Doomsday Grocery Store – CH126

Chapter 126

“Brother Qi, what do you think about the current residents?” Tang Yu’an asked as he climbed up to the attic.

“The Shu family (Shu Gen & Huo Qiu) is pretty decent,” Zhou Qi replied.

Raising children on the wasteland was incredibly difficult. Anyone who willingly took on that responsibility had to be of much better character than those who abandoned their children.

“Yeah! And Huo Qiu has fire-based abilities—so much potential.”

Zhou Qi recalled the scene earlier when they met the Shu family. “His father isn’t bad either.”

To be able to carry his son while running through floodwaters without being bitten by water snakes showed remarkable stamina and speed.

“Do they have parasites on them?” Tang Yu’an asked.

Zhou Qi paused, then shook his head. “No, I didn’t sense any.”

While Shu Gen might not have awakened any abilities, his physical strength was exceptional. Huo Qiu, however, was a genuine ability user.

Tang Yu’an had another thought and asked, “Does that mean Kang Kang and Lili don’t have any either?”

Zhou Qi thought for a moment and nodded.

“They’re all kids…” Tang Yu’an speculated aloud. “Do you think kids who awaken abilities naturally have a better chance of avoiding parasites?”

“Very possible.”

Zhou Qi studied Tang Yu’an for a moment before saying, “Speaking of which, have you awakened an ability too?”

“Huh?” Tang Yu’an froze.

“When I saw you running across the water today, I couldn’t help but wonder,” Zhou Qi explained.

“Wasn’t that because of the lightness skill?” Tang Yu’an scratched his head.

Zhou Qi considered this and said, “I can’t do it as easily as you did.”

Tang Yu’an was taken aback.

Zhou Qi had awakened multiple abilities, and although his connection to plant-based abilities was weak, he could still sense plant-elemental energy.

If Zhou Qi couldn’t replicate it…

Tang Yu’an took a deep breath and reached into his pocket, pulling out two tiny wind crystals.

“This larger one is what Green Gem gifted to me today. The smaller one was given to me earlier…” he said.

The smaller crystal, which Zhou Qi had seen before, was now barely the size of a grain of sand.

“You’ve been absorbing it?” Zhou Qi asked.

“I… I don’t know,” Tang Yu’an stammered. “I just felt comfortable carrying it. It kept me cool and made the heat less unbearable.”

Zhou Qi smiled slowly. “Why not check your personal panel?”

Tang Yu’an opened his interface and, sure enough, a new section had appeared at the bottom.

[Ability: Wind Element Affinity]

“Brother Qi, I really did awaken an ability!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed in delight.

“Wind Element Affinity?”

Zhou Qi nodded. Skills like Lightness Step and Levitation were tied to wind-elemental energy. Tang Yu’an’s compatibility with those skills might have been linked to his constitution all along.

“But I don’t feel any different,” Tang Yu’an said, thinking back over the day. Apart from the comfort he felt with the wind crystals, he hadn’t noticed any significant changes in his body.

“I remember Grandpa Li once mentioned that some abilities don’t cause obvious physical changes immediately after awakening…”

Zhou Qi frowned, then reassured him. “You’ve only just awakened. You’ll grow stronger over time. We’ll observe as it develops.”

“Okay!”

No matter what, awakening an ability was exciting news.

Tang Yu’an happily ran up to the attic and opened the window for the Dream Drift Bottles.

He reached for the three brightest bottles. With the flooding underway, he wanted to check on the situations of the three familiar dream wishers he often interacted with.

The first bottle belonged to Lu Yan.

The glowing orb floated in the air, and a raspy voice echoed, “Speak… speak…”

“Good evening, Lu Yan!” Tang Yu’an greeted cheerfully.

“Good… evening… Merchant…” the voice responded, struggling but pleased.

Although the voice only got the last two words right, Tang Yu’an was still happy.

“Have you been affected by the flood where you are?” he asked with concern.

