[The game has successfully upgraded to holographic mode. Please work hard to level up!]
A flash of white light passed, and He Lingyu dropped onto the ground with a thud, crying out in pain.
What was wrong with this stupid game?
She was already regretting her curiosity. She should never have downloaded it. Being thrown into this godforsaken place was bad enough, but the pain sensitivity was set to one hundred percent.
“Roar!” “Aoo!”
The snarls drew her attention, and she looked outside the fenced yard.
“Holy crap!” she blurted.
The figures outside had crooked mouths and slanted eyes, veins bulging across their bluish faces. Their stiff limbs clawed at the small gate while they slammed their heads against it again and again.
Brains splattered out, red and white mixing as they dripped down, yet they kept smashing forward as if they felt no pain at all.
The sight startled her so badly that she stumbled back several steps. These must be the zombies mentioned in the game’s background.
He Lingyu was an introvert who disliked socializing. Her favorite pastime was staying home and playing games, especially farming and management types. Every time she collected all species cards or unlocked a new map, she felt an intense sense of accomplishment.
This game was called Apocalypse Diner, a brand new title she had found on the recommendation page with zero downloads.
The description claimed it was a management game set in an apocalyptic world, focused on farming and running a restaurant to provide survivors with hope.
Since the concept seemed fresh, she had downloaded it immediately.
The moment she registered her account, a notice popped up saying the game was about to upgrade into holographic mode.
As soon as the upgrade completed, she had been transported here.
After walking around in circles, she still could not find any exit option. Whether she walked or shouted, nothing changed.
Fine. So this was how it was going to be.
A bad feeling settled in her chest. It looked like she was trapped here. Right now she needed to think about how to stay alive.
That flimsy wooden gate did not look sturdy at all. If it broke, her fate…
Cold sweat dampened her palms as she forced herself to calm down.
Since this was a game, there had to be a way to clear it. As long as she found the zombies’ weakness, she could deal with them.
Looking carefully, she noticed that although the zombies were terrifying, they were all blocked outside. The wooden gate appeared fragile, yet it was like an unbridgeable chasm they simply could not cross.
So that was the game’s restriction. For now, the restaurant interior was safe.
She looked at the restaurant with its oversized glowing sign. Since she was already here, she might as well accept it. Sitting around would not get her out. She could only explore first and find a way to keep herself alive.
Calling it a restaurant was generous. It was really just a small eatery. Even the door was wooden, simple and plain, blending perfectly into the desolate surroundings.
She pushed it open. On the left stood a wooden counter with an old fashioned computer that looked very dated.
The main hall held four sets of tables and chairs, and one chair even had a broken leg.
On the right was the kitchen, its entrance covered by a curtain.
She hurried to the counter and shook the mouse frantically. Under her eager gaze, the screen lit up, but there was no button to exit the game or anything similar.
The display showed the current restaurant level.
LV.1
Unlocked foods: buns, rice, farmhouse stir fry, plain well water.
Land permissions: fenced yard, farmland x2, vegetables can be planted. Growth time: seventy two hours.
She clicked again, and the screen changed.
[Binding successful. Restaurant owner: He Lingyu. Permission: immune to harm within restaurant grounds. Please work hard to upgrade your restaurant to gain more permissions.]
Her eyes lit up when she saw the line of text. Just as she thought.
Looking at the restaurant permissions, she still wanted to give it a try. Maybe one day she could return.
Besides, the game actually looked fun. She was an orphan anyway, so it did not matter where she stayed. Aside from the lack of a phone and internet, everything else was acceptable. Especially the fact that she did not have to talk to anyone. It was practically heaven for someone with social anxiety.
[Next, please name your restaurant so more customers will come and help you upgrade.]
Having made up her mind, she decided to play seriously and clear the game. If she could not go back, then she would create a comfortable environment for herself.
Right now the restaurant was only Level 1, with nothing but simple food. As a food lover, she felt indignant. Level up. She had to level up. Comrade Xiao He wanted a full Manchu Han Imperial Feast!
As for the name…
She thought briefly, then typed two characters into the computer.
[Congratulations on successfully naming your restaurant! Reward: two packs of vegetable seeds, one employee meal.]
[Mission issued:
1. Plant seeds in the farmland.
2. Attract one customer to the restaurant.]
[To better attract customers, you may choose to play some pleasant music. Please enter the song you wish to play.]
With tasks available, things became much easier. She finally felt the familiar rhythm of gaming again.
She went out into the yard. Now calm, she ignored the zombies still banging on the gate and instead searched for the farmland.
Amid the yellow earth, the dark soil beside the fence stood out clearly.
In no time at all, she planted all the seeds.
Mission one was complete. Now only the second remained, attracting a customer.
But with the apocalypse raging and wilderness all around, that task seemed especially difficult.
She decided to solve her own hunger first. After arriving here she had been frightened, then busy planting, and now she felt a little hungry.
She drew some well water and washed the dirt from her hands, then looked down at her filthy panda slippers and once again complained about how heartless the game was for not even giving her a chance to change shoes.
When she was not paying attention, another layer of zombies had gathered outside. The inner ones slammed against the gate again and again, while the outer ones slammed into the backs of those in front, like a flock of woodpeckers.
