Apocalypse: I'm Bound to a Mobile Lottery Shop

Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Making a Killing

’So temperamental? And so powerful?’

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Just as a smile lifted the corners of Lily Hart’s mouth, the crowd scattered like startled birds.

"...?" Lily Hart was confused.

Luna Corbin, who had been pinned in a corner, was suddenly free. She looked terrified and asked, "Is... is he here?"

Kane Ward also trembled as he held onto the table. "I think... so..."

Chester Carter plopped right down on the ground. "It’s... it’s him again!"

"Who?" Lily Hart asked, poking her head forward curiously. She had no idea what they were talking about.

"SHH!" Luna Corbin looked dead serious, as if revealing a divine secret. Her gravity was infectious, and Lily Hart found herself caught up in it.

She lowered her voice. "Who is it, really?"

Luna Corbin cupped a hand over her mouth and whispered, "Shopkeeper, didn’t you see that person being controlled, slammed up and down into the ground just now?"

"I saw. I did it," Lily Hart said matter-of-factly, her expression serene.

Luna Corbin looked at the shopkeeper’s fair, harmless little face and shook her head. "Boss, you shouldn’t joke like that."

’Nobody believes the truth these days.’

She didn’t bother explaining further. Instead, she just said softly, "Rise." At the same time, she lazily extended a finger, palm facing down, and lifted it slightly.

Immediately, the man lying on the ground like a sack of potatoes twitched. As if supported by a giant, invisible hand, he floated into the air.

Lily Hart shrugged, tilting her head at Luna Corbin with a nonchalant, ’see?’ expression.

"!!" The trio stared in shock. This confirmed their suspicions: the shopkeeper was a powerhouse.

’Otherwise, how would she have the strength to protect this RV? It probably would have been stolen long ago.’

"M-Ma’am." Chester Carter, who had just been demanding compensation for his Crystal Core, immediately shut his mouth and looked at her with reverence.

This was a post-apocalyptic world where strength commanded respect. Whoever was the most badass was the boss.

Lily Hart waved her hand, a friendly smile on her face. "So, are you all still interested in some scratch-offs?"

Luna Corbin couldn’t stop nodding. "Yes, yes, yes!" ’It’s totally worth it! Dumplings and hand grenades—those are priceless, unobtainable supplies!’

Settling in a base meant you had to serve the base. Every month, you had to complete assigned missions and hand over a quota of Crystal Cores.

Only then could you receive supplies allocated by the base, such as 50ml of water per person per day and a small amount of food to maintain basic health.

Never enough to drink, never enough to eat, never enough to stay warm...

This was the reality for the vast majority of people in the apocalypse.

Luna Corbin took out a few more Crystal Cores and expertly fed them to the Lucky Cat. The other two still had points left, so they went straight to picking out their scratch-off tickets.

Just as the three were scratching their tickets with great anticipation, the other group of people squeezed back over. They furtively placed one Crystal Core each on the table.

They whispered, "Boss, we want to scratch too!"

’We saw it clearly just now—dumplings, hand grenades, bullets! That was the real deal!’

’We have to play! We have to win!’

Lily Hart couldn’t quite hear them and asked, puzzled, "Why are you all whispering?"

The group immediately looked terrified. They pressed their fingers to their lips, trying to silence her with their eyes.

"Boss, quiet down! There’s a powerhouse nearby, and they like peace and quiet. They don’t like noise."

Now Lily Hart was truly curious. ’What kind of powerhouse could make people tremble in fear without even showing their face?’

But the "powerhouse" they were talking about was obviously her. Her voice was clear and lively as she said, word by word, "Watch closely."

Everyone followed her gaze, still a bit confused, until they heard her impatient tone.

"Up, down, up again, down again!"

Everyone watched as the man rose and fell in time with Lily Hart’s rhythm, moving up and down in perfect harmony...

’Could it be... the powerhouse is the shopkeeper?’

"THUD..." Lily Hart had gotten bored. She casually retracted her hand, and the man dropped to the ground as if he’d suddenly lost his balance.

Was anyone going to speak up for the troublemaker?

’They believed her. They really, truly believed her now.’

The group handed over their Crystal Cores and waited obediently for the Lucky Cat to announce their points before picking out their own scratch-off tickets.

All seven of them were hunched over the small table, looking rather cramped. Lily Hart couldn’t bear to see her customers inconvenienced.

But one look at her points total made her put that thought aside for now.

’Once I have enough points! Hmph!’

Everyone gathered around to scratch their tickets, creating a strangely competitive atmosphere. No one wanted others to see their own ticket, but they all wanted to peek at everyone else’s, their eyes darting all over the place.

Lily Hart leaned against the RV, arms crossed, and watched them with amusement.

’This scene is so familiar. It was always like this with scratch-offs back in the day, always dying to know if the person next to you won five million.’

"Damn it, all ’Thanks for Playing’! Boss, your tickets are—!" a man exclaimed angrily, but he trailed off when he met Lily Hart’s calm gaze.

’This is a powerhouse. Can’t mess with her, can’t mess with her. Guess that Crystal Core was a total waste...’

"AHHHHHHH! Boss, can you help me see what this is? I don’t recognize the words!" Luna Corbin jumped up in excitement.

Lily Hart took a look. ’Damn, this girl’s luck with food is insane.’

"Fried Chicken and Burger Combo," Lily Hart said, then asked, "Redeem it now?"

Luna Corbin nodded frantically. "Redeem, redeem, redeem!" ’Even though I don’t understand what that is, it must be something good!’

The others stopped scratching their unfinished tickets and watched quietly as Lily Hart stuffed the winning ticket into the Lucky Cat’s mouth. Soon, the cat’s mouth opened wide and spat out a paper bag.

Even though it wasn’t open, they could already smell an aroma that stirred a person’s most primal desires.

Under several pairs of expectant eyes, Luna Corbin’s trembling hands carefully tore open the paper bag, and the fragrance instantly washed over them.

Just as everyone was staring at her, hoping to watch her eat and at least enjoy the sight, the paper bag on the table suddenly vanished. The scent disappeared along with it, completely.

Kane Ward grew anxious. "Luna Corbin, why’d you put it in your dimensional space! Let us smell it, at least!"

Luna Corbin didn’t even spare him a glance. "None of your business. Can’t I enjoy it slowly by myself?"

The others were annoyed but helpless, so they could only go back to scratching.

Just then, another angry shout erupted from the corner. "What’s the deal with all these ’Thanks for Playing’ tickets?! Why does Luna Corbin get food while I get jack squat?!"

It was one of the men from the group that came later.

Lily Hart smiled. "So sorry~" An apology without any intention of changing.

The two men who had won nothing clenched their fists in anger. But remembering the boss’s power from just a moment ago, they could only curse her in their hearts, absolutely daring not to show it.

Unexpectedly, the other two who came with them both won something: one got ten bullets, and the other got a handgun.

Some were happy, some were sad. Jealousy makes people ugly.

Lily Hart watched the group leave. Luna Corbin, having won something good, also left in a hurry, her expression calm as if nothing had happened.

Kane Ward and Chester Carter were not ready to give up. They used up all their points but still didn’t get any food.

"Again!" The two of them clattered more Crystal Cores out of their pockets. Lily Hart beamed as she collected them and fed them to the Lucky Cat.

The Lucky Cat announced in a cheerful tone, "Kane Ward, 200 points. Chester Carter, 200 points."

One Level 1 Crystal Core was worth 50 points, which was the price of one scratch-off ticket. All the profit went to Lily Hart; the system didn’t get a single cent. ’Serves it right for being so stingy!’