Chapter 58: Themed Hotel

Chapter 58: Themed Hotel

The two walked another three kilometers before they saw a group of huddled people hiding under withered branches. They were ragged and unkempt, many without shoes, their feet cracked and bleeding. Some had fashioned makeshift shoes from flattened mineral water bottles tied with ropes.

Some people tried to hide when they saw them, while others struggled to crawl over but fell and began coughing up blood before they could get far.

Cao Kun frowned and pulled Shenchi behind him. Shenchi gave him a strange look but said nothing and continued walking until they reached a safe zone.

Many people entered and exited the safe zone, most looking fierce and dirty.

The entrance was a heavy iron gate. The guard behind the bars shouted, "Five level-one crystals per person for entry, or items of equal value!"

Cao Kun and Shenchi had lost everything along with their vehicle, so they handed over the ten level-one crystals they had just obtained. The guard smiled, waved his hand, and the gate opened automatically.

"Go ahead and get tested," the guard said. "Just stand still inside."

Cao Kun went in first. After twelve seconds, a green light flashed on the door, beeped twice, and he was cleared.

Shenchi followed, recognizing the device—a product of the post-apocalyptic era called a Safety Scanner. It automatically detected wounds and classified them, alerting accordingly to save time and resources.

These scanners came in large and small sizes. Large ones were used at bases, requiring one to stand still for twelve seconds.

Small ones were portable and handheld, similar to security scanners, but prone to missing details.

After Shenchi was cleared, he saw Cao Kun being surrounded by a group trying to sell him things and offering accommodation. A woman approached, cooing flirtatiously.

People started crowding around Shenchi, but he glared coldly and said, "Scram."

Cao Kun politely declined the others but kept the woman. She was petite and attractive, reaching out her slender, white arm to loop around Cao Kun. He sidestepped, pulling out a level-one crystal from his pocket and said, "Miss, I have a few questions."

The woman's eyes lit up as she took the crystal and coughed, saying, "One isn't enough..."

Cao Kun handed over another crystal.

She beamed, "Ask away, brother. I'll tell you everything I know!"

Cao Kun smiled, "Who is Black Horse?"

The woman looked slightly odd.

Cao Kun raised an eyebrow, "Hmm?"

She glanced at Cao Kun and then at Shenchi, saying, "Black Horse operates in the red-light district, dealing with... that kind of business."

Seeing Cao Kun's darkening expression, she quickly added, "Everyone in Chunyi City knows this. I'm not lying!"

Cao Kun composed himself, "What's the situation in Chunyi City now? Do you know about the fire-elemental ability that can turn into a leopard?"

"I'm a local. Before the apocalypse, the mayor was Dong E. On August 13th, when the zombies broke out, he turned into one. Deputy Mayor Lu took over, and his nephew, Lu Xingzhou, is a level-three earth elemental! He has twenty or so level-two elementals under him, including Xu Zhao!"

"Oh, Xu Zhao is the man who can turn fire into a leopard. His ability is top-notch, but his temper is explosive." She glanced around cautiously, "Don't provoke him. He's vindictive and has killed many within the safe zone."

Cao Kun asked, "Doesn't the government do anything?"

The woman rolled her eyes, "They're all in it together. Who knows who would suffer if they did anything!"

Cao Kun found the woman somewhat interesting.

She suddenly remembered something, shuddering, "Four days ago, someone in the safe zone turned into a zombie again, like on August 13th. Many died, and everyone feared waking up as monsters. They planned to raid the Lu family's warehouse, but the next day news spread that the first-generation C1S9 vaccine was successfully developed."

"Do you think the vaccine works? My parents got the universal vaccine but still died from the plague!"

She started crying, sobbing pitifully.

After a while, seeing no comfort, she wiped her nose, "Brother, want to find a place to stay? I know a hotel, reasonable prices, fully equipped!"

Cao Kun glanced at Shenchi, who nodded. The woman flagged down a tricycle. The driver quoted a price, and she seemed to realize she needed money from Shenchi, becoming hesitant, "It's a bit far..."

Shenchi didn't have time for her antics and got on first. Cao Kun followed, and the woman climbed aboard too.

On the ride, Cao Kun inquired about the C1S9 vaccine, learning it was real but controlled by the Lus, only available to their people on missions, and others had to buy it at high prices.

The tricycle rode for ten minutes before stopping at a hotel. From the old entrance and flickering lights, it was clear the hotel once had grandeur, now marked simply with a "Open for Business" sign.

The woman led them inside and yelled, "We have guests!"

The owner, dusting the counter, hurried out to greet them warmly. The woman volunteered to book a room for Cao Kun, and the owner agreed but hesitantly said, "We don't have any standard rooms left. Would a king-size bed suite work?"

Cao Kun and Shenchi had been sleeping together since leaving Wanzhong City, so this wasn't a problem.

