Tag: RHRPAW

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Sure enough, if you took a moment to sniff the air, you could still catch the lingering aroma of food.

However, due to the tension, fear, and the smell of blood earlier, they hadn’t noticed the scent in the room.

But a hotpot restaurant? That was too surreal. How could a hotpot restaurant still exist in these end times?

Everyone was filled with doubt, but Zhou Lin and the others kept praising the place, making the food sound even more delicious through their descriptions.

After their battle and escape, everyone had already expended a lot of energy. Now, hearing about the food they once enjoyed, their stomachs began to growl.

In the end, they couldn’t resist the temptation of the food. They ordered two clear soup base hotpots, ten plates of potato slices, and rice for thirteen people from Jiang Ci.

They pooled their crystal cores together, totaling two third-level cores and fifty first-level cores. The potato slices were directly exchanged for five second-level cores, and the rice for thirteen second-level cores.

In total, Jiang Ci earned another 3,800 points, bringing her total to 8,720.

She had the system check this for her since she was too busy cutting potatoes and preparing the broth to open the task panel.

It seemed like she would be able to complete her task today. Jiang Ci happily collected the order slips and headed to the kitchen.

While waiting for the broth and potato slices, they each grabbed a large bowl of rice and a dish of soy sauce.

Everyone squeezed together, and those who couldn’t find a seat stood to the side.

The initially skeptical group couldn’t help but be convinced now. Some even ate half a bowl of rice plain, the familiar taste bringing a bittersweet ache to their hearts.

“I never dreamed I’d get to eat a bowl of rice again in my lifetime,” said a man with a thick beard. He was born in a village famous for growing rice and had grown up eating fragrant rice, yet it had been many years since he last tasted it.

Drizzled with the savory soy sauce, the flavor was especially nostalgic.

And the soup base and potato slices Jiang Ci brought out elevated the meal to a whole new level.

Not a single drop of soup was left in the two clear soup base pots, and Jiang Ci had to cook four full pots of rice to satisfy everyone.

She was thoroughly impressed by the appetites of the post-apocalyptic survivors and began estimating how much food and rice she should prepare in the future to avoid being overwhelmed when the crowd grew.

Jiang Ci noticed that the physiques of the ability users looked more normal compared to the average post-apocalyptic survivors, but their appetites were still substantial. The long-haired healing ability user alone ate three bowls of rice and still seemed to want more.

After the meal, the survivors felt as if they were soaking in a warm spring, their depleted energy slowly recovering bit by bit.

After serving them, Jiang Ci had already completed her second task, but she wasn’t in a hurry to check her rewards. Instead, she struck up a conversation with the healing ability user.

The healing ability user was named Chen Xiaoyu, and she was only twenty two years old. When the apocalypse struck ten years ago, she awakened her healing ability, which made her highly sought after in every team. That was how a twelve year-old child managed to survive in the harsh post-apocalyptic world.

Chen Xiaoyu had a gentle personality, and according to other survivors, she was very easy to get along with. Whenever a team asked her to join, as long as she had the time, she would help out, unlike some other ability users who looked down on others.

Hearing the praise, Chen Xiaoyu felt a bit embarrassed. “I just want to earn more crystal cores, and we’re all human beings, so I try to help when I can. My combat ability isn’t that strong, so I’m really grateful for everyone’s protection.”

“If only everyone thought like you,” another short-haired survivor said with a pout. “Look at Ai Lin in our base. Not only does she charge a fortune, but you have to beg her multiple times to join. Even when she does come along, whether she helps or not depends on her mood.”

“Well, what can we do? She’s an ability user, so we have to treat her with respect. Some of the more difficult tasks are impossible without ability users.”

This topic drew the interest of many survivors, and Jiang Ci overheard a lot of gossip. It seemed that ability users held a high status in the base—they had a say in decisions, were given separate housing, and even received subsidies from the base.

They stayed at the hotpot restaurant for quite a while, and it wasn’t until the giant tortoise outside finally calmed down that the survivors reluctantly left.

Jiang Ci stood at the entrance for a while, observing the distant city that had been ravaged by the giant tortoise. The collapsed and cracked structures looked increasingly precarious, and even the ground had fissures.

Jiang Ci felt a pang of anxiety. “Will this affect our shop later?”

[No, as the shop upgrades, the surrounding facilities will also be upgraded correspondingly. The roads and nearby buildings will be repaired,] the system replied.

Repair the surrounding buildings? Jiang Ci’s thoughts began to wander. “Will there be other shops besides the hotpot restaurant in the future?”

[You’ll know after the upgrade,] the system didn’t reveal the future development of the hotpot restaurant.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Jiang Ci pouted and shifted her gaze back. The second task was already marked as completed. After clicking to claim the reward, Jiang Ci immediately ran to the kitchen. There was a new machine in the kitchen, with a small box-like object containing a large piece of frozen beef with beautiful marbling. The other end was connected to a specialized slicer for cutting beef slices.

It was quite convenient to push the beef out from the small box and cut as much as needed. The price for meat dishes was set at two second-level crystal cores.

The sliced beef was then placed in the freezer.

Looking at such a large piece of beef, Jiang Ci almost teared up. After a week of eating vegetarian food, she could finally have some meat.

She opened her takeout menu and, sure enough, there were new options related to beef, such as beef in golden soup, stir-fried beef with chilli, and so on.

[After completing two tasks, the shop will now begin upgrading, taking the total time of one hour until completion. Please return to your room and wait,] the system’s voice echoed in Jiang Ci’s mind.

Jiang Ci hurried back to her room. “Isn’t my room going to be upgraded as well?”

[The room will automatically upgrade after the shop’s upgrade is complete and you leave the room,] the system explained.

Jiang Ci nodded in understanding and then closed the room door. The moment the door closed, the wooden door of the hotpot restaurant and the colorful lights on the sign turned off, becoming as dull and inconspicuous as the other buildings in this post-apocalyptic world. The shop then began its upgrade.

[After completing two tasks, the Lucky Wheel has now been unlocked for you,] the system brought out the wheel while the shop was upgrading.

A colorful wheel appeared in front of Jiang Ci, with green, blue, and orange sections.

The system explained that green represented common items, blue represented advanced items, and orange represented rare items. Green items were mostly various seasonings, blue items included drinks and dishes, and orange items were extremely rare, with only one orange slot on the entire wheel. This time, the orange slot featured an automatic vegetable cutter, described as a device that could cut any food into uniformly sized pieces, whether vegetables, fruits, or meat, and could also automatically clean them—a true hands-free miracle.

However, Jiang Ci had a realistic understanding of her luck. She had never even won a ‘try again’ bottle in her life.

She didn’t aim high; just getting a blue item would be fine. She counted and found there were twelve blue slots and twenty two green slots.

Jiang Ci rubbed her palms together, silently wishing for good luck three times, and then extended her right index finger to spin the wheel.

The pointer on the wheel spun quickly, then slowed down, and finally came to a stop.

The pointer slowly moved past the orange item, then the blue items, and finally, under Jiang Ci’s hopeful gaze, it stopped on a green item.

Jiang Ci: “…”

[Congratulations, host, you have obtained the condiment: vinegar.]

[Now releasing the third task: sell twenty portions of fatty beef to unlock pork belly slices.]

Upon hearing about pork belly slices, Jiang Ci couldn’t help but swallow her saliva. That kind of pork belly, with its three layers of fat and lean meat, tender and savory, fatty yet not greasy, was her absolute favorite. Especially the twice-cooked pork made by Jiang Ci’s father, which could make the neighbor’s kids cry with envy.

An hour passed quickly with various interactions between Jiang Ci and the system. When Jiang Ci stepped out of her room, she paused for a moment. The hotpot restaurant had expanded by nearly half its original size. The two wooden tables and chairs had now become four, and the walls had been whitewashed, making the place look much cleaner and tidier.

Apart from the increased space, there weren’t many other changes.

However, Jiang Ci still found it quite magical and walked around inside and out several times.

The shop had been completely renovated, and Jiang Ci’s room had also undergone some changes, becoming a bit more spacious, though it still looked largely the same as before.

As she lay in bed, Jiang Ci thought about how she now had a fixed place to stay. She decided that the next time she had a vacation and returned to the real world, she would terminate her rented apartment. After all, it was only a month away from the lease’s expiration, and she could move her belongings to the hotpot restaurant.

She had previously discussed this issue with the system, which had promised to provide her with a space to store her things as an additional benefit.

The next day, Jiang Ci woke up very early. The moment she opened her eyes, the sounds from outside rushed in like water from a running faucet.

She got up, washed up, and then opened the shop.

As she pushed open the wooden door, the wind of the apocalypse, carrying the scents of this decaying city, blew in.

Outside, a small group of zombies was slowly passing by. The leader of the group was noticeably more agile, likely a level two or higher zombie.

Having been in the apocalypse for so long, Jiang Ci had somewhat come to terms with the appearance of zombies. In her mind, she always treated these zombies as special effects actors from TV shows.

Admittedly, with this psychological hint, it became much easier to accept them.

Watching the zombies slowly move away, Jiang Ci turned and entered the hotpot restaurant.

For breakfast, she ordered beef, finally bidding farewell to the days of waking up to potatoes. The moment she put a piece of beef into her mouth, the tender and juicy texture nearly brought tears to her eyes.

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i’m so hungry i’m so hungry i’m so hungry (important things must be repeated three times!!!)

