CHAPTER 205: CHAPTER 205: USING LAST SPECIAL LOTTERY TICKET

After storing away the overwhelming thought of a mountain of basmati rice, Liora stretched her arms once more. She was still lying on her bed in her room, the night silent around her. The flickering interface light softly reflected in her eyes.

"One more to go," she murmured, her tone calm but cautious this time. "Let’s see if luck still likes me or if it’s done showing off."

She tapped the third and final lottery ticket in her inventory.

[Using 1x Special Lottery Ticket...]

The light sparkled and formed a neat card-like shape in midair.

This time, the glow was warm yellow—not grand, not modest, just calm.

The card unfolded and revealed the result.

[Congratulations! You have received: "Essential Goods Supply Store – Tier I"]

A multi-purpose retail store designed for daily use inside civilian bases. Provides basic tools, household items, hygiene products, bedding, and simple clothing. Residents can use base currency (contribution points) to exchange for items. Supports self-checkout systems and automatic stock monitoring.

Default Inventory Capacity: 2,000 items

Product Categories: Tools, Basic Clothes, Shoes, Utensils, Soap, First-Aid Kits, Blankets

Bonus Effect: Increases Civilian Happiness by +5% passively

Management: Fully automated / Optional manual override

Staff Needed: None (System AI Controlled)

Status: Buildable—Choose location to begin deployment.

Liora raised her brows slowly.

"A supply store?"

It wasn’t flashy like the training building. Not jaw-dropping like 1 million kg of rice.

But as she read the details, she realized something. This was exactly what they needed.

She had food, water, shelter, and medicine, and now she could offer her people the things that made life normal.

Clean clothes. Soap. Toothbrushes. Repair kits. Even warm blankets for the cold nights.

Her expression softened. A different kind of satisfaction rose inside her chest.

She imagined a mother finding new shoes for her growing son. An old man finally replacing his worn-out blanket. A young girl brushing her hair with a proper comb again.

Things that didn’t seem grand.

But things that meant the world to survivors who had lost everything.

She tapped the screen again.

"Deploy it near the residential zone, next to the convenience store."

[Command Received. Deploying "Essential Goods Supply Store – Tier I"...]

In the dark, silent base, another gentle light shimmered into view.

The night was still quiet when Liora stepped out of her house. The air had cooled, brushing gently against her skin as she walked down the steps. After hours of silence and sleep, the base felt peaceful, like the world had paused just for her.

She walked past the Base Management Hall, crossed the open courtyard, and headed toward the convenience store. Her footsteps echoed softly under the moonlight.

Just behind the convenience store, the space she had selected earlier now shimmered with faint construction light. And within just a few minutes of issuing the build command, the structure was already done.

Unlike the massive training grounds, which had taken a full hour to settle and activate, this building was completed in less than five minutes.

By the time Liora reached it, it stood quietly in place.

It wasn’t grand or imposing. In fact, it looked almost modest, a smooth rectangular structure made of polished gray panels and light wood trims, with soft lighting at the doorway. Above the entrance, a signboard softly glowed:

[Essential Goods Supply Store]

Liora placed a hand on the door and gently pushed it open.

A light chime greeted her.

The store’s interior was minimal, clean, and well-lit. Racks and shelves were neatly installed along the walls and center aisle. Most of them were completely empty, but ten shelves were stocked.

T-shirts folded into tight squares. Pants arranged by size. Clean leather boots in neat rows. Toothbrushes and small tubes of frost cream sat in baskets. Blankets rolled and tied with ribbon. Soap and shampoo bottles, all labeled and sealed. Everything had a place.

She stepped further in, her footsteps silent on the polished floor.

But the emptiness struck her. Only a handful of items filled the space. Everything else... was waiting.

Liora opened her system interface and accessed the store panel.

[Essential Goods Supply Store – Inventory Interface]

Grids displayed across the screen in clean rows. Each one represented a product slot.

Out of the possible 100 grids, only 10 were filled.

[✔] Basic Cotton T-Shirt—Stock: 500

[✔] Durable Work Pants—Stock: 500

[✔] Standard Boots—Stock: 500

[✔] Fleece Blankets—Stock: 500

[✔] Toothbrush—Stock: 500

[✔] Frost Cream – Stock: 500

[✔] Soap – Stock: 500

[✔] Herbal Shampoo—Stock: 500

[✔] Dishwashing Bar—Stock: 500

[✔] Stainless Steel Cup—Stock: 500

The rest of the grid slots remained empty, locked behind faint gray barriers. When she tapped one, a system notification appeared.

[Locked Item Slot]

This product category has not been unlocked.

Unlock Conditions:

• Complete related development missions.

• Discover new products through trade or exploration.

• Purchase from the Base Mall (if eligible).

• Meet base-level requirements for specific product types.

"So these are the only things available right now," Liora muttered as she studied the stock numbers. "And each item has a quantity of 500... That should be enough for the early demand."

The store didn’t require staff—it ran on full automation. Residents could walk in, check availability, and purchase items using their base points.

It was neat, organized, and self-sufficient.

Liora closed the system screen and looked around the physical space once again.

Just like the inventory panel had shown, each shelf matched the digital layout.

T-shirts of different sizes. Pants rolled and tagged. Boots in boxes labeled by number. The hygiene section had neatly stacked baskets of toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, and even the little frost cream tubes meant for skin irritation.

One shelf held stainless steel cups, their metallic shine catching the light. Another near the door had the rolled-up fleece blankets.

But everywhere else... empty racks waited.

"It’s like a skeleton," she whispered to herself. "Only bones. The rest... I’ll have to fill."

Even so, there was something comforting about it. These weren’t weapons or machines. They weren’t for battle or defense.

They were for life. The most essential things are warm clothes, soap, and toothbrushes for basic hygiene.

Things people hadn’t been able to use properly in a long time. Things they would now find here—without fear, without begging, without trading favors.

They just had to walk in. Like normal people.

Liora turned and walked back to the door, standing in the entrance for a moment.

The store was simple. But for her... it was beautiful.