Apocalypse: I'm Bound to a Mobile Lottery Shop

Chapter 167: Chapter 167: The Upgraded Bathhouse

The Zombie King lazily pointed in a few directions as he explained, "The massage area, the soaking pools, the body scrub area, and the entertainment area."

It really was fully equipped. Each area was massive; as far as Lily Hart could see, the second floor seemed to stretch on endlessly.

Roman Rowe was excited. "Look at all these different sections! Come on, come on, let’s go check them out one by one!"

Led by the Zombie King, the group of four moved forward. The entertainment area was right at the top of the stairs to the second floor. A row of refrigerators lined one wall, filled with all sorts of drinks and ice cream.

A few meters from the refrigerators was a long table laid out with a buffet. Washed fruit, arranged on small plates, took up half of it.

The other half was covered in all kinds of snacks: boneless chicken feet, braised chicken frames, fried chicken, fried noodles and rice noodles, various stir-fries and braised dishes, and more, all served on small plates.

It all looked clean and hygienic.

In front of the long table were sofas, tables, and chairs where customers could sit back and relax.

Deeper inside, there was even a small movie theater, a mahjong room, a KTV lounge, and a video arcade...

Roman Rowe stared, dumbfounded, at the massive entertainment area. He clutched a handful of swiped Holy Daughter Fruits, stuffing them into his mouth as he tried to process the sheer shock of it all.

"There’s so much to do! How many points would it cost to stay here all day?" Roman Rowe asked.

The prices needed to be revised after the upgrade, but the Zombie King hadn’t considered that yet, so he simply shook his head.

Lily Hart raised her hand. "I suggest offering half-day and full-day passes. The kind that gives you unlimited access to everything for a set period."

"That makes sense," the Zombie King said, mentally adopting her suggestion. He’d mull over the pricing details later.

Across from the entertainment area was the massage section. Pushing the door open revealed a spacious hall with a dozen or so doors along the side, each leading to a small, partitioned room.

Inside each small room were five to ten massage beds. A variety of services were available, including ear cleaning, shoulder and neck massages, hydrotherapy, and more...

Roman Rowe grew curious. "Hey, who’s going to be giving the massages?"

The Zombie King fell silent. He hadn’t figured that part out yet. He did, however, recall seeing a page for masseurs in the "Bathhouse" software.

’I’ll figure it out in detail when I have a moment.’ The thought alone made the Zombie King’s head ache. There were so many little things to deal with. Thankfully, the software was fairly intelligent.

Exiting the massage area led to the soaking pools. There were dozens of small hot spring-style tubs, and the entire area was designed with a quaint, traditional aesthetic. Next to it was the body scrub area, perfectly positioned for a scrub right after a soak.

As Lily Hart continued her tour, she noted that everything looked quite professional. All the hardware was in place; they just needed employees for the body scrubs and massages.

She shooed Frost Shaw and Roman Rowe off. "You two go and try things out. See how everything is, and let me know if anything needs to be changed."

Frost Shaw looked at Lily Hart, who wasn’t moving, and didn’t want to leave either, but Roman Rowe forcibly dragged him away.

Lily Hart found a place to sit and waved the Zombie King over. "Come on, let’s talk about how we’re going to set this up." ’After all, I’m taking an eighty-percent cut. I should at least put in some effort.’

If these shops failed, it would be her reputation—Lily Hart’s reputation—on the line.

The Zombie King obediently walked over, head lowered and expression docile, looking very much like a subordinate being ordered around by his boss. He plopped down on the seat beside her.

"Open your Light Brain," Lily Hart commanded.

He did as she said. A moment later, a fair hand entered his field of vision and tapped the Light Brain’s screen a few times.

She opened the bathhouse software and tapped on the employee page. It was completely empty, save for a single entry: Robot Employee 01.

At the very bottom was a "Recruit Employees" button. Lily Hart tapped it, revealing a wide variety of choices.

