Dimensional Storekeeper
Chapter 178: Dying? Just Walk Into the Store

Chapter 178: Dying? Just Walk Into the Store

Now, the boy found himself far removed from that grim place. The air here was clean and fresh, the floor beneath him cold but not unpleasant.

He could faintly smell blood, probably his own, but when he looked down at his body, the injuries were gone!

No wounds, no bruises, nothing but smooth, unbroken skin.

A sudden thought struck him hard, tightening his chest.

His little sister. Shu’er!

Was she okay?

He twisted his upper body in a rush, eyes scanning wildly for the one face he needed to see.

Until finally, he spotted her lying on the floor nearby, with a black-haired young man and a red-haired girl crouched beside her.

“Shu’er!”

A raw urgency broke through as the boy pushed himself upright without effort.

His body responded with perfect ease. No pain. No strain. It felt as though he had woken from a nightmare into a dream.

He wasn’t just okay – he felt incredible!

Strong. Energized. Overwhelmingly so.

The sudden lightness caught him off guard. He stood too fast and nearly stumbled, unaccustomed to the fluidity of movement.

Had someone replaced his battered body with a new one while he was unconscious?

He rushed toward her.

‘She has to be alive. She has to be.’

However, just as he was about to reach her, the black-haired young man suddenly turned around and raised a hand.

“Don’t worry.” the man said casually.

“She’s fine now. Just sleeping.”

Hao gave the boy a light smile, as if this sort of thing happened every day.

“This little girl’s body was in rough shape, but everything’s been taken care of. She’s just in a deep sleep. After some rest, she’ll wake up on her own.”

The boy stopped in his tracks.

His heart said run forward, hold her hand, make sure she was breathing.

But his mind wavered at the man’s words. Still, he couldn’t help it.

He stepped closer, his eyes locked on her small frame. His hands trembled slightly, and then – he lunged forward, reaching out with both hands, intending to grab the man’s shoulders and shake him.

“Is it true? Are you sure she’s – ”

But before he could touch him, his wrists stopped midair.

Both his arms were frozen in place, caught in an iron grip far stronger than it looked.

He blinked and looked down.

A pair of small hands gripped his, firm and unmoving.

Red hair.

He followed the trail upward, until he met her gaze.

The red-haired girl stood between them like a wall of ice.

“Don’t randomly lay your hands on my boss.” Mo Xixi said coldly.

The boy flinched slightly at her tone.

Then the man – her ‘boss’ – reached over and gently tapped her shoulder.

“It’s fine, Little Xixi.” Hao said, smiling. “Thank you.”

Mo Xixi didn’t say anything more, but she slowly released the boy’s hands and stepped aside, her expression still guarded.

The man turned his attention back to him.

“That little girl.” Hao said, pointing with a slight nod.

“Is she your sister?”

The boy nodded, almost reflexively.

The man smiled again. Not wide. Just enough to feel real.

“Then you can rest easy. What I said earlier is true. She’s healed. No injuries left, not even a scratch. She just needs some time to sleep it off.”

He waved his hand like he was shooing away the tension in the air.

“Calm down first. You’ve both been through a lot.”

The boy felt his heartbeat begin to slow.

Not completely. Not yet.

But he could breathe again.

He swallowed hard, his throat dry. His gaze dropped to the floor for a moment, shame creeping up his spine.

He’d almost attacked the man who’d just saved him and Shu’er. His protective instincts had overridden his sense, and now he stood before them, a nobody with nothing to offer, yet indebted beyond measure.

His fists clenched briefly, then relaxed. He owed them more than a reckless outburst.

The boy straightened. “My name is Zhi. This… this is my little sister, Shu’er.” He gestured toward her sleeping form.

“I’m sorry for… earlier. I didn’t mean to come at you like that. I just – ” He paused, jaw tightening.

“She’s all I have. I had to be sure.”

He pushed past it, forcing himself to meet Hao’s gaze.

“Young master, were you the ones who healed us? Me and Shu’er? If you did… I need to know what you want in return.” His tone was cautious, almost guarded, as if expecting a price he couldn’t pay.

Years of hardship had taught him nothing came free, especially not miracles like this.

“Yup, that was us. Saved you two from the brink, patched you up good as new.”

“As for what we want?”

“Nothing. Nada. Zilch.” Hao shrugged.

Zhi blinked, his brows furrowing. “Nothing?!”

He didn’t understand the other two words – totally, unfamiliar to him.

His observant nature kicked in, searching Hao’s face for any hint of a lie, any trace of ulterior motive.

People didn’t just help without expecting something – power, loyalty, or worse. His hand twitched again, instinct urging him to stay on guard.

Hao caught the look and chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I get it, kid. You’ve been through hell, and trust’s hard to come by.”

“But I’m serious. You happened to wander into my store, and we were here to help. I don’t know what brought you to this place, but it seems our paths were meant to cross.”

“There’s no debt between us. We chose to help, simple as that.”

“Right, Little Xixi?”

Mo Xixi crossed her arms and turned away with a “Hmph.”

“Just… take better care of your little sister from now on,” she muttered, her cold tone barely masking her concern.

Zhi stood there, stunned. His mind, still struggled to accept their miraculous recovery.

Just moments ago, they had been at death’s door, and now they were completely fine.

He had been certain their story would end there.

Tears welled up in his eyes, streaming down his face before he could stop them.

‘The cat god must have guided us here.’ Zhi thought, remembering the black cat’s mysterious whispers in his mind.

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