[Ding-dong, system is binding]
[Progress 0%…46%…100%]
[Binding successful, dimensional retail store at your service]
Stepping on the dirty mud, he looked around. It was dark and cold, and devoid of any sign of life. The silence was unsettling.
Lu Sinian twirled the dust in his hands. Everything before him was unbelievably real. In an instant, he had arrived in this unfamiliar place.
“This is the first world you mentioned?” he asked.
[Master, after detection, time-space jump has been performed without error] A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
Lu Sinian clapped his hands and wiped the remaining dirt from his fingertips.
“Didn’t you say you were going to open a small shop? There’s nothing here, how can you open one?”
[Confirm Establishment of Retail Store?]
[Confirm/Reject]
“Confirm.”
As soon as he finished speaking, wooden planks and stones suddenly appeared in the air not far from him, rapidly building a foundation. In just a few minutes, a three-story villa rose from the ground.
Lu Sinian’s gaze was full of interest as this strange power was truly unbelievable.
He lifted his foot and pushed open the wooden door.
Unlike a typical supermarket where you enter directly to the counter and numerous shelves, this place was exceptionally bizarre.
Although the exterior of the building was undeniably modern before entering, the interior layout was remarkably peculiar.
There were no shelves, only various colored orbs of light floating in the air. Mysterious patterns were engraved on the walls, and a dim lamp hung from the ceiling, its light even less intense than the glow emanating from the orbs.
The space wasn’t large but the dim lighting made it impossible to see clearly at a glance.
Lu Sinian walked around the orbs of light and found a set of tables and chairs in a corner. The style was equally peculiar. It was a lavish medieval aristocratic look brimming with a chuunibyou feel.
“System, are you sure this is a retail store?”
[To fit this dimension, a “Gothic” theme has been specifically chosen.]
[The orbs of light can act as shelves to hold goods for sale. A standard cash register is provided. Earned currency is deposited into the counter and credited to the system account.]
[Mission: Earn one million energy coins, unlock at least ten items, and initiate the next time-space jump.]
Lu Sinian reached out and, sure enough, felt a round button on the side of the counter.
A gentle press revealed a square space where the currency was stored.
[This building has three floors. The first floor is shops, the second floor is the main rest area, and the third floor is not yet unlocked.]
[Does master wish to activate the newbie gift pack?]
[Yes/No]
Lu Sinian ignored the voice in his ear for the time being. He sat down in the chair, gently tapped the table, and after a while said, “Yes.”
[Congratulations master, you have received ten bottles of cola, ten bags of potato chips, a small bag of fruit candy, and a box of band-aids.]
[Newcomer gift: 500 energy coins, credited to your account. Master can summon the task panel to view details.]
A clinking sound rang out. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination but strangely, the cold, mechanical sound carried a hint of cheerfulness.
He opened the task panel. At the top was an energy value with the 500 coins he had just received. Besides that, there was backpack space and the system shop.
He opened the backpack first.
[Cola (100 Energy Coins): A regular bottle of sparkling water but it might have some unusual effects.]
[Potato Chips (100 Energy Coins): Cucumber flavor, might taste good, but who knows?]
[Fruit Candy (60 Energy Coins): Durian flavor, the taste is indescribable. Anyone who buys it is getting ripped off, only a swindler would sell this stuff.]
[Band-Aid (100 Energy Coins): Tiny, might be useful for mosquito bites.]
“…” Lu Sinian fell silent.
These items didn’t seem like they’d sell well at all, he felt like he’d been ripped off.
Just then, the system notification sounded, seemingly offering a defense.
[Goods will change based on the current dimension of the plane. The goods sold will be slightly adjusted according to different planes, and the power contained in the goods will be suppressed.]
In other words, in ancient times, goods with technology far exceeding their plane could not be sold, such as firearms. In modern times, goods with overly fantastical elements could not be sold.
For example, a bottle of cola in modern times might just be an ordinary bottle of cola, and even with the system’s enhancement, it might only taste better. But in a cultivation plane, one sip might lead to instant ascension. Within the plane’s limits, goods could have various strange mutated functions.
Under the system’s guidance, Lu Sinian took out all the goods and placed them into the individual light orbs.
Currently, he had very few items, and the empty shop only had a few scattered light orbs containing items.
Then Lu Sinian opened the last system shop. The goods he had just acquired were displayed there. Except for the four items he had just acquired, the rest were grayed out, indicating that their level was insufficient and they were not yet unlocked.
The supplies from the newbie gift pack alone were enough to generate enough revenue. He glanced at the cost price and closed the shop.
The profit margin was indeed high. The cola priced at 100, only cost 10 energy coins to buy—one-tenth of the initial investment.
“System, please describe the specifics of this plane and my current location.”
[Current Plane: Western Fantasy Magic World]
[The gods slumber, and the age of Dharma decline has arrived. Demonic energy is dwindling, and mages and warriors have become the highest forms of existence. For nearly a century, the Lingxi Continent has been in turmoil with frequent beast tides. Magic associations and mercenary groups have been established in major cities to protect ordinary people and fight against magical beasts. The Church of Light has seized this opportunity to spread its faith, gaining many followers and greatly increasing its power. They are now confronting the king.]
[The currency used in this plane is gold coins with an exchange rate of one to ten energy coins. One gold coin equals ten energy coins.]
