After the three of them stepped outside, they realized it was already too dark to see clearly. Luckily, Fatty had brought a headlamp.
With lights strapped to their foreheads, they worked quickly, chopping wood while hauling it back with the donkey cart.
By the time they finished and returned, night had completely fallen.
Without even stopping for water, they hurried to deliver the wood to the inn. Just like before, the materials were automatically collected and the rooms updated.
Looking at the refreshed rooms, even Mu Qingfeng, who had been in a low mood for days, finally showed a faint smile.
No wonder so many people used to love base building games before the apocalypse. That sense of accomplishment was genuinely satisfying.
[Congratulations, you have completed the task “Renovate Rooms 101, 102, 103.”]
[Reward: The owner may activate free stay privileges. Let your friends check in for free.]
He Lingyu had been standing behind the counter the whole time, watching them run back and forth like hardworking little ants.
When everything was done, she stood behind them and looked at the brand new rooms together with them, letting out a soft gasp.
“So beautiful. Oh right, the new privilege just unlocked. Fatty and Jun Buyan can stay at the inn for free now. Once the restaurant upgrades and hires more staff, you can move into the third floor dorms.”
The two nodded. As long as they could stay with Mu Qingfeng, it did not matter where they slept. Even sleeping on the floor would have been fine.
“That’s enough for today,” Mu Qingfeng said. “Tomorrow we’ll get up early and finish the remaining rooms.”
Then he turned to He Lingyu. “You said that once these tasks are completed, the main quest will refresh, correct?”
“Based on previous patterns, yes,” He Lingyu replied. After a brief pause, she added, “But the main quest will probably still involve attracting customers. Gaofei Base is still a problem.”
“I understand,” Mu Qingfeng said simply.
He understood?
He Lingyu blinked in confusion. That was it?
Her mind filled with question marks, yet he offered no further explanation. What exactly did he understand?
Without another word, he returned to rest. The other two greeted her before following him.
Soon the hallway was empty, leaving her standing there alone, staring into space.
What was going on? Why did she never quite understand what they meant? Was this the gap between real humans and NPCs in a game world?
Feeling slightly dejected, she returned to the restaurant and found Hua Yue still waiting in the lobby.
“Auntie Yue, why haven’t you gone to rest? Were we too noisy?”
“No,” Hua Yue said gently. “I was just worried when none of you were around. I’ll go sleep now.”
She patted He Lingyu’s head. “Don’t worry. Problems get solved little by little. As long as we stay together, nothing will defeat us.”
Hua Yue had lived for decades. She could easily see the worry hidden beneath He Lingyu’s smile.
Having a steady teammate really mattered. After being comforted, He Lingyu felt much lighter. She slept soundly through the night and woke up refreshed.
When she went downstairs in the morning, the trio had already taken new tasks and left.
“Auntie Yue, how long have they been gone?”
Hua Yue was cleaning the lobby. She looked up and said, “Over an hour. They left at dawn. Those boys are truly hardworking.”
Even Hua Yue, who was diligent herself, could not help but praise them. When she had woken up, the three of them were already eating. Since Mu Qingfeng was now officially an employee, he could freely enter the kitchen without needing help from He Lingyu or Hua Yue.
After breakfast, He Lingyu sat at the computer and began reviewing the unlocked cards. She had seen the glowing icons before but had not examined them closely.
Now that she had time, she admired her growing collection with satisfaction.
The food section had newly unlocked roast duck, meat dumplings, and juice. That was expected. But today she noticed something different. Some previously locked cards no longer showed question marks. Instead, faint images appeared.
Though still dim, she could clearly make out fish and shrimp. Two other cards were too blurry to identify.
Fish alone was enough to excite her. She loved fish.
Level up. She absolutely had to level up.
Since Mu Qingfeng and the others were handling side quests, she needed to tackle the main quest herself.
To attract more customers, the first step was promotion.
Relying solely on word of mouth would be too slow, especially with Yuan Gaofei interfering.
She needed flyers.
If she could post flyers around the surrounding areas, lone wanderers and ability user teams would see them. Later, once traffic increased, customers could even bring flyers back to the bases and distribute them.
The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
There was no printer yet, so she would have to design it by hand. There were not many people to help, but she could at least prepare the design in advance.
Maybe she would obtain a printer one day.
She grabbed paper and a pen and began drafting a slogan.
“Want delicious food? Want to eat your fill without limits? Want affordable, hearty meals in the apocalypse? Come to Alive Restaurant. As long as you come, we guarantee you’ll eat well and leave satisfied.”
She stared at what she had written.
Then she shut her eyes in embarrassment.
What was this?
After struggling alone for an hour, she finally gave up.
“Auntie Yue!”
“What is it, Xiao Yu’er?”
“I want to make a flyer, but writing the slogan is so hard. I’m useless. Auntie Yue, please save me.”
She rubbed her head against Hua Yue’s arm dramatically, making Hua Yue laugh.
“Alright, let me see what you wrote.”
Hua Yue unfolded the crumpled paper and read it. She burst into laughter.
“Xiao Yu’er, you’re adorable.”
“Please stop laughing and help me,” He Lingyu groaned. “Our restaurant’s future depends on you.”
Hua Yue smiled and thought carefully.
“Xiao Yu’er, I did not study much. But I came from a ruthless base. I know what hunger feels like.”
She looked at He Lingyu seriously.
“In the apocalypse, what do people care about most?”
Food.
He Lingyu understood immediately.
“So we highlight what people care about most,” Hua Yue continued. “Put the food front and center. List the prices clearly. Also mention safety.”
People needed reassurance. If they traveled all this way but could not afford a meal, it would be pointless. If they feared danger, they would not come.
He Lingyu nodded enthusiastically. “I understand.”
She rewrote the flyer.
“Alive Restaurant. Wide variety of delicious dishes, meat and vegetables available. Affordable pricing. Payment accepted in cores, cash, or gold. Ability users provide protection. Still hesitating? Come eat today.”
It was simple, even a bit rustic, but practical.
Below it, she drew a simple map, three marked points: Gaofei Base, Alive Restaurant, and the abandoned town, forming a triangle with distances labeled.
Clear and straightforward.
Just as she finished admiring her work, the trio returned.
They drank some water and immediately went out again to gather more wood.
Before lunch, they completed the renovations for Rooms 104, 105, and 106.
The new styles were pink, ice themed, and dark.
[Congratulations, renovation task completed.]
[Reward: Printer x1, Printing Paper xN (auto replenishing item).]
It was as if the system always knew exactly what they needed.
Then the main quest refreshed.
[Side quest completed. Main quest unlocked.]
[Expand the restaurant’s reputation. Recruit 100 customers.]
[Distribute flyers to two separate bases.]
[Quest reward: ???]
Another mystery reward.
Even so, her motivation remained high.
“Alright,” He Lingyu announced, standing behind the counter and looking at her employees and future employees. “This is our first official meeting since the restaurant was established.”
She took a breath.
“Current situation. Side quests are complete. The main quest is unlocked, but it’s more challenging.”
She glanced at everyone’s expressions. Calm. Steady.
Good. The restaurant needed mature, composed staff. After all, having a slightly unreliable boss was already enough.
“The main quest is to recruit one hundred customers and distribute flyers to two bases.”