Chapter 363: Compromise

Chapter 363: Chapter 363: Compromise

Frost Shaw replied with a string of ellipses.

The residents of Kervan Base were on a lucky streak. Good prizes came one after another—food, weapons, daily necessities, and the like.

Although no one won the grand prize, most of the residents were still quite satisfied.

During dinner, Lily Hart bought five automatic scratch-off machines.

She placed them right next to the vending machines. With ten machines in total, all lined up neatly, they were very conspicuous and eye-catching—the first thing you saw upon exiting the base.

The day had been utterly exhausting—a high-intensity mix of socializing, labor, and communicating with people. At dinner, everyone seemed a bit listless.

Roman Rowe couldn’t help but ask, "Boss Hart, how much longer are these days going to last...?"

Boss Hart wanted to say that she planned to visit every base in all of Cathaya, installing automatic vending machines and automatic scratch-off machines in each one.

’Perfect.’

’They could play scratch-offs and enjoy cheap supplies.’

But seeing the look on their faces, she didn’t dare say it. What if it crushed their enthusiasm?

She could only dangle a carrot, encouraging them, "It’ll be over soon. Once this month is done, things will stabilize."

Everyone glanced at the calendar in unison, then said as one, "But the month just started. Today is only the second."

Lily Hart feigned ignorance. "Oh? Really? I thought it was the middle of the month already."

The others were speechless. They could only console themselves. ’It’s the same no matter where we set up shop, anyway.’

But in reality, it was completely different. If they stayed in one place long enough, the customers would get familiar with the store’s system and the prices of the items.

Customers could come and figure things out on their own, becoming self-sufficient. The staff wouldn’t have to say or explain much at all.

But arriving at a new place was a different story. Every customer had their own questions...

They had to answer, they had to explain, and they had to work much harder. It was exhausting.

They silently calculated how many days were left in the month. At least it gave them something to look forward to.

After dinner, Lily Hart clapped her hands. "Alright, hurry back to work! I’ll clean up here!"

Roman Rowe didn’t want to go back, so he fought to help her instead. Lily Hart shot him several glares, but couldn’t scare him away.

It wasn’t until the table was cleared, the bowls washed, and everything put away in the cupboard...

...that Roman Rowe finally left, albeit reluctantly. He really didn’t want to go back and face those gloomy, injured people.

But he understood. ’Who could be in a good mood when they were sick or injured?’

Roman Rowe helped himself to a pile of snacks from the convenience store. Cradling a full armload, he finally departed in high spirits.

Frost Shaw emerged from behind a shelf just in time to see this and chuckled with exasperation. ’Forget it. That kid... I’ll just let him be.’

They stayed open until ten o’clock. As a yawning Lily Hart was preparing to close up, she saw a familiar figure once again.

This time, he didn’t sneak furtively into the breakfast shop. Instead, he stormed angrily up to the lottery counter.

Simon Keane pointed at Lily Hart, furious but sputtering, "Y-y-you... what kind of spell did you cast? Why do I automatically return here at a certain time!"

He shakily held up a few fingers; he couldn’t even remember how many times this had happened now.

But every day, at this exact time, he would automatically return to the breakfast shop—no matter where the shop happened to be!

It was useless no matter where he went!

This was completely outrageous, a cosmic injustice! He just couldn’t figure it out; he’d nearly driven himself crazy thinking about it!

Lily Hart covered her mouth with her hand and yawned, not particularly wanting to deal with Simon Keane.

"Because you’re bound to the breakfast shop. You can’t leave for an extended period of time without my permission," Lily Hart said, taking a sip of water to moisten her throat.

Simon Keane vaguely recalled those words. Lily Hart had said something similar to him when he’d won the breakfast shop from the scratch-off.

He had been in a daze at the time and had apparently agreed, but now he regretted it!

’I want to leave!’

Simon Keane started stammering again, too embarrassed to admit his regret out loud. "You... I... so, can I still leave or not?"

"Sure you can. Five million points, plus a successor, and you can walk away," Lily Hart said with a nod.

"How much?!" Simon Keane was shocked.

"Five million," Lily Hart said matter-of-factly. ’It’s the system’s rule, I can’t do anything about it.’

Simon Keane felt that he could work here until he died and still might not be able to produce five million points, but this woman was saying there was no other way.

’Am I really going to have to work here until I die?’

’It’s not that I’m unwilling... it’s just that showing my face is risky for me...’

He usually lived a life of hiding and concealment, deliberately making himself look sloppy and unkempt and not going out unless absolutely necessary.

Seeing his attitude soften, Lily Hart couldn’t help but try to persuade him. "If you don’t want to show your face, I won’t force you. But can’t you at least clean yourself up?"

At this, Lily Hart paused. "Actually, forget it. If you don’t want to clean up, don’t. Why don’t you just get a room at the hotel? You can do whatever you want in there. Don’t want to shower? Don’t. Don’t want to eat? Don’t."

Simon Keane’s eyes lit up. That was a great idea. He could just stay in the room the whole time.

Seeing his reaction, Lily Hart pressed on, "Stop hesitating. Yes or no, just say the word!"

Simon Keane was conflicted.

On one hand, there was the five-million-point fee. On the other, his numerous "escape attempts" had all been for naught.

Was he supposed to "run away from home" again every time he returned? He’d die of exhaustion from the endless cycle.

Or should he choose to pay the five million to buy his freedom?

It was a good idea, but he had no money. Simon Keane began to rummage through his cloth sack.

He pulled out several handfuls of Crystal Cores and counted them very seriously. Great. It wasn’t even enough for a down payment.

Dejected, he put the Crystal Cores back into his sack. It wasn’t nearly enough.

"Fine," Simon Keane said, making one last small request. "You have to pay for the room."

"No problem," Lily Hart agreed instantly. It would just be a matter of saying a word to Leo Colby, nothing major.

She knew it. He couldn’t keep running away forever. Sooner or later, he’d get tired. And just as she’d expected, he was already exhausted enough to compromise.

It was getting late, so Lily Hart took him to the hotel to get a room first.

The door was already shut, and Leo Colby was about to head upstairs to bed. Spotting a figure outside, he called out loudly, "We’re closed! Come back tomorrow."

Lily Hart knocked on the door. "It’s me!"

The moment he heard her voice, Leo Colby immediately went to open the door. Seeing it was Lily Hart, his brow relaxed, and he asked softly, "What is it?"

Lily Hart took a step to the side, revealing Old Man Keaton behind her. "Get him a single room."

Leo Colby raised an eyebrow. ’This old man is back again?’ Noticing the exhaustion on Lily Hart’s face, he didn’t ask any more questions and simply nodded. "Alright."

Simon Keane meekly stepped forward and followed Leo Colby upstairs.

"Be good now," Lily Hart called out before turning and leaving without a backward glance. Time to go home and sleep!

She rushed to shower, get ready, and climb into bed!

Before bed, she set the next destination, programming it for a six a.m. arrival on the dot.

While Lily Hart was not checking her Light Brain, another wave of rumors had appeared out of thin air.

Since Lily Hart hadn’t posted anything that day, no one knew which base she had gone to at first.

But gradually, word started to spread that she was at Kervan Base.

Many residents from Kervan Base were also posting online, sharing information about the vending machines and their product prices.