“Flood… affected…”

Lu Yan repeated Tang Yu’an’s words. It was unclear if he fully understood, but having lived in an abandoned chemical factory for so long, he had likely experienced floods before and might have his own ways of coping.

“Lu Yan, is your voice like this because of an injury?” Tang Yu’an asked gently.

He suspected Lu Yan was human. While he could survive in the toxic fumes of the chemical factory, he must have been harmed by them too.

It was hard to imagine what it must feel like to live alone in such a poisonous environment.

“Injury… voice…”

Lu Yan continued echoing his words, but the exchange clearly delighted him.

“Merchant… Handsome Zhou?”

Zhou Qi: “…”

He almost preferred being called “Zhou Zhou.”

“Yes, I’m here,” Zhou Qi replied reluctantly.

“Happy! Happy!” Lu Yan repeated, sounding almost like a jubilant child.

Zhou Qi’s expression softened slightly. “Do you need anything?” he asked.

“I want… to talk…”

Hearing Lu Yan’ response, both Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy.

Last time, it was the same. Just chatting briefly with Lu Yan had earned them a pound of mutated blueberries and over 800 points.

Tang Yu’an thought for a moment before suggesting a trade. “How about this—I’ll give you a bottle of basic healing potion, and in exchange, you give us 1 kilos of mutated blueberries. Deal?”

They still had four bottles of basic healing potions and two bottles of intermediate potions in stock. Trading one bottle with Lu Yan wouldn’t leave them short.

“This potion can heal many wounds. It might even help your throat recover.”

“Heal… recover…”

“Do you think this trade works for you?”

“Works…”

With Lu Yan’ hesitant agreement, a system notification popped up:

[You have completed a profitable trade with a dream wisher. Points +1400, Experience +6, Dream Fragment +1.]
[You have lost 1 bottle of basic healing potion.]
[You have gained 1 kilos of mutated blueberries. Please select a delivery location:]
[1. Peace Grocery Store Warehouse ]
[2….]

500 grams of mutated blueberries was worth 800 points. After deducting the potion’s 200-point value, they had earned 1400 points in profit!

Looking at his balance, now back to over 7000 points, Tang Yu’an felt immensely satisfied.

With these earnings, they now had enough to upgrade the protective barrier twice.

After concluding the trade, Lu Yan’ dream space remained stable, so Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi stayed to chat with him for a little while longer.

“Lu Yan, the healing potion we traded you—don’t drink it all at once,” Tang Yu’an instructed gently.

“You should only take three sips at most at a time. Wait at least 12 hours before drinking more, or it’ll go to waste.”

He repeated this advice several times, unsure if Lu Yan truly understood.

About ten minutes later, Lu Yan’ glowing form began to waver, signaling that he was waking from his dream. The conversation ended shortly after.

Tang Yu’an re-corked the bottle and tossed it back into the Dream Sea. Then, he grabbed another drift bottle.

*

Abandoned Chemical Factory Ruins

Thick fog hung heavily in the air as a figure jolted awake from a dream.

In the faint, murky moonlight, his grotesque face came into view—skin marred with festering sores that oozed a sticky liquid.

Yet if one looked closer, they would notice his bright, gem-like green eyes that sparkled with clarity.

He glanced around, finding himself alone, and his face fell with disappointment.

“Splash, splash…”

The sound of running water interrupted his thoughts—it must have been what disturbed his dream.

Lu Yan glanced toward the source of the sound but paid it no further attention. Instead, he looked down at the plastic bag beside him, which still held half a steamed bun.

Just as he reached for it, his gaze fell on a small glass bottle nearby.

Carefully, Lu Yan picked up the bottle, unscrewed the cap, and sniffed at it cautiously. After a moment, he took a small sip.

He blinked in surprise, pausing.

A moment later, he opened his mouth tentatively and whispered, “Ah…”

It was only a single syllable, but his expression brightened with excitement. He stood up and turned to look behind him.

Behind him stood a tall, leafless tree, its trunk riddled with signs of decay and rot.