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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“Beef slices?!” Jiang Ci’s eyes lit up instantly. As a carnivore who couldn’t live without meat, she was eager to try something different, especially meat!

[Yes, host,] the system replied. [After completing the second task, the restaurant will undergo its first upgrade, and you’ll also unlock a prize wheel.]

Jiang Ci’s interest was piqued immediately. “What’s on the wheel?”

[Seasonings, beverages, ingredients, and soup bases are all possible,] the system explained. [Each of them has a different probability of dropping, depending on your luck.]

Jiang Ci was eager to try her luck and see how it would turn out. She couldn’t help but wish that the first and second tasks could be completed simultaneously.

Judging from the business situation over the past couple of days, it shouldn’t take too long.

However, Jiang Ci had clearly overestimated the foot traffic in the apocalypse. Over the next few days, not a single person entered the shop.

Jiang Ci, who had been full of anticipation, continued to eat potato slices, shredded potatoes, and dry pot potatoes for several days. One day, as she got out of bed and passed by the bathroom mirror, she suddenly saw a massive yellow potato staring back at her, startling herself.

On the seventh day of Jiang Ci’s arrival in the apocalypse, the shop finally welcomed customers—Zhou Lin, Xu Yan, and Gu Qi, all familiar faces to Jiang Ci.

They were the shop’s first customers, so Jiang Ci was delighted to see them again.

The three of them seemed a bit tanner than before.

Having been here once, they were somewhat familiar with Jiang Ci.

Zhou Lin greeted her with a smile, “Boss, we’re back. How’s business been lately?”

“Business hasn’t been great. Not many people around, but plenty of zombies and mutated animals,” Jiang Ci shrugged, telling the truth.

“That’s normal,” Gu Qi plopped down on a wooden chair, looking somewhat exhausted. “Our base just drove off a horde of zombies. I hear zombies and mutated beasts have been quite active everywhere, so people probably don’t have the mood or energy to go out.”

Jiang Ci was slightly taken aback. “A horde of zombies?”

Xu Yan nodded, pulling out a wooden chair to sit down. “A horde led by high-level zombies nearly broke the base’s gate. All the ability users in the base were mobilized, and it took almost two days to finally drive them off.”

“This incident caused quite a stir. Bases around here have started reinforcing their gates recently, and there are hardly any survivors out and about,” Zhou Lin added.

Their narration was quite calm, with no hint of the intensity of the situation at the time. But Jiang Ci, having read many apocalyptic novels, could imagine how fierce the battle must have been. No wonder the hotpot shop hadn’t seen a single human in days.

“It’s been so many days since I last had hotpot, I’m practically dying for it. Boss, let’s start with a clear base, five plates of potato slices, and rice for the three of us,” Zhou Lin said, immediately raising his voice after finishing.

“Alright, take a seat for a moment,” Jiang Ci replied, rolling up her sleeves and heading to the kitchen.

“Boss, what’s this? It wasn’t here last time,” Gu Qi asked, pointing to the fridge by the counter.

“Oh, that’s mineral water. It’s a new product, two first-level crystal cores per bottle,” Jiang Ci explained.

“Mineral water? You can still get mineral water now? Most water sources are contaminated,” Gu Qi exclaimed in surprise, but then he remembered the unusual nature of this shop. Getting a few bottles of mineral water didn’t seem so unsurprising after all.

Jiang Ci’s skill in slicing potatoes had been improving steadily. Each plate of potato slices was now cut with uniform thickness.

Once all the dishes were served, the three of them skillfully scooped rice and placed the soft, glutinous potato slices on top, then poured a ladle of broth over it.

With the first bite, their souls felt utterly satisfied.

In the midst of battle, they had often thought about the possibility of death. Their only regret would have been not being able to have one last meal at the hotpot shop. It wasn’t just about the delicious food; it also represented the last remnants of their pre-apocalypse memories.

After the meal, each of them bought two bottles of mineral water. In total, they spent thirty-seven first-level crystal cores, three second-level crystal cores, and one third-level crystal core. The thirty-seven first-level crystal cores were directly converted into three second-level crystal cores and seven first-level crystal cores, totaling 1,670 points.

Behind the counter, Jiang Ci saw the points credited, and her total points now stood at 4,920.

With five plates of potato slices sold, the task section showed a noticeable change, with the number now reading (5/10).

After finishing their meal, Zhou Lin and the others didn’t leave immediately as they had the first time. Instead, they lounged lazily in their seats, chatting with Jiang Ci.

It was rare for them to have such a leisurely moment. No matter where they were, they had to stay on high alert. Once they let their guard down, exhaustion would overwhelm them.

Especially after eating and drinking their fill, they were even more reluctant to move.

From their conversation, Jiang Ci gradually pieced together a basic picture of a base. Each base had a leader who guided a group of people, each with their own responsibilities, keeping the base well-organized. It was no wonder humans were so resilient; no matter the adversity, they always found a way to adapt and survive.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Just as they were talking, a loud noise suddenly erupted outside, shaking the ground for a moment.

The three of them, who had been lounging lazily, instantly sprang up from their seats and rushed to the door to look outside.

“What the…” Jiang Ci heard Zhou Lin’s surprised voice.

Jiang Ci also closed the task interface and walked to the window of the hotpot shop.

Outside, dust was flying everywhere, and it looked like a fierce battle was underway. On one side were humans, and on the other… a moving house?

Jiang Ci rubbed her eyes, making sure she wasn’t seeing things. The house was indeed moving, and this ‘house’ seemed to be fighting humans, completely dominating the situation. This discovery left Jiang Ci utterly shocked. “What is that?”

“That’s a local specialty of City C, a Level 9 Giant Tortoise. It’s strange, though. This tortoise usually hides underground to sleep and isn’t aggressive at all. Why is it suddenly so furious?” Gu Qi’s tone was full of confusion.

As they walked closer, Jiang Ci could barely make out the appearance of the giant tortoise.

Its shell was hard, and the exposed skin was a grayish-green color. During the battle, it was impervious to blades and bullets. As it moved, it looked as if it was carrying a small garden on its back, with buildings constantly falling from it. Survivors below could easily be hit if they weren’t careful, making the situation extremely perilous.

Seeing the survivors at a disadvantage, Zhou Lin and the other two rushed over to help. Jiang Ci, knowing her limits, didn’t dare join the fight. Instead, she poked her head out and called for the survivors to take refuge in the hotpot restaurant.

Zhou Lin and the others had witnessed the special nature of the hotpot restaurant, so they desperately tried to pull the survivors toward it.

Coincidentally, some of the survivors were acquainted with Zhou Lin and his group, so they trusted their character and followed without needing much persuasion.

The injured were brought over first. After confirming that the area outside the shop was safe, they sat down on the ground, bandaging their wounds or helping each other.

Soon, the uninjured survivors also arrived. Since the protected area outside the hotpot restaurant wasn’t very large, a group of about ten people squeezed together, sitting or standing.

Jiang Ci noticed a long-haired girl moving through the crowd. A faint white light was emanating from her palms as she pressed them against the skin of the injured, and the bleeding wounds gradually stopped. It seemed she was treating the severely wounded survivors.

Could this be the ‘ability user’ the system had mentioned? Jiang Ci had been here for over a week but had never seen one before, so she couldn’t help but feel curious.

Perhaps because her gaze was too intense, the girl, who had just finished treating someone, turned her head and met Jiang Ci’s eyes. She then smiled shyly.

After all the survivors had arrived, Jiang Ci let them rest inside the shop for a while.

The small hotpot restaurant was quickly filled to capacity. There weren’t enough chairs and tables, so people had to sit on the floor. However, the floor wasn’t dirty. Even though few people came, Jiang Ci still insisted on cleaning it every day.

The giant tortoise, for some reason, was still wandering around, searching for the survivors who had just been within its sight.

Every step it took caused the ground to shake.

“So, how exactly did you provoke it? This giant tortoise hasn’t made a move in a long time,” Zhou Lin asked, panting as he sat directly on the shop floor.

Beside him sat a tall, dark-skinned man who seemed to be acquainted with Zhou Lin and the others.

“We were also caught up in an unexpected disaster. It was Zong Tao and his gang. They used homemade explosives to blow out the giant tortoise. Most importantly, we found several eggs in the tortoise’s nest, two of which were already damaged. Zong Tao and his group were probably after these eggs. The eggs of a Level 9 giant tortoise are definitely not ordinary—they’re richer in energy than crystal cores and must be worth a fortune. That’s probably why the tortoise is so furious now,” the man said, his tone still carrying a hint of frustration over the unjust misfortune they had suffered.

“The tortoise laid eggs? This needs to be reported to the base,” Zhou Lin said, running a hand through his short hair, his expression turning serious.

After hastily tending to their wounds and resting for a while, they finally realized where they were.

“By the way, what is this place? Why is it shielded from mutated animals and zombies?” the dark-skinned man finally noticed something was off and asked in confusion.

Zhou Lin and the other two couldn’t help but smile smugly. “This is a hotpot restaurant, and that’s the boss over there.”

In an instant, several pairs of eyes turned toward Jiang Ci. She gave a small wave and then flashed a professional smile. “So, would you like to order something? We currently have clear soup base hotpot with potato slices, soy sauce over there, and rice.”

“We’ve already been here twice. The hotpot here is absolutely amazing, and you can eat as much rice as you want after paying with crystal cores. We just finished eating before we ran into you.”

