Qin Zhiyuan sighed and began cleaning up the messy aftermath, restoring the store to its original state before continuing to prepare the items needed for today’s opening.
Suddenly, he remembered something and asked in his mind.
[System, don’t we have a blacklist function? Blacklist these robbers and no longer allow them to enter the store’s vicinity.]
[Yes, dear, but it hasn’t been unlocked yet. The store is currently only at Level 1. You need to spend Points to upgrade to Level 2, and the blacklist function is unlocked at Level 3.]
[How much to upgrade to Level 2?]
[Ten thousand Points.]
Never mind.
Qin Zhiyuan rubbed his temples in frustration, setting aside the idea for now. His journey was still long and arduous, and he couldn’t afford to think that far ahead.
He continued busying himself, preparing sour plum soup in advance and placing it in the refrigerator’s fresh-keeping compartment. Then, he cleaned the small cups thoroughly, as both drinks and ice cream would be served in cups of this size.
The ice cubes were already frozen and removed from the ice molds. He adjusted the straws and ice cream sticks to the appropriate sizes. With everything ready, all that was left was to wait for the right moment.
After finishing these tasks, Qin Zhiyuan picked up the printed price list and neatly posted it in the most prominent spot next to the stall.
On the price list, a cup of iced sour plum soup cost one Point, and a cup of ice cream cost two Points. It was clear, straightforward, and affordable. It wouldn’t be long before he brought down the prices of goods in the post-apocalypse.
Despite the low prices, they were actually highly profitable. An 80-yuan, 6kg bucket of ice cream, measured with a 5ml scoop, meant selling 5g for 2 Points, equivalent to 20 yuan. That meant a single bucket could earn 24,000 yuan.
Even accounting for the slight cost of the cups and ice cream sticks, nothing could diminish the profit of 24,000 yuan! Dividing large portions into smaller ones was the most profitable approach.
Qin Zhiyuan thought for a moment and posted a recruitment notice on the door. It was time to hire some employees to share the workload.
[Shengshi Department Store is Hiring Employees]
[Rest during the day, work at night. Hours: 7 PM to 5 AM. Simple job responsibilities. Work one day, rest one day. Monthly salary: 300 Points.]
With the store’s business growing, he couldn’t handle everything himself anymore. He needed employees to help.
For example, organizing the goods in the store. If he wanted to place items inside, he had to dismantle the Lego structure on the roof to reach in freely or squeeze through the narrow door, which was very inconvenient.
As the number of store levels increased, dismantling the roof became more difficult. Hiring employees was now urgent. With employees, he could leave items at the entrance for them to move inside, avoiding the need to dismantle the structure repeatedly.
Qin Zhiyuan shook his hands, exhausted after a hard afternoon’s work. Finally, as dusk approached, everything was ready.
The store could now open as usual.
…
Scarface fled in panic, his heart pounding violently in his chest. After rushing out of the store, he spotted his “good buddies” not far away.
They looked just as disheveled as stray dogs, their faces still etched with lingering fear.
Exchanging glances, Scarface, despite the earlier betrayal, chose to stick with them for mutual support. “What are you waiting for? Let’s head back to the base!”
The group sprinted toward Oasis Base, utterly exhausted by the time they arrived. Scarface’s heart was filled with bitterness. This robbery had started with hopes of a great haul but had ended in such a miserable state.
Since they had planned to flee far away after the robbery, most of their belongings were stored in the truck. Now, not only had their Points gone down the drain, but they had also lost the truck and everything on it—truly suffering a double loss.
When people in the base saw the usually fearsome group returning in such a sorry state, they immediately began whispering among themselves, their faces filled with shock and curiosity. Soft murmurs spread through the crowd: "Isn’t that Scarface and his crew? What happened to them?"
A few bolder individuals hid among the crowd and curiously asked, "Scarface, what kind of trouble did you run into?"
Scarface wore a complicated expression, too embarrassed to admit they had been taught a lesson while attempting a robbery. Instead, he spun a small lie: "We went to that Store to buy something and were in such a hurry to leave that we forgot to pay… The shopkeeper reached out a giant hand from the sky and wrecked our truck."
