Chapter 124
As expected, there were limits!
Looking at the conditions for increasing the number of overnight guests, Tang Yu’an felt his eyes twitch and his heart ache.
Though it wasn’t explicitly stated, every word seemed to radiate an unmistakable subtext: “Points, points everywhere.”
Store upgrades wouldn’t happen without points, of course.
After Tang Yu’an explained this, Zhou Qi nodded thoughtfully. “So for now, the limit is 100 guests? That seems sufficient.”
After all, the entire population of Desolate City numbered only a few hundred. With the ongoing flood, even having twenty to thirty residents find their way to Shop No. 1 was a stretch.
A 100-guest limit was more than enough for now.
Tang Yu’an nodded in agreement and went back to revise the list. He only added customers currently in Desolate City to the overnight stay list.
These customers were mostly drawn in by the lure of the Salt Notes after Shop No. 1’s opening. After subtracting those already staying in the shop, there were still 36 others to add.
Next, Tang Yu’an began drafting the overnight stay rules.
The rule-writing process wasn’t completely freeform. Two lines of instructions were displayed on the interface:
[1. Only restrictive rules can be set. ]
[2. Behavior-related punitive measures, such as automatic removal from the overnight stay list, are available.]
Tang Yu’an pondered this for a moment.
So, the rules could only restrict customer behavior by preventing them from engaging in specific actions—not force them to do anything. Was this a limitation of the system, or perhaps a safeguard for the customers?
It made sense. Otherwise, merely adding someone to the list could compel them to follow any instruction, which would indeed be terrifying.
While he and Zhou Qi wouldn’t misuse such power, the risk of abuse would grow if their operations expanded to include branch stores and new staff in the future. This highlighted the need for cautious recruitment practices going forward.
The second point was also clear.
For example, if someone tried to steal but was thwarted by the rules, repeated attempts could trigger punitive measures, such as their removal from the list.
Still, Tang Yu’an wasn’t inclined to use this option. As long as the thief remained on the list, their actions could be restricted. Removing them would be like releasing a tiger back into the wild.
He began by typing “No stealing, no robbery” into the input box and hit confirm. A system notification promptly appeared:
[Improper rule formatting. Each rule must address a single behavior.]
Single behavior only?
Tang Yu’an tried inputting “No stealing” by itself, and this time, the system accepted it. A second input box appeared below.
He then added “No robbery” in the second box and proceeded to draft the third rule: “No harming others.”
Tang Yu’an decided to clarify the third rule further: “No initiating harm against other overnight guests, the Mysterious Merchant, store employees, or their pets.”
This would prevent situations where a customer might be restricted from defending themselves if attacked by outsiders.
As for those on the list, the rules inherently prevented mutual harm.
The remaining rules followed:
Rule 4: “Without explicit permission from the Mysterious Merchant or employee Zhou Qi, do not damage store property.”
Rule 5: “Overnight guests are not permitted to enter the 9th or 10th floors, or Room 501.”
Once he finished writing these five rules, Tang Yu’an noticed a new input box at the bottom of the overnight stay rules panel. However…
[100 points required to unlock]
That’s right—only five rules could be added for free. Beyond that, each additional rule required points!
Tang Yu’an muttered in dissatisfaction.
As Zhou Qi, being a branch manager of Shop No. 1, also had access to the overnight stay rules panel, he saw this limitation too.
Though helpless, he could only comply with the system.
After some thought, Zhou Qi suggested they spend 100 points to unlock the sixth input box. He then drafted one final rule:
Rule 6: “Do not disclose any personal information about the Mysterious Merchant or employee Zhou Qi, including but not limited to their names, ages, appearances, and whereabouts.”
Seeing the rule take effect, Zhou Qi let out a small sigh of relief.
It wasn’t realistic to completely hide Shop No. 1’s unique features unless they closed the shop altogether.
They were in business, after all, and would inevitably interact with more customers in the future. People would observe things for themselves.
Instead, it was better to use a rule to protect their privacy.
Of course, there were still potential loopholes. For instance, would the rules remain in effect once an overnight guest left the store?
“That’s easy,” Tang Yu’an said. “We’ll just expand Shop No. 1’s range.”
If they could extend the barrier to encompass all of Desolate City, guests would have to follow the rules unless they left the city altogether.
However, Tang Yu’an quickly realized a flaw and wrinkled his nose. “Wait, the overnight stay list has a limit. We still need to level up.”
“Exactly,” Zhou Qi agreed.
“We can test it out later,” Tang Yu’an said. “The rules didn’t specify any location restrictions.”
“Sounds good.”
Old Li, listening to the two boys’ discussion, caught only bits and pieces. While some of it was incomprehensible to him, the parts he did grasp left him slightly uneasy.
“So… I don’t need to stand watch anymore?” he asked, frowning. “Are these rules really effective?”
