Doomsday Grocery Store – CH185

Chapter 185

“Bring Kang Kang here?” Zhou Qi was stunned when he heard Tang Yu’an’s suggestion.

“Yes! After the shop upgrade, customers can use the teleportation array too,” Tang Yu’an explained. “Let’s bring Kang Kang over to check on the situation in Lanhu Forest.”

Zhou Qi thought about it and didn’t find the idea impossible, but there was a problem.

“How do we explain where Kang Kang came from?”

When the three of them entered Lanhu Forest, they were under tight surveillance.

Since Lan Yunqing could instantly transport them, he should also be aware that it was just the three of them—no one else, let alone a child.

How could they explain Kangkang’s sudden appearance? Would this reveal the existence of the teleportation array?

“Even if it does, it shouldn’t matter, right? Without permission, no one can use it anyway,” Tang Yu’an said, his confidence waning as he spoke.

Zhou Qi sighed. “Given the xenophobic nature of Lanhu Town, would they tolerate a teleportation array in the heart of Lanhu Forest?”

If it fell into enemy hands, they would gain the ability to deploy troops directly into the town’s core—a fatal threat to any power.

Tang Yu’an thought about it and realized Zhou Qi was right.

If enemies could appear without warning in the heart of the area filled with ordinary residents, the mere thought was terrifying!

This was the first time they realized that teleportation arrays could become devastating weapons of war.

They were born and raised in a peaceful and powerful country, so they rarely considered such scenarios. But in this chaotic post-apocalyptic world, war could break out at any time.

What if, someday, irreconcilable conflicts arose, and Hong Li led her troops to attack Desolate City Haven? They could directly descend on Jufeng Town and occupy the entire mountain.

Especially now that even non-employees could use the teleportation array!

“We must be extremely cautious about using the teleportation array in the future,” Zhou Qi said solemnly.

If the major powers discovered that the mysterious merchant possessed such a trump card, the Peace General Store would undoubtedly become everyone’s target.

Even if they weren’t openly attacked, they would become like rats in the street, unable to operate their business openly.

Tang Yu’an felt his scalp tingle just thinking about it.

“Currently, only Grandpa Li, Shi Tou, and Xiao Cao know about the array. Let’s ask Grandpa Li to make sure they understand the importance of keeping it secret,” Zhou Qi said.

If word got out, the recently rebuilt Jufeng General Store might not survive.

Without delay, Zhou Qi sent a message through the store channel, confirming that Grandpa Li was still awake. He then sent him a note via his communicator and placed it in his portable warehouse.

Soon, Grandpa Li returned the device with a recorded message. Zhou Qi played it, and the old man’s amused voice came through.

“You just thought of this now? By the time you reminded me, it’d already be too late!”

Zhou Qi sighed in relief. “Looks like Grandpa Li had already warned them.”

Tang Yu’an nodded. “It’s great having Grandpa around!”

Then he asked, “So, what do we do now? Without Kang Kang, how can we assess Lanhu Forest’s situation?”

Zhou Qi thought for a moment. “We have the Shadow Cloak, don’t we?”

“You mean sneaking Kang Kang in?”

Zhou Qi shook his head. “The Lanhu Lord can communicate with the forest. If Kang Kang sneaks in and interacts with the forest, we’ll still be exposed.”

“Then what’s the plan?” Tang Yu’an scratched his head.

“I’ll pretend to leave and pick him up,” Zhou Qi suggested.

“Five days later, we’ll bring Kang Kang in using the teleportation array. Then, with the Shadow Cloak, we’ll move him to the forest’s outskirts. As long as there’s a time gap and he doesn’t appear directly in the forest, we should be fine.”

“Good!”

Tang Yu’an agreed. “Tomorrow, we’ll talk to Yunqing. You pretend to leave, and I’ll stay in Lanhu Town to wait for your return. Then we’ll work on building the basement!”

Hearing how Tang Yu’an addressed the Lanhu Lord, Zhou Qi pressed his lips together but said nothing.

