Apocalypse: System of lotteries



Wasteland.

The woman staring at the man, the man looking at the woman.

"Do I look good?"

"..."

Both the man and woman opened their mouths at the same time and then looked at each other in silence. After a moment, they both started laughing.

"I thought you were dead."

"Looks like I've disappointed you."

The man and woman walked towards each other, stopping when they were 1.512 meters apart. They both removed their masks and scarves at the same time. The woman looked at the man carefully, "You seem to have gained a little weight."

The man glanced at the woman, "Alice, you seem to have filled out a bit too."

"..."

The woman's smile faded, and she gazed at the man with drooping eyes, "Even if it's a compliment, next time, try not to compliment a woman like that."

"Uh~ alright."

As Ming spoke, he conjured up a two-seater couch from his warehouse. After sitting down, he invited the woman to sit.

[Your frogs have hopped off on their journey. Da Vinci tells you to seize the opportunity and not let her slip away like last time... Foodie regrets a bit, if Merlin's poison was still around~]

[Merlin takes a look at the woman before her and thinks her body is strong and capable of enduring hardship, not worse than Clos~]

[Foodie carries Merlin, bouncing around. It finally understands why Merlin is still single. It's not because of the poison, it's because she always treats others like lab rats... It tells Merlin, you need to learn to appreciate other 'people'~]

[Merlin tells Foodie, that's why I poison them first, then I appreciate whether they can endure or not. If they can't, we'll go our separate ways. I can't be visiting a grave every day~]

"Your little ones are as adorable as ever."

Alice took out two ice creams, handing one to the man beside her. "I bought these from an ice Elementalist. They're 2 gold coins each. Don't mind the appearance, they taste quite alright~"

Ming accepted the treat and found it to be full of tiny ice granules, with a few crushed wild fruit bits mixed in. It looked rather poor.

"The third chapter has been going on for a month, and the acid rain has continued for so many days. Many people are afraid to consume their reserves. Additionally, with many large forces hoarding resources, ordinary people are finding it harder and harder. Fire Elementalists are becoming cooks, water Elementalists are opening bathhouses. Of course, there's much more than just that."

Alice took a lick off the ice granules. "Not everyone can be compared to you. In most people's eyes now, you are a very mysterious figure. Some people even worship you as a god. You knew that, didn't you?"

"I didn't know. I'm busy every day~"

Ming leaned on the sofa, finding it difficult to look at the 'ice cream'. He really couldn't eat it. There was even a strand of hair in the ice granules. Clearly, that ice elementalist wasn't very clean.

Mainly because every time his chef made a meal, there would be some dessert ice cream, which was much better than this. This... was hard to swallow.

"You're certainly busy. Others have never seen what an Emperor-level looks like, and you've already killed an Epic and wiped out two Cryptics. By the way, which one is more formidable, Cryptics or Epics?"

Alice smoothed back her long hair, which was blown to her cheeks by the wind, and looked at the man with her blue eyes.

Ming thought for a moment, and said seriously, "They all died at my hands, so there's no difference."

"Uh~ that's true~."

Alice nodded, looking at the man beside her and smiling, "People from 109 said you were dead. How are you alive again?"

"Well, how should I put it~"

Ming saw the woman finish her ice cream and quickly took out a glass. He poured the ice cream from his hand into the glass, brought out a coffee pot, poured it into the glass, creating an iced coffee, and handed it to the woman. "Try my handiwork~"

"Uh~ thank you."

"You're welcome."

Ming waved his hand dismissively. Someone gave him ice cream, he gave back iced coffee. It was a nice exchange. Seeing the woman take a sip, he finally sighed in relief, "The thing about them saying I'm dead is complicated. You just need to know I'm not dead, the process isn't important."

"Mm~~ that's true~"

Alice glanced at the man. Indeed, you're still the same. Not a bit has changed.

Holding the iced coffee to relieve the heat brought by the scorching sun, she asked, "What are your plans for the future?"

"Try not to starve myself to death."

After Ming finished speaking, he leaned back on the sofa, looking at Alice. "As a saintess, you probably don't have to worry about what we ordinary people worry about."

"Hehe~"

Alice chuckled, "Since the zones migrated and merged, the population has been increasing and the forces are getting stronger. My position as a saintess is becoming less and less necessary, so I am now quite free."

"Mm."

Ming nodded. This was the law of capital. When something has value, it is exploited to the limit, when it has no value, it is discarded. Of course, Alice's own abilities determined that she wouldn't be that miserable.

"The hardship of the apocalypse is just beginning."

As Alice spoke, she too leaned back on the sofa like Ming. "Here's a friendly reminder. Don't reveal your identity now and even more so in the future. I feel like the rules are targeting you again and again, perhaps they're targeting you elsewhere too. It's best if you listen to me."

"Mm, thanks."

Ming nodded, then said, "By the way, do you know any architects? If you do, could you introduce me to them? I have something I need to do, and, I can offer a generous reward."

"Architect?"

Alice closed her eyes. "I do know one. He was an elite before the apocalypse, now he's an earth Elementalist. How should he contact you?"

"Let him contact my secretary 'The Lone Girl, Clos'. I'll find him later."

"Secretary?"

Alice tilted her head to look at the man. "We haven't seen each other in so many days, and now you have a secretary?"

Ming nodded, "She's quite good-looking."

"~"

Alice puffed out her chest.

Ming took a glance, "Not worse than you."

"~"

Alice leaned back on the sofa again, taking a deep breath. Shit~

For a while, the two fell silent, only the gentle breeze blowing across their faces, accompanied by the sting of tiny grains of sand.

"When did you become a vet?"

"I'm involved in biological research, you wouldn't understand even if I explained~"

"Indeed~ The bar for scientific research isn't so high these days~"

"By the way~"

Ming suddenly thought of something, "How did you know my real name? Can you see through me?"

Alice chuckled, "I have a talent similar to your Eagle Eye, but just now neither of us could see through each other. Did you get another talent similar to my [Sacred Light Protection], allowing you to hide your own information?"

"Mm, I do have one..."

Ming nodded. Suddenly, he remembered an important task and summoned Alia, ordering it to survey the mineral resources in this area.

Upon seeing this, Alice immediately stood up and took out her city return scroll, "I have to go now~ The third chapter is about to end, and I have a lot of things to prepare."

"Not going to chat a bit more?"

"No, I'm afraid  that going do hard work"

"Alright then, by the way, if you ever need a job in the future, you can come to me."

"Goodbye~"

"Hold on, before you go, could you help me write a few wooden signs~"

"~"