Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - chapter 86

Chapter 86

Before Gu Huaiwei could explain, Li Niang took a deep breath, summoned her courage, stood up, and looked firmly into Gu Huaiwei’s eyes. “Shopkeeper Gu, I want to stay here with my daughter.

No matter what kind of work it is, I will do my best.

I’ve been practicing new advertising slogans lately, and I’m even trying to write my own. I can perform them for you…”

Li Niang didn’t want to lose her job at Oasis Hotel. She told herself in her heart that she could do better; if she just tried a little harder, she could keep everything she had.

Gu Huaiwei quietly watched Li Niang, a trace of barely perceptible gentleness flickering in her eyes.

She saw the change in Li Niang, saw her transform from a silent, forbearing slave into someone who could bravely express her own opinions.

“Don’t rush,” Gu Huaiwei interrupted her with a smile. “Let me finish what I was saying first.”

She took two exquisite Oasis Hotel premium membership cards out of her pocket and gently placed them on the table.

Li Niang’s gaze fell on the expensive premium membership cards, her heart full of confusion.

Gu Huaiwei explained, “These are lifetime membership cards. After I leave, if you and Qian Xia want to stay, you absolutely can-but not as employees, as guests.

I’ll give you the account I registered on the Underground City forum. If you enjoy the sense of value that work brings, then keep managing that account for me and continue promoting Oasis Hotel.

I can’t pay you a monthly salary as I promised before, so this card will cover your promotional fees for the rest of your life.”

“You’re not trying to make us leave…” She stared blankly at Gu Huaiwei, realizing, “You’re the one who’s leaving.”

Gu Huaiwei nodded. “Yes, I have more important things to do. I can’t stay here.”

“What is it? Can I help?” Li Niang placed her hand over her chest, her tone a little anxious.

“You can’t help me.” Gu Huaiwei was touched by her sincerity and would always cherish the motherly care Li Niang had given her during this time.

“Can’t you stay?”

“I can’t.” Gu Huaiwei had already made her second choice and wouldn’t change it again. “After I leave, Oasis Hotel will switch to fully automated management. All operations will continue as usual, following the same procedures you’re familiar with. The only difference is that robots will handle the business instead of me.”

Li Niang continued to ask, “Will you come back?”

“I don’t know.” Gu Huaiwei’s jet-black hair fell naturally over her shoulders, a few strands casually framing her pale face. She shrugged. “Who can say what the future holds?”

“Can’t you not go?”

“You’ve already asked that.”

“Qian Xia and I will miss you.”

Gu Huaiwei leaned back into the soft sofa and smiled. “Me too. But the compulsory lesson in life is parting.”

This lesson, Gu Huaiwei herself had not mastered.

“I…” Li Niang was a little lost. She had always lived according to others’ arrangements and had never tried true freedom. She didn’t know if she could handle everything Gu Huaiwei was giving her, relying only on herself.

Gu Huaiwei was silent. After a moment, she spoke softly, “The shackles on your hands are easy to remove; the ones in your heart are hard. Li Niang, you don’t need a Master, and you don’t need a boss. You are independent, belonging to no one.”

Li Niang heard these words, and her heart surged with emotion.

It was as if something was breaking apart and then healing again.

Li Niang suddenly realized that the most precious thing Gu Huaiwei had given her was not the hotel membership card, but the courage to be independent.

“Can I braid your hair one more time?”

Gu Huaiwei nodded. “Of course.”

Li Niang’s nimble fingers braided Gu Huaiwei’s hair into two low buns.

She whispered, so softly only she could hear, “May the yellow sands of the Wasteland bless my girl on her journey and keep her safe.”
After arranging for Li Niang and Qian Xia, Gu Huaiwei went to find Bai Niao.

She also gave Bai Niao a premium membership card for the Oasis Hotel, and told him that the Lower District and Upper District had already turned against each other due to the Fresh Water supply being cut off.

