Apocalypse: I'm Bound to a Mobile Lottery Shop

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Is It Muscle?

Lily Hart smiled back, a strange feeling washing over her—like a kid pretending to be a grown-up, cutting deals with other grown-ups.

After watching Zelda Whittaker leave, Lily Hart rushed over to Frost Shaw. "Quick, quick, quick! Spend some points and buy another convenience store!" In her haste, she grabbed his arm. ’Huh, it’s so hard. Is this muscle?’

’Not sure. Let me give it another squeeze... Yep, it really is. Feels nice, too. The perfect balance of hard and soft.’

Frost Shaw tensed up when she grabbed his arm. He looked up at her to see eyes sparkling with curiosity and a desire to explore. And then, she squeezed his arm again.

’Just when I thought she was done, this woman had to push her luck and use both hands.’

She kneaded his arm as she spoke. "Frost Shaw, did you hear me? Let’s go!"

Lily Hart smacked her lips, savoring the novel sensation under her fingertips. Her heart stirred with a strange excitement. ’To think I’ve been single my whole life, only to come to the apocalypse and...’

Heh heh.

She suddenly let out a laugh for no apparent reason. Everyone’s eyes snapped to her, their faces etched with confusion. Only Frost Shaw quietly lowered his head, the tips of his ears bright red.

It wasn’t until Lily Hart gave him a light smack on the back of the head that Frost Shaw snapped out of it. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, he opened his Light Brain and tapped the "Lily Hart’s Convenience Store" app.

Turns out you really could spend points to buy another convenience store. You could even choose its appearance from a range of options, beyond the default glass-walled building.

There were small log cabins with pointed roofs, single-story red-brick buildings, and even two- and three-story options. The styles ranged from high-tech to traditional, with all sorts of designs to choose from.

Frost Shaw scrolled through the options and finally selected the cheapest two-story convenience store.

’The first floor can be the convenience store, and the second can be where they sleep. That way, we’ll be close to Boss Hart, and we can prevent what happened last night from happening again.’

Although it was the cheapest of the lot, it still cost nearly five thousand points, wiping out everything Frost Shaw had earned recently.

Staring at his double-digit point balance, Frost Shaw was lost in thought. ’I really have to get serious about earning points!’ he resolved.

After placing the order, Frost Shaw dragged the convenience store out from his inventory and set it down right next to the lottery shop. They were less than two meters apart, just a few seconds’ walk.

"Wow!" Easton exclaimed, staring at the convenience store that was even taller than their RV.

Lily Hart couldn’t wait to check it out. The first floor had a large window on its front face, set at about chest height, with the main entrance right next to it.

Inside, the place was spotless and bright. Large windows lined all four walls, and a staircase in the corner led up to the second floor.

The second floor had four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The only downside was that it was completely empty—a bare shell. Frost Shaw would have to purchase furniture and everything else piece by piece.

Most importantly, there was a large balcony. Even though the view outside wasn’t much to look at, the possibility of growing flowers and vegetables on it was an irresistible draw for any Cathayan.

Lily Hart walked at the very front, followed by a string of amazed gasps.

To be honest, in the apocalypse, just having a roof over your head to shelter you from the elements was considered a luxury. But now, to have bedrooms and bathrooms... it was fantastic!

Diana Sharp went over and eagerly hugged Frost Shaw’s arm. "Brother Frost, can Tina and I have one of the bedrooms?"

Tina Jacobs stood on his other side, also looking at Frost Shaw expectantly. "Can we, Brother Frost?"

"Go ask Boss Hart. I don’t have the authority to decide," Frost Shaw said.

So, Diana Sharp eagerly went to cozy up to Lily Hart. "Lily, can Tina and I have a bedroom on the second floor?"

"Of course you can. First come, first served. Don’t tell Easton and the others," Lily Hart whispered, leaning close to her ear.