There were options like "Skilled Workers (50+ years old, Auntie/Uncle type)," "Inexperienced Workers (20-year-old pretty boys)," and even "Robots."

Lily Hart grew curious and couldn’t help but ask the system in her mind, ’Where are these employees being transferred from?’

The system replied coldly, "Don’t ask. Just be glad you have them."

’You cold, heartless, rotten system!’ Lily Hart cursed it over and over in her mind.

"Right back at you!" the system shot back.

The Zombie King looked down at the zoned-out Lily Hart and nudged her with his shoulder. "Huh? Huh?"

She snapped out of it and immediately said, "Let’s pick these," pointing to the "Skilled Workers (50+ years old, Auntie/Uncle type)" option.

She’d had the good fortune of getting a massage from an "auntie" back in the 21st century. Their technique was excellent, the pressure was always just right, and they would even make small talk with you.

"Alright." The Zombie King didn’t really understand this stuff, but seeing how sure and confident she was, he unhesitatingly recruited ten "uncles" and ten "aunties."

The terms were a salary of 7,000 points a month for an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. shift, with four days off per month. They would also receive a 20-point bonus for every service completed, and food and housing were included.

A prompt from the system explained that these were real people who could return to their home planets during their days off, and the points were a universal currency.

The next second, twenty middle-aged men and women appeared before them. They were of average height and appearance.

Dressed in simple clothes, they looked like seasoned professionals. Lily Hart smiled at them.

They immediately responded with enthusiasm, gathering around the pair. "You must be the boss! It’s great to meet you, boss!"

A chorus of "Hello, boss!" erupted from the group, and Lily Hart’s smile grew wider.

"That’s right. Now that you’re here, just work hard, and I guarantee you’ll be treated well. This is Manager Warren. Go ahead and get acquainted." Lily Hart took a step back, pushing Owen Warren forward.

Owen Warren disliked crowds, and his brow furrowed slightly. But on second thought, he realized they were his own employees, which made him feel a little better.

He cleared his throat and said, "Those who do body scrubs, stand to the right. Those who do massages, stand to the left. It’ll be easier to assign your duties that way."

None of the twenty men and women moved. They spoke in unison, "We know how to do everything! Ear cleaning, guasha, cupping—you name it, we can do it!"

The Zombie King was shocked. ’They really are skilled workers... skilled at *everything*.’ They were practically all-rounders.

He immediately used the Light Brain to hire another twenty skilled "aunties and uncles." A total of forty employees should be enough.

Forty people was no small number. Lined up before him, they were an impressive sight. Their gazes were resolute, their builds sturdy.

The Zombie King distributed work badges to them, numbered 001 to 040. They would use the badges to clock in and out, and their performance would be tracked automatically.

He then led the forty new employees on a tour to familiarize them with the second floor. Having worked in this industry for at least twenty years each, they felt a comforting familiarity upon seeing the equipment.

After completing the tour, the Zombie King said, "For now, we need staff in the body scrub and massage areas. Please divide the labor among yourselves."

"I will also be setting up a separate dormitory area for employees. As I said, room and board are included. I promise you won’t be short-changed."

A chorus of assent followed. They only knew they had come here for a job, completely unaware that "here" was the post-apocalyptic world.

Lily Hart sat a short distance behind him, eating fruit with her legs crossed. She watched the Zombie King with a sense of satisfaction. ’Not bad,’ she thought. ’He’s really grown.’

Meanwhile, Frost Shaw and Roman Rowe had tried out everything in the entertainment area and found it to be flawless.

The movie theater had an endless library of films, and the KTV was the same, boasting tens of thousands of songs—enough to keep someone singing for three days and three nights straight.

The Zombie King decided he would officially open the second floor the next day. There were still many details that hadn’t been finalized.

He started by creating the employee dormitory. A new door simply appeared next to the entertainment area, creating a new space without taking up any of the second floor’s existing area.