Cao Kun gave another crystal to the woman, who smiled gratefully, adding, "By the way, you need to pay one level-one crystal per person daily for staying here, or trade items of equal value. If you don't have items, you can exchange crystals with merchants at a 1:1.2 rate, which is better than trading items at 1.5:1."

"Also, hang a cloth outside your door if you don't want special services. Any color will do, otherwise, they might come in, and you'd have to give them something!"

Cao Kun grinned, "Thanks, miss."

The woman blushed, "Rest well, I'll leave now."

Cao Kun swiped the card, inserted it into the slot, and the dim lights revealed a themed suite. To the left was a leather sofa, to the right a TV wall, and in the center, a large round bed with a canopy in a sultry purple. The bathroom wall facing the bed was frosted glass, revealing a double-person massage bathtub.

Cao Kun asked, "No simpler rooms?"

The owner explained, "This is a themed hotel. This room is already less extravagant."

Shenchi said, "This one will do."

"Sure thing! If you need anything, just call me. We provide one free dinner per day, and additional meals can be arranged." Seeing Cao Kun nod, the owner left.

Cao Kun checked the room and found nothing suspicious.

Cao Kun asked Shenchi, "Do you think that woman's words are credible?"

Shenchi: "About sixty to seventy percent. The first-generation vaccine is definitely real; let's buy two doses tomorrow and see."

Cao Kun nodded. Both of them were covered in blood, and Shenchi had been enduring the urge to vomit. Cao Kun told Shenchi to take a shower first.

There was water supply here, with fifteen minutes of free water per room. The water quality wasn't suitable for drinking but was fine for bathing.

Cao Kun went downstairs and exchanged a Level One crystal core for two sets of clean clothes, two sun-protective jackets, two backpacks, and some sunscreen.

Cao Kun hadn't thought about sunscreen at first, but when the young man promoted it by saying it could not only protect from the sun but also reduce UV damage to the body, he remembered Shenchi's pregnancy and bought it.

Daily necessities were probably the least valuable items here, so a Level One crystal core could buy a lot of things, like some high-end cosmetics and designer handbags, which were very cheap.

When he returned, Shenchi was still in the bathroom. Cao Kun didn't go over but knocked on the bathroom door. After a moment, the sound of running water stopped, and the bathroom door opened slightly. A puff of steam and a slender white hand reached out.

Cao Kun didn't move, and the hand beckoned.

Shenchi: "Hmm?"

Only then did Cao Kun place the clothes and underwear in his hand.

When Shenchi came out dressed, Cao Kun was sitting on the sofa playing Plants vs. Zombies on his phone, which had no internet connection.

Shenchi: "Go take your shower. Remember to scrub the clothes."

Cao Kun nodded, took the clothes into the bathroom, where steam filled the air and the lingering scent of soap remained. The bathtub was already filled with water.

Cao Kun took a deep breath, feeling a rare desire to soak in a bath.

This time, Cao Kun took ten minutes to wash up and even cleaned the clothes, hanging them on a drying rack in the bathroom. Remembering what the woman said, he tore a piece of cloth from the curtain and tied it to the doorknob outside.

The boss, delivering dinner, saw the cloth and his lips twitched. He looked at the two bowls of noodles in his hands, thought for a moment, and gently knocked on the door. Soon, a voice came from inside.

The boss sighed in relief and said, "Guests, dinner is here."

Shenchi opened the door and took the two instant noodle cups from the boss, who added, "Guests, there's a curfew here. No lights can be on after seven PM in the rooms. If you really need light, you can use a desk lamp or a low-wattage bulb."

Shenchi nodded, locked the door, and they ate the instant noodles together.

After finishing, it was half past six. Since there was a curfew, they didn't plan to go out. They took advantage of the remaining time to sharpen their knives, brush their teeth, and wash their faces with the water from the sink. They discussed their next moves and then went to bed.

During this time, an awkward incident occurred. Shenchi accidentally pressed a button on the bed, causing it to vibrate violently.

Although the bed was 2.4 meters long, it was round, and with Cao Kun's height, there were small gaps on both sides. Shenchi, with his pregnant belly, lay on his left side.

The sudden violent shaking made both of them jolt. Cao Kun instinctively grabbed Shenchi to steady him, bringing them very close.

The bed continued to vibrate, and they realized it was a vibrating bed, making the atmosphere somewhat awkward.

Cao Kun couldn't help but say something crude: "I never thought my first time using such a bed would be under these circumstances."

Shenchi: "..."

Shenchi fumbled to unplug the power cord.

Author's note:

Zhang Shouli: Thankfully, they didn't get carried away; otherwise, the noodles would have gone to waste.

Thank you to the little angels who provided nourishment for me:

Aling 40 bottles;

Kaze 1 bottle;

Bingyingz 1 bottle;

Love you all, mwah~ (づ￣3￣)づ