Dimensional Supermarket - Chapter 22

After spending some time together, Ye Zhou gets to know Zou Ming and Sarah better.

Sarah comes from an era similar to the Middle Ages in the Western world. She’s the youngest and probably the weakest child in her family. Although she’s a vampire, her behavior is no different from that of a human. Inside her small body resides a soul over 400 years old. At times, her words and actions make people feel strangely uncomfortable.

Zou Ming, on the other hand, has a taciturn and unruly appearance, but he’s very gentle. Strangely enough, the employees are more willing to get close to Sarah, who is a “monster,” than to Zou Ming, who is human. As a result, Ye Zhou often finds himself exchanging a few meaningless words with Zou Ming just to prevent him from feeling isolated.

“Your land can’t be cultivated?” Ye Zhou asks Zou Ming, casually chatting in the break room. They’re sitting on the sofa, with brewed green tea and snacks on the table. Ye Zhou continues, “Then humans haven’t gone extinct yet?”

Land and water are the foundation of human survival, and Ye Zhou can’t imagine what would happen if the land can’t be cultivated.

Zou Ming peels an orange in his hand. The overbearing fragrance and slightly sour taste of the orange overwhelm the aroma of the tea, filling the room. He says calmly, “A few unpolluted lands can be used.”

Ye Zhou raises an eyebrow. “Where do you live, where there’s such land?”

Zou Ming hesitates briefly and shakes his head slightly.

Ye Zhou senses something but brushes the thought aside. He still asks, “Then how do you survive before you get the employment system?”

“I’m born in the A35 base,” Zou Ming replies, cutting the peeled orange in half and handing one half to Ye Zhou.

Ye Zhou takes it subconsciously. “Thank you.”

Zou Ming continues, “The A35 base doesn’t have soil for planting, but there is water.”

Ye Zhou nods. “You can exchange water with others.”

Zou Ming shakes his head, his dark pupils devoid of any discernible emotion—like a bottomless, dry well. “Where there is no order or rules, no one wants to do business.”

Ye Zhou, sensing the underlying tension, asks, “…By robbing?”

Zou Ming nods.

A faint, half-hearted smile appears on his face.

Ye Zhou doesn’t want to dwell on the subject. Instead, he softly asks, “Do you want to order other fruits?”

Zou Ming gives a slight nod. “Anything is fine.”

Ye Zhou stands up and walks out of the break room.

He’s seen many movies and read countless books. Post-apocalyptic films are often cruel and dark, depicting a world where humans, with few remaining resources, are forced into endless conflict for survival.

Cooperative collaboration only works when resources can meet the needs of most people. In the wasteland era, that clearly isn’t the case. Fighting over what little is left only creates a vicious cycle, leaving everyone with less.

Ye Zhou understands this concept when watching films or reading novels, and he doesn’t find it strange. After all, he’s seen darker and more brutal themes. However, the way this reality feels compared to the illusion created by media is a stark difference.

Ye Zhou regrets asking so many questions about Zou Ming. Why does he need to know so much? As long as the other party works well here and can ensure his safety, isn’t that enough? They’re not on a blind date, after all. Why is he so focused on the details?

At the end of the day, there’s a contract. Even if the other party is a “bad guy,” at least he won’t be harmed.

Back in the break room, Ye Zhou doesn’t bring up the topic of Zou Ming’s plane again. Instead, he turns on the TV and watches a movie with him.

Just as the movie nears its end, Ye Zhou hears footsteps and voices coming from outside the supermarket.

At first, he doesn’t think much of it. The break room is designed to block out sounds from the outside. However, over time, Ye Zhou has become sensitive to every noise around him. He’s not clairvoyant, but it feels almost the same. Initially, he thinks it’s a novelty, but after a while, he realizes it’s no big deal. This ability doesn’t offer him any real advantages; it only makes the world seem louder.

“I’ll go out and check,” Ye Zhou says, standing up.

Zou Ming follows, standing up as well.

Ye Zhou moves quickly toward the supermarket door, and Zou Ming is right behind him, already holding a gun. Even Sarah, who has been playing somewhere just moments before, comes over. She isn’t carrying any weapons, but her pupils, which had been slightly red, have now turned a deep shade of crimson.

Except for Ye Zhou, the other two are clearly ready for a fight.

“Lord Immortal!” Chen Liu stumbles and collapses at Ye Zhou’s feet.

He’s a mess—not in his clothes, but in his expression and the aura he exudes. It’s as though he hasn’t been saved long ago but has reverted to the fearful, panicked state of a desperate man.

Wu Yan and the others are panting, as if they’ve run all the way back.

Ye Zhou isn’t embarrassed anymore. These days, neither Zou Ming nor Sarah reacts to the employees calling him “immortal,” let alone mocks him. Ye Zhou has gradually stopped taking the title seriously.

It’s a strategy—his strategy for survival. There’s no shame in it.

Seeing the urgency in Wu Yan and the others’ expressions, Ye Zhou assumes they’re in danger. He furrows his brow. “What happened? What’s going on?”

In an instant, Ye Zhou imagines a number of possible dangers: are they attacked by refugees? Or robbed by bandits?

“Lord Immortal!” Wu Yan gasps, catching his breath before recounting what happens.

Chen Liu opens his bag, and the gold jewelry inside nearly blinds Ye Zhou.

Though Ye Zhou’s parents also love gold and consider it valuable, they keep it in the bank, never taking it out. His mother does buy some gold jewelry, but nothing as intricate as the pieces before him.

Even though Ye Zhou considers himself “well-informed,” he’s still stunned by the skill and craftsmanship behind this jewelry.

