Doomsday Grocery Store – CH172

Chapter 172

Hai Jing and Lan Yunqing alone brought Tang Yu’an a staggering 13,071 experience points and 258,000 points!

Tang Yu’an was dumbfounded.

What’s more, the streak for completing daily and weekly tasks hadn’t broken—likely because tasks like attracting new customers and retaining old ones were completed by the employees. As for cleaning tasks? Well, Round Head had it covered!

So all the daily tasks were fulfilled, and the weekly tasks were almost complete. Luckily, this cycle didn’t include a task requiring a lead card.

How lucky!

The settlement notifications didn’t stop there. Of course, compared to Hai Jing and Lan Yunqing, the other employees’ contributions weren’t as impressive:

[Employee “Mo Sheng” completed 252 profitable transactions: EXP +288, Points +8,563]
[Employee “Xiao Cao” completed 780 profitable transactions: EXP +780, Points +7,020]
[Employee “Shi Tou” completed 360 profitable transactions: EXP +360, Points +3,245]
[Employee “Lin Zhen” completed 321 profitable transactions: EXP +321, Points +12,385]
[Employee “Li Changqing” completed 65 profitable transactions: EXP +65, Points +103,200]

Tang Yu’an was stunned.

Grandpa Li earned 100,000 points from just 65 transactions? That wasn’t any less impressive than Hai Jing  and Lan Yunqing!

After a moment’s thought, it all made sense.

With Lin Zhen and Xiao Cao assisting, Grandpa Li was no longer responsible for routine sales and renting out rooms. Instead, his transactions now involved major bulk trades, like deals with plantation managers. Fewer transactions, but massive returns!

This meant their “Desolate City Haven” business was gaining momentum. Over 100,000 points of revenue in just one week!

As the Black Soil conversion rate increases and crop yields improve, profits would likely grow even more.

The mere thought excited Tang Yu’an.

Of course, not all employees worked equally hard…

[Employee “Chi Hao” completed 0 profitable transactions.]
[Employee “Xie Chaori” completed 0 profitable transactions.]

Tang Yu’an could understand Old Xie’s situation—being stuck as a stone in Desolate City’s core limited his ability to trade. As for Chi Hao…

Checking the map, Tang Yu’an saw Chi Hao had traveled far from Desolate City, heading north. With his constant movement, he probably hadn’t encountered many potential customers.

After the points and experience settlement finished, new notifications appeared:

[Experience points full, Merchant Level +1.]
[Merchant Level reached Lv17. Marketplace now offers MSG, dried squid, shrimp skins, laundry detergent, and plastic basins. Details available in the “Wholesale Market.”]
[Storage slots +1. Total slots: 21.]
[New Storefront slot unlocked. Current capacity: 4 items.]
[Remote Retrieval skill increased to Lv16. Details available under “Skills.”]
[Weekly Task Refresh Card +1.]

[Experience points full, Merchant Level +1.]
[Merchant Level reached Lv18. Marketplace now offers chicken essence, salted fish, canned beef, umbrellas, and candles. Details available in the “Wholesale Market.”]
[Storage slots +1. Total slots: 22.]
[Forum Account +1. New ability: assign different attributes to each account.]
[Remote Retrieval skill increased to Lv17. Details available under “Skills.”]
[Daily Task Refresh Card +1.]

Two levels gained in one week!

Tang Yu’an glanced at his experience bar: Lv18 (5,385/8,400).

Seeing the higher requirements for the next level, he couldn’t help but gasp. The higher the level, the more experience it demands!

But looking at his outstanding employees, Tang Yu’an relaxed.

No rush. With this pace, progress was already quite fast. He happily reviewed the rewards:

• The new marketplace items included dried seafood, seasonings, and canned beef—perfect additions to their inventory.
•  The candles were especially valuable. Their store had been relying on Grandpa Li’s careful recycling of melted wax, but now they could easily replenish their supply.
• Two extra storage slots brought their total to 22, providing ample space for emergencies.
• A new storefront slot in the Inter-Dimensional Marketplace meant even more sales potential.

The addition of a second forum account was intriguing. Checking his profile, he noticed a new feature: the ability to assign different attributes to each account.

Curious, Tang Yu’an tested these new features by logging into the Store Channel using his “Eastern Sweet Tang” account.