“We could test them,” Tang Yu’an suggested.
Although the system likely wouldn’t lie, they still needed to verify the rules’ practical effects.
Old Li nodded. “All right, I’ll call for Lin Zhen.”
Tang Yu’an considered this for a moment before saying, “Let’s have Kang Kang test it instead.”
Kang Kang was obedient and required little explanation. To him, it would feel no different from the trading games he played every day.
“I’ll go get him.”
Before long, Tang Yu’an ran to Room 801, arriving just in time to encounter Lin Zhen, who was there to pick up A’Mu and the little chick.
Kang Kang stood at the door, reluctant to see them leave.
“We live downstairs. You can see us again tomorrow,” Lin Zhen reassured him, patting the boy’s head. Though it was their first meeting, she had already taken a liking to this well-mannered and adorable child.
“See you tomorrow! See you tomorrow!” A’Mu chirped enthusiastically, flapping its wings.
Kang Kang brightened up at this.
Once Lin Zhen and her group had left, Tang Yu’an scooped the boy up in his arms and smiled. “Kang Kang, can you help me with something?”
“Okay!”
Without a second thought, Kang Kang nodded in agreement.
*
[Congratulations! You have triggered…]
As this system notification popped up, Xiao Cao was busy selling hot soup in front of the Jade Pavilion with her brother.
She only managed a quick glance at the screen before the system voice read out, “Congratulations—” and was interrupted by a new customer’s arrival.
“Xiao Cao, two bowls of hot soup to go, please!”
A familiar customer, as many were, had come after nightfall with containers to trade for soup.
The weather that day seemed cooler, with clouds shielding the sun’s harsh rays. However, the night brought an added chill.
This made their soup business even more brisk than usual.
To meet the demand, Xiao Cao had borrowed a large iron pot from a friendly guard. While they sold soup outside, a second batch was already boiling on the stove inside.
When the first pot was nearly empty, the second was ready to replenish it.
Though this method consumed more firewood, their booming sales provided the surplus resources to trade for more wood. They even paid helpers to fetch water for them.
This arrangement was practical but also expensive. Xiao Cao’s brother often teased her for being wasteful, insisting he could handle such tasks himself.
However, Xiao Cao refused to let him venture into the forest. While the guards protected them in Jufeng Town, it was a different story in the wilderness, where jealous and spiteful individuals might target them.
Instead, she preferred to trade surplus wild vegetables and mushrooms for firewood from familiar traders. Not only did this ensure safety, but it also counted as profitable transactions, earning points and experience.
Surprisingly, Xiao Cao noticed that ever since she began using her extra food for such trades, the town’s attitude toward them had improved.
Though some troublemakers still eyed them with malice, others had started speaking up for them.
Perhaps these people merely sought to benefit from her trades. Still, Xiao Cao saw no harm in this.
Building rapport with the townsfolk meant better business opportunities overall.
That night, they sold five pots of hot soup, only stopping when they ran out of firewood.
Altogether, they served over 120 customers and sold more than 150 bowls of soup. The siblings were utterly exhausted by the end.
Xiao Cao, in particular, was hoarse from talking so much.
As the primary seller, she personally handed each bowl of soup to the customers and received their payments in return. Only then did the mysterious merchant system recognize the transaction as valid, awarding her points.
This placed most of the workload on her shoulders. But the effort was worth it!
First, Xiao Cao earned 153 points and employee experience. Additionally, they gained over 100 wild vegetables, more than 30 mushrooms, 2 pounds of firewood, and five straw hats.
Fortunately, they lived in the Jade Pavilion Inn. Had they stayed elsewhere, their haul would have made them prime targets despite the guards’ protection.
“Hahaha! I’ve never seen so much food in my life!”
After locking the doors, Shi Tou gazed at their harvest and laughed heartily.
He ruffled his sister’s hair, saying, “You’re amazing, Xiao Cao!”
Xiao Cao smiled brightly.
Previously, Handsome Zhou Senior had told her that serving over 50 customers in one go would attract the attention of the mysterious merchant.
She had served more than 100 that night. Would the mysterious merchant notice her efforts?
She hoped so. She wanted her hard work to be acknowledged and prayed that occasional lapses wouldn’t lead to her being deemed unworthy—or worse, dismissed.
She couldn’t afford to lose the Grocery Store system now.
Unaware of his sister’s worries, Shi Tou chatted briefly with her before taking some vegetables and mushrooms to extend their rental agreement with the landlady.
Left alone, Xiao Cao stared at the message board for a while, waiting for new notifications. When none appeared, she decided to head to the kitchen to prepare food.
That’s when she remembered the notification she had skimmed earlier. She quickly retrieved it to take a closer look.
[Congratulations! You have triggered a standard mission: “The Mysterious Merchant’s Favor.”]
