Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - Chapter 221

Chapter 221

“Oh my, great Clear-Soup Magistrate, I’ve been wronged!”

Gu Huaiwei never took anyone’s side. Both sides were precious sources of customers to her; she only stood on the side that benefited business.

Her voice softened. “That girl has an extremely powerful cross on her. If you send those Low-level Anomalies after her, they probably won’t catch up anyway. Why waste the effort?”

She looked as though she were thinking entirely on his behalf.

Han Zhusheng stood there, wreathed in black mist.

“As for you,” Gu Huaiwei went on with a bright smile, saying something utterly horrifying, “you just said you’d use his hands and feet to fill the four corners of the bookshelf. You never said you wanted his life. You cut first. If he’s still breathing afterward, leave him to me. How about it?”

If the Rules Zhang Wenwu had broken would directly lead to his death, Han Zhusheng would not have talked about chopping off his hands and feet.

Since he had said that, it meant the Rules Zhang Wenwu had violated were not certain-death Rules.

Gu Huaiwei could save him without offending these Anomalies.

Listening to their conversation, Zhang Wenwu felt his scalp go numb.

The female “Anomaly” in front of him seemed to be here to help him.

But… the things she said were terrifying.

Gu Huaiwei did not care if her customers were missing arms or legs. The Sanatorium itself had healing and maintenance functions. If a disabled person went in, there would be even more paid services for them to experience.

“Very well.” Han Zhusheng slowly raised his head. There was no light at all in his empty eye sockets. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, tugging at the stiff, lifeless skin of his face. His smile was filled with malice. “My mother’s birthday is coming up. I want to give her a painting, but I’m not good at painting.

“If you can help me paint this scene, I’ll agree to your request.”

“Sure.” Gu Huaiwei liked painting. As for whether other people liked her paintings, that was another matter.

When she was a teenager, she had felt she was very artistic and often submitted her paintings to publishers. Although everything she sent out vanished without a trace every single time, she never tired of it.

Seeing Gu Huaiwei agree, Han Zhusheng’s smile stretched wider. “He’s rather large, and as you can see, I’m only a student. I need someone to lend me a hand.”

“Me, me!” Bai Miemie immediately jumped out with a raised hand, enthusiastically volunteering. “I’m really good at cutting and stitching flesh! My dad used to work at a slaughterhouse, and my sister used to work at a tailor shop. Even though my whole family is vegetarian, I inherited both Dad’s and Sister’s strengths. I can cut and sew! I guarantee the least blood loss and the most complete severed limbs!”

Gu Huaiwei frowned slightly. “But then your clothes will get dirty.”

Bai Miemie blinked those enormous eyes and clasped both hands together in a plea. “Please, let me try. I promise I’ll wash my clothes myself when we get back.”

Zhang Wenwu felt like a fish on a chopping board, surrounded by a crowd of executioners.

Cold sweat poured down his back.

Could these Anomalies please stop treating him like he was already dead?

According to the Rules, he did not necessarily have to die…

Bai Miemie pouted, eyes shining, voice soft and sweet. Gu Huaiwei truly could not bring herself to refuse.

Gu Huaiwei nodded and agreed.

As it happened, she also needed Bai Miemie’s stitching skills.

Bai Miemie happily jumped in place. Her mouth tilted up in a hint of smugness as she said, “Yay! I knew Sister Gu treats Miemie the best.”

By then, Han Zhusheng had already grown impatient and was just about to make his move.

Gu Huaiwei said, “Wait a moment. Let me say a few words to the subject of my painting and calm him down, so he doesn’t struggle too hard later and ruin the composition.”
“Please.” Han Zhusheng stopped and gave her a polite nod, indicating that she could go.

Gu Huaiwei walked over to Zhang Wenwu’s side. In a voice only the two of them could hear, she lowered her eyes and whispered, “Quick. The Rules slip. Let me see it.”

“!” Zhang Wenwu froze.

Anomaly entities couldn’t directly ask humans for their Rules.

And Anomaly entities couldn’t see human Rules, either.

“Hurry. I promise you’ll suffer the least amount of harm possible.”

Zhang Wenwu’s heart began to pound. Han Zhusheng was looking over at them. Zhang Wenwu simply decided to gamble. Without further suspicion, he took the Rules slip from his pocket, placed it in his palm, and turned it around for Gu Huaiwei to see.

She lowered her head and quickly swept her gaze over it. The words on the Rules slip came clearly into view.

The Rules read:

“You may investigate the truth behind the Library fire, but please note: avoid the staff on the second floor of the Library. They do not welcome borrowing customers taking newspapers away.

The bookshelves are old and in disrepair, and are not stable. If you are unfortunate enough to touch a bookshelf, you must use materials from your own body to repair it before the Library staff will forgive your mistake.”

The Rules mentioned repair and forgiveness.

That was the way out.

Gu Huaiwei’s thoughts stirred.

“In a moment, bear with the pain. The bookshelf is only missing one corner. I’ll help sew your other three severed limbs back on. In exchange, after you survive, you have to promise me one thing.”

Zhang Wenwu wanted to ask what it was, but now was not the time.

If both his hands and feet were severed, he would lose even the most basic ability to take care of himself.

But if he only lost one hand, he still had a chance to return to his wife and child.

“Don’t worry. It’ll only cost you a little Lifespan. It won’t take your life.”

“Fine.” Zhang Wenwu gritted his teeth and agreed. He had no choice.

Han Zhusheng brought Gu Huaiwei paper, a pen, and watercolors.

Zhang Wenwu listened to Gu Huaiwei and, sure enough, did not struggle.

He felt Han Zhusheng’s ice-cold hand pressing down on his shoulder, giving him the illusion that he had been wheeled into an operating room.

Han Zhusheng was a dead man.

Bai Miemie was a monster.

The dead had no body heat, but monsters did.

“Don’t be scared. Miemie will blow on it for you. Blow, blow, and it won’t hurt anymore.” Though Bai Miemie spoke in a soft, adorable voice, she still skillfully selected a cutting tool from Han Zhusheng’s toolbox. When she brought it down, she showed not the slightest mercy.

Blade scraped against blade, producing an ear-piercing sound.

Gu Huaiwei dipped the tip of her brush into the paint.

The blade sliced across skin.

Gu Huaiwei laid down a stroke of vermilion on the paper.

The blade separated bone from flesh.

Gu Huaiwei painted another swath of pure white on the paper.

Like a seasoned butcher, Bai Miemie precisely cut off Zhang Wenwu’s hands and feet.

Sweat poured down Zhang Wenwu’s face in beads the size of beans. The agony made him wish he were dead. He clenched his teeth so hard his gums bled, but he held on with an iron will. He endured it and did not run.

Han Zhusheng took the hands and feet that had been cut from Zhang Wenwu, lifted the fallen bookshelf upright, and used one of the hands to support the missing corner.

His hand became a corner of the bookshelf.

As for the rest, Han Zhusheng tossed them aside.

He looked at Zhang Wenwu, who was bleeding nonstop, with malice in his eyes. His voice was like an echo from Hell. “There were extra materials. The leftovers are returned to you.”

Han Zhusheng placed the remaining hands and feet back in front of Zhang Wenwu.

At that precise moment, Zhang Wenwu really, really wanted to curse someone out.