After the zombie virus outbreak, my boyfriend of six years traded me to a shelter just to get himself in. Just as despair consumed me, a cold voice echoed in my mind. “Ding! Host, you have successfully bound to the Apocalypse Spa System. Please actively complete tasks to redeem rewards.” Six months ago, the zombie virus swept across the globe. Communication networks crumbled, resources dwindled, and the human living environment became severely polluted. Due to the initial outbreak, I had a habit of stockpiling supplies. My boyfriend and I survived the early days of the apocalypse thanks to my stash. Once our last bit of supplies ran out, we had no choice but to venture out in search of a shelter. I thought we’d found hope, but it turned out to be a trap. As a condition for entry, my boyfriend, Caleb, didn’t hesitate. He traded me. I heard stories. Before me, that “shelter” had already discarded over a dozen women, their bodies battered and bloody, after they’d been… used. I frantically escaped the shelter, hiding in an abandoned factory. Caleb and the shelter’s people searched relentlessly for me. “Boss Victor, don’t worry. She’s just an ordinary girl, no powers. She can’t have gotten far.” I huddled inside a discarded paint drum, biting my lip hard, my body trembling, not daring to make a sound. Tears streamed down my face. Six whole years. From college sweethearts to building a life together. The man who swore to protect me forever was now dragging me straight to hell. I couldn’t even feel the heartbreak anymore. My immediate problem was figuring out how to survive. I was terrified of being found by the shelter’s people, and equally terrified of the zombies roaming outside the factory. I could only curl up, frozen in place. As my consciousness faded, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly rang out in my mind. “Ding! Host, you have successfully bound to the Apocalypse Spa System. Please actively complete tasks to redeem rewards.” I was completely dumbfounded. “What system did you say?” The mechanical voice in my mind spoke again: “Host, it’s the Apocalypse Spa System. In short, you will operate a spa in the apocalypse with the assistance of this system.” “Now, please name your spa.” A spa? Those words felt both intimately familiar and utterly alien. In the apocalypse, when even basic necessities like food and clean drinking water couldn’t be guaranteed, taking a bath was an unbelievable luxury. Just staying alive was a miracle. Who would dare to dream of quality of life? “Then let’s call it Utopia Spa.” If I could truly operate a spa in this apocalypse, for someone like me, who grew up loving those big, luxurious spas, it’d be my personal paradise. “Ding! Utopia Spa successfully named. Now issuing Host a Newbie Welcome Pack: Administrator Room and First Floor Spa Area unlocked.” As the system’s voice faded, a magnificent, golden building suddenly rose from the ground in the heart of the city. A flash of white light blinded me. When I opened my eyes again, the stench of decay was gone. Before me was a lavishly decorated lobby. A glittering crystal chandelier, opulent leather sofas… I instinctively pinched my thigh. *Ow!* Not a dream! The decor, the vibe… it screamed luxury spa. A *super* luxurious one! “All supplies within Utopia Spa are unlimited. The Administrator has permanent free access. Please proceed to the Administrator Room to verify your identity.” I followed the system’s prompts and found the Administrator Room. Pushing open the door, I saw a spacious, brightly lit room. The closet was stocked with all sorts of daily necessities. Before I could even be surprised, the voice in my mind spoke again: “Administrator identity verification successful. Utopia Spa is officially open for business. Utopia Spa offers absolute safety, capable of shielding against all natural and man-made disasters. Now granting the Administrator a five-consecutive-draw grand opening bonus. Please accept.”
“Congratulations, Host! You have drawn: one automatic bread vending machine, one automatic beverage vending machine, one automatic instant noodle vending machine, one medical kit, and ten sets of clean clothes.” As soon as the system finished speaking, I rushed to the vending machine, scanned my face, pulled out a loaf of bread, and devoured it. I was starving. I hadn’t eaten a single bite since escaping the shelter. After quickly filling my stomach and chugging a bottle of water, I finally felt human again. “Ding! Host task: Please serve one guest and successfully persuade them to purchase a membership card. Task reward: First Floor Fruit Buffet and Second Floor Sauna & Hot Stone Bath areas unlocked.” The system’s voice rang out. I froze. This was the apocalypse. Where was I supposed to find a guest who’d want a membership card? But then I thought of the fruit buffet and the hot stone bath… A membership card. I *had* to get a membership card. My KPIs had to be met! Before that, though, there was one other thing I needed to do. I wrinkled my nose, smelling the paint fumes still clinging to my hair, then glanced at my clothes, so dirty their original color was unrecognizable. I decided a shower was in order. Just like the luxurious spas I remembered, the shower area was stocked with all sorts of free toiletries. The moment the showerhead sprayed hot water, I closed my eyes in pure bliss. A *hot* shower! Such a luxury was unimaginable in the apocalypse. A moment later, I spoke, a little shyly, “System, do you have a scrub mitt?” “Yes, Host. Would you prefer the gentle type, regular type, or heavy-duty type?” I looked down at myself, feeling my face flush. “Uh, let’s go with the heavy-duty one.” After changing into clean clothes, I leaned against the front desk, waiting for my first guest. Sometimes, a few zombies would shuffle past the door outside. At first, I was terrified. But gradually, I realized those zombies acted as if they couldn’t perceive the building at all; they didn’t even glance its way. Filled with relief, my courage grew, and I even pulled a stool right up to the door for a closer look. It wasn’t until nightfall that a figure finally stumbled towards the entrance. I focused my gaze. It looked like a person. He paused, startled, when he saw me through the glass door, then his eyes widened in shock as he scanned the building up and down. He seemed unable to believe such a place could exist in the apocalypse. The situation was urgent; the zombies behind him were closing in fast. He had no time to hesitate, rushing up the steps. “Please, open the door!” I snapped my fingers in the air. The door opened automatically. He lunged inside just a second before the zombies could grab his clothes. Strangely, the zombies didn’t follow him in. They simply stiffened for a moment, then mechanically turned and shuffled away. He stared, wide-eyed, almost convinced he was hallucinating. Even though it was all a bit bizarre, he knew he was safe for now. The tension drained from his body, and he collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath. My gaze fell on him. He was covered in dust and bloodstains, his face obscured, but from his build, I could tell it was a man. Oh no, it was a *guest*! I immediately put on my best smile and stepped forward. “Hey there, handsome. Want to sign up for a membership?”
“Where is this place?” Jax looked around, his gaze finally settling on the beautiful woman in front of him. She was tall and strikingly pretty, her red dress making her skin appear as white as snow. He could even catch the faint scent of shampoo from her hair. In this apocalypse, where everything else was ruins, this place defied all logic. They said the prettier the woman, the more dangerous. He instinctively clutched the zombie core in his pocket. He’d risked his life for this; he couldn’t let this woman trick him out of it! “This is Utopia Spa, and I’m the sole Administrator here,” the beautiful woman said, her voice equally pleasant. Utopia Spa? Was it the kind of spa he was thinking of? Jax found it hard to believe. Water and electricity had been cut off a week after the apocalypse began. But this brightly lit, spotless lobby, wasn’t it exactly how he remembered a spa looking? The Administrator seemed to sense his doubt and slowly explained: “That’s right, this is exactly the kind of spa you’re thinking of. We’re open 24 hours. Just one zombie core makes you a lifelong VIP. Zombie cores can be exchanged for points on your membership card, which can be used for all services and products here. One zombie core equals ten points, and the daily entry fee is two points.” He knew that outside, a single zombie core barely bought a stale biscuit. Jax didn’t hesitate. He immediately pulled a zombie core from his pocket and declared, full of swagger, “Sign me up for a card!” He placed the zombie core into the machine at the front desk, then pressed his fingerprint according to the prompts on the electronic screen. The membership card was processed. As the machine spat out the card, a notification sound played. “Beep! Activation successful. Cardholder: Jax, Current Balance: 10 points.” “This facility operates on a self-service model. This card allows you to make purchases at any self-service machine within the spa. This card is for the cardholder’s personal use only and cannot be transferred. Lost cards can be reissued.” “Entry fee: 2 points deducted. Current balance: 8 points. Towels, bath supplies, and toiletries are all included in the entry fee and do not require additional purchase. Please feel free to retrieve them from the sterilization cabinet in the spa area.” Jax clutched the small, golden card in his hand, a wave of emotion washing over him. He’d been so busy surviving and fighting zombies. How long had it been since he’d had a proper bath? “Welcome to Utopia Spa! VIP card in hand, sir, right this way! One gentleman!” The Administrator’s voice suddenly boomed. The loud announcement startled Jax, and he nearly dropped the card.
“System, those lines are so cheesy. Can we stop saying them?” “No, Host. This is standard procedure. Only by actively operating Utopia Spa can you unlock more areas.” This damn system was a pain! “Congratulations, Host, you have completed the task! Task rewards: Fruit Buffet and Hot Stone Bath areas are now unlocked.” All my earlier annoyance vanished. “You truly are the best system ever!” Since the zombie outbreak, I hadn’t eaten fresh fruit. God, I was *so* craving fruit. Tears of pure longing *might* have just started streaming from the corners of my mouth. *Mmm, mmm, mmm…* I was about to tell Jax about the newly unlocked areas, but when I turned around, he was already gone. Whatever. He’d probably see it himself once he went in for his shower. I strode straight to the Fruit Buffet. The buffet counter had a row of windows, each labeled. Watermelon, strawberries, apples, bananas, oranges… and more. Just press a button, and a portion of machine-cut fruit would come out of the corresponding window. All free. A moment later, I was lounging in a massage pool, a fruit platter in hand. I ate watermelon while enjoying the water jets massaging my back. Each piece of watermelon was perfectly cut into bite-sized portions. Eating them with a fork, one by one, was incredibly convenient. (There were special trays by the pool edge to keep things from getting into the water.) I squinted my eyes, every fiber of my being radiating pure bliss. “Ding! Host task: Please serve three guests and successfully recruit two scrubbers. Task reward: Second Floor Buffet Restaurant area unlocked.” The system’s voice suddenly announced. What?! A buffet restaurant area? I was instantly energized. I scrambled out of the massage pool, shoving the remaining watermelon from my plate into my mouth. Used fruit platters went right onto the fruit buffet counter, where a machine automatically cleaned them. At my strong suggestion, the system put up a large sign by the spa entrance. “Huh, your spa is hiring scrubbers?” Jax had just finished his shower, his hair damp, wearing a bathrobe with the “Utopia Spa” logo, and carrying a platter full of various fruits. He looked completely different from when I first saw him. I blurted out in surprise, “Whoa, you’re actually that pale?” Jax froze for a second, then his face instantly flushed bright red.
This was my first time being an HR manager, and I honestly had zero experience. I fumbled for a moment before asking my first question: “Do you have any prior experience as a Human Epidermal Debris Removal Specialist?” Jax stared blankly. “A what now?” He’d never heard of that job before. I calmly explained, “You know, a scrubber. Have you ever done it before?” Jax’s mouth twitched. “No.” I frowned and let out a soft “Tsk.” “But I can learn!” Good. Teachable. “Congratulations, you’re hired.” Jax blinked, surprised. This was the fastest job interview he’d ever had; he got hired after just one question. “So, what’s the salary and benefits like?” He rubbed his hands together, eyes full of anticipation. Such a luxurious place, the pay must be great, right? He’d hit the nail on the head. I gave a dry, awkward laugh. “System, how much should we pay our employees?” The system was silent for two seconds. “Host, please pay attention. We’ve only earned one zombie core since opening. We don’t have money to pay anyone yet.” My words caught in my throat. It made perfect sense. I couldn’t argue with that. “Well, about the salary… we won’t have it in the beginning, but later… Hey, don’t leave!” Jax’s voice was full of resentment. “Boss, do I look like an idiot?” I pursed my lips. “Even if there’s no salary, our employees get free food and lodging here…” Jax immediately slid back on his knees. “Boss, I think I’m perfectly suited for this job!” Right now, countless people couldn’t even get a hot meal or a safe night’s sleep, and who knew when they’d die? To find such a clean, safe job with free food and lodging in this apocalypse? It was beyond amazing. I was a bit surprised by his rapid change of heart. Jax, however, mistook my hesitation and quickly rolled up his sleeve to show me his biceps. “Boss, I might look thin, but I’m an A-rank strength ability user. Scrubbing will be no problem.” I took the hint. “Take a day off. You start work tomorrow.” Great. Half of the scrubber recruitment task was done. Though, a strength-based ability user as a scrubber… I silently lit a candle for the future male guests. To complete the system task faster, I sent Jax out to the nearest base on his first day to drum up business. Just as I thought I’d have to wait a few more days for guests, the main door suddenly rattled with frantic banging. “Is anyone inside?!” “Open up! Help us!” Through the glass door, I saw five people. They were all injured to varying degrees, one of them the worst, leaning on another person, barely able to stand. Blood dripped steadily from his wound. It was an emergency. I quickly opened the door to let them in, then found some medicine from the medical kit I’d received from the system’s lottery, and handed it to them. They gratefully accepted the medicine, thanking me profusely. “You can recover here. There are vending machines over there if you need water and food, you can buy it yourselves.” They had been so focused on treating their wounds that they only now looked around their surroundings. “There are actually vending machines!” “They even have instant noodles here! Hey, how do I open this machine?” I explained the spa’s facilities to them. After a brief discussion, they decided to each get a membership card and immediately bought five days’ worth of entry. I thought the next few days would be peaceful. But I underestimated the ugliness of human nature.
Lying in my Administrator Room, under a blanket and enjoying the AC, I suddenly heard the system’s alarm blare in my mind: “Alert! Detecting malicious resource waste within the establishment. Administrator, please proceed to the lobby immediately to handle the situation.” I arrived in the lobby, shaking with fury at the sight before me. Half-eaten fruits were discarded everywhere on the coffee tables and the floor. Strawberries were missing their tips, watermelons had only their reddest parts eaten… all the fruits were gnawed on for their sweetest bits then tossed. Some fruits had only a single bite taken out of them before being thrown onto the floor. Empty instant noodle cups and bread wrappers were scattered everywhere. There was a large puddle of spilled instant noodle broth on the floor tiles, mixed with banana peels, giving off a strange odor. And the culprits were sprawled out on the sofas. “What are you doing?!” I roared, my voice thick with anger. They merely glanced up at me, not seeming to think they’d done anything wrong. “Just relaxing, what else?” “I’m talking about all this on the tables and the floor! Do you know how many people out there can’t even get a meal, can’t even get a drop of clean water? Why are you wasting food?” I was livid, but they just shrugged it off. “Whether they eat or not, what’s it got to do with us?” “Besides, aren’t these fruits provided free to customers? We like eating them this way, so what?” “We’ve already paid our entry fee. The customer is king! Do you even know how to run a business?” How could people be so shameless? I actually laughed, a cold, angry sound. “This establishment provides free fruit for customers to *eat*, not for customers to *waste*.” “What do you mean?” I pointed at the discarded fruits. “It means exactly what it sounds like. What you *eat* is free. What you *waste*? That’s going to cost you.” As soon as they heard “cost,” they instantly bristled. “You say it costs, and it costs? Why?!” I said icily, “Because this spa is mine. You trashed my property and wasted my food. You’ll compensate me for it.” But they laughed, as if they’d heard the funniest joke in the world. “This is the apocalypse! We’re not paying, what are you gonna do? Call the cops? Hahahaha…” I wasn’t angry at all, because I had the system. “No worries. Your card balance has already automatically paid for your damages. Now, you actually owe me 500 zombie cores. That 500 zombie cores is for medical fees. Based on current prices outside, you’re getting a deal.”
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