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craving hotpot rn

also tw0 chapters will be updated daily at 12pm aest until chapter 10, where one chapter will be updated daily! i’ve stockpiled quite a lot hehehe ◡̈

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Jiang Ci’s heart instantly raced. Were humans being chased by those monsters?

She instinctively took a step forward, trying to get a clearer look.

Soon, the shadow in the mist revealed its true form—a massive snake, almost half the height of a building! Its body was pitch black, with muddy, yellowish eyes and vertical pupils that made its gaze sharp and cold.

Upon seeing the monster’s true appearance, Jiang Ci felt goosebumps spread from her toes to the roots of her hair.

Since childhood, she had been terrified of snakes. Seeing such a huge one now, her body stiffened, and her legs began to weaken.

At this moment, the fog completely dissipated, and she finally saw clearly that there were indeed a few humans desperately running ahead of the giant snake. The snake seemed to be moving leisurely behind them, but the distance was visibly shrinking.

With lives at stake, Jiang Ci couldn’t afford to be afraid. She stepped out of the hotpot shop’s wooden door and shouted for them to come and take shelter here.

The people running didn’t have time to think too much. Grasping at this lifeline, they ran towards Jiang Ci. Once they reached her, they realized—what good would hiding here do? Could they really expect this frail girl to help fend off the giant snake?

Just as they were about to pull Jiang Ci along to keep running, the rumbling noise behind them suddenly stopped.

Curious, they turned around and saw that the giant snake, which had been chasing them relentlessly, seemed to have lost its target in an instant. Its massive head swiveled around, looking right past them. Jiang Ci even got a close-up view of the snake’s scales and the irregular bumps on its head. Goosebumps instantly covered her arms, yet even at such a close distance, the snake didn’t notice their presence.

Everyone held their breath as the snake slowly turned in another direction, and only then did they finally exhale in relief.

The survivors, still in shock, glanced around and realized that this was the very shop with the colorful neon sign they had seen through the telescope last night.

After exchanging a few glances, the teammates all recognized this, and a mix of emotions surged through them, slightly dispelling the exhaustion from their earlier sprint.

They had originally intended to visit this shop, but shortly after leaving the building, they had been pursued by that Level 6 giant snake and almost hadn’t made it out alive.

“Let’s go inside and sit for a while,” Jiang Ci said, watching the snake still wandering outside, using its seemingly powerful tail to cause destruction. She suppressed her discomfort and urged the five people still standing frozen in place.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The five of them didn’t know what they were about to face, but with the giant snake still outside, Jiang Ci, another human, seemed far less dangerous.

After exchanging a glance, they followed Jiang Ci through the door of the hotpot shop.

As soon as they entered, they were greeted by the aroma of food—one of which they identified as the most primal, bone-deep scent of rice.

The smell instantly made their stomachs growl in hunger.

“Are you all hungry? Would you like something to eat? This is a hotpot shop, but we don’t have many ingredients right now—just clear soup base and some potato slices. Of course, after paying with crystal cores, the rice is unlimited,” Jiang Ci said, her heart rate finally calming down a bit as she heard the unmistakable sounds of stomachs growling.

Chen Cheng and the others surveyed the hotpot shop. It was small, with only enough space for two tables and chairs.

Jiang Ci stood behind a very rudimentary counter, watching them with a hint of expectation in her eyes.

At first glance, Jiang Ci seemed different from the people of the post-apocalyptic world. She was only 1.65 meters tall, with a slender and delicate frame. Her arms lacked muscle, and her skin seemed pale and soft, the kind that comes from being sheltered in a greenhouse.

She looked like a soft, non-combative human, yet she had opened a hotpot restaurant in the heart of the city, where the monsters were most numerous. It sounded absurd.

But here they were, standing in her hotpot restaurant, the lingering aroma of food in the air, listening to Jiang Ci explain the prices of the dishes.

Although the menu was limited, Xu Ling was practically drooling. Hotpot! It had been nearly a decade since they last had it. She turned to look at their team leader, Chen Cheng, with eager anticipation.

Chen Cheng subtly swallowed his saliva, then pulled a few crystal cores from his pocket. “One clear soup base, five plates of potato slices, and rice, please.”

Jiang Ci smiled brightly. “Sure thing! Please take a seat, it’ll be just a moment.”

The total cost was one third-level crystal core, five second-level crystal cores, and twenty-five first-level crystal cores. Twenty first-level crystal cores were converted into two second-level ones, so Jiang Ci received a total of one third-level crystal core, seven second-level crystal cores, and five first-level crystal cores, which amounted to 1,750 points.

Jiang Ci happily sliced the potatoes as she mentally calculated her earnings.

After preparing three plates, she took out the ones she had sliced earlier from the refrigerator and brought them out, then went to prepare the soup base.

Meanwhile, the five people outside couldn’t take their eyes off the potato slices in front of them.

How long had it been since they last saw normal human food like this?

Potatoes, a high-yield and filling food, had once been one of the top choices for human survival. But agriculture had been troublesome from the start, and the idea of relying on potatoes and sweet potatoes for sustenance had been dashed.

Fang Qing reached out to poke the potato slices but noticed her hands were dirty and awkwardly pulled them back.

Jiang Ci happened to come out with the clear soup base and said to them, “There’s water in the restroom over there for washing your hands.”

The five of them rushed to the restroom.

Since the hotpot restaurant was small, the restroom was also tiny, and they had to take turns using the sink outside.

After washing their hands, they were visibly excited. The water here was clean and clear, without the strange taste of being repeatedly disinfected and purified. It felt like it could be drunk directly.

But since they were in someone else’s shop, they didn’t want to hog the sink. Each of them washed their hands and face before coming out.

By the time they returned, the clear soup base was bubbling, and the tantalizing aroma quickly filled the small hotpot restaurant.

“It smells amazing,” teammate Er Niu said, swallowing his saliva and eagerly sitting down at the wooden table.

They dumped all five plates of potato slices into the clear soup pot. Before the potatoes were fully cooked, Xu Ling couldn’t resist scooping a bowl of soup and taking a sip. The savory flavor exploded in her mouth, bringing back a flood of memories—of gathering with friends and family. Her eyes reddened in an instant.

The others also fell into an unusual silence.

Soon, the potatoes were ready. With the first bite, the soft, slightly sweet texture of the potatoes, combined with the rich flavor of the soup, was unbelievably delicious.After finishing the potatoes, they went to get some rice. Because there were so many people, they directly poured the rice into the soup pot, turning it into a fragrant pot of rice soup.

The five of them quickly devoured the entire pot of rice.

Seeing that Jiang Ci had steamed another pot, they hesitated for a moment but, under her enthusiastic urging, they each took another large bowl.

It wasn’t until they had eaten two whole pots of rice that they finally stopped, feeling a sense of fullness they hadn’t experienced in a long time.

They sat in their seats for a while, waiting for the bloated feeling in their stomachs to subside before standing up. By then, the giant snake outside had long disappeared, and the area had returned to its usual quietness. Only a few zombies passed by the entrance, but they completely ignored the group inside the shop.

So, why was this happening?

When this question was raised, Jiang Ci, still smiling warmly from behind the counter, replied, “After all, you’ve spent crystal cores in my shop, so naturally, I have to ensure your safety. If something were to happen to you while eating here, how could I continue running this hotpot restaurant?”

Although Jiang Ci’s answer addressed their question, it didn’t reveal any significant information.

They understood that this was likely this restaurant’s secret, and the boss wouldn’t casually disclose it. However, their curiosity was still gnawing at them.

If it were someone without ambition like them, it might be fine. But if someone with ill intentions discovered this place, the secret here would be too tempting, and they would stop at nothing to claim it for themselves.

The boss of this hotpot restaurant might appear delicate, but the fact that she could source these ingredients and run a shop in such a place suggested she had considerable strength.

“Don’t you feel like after eating the hotpot, you’re not tired at all?” After stepping out of the restaurant, Er Niu stretched his arms, which had been sore from wielding weapons against zombies, and found that the soreness had completely disappeared. He felt full of energy, as if he could take on ten more zombies.

The others also experimentally moved their bodies around, feeling much more relaxed, but they attributed it to being well-fed and didn’t think much more of it.

“Really?” Er Niu said, rotating his arm as he walked out, still puzzled.

Xu Ling, who had stepped out of the hotpot restaurant, kept looking back, silently hoping that she would see the restaurant and its beautiful Boss again next time.

After seeing off this group of customers, Jiang Ci’s first task was officially completed. When she checked, the task now displayed (5/5) as completed.

Upon completing the task, the mineral water was automatically unlocked. In front of the counter, a new fridge appeared, neatly stocked with bottles of mineral water. The bottles had no labels, only the name of the hotpot restaurant, making them look like unregulated products. However, they were priced at two first-level crystal cores per bottle.

According to the system, this was authentic mineral-rich water.

Next to Jiang Ci’s seat, a compact water dispenser had appeared, capable of dispensing clean drinking water directly. The water source was the same as the one they sold, and it could also be heated, making it much more convenient than boiling water before.

Jiang Ci poured herself a cup of water and took a sip. It had a refreshingly sweet taste. The system mentioned that after upgrading, it could also provide beverages like coffee and milk tea.

[Congratulations, host, on completing your first task. The second task is to sell ten portions of potato slices to unlock beef slices,] the system promptly announced the second task in Jiang Ci’s mind.

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[ start typing here ]

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

The first transaction had earned her so much, which was somewhat unexpected for Jiang Ci.

