Chapter 197
The attic of the Peace Grocery Store fell into a dead silence.
When the voice suddenly echoed in his ears, Tang Yu’an felt his scalp tingle as if it were about to explode. Before he could react, Zhou Qi quickly pulled him close.
“Who are you?” Zhou Qi demanded.
He hadn’t seen the system warning, but he noticed that Tang Yu’an hadn’t opened the drift bottle’s cap, nor had the usual dreamlight orb appeared.
This unfamiliar voice had materialized out of thin air in the attic.
It sounded like a young man’s voice—cool and detached, with a hint of laziness and indifference, as if very few things in the world could pique his interest.
Tang Yu’an swallowed hard and quickly exchanged messages with Zhou Qi on the store’s private message board.
A real… deity?
Do gods actually exist in this world?
Zhou Qi’s eyes widened, and he, too, felt his scalp tingle.
Could it be that their antics of pretending to be divine charlatans had offended a real god?
Cold sweat rolled down Zhou Qi’s forehead, but despite his growing fear, he kept his composure and stood protectively in front of Tang Yu’an.
A soft chuckle echoed through the room.
“So, the so-called Mysterious Merchant is actually two little brats?” the young man’s voice said lazily. “The rules of transactional power… interesting.”
Tang Yu’an clutched the drift bottle in his hands and glanced at the number engraved on the bottom—KJ25668. He froze.
It was from Lang Ze’s dimension!
Although he didn’t know why a deity would exist in a tech-based world like Lang Ze’s, at least this gave him a clue. The god probably wasn’t here to trouble them over the Merchant God Church.
“U-Um… hello….” Tang Yu’an stammered cautiously. “Do you know Lang Ze?”
The young man hummed in affirmation.
Tang Yu’an had just started to breathe a sigh of relief when the god’s lazy voice spoke again.
“That little brat cried to me for days, complaining that he kindly treated the Mysterious Merchant to fruit, only for the Merchant to scam him out of his Spirit Storage Bag.”
Tang Yu’an: “….”
Zhou Qi: “….”
Case closed! The problem stemmed from that!
Tang Yu’an quickly explained, “We didn’t scam Lang Ze out of his Spirit Storage Bag. We already returned it last time! And we even filled it with snacks…”
Crunch, crunch.
A faint sound of chewing echoed in the attic, and the young man replied in a muffled voice, “Oh, I know.”
Tang Yu’an: “…”
He exchanged a bewildered look with Zhou Qi. Both of them couldn’t help but wonder—was this god eating the snacks they had sent to Lang Ze?!
Even though they couldn’t quite grasp what was going on, Tang Yu’an decided to proceed cautiously.
[Message Board: Administrator Channel]
[Eastern Sweet Tang]: This deity seems pretty friendly?
[Handsome Zhou]: Agreed.
Tang Yu’an held the drift bottle tightly in his hands, his heartbeat quickening.
He thought about how he had wished for help each time he cast out a drift bottle and summoned the courage to speak.
“Honored deity, h-hello. My name is Tang Yu’an.”
“Little brat,” the young man’s voice replied casually, “let me give you a piece of advice—don’t reveal your true name to strangers so easily.”
Tang Yu’an froze. “Why?”
“A name is your symbol. It represents you as a living being. Even though you probably haven’t fully grasped the meaning of your true name, it’s better to be cautious.”
“O-Okay, thank you!” Tang Yu’an quickly made a mental note of the advice.
He then gathered his courage and continued, “Honored deity, is there anything you need?”
The young man chuckled softly. “Oh? Are you trying to make a deal with me?”
“Yes. I… I want to go home, back to my family. Do you have a way to help me?” Tang Yu’an asked, his voice trembling, his eyes beginning to redden.
He felt like this was the closest he’d ever been to returning home.
In his perception, he had been in this world for more than a year. He didn’t even know if time flowed differently in his original world. Were his parents and little sister okay…?
“Go home? That’s not something I can help with,” the young man said bluntly.
Tang Yu’an’s expression darkened instantly, his eyes filling with disappointment.
Even a god couldn’t do it?
“But…” the young man continued, his tone shifting, “I can teach you a spell that allows you to summon your blood relatives to your side.”
