Normally, Gideon hated credit. To him, it was no different from owing money to a bank, something he despised deeply.
It brought back memories of loan sharks banging on his door, demanding his father pay off debts that never seemed to end.
But this was different. This was an emergency.
And when he looked at the benefits the PayLater system offered, his resistance weakened immediately.
[Credit Score: Bronze Tier]
[All items receive a 30% discount]
He checked the server time carefully and felt relieved when he saw the date. It was still early August. The fifth, to be exact.
Plenty of time.
"Alright," he muttered. "Let's get the important stuff."
He went through the shop carefully this time, only selecting items essential for survival and emergencies.
[Gunner Skill]
Allows precise targeting of fatal body parts. Grants proficiency with all firearm types. Increases visual acuity by 50% and extends effective vision range to 50 meters.
[Armor Jacket]
As durable as iron. Capable of withstanding Aberrant attacks.
[Bag of Food]
Contains meals from breakfast to dinner for seven days. Menu rotates daily.
[Infinite Water Bottle]
Provides unlimited drinking water.
[Healing Potion x3]
Restores moderate injuries.
[Bathroom Ticket x1]
Grants access to a full bathroom for one day without time restriction.
Gideon nodded, satisfied. This was more than enough for now.
[Do you want to pay 5000 Love Coins using PayLater?]
"Yes."
[Transaction successful.]
[Purchased items have been transferred to system storage.]
It felt strange committing to a number when he did not even understand how valuable five thousand Love Coins truly were.
Still, he could earn ruby that could turn to Love Coins (LC) by killing monsters, so it should not become a problem anytime soon.
The lights in the bunker suddenly went out, plunging the room into darkness. Gideon smiled faintly. The timing was perfect.
He opened the system again, its glow providing just enough light to see as he selected the bathroom ticket.
[Do you wish to use the Bathroom Ticket?]
He nodded.
[Bathroom Ticket activated.]
[Bathroom access is available for 48 hours.]
A soft light flared behind the television, startling him enough to sit up straight. He blinked several times, making sure he was not imagining it.
A door appeared on the wall, as if drawn by invisible chalk, simple yet unmistakably real. When it opened, warm steam spilled into the room.
Gideon stood up and approached without hesitation.
His eyes widened.
Inside was the largest bath he had ever seen, resembling a vast indoor pool. Warm water flowed gently from dragon-shaped statues lining the walls, steam curling into the air.
"Goddamn…"
He stretched his arms overhead and laughed, his voice echoing.
"YES! I'M ALIVE!"
He tore off his clothes, barely bothering where they landed, and ran forward before diving straight into the water. Red flower petals floated around him as the scent of roses filled his senses.
The warmth soaked into his body instantly, clean and soothing, washing away exhaustion he had not realized he was carrying.
It felt like heaven.
Even in a post-apocalyptic world filled with deserts, monsters, and human filth, Gideon allowed himself to smile.
For now, he was happy.
***
Summer could not stop thinking about the cute guy now sleeping on the top floor.
How was he still that clean after crossing the desert? And amnesia? That part especially bothered her.
"Hah. Bullshit," she murmured under her breath.
Still… he was cute. It was rare for her to meet a man who fit her type so perfectly. Tall, blond, broad-shouldered, sharp grey eyes, handsome, yet somehow still innocent-looking. Even the way he spoke was gentle, polite, and calm.
Summer could not take it anymore.
She slept on the top bunk, rolling over and stomping her feet against the mattress until the entire bed shook, earning an irritated groan from below.
"Oi," she muttered. "Where did you find that man?"
"I told you already. In the Deliric Desert," Freya replied groggily. "I almost got raped. He saved me."
She turned over. "Now stop moving and sleep, Summer. Tomorrow's your hunting shift."
Summer clicked her tongue. "Aren't you curious about him though? You really believe that amnesia story?"
"Well, yeah. He didn't know anything."
"What if he's from the Eden Project—"
THUD!
The bunk jolted violently as Freya kicked the underside of the top bed, making Summer yelp in pain.
"Shut up," Freya hissed. "Don't let Mom hear you talking about that document. She won't like it."
Summer rubbed her side, then grinned. She rolled onto her stomach and leaned over the edge of the bed, peeking down at her sister.
"If you want me to stop yapping, let's go meet Gideon. I wanna see what he'd do." Her eyes gleamed. "Aren't you curious about love and sex?"
Freya's face flushed instantly. "Ugh! We just met him! And I don't think Gideon is that kind of man."
"He's the perfect kind of man, Frey," Summer whispered dramatically. "We're isolated. The men we've met are criminals, savages, rapists, or old guys."
She sighed heavily. "I've had relationships before, you know. I was a total primadonna back then."
Her voice softened. "But now… it's been a week since I even saw a man close to my age."
"But Mom said—"
"Ugh, you coward." Summer suddenly jumped off the bunk, grabbed a flashlight from the side table, and flicked it on. "Stay here if you want to be a virgin forever."
She turned to leave.
Freya panicked and grabbed her hand. "F-fine! I'm coming, okay?"
It was a strange conversation for sisters to have. But then again, this was not a normal world. Everything had been destroyed. Their youth, their future, their sense of safety.
They wanted to feel alive again. To experience something new. Something intimate. Something chosen, not forced.
And Gideon was perfect for that 'new experience'.
They moved quietly up the stairs and into the living room, careful not to make noise. But when they reached the top, Freya suddenly stopped and squeezed Summer's hand.
"Are you sure?" she whispered. "I mean… shouldn't your first time be with someone you love?"
"Well, yeah," Summer replied casually. "We can take it slow. Flirting first, you know?"
Freya hesitated. "But what if he rejects us?"
Summer blinked, then laughed softly. "Are you serious? No sane man would."
She cupped her boobs and jiggled it, whispering with a grin, "At least we should thank Mom for the good genes."
Freya's face burned red, and she said nothing more.
They stepped forward and froze.
Gideon was not on the sofa. Instead, there was a door slightly ajar. A door that should not exist inside the bunker at all.
The sisters looked at each other, nodded, and quietly moved toward it.
When they opened the door, their eyes widened in shock at what lay beyond.