Apocalypse: I'm Bound to a Mobile Lottery Shop

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: You Have to Be Careful

Many people who followed Lily Hart were still pleading, ’Come to our base! We’re waiting online! Please, hurry, we really want to try the scratch-off tickets!’

Comments like these flooded the section below. Lily Hart watched with a smile playing on her lips. ’There’s still some kindness in the world, huh? So many bases... if I stayed at each one for five days, how long would that even take?’

’The online supermarket was a big hit at Central Command, and I promoted it at all the bases I’ve stayed at. I wonder if word has spread to the others.’

Then she recalled last night’s zombie horde. ’If I hadn’t noticed something was off and followed them, we would have been completely swamped by zombies. Besides, the hotel, convenience store, and bathhouse aren’t protected by the RV.’

’That won’t do. There are still so many customers staying there.’

’The twenty-meter radius around the RV is a safe zone, but it only protects the RV itself and nothing else.’

She figured, ’Since the store sells Protective Clothing, it must sell Protective Shields too. I’ll buy a huge one to cover everything and everyone. That’ll solve the problem for good!’

She scrolled through the mall, searching high and low. Finally, she found a Protective Shield with the right price and features. It cost only 50,000 points, its size was adjustable, and it could withstand any attack.

Of course, it needed Crystal Cores to be charged—feeding it twenty First-rank Crystal Cores per day would be enough.

After placing the order, Lily Hart went outside the convenience store, her heart pounding with excitement. She found a hidden corner near the entrance and stuck the Protective Shield device on the wall.

*BEEP.* A soft chime sounded. Installation complete.

A faint glow radiated from the button, instantly enveloping the entire convenience store. To the naked eye, it was almost invisible; everything looked the same as before.

However, Lily Hart could check the Protective Shield’s status on her Light Brain, where she could also feed it Crystal Cores to charge it.

The convenience store’s Protective Shield was now active.

After installing the Protective Shield for the convenience store, Lily Hart happily trotted over to the bathhouse, just in time to see Owen Warren coming out.

Seeing her acting all sneaky, The Zombie King couldn’t help but ask, "What are you up to?"

Lily Hart found a spot to install the Protective Shield and replied dismissively, "Nothing."

With that, she walked right past him and headed for the hotel. The Zombie King watched her go, then glanced at the spot she had just been fiddling with.

There was nothing there—just the same smooth porcelain tile. A confused look crossed his face before he shook his head and walked away.

Lily Hart finished installing all three Protective Shields and returned to the RV, completely satisfied.

The next day, Lily Hart was nudged awake early by her pet deer, Lily, who was clamoring for food.

She blinked her groggy eyes open and took a look. ’Holy cow. It polished off five days’ worth of cat food in a single day. Not only has it gotten bigger, but its appetite has grown substantially too.’

Resigned to her fate, she ordered tons and tons of cat food from the mall and piled it all in a corner for the deer to help itself.

Then she changed her clothes, went downstairs, and opened for business!

After just one day away, the residents of Spring-Watch Base were missing the shop desperately. Having been deprived of scratch-off tickets for a whole day, they were particularly excited this morning.

They had all woken up bright and early and rushed over for the scratch-off tickets. They had also gone back and done some research on their Light Brains.

’So Boss Hart has such a good reputation...’ ’So the scratch-off tickets are this much fun...’

They didn’t dare to cause any more trouble, terrified that if Boss Hart got upset, she would leave Spring-Watch Base and they’d never get to play scratch-off tickets again...

As a result, every single one of them was all smiles. It was so unsettling it made Lily Hart’s skin crawl.

’Yesterday—no, the day before—they were glaring daggers at me, their resentment palpable. How is it that today it feels like I’m in a completely different base?’

Before she could dwell on it, someone urged, "Boss Hart, bring out the tickets! We can’t wait!"

"Alrighty!" Lily Hart replied, setting the scratch-off tickets on the counter for everyone to pick from.

Diana Sharp and Tina Jacobs also hurried over to "work." They had a clear division of labor: one handled the lotto machine, and the other sold the scratch-off tickets.

With nothing else to do, Lily Hart sat on a high stool and watched everyone play. A harmonious Spring-Watch Base was a rare sight indeed.

"Boss Hart~ Oh, Boss Hart!" someone called softly from the crowd.

"Hm?" Lily Hart leaned closer, looking the person up and down. She didn’t recognize the woman’s face.

The person before her was a young woman with a cute face. She was wearing a light and breezy V-neck top with a wide, plunging neckline made of a sheer material, paired with denim shorts.

It was a cool-looking outfit for the sweltering summer, but the stares from the surrounding men weren’t exactly friendly.

"Boss Hart, you need to be careful," the woman whispered. "The Base Commander’s nephew got into trouble here. The commander will definitely come looking for you to settle the score."

The woman relayed this information in a low voice while pretending to play a scratch-off ticket.

Lily Hart was taken aback, and a warmth spread through her chest. ’A complete stranger is worried about my safety.’

’Girls really are the most adorable creatures in the world!’

’Not like those gross men who just know how to size up and scrutinize women with their disgusting stares.’

"I’ll keep that in mind," Lily Hart replied with a small smile, pulling a handful of White Rabbit milk candies from her pocket.

Avoiding the gazes of others, she discreetly pressed them into the young woman’s hand. This was also to protect her from being targeted.

The young woman’s eyes lit up. She looked at Lily Hart, her cheeks flushing, and whispered, "Th-thank you, Boss Hart."

"Oh, right," she added in a rush. "The Base Commander left the base a few days ago and is expected back today or tomorrow. He’s extremely petty, overly protective of his own people, and very powerful. You really have to be careful, Boss Hart."

She was worried that this radiant, poised boss with the brilliant smile would meet a violent end.

"I’m not afraid of him," Lily Hart said nonchalantly, a trace of disdain in her eyes. She didn’t even take Central Command seriously, let alone this guy.

An expression of pure adoration crossed the young woman’s face. She gazed up at Lily Hart, her eyes sparkling. ’What a cool and confident woman! I love her!’

She looked down and realized she’d finished her scratch-off ticket while they were talking. Her eyes widened, and she let out a gasp. "A pri—"

She glanced around warily. Curious gazes shot toward her from all directions. The young woman immediately changed her tune, exclaiming angrily, "Where’s the prize?! I don’t see anything!"

Pfft.

The others retracted their gazes and went back to their own tickets.

’It’s fine if I don’t win, as long as nobody else wins either.’

The young woman excitedly poked at the ticket with her finger and whispered, "Boss... Boss Hart, is this a prize?"

Lily Hart glanced at it and nodded. "Yep. Congratulations. Do you want to redeem it now?"

Hearing this, the young woman grew even more excited. This was only her second time playing, but her first time winning.

She shook her head cautiously. "Not right now. Can I leave the ticket here for safekeeping?"

’I know exactly what these animals in the base are like,’ she thought. ’I absolutely can’t let them know I won something.’

Lily Hart understood completely. She nodded. "Sure. I’ll hold it for you until you’re ready to redeem it."

"Thank you, Boss Hart!" the young woman whispered, then stomped off, muttering curses under her breath.

A few people shot her suspicious and curious looks. ’What was she talking to Boss Hart about for so long?’

But their attention was fleeting, and they quickly returned to their own tickets. Lily Hart scanned the crowd. ’How come no one’s hit a grand prize yet? I want some excitement.’

"Hey, look! What is this?" a man asked, holding up a grimy, dark-colored component.