Hearing this, Tang Yu’an’s eyes lit up with hope again.
“Really? I could summon my mom, dad, and little sister here?” he asked eagerly.
Zhou Qi, seeing Tang Yu’an’s excitement, quickly placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him. He then asked cautiously, “Would there be any side effects?”
“Side effects? That, I can’t guarantee,” the young man admitted candidly.
Tang Yu’an’s excitement began to waver as he forced himself to calm down.
If the spell came with severe consequences—like shortening his lifespan or causing grievous harm—then it might be better to let his parents and sister stay safely in their original world. They would need to think of another way instead…
Then, the young man’s lazy voice rang out again.
“Besides, I’m only responsible for teaching the technique. Whether or not you can actually learn it depends on your own aptitude.”
Tang Yu’an quickly asked, “How long does it usually take to learn it?”
“For those with high aptitude, it can happen in an instant. For those with average aptitude, it might take 10 to 20 years. And for those with low aptitude… well, they may never learn it, even if they spend their entire life trying,” the young man replied nonchalantly.
Tang Yu’an’s face immediately fell.
Ten to twenty years… can my mom and dad really wait that long?
But after thinking it through, he quickly regained his composure. At least now he had a concrete, achievable path forward. The first step was to learn this technique, no matter what!
“I want to learn, honored deity! Please teach us. Whatever the cost, just name it!” Tang Yu’an said earnestly.
“Are you sure about this?” the young man asked, his tone rising slightly.
“Yes, I’m sure!”
“Very well.”
Suddenly, a faint golden light appeared in the previously calm attic. The light grew brighter and brighter, until it shot directly into Tang Yu’an’s forehead.
Tang Yu’an instinctively closed his eyes as an overwhelming amount of information surged into his mind.
At the same time—
[Unregistered skill detected. Intelligent system initializing…]
“Host—”
Before the system could say more, the young man’s voice, now colder and more authoritative, interrupted sharply:
“What are you? How dare you act up in my presence?”
Tang Yu’an heard a loud “beep” in his ears, and the intelligent system, which had just addressed him, went completely silent once more.
He gulped nervously, forcing himself to focus on the flood of knowledge entering his mind.
Apart from the technique that could summon one’s closest blood relatives, the young man had also provided an introductory cultivation method.
The introductory technique was a prerequisite—only by mastering it could he hope to use the summoning spell. It was almost like a “buy one, get one free” deal, thoughtful and comprehensive.
By the time the dull ache in his head subsided, Tang Yu’an was drenched in sweat.
Opening his eyes, he looked toward the seemingly empty attic and said, “Thank you, honored deity. May I ask, what do I need to offer in return?”
“I’ve already taken what I need,” the young man replied.
Sensing that this friendly deity was about to leave, Tang Yu’an quickly asked, “Will we still be able to stay friends with Lang Ze in the future?”
A soft chuckle echoed once again, followed by the young man’s voice: “That depends on your luck.”
With that, the lazy voice disappeared entirely from the attic.
At the same time, the drift bottle Tang Yu’an had been holding shattered with a soft pop, scattering into tiny points of light.
As the light faded, the drift bottle vanished completely, along with all the strange phenomena in the attic.
“An’an, are you okay?” Zhou Qi asked, snapping out of his daze and rushing over to Tang Yu’an with concern.
Tang Yu’an shook his head but looked down at his now-empty hands with a hint of regret. “The drift bottle shattered.”
This wasn’t just any drift bottle—it was one of the special rewards from the system. Unlike the ones they fished out of the dream sea, once it broke, it was gone forever.
“No wonder the deity said what he did earlier…”
“It’s alright,” Zhou Qi reassured him. “If we’re lucky, Lang Ze might still find another bottle in the future.”
Then, Zhou Qi’s expression grew tense again. “What exactly did you trade with him just now?”
Tang Yu’an was equally puzzled. He glanced at the system notification:
[You completed a transaction with a new customer. Experience +3.]
Thankfully, although the intelligent system seemed to have been muted, the core system functionality was still operating normally.
Apparently, because the deity communicated directly with them, the system didn’t classify him as a typical dream-wisher.
