Dimensional Supermarket - Chapter 82

Ye Zhou sets out again, this time bringing Sarah and Zhou Yuanhe with him, leaving Chen Shu behind at the supermarket.

There is no other choice—he has to leave someone behind. While the likelihood of encountering danger near the cliff is low, it is always better to be cautious. With Chen Shu staying behind, if danger arises, she can quickly teach the supermarket employees how to use guns.

—Accuracy isn’t as important. The key is using the gun to deter the enemy.

As long as the enemy isn’t completely irrational, they won’t use cold weapons against firearms.

With the portable tent, sleeping at night is no longer a discomfort. The fabric is soft, thin, breathable, flexible, and strong. It isn’t stuffy, and it keeps insects and ants out.

They travel for two days, operating drones to explore previously uncharted areas and updating the map of the region.

It becomes clear that there is only one inhabited area, with the rest being an undeveloped primeval forest.

There are likely large, unclaimed areas between territories, no perfect roads, and underdeveloped commerce. The lord might have familiar merchants who deliver spices, salt, cloth, and other necessities, but for ordinary civilians, bartering is common. Currency is more symbolic than practical for them. People’s lives are very poor, and salt and pottery are traded with the lord in exchange for food. Everyone is a farmer; no one has another profession.

Kane, being the only local native in the group, has become the “leader” and is responsible for explaining the situation. During a meal, Kane tells Ye Zhou, “The manor my family owns is granted to my father by the lord. My father is once the lord’s knight. Because of his military exploits, the lord rewards him with this land.”

Ye Zhou is curious. “If your father dies, who inherits the manor? Will it be shared equally among your brothers?”

Kane shakes his head. “There can only be one heir, and it will likely be my eldest brother.”

Ye Zhou asks, “What about you?”

Kane replies, “My sisters might marry knights or low-ranking nobles with a large dowry. My brothers and I will be sent to the church or become knights. If we’re lucky, the lord might reward us with our own manor.”

Kane lowers his head. This is once the life he dreams of—having his own manor and a few fine horses for his children, and a group of slaves to work for him.

But after becoming a slave, those dreams fade.

Why are there slaves? What makes some people born into nobility and others into slavery?

Is this truly God’s will?

The Moon God might offer salvation to slaves, but why do people continually exploit their own kind, wishing for everyone except themselves to be subjugated?

Ye Zhou looks at Kane’s profile, guessing what is going through his mind.

He is curious about how someone who once belongs to the oppressive class changes their perspective after experiencing such dramatic shifts in family and life.

“If you are the lord, what would you do?” Ye Zhou asks Kane.

Kane is taken aback. He suddenly understands what the Moon God intends to lead him to. His eyes widen in realization. After a few seconds, Kane stammers, “I’d make everyone a free person. Let them earn the pay they deserve. As long as they work, they should be able to live by their own hands.”

Ye Zhou shakes his head. “That’s not enough.”

Kane whispers, “Lord Moon God, I’m too stupid.”

Ye Zhou replies, “It’s not about intelligence. Managing a place requires rules, order, and laws, not just the whims of people.”

Kane opens his mouth but doesn’t speak. He understands the rules in theory, but the rules always seem to change. The kings and lords control the rules, and those rules shift based on their preferences. It is as if the rules exist, yet they don’t. Those in power seem to enjoy that ambiguity.

“Think about it carefully. Once you understand, come back and tell me,” Ye Zhou says to Kane.

If Kane isn’t competent, Ye Zhou will find someone else. He needs someone intelligent, someone honest—or at least relatively so.

But if an honest person lacks competence, a more cunning person can suffice.

Before reaching the cliff, Kane has been thinking about Ye Zhou’s question. He feels like he understands a little, but also realizes he doesn’t fully grasp it. He doesn’t dare to ask Ye Zhou directly, so he mulls it over by himself.

This time, they descend the mountain directly. Ye Zhou and his companions camp in the woods while Sarah goes to the stone house where the lord resides.

Before leaving, Sarah casts a provocative glance at Zou Ming, as if to say, See? I’m more useful than you.

After giving him a smug look, she leaves with an air of pride.

Wearing a puffy skirt, Sarah arrives at the stone house and knocks on the wooden door. Footsteps approach from inside, and the doorman cautiously cracks the door open. He freezes, shocked when he sees Sarah.

Sarah ignores his surprise and says nonchalantly, “I want to see your lord… Ryan, I believe his name is.”

She then steps past him confidently.

Perhaps because of Sarah’s overbearing attitude, the servant hesitates, intimidated by her presence. It isn’t until she enters the corridor that he hastily chases after her.

Due to Sarah’s attire, the servant doesn’t dare touch her. He stands before her and nervously, humbly asks, “From which family do you come? If you need to speak with the lord, perhaps you should have your lord accompany you.”

