Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - Chapter 193

Chapter 193

Just as Fang Zhao was about to lose control of his emotions, Xia Wenxin endured the pain and grabbed his wrist.

“Class Monitor…” Xia Wenxin shook her head, her voice raspy and weak. “Do you remember the founder of the Safe House? That mysterious founder also had the ability to travel between Instances.”

“That was over ten years ago…”

Fang Zhao looked at Gu Huaiwei. From her appearance, she looked to be in her early twenties at most, the age of someone who had just graduated from university.

She couldn’t possibly be that legendary founder.

Gu Huaiwei overheard the mention of another new organization.

“Wait,” she asked, “what exactly is the Safe House?”

Fang Zhao glanced at the time on his phone.

There were two hours left until dawn.

Outside the Toy Room, the fire was still raging.

Fang Zhao managed to calm himself down, though he frowned slightly. “Shopkeeper Gu, I’m sorry, but now isn’t the time to talk about this. Thank you for saving my teammate. We already made a deal; once dawn breaks, I will fulfill my promise and answer all your questions.”

“Suit yourself.” Gu Huaiwei raised a hand.

She sat right at the entrance of the Toy Room, making no attempt to hide.

Fang Zhao nodded to her, then gently lifted one of Xia Wenxin’s arms and draped it over his shoulder.

“Bear with it.”

“Mm.” Xia Wenxin was covered in burns, but she endured the pain to cooperate with his movements.

Supporting Xia Wenxin, Fang Zhao hid her inside the large plush doll he had used earlier, placing it among a pile of smaller dolls to camouflage her. Then, he hid himself inside the toy chest.

They waited in silence for the night of Hide-and-Seek to pass.

Bai Miemie yawned, her small pink fists reaching upward, before rubbing her reddened nose and falling asleep with her head resting on Gu Huaiwei’s lap.

Gu Huaiwei took a thin blanket out of her Jade Bracelet to cover the girl, gently patting her back.

When Fang Zhao emerged the next day, he had dark circles under his eyes.

He saw Gu Huaiwei leaning against the entrance of the Toy Room. Her long black hair draped down, and her brow was slightly furrowed as if she hadn’t slept well. Thinking she had kindly kept watch for them all night, he felt a surge of gratitude.

Gu Huaiwei woke up the moment she heard a sound, but she didn’t open her eyes immediately.

It wasn’t until Fang Zhao helped Xia Wenxin out that she stretched her neck and woke Bai Miemie.

The Toy Room would disappear after dawn.

They moved to the Reading Room on the sixth floor, which was temporarily safe. Fang Zhao gave Gu Huaiwei a grateful smile. “Shopkeeper Gu, thank you for yesterday.”

“It was nothing.”

Fang Zhao pulled two shriveled crackers from his pocket. He fed a bit to the injured Xia Wenxin first, then gave her small sips of water.

There was a cafeteria in the Library, but it was a staff cafeteria governed by Rules. If a Trial-taker entered recklessly, they would likely end up as a dish on the menu.

“Once you’re finished, can you answer some questions for me?” Gu Huaiwei began to collect her payment.

Fang Zhao nodded solemnly. “Go ahead. I’ll answer to the best of my ability.”

Fang Zhao couldn’t tell if Gu Huaiwei was a Trial-taker, but the way she had easily dealt with Bella and saved Xia Wenxin made her seem extraordinary in his eyes.

“Don’t be nervous.” Gu Huaiwei smiled. “I’m just a merchant doing business in this city. Think of this as market research.”

Gu Huaiwei started by asking what a Trial-taker was, what an Instance was, and what was the deal with those Anomalies.
Fang Zhao patiently explained to her that about fifty years ago, due to erosion from an unknown source of pollution, most areas of the world had fallen into eerie Instances.

Trial-takers were ordinary humans selected to enter these Instances. Only by following the Rules could they leave the Instance alive and receive a completion reward.

The completion reward was lifespan.

Many things within an Instance required lifespan to purchase.

This included the two biscuits they had just eaten.

An Anomaly was a monster within an Instance that harmed people. Humans could make deals with an Anomaly to obtain help or information, but the higher the Anomaly’s level, the heavier the price required.

“Then what is a Safe House?”

At the mention of this, Fang Zhao perked up. “Originally, there were no Safe Houses in this world. But about a dozen years ago, a very powerful girl suddenly appeared. She teamed up with several Great Gods on the Heavenly Ranking at the time to establish Safe Houses in these densely populated Instance areas, providing a place for all Trial-takers to rest briefly and exchange supplies.”

What was truly amazing was that Safe Houses were not invaded by the pollution.

“Is there a Safe House in Gray Mist Town?”

“Yes!” Fang Zhao nodded with certainty. “I did my homework before entering this Instance. The Safe House for this Instance is in the small chapel on the north side of the city.”

“The girl who founded the Safe Houses-do you know her name?”

Fang Zhao shook his head. “The founder of the Safe Houses is very mysterious. Because she was disfigured, she wears a mask year-round. No one has seen her true face except for those few people on the Heavenly Ranking back then.”

“Disfigured?” Gu Huaiwei’s expression shifted slightly, and a familiar figure involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

She had a faint feeling that this person might be her missing sister, but she instinctively resisted the thought.

If anyone dared to disfigure her sister, she would definitely tear their face to shreds.

“Hmm, I remember that girl had the same surname as you…” Fang Zhao’s eyes flickered, his gaze lingering meaningfully on Gu Huaiwei. “Shopkeeper Gu, may I ask if your Oasis Sanatorium is an Instance, or is it a place like a Safe House meant to help us?”

“Neither,” Gu Huaiwei said in a lazy tone. “The Oasis Sanatorium provides paid services; it’s not a charity. We have sunny rooms with large beds, and we provide three meals a day plus medical services. It’s an absolute value for your money.”

Xia Wenxin had eaten and drunk some water, and by now she had recovered slightly. She asked slowly, “What kind of payment?”

Gu Huaiwei pushed up her glasses with her middle finger and said nonchalantly, “We collect lifespan.”

Fang Zhao’s face stiffened. “…”

And she claimed she wasn’t an Anomaly!

How could a human collect lifespan?

Fang Zhao lamented in his heart; as expected, there was no such thing as a free lunch.

Gu Huaiwei ignored the change in Fang Zhao’s expression. She clasped her hands together, full of interest. “By the way, I want to go see the Safe House. Would it be convenient for you to lead the way?”

Gu Huaiwei needed to see if this free institution would steal her business.

After all, if there was a free option, who would come to her paid establishment?

Fang Zhao nodded in agreement. “If we can get out of here alive, we can go with you to see the Safe House in Gray Mist Town.”

Gu Huaiwei smiled brightly. “Then it’s settled.”

Safe Houses gathered many Trial-takers, and her Sanatorium needed guests.

This was an excellent opportunity to recruit a few more new customers for the Oasis Sanatorium.