“They may have more than just this,” Wu Yan says, not even looking at Chen Liu, who is still lying on the ground with tears streaming down his face. He stands in front of Ye Zhou, his head slightly lowered. “They said they were escorting extremely valuable things to the south, but they treated these jewelry pieces like trash. I’m afraid whatever they’re carrying must be even more valuable.” Wu Yan voices his suspicions: “I think it’s something that could affect the current situation.”

For Wu Yan, despite thinking he no longer belongs to this world, he’s been an ordinary citizen of the Liang Dynasty for decades. These things still hold value to him.

But Ye Zhou doesn’t care about so-called “political landscapes.” He’s not trying to become some king in a feudal society—he just wants to make money.

Seeing that Ye Zhou is silent, Wu Yan speaks cautiously: “Although they were bandits, Chen Liu says they never rob houses. They only kill corrupt officials and wealthy people who are unkind with their wealth… I wonder if it’s possible… If not, we’ll return the things to them.”

Faced with the temptation of wealth, the word “acceptable” almost slips out.

Ye Zhou works hard to keep a calm and unaffected expression.

He feels like he’s put himself on a pedestal.

Wu Yan and the others now believe Ye Zhou can know everything without ever stepping outside. Ye Zhou can’t afford to shatter that image now.

As Ye Zhou ponders, Wu Yan and his group quietly observe Zou Ming and Sarah. Perhaps because Ye Zhou is present, the security guards don’t panic and flee, though their faces are still pale from Sarah’s intimidating presence.

Wu Yan, having read books, knows there are still high-nosed, blonde barbarians in the world. Though he’s shocked, he doesn’t consider Sarah a demon or monster.

Ye Zhou pretends to think for a moment before telling Wu Yan, “You go and rest first. I have my own plans.”

Wu Yan and his group pick up Chen Liu and move toward the back door of the supermarket. Before they leave, Ye Zhou reminds them that they can’t enter the supermarket directly. They need to wash up and change into clean clothes at the back door.

The supermarket is large, and if there are bedbugs or fleas, who knows how many bottles of insecticide they’ll use? It’s hot, so washing with cold water won’t cause them to catch a cold.

Once Wu Yan and the others leave, Zou Ming walks over and picks up the bag full of gold jewelry. Sarah follows, but neither of them seems particularly interested in the items.

Back on their original plane, only the salary provided by Ye Zhou can be used for shopping. Even if they can bring the jewelry back, it’s just gold to Zou Ming. For Sarah, a vampire who has lived for over 400 years, gold is hardly anything special.

“It’s really well-made,” Sarah says, inspecting the intricate patterns on the gold ornaments. “It would be great if I could bring the craftsmen here to my place.”

Ye Zhou replies, “Don’t you have good craftsmen?”

Sarah shrugs. “All humans are poor. Even the king and queen are covered in lice.”

Ye Zhou: “…”

It seems that being a king isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Ye Zhou has an average grasp of history—Western history even less so—and as for the Western Middle Ages, his knowledge is basically limited to castles and witches from fairy tales. He never imagines the medieval kings in Sarah’s world would have lice to contend with.

“Have you figured out what to say to them?” Zou Ming asks.

Ye Zhou, trying to sound relaxed, responds, “Anyway, that group of people released them, so they shouldn’t be bad people.”

But then he reconsidered, and his brows furrow slightly. “They’re probably refugees. No way they could beat Wu Yan and his men. And at this point, gold and silver are basically worthless junk. Instead of sitting on it, they might as well take a gamble.”

“It’s still hard to say if they’re good or bad.” Ye Zhou rests his chin in one hand, deep in thought.

He regrets claiming he only saves the good and virtuous—he’s boxed himself in with that line.

“It’s better to just say I was saving people,” Ye Zhou mutters.

Zou Ming suddenly speaks up, “Pick out a few things and say you don’t want to take them. You don’t have to explain why.”

Ye Zhou looks at him, confused. “Why?”

He can’t quite follow Zou Ming’s line of thinking.

Zou Ming replies flatly, “A smokescreen. Make them wonder on their own why you refused those items, and they won’t be so fixated on whether those people are good or bad.”

Ye Zhou suddenly understands. “Ah, a distraction tactic! That works!”

After all, the people who exchange items won’t meet them again, so there’s no need to worry about this approach being exposed.

Ye Zhou gives Zou Ming a thumbs-up, but before he can voice his praise, Sarah suddenly squats down and picks out a few pieces from the bundle, setting them aside. She looks up at Ye Zhou and says, “I’ve chosen.”

Sarah’s big eyes sparkle with excitement.

Ye Zhou: “……”

What is she trying to say? Does she want him to praise her?

***

It’s almost noon. The shade of the trees can block the sun, but it can’t stop the heat coming from all directions.

“Brother Yang, do you think they’ll come back?” Li Qing asks, taking a sip of water. It’s more like just a dab on his lips.

Yang Zhi smiles bitterly. “How should I know?”

Zhao San can’t contain his anger. “What ‘immortal’?! Even if a real immortal showed up, how could he conjure up six horses out of nowhere! Chen Liu must’ve been lying to us! We never should’ve let him go. We were brothers once—how can we suffer while he goes off to enjoy life?!”

Yang Zhi chews on a piece of bread—not dry and choking like a hard biscuit. Looking at the “bread chip” in his hand, he pulls a wry smile. “If we kept him here, we’d just be waiting to die together. If he stayed, we’d all die. But if he left, there’s at least a chance. If he comes back, we might all survive.”

Yang Zhi gazes at the blinding sun in the distance, swallowing the last bite of his bread.

They’ve traveled a long distance, killed seven horses, and endured great hardship. They don’t do all of that just to sit here and wait for death.

If there really is an “immortal,” can this “immortal” save them? Save them from this sea of suffering and bring an end to the world’s misery?