Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - Chapter 189

Chapter 189

“You really are afraid of me,” Gu Huaiwei remarked, her tone flat and certain this time as she watched Fang Zhao’s reaction.

Cold sweat poured down Fang Zhao’s back. He forced a strained smile and replied, “It’s not like that. I’ve just been separated from my companions, and being inside an Instance makes me very tense, that’s all.”

“Oh?” Gu Huaiwei didn’t believe him for a second.

As they continued along the path, Gu Huaiwei noticed Fang Zhao constantly looking down at a small slip of paper. It was covered in dense, tiny handwriting, and he held it furtively, as if guarding a deep secret.

They followed a spiral staircase upward. The air grew increasingly thick with the scent of age and decay. As they reached the sixth floor of the Library, Fang Zhao’s pace slowed, and his breathing became noticeably heavy.

He glanced back at Gu Huaiwei and lowered his voice. “We need to go up to the attic.”

The attic was accessible only through the utility room.

The sole entrance was a narrow wooden ladder.

“Then let’s go up.”

Seeing Gu Huaiwei’s nonchalant attitude, Fang Zhao sighed inwardly. As expected, life was much easier when you were an Anomaly.

Once you became an Anomaly, you didn’t have to fear them anymore.

He stood at the base of the wooden ladder, hesitating. Fear seemed to have nailed his feet to the floor.

Fang Zhao had always been timid. While his cautious nature had allowed him to survive this long, it was currently proving to be a hindrance.

“Go on, get up there.” Gu Huaiwei leaned against the wall, one hand in her pocket. She watched Fang Zhao stand there like a wooden post, then lazily raised her other hand to gesture for him to lead the way.

“This…” Fang Zhao searched for an excuse to let Gu Huaiwei go first.

He didn’t feel comfortable leaving his back exposed to her.

Gu Huaiwei saw right through his little scheme.

He was worried about danger in the attic, so he didn’t want to be in the lead.

“Scared again?” Gu Huaiwei squinted her eyes and smiled, her tone light. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Relax. I’m not going to suddenly transform and eat you.”

Her straight bangs obscured her eyes, and combined with her thick lenses, Fang Zhao only dared to steal a quick glance. He couldn’t begin to guess what she was actually feeling.

“Uh… wouldn’t you and the little kid with you be scared walking in the back?”

In Fang Zhao’s mind, countless Rules were spinning around.

He couldn’t find a single Rule that corresponded to the “Oasis Sanatorium Shop Manager” standing before him.

Without a corresponding Rule, he had no sense of security.

Gu Huaiwei was merely teasing him.

After Fang Zhao spoke, he fell silent, but the expression on his face betrayed his internal panic.

“I can hear it, you know-your heartbeat and your breathing are both very fast.” Gu Huaiwei deliberately drawled the last few words. She lightly shook the wooden ladder, causing it to let out a faint creak.

“Are you worried about me? Or are you worried about yourself?”

Because Gu Huaiwei had excellent vision, she saw the goosebumps erupt and the hair stand up on Fang Zhao’s arms the moment she finished speaking.

“I…” Fang Zhao didn’t know what Gu Huaiwei wanted, but he knew he couldn’t afford to provoke an “Anomaly.”

He had to frantically recall the Rules, think about how to find the Toy Room next, and deal with Gu Huaiwei-who looked innocent and harmless but was likely a high-level Anomaly.

He felt like his brain cells were about to burn out.

Seeing Fang Zhao’s face turn increasingly pale, Gu Huaiwei decided to stop teasing him.

“Don’t stare at me like that. I’m actually quite helpful.” Gu Huaiwei placed her hand on the ladder and turned slightly, giving Fang Zhao a half-smile.

Seeing him still frozen in place, she sighed. A meaningful smirk played on her lips. “Fine, I’ll go first.”

Fang Zhao was clearly terrified of her. To put her potential client’s mind at ease, she would have to make a small sacrifice and take the lead, giving him a little taste of safety.
Gu Huaiwei’s words finally allowed Fang Zhao to breathe a sigh of relief. He spoke a bit faster, saying, “Right. I’ll protect you from behind.”

“Haha, just worry about yourself.”

Gu Huaiwei grabbed the wooden ladder and climbed up with agile movements.

Fang Zhao followed close behind.

Gu Huaiwei reached up and pushed open the wooden door leading to the attic.

The hinges let out a piercing creak as she gripped the floorboards on either side and vaulted herself up.

The floor was covered in dust.

Gu Huaiwei patted the dust off her palms and surveyed the attic.

The space was dim and windowless, save for a broken skylight that cast a sliver of bleak moonlight onto the mottled floor.

Piles of junk were buried under thick layers of dust, and old furniture cast grotesque silhouettes against the walls.

Faint sounds came from behind her as Fang Zhao struggled to climb up.

Just as he steadied himself, Gu Huaiwei turned back and extended a pale hand to help him up.

The moonlight fell across her flowing black hair and slender fingers, making her fingertips glow with a jade-like whiteness, as if nourished by the essence of the sun and moon.

Fang Zhao froze for a moment. With the light behind her, Gu Huaiwei’s lenses no longer reflected the glare. Through the thick, non-prescription glasses, Fang Zhao saw her eyes-brilliant as gemstones. As if possessed, he placed his hand in her palm.

This was wrong.

This was dangerous.

But Fang Zhao did it anyway.

He felt the warmth of Gu Huaiwei’s palm. His reason told him that this was all a trap set by an “Anomaly” to deceive him.

He couldn’t fall for it!

Yet, Fang Zhao was still entranced.

On the way here, Fang Zhao hadn’t really dared to look at Gu Huaiwei. Staring at an Anomaly for a long time was a dangerous act in itself.

Gu Huaiwei’s clothes were too ordinary, and her behavior was like that of a girl next door.

Fang Zhao had categorized Gu Huaiwei as an Anomaly that was skilled at masquerading as a human.

But at this moment, being so close, he suddenly felt an indescribable beauty radiating from her.

It wasn’t just her delicate features.

It wasn’t a sense of fashion.

It was a kind of power lingering around her that made it impossible for him to look away.

What was happening?

Fang Zhao realized something was wrong with him.

He realized with horror that his heart was actually fluttering for an “Anomaly,” and that he instinctively wanted to be close to her.

He was finished. He felt certain he must have violated some Rule he wasn’t aware of.

After Gu Huaiwei pulled Fang Zhao up, the wooden door to the attic slammed shut on its own with a loud bang. The attic wasn’t sealed, so the sound of the door closing was particularly jarring in the silence.

Bai Miemie glared at Fang Zhao and unhesitatingly reached out to swat away the hand he had just been holding. Then, Bai Miemie squeezed next to Gu Huaiwei and grabbed her hand tightly, interlacing their fingers as if staking a claim.

“Don’t be naughty,” Gu Huaiwei said, tapping the tip of Bai Miemie’s upturned nose.

Bai Miemie nuzzled against Gu Huaiwei’s arm.

Fang Zhao was stunned by Bai Miemie’s small gesture, his hand still stinging slightly.

The pain brought back a shred of sanity. He quickly lowered his head and hurriedly looked away from Gu Huaiwei, not daring to steal another glance.

Just then, the crisp sound of a nursery rhyme drifted out from a locked wardrobe in front of them.

In the darkness of the attic, the little girl’s voice, as pleasant as silver bells, sounded somewhat bone-chilling.

“Where is Daddy? Where is Daddy? Hide and seek, hide and seek.

Where is Mommy? Where is Mommy? Hide and seek, hide and seek.

Where is Bella? Where is Bella?

Bella is right in front of you. Found you!”