Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - Chapter 15

Lin She’s pale skin seemed as if it had never been touched by sunlight. His thin black lips barely moved when he spoke, strange yet enunciating each word clearly: “This is somewhat difficult.”

“It is pretty difficult. Just overcome it,” Gu Huaiwei replied, completely unfazed inside.

Lin She emphasized, “This isn’t a workload for one person.”

Gu Huaiwei glanced at the plan and reassured him, “I’ll provide you with the necessary assistance.”

“I might not be up to it,” he still tried to refuse.

“A man can’t say he’s not up to it.” Gu Huaiwei wasn’t about to let a willing worker slip away. To put her employee at ease, she softened her tone, “I believe in your abilities. I value you highly.”

“Can I take sick leave? My skin is a bit itchy, it’s about to… have an allergic reaction.” Lin She touched the skin on his neck, which was gradually hardening.

Gu Huaiwei paused, her gaze falling on Lin She’s reddening neck. Worried that her affordable and capable technical employee might leave, she compromised, “Alright, I admit the workload is a bit much.

Didn’t you meet the boss during your interview? How about applying to the boss for two more employees?”

Gu Huaiwei thought, with more hands, work efficiency would improve.

After all, that boss is Skinflint Zhou, and he wouldn’t pay employees any high wages anyway.

However, for some reason, this suggestion touched a sensitive nerve in Lin She.

Lin She’s dark green pupils contracted sharply. Without a second thought, he refused decisively, “No need. I’ll do it.”

“Eh? Won’t it be too exhausting?”

“Comfort is for the dead!” As if worried Gu Huaiwei would again consider hiring, he raised his voice slightly. His deep, cello-like tone, when amplified, carried a hint of sharpness, like a wrong note, “I’ve only spoken to the boss once. I can’t contact him again.

You shouldn’t contact the boss either. I’ll complete the work with quality and quantity, no need for anyone else.”

Gu Huaiwei hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. She squinted her eyes and smiled, “Then do your best, my most capable assistant.”

“Yes, only I am your most capable assistant.” Lin She lowered his voice again, repeating the statement for emphasis.

He took the sheet filled with plans and sat on the sofa to study it seriously. With his back to Gu Huaiwei, his entire aura was like the cold wind that descends at night-piercingly chilly and desolate.

He looked rather pitiful.

When an ox is tired, it throws off its yoke; when a beast of burden is exhausted, it can revive with a cup of coffee.

Gu Huaiwei thoughtfully made Lin She a cup of Americano, adding a marinated egg.

Then, she left him a quiet environment to work in peace.

In the lobby, Gu Huaiwei spent 1,000 Gold Coins to unlock two vending machines.

[Vending Machine ×2 Unlocked]

[Hotel Prosperity Level +6]

One vending machine sold small bottles of mineral water.

The other sold chips, sunflower seeds, and peanuts.

The vending machines didn’t accept Gold Coins directly; the goods inside were exchanged through a trade-in system.

Next to each vending machine was a large funnel for recycling Radioactive Metal. Guests only needed to pour the collected Radioactive Metal into the funnel, which would weigh the metal and exchange it for the corresponding value in Gold Coins.

1 kilogram of Radioactive Metal could be exchanged for 0.1 Gold Coin.

0.3 Gold Coin could be exchanged for a small bottle of mineral water.

0.5 Gold Coin could be exchanged for a small bag of peanuts or chips.

…

These exchanged Gold Coins also counted toward Gu Huaiwei’s turnover.

The vending machines attracted many scavengers who couldn’t afford a room.

These people were called Rat People. Their bodies were polluted, most were short and hunched, with deformed features, unable to live in any area of the Underground City.

Even those on the verge of death still wanted to cling to life.
Within their short and limited lives, the Rat People survived by scavenging Radioactive Metal and selling it to the Underground City’s recycling stations, eking out a meager existence.

The recycling price for Radioactive Metal offered by the Underground City was already low.

When the nearby Rat People heard that the Oasis Hotel also accepted Radioactive Metal, they flocked over.

They were eager to exchange it for mineral water.

The guests in the hotel seemed to dislike these Rat People.

While Xiao Youqi was exchanging fresh water with Gu Huaiwei, he tactfully reminded her that these Rat People would lower the hotel’s standards and fill the lobby with a foul stench.

So, Gu Huaiwei asked Lin She to move the two vending machines to the entrance of the hotel.

On the very night the machines were moved outside, the sound of banging and smashing could be heard.

Gu Huaiwei curled up in the staff warehouse, wrapped in a blanket, stuffed two balls of cotton into her ears, and continued to sleep.

The next morning, the two vending machines were completely unharmed.

There were also a few more guests in the hotel sporting dark circles under their eyes.

Every night thereafter, the sound of people smashing the machines could be heard.

At first, there was some restraint, but when they realized no one was stopping them, the noise grew louder, even mixed with explosions.

The number of guests with dark circles in the hotel increased.

Some had injured hands, some had singed hair-probably exhausted from working in the middle of the night.

After a week of this, when those people discovered the vending machines couldn’t be destroyed or dragged away to sell, they finally gave up, and the noise outside quieted down.

The reputation of the Oasis Hotel grew larger in the Lower District.

The rumors became more and more exaggerated.

Some compared it to a paradise on earth.

Some called it the last haven on the surface.

There was even a saying: if someone hadn’t spent a night at the Oasis Hotel before dying, it was as if they’d lived in vain in this world.

Gu Huaiwei was happy to see such positive rumors spread.

But some annoying gossip also surfaced.

For example, yesterday, several guests came wanting to stay at the hotel. They had heard their friends rave about it and traveled dozens of kilometers to visit.

When they nervously took out the Gold Coins they’d painstakingly gathered, ready to enjoy themselves, they learned that the cheapest king-size rooms had long been booked. Frustrated, they complained in the lobby.

When enough people complained, it always triggered the hotel’s security system.

These disgruntled guests even spread rumors that Gu Huaiwei was a super-violent Mechanical Maiden, which was starting to bother her.

How was she violent?

She was clearly polite, courteous, and highly professional, wasn’t she?

Activating the security system consumed electricity.

Repeating explanations to guests that the rooms have been fully booked for nearly two months wasted her breath.

So Gu Huaiwei simply had Lin She make a large notice and hung a sign at the entrance stating that regular rooms have been fully booked for nearly two months, to prevent those people from causing trouble again.

After hanging the sign, Gu Huaiwei casually shook the dust-covered mat at the door.

She looked around the hotel’s surroundings.

The street had become a bit livelier than before.

Occasionally, passersby could be seen.

A Protective Suit Repair Shop had opened diagonally across from the hotel.

A new shop, surprisingly.

Gu Huaiwei curiously glanced over.

Uh… The shop owner looked familiar.

Gu Huaiwei stared, and saw that the proprietor was the white-haired old man who had checked out some time ago, along with his four subordinates.

Gu Huaiwei looked at the old man, and the old man looked back at her.

They stared at each other.

Then, the white-haired old man awkwardly averted his gaze and pushed the business sign closer to the center.

On it was written: “Present snacks or fresh water from the neighboring hotel to redeem one chance to repair your Protective Suit.”

Well, this old fellow really knew how to do business.