Doomsday Grocery Store – CH2

Chapter 2 – I Want to Accompany You

Tang Yu’an stared at the words on the screen, his initial surprise quickly replaced by excitement.

“Brother Qi, you’re so clever!”

Although the experience points weren’t as high as the first time, he still earned 2 points. And more importantly, he now had a total of 6 points.

Each point was incredibly precious for them!

“Should I exchange some points for store water to test it out?” Tang Yu’an suggested.

They didn’t need rice or salt at the moment, but water was absolutely essential.

Zhou Qi nodded, “Go ahead.”

So, Tang Yu’an spent 1 point to redeem 1 liter of water. But after the “Exchange Successful” message appeared, nothing seemed to change around them.

Zhou Qi thought for a moment, then switched on the flashlight and headed to the kitchen, where he turned on the faucet.

“Whoosh—”

Water gushed out.

Tang Yu’an’s eyes widened as he rushed forward to catch some in his hands, feeling the cool flow over his palms. He exclaimed with delight, “Brother Qi, it’s real! We have water!”

So this was what “store water” meant… it could magically make water flow through the pipes! It was amazing.

A hint of joy appeared in Zhou Qi’s eyes as well.

“That’s great.” He nodded with relief. “It looks like the System truly has some miraculous powers. As long as we work hard and complete the tasks, we won’t have to worry about basic supplies for now.”

“Mm-hmm!” Tang Yu’an beamed with happiness.

Zhou Qi turned off the faucet and said, “Let’s keep going.”

With only 6 points left, they’d need at least 10 to complete Daily Task (2) — making 10 purchases in the Wholesale Market.

“All right!”

Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi returned to the front room.

Tang Yu’an took a one-Yu’an bill from the cash box, while Zhou Qi handed over the rest of the biscuits and accepted the coin as payment, completing another transaction.

  [You completed a profitable transaction with a returning customer. EXP +1, Points +10]

  [You completed Weekly Task (2), Points +10]

Tang Yu’an looked at the screen, delighted. “This time it gave us a lot of points!”

A full 20 points!

It seemed that making three transactions with the same person qualified them as a regular customer. However, the experience gained with each transaction was getting smaller.

“Let’s keep going!”

Encouraged, Tang Yu’an took out another one-Yu’an bill and “purchased” Zhou Qi’s electronic watch — a gift Tang Yu’an had given him for his birthday last year, bought with his pocket money.

Zhou Qi hesitated but took off the watch and handed it over. However—

  [EXP and Points earned have reached today’s limit. Please seek new customers.]

Tang Yu’an froze, then puffed out his cheeks in frustration. “It has a limit on earning from a single person? Is the System playing hard to get?”

Zhou Qi wasn’t too surprised.

If the System allowed unlimited points and experience farming, it probably wouldn’t have brought him along as a safeguard.

Exploiting loopholes… well, they couldn’t take things too far.

Although they couldn’t complete more transactions, there were still other daily tasks to tackle.

“Shall I buy more water, then?” Tang Yu’an suggested.

“Yes, go ahead.”

They needed to spend another 9 points to complete Daily Task (2), which would only yield 2 points in return. But since water was a necessary resource, they’d need to redeem it sooner or later. By doing it through the task, they could think of it as a small discount.

So Tang Yu’an redeemed 9 more liters of store water, completing Daily Task (2).

The remaining two tasks were straightforward.

For Task (3), the Inventory List feature, Tang Yu’an had already explored it. The interface was still simple, divided into two columns: “Store” on the left and “Items” on the right.

In the “Items” column, everything he owned was neatly listed on the screen, with details like thumbnail images, names, quantities, expiration dates, and even a locator feature.

The “Store” column on the left had only one entry: “Peace grocery store.” When expanded, it showed all their shelves, cabinets, and storage areas.

As he edited the layout of these areas on the page, the real items in the store would shift accordingly, increasing, decreasing, or moving as he directed. There was even a one-click “Organize” button.

This feature was incredibly practical—it gave Tang Yu’an a clear overview of all his belongings, no matter how much he had, and it saved the hassle of physically moving or searching for items.

Once Tang Yu’an finished operating each of the three zones, Daily Task (3) was marked as complete.

  [You completed Daily Task (3), Points +2]

*

Just as Tang Yu’an was about to continue with Zhou Qi to complete the task of cleaning the shop, the text on the screen suddenly changed.

  [Currently closed for business. Unauthorized persons are prohibited from entering the store]

Tang Yu’an froze in surprise, then realized Zhou Qi’s hand had suddenly slipped out of his grasp. Zhou Qi’s figure vanished before his eyes.

“Brother Qi?”

Receiving no response, Tang Yu’an’s heart raced, and he began calling out loudly, “Brother Qi, where did you go? Don’t scare me, Brother Qi!”

At the same moment, Zhou Qi blinked his eyes open after a wave of dizziness, staring in confusion at his surroundings.

This… looked like the open space in front of the grocery store? How had he ended up outside?

By now, the sky was completely dark, and only faint moonlight illuminated the ground, casting everything in an eerie, quiet glow.

Swallowing nervously, Zhou Qi hurried back toward the spot where the grocery store had been.

But when he climbed onto the same rock he had stood on earlier and looked down, he saw—

Nothing.

The triangular space beneath the two collapsed buildings was shrouded in pitch-black darkness, with no sign of the grocery store.

