Apocalypse: I'm Bound to a Mobile Lottery Shop

Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Winnie Lowell

Lily Hart smiled with satisfaction and began to serve her customers.

The scratching process was agonizing, but the moment a prize was revealed, it was pure, unadulterated joy.

A steady stream of people came over to see what the commotion was about. Once they joined the fun, they couldn’t seem to leave, and when they finally did, their pockets were a few Crystal Cores lighter.

As noon approached, Chester Carter and his group finally arrived at Hope Base. They didn’t even have to look hard; the most bustling spot right outside the gate was obviously the place.

They hurried over and dutifully got in line at the very back.

Lily Hart had been busy all morning and was starting to get hungry. She was just about to close up for lunch when she spotted a familiar face.

"Chester Carter? You guys came too?" Lily Hart asked in surprise. For some reason, she felt a strange twinge of guilt.

Upon hearing the name, Frost Shaw, who had been intently focused on his scratch-off ticket, instantly snapped his head up. He looked toward the newcomers, an inexplicable sense of crisis rising within him.

Chester Carter and his group were panting and drenched in sweat, but the sight of the familiar RV and Lily Hart immediately put them at ease.

After taking a moment to catch his breath, Chester Carter couldn’t wait to say, "Boss, give me a few scratch-off tickets!"

Lily Hart laughed. ’I can’t believe my scratch-off tickets are so popular that they’d travel all this way just to play.’

"Of course, of course," she said, agreeing readily.

The small counter at the window couldn’t accommodate so many people, so Chester Carter and his group took their tickets and started scratching them awkwardly against the side of the RV.

Lily Hart felt a mix of pity and gratification watching them. She glanced at her points balance, then at her remaining daily spending limit.

She hadn’t managed to eat breakfast again today, so she still had a full thousand left. She started browsing the system’s mall while continuing to serve her customers.

To save time, she quickly ordered a few sets of second-hand tables and chairs. They were a real bargain.

Each set came with one table and four chairs, enough to seat four people. She bought five sets in total.

As soon as the order went through, Lily Hart immediately materialized the five sets of tables and chairs, placing them in front of the RV.

The tables and chairs were set up as matching sets, five in total, arranged perfectly in the shape of a five-pointed star.

Lily Hart didn’t have to move them herself. All it took was a few taps on the light screen—quick and easy.

Before anyone could even react, five sets of neatly arranged, clean tables and chairs appeared in front of them.

Lily Hart picked up her megaphone and announced, "Don’t just stand there, everyone. Go ahead and sit down to scratch."

Her words snapped everyone out of their daze. They had no time to ponder how the tables and chairs had materialized from nothing.

All they knew was that if they didn’t hurry, someone else would take all the spots!

Twenty spots wasn’t a ton, but they weren’t a few, either. The crowd in front of the window immediately thinned out.

And soon, all twenty of those seats were filled to capacity. To Lily Hart’s surprise, Frost Shaw remained as still as a mountain.

’Does this guy just like standing while he scratches or something?’

Lily Hart couldn’t be bothered to think about it. Besides, even if he wanted to sit now, there were no seats left.

As the time edged closer to noon, Lily Hart’s stomach started to GRUMBLE. Frost Shaw was still at the counter scratching his tickets, with only the thin countertop separating them.

"Go eat if you’re hungry." Frost Shaw didn’t look up, the words suddenly emerging from beneath the brim of his hat.

His voice was normal this time, not deliberately deepened, and it carried a certain youthful purity and immaturity.

Just from his voice, you could tell he wasn’t very old. In the apocalypse, however, that wasn’t an advantage; on the contrary, it could give others a reason to target you.

Lily Hart shook her head, placing her hands on her stomach and rubbing it comfortingly. "Now, now, little tummy, don’t be hungry just yet," she cooed. "I’ll take care of you as soon as I’m done with this rush."

Frost Shaw heard every word. The corners of his lips curved up into a slight smile, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

The rush continued until one in the afternoon, the time when the sun was at its fiercest. It was time for everyone to head back and get some rest.

It was generally hottest between one and three o’clock, which was also when the most people were inside the base. Everyone just wanted to sleep, not kill zombies.

Lily Hart also just wanted to sleep, not sell scratch-off tickets, even though she was in her climate-controlled RV and couldn’t feel the heat.

But, it was time to eat!

The people from Hope Base gradually began to head back, leaving only Chester Carter’s group of about ten people, who were still scratching away tirelessly.

They’d all had their fill of food, but they still wanted to keep scratching. It was addictive. Besides, they’d heard Frost Shaw had won a grand hot pot feast, and they were green with envy!

Lily Hart swept the remaining scratch-off tickets off the counter. "Alright, that’s the last one! No more scratching!" she announced sternly.

They could only agree, quickly finishing their tickets. Some wailed in despair while others beamed with joy. "I finally won a piece of fruit!"

After redeeming the prizes, Lily Hart was just about to pull down the service window’s shutter to enjoy a hearty meal when a dissonant voice cut in.

"Ahem! This young lady has arrived! All of you, move aside!" The tone was instantly grating—not just sharp and piercing, but also incredibly condescending.

It was a girl dressed in a little white dress and patent leather shoes, her hair flowing down her back. She had the appearance of a delicate, pitiable little fairy.

Four people followed behind her, their expressions grim. They wore identical uniforms, and on their shoulders were embroidered two words: Hope Base.

Lily Hart couldn’t help but laugh when she heard that. ’Seriously, who could possibly understand how hilarious it is to hear a video game character’s catchphrase spoken by a real person!’

’I have to say, the delivery was a good ninety percent accurate.’

That laugh was the fuse. The face of the self-proclaimed "young lady" instantly darkened. "What are you laughing at?!" she demanded.

The four bodyguards behind her repeated in unison, "What are you laughing at!" Their voices were so loud that Lily Hart physically recoiled.

’What a bunch of human megaphones.’

Lily Hart answered frankly, "At you."

The girl stared at her in disbelief, only now taking a moment to size her up. From the tips of her hair to her slender waist, she was impeccably clean.

There wasn’t a single trace of apocalyptic hardship on her; instead, she looked just like the people from the pre-apocalypse era that her father always talked about.

A pang of jealousy struck her. ’Why? How can she be so clean and neat, and look so healthy!’

Annoyed, the girl’s eyes darted around and landed on the RV. It was brand new, without a single speck of mud or dust.

Thinking of her father’s old, dilapidated RV that was constantly in need of major repairs, she began to seethe with anger.

’Even the Base Commander doesn’t have a brand-new RV. This woman is just a commoner, so where did she get it? What right does she have to own something like this!’

’And what has she even contributed to the base?’

The girl put her hands on her hips and ordered imperiously, "Give me your RV, and I’ll forgive you for your insolence."

Lily Hart’s eyes went wide. ’Did I hear that right? This person shows up out of nowhere and demands my RV, and she’s so shameless about it?’

She looked over at Frost Shaw, her eyes meeting his. He gave her a slight nod, confirming that she hadn’t misheard.

’Alright, then.’

Mimicking the girl, she put her hands on her hips. "And why should I give it to you? Who do you think you are!"

The girl didn’t even have to answer. As if the question had triggered a keyword, the four bodyguards declared in unison: "This is Miss Winnie Lowell, the one and only daughter of Hope Base’s Commander, Hunter Lowell!"

They put heavy emphasis on the words "Base Commander."

Lily Hart got the message. ’So, she’s the Base Commander’s only daughter. Sounds like she’s supposed to be a big deal.’

’But what’s that got to do with me? I’m just an ordinary citizen selling scratch-off tickets.’

She let out a very cool "Oh."