But why didn’t it specify whether the trade was profitable, at a loss, or neutral? What exactly did this deity take?
Tang Yu’an couldn’t shake the feeling that nothing important had been taken from him. Besides, the deity didn’t seem like an evil figure.
Hesitantly, he opened his inventory and began flipping through the pages. Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock.
“An’an, what’s wrong?” Zhou Qi asked, noticing his reaction.
Tang Yu’an flipped through the inventory a few more times, then turned to Zhou Qi with a strange expression and said, “That deity… he took all of our snacks, drinks, seasonings, and even the alcohol from the refrigerator.”
Zhou Qi, who had been tense and bracing for bad news, suddenly felt his expression freeze, a crack forming in his otherwise composed demeanor.
He checked his own portable storage and found that all the food he had stored was gone as well.
Rushing downstairs, Zhou Qi discovered that not only were the shop’s display cabinets empty, but even the partially used seasonings in the kitchen were gone!
*
KJ25668 Dimension, Earth Star Nursery Institute.
A black-haired young man lounged lazily on a sofa, his posture casual and carefree. In the air before him, a shimmering cloud of light projected an image of the attic in the Peace Grocery Store.
When Tang Yu’an’s drift bottle shattered, the light cloud also fragmented into countless specks before disappearing entirely.
The young man turned his gaze to the side. As his eyes focused on an object, a bag of potato chips floated toward him, the packaging opening itself automatically.
He casually reached in, pulled out a chip, and took a bite. Crunch.
“Not bad,” he muttered with a faint smile. “That little brat has pretty good taste.”
The young man slightly opened his mouth, and a potato chip floated up, landing neatly between his lips.
As he tasted the crispy texture and savory flavor of the chip, he nodded approvingly. “Not bad—better than the stuff made at the base.”
A-Yan glanced at him, then at the pile of snacks and drinks that filled over half the room. He couldn’t help but feel amused and exasperated, but nonetheless began silently sorting the items into categories.
No matter the situation, it seemed the children here wouldn’t be lacking in snacks for their afternoon tea anytime soon.
Just then, the door to the caretaker’s dormitory slid open automatically.
A small boy with fluffy, oversized ears peeked cautiously inside. The moment his eyes landed on the young man lounging on the sofa, his face lit up with delight.
“Su Su! You’re awake!”
The boy bounded into the room with excitement, but when his gaze landed on the mountain of snacks and drinks, his eyes widened in shock.
“Brother A-Yan! Did you guys sneak out to restock supplies?”
At that moment, a small black cat peeked its head out of the boy’s pocket. Its fluffy little body stirred as if it had just woken up, its expression still a bit dazed.
Meanwhile, Lang Ze had already dashed over to the young man, Su Ci, holding up his fingers and grinning slyly. “Su Su, do you want to touch my ears? One chip per touch!”
Then he wagged his soft, fluffy tail. “Touching my tail will cost you two chips~!”
Su Ci lazily glanced at him, then shifted his gaze to the little black cat nestled in Lang Ze’s pocket. The cat had strikingly beautiful blue eyes, but they were dim and unfocused, lacking any sign of vision.
Noticing Su Ci’s gaze, the little black cat shuddered as if startled, quickly retracting its head back into Lang Ze’s pocket and doing its best to make itself invisible.
You can’t see me… you can’t see me…
Su Ci indifferently withdrew his gaze and gestured for Lang Ze to extend his hand. A bag of cucumber-flavored potato chips floated into Lang Ze’s outstretched palm.
Lang Ze froze in surprise before his eyes lit up with joy. “I get the whole bag?!”
Su Ci yawned, his tone drowsy as he replied, “Yes. A little friend named Yu’an sent it to you.”
“Woohoo!”
Lang Ze cheered, hopping on the spot in excitement. “Then please help me thank him!”
With that, he happily hugged the bag of chips and ran off. But moments later, he came bounding back, tearing open the bag and popping a chip into his mouth before offering one to A-Yan.
“Brother A-Yan, this one’s for you!”
Then, with the bag of chips in hand, Lang Ze ran off again to share with his friends. Soon, the cheerful sounds of children playing could be heard from outside the window.
