Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - chapter 37

The Scarred Woman tossed the bloodstained key back to Gu Huaiwei.

“Here, take it back.”

Her face was pale, strands of messy hair clinging to her cheeks, mixed with dust and blood, making her look especially haggard.

Gu Huaiwei invited, “Would you like to come in and sit for a while?”

The Scarred Woman hesitated for a moment, but eventually walked inside.

Gu Huaiwei poured her a glass of warm water and asked, “What about the White-Haired Old Man?”

The Scarred Woman sat on the sofa in the lobby, holding the cup but not drinking.

“He’s dead.”

“And the others?”

“They should… all be dead.” The Scarred Woman lowered her head, pain and hatred deep in her eyes, as if she had endured an unbearable nightmare. “Five of us escaped together, but in the end, only I survived.”

Gu Huaiwei didn’t know how to comfort her; any words felt hollow at a time like this.

The Scarred Woman did not sink into despair. She clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles cracked audibly. “I will make those people pay.”

“Just you alone?” Gu Huaiwei didn’t know who the Scarred Woman’s enemies were, but going alone was a death sentence.

“Just me.” The Scarred Woman’s gaze was resolute.

She knew she would die.

But she wasn’t afraid.

Before she died, she wanted her enemies to feel the pain of loss.

Gu Huaiwei respected her choice. She didn’t try to stop or persuade her, but instead smiled and wished her well: “May you succeed in your revenge.”

The Scarred Woman said nothing.

She thought Gu Huaiwei would urge her to live well.

But Gu Huaiwei didn’t.

That was fine. She didn’t need comfort; what she needed was precisely Gu Huaiwei’s blessing.

She would have her revenge.

She would succeed!

“I came to see you for two reasons: one, to return your key, and two, to give you something.” The Scarred Woman pulled a crumpled booklet from her coat, the cover reading “Wu Jin Blade Technique.”

“I’ve given you some pointers in blade techniques; you’re quite talented. Now is the age of guns and cannons-cold weapons have no future.

This is just a personal interest of mine, with a few insights I’ve summarized. Whether you practice it or not is up to you.”

The Scarred Woman casually tossed the “Wu Jin Blade Technique” onto the sofa and prepared to leave.

Gu Huaiwei picked up the booklet, stroking the title page.

It was clear the booklet was old, and its owner had cherished it greatly; every corner of every page was pressed perfectly flat.

It was obviously something precious, yet she insisted on making it sound trivial.

“Thank you. I will practice it well.” Gu Huaiwei put the “Wu Jin Blade Technique” into the cabinet.

There happened to be a medical kit in the front desk cabinet.

“Let me help you treat your wounds.”

Gu Huaiwei took out three Inhibitors from the medical kit.

She had traded for them with hotel guests, using delicious food as bait.

The Scarred Woman waved her hand. “Radiation has already entered my body. I’m beyond saving. Don’t worry about me. This will probably be our last meeting.”

Before radiation completely consumed her body, she intended to drag a few enemies to hell with her.

“At least, take these.” Gu Huaiwei simply handed all three Inhibitors to the Scarred Woman.

The Scarred Woman looked at the Inhibitors in her hand, then at Gu Huaiwei, and the cold hardness in her eyes softened a little.

“Tch, I don’t have any Gold Coin for you.”

Gu Huaiwei joked lightly, “They’re free. Sometimes you have to do a little charity so heaven will bless you and fortune will come rolling in.”

The Scarred Woman’s lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.

She left without looking back.

Gu Huaiwei stood quietly for a moment, her gaze distant, watching the direction in which the Scarred Woman had gone, and touched the blade hidden in her sleeve.

The Scarred Woman didn’t know Gu Huaiwei’s name.

Gu Huaiwei hadn’t bothered to remember the Scarred Woman’s name either.

With this parting, their fates were severed.

They were merely passing through each other’s lives.

Leaving behind a small fragment of memory, then each going their own way.