After finalizing their plan, they went to sleep.

The next day, the two approached Lan Yunqing to explain their situation.

“You’re returning to Jufeng Town to pick someone up?” Lan Yunqing asked, surprised.

“No, just me,” Zhou Qi clarified.

“Will it be too dangerous for you? Does Jufeng Town have such a capable cultivator?” Lan Yunqing asked with excitement. “I can send someone to escort you!”

Zhou Qi quickly shook his head. “It’s a companion, not someone from Jufeng Town.”

He refused the offer. “I can go alone. Too many people would make certain methods difficult to use and might waste time.”

Lan Yunqing nodded in understanding. “I don’t know how to thank you enough….”

Zhou Qi waved it off. “We’re only doing this to complete the task assigned by the mysterious merchant. It may not even work.”

Lan Yunqing shook his head. “Regardless of the outcome, we’re grateful for your efforts on behalf of Lanhu Town.”

He then led the two youths to the edge of Lanhu Forest.

“Safe travels, and make sure to return safely!” Lan Yunqing said to Zhou Qi.

Zhou Qi waved and, under the watchful eyes of Tang Yu’an and Lan Yunqing, made his way over the hills toward Jufeng Town. Once out of their sight, he took out the Shadow Cloak and retraced his steps.

Meanwhile, Tang Yu’an was escorted back to the cabin by Lan Yunqing, just in time to run into Mo Ke, who had returned.

Hearing about Tang Yu’an’s conversation with Lan Yunqing, Mo Ke was confused. Once Lan Yunqing left, he pulled Tang Yu’an aside to question him.

“Xiao Qi really just left like that?”

Tang Yu’an looked at Mo Ke, hesitating over how to explain the situation. Should he keep it a secret or bring Mo Ke into their fold?

Over the past few days of traveling together, Mo Ke had earned their trust. Grandpa Li had willingly taught him hunting techniques for a reason—Mo Ke was brave, meticulous, and loyal, a genuinely good person.

Recruiting him as an employee didn’t seem like a bad idea. If Mo Ke joined them, it would also make their operations at Shop #5 much more convenient.

Tang Yu’an thought it over and began discussing it with Zhou Qi via the message board. After consulting Grandpa Li, they finally made a decision.

Tang Yu’an extended an invitation to Mo Ke.

When Mo Ke saw the strange interface pop up in front of him, he was stunned.

[The Mysterious Merchant wishes to recruit you as a salesperson for “Peace General Store Shop #1″…]

Mysterious Merchant? What was that?

Hearing the mechanical voice echoing in his ears, Mo Ke froze.

“Brother Mo, did you receive the recruitment message from the Mysterious Merchant?” Tang Yu’an asked knowingly.

“Uh, is this you?”

“Nope. The Mysterious Merchant is an immensely powerful being, and I serve him,” Tang Yu’an said, copying Zhou Qi’s previous tactic and thick-skinnedly claiming credit. “I just recommended you to him.”

“You recommended me… as a salesperson?”

“Exactly.”

Mo Ke was bewildered. Still hesitant, he heard Tang Yu’an add, “Grandpa Li accepted the recruitment too.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Why would I lie to you?”

Recalling his interactions with the two youths, Mo Ke decided that Tang Yu’an had no reason to deceive him. If even the old man had accepted…

In the end, Mo Ke accepted the recruitment offer.

To his surprise, aside from a beginner task appearing, nothing significant seemed to happen.

Tang Yu’an then dragged him outside, acting like a senior as he guided Mo Ke through completing the beginner task. After earning some points, Mo Ke unlocked his employee interface.

The interface immediately captivated Mo Ke.

Tang Yu’an enabled the initial goods for him: wheat and glucose.

Back at Shop #5, Mo Ke decided to try exchanging 1 point for some wheat. When 100 grams of wheat appeared in his hands, he was dumbfounded.