[This is a great start. The host has done well. Keep it up,] the system’s encouraging voice chimed in at the right moment.

Jiang Ci looked at the point value on her panel, feeling quite proud. She hadn’t expected to have such talent.

However, this pride only lasted for a short while. After the three left, Jiang Ci didn’t encounter another living person for the rest of the day.

Instead, she saw several small groups of zombies, each consisting of about ten, moving together toward an unknown destination.

The visual impact of such a large group of zombies was still quite intense. Jiang Ci finally couldn’t hold back and vomited. Strangely enough, after vomiting a few times, she somehow got used to the sight of zombies.

Later, she even began to calmly speculate about whether the zombies had been male or female, old or young in their previous lives.

The system also educated her on zombie levels. The slow-moving, expressionless ones were the most basic level-one zombies, while the faster and more agile ones were level-two zombies.

So far, only level-one and level-two zombies had passed by the hotpot restaurant. Jiang Ci hadn’t had the chance to see any higher level zombies yet.

As night fell, with no lights at all, the darkness outside the shop deepened, as if the entire city had sunk into a black swamp, leaving only the faint outlines of buildings.

Jiang Ci sat alone in the shop, feeling a bit uneasy as she glanced outside.

At this moment, her phone, which had been silent all day, suddenly rang. Jiang Ci took it out and saw that it was her parents calling from her hometown.

She picked up the phone, and on the other end, her mother’s gentle voice came through, “Baby, have you eaten yet? What are you up to? Have you been busy with work lately?”

Hearing her mother’s voice, Jiang Ci suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She blinked, trying to hold back the tears. She was already a twenty five year old old woman and couldn’t cry like she did when she was a child.

“I’m doing fine. How about you guys? Have you eaten yet?” Jiang Ci could hear the bustling noise on the other end of the line.

She didn’t need to see to picture the scene at her parents’ place.

Her hometown was in a small, remote county. Her parents ran a small supermarket outside their residential area, and it was always the busiest around dinner time. Not only were there customers coming to shop, but also neighbors out for a stroll and a chat.

Life in a small city wasn’t fast-paced, but it had gentle evening breezes and the lively hum of everyday life.

Her parents couldn’t provide her with a life of luxury, but they had never shortchanged her, whether materially or emotionally.

So Jiang Ci’s dream had always been to work hard, buy a house, and bring her parents to live in the big city.

“We’ve eaten. The pork ribs at the market were really cheap today. Your dad made sweet and sour ribs, and he just mentioned that it’s your favorite dish,” Jiang Ci’s mother’s voice came through the phone, accompanied by a faint static.

When Jiang Ci’s father was young, he had apprenticed under a master chef for two years, so his cooking was always authentic.

Just hearing about the sweet and sour ribs, Jiang Ci’s mind involuntarily conjured up an image of the dish—glossy, caramelized, and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Her mouth was practically watering.

“If you want to eat it, come home. Your dad will make you a feast,” Jiang Ci’s father chimed in, laughing warmly by the phone.

“Okay, I’ll come home when work isn’t so busy,” Jiang Ci replied, though she wasn’t sure when she’d have time off.

“By the way, baby, National Day is in a little over a month. Will you have time off then? Do you want to come home?” her mother’s hopeful voice asked.

“I’m not sure yet. The company has been really busy lately. If I can come back, I’ll call you in advance,” Jiang Ci said. A little over a month—in the apocalypse, that was over a year.

Her mother’s voice remained gentle, understanding, and she reminded Jiang Ci to take care of herself and eat well.

But Jiang Ci knew her mother must still feel a little disappointed. Last year during the New Year, she had only stayed home for three days before being called back to work by her company. It had been over half a year since she’d been home.

After hanging up, Jiang Ci felt a renewed sense of determination. Once the hotpot restaurant was fully hers, she would have her parents close the supermarket back home and come help her run the restaurant. 

Then, the whole family could stay together.

Soon, the clock on the wall struck ten. Outside, apart from the growls of zombies, there was no other sound.

Jiang Ci figured no one would still be wandering outside at this hour, so she closed the wooden door.

Even with the door closed, the small colored lights on the sign outside remained lit, like a guiding beacon in the darkness.

Jiang Ci’s room wasn’t large—just a bed, a wardrobe, a dressing table, and a retractable small desk by the bed.

But what made it convenient was the en-suite bathroom, sparing Jiang Ci from having to leave her room and navigate a dark hallway to reach the outside toilet.

The bathroom was stocked with clean toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, and shower gel, even the facial cleanser was the brand Jiang Ci usually used. The cabinet under the sink was filled with sanitary pads, taking into account every possible scenario.

The wardrobe in the room was filled with clothes in the casual and convenient style that Jiang Ci loved to wear—T-shirts, jeans, casual dresses, and even a few pairs of shoes, all in her size.

Jiang Ci instantly felt the joy of a novel’s female protagonist. Wasn’t this exactly the kind of scene that would appear when a domineering CEO buys clothes for the female protagonist?

After finishing her night routine, Jiang Ci lay down on the bed. It was almost midnight, and though her body was exhausted, her mind was still buzzing with excitement. She couldn’t believe everything that had happened today.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Unbeknownst to her, several kilometers away from the hotpot restaurant, a group of five people had temporarily settled in a high-rise building.

They had come from a nearby base. Originally, they had completed their mission and were ready to return, but as they were leaving, they were suddenly ambushed by zombies. With nightfall, they couldn’t make it back.

The city at night was far more dangerous than during the day, and survival was even more precarious.

This building was the tallest in the vicinity. After clearing out the zombies inside, they made their way to a room that resembled a conference hall. It had a full wall of transparent glass and a sturdy door, allowing them to observe the outside while temporarily keeping the zombies at bay.

Standing by the window was the burly leader of the group, Chen Cheng. He held a telescope in his hand, scanning the outside under the moonlight, planning their route for the next day.

At that moment, a faint glimmer of light suddenly flashed in the telescope. Chen Cheng paused, then quickly adjusted the telescope to locate the source of the fleeting light.

Slowly retracting the telescope, Chen Cheng finally caught sight of the anomalous light again in the lens.

Countless possibilities raced through Chen Cheng’s mind, but as the lens zoomed in, he realized it was a signboard.

The signboard had some writing on it, but it was hard to make out. All he could see was a circle of colorful lights flashing around it. Chen Cheng thought he might be seeing things. He lowered the telescope, rubbed his eyes with one hand, and then raised the telescope again.

The glowing signboard was still there!

Chen Cheng turned to call his teammate, “Xu Ling, come take a look.”

A girl with a ponytail stood up from the floor, “What is it, Captain?”

Xu Ling walked over, took the telescope from Chen Cheng, and looked in the direction he was pointing. The moment she saw it, she froze.

“Cap… Captain, what is this?” Xu Ling’s voice carried a hint of disbelief.

“What’s wrong?” Another short-haired girl, Fang Qing, hurried over upon hearing the commotion and was equally shocked upon seeing the sign.

Actually, having a sign wasn’t unusual. What was unusual was that someone would be willing to use such precious electricity on something so trivial.

After all, in the base, electricity usage was strictly limited to certain times each day.

“Was this shop here when we came yesterday?” The other team members gathered around, looking at the hotpot restaurant’s sign with confusion.

“Who knows? We didn’t pay attention to these things at the time.”

The hotpot restaurant was located on the route they had to take back to the base. After some discussion, they decided to check it out on their way back the next morning.

Jiang Ci had only fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning when her relentless biological clock woke her up early.

Lying in bed, she was momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings but quickly remembered where she was.

It was just past six, and the sky hadn’t fully brightened yet. Pushing open the wooden door, she was greeted by the damp smell of rain, and everything was shrouded in a misty haze.

Jiang Ci stretched, feeling more and more accustomed to her new identity after a night of mental preparation. No annoying colleagues, no demanding clients, no overtime, and free meals and accommodation. Judging by the survivors’ enthusiasm for hotpot yesterday, the pay shouldn’t be bad. Apart from the lack of human interaction and the presence of disgusting monsters everywhere, what more could she ask for?

Breakfast was plain congee with cold shredded potatoes. The tangy and spicy shredded potatoes offered a new flavor today, Jiang Ci thought as she chewed on them.

The system was quite responsive, even making midnight snacks for Jiang Ci. But when she opened the ordering system, all she saw was fried potatoes, roasted potatoes, shredded potatoes, potato slices, potato chunks, and mashed potatoes. After a whole day of eating potatoes, Jiang Ci felt like she was turning into one.

She needed to complete tasks quickly to unlock new dishes.

After breakfast, Jiang Ci tidied up the shop, sliced two plates of potatoes, soaked them in water, and then wrapped them in cling film before placing them in the fridge’s fresh-keeping compartment.

Today, Jiang Ci felt she was getting the hang of slicing potatoes, with fewer uneven slices compared to yesterday.

Just as she put the potato slices in the fridge, she heard a rumbling sound of running, as if something large was approaching. She could even feel the ground shaking.

Jiang Ci closed the fridge door and curiously stepped outside.

In the distance, she saw a tall, thin black shadow moving quickly through the mist towards her, accompanied by faint human voices.

---

i can just imagine how choked up fl would get when the first words mum asks you is baby have you eaten QAQ all asian kids can relate

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

In their hearts, they already believed that this person was most likely driven insane by the apocalypse, which was quite common. Many survivors had mental breakdowns and ended their own lives. However, the fact that this shop had electricity still needed further investigation.

