Chapter 13: One Warning! Double Penalty

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Realizing she was really going to have to stay alone in a double room, Liu Yiyi placed the blame squarely on Chu Jiangyue, the person she deemed responsible for all of this.

“Bitch! Was it you? Did you tell Brother Wen’an something so he wouldn’t want to stay with me? Do you like Brother Wen’an too? Dream on! Brother Wen’an can only be mine!”

【Detected: Guest Liu Yiyi is displaying hostility toward the hotel owner. Warning issued! Guest Liu Yiyi will be charged double for all hotel expenses.】

This sudden penalty instantly made Chu Jiangyue feel a rush of satisfaction.

See? They still dared to shout at her in her own domain—utterly clueless.

“Why should I?”

“Miss Liu, please watch your words~”

Chu Jiangyue’s tone was dripping with sarcasm.

Fearing that saying more would trigger an even harsher penalty—expulsion—Liu Yiyi reluctantly held back her temper.

Once Liu Yiyi entered her room, Chu Jiangyue’s expression immediately fell.

『Little Fox, can I really not kill Liu Yiyi?』

Liu Yiyi had humiliated her repeatedly, and Chu Jiangyue already harbored murderous intent. Keeping her around was dangerous—who knew when she might strike?

「She hasn’t met the male or female lead yet and hasn’t triggered the plot she’s supposed to, so…」

That meant it wasn’t allowed.

Chu Jiangyue felt uneasy but ultimately suppressed those emotions.

“She better not cause trouble in the hotel…”

Her words were gritted through clenched teeth.

By 5 p.m., the sun had started to decline, and the temperature dropped slightly.

Shen Zhigui and his three companions, along with Xie Silin, walked out of their rooms and happened to bump into the two big-bellied men returning with luggage.

The two men were slightly surprised to see Shen Zhigui’s group but quickly regained composure.

“Are you heading out, young sirs? It’s really hot outside now; it might be better to stay in.”

“Thanks for the reminder, but we still need to kill zombies to earn crystal cores.”

Gold and silver would eventually run out, but zombies? They were endless—for now. To continue staying at the hotel, their main source of income would be exchanging zombie crystal cores for copper coins.

“Kill zombies to earn crystal cores? What does that mean?”

It was obvious these two had never actually fought zombies—their flabby bodies probably couldn’t even outrun a basic-level zombie.

“I might as well tell you. Recently, Level 1 zombies have appeared in the community. Their brains now evolve crystal cores.

Crystal cores can be exchanged at the hotel—one Level 1 crystal core equals 100 copper coins.”

Just two Level 1 zombies could cover a day’s lodging.

As for food, as long as they weren’t picky, 20 copper coins a day for a bun was enough to survive.

“100 copper coins! That’s too little! Not even enough for one day’s lodging!”

The previously greedy big-bellied men shouted instinctively when they heard a Level 1 zombie crystal core could only be exchanged for 100 copper coins.

“I’m just telling you, I’m not forcing you to fight zombies.”

Xie Silin felt uncomfortable hearing the big-bellied men’s complaints.

A 200-copper-coin daily fee at Jianglin Hotel was already cheap; if a proper safe base was ever built, lodging would be much higher.

He had already decided: while Shen’s group was still here, he would learn as much as he could. By the time they left, he could handle things on his own.

In this era, if you didn’t grow stronger, you’d eventually become zombie food. He didn’t want to live so pitifully.

Shen Zhigui glanced at the two big-bellied men and didn’t say much.

“Boss Chu, we’re planning to go further out and deliver information about Jianglin Hotel to other survivors.”

“Alright. As a thank-you, once the fruit tree outside the hotel bears fruit, I’ll give you the first batch of ripe fruits.”

Chu Jiangyue couldn’t sell fruit she ate herself, but fruit that grew on its own could be given out.

Hearing this, Shen Zhigui’s eyes brightened.

Because of the zombie virus, most fruits they found—unless completely sealed—were already spoiled.

The virus had only been active for a few days; for durable fruits to spoil so quickly was unnatural.

Yet they had to accept it.

Seeing Chu Jiangyue dig into half a watermelon alone today, they were genuinely envious.

“Thanks for the promise, Boss Chu.”

Shen Zhigui had no intention of refusing. Though it was uncertain when the tree would bear fruit, that didn’t stop him from agreeing.

“Boss Chu, that’s unfair! Fruit grown at the hotel should be for everyone. Why give it only to them?”

The meddlesome big-bellied man spoke again.

“If you help me advertise outside, I can make sure you get some too. How about that?”

Chu Jiangyue’s words successfully silenced him.

He wanted the fruit but didn’t want to risk his life to get it.

He thought the others were overconfident, going so far out—what if they didn’t make it back? Hilarious.

No one paid him any mind. Shen Zhigui and the others went outside, confirmed the temperature was tolerable, and stepped out without hesitation.

「Host, I seem to have detected some information about Shen Zhigui and his team, but it’s incomplete.」

This appeared while Chu Jiangyue made a verbal agreement with Shen’s team.

Little Fox spoke suddenly, giving news about Shen Zhigui’s group, and Chu Jiangyue was instantly alert.

『Tell me more?』

「Shen Zhigui’s group will leave Shengshi Huadu with the male lead’s group half a month later and join the official safe base in City B.

After that, it only mentions Shen Zhigui’s team carried out a mission… then nothing.」

Where, how long, or whether the mission succeeded—it was all omitted, just an ellipsis.

Chu Jiangyue frowned.

Something was off—very off!

Shen Zhigui’s team was obviously stronger than Zheng Wen’an’s. How could Zheng Wen’an make a name for himself while Shen’s group remained obscure?

Could it be they were just background characters?

『That’s it? What mission did they do? They went straight to the mission upon entering the base?』

「Unknown.」

『Then what’s the point of you!』

Little Fox: I’m aggrieved but I won’t tell T﹏T