Mo Ke quickly realized just how extraordinary this system was—especially when he discovered the existence of the employee forum. He was hooked.

However, when he found out that his level wasn’t high enough to post or comment, he immediately turned to Tang Yu’an for help.

Following Tang Yu’an’s advice, Mo Ke exchanged points for glucose and went out to trade with the Lanhu people.

Watching Mo Ke leave, Tang Yu’an heaved a sigh of relief. As he closed the door and turned around, Zhou Qi suddenly appeared, removing the Shadow Cloak.

Tang Yu’an approached him and covered them both with the Shadow Cloak before speaking. “You weren’t spotted on your way back, right?”

“Probably not.”

Zhou Qi led him on a walk around the first floor before deciding to open the entrance to the basement within the room.

Without delay, they began digging.

Zhou Qi’s earth-based abilities allowed him to collect the soil directly into his portable storage, making the digging process effortless. However, when they cut through the floor and saw the dense network of roots beneath, they hit a snag.

These roots clearly belonged to the Lanhu trees. If they damaged the roots, would they alert Lan Yunqing?

While they were hesitating, the small green vine entwined in Tang Yu’an’s hair began to emit a soft glow.

Under its radiance, the tangled roots seemed to part as if guided by a gentle hand, creating gaps for them to work.

Overjoyed, Zhou Qi quickly touched the soil, transferring it layer by layer into his portable storage.

Gradually, they carved out a 2x2x2-meter space below the cut floor. However, at that point, the emerald glow faded, and the roots stopped retreating. They even began showing signs of regrowth.

Tang Yu’an hurriedly activated a protective barrier, shrinking it to fit the basement. Once he closed the shop, the barrier expanded, sealing the roots out.

Tang Yu’an then opened the hard-construction interface. The 3D map now showed the newly formed basement, allowing him to generate walls and flooring directly.

After completing the setup, the small but nearly impenetrable basement was finished.

“Ha, mission accomplished!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed.

With significantly enhanced secrecy, they could now carefully operate without the Lanhu people discovering the teleportation array.

Zhou Qi finally let out a sigh of relief.

He looked at the teleportation array and said, “When the Lanhu Lord truly becomes one of us, we can make him the manager of Shop #5. He can take charge of the teleportation array there.”

The position of a branch manager came with considerable authority. Besides adjusting the overnight stay quota for customers, they could also grant employees permission to use the teleportation array.

Moreover, once the main shop was upgraded to Level 3, the branch manager would also be able to view the teleportation array’s usage list.

If Lan Yunqing became the branch manager, it would likely alleviate the sense of threat the teleportation array posed to Lanhu Town. By tying their interests together, they could establish a genuinely peaceful and trusting relationship.

“Hmm, that’s a great idea!”

Tang Yu’an said excitedly, “Our purpose for setting up a teleportation point in Lanhu Town is simply to facilitate business, not to take over their territory.”

Of course, since Lan Yunqing had only recently been recruited, they didn’t want to reveal the existence of other branches just yet. For now, they decided to keep the teleportation array a secret from him.

As for when he would truly become one of them, only time could tell.

When Mo Ke returned, his employee rank had already risen to Level 3.

Glucose was selling exceptionally well, loved by both adults and children in Lanhu Town.

In addition to glucose, Mo Ke used his fire abilities to craft clay figurines and wove grass leaves into small items like grasshoppers, which attracted many children.

“I think I’ll reach Level 5 by tomorrow!” Mo Ke said excitedly.

Tang Yu’an hadn’t expected Mo Ke to have such a knack for business. “Not bad, not bad. Keep it up!”

Then he said, “Brother Mo, I’ll take you somewhere.”

He led Mo Ke to a room on the first floor and jumped into the basement with him.

To Mo Ke, the basement entrance looked like an inky void. But after jumping down, he was surprised to find the space well-lit.

“There’s a basement here? I slept above it last night and didn’t… ahhh!”

Mo Ke was startled when he suddenly saw Zhou Qi waiting for them in the basement. After recognizing him, he calmed down.

