Chapter 3: Upgrading the Cabin, Profiting Greatly from Renting!

"What did you say?" Shen's father stared incredulously at the daughter he had just brought home, unable to believe his ears.

"She told you all to go eat shit," Qiao Jia helpfully repeated for Shen Tong. After all, this human was her top customer.

Blind boxes truly were addictive—especially when everyone else seemed to win something good and you got nothing. All the points Qiao Jia earned today were thanks to Shen Tong. From zero to a hundred and five points, plus a surplus of twenty food blind boxes and ten beverage blind boxes, all because she'd drawn a rocket launcher from her food box.

The system said that most hosts only got daggers or long knives as cold weapons from their starter packs. The open fields were filled with the aroma of food, survivors feasted joyfully, and the family of four could only watch as their mouths watered uncontrollably.

In the past, they wouldn't have spared these things a glance. But now... it was a case of a tiger fallen from grace, bullied by dogs.

No one cared about their internal drama; Qiao Jia focused on inspecting her small wooden cabin. With a hundred and five points, she could finally upgrade it. From level zero to level one, the once empty cabin with only a wooden bed gained a bit of luxury: a table, chairs, a bedside cabinet, and the bed now sported a crude bamboo mat, a grass pillow, and a thin blanket. There was even a partitioned bathroom now—though it was just a squat toilet.

That family, truly, could have something to eat.

Shen's father didn't dare vent his anger at Qiao Jia, but he unleashed it on Shen Tong, berating her for being a disappointment and trying to guilt her for coming home—an attempt at moral blackmail.

No one paid him any mind.

Even Shen Tong herself bought a blind box from Qiao Jia, drew a single-person meal from Kenjiji, and began to eat heartily. The family of four was furious but helpless; their cravings drove them to Qiao Jia, but pride kept them away.

After much internal struggle, they finally approached Qiao Jia with a forced air of superiority to buy food blind boxes.

"Here, two food blind boxes," the young man said, tossing four crystal cores at Qiao Jia, his head held high as though he were bestowing a reward.

"They paid two, you pay double," Qiao Jia replied with a deadpan expression, calmly uttering words that would infuriate the family.

If there's money to be made, why not make it?

"Why should we?!" The family glared at Qiao Jia, demanding an explanation.

"Because I feel like it," she replied. Laughter erupted among the crowd—did they still think themselves chairmen of the board?

"Wake up, madam and sir, hahahahaha—" came mocking voices from the crowd. The family was livid but powerless.

"I want to file a complaint!" The young woman, still oblivious to reality, screeched.

"Go ahead," Qiao Jia said, placing her month-old system puppy in front of them. What energy this family had—they weren't even afraid of attracting zombies.

"It's just four crystal cores! It's not like we can't afford it!" The young man tried to hold back his anger as the crowd jeered.

Qiao Jia accepted the crystal cores, letting them pick their blind boxes as they pleased.

She had more important things to do. Asking the system for paper and pen, Qiao Jia pondered, then wrote a sign to hang on her cart:

[Safe Wooden Cabin - Overnight stay, ten first-tier crystal cores per person, no breakfast, check out before 10 AM.]

[Only one cabin, first come first served for the bed.]

This point needed emphasis.

She was a corpse and didn't need sleep, so she might as well rent out the cabin for crystal cores.

Although it was a single-person cabin, three or four people could squeeze in.

"Safe cabin—is it really safe?!" A sharp-eyed survivor noticed the sign and immediately inquired.

Zombies were hard to kill, but not impossible, and some survivors had a reserve of crystal cores.

"Yes," Qiao Jia nodded. The apocalypse town was successfully registered; as long as she, the mayor, stayed alive, the town would not be destroyed, and the cabin would remain safe.

And since she was already dead, what more could happen to her? She'd exploited a loophole in the main god's system.

"There won't be zombies or other monsters," Qiao Jia said calmly.

The survivors believed her—after all, she could conjure food and rocket launchers out of thin air.

But ten crystal cores... they didn't have that many.

"I want it," Shen Tong, carrying her rocket launcher, handed over ten crystal cores to Qiao Jia, ignoring the family behind her.

After driving all day, she was exhausted.

"Where is it?"

"Just follow it," Qiao Jia replied, pointing to the system puppy, which wagged its tail arrogantly and hopped off the cart, signaling Shen Tong to follow.

"Can you keep this safe for me?" Shen Tong asked, indicating the rocket launcher. She was worried about theft, since the cabin would have other guests.

"Add one more crystal core," Qiao Jia said, holding up a finger.

"Fine," Shen Tong agreed without hesitation. Better to pay an extra core and have peace of mind than spend the night anxious.

The system led Shen Tong into the forest to the cabin, while the remaining survivors with crystal cores weighed their options.

Ten crystal cores was a lot.

Some gritted their teeth and paid, others schemed.

In the end, the fifteen-square-meter cabin was filled with five people, and Qiao Jia pocketed fifty points.

She would save up; once she reached ten thousand points, she'd open the landlord blind box for buildings. Weapon boxes required fewer points, but survivors couldn't afford them; better to invest in real estate.

After all, property has always been profitable.

As long as her town was safe, she'd never lack tenants!

Night fell quickly. The survivors in the cabin went to sleep early, each choosing to deposit their belongings with Qiao Jia to prevent theft.

Everyone was strangers, and their luggage contained their most valuable items—no one could guarantee the morals of their cabin-mates.

The remaining survivors camped near the cabin, hoping for luck.

If the cabin was safe, surely the area nearby would be safe too?

But disappointment awaited them.

For now, Qiao Jia's town encompassed only the cabin, so only the cabin was protected.

Everyone outside was vulnerable.

Qiao Jia was a corpse, the puppy a system; zombies had no interest in them, but the humans outside were a delicious buffet!

Suddenly, screams erupted everywhere.

Qiao Jia heard the cries but paid no mind.

Her exploit wasn't so easily abused.

Amid the pile of luggage, Qiao Jia and the system puppy kept vigil by the blind box cart all night, eyes open, standing until dawn.