Doomsday Grocery Store – CH52

Chapter 52

“Let’s keep going.”

Once everything was packed, Old Li led them back up the mountain path.

There were five checkpoints along the route, and as they got closer to the town, the surroundings became busier and the security noticeably better. They didn’t encounter any more conflicts, though Old Li’s acquaintances were nowhere to be seen.

By the time they arrived at the Jufeng Town, it was past five in the evening. The settlement was located on one of the mountain peaks, and as they climbed the steep, narrow path, they could see an imposing metal gate reaching into the clouds. This gate was far sturdier and grander than the checkpoints they’d passed, fitting for the town’s last line of defense.

Soldiers guarded the gate, looking far better equipped and disciplined than those they’d seen at the first checkpoint. Some guards even had obvious mutation features, indicating they were special abilities users.

Many travelers from the mountain passed through here, each one toning down their behavior before entering the town. Tang Yu’an could feel multiple intense gazes scanning him, making him subconsciously grip Zhou Qi’s hand. Zhou Qi held onto him as well, and both of them, visiting a settlement in the apocalyptic world for the first time, couldn’t help but feel a bit on edge.

Fortunately, Tie Jin’s words proved true: the town had indeed abolished entrance fees. The guards didn’t even question them before letting them in.

Old Li also sighed with relief. There were already plenty of eyes on them—the last thing they needed was more scrutiny. In Jufeng, new faces didn’t go unnoticed, but as long as they kept a low profile, there wouldn’t be much trouble.

Inside, the open view surprised Tang Yu’an. The ground was smooth and sturdy, as if the mountaintop had been artificially leveled. With evening settling in, the mountain was getting crowded with people making their way up, creating a scene that was oddly reminiscent of crowded tourist trails. Yet, the wild attire of the people around reminded him of the apocalyptic world they were truly in.

The underlying tension soon sank in, and the occasional glances cast in their direction put Tang Yu’an on high alert. He pulled down his hat and stayed close to Zhou Qi, nervous at the thought of being separated in the crowd.

Past the busy entrance, houses came into view, built into the mountain and scattered across the steep terrain. Stone staircases appeared, leading to clusters of houses on either side, each one haphazardly built with no uniformity in size or materials. Some looked precarious, ready to topple with a gust of wind, while others seemed to be hewn from solid rock, impressively sturdy.

The rugged structures clustered together in a way that exuded wild vitality.

“Just about ten meters up is a lake,” Old Li pointed upward. “The townspeople get their water from there.”

As he spoke, they saw people carrying buckets of water down the mountain to their homes.

Tang Yu’an nodded, noting that the town looked different from what he’d imagined, though it certainly had a large population. His map was practically overflowing with green dots, nearly obscuring the icon that represented him.

To him, it looked like a walking experience farm.

Checking his progress bar—Lv4 (23/50)—he noted he had earned 18 experience points during their journey, plus 5 from Zhou Qi’s interrogation last night. He was only 27 points away from leveling up, far faster than back in Desolate City .

Tang Yu’an mentally set a goal: before returning to Desolate City , he’d level up to Lv5 and establish at least one loyal customer, completing his weekly task.

Then he heard Zhou Qi ask, “Where to next, Grandpa Li? Is there a place where we can buy and sell things tonight?”

“First, let’s find a place to stay,” Old Li replied. Mo Ke used to have a place here, but since he hadn’t paid the protection fee recently, the guards reclaimed it.

“As for buying and selling…we’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning for the market. It’s too cold at night, and it’s harder to keep track of everything after dark, so they don’t allow stalls to set up.”

The setting sun painted the path with the soft orange glow of torches lit by the guards, casting an ethereal light over the surroundings. It was dim but enough to see by, and Tang Yu’an felt the encroaching chill. But the leaf from Mo Ke, which he kept close to his chest, gave off a soft warmth, providing surprising comfort.

It was cooling during the day and warm at night. Mo Ke had been right—the leaf seemed to adjust to the temperature on its own!

Tang Yu’an thought dreamily about having a whole outfit made from these leaves—it’d be perfect for handling the drastic temperature shifts.

Suddenly, Old Li interrupted, “Stay alert. Watch out for pickpockets.”

Just as Tang Yu’an nodded, Old Li swiftly reached out and grabbed a young boy who had passed close by.

The boy looked about twelve or thirteen, around Tang Yu’an’s age but shorter and scrawnier, with a dirty face and wild, shifty eyes that held both fierceness and cunning.

“What are you doing, old man? Let go!” the boy snarled, trying to bite Old Li’s hand, which the older man nimbly avoided. With a quick move, Old Li locked the boy’s arm behind his back and kicked his legs out from under him, forcing him to kneel.

“Hand it over,” Old Li said icily.

The boy shivered, but defiance lingered in his gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he retorted.