[Description]: Your efforts have earned the recognition of the mysterious merchant. They have decided to find you a helper, and your brother seems like an excellent candidate.]
[Mission Objective]: Convince your brother to accept recruitment by the mysterious merchant and guide him through completing a profitable transaction (0/1).
[Mission Reward]: Unlock the product “Wheat.”]
After listening to the system’s full explanation, Xiao Cao was stunned.
At that moment, Shi Tou returned after delivering the goods. He poked his head into the kitchen and asked, “Xiao Cao, what’s for dinner? I feel like eating something sweet!”
Xiao Cao looked at her brother. Snapping out of her daze, she grabbed his hand and asked, “Brother, have you… seen anything strange lately?”
Shi Tou froze, his expression puzzled.
After a moment, he hesitantly replied, “Do you mean a glowing, boxy thing? One that talks when you look at it?”
Tears of joy welled up in Xiao Cao’s eyes.
“Yes! That’s it!” she exclaimed, only to realize she couldn’t tell her brother about the mysterious merchant.
Xiao Cao could only urge, “Just accept it already!”
Tears of joy welled up in her eyes.
This was amazing—her hard work had not only earned the mysterious merchant’s attention but also gained his favor. He had even found her a helper, and that helper was none other than her brother, her closest family member.
Her brother could now become an employee of the mysterious merchant!
Shi Tou, however, was utterly confused by Xiao Cao’s excitement. When the system panel appeared before him, he thought he had awakened an ability of his own.
Although he was happy about this, the “ability” seemed strange. Busy with the day’s work, he had planned to investigate it later after getting a good meal.
Who would have thought Xiao Cao already knew about it?
Under his sister’s eager prodding, Shi Tou accepted the recruitment.
[Congratulations! You have become a “Sales Clerk” at Peace Grocery Store, Shop No. 1.]
[Employee panel unavailable due to unmet conditions.]
[Keep working hard! Once you meet the requirements, the mysterious merchant will unlock your employee panel and grant access to more benefits.]
Listening to the mechanical voice in his ear, Shi Tou was left bewildered.
He looked at his elated sister and asked, “Xiao Cao, what’s going on?”
*
At Peace Grocery Store, Shop No. 1
After conducting their experiment, Old Li was finally convinced that the overnight stay rules they had set were indeed effective.
Kang Kang stood at the door of Room 501, pressing his small hands against an invisible barrier in front of him. While there was nothing visible, it was as though an intangible wall blocked his way.
He tried to enter but was stopped by the unseen obstruction, curiously running his palms over it.
“Big Brother,” he said, looking up at Tang Yu’an, his childish voice tinged with frustration. “It’s blocking me.”
Tang Yu’an patted his head. “Then don’t go in.”
Kang Kang obediently stayed where he was.
However, even though he was an ability user, the nighttime cold seemed to be too much for his young body. He huddled close to Tang Yu’an, shivering slightly.
Noticing this, Tang Yu’an quickly took out a deep purple carpet and wrapped it around Kang Kang.
This was exactly how he kept himself warm, too.
The purple carpet was remarkably effective. Much like the fictional Lan Hu leaves, it adjusted to provide the user with the most comfortable coolness and warmth.
It cooled during the day and warmed at night.
Once wrapped in the carpet, Kang Kang let out a contented sigh, his eyes lighting up as he stroked the fabric with curiosity.
Watching him, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but think of Jin Lili.
Though Jin Lili had awakened her abilities, she hadn’t had them for long and was likely still affected by temperature changes.
He turned to Old Li and said, “Grandpa, I’m taking Kang Kang back now.”
“Alright,” Old Li replied.
Satisfied with the test results, Old Li turned to re-enter the room. Just as he did, Tang Yu’an called out, “We’ve moved your bed into your bedroom!”
Old Li froze, puzzled. When had that happened?
Walking to his bedroom, he found the luxurious emerald-green double bed, somehow transported from the ninth floor, now sitting in place.
Recalling the purple carpet that had suddenly appeared in Tang Yu’an’s hands earlier, Old Li’s eyes widened slightly.
Was this yet another of An’an’s abilities?
He thought he’d grown numb to the surprises these two children could pull off, but evidently, it was harder than expected.
Reflecting on everything he had witnessed in recent days, Old Li found himself wondering…
Could the mysterious merchant truly be a savior?
Lost in thought, he accidentally sat down on the bed. Before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep again.
*
Room 801
When Tang Yu’an returned Kang Kang to Room 801, Granny Guo was still awake.
Thanks to the intermediate healing potion, her injuries were healing rapidly, and she was likely to recover fully by the next day.
Tang Yu’an spread the purple carpet over the bed and tucked Kang Kang into the covers.
He left Granny Guo a pot of hot water and reassured her, “Granny, rest easy here. There’s no need to worry about safety.”
With that, he and Zhou Qi left.
