Apocalypse: I'm Bound to a Mobile Lottery Shop

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Easton and Diana Sharp

Frost Shaw lifted the lid, and a fragrant aroma wafted out. Easton didn’t recognize any of the food inside, but he could tell just by looking that it was delicious.

"Go on, get the bowls," Frost Shaw said with a wave of his hand. He couldn’t help but smile as he watched their retreating figures bouncing with excitement. ’If only it could always be like this,’ he thought.

Each of the children had their own dedicated bowl and chopsticks. Though they were all a bit chipped and worn, they were still usable.

Frost Shaw took the chopsticks he’d scored from Boss Hart and started portioning out the food for the children, doing his best to make the shares even.

Even when their bowls were filled to the brim, there was still plenty left in the takeout containers. But the children weren’t greedy; they were more than content.

Carrying their bowls, they went outside. As the light grew brighter, they all sat in a row under the eaves, eating with cheerful delight.

The little girl who had been bickering with Easton earlier was named Diana Sharp. She was the only one who remembered her original name.

So Frost Shaw hadn’t given her a new one. As for Easton, that little tiger, he couldn’t remember his own name. When Frost found him, the sun was just rising.

And so he was named: Easton.

The sun rises in the east. He hoped the boy could be his own sun, and even more, a sun that could light the way for others.

Frost Shaw stood up, took off his black cloak, and tossed it casually onto the table. Underneath, he wore a black short-sleeved shirt and sweatpants—as always, everything was black...

He sat down in a row with the children, but even seated, he was much taller than them. He counted them by pointing his chin: one, two, three, four, five. Exactly five.

Three boys and two girls. He had found them all during his trips outside. Whenever he asked, the story was the same: their parents were dead, and they had no other relatives.

During the day, he would go out to kill zombies. He’d take the Crystal Cores he collected to an official base to exchange for supplies, but the amount was pitifully small—not nearly enough to feed everyone.

That was why they were all so thin and bony.

But two days ago, while passing by Rebirth Base, he discovered the lottery shop. He happened to have some Crystal Cores on him that he’d just gotten from killing zombies, which he’d been about to exchange for supplies...

For some reason, the moment he touched one of the scratch-off cards, a faint voice echoed in his mind, "Tonic... a tonic..."

He jumped in surprise, but his face remained a mask of calm out of habit. When he touched the next card, a cheerful voice rang out instead, "Come on, let’s have some fun..."

Frost Shaw was puzzled. He touched a few more cards, and each one produced a different voice in his head. He followed his instincts and chose three of them. Sure enough, all of them revealed food prizes.

His first thought was, ’Easton and Diana can finally eat their fill...’ After that, he couldn’t stop...

After all, he had the strength, and there was no end to the zombies. So, he started killing zombies at night and playing the scratch-offs during the day. He could eat his fill and keep himself busy. Life was actually quite full and happy.

These jumbled thoughts flashed through Frost Shaw’s mind. The sound of Easton slurping and licking his bowl clean reached his ears, and he turned his head to look.

The little ones were all very obedient, not wasting a single scrap. They licked their bowls so clean there wasn’t even a crumb left, which saved water for washing dishes.

Frost Shaw watched them with a deep sense of gratification. He himself was still a minor, yet here in this courtyard, he had taken on the role of an adult.

He patted each of them on the head, then put on his black cloak, preparing to go out and kill zombies. He wanted to kill a few more before Boss Hart woke up.

Diana Sharp suddenly hugged his leg, looking up at him. "Brother Frost, take me with you! I want to go kill zombies too!"

Hearing this, Easton immediately latched onto his other leg, shouting, "I want to go too! I want to kill zombies, get Crystal Cores, and provide for my little brothers and sisters!"

Diana Sharp pushed his head, retorting, not to be outdone, "I’m the oldest! I’m the big sister!"

The two little ones started arguing at the drop of a hat. Frost Shaw gave a helpless smile, pulled them apart, and said sternly, "You’re too little. A zombie would eat you in one bite. Stay home, and don’t leave the courtyard, you hear me?"

They were, after all, ten years into the apocalypse, so they had developed some methods for dealing with zombies. In the sixth year, Central Command had developed a powder that emitted a smell zombies found extremely repulsive.

As long as it was sprinkled on the ground, zombies wouldn’t approach. After many years of relentless research, a new potion was released that was even more effective than the powder.

Therefore, Frost Shaw had spent a lot of Crystal Cores to buy this potion, called "Zombies Go Away," and sprinkled it around their small courtyard to prevent surprise zombie attacks.

Zombies have thermal senses. If too many humans gather in one place, they will move toward that direction, and if not stopped, it can easily turn into a zombie horde.

Nowadays, all the major bases used this potion, giving humanity a chance to breathe.

Diana Sharp’s lip jutted out. She let go of Frost Shaw’s leg and said reluctantly, "Fine. But when I grow up, can I go out and kill zombies then?"

The other children all turned to look at him with expectant eyes.

Frost Shaw could only nod. He never planned to keep them cooped up in this little courtyard forever. Sooner or later, they would have to fly, but they were still too young...

He left the small courtyard and headed for Hope Base, killing zombies along the way. They were all Level 1 Zombies, so killing them was effortless.

If one came, he killed one. If a group came, he killed a group.

He arrived at the entrance of Hope Base just as it turned five o’clock.

Inside the RV, Lily Hart yawned as she got up. After that Winnie Lowell woman had come looking for trouble, it was almost one o’clock. Then, after having some "McMc" with Frost Shaw, it was nearly two-thirty.

After a short nap, time had slipped away as if it were free.

She pulled back the partition and was relieved to see no one was waiting in line. ’It’s not right to keep people waiting...’

"Boss Hart." Chester Carter’s head popped up from below, and he quickly stood up and called out.

Lily Hart jumped in fright and took a step back. "I thought no one was here! Why didn’t you make a sound?"

Chester Carter scratched his head and gave a simple-minded laugh. "I just got back from killing zombies. I was a little tired, so I was just leaning against the RV to rest for a bit."

"Come, come, want some scratch-off cards?" Lily Hart felt a little guilty. ’Once I fall asleep, I could sleep forever.’ She quickly changed the subject.

Hearing this, Chester Carter looked rather dejected. "I didn’t run into many zombies today. Usually, there are tons of them out there. I’ll just take two... no, make it three!"

Then, he looked down and fiddled with the Light Brain on his wrist, as if he were typing something. After sending it, he began to choose his scratch-off cards.

Lily Hart looked at the Light Brain and remembered that she had one too, but hers was integrated with the system. Whenever she wanted to see it, she just had to focus her thoughts, and it would appear anywhere she wanted.

After Chester Carter finished sending his message, he remembered something. "Boss Hart, do you have a Light Brain? Let’s add each other. That way, you can let me know in advance if you’re going somewhere else."

Lily Hart nodded, pulled up her own Light Brain, navigated to the contacts page, and opened her QR code, intending for Chester Carter to scan it. ’Ah, this is just like WeChat in the 21st century...’

*BEEP...* The sound of a successful scan.

But Chester Carter hadn’t even opened his Light Brain yet. He glanced sideways in confusion and saw that, at some point, Frost Shaw had appeared beside him, intently operating his own Light Brain.

His heart skipped a beat. He quickly scanned Boss Hart’s QR code, sent the request, and then lowered his head to focus on his scratch-off cards.