Realizing what happened, Tang Yu’an quickly checked his bag. At some point, one side of it had been sliced open, though the only thing missing was a single bun.

A mix of frustration and anger flared up in Tang Yu’an. It hurt to see his bag damaged like this.

“It’s just a bun,” he told Old Li.

Old Li searched the boy and found nothing.

Zhou Qi thought for a moment and suggested, “Maybe his partner took it.”

Apart from the boy, there had been several others passing by earlier.

He scanned the crowd and soon spotted a kid watching them. Realizing he’d been noticed, the kid quickly turned and disappeared into the darkness.

It was just a bun, after all—no need to make a fuss about it.

Old Li let go, muttering under his breath, “Be more discreet next time.”

The boy scrambled up, rolling his wrists and ankles, a defiant look on his face. He clearly hadn’t taken Old Li’s words to heart.

Freed, he didn’t leave right away but instead continued eyeing Tang Yu’an and his companions, seemingly plotting his next move.

However…

“Oh no!” Tang Yu’an suddenly exclaimed, faking surprise. “My packet of powder got cut open, and now it’s spilled all over!”

Zhou Qi paused, understanding what Tang Yu’an was doing—they didn’t actually have any powder in the bag, as they kept things like that safely in storage. So why mention it? The answer was obvious.

Frowning, Zhou Qi said, “Was it the poison powder?”

Tang Yu’an, appreciating Zhou Qi’s quick response, put on a troubled face. “Yes, it’s the one that spilled a bit onto the bun.”

He took out a small packet with a hole in it as if it had been torn.

“We can’t eat those buns now—what a waste!”

“What poison?” Old Li frowned and stepped closer, asking, “Is it the same as last night’s? Or from Lin Zhen’s stash?”

The young thief, eavesdropping on their conversation, went pale and visibly tensed.

“It’s not last night’s, but it’s similar. If someone gets poisoned by this and doesn’t have the antidote, their intestines would start to rot, spreading to all their internal organs. In the end, they’d die painfully.”

Tang Yu’an didn’t lower his voice at all, exaggerating each detail.

“Luckily, it’s only half a packet that spilled,” he added, looking aggrieved. “But it’s still such a waste…”

Zhou Qi pretended to breathe a sigh of relief. “At least we took the antidote ahead of time.”

“Yeah, but we can’t sell it now…”

Tang Yu’an glanced at his map and saw the green dot labeled “Pickpocket” moving away quickly. Holding back a laugh, he put the packet back into his storage space.

Since the map was small, with many dots overlapping, he’d found that touching someone marked their location directly, letting him keep tabs on them. So he’d noticed that the thief hadn’t left immediately. Their conversation had been a bit of theater for his benefit.

He didn’t know if it would have any lasting effect, but if it scared the kid off, he’d feel a bit of satisfaction.

If the thief had only taken a bun, Tang Yu’an wouldn’t have minded, understanding how hard it was for kids to survive in this world. But he shouldn’t have cut his backpack.

This backpack had been a gift from his mother…

With that thought, Tang Yu’an’s expression grew solemn as he ran his hand over the cut in his bag, feeling downhearted.

Zhou Qi patted his cheek, reassuring him, “Don’t worry. Once we settle in, I’ll sew it up for you.”

“Okay…”

Hearing that it could be repaired, Tang Yu’an brightened a little.

From then on, they guarded their belongings more carefully, staying out of the crowd until they finally arrived at a house with Old Li.

*

The house was a three-story building with torches illuminating its entrance. Old Li knocked on the large front door.

“Who’s banging at this hour?” a voice called out.

Instead of the door, a second-floor window opened, revealing a woman with shoulder-length hair and a round, healthy face. She looked strong, her figure slightly full, a rarity in the apocalyptic world. Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but glance at her.

The woman’s expression softened upon recognizing Old Li.

“Oh, it’s you. Wait a moment,” she said, closing the window before descending to unlock the door and let them in.

Now closer, Tang Yu’an noticed signs of weariness on her face. Despite the faint dark circles around her eyes, she radiated a rare beauty and vitality.

“Old Li, what a rare guest,” she greeted him, looking at Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi. “These two are…?”

“Little An and Little Qi,” Old Li introduced them simply. “This is the innkeeper.”

Turning back to her, he added, “We need a room.”

“Sure,” she nodded, not asking further questions.

“The price is the same as before,” she explained. “A private room upstairs costs half a pound of meat per night. If you don’t mind sleeping on the shared floor downstairs, it’s only an ounce or tradeable for wild vegetables or fruit.”

Old Li raised an eyebrow. “You only used to take meat.”

She forced a smile. “Times have changed; business is tougher now.”

He nodded, took out half a pound of meat from his pack, and handed it to her. She weighed it, then handed him a key.

