The Walk-in Closet Safehouse CH5
Chapter 5: The Vending Machine
A long night passed, and dawn finally broke. Cui Ye woke up on the padded bench in her Walk-in Closet, feeling wealthy with a grand total of five gold coins. Her first move was to check the three items refreshed for today:
[Today’s Items: Spiked Club (5 Gold Coins), Master Key (2 Gold Coins), Hemostatic Bandage (1 Gold Coin)]
Aside from the bandage that had appeared yesterday, there was a weapon and a support tool.
Spiked Club: Durability 100. Swinging it increases player strength.
Master Key: Function is as described in the name.
Cui Ye was currently lacking a weapon, but the 'Spiked Club' clearly wasn't suitable. It was too bulky to carry and far too conspicuous—anyone would guess it was a product of the game at a glance.
Besides, she wasn't particularly strong. Even with a boost, she’d likely only be on par with an average man. Carrying it would just slow her down and negate the effects of her leopard print thermal leggings.
The 'Master Key' would only be useful in specific situations and wasn't a necessity. As for the bandage, she hoped she wouldn't need it—at least not today—because she was about to head out to buy bottled water. She just prayed the shops outside were still operating normally.
Since no 'Food Voucher' had refreshed, Cui Ye boiled a pack of instant noodles with extra toppings for breakfast, using up one bottle of mineral water. Looking at her last remaining bottle, she couldn't help but feel anxious. Fortunately, after discovering the water source issue last night, she had found two 500ml bottles of soda water to tide her over.
Her infection level would definitely rise during this trip, and she still hadn't found a way to lower it. She had to minimize her exposure to the rain as much as possible.
To be safe, she planned to wait for the Safe House placement cooldown to refresh before heading out. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't until her stomach was bulging at lunch that she finally felt full. To prevent her Talent from draining her energy too quickly while she was out, she stuffed two packs of biscuits into her backpack.
She had assumed 'Food Vouchers' were a fixed item, but it turned out they weren't available every day. This was incredibly unfriendly to new players with high-consumption Talents; she’d never imagined she might actually face the possibility of eating herself to death or starving.
She checked the Safe House interface as usual. All stats remained stable, and the indoor environment was still "Normal," but she felt the air wasn't quite as dry as it had been initially. Perhaps she was just getting used to it?
Once she was sure the Safe House was fine, she turned to the five pieces of clothing that had refreshed today: one thermal vest (which she put in the winter wardrobe with yesterday's down jacket), two skirts (unlikely to be used, shoved into a corner), one set of underwear, and finally—a single, multicolored Christmas sock?
[Christmas Sock: Wearing it on your foot increases movement speed. Hanging it on the wall allows you to receive a 'Christmas Gift' the following morning (Note: Adult wishes are ineffective)]
Cui, the Adult: "Tsk."
"Whatever, as long as it's useful." Cui Ye looked at this unexpected bonus, and her mood finally brightened. She was already looking forward to seeing what would appear in the sock tomorrow morning. The daytime temperature had dropped to 19°C, so wearing thick socks wouldn't be an issue.
She found a pair of thin summer socks to wear first, then pulled the Christmas sock over her left foot. Out of caution, she changed into a pair of brand-new rain boots. Because of the rainy season, every household had stocked up on waterproof gear; Cui Ye was no exception. Since she took the subway to work and had to walk a fair distance, she had plenty of boots, raincoats, and protective masks.
If I find a face mask or a toothbrush in that sock tomorrow morning... well, waste is a sin.
It was still raining heavily outside, though slightly less than earlier that morning. However, the wind had picked up by lunchtime. Cui Ye scrolled through the neighborhood group chat while shoveling self-heating hot pot into her mouth. Last night, the police had gone to Building 7 to check 702—the unit next to the neighbor who had called them.
According to the neighbor in 703, the responders weren't regular police, but SWAT in bulletproof vests. Not long after they broke down the bachelor’s door, gunshots rang out. He hadn't dared to look, but when he checked this morning, the neighbor’s door was boarded up with a "No Entry" notice posted on it. It was chilling. The 703 family was already considering moving in with their younger son for a while.
