Doomsday Grocery Store – CH171

Chapter 171

Seeing Zhou Qi accept the gift and promise to always wear it, Tang Yu’an finally felt satisfied.

He sat down with a smile and started eating the noodles.

Well, it’s not as tasty as Brother Qi’s cooking, but at least it’s edible, Tang Yu’an thought as he ate.

Zhou Qi glanced at him. Seeing that Tang Yu’an hadn’t noticed anything unusual about his behavior, he sighed in relief and picked up his chopsticks to eat. He ate quickly, without any complaints about the taste.

Tang Yu’an chuckled, transferring the poached egg from his bowl to Zhou Qi’s. Just as he did, Zhou Qi asked, “Did you buy the necklace from the dimensional store? How much did it cost?”

Tang Yu’an froze for a moment before blurting out, “No, I found it in the forest.”

Zhou Qi gave him a skeptical look, one that clearly said, Do you really think I’ll believe that?

“Fine, I did buy it,” Tang Yu’an admitted, “but it wasn’t expensive at all. I’m super frugal; I wouldn’t buy anything overly pricey.”

Zhou Qi didn’t look convinced.

After all, the watch he wore was last year’s birthday gift from Tang Yu’an, who had saved up for months to afford it.

Tang Yu’an stuffed a mouthful of noodles into his mouth and mumbled, “It was only 30,000 points. Nothing major.”

He still had nightmares sometimes—vivid ones of Zhou Qi drowning in water or being burned alive. He’d wake up crying, heart pounding.

Although Zhou Qi was no longer afraid of fire, he still had vulnerabilities, especially to water. Tang Yu’an had been keeping a close eye on the dimensional store for something that could protect him.

Eventually, he found the necklace through Joanna.

Not only could the necklace generate a protective shield, but its materials were also durable—rustproof, heat-resistant, and difficult to break. Its base value was 20,000 points, but Joanna gave Tang Yu’an a “friendship price” of 30,000 points.

Tang Yu’an genuinely thought it was worth it.

Zhou Qi stared at him and murmured, “It took you over 20 days to save up 30,000 points…”

This meant their timeline to return home would have to be pushed back again.

“You’re the most important,” Tang Yu’an said, his voice firm and sincere. “Even if I had to spend every last point, I’d still buy it.”

Zhou Qi gazed at him, stunned. His heart felt as though it was soaking in warm water, the heat seeping into his bones and leaving a trace of sweetness behind.

After a moment, he said softly, “You should get one for yourself too.”

“Mm-hmm! I’ll buy one next time it’s available.”

Tang Yu’an grinned and returned to his noodles, while Zhou Qi finished every last bite of his.

As teenagers still growing—and with their enhanced physiques from their abilities—they found their appetites increasing. The noodles hadn’t quite been enough, so Zhou Qi made a few meat and egg pancakes to supplement.

The eggs were still from the lizard eggs Tang Yu’an had stored in his inventory earlier. They’d lasted surprisingly well and were still edible.

“I saw a white-tailed bird laying eggs yesterday. Want to go raid its nest later?” Tang Yu’an suggested.

The white-tailed bird was named for its long white tail feathers. It was enormous, standing two to three meters tall, and highly aggressive. It had attacked them multiple times before, but after several strategic encounters, Tang Yu’an’s combat skills—and his flying speed—had both improved significantly.

Zhou Qi considered it for a moment before nodding.

Normally, they would have studied after breakfast, but since it was his birthday, they decided to take a break and have some fun instead.

The two boys put aside their usual routine of studying and training and spent the day exploring and playing around.

As the days passed, the temperature began to drop. When they noticed the leaves in the forest turning yellow, they realized autumn had arrived.

“So this world has seasons too,” Tang Yu’an said, picking up a fallen leaf.

The leaf, though dried and yellowed, was still exceptionally tough and large enough to serve as a small boat if placed in water.

“Let’s grab a few leaves to roast chestnuts,” Zhou Qi suggested.

“Great idea!” Tang Yu’an cheered.

The chestnuts were a new fruit they had found in the forest. Each one was as large as a fist, with a hard outer shell. After roasting, the shell would crack open with a simple tap from a hammer, revealing soft, pale yellow flesh that tasted sweet and nutty.