“Ah… ah…”

Lu Yan gestured animatedly, repeating the syllable with glee until he finally managed to form a complete word: “Hap…py…”

His voice was still raspy and grating, but it didn’t diminish his joy in the slightest.

Then, he suddenly quieted.

Lu Yan glanced at the tree, then at the small bottle in his hand. His eyes lit up with determination.

Carefully, he poured a portion of the potion at the tree’s base.

He stopped when only half the bottle was left, replaced the cap, and tucked the bottle back into his plastic bag. Then, he turned his attention to the tree.

Under his watchful gaze, the tree—previously withered and decayed—began to show faint signs of vitality.

Though the change was slow, Lu Yan could sense it.

Tears glistened in his Lu Yan as he reached out and embraced the tree tightly.

*

Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had no knowledge of what was unfolding at the abandoned chemical factory.

The second bottle they opened belonged to Xiao Hai Lan.

“Mysterious Merchant! Oh, how wonderful to hear your voice again!” The little girl’s voice was filled with joy.

“Good evening, Hai Lan.”

“Good evening!”

After exchanging greetings, Xiao Hai Lan eagerly shared her day with Tang Yu’an.

With the white rice they’d received, her father had traded leftover brown rice for two small fish and used the white rice to make a thick porridge.

“I’ve never eaten anything so delicious!”

Her voice bubbled with excitement. “I ate until I was full, all thanks to you.”

While Tang Yu’an was happy for her, he couldn’t help but worry. Trading brown rice with others—was it truly safe?

This time, Xiao Hai Lan seemed much better prepared to answer, a stark contrast to her previously vague responses.

Xiao Hai Lan declared with confidence, “I asked my dad a lot of questions today!”

Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged glances. They decided not to rush into a trade and instead guided Xiao Hai Lan to share more.

“How many families live where you are?”

Since Xiao Hai Lan rarely strayed far from her home, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had only managed to uncover a little about Linhai Town’s layout. They still didn’t know much about her circumstances.

“There are… maybe a dozen or so families…” Xiao Hai Lan’s confident tone wavered.

Tang Yu’an sighed.

“Tomorrow, why don’t you follow your dad around your area and take a good look?” he suggested.

“Okay!” Xiao Hai Lan readily agreed.

“What’s your dad’s name?” Tang Yu’an asked.

This one she knew!

“Dad’s name is Hai Jing. ‘Jing’ means a very, very big fish,” she replied confidently.

Tang Yu’an chuckled and made a note next to her green marker on the map.

If only they could trade with Hai Jing directly. Expanding him into a customer would allow him to explore and reveal more of Linhai Town’s map for them.

Unfortunately, for now, they could only trade with Xiao Hai Lan.

As for recruiting her as an employee… she was far too young, maybe only six or seven. Sending her out to trade would be far too dangerous.

Most importantly, if they hired her, they likely wouldn’t be able to receive her drift bottles anymore.

Without that channel, they’d lose access to the sea salt from Linhai Town.

Recruiting her was clearly not a viable option.

From Xiao Hai Lan’s description, her family had a decent relationship with their neighbors.

Unlike the hostility prevalent in places like Desolate City or Jufeng Town, Linhai Town seemed to be divided into smaller fishing villages. Because of the need for cooperation when fishing at sea, the villagers naturally lived in closer communities.

This tight-knit dynamic made the relationships between villagers less fraught than in other areas.

Additionally, the ability to sell salt meant Linhai Town’s leaders had a lucrative income. This likely allowed them to be more lenient on rents and taxes.

As a result, while Linhai Town’s common residents couldn’t sell salt themselves, they lived relatively decent lives—aside from the constant danger from sea creatures and the struggle for food.

However, the mutated ocean had grown far more perilous since the catastrophe.

“I don’t want Dad to go to sea anymore,” Xiao Hai Lan said. “Our neighbor’s uncle went out fishing and never came back.”

