My Dating Sim Just Got an Update - Chapter 62

Knowing that the furniture would need to be assembled and arranged immediately upon returning to the base, Ren Chenxi had specifically allocated a separate slot in her inventory for them. However, the ceiling height of the first floor wasn’t nearly as tall as the underground warehouse, so the massive storage racks wouldn’t fit if pulled out directly. After a quick discussion, they called over the boys who were resting next door and headed up to the rooftop terrace above the fourth floor. There, they lined up the four massive racks, each still packed with crates of furniture components.

When the giant racks materialized before them, the group couldn’t help but gasp in awe once again. But they didn’t dally; the ability users quickly got to work while the ordinary survivors pitched in to help. Even though it was lunchtime and no neighbors were currently on their roofs hanging laundry, the racks were so tall that the terrace walls only covered half their height. With people constantly moving about the villa district, someone looking up at the right moment would easily spot the massive structures.

They had to clear the crates as quickly as possible to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

The highest levels of the racks were out of reach for most, but that wasn’t a problem for this group. Mu Ning sent out several thick, long vines, swiping down four or five large crates at a time. Wei Yuzer’s beautiful, long hair also proved useful; after extending it to reach the top, his fine strands bundled several boxes together and lowered them with ease.

While Mu Ning and Wei Yuzer handled the top layers, the others cleared the lower shelves. Their goal was to empty the racks and lay them flat on the ground. Once the crates were on the floor, the terrace walls—which were taller than the average person shielded them from prying eyes, including those of the neighbors. Survivors in the base were generally protective of their privacy, and some even raised wild chickens or ducks on their roofs, so almost everyone in the villa district had heightened their rooftop walls just as Mu Ning’s group had.

It took less than ten minutes to empty the four racks. Afterward, everyone began systematically moving the boxes into the house. Since the fourth floor was the closest and offered the most space, they piled everything there for the time being.

While the boxes were being moved, Chen Gu and the other boys examined the stainless steel racks now lying flat on the roof. Built to hold heavy industrial loads, the material was incredibly sturdy. They planned to disassemble the stainless steel parts some for their own use, and some to see if they could sell them to the base or other survivors.

The crates contained more than just wooden cabinets; there were sofas, coffee tables, various chairs, and even beds. Everyone gathered in the fourth-floor hall to unbox and assemble the pieces. Whenever they ran low on screws or needed a permanent bond for the wooden frames, Tang Ying would step in and “weld” the joints together with her crystal ability. As the furniture was completed, the girls on the fourth floor picked out what they liked to decorate their rooms. Another batch was sent down to the girls on the third floor. Even Mu Ning and Chen Gu, who already had furniture, couldn’t resist swapping out their old pieces for new ones. Chen Gu decided he wanted a larger bed, while Ge Yijin picked out a much nicer sofa.

However, when it came to the crystal-encrusted floors and walls, the boys unanimously declined. They even insisted on keeping their toilets and bathrooms exactly as they were, spared from Tang Ying’s “sparkling” touch.

The afternoon passed in a blur of happy activity. Beyond furniture, there were various appliances; the most popular items were lamps, televisions, and DVD players. Although there were no TV signals in the country and they didn’t have any discs yet, everyone held onto the belief that they would eventually stumble upon an old DVD rental shop during their future scavenging runs.

The apocalypse had arrived, but they still had a long, long future ahead of them.

Even in such a harsh and cruel world, they had to find ways to make life a little more comfortable.

Ren Chenxi had brought back so much furniture that even after everyone had luxuriously filled their rooms with cabinets and wardrobes, many unassembled pieces remained. She tucked the leftovers back into her inventory. In the base, furniture didn’t fetch a high price; most people who really needed it preferred to chop their own wood and do the carpentry themselves to save crystal nuclei.

For the majority of survivors, large furniture was impractical and took up too much space especially for those squeezed into classrooms with dozens of people or tin shacks with hundreds. To them, wasting crystal nuclei on furniture was unthinkable when they could buy food to fill their stomachs. In the wasteland, food was the ultimate currency.

And yet, Ren Chenxi’s group had been living luxuriously on that very currency for two days straight.

That evening, Ren Chenxi treated everyone to hotpot. Among the haul from the underground warehouse were numerous sets of cookware, including electric hotpot basins. Since the pots weren’t divided into sections, they were extravagant enough to use a separate pot for each flavor. Using soup bases from the warehouse, they opened five different varieties at once. They had plenty of ingredients to dip: various vegetables grown by Mu Ning, wild mushrooms foraged from the outside, and an abundance of meat. Most of the delicacies, however, were items Ren Chenxi had collected during her travels before the world ended.