Tang Yu’an could eat five in one sitting before feeling completely full.

They collected a few large leaves and, back at their yard, shredded them into a pile. They tossed in five or six big chestnuts and wrapped some sweet potato chunks in foil to roast alongside.

Placing a firestone in the pile, they watched as the leaves quickly caught fire.

Yuan Bao squatted nearby, eagerly watching. It loved roasted sweet potatoes and chestnuts as much as they did.

Black Pearl, however, showed no interest in such food. The little black cat had been sunbathing on the roof, but when it saw the two boys roasting food, it jumped onto a nearby boulder.

In an instant, it transformed into its full-sized form—a sleek, majestic black panther.

Over their six months in this dimension, Black Pearl’s coat had grown glossier, and its movements had become even more agile and elegant.

Without sparing the roasting session a glance, Black Pearl padded away.

Just as Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi dug out their roasted sweet potatoes to eat, the panther returned.

Floating alongside it were several freshly caught fish, pierced neatly with metal shards, their tails still flapping.

The fish were perfectly sized—not so big as to complicate roasting, but not too small to be unsatisfying.

The sound of splashing accompanied several fish dropping at Zhou Qi’s feet.

Zhou Qi was used to this routine by now. Skillfully, he began cleaning the fish and placing them on the fire to roast.

In addition to grilling, seasoning was essential. Though regular cats and dogs couldn’t tolerate strong flavors, Black Pearl and Yuan Bao were anything but ordinary pets. Both enjoyed food with a touch of seasoning, though they preferred it slightly milder than humans did.

“Wow, roasted fish too!” Tang Yu’an crouched by the fire, eagerly waiting, only to have Black Pearl’s tail curl around him and pull him into its fluffy embrace. He found himself surrounded by a sea of soft fur.

Yuan Bao wagged its tail and tried to join the fun, but one sharp look from Black Pearl stopped it in its tracks. Obediently, Yuan Bao trotted over to Zhou Qi’s side to stand guard instead.

The aroma of roasted fish, chestnuts, and sweet potatoes filled the courtyard, creating a cozy and joyful atmosphere. Outside the courtyard, a green vine grew vigorously, its delicate tendrils climbing the large rocks, adding a touch of vibrancy to the campsite.

This vine was none other than a secondary offshoot of Green Gem, now rooted in the fertile soil. After regaining its vitality, it had taken a liking to the energy-rich land and decided to settle down. However, being inherently restless, it was already preparing for a second split. This time, the process was much longer, putting the vine in a prolonged dormant state. Even though its tendrils had stopped growing, its leaves remained lush and green despite the onset of autumn.

In fact, not all plants in the forest turned yellow with the changing seasons. Predatory plants like the carnivorous flower were still teeming with life, their vitality undiminished.

As the weather grew colder, snow began to fall. Tang Yu’an was ecstatic—this was his first time seeing snow. He dragged Zhou Qi outside to play snowball fights, build snowmen, and make all kinds of shaved ice treats.

Of course, after catching a severe cold, he became much more subdued. Fortunately, the cold medicine he took worked quickly, so he didn’t suffer for long. Once the novelty wore off, Tang Yu’an spent less time outside.

Snowy days were simply too cold!

Even with thermal cloth, his face was still exposed, and the biting wind made his nose feel like it might freeze off. Compared to these subzero temperatures, the wasteland’s chilly nights, which barely dropped below freezing, seemed almost tolerable.

Zhou Qi, on the other hand, remained unaffected. Since absorbing the fire spirit worm’s power, his body radiated heat like a furnace. Tang Yu’an especially enjoyed slipping his cold hands inside Zhou Qi’s shirt and refusing to let go.

Each time, Zhou Qi’s ears would turn bright red. Though he initially resisted, he eventually gave in to Tang Yu’an’s antics.

Despite the snowfall, the massive river didn’t freeze over. 

*

One day, taking advantage of the reduced activity among animals and plants during winter, they climbed to the top of a towering 100-meter tree. Flying even higher, they finally caught sight of the land on the other side of the river.