“I heard from Brother Hai Lang that he was eaten by a sea monster… Waaaah…”

Her glowing orb trembled as she spoke. Before Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi could console her, her dream broke apart.

Although they hadn’t completed a trade today, the information they had gained was substantial and worthwhile.

Judging from Xiao Hai Lan’s situation, Linhai Town hadn’t been affected by floods yet. The waters from Desolate City hadn’t reached that area.

As Tang Yu’an tossed Xiao Hai Lan’s drift bottle back into the Dream Sea, he remarked, “I didn’t expect Linhai Town to be divided into so many fishing villages instead of one big settlement.”

“The area where the leaders are based is probably more developed,” Zhou Qi said.

Tang Yu’an nodded. “It’s a pity Xiao Hai Lan is too young to go out and help us uncover the map.”

After some thought, Zhou Qi suggested, “How about we recruit Hai Jing as an employee?”

Tang Yu’an was startled.

The idea wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

Hai Jing could go out to trade, while Xiao Hai Lan could continue communicating with them via the drift bottles.

More importantly, their father-daughter duo could earn points and exchange them for food through the shop. That way, even if they couldn’t get Xiao Hai Lan’s drift bottle for a while, they wouldn’t have to worry about the pair starving.

Still, Tang Yu’an hesitated.

“But we’ve never met him…” he said. “Wouldn’t hiring him without an assessment be risky?”

“He’s far from us and doesn’t know us personally,” Zhou Qi reasoned. “Isn’t that exactly what our initial hiring criteria were for?”

Tang Yu’an acknowledged the logic but remained unsure.

“I’m just worried Xiao Hai Lan’s dad might not be smart enough. If we hire him as an employee, it might put both him and Xiao Hai Lan in danger,” he said, conflicted.

Zhou Qi’s gaze softened.

He ruffled Tang Yu’an’s hair firmly and said, “If he can figure out how to refine sea salt from Xiao Hai Lan’s explanations and think of drying salt on the beach, he’s no fool.”

In fact, Hai Jing displayed resourcefulness and courage.

“People like that, when given an opportunity, will do everything they can to seize it.”

Just like Xiao Cao.

Tang Yu’an listened to Zhou Qi’s reasoning and quickly came around.

“You’re right!” he said with determination. “This is the apocalypse. I shouldn’t be so overly cautious.”

Once he made up his mind, Tang Yu’an acted quickly.

He selected Hai Jing’s marker on the map and sent him a recruitment invitation.

[Recruitment Failed!]
[Peace Grocery Store is currently closed. Recruitment cannot be initiated while the store is closed.]

Tang Yu’an was momentarily stunned but soon realized the issue. Of course recruitment wouldn’t work when the shop was closed. Otherwise, what would be the point of the open/closed distinction?

Thankfully, the protective barrier was still active at night, so he only needed to deactivate the closed state temporarily.

After resending the recruitment invitation, he promptly restored the store to its closed status.

“This should do it!”

Now they just had to wait for Hai Jing to wake up and accept the invitation the next day.

Stretching, Tang Yu’an crawled into bed, his eyes drooping with exhaustion. “Finally, time to sleep!”

“Are we heading to Jufeng Town for the morning market tomorrow?” he asked.

“Mm,” Zhou Qi nodded.

“I’m going too!”

“Let’s see if you can even wake up in time.”

“Of course I can! Don’t underestimate me!”

Gradually, the attic quieted down, and the two boys—exhausted from a day’s hard work—fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.

*

The next morning, Tang Yu’an was stirred awake by his alarm clock. Groggily, he opened his eyes to find Zhou Qi already dressed.

Struggling to get up, Tang Yu’an hugged Zhou Qi from behind.

“Why don’t you sleep a little longer?” Zhou Qi asked, glancing back at him.

“No, I want to go to the market with you…” Tang Yu’an mumbled, drifting off again mid-sentence.

Zhou Qi chuckled softly, leaning his head to nuzzle Tang Yu’an gently.

