Chapter 23: Forewarning
"As long as they don't come to make trouble, they're free to apply for ID cards."
Chu Jiangyue wasn't the type to endure insults meekly - if the people sent by the base didn't meet her standards, she wouldn't give them any friendly treatment.
"Don't worry Boss Chu, we'll definitely inform our superiors and have them send someone easy to talk with."
"Let me be clear upfront - if they make me unhappy, the hotel reserves the right to blacklist them.
Those on the blacklist will be permanently banned from entering Jianglin Hotel."
After all, they were from City B's safety base, so Chu Jiangyue made sure to explain the blacklist policy clearly beforehand.
Otherwise, it would be ridiculous if someone got blacklisted and came demanding explanations later.
"Rest assured Boss Chu, we'll make sure the leadership understands this clearly."
Thinking about Chu Jiangyue's blacklist policy, Ling Feng's expression grew more serious.
"Boss Chu, I just heard you mention food being sold here - may I ask what kind and how it's priced?"
He Yan beside Ling Feng had kept in mind what Chu Jiangyue said about food being available here since he first heard it.
Now that the friend list's communication function was confirmed, he brought it up.
"Steamed buns, meat buns, and pak choi - the pak choi is fresh."
Chu Jiangyue answered casually.
Since the hotel rooms had never been fully occupied, no new food options were unlocked, leaving only these three choices for the past two days.
However, with unlimited supply available, none of the hotel guests had shown dissatisfaction.
Outside, except for sealed packaged food, most other edibles had already rotted and become inedible.
After this period of searching, very little food could still be found outdoors.
Though limited in variety, Jianglin Hotel's few food options could at least fill stomachs.
In this apocalypse, filling one's stomach was the most crucial matter.
"Steamed buns!"
"Pak choi!"
"Meat buns!"
"Boss Chu, you're not joking, are you?"
Even in the base, such food items were extremely rare.
"Why would I lie to you? There's no gold in it for me."
Chu Jiangyue directly raised her hand, tapped open the food section on the virtual screen above the counter, then selected the staple foods and vegetables categories, letting them browse for themselves.
"Tap here to input the quantity you want, swipe your ID card here to pay, and the items will appear before you."
Ling Feng immediately followed Chu Jiangyue's instructions and bought a steamed bun.
The moment he swiped his card, a steamed bun materialized out of thin air on the counter.
His ID card balance was simultaneously deducted by 20 copper coins.
At this point, no one doubted Chu Jiangyue's words anymore.
This was yet another huge surprise.
Ling Feng even felt that this Jianglin Hotel was like a beacon of hope in their post-apocalyptic world—seeing the light meant seeing hope.
Chu Jiangyue didn't care what they thought; as long as they contributed to her revenue, they were good people in her eyes.
Eager to report back about Jianglin Hotel, Ling Feng and his two companions hastily purchased some steamed buns, meat buns, and bok choy before leaving.
Soon after Ling Feng and the other two left, several students who had returned to their rooms to settle in came out.
Seeing Chu Jiangyue at the front desk, they greeted him one after another: "Good evening, Boss Chu!"
"Good evening, Boss Chu."
...
Chu Jiangyue nodded slightly in response, showing no particular reaction to their appearance.
"Boss Chu, we'd like to buy some food."
When they were trapped in the underground parking lot and rescued by Shen Zhigui and the others, they had almost no supplies with them.
Now that they were settled, their stomachs began to protest.
However, on their way here, Shen Zhigui and the others had mentioned that food could be purchased at the hotel.
"Feel free to help yourselves; don't mind me."
After saying this, Chu Jiangyue, concerned that his presence might make them uncomfortable, stood up from his seat and left Building No. 1.
Meanwhile, Ling Feng and the other two, after leaving Jianglin Hotel, ignored their injuries and hurried back as fast as they could.
The few Level 1 zombies that Chu Jiangyue had tied up were now nowhere to be seen, and they quickly left the area of Shengshi Huadu.
"Boss, who should we report this to after we return?"
The matter of Jianglin Hotel is too important. If they approach the wrong person, they might indirectly offend Boss Chu.
Don't underestimate Boss Chu just because she's a young girl. Anyone who dares to run a hotel alone in the apocalypse can't be simple.
Offending Boss Chu would definitely be a bad idea.
"Go directly to the Base Commander."
Ling Feng doesn't know much about other leaders, but he's certain the Base Commander genuinely cares for all the residents.
The other two always follow Ling Feng's lead and rarely object to his decisions.
Jianglin Hotel.
「Host, I have a feeling we're about to welcome a new group of guests!」
As long as Ling Feng and his team spread the word in B City Safe Base, some will believe them and brave the extreme heat to come.
And once they arrive, Little Fox believes the hotel can make them stay.
After all, this is the only "paradise" completely unaffected by the scorching weather outside.
Hearing the little fox's words, Chu Jiangyue also smiled. As long as the people in this base weren't fools, they should know what to do.
Chu Jiangyue walked along the stone path of the Jianglin Hotel, soon reaching the edge of the hotel.
『Little fox, why do I feel like the surrounding land is becoming increasingly desertified?』
Chu Jiangyue hadn't paid much attention earlier, but now, standing at the edge of the Jianglin Hotel and seeing the starkly contrasting colors of the land inside and outside, she frowned slightly.
「Host, Blue Star has already entered the apocalypse era.」
So, no matter what happens, it's all possible.
Chu Jiangyue pressed her lips together. This apocalypse has truly brought humanity a catastrophic disaster.
The little fox said nothing more, standing on Chu Jiangyue's shoulder, its nine tails swaying in the wind.
At this moment, a zombie staggered past Chu Jiangyue, but completely unaware of her presence due to the protective barrier of Jianglin Hotel separating them.
Whether it was Chu Jiangyue's imagination or not, she couldn't shake the feeling that these gradually desertifying lands were slowly rising.
Some lower-lying villas were already being submerged by the encroaching desertification.
The extreme heat and desertifying lands truly left no chance for human survival.
However, after watching for a while, Chu Jiangyue turned her gaze away.
Rather than wallowing in sorrow here, it would be better to upgrade the hotel sooner to accommodate more people.
Chu Jiangyue walked back to her two-story wooden cabin - the first floor contained the living room, kitchen, dining area and toilet, while the second floor housed her bedroom, study, walk-in closet, and a bathroom connected to the bedroom.
＊
Ling Feng and his two companions traveled at full speed, and it wasn't too far from Jianglin Hotel to the B City Safety Base.
The three of them hurried along and finally arrived at the B City Safety Base by 11 PM.
Since Ling Feng was injured, he had to be quarantined in a separate room for 24 hours upon returning to the base to ensure he wouldn't turn into a zombie before being released.