He certainly wouldn’t mention being grabbed by the hand and lifted into the air—that would be far too humiliating. Fortunately, they had gone during the day, so no one else had witnessed it.
As for Scarface’s explanation, everyone knew exactly what had really happened. He had clearly tried to rob the place, but they all tacitly chose not to expose him, avoiding the risk of him lashing out in anger.
The onlookers continued their hushed discussions, shifting the topic to the mysterious and powerful "shopkeeper."
"Could it really be a giant, like they say?" "If one person says it, it might be a mistake, but several people who’ve been there all say the same thing—it must be true." "If the apocalypse can happen, what’s so strange about a giant appearing?"
Curious glances swept over Scarface and his crew, trying to pry more information from them.
Scarface and his teammates felt deeply uncomfortable under these stares, unwilling to revisit their humiliating experience. They hurried back to the only tent they had left in the base.
Once inside the tent, Scarface and his teammates slumped down, filled with regret. Recalling the hand that had blotted out the sky, they still felt a lingering fear, their bodies trembling slightly.
After a long while, the sharp-faced man spoke softly, "Boss, what do we do now?"
"What else can we do? Lay low for a few days." Scarface glared at him fiercely, then added irritably, "And remember, no one is allowed to talk about me being lifted into the air!"
However, his warning proved utterly useless. Before long, his so-called "brothers" spilled the embarrassing story, and it spread far and wide…
After hearing about his fantastically humiliating experience, the people in the base grew even more awed and curious about the mysterious shopkeeper.
…
Inside the shabby tent, the stifling air seemed to have solidified, making it hard to breathe.
A teenage girl lay weakly on a camp bed, her face pale and her forehead burning hot under a damp towel. She let out occasional groans of pain.
It was already the second day of her heatstroke, and instead of improving, her condition had worsened.
The girl’s mother, her face streaked with tears, kept vigil by the bed. All the water stored in their home had been used without reservation to cool the girl down—wiping her body and giving her water to drink—yet nothing seemed to help her recover.
The woman was frantic, her eyes filled with despair and helplessness. She sobbed continuously, murmuring to herself, "Nannan, I can’t lose you."
The girl’s father paced back and forth inside the tent, his brow furrowed and his face etched with anxiety. His hands were clenched tightly into fists, his knuckles white from the strain.
They had tried everything, but Nannan's condition showed no improvement at all. If things continued like this, Nannan would really die!
Just as her parents were overwhelmed and on the verge of despair, the tent flap was suddenly flung open, and two young figures rushed in.
The girl's two older brothers, not even pausing to catch their breath, leaned on their knees and urgently said, "Dad, Mom, Nannan can be saved!"
"A new, miraculous store has opened near the base, selling food and water. Everyone in the base is heading there today," the young man shared the news he had just received as quickly as he could.
"Since the store has so many good things, maybe they also sell medicine? Perhaps there's medicine that can cure Nannan!"
The younger brother beside him nodded and added, "And I heard the temperature there is like before the Post-apocalypse—not hot. Even if there's no medicine, taking Nannan there could help with her heatstroke! In a normal temperature, she might even recover!"
Upon hearing this, a spark of hope instantly ignited in the parents' eyes.
The father immediately slapped his thigh and made the decision. "Let's go! We have to try everything, even if it seems hopeless. There's no other way now!"
The family of five quickly sprang into action. The mother carefully carried the girl into the car. As the vehicle jolted along the road, the girl lay weakly in her mother's arms, occasionally letting out pained, faint groans, already delirious.
The father gripped the steering wheel tightly, focusing on driving. Suddenly, the car jolted violently, and he instinctively slammed on the brakes. "What happened?"
Outside the window, a giant rat stood on the car, its fur messy and stained with black blood. Its two long front teeth gleamed coldly in the dim light.
The father's face suddenly turned pale. "It's a Mutant Beast!"
No sooner had he spoken than the giant rat leaped up, lunging toward the open car window—the very window they had opened for ventilation and cooling had become a vulnerability.
The eldest brother reacted quickly, trying to close the window, but he was too late. The rat got stuck in the window gap, frantically twisting its body as it tried to force its way into the car.
