Apocalypse: I'm Bound to a Mobile Lottery Shop

Chapter 143: Chapter 143: An After-Dinner Walk

Douglas Donovan arrived panting, leaning on the tabletop to peer inside. When he saw how comfortable Boss Hart was, he breathed a sigh of relief for some reason.

It wasn’t out of envy, jealousy, or hate. Rather, he hoped every survivor could one day live a life as comfortable as Boss Hart’s.

Lily Hart, lounging in her chair without moving a muscle, gave him a lazy glance. "What’s up? Need something?"

Douglas Donovan hesitated, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking, "Boss Hart, are you leaving? When? Do you need us to throw a farewell party?"

A series of questions, but the image that flashed through Lily Hart’s mind was the bizarre, awkward, and utterly cringeworthy "welcoming ceremony" from when she first arrived at Fortune Base...

She shook her head repeatedly. "No, no, that’s not necessary. I’ll just slip away quietly. Probably the day after tomorrow."

Douglas Donovan was disappointed. He was someone who valued a sense of ceremony. ’Things should have a proper beginning and end. We had a welcoming ceremony, so we have to have a farewell party, right?’

His eyes darted as an idea struck him. Feigning disappointment, he said, "Alright then. I wish you a safe journey."

But Lily Hart couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. ’This Base Commander is full of tricks. Would he really let me go so easily? Ah, whatever. It’ll just be another cringefest. I can live with that.’

"Okay, thanks," Lily Hart replied perfunctorily. She placed an order for four hundred booklets of scratch-off tickets from the Shop and instructed Diana Sharp, Tina Jacobs, and Frederick Shaw to fill up the machines.

Douglas Donovan followed them to watch the excitement. He saw Diana Sharp open the back of the machine with practiced ease, while Tina Jacobs and Frederick Shaw unwrapped the scratch-off ticket booklets one by one and placed them inside.

One machine could hold a maximum of eighty booklets. There were three different price points for the tickets. Lily Hart dedicated one machine to each price point, and then stocked the remaining two machines with an even mix of all three.

The three of them worked together quickly. Soon, all five machines were filled and successfully activated.

But the residents, with a tacit understanding, didn’t buy from the machines. Instead, they swarmed the RV as usual.

They didn’t know if the machines would be restocked after selling out, or how quickly it would happen. To be on the safe side, as long as the RV was still around, they decided not to deplete the machines’ inventory.

Everyone just grabbed a quick bite for lunch. It wasn’t until evening, after the various shops had closed for the day, that they had time to gather.

Frost Shaw, Roman Rowe, and Leo Colby all headed for the RV out of habit, knowing there would be good food.

The Zombie King, Owen Warren, however, just turned off his water and power, locked his door, and began walking alone toward the industrial district. Lily Hart happened to see this and hesitated. ’Should I have him meet everyone?’

On second thought, she decided against it. ’He’s a zombie, after all. They probably wouldn’t get along.’

Everyone took their seats, now joined by the newcomer, Frederick Shaw. As a zombie, Zom naturally returned to the industrial district to live. Lily felt that even if you gave the Zombie King a hundred times the nerve, he wouldn’t dare mess with Zom again!

"Come on, come on! Welcome, Fred!" Roman Rowe, the life of the party, cheerfully raised his soda and nudged Frost Shaw’s elbow, hollering.

Frost Shaw reluctantly raised his drink and clinked glasses with him. Those farther away simply raised their glasses to each other in a toast. Frederick Shaw sat at the edge, holding his glass and watching the bubbles rise and fall, an exceptional warmth spreading through his heart.

’I never thought I’d meet a group of... good people like this.’

"Come on, everyone, dig in," Lily Hart called out. She picked up a tender piece of chicken, dipped it lightly in the sauce, and then started gobbling it down.

They were having coconut chicken hot pot tonight. Since there were so many people, Lily Hart had bought seven prepared chickens and plenty of side dishes. The meat was tender and smooth, and the broth was savory and sweet.