“Alright, alright,” Jiang Ci said with a smile as she walked out from behind the counter, holding a menu in her hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She approached the group, “Just one clear soup base and a plate of sliced potatoes, right? Do you want rice? Our rice is unlimited for just one second-level crystal core per person.”

“Then we’ll take rice for three people,” Xu Yan said, playing along since it was all nonsense anyway.

“Great, so the total will be five first-level crystal cores, one third-level crystal core, and three second-level crystal cores,” Jiang Ci calculated, then looked at the three of them without moving, making it clear that payment was required before the meal.

The three of them pondered for a moment, and finally, Xu Yan took out the crystal cores from his bag and placed them in Jiang Ci’s hand.

“Old Xu, are you really giving her the crystal cores? I think this is just a scam shop, designed to cheat people out of their crystal cores,” Zhou Lin whispered as he leaned over, watching Jiang Ci head to the kitchen.

“It’s fine. She’s just a girl who’s not quite right in the head. If anything seems off, we can always get the crystal cores back,” Xu Yan replied. Besides, the price wasn’t high; first, second, and third-level crystal cores were quite common.

Xu Yan glanced toward the kitchen, his eyes still filled with lingering caution.

While Jiang Ci was in the kitchen, they took a look around the small shop. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except for the large electric rice cooker next to the condiment station, which was still lit with a warming light. They had no idea what was inside.

But then again, why was there electricity here? Even in the base, it wasn’t until the fifth year of the apocalypse that everyone could use electricity. This place was truly full of mysteries.

As they were lost in their thoughts, a sudden aroma wafted out from the kitchen.

The smell was both unfamiliar and familiar; something they used to encounter frequently before the apocalypse, but now, in their daily struggle for survival, they had long forgotten about.

For a moment, all three of them were stunned.

From there, Jiang Ci carefully carried a pot out from the kitchen.

As she got closer, the aroma grew stronger, and they realized that the smell was coming from the pot in her hands.

Jiang Ci placed the pot on their wooden table and pressed the switch button. The hotpot here was different from the ones in Jiang Ci’s world. The bottom of the pot could heat itself without needing to be plugged in or lit with fire, making it both convenient and safe.

“This is the clear soup base you ordered. Please wait a moment, I’ll go get your bowls and chopsticks,” Jiang Ci clapped her hands and turned back to the kitchen.

The three people sitting at the wooden table hadn’t fully processed what was happening. In front of them was a clear, golden broth, exuding an enticing aroma of food. The soup was filled with ingredients like mushrooms, goji berries, and slices of ginger.

“Our clear soup base is made from the broth of a genuine old hen, and we’ve added a lot of medicinal herbs that are good for the body. It tastes really good.” In fact, Jiang Ci had just learned this from the system and decided to use it as a selling point.

After setting out the bowls and chopsticks, Jiang Ci went back to the kitchen to slice a plate of potatoes. She didn’t cook often, so her knife skills were rather basic. The potato slices were uneven—some thick, some thin. Looking at her handiwork, Jiang Ci felt a bit embarrassed and touched her nose.

However, the three people outside didn’t seem to care about how the potatoes were cut. They were still staring blankly at the bubbling broth in front of them.

“Your dishes are all here. The rice is over there, and there’s soy sauce too. If you need anything, just help yourselves,” Jiang Ci said before retreating behind the counter.

This was the first table of customers in the shop, and she couldn’t help feeling excited. She quietly opened the task panel to check the progress. The task to serve five customers and unlock mineral water had already changed from (0/5) to (3/5).

Xu Yan, Zhou Lin, and Gu Qi sat in their seats for a while before finally snapping out of their daze. The aroma of food instantly filled their noses.

“How about…” Zhou Lin swallowed hard, “we give it a try?”

Gu Qi picked up the plate of potato slices and dumped them into the boiling pot. “I’ll just try a bite.”

The potato slices cooked in just a few minutes. Each of them picked up a slice with their chopsticks. The potatoes were soft and tender, easily breaking apart when pinched between chopsticks.

Coated with the rich, savory flavor of the clear broth, the potato slices were exceptionally delicious.

Gu Qi was momentarily stunned, and by the time he came to his senses, the potato slices in the pot were almost gone. He quickly grabbed the last slice and put it in his bowl, giving his usually reliable teammates a reproachful look.

After finishing the potato slices, the three of them were still craving more. They immediately called out to Jiang Ci, “Boss, three more plates of potato slices, please!”

While Jiang Ci went back to the kitchen to slice more potatoes, the three of them went to the condiment station in the back. Each of them filled a small dish with soy sauce and scooped three large bowls of rice, heaping them to the brim.

Back at their seats, they ladled some broth over their rice and devoured the soup-soaked rice in no time.

By the time Jiang Ci came out, their rice bowls were empty, and the broth in the pot had been reduced by almost half.

Jiang Ci placed the three plates of potato slices on the dish rack next to their table and then went into the kitchen to bring out a soup pot to refill their broth.

The soup in the pot had been kept warm in the kitchen. It was made from bones, chicken, and some seafood, so although it looked clear, the flavor was still quite rich and intense.

At first, the three of them ate with some restraint, not exactly wolfing down their food. But as time went on, the conversation completely died down, leaving only the sounds of chopsticks clinking against bowls.

Jiang Ci glanced outside and noticed they were already on their third bowl of rice, drizzling soy sauce over it, unlocking a new way of eating.

Gu Qi met Jiang Ci’s gaze and smiled sheepishly, “Boss, we’re out of rice.”

Jiang Ci nodded, “Oh, okay. I’ll steam another pot. No worries, take your time. There’s plenty of rice.”

The system had just opened the supply store for her. Like the task panel, it was a 3D holographic screen visible only to her. The switch to activate it was at Jiang Ci’s whim, which felt quite magical.

Ten points could buy a hundred pounds of rice, so she wasn’t worried about it at all. Even if they ate ten pots, she wouldn’t lose money.

The rice cooker had a one-touch cleaning function, and the kitchen was equipped with a dishwasher. Just put the dishes in, and they’d come out clean and sanitized. Jiang Ci absolutely loved the smart kitchen.

One of the main reasons she disliked cooking was her aversion to washing dishes. If it could also chop vegetables and cook by itself, that would be even better.

The system said that as long as the hotpot restaurant kept upgrading, these functions could be realized.

A pot of clear broth hotpot and three plates of potato slices that came later were completely devoured, with not even a drop of soup left.

The three of them sat on wooden chairs, staring at the empty plates in front of them, momentarily speechless. What had they originally come here for? It was as if they had been bewitched, taking bite after bite, bowl after bowl.

Only after finishing did they belatedly realize their abs were almost gone from being so full. But it was really, really delicious.

Their minds were in constant turmoil, but in the end, they succumbed to the allure of good food.

Due to the current scarcity of resources, the research institute had spent years developing a nutrient solution that could basically meet human needs. Water and food were all solved in this one bottle of nutrient solution.

Although the nutrient solution wasn’t exactly hard to swallow, it didn’t taste great either. As survivors from a once culinary-rich nation, they naturally had no resistance to good food.

The three of them recalled their ‘bold claims’ from earlier and how they had been convinced this was a shady place. Now, they suddenly felt their faces sting a little.

“Have you guys finished eating?” Jiang Ci walked over at the right moment, smiling as she asked.

“Finished… finished eating,” Gu Qi straightened up, stammering a bit.

“So, how was it? Pretty good, right?” Jiang Ci asked with a grin.

“It was delicious, but there’s just not enough variety. When will there be meat?” Zhou Lin asked with eager anticipation.

Hearing this question, the other two also looked over, their eyes filled with subtle hope.

“It’ll come later. It’s just a bit difficult to transport supplies right now,” Jiang Ci smiled. “Next time you come, there might be new ingredients available.”

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The three of them left the hotpot restaurant and glanced back once more. The shop was lit with warm yellow lights, standing out as particularly cozy and unique in this gray, dreary world.

Just then, a group of zombies passed by the entrance. The three instinctively grabbed their weapons, on alert, but they noticed the zombies didn’t seem to detect them at all. Even though the distance wasn’t that far, the usually keen-sensed zombies just walked right past.

Zhou Lin tentatively took a couple of steps in their direction. As soon as he stepped out of the hot pot restaurant’s protective range, the zombies, who had previously ignored them, suddenly turned their heads and started jogging toward Zhou Lin.

Zhou Lin quickly stepped back a few paces. The zombie in front of him suddenly lost its target and stood still, looking around in confusion.

“Damn, that’s impressive,” Zhou Lin glanced at his teammate, both seeing the surprise in each other’s eyes.

The three of them turned to look back again, wondering just what kind of place this was.

They often passed by here, but they had never seen this hotpot restaurant before. It was as if it had appeared out of thin air.

After the three left, Jiang Ci took the dishes and utensils into the kitchen and placed them in the dishwasher.

In fact, while they had been observing Jiang Ci, she had also been observing these people from the apocalypse.

They seemed more robust than the people from Jiang Ci’s world, taller and more muscular. Even the shortest among them was probably around six feet tall. Standing in front of Jiang Ci, who was only five-foot-five, they were quite imposing.

The system had said that humans who had evolved in the apocalypse were like this. Without enhanced physical abilities, there was no way to fight against those zombies.

After cleaning up the table, Jiang Ci began to count her crystal cores.

