Ch 5: My Multiverse Supermarket

Zhou Li asked the system, “How are they? Are their lives in danger?”

The system replied, “They’re only mildly hypoxic. They’ll recover in about half an hour.”

Hearing that, Zhou Li stopped worrying about them.

Then she turned to Zhao Changyan. “Why don’t you work as my shop assistant?”

Zhao Changyan was puzzled. “Shop assistant?”

“To introduce the goods and prices, and explain how the membership card works. The wage is fifty yuan a day, with one meal included. But it’s only temporary—once everyone understands how the supermarket works, there won’t be a need for a guide anymore.”

Zhao Changyan understood and quickly agreed with delight. “I’ll do it!”

*

The refugees were terrified by what had happened to Chen San and his brothers.

Even though greed still flickered in their eyes, none dared make another move after witnessing such “divine power.”

When Zhao Changyan came out unharmed, Dou Dailang immediately approached her. “Young lady, has the divine lady grown angry?”

He didn’t know if there were other taboos surrounding the divine lady—rushing in recklessly might bring disaster.

Since “Chang Qiniang” had already met her and come out safe, she must know the rules.

Zhao Changyan said, “The divine lady is not angry with anyone, but she does have rules everyone must obey.”

The crowd perked up their ears.

“First,” she began, “the divine lady’s powers are vast. No one must even think of stealing, looting, or breaking things under her gaze. If you do, you’ll share the same fate as Chen San.

Second, this is the divine lady’s dwelling, called the ‘Good Life Supermarket.’ But she dislikes being called a divine lady, so you may respectfully address her as ‘Little Boss.’

Third, everything inside must be exchanged for money. Earlier, someone said, ‘A divine lady should save the world for free.’ That is wrong. The Little Boss is merely traveling here to cultivate. The disasters of this world are not her karma. If she gives you food for nothing, she becomes entangled in your karma.

Thus, she helps mortals through trade—once payment is made, the karmic tie is severed.”

Zhou Li’s toes curled so hard she could’ve drilled holes through the supermarket floor.

She thought, Zhao Changyan really has a knack for hype. What a waste she’s not in public relations.

But as a princess of Southern Chu, Zhao Changyan carried natural authority—whatever she said sounded credible, reason or not.

Among the crowd, Chen San’s family muttered bitterly, “And how is that different from a merchant? We don’t have any money.”

Zhao Changyan heard and asked, “Does everyone know the current grain prices?”

Dou Dailang answered, “In Shaozhou, Dayue, it’s seven hundred wen per dou.”

A Chu refugee said, “In Yuezhou, it’s eighteen hundred wen per dou.”

The Dayue refugees gasped. “Eighteen hundred per dou!?”

No wonder the Chu people kept heading south. Compared to that, the taxes in Dayue didn’t seem so unbearable.

The Chu refugees looked embarrassed.

Zhao Changyan ignored their rivalry and continued, “Here, the Little Boss sells fine white rice for only three wen per jin—that’s just thirty-six wen per dou.”

The crowd was stunned.

The next moment, they surged forward as if the door would burst.

Zhao Changyan said sharply, “Have you already forgotten the Little Boss’s rules—and Chen San’s fate?”

The reminder worked. They froze instantly.

She continued, waving Zhou Li’s banner high and setting order among them.

“The Little Boss has no karmic tie with us. We have not worshipped or offered prayers to her—she may leave at any time. Those unwilling to follow her rules may leave now.” She said this pointedly to Chen San’s family.

They glared at her, unwilling to go but too afraid to argue.

Zhao Changyan went on, “Since no one is leaving, I’ll take that as agreement. Now, I’ll act on behalf of the Little Boss to explain how things will work.

The Little Boss knows everyone is poor and may not have money. So she allows you to exchange goods for divine currency. This money is not ordinary—it is heavenly money. Once exchanged, it will be stored in a divine vessel—this card.”

She held up the supermarket membership card.

“With this card, you can buy anything inside. Of course, only if you have enough in it.”

The refugees stared in wonder.

“That’s a divine tool?”
“How much can it hold?”

“As much as you like,” Zhao Changyan said.

They quickly realized how convenient it was.

Usually, when traveling, they had to carry heavy strings of copper coins—bulky and noisy—or rolls of silk to cut up for trade.

But this thin card was far lighter and easier to keep.

Zhao Changyan concluded, “Now you may discuss what to trade for divine currency. Once you decide, line up and see the divine lady to make the exchange.”

The first to step forward was Dou Dailang from Dayue.

He presented a tiger pelt respectfully to Zhou Li.

Zhou Li had the system scan it and list it on the auction platform.

【Tigress Pelt】
Age: 1 year
Date of Origin: 957 AD
Owner: Dou Dailang
Starting Bid: 1,000 yuan (recommended)
Buyout Price: 3,000 yuan (recommended)
[Note: Tigers are protected endangered species. The auction house strictly limits sales of tiger and tiger-derived goods.]