Carefully, Zhou Qi pried Tang Yu’an’s arms off, tucked him back into bed, and left for Jufeng Grocery Store after a quick wash.

From there, he carried a jar of salt to the morning market in Jufeng Town.

By the time Zhou Qi arrived, the market was already bustling.

“Desolate City is flooded!”

“Yeah, I heard it’s reached the bridge!”

Conversations like these filled the air. It was clear the flood in Desolate City had spread, but contrary to Zhou Qi’s expectations, the townsfolk seemed more excited than alarmed.

“The patrol’s organizing a hunting trip into the mountains today!”

“Yup, I’ve already signed up!”

Listening in, Zhou Qi quickly understood the situation. Because of the flood, many animals had fled to the mountains for safety, making Jufeng Mountain unusually lively.

The townsfolk were thrilled about the opportunity to hunt nearby instead of traveling to Desolate City.

In the midst of this excitement, Zhou Qi also heard a town guard shouting:

“Guards are recruiting farmers! Six-hour workdays, excellent benefits! Interested parties can apply at the guard post. Long-term positions available!”

Six-hour shifts?

Zhou Qi recalled Grandpa Li mentioning the “black workshops” where farming ability users were essentially imprisoned, forced to work day and night without rest.

If this truly was a six-hour work system, it could be very appealing to plant- ability users.

Zhou Qi naturally hoped Hong Li could recruit more farmers. The more inventory she had, the more profitable their trades could become.

Arriving at the market, Zhou Qi easily spotted Shi Tou and Xiao Cao.

They were working hard, loudly calling out to attract customers.

However, with four other stalls selling soup nearby, their business was clearly suffering.

“Maybe we should set up in West Market tomorrow,” Xiao Cao suggested.

Jufeng Town, with its population of several thousand, naturally had more than one market. The East Market, being close to the guard post, had better security, which was why they preferred it.

“But I heard from Xiao Feng that West Market also has several soup stalls,” Shi Tou said with a wrinkled nose.

“Ugh, why are people like this…” Xiao Cao grumbled in frustration.

Zhou Qi approached just as the siblings were sulking.

“Good morning,” he greeted.

Shi Tou and Xiao Cao were startled. Seeing Zhou Qi, they immediately straightened up and called out in unison, “Good morning, Brother Qi!”

Though they could joke around with Little Divine Doctor, Zhou Qi’s presence made them behave as if they were mice caught by a cat.

Zhou Qi nodded and glanced at their stall. “Business isn’t going well?”

“Not at all,” the siblings admitted, their heads drooping.

“Want to help me sell salt?” Zhou Qi offered at the perfect moment. “Once we’re done, I’ll treat each of you to a steamed bun.”

Xiao Cao’s eyes lit up.

“No need for buns!” she eagerly replied. “We’ll help you sell salt!”

She had seen Zhou Qi’s stall’s popularity firsthand yesterday. If she and her brother could assist, they’d earn a significant number of points!

To avoid suspicion, she added, “Little Divine Doctor not only saved us but also lent us scissors to start our business and gave us a place to stay at Jade Pavilion Inn. Helping out is the least we can do.”

Her sincerity was evident. Beyond explanation, she genuinely wanted to express her gratitude.

Zhou Qi studied her and gave a small nod.

Shi Tou finally caught on and thumped his chest. “That’s right! Leave it to us, Brother Qi. You can take a break!”

And so, Zhou Qi simply supervised from the side while the siblings handled the transactions entirely.

Since Zhou Qi was a branch manager of Shop No. 1, every successful trade by the siblings also earned him employee experience points.

*

By the time Tang Yu’an woke up again, his system notifications had flooded his view.

In just one morning at the market, Shi Tou and Xiao Cao had served 185 customers, earning him:

[210 EXP ]
[ 2,480 shop points]
[ 295 shop popularity points ]
[Experience Maxed. Merchant Level +1.]

Seeing this, Tang Yu’an’s eyes widened in excitement.