Dimensional Supermarket - Chapter 14

He comes with nothing, but he leaves fully loaded.

With a bundle on his back, Brother Zheng stands under the sun. As the haze dissipates, he feels a surge of strength.

Without a carriage, Lin You can only ride a horse. He no longer coughs and seems fully recovered.

Before leaving, Zhao Er sits on his horse and looks back at the supermarket like a child reluctant to part from his mother.

“Let’s go,” Brother Zheng raises his whip.

The horses have been living well these days—their coats now smooth and shiny, looking more spirited than ever.

Brother Zheng flicks the whip, and with a sound of air rushing, the horse rears up, neighs loudly, and begins to gallop forward.

Lin You bounces on the horse’s back, smiling bitterly as he looks ahead. He knows his backside will hurt again. It’s likely that by the time he leaves the south, he will have trouble walking.

“Immortal, they are gone.” Cao’er’s mother gently knocks on the break room door.

Ye Zhou’s voice comes from inside: “I know.”

“Ask Wu Yan to come in,” Ye Zhou suddenly says.

Cao’er’s mother freezes for a moment, her heart tightening. She has enjoyed being “treated specially” by The Lord Immortal and fears losing that privilege, but she doesn’t dare refuse.

“Yes.”

When she returns to the warehouse, Cao’er’s mother’s face is so dark it seems like dust could be scraped off. She looks at Wu Yan, who is chatting and laughing with his wife, walks over with a cold expression, and says to him, “The Lord Immortal asked for you.”

Wu Yan, smiling, stands up suddenly. His expression changes several times, and his eyes become sharp.

He ignores Cao’er’s mother’s cold demeanor and walks straight out of the warehouse.

“Mother, what did The Lord Immortal want with him?” Cao’er asks quietly as she approaches.

Cao’er’s mother shakes her head slightly, almost gritting her teeth. “Ask The Lord Immortal!” She turns away, walking out of the warehouse.

Cao’er stands there in confusion, muttering, “What’s wrong with Mother today? Why is she so angry?”

At the door of The Lord Immortal’s break room, Wu Yan takes a deep breath. He wipes his hair twice and pats the dust off his clothes before knocking on the door. “Lord Immortal, I’m here.”

Ye Zhou, sitting on the sofa, calls from inside, “The door’s not locked, come in.”

Wu Yan opens the door.

He doesn’t dare to look directly at The Lord Immortal, so he lowers his head as he walks closer. “What are your instructions, Lord Immortal?”

Ye Zhou points to the single sofa opposite him. “I have something to tell you, sit down.”

There are two cups of tea on the small table between them. Ye Zhou smiles at Wu Yan. “Don’t be nervous.”

Wu Yan swallows nervously and sits stiffly across from Ye Zhou, unsure how to move his hands or feet. He just stares at the steaming cup of tea in front of him.

“I need you to do something,” Ye Zhou says, his voice slightly tense. This is the first time he has such close contact with a native other than Cao’er’s mother. He takes a sip of tea, then pauses for two seconds before adding, “This task is dangerous. If you don’t want to do it, I won’t force you.”

Wu Yan trembles, his voice shaking. “Please tell me, Lord Immortal.”

Ye Zhou explains, “I am fated to face a tribulation. This tribulation can be resolved by saving ten million kind souls. It’s easy to save ten million people, but hard to find ten million truly kind ones. I cannot interfere in worldly affairs, so I need you to act on my behalf.”

Wu Yan’s eyes light up, and he raises his head. “Lord Immortal, I’ll go!”

Ye Zhou’s expression grows serious again. “This trip is difficult, and neither you nor I can be certain of success…”

Wu Yan immediately responds, “Lord Immortal, I can do it!”

He is so eager that it seems he could issue a military order right then.

Ye Zhou hesitates, “You’ll be far from home, and I can’t help you. You need to think carefully.”

Wu Yan’s eyes are full of fire, brimming with energy, and his demeanor is resolute. “Lord Immortal, I’m not afraid. If something happens to me, please take care of my wife and daughter.”

Ye Zhou falls silent for a moment. He doesn’t know if he can take the people from the store with him when he leaves this plane. Not wanting to lie to a man who cares so deeply for his family, Ye Zhou shakes his head. “I can’t promise you that. I also don’t know when I’ll leave,” Ye Zhou adds. “Or if I’ll be able to take your wife and daughter with me. If you don’t want to do this, I’ll find someone else.”

Wu Yan’s eyes dim, but after a long pause, he says, “Lord Immortal, I’ll go.”

Ye Zhou studies him, leaning forward slightly. “Have you thought it through?”

Wu Yan raises his head, finally seeing The Lord Immortal’s face for the first time. He grins and says, “Lord Immortal, I’ve thought it through.”

Ye Zhou warns, “Be careful in everything. If you encounter danger, just turn around and run. Don’t fight to the death. Saving people is important, but your life is important too.”

When Wu Yan leaves the break room, he is calm.

He isn’t afraid of death, nor does he expect anything in return.

Wu Yan knows that without the protection of The Lord Immortal, his family would never survive. They would either starve or become someone else’s meal.

As long as he listens to The Lord Immortal and completes the task, even if The Lord Immortal can’t take his wife and daughter to The Lord Immortal realm, he will surely leave something for them so they can survive.