Zhou Li noticed the listing said “restricted,” not “banned.”

Meaning tiger pelts could be sold, but were discouraged.

Thus, the price was kept very low.

Zhou Li told Zhao Changyan, “Heaven cherishes life. This pelt can only be exchanged for 1,000 coins.”

Zhao Changyan was astonished—a tiger pelt, prized by nobles, worth only that much here?

But that phrase—“Heaven cherishes life”—seemed to explain it.

She asked Dou Dailang, “Why not sell it to the aristocrats?”

Dou Dailang said, “Officials seize whatever they fancy. If I bring it out, I’d be giving it away, not selling it.”

He hesitated, then asked, “Does the divine lady dislike killing?”

Zhou Li’s refined accent sounded like that of the Central Plains, and though he understood her, he turned to Zhao Changyan for confirmation.

She nodded.

Dou Dailang sighed. “This is the most valuable thing I have.”

“This will get you a thousand coins,” Zhao Changyan said evenly. “It’s your choice.”

He went off to discuss it with his family.

Seeing him leave, a Chu woman rushed forward to take her chance.

“Div—Little Boss, I have something to trade,” she stammered.

She pulled a hairpin from her hair.

【Huanghuali Wood Flower Hairpin】
Age: 117 years
Date of Origin: 841 AD
Owner: Qiao Sinian
Starting Bid: 2,000 yuan (recommended)
Buyout Price: 3,000 yuan (recommended)

Qiao Sinian felt nervous.

It was just a wooden hairpin—not an official piece, not made by a master craftsman.

It had been her mother’s dowry, passed down through generations.

She didn’t hope for much—just enough to feed herself for a month.

She looked at Zhou Li expectantly.

Zhou Li seemed distracted for a moment before saying, “This hairpin is worth 3,000 coins. After a forty-five-coin fee, you’ll receive 2,955. Would you like to convert it?”

After Zhao Changyan translated, Qiao Sinian froze, then broke into tears of joy. “Yes, divine lady!”

Zhou Li loaded the money onto a card and handed it to her.

Holding the thin “divine tool,” Qiao Sinian felt dizzy with disbelief.

Zhao Changyan said, “All items inside are marked with prices. If you can’t read, call me for help.”

Qiao Sinian blushed. “I’ll need your help then. Thank you, Chang Qiniang.”

She didn’t know Zhao Changyan personally—only that she called herself Chang and was the seventh in her family.

Following the other refugees’ lead, she too had once mocked Zhao Changyan when Chen San slandered her.

Now, faced with her kindness, she felt ashamed.

Zhao Changyan, eager to make a good impression on Zhou Li, didn’t show any disdain for the Chu people.

Outside the supermarket—

When Dou Dailang saw that Qiao Sinian’s simple wooden hairpin was worth more than his tiger pelt, he felt bitter but quickly calmed his own people.

Like the Chu refugees said, they were all destitute—driven to wander by crushing taxes and famine.

If they still had valuable goods, they wouldn’t be refugees.

Even his treasured tiger pelt was barely worth anything—what could the rest possibly trade?

Then his wife, Xian Sanniang, said, “Husband, try this jewelry box.”

“That’s your dowry chest,” Dou Dailang said.

But Xian Sanniang insisted. So, with cautious hope, he returned to the supermarket carrying it.

【Agarwood Lacquer Box Inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl】
Age: 22 years
Date of Origin: 936 AD
Owner: Xian Sanniang
Starting Bid: 31,680 yuan (recommended)
Buyout Price: 50,000 yuan (recommended)

Zhou Li was stunned—this jewelry box was that valuable?

It was the most expensive item she had seen yet.

She was about to name a price but hesitated. “This isn’t yours. I need its owner to confirm the sale.”

It was a precaution against theft and murder for profit.

She couldn’t stop crime entirely, but she could at least make people wary.

Dou Dailang wasn’t surprised that Zhou Li knew—the divine lady saw all, after all.

He went and brought Xian Sanniang inside.

When Zhou Li gave the price, Xian Sanniang was equally shocked.

The plain little box from her vanity was worth that much?

She sold it immediately.

Nearly fifty thousand coins loaded onto their card—Xian Sanniang tried to hide her joy as she discussed with her husband how best to use the money.

To stay safe, they told the others the box had only fetched two thousand.

No one would dare question the divine lady’s word.

Meanwhile, the Chu refugees watched Qiao Sinian.

They wanted to see if she would really buy something from the divine lady’s dwelling with her new card.

Before long, Qiao Sinian emerged holding a bag of noodles.

[Author’s Note]

Stop asking why the “tigress pelt” is specified as female. In historical trade records, male and female tiger pelts were priced separately. According to A Study of Song Dynasty Prices and the Treasury of Precious Things, male tiger pelts were larger, thicker, and had prettier patterns—worth up to 10 strings of cash in Emperor Ningzong’s reign—while female pelts were smaller and less striking, thus cheaper.

☢️☢️☢️