A-Yan chuckled and was just about to speak to Su Ci, but when he looked over, the young man was already asleep on the sofa. A rare hint of exhaustion could be seen on his normally tranquil face.
A-Yan’s smile faded as his expression turned serious.
Interdimensional communication must take a significant toll on divine power…
Waving his hand, A-Yan sealed the room, blocking out all sound. Then, moving gently, he picked up Su Ci and carried him into the bedroom.
*
Peace Grocery Store, Attic.
Tang Yu’an had already copied down the first section of the cultivation method, preparing to practice it alongside Zhou Qi.
The store’s goods had always been finite—one way or another, they would eventually run out. Using them now to learn a technique that might reunite him with his family seemed well worth it.
Besides, the cultivation method could also enhance their abilities. Compared to that, even losing all their snacks and seasonings was a small price to pay.
“I wonder what the connection is between that deity and Lang Ze,” Tang Yu’an said thoughtfully. “I was hoping to trade for one of Lang Ze’s Spirit Storage Bags…”
Zhou Qi patted his head and said, “Why not check the dimensional shop instead? Spirit Storage Bags sound like something that would come from a cultivation world.”
“But Lang Ze is from a tech-based dimension,” Tang Yu’an countered.
Zhou Qi pointed to the cultivation method Tang Yu’an had copied. “This is written in classical Chinese.”
It wasn’t just ordinary classical Chinese—it was incredibly profound and difficult to understand. It would likely take them quite a bit of time to fully grasp.
“It definitely doesn’t seem like something from a tech-based world,” Tang Yu’an admitted.
He carefully reviewed the cultivation method a few more times to ensure there were no errors before finally letting out a sigh of relief.
Just then, Zhou Qi asked, “So, about earlier—your intelligent system activated for a moment?”
“Yeah,” Tang Yu’an nodded. “It seemed like it wanted to steal my skill but got scolded by the deity?”
He wasn’t entirely sure what had happened. After the loud “beep,” the intelligent system had gone completely silent again.
No matter how many times he tried calling it, it refused to respond.
“Alright, let’s focus on fishing up today’s drift bottles,” Zhou Qi suggested.
Tang Yu’an got up and walked toward the Dream Drift Bottle window. But just as his hand touched the frame, a new notification popped up on his interface.
[A skill unregistered by the Doomsday Grocery Store system has been detected. The skill is currently in an unmastered state. Please choose one of the following options:]
[1. Deduct all points. The system will record the skill, allowing you to use it an unlimited number of times.]
[2. Deduct 50% of points. The skill will be fused with the Dream Drift Bottle, enabling bottles to be sent directly to the dream of your closest blood relative.]
After carefully reading the notification, Tang Yu’an froze in shock.
He immediately shared the two options with Zhou Qi. “Brother Qi, if we spend all our points, we can master the summoning spell right away!”
Zhou Qi couldn’t hide his surprise. “The system can do that?”
If they could truly summon Uncle Tang and Aunt Tang to this world, no matter how many points it cost, both of them would be willing to pay it!
They had worked so hard to earn points and upgrade their skills for so long—all because they wanted to go home and see their loved ones again.
But…
“The deity seemed to say that he couldn’t guarantee there wouldn’t be side effects when using the summoning technique,” Zhou Qi reminded, frowning.
Tang Yu’an, who had been ready to choose the first option, froze.
That’s right—there might be side effects…
He carefully reread the options but found no mention of whether the system’s integration of the skill would guarantee the absence of side effects.
Tang Yu’an tried to summon the intelligent system for clarification, but there was no response—it was still dormant. Unable to find answers, Tang Yu’an fell into deep thought.
He really missed his parents so much. He wanted to see them right away…
But eventually, his gaze landed on the second option.
Spend half of the points to fuse the Dream Drift Bottle with the summoning technique, allowing bottles to directly reach the dreams of one’s closest blood relatives…
The hesitation in Tang Yu’an’s eyes slowly gave way to determination.
“Brother Qi, let’s choose the second option!” Tang Yu’an said. “This way, it’s safer, and we can still contact Mom and Dad. It’s a much more reliable choice than the first.”
As much as he deeply, deeply missed his family, their safety was just as important.
