C1 CHAPTER1

In the Age of Apocalypse, the once peaceful and verdant Earth, on the cusp of an ecological renaissance, was ravaged by a catastrophic virus, heralding a new, desolate epoch.

In this grim era, nearly 90% of humanity succumbed to the virus, turning into zombies. The survivors, desperate for safety, constructed fortified enclaves known as base cities.

Half a month into his involuntary odyssey in this desolate, perilous realm, Sam Moreels, haunted by the memory of his neighbors' gruesome fate, resigned himself to the stark reality of living in a world teetering on the brink of oblivion.

Roaming the streets in search of sustenance and employment, Sam narrowly escaped death when the proprietor of a prospective workplace, a seemingly benign old man, lunged at him with a ravenous glint in his eye. A fortuitously placed counter, home to the cash register, became Sam's barrier against the newly turned zombie.

Amidst the chaos, a precariously hanging door, its rusty nails giving way, crashed down upon the flailing zombie, neutralizing the immediate danger.

Reeling from the abrupt turn of events, Sam's ears were met with a series of electronic chimes:

"Ding! Abnormal soul body detected. Apocalypse's strongest supplier system activated.

"Ding! First mission announced: [Open a Grocery Store]."

"Mission Brief: Secure a location and establish a new store."

"Deadline: One day."

"Success Reward: Unlock Level 1 Pill Supply Channel."

"Failure Penalty: The System will be destroyed alongside the Host."

"Reminder: As the preeminent supplier of the future, defeat is not an option."

Staring in disbelief, a foolish grin spread across Sam's face. "It's finally happened," he mused, the arrival of the fabled system that every transmigrator anticipated.

Surveying the desolate area, realizing no one would claim this forsaken spot, Sam seized his chance. The shop's owner, now a lifeless zombie that had attempted to make a meal of him, had met a fitting end. It was a twisted form of poetic justice.

"System, I declare this place the site of my new store."

"Ding! Unacceptable. Does not meet the criteria..."

Confronted with the system's fastidious standards, Sam could only muster a wry smile. "In a world so close to its final chapter, is such selectiveness really necessary?" he pondered.

With no other options, Sam rolled up his sleeves and set to work. He dragged the disfigured corpse from the premises, retrieved the toppled cash register, tidied up the counter, and diligently cleared away the remnants of decay and neglect.

Finally, he turned his attention to the enormous door that now lay on the ground. With a herculean effort, he managed to hoist it just enough to prop it against the wall. Then he gathered the only remaining items in the store: bandages. He threaded them through the side holes and secured them to the brackets still anchored in the wall. He used up all the bandages, determined not to become the next casualty of this colossal door.

As he surveyed his handiwork and mopped the sweat from his brow, he wondered aloud, "Is it enough? Can I open the store now?"

"Ding! Barely qualified! [Open a Grocery Store] Mission completed!"

"Ding! Reward obtained: activating level-1 pill supply channel!"

"Level-1 pill supply channel: For every 10 spiritual coins paid, the level-1 pill supply channel will open."

A smile spread across Sam's face; he could finally open the store and begin making money. Speaking of which, he headed over to the still-intact cash register and opened it to discover 70 spiritual coins.

"Even though this store is in the commoner district on the outskirts of the city, we still get the occasional zombie attack," he mused. "I'd better start raking in a decent sum quickly so I can move to the central area. It's not attack-free, but at least it's patrolled by the army."

"System, open the supply channel seven times for the level-1 pill."

"Ding! You've obtained two level-1 Strength Enhancing Pills, two level-1 Blood Replenishing Pills, two level-1 Godly Speed Pills, and two level-1 Energizing Pills!"

"Level-1 Strength Enhancing Pill: Temporarily boosts the user's strength by 500 kg."

"Level-1 Blood Replenishing Pill: Heals the user's injuries."

"Level-1 Godly Speed Pill: Temporarily enhances the user's speed by a significant margin."

"Level-1 Energizing Pill: Replenishes the user's mental energy by a certain amount."

While he was strategizing his market system and figuring out how to display the limited stock of pills, another notification popped up.

"Ding! Level-1 pills must be sold for 1000 spiritual coins each!"

"How can I possibly make sales here? What if we start with a more modest price and hike it up once we've built a loyal customer base?" he proposed.

"Ding! You lack the necessary authority; prices cannot be altered!"

"Ding! New Mission [The First Sale] - Mission Brief: Make a sale and earn your first commission!"

"Deadline: Three Days!"

"Reward: A Seven-Star Awakened Biochemical Guard!"

"Penalty for Failure: System suspension for one year!"

Unable to sway such a... demanding system, he had no choice but to dive into action. He meticulously displayed the pills on the store's front shelf and crafted a sign listing each pill's name and price.

The prospect of snagging that tantalizing reward—a Seven-Star Awakened Biochemical Guard, a true lifesaver in this world—seemed slim.

Since the Apocalypse, humans had slowly begun to unlock their powers. The Awakened, the initial tier of power, ranged from one to ten stars in strength.

Above them were the Evolved, with might that dwarfed the Awakened. There were whispers of even mightier beings, yet in this desolate land, a Seven-Star Awakened was a force to be reckoned with.

Hours ticked by after the grand opening, his voice hoarse from fruitless hawking, when at last a customer strode in. Before Sam could utter a greeting...

"Good Lord, 1000 spiritual coins for one pill? Are you pricing a single pill or the entire shop? The gall of some people!"

Visitors trickled in, more to gawk at the audacity of such daylight robbery than to buy; some snickered, while others lobbed critiques at the vendor.

On the third day, as Sam pondered the daunting task of making that first sale, contemplating a trip downtown to hawk his wares, his musings were cut short.

"Where's the kindly old man who ran this shop?"

A towering figure filled his view, eyes fixed on Sam, awaiting an answer.

"He bequeathed the shop to me and departed."

The man nodded, his attention shifting to the pills. As Sam's mind wandered back to his downtown scheme, he was interrupted yet again.

"What's the caliber of your goods, and what can they do?"

"The Strength Enhancement Pill boosts your strength temporarily, and the Godly Speed Pill does the same for your speed. Plain and simple."

"Can a pill truly be that miraculous?"

Sam's nonchalant nod was all it took. The man picked up a pill, examining it closely, inhaling its scent. The mere fragrance coursing through him was enough to stir his power to life.

The man's eyes twinkled with hope. "Any chance of a discount?"

"Sorry, no discounts, no credit, no loans, no exchanges. We only accept the official spiritual coin price," came the salesman's indifferent reply, prompting a resigned sigh from the man.

Just as Sam was about to move on with his plans, thinking the customer had given up, he was caught off guard by an unexpected request.

"Carrying coins in this wasteland is pointless. I'm looking for a strength enhancement pill and something to give me divine speed."

Even with the cash laid out before him, Sam was in disbelief. Three days had ticked by, and he'd even considered heading downtown to hawk his goods.

Then, the notification chimed: "Ding! Mission Completed [The First Sale] - Reward: Seven-Star Awakened Biochemical Guard!"

A second alert quickly followed: "Ding! For exceeding expectations, the host is granted a chance to draw a lottery ticket."