Today, she had earned a total of twenty level-one crystal cores, one level-three crystal core, and three level-two crystal cores. Converted into points, that was 1500, equivalent to 1500 yuan.

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the first customers!

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

The system continued, [First-level crystal cores can be exchanged for ten points here, second-level crystal cores for one hundred points, and so on. We will exchange points for currency at a rate of one point to one yuan of Chinese currency. As long as the host needs it, we can exchange immediately, ensuring the host’s quality of life in the original world.]

As Jiang Ci listened further, her eyes lit up. She hadn’t expected that she would actually receive a salary! She had previously planned to deposit her savings in the bank to earn interest, fearing that she would deplete her resources without any income during this period.

Upon hearing about the salary, Jiang Ci felt her enthusiasm for this job surge significantly.

However, a hotpot restaurant with only clear soup, potato slices, rice, and soy sauce—was that even acceptable? As the manager, Jiang Ci suddenly felt the weight of her responsibilities grow heavier.

[The host’s first main task: serve five customers to unlock mineral water.] After explaining the relevant rules, the system issued the first task.

After listening to the system’s task, Jiang Ci turned her head to look out the window, where only a single zombie was wandering aimlessly, with no one else in sight.

“Five people? Do zombies count?”

[No, the customers served in the store must be human,] the system replied matter-of-factly.

Jiang Ci, feeling desperate, pressed her face against the window and looked outside. Forget people, there wasn’t even a ghost besides that zombie. Would she get stuck on the very first task?

[Host, there’s no need to worry too much. There are many high-level zombies in this city, as well as several human bases. Many teams choose to come here to clear out zombies and obtain cores. Humans will appear soon,] the system reassured her. [Moreover, our sign is very eye-catching. Anyone passing by this area will see it.]

“Eye-catching?” Hearing this, Jiang Ci became curious and eager to go out and see for herself, but she was also still a bit afraid of the zombies outside.

Although the system had said it would protect her, she wasn’t sure how extensive the protection was. Would she still be within the system’s protective zone if she left the hotpot restaurant?

[Host, there’s no need to worry. Our protection range includes this hotpot restaurant and a certain distance around it. We will mark it out for you. As long as you don’t leave this range, you’ll be safe. Later, when you have enough points, you can spend them to activate a personal shield for double protection.]

With this assurance, Jiang Ci didn’t hesitate any longer. She walked to the door, which had already been opened when the store first started. Standing at the entrance, she could see the scene outside.

At the doorway, Jiang Ci could feel the wind blowing in from outside, carrying the scent of rain-soaked earth and a slightly bitter aroma.

[The rain in the apocalypse is different from normal rain. It cannot be consumed directly. Prolonged exposure can cause illness in humans,] the system informed Jiang Ci. [However, within the protective range of the hotpot restaurant, all toxic substances and threats to the host are filtered and purified.]

Stepping out of the hotpot restaurant’s door, Jiang Ci officially entered another world. The feeling was surreal.

Although she was still standing on solid ground, it felt somewhat unreal.

Perhaps because of the rain, the city outside appeared gray and hazy. The tall buildings, eroded by time, were now dilapidated. Apart from the sound of wind and rain, the place was eerily quiet and deserted with not even a single weed growing. A sense of loneliness suddenly overwhelmed her, as if the entire world had abandoned her. Jiang Ci suddenly felt a deep empathy for those living in the apocalypse.

She took a few steps forward and noticed a faint, almost imperceptible membrane surrounding the hot pot restaurant. It resembled an upside-down cauldron, completely enveloping the establishment.

She could feel the wind from outside, smell the scents in the air, and even get wet from the rain. However, the rainwater wasn’t as murky as it was outside, likely purified by the system. At this moment, the system’s concept of protection became tangible to her.

The zombie she had encountered earlier had slowly wandered off, seemingly unaware of Jiang Ci standing there, leaving behind only a tattered silhouette.

Jiang Ci cautiously stood within the protective membrane and turned her gaze toward the restaurant’s signboard.

Above the hotpot restaurant, a wooden signboard as wide as the shop itself hung, adorned with colorful lights to make it more eye-catching. The lights were flickering, standing out vividly in this gray, dreary world.

The words ‘A Hotpot Restaurant’ were neatly inscribed on the signboard with a three-dimensional effect, ensuring that the six characters were clearly visible from any angle. It was indeed quite striking.

The exterior of the hotpot restaurant, much like its interior, resembled a dusty hunter’s cabin that had been sitting in the forest unused for years. However, the inside wasn’t dirty at all. After Jiang Ci officially named and opened the restaurant, even the cobwebs had disappeared.

The hotpot restaurant was situated at the intersection of several major roads, making it visible no matter which path one took.

After lingering outside for a while, Jiang Ci noticed a few more zombies approaching from another direction. She quickly retreated back into the restaurant.

[Host, it’s now time to serve lunch. Please place your order,] the system prompted.

Hearing this, Jiang Ci realized she was indeed feeling a bit hungry. The clock on the wall showed it was almost 1 o’clock.

Rubbing her hands together in anticipation, Jiang Ci followed the system’s instructions and activated the computer at the counter. It was an old, bulky-looking machine, but the system assured her that it would upgrade along with the restaurant. Despite its age, the computer had plenty of functions, and the system had thoughtfully provided Jiang Ci with a variety of novels and TV shows to pass the time.

The ‘Owner’s Order’ section on the computer was specifically for Jiang Ci. She opened it with hope, only to find that the menu consisted solely of potato-based dishes—spicy and sour shredded potatoes, potato slices, and so on. While there were many options, they all revolved around potatoes and were entirely vegetarian, with no meat in sight.

Jiang Ci sat in front of the computer, dumbfounded. “Can I only eat these dishes?”

[Yes, Host. The food available to you is directly related to the ingredients unlocked by the hot pot restaurant,] the system replied.

Jiang Ci sighed. It seemed she would have to complete the system’s tasks as soon as possible.

She ordered a plate of spicy and sour shredded potatoes. After placing her order, the system instructed her to pick up the meal from the window outside the kitchen.

Jiang Ci hadn’t paid much attention to the kitchen before. Upon entering, she noticed a small window on the other side, where a steaming plate of spicy and sour shredded potatoes was waiting. It smelled quite good.

The rice needed to be cooked in the electric rice cooker. The rice was stored in the kitchen, and after rinsing it, Jiang Ci placed it in the cooker. It only took a few minutes to cook a pot of rice.

The rice cooker was surprisingly large. Once the rice was ready, she scooped a bowlful and brought it to the counter, enjoying it with the still-warm shredded potatoes.The shredded potatoes were crisp, spicy, and tangy, unexpectedly delicious—better than any sour and spicy potato dish Jiang Ci had ever tasted.

The rice was also crystal clear and soft, with a unique sweet aroma that could be savored even when eaten plain.

For her first meal in this new world, Jiang Ci ate until she was stuffed. Despite the limited ingredients, she hadn’t expected it to be so tasty.

After lunch, Jiang Ci followed the system’s instructions to learn how to make the hotpot soup base and prepare ingredients.

The process was actually quite simple. The broth came in a pre-packaged mix—just add water and boil it. The potatoes were ready to use, stored in a large bag in the kitchen. All she had to do was peel, slice, and plate them before serving them to customers.

“Do I not have to pay for these raw materials?” Jiang Ci asked, eyeing the large bag of potatoes that would take who knows how long to finish.

[The first bag of potatoes and soup base packet is free. After that, you’ll need to spend points to purchase more. When supplies run out, they’ll automatically restock, and the points will be deducted from your account,] the system explained.

Jiang Ci nodded, feeling somewhat satisfied. At least she had plenty of potatoes and broth to use for free, and for now, she wouldn’t have to worry about points. It seemed fairly considerate.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Jiang Ci thought that, at this rate, she wouldn’t be able to open for business today. But to her surprise, while she was happily watching a variety show in the afternoon, there was a commotion outside.

Three people entered cautiously, holding weapons like sticks and machetes. When they stepped inside, their eyes met Jiang Ci’s, who was sitting behind the counter.

The trio had only noticed the shop because it looked unusual, with its lights on. They wanted to check if there were any survivors alone outside. But upon entering, they found this survivor seemed far too comfortable—the shop was clean and well-lit, with a faint aroma of food lingering in the air. Most bizarrely, they thought they could hear the sound of a TV.

Seeing customers arrive, Jiang Ci’s eyes lit up. “Would you three like some hotpot?”

“Hot… pot?” Gu Qi, a tall man with well-defined muscles bulging through his short sleeves and long pants, wore an expression that screamed, ‘are you joking?’

“Didn’t you see the sign outside my shop? It’s quite big. We’re a hotpot restaurant. Right now, we have clear broth, potato slices, and rice,” Jiang Ci enthusiastically promoted, estimating from their builds that they’d likely eat a lot.

Eating more meant spending more.

Her first task was to serve five customers, and here were three. She suddenly felt hopeful.

“Are you messing with us?” Zhou Lin, a shorter man, blurted out.

They had seen the sign, but no one took it seriously.

“Of course not. This is a legitimate hotpot restaurant, no cheating customers,” Jiang Ci said with a straight face.

The three of them looked at Jiang Ci with suspicion in their eyes, as if she were a big fool with a few screws loose.

“Then bring us a clear soup base and a plate of sliced potatoes to try,” said Xu Yan, the last of the three, as he sat down at the wooden table in front of him. He wanted to see if this shop, which boasted so extravagantly, could actually deliver on its claims.

