“I, I, I want to…” 

The person being pushed inside was momentarily stunned, blushing as they looked at Wen Yu’s smiling face. 

Wen Yu raised a hand and pointed toward the shelves but didn’t rush them. 

“You can look at the items on the shelves first, and then pay at the self-checkout machines.” 

The people waiting in line at the door continued to enter in an orderly manner. Their eyes followed Wen Yu’s gesture toward the shelves. After a collective “Wow,” everyone quietly and excitedly began discussing among themselves. 

“Heavens, so much food…” 

“Sandwiches, purified water, and instant noodles!!” 

“I heard they all have zero radiation! Even after bringing them back, the radiation level won’t go over 5. Eating them is completely safe!” 

“And,” one person said, noticing the attention from others nearby, raising their chin slightly, “if you eat ready-made cooked food inside the store, it can even reduce your mutation level!” 

Someone recalled a rumor they had heard back at the base. 

“Although there’s no direct proof yet that zero-radiation food can lower mutation levels, everyone who’s tried it says it works.” 

People who had chosen their items lined up to pay, holding various snacks and drinks in their hands, expressing their amazement. 

“I never thought I’d get to use the old-fashioned self-checkout machines from the photos.” 

“So convenient, and really easy to use.” 

“Too bad though, once we take the food back, the radiation levels will rise again by a few points… no way to experiment inside the base.” 

“Ah, I wish we could live near the Oasis convenience store.” 

As soon as this was said, the surrounding people fell silent, and the previously lively atmosphere cooled down a bit. After a while, an older person spoke up. 

“Don’t talk nonsense.” 

“The radiation in the desert isn’t something to joke about. No matter how bad the central base is, it still offers a few more layers of protection than outside.” 

“Just make a few more trips.” 

Wen Yu listened to their conversations and took the opportunity to add fried mushrooms to the menu. 

Once the battered mushrooms hit the hot oil, the atmosphere in the store immediately became lively. 

“What’s that smell? So fragrant!” 

One cautious person stood to the side, observing carefully. Since there were no mushrooms in the desert, they couldn’t figure out what it was. 

“I’ve seen flour before, but what exactly is coated in that?” 

A man in his fifties immediately recognized it and happily raised his hand. 

“It’s mushrooms! Haven’t seen these in forty years. Boss, I’ll have a portion!” 

Wen Yu divided the large pot of fried mushrooms into small portions, each costing 10 silver coins—an affordable price for most. 

She took the money and handed the mushrooms to the middle-aged man, reminding him, 

“Just out of the fryer, be careful, it’s hot.” 

With a light poke from a bamboo skewer, a piece of fried mushroom was lifted up, golden and crispy, sprinkled with cumin and a little chili powder. 

Onlookers swallowed nervously, all waiting for the middle-aged man’s reaction. 

“How is it?” 

“Is it tasty?” 

The man squinted his eyes, savoring the flavor for a moment. He didn’t answer but quickly ate piece after piece. 

Seeing this, everyone understood—if it was delicious, there’d be no need to say anything. They all joined in the rush to buy the fried mushrooms. 

The large pot of fried mushrooms sold out quickly. Chef Wen wielded the skimmer, making portion after portion for the eager customers. 

Some people left, and those remaining slowly entered the convenience store, allowing Wen Yu to finally relax a bit. 

Before noon, Chen Zui finally stepped into the Oasis convenience store. After greeting Wen Yu, she busied herself with shopping. 

Outside, angry shouting could be heard. The customers were puzzled—at such a high temperature, with the sun almost baking the sand, who would linger outside? 

Wen Yu peeked out and suddenly understood, it was the petty thief from a few days ago, venting his frustration. 

“This is a rip-off store! You’re a scam!!!” 

“Why won’t you let me in? I only took two things! I didn’t even steal anything!” 

“You’re going to go out of business soon, just wait!” 

After being blacklisted, Ma Shan couldn’t even approach within five meters of the Oasis convenience store. Even when asking others to buy for him, he could only see the transparent packaging, unable to touch the actual products, let alone enjoy the magical effects of the convenience store’s goods. 

He was already idle and without steady work. After being kicked out last time, he lost all his belongings. Now his whole family was left with a leaky grass hut. Even Aunt Ma couldn’t stand it anymore and forced him to find a job. 

What kind of work could Ma Shan possibly do? The more he looked for jobs, the more frustrated he became. Before he realized it, he was back in the desert again. Seeing the lively scene at the convenience store made him even more upset. 

But aside from shouting a few curses at the glass window, there was nothing else he could do. 

Watching Ma Shan’s miserable state, Wen Yu curled her lips slightly. Her principle had always been: if people don’t offend me, I don’t offend them. 

But if someone offends me… they definitely won’t get away easily. 

Before she could step forward to chase him away, Chen Zui was the first to open the door. 

“Ma Shan, aren’t you ashamed? You got kicked out for stealing, and now you’re coming back to shout?” 

Ma Shan was good at playing the rogue. Today, he even brought his last piece of protective suit, so he wasn’t afraid to risk it for a while. He sat down in the scorching sand, catching his breath. 

“I’m not leaving today. The desert isn’t owned by the convenience store. Why can’t I stay here?” 

“I’ll curse all I want. Let’s see what you can do about it.” 

