Chapter 7: Level Up

Another good night's sleep.

Charlotte lingered in bed with her soft, fluffy blanket before stretching and drawing the curtains. She then went to the bathroom to wash up.

Half an hour later, she appeared in the lobby.

"Good morning, guests. How did you sleep last night?"

"Good morning, Boss. We slept very well," Harvey smiled and nodded.

A few people in the lobby were sitting on the floor eating breakfast.

Charlotte glanced around and saw that all the types of breakfast in the breakfast machine had been bought twice.

Receiving 84 points first thing in the morning made for a wonderful start to the day.

After warmly greeting everyone, she opened the main door. The team that had been engrossed in their meals looked up at the sound.

The zombies that had filled the streets last night must have been attracted away by other disturbances, leaving only a few scattered ones behind.

Charlotte instructed Bear to clean up while she walked over to the breakfast machine and ordered a serving of steamed dumplings.

With a ding, the meal box was dispensed.

She took it and slowly ate it at the cashier's desk.

For a moment, the sunlight was just right, a gentle breeze wafted through, and the room was filled with the aroma of food.

The team felt a bit dizzy, as if they were dreaming.

When could they be so relaxed, not worried about zombie hordes, sleeping safely, and enjoying such good food?

They didn't want to leave.

Harvey noticed the team's pleading looks and hesitated. They were out here to find supplies, and their families were waiting at the base for them to return with food. They couldn't stay here too long...

He wondered if the boxed meals could be taken away. It was better to ask directly.

"Boss, I'd like to ask if the boxed meals can be taken away?"

Takeaway? Charlotte paused and asked the system.

[Takeaway is allowed. The lunch machine can provide up to 20 meals with a one-day shelf life.]

[The breakfast machine can provide up to 30 meals with a one-day shelf life.]

"Takeaway is allowed, but you can only take 15 meals, and each meal will cost an additional 5 points."

Charlotte, the shrewd businesswoman.

Harvey was overjoyed. He hadn't expected that they could actually buy the meals! Even with the extra 5 points, it was worth it!

"But remember, the shelf life is only one day," Charlotte reminded him again.

"It's okay. We have a space where time is paused," Harvey smiled, indicating that she needn't worry.

Charlotte didn't press further and gave a perfunctory nod.

After discussing among themselves, Harvey and the others pulled out a team-owned level-2 crystal nucleus to recharge Charlotte.

The others quickly finished their food and went to the lunch machine to check prices.

Cumin duck leg rice 17 points, fish-flavored shredded pork rice 16 points, barbecue rice 15 points, Yangzhou fried rice and spicy potato strips both 13 points. Breakfast machine offerings included fresh meat soup dumplings 8 points, egg pancakes 7 points, fried dough sticks and savory pancakes both 6 points, steamed dumplings 10 points.

After some discussion, they ordered 3 servings each of 5 types of lunch meals and 15 breakfast items.

They also paid a 150-point service fee.

Of course, this 150 went straight into her personal account.

Just from the two machines, she earned 333 points.

[Congratulations, the hotel can be upgraded to level 2.]

[At level 2, you can increase the number of rooms, open a private room, and open a breakfast room.]

[Current points: 760]

With the system's message, Charlotte's smile grew even wider, and her gaze toward the team softened a bit.

The team members were also delighted.

A win-win!

This time, not only did they have minimal casualties, but they also completed the task with high quality and could rest for three to four days at the base.

"Boss, can I personally take away a few boxed meals?"

Elsa collected all the boxed meals from her team into the space and, noticing her ample points, also wanted to take a few boxes.

After all, food from before the apocalypse was now rare.

Upon hearing this, others' eyes lit up as they calculated how many meals they could take with their points.

Charlotte poured herself a cup of hot water, gently blew away the steam, and shook her head, "No, only the ones you've already ordered."

It was a joke to let them take away everything and leave her hungry.

Seeing Charlotte's firm stance, the others were disappointed but didn't press the issue.