But compared to 703, the residents of the 16th floor were even more desperate to leave. Two men were dead, and the woman was seriously ill.
The officers who handled it yesterday had come by for questioning, but the elderly couple was too busy grieving their son, and the daughter-in-law had been rushed to the hospital with a high fever.
The officers seemed used to the scene; they worked fast. Once they confirmed there was no immediate danger, they didn't pry. They simply took the two horrific corpses away and cleaned the blood from the hallway. Even when people opened their doors to toss out trash this morning, the pungent smell of disinfectant still lingered.
Cui Ye felt bad about what happened in 1601, but she had done everything she could. She couldn't save everyone. Saving the woman was already a stroke of luck. Her priority had to be her own survival before she could worry about anyone else.
Now, she was facing a new test.
In the living room, Liu Yue and Wang Zhiqiu were discussing how to finish today’s mission when they saw Cui Ye emerge from her bedroom, fully geared up with a backpack.
Liu Yue immediately asked if she was going out for a mission. "Are you heading out? Sister Wang and I were just wondering if we could just go next door to swap supplies to finish the 'Obtain Supplies' task. The game says 'outdoors,' but leaving the apartment should count, right? People in the group chat are talking about it. We were going to wait for the rain to let up before heading out with umbrellas. It’s coming down too hard right now."
Beside her, Wang Zhiqiu pointed at her phone. "Did you see the official announcement this morning? They’re telling us to stay home, seal the windows and doors, and keep the indoors dry to reduce the risk of 'falling ill.' Which illness do you think they mean?"
The official didn't say it outright, but Cui Ye knew. Last night was likely the breaking point for the first wave of patients. Monsters hadn't just appeared in their complex; they were everywhere. This morning, social media was flooded with "Water Monster" trending topics.
Gory photos were all over the internet. The authorities weren't censoring them—there was no point anymore. If the sound of the rain hadn't masked it, the sound of gunfire in C City would have likely lasted all night. The "Game" and "Apocalypse" topics remained at the top of the charts.
She wasn't the only one who had killed a monster last night and learned their name. Gradually, people were realizing the virus was spread through water and moisture.
As long as people were alive, they had to breathe and drink. Total isolation from water vapor was impossible, let alone the pervasive dampness. Even though Cui Ye was armored in a full-body raincoat and a protective mask, she felt the moisture invading the moment she stepped out of her Safe House and her rental unit.
Her dry clothes grew damp, and her infection level ticked up. There was no effective way to block the virus in the short term. Even stuffing everyone into Safe Houses wouldn't be enough.
Cui Ye shared her discovery from the bathroom last night: "My infection level went up instantly. I’m not just going out for a mission; I need to buy as much bottled water as I can while the rain is still manageable."
Wang Zhiqiu hadn't expected her to have figured this out so early. Actually, they had suspected it too, but they were instinctively avoiding the thought. If Cui Ye was right, the end of the world truly was here.
Liu Yue opened her mouth to speak but lost her voice for a second. She avoided the previous topic and asked why Cui Ye thought the rain was "manageable."
"It’s a downpour, and the wind is up. Can’t you see?" She pointed at the slanted sheets of rain slamming against the living room window. The patter-patter against the glass hadn't stopped. Cui Ye saw it, of course, but the "rain" she was talking about wasn't what was falling from the sky—it was the water accumulating on the ground.
Cui Ye checked the clock and explained quickly, "At this rate, the city's drainage system will fail soon. The water level will keep rising, and the humidity will be worse in low-lying areas. The subway will stop running, and cars will be ruined. If we don't go out for supplies now, we might not get another chance."
And the danger wasn't just the dampness—it was those "Water Monsters." Given the name, those things wouldn't be afraid of water. The more water there was, the more dangerous it would be for players.