“There are only two rooms on the third floor…”

She paused, then took out another key and handed it to Old Li.

“No one else is expected tonight, so you can use this room as well. If guests arrive tomorrow, you’ll need to vacate one of the rooms and clean it up before leaving,” she said. “But there’s only enough firewood for one room’s heating, so you’ll have to decide among yourselves.”

Tang Yu’an was surprised by her generosity and couldn’t help but glance at her again.

The woman, looking worried, didn’t seem to notice his gaze. After handing over the keys, she turned to head upstairs. However, at the foot of the stairs, she turned back to Old Li and said, “They look new here, so don’t blame me if I didn’t warn you. Make sure they understand the rules around here.”

Old Li nodded. “I’ll make sure.”

Once the innkeeper’s silhouette disappeared up the stairs, Old Li led the two boys to the third floor.

Tang Yu’an thought about the recent transaction, feeling a bit regretful. Since Old Li wasn’t a supply shop member, the deal with the innkeeper wouldn’t register in the system, meaning he wouldn’t gain any experience points.

Noticing his expression, Old Li assumed he was upset about the half pound of pork and reassured him, “It’s a bit pricey, but at least we can get a good night’s sleep.”

“Even the guard posts along the way aren’t as safe as here.”

They arrived at their room on the third floor, and Old Li unlocked the door and led them inside.

“Grandpa, what is this place?” Tang Yu’an asked curiously.

He hadn’t expected to find a private inn in Jufeng Town, and the innkeeper, with her beauty and generosity, didn’t seem like she belonged to the rough-and-tumble settlement of Jufeng Town but rather from the safety of the fortress—though the only fortress person he’d met was Chi Hao.

“This is the Jade Pavilion,” Old Li replied, opening a window to air the room as he put down his pack. “The innkeeper is Lin Meiyu. Despite her appearance, which makes her seem like a delicate woman, there’s no one in Jufeng Town who would dare cross her.”

Tang Yu’an noticed the words “seem like.”

“Does she have powers?” he asked, intrigued.

Old Li’s face was filled with a hint of awe. “Yes, her ability is called ‘Speech Spirit.’”

Tang Yu’an blinked in surprise, and even Zhou Qi glanced over with interest.

“Speech Spirit? What kind of power is that?”

Old Li hesitated before explaining, “It’s probably a mystical type, though some say it belongs to the sound branch of the natural powers.”

He shook his head. “Anyway, just know that it’s best not to get on her bad side.”

Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged a look.

Elements like metal, wood, and fire were considered natural powers, so he hadn’t expected there to be a “mystical” category as well.

However, due to their supposed “fortress origins,” it wasn’t wise to ask too many questions now. They’d have to wait until they saw Chi Hao again.

“So, her power as a Speech Spirit…what does it mean, exactly?” Tang Yu’an asked, eager to understand more.

Old Li explained, “Simply put, if she says something with her power, it has a very high probability of coming true.”

“For example, she placed a Speech Spirit curse on the Jade Pavilion: anyone who causes trouble here, breaks her rules, steals, robs, or commits arson or murder, will meet a tragic fate the next day.”

Isn’t that like a curse?

“Has it actually happened?” Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but ask.

Old Li nodded. “It’s been fulfilled over a dozen times. Anyone who stirs up trouble ends up dead by the next day, so no one dares mess with her anymore.”

That was certainly a useful power in the apocalyptic world! No wonder the innkeeper was so generous and didn’t seem too cautious around them.

“Is her business good, then?”

Tang Yu’an guessed it might not be thriving, since when he checked the map earlier, there were only two green dots in the building besides themselves: one representing Lin Meiyu and the other likely a guest.

“It’s neither too bad nor too good,” Old Li replied. “The more well-off travelers will sometimes stay here. But she doesn’t rely on the inn to get by.”

In addition to her powerful Speech Spirit ability, Lin Meiyu’s husband was also highly skilled and served as a squad captain for the town’s guards, holding the same rank as the guard leader they’d met during the day.

“With the guards funded by the town, they’re fairly well off.”

With a strong husband to support her and no one daring to challenge them, the couple lived comfortably, which explained her vibrant health and beauty.

Old Li continued, “Other than heating the stove, you can’t use open flames in the room. If you need to cook, there’s a kitchen on the first floor.”

“Understood,” Zhou Qi replied with a nod.

Meanwhile, Tang Yu’an, feeling the night’s chill, pulled out his long-sleeved shirt and put it on.

“You two can sleep in this room. I’ll be next door,” Old Li said. Since the extra room was available, he’d leave the kids to themselves, assuming they’d appreciate some privacy.

“If you light the stove, it’ll be warmer at night,” Old Li added, looking at the fire stove. “The firewood is likely in the other room, so maybe you two should sleep there.”