This confirmed their suspicion: the body of water was indeed a massive river.

From their vantage point, they also noticed flickering firelight across the river. Whether it was a forest fire or signs of human activity, they couldn’t be sure. After some discussion, they decided not to explore the other side for now.

The cold weather was one reason, but more importantly, their points balance was nearing the required amount!

Unknowingly, they had been in this dimension for seven months. Through consistent effort, their points balance had reached 320,000, just shy of the 388,888 needed for the locator stone.

Even better, the seven-day special sale interface hadn’t refreshed during this entire time.

In the past half-year, Tang Yu’an had completed all the first- and second-year middle school courses and was now tackling third-year material. Zhou Qi, meanwhile, was progressing even faster, having already covered most of his high school curriculum. At his pace, he estimated he could finish and review everything in another month, just in time to prepare for the final exam.

“You’re studying way too fast! I can’t keep up with you,” Tang Yu’an grumbled after finishing a lesson.

“There’s not much new content in senior year,” Zhou Qi explained. “It’s mostly review and consolidation.”

Tang Yu’an huffed, clearly not consoled.

Zhou Qi took his hands and tucked them into his own warm ones, smiling. “You’ve already done great, compressing two years’ worth of coursework into such a short time.”

Tang Yu’an, feeling encouraged, immediately pushed his advantage by sliding his chilly hands under Zhou Qi’s shirt. The warmth of Zhou Qi’s smooth skin was incredibly comforting.

Zhou Qi’s smile froze slightly.

Tang Yu’an murmured, “It’s not like there’s much else to do here besides study. And since you’re working so hard, how could I just slack off?”

His tone was casual and matter-of-fact, clearly unaware of the awkwardness he was causing. Zhou Qi, his face flushed, tried to relax and change the subject. But his mind remained a mess, unable to string coherent thoughts together.

Tang Yu’an, oblivious to Zhou Qi’s discomfort, continued his antics with the confidence of someone who had always been indulged.

Cozying up to his personal heater, Tang Yu’an absentmindedly opened the system panel. He had intended to check the dimensional store but accidentally clicked into the lucky spin interface.

Since arriving in this dimension, the daily and weekly missions had stopped updating, so…

“Huh?” Tang Yu’an blinked in surprise, then exclaimed, “Brother Qi, I still have one spin left!”

He suddenly remembered that right before they were transported to this dimension, they had completed that day’s daily mission. He just hadn’t gotten around to using his reward spin yet.

Tang Yu’an instantly perked up.

Excitedly, he said, “Brother Qi, do you think we could draw the dimension locator stone directly?”

Zhou Qi hesitated. He wanted to point out that it was a rare item and unlikely, but when he thought of Tang Yu’an’s uncanny luck, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

“Give it a try,” he suggested.

“Okay!”

Tang Yu’an finally pulled his hands out from Zhou Qi’s shirt, rubbed his palms together, and, after an exaggerated ritual of preparation, tapped the spin button!

It had been seven months since his last spin, and Tang Yu’an was brimming with anticipation.

But when the pointer stopped, his expression faltered, betraying a hint of disappointment.

“Didn’t get it?” Zhou Qi asked.

Tang Yu’an nodded. “No locator stone.”

It would have been too miraculous… Zhou Qi nodded in understanding but then asked, “So what did you get?”

“Let me check.”

Tang Yu’an glanced at the information and read aloud: “Seven-Day Special Sale Discount Card—30% off.”

Zhou Qi: “…”

He looked at Tang Yu’an, and Tang Yu’an looked back at him.

Both took a deep breath, and Zhou Qi asked, “Our balance is 320,000 points?”

Tang Yu’an nodded emphatically.

“390,000 at 30% off is 273,000,” Zhou Qi calculated calmly. “We can afford the dimension locator stone.”

He appeared calm, but his hands trembled slightly.

Tang Yu’an hadn’t expected their months-long goal to suddenly be within reach. He quickly confirmed the details again.

It was true! A Seven-Day Special Sale Discount Card with a 30% discount!

“Does this mean we can go back to Desolate City?” he murmured, almost in disbelief.

Zhou Qi took another deep breath and nodded. “It seems so.”