The other two, hearing his words, understood his intentions and sat down beside him. It had been ten years since the apocalypse, yet they had never encountered such a bizarre situation before.

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this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

However, Jiang Ci couldn’t enter before she accepted and completed the task.

After returning, Jiang Ci’s emotions were far from calm, and she found her favourability starting to tip towards the other side.

The three days weren’t up yet, but Jiang Ci still ended up resigning. This wasn’t because she decided to agree to the system, but because something happened at the company. The powerpoint presentation she had worked so hard on for a week appeared on another colleague’s computer.

Her computer had been tampered with, and the original files were completely deleted. Coincidentally, the surveillance during that period seemed to have some issues too.

However, the colleague didn’t expect that Jiang Ci had emailed the most important data from the powerpoint presentation to another colleague.

When she handed over the evidence to her superior, the latter tried to downplay the matter, hinting that connections sometimes mattered more than hard work, and that there were some people even she couldn’t afford to offend.

Later, Jiang Ci found out that this colleague had been cozying up to the company’s vice president.

The colleague was confident that Jiang Ci had no evidence and that the superior wouldn’t take her side, so she boldly used Jiang Ci’s powerpoint presentation to gain reputation and acclaim at the company meeting.

Jiang Ci sat expressionless in her seat. What did all her hard work over the past week—running around collecting data and materials—even amount to? Or was it just her bad luck?

As the colleague smugly returned to her seat, Jiang Ci, who had been suppressing her anger for a long time, stood up in front of everyone. She threw the evidence in front of the colleague and the portly vice president.

There were many people at the company meeting, and they all watched as Jiang Ci spent ten minutes berating them on stage.

Jiang Ci had always been the quiet, hardworking type at the company, seemingly the kind who would endure in silence. They were also aware of her family background—not well-off, still striving to buy a house. With fierce competition everywhere, Jiang Ci probably wouldn’t want to lose this hard-earned job. That’s why the vice president and the colleague felt secure in their scheme, but they had misjudged her.

In the end, Jiang Ci concluded with, “You’re trash, and you’re trash too,” and with a swift, decisive motion, she slammed her employee badge on the table. “I quit! Make sure to pay me according to the regulations, or I’ll definitely fight you to the end!”

She wasn’t someone with a good temper to begin with, but for the sake of living, she had forced herself to smooth out her sharp edges. However, in the end, she found out she had given off the illusion that she had been easy to bully instead.

Coincidentally, the company meeting was being livestreamed to the chairman and the shareholders. The chairman watched the entire incident and was furious. The matter was dealt with seriously, and the company’s HR department even called Jiang Ci to ask if she was willing to come back. But Jiang Ci refused, only taking the compensation she was entitled to. The company even gave her a bit extra, which Jiang Ci understood was essentially hush money.

What happened afterward was relayed to her by her former colleague. For example, the vice president who often played favorites, the colleague who stole her work, and her superior were all fired by the company. The vice president and the superior, who had frequently colluded in such matters, had embezzled a lot of company money and now faced legal action from the company.

But Jiang Ci no longer cared. Losing her temper had made her feel refreshed, and the compensation she received made her feel like a large part of the grievances she had endured over the years at the company had been resolved.

She wondered if it was the property deed that had given her the courage. Otherwise, she might not have been able to make such a big scene.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

After resting at home for two days and thinking things over, the materials and the property deed were neatly placed by her bedside, visible with just a turn of her head. On the final day, Jiang Ci finally made her decision.

When she entered that space for the second time, Jiang Ci was noticeably less scared than the first time.

[Have you made your decision, host?] the system’s voice appeared again.

Jiang Ci took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and then spoke firmly, “Yes, I agree.”

The system’s mechanical voice noticeably relaxed, and its tone became a bit more cheerful.

[Alright, host. Please wait a moment while I bind with you.] After the system finished speaking, Jiang Ci heard a series of beeping sounds. After a while, she suddenly felt a strange sensation, as if her entire mind had become clearer, and something new had been added.

After binding with the system, the system presented Jiang Ci with a contract to sign. Jiang Ci skimmed through it briefly; most of the terms were favorable to her, aligning with what the system had explained. The only restriction was that once she took over the shop, she couldn’t easily give up on it.

After signing the contract, the system gave Jiang Ci a general overview of this world. This parallel world was similar to Jiang Ci’s own in terms of its structure and currency. Ten years ago, a virus swept across Blue Star. Those infected either turned into man-eating monsters or, in rare cases, became superhumans with special abilities. The majority of humans, however, only experienced enhanced strength and speed. Animals infected by the virus also mutated, becoming predators to humanity.

Survival had become increasingly difficult.

Survivors established bases in cities, gathering the remaining humans to fight against the monsters and the harsh environment.

Due to the weather and the virus, both agriculture and animal husbandry faced significant challenges, with high investments yielding pitifully low returns.

Over the past decade, human resources had become extremely scarce.

As a result, the bases developed a substance called nutrient solutions to meet the basic daily needs of the human body.

The universal currency in this world was crystal cores. In Jiang Ci’s hotpot restaurant, crystal cores were also used as currency. These crystal cores represented the energy of this world, as the system had explained.

Crystal cores were extracted from the brains of the monsters. These energy-filled cores gave the monsters their power, distinguishing them from ordinary creatures. They ranged from Level 1 to Level 9, with higher levels being increasingly difficult to deal with.

After the system’s detailed explanation, Jiang Ci had gained some understanding of this world. Her face turned pale—zombies, mutated animals, and superhumans were things she had only seen in TV shows and novels, but now they were about to become a real part of her life.

[Host, there’s no need to be overly afraid. I will do everything in my power to protect your safety. The hotpot restaurant is also the most solid barrier. I assure you, no creature can harm you here.]

After binding with the system, Jiang Ci vaguely understood the constraints of the system’s rules. What the system said was likely true, and since they were now bound together, their fates were intertwined—good fortune and loss would be shared.

Jiang Ci spent five minutes mentally preparing herself before nodding. “Alright, I understand. Then when should we open the shop?”

[We can start now. The host can first name the shop.]

Jiang Ci was terrible at naming things. After thinking for a while, she finally said, “Let’s call it ‘A Hotpot Restaurant.’“

After a moment, the system’s voice came through: [Naming complete.A Hotpot Restaurant, owner: Jiang Ci. Host, can we open the shop now?]

Jiang Ci peeked out the window. Outside, everything was shrouded in a white haze, and nothing was visible. From this moment on, she would embark on a brand new life filled with unknown thrills. Strangely, the fear in her heart was gradually fading away.

She didn’t turn around, just nodded. “Alright, let’s open up shop.”

Jiang Ci heard a sound akin to the break of dawn or the cracking of ice in spring. Then, the once quiet wooden house was suddenly filled with various noises.

The sound of wind and rain, and a kind of agonized howling and groaning, as if someone was in extreme pain.

Jiang Ci took a few deep breaths before cautiously peeking out from under the window.

What met her eyes was a scene of ruins. After ten years, the city was cracked and weathered with erosion, completely losing its former glory.

It was raining outside today, with the sky overcast.

Jiang Ci’s gaze shifted downward, and a walking zombie unexpectedly entered her line of sight.

Jiang Ci felt her vision had never been so sharp; she could even see the maggots on the zombie’s face.

[After the host binds with the system, physical abilities will improve accordingly.] Jiang Ci heard the system’s voice and realized she had unknowingly voiced her question.

The sight of the zombie outside made Jiang Ci feel both physically and mentally uncomfortable. She turned away and took a moment to calm down. Indeed, there was a difference between TV dramas and reality.

On TV, it was all special effects makeup, but in reality, it was a truly walking, decaying corpse, with dried-up flesh and maggots falling off with the rain.

The gloomy weather outside made the interior of the house dim as well.

After calming her emotions, Jiang Ci walked over and turned on the light switch. The room instantly brightened up again, with a warm yellow light that slightly reassured her.

To distract herself, Jiang Ci started walking around the room. She hadn’t paid much attention before, but the house was indeed old. A huge spider web was conspicuously hanging in the corner.

There were only two wooden chairs and a table in the room, the kind that looked like they could fall apart at any moment. The table surface even felt like it had a layer of oily film clinging to it.

Next to it was the counter, connected to a semi-open kitchen. In the middle stood a freezer for storing ingredients, and behind it was a narrow bathroom. The room next to the kitchen, which Jiang Ci thought was a storage room, turned out to be her bedroom.

Against the wall in the main hall was a long table with an electric rice cooker for steaming rice. Next to it was a condiment station, which only had one condiment—soy sauce, with a label on the bowl.

She could see everything at a glance, and it didn’t take many steps to walk through the entire place. It was so simple that she found it hard to describe.

Perhaps sensing Jiang Ci’s prolonged silence, the system chimed in, [Upgrade slowly, and the hot pot restaurant will become more and more beautiful.]

Jiang Ci nodded half-heartedly, “What now? What should I do?”

[After naming, you can start operating the shop. The daily business hours are entirely up to the host. Currently, the shop only has clear soup base, potato slices, rice, and soy sauce. After upgrading, you can unlock other ingredients and soup bases, etc. The clear soup base is priced at one third-level crystal core, and vegetarian dishes are priced at five first-level crystal cores.]

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modern world era is over, onward to the post-apocalyptic arc!

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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When Jiang Ci left the company, it was already deep into the night. She took out her phone and glanced at the time—11:30 PM.