Around them, some customers finished their shopping and left in small groups. Wen Yu clapped her hands lightly, ready to leave. 

With her current strength, if she had to hit someone, she’d have to be careful—not just to throw them away, but to avoid turning them into a bloody mess. 

Even crimson foxes wouldn’t eat that. 

“Hey, hey, get up quickly!!” 

Chen Zui was about to lose his temper but then saw the shadow of a mutated creature appearing in the distance. Her anger instantly turned into urgency. 

It wasn’t that she was worried about Ma Shan, but if someone really died near the convenience store, it could affect the owner. 

“A-grade mutated creature, a silver wolf! Owner, don’t go out! It’s dangerous!” 

“Silver wolves usually appear at night. Why would one show up in broad daylight?” 

Wen Yu and the silver wolf in the distance exchanged a glance. She didn’t explain but withdrew the foot she had just stepped outside with and relaxed to watch the scene unfold. 

With just a look, Tianbing understood her owner’s meaning. It slowed its pace and approached Ma Shan from behind. 

Ma Shan was still sitting there cursing, ignoring Chen Zui. 

“Silver Wolf? Using such cheap tricks to scare me off? No way! Never!” 

“Don’t talk about just one mutated creature, I could take down a whole pack! Come on, come on!” 

As the mutated creature drew closer, Ma Shan suddenly felt an itch behind him. Though he couldn’t sense the silver wolf’s breath through his thick protective suit, the growing pressure made him turn around. 

The mutated silver wolf’s bright green eyes stared directly at him, sharp fangs still dripping blood. 

“Ah!!!!!!” 

A scream pierced the air. Ma Shan jumped up with unprecedented speed, not even bothering to pick up his dropped protective suit as he bolted away. 

The two people inside the convenience store burst out laughing. They exchanged a glance, and Chen Zui wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. 

“Now, he probably won’t dare come back.” 

Wen Yu handed her a milk candy and winked playfully. 

“Even if he does, I have my ways.” 

After scaring off the troublemaker, Tianbing turned and ran far away. According to Chen Zui, mutated silver wolves usually only appear at night. 

For one to show up at the convenience store during the day and find troublemakers there, it probably hangs around nearby all day. 

Thinking of Tianbing standing guard with a cool, aloof expression, Wen Yu laughed even more happily. 

✧✧✧ 

In the afternoon, the Oasis convenience store welcomed another batch of customers one after another. Owner Wen was so busy she barely had time to rest; even her lunch was a quick self-heating hotpot. 

As evening approached, Hongye and Tianbing returned on time for dinner. This time, Tianbing didn’t bring back any mutated meat but instead carried a brightly colored stone. 

Hongye looked down on it with disdain. This aloof wolf’s ways of vying for favor were endless, but it remained completely unbothered. 

As long as the tail is there, the territory is secure. 

Besides, it has three tails! 

Dinner was casual that night. Wen Yu cooked a pot of meat soup with some common vegetables for them. 

Her mind was fully occupied with the upcoming upgrade of the convenience store, leaving no room for anything else. 

The two furry creatures didn’t mind and still ate everything cleanly. After finishing, their anxious owner waved them away. 

Hongye shook its tail, looking puzzled. 

Could it be that Hongye is about to fall out of favor? 

Although Tianbing showed no expression, it also lingered without leaving. Wen Yu had to seriously explain to them. 

“Tomorrow the convenience store will get bigger, so you’ll have a place to live~” 

“I’m going to upgrade the store soon, so you need to leave first and don’t cause any trouble!” 

The crimson fox understood and made a soft whimper before leaving together with the silver wolf. Wen Yu turned back to the store, eagerly opening the control panel. 

[Days of Operation: 5]  

[Current Total Revenue: 5,935 (eligible for upgrade to a small supermarket)]  

[Cumulative positive feedback points: 67 (33 already redeemed)]  

[Achievements Unlocked: Novice, First World.] 

“System, upgrade the convenience store to a small supermarket.” 

Wen Yu rubbed her palms in anticipation and lifted her sparkling eyes. 

[Upgrading now. Would you like to spend 3000 silver coins to replenish the basic stock?] 

It was easier to replenish all at once rather than searching for each item individually. 

“Yes, thank you, system~” 

Wen Yu felt a lightness in her body as she slowly floated up. Night had fallen, and from above, the small convenience store was the only thing lit in the area. The warm orange-yellow light illuminated a large surrounding space. 

The convenience store resembled a large Lego set being taken apart by an invisible force, reorganized, with new rooms added and the walls expanded. 

The original convenience store was approximately a hundred square meters, with a maximum capacity of twenty customers. 

The upgraded small supermarket expanded the indoor space to 500 square meters and was now a two-story building. The second floor was a resting area, currently only Wen Yu’s room. 

The walls of the small supermarket were no longer transparent. The exterior was painted a light green, while the front door still hung the iconic sign with four large characters: 

Oasis Supermarket. 

Seeing these four characters made Wen Yu happy. At the back door, an enclosed area was set up with a simple shed for Hongye and Tianbing to live in. She slowly floated back down to the floor and began exploring the new changes inside the supermarket. 

You can grab the full book now on my Ko-fi page, available in both PDF and EPUB formats! 🖤
📎 Here’s the link to the full novel