Surprisingly, he discovered something: while store channels are visible only to employees of the same store, his posts could bypass this rule and be seen by all!

This situation was a bit awkward. For example, when Tang Yu’an chatted with Shi Tou and others in the store channel, to Chi Hao and Hai Jing, it might look like he was just talking to himself.

So Tang Yu’an usually avoided speaking in the store channel, but now, that limitation was gone!

Sure enough, the store channel became lively after his message.

[Message Board (Store Channel)]
[Eastern Sweet Tang]: Just popping in!
[Cloud Eagle]: Never thought Sweet Tang is part of our shop ^^
[Greenish Blue]: Sweet Tang, you’ve been gone for so long! Remember to check your messages!
[Little Noisy]: Nice to meet you ^^

“Little Noisy” was none other than Mo Sheng. When Tang Yu’an hired him, he casually gave him this nickname.

After a week of work, his level had reached Lv6.

Soon, Lan Yunqing also joined the chat.

[Red Hot Fire]: Greetings.

Among all the employees, Lan Yunqing was the latest hire. However, his staggering 4,200+ profitable transactions had skyrocketed his level to Lv15.

Since Tang Yu’an had been away in another dimension, employees hadn’t yet received their upgrade rewards. He made a mental note to distribute them soon.

[Greenish Blue]: Little Red, I’ve always wanted to ask—are you water-based?
[Red Hot Fire]: You’re asking because you’re fire-based?
[Greenish Blue]: Of course not! What nonsense!

Watching their exchange, Tang Yu’an scratched his head. Next time he assigned employees nicknames, he should avoid picking opposites. It made them too easy to guess!

[Eastern Sweet Tang]: Everyone’s so lively!
[Eastern Sweet Tang]: I’ve been busy with tasks these past few days.
[Greenish Blue]: What tasks?
[Eastern Sweet Tang]: That’s a secret! ^^

When Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi were in the other dimension, the message board had high latency, and they eventually lost interest in leaving messages.

From the employees’ perspective, however, it had only been a few days since the boys disappeared.

Closing the message board, Tang Yu’an opened his skills panel.

To his surprise, the Remote Retrieval Skill still wasn’t maxed out. What improvements had been made at higher levels?

[Remote Retrieval Skill Lv17]

Description: Exclusive merchant skill.

• Basic Effect (Perfected): Pick up or place items from the store within a 10,000 km range with no cooldown.
• Intermediate Effect (Perfected): Place items up to 16 meters away from yourself by sight.
• Advanced Effect (Perfected): Pick up items up to 81 meters away by sight.
• High-Level Effect: Multiplies all three prior effects by 3.

Tang Yu’an: 0.0

Triple the range for all effects?!

The basic effect increased to 30,000 km, item placement extended to 48 meters, and item pickup now spanned 243 meters!

“This is insane!” Tang Yu’an was thrilled.

This skill would be invaluable in other dimensions. With everything so massive there, even if they hadn’t yet explored a 10,000 km radius, they eventually would. The stronger this skill, the better!

After reviewing all his rewards, Tang Yu’an glanced at Zhou Qi, who was chatting with Grandpa Li, and quickly joined the conversation.

“Xiao Cao and Shi Tou are diligent kids,” Grandpa Li said. “They’ve been using the teleportation array to travel to Jufeng Town, selling hot soup at the Jade Pavilion Inn.”

No wonder Xiao Cao’s transaction count was so high!

Considering their settlement only had about 40 residents, even if they made three transactions daily, it would only total 840 transactions. Yet the employees’ combined numbers far exceeded that.

“I went to Jufeng Town yesterday,” Grandpa Li continued, “and saw the Jufeng Grocery Store nearly complete. It should be done in a few days.”

The guards seemed used to the mysterious exits from their underground teleportation room.

“They’ve just assumed the shop’s basement has some hidden passage,” Grandpa Li chuckled.

Tang Yu’an was curious about someone else: “Grandpa, have you heard any news about Sister Hong Li, the manager of Jufeng Town?”

He recalled Zhou Qi extracting the fire spirit worm from her body and absorbing it. Would she still have her abilities? If not, the gang led by Jin Fu might not let her off easily.

Grandpa Li shook his head. “No news about her.”

The deadline for their salt deal with Hong Li was still ten days away, so Grandpa Li hadn’t visited the guardhouse. Around town, there were no rumors about her.

