Doomsday Innkeeper

Doomsday Innkeeper CH.7

Upon hearing that, Chen Xue Er pulled two gleaming crystal cores from a small canvas pouch and handed them over to her brother. Jiang Rong simply gestured toward the black disc on the counter and stood waiting in silence.

The crystal cores sank smoothly into the center of the disc the moment Chen Xu dropped them in. Instantly, a digital readout flashed the number *20* for a few brief seconds. Then, a mechanized click echoed from the front desk drawer. Two out of the three blank room cards pushed forward, lighting up with a sleek, dark-gold line across their surfaces. The digital display on each card shifted:

*Balance: 10 Crystal Coins.*

The system had automatically divided and transferred the redeemed crystal coins directly into the room cards. Jiang Rong marveled at the seamless intelligence of the hotel system once more. Behind his passive expression, he had been dreading how to manually divide the currency among the three guests and assign the cards, but the automated interface took everything into consideration, executing the logic flawlessly.

Directly next to the disc, a small palm-sized operating display lit up, revealing the status of the only two unlocked rooms on the floor:

*Room 201: Idle.*

*Room 202: Idle.*

"Boss, check us into both rooms," Chen Xu stated, doing his best to suppress the mounting awe and unease creeping over him in this bizarrely futuristic sanctuary.

Jiang Rong nodded and tapped the glowing glass panel, which immediately walked him through the guest check-in protocol. The system instantly deducted the first day's room fees. The balances on the two active cards dwindled from 10 to 2 coins each. Simultaneously, the master operating ledger in Jiang Rong’s private study updated its balance from 0 to 16 crystal coins.

New administrative data rolled across his small counter display:

*Room 201: Two guests checked in.*

*Room 202: One guest checked in.*

*Active Room Card Balance: 2 Crystal Coins.*

*Room Fee: 8 Crystal Coins automatically deducted daily at settlement.*

Two room cards labeled *201* were ejected from the slot one after the other, followed immediately by a single card labeled *202*. Chen Xu swept up the three cards, masking his surprise as he turned them over in his hands.

"Two cards for one room?" Chen Xu questioned, looking up.

"You each get an individual card, but the guests in 201 will share the remaining balance, daily room fee, and meal allowance," Jiang Rong offered a brief, clinical explanation. "Lost room cards cannot be replaced. The room fee is automatically deducted at the time of daily settlement. If your balance drops below eight crystal coins, both cards will immediately become invalid."

"What else can we use the crystal coins for?" Chen Xue Er asked, her youthful curiosity breaking through her exhaustion.

"Purchasing hot meals from the restaurant, or buying supplies from the grocery store, among other things," Jiang Rong answered.

The teenager's face instantly brimmed with a happy, radiant smile. Jiang Rong tapped the adjacent display screen for the digital grocery store, briefly demonstrating the touch-and-buy interface to show them how it functioned.

"Just make sure you always keep enough of a buffer for the automated daily room fee," he added as a practical warning.

The three survivors nodded solemnly, internalizing the strict economy of the building.

"A few rules before you go," Jiang Rong stated, his voice turning cold as his hand rested near the crowbar behind the desk. "No looting, no fighting, and no entering rooms you don't have explicit permission to enter. You are allowed to bring your weapons inside, but if anyone dares to point one at another person within this hotel, I will permanently revoke your room keys."

"What if we're fleeing from outside enemies?" Zhi Qiang inquired sharply, thinking of the volatile wasteland layout.

"Just swipe your card to get through the entrance first. Once the glass doors slide shut, no one can breach the perimeter without an active room card," Jiang Rong answered smoothly, meeting his gaze. "If your enemy happens to be a registered guest inside, come find me. Whoever makes the first physical move inside this hotel, I will deal with them myself."

The three exchanged a look and nodded in unified understanding.

"Is that all?" Jiang Rong asked. They nodded again. "Walk straight down that corridor, and you'll find the automated restaurant. Your daily room fee includes two basic meals per day. Right now, there are four remaining meals left to redeem across your three cards."

The trio looked toward the darkened hallway but didn't move immediately. "Can we eat right now?" Zhi Qiang asked, his stomach letting out an involuntary rumble.

"Once you've paid for the room, you can eat at any hour of the day, as long as you haven't exhausted your daily meal count," Jiang Rong replied. Remembering a vital detail, he added, "As for water, you can utilize the restaurant's filtered tap for free, or spend your remaining coins to buy bottled water from the grocery store interface."

"Okay," Chen Xu replied.

He led his sister and scout toward the restaurant corridor. As they walked, he pocketed the empty room card for 201 and handed the two cards carrying a balance of 2 crystal coins each to Chen Xue Er and Zhi Qiang.

When they reached the automated dining hall, Chen Xu placed his card against the sleek glowing sensor. The terminal screen immediately illuminated, displaying four basic meal options alongside their remaining daily allowances. Chen Xu selected a steaming bowl of tomato and egg noodle soup. Chen Xue Er chose a hearty potato and minced meat rice bowl, while Zhi Qiang opted for the same noodle soup as his captain.

A few seconds later, a mechanical shutter slid open at the food outlet. Three pristine, steaming trays slid forward, radiating an intense, aromatic fragrance of fresh ingredients that hadn't been smelled since before the collapse. The three survivors froze in absolute shock, staring at the perfectly cooked food as if it were a mirage, nearly forgetting to pick up their trays.

"Xue Er, don't just stand there cluelessly," Chen Xu said, recovering his composure first as he snapped his sister out of her dazed state. "Zhi Qiang, you too. Let's hurry up and eat. We've been traveling on foot for days with empty stomachs. Let's eat properly after such a long time and get some rest before deciding what to do next," Chen Xu muttered, his voice softening as he carried his heavy tray to the nearest table.

"Okay, Brother Xu."

"Okay, Brother."

Zhi Qiang and Chen Xue Er both nodded vigorously, their mouths already watering from the rich aroma of the food.

"It's been such a long time since I've had a proper hot meal," Chen Xue Er murmured happily, setting her tray down on the clean tabletop. The two men followed her lead, sliding into the seats beside her. Although they didn't voice their thoughts out loud like she did, their minds were in complete sync. For the first time in months, they weren't chewing on stale, flavorless rations or looking over their shoulders for a lurking threat. They were safe, warm, and about to eat real food.

After watching his very first guests settle comfortably into the dining hall, Jiang Rong turned away from the corridor. Gripping his trusted crowbar tightly in one hand, he walked up the stairs to the privacy of the second floor.

He entered his study and stood directly in front of the master control display. The screen hummed softly, shifting its layout to show the updated system ledger:

*Crystal Coin Balance: 16.*

*Upgrade Requirement: 500 Crystal Coins.*

*Occupied Rooms: 2.*

*Number of Guests: 3.*

Jiang Rong stared at the "Number of Guests: 3" blinking quietly on the panel, the reality of what he had built finally sinking in. His hotel wasn't just an empty fortress anymore; it was an active sanctuary.

Closing out the primary statistics interface, he pulled up the facility map and began quietly analyzing his next plan. Sixteen crystal coins was a start, but he was still a long way off from the five hundred needed to upgrade the building. If he wanted to expand, draw in more revenue, and secure his own survival, he needed to optimize his current layout and figure out exactly how to draw more survivors to his doorstep without exposing himself to the dangers of the wasteland.