If he wanted to stay at the Oasis Hotel, he could remain as a guest.

If he had time, he could help Li Niang and Qian Xia, promote the hotel, or help manage the Night Market activities.

If he didn’t want to, he could follow Karl back and forth between the Lower District and the hotel, doing arms business.

He could also go to the Black Tower Fortress, where the Mechanical Arm Girl would introduce him to the Fortress Lord.

Bai Niao accepted the membership card and the Indenture Contract without any attempt to stay.

“That day, I saw you take out a ticket for the Upper District.” Bai Niao suppressed his inner unease, trying to keep his tone calm. “Where are you going? The Black Spiral Research Institute?”

Gu Huaiwei’s gaze lightly swept over Bai Niao. “Good guess.”

“You must have figured out my origins by now, right?” Bai Niao raised his head, touching the sun cross mark on his cheek, dropping all pretenses. “Why haven’t you exposed me?”

Gu Huaiwei looked into his sapphire-like eyes, a faint smile on her lips. “If you want to talk, you’ll talk. If you don’t, even if I ask, you’ll just make up different lies for me.”

In fact, if Gu Huaiwei asked, Bai Niao would indeed lie and think about leaving. But she knew something was off about him and didn’t ask… She was just waiting for him to admit it himself, wasn’t she?

Damn, and he’d been pretending for so long like a fool.

How could someone have such a twisted sense of humor?

Bai Niao’s eyes dimmed. “It’s dangerous there. You told Li Niang you wouldn’t come back. Are you prepared to die?”

“You’re overthinking it.” Gu Huaiwei had absolutely no intention of seeking death.

After the hotel’s final upgrade, Gu Huaiwei would automatically leave the plane in ten days.

She planned to use this to escape if she encountered danger.

“You!” Bai Niao clenched and unclenched his fists inside his sleeves, again and again. “I know the layout of the Black Spiral Research Institute. I’ll draw it for you.”

“Great.” Gu Huaiwei smiled, but didn’t seem overly excited.

Actually, for Gu Huaiwei, the map was just for reference. She was easygoing on the surface, but rarely formed deep relationships.

Not to mention Bai Niao-even Lin She, an Assistant with a contract with the Oasis Hotel, wasn’t someone Gu Huaiwei would trust completely.

Bai Niao drew the internal map of the Black Spiral Research Institute and told Gu Huaiwei to be especially careful of the Person in White Coat inside.

“Hey, don’t die.” Bai Niao handed the map to Gu Huaiwei. She had done him a favor, and he didn’t want anything bad to happen to her.

Gu Huaiwei teased, “Why aren’t you calling me Sister Gu anymore?”

“…” Bai Niao remembered how he’d imitated Qian Xia, pretending to be an ignorant kid, and his ears turned red with a strange sense of embarrassment.

“Thanks for the map and intel.”

“Just repaying your favor.” Bai Niao watched Gu Huaiwei’s departing figure, muttering under his breath, “Seriously, if you really want to thank me, come back safe and keep running the Oasis Hotel. Just leaving like this, what’s that supposed to mean…”

Gu Huaiwei returned to the Employee Break Room and sorted through the supplies in her Jade Bracelet.

She put the two Post-Apocalyptic Armored Vehicles she’d gotten from Lu Ziyi into the bracelet’s space.

Karl didn’t have a ticket for the Upper District, so he would bring some people as bodyguards, accompanying Gu Huaiwei to Falling Star Port to ensure her safety for the first part of the journey.

The Mechanical Arm Girl would escort Gu Huaiwei to the outskirts of the Black Spiral Research Institute Headquarters. She requested to go in with Gu Huaiwei, but was gently refused.

Only Gu Huaiwei and the Assistant arranged by the boss could leave the plane.

Gu Huaiwei couldn’t let the Mechanical Arm Girl take the risk.

Next, she had to decide which Assistant to bring along.

Should she take Lin She? Or He Xueyi?