After Lin She finished repairing the livestream equipment, Gu Huaiwei asked him to help repaint her car.
“I’m a painter, skilled and strong, I’m going to paint that new car, make it look beautiful…”

Gu Huaiwei hummed a little tune as she splashed red paint over the surface of the armored vehicle.

“Help me pick a picture. Look at these I’ve downloaded-which one looks better?”

Lin She scrolled through images on his phone.

Sailor Moon, Doraemon, Lotus Pond at Night, some unknown handsome anime guy…

He couldn’t compliment Gu Huaiwei’s taste.

Any of those images, if painted on, would turn the apocalypse armored vehicle into a Mario Kart.

Lin She suggested, “How about painting it black and drawing a snake?”

“No.” Gu Huaiwei rejected him without a second thought. “I like red.”

Lin She had the character “She” (snake) in his name.

She definitely didn’t want a snake painted on her car.

However, Lin She’s suggestion gave Gu Huaiwei some inspiration.

“Let’s paint this-Rose Flower.” Gu Huaiwei thought it was both beautiful and could show her identity as the car owner. “Hmm… Under the flower, help me draw a black knife, standing upright in the soil.”

This was also a silent memorial of sorts.

“Can I draw a little snake under the flower?”

“No. Roses have thorns, not suitable for a snake to coil underneath.” Gu Huaiwei shoved the brush into Lin She’s hand, promising him, “When I get another car, I’ll let you paint a big snake on it.”

“You’re the manager, I’ll listen to you.” Lin She seemed motivated. He dipped the brush in pink paint and began to work diligently.

After the car was painted, it needed two days for the paint to dry.

After the Scarred Woman left, she never returned.

The shop across from the Oasis Hotel never opened again.

The Rat People slipped inside and cleaned out whatever was left.

The white-haired old man, the Scarred Woman, and the remaining few disappeared completely from Gu Huaiwei’s sight.

There was no time to feel melancholy.

Because the livestream went viral, several waves of people from the Middle District started coming to the Oasis Hotel.

People flowed endlessly at the entrance, the lobby was bustling, and Gu Huaiwei was so busy she could barely keep up-the registration forms were nearly full.

“We’re very sorry, all rooms are fully booked today.”

“Yes, the themed rooms are also full.”

“No guests are checking out tomorrow. The next available checkout for a standard room is in ten days, and for a themed room, in four days.”

“We can’t process walk-in check-ins here. You need to book in advance on the app, and only after your reservation is confirmed can you come to stay.”

“If you’d like to get a membership card, we offer vacancy notifications. The higher your membership level, the higher your priority for booking rooms.”

As more guests arrived, the number of rooms was clearly insufficient. Standard rooms were booked by new guests the moment someone checked out.

Gu Huaiwei had no choice but to start politely turning away latecomers.

She was so busy she didn’t even have time to take a sip of water.

Some people just came to look around.

For the safety of other guests, Gu Huaiwei didn’t allow non-residents upstairs, so they took photos in the lobby.

Long lines formed in front of the four vending machines at the entrance.

To handle the huge influx, Gu Huaiwei unlocked six more vending machines, swallowing up the massive crowd.

The hotel’s Prosperity Level shot straight up to 198.

[Oasis Hotel: Two-star]

[Hotel Prosperity Level: 198/200]

[Unlocked Areas: Standard Queen Room, Twin Room, Themed Room ×8, Vending Machine ×10, Staff Rest Area]

[Remaining Balance: 271,588 Gold Coin]

[Second Stage Sales Task Achieved.]

The second stage sales target only required 100,000 Gold Coin in half a year.

Thanks to Gu Huaiwei’s aggressive promotion of membership cards, sales far exceeded the target, reaching an impressive 270,000 in less than two months.

Now, just waiting for the post station to unlock and fill the last two points of Prosperity Level, Gu Huaiwei could smoothly upgrade to a Three-star hotel.

Success was within reach.

Gu Huaiwei was full of energy.