She had said enough. Everyone makes their own choices. She had the final insurance of her Safe House and didn't want to expose it yet. She didn't need a traveling companion.
Cui Ye’s words left the room in silence. Liu Yue’s hands shook, spilling coffee onto her sleeve. The hot water for that coffee had come straight from the tap. She hadn't bought any bottled water, and neither had Wang Zhiqiu.
After one night, both of their infection levels had tripled. Someone online had posted that a "Healing Potion" appeared in today's random shop, which could lower infection by ten points in one go.
They couldn't imagine how much their infection would spike if they did a round trip in this rain. They decided to wait for a break in the weather to try their mission and hope for a lucky shop refresh tomorrow.
Under their gaze, Cui Ye shut the door. The moment she stepped outside, the moisture hit her. She didn't dare linger and hurried to the elevator. Downstairs, she found the complex grounds already flooded up to her ankles. She was worried about the subway; though her phone said it was running, several stations were already closed. Fortunately, those stations weren't on her planned route.
Inside the subway station, sandbags were piled high. People were queuing for security, though civilians were the minority; most were armed personnel in military-grade waterproof gear. At five-foot-five, Cui Ye blended in easily, though her sky-blue waterproof backpack drew a few curious looks when people realized she was a girl.
Cui Ye ignored them. After passing the thermal scan at the security gate, she sprinted toward a train that was just pulling in, sliding through the doors at the last second. She found an empty seat.
At the same time, her infection level refreshed. It was at five percent—faster than she had anticipated. It seemed she should start praying for a Healing Potion too.
As if in answer to her prayers, an old, red vending machine suddenly appeared at the end of the carriage to her left. It looked dusty and inconspicuous, yet completely out of place. If she hadn't witnessed it appearing out of thin air, she would have thought the C City Subway had just taken on a new vendor.
As her gaze locked onto it, a new game prompt appeared:
[Congratulations, Player, for discovering a Random Shop. All players are welcome to spend!]
Chapter Notes:
A long night passed, and dawn finally broke. Cui Ye woke up on the padded bench in her Walk-in Closet, feeling wealthy with a grand total of five gold coins. Her first move was to check the three items refreshed for today:
[Today’s Items: Spiked Club (5 Gold Coins), Master Key (2 Gold Coins), Hemostatic Bandage (1 Gold Coin)]
Aside from the bandage that had appeared yesterday, there was a weapon and a support tool.
Spiked Club: Durability 100. Swinging it increases player strength.
Master Key: Function is as described in the name.
Cui Ye was currently lacking a weapon, but the 'Spiked Club' clearly wasn't suitable. It was too bulky to carry and far too conspicuous—anyone would guess it was a product of the game at a glance.
Besides, she wasn't particularly strong. Even with a boost, she’d likely only be on par with an average man. Carrying it would just slow her down and negate the effects of her leopard print thermal leggings.
The 'Master Key' would only be useful in specific situations and wasn't a necessity. As for the bandage, she hoped she wouldn't need it—at least not today—because she was about to head out to buy bottled water. She just prayed the shops outside were still operating normally.
Since no 'Food Voucher' had refreshed, Cui Ye boiled a pack of instant noodles with extra toppings for breakfast, using up one bottle of mineral water. Looking at her last remaining bottle, she couldn't help but feel anxious. Fortunately, after discovering the water source issue last night, she had found two 500ml bottles of soda water to tide her over.
Her infection level would definitely rise during this trip, and she still hadn't found a way to lower it. She had to minimize her exposure to the rain as much as possible.
To be safe, she planned to wait for the Safe House placement cooldown to refresh before heading out. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't until her stomach was bulging at lunch that she finally felt full. To prevent her Talent from draining her energy too quickly while she was out, she stuffed two packs of biscuits into her backpack.
She had assumed 'Food Vouchers' were a fixed item, but it turned out they weren't available every day. This was incredibly unfriendly to new players with high-consumption Talents; she’d never imagined she might actually face the possibility of eating herself to death or starving.
