The supermarket was completely quiet. No one said a word. Wen Yu blinked and looked around. 

Why is no one saying anything? 

Then, someone swallowed loudly with a “gulp,” and one by one, others started doing the same. 

Gulp, gulp, gulp. 

The five-jin burger was a full 18 inches long. Wen Yu had loaded it generously with fillings and sauce, enough to block the faces of two adults when held up. 

The bun was perfectly toasted, the patty thick and juicy, cooked just right at medium-well so the juices flowed out without even pressing down. 

Around the burger, the lettuce, fried egg, and slices of tomato peeked out, capturing customers’ attention. After being flame-grilled, they gave off an irresistible aroma. 

Wen Yu also included an extra-large portion of fries and a large cup of cola. The cola cup was thirty centimeters tall and looked like a weapon when held, completing the standard meal set. 

“I can’t resist anymore, I’m going to buy one!” 

The customers without helmets were the first to cave. The little voice of reason in their heads snapped instantly. Who cares about budget? 

Eating was the real priority. 

A line quickly formed at the counter, and on everyone’s faces were the same expressions of hunger and longing. 

Wen Yu suddenly understood—it was hunger. 

For many years, food shortages plagued the wasteland apocalypse. Even though convenience stores and supermarkets had shocked the locals somewhat, the food was still just sitting on shelves, not right in front of them, so it didn’t feel real. 

And when faced with a meal this massive, it’s hard not to feel your most basic hunger kick in. 

The system produced one meal every thirty seconds. Before long, everyone standing had a burger in hand, happily digging in. 

The middle-aged man still didn’t dare come closer. He stood frozen, eyes locked tightly on the huge burger. 

“Boss, this, this…” 

“It’s all yours. Need me to pack it separately for you?” 

Xiao Xin cleverly brought over containers and utensils. The man put down his child. Father and son both stared blankly, the father’s eyes showing stunned disbelief, unsure how to react, while the child looked innocent, not knowing what was happening. 

“Y-yes, thank you, boss.” 

The kid leaned on the table, eyes wide, staring at the food. 

“Wow, it’s so big! What is this?” 

The child’s clothes were torn, and his face and hands were covered in dirt. Wen Yu crouched down to meet his gaze. 

“This is a prize your father won. It’s your lunch today. Let me take you to wash your hands first, okay?” 

“Okay! Father’s coming too!” 

Hearing the word “food,” especially something this tempting, the weak kid suddenly perked up. He grabbed his father’s hand and followed Wen Yu to a corner to wash their hands and face. 

After cleaning, the child’s small face was full of sunburn marks. Wen Yu took some sunburn ointment and applied it, then turned back to prepare the burger. 

Cut open, the burger’s layers were distinct. The new cheese Wen Yu used stuck to the knife, stretching into long strands. 

This meal set was enough to feed them for seven days. She roughly estimated that the two could eat about half a jin (around 250 grams) each just to fill their stomachs. 

Only then did the middle-aged man come back to his senses, tightly holding his son’s hand. For a man who had been close to giving up, this all seemed like a dream. 

He first handed a small piece to his son. The boy bit into it, his eyes wide, cheeks puffed out as he quickly ate bite after bite, unable to speak. 

The father saw him eating happily and started eating too. After just a few chews, a phrase came to his mind: 

This is real meat. 

As he kept eating, tears began to drip down his chin. The tears fell more and more fiercely, landing silently on the floor. 

The boy didn’t notice, but Wen Yu did. 

“There are still 500 silver coins worth of supplies. You can come pick them anytime.” 

The father swallowed his last bite, nodding madly. Words failed him, but he kept pulling his son close, repeating thanks over and over. 

“Thank you, boss. Thank you.” 

In the distance, a dark, moving cloud flew toward the supermarket. Some customers saw it through the windows and shouted out. 

“Oh no! Mutated butterflies!” 

The crowd instantly panicked; some covered their heads and tried to run out. 

Wen Yu’s expression changed. She raised her voice to stop them. 

“Don’t move yet! The supermarket has an automatic defense system. Staying inside is the safest!” 

The remaining customers gathered around the store owner, their eyes full of fear and anxiety. 

“Boss, mutated butterflies are one of the most troublesome mutated creatures in the desert. Can the supermarket really defend against them?” 

“Yes, although individually they’re only B-grade, they usually appear in swarms — hundreds or even thousands. Even two or three A-grade mutated animals wouldn’t stand a chance; you’d only be able to run!” 

“Can the supermarket’s automatic defense system hold them off? Maybe we should escape first. Mutated butterflies charge at people, eating bit by bit until they’re reduced to bones, just like locusts.” 

“Run? Where would you run? If you go outside now, you’ll be the first to be eaten.” 

Those who had faced mutated butterflies before were terrified. Their adrenaline kicked in as they stared out the window like they were waiting for death. But one middle-aged man didn’t seem to hear the panic. Instead, he took a step toward the window. 