“That’s odd,” Tang Yu’an muttered.

Grandpa Li asked, “Where have you two been these past few days?”

He explained how the sound of Zhou Qi diving into the water had startled everyone, but by the time they checked, they only found fish floating belly-up in the water. Zhou Qi’s subsequent safety message had reassured him, though he hadn’t expected the boys to be gone for seven days.

What surprised him more was how much they had changed in such a short time.

Both had grown noticeably taller and stronger, especially Zhou Qi. His once lanky frame now seemed solid and dependable, with a stature that commanded respect.

Tang Yu’an still looked delicate and attractive, with a plump, healthy face and radiant skin that suggested excellent health.

Of course, he had grown significantly taller too, and at his age, his height was already considered impressive, especially in the harsh conditions of the wasteland.

“We went to a place,” Tang Yu’an answered vaguely.

They hadn’t decided whether to tell Grandpa Li the truth yet. After all, cross-dimensional teleportation was a significant matter that could bring tremendous upheaval.

If the people at Qingmu Fortress learned of this, Desolate City might not remain peaceful for long.

Until they figured out how to handle this information, it seemed best to keep it from Grandpa Li to avoid burdening him with unnecessary worry. Besides, given the immense difference in time flow between the two dimensions and Grandpa Li’s advanced age, it was unlikely they’d consider taking him there.

If possible, they hoped Grandpa Li could spend a few more years with them.

“Alright, I understand.” Grandpa Li didn’t press further. From the boy’s expression, he sensed that this secret wasn’t something he should know.

He then shifted the topic to the development of Desolate City Haven over the past week.

Under the conditions they had endured before, the residents of Desolate City had managed to survive. With the safety provided by the first shop’s environment, they had flourished.

Even human nature, often unpredictable and volatile, had been reined in by the Savior’s Aura and the rules governing overnight stays. This had minimized any potential disruptions.

Thus, during Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi’s absence, Desolate City Haven had continued to develop steadily.

The first reservoir was complete, and Grandpa Li was organizing the construction of a second. The filtered water canal system he had mentioned earlier was also operational.

They had excavated a water storage pool in the northern courtyard of the building. Filtered water flowed into the pool, then continued to an outlet extending eastward.

The eastern outlet connected to irrigation canals, dividing the cultivated land into “field” shapes, making water retrieval for farming more convenient.

The northern pool provided residents with clean water for daily use.

Filtered through rocks and activated charcoal, the water—already relatively clear—was further purified by settling, leaving the top layers even clearer.

While it wasn’t quite drinking water quality, boiling it made it safe for consumption and perfectly adequate for washing and bathing.

Yes, with abundant water available, brick-making had become less urgent. Residents now had more time for other activities. Grandpa Li took the opportunity to introduce new hygiene rules:

• Residents were required to bathe at least every two days and wash their clothes every three days.

For people who might have gone years without a proper bath, these new rules were a significant adjustment.

But after half a month of living in the Haven, they had gradually adapted to following orders.

No one wanted to be expelled from Desolate City Haven and return to their previous hardships. Life here—working hard, following the rules, staying fed and warm, and not worrying about being eaten by mutant creatures—was a paradise in comparison.

Washing up regularly seemed like a minor inconvenience compared to these benefits.

For women like Tie Mu Hua and Ye Lan, bathing and doing laundry had even become enjoyable rituals. They had bought soap from Room 501 and kept themselves clean every day.

In the safe environment of the Haven, they no longer needed to appear unattractive or dirty to avoid trouble. No vile men dared lay a hand on them anymore.

Of course, as the saying goes, “once basic needs are met, higher desires arise.” With few entertainment options available, some residents began forming relationships.

When Grandpa Li learned about this, he personally intervened to set some ground rules:

1. If a pregnancy occurred, the child must be born.
   • Due to limited medical resources, attempting an abortion or miscarriage was risky and could easily result in death.
2. Once born, parents were responsible for raising the child until the age of 10.
   • In the wasteland, 18 years of age was too long to wait for adulthood, so Grandpa Li had set the threshold at 10.

Any instance of abandoning or intentionally harming a child would result in the immediate expulsion of the parents from the Haven, with no chance of return.

The rules for overnight stays prevented residents from directly harming each other, but they didn’t provide enough protection for young children.