Diana Sharp let out a small cry of delight, then grabbed Tina Jacobs and sprinted toward the room she’d had her eye on since they came upstairs. Once inside, she yelled, "This room is mine and Tina’s!"

Easton rushed over. "You’re cheating! We should compete for it fairly!"

"Lily said first come, first served! I don’t care. If you have a problem with it, go talk to Lily!" Diana Sharp shot back, her hands on her hips.

Easton chickened out. He might have the guts to pester Brother Frost, but he didn’t dare say a word to Boss Hart. He was inexplicably terrified of her.

Frost Shaw watched them and laughed. Roman Rowe slung an arm over his shoulder. "Shouldn’t I get a room too? I’m one of the regulars here!"

"Get lost." Frost Shaw shrugged his shoulder, dislodging Roman’s hand, his voice cold and unforgiving.

"You-! I’ll go ask Lily Hart!" Roman Rowe huffed, then turned and walked away, trotting over to circle Lily Hart.

Roman Rowe rubbed his hands together, his golden hair bobbing slightly, looking very much like a giant dog. "Boss Hart, how about a room for me, too...?"

"Sure," Lily Hart agreed immediately, then her tone shifted. "But, you have to stay near me for eight hours a day. That’s the condition."

Upon hearing this, Roman Rowe’s first instinct was to refuse. Just like Frost Shaw, he had never accepted Central Command’s invitation.

It was precisely because he disliked being tied down. A motorcycle could take him anywhere he wanted to go.

He had always been a wanderer, sleeping under the sky wherever he went. When he got tired of a place, he’d just leave.

With his strength, he could take on a single mission and live comfortably for more than half a year, never having to worry about Crystal Cores or an empty stomach.

’But ever since I met Boss Hart, ever since I tasted all this delicious food, I just can’t bring myself to leave!’

’Even in my dreams at night, I’m wondering what delicious new things Boss Hart will bring out the next day...’

After mulling it over for a good while, he declared with newfound conviction, "In that case, I want that room!"

He put one hand on his hip and pointed to the room next to Diana Sharp’s. Both rooms had excellent orientation; they were large and well-ventilated.

Lily Hart didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but she agreed. "Fine."

Her original intention had been to find a handsome bodyguard anyway. ’After all, Frost Shaw has to watch the convenience store; he can’t be by my side at all times.’

’So Roman Rowe, who has nothing better to do, is the perfect candidate to draft.’

Frost Shaw, who was eavesdropping on their conversation from a short distance away, silently clenched his fists, and then silently unclenched them.

With the rooms chosen—one for Frost Shaw, and one for Easton and the other two boys—all that was missing were the beds.

Frost Shaw glanced at his point balance and said decisively, "We’ll buy the beds tonight."

’The most important thing right now is to earn points! Otherwise, tonight, we’ll have to sleep on the floor!’

Fortunately, Zeke Lowell’s gang hadn’t been so deranged last night as to squander everything they had stolen in a single moment.

There was still a lot left. The merchandise was all sitting neatly on the shelves, as if nothing had happened.

After touring the second floor, Lily Hart and the others returned to the first floor. They took out the shelves they had put away last night and set them up again.

Once they had neatly arranged all the merchandise on them again, they would be ready to open for business!

She checked the time. It was almost ten o’clock. So she led the group back to the RV and drove it toward Bloomfall Base.

The Guardian Corps saw the RV and let it pass immediately. The Base Commander had given special instructions that the lottery shop and convenience store would be coming to operate inside the base for a day.

He had urged everyone to go check them out if they had time, saying it was a now-or-never opportunity.

He had also specially given a few hours off to certain posts so that everyone would have time to browse and buy some new things.

The RV slowly drove into Bloomfall Base. Since all four sides of the vehicle were open, they could see Zelda Whittaker standing to the right of the main gate at a glance.

Behind her were two rows of The Guardian Corps. Holding artificial flowers, they began to perform a deadpan Yangge dance, all while shouting with great momentum...