He simply couldn’t make a choice that might—even if there was only a one-in-a-thousand chance—bring them harm. As long as his parents and sister were safe and sound, that was enough for him.
Seeing the redness in the boy’s eyes, Zhou Qi understood the struggle Tang Yu’an must have gone through to make this decision. He reached out and pulled Tang Yu’an into a comforting hug, gently patting his back.
“You made the right choice,” Zhou Qi said softly. “There will definitely be other ways to see them again in the future.”
Hearing Zhou Qi’s reassuring tone, Tang Yu’an’s nose stung with emotion. He had been holding back his tears, but after hearing Zhou Qi’s words, he couldn’t help but let them flow.
Burying his face in Zhou Qi’s chest, Tang Yu’an hugged him tightly. His voice, thick with emotion, trembled as he spoke.
“I… I just miss them so much…”
Zhou Qi paused at the sound of the boy’s sobs. After a moment, he lowered his head slightly and, as if unable to resist, gently brushed a kiss against Tang Yu’an’s hair.
The kiss was so light and restrained, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water, almost imperceptible.
“I know,” Zhou Qi said softly, resting his cheek against the top of Tang Yu’an’s head. He continued to stroke his back with tender care, his voice full of compassion. “I know it all too well…”
After a long while, Tang Yu’an finally calmed down, having vented his pent-up emotions.
Pulling back from Zhou Qi’s embrace, he gave a sheepish smile.
“I cried again…”
Zhou Qi pulled out a tissue and gently wiped away his tears. “It’s okay to cry. I won’t make fun of you.”
Over the past year, Zhou Qi had watched Tang Yu’an grow quickly, becoming more and more adept at controlling his emotions. But this didn’t bring him joy.
If he could choose, he would rather Tang Yu’an grow up more slowly—carefree, happy every day, and without worry.
“No, I can’t cry like this. I’m not a little kid anymore,” Tang Yu’an said, shaking his head. “I’m about to turn another year older. I’ll be an adult soon.”
Zhou Qi smiled. “Even if you turn fifteen by lunar age, you’re still very young.”
Tang Yu’an looked at him skeptically and said, “Not that young! You almost never cry, Brother Qi. If you can do it, I can too.”
But thinking about how he had just broken down moments ago, he quickly added, “Unless… unless I can’t help it!”
“Everyone’s personality and experiences are different. You don’t have to force yourself to be like anyone else,” Zhou Qi said, gently pinching his cheek. “Just be yourself.”
The boy I like doesn’t need to endure the same hardships I did.
Unable to argue, Tang Yu’an decided to change the subject. “Should I go ahead and choose the second option?”
Zhou Qi thought for a moment before stopping him. “We don’t know how long the fusion process will take. Let’s fish for today’s drift bottles first.”
“Alright!”
Tang Yu’an eagerly went to fish for bottles. The first one was from Gan Lin.
This time, when he opened the bottle cap, nothing unexpected happened. The light orb floated into the air, and soon, Gan Lin’s voice echoed in the attic.
“Great and noble deity, if you can hear my call, please descend into my dreams. Your devoted follower awaits day and night to receive your guidance…”
Having just experienced the arrival of a real god, Tang Yu’an found Gan Lin’s prayer unbearably cheesy.
This has to be Old Mo’s doing!
When it came to Old Mo, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had long since given up resisting. Ever since they transferred him to Shop No.6 to share a channel with Old Ping, the two had become fast friends, chatting non-stop and finding plenty of common ground.
Tang Yu’an even suspected that Old Mo knew the “Mysterious Merchant” was monitoring their discussions and deliberately said things for their benefit.
Recently, the duo had come up with a new name: the “Peace Trading Association,” inspired by the name of the Peace Grocery Store.
They reasoned that since the Mysterious Merchant had chosen the name, as loyal employees (or devotees), they should honor their deity. Thus, the “Peace Trading Association” was born.
In the wastelands, the name “Merchant God Church” was still more useful, but in fortress cities, the more neutral “Peace Trading Association” was better received.
After all, some fortresses actively suppressed religion, and using the trading association name made it easier to conduct business.