He is just an ordinary mortal, with no family left but his wife and daughter. They are all he cares about. He has only one life, and he is willing to risk it for them.

Besides, he doesn’t think he will necessarily die on this mission. With the things The Lord Immortal has given him, if he is careful, he can avoid most dangers. Bandits are hungry now, and if they meet him, they won’t be able to catch him.

Bandits won’t be able to keep horses if they are starving.

Thinking about this, Wu Yan feels much lighter.

What dangers are there outside? Most people are either starving or already dead. There are few healthy ones left.

Besides, anyone healthy must be running south.

When Wu Yan returns to the warehouse, he shares what he has decided with the others. He doesn’t try to persuade them, but only says, “I’ve thought about it. It’s not so dangerous, but it will be tiring and hard. We won’t go far. We’ll come back once our supplies run out. If you don’t want to go, I won’t force you. The Lord Immortal has never forced me.”

The men look at each other, not responding immediately.

Wu Yan doesn’t press them. “Think carefully. I’ll leave tomorrow morning. Let me know tonight if you’re coming.”

Meanwhile, Ye Zhou is also busy. He is looking for weapons for Wu Yan. After gritting his teeth, he exchanges Lin You’s crown for money and searches the goods column all afternoon.

Fortunately, except for guns, most self-defense items are very cheap.

Ye Zhou buys a stun baton, anti-wolf spray, and a crossbow.

These items cost less than 10,000 in total.

It is clear that in this trading system, hot weapons are the most expensive.

Everything else is quite cheap.

Whether that is a good or bad thing, Ye Zhou isn’t sure.

Ye Zhou doesn’t eat dinner that night. He can’t bring himself to. He constantly feels like he is doing something wrong, forcing others to take risks on his behalf.

All afternoon, he has been looking at weapons. Afterward, he slaps his forehead in frustration and considers going out with Wu Yan and the others.

It isn’t until Wu Yan comes to find him, accompanied by a group of security guards, that he finally suppresses the urge to join them.

“Divide these among you. I’ll show you how to use them once you’re done,” Ye Zhou says. “You’ll need to bring even more.”

In addition to flashlights, telescopes, and weapons, Ye Zhou has also prepared band-aids, Yunnan Baiyao, and iodine gauze for emergency use.

They will also need dry food for the journey.

Without transportation, it will be difficult for them.

The men still avoid looking directly at Ye Zhou, though they have made no overt declaration. Wu Yan has become their leader.

Wu Yan speaks respectfully, “Lord Immortal, we’re all willing to go.”

They have spent the afternoon discussing the trip and feel it won’t be a loss.

Wu Yan doesn’t want everyone to go with him, so three of the eight men have to stay behind.

At first, the men are terrified when they hear they have to leave, but then they convince themselves it won’t be too difficult.

What danger could be out there? They’re well-fed now. If they can’t fight, they can run. And if they can’t run, they can still hide in the woods.

And, of course, The Lord Immortal will give them magical tools.

Those walking outside are mortals, just like them—flesh and blood, not monsters with copper skin and iron bones. What is there to fear?

Ye Zhou doesn’t expect Wu Yan to rally so many people. He looks at Wu Yan, his eyes showing a slight change.

He hadn’t anticipated that his supermarket would be filled with so many hidden talents.

“Take these things and follow me out,” Ye Zhou says, walking straight out the door.

The employees hurry to grab the items.

Teaching them how to use the equipment isn’t difficult. Although Ye Zhou hasn’t taught them Arabic numerals, the use of flashlights and telescopes is easy enough to explain.

They even learn to fire a crossbow in one go—all they need to practice is accuracy.

But with a crosshair to guide them, even a poor shot won’t go too far off.

The employees are so excited that their faces flush. These tools are their lifeline for the journey.

The magical tools of The Lord Immortal! What had once been the stuff of opera and legend is now in their hands.

Ye Zhou warns them, “These things can hurt others and even yourself. Be careful when practicing and don’t injure yourselves.”

The employees quickly respond, “Don’t worry, Lord Immortal. We’ll be careful. We’ll definitely be careful!”

Ye Zhou nods. “I’ll have Li and the others pack your things for you overnight. You’ll leave tomorrow and wait until you have a thorough understanding of the area before venturing out. Do you understand?”

The employees give their assurances again and again, but Ye Zhou still feels uneasy. “In my eyes, your lives are important. So are the lives of others. There’s no hierarchy. Once you’re out there, make your own safety the top priority.”

The employees fall silent. They don’t look at Ye Zhou, but their bodies tremble slightly.

They don’t think their lives matter, but The Lord Immortal does!

If the officials in court were like this Immortal, how could things have turned out like this for them?

Even in years of plenty, they’d still go hungry—dying beside golden fields of wheat. What kind of justice is that?

When the famine comes, the officials flee first, leaving them to die!

They work hard all their lives, but can’t even secure a place to live. And their descendants? They’re only doomed to a worse fate—if they even have the chance to have children.

After Ye Zhou finishes speaking, he realizes that no one has responded. When he is about to say more, he sees that some of the employees have tears in their eyes.

People who have suffered too much can hardly handle even a small bit of kindness. As soon as they receive a little sweetness, their hearts break.