Collecting Rent in a Apocalypse World

Ice and Snow 1.2

Ning Xiao tentatively took a step forward. Her stride was steady and strong, feet firmly planted on the snow-covered ground.

Her eyes quickly reddened. She took several more steps, feeling a long-lost sense of health and vitality. 

Ning Xiao, like a mentally ill person, cried and laughed in the snow.

Only when her emotions stabilized did the System once again speak from her mind:

"This is a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by heavy snow. For all 365 days of the year, the weather is nothing but violent blizzards. Most of the city have already been buried by snow, making it impossible for plants and crops to grow. The river surfaces have completely frozen over, and only mutated snow beasts can survive. It's now the eighth year since the apocalypse began, and human survivors have been forced to move from the land to underground shelters. They spend their days without sunlight, surviving in this extreme weather by eating snow beasts meat and purified snow water."

After hearing the System's explanation, Ning Xiao's view of this world changed. She no longer saw it with initial curiosity but with a trace of heaviness.

"If left unchecked, it won't be long before all survivors in this fragment of the world disappear, and the world itself will collapse.Therefore, the host's mission in this world is to rent out houses and save the survivors struggling in the apocalypse."

Ning Xiao nodded. Since she was enjoying the benefits of living her life anew, it was only natural for her to take on this responsibility.

"A new world detection has revealed a welcome package for the host. Would you like to claim it now?"

"Claim it."

The words had barely left her mouth when a shimmering gift box appeared before Ning Xiao, adorned with a red bow.

The box slowly unfolded in front of her eyes, as if it were a 3D effect.

Then, a line of text materialized in her view:

Congratulations, Host! You've earned:

Landlord Igloo x1 (resists all damage)Storage Space x10Landlord's Cart x1 (unlocks with 100 credits)Inextinguishable Spark x1Wooden Stick x1

As the text vanished, Ning Xiao felt a sudden sharp pain in her head. By the time she recovered, she already had a storage space with ten slots.

And all the things she had just obtained, except for the Landlord's Igloo, were quietly waiting in the storage space.

"Why do I need to draw a beginner's pack just to get the igloo I'm living in?" Ning Xiao asked, puzzled. "I'm working for you guys. Don't you usually provide room and board for your employees?"

"Every world's landlord house is given free of charge," the System explained. "To help the host get started, upon arriving at each world, a gift package exclusive to that world will be obtained."

Upon hearing this, Ning Xiao finally relaxed.

Feeling curious, she took everything out of the storage space, one by one, except for the cart.

The Spark looked completely ordinary—just a short black stick. Opening the cap exposed the burning sparks inside; closing it extinguished the fire, but it's said that unless you extinguish it yourself, the fire could burn indefinitely.

As for the wooden stick meant to be used as a weapon, its appearance was even more ordinary. Ning Xiao frowned slightly, a hint of disdain crossing her face.

"Host, don't let its appearance fool you. The stick is incredibly sturdy— it can even shatter the bones of wild beasts."

Ning Xiao's frown vanished instantly.

"Host, feel free to explore your new home."

"Sounds good." Ning Xiao put the spark and wooden stick back into the storage space.

The cart was also in the storage space, but now it was in a gray state, so it couldn't be unlocked.

These three items occupied three slots, leaving seven empty spaces in her inventory.

Guided by the System, Ning Xiao spotted a lone, domed igloo on a flat  open stretch of land. From the outside,  it didn't look very big.

"Host, why don't you go inside and take a look?" As if sensing Ning Xiao's disdain, the System urged her on.

Ning Xiao approached the igloo. Up close,  she didn't see anything special—just a ordinary igloo, even smaller than those she'd seen in the real world. The main door was made of iron, and she didn't know how it was connected. It seemed incredibly solid, and no matter how hard she pulled, it wouldn't come off.