“Mutated butterflies… is it… your mother coming?” 

“It must be, it must be her. She’s watching over us from above. That’s why we found Oasis Supermarket, and met a kind boss.” 

He hugged the child and cried loudly, drawing confused looks from others. 

Wen Yu looked at the approaching swarm of mutated butterflies and calmly said: 

“The supermarket’s automatic defense system can defend against mutated creatures of all grades, including S-grade.” 

The customers still looked doubtful, but remembering all the strange things about the supermarket, they felt a bit reassured for now. 

The closer the swarm came, the more its colorful wings could be seen. Wen Yu looked thoughtful. 

“Maybe…” 

After the supermarket upgrade, Wen Yu could communicate directly with the system through her mind, so she asked: 

“If I don’t go outside, can I tame mutated creatures?” 

[Sorry, taming skills require contact with mutated creatures.] 

I see… 

Wen Yu felt a little disappointed. 

[However, given the host’s current physical condition, mutated butterflies cannot harm you.] 

Great, then I’ll go out and tame them. 

She thought of the pretty actress from a TV drama she saw as a child, surrounded by a cluster of butterflies, looking like a painting in the flowers. 

She had long forgotten the plot of the drama, but that scene remained vivid in her mind. Now that she had such a good chance, of course, she wanted to keep these mutated butterflies. 

The dark swarm of mutated butterflies drew closer, numbering about a thousand. The customers turned pale and began trembling uncontrollably. 

A few timid ones had already hidden behind the shelves, closing their eyes tightly and starting to say their last words. 

“Mom, I might not come back today. I hope you can live well on your own.” 

“Sniff, even though I don’t have a father or mother, no wife or kids, if I die today, the comic in the base isn’t finished yet.” 

Wen Yu heard the suppressed crying from inside the supermarket. She shook her head helplessly, pushed open the door, and walked out. 

“Boss!” 

“What are you doing? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” 

“Oh my god, she’s going to die!!!” 

“Come back quickly!!” 

A few regular customers pressed their faces against the glass, waving desperately, trying to call the store owner back. 

Wen Yu turned around and smiled at them through the glass, full of confidence in her eyes. 

In peaceful times, one might need to hide their skills, but in the apocalypse, taming abilities don’t need to be concealed. Extraordinary strength only helps avoid many unnecessary troubles. 

The mutated butterflies flew closer and closer. Wen Yu could already see the patterns on their wings clearly—some strange, some beautiful, and some even shaped like a single eye. 

Each butterfly was about the size of two palms together. No wonder the locals were so scared. 

Buzz, buzz, buzz. 

Thousands of mutated butterflies flew in a dark swarm, blocking out the scorching sun. It was pitch black, like a scene from the end of the world. 

Wen Yu remained completely calm, palm facing up, raising her hand. 

“System, immediately tame all mutated butterflies that have contacted me.” 

[Received.] 

The first mutated butterfly lunged down fiercely, baring its fangs trying to bite through Wen Yu’s skin. Customers behind the window couldn’t help but close their eyes. 

Wen Yu felt something prick her hand but not a bit of pain. 

Before the butterfly could bite through, Wen Yu had already completed the taming process. Each mutated butterfly wasn’t very strong individually; the taming only took a blink of an eye. 

The tamed butterfly paused briefly, then immediately switched sides. After brushing against Wen Yu’s palm, it gathered its companions as the owner wished. 

Butterflies don’t have vocal cords and can’t make sounds. Instead, they communicate through their antennae. 

“Good stuff here, come quickly.” 

A large number of mutated butterflies dove down, all tamed by Wen Yu. Soon, the entire butterfly swarm became her personal possession. 

She waved her hand, and the butterflies seemed to understand her thoughts, immediately circling around her. 

The customers inside the supermarket were still worried, thinking, “The boss is so kind-hearted, why would she do something like this?” 

“Sigh, now she’s surrounded…” 

“If the boss is gone, will the supermarket disappear too?” 

“Hey, wait, look outside the window!” 

The imagined scene of butterflies eating people alive didn’t happen. The seemingly fragile boss didn’t even fall. 

She stood firm in the yellow sand, shedding her gentle appearance and becoming like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, showing no sign of backing down. 

The mutated butterflies swarmed around, but didn’t attack; instead, they quickly circled Wen Yu. 

“Never thought I’d see a scene like this in my lifetime…” 

“A miracle…” 

People were stunned, mouths agape, unable to close their jaws for a long time. 

One customer who had seen the crimson fox slapped their thigh in excitement. 

“How could I be so foolish? The boss can tame even A-grade mutated animal, so mutated butterflies are obviously no problem!” 

Wen Yu felt curious. After the circling ended, most of the mutated butterflies followed her about ten meters behind, waiting for orders. Occasionally, two or three flew over to land on her fingertips and even danced. 

“Fly farther away first. Come back at six for dinner. No more biting people!” 

After having fun and temporarily settling the butterflies, she returned to the supermarket. 

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