She checked the Safe House interface as usual. All stats remained stable, and the indoor environment was still "Normal," but she felt the air wasn't quite as dry as it had been initially. Perhaps she was just getting used to it?
Once she was sure the Safe House was fine, she turned to the five pieces of clothing that had refreshed today: one thermal vest (which she put in the winter wardrobe with yesterday's down jacket), two skirts (unlikely to be used, shoved into a corner), one set of underwear, and finally—a single, multicolored Christmas sock?
[Christmas Sock: Wearing it on your foot increases movement speed. Hanging it on the wall allows you to receive a 'Christmas Gift' the following morning (Note: Adult wishes are ineffective)]
Cui, the Adult: "Tsk."
"Whatever, as long as it's useful." Cui Ye looked at this unexpected bonus, and her mood finally brightened. She was already looking forward to seeing what would appear in the sock tomorrow morning. The daytime temperature had dropped to 19°C, so wearing thick socks wouldn't be an issue.
She found a pair of thin summer socks to wear first, then pulled the Christmas sock over her left foot. Out of caution, she changed into a pair of brand-new rain boots. Because of the rainy season, every household had stocked up on waterproof gear; Cui Ye was no exception. Since she took the subway to work and had to walk a fair distance, she had plenty of boots, raincoats, and protective masks.
If I find a face mask or a toothbrush in that sock tomorrow morning... well, waste is a sin.
It was still raining heavily outside, though slightly less than earlier that morning. However, the wind had picked up by lunchtime. Cui Ye scrolled through the neighborhood group chat while shoveling self-heating hot pot into her mouth. Last night, the police had gone to Building 7 to check 702—the unit next to the neighbor who had called them.
According to the neighbor in 703, the responders weren't regular police, but SWAT in bulletproof vests. Not long after they broke down the bachelor’s door, gunshots rang out. He hadn't dared to look, but when he checked this morning, the neighbor’s door was boarded up with a "No Entry" notice posted on it. It was chilling. The 703 family was already considering moving in with their younger son for a while.
But compared to 703, the residents of the 16th floor were even more desperate to leave. Two men were dead, and the woman was seriously ill.
The officers who handled it yesterday had come by for questioning, but the elderly couple was too busy grieving their son, and the daughter-in-law had been rushed to the hospital with a high fever.
The officers seemed used to the scene; they worked fast. Once they confirmed there was no immediate danger, they didn't pry. They simply took the two horrific corpses away and cleaned the blood from the hallway. Even when people opened their doors to toss out trash this morning, the pungent smell of disinfectant still lingered.
Cui Ye felt bad about what happened in 1601, but she had done everything she could. She couldn't save everyone. Saving the woman was already a stroke of luck. Her priority had to be her own survival before she could worry about anyone else.
Now, she was facing a new test.
In the living room, Liu Yue and Wang Zhiqiu were discussing how to finish today’s mission when they saw Cui Ye emerge from her bedroom, fully geared up with a backpack.
Liu Yue immediately asked if she was going out for a mission. "Are you heading out? Sister Wang and I were just wondering if we could just go next door to swap supplies to finish the 'Obtain Supplies' task. The game says 'outdoors,' but leaving the apartment should count, right? People in the group chat are talking about it. We were going to wait for the rain to let up before heading out with umbrellas. It’s coming down too hard right now."
Beside her, Wang Zhiqiu pointed at her phone. "Did you see the official announcement this morning? They’re telling us to stay home, seal the windows and doors, and keep the indoors dry to reduce the risk of 'falling ill.' Which illness do you think they mean?"
The official didn't say it outright, but Cui Ye knew. Last night was likely the breaking point for the first wave of patients. Monsters hadn't just appeared in their complex; they were everywhere. This morning, social media was flooded with "Water Monster" trending topics.
Gory photos were all over the internet. The authorities weren't censoring them—there was no point anymore. If the sound of the rain hadn't masked it, the sound of gunfire in C City would have likely lasted all night. The "Game" and "Apocalypse" topics remained at the top of the charts.
