wolf on the prairie.

He was dressed in a tight black military uniform, his cloak covered in dust. Leather gloves and tall military boots concealed every inch of skin.

His hand pressed against his abdomen, where there seemed to be a gash, marked by a dark red stain.

Gu Huaiwei withdrew her curious gaze, refraining from probing further.

She was mentally prepared for the special nature of her work here.

“I’d like to check in,” the man’s hoarse voice came from behind the gas mask.

Gu Huaiwei pointed to the payment panel.

King Bed Room: 30 Gold Coins
Twin Room: 40 Gold Coins

Gu Huaiwei responded expressionlessly, following the instructions in the Employee Handbook: “Please present your identification. At this stage, the hotel only offers king bed and standard rooms. Payment is required in advance. No credit or bargaining.”

Upon hearing the request for identification, the man tensed and looked at Gu Huaiwei with displeasure.

A hotel on the Wasteland, and they still check IDs?

“Sir, please present your identification,” Gu Huaiwei repeated, her voice gentle but firm.

The man moved slowly.

He tapped the screen on his arm and, under Gu Huaiwei’s gaze, hesitantly placed it on the scanner at the front desk.

A “beep” sounded.

The computer displayed the man’s personal information.

Name: Xiao Youqi
Gender: Male
Address: Ninth District
Status: Yellow

Seeing the “Yellow” status, Gu Huaiwei paused.

She didn’t really understand what it meant.

She had hurriedly reviewed the work rules in the Employee Handbook, but anything not written there was beyond her grasp.

Xiao Youqi was already prepared for Gu Huaiwei to scream and demand extra money.

If this were the Underground City, any native who saw a non-green status would treat it as a dire threat and call the guards.

But Gu Huaiwei simply stared at the status bar.

Silent.

Xiao Youqi leaned closer to the front desk, his large hand resting on the counter, his voice low and raspy: “Miss, I need a king bed room.

As long as you allow me to check in, I can pay you double the room rate.”

With that, he moved his hand slightly, revealing a pile of gleaming Gold Coins.

Gu Huaiwei was dazzled by the gold. Why would someone so wealthy choose to stay at such a rundown hotel?

Her silence, in Xiao Youqi’s eyes, was unfathomable.

Xiao Youqi’s gaze darkened, a shadow falling across his eyes as he continued, “This is all the Gold Coins I have.

If you think it’s not enough, once I return to the Ninth District, I can bring you the rest.”

Money was just a worldly possession.

For Xiao Youqi, the most important thing now was to check into a shelter before the Radiation Storm hit at night.

Gu Huaiwei could go without a respirator, wearing only a thin white shirt, her wrists, neck, and calves all exposed to the air. In Xiao Youqi’s eyes, she was deeply mysterious.
You must understand, ever since the nuclear war broke out a century ago, yellow sand has filled the skies, and the world has become a Wasteland.

Anyone living in the world, as long as they leave the Underground City, must wear a Protective Suit and a respirator.

If the body is exposed to radiation, infection is inevitable-at best, one is injured; at worst, one mutates.

Those who are infected have no right to return to the Underground City.

Their fate is only to wait for death in the resource-starved Contaminated Zone.

Xiao Youqi left the Underground City to carry out a mission. For the sake of profit, he betrayed his teammates, only to be counterattacked by his desperate companions. His protective gear was damaged, he became infected, and his oxygen was about to run out.

When he was at his wit’s end, a strange old lady pointed him in a direction, and that’s how he found this hotel located in the Contaminated Zone.

The hotel bore the word “Oasis.”

With nothing to lose, he walked in, hoping to find supplies and medical equipment.

Gu Huaiwei pursed her lips, handling business with a professional air, sliding the room card across and refusing the extra Gold Coin.

“A king-size room is 30 Gold Coin. This is your room card.”

“You’re letting me stay? No markup?” Xiao Youqi raised his eyebrows, his tone slightly lifted.

“That’s right.” Gu Huaiwei turned to look at him, her eyes curved in a smile. “We’re open to the public. What reason is there to drive guests away? Our prices are open and transparent. We won’t charge a single Gold Coin more than necessary.”

Xiao Youqi responded in a low voice, a flash of curiosity passing through his eyes.

Could this place be a den of thieves?

Most businesses in the Wasteland gouge their customers.

Of course, “gouge” is literal here-they butcher the guests and sell the meat.

But then Xiao Youqi thought, even if it is a den of thieves, it doesn’t matter. He’s best at fighting fire with fire.

Gu Huaiwei led Xiao Youqi to the elevator.

Throughout the process, Gu Huaiwei felt that Xiao Youqi was constantly sizing her up from behind.

That gaze sent chills down her spine.

Had this guest been here before?

Gu Huaiwei was still a bit guilty.

The reason was simple: she was an impostor.

Gu Huaiwei was working in place of her missing twin sister.

Before her sister disappeared, she worked at this strange hotel.

She rarely revealed anything about her job, but it brought them great wealth in a short time, allowing them to live in luxury.

The accident happened not long ago. Her sister entrusted her friend Mu Lingxi to deliver her work phone to Gu Huaiwei… and then vanished without a trace.

After her sister’s disappearance, the company was targeted, the capital chain broke, and those who had always disliked the sisters came out to kick them while they were down…

Thinking of this, Gu Huaiwei’s eyes grew dim, her long lashes casting a shadow beneath her eyes.

Orphaned, the sisters depended on each other. Now, with her sister missing for no reason, she was determined to find her.

She lifted her gaze, folding the past away in her heart.

Xiao Youqi stayed in room 302.

He opened the door.

The hotel room was spacious and bright, with soft lighting cast from the ceiling. In the center stood a large bed, the sheets pristine white, the pillows fluffy, creating a warm and clean atmosphere.

Xiao Youqi took a step back.

Why was there no decontamination room in the room?

“Sir, is something wrong?” Gu Huaiwei asked, a little puzzled.

Worried the guest might fall, she reached out to steady his arm.

Xiao Youqi wore a leather wrist guard.

Gu Huaiwei’s hand came away covered in dust.

Xiao Youqi quickly grabbed her wrist, turning it over to check for any abnormalities, muttering, “How is this possible!” As if confirming something, he looked up at her, his eyes shining: “You really are extraordinary.”