In the darkness, Granny Guo held her little grandson, lying in the warm bed. A sense of security, something she hadn’t felt in a long time, enveloped her.
Earlier that evening, she had forced herself to step out of the bedroom and look around.
This house was truly excellent—not only tall enough to avoid flooding but also equipped with sturdy doors and windows. She didn’t have to worry about being submerged while sleeping or fearing poisonous insects or snakes sneaking in.
Moreover, it gathered so many ability users under one roof.
Even if mutated creatures attacked, the combined power of the residents should be enough to drive them off.
Setting aside An’an and Xiao Qi, even Old Li and the young woman named Lin Zhen possessed abilities that inspired trust.
Oh, and there was also Tie Jin.
He had stopped by before nightfall to greet her. His cheerful personality and tall, robust build seemed reliable.
Since the apocalypse, it had been a long time since Granny Guo felt so at ease at night.
“Granny…” Kang Kang’s voice broke the silence.
“Yes?”
“I’m happy!”
Kang Kang snuggled against Granny Guo’s arm, rubbing his face against her affectionately. He was so happy today! He loved this place and wanted to stay here forever.
Granny Guo gently patted his head, a smile spreading across her face even in the dark.
Meanwhile, in a corner of the room, a few potted plants that had been struggling after the move seemed to be rejuvenating under their peaceful influence.
The Spirit Gathering Grass lightly shook its leaves, drawing in more wood-element spiritual energy. The mutated Lantern Grass, its broken stalks previously drooping, straightened. Even the smallest seedling of the Lanhu Tree unfurled a new leaf.
All of this unfolded quietly in the night, unnoticed by anyone.
*
In the neighboring room, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi shone their flashlights and knocked on the door of Room 802.
Earlier, Tie Jin had traded for a wool blanket with Old Li, so while his room was still bare and lacking furniture, at least he had a proper place to sleep.
Seeing the two boys at his door, Tie Jin asked directly, “Do you need me to stand watch tonight?”
Unaware of the protective barrier’s existence, he assumed they would take shifts to guard against nocturnal mutated creatures.
“No need. Just sleep soundly,” Zhou Qi replied.
“Really? Don’t hesitate to let me help,” Tie Jin said earnestly. “You’ve given us such a good place to shelter, it’s only right that I do my part.”
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged a glance, silently agreeing before explaining the protective barrier to Tie Jin.
“You’re saying… this barrier stays active even beyond daylight hours, blocking not just the water but also mutated creatures?” Tie Jin looked at them in disbelief, as though hearing a tall tale.
“Yes. It’s my ability,” Tang Yu’an said with a smile. “It’s a bit special, so I hope you can help me keep it a secret.”
Tie Jin stared at him, stunned.
He finally understood why the boys had invited them to live in the building—not to consolidate their strength for mutual defense but to protect them.
This realization filled Tie Jin’s heart with a mix of emotions that were hard to put into words.
Born in a world like this, when had he ever experienced such kindness?
“Thank you… thank you so much…” His voice caught, and his eyes grew moist.
Though they had already realized Tie Jin had a soft heart beneath his rough exterior, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi were still caught off guard by his reaction.
Tang Yu’an quickly changed the subject. “This blanket is for Lili and A’Lian. They’ll probably need it more.”
He handed the deep purple carpet to Tie Jin. “When we get more heating supplies, you can return it to us. We’ll be off now.”
Under Tie Jin’s grateful gaze, the two boys made a hasty retreat.
*
By the time they had finished their rounds, it was already past 8 PM.
“Should we head to Jufeng Town?” Zhou Qi suggested.
There was still time to trade with the residents of Jufeng Town and build up the shop’s popularity.
[Employee “Shi Tou” completed a profitable transaction with a returning customer. Points +9, Experience +1.]
“Whoa!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed as he saw the notification. Xiao Cao had completed the mission with Shi Tou!
Remembering something, he quickly checked the store’s popularity metrics. Sure enough, the display read:
[Store Popularity: 452]
From evening until now, Xiao Cao had increased the store’s popularity by 176 points and added over a thousand points to their system balance!
Shi Tou, after accepting recruitment, had also completed his first task.
Tang Yu’an grinned. “Looks like there’s no need to rush after all.”
He promptly activated Shi Tou’s employee panel and issued Xiao Cao’s mission reward.
All that was left was to visit the siblings the next day and employ one of them to sell salt at the Jufeng Grocery Store. That way, he and Zhou Qi could free themselves up for other tasks.
As the night grew colder, Tang Yu’an took Zhou Qi’s hand and said, “Let’s head downstairs!”
*
The two boys soon knocked on the door of Room 702.
Lan Lin opened the door, his expression dazed as Tang Yu’an said, “Brother Lan Lin, can you generate heat?”
What?
Did they just ask an ice ability user if he could generate heat?