This dinner was even more lavish than the one Mu Ning had hosted the previous day. Part of it was Ren Chenxi’s way of making up for leaving Huo Keyu and the others behind while they feasted the day before, and part of it was a genuine celebration of their massive haul.

Of course, a feast this grand was meant to be an occasional luxury; after all, they had to make their resources last for the long haul.

Because of the abundance they’d secured, Mu Ning and the others didn’t rush out to hunt or scavenge the next day. The boys spent the day happily playing video games, while the girls gathered to help Huo Keyu and the other non-ability users brainstorm ways to earn crystal nuclei within the base.

The first and most obvious choice for ordinary people was growing and selling vegetables. While Mu Ning grew vegetables for the group’s consumption, Huo Keyu and the others could grow theirs to sell to other survivors.

They could also forage for wild mushrooms, though that carried risks and the market was already quite saturated. Since wild mushrooms grew rapidly, many ordinary people ventured near the base perimeters to collect them, along with wild potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other edible greens. While these could be found in the wild, many people found they were difficult to keep alive once transplanted back to the base.

Zhang Tongqi suggested that even without abilities, Huo Keyu and the others could occasionally join the team on outings. While the ability users were busy hunting, the girls could help dig up these wild crops. With Ren Chenxi’s space, they wouldn’t have to worry about the produce rotting, and even if they didn’t sell it, they could stockpile it for their own food supply.

Huo Keyu was tempted, but Ren Chenxi wasn’t entirely convinced. In her eyes, even with ability users protecting them, the world was too dangerous. Who could guarantee they wouldn’t encounter a sudden crisis where they couldn’t react in time to keep the others safe?

With Ren Chenxi’s hesitation, the proposal was temporarily shelved. The girls went back to wracking their brains for other ways to earn a living. Eventually, they decided that instead of just sitting there thinking, they should go out and see what others were doing. Last time, Huo Keyu hadn’t had the chance to look at the stalls before the scammers cornered them. This time, with so many ability users in tow, they could study the market properly.

The large group a mix of ability users and ordinary survivors, headed out. With Mu Ning, a Level 5 ability user, leading the way, no one dared to cause trouble. The girls visited all the major trading spots in the base and began summarizing their findings upon their return.

There were many ordinary people running stalls, but they almost always operated in groups of ten or twenty for safety. The few smaller stalls were usually accompanied by an ability user. Aside from selling vegetables and wild produce, many survivors sold their skills. There were people mending clothes, repairing machinery, and even cutting hair.

In the base, almost every housing option except the tin shacks required rent, but setting up a stall was free as long as you found a spot and didn’t block the road. Shops that used to line the streets before the apocalypse now existed only as roadside stalls. Naturally, some businesses did better than others. Those selling handmade trinkets—like cloth dolls, wood carvings, or bamboo baskets were struggling, while anything related to food was booming. People sold raw vegetables and mushrooms, but they also sold various types of street snacks.

The base had a canteen, but the prices were fixed. If you wanted something cheap, it tasted terrible; if you wanted something good, it was often too expensive. Plus, the variety was limited. As a result, street food stalls became a popular third option. Many well-off squads would treat themselves to a meal at these stalls when they wanted to relax.

Huo Keyu already had a plan forming as she looked at the snack stalls. Before the apocalypse, she had worked in a barbecue restaurant, so her grilling skills were quite good. During the hotpot meal earlier, she noticed that Ren Chenxi didn’t seem to lack meat at all, and the warehouse haul meant they had plenty of seasonings. After thinking it over for a long time, Huo Keyu looked at Ren Chenxi nervously and tentatively suggested that she, Du Tian, and the others start a barbecue stall.

The idea was an immediate hit. Ren Chenxi approved instantly, and Zhang Tongqi and the others thought it was a brilliant suggestion. Every time the team went out, they brought back a significant amount of mutant beast meat. With Ren Chenxi’s space, the meat wouldn’t spoil, and their stockpile was only going to grow. Furthermore, they had a massive surplus of seasonings from the warehouse too many to use themselves, and selling them raw might not be as profitable as selling prepared food.

And so, with everyone’s unanimous agreement, the plan for Huo Keyu’s barbecue stall was officially set in motion.

Support