Once her thoughts wandered, they galloped like wild horses. Watching the ridiculous scene, she could not help laughing.
Maybe she should tease them a little more.
With a smile curling her lips, she returned to the restaurant and typed a few words into the computer. Music immediately began to play.
The game had said songs could attract customers, though she felt that was unnecessary in this wasteland.
At the moment, it seemed far more useful for messing with the dumb zombies.
After setting the music, she dragged out a chair, took out her employee meal, sat across from the zombies, and started grilling.
That was right. Since it was the player’s first employee meal, the game had generously rewarded her with barbecue that normally would not unlock until many levels later. She had to cook it herself, but she was perfectly satisfied.
This nearly drove the zombies mad. Stimulated by the sound and by the scent of her living flesh, they became even more frenzied, slamming violently into the gate. It was heartbreaking to hear and pitiful to watch.
…
A gust of wind swept across the wasteland, lifting yellow dust and faintly revealing a figure.
Mu Qingfeng walked alone across the barren land, thirsty and starving.
He had no food or water left. He had not expected that after surviving zombies, he would end up dying of thirst and hunger.
“I really still want to live another five hundred years! I really still want to live another five hundred years!”
He felt that the saying “people can survive several days without water” was definitely a lie. Because right now he was already seeing hallucinations before death. He saw a restaurant, and it was even playing music.
In his blurred vision, a dazzling signboard appeared.
He closed his eyes to steady himself, then opened them again and forced himself to read the glowing characters.
Alive Restaurant.
Such an indescribable name. Definitely a hallucination.
Forget it. Better keep walking. His teammates were still waiting for him.
Suddenly another gust of wind passed, carrying a scent that hooked his nose.
Aroma? That smell… barbecue?
He lifted his eyelids and looked in the direction of the wind. Instantly his nerves tightened.
A zombie horde?!
Running into a horde just as his strength was about to run out made him feel incredibly unlucky.
Smelling the roasted meat scent drifting from within the zombies, he even thought of a dark joke. Were zombies eating cooked food now?
He curved his lips, but his cracked mouth quickly punished him.
The sign of Alive Restaurant was so bright that he had not noticed the zombies standing at the entrance right away.
With his stamina nearly gone, facing them head on was unwise. The best strategy was retreating first.
Grrr…
Just as he lifted his foot, his stomach growled loudly, impossible to ignore. He shut his eyes in frustration.
Gulp.
He swallowed, though there was nothing in his throat, and the dryness stung. “Damn it!” For food, he would risk it!
He pulled out his last crystal core and clenched it in his hand. In less than three seconds, the high grade crystal was fully absorbed. He dashed straight toward the zombie horde.
Inside the yard, He Lingyu hummed while turning her skewers, sighing happily at the delicious aroma. So fragrant. She just did not know when she would get to eat barbecue again after this.
Suddenly her hand paused. An unusual sound came from behind the zombies.
Stretching lazily, her pale waistline faintly visible beneath her shirt hem, she muttered, “Could it be the ones in the back got so hungry they started biting each other?”
She stepped to the edge of the safe zone and looked out, puzzled.
Was that… a person?
His clothes were tattered, but he had no bluish face or bared fangs, no wild flailing limbs. He really did look human.
He also seemed strong. One punch sent a zombie flying, another punch sent one more. They all went flying back.
This must be the NPC the game sent to help her complete the customer recruitment mission. It seemed the game was not entirely heartless after all.
Thinking that, she went back to tending her skewers. NPCs had to follow their scripted path. He would probably come over only after defeating all the zombies. No rush. Her skewers must not burn.
So when Mu Qingfeng finally defeated the zombies with the last of his strength, the sight that greeted him was He Lingyu sitting in the yard, leisurely grilling meat.
A thousand thoughts rushed through his mind. Why was there someone inside the yard? And she had just watched him fight alone?
Still, her skewers smelled amazing. He wondered if he could have a bite.
With that thought, his body suddenly gave out and he dropped to his knees. He was severely exhausted and did not even have the strength to speak.
He crawled forward a short distance. His vision grew hazy.
Almost at the gate. Just a little more…
“Help…”
As darkness swallowed his sight, he saw a pair of panda slippers.
So fragrant. His nose twitched as the refreshing aroma reached him again.
“You are awake?”
He followed the voice and saw the girl from earlier sitting there eating skewers. He swallowed reflexively. “Can you…” give me some?
“No!” He Lingyu pulled her employee meal protectively into her arms. This was hers. After this meal she did not know when she would get another. No one else was allowed to covet it.
Mu Qingfeng was starving. He pleaded, “Isn’t this a restaurant? Can’t I just buy some?”
Her interest sparked. Was the plot finally progressing? “Buy? What are you using to pay?”
He fell silent. He had nothing on him now. Maybe he could buy on credit?
But judging from her expression, and considering how precious food was, there was no way she would allow that.
So he cautiously asked, “How do you purchase food here?”
T/N: Tbh, if there were ever a restaurant management or building game set in an apocalypse, I would 100% play it! (੭˃ᴗ˂)੭