I Built an Inn at the End of the World

The shop had thin cotton thread (1 Koi Voucher for 10 rolls). After A Miao placed small branches around the vegetable field, Qian Zhenzhen wove them into a simple net to keep birds away.

Working together, they were highly efficient. By sunset, they had properly organized the entire vegetable field.

Qian Zhenzhen decided to reward her employee, asking while cleaning the tools: "What would you like for dinner?"

A Miao thought for a moment and answered: "Scallion oil noodles."

Emmm... We've had scallion oil noodles for two days straight, aren't you tired of them?

"I can make other things too. How about chicken soup noodles?"

There were still some chicken soup packets left from last time—4 packets for 10 Koi Vouchers. Though they contained only bits of chicken meat, they were very flavorful.

Bang! Bang!

Suddenly, gunshots rang out from the north.

A Miao's expression changed instantly. He quickly gathered the remaining tools and pulled Qian Zhenzhen back to the wooden cabin.

The gunfire continued for a long time, drawing closer before finally stopping. Someone must have encountered mutant beasts while crossing through the forest on the opposite bank, resulting in a fierce battle.

The inn still had the "Lost Traveler's Light" BUFF active—perhaps guests would be arriving?

Qian Zhenzhen thought to herself.

However, since they were armed, caution was necessary. She decided to observe the situation first.

They closed both the front and back doors, hiding behind half-drawn windows to watch outside.

After nearly an hour, as the sun set, a faint white light appeared from behind distant trees.

...

"Brother Xia, do we keep going forward?"

Lu Qin nervously scanned their surroundings, afraid that beasts might suddenly charge out. She couldn't understand why Xia Chang insisted they continue forward.

Xia Chang said: "The riverbank has no cover, it's not safe."

Lu Qin didn't question further. As a member of the wandering team, she always trusted the captain's judgment.

Song Ziyi covered his eyes, in too much pain to cry out loud, only able to whimper softly in his throat, constantly gasping.

Soon after, a large dark shadow appeared vaguely behind the trees ahead. Lu Qin startled and shone her flashlight toward it. "What's that?!"

It was a pointed-roof wooden cabin, surrounded by chevaux de frise, with sharp spikes pointing outward to defend against external threats.

Xia Chang breathed a sigh of relief and urged his team members: "There must be people inside, let's go over."

Song Ziyi grimaced in pain but still managed to quip: "We should at least observe first! What if there's some murderer inside..."

Just as they walked halfway around the chevaux de frise, the lights inside came on. All three called out in unison: "Is anyone there?"

As soon as the words fell, click, the door opened.

A girl wearing a yellow sweater walked out, warmly waving to them: "Hello there!"

Song Ziyi stopped gasping, staring with his uninjured eye, shouting: "Am I dreaming? Where did this beauty come from?"

Xia Chang narrowed his eyes, looking toward the back where he saw a wooden pole at the doorway with a business sign hanging on it, written in fluorescent pen: "Open for Business."

And on the south wall was a vegetable field, where some green sprouts could be faintly seen in the light from inside the house.

Only then did he smile: "Hello, we'd like to come in and rest, would that be alright?"

"Of course, welcome!"

Qian Zhenzhen responded, opening the small gate in the chevaux de frise wall to welcome the three guests inside.

Their information had already appeared in the system:

[Xia Chang (Male) [B+]

Profile: As the captain of the RCQY wandering team, this 28-year-old possesses keen intuition and decisive judgment, making him an undisputed leader. However, when it comes to strangers, winning his favor is not easy.

Preferences: Tea drinks/White fungus and wolfberry soup/Early to bed and early to rise

Specialty: Politics

Note: He seems to be looking for someone.]

[Lu Qin (Female) [B+]

Profile: Member of the RCQY wandering team, 26 years old. The year she graduated from university, she witnessed her family being torn apart and killed by zombie hordes. Her teammates are her support; she doesn't want to lose anyone.

Preferences: Fruit/Noodles/Rock music

Specialty: Logistics

Note: She seems to be looking for someone.]

[Song Ziyi (Male) [B+]

Profile: Member of the RCQY wandering team. Though he acts mature and carefree, he's actually only 16, not even an adult yet. How did a 13-year-old boy escape from school and survive until now when the apocalypse came? Only he knows.

Preferences: Weapons/Meat products/Interesting toys

Specialty: Combat

Note: Today is his birthday.

He seems to be looking for someone.]

After reading their information and quickly glancing at the three, Qian Zhenzhen matched the names to faces. The only female team member was naturally Lu Qin. The tall, refined one was Xia Chang, and Song Ziyi was the one with the boyish face and unshaven stubble.

"My surname is Qian, I'm the owner of this inn." She warmly introduced her inn and led them inside the wooden cabin.

Xia Chang swiftly surveyed the surroundings and introduced his team: "Hello, Owner Qian. I'm Da Xia, and these are my teammates, Little Qin and Little Song."

The curtain at the kitchen doorway lifted, and a tall, thin boy walked out. He had black hair with curled ends that looked like little wool tufts on a sheep, but his eyes were gray-gold, and his features were more defined than most people's.

—A Beyinian.

The three team members exchanged glances.

Seeing him, Qian Zhenzhen quickly said: "A Miao, guests have arrived. Do you remember what I taught you?"

A Miao nodded and walked up to the three.

He was very tall, half a head taller than Xia Chang, and his clothes didn't quite fit—the long sleeves of his jacket had become three-quarter length, and his track pants were hiked up, revealing pale ankles.

He looked at each person in turn, studying their features, and only after examining all three did he slowly say: "Hello, welcome."

"Hello, please excuse me." Xia Chang was blocked by him and gestured behind himself, "My teammate is injured, we'd like to treat him first."

"Make yourselves at home." Qian Zhenzhen pulled A Miao aside, instructing him to take down the sheet from the kitchen doorway and store it in the attic.

The wandering team walked to the dining table. Lu Qin opened her backpack and expertly took out cleaning solution. Xia Chang spread a towel on the table, pulled Song Ziyi's head down, and began washing his injured eye area.

Howls echoed through the living room as Song Ziyi cried in pain, "Damn! I'm blind, I'm blind!"

"Blind my foot!" Lu Qin twisted his ear and scolded, then applied medicine and bandages. "You're lucky, it only hit your brow bone, your eye isn't injured."

Song Ziyi finally relaxed. "That's good then, hehe..."

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Qian Zhenzhen was making dinner.

She lit the charcoal stove, put on a frying pan, and when the oil was hot, added chopped scallion whites and greens in sequence.

Sizzle—

Oil bubbles churned, moisture drawn out by high heat, and when the scallions met the golden hot oil, a distinctive fragrant aroma immediately spread through the air.