There was only half an hour left before her birthday would be over.

Originally, she had reserved a hotpot restaurant she had been wanting to try for a long time, along with a large karaoke room, planning to relax with her friends. But just before getting off work, they were called back by their boss for a meeting to revise a proposal, and they had been busy until now.

The birthday celebration was ruined, and her entire birthday was taken over by work. Jiang Ci suddenly felt a bit aggrieved.

Since graduating from university and joining this company, overtime had become the norm. Sometimes, even on her days off, she would receive urgent calls from her boss. Every day was either revising proposals or on the way to revising them. Standing in this big city she once dreamed of staying in, Jiang Ci felt lost for the first time. Is this really what she wanted?

The night breeze brushed past her hair, and Jiang Ci snapped out of her thoughts, turning towards the subway entrance.

The late-night subway was no longer crowded like it was during the day. The cold white lights felt somewhat desolate, and there were plenty of empty seats. Dragging her tired body onto the train, Jiang Ci found a seat near the door and sat down.

After sitting down, she fished her phone out of her pocket, scrolling past the messages from various company group chats. There were a few birthday wishes from friends, which Jiang Ci replied to one by one. Since it was late, she didn’t receive any replies from them immediately.

After exiting the chat app, she habitually opened the folder where she kept her collection of mini-games. This was one of her ways to decompress—mindless games helped her relax after a day of tension.

Opening the folder, Jiang Ci noticed a new orange game icon in the bottom right corner. The app icon was a steaming hotpot, with the game name Opening a Hotpot Restaurant written below.

Jiang Ci was puzzled. When did she download this game? The opening animation of the game was exquisitely crafted. Jiang Ci noticed that the little girl in the animation bore a striking resemblance to her—even the bun hairstyle and the dress shirt she was wearing today were almost identical.

This coincidence delighted Jiang Ci, and she began to watch the story in the animation with great interest. The plotline was similar to most management games: the female protagonist, unable to make it in the big city, decides to return home and inherit a hotpot restaurant.

Jiang Ci gradually became more and more engrossed in the game as she upgraded the shop, unlocked new ingredients, and progressed step by step. By the time she returned home, her hotpot restaurant had already taken shape.

After finishing her nightly routine, Jiang Ci lay in bed and opened the hotpot restaurant app, ready to continue playing. Suddenly, a tremendous force pulled at her from the phone. Before she could react, she vanished from her room.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a small, dilapidated wooden house. The light was dim, and Jiang Ci could only make out two tables and chairs inside. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the floating dust particles in the air.

Both inside and outside, the surroundings were eerily silent.

Suppressing her fear, Jiang Ci observed her surroundings while slowly inching toward the door.

Finally reaching the entrance, she noticed no other movement inside. She placed her hand on the doorknob, pressed down, and pushed outward. Despite her efforts, the door remained firmly shut.

Jiang Ci froze for a moment, a wave of despair washing over her. “What do you want from me?! Where is this place?!” she cried out.

After a while, just as Jiang Ci thought no one would answer, a mechanical voice abruptly echoed in the space.

[Please calm down, host,] the voice said. It sounded faint, accompanied by static, as if a robot were running out of power. [I apologize for bringing you to this parallel world without any prior notice.]

The situation was utterly bizarre. Parallel worlds? Host? These terms felt so far removed from Jiang Ci’s life, as if a novel had suddenly become her reality.

Before Jiang Ci could respond, the mechanical voice spoke again, [This is a small world parallel to your own. I am a system from Planet M660. Our planet is establishing stations in various parallel worlds on the brink of collapse to collect energy. You, host, were carefully selected through rigorous observation as the manager for this station. The station here will take a form that you enjoy and can accept—in this world, it’s a hotpot restaurant.]

Jiang Ci listened and roughly understood. It seemed the issue stemmed from that mysterious app that had suddenly appeared on her phone.

Standing by the door, her entire body radiated wariness. While she did enjoy playing casual games and reading fantastical novels, it didn’t mean she could remain calm when faced with such a situation in reality.

“I don’t want to be a manager candidate. I just want to go home. I’m really tired after a full day of work, and today is my birthday. Although it might already be past midnight now, so could you please choose someone else?” By the end of her speech, Jiang Ci no longer knew what she was saying. Her language capabilities had completely malfunctioned due to fear.

She hadn’t forgotten the system’s earlier mention of being on the brink of collapse, which indicated that this world harbored unknown dangers. She didn’t want to take any risks.

The system paused for a moment, as if understanding Jiang Ci’s concerns, and then continued, [Host, there’s no need to rush to refuse. In this world, ensuring your safety is the most basic requirement. Moreover, in the later stages of the mission, you will be able to own a real-world version of the hotpot restaurant. The system will handle all related matters for you, including obtaining the property and land deeds, and selecting the location in the city and street with the most foot-traffic.]

Hearing this, Jiang Ci’s resistance inexplicably weakened a bit. The idea of owning her own hotpot restaurant was indeed appealing.

But three seconds later, she came to her senses. She had been fed too many empty promises by her company’s leaders and was already full from their nonsense.

She shook her head, her tone firm, “I don’t believe it. Just send me home.”

The system fell silent again. Jiang Ci felt like a long time had passed before the system spoke once more, [Alright, I can give you the property deed and land certificate first. You can consult professionals to verify their authenticity. However, you won’t be able to enter that property until the mission is completed.]

Jiang Ci paused, genuinely tempted.

“How do I know you won’t take these back after I agree, making me work for nothing?” Jiang Ci remained cautious, though less so than before.

[I swear by Planet M660, and we will sign a contract with the host. If we violate it, we will be exiled by the planet’s judgment,] the system stated solemnly once again.

“Why do you insist on me being the manager? Maybe someone else wouldn’t require so much effort,” Jiang Ci voiced her confusion.

[To be honest, as you might have noticed, my energy is running low, and I need to conserve some for protecting the host. So, I’m currently operating in power-saving mode,] the system’s mechanical voice carried a hint of helplessness.

Seeing Jiang Ci still silent, the system directly presented the promised property deed and other documents before her.

The property deed materialized out of thin air in front of Jiang Ci.

After hesitating for a few seconds, Jiang Ci picked up the property deed and flipped through it. The address was in the city center of her current location, a standalone building. The area wasn’t specified; the system said it would be determined based on the hotpot restaurant’s upgrade status in this world.

The property deed bore her name. At this moment, Jiang Ci felt a strange sensation. She had struggled in this city for several years but still didn’t own a single property.

She had to admit, she was swayed.

“How long do I need to stay in this world? Can I go home during that time? Will you take care of my food, clothing, and shelter here? If I stay for ten years, will I have to wait ten years to own my hotpot restaurant? By then, I’ll be thirty-five.”

[The flow of time between the parallel world and the real world is different. One year in the parallel world is equivalent to just one month in the real world. During this period, the host can apply for leave to return home and can communicate with family at any time. We will take care of all living expenses, so the host can rest assured,] the system patiently answered Jiang Ci’s questions one by one.

“I… I want to go back and think about it some more,” Jiang Ci said to the system.

[That’s fine. The host has three days to consider. I hope we can reach a mutually satisfactory answer in the end.]

After the system finished speaking, Jiang Ci felt dizzy again, and the next second, she was back in her own bed.

If it weren’t for the stack of documents and materials still in her hand, Jiang Ci would have almost thought she had just been dreaming.

That night, Jiang Ci tossed and turned in bed for a long time, unable to fall asleep.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The next morning, Jiang Ci, with dark circles under her eyes, squeezed into the morning rush hour subway. Her bag still contained the materials given by the system, and she planned to have a lawyer friend look at them during her lunch break.

The morning was still filled with constant busyness. Occasionally, Jiang Ci would zone out, thinking about the property deed in her bag, her feelings indescribable.

Since she had a meeting at 2 o’clock, Jiang Ci didn’t have time for lunch. She bought a sandwich and hurriedly took a taxi to her friend’s law firm.

In the coffee shop downstairs from the law firm, her friend carefully reviewed the documents and the property deed, finally concluding that they were indeed genuine and valid.

The area wasn’t specified, and her friend didn’t ask, presumably because the system had somehow obscured it.

The efficient girl across from her patted Jiang Ci’s shoulder with an envious tone, “Not bad, I haven’t even bought a house yet, and you’ve already bought a shop. This location is really good. It must have cost a lot, right?”

Jiang Ci couldn’t explain properly and only gave vague answers. On her way back, she detoured to the city center, asking around until she finally found the address on the property deed.

The location was indeed excellent, right next to a popular shopping mall, with nearby attractions like a museum.

The hotpot shop in the middle had a great advantage. The shop was surrounded by construction cloth, so the interior wasn’t visible, but judging from the external outline, the area should be quite large.

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new novel^^ updates for this one should be faster than retiring to collect rent ◡̈

short note to see if you want to keep reading:
to preface, there is barely any sort of complex plot in this novel. it’s purely a slice of life management novel. it’s an easy read, don’t expect insane narrative and prose from the author bc it’s pretty straightforward, even with me as the editor trying to link it all together TAT. there is romance as well but it happens later around chapter 40-60 iirc. if you’d like a relaxing read, this is a good novel for that! by chapter 20 you should already have a rough idea of whether you like the vibe of the novel or not though! the easiest way to describe this novel is fast-food lmao—it’s quick, easy to read, and nice to pass time if you’re bored