“We’ll be fine. The room is already warmer than camping outside,” Tang Yu’an shook his head. “We can manage without the stove.”

Since they had the umbrella, it was better to leave the firewood for Old Li, especially since he hadn’t fully recovered.

Old Li eventually agreed.

“All right. You two rest a bit; I’ll go heat some water.”

Leaving his bag in the other room, Old Li grabbed a kettle and headed downstairs. Zhou Qi joined him. “I’ll go with you, Grandpa Li.”

“Good.”

With Old Li and Zhou Qi gone, Tang Yu’an stayed behind to look after their things.

He poured hot water from his thermos, taking a sip as he moved to the window to look outside.

This window faced the street, where he saw torchlight illuminating the steep mountain path winding upwards. Not everyone had shelter in the town; some set up tents, while others clustered around fires to keep warm.

In these conditions, getting a good night’s rest was a luxury. Just enduring the freezing night was challenging enough.

They were lucky to stay in such a nice room; it felt luxurious, but the cost of half a pound of meat per night was certainly steep.

As Tang Yu’an was mulling over this, he suddenly heard a woman’s quiet sobbing.

Curious, he leaned out to look, and the crying seemed to come from the second floor. From the sound of it, was it the innkeeper herself? Why was she crying? She seemed fine earlier.

Tang Yu’an didn’t quite understand, and though he was curious about this mysterious “Speech Spirit” innkeeper, his experiences since leaving the walled city made him wary. In this world, too many people carried tragic stories, and he realized he couldn’t intervene in every single one.

A cold wind blew in through the open window, and Tang Yu’an shivered, quickly opening the umbrella for warmth.

The umbrella spun lightly in the air, seeming to express its own pleasure at finally being let out. Tang Yu’an hugged the handle affectionately, rubbing his cheek against it, then returned to arranging the bedding.

*

Elsewhere, Zhou Qi followed Old Li downstairs.

Old Li had only stayed at this inn two or three times before, and he chose it this time only because of the two boys’ unique situation. If he were alone, he would have simply set up a tent outside on the open ground—it cost only a single fruit to stay a night outside, much more economical than this inn.

The kitchen had a basic clay stove where they started a fire to heat some water, planning to make do for the night. Since they were on someone else’s turf, Zhou Qi didn’t want to draw too much attention.

“Was there really poison on the steamed buns?” Old Li suddenly asked.

Zhou Qi chuckled softly. “No, An’an just wanted to scare the kid.”

Old Li relaxed slightly. If there really had been poison, it would’ve been a waste to throw the bun away.

When the water finally boiled, Zhou Qi lifted the kettle and followed Old Li back upstairs. The healing effect of the fish soup infused with the basic healing potion had clearly worn off, as Old Li’s movements had become slightly heavier again. Zhou Qi planned to secretly add another drop for him tomorrow if he wasn’t fully recovered.

As they climbed the stairs, they unexpectedly crossed paths with the innkeeper coming down.

Her eyes were slightly red, a clear sign she’d recently been crying. When she saw Old Li and Zhou Qi, she quickly turned her face away to hide it.

They passed each other silently.

At the turn in the stairwell, Zhou Qi glanced back at her retreating figure before looking away in silence.

Soon they were back on the third floor.

Old Li returned to his room to start a fire and settle in for the night.

Zhou Qi carried the hot water into the room next door, only to find it unexpectedly empty. His heart immediately sank.

“An’an?” he called, his voice trembling slightly.

Thankfully, at his call, Tang Yu’an jumped out from the umbrella, happily running over to him. “You’re finally back, Brother Qi!”

Seeing him, Zhou Qi’s wildly beating heart finally calmed down. If Tang Yu’an had actually gone missing, he feared he would have lost his mind.

“Yeah,” he replied, regaining his composure, shutting the door behind him, and placing the kettle on the table.

Tang Yu’an joined him, and the umbrella floated over, hovering above them and concealing their movements.

“You were gone so long,” Tang Yu’an grumbled. “I was getting bored here by myself.”

Zhou Qi gently patted his cheek. “Heating water over a wood fire does take a while.”

He retrieved a thermos and raised a hand toward the kettle. Slowly, a ball of steamy, purified water appeared in his palm, which he then directed into the thermos.

Since they had nearly exhausted the water they’d brought from home, the inn’s kitchen water is a bit contaminated, so Zhou Qi purified it using his abilities.

Thanks to his fire ability, he also extracted any fire-related energy, preserving the original warmth of the water.

“You’re amazing, Brother Qi!” Tang Yu’an watched in admiration, not holding back his praise.

Just then, a gust of wind reopened the window they’d shut earlier.

Tang Yu’an got up to close it, but as he looked down, he noticed two small figures standing by the torch outside the inn. One of them was unmistakably the boy who had stolen his steamed bun.