Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - Chapter 169

Chapter 169

The underwater passage was pitch-black and narrow. Although there were light strips along the sides, the faint glow offered little comfort to Gu Huaiwei, given they were deep beneath the ocean.

Because the passage was so cramped, Lu Beijiu led the way while Lin She followed behind Gu Huaiwei. The three of them walked in single file, unable to move side-by-side.

The tunnel was long, seemingly endless.

Watching Lu Beijiu’s back, Gu Huaiwei asked, “Doesn’t the Dawn Alliance resent Aliens? Yet I saw Aliens among the staff at the Hejia Huan Supermarket. How did you convince them to join you?”

“You’re quite observant.” Lu Beijiu didn’t turn around. His praise wasn’t sincere, but merely polite small talk. “To achieve our great cause, we select certain Aliens who can understand our philosophy and subject them to modification.

“Some people believe this is a shameful compromise.

“However, most believe that as long as the ultimate goal is achieved, the compromises made along the way are acceptable.”

Modification again.

It seemed they didn’t just have the ability to modify human brains; they also had the means to control the minds of Aliens.

Their footsteps echoed with startling clarity in the narrow passage.

Gu Huaiwei remained silent, lost in thought.

Seeing that Gu Huaiwei wasn’t speaking, Lu Beijiu sighed, his tone remaining breezy and nonchalant. “We use special technical means to alter certain thought patterns of the Aliens. This allows them to retain their original personalities while making them emotionally predisposed toward humans, thus ensuring their cooperation with our work.”

“Do you do the same to humans?” Gu Huaiwei’s voice turned a few degrees colder. “The way you describe these methods… it doesn’t sound like a very legitimate organization.”

The Alien rule over humanity at least maintained a veneer of humanitarianism, enacting a series of laws to keep society running peacefully.

But the Dawn Alliance, while flying the banner of saving all mankind, used methods that were far too radical. First kidnapping, then brainwashing-they hardly seemed like champions of justice.

Lu Beijiu remained noncommittal, merely letting out a light chuckle. “Let me correct you. We aren’t so crude with our compatriots. What you are about to face is a gentle Baptism, not a cold modification.”

He wanted to showcase the Dawn Alliance’s humanitarian concern.

“The two sound about the same to me. Neither feels like a particularly honorable method.” Gu Huaiwei didn’t buy it. She stared at Lu Beijiu’s back, her mind busy with other calculations.

“If it’s for the sake of saving humanity and reclaiming our right to rule, it’s understandable if some methods are less than proper.” Lu Beijiu slowed his pace. “You aren’t naive enough to think we can fight Aliens with nothing but warmth and negotiations, are you?”

“Was Chen Liuxiang modified by you?”

“Miss Gu, we’ve arrived.” Lu Beijiu stopped suddenly. He was tall, and the underwater passage was so narrow that Gu Huaiwei couldn’t see the door ahead. She nearly slammed her nose into his back.

Fortunately, Lin She grabbed her from behind, sparing her from an awkward collision.

Lin She’s hand on her wrist was icy cold. His fingertips felt somewhat hard-not like skin, but more like slippery scales.

They had reached the end of the passage, where a fan-shaped blast door stood.

Lu Beijiu pulled out an ID card and swiped it across the scanner beside the door.

To the mechanical sound of the blast door unlocking, it slowly slid open. A rush of cold air hit them as the space widened into a large, fan-shaped hall. The passage they had come from was like one of the ribs of a folding fan, with others leading off to different sectors.
“The air conditioning is a bit strong in here. There’s still an hour until dawn, so please take a rest in my room.”

Lu Beijiu led them down the leftmost corridor.

Complex wiring hung from the ceiling, and the air was thick with the scent of disinfectant.

There was nothing particularly special about Lu Beijiu’s room. He unlocked the door with a key and made a “please” gesture, guiding them inside.

The large table was covered in wine bottles.

In the trash can, there were leftovers from a barbecue that hadn’t been cleared out for several days.

Lu Beijiu picked up a half-finished bottle of wine from the table and gave it a shake. Without checking if it had expired, he tilted his head back, drained the last bit from the bottom, and tossed the bottle into the trash.

“I only have one guest room. You two aren’t in… that kind of relationship, are you?” Lu Beijiu wasn’t sure about the relationship between Gu Huaiwei and Lin She.

The guest room was cluttered with junk, and he didn’t have much extra space to accommodate two people.

“No.”

“Yes!”

The two answered at the same time, but their answers were completely different.

Lin She turned his head to look at the lying Gu Huaiwei.

Gu Huaiwei immediately grabbed Lin She’s arm enthusiastically. She gave the flesh on his arm a secret pinch and said affectionately, “Honey, why are you being so shy? It’s not like we can’t go public.”

As she spoke, she pulled Lin She toward the guest room.

Her strength was much greater than that of an average person. Since Lin She wasn’t human to begin with, she didn’t hold back as her fingers dug into his arm.

Gu Huaiwei thought she was pressing against a button on Lin She’s coat-something flat and hard-so she didn’t pay it much mind.

Lin She, however, felt as if his scales were about to be pried off. He tried to pull his hand back.

Gu Huaiwei held him in a death grip, refusing to let him move.

“Boss Lu, it’s fine for me to share a room with him. There’s no need to trouble yourself with other arrangements.”

Lu Beijiu looked at Lin She with a hint of suspicion. He was certain this green-eyed man wasn’t an Alien, but if he were human… something felt missing.

His relationship with Gu Huaiwei was also strange.

Logically, the person Gu Huaiwei kept by her side in this situation should be someone highly trustworthy, but Lin She had been extremely silent throughout the journey. The two of them barely communicated.

“Or, one of you can rest in the guest room and the other can take the living room.” Lu Beijiu pulled a folding bed out from under the sofa. “It’s only for an hour, just enough for a short nap.”

Lin She said coldly, “Staying in the same room as Miss Gu is fine.”

While they were walking earlier, Lu Beijiu knew Gu Huaiwei was behind him, yet he constantly felt a chilling gaze staring at him. It was like a cold wind blowing through a Cemetery, keeping him in a state of high tension.

“You’re close enough to share a room, yet you’re still calling her Miss Gu?” Thinking they were about to become partners, Lu Beijiu tried to ease the tension with a joke. “You’d better change how you address her, or Miss Gu might get angry.”

Lin She didn’t play along.

His pale skin looked like cold porcelain as he stood silently. His dark green pupils watched Lu Beijiu, who was trying to liven up the atmosphere, and he asked with utter seriousness, “Why do you think Miss Gu would get angry over a title?”