Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - chapter 85

Chapter 85

On a winter night, the world was shrouded in utter silence.

White ash drifted down like snow, gently falling on the outskirts of the Oasis Hotel.

The ash covered the abandoned town, eroded by wind and sand, cloaking the world in a pale garment. Amidst this desolation, the warm lights of the Oasis Hotel glowed, appearing especially full of vitality.

Inside the senior staff dormitory, only Lin She and He Xueyi were present.

Both were creatures accustomed to damp, shadowy environments and had no habit of turning on the lights.

“The choice has been made.” Lin She leaned on the Main Hall sofa, having just showered. His slightly damp black hair fell on either side of his cheeks, eyelids lowered, and his dark green pupils betrayed no emotion.

With Gu Huaiwei absent, Lin She no longer concealed his true nature.

Wherever he walked, he left behind wet traces, followed quietly by a Cleaning Robot tidying up after him.

Opposite him, He Xueyi lounged against the back of his chair, a faint smile on his lips, his gaze resting on the oil painting of a Ferris wheel hanging on the wall.

His lips were a pale pink, like rose dew, parting and closing gently: “How beautiful. Every time I see the lights come on, I can’t help but feel a flutter in my heart.”

“There are no humans here. Put away that disgusting, fake expression of yours.” Lin She was always a bit harsher with He Xueyi. His face was expressionless, and the black line of his lips gave off a cold, sinister beauty when he spoke.

“Your current face is too stiff. You should learn more about human expressions.” The smile on He Xueyi’s face did not fade. “Most humans are risk-averse and lack ambition. If there are guaranteed benefits, they usually quit while they’re ahead.

This time, the Operator seems different from the previous ones. Perhaps she really can light up all the lamps and open the gates of Paradise.”

He Xueyi understood humans better than Lin She.

Gu Huaiwei was decisive and clear in her goals.

She had ample time to consider, yet made her choice swiftly and without hesitation.

This was rare among past Operators.

“Paradise values this Operator greatly,” Lin She said in a low, hoarse voice, his discordant tone carrying a hissing undertone. “Otherwise, why would they send the two of us as Assistants?”

“Correction, I came because you strangled that rat ahead of time.” He Xueyi’s brows were long and slender, his glassy golden eyes sweeping slowly over Lin She. Suddenly, he smiled. “Luckily you did, or it wouldn’t have been my turn so soon.”

What He Xueyi enjoyed most was watching the Operator, step by step, fall into the web of fate by their own choices. That feeling was like staining a pure white canvas with his beloved shade of blood.

“Then do your job as an Assistant properly. Before the gates of Paradise open, behave yourself.” If it weren’t winter, Lin She would never have let He Xueyi step through the doors of the Oasis Hotel.

Originally, all the work could have been handled by him alone. It was the managers of Paradise who, on their own initiative, guided the Operator to accept more Assistants.

“I can only promise to be a bit more patient.” He Xueyi tilted his head back and sighed, his tone carrying a touch of feigned distress. “As for the dull and tedious work of humans… only you could endure it.”

“I must abide by the spirit of the contract,” Lin She replied coldly.

“Old relic.”

Lin She did not deny the label.

“Want to cooperate with me?” He Xueyi turned his delicate face, extending an olive branch to Lin She.

In the darkness, his tone carried a hint of sweet temptation. “We could join forces, get rid of the other Assistants, and once the gates of Paradise open, guide the Operator’s decisions and share the outcome.”

In legend, angels were ugly to frighten away demons, while demons were beautiful to seduce the hearts of men.
Therefore, those who are good-looking are generally up to no good.

Lin She cast a cool glance at the surging red shadow of He Xueyi; his dark green eyes were icy cold. “How shall we split it? I want to stay alive.”

“That won’t do, not so many.” A smile flickered at the corner of He Xueyi’s eyes. “Lin She, after spending so much time with humans, you’ve picked up their greedy bad habits.”

Lin She licked his lips lightly with his forked tongue. “Not as much as you-you’ve learned the human habit of saying one thing and meaning another, always loving to lie.”

Lin She and He Xueyi could not get along. Every conversation between them ended in discord.

Apart from discussing business, they could hardly tolerate each other in daily life.

They strictly divided their territories.

Except for public areas, neither was allowed to step into the other’s private space.

Meanwhile, at the Oasis Hotel, as Gu Huaiwei unlocked new buildings, the territory kept expanding outward.

The once abandoned and desolate commercial street disappeared, replaced by a vast expanse of greenery, as well as entertainment facilities such as a children’s playground and a golf course.

Across the street, the old white-haired man’s shop had now become a fountain on the lawn.

When a person dies, the traces they leave behind also vanish, leaving only memories that slowly fade with time.

Those dilapidated buildings, abandoned and eroded by wind and sand for over two hundred years, were also leveled during the hotel’s upgrade process.

Gu Huaiwei used outdoor landscaping plants to cover the former Wasteland, connecting the empty spaces between entertainment facilities and creating new open grounds.

To attract more people to the hotel, Gu Huaiwei divided the large open area outside the Oasis Hotel into different rental zones and leased them out.

After the hotel’s daytime business ended, Gu Huaiwei would also regularly host Night Market events.

The Night Market was similar to a small-scale trade festival, open for a limited time.

She rented the venue to hotel guests running small businesses and charged them a management fee.

Karl rented a small spot to sell guns.

Cain and Annie did lucrative business in the sex trade.

Those who were still alive worked hard in their own ways to make a living for tomorrow.

The Oasis Hotel’s Night Market grew in scale, and some customers from the Lower District who couldn’t afford a shop were willing to spend two gold coins on travel just to stroll around the outskirts of the Oasis Hotel.

If they had scrap metal, they could also exchange it for some food and fresh water at the hotel’s vending machines.

All of these became sources of income for the Oasis Hotel.

For nearly a month, Gu Huaiwei had been preparing for the upcoming long-distance journey.

At night, the hotel was so quiet that only the soft ticking of the wall clock could be heard.

After closing, Gu Huaiwei called out to Li Niang, who was tidying up the front desk: “Li Niang, come to the Employee Break Room for a moment.”

“Okay.” Li Niang’s heart tightened slightly, with a hint of nervousness.

After work, Gu Huaiwei usually went straight back to her room to rest. Calling her over like this must mean there was something important to discuss.

Entering the Employee Break Room, where the lighting was soft, Gu Huaiwei leaned back in her chair, her expression gentle, and gestured for Li Niang to sit. “Don’t be nervous, have a seat.”

Li Niang pressed her lips together, hesitated for a moment, and then sat down lightly, her hands unconsciously twisting on her knees.

Gu Huaiwei lounged casually on the sofa, her tone relaxed. “Don’t be nervous. I just wanted to let you know that I’m planning to return your Indenture Contracts ahead of schedule.”

Li Niang was stunned for a moment, her heart tightening, her gaze flickering. “Shopkeeper Gu, are you planning to let us go?”

She didn’t want to leave the Oasis Hotel.

The past few months here had been the happiest days of her life.

No matter what, she didn’t want to let go.