Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - Chapter 4

Completely contrary to his gloomy appearance.

From beginning to end, Lin She behaved like a competent assistant.

Friendly, polite, trustworthy.

“I’ll help you”-this phrase stuck to the teeth like glutinous rice candy.

It carried a hint of sweetness, but the sticky feeling on the teeth made one’s mouth uncomfortable, and eating too much could easily lead to cavities.

Those who are isolated and helpless are prone to have misguided fantasies about this phrase.

Gu Huaiwei never let down her guard; she didn’t like sweets, especially those handed over by people of unknown origin, pretending to be cheerful and friendly.

Anyone who has been in society knows to be wary of strangers who are overly friendly at first meeting-those people usually have ulterior motives.

If you’re not careful, you might get sold and end up helping count the money for the person who sold you.

Fortunately, although Lin She’s background was strange, he didn’t talk much and was a competent employee.

When Gu Huaiwei asked him to draw a promotional design draft, he simply went to a corner of the lobby and started working without a word.

A truly qualified tool person.

When Xiao Youqi came down from upstairs, his expression was unpleasant, a low pressure lingering around him.

“The monthly fee we agreed on last time.”

On the last day of the agreed period, he tossed the remaining Gold Coins in front of Gu Huaiwei, left behind a single sentence, and returned to his room.

A total of 700 Gold Coins.

The heavy Gold Coins made Gu Huaiwei beam with joy.

Gu Huaiwei hadn’t had any business lately, so for this only customer of the Oasis Hotel, her eyes-black as grapes-turned, and she began calculating how to profit from him.

These past two days, Xiao Youqi had been stranded at the Oasis Hotel due to injuries and lack of supplies, unable to go out.

The Gold Coins for the room extension were sent over by his only friend, delivered via the Skeletal Crow-of course, a hefty handling fee was deducted.

Along with the coins came a letter.

His dear friend wrote over three thousand words, solely to mock him for trying to outsmart others, only to end up with nothing and getting seriously injured himself.

Annoyed, Xiao Youqi burned the letter.

He felt unlucky, everything going wrong; the money he had painstakingly stolen and robbed before had all been tricked away by his own friend!

Thinking of this, he looked out at the endless yellow sand and the orange, rust-stained sky. Fortunately, this strange hotel could at least let him recuperate for a while.

But the days ahead wouldn’t be easy-there were people from the Ninth District hunting him, and he was running out of Gold Coins…

The hotel’s security robots were too strong to rob… What should he do?

Xiao Youqi didn’t leave his room, so Gu Huaiwei took the initiative to knock on his door.

She waved one hand in greeting: “Hello, may I come in?”

Xiao Youqi pressed his fingers against the door, squinting warily at the black-haired girl with glasses standing at the entrance: “What do you want?”

“Checking on my customer.”

Xiao Youqi gave her a look that said, “You must think I’m an idiot,” full of disdain.

“Alright, I actually want to discuss something serious with you.” Gu Huaiwei touched her nose and looked up at him. “Standing at the door is tiring.”

The thick lenses blocked her eyes, which were originally as clear and bright as a cat’s. Xiao Youqi wanted to know what scheme she was up to, so he stepped aside, leaving a gap for her to enter.

“May I ask you a few personal questions?” Gu Huaiwei sat upright on the wooden bench in the hotel, her long legs together and slightly angled, occupying only a third of the seat.

Xiao Youqi brewed a cup of hot tea, white steam curling up. He sat on the nearby sofa, took a sip, and said with a forced smile, “But it’s inconvenient for me to answer your questions.”

In the Wasteland era, tea leaves had long become rarer than gold.

Yet in this hotel, they came complimentary with the stay.

Not only that, he also discovered that every day after midnight, all used towels, opened bottled water, toothbrushes, shower gel, and other consumables in the hotel would automatically be restored to their original state.
Of course, none of it could be taken out of the hotel.

Xiao Youqi could only desperately enjoy himself inside the hotel.

Three showers a day, eight pots of tea.

Gu Huaiwei recalled the last time, when she had also refused Xiao Youqi in the same way.

She smiled gently, “Holding a grudge?”

“Reciprocity,” Xiao Youqi raised his slender, straight brows.

Gu Huaiwei spoke lightly, “Then let’s skip the roundabout talk and get straight to business.”

Mutual interests were the foundation of their conversation.

Gu Huaiwei’s goal was to increase the hotel’s clientele.

Xiao Youqi had just paid his room fee and was rather short on money.

As long as their interests aligned, Gu Huaiwei wasn’t afraid he wouldn’t cooperate.

These past few days, Gu Huaiwei had already noticed that, aside from Xiao Youqi accidentally stumbling in, not a single guest had passed by the entrance.

Who knew in what remote corner this hotel was located-there hadn’t even been a stray dog passing by the door.

Gu Huaiwei was worried sick.

No guests meant no income.

No income meant the risk of being fired.

Once fired, she might never find her missing sister.

The Contaminated Zone was especially dangerous at night, with storms carrying radiation sweeping through, the fierce winds tearing apart any living creature that appeared after dark. Gu Huaiwei didn’t dare leave the hotel easily.

She needed someone to help her gain more benefits in this world.

“What kind of business?” Xiao Youqi was indeed interested; he loved talking business with others.

Of course, many people didn’t like doing business with him.

Because he was unscrupulous.

Gu Huaiwei didn’t know that.

To Gu Huaiwei, Xiao Youqi came from the Wasteland and was her only guest.

He understood the outside world and had no connection to Skinflint Zhou, the boss.

Compared to the mysterious assistant, he was much more suitable for private cooperation.

“Your wounds healed pretty fast.” Gu Huaiwei glanced at the side of his face that should have been rotting; now, only a faint scar remained. “Before we talk business, could you tell me how you treated the wounds on your abdomen and face?”

“Oh, you don’t know?” Xiao Youqi tugged at the corner of his mouth, giving Gu Huaiwei, who was earnestly seeking advice, a strange look. Under her puzzled gaze, he answered truthfully, “Inhibitor, plus some flesh-regenerating medicine. All cheap stuff, you can find it everywhere in the Underground City.”

Inhibitors could only heal flesh wounds; they couldn’t remove internal contamination.

He had to inject them regularly, or the contaminated areas would continue to rot.

“I see.” Gu Huaiwei didn’t show much emotion.

Xiao Youqi felt that the girl before him was full of secrets, yet in some matters, she seemed completely clueless.

Could she be an alien in disguise?

Xiao Youqi killed off the unrealistic thought in his mind.

Gu Huaiwei raised her hand to adjust her glasses, her fine bangs hiding the ambition in her eyes.

It was precisely these unique yet cheap items from the Other World that could help her escape the predicament of the Real World.

“I can sell you oxygen and fresh water that you can take out of the hotel. If you need food, I can provide that too.” Gu Huaiwei offered sincerely.

“Food? Nutritional supplements?”

Nutritional supplements had been Xiao Youqi’s main food these past few days. Though the taste was awful, one tube could supply a day’s nutrition.

They were also common in the Underground City.

“No, I mean fresh food-like fruits and vegetables. If you want snacks, I have plenty of those too.”

Xiao Youqi’s expression grew serious, his voice low and slow, “That’s something only the Upper District has.”

Gu Huaiwei didn’t know what the Upper District was, but she still replied nonchalantly, “Mm, I have them too.”

Xiao Youqi’s fingers twitched, greed wrapping around his heart like a spider’s web.

He was about to strike it rich! The girl before him was practically a walking goldmine.