Plane Supermarket

That night, the moon and stars were shining faintly, and the light in the resting room remained on for a long time.

Ye Zhou sat in front of the computer with an open notebook placed before him.

In the “Goods” section, although the items had been categorized, there was no “Bookmark” button. Every time Ye Zhou searched, he had to start from the beginning to the end. This was too inconvenient. So, Ye Zhou planned to spend the night writing down the things he urgently needed.

He only needed to note down which item was on which page and which line.

What interested Ye Zhou the most were the firearms. He wouldn’t mind getting his hands on a small handgun or pistols, let alone rifles. With just one firearm, he would feel much safer, and then he wouldn’t hesitate to go out and do business.

He could only continue playing the role of Jiang Taigong 1.

If he had money, he was also planning to train the security team. But he needed to be sure that these guards wouldn’t turn against him.

But this was a bit difficult. Ye Zhou didn’t underestimate human nature, but he also didn’t overestimate it.

If the guards found out he wasn’t a god, just a regular person who owned a supermarket, would they still listen to him? Would they be grateful for their current lives? Wouldn’t desires arise?

Wouldn’t they consider killing him to obtain all of this? Would the guards really remain unaffected?

Especially since many of these guards weren’t well-educated, they might not even understand the concept of repaying kindness with gratitude, and even if they did, how many would truly do it?

However, if he didn’t equip the guards with weapons, when a crisis arrived, how long could he protect the supermarket by himself?

Ye Zhou rubbed his face. It was already three in the morning, but he still didn’t feel sleepy at all.

He felt like he had walked into a dead end, with no way out. The exit was sealed, leaving him without any options.

With numerous concerns, he couldn’t come up with a solution for the time being.

Forget it, let’s make money first, then, earn enough to buy firearms.

He had checked before that Lin You’s crown was worth nearly three hundred thousand, given the purchasing power of this era.

Ye Zhou hadn’t directly exchanged it for money yet. He planned to keep it for now. If he had enough money, he would exchange it for a handgun first.

Running a business is really difficult.

Doing  a business during times of famine is even harder.

·

“Time to eat!” Cao’er Niang knocked on the warehouse door.

The employees who had gotten up early and were waiting for their meal quickly climbed out of bed. They pulled open the curtains made from cloth and tied them with ropes.

The curtains were used to divide the space at night and needed to be tied up during the day to allow ventilation in the warehouse.

The employees didn’t mind the lack of privacy. In a way, they were used to sharing a room with several people at home, knowing every mole on each other’s bodies. They didn’t find anything wrong with it.

In poor families, they had only one or two pairs of thick pants, which they rotated wearing.

Several siblings huddled under the blanket, all with bare legs. Only the one going out had pants to wear.

Nowadays, each family had its own bed, and they could use curtains to divide the space. There wasn’t really anything to complain about.

“What are we having for breakfast?” A young wife swallowed and whispered to her husband, “I feel like having salted duck eggs.”

Her husband said ambitiously, “After I get this month’s wages, I’ll buy a box for you to eat.”

The young wife smiled and said, “I have a salary too!”

The immortal had told them that they wouldn’t work for nothing. They would be given “wages or salary” every month, which was like a monthly allowance.

Although they weren’t given coins, they were given “points”. They didn’t really understand what points were, but the immortal said that points could be used to buy things in the supermarket. So, they looked forward to the day when they would receive their wages.

After eating their fill, the employees’ expressions and spirits noticeably improved.

They were no longer dazed, and their faces no longer showed a worried look.

Under the enthusiastic anticipation of the employees, Cao’er Niang walked into the warehouse with a large basin of steamed buns. Cao’er followed behind her, holding a basin of cold dishes. The cold dishes contained shredded chicken, seasoned with vinegar, salt, and MSG, along with a bit of hot and sour sauce.

After placing the dishes on the table, Cao’er went out and brought in a pot of soy milk, made from sweet soybean powder.

Although their meals were already quite good, each meal still brought them great surprises.

Their work wasn’t tiring either. Despite the supermarket’s size, there weren’t many people coming, so it wasn’t really dirty.

The immortal didn’t impose many rules on them. Besides not being able to enter the immortal’s resting room and the “monitoring room”, they were free to go anywhere else.

After staying here for a while, they had already learned how to use the squat toilets. They didn’t need to be taught how to flush anymore.

They had also learned how to use many things.

“What does the immortal usually eat?” someone asked in a low voice. “I can make pickled vegetables. I wonder if I could offer some to the immortal.”

Cao’er Niang scoffed, “Eat your own food. Do you think the immortal haven’t seen good things before?”

The person replied nervously, “Yes, yes, I was being too talkative.”

Cao’er Niang took a bite of a steamed bun and said, “The immortal must have descended to overcome a heavenly tribulation. You all should be vigilant. Don’t just eat and sleep all day, especially you men. Move around more when you have nothing to do. Don’t get as thin as a bamboo pole, or you won’t be of much use to the immortal in the future.”

Wu Yan asked cautiously, “Does the immortal need us?”

Cao’er Niang replied, “Otherwise, why would he save you? He’s saving you to save more people!”

She was moved by her own words. The immortal was like that, with such a big heart. He didn’t just save one or a few people. He wanted to save more suffering souls.

Why don’t other immortals like him come?

If the immortal was willing to be an emperor, that would be great!

But such words were disrespectful, so she dared not say them out loud.

The immortal was noble, and so was the emperor.

The emperor was a true dragon, and dragons, who knows, maybe their ancestors had a drink with the immortal.

That’s what storytellers say.