“Huh? Xiao Qi, didn’t you leave? Why are you still here?”

“This is what we need to explain to you.”

[Branch Manager “Handsome Zhou” has granted you teleportation access to “Peace General Store Shop #1.” You can now use any fixed teleportation array to reach Shop #1.]

At the same time, access to the teleportation array between Shop #1 and Shop #5 was also activated.

“Teleportation array? What’s that?”

“Brother Mo, follow us. Grandpa Li is waiting for you and will explain everything.”

Tang Yu’an stepped onto the teleportation array first, vanishing in front of Mo Ke. Zhou Qi then pushed Mo Ke into the center of the array.

Moments later, amid Zhou Qi’s urging, Mo Ke used the teleportation array and, in a daze, appeared in the teleportation room on the 9th floor of the Desolate City Home.

As the two youths had said, Grandpa Li was already waiting at the door.

“You lucky kid,” Grandpa Li said with a small smile, his wrinkled face softening.

Mo Ke hurried forward.

“Grandpa Li, what’s going on? You… you seem like a different person!”

Not only was he dressed in new clothes, but his once frail body was now robust and full of energy. His entire demeanor was transformed.

“I’ll explain everything in time.”

Grandpa Li looked him over, patting his shoulder. “Good, you’ve been through a lot and still have all your limbs intact.”

Mo Ke chuckled, “I’m doing fine, Grandpa. Don’t jinx me.”

“Come on, I’ll show you around the Desolate City Haven we’ve built and give you some employee training. Afterward, you can stay and help us out.”

After greeting the two youths, Grandpa Li took Mo Ke along.

“This is Desolate City? But I was just in Lanhu Town… wait, what’s with this water wall?!”

Mo Ke exclaimed as he was led downstairs. His curiosity only subsided when he met other residents.

The residents weren’t surprised by the newcomer and greeted Grandpa Li respectfully before continuing with their work.

Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi stood on the balcony, observing everything in Desolate City Home.

In their absence, new developments had taken place. The brick factory’s production efficiency had increased, and the warehouse stocks had grown significantly.

Additionally, a cement factory had been established and was already operational.

Tang Yu’an thought for a moment and said, “Brother Qi, let’s build a branch on the grasslands.”

“The grasslands?”

“Yes! If we set up a sheep ranch there, we’ll never have to worry about running out of meat!”

Although their current workforce was insufficient, everything had to start somewhere. Establishing a teleportation point was the first step.

Besides, there might be people living on the grasslands. On their way to Lanhu Town, they had seen signs of human activity, though they hadn’t encountered anyone.

Zhou Qi considered the idea and agreed.

Since he needed to remain “absent” from Lanhu Town for a few days, he might as well use the time to build a branch on the grasslands.

This would enhance their mobility, as relying on a single location was risky.

However, since night had already fallen, building the branch would have to wait until the next day. They informed Grandpa Li to pass on a message to Mo Ke to return to Lanhu Town for the night. The two then used the teleportation array to travel to another dimension.

During their 27 days away in the alternate dimension, the eggs placed in the chicken coop—ordinary chicken and duck eggs—had already hatched.

Three little yellow chicks and one duckling ran around the courtyard, constantly chased and bullied by the large yellow chick.

Tang Yu’an quickly grabbed a cardboard box, scooping up the chicks and duckling to protect them from the aggressive yellow chick.

As the offspring of the mutant hen, the large yellow chick was quite formidable, leaving the ordinary chicks battered and barely clinging to life.

Tang Yu’an hastily retrieved some healing potion, diluted it with water, and fed it to the chicks, successfully saving them.

Watching the large yellow chick strut around proudly, Tang Yu’an decided to take it to the swimming pool and leave it under the mutant hen’s care for discipline.

The newly hatched chicks and duckling, meanwhile, were sent to the chicken coop at Desolate City Home.