After being cooked in the broth, the coconut meat was also crisp and sweet to chew on. It was simply too delicious for words.

Frederick Shaw was still a bit reserved. He didn’t dare to take too much food, afraid that if he ate too much, they wouldn’t let him stay here anymore. He observed everyone cautiously.

He noticed the younger ones were all eating a lot without a care in the world. Easton, worried he might be shy, thoughtfully put some meat into his bowl.

As Frederick Shaw accepted their kindness, he quietly said his thanks, all the while marveling to himself, ’This meat is so delicious... and the broth is amazing...’

Three hot pots, a dozen or so coconuts, seven chickens, and a table full of side dishes were all eaten clean. Not a single drop of broth was wasted.

Lily Hart leaned back and let out a comfortable sigh. Still holding a strip of coconut meat, she chewed on it, finding it more fragrant with every bite. "Delicious."

She chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "I’m planning to head to Spring-Watch Base the day after tomorrow, or the day after that." She then went back to chewing.

Frost Shaw didn’t mind either way; he’d just follow Lily Hart wherever she went. Leo Colby, however, would need to adjust his guests’ accommodation information, so he had to plan ahead.

"Alright," Leo Colby agreed.

Roman Rowe had his usual carefree expression; wherever everyone else went, he would go. As long as he got to eat, he was happy.

Having made her announcement, Lily Hart chewed on a few more strips of coconut meat before placing a hand on her hip and slowly getting up. She was clearly stuffed.

"Alright, if there’s nothing else, everyone can head home," Lily Hart said as she stepped out of the RV, planning to take a walk nearby to aid her digestion.

Everyone consciously took their trash and put the stools back in their place. Lily Hart began a slow walk, circling the four buildings.

’A small commercial area has gradually taken shape here: a convenience store, a hotel, a bathhouse, and a lottery shop.’

For both aesthetics and convenience, she had laid a small road connecting the buildings, even installing streetlights along the sides.

’Now who’s going to be afraid of walking at night?’

As she was mulling things over, a shadow suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision, stretched long and thin by a streetlight.

Lily Hart whipped her head around and met Stan Sterling’s somewhat flustered gaze. He was wearing black pajamas with a V-neck collar.

It offered a tantalizing glimpse of the smooth lines of his powerful and firm chest muscles.

’Oho?’

Lily Hart glanced over. ’What a scheming boy. I didn’t get a good look, so I’d better glance again.’

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Stan Sterling stood with his hands behind his back, intentionally positioning himself in a backlit spot.

This way, when Lily Hart looked up at him, every strand of his hair seemed to glow. The warm, yellow light of the streetlamp filtered through the space around his body and sprinkled down on her.

Lily Hart snapped back to her senses and asked, "What are you doing out here so late instead of sleeping?"

The relationship between the two of them was rather curious now. The other day, Stan Sterling had given Lily Hart ointment and rubbed her ankle.

Afterward, Lily Hart had treated Stan Sterling to a deluxe bowl of soup noodles. Who knew if, in their minds, that made them even.

Part of Lily Hart suspected he was a spy sent by her enemies, but another part of her felt that no spy would be that kind.

All in all, the atmosphere was a little strange. Both had their own secret thoughts, their own hidden agendas.

Stan Sterling glanced around, looking everywhere but at her, and said with perfect nonchalance, "Just taking a walk."

"Together, then?" Lily Hart invited, looking up at him. The streetlamp was positioned right behind his head.

Every strand of his hair was bathed in a golden glow, and with his gentle smile, he looked very much like a radiant angel.

Stan Sterling smiled and nodded. As they began to walk side-by-side, Lily Hart asked casually, "We’re heading to Spring-Watch Base in a few days. What are your plans?"

"Following you... is fine," Stan Sterling blurted out, then seemed to realize how that sounded. The last two words came out as a whisper, as if he were afraid of causing offense.