After the emperor passed away, he would also return to the heavens.

After the meal, Wu Yan delivered breakfast to Zhao Er and his group outside the supermarket and to Lin You in the security room. Cao’er Niang and her daughter didn’t want to go, so Wu Yan took care of it himself.

He first went to the security room to deliver food to the literate person there, after all, he had some education. Even though his education wasn’t great, he wasn’t as afraid of noble people.

Wu Yan knocked on the door of the security room.

It wasn’t until a response came from inside that Wu Yan opened the door and went in.

Lin You sat by the bed. He had never tidied up the bedding himself, so even though he had folded the blanket, it still looked messy. He smiled at Wu Yan as he entered and was a bit surprised. “Is there food for me too?”

Wu Yan replied, “The brave men outside also have some, not just you.”

Lin You was a bit curious. He waited until Wu Yan put the food on the table before asking, “How long have you been here?”

Wu Yan thought for a moment. “Over a month. The immortal is merciful, and he didn’t asked us to leave.”

Wu Yan continued, “Why doesn’t the literate person change his clothes?”

He didn’t know what Ye Zhou was thinking, but after so long of being on the run, even the best clothes would have absorbed various odors and gotten dirty. It would be better to change into a new set.

Lin You sighed. “There’s just too much stuff in the supermarket. I don’t have enough points to buy another set.”

He considered his crown no less valuable than the items in the supermarket, so he didn’t dare to exchange it again.

Wu Yan asked in amazement, “Can’t you use the clothes you’re wearing now to exchange for a new set?”

Lin You widened his eyes. “Is that possible?! The clothes I’ve worn before too?”

After a brief moment of silence, Wu Yan said, “The immortal doesn’t judge based on appearances. As long as your heart is sincere, the nobleman has forgotten.”

Lin You shook his head with a smile. “It’s my narrow-mindedness.”

“But… if I take off these clothes…” Lin You felt a bit embarrassed. He had never appeared in front of others without being properly dressed, let alone just wearing an inner garment.

Wu Yan suggested, “The nobleman can change first. After you’ve changed, you can give me the clothes.”

Lin You breathed a sigh of relief. “It couldn’t be better this way. I really gave you some trouble.”

Wu Yan smiled, his lips pursed. “I’m serving the immortal, it’s no trouble.”

He felt that there were still too few tasks, not showcasing his abilities enough, and the immortal wouldn’t remember his name this way. He wanted to improve himself. Previously, he relied on the family’s oil mill, but now he had to rely on doing more work himself.

Even though he couldn’t cultivate alongside the immortal, he had a daughter. She was still young, and who knew, maybe she would have such luck?

His daughter was drinking immortal milk now!

Could it be considered half entering the realm of immortals?

Maybe his old Wu family could produce an immortal?

Just thinking about this, Wu Yan was filled with energy from head to toe.

After speaking with Lin You, Wu Yan went outside the supermarket. The breakfast he brought was still mantou buns, cold dishes, and soy milk.

Compared to Lin You, Zheng Ge and the others seemed even more excited, each showing expressions of being pleasantly surprised.

They were prepared to eat dry rations for the past few days, and some of them were even reluctant. The food was good quality, but if they ate it all now, they would have to eat less on the road. Who knew how much time it would take to return?

Wu Yan placed the food on the supermarket steps and told them to eat there.

“Are you all from the south?” Wu Yan squatted down next to them.

After eating half a bun in one bite and taking a sip of soy milk, Zheng Ge said, “That’s right!”

Wu Yan felt a bit envious. “The south is good. The water and soil are fertile, and you can fill your stomach by farming.”

Zhao Er coldly snorted, “That’s just nonsense. We have to pay land tax and head tax, and landlords also collect rent. Land is even more expensive than in your northern regions.”

Wu Yan sighed, “It’s all the same, really.”

Zhao Er said, “If we can safely return this time, I don’t know if we’ll be able to find this place again next time.”

Zhao Er had already resigned himself to fate. He couldn’t follow the immortal, but he didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity. If he could earn money this time, he wanted to come again.

Since he couldn’t cultivate as an immortal, he wanted to live an extraordinary life among mortals.

Wu Yan shook his head slightly, “I don’t know about that. The immortal is the immortal, and I don’t have a say in where he goes.”

Zhao Er pursed his lips and lowered his head to eat.

After they finished eating, Wu Yan cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks and headed back. When he passed by the rest area, he couldn’t help but stop.

The immortal lived here.

The immortal possessed extraordinary powers, capable of anything under the heavens. Yet, this was just a temporary resting place for the immortal in the mortal world.

He didn’t know how to please the immortal. He could do so little.

Especially when there was a woman like Cao’er Niang on top of everything.

Although she was a woman, she seemed to especially please the immortal.

He didn’t know what skills she used to please the immortal.

Now, he only hoped that the immortal would give him a task to demonstrate his abilities.

He would never lead a dull and idle life. Otherwise, when the immortal was around, he could fill his belly, but what would he do to support his wife and children if the immortal left?

·

In the lounge, Ye Zhou had just opened his eyes.

He had made up his mind. He couldn’t just wait passively now. He had to take the initiative.

However, he wasn’t sure if anyone would be willing to go out with him.

He didn’t know the way, and he wouldn’t be able to find his way back if he went out alone. But if he went out with someone else, there was a high chance that his disguise would be exposed, revealing that he was just an ordinary person.

There was also another problem. If he left the supermarket and the employees accidentally damaged the machines or caused a fire, what should he do?

So difficult…

Author’s note: 

Ye Zhou: “I’m really in a tough spot!”