She wasn't the only one who had killed a monster last night and learned their name. Gradually, people were realizing the virus was spread through water and moisture.
As long as people were alive, they had to breathe and drink. Total isolation from water vapor was impossible, let alone the pervasive dampness. Even though Cui Ye was armored in a full-body raincoat and a protective mask, she felt the moisture invading the moment she stepped out of her Safe House and her rental unit.
Her dry clothes grew damp, and her infection level ticked up. There was no effective way to block the virus in the short term. Even stuffing everyone into Safe Houses wouldn't be enough.
Cui Ye shared her discovery from the bathroom last night: "My infection level went up instantly. I’m not just going out for a mission; I need to buy as much bottled water as I can while the rain is still manageable."
Wang Zhiqiu hadn't expected her to have figured this out so early. Actually, they had suspected it too, but they were instinctively avoiding the thought. If Cui Ye was right, the end of the world truly was here.
Liu Yue opened her mouth to speak but lost her voice for a second. She avoided the previous topic and asked why Cui Ye thought the rain was "manageable."
"It’s a downpour, and the wind is up. Can’t you see?" She pointed at the slanted sheets of rain slamming against the living room window. The patter-patter against the glass hadn't stopped. Cui Ye saw it, of course, but the "rain" she was talking about wasn't what was falling from the sky—it was the water accumulating on the ground.
Cui Ye checked the clock and explained quickly, "At this rate, the city's drainage system will fail soon. The water level will keep rising, and the humidity will be worse in low-lying areas. The subway will stop running, and cars will be ruined. If we don't go out for supplies now, we might not get another chance."
And the danger wasn't just the dampness—it was those "Water Monsters." Given the name, those things wouldn't be afraid of water. The more water there was, the more dangerous it would be for players.
She had said enough. Everyone makes their own choices. She had the final insurance of her Safe House and didn't want to expose it yet. She didn't need a traveling companion.
Cui Ye’s words left the room in silence. Liu Yue’s hands shook, spilling coffee onto her sleeve. The hot water for that coffee had come straight from the tap. She hadn't bought any bottled water, and neither had Wang Zhiqiu.
After one night, both of their infection levels had tripled. Someone online had posted that a "Healing Potion" appeared in today's random shop, which could lower infection by ten points in one go.
They couldn't imagine how much their infection would spike if they did a round trip in this rain. They decided to wait for a break in the weather to try their mission and hope for a lucky shop refresh tomorrow.
Under their gaze, Cui Ye shut the door. The moment she stepped outside, the moisture hit her. She didn't dare linger and hurried to the elevator. Downstairs, she found the complex grounds already flooded up to her ankles. She was worried about the subway; though her phone said it was running, several stations were already closed. Fortunately, those stations weren't on her planned route.
Inside the subway station, sandbags were piled high. People were queuing for security, though civilians were the minority; most were armed personnel in military-grade waterproof gear. At five-foot-five, Cui Ye blended in easily, though her sky-blue waterproof backpack drew a few curious looks when people realized she was a girl.
Cui Ye ignored them. After passing the thermal scan at the security gate, she sprinted toward a train that was just pulling in, sliding through the doors at the last second. She found an empty seat.
At the same time, her infection level refreshed. It was at five percent—faster than she had anticipated. It seemed she should start praying for a Healing Potion too.
As if in answer to her prayers, an old, red vending machine suddenly appeared at the end of the carriage to her left. It looked dusty and inconspicuous, yet completely out of place. If she hadn't witnessed it appearing out of thin air, she would have thought the C City Subway had just taken on a new vendor.
As her gaze locked onto it, a new game prompt appeared:
[Congratulations, Player, for discovering a Random Shop. All players are welcome to spend!]
Chapter Notes:
- "Adult wishes are ineffective." (成人许愿没用): It implies that the "magic" of the Christmas Sock follows traditional folklore rules—only "children" get what they want. Adult players has zero control over the RNG (random number generation) and can't influence the reward through intent.
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