“Yay!”

Tang Yu’an cheered, leaping into the air.

Although their life here wasn’t bad and filled with exciting discoveries, it was lonely with just the two of them. He missed Grandpa Li, Grandma Guo, Kang Kang, Lili, Uncle Tie Jin, Lin Zhen, Xiao Cao, and Shi Tou…

Even though they hadn’t spent much time together, Tang Yu’an had grown attached to the people of the alternate world. Along with missing them, he often worried about whether they were safe and sound in his absence.

Although Grandpa Li always reassured him through the message board, the communication delay left him uncertain whether those reassurances were still accurate.

And what about the dreamscape wish-makers? Had they been doing well over these months? Were they even still alive?

Tang Yu’an eagerly used the discount card to purchase the dimension locator stone.

When he held the black obsidian-like stone in his hand and was about to use it, his face suddenly showed hesitation.

Gripping the stone, he looked up at Zhou Qi. “Brother Qi, do you think this stone could also locate our world?” he asked softly.

Zhou Qi regarded the stone and thought for a moment. “In theory, it could, but…”

He trailed off. Their original world didn’t have a teleportation array.

Without a teleportation array, they had no way to return.

Tang Yu’an pressed his lips together, still unwilling to give up. “Should I try anyway?”

“Go ahead.”

Their original world was, of course, their first choice over Desolate City.

Tang Yu’an opened the teleportation interface and began to operate it.

[You are establishing an interdimensional connection to a teleportation array. Dimension locator stone detected. Requirements met!]
[Please enter the destination dimension code: _ ]

Tang Yu’an entered MR168845 and waited anxiously.

[No teleportation array detected in the entered dimension. Please verify the code.]

Tang Yu’an tried twice more with the same result. He pouted slightly and shook his head at Zhou Qi.

“We’ll find another way someday,” Zhou Qi said, pulling him into a comforting hug and gently patting his back.

“Yeah…” Tang Yu’an hugged Zhou Qi tightly for a moment before quickly regaining his energy. “Getting back to Desolate City is still pretty great!”

He returned to the panel and input the dimension code for Desolate City. This time, everything went smoothly.

[Teleportation arrays detected in the following locations within the dimension:]
[1. Peace Grocery Store]
[2. Peace Grocery Store – Branch 1]
[3. … ]

Tang Yu’an glanced at Zhou Qi and explained the situation before asking, “Which teleportation array should we connect to?”

Zhou Qi frowned slightly.

The safest option was, of course, the main Peace Grocery Store. But for the long term, if they ever wanted to bring others to explore the alternate world…

In that case, one of the branch stores would be more suitable. Exposing the main store to outsiders could be risky.

Zhou Qi shared his analysis, and after some deliberation, Tang Yu’an decisively chose the swimming pool’s Branch 3.

After all, without his authorization, no one else could use the teleportation array. And if someone wasn’t even qualified to visit Branch 3, they certainly wouldn’t have the chance to explore the alternate world.

Branch 3, as a farming and cultivation base, was always in a closed state and wouldn’t be open to the public. This made it far safer than Branch 1 or 2.

[Do you want to deduct 5,000 points to connect the interdimensional teleportation array?]

It used to only cost 2,000 points, but now the price had skyrocketed 2.5 times! Tang Yu’an gritted his teeth and accepted it.

Fortunately, the discount card had saved them plenty—after buying the locator stone, they still had 50,000 points left.

[The teleportation array is now connected to: Peace Grocery Store – Branch 3. Please select your cross-dimensional teleportation method:]
[1. Single-use teleportation: 200 points per trip.]
[2. Permanent teleportation access: 20,000 points.]

Even teleportation itself had gotten pricier!

But considering the power consumption for interdimensional travel, Tang Yu’an decided it was reasonable. Without hesitation, he opted for the permanent access, leaving them with 25,000 points—still a solid balance.

[Points successfully deducted!]

Seeing that the teleportation interface for Branch 4 now displayed Branch 3 as a valid destination, Tang Yu’an let out a long sigh of relief.

“Let’s go, Brother Qi! Time to go home!”

“Alright.”