Chaos immediately erupted inside the car. The mother held Nannan tightly, shielding her with her body, her face filled with terror.
The second brother grabbed an iron rod and swung it at the rat. The rat squealed in pain but showed no sign of backing down. It squeezed its way into the car and bit the eldest brother's arm.
"Ah!" the eldest brother grunted in pain, blood instantly staining his sleeve.
Seeing this, the second brother's eyes turned red with rage. He struck the giant rat again and again until it collapsed in a pool of blood, motionless.
The mother looked at the eldest brother with heartache. The wound was still bleeding, and they had no disinfectants or medicine. They didn't know if the wound would become infected or if the rat carried any virus…
The car started up again and continued toward the Store. Along the way, everyone remained silent, the atmosphere so oppressive it felt suffocating, pushing them to the brink of despair.
God, please, if there really is a god in this world, please save their family!
…
Han Qingying and Li Yang had drawn a map of the Store's location and written down basic information, posting it in prominent places within the base. Combined with the official promotion from the base authorities, the news quickly spread throughout the entire Oasis Base.
As the sun gradually set and the temperature began to drop, the people of Oasis Base eagerly set out in groups.
Many people who usually stayed alone and didn't dare to go out now planned to follow the crowd and take a look together.
Han Qingying, Li Yang, and their group, along with the base's official Field Team, were the first to arrive. Those with vehicles naturally arrived faster than those on foot or bicycles.
From a distance, they saw the truck lying outside the Defensive Shield—the very one belonging to Scarface's team. The vehicle lay crookedly on the sandy ground, its door half-open, battered and broken, looking particularly desolate.
Qin Zhiyuan found it obstructive and space-consuming within the Sand Table, so he casually tossed the truck outside, discarding it from his territory, which resulted in this scene.
As for the things inside, whoever wanted them could take them. He had no time to deal with them anyway—they were all just junk.
Everyone was eager to purchase supplies, and any other matters could wait until after shopping. Thus, no one paid any attention to the truck.
Han Qingying and Li Yang were the first to get out of their vehicles, followed by the base's Field Team members, who jumped down one after another. The newly arrived Field Team squads curiously surveyed everything, taking deep breaths of the long-missed air at normal temperatures.
As soon as they stepped out of their vehicles, the sight of the Store left Li Yang momentarily stunned.
"What… what exactly is going on here?" Han Qingying widened her eyes, almost thinking she was seeing things.
When they left last night, the Store was just an ordinary single-story building, and its area wasn't particularly large.
But now, a brand-new two-story building stood before them, its footprint having doubled in size, expanding from around one or two hundred square meters to three or four hundred.
The smooth walls glowed softly and warmly under the setting sun, while the new windows were bright and clean.
"The change is just too drastic. It transformed overnight," Han Qingying marveled once again at the Store's wonders.
Everyone headed toward the Store. As soon as they pushed the door open, Qin Zhiyuan's gentle voice rang out, "Welcome. Feel free to take what you need from the first floor and pay at the counter."
"For the second floor, just call me when you're ready to order."
The shelves on the first floor were stocked with either water or Toast. The base's people, like refugees who had never seen government relief supplies, instantly grew excited and eagerly rushed toward the shelves, their eyes filled with fervent anticipation.
Having learned the store's rules from Li Yang, the base's Field Team began a frenzied shopping spree, loading barrels of water and bags of Toast onto their vehicles.
"Grab more water. We haven't had enough to drink for days." "This Toast is huge. It'll save some people in the base from starving." "It's so cool inside the store. Can I just stay here and enjoy the air conditioning?" Everyone was as energized as if they'd been given a shot of adrenaline.
Li Yang's team and Han Qingying, however, were drawn to the newly appeared second floor and made their way up the stairs.
As soon as they stepped onto the second floor, fresh air carrying faint notes of milk and sweetness enveloped them, instantly dispelling the heat and fatigue in their hearts.
Before them was a space arranged simply yet warmly, with a clean and tidy bar counter glowing softly under the lights.
Opposite the bar, rows of simple tables and chairs were neatly arranged. Though the style was plain, it exuded a rustic charm.
On the wall facing the staircase, a freshly posted price list stood out prominently, clearly listing the names and prices of various items.