When Grandpa Li saw them, he immediately directed people to build a duck pen near the pond. The little duckling wasted no time and jumped into the irrigation canal by the fields, happily swimming around.

The three chicks tried to follow but nearly drowned. Fortunately, A’Mu, the parrot, reacted swiftly and rescued them.

A’Mu had become a skilled chick caretaker, though it often seemed puzzled by the sudden increase in chicks. As the three chicks it hatched earlier grew older, A’Mu’s affection for them visibly waned.

After all, grown hens weren’t cute and didn’t have the bright, pretty feathers they had as chicks.

So when new yellow chicks appeared, A’Mu’s interest was rekindled.

Cute, fluffy yellow chicks? Love them!

Dusty, molting hens? Nope!

A’Mu’s unapologetic vanity was something even Lin Zhen couldn’t control, so they let it be. After all, grown chickens didn’t need its care anymore.

Once the new chicks and duckling were settled, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi returned to the main shop to collect today’s Dream Bottles.

Today, there wasn’t a bottle from Wen Qian. The first was from Little Hai Lan, the second from Xiao Risheng, and the third from a little girl in Jufeng Town.

The girl’s name was Hua Hua. She lived with her parents in a temporary shelter on an open field and hoped for warmth because it was too cold.

Tang Yu’an traded her a heat stone that had been stored in the alternate dimension for three months and still retained residual warmth, in exchange for a few river pebbles from her family.

Although it was a loss in value, Tang Yu’an was happy to help.

The final bottle came from Gan Lin.

“Great Deity, we’re ready!” the boy said excitedly after receiving a response.

Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but twitch his lips.

Was Gan Lin taking this roleplaying too seriously? He only wanted to do business, not become a god!

Still, the trade needed to proceed.

*

Near Flame Dragon Fortress

In a cleared area amidst the ruins, a well had been dug in the center. Beside it was a newly crafted stone bed, on which Gan Lin lay with his eyes closed.

Above, a fiery dragon rampaged through the sky, contrasting with the moon hanging low on the horizon, adding an air of mystery to the scene.

Old Mo, wearing a cloak made from black fabric that retained its temperature, stood calmly by the well, holding a scythe made from mutant mantis blades. Eyes closed, he muttered an incantation.

Around them, more than 20 men and women stood, watching Old Mo and Gan Lin with mixed expressions.

As Old Mo’s so-called “miracle” failed to materialize, impatience grew among the onlookers, and murmurs spread.

Only Sha Zi and Luo Xiao Lei, who had witnessed miracles before, remained solemnly attentive. They, too, were curious if Old Mo could replicate the previous wonder and whether the “Holy Son” truly had the power to communicate with the deity.

Time passed slowly, and just as the murmurs were becoming louder and the situation threatened to spiral out of control—

Old Mo suddenly opened his eyes and knelt toward the well.

As he did so, a pile of plump, golden wheat appeared out of thin air beside him.

Old Mo called out loudly, “Thank you, Great God of Commerce, for granting us water and food!”

The murmurs ceased instantly. Everyone stared at the well, where water began to gush out from the half-meter-high stone opening.

A new ability user couldn’t resist running forward, scooping up the overflowing water, and taking a sip.

“It’s real water! Clean water!”

Others grabbed handfuls of wheat, only to freeze under Old Mo’s cold gaze.

Startled, they quickly backed away and joined Old Mo in shouting, “Thank you, Great God of Commerce, for granting us water and food!”

Even the newcomers hurriedly retreated and knelt to chant along.

If kneeling and shouting could earn them water and food, only a fool would refuse! Such a deity was worth believing in, even if only for convenience.

Old Mo slowly stood and helped Gan Lin sit up.

Gan Lin’s face lit up with joy, and Old Mo silently sighed in relief.

The water came from exchanging heat stones in the well, and the wheat was purchased with his points—20 pounds of it costing him 100 points.

Although the expense pained him, seeing the growing fervor in his followers’ faces made it worthwhile.

He thought smugly, Let’s see if this display doesn’t convince them!