Harvey instructed his team to clean up the debris and pack up the trash from the bin before bidding farewell to Charlotte.

With the team's task complete, they headed back to the base to deliver their findings while it was still early.

Charlotte smiled and welcomed them to return next time.

Before leaving, Elsa's gaze lingered on the water dispenser. She glanced at Harvey, but ultimately said nothing.

Charlotte noticed her actions but didn't bother to mention it.

She was eager to upgrade and hoped they would leave quickly.

Watching the group eliminate the remaining scattered zombies and disappear around the corner, she eagerly tapped the screen.

[Would you like to start the upgrade?]

"Yes!"

[Upgrading in progress...]

[Please choose the number of rooms: Single rooms 0 (+/-) Double rooms 0 (+/-) Available rooms 5]

After a moment of hesitation, Charlotte decisively chose 4 single rooms and 1 double room.

After confirming, the hotel began to change.

First, the lobby expanded by 5 square meters, the cashier's desk became brand new, the walls were repainted, and the floor tiles were replaced with pristine white ones.

The hallway deepened, adding 3 single rooms on each side. At the end, two paths diverged—one about 10 meters long on the left, and a staircase leading up on the right, with her private room in the middle.

The end of the left path was the original storage room, now transformed into a 3-square-meter space, opposite a public restroom with perfectly fitting doors and no gaps.

There was also a giant ventilation fan, filling the restroom with a fresh orange scent at all times.

Charlotte climbed the stairs. The second-floor hallway was compact, with two double rooms directly across from the stairs, numbered 201 and 202. There was also a door labeled "Breakfast Room."

She tried to open the breakfast room but found it locked. A sign gradually appeared on the door stating: Operating Hours 5 AM - 8 AM, No Service After Hours.

Couldn't even the boss use the back door?

Oh well, Charlotte gave up.

Opening room 201, she found it completely refreshed, even the walls were repainted. Her set of bedding was placed on a nearby double sofa.

She picked up the bedding and looked at room 202. Both rooms were decorated the same, with large, comfortable double beds covered in sea-blue sheets and bedside tables.

A light gray double sofa by the window faced a deep tea-colored coffee table. Opposite was a simple wardrobe, next to a waist-high cabinet with two buckets of instant noodles and two bottles of mineral water.

There was also a small bathroom equipped with a shower.

Charlotte picked up the instant noodles, noting the transparent package clearly stated:

This instant noodle costs 5 points, automatically deducted from your card.

The mineral water was similarly labeled but cheaper at 2 points.

Satisfied, Charlotte nodded and closed the door, returning to the first floor.

She went to check her own room, standing in front of the dark bronze door. Taking a deep breath, she pressed down on the handle, and the door opened smoothly.

Bright, soft light illuminated the room, with the farthest point being a slightly fluttering white sheer curtain. Against the wall was a banana-yellow sofa, and in front of it was a round, creamy-colored table.

The floor was covered with a large, soft carpet in the same color scheme, and the ceiling light was simple and elegant, casting a gentle glow with several hidden spotlights highlighting details.

The focal point was a wooden low cabinet adorned with a simple art piece. Raising her eyebrows and smiling slightly, she took off her shoes and slipped on the slippers provided by the system before walking around the living room.

Though compact, the living room was cozy.

The bedroom had a soft, large bed, a dressing table, and a row of light yellow cabinets along the wall. There was also a tall floor lamp beside the bed.

She opened the wardrobe, finding several outfits for her, including underwear and socks. She placed the bedding she had brought from upstairs inside and turned to the bathroom.

The bathroom was even smaller but still featured a separation between wet and dry areas, with a cabinet beneath the sink holding a pack of toilet paper and a row of various sanitary napkins.

Charlotte laughed, her gaze fixed on the sanitary napkins like discovering a treasure.

The small bathroom also contained an automatic washing machine, with laundry detergent and fragrance beads nearby.

She tried the shower, finding both hot and cold water, her eyes widening in excitement. Quickly, she turned off the water, locked up the store, and went back to find a new set of clothes for a refreshing shower.