Perhaps this was all part of the Commercial Deity’s plan…
Every time Tang Yu’an saw the employees showering the Commercial Deity with exaggerated praise on the message board, he wanted to scream: That’s not me! I didn’t do that! Stop making things up!
Unfortunately, in order to maintain his disguise, Tang Yu’an had no choice but to play along.
Tang Yu’an interrupted Gan Lin’s prayers and began chatting with him.
Now, thanks to Old Mo’s leadership, the church had grown to over a hundred followers. With a steady supply of water and food, its development was rapid.
However, Old Mo wasn’t blindly expanding. He only wanted followers who were obedient and willing to abide by the church’s “doctrine.” The truly wicked and unruly were not only barred from joining, but they were also at risk of being “dealt with” by the Merchant God Church.
“Don’t worry, Divine Lord. We will strictly adhere to the doctrine and never let you down!” Gan Lin vowed earnestly.
Tang Yu’an nodded and then asked, “Is the third well finished?”
“It’s done. This one is over ten meters deep…” Gan Lin said cautiously.
However, for Tang Yu’an—who had previously transferred tens of thousands of cubic meters of water to fill an entire lake—a mere ten cubic meters of water felt like little more than a drop in the bucket.
“Good. Prepare the ritual. I’ll visit your dream again tomorrow.”
Since Old Mo had recruited so many followers, it was necessary to occasionally display some “miracles” to awe and solidify the faith of these new believers.
“Understood! Thank you, Divine Lord!”
Tang Yu’an then initiated another trade with Gan Lin. This time, he provided some materials left over from their battle with the giant insects in the alternate dimension.
Some of these materials could be crafted into weapons, while others could be used for defense—things Old Mo and his group would likely find very useful.
The next two bottles were from residents of Jufeng Mountain. One of them barely said a word before waking up from their dream.
After using up all his remaining dream visits, Tang Yu’an finally brought up the earlier system interface and selected the second option.
[50% of points deducted successfully!]
[Dream Drift Bottle is fusing with new skill. Total time required: 12 hours. Please wait patiently…]
With half his points deducted, Tang Yu’an’s account balance instantly dropped back down to just over 200,000. However, he was already used to such fluctuations; as long as his balance didn’t hit zero, he didn’t feel too concerned.
“Brother Qi, you really called it! The fusion isn’t instantaneous,” Tang Yu’an remarked.
Zhou Qi nodded. “And we’re out of drift bottles for now. Even after the fusion is complete, we’ll still have to wait a while.”
Currently, apart from the one sent to Cosorna, the other three Dream Drift Bottles were still floating somewhere in the Dream Sea.
They’d have to wait for those bottles to return before they could use one to contact Tang Yu’an’s family.
“Oh, right…” Tang Yu’an said, looking slightly dejected.
Sending drift bottles to other dimensions already took a long time. Now, adding the wait for the bottles to return, it felt like an endless delay.
But soon, he perked up, as if something had just occurred to him. “Maybe they’ll come back tomorrow!”
Brother Qi always said that he had a knack for manifesting what he wished for, so he decided to focus on thinking positively.
Zhou Qi smiled and nodded. Though he doubted it would happen that quickly, he chose not to say anything that might dampen Tang Yu’an’s spirits.
With that, the two of them laid out their bedding. For once, they didn’t visit an alternate dimension that night. Instead, they decided to stay home and get a rare, restful night’s sleep.
The next morning, when Tang Yu’an woke up, he was greeted by the following notifications:
[Employee “Xiao Cao” completed a profitable trade with a returning customer. Points +10, Experience +1.]
[Experience points maxed out. Merchant Level +1.]
[Merchant Level reached Lv20. New features unlocked…]
[Dream Drift Bottle +1. Current total: 5.]
Tang Yu’an stared at the last notification in disbelief before letting out an ecstatic shout.
“Brother Qi! We got another drift bottle!”
Zhou Qi, who had just finished freshening up, paused at the doorway and smiled faintly. “I guess luck really is on your side.”
It seemed Tang Yu’an’s hope of having a bottle return the next day had been granted.
Without wasting a moment, Tang Yu’an ran over to the Dream Drift Bottle window, eager to test his luck once more. With the new bottle in hand, they could soon contact his family!
Yay finally!