Chapter 122: Appointment

From the shabby tent nearby came the sound of a woman’s uncontrollable gasping and a man’s low growl.

A short while later, a man in chainmail crawled out of the tent and tossed some water and food back inside.

Zhang Min glanced at the food. At the Fate Store, such standard provisions cost only five Fate Points. Here, that was all it took for this man to enjoy a young girl’s body. This was the apocalypse—a hell for the weak, a paradise for the strong.

The man stretched, coughed, turned his head, and spat a thick wad of phlegm onto the grass. Lifting his head, he happened to see Zhang Min and the little girl she held. The girl had fair skin, and although her clothes were torn in places, they were clean. She looked as adorable as a doll. The man hesitated briefly before throwing a piece of bread toward them.

The little girl sucked her finger, staring intently at the bread on the ground, her eyes filled with intense desire.

“Mommy~” the little girl tugged at Zhang Min’s clothes.

“Th-thank you!” Zhang Min said, bowing her head with tears of humiliation in her eyes.

Before the apocalypse, Zhang Min was an executive director at a multinational corporation—an elite in society, a person of high status. The disaster had thrown her into the depths of despair.

The man smiled slightly and waved his hand, about to say something, but then his gaze landed on Zhang Min’s face.

He paused, gave a bitter smile, shook his head without a word, and turned to leave.

Zhang Min looked up. There was a deep, bone-exposing scar on her left cheek. Months of surviving the apocalypse, along with this facial injury, made Zhang Min look as frightening as a ghost. Even if she wanted to sell her body, it was impossible.

Picking up the bread, Zhang Min tore it into small pieces and fed them to Niu Niu.

Though starving, Niu Niu didn’t eat ravenously but slowly and gracefully, taking small, lady-like bites.

Looking at her daughter’s sunken cheeks, Zhang Min felt hopeless. She closed her eyes slightly, tears falling in streams.

“Ms. Zhang Min, your resume has caught someone’s attention. Please come with me—someone wants to interview you,” said an NPC named “Nuwa Town Steward” as she approached Zhang Min and spoke quietly.

“Someone is willing to hire me?” Zhang Min looked up, her eyes suddenly lighting up.

With Zhang Min’s qualifications, before the Earth catastrophe, countless large companies would have begged her to join if she wanted to change jobs. But now, in this apocalyptic world, finding suitable work was extremely difficult for Zhang Min. If not for the terrifying scar on her face, she would have considered selling herself to support her daughter.

Hearing that someone was actually willing to hire her, Zhang Min cried with joy.

“Yes, a Blacksmith Shop in town is hiring you as a shop assistant. If you pass the interview, you will get the position.”

Zhang Min quickly ducked into the tent. A short while later, she emerged dressed in professional manager attire, once again showing some of her executive director poise.

Zhang Min took her daughter’s hand and followed the steward toward the town.

Xu Feng stood in front of the Blacksmith Shop, planning future developments. Soon, a middle-aged man in ancient Hanfu attire led a woman and a girl toward him.

“Mr. Xu, hello. This is Ms. Zhang Min,” the town steward said respectfully, bowing to Xu Feng before speaking.

Xu Feng looked up. Zhang Min, in her professional manager outfit, appeared somewhat haggard, but her eyes were bright and full of confidence.

Xu Feng’s gaze first fell on Zhang Min’s face—the deep, bone-revealing scar was horrifying.

“That was caused by an Insect Human’s Bone Blade, wasn’t it?” Xu Feng suddenly asked.

Zhang Min was startled, not expecting his first question to be this.

“Yes. Our family fled from Linhai City and encountered many Insect Humans on the way…” Zhang Min’s eyes dimmed briefly.

“You’ll be in charge of this shop from now on. Do your best,” Xu Feng said.

Zhang Min was taken aback; the young man across from her didn’t seem to have much hiring experience.

Smiling slightly, Zhang Min nodded and said, “Yes, boss.”

Zhang Min had managed large companies, but Xu Feng only assigned her to manage the Blacksmith Shop first, testing whether she had management skills. If she did, Xu Feng had nine more houses and empty plots, as well as an entire village…

“If possible, you will become my chief logistics officer. I hope you won’t disappoint me…” Xu Feng looked deeply at Zhang Min and entrusted her with the management rights of the Blacksmith Shop.

“Congratulations to you both. Your employment contract is established. I’ll take my leave now,” the town steward said with a slight smile, bowed to Xu Feng, and left alone.

“Boss, should we first renovate the Blacksmith Shop, make a signboard, decide on a name, and also start promotions? Hiring a Blacksmith should also be scheduled as soon as possible…” Zhang Min quickly stepped into the manager role, talking nonstop about her plans for the Blacksmith Shop’s future.

Xu Feng was dumbfounded. Both in his past life and now, he was just an office worker earning a little over three thousand a month, sitting at a computer desk writing copy, with no experience managing a company.

Zhang Min had already entered work mode; countless planning schemes flooded her mind. Just as she was full of ambition, ready to take action and talk extensively about her plans, Xu Feng suddenly interrupted her.

“How much will your plan cost? No, how many Fate Points?” Xu Feng asked directly.

“At least thirty thousand Fate Points,” Zhang Min said hesitantly. Thirty thousand Fate Points was an astronomical figure to her, and she also knew that buying a house in this area would start at a hundred thousand Fate Points. Perhaps this slightly inexperienced young man had already spent nearly everything to purchase the Blacksmith Shop and couldn’t afford so many Fate Points. If so, would he be unhappy with her plan?

At this thought, Zhang Min grew nervous. If the other party wasn’t satisfied with her plan, she would become unemployed again and return to the slums outside the town.

“No, maybe… maybe only twenty thousand, or eight thousand Fate Points…” Zhang Min became flustered.

“Here are thirty thousand Fate Points. Please accept them,” Xu Feng said.

Soon, Zhang Min heard the System’s voice in her mind.

“Xu Feng has transferred thirty thousand Fate Points to you. Do you accept?”

Zhang Min dumbly chose to accept. Then she saw her account balance was already thirty thousand Fate Points.

“First, buy a Communicator to keep in touch with me at all times. Notify me immediately if anything happens,” Xu Feng said, glancing at the little girl Zhang Min held, then continued, “I’ve also bought the house next to this Blacksmith Shop. You can live there for now.”

After speaking, Xu Feng transferred the management rights of the bungalow next door to Zhang Min as well.

“Okay, okay.” Zhang Min’s head felt dizzy, as if a pie had fallen from the sky and nearly knocked her out.