“Are you a system? Can I still go back? I remember I was just taking a nap.”
Xie Yue asked anxiously.
She had read many web novels in her previous world where protagonists with systems lived flourshing, highly successful lives. But she was just a couch potato—a total slacker. Compared to those main characters, she lacked physical strength, couldn’t carry anything heavy, and held no grand ambitions whatsoever. All she wanted was to idle away her days and await death…
[This system is a Universal Management System from the Interstellar Realm. The host passed away due to sudden cardiac arrest, so the system bound with you and left behind a clone in your place.]
“So I really died… Thank you for saving me. A management system—does that mean we’re going to do business in the apocalypse?”
Xie Yue accepted the news calmly. As someone who frequently stayed up late, her heart had indeed felt uncomfortable on occasion. She had few attachments to her parents; she only hoped they wouldn’t be too frightened by her passing.
[Eight months ago, an unknown virus suddenly appeared in this world. After humans came into contact with it, they began to mutate. Most turned into zombies, some remained ordinary humans, and a small fraction awakened special abilities.
Animals and plants couldn’t escape either, all beginning to mutate in various ways. The crystal cores inside the zombies’ brains are the primary source for ability users to upgrade.
The water sources and soil in this world have also been contaminated by the virus. The land can no longer cultivate plants normally, and the water is no longer drinkable.
The host is currently in the downtown center of B City. This place used to be a bustling tourist resort, with a densely populated city center.
However, after the apocalypse hit, it turned into a playground for zombies. But do not fear—within the domain of the hotel activated by the host, you possess absolute safety. Now, please give your hotel a resounding name!]
“Since it’s a Universal Management System, let’s call it the Universe Hotel.” Xie Yue thought for a moment and felt that the name “Universe” sounded pretty good—it left an impression on anyone who heard it.
But eight months had already passed. Would there still be survivors in this city?
[Ding! Naming complete. Host, please take the elevator down to the first-floor lobby to bind the system panel!]
Xie Yue opened the door of her suite and walked out. The corridor was brightly lit, and under her feet was a thick carpet. Obliquely across from her doorway was the elevator. Stepping inside, she saw buttons for a total of 22 floors, including two levels of underground parking, while she herself was on the fifth floor.
The buttons above the fifth floor were all dark, while the buttons below—except for the second floor—were glowing with white light.
The inside of the elevator was splendidly decorated, looking extremely luxurious. Xie Yue pressed the button for the first floor and arrived in the lobby, which was equally grand and lavish, featuring a massive crystal chandelier suspended from the ceiling. Facing the entrance were floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a luxurious revolving door.
Since it was nighttime, looking out through the hotel glass revealed pitch-black darkness, while inside the lobby, the crystal chandelier refracted dreamy, colorful light.
Xie Yue walked over to the front desk and brushed her hand across the smooth countertop; it was entirely dustless.
[System panel detected. Would you like to bind? (Yes / No)]
Silently thinking “Yes” in her mind, Xie Yue saw a transparent panel appear in front of her.
[Binding successful. You have been rewarded with a Novice Gift Pack. You are now a mature host! Next, please click on the panel to start your tasks!]
A gift pack bearing the words “Novice” appeared on the transparent panel in front of Xie Yue, complete with digital fireworks setting off next to it. Tapping the panel with her finger, she opened the Novice Gift Pack.
[Congratulations! You have obtained 1 Self-Service Fast Food Blind Box Machine, 100 Crystals, 1 Garage Scanner, 1 Hotel LED Signboard, and 1 Room Supplies Vending Machine.]
Looking at the fast food blind box machine, Xie Yue realized she hadn’t eaten anything all day. With her emotions going through such dramatic twists and turns, she had completely forgotten about her hunger.
[Hotel Name: Universe Hotel (1-Star)
Hotel Manager: Xie Yue
Abilities: Absolute Domain (Invincible within your business territory)
Assets: 100 Crystals
Inventory: Self-Service Fast Food Blind Box Machine, Garage Scanner, LED Signboard, Room Supplies Vending Machine
Hotel Upgrade Condition: Host 0/50 guests
Task: Please inspect the hotel rooms and host 0/2 guests]
Xie Yue tapped the screen and finally saw the full layout of the hotel: a 20-story high-rise with a large fountain in front of the entrance. The area outside the hotel boundaries was shaded red, and the system indicated that the area enclosed in red was her Absolute Domain.
Xie Yue clicked to use the LED signboard, and the words “Universe Hotel” at the top of the building lit up.
This was certainly a great item. In the pitch-black night, it was exceptionally conspicuous—she believed anyone who saw it would definitely head over.
Opening the lobby configuration layout, the front desk was situated to the right after entering the main door. She placed the room supplies vending machine beside the front desk and set the self-service fast food blind box machine directly opposite it, with a water dispenser and a gorgeous sofa set placed right next to it.
The second floor of the hotel was an unopened restaurant. The third floor held 10 king-bed rooms and 8 double-bed rooms. The fourth floor had 10 double-bed rooms and 8 king-bed rooms, while the fifth floor consisted of 8 suites.
Tapping on a king-bed room at random, the bathroom was on the right after entering the door, featuring a dry and wet separation layout.
Walking further inside, there was a 1.8-meter king bed with a dining table opposite it. Two nightstand lamps sat at the head of the bed, a wardrobe stood on one side, and a small tea table alongside a sofa armchair was placed in front of a floor-to-ceiling window.
A double-bed room simply replaced the king bed with two separate beds. The suites consisted of one bedroom, one living room, and even came with a small kitchen—identical to the one Xie Yue was staying in.
Xie Yue thought that such rooms probably weren’t cheap even before the apocalypse; they were bound to be even more expensive now. Would anyone still be able to afford them?
She checked the prices.
[King-Bed Room: 2 Crystals/night (0/18) | Double-Bed Room: 2 Crystals/night (0/18) | Small Single Suite: 4 Crystals/night (0/8)]
“System, what kind of currency is ‘Crystals’?”
[“Crystals” refer to Level-1 Zombie Crystal Cores, the primary currency of this world.]
“Are these prices a bit…” Looking at the single-digit room prices, Xie Yue was somewhat puzzled by the cost of living in this world.
[Detected that the hotel is currently in a slump period; accommodation prices have been discounted to 90% off (10% of original price). Once the hotel passes the slump period, prices will revert to normal.]
Thinking about the 100 crystals she had drawn, which wouldn’t even be enough to stay for a week once the hotel reverted to its original prices, she felt rather speechless.
After installing the garage scanner in the underground parking lot, Xie Yue walked over to the self-service fast food blind box machine.