Since Green Gem’s sprout was still dormant, Tang Yu’an decided to leave it behind for now. He then summoned Yuan Bao and Black Pearl to join them.

“We’re heading back now.”

He tucked Black Pearl into his pocket, while Yuan Bao leapt onto his shoulder and slipped into his hood, poking out a small head.

Tang Yu’an chuckled, exchanging a look with Zhou Qi before activating the teleportation array.

The array glowed brightly, and the figures of the two boys disappeared from the small house.

Outside, the howling north wind carried a fresh snowfall, blanketing the world in white.

After a brief moment of dizziness, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi opened their eyes to see the familiar teleportation array in the swimming pool’s Branch 3.

Looking at each other, both boys were brimming with emotion, tears shimmering in their eyes.

“We’re really back!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed.

“Yeah. Let’s head to Branch 1 to check on things,” Zhou Qi suggested.

“Let’s go!”

When they arrived at Branch 1’s teleportation room, Yuan Bao, who had been curled up in Tang Yu’an’s hood, froze for a moment. Then it leapt to the floor with a bark.

“Woof! Woof!”

It barked excitedly, rushing out of the room.

Black Pearl also leapt from Tang Yu’an’s pocket, sniffing around with curiosity before trotting out after Yuan Bao.

Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi followed, heading to the balcony to look outside.

It was daytime in Desolate City, with bright sunshine illuminating the streets. To their surprise, even after all this time, the water level around Branch 1 was still so high!

Had Desolate City’s flood persisted for over half a year?

The yard, however, had clearly undergone changes—Grandpa Li’s reservoir had been built and filled. That section of land had been visibly expanded, likely cleared under Grandpa Li’s guidance.

The plots planted with Star-chain vines were now lush with foliage, adorned with small yellow flowers blooming in abundance, creating a beautiful and vibrant scene.

Residents had cultivated new farmland, while the brickworks were bustling with activity. Some were fishing or catching mutated aquatic creatures, giving the entire area a thriving, prosperous atmosphere, unchanged from when the boys had left.

“Woof, woof, woof!”

“Woof, woof!”

Familiar barks echoed, and Tang Yu’an turned around just in time to see two familiar figures—one gold, one white—bounding toward him.

“Wang Cai! Yin Bi!”

Tang Yu’an laughed, catching them as they enthusiastically tackled him to the ground, licking him in excitement.

“Okay, okay, I’m back now—calm down!”

Although Wang Cai and Yin Bi hadn’t chased after him when he’d disappeared, Tang Yu’an wasn’t disappointed. Their strength wasn’t on par with Yuan Bao or Black Pearl, and they likely hadn’t even realized what had happened. Knowing they had stayed to guard the store brought him comfort.

After the dogs finally settled, Tang Yu’an noticed a familiar figure standing in the room.

“Grandpa!” Spotting Grandpa Li, Tang Yu’an’s eyes welled with tears, and he rushed toward the old man.

“Good to have you back. Good to have you back.”

Old Grandpa Li looked at the two boys with evident surprise in his eyes. “Haven’t seen you for a few days, and you’ve both grown so tall!”

The 13-and-a-half-year-old Tang Yu’an had shot up to 167 cm, while Zhou Qi now stood at an impressive 185 cm.

“Just a few days?”

Tang Yu’an froze at the comment, glancing toward Zhou Qi, who immediately asked, “Grandpa Li, how long have we been gone?”

Grandpa Li thought for a moment and replied, “Seven days. Why? Is something wrong?”

What?! Seven days?

They had clearly been gone for seven months. How could it only be seven days? Could it be that…

The time flow between the two dimensions was different? Perhaps one day here equaled thirty days over there?

Just then, system notifications began flooding Tang Yu’an’s vision.

[You have returned to your original dimension. Calculating rewards for your absence… Calculation complete!]
[Congratulations! Daily task completed: Points +280, Lucky Draw chances +7.]
[Congratulations! Weekly task completed…]
[Employee “Hai Jing” completed 1,596 profitable transactions: EXP +1,596, Points +93,100.]
[Employee “Lan Yunqing” completed 4,248 profitable transactions: EXP +11,475, Points +165,672.]