Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - chapter 35

How should she choose?

To apply or not to apply?

She felt as if she were standing alone at a crossroads with traffic lights, both roads shrouded in fog, and she had only thirty seconds to make her decision.

Paradise…

This card was related to Paradise.

If she missed this chance, who knew when the next would come?

If you don’t walk the road yourself, you’ll never know what lies ahead.

Whether it’s a trap or not, you have to wade through it yourself to know how deep it is.

Gu Huaiwei stared at the options flashing on the computer screen. As the countdown ticked down, her heart instead grew calm.

She could not let go of any clues related to her sister.

Gu Huaiwei’s finger slid lightly over the mouse, moving the pointer to “Confirm Unlock” without hesitation.

The next second, a fireworks animation appeared on the computer interface.

[Congratulations, you have successfully applied for the Paradise Card.]

[Your delivery tracking number is: 001]

[Once the Parcel Station is unlocked, your delivery will be dispatched.]

[New unlockable area: Parcel Station.]

After that, a gray area under construction appeared at the entrance of the Oasis Hotel.

A wooden fence enclosed the area, with the words “Parcel Station” nailed to the outside.

[Unlock condition: 200 Gold Coins]

[Hotel Prosperity Level: +2]

The unlocking condition wasn’t difficult.

Gu Huaiwei immediately spent 200 Gold Coins to unlock the Parcel Station.

She discovered that the Parcel Station was located twenty meters from the entrance of the hotel.

Once unlocked, it meant the hotel’s coverage area would expand out onto the street.

Previously added functional zones had all been inside the hotel.

This was the first time an external facility had appeared.

In the evening, Lin She stood at the entrance of the under-construction Parcel Station.

He held an umbrella as red as fresh blood, one hand in his pocket, his dark green vertical pupils staring straight ahead. His mouth didn’t move, but a strange sound came from his throat.

It wasn’t until Gu Huaiwei called him to repair the livestream equipment that he turned and walked back.

Gu Huaiwei thought he was interested in the suddenly appearing Parcel Station and explained, “That’s the Parcel Station. It’ll take three days to finish construction.”

“Mm. When it’s done, we can order some equipment for the shop online.” Lin She was extremely indifferent, his face devoid of any extra expression.

Gu Huaiwei asked, “What were you looking at just now?”

Lin She paused for two or three seconds, as if savoring the scene from before.

His black lips curled slightly, a half-smile tinged with mockery, making him hard to read.

“Oh, I saw a mouse trying to squeeze out of a hole, but it got stuck, its head wedged in the opening, squeaking away, so I kindly helped it out of its misery.”

At this moment, inside the under-construction Parcel Station, a cute round-faced boy was holding a job application form. There were bluish-purple strangulation marks on his neck, and his corpse, as if corroded by stomach acid, was slowly dissolving and disappearing.

Was that a dark joke? Or some kind of metaphor?

“How could a mouse get into the Parcel Station?” Not wanting to play riddles, Gu Huaiwei decided to be direct and went out to check for herself.

“Don’t go. The mouse is already dead.” Lin She grabbed her wrist. His fingers were icy, as if they could seep through her skin and draw the warmth from her veins.

Too cold. Gu Huaiwei quickly pulled her hand back.

“I’m not afraid of mice.”

Lin She spoke earnestly, as if genuinely concerned for her: “I know, but you’d better not stray too far from the Oasis Hotel. Otherwise, it’s not safe.”

Gu Huaiwei felt that Lin She knew more inside information.

She looked up, staring into his eyes, and asked him directly, “Where does the danger come from?”

Lin She touched his lower lip, tilted his head slightly, as if pondering: “Hmm, how should I explain it to you?”

“Go ahead, I’m listening.” Gu Huaiwei calmed herself, hoping to get more information from Lin She.

“All right. You are fragile flesh and blood, your heart lost and soft.

The guns and cannons of this world can easily kill your body, and the people of this world can bewilder your mind.”
Gu Huaiwei’s long eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes. After a moment of focused thought, she spoke softly, “As long as I’m within the bounds of the hotel, I’m safe.

I know what I want. I won’t be confused.”

Lin She let out an almost imperceptible sigh. “But it seems you can’t stand loneliness.”

Gu Huaiwei’s eyes, hidden behind her glasses, paused for a split second as Lin She finished speaking.

She had thought she hid herself well, but Lin She’s casual words were like a mirror, reflecting the deepest thoughts in her heart without reservation.

Lin She continued, “The Oasis Hotel only protects the safety of its employees.

If you’re not competent, you’ll be fired, unable to find your way back to the hotel, and completely lost in this world.”

Gu Huaiwei fell silent. Her previous transaction with Xiao Youqi had, to some extent, harmed the hotel’s interests.

Afterward, she received a warning.

Since suspending the transaction, her sister had stopped appearing in her dreams.

Now, there was this thing called the Paradise Card.

It was as if the hotel was watching her every move.

“I understand. I won’t be careless when it comes to the hotel’s business.” Before she found clues about her sister, Gu Huaiwei would remain loyal to the hotel.

“Don’t worry. You’re the manager. Choices are just choices-there’s no glory, no betrayal. Every choice simply leads to a different outcome.

And as your loyal companion, I’m just here to offer reminders. You can take them into account, but don’t let them weigh on you.”

Lin She said some strange things, then went off to repair the livestream equipment.

He tapped away with a screwdriver and a small hammer.

Once again, he became the diligent worker.

Night fell.

The room glowed with warm orange light.

Gu Huaiwei sat leaning against the headboard, her non-prescription glasses casually placed on the nightstand, her long black hair spilling down like seaweed.

She hugged her knees, gazing out at the pitch-black Radiation Storm outside the window, her eyes swirling with dark currents, unable to sleep.

She couldn’t sleep.

Whenever she closed her eyes, Gu Huaiwei would dream of a rusty iron gate slowly opening, accompanied by a piercing creak.

Countless rats would pour out from the gate, their dense bodies writhing in the darkness.

Those crazed little creatures had blood-red eyes and sharp teeth, like ravenous beasts, surging toward her.

They climbed onto her body, tearing at her skin with their sharp teeth, scrambling over her with their damp little paws.

They would burrow into any opening they could find.

She could clearly feel the nauseating sensation of them gnawing at her flesh.

And in the distance, a giant snake coiled, its cold, dark green eyes fixed on her, its gaping maw devouring the rats…

What you think by day, you dream by night.

Gu Huaiwei couldn’t sleep. Irritated, she rubbed her head.

It must have been that damned cold joke Lin She told during the day that made her have nightmares again!

If it weren’t for his constant strange behavior, Gu Huaiwei wouldn’t be so suspicious, thinking he was some kind of snake spirit.

He especially loved eating raw eggs.

There had once been scale-like patterns on his face.

Recently, he’d shut himself in, making odd noises every night, as if he were shedding his skin.

After finally recovering from his illness, he’d even carried packages far away to throw out the trash.

Gu Huaiwei suspected he was throwing away his shed skin.

He kept saying he’d help her solve her problems.

But he himself was an unsolvable mystery.

Gu Huaiwei looked at the Ferris wheel photo album on her nightstand, then took out her sister’s diary from the drawer. She had already read it cover to cover.

She stroked the familiar handwriting, trying to find any overlooked clues.

“Sis, where are you…?”

“Born of the same mother, bound by blood. If you can feel me, please give me another sign.”

In the next moment, Gu Huaiwei’s fingers traced the textured surface of the paper.