[Master is currently located in the Demon Realm Abyss, the starting point of the beast tide.]
The system hesitated, stammering out the second half of the sentence.
[…Temporarily a no-man’s land.]
Lu Sinian slowly typed a question mark: “?”
After a series of exchanges with the system, Lu Sinian roughly understood the current situation.
The shop was located in the Abyss, the legendary home of magical beasts, in the Demon Beast Forest at the center of the Lingxi Continent. To reach the Abyss, one must jump off the cliff. For thousands of years, almost no one has survived, making it a forbidden area.
Given this situation, Lu Sinian, following the system’s advice, purchased an Abyss travel device. Anyone who falls from the cliff can be directly teleported to the shop’s entrance.
Lu Sinian thought about it and still felt it was too risky. Who would deliberately come to a forbidden area and jump into an abyss where death was certain? He deeply felt his future was bleak.
This device instantly used up his barely warmed-up five hundred energy coins. Lu Sinian felt a pang of heartache as each one represented money, and if it was useless, he would be heartbroken.
Leaving the small building, a wooden sign stood in front of the shop, blank, asking Lu Sinian to name it.
After a moment of contemplation, Lu Sinian decided on the name: “Floating Life General Store.”
System Notification: [Abyss Passage Device Activated, Floating Life General Store Officially Open for Business]
*
Abel gripped his sword tightly, panting as he faced the colossal beast before him. He never imagined that a simple monster-hunting mission would push him to this point.
Not only did he encounter the high-level magical beast, the Yuan Yang Illusionary Bird Leopard, on the outskirts of the forest, but he also became separated from his companions during the battle.
He was now utterly exhausted, his magical energy nearly depleted, and filled with despair. Was he going to die here?
He had finally become a warrior, gaining access to magical cores, and no longer needed to live for the hypocrisy of nobles. He was just one step away from becoming a high-level warrior, then, even the arrogant Baron Evan of Vista City would have to show him respect. Dying here was unbearable.
He didn’t want to die, he wanted to live.
The Yuan Yang Leopard grinned, its blood-red maw gleaming with menacing brown stripes, and black magical energy surged forth as it approached Abel step by step.
Abel was unwilling to accept defeat. He desperately tried to find a way to save himself, fleeing for his life.
His mind went blank, he couldn’t think, and only acting on instinct as he ran, he unknowingly ventured deep into the forest.
The surrounding bushes grew increasingly dense. Pure white light refracted through the leaves while countless dangers lurked in the shadows.
The Yuan Yang Leopard hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn’t bear to part with the fat meat at its mouth, and continued roaring as it chased after Abel.
The warrior, traversing the jungle, gritted his teeth and persevered, but his heavy body could barely hold on.
“By the God of Light, your believer begs for your grace, and yearns for your sacrifice. How can I be saved? If I am fortunate enough to survive, your believer will worship and sing daily, taking pride in your will and proclaiming your mercy.”
Abel was on the verge of tears, praying to the god in his heart, but hope was slim. If the god was still watching over this continent, how could Lingxi Continent have become so devastated with beast tides swarming in?
Just as he could no longer lift his feet, having closed his eyes to await death, suddenly his footing gave way. A feeling of weightlessness washed over him, and he plunged into an endless abyss.
*
Before Lu Sinian could even return to his room, he was pleasantly surprised to find he had his first customer. However, the customer looked quite disheveled. His sword lay at his side, his boots were splattered with mud, and he appeared to be injured.
But Lu Sinian didn’t mind at all. Customers were like invisible energy coins. He patiently knelt beside the customer, and even took the time to tend to his wounds.
When Abel slowly opened his eyes, he saw a vast, empty, dark sky, devoid of stars and moonlight, its crimson glow radiating an eerie atmosphere.
He turned his head and suddenly saw a man with black hair and black eyes. His clothing was peculiar, his features exceptionally handsome, and a wide smile played on his lips, sending chills down one’s spine.
Is this…this hell? Has the messenger of hell come to devour my soul?
Lu Sinian, unaware of why his customer had suddenly become so dazed and terrified, bent down, pleased with his standard welcoming smile and amiable expression.
“Welcome to Floating Life General Store. What would you like to buy? Please don’t be shy, feel free to purchase.”
Abel shakily looked up. The crimson had faded, revealing a solitary house standing alone on the dark earth, its strange appearance existing serenely in the deathly silence.
A wooden sign stood at the entrance, engraved with mysterious patterns. They were words yet also like pictures, each turn containing a strange rhythm.
Pushing open the door, a striking scene unfolded before Abel’s eyes: orbs of various colors floated in the air, adding an indescribable subtlety to the otherwise dim space.
Occasionally, a few orbs of light floated before him, allowing Abel to see what they contained—strange shapes he had never seen before.
Lu Sinian politely led the customer into the shop, pointing to the orbs of light before him, “Would you like to buy something?”
Abel felt that the mysterious man before him was probably setting a trap. His tone was friendly and gentle but his dark eyes seemed to hold an ominous glint.
The poor warrior’s legs went weak, almost collapsing to the ground. He swallowed hard, closed his eyes, and pointed to something that looked like a beverage.
Lu Sinian looked in the direction of the light and immediately beamed with joy.
Oh, it’s cola.