Han Qingying's gaze swept quickly over the price list, and the words "ice cream" struck her like a bolt of lightning, instantly capturing her full attention.
Her eyes widened abruptly, shimmering with surprise and disbelief.
Since the onset of the High-Temperature Apocalypse, under the relentless scorching sun, ice cream had completely vanished. What was once the most ordinary summer treat had become an unattainable luxury buried deep in people's memories.
Now, seeing the words "ice cream" again, an indescribable excitement and longing surged in Han Qingying's heart.
Her hand instinctively covered her mouth, her voice trembling slightly, "The Store actually has ice cream!"
Li Yang and his teammates followed her gaze, their faces also revealing expressions of shock.
"And there are so many flavors!" For a moment, Han Qingying was overwhelmed with excitement.
Unable to restrain her impulse any longer, she hurried to the counter, took a deep breath, and tried to steady her voice, "Boss, I'd like a chocolate ice cream!"
Originally, she had no Points left, but after bringing back that bucket of water yesterday, she sold a portion of it, leaving her with some extra money to spend once again.
"Sure, right away." Qin Zhiyuan turned and walked toward the nearby freezer.
He opened the freezer, and a wave of cold air rushed out. Inside, several large tubs of ice cream in different flavors were neatly arranged, each exuding an enticing aroma.
Ice cream was incredibly cheap to buy in bulk—just a few dozen yuan for a twenty-pound tub. Since the little people ate so little, these few tubs would last a long time.
Qin Zhiyuan skillfully picked up a clean cup, gently scooped a spoonful of chocolate ice cream, and watched as the smooth, creamy treat slid slowly off the spoon like silky satin.
He packed the ice cream into the cup, piling it into a small snowy mountain, then pulled an ice cream stick from a nearby box and firmly inserted it into the ice cream.
A delicious chocolate ice cream cup was now complete.
Qin Zhiyuan opened the second-floor window of the Store and passed the freshly made ice cream cup through to the counter, "Your order is ready."
The ice cream cup was, as always, generously sized, with a thin layer of condensation glistening under the light, hinting at its coolness and deliciousness.
Han Qingying excitedly stepped forward, carefully cradling the oversized cup of ice cream in both hands. Her fingers lightly brushed the cup's surface, feeling the coolness seep into her fingertips.
"Such a huge cup of ice cream!"
She gazed at the smooth chocolate ice cream before her, still emitting faint wisps of cold air, and eagerly picked up the ice cream stick, scooping a large spoonful into her mouth.
The icy sensation instantly spread through her mouth, while the rich, mellow chocolate flavor washed over her like a powerful wave.
The familiar, long-lost taste nearly brought Han Qingying to tears on the spot, "It's so delicious!"
Li Yang and his teammates watched her savor bite after bite, their throats involuntarily bobbing as they drooled with envy, unable to resist the temptation.
Han Qingying found a seat and began devouring the ice cream, shoveling it into her mouth without restraint. Concerns about upsetting her stomach were forgotten—she was determined to eat as much as she could.
Li Yang couldn't hold back any longer either, "Boss, I'll have a vanilla ice cream, extra large!"
The other team members were not to be outdone, and they all began placing orders one after another, causing a sudden surge in demand. "I want matcha flavor, two servings!" "I want mango flavor!"
Their voices rose and fell in a lively chorus, briefly recapturing the feeling of life before the post-apocalypse.
Qin Zhiyuan was overwhelmed, darting back and forth between the freezer and the counter, his scoop constantly at work. He skillfully scooped various flavors of ice cream, filling cup after cup.
In no time, the counter was lined with tempting cups of ice cream, their rich aroma filling the entire second floor.
Just as Qin Zhiyuan was thoroughly enjoying himself—watching his Points balance steadily rise while crafting cup after cup of ice cream—suddenly, a clamor of noise erupted from downstairs.
A woman’s grief-stricken plea instantly pierced through the lively chatter. Her voice, choked with tears, was filled with urgency and despair. "Do you have medicine here? Do you sell medicine? Medicine for heatstroke!"
"Please, I beg you, save my Nannan!"
Author's Note: