Chapter 332: Pure Love

Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Pure Love

Lily Hart rolled out of bed. The headache she’d had from just waking up was now completely gone, leaving her feeling sharp and alert.

Just after washing up and coming downstairs, she opened up the four sides of the RV and saw Sue Sutton sneaking out of the convenience store.

She was even cautiously looking around, as if afraid of being spotted. But what a coincidence.

Their eyes met. Sue Sutton immediately straightened her back, while Lily Hart beamed, her smile tinged with a hint of gossip.

She greeted her, "Hi there, Base Commander Sutton! Fancy seeing you here! Up so early! Didn’t you go back to the base last night?"

Her tone was as natural as if she were catching up with an old friend, but in reality, they had only known each other for three days.

Sue Sutton balled one hand into a fist, held it loosely to her mouth, and gave two light coughs to cover her embarrassment. "Mm, Cynthia got drunk last night. I was looking after her."

"Oh~ Looking after her? Well, thank you so much, Base Commander Sutton. I was drunk last night too, so I couldn’t watch over her," Lily Hart said with a grin.

Her eyes held a hint of ambiguity. As her gaze fell upon Sue Sutton, it made the other woman feel as if she’d been seen right through.

She coughed twice again, hiding her inner fluster, and said with a calm expression, "Well, Boss Hart, I’ll be heading back now."

Lily Hart waved goodbye to her. "See you! We’re heading to Prudence Base today!"

Sue Sutton knew this, but she still turned back to confirm, "Um... are all the shops going together?"

"That’s right." ’So, it’ll be hard for you to see your dear Cynthia again~’

Lily Hart blinked at her. Sue Sutton’s brow furrowed, but she still said nothing and turned to leave.

’Did things not go well last night?’

Lily Hart was wracking her brain when, less than a minute later, Sue Sutton came back.

Her expression was serious, her gaze sincere and solemn. "Boss Hart, I have something to say to you. About... Cynthia Whittaker."

Lily Hart’s eyebrow shot up, a small "I knew it" expression on her face. She cheerfully invited her, "Come, come, hurry up and get on."

The two sat down on the sofa. Lily Hart watched Sue Sutton eagerly, waiting for her to speak.

Being stared at like that, Sue Sutton felt a strange chill run down her spine. In her heart, she quietly slapped a label on her: ’Nosy.’

She organized her thoughts. "Cynthia Whittaker is a good kid. She’s very obedient and a hard worker. I hope Boss Hart can treat her well."

"I will. After all, she’s my person now," Lily Hart agreed.

’Why isn’t she getting to the point? Go on!’

Hearing this, Sue Sutton couldn’t help but fall into a memory. ’Once upon a time, I said those same words to Cynthia...’

Seeing her silent for a long time, Lily Hart asked, "Is it okay if I ask what happened between you two in the past?"

Sue Sutton lowered her gaze, and her first words were a bombshell. "I once... confessed my love to Cynthia Whittaker."

’Whoa, damn. Although I suspected this was a possibility, hearing it from the person herself...’

’...is still a little surprising.’

"And then?" Lily Hart pressed on, the flames of her gossipy heart burning brightly, her eyes blazing with curiosity.

"She... didn’t accept," Sue Sutton said. Although her expression was calm, Lily Hart still caught a trace of sadness in her eyes.

Lily Hart didn’t ask why. Cynthia Whittaker surely had her reasons, or perhaps there were other external factors.

In any case, the two of them didn’t get together.

But that couldn’t be all. Something else must have happened for the atmosphere between them to be so strange.

Lily Hart reached out and patted Sue Sutton’s shoulder. "But I can tell that Cynthia still cares about you a lot."

"I know." Sue Sutton’s lips curved into a smile, one that held a hint of inexplicable confidence.

She couldn’t help but recall last night’s events, and a ripple of tenderness appeared in her eyes, so obvious that even Lily Hart, the bystander, could see it.

Cynthia had held her hand, murmuring softly for her not to leave. She obeyed, sitting by her bed the entire night.

She had slept pillowed on her palm, a sleep more peaceful, more secure, and more comforting than any before.

Recalling this scene, Sue Sutton’s heart filled with tenderness. ’She’s so beautiful when she sleeps.’

Lily Hart saw her dazed look and had a gut feeling that something significant had happened between them last night. When she asked, the answer left her speechless.

After a long pause, she managed to squeeze out, "You two... are so innocent..."

Sue Sutton just grinned foolishly.

The two chatted a while longer. Lily Hart repeatedly promised to treat Cynthia Whittaker well, but she also hinted, both overtly and covertly...

’If you like someone, you have to be brave and go for it! If you’re a coward, you’ll miss your chance for a lifetime!’

Sue Sutton was moved by this and secretly made a decision.

Lily Hart, thoroughly satisfied from getting all the gossip, paced back and forth after seeing Sue Sutton off.

She suddenly remembered they were heading to Prudence Base today. ’No wonder Frost Shaw and the others aren’t here yet.’

’But if we leave, Cynthia Whittaker has to leave too. Will they still have a chance to meet?’

’Whatever. If they’re fated to be, things will work out.’

She quickly set the destination and put the RV on autopilot, leaving behind five automatic scratch-off machines, one basic convenience store, one factory, and one hot pot restaurant.

This was the entire empire she was leaving for Solara Base! She hoped they would like it.

Not long after driving off, Lily Hart discovered that five automatic scratch-off machines wasn’t the limit.

After reaching Level 6, she could place ten automatic scratch-off machines in each base; she just hadn’t noticed before.

She immediately added five more to Solara Base and Steadfast Base each, maxing out their scratch-off machines.

Then she added five to Central Command as well, maxing out its machines. People were already lining up to buy them.

Suddenly, five more machines appeared next to the existing ones. The customers were overjoyed, scrambling over each other to grab the front spots in the new lines.

Afterward, the six bases in Rodington City and Gilden City each got five more machines as well.

No preferential treatment.

After all that, her balance dropped to five digits... But no matter, she’d earn it back quickly.

Duplicating shops, buying machines, buying scratch-off tickets—it all cost a fortune in points!

She spent a lot, but she earned a lot, too.

She didn’t even dare to imagine it: if every base had automatic scratch-off machines, convenience stores, and all the other shops...

With her 20/80 revenue split, how much would she rake in per day? It would be absolutely awesome, okay!

A classic case of short-term pain for long-term gain.

’Wait, it’s not even painful. Eating and drinking every day, looking at handsome guys, selling lottery tickets... you call that ’pain’?’

’This is awesome too!’

Lily Hart got high on her own fantasy again, a contented smile spreading across her face. ’When that time comes, I’ll be able to go wherever I want!’

「Two hours later, they arrived at Prudence Base.」

The convenience store, factory, and other shops had already prepared their goods and were ready to welcome customers.

Because she’d spent the morning gossiping, she’d been delayed a bit. It was already almost eleven o’clock.

Just as the RV came to a steady stop, a group of people happened to rush past in front of it.

Before Lily Hart could even shout, the group flashed past her, moving at an incredible speed.

Unbeknownst to her, they were whispering amongst themselves: "What was that just now? It was kind of dazzling."

"Cut the crap. We woke up late today. If we don’t hurry, someone else will kill all the zombies!"

"Don’t you guys think that thing just now looked a little familiar?"

"What thing? What’s familiar? Can you hurry up? We have to go kill zombies!"

"I remember now! That’s my Light Brain’s wallpaper!"

As he spoke, he lit up his Light Brain screen, which showed a remarkably futuristic RV, shimmering in the sunlight.

One glance, and you couldn’t look away.