Zhou Qi felt his heart drop. He looked down, noticing faint marks where he had climbed earlier, confirming that this was indeed the spot he’d investigated just moments ago.

So, where were An’an and the store? His heart pounded wildly, and cold sweat dampened his back.

Despite his panic, Zhou Qi managed to stay composed.

He took out his flashlight and pointed it forward, hoping to find some clues. To his surprise, the light was swallowed up by the darkness beyond a certain distance, making it impossible to see anything within the triangular area.

Could it be…

Zhou Qi jumped down from the rock, cautiously moving forward until he touched what felt like an invisible barrier.

Relief washed over him.

It seemed the store was still there; he just couldn’t enter or see it.

At that moment, Zhou Qi’s vision blurred slightly, and a small figure suddenly burst out of the darkness and threw itself at him, hugging him tightly.

“Brother Qi, you scared me half to death!”

“I thought you’d disappeared, and I was left all alone…”

Feeling Tang Yu’an’s warm body against him, Zhou Qi felt some warmth return to his chilled hands and feet.

Tang Yu’an must have come looking for him after realizing he was gone. So, was this barrier one-way visible?

“It’s all right, I’m right here.”

He gently patted Tang Yu’an’s head. Under Zhou Qi’s soothing words, Tang Yu’an, who had been on the verge of breaking down, slowly calmed down.

“An’an, do you know what happened just now? Did the System give any message?” Zhou Qi asked.

He had been “sent” out of the store abruptly, and the only explanation he could think of was the System.

Tang Yu’an shook his head, then nodded.

He took Zhou Qi’s hand and cautiously tried to pull him back into the store. As soon as Zhou Qi’s fingers crossed the barrier—

  [Warning: Currently closed for business. The safety barrier is active. If you invite a guest in, the safety barrier will automatically disable.]

Tang Yu’an stopped, immediately releasing Zhou Qi’s hand.

As soon as he let go, Zhou Qi was transported back to the empty lot outside.

Since he knew what to expect this time, Zhou Qi wasn’t flustered. He simply walked forward a few steps until he saw Tang Yu’an peeking over the rock, looking for him.

“Brother Qi!”

“Hm, so now do you know what the issue was?”

Tang Yu’an nodded, explaining the System’s warning message to Zhou Qi.

Zhou Qi frowned slightly, thinking for a moment. “It seems I’ll have to stay outside tonight.”

“No way!”

Tang Yu’an glanced nervously at the gloomy surroundings. As night fell, the temperature had noticeably dropped.

“This is an apocalyptic world—how can you stay out here at night? It’s way too dangerous.”

He grasped Zhou Qi’s arm again. “Let’s just go inside together. Even without the barrier, the store itself can keep us safe.”

The general store was Tang Yu’an’s home, and to him, home was the safest place in the world.

But this time, Zhou Qi didn’t let him pull him inside.

He had already witnessed the barrier’s strength. It didn’t just prevent anyone or anything other than Tang Yu’an from entering—it also blocked light and prying eyes, ensuring Tang Yu’an’s safety at night.

“Be good. Listen to your big brother this time, okay?” Zhou Qi gently patted his head.

“No! What would I do if something happened to you?”

“An’an, don’t act on impulse.” Zhou Qi patiently explained the barrier’s protective role.

Tang Yu’an bit his lip and stopped arguing, turning instead to examine the System interface.

He understood the importance of the barrier as well. Even though the grocery store could protect them, if they encountered serious danger and the store itself was damaged, it would break his heart.

So, what other options did they have?

Zhou Qi didn’t interrupt Tang Yu’an, instead guiding him to a corner sheltered from the wind. He took Tang Yu’an’s cool hands and tucked them into his own pockets.

“It’s cold out here. Why don’t you think it over inside?”

“No, I’m staying out here with you.”

Tang Yu’an kept his gaze on the store’s interface. With the Intelligent System in hibernation, he’d have to figure out the features on his own.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “I’ve got it!”

As soon as Tang Yu’an spoke, Zhou Qi noticed a glowing screen appear before him, with black-and-gold text reading:

  [A Mysterious Merchant invites you to join the “Peace Grocery Store” as a Sales Assistant]

  [Job Description: Assist the store owner with sales, store management, etc.]  

  [Salary: 10 points per month] 

  [Benefits: Room and board included, access to the Marketplace Exchange, and more]

  [Accept]     [Decline]

“Brother Qi, did you get the invitation I sent you?” Tang Yu’an’s voice pulled Zhou Qi’s focus back to the screen.

Zhou Qi nodded and replied, “Yes, I accept.”

As soon as he agreed, the text on the screen changed once more:

  [Congratulations, you are now an employee of the “Peace Grocery Store]

  [Access to the “Peace Grocery Store” safety barrier granted. You will now be protected within the barrier]

  [Conditions unmet. Employee interface currently unavailable]  

  [Please work diligently. When requirements are met, the Mysterious Merchant will unlock the employee interface with additional benefits]

At the same time, a new notification appeared on Tang Yu’an’s panel.

  [“Zhou Qi” has accepted your recruitment invitation. Would you like to activate the Employee Panel now?]

  [Yes]     [No]

Naturally, Tang Yu’an chose “Yes.”

With that, a new feature tab labeled “Employees” appeared on his main interface.