Grandpa Li, ever distrustful of human nature, had considered every worst-case scenario. He knew there were many indirect ways to cause a child’s death, particularly for defenseless infants. Even simple neglect—such as not feeding them—could be fatal.

After Grandpa Li’s stern warning, two couples broke up immediately. However, one pair persisted, even thanking him the next day.

“This rule makes us feel more secure,” they said cheerfully.

They mentioned seeing Granny Guo working the fields with her two children daily and admired how well the Haven cared for its young.

Watching the lively and sweet Huoqiu, who was also a devoted son to his father, they couldn’t help but envy his upbringing.

They expressed their desire to have a child of their own—someone they could raise and nurture.

Having been abandoned by their own parents as children, they wanted to recreate the childhood they had never experienced through their own offspring.

The Haven’s strict rules gave them confidence that this was possible. After all, the regulations assumed that the Haven would last for at least ten years, providing a stable environment for raising a child to age 10.

Hearing this, Grandpa Li was surprised but outwardly remained stoic.

Sweet words were easy to say, but whether they could follow through was another matter.

Still, he suspected they were drawn to the Haven’s benefits for expectant mothers.

After Grandpa Li shared all this, Tang Yu’an’s eyes widened. “They want to have babies without getting married?”

Grandpa Li paused.

He hadn’t expected the child’s first reaction to be this. Was it still customary in the fortresses to register marriages before having children?

Tang Yu’an quickly realized his mistake.

This was the post-apocalypse. Social order had collapsed, and concepts like marriage were likely obsolete. Even titles like “husband” and “wife” might not be in common use anymore.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, “Grandpa, do you think it’s necessary for them to be married?”

Grandpa Li frowned thoughtfully, seeming unsure. He appeared ready to dismiss the idea but hesitated, noticing Tang Yu’an’s intent expression, and began to organize his thoughts.

At this point, Zhou Qi spoke up:

“I think it’s necessary.”

“Marriage is about creating a structure where couples take responsibility for their family. While our residents grew up in the wasteland and might lack a strong sense of responsibility, things are different now.”

“They’ll be living in Desolate City Haven, helping to build, develop, and even defend it. Cultivating a sense of responsibility among them is crucial.”

Zhou Qi explained, “At the very least, it’s important to introduce them to the concept of family.”

The most natural place to cultivate responsibility is within a family. Blood ties create an inherent bond, and people are more inclined to care for their own family members. Once emotions and connections deepen, those bonds are hard to sever.

“Let’s start by encouraging this couple to embrace being a family. Gradually, we can reinforce the idea, helping them understand how warm and supportive a family can be.”

“If they become a positive example, it’ll encourage other residents to form families too, naturally building a strong foundation for our community.”

Tang Yu’an listened to Zhou Qi’s explanation and nodded enthusiastically. “That way, Desolate City Haven really will feel like a home!”

Grandpa Li observed the two teenagers for a moment before sighing and nodding. “Your idea makes sense. So, how do we implement it?”

“For now, we don’t need to do much,” Zhou Qi replied. “We can start by creating a simple process—have them sign and leave a handprint in a book.”

They wanted to encourage the formation of families but were cautious about over-intervening. For example, introducing welfare benefits for couples might lead to people getting together purely for material advantages, which wasn’t the outcome they wanted.

“Sign and leave a handprint? What’s the point of that?” Grandpa Li asked, puzzled.

“I know!” Tang Yu’an raised his hand eagerly. “It’s called creating a sense of ceremony!”

“A sense of ceremony?”

“Yes,” Zhou Qi nodded. “For now, we can keep it simple. Let’s record today’s date and later make a couple of certificates as gifts for the newlyweds.”

“Date? How do we decide that?” Grandpa Li asked again, still perplexed.

Zhou Qi thought for a moment and said, “Let’s call this year the Haven Year One. We can set a month at 30 days and a year at 12 months.”

“Wow, that’s such a great idea!”

Tang Yu’an chimed in, his excitement growing. “How about making the day Desolate City Haven was established the first day of the first month?”

The wasteland’s chaotic climate meant no one bothered to track dates or history anymore. Most people didn’t even know their exact age.

Given that, why couldn’t they establish their own calendar? Desolate City Haven’s history could be recorded and compiled by them, starting here and now!