Sarah responds with a cold, expressionless tone, “I am the messenger of the Moon God, here to see your lord. Since you are stopping me, I will wait for him here.” She shoots him a sharp, threatening look. “It’s better not to keep me waiting.”

Her voice, now adult-like, catches the servant off guard. He hasn’t noticed this earlier, but now he realizes she is not a child at all. Her expression is stern and cold, and her movements are poised and natural. She gives off an air of authority, making it clear she is no mere child.

The servant, flustered, bows quickly. “Please wait here. I will inform the lord at once!”

After he hurries off, Sarah stands with her arms crossed, waiting impatiently. She doesn’t enjoy interacting with people, whether they are her own kind or humans. She has a good relationship with Cao’er, as she has been taken care of by her and the supermarket employees. Sarah doesn’t forget favors, but she also never forgets grudges.

She remembers every slight from a hundred years ago.

But now that she’s out, she reverts to her old self—finding everyone annoying.

Ryan, having received the message, arrives quickly. He doesn’t dare dismiss anyone who claims to be a messenger of the god. Even if she is lying, he wants to see her for himself before making a judgment.

When he sees Sarah at the corner, he quickly realizes she isn’t a real child. Her attire—a skirt with intricate lace patterns and dark prints, and small leather shoes—is unfamiliar to him. She doesn’t look around—as if the surroundings bore her, even disgust her.

Ryan has seen noblewomen before, but Sarah is unlike any of them.

She looks even more arrogant than true noble ladies. Her chin is slightly raised, as if she’s looking down on everything here—not up.

The moment Ryan sees Sarah, he is convinced of her identity as a messenger of the Moon God—at least she seems far more credible than Kurt, who also claims the same title.

“Messenger of God,” Ryan addresses her tentatively, standing in front of her.

Sarah glances at him and asks, “Where is the witch doctor named Kurt? Call him here; I have something to say to him.”

Ryan smiles, replying, “He has something to attend to and isn’t here at the moment. If you have something to discuss, you can tell me. I am the lord here.”

He is tired of Kurt always acting as the middleman.

Sarah regards Ryan for a moment, and he feels his scalp tingle under her gaze. Finally, she says, “Alright. Take me to somewhere we can talk.”

Ryan steps aside, gesturing for her to go ahead. Without a second thought, Sarah walks past him, unbothered.

He leads her to the study. The room has few books, but plenty of decorations. Parchment is expensive, and a book can cost more than its weight in gold. Here, literacy is a luxury, knowledge is hoarded, and the poor will never have access to books in their lifetime.

Sarah sits down in a chair and speaks to Karl in a matter-of-fact tone, “Go pour me a glass of water. It must be boiled. Bring it to me once it cools.”

Karl feels that her request is a bit unusual, almost as if she is sending him away for some hidden reason, but he nods dutifully and leaves.

His nephew passes away recently, but there have been so many things going on that Karl hasn’t even had time to attend to the funeral. He instructs someone to build a tomb for Hill but hasn’t even found the time to inform Hill’s parents.

Karl doesn’t feel much sadness over his nephew’s death.

After all, he has more than one nephew. If this one is gone, another can take his place. As long as he can find a suitable replacement for his personal attendant, that will suffice.

And anyway, the attendant is in good health, so if anyone is going to replace him, it will likely be after the attendant’s position is taken.

With Karl gone, only Sarah and Ryan remain in the study. In a low voice, Ryan asks, “The Moon God sends you here. Does He have any instructions for me?”

Sarah doesn’t answer his question but instead remarks with disdain, “You’re really poor here.”

Ryan is silent.

Although Sarah speaks the truth, her words make him feel uncomfortable. He doesn’t dare to respond and can only laugh awkwardly, “Yes, it’s true. It’s not the best here, and the land isn’t good either.”

Sarah waves her hand dismissively. “Don’t complain to me. Your poverty has nothing to do with me. The Moon God might reward you with something—but what do you have to offer Him in return?”

Ryan immediately responds, “I can offer Lord Moon God my land, all my property, even my life!”

Sarah rolls her eyes. “Are those things useful?”

Ryan falters. “I… I know that to Lord Moon God, nothing I have is precious.”

Sarah nods in agreement. “Exactly. So you better find something that is still valuable.” She then asks, “Are you the only lord in this area?”

Ryan whispers, “There are two other territories, but it takes more than ten days to reach them by carriage.”

Sarah shrugs, “Then you’d better send someone now. You nobles love to talk about brotherhood, don’t you? If the Moon God is willing to reward you, how can you keep it all to yourself?”

She intends to use a portion of the rewards to bring more wealth back to Ye Zhou.

Finally, Sarah allows a smile to form on her face. “As long as you can convince them, I might speak well of you in front of the Moon God. This might be your only chance in this lifetime.”

Ryan falls silent.

A chance to change his fate is right in front of him—but can he really grasp it?