Apocalypse: I'm Bound to a Mobile Lottery Shop

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Little Brat Frost Shaw

Hunter Lowell stopped in his tracks. He took a few deep breaths before gritting out, "Keep the change."

Lily Hart had just arrived when she saw Hunter Lowell storming out, his face livid.

She even raised a hand to greet him. "Base Commander, leaving so soon? Not going to look around a bit more?"

When she got no response, Lily Hart found it odd. ’What a two-faced guy.’

During the zombie horde that night, he had been a good Base Commander—responsible, dependable, and with decent management skills.

But the more she interacted with him, the more she felt he was a petty person. She silently judged him. ’The fish rots from the head down!’

"Tch." She scoffed quietly and disdainfully. Hunter Lowell heard it loud and clear and nearly stumbled and fell flat on his face.

She paid him no mind and walked into the convenience store, raising an eyebrow at Frost Shaw. "What was that about?"

Frost Shaw tossed the Yellow Crystal Core in his hand, looking full of youthful vigor. "Made a profit."

Lily Hart smiled too, walked over to his side, and whispered, "Good. Don’t let that old bastard get the better of you."

"Pfft..." Frost Shaw stifled a laugh, nodding in agreement. He then turned to the other customers. "Please, continue."

The two walked out side by side. Lily Hart wasn’t short; at around five-foot-seven, she was a bit taller than Frost Shaw’s shoulder.

Walking next to this Great Hero Shaw, her presence wasn’t the least bit weaker; in fact, she seemed to overshadow him.

Several customers greeted Lily Hart. "Boss Hart, have you eaten yet? What delicious thing are you having today?"

Lily Hart smiled and replied. Speaking of eating, she remembered she hadn’t eaten yet herself.

She immediately dragged Frost Shaw off to grab some food. They arrived at the RV’s service window, where Lily Hart propped her elbows on the counter and said generously, "What do you want to eat? Your big sister’s treating."

For some reason, hearing her call herself "big sister" made Frost Shaw feel a little displeased.

He asked directly, "Boss Hart, how old are you?"

Lily Hart blurted out, "Twenty-three. And you? Are you even an adult?"

From their first meeting, Lily Hart had thought Frost Shaw wasn’t very old. The more time she spent with him, the more childish he seemed, like a little kid.

Frost Shaw fell silent, which was an answer in itself.

Lily Hart roared with laughter. "I knew it! Just a kiddo. So, tell me, what do you want to eat?"

"...Barbecue." Frost Shaw murmured a single word, recalling how he’d smelled it outside her window that day but never got to eat any.

"Alright." Considering Frost Shaw was still a growing boy, Lily Hart ordered a barbecue combo for three.

When it was brought out, the table was more than twice the size of the one for Lily Hart’s solo meal last time, and it was piled high with fresh, washed, and pre-cut ingredients.

It barely fit inside the RV; the sides were already touching the vehicle’s interior walls.

This wasn’t Frost Shaw’s first time in the RV. He sat obediently in his chair, secretly looking around.

There was a new white cat in the corner—a very proud-looking one—and a lot of new pet supplies. ’Does Boss Hart really like cats?’

The bed still had the same sheets and duvet cover, a pale orange plaid pattern that looked very fresh.

When Lily Hart came out of the bathroom, she saw Frost Shaw staring at the bed in the back of the RV. "Tired?"

Frost Shaw shook his head and pulled his gaze away, using the tongs to portion out the already-cooked meat for Lily Hart and himself.

She sat across from Frost Shaw, looking at the meat piled high in her bowl with a gratified smile.

"This is cumin powder, barbecue sauce... you can use them as dips for the meat. It tastes even better that way, you know~" Lily Hart’s last sentence was slightly teasing.

As if remembering a funny scene, Lily Hart clapped her hands and threw her head back with a laugh. The ponytail at the back of her head swayed with her movements, looking very lively.

Frost Shaw watched her and silently pouted. ’Don’t ask why I’m not laughing. I’m the one being laughed at.’

