Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - Chapter 117

Chapter 117

Ordinary people definitely wouldn’t notice that kind of off flavor.

But Gu Huaiwei’s sense of taste was extremely sensitive.

Ever since she’d recovered from cancer, she could tell whether fish had been killed fresh, whether fruit had been stored in the fridge… those tiny traces of spoilage, the moment they touched the tip of her tongue, she would catch them with frightening precision.

Because they were in a public setting-and because He Jiarui had just brought her good news, lowering her guard-Gu Huaiwei had already swallowed a tiny bit.

The next second, her expression turned icy as she set the juice down. One hand clenched around the suspicious cup to keep anyone from destroying the evidence, while the fingers of her other hand went straight into the back of her throat, forcing her gag reflex.

“Ugh-”

It was miserable. Her throat burned with a raw, stinging pain.

Her whole stomach felt like it was being turned inside out.

“Are you okay?” He Jiarui pulled a few napkins and hurried over, asking with concern. “Oh my god, your face looks awful.”

“What did you put in this juice?”

Gu Huaiwei threw up some of what she’d just eaten. Half-digested food, slick with stomach acid, spread in a disgusting mess on the floor.

He Jiarui looked confused. “It’s just regular juice. Are you allergic to orange juice or something? Or food poisoning?”

Other guests noticed the commotion and started gathering around.

A few Pseudo-Humans also came over to check on her.

Gu Huaiwei didn’t let anyone touch her. She pulled out her phone, ready to call the police.

A sticky sensation clung to her throat, and her stomach began to burn.

She didn’t know if it was psychological, but even though she’d only taken a small sip-an extremely small dose-Gu Huaiwei still felt dizzy, even with ringing in her ears.

Her vision blurred.

“Miss Gu, don’t do this. Today is my coming-of-age ceremony. If you call the police, the banquet won’t be able to continue.” He Jiarui looked troubled.

Today was important to He Jiarui. She wanted to get through it smoothly, surrounded by everyone’s blessings, not have it end in a disaster.

“How about you rest for a bit first?” He Jiarui reached for Gu Huaiwei’s phone, trying to support her and guide her to a guest room.

Gu Huaiwei jolted as if shocked. She instinctively grabbed He Jiarui’s wrist, forcefully pried her fingers open, and snatched her phone back.

“Don’t touch my phone.” Gu Huaiwei’s vision was fading, and her tone was harsh.

He Jiarui froze, instinctively searching for her Keeper-but her neck was bare. The Newborn Ring had already fallen off, making her realize she was temporarily free.

“I just wanted to help you up… Don’t be so tense. I’ll call an ambulance for you, okay?” He Jiarui held her hands out, not touching Gu Huaiwei. Her voice was gentle.

Gu Huaiwei didn’t know who had drugged the juice.

He Jiarui had handed it to her. Other people at the banquet had also been drinking juice, yet no one else seemed to have a problem-only Gu Huaiwei felt dizzy.

In her heart, Gu Huaiwei couldn’t help suspecting He Jiarui.

Right now, she was like a startled cat, seeing danger in everything.

At that moment, Chen Liuxiang walked over.

She took He Jiarui’s small hand, pressed a light kiss to the back of it, then stroked her hair in a soothing gesture. “What’s going on?”

Gu Huaiwei didn’t bother with them. She forced herself to stay lucid and dialed the police.

Seeing Chen Liuxiang arrive, He Jiarui let out a breath of relief. She turned back to Gu Huaiwei, still worried. “Miss Gu probably ate something bad. She looks really uncomfortable. I want to call a doctor to treat her.”

Chen Liuxiang tucked a stray lock of hair behind He Jiarui’s ear, smiling as she gently nudged her shoulder. “Don’t worry, my little princess. Go out front and entertain the other guests. Today is your important day-you should be happy. Leave the rest to me.”
“Mhm, love you.” He Jiarui looked at Chen Liuxiang, her lips pursed in a smile, before obediently turning away to attend to the other guests.

Gu Huaiwei’s previous Dimension had been the Wasteland World.

There, morality and the rule of law were non-existent.

She still retained some habits from that previous Dimension. So, even though she was currently in a society governed by laws, her first instinct was that someone was plotting against her, rather than thinking she was simply falling ill.

“Let me help you.”

“Get lost. Don’t make me say it twice.”

Gu Huaiwei didn’t have the energy to play nice with a Pseudo-Human right now.

“You’re quite fierce.”

Gu Huaiwei panted, offering no response.

“You can’t even stand straight. Give me the glass…”

Gu Huaiwei refused to let go.

Chen Liuxiang deliberately knocked the juice out of Gu Huaiwei’s hand.

Then, she took a napkin and pretended to help wipe her hand.

Chen Liuxiang leaned in close.

Gu Huaiwei could smell the salty, damp scent unique to a Pseudo-Human coming from her.

In her weakened state, Gu Huaiwei couldn’t break free.

“Humans always need an Alien by their side to take proper care of themselves. You really should find someone for Bonding…” Chen Liuxiang said as she meticulously wiped Gu Huaiwei’s hand, all while trying to steer her toward a less crowded area.

The entire banquet hall seemed to spin before Gu Huaiwei’s eyes.

She took a deep breath, trying to keep her mind clear.

Her fingertips pressed hard against the edge of the table, trying to steady herself, but her body still swayed uncontrollably.

Chen Liuxiang pulled at Gu Huaiwei to leave, but Gu Huaiwei gripped the edge of the table with a deathly hold, refusing to budge.

The two of them remained in a stalemate.

With so many people around, Gu Huaiwei planned to cause a scene.

In the next second, Chen Liuxiang lost her patience. A fleshy barb shot out from behind her and surreptitiously slid into Gu Huaiwei’s spine.

“A normal human wouldn’t have been able to taste what was in there. How did you do it? And to stay standing for so long… I really should praise your constitution.”

Her face loomed close, practically pressed against Gu Huaiwei’s.

She appeared to be supporting Gu Huaiwei, but in reality, she was whispering right against the edge of her ear.

Gu Huaiwei felt a moist tongue licking her ear canal.

Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and her thoughts began to drift like a severed thread.

She had already dialed the emergency number.

As for who answered or what they asked, she didn’t have the strength to listen. She simply repeated the location of the banquet.

In the chaos before she lost consciousness, Gu Huaiwei saw Zhou Chuanning, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, flashing his police identification.

Chen Liuxiang wrapped an arm around her waist, hung up the phone, and her mouth moved as she called out her name.

These damn Pseudo-Humans… law-abiding on the surface, but full of more underhanded tricks than anyone could count, making it impossible to stay on guard.

Finally, Gu Huaiwei collapsed completely, as if entangled in countless fishing nets, sinking into a heavy, inescapable slumber.

Drip-

It was the sound of water slowly dripping.

Gu Huaiwei’s entire body ached. A faint groan escaped her lips as she woke up inside a giant iron cage.

A cloth covered the cage, leaving her in pitch darkness.

Her wrists and ankles were all bound by Biological Shackles.

“These hypocritical Pseudo-Humans…” Gu Huaiwei should never have trusted that this world had order and law.

No matter how much strength she used, those soft, limp tentacles wouldn’t pull apart.

Gu Huaiwei first tried to slam into the cage with force, but there seemed to be stones weighing it down. Her shoulder throbbed with pain from the impact, yet the cage didn’t even budge.

Left with no choice, Gu Huaiwei could only prick up her ears and listen for any movement outside.