Lily Hart laughed to herself for a moment. After she calmed down, she caught a glimpse of the corner of Frost Shaw’s mouth turning up. "If you want to laugh, just laugh. Why hold it in?"

Frost Shaw paused for a second, then finally broke into a smile. A strange warmth filled his heart. ’Here... it feels like I can be myself?’

"Hurry up and eat!" Lily Hart handed him a bottle of coke, saying it casually as she took a bite of pure meat, the kind not wrapped in lettuce.

After swallowing, Lily Hart took a swig of her drink and exclaimed, "So good!"

Frost Shaw copied her, taking big bites of meat and big gulps of his drink. It really was good.

He truly had a huge appetite. Frost Shaw polished off more than half of it himself. Just watching him eat was enough to improve one’s own appetite.

Lily Hart was the type whose eyes were bigger than her stomach. She wanted to try a bite of everything but couldn’t eat that much.

By the end, there were still some vegetables and meat left. Not wanting to waste it, Frost Shaw cooked the rest and packed it up to go.

Lily Hart picked her teeth while watching him pack. "Got a dog at home?"

Frost Shaw replied without batting an eye, "Raising a few kids."

"You’re still a kid yourself, and you’re already raising kids. That’s really something, Great Hero Shaw," Lily Hart praised sincerely.

Surviving in the apocalypse was hard enough. It was all too common for people to sell, eat, or abandon children in exchange for supplies.

As a Seventh-rank Superpower User, he could have lived very well, supported by the base and only occasionally going on missions.

But perhaps out of a desire for freedom and a sense of kindness, he couldn’t bear to see children wandering alone, so he took them in to raise himself.

Lily Hart said nonchalantly, "Bring them over tomorrow. They can help out at the convenience store. I’ll pay them a salary."

Frost Shaw’s eyes lit up. He quickly and quietly said, "Thank you." The tips of the young man’s ears were bright red.

It wasn’t that Lily Hart was overcome with charity. She had a feeling her business was going to expand, and this was a perfect opportunity to cultivate a small faction of her own...

After they finished eating, Frost Shaw instinctively started to clear the table. Lily Hart didn’t stop him, but she silently pressed the "Confirm Receipt" button.

Another flash of white light, and the table, along with the electric grill, vanished, leaving Frost Shaw staring with wide eyes.

He stammered, "Boss Hart, your spatial storage doesn’t do the dishes..." ’But I will.’

Lily Hart gave him a light tap on the forehead. "What are you thinking about? This stuff goes back where it came from. What’s it got to do with me?"

With that, she got out of the RV. Frost Shaw followed closely behind, afraid she’d lock him inside.

Once noon hit, the customers would automatically disappear. Everyone loved their afternoon naps too much; they couldn’t go without one.

Lily Hart was also planning to take a nap when she saw groups of familiar customers heading out of the base.

She waved and called out, "Where are you all going in this heat?"

They shouted back, "To kill zombies!"

’Well, I’ll be. They’re sure diligent.’ Then she heard them add, "And we’ll spend all the Crystal Cores we get at Boss Hart’s place!"

Lily Hart beamed. "Then be careful out there!" ’And make sure you come back in one piece to spend it all,’ she thought.

Their hearts warmed, and they once again felt that Boss Hart was a capitalist with a human touch.

The thought gave them even more motivation. They felt like they could go out and kill a few hundred zombies, just to spend it all here.

Satisfied, Lily Hart pulled down the shutter. Since there was no one around at noon, Frost Shaw also closed up the convenience store.

She calculated in her head, ’I might as well level up to Level 4 here at Hope Base, then head to other bases with a brand new look.’

With that thought, Lily Hart drifted off to sleep. She fell asleep incredibly fast, with no trouble from insomnia.

She woke up again to the sound of knocking. A glance at the time showed it was almost four o’clock, and she rolled out of bed in one smooth motion.

Outside, Frost Shaw was knocking with a stoic expression. ’This Boss Hart must be part pig; she can really sleep the day away.’