Plane Supermarket Plane 1: Da Liang Dynasty C27
With Zou Ming taking out a pistol, Ye Zhou currently possessed four handguns in his hands, one of which he immediately purchased for self-defense after getting some money. In Ye Zhou’s mind, he was already considering who to entrust with the firearm.
At daybreak, Ye Zhou asked the person he had chosen to come to the lounge through the radio.
Meanwhile, Zou Ming had spent the entire night “repairing” Sun Hao. Today, regardless of what method they needed to use, they are going up the mountain road to investigate the true identity of the bandits and get a clear picture of their leader’s appearance.
Holding a pair of binoculars, it shouldn’t be difficult to gather information without alerting the bandits.
“Why am I included this time…?” The man was confused.
Zhou Wen was not someone with a prominent presence. He is not as strong-willed as Wu Yan, nor as swift as Chen Liu. On regular days, if no one called him, the others hardly noticed the existence of this person by their side.
Wu Yan smiled at him and said, “The immortal has taken an interest in you. You must possess extraordinary abilities. Why belittle yourself?”
Zhou Wen nodded somewhat hesitantly.
He was somewhat afraid of Wu Yan because Wu Yan was literate and well-educated, being a landlord. In contrast, he was just a common tenant farmer among his four siblings. The only reason he had a wife was that he was the eldest.
Before the famine, his younger brothers had all gone to the city to find work, doing jobs like digging soil, moving stones, and helping the merchants with their goods to earn some hard-earned money.
His parents had passed away on the tough journey of escaping the famine. With age catching up to them and after a lifetime of strenuous labor, their legs, backs, and waists were already weakened. They often felt uncomfortable even when they weren’t doing much, let alone traveling through the night and day.
Zhou Wen had been the eldest for half his life, and later on, he became a husband and a father. He couldn’t protect their mother, but he needed to protect his wife and children now.
He wasn’t the kind of person who could survive on his own. If he lost his wife and children, he’d probably find a place to meet his end.
Among the employees, he never stood out, but when given a task, he always put his head down and did it well.
“It’s probably because of how you looked yesterday,” Chen Liu suddenly chimed in. “You showed some courage.”
The others then remembered how Zhou Wen, who was usually timid and fearful, had dared to confront Sun Hao with violence yesterday.
“I never thought you had such a fiery temper.”
“You really caught me off guard.”
Zhou Wen pressed his lips together and said firmly, “If they eat people, they deserve to die!”
He still remembered being pinned to the ground, mud filling his mouth, while his wife was stripped by those people, exposed and humiliated, and his son was nothing more than a helpless pig in the eyes of those people.
To this day, Zhou Wen had no recollection of how he had broken free from their restraints or how he had managed to overpower the man who was holding him down. When he came to his senses, there was a metallic taste of blood and rust in his mouth, and he had torn that man’s neck into a gruesome mess with his bite.
Without any weapons, his teeth became the sharpest and hardest things on his entire body.
Since then, he never fled with physically strong people again, opting to stay with his wife, children, and a group of elderly, weak, and sick individuals.
He harbored deep hatred, despising all those who preyed on human flesh and loathed anyone who might harm his wife and children. His hatred remained hidden deep within, with a burning desire for a day when he could see their end.
After taking a life, he feared nothing, and his world seemed to brighten up.
Wu Yan patted his shoulder and said, “Hurry, the immortal is waiting for us.”
The four people called to the rest area this time were Wu Yan, Chen Liu, and Zhou Wen1.
Ye Zhou had carefully considered choosing these individuals. Needless to say,Wu Yan was already the de facto leader among the male workers. His leadership skills proved he was capable of ensuring the others’ safety.
Chen Liu, after a stern lesson, became even more cautious. His naturally slender and his short stature made him blend seamlessly into the background behind the trees, making him difficult to spo. He is ideal for gathering information and scouting ahead.
Zhou Wen was an added force recommendation by Sarah herself.
Sarah believed that the others wouldn’t amount to much because they were either too afraid to take a life or had reckless personalities. But Zhou Wen, despite his timid appearance, possessed a heart unafraid of risking it all.
“At critical moments, those who fear death will meet their end first,” Sarah told Ye Zhou. “If a person isn’t afraid of death, even if they aren’t exceptionally strong, they can still intimidate others because they’re willing to risk their life. After all, if they’re willing to go all in while others may hesitate.”
“Sometimes, victory against the strong comes down to this. That’s how David and Goliath works2.”
Sarah spoke with a hint of pride. “I’ve even killed vampires stronger than me because they wouldn’t stake their lives on the line. I had to risk it because I didn’t have the means to escape. They had a way out, which made them hesitate.”
“He died without ever understanding why he lost,” Sarah said.
Ye Zhou agreed with her assessment.
He had never been in a fight, let alone a life-and-death struggle, so he could only rely on the advice of Sarah and Zou Ming.
Ye Zhou concisely explained their plan to Wu Yan.
“They’re on the top of mountain,” Ye Zhou said. “If we don’t eliminate them, it will pose a threat to your safety.”
“These are firearms,” Ye Zhou pointed to the three guns laid out on the table. “Zou Ming will teach you how to use them.”
Ye Zhou had received a crash course from Zou Ming himself the previous night.
While Ye Zhou’s accuracy was average, given that he had never used a gun before, as long as the distance was close enough, he could hit the target.
It was just uncertain where it would hit.
Ye Zhou didn’t doubt his abilities. After all, Zou Ming had assured him that at his current rate of progress, he would undoubtedly become a sharpshooter who could hit the bullseye.
Ye Zhou understood that, without any formal training, he couldn’t demand too much of himself right now.
Remaining calm in the face of adversity and hitting the target with his shots was his highest self-expectation.
Wu Yan and the other two had no objections.
“Is the immortal going there personally?” Wu Yan still didn’t dare to lift his head to look at Ye Zhou.
Ye Zhou nodded, “Yes, I need to go there myself and take a look.”
This was his supermarket and his battlefield. He couldn’t let others risk their lives while he cowered on his battlefield.
Chen Liu and Zhou Wen didn’t dare to speak to Ye Zhou. They both practiced mindfulness and followed the immortal’s orders without question. Whatever the immortal told them to do, they would do.
They didn’t find the bandits frightening either. With the immortal personally overseeing things, a group of bandits was nothing to fear. After all, who could possibly be a match for an immortal?
This was perhaps part of the immortal’s training for them.
Wu Yan spoke softly, “With the immortal’s command, we shall obey without hesitation.”
Ye Zhou murmured softly, “This journey may carry risks. Go back and talk with your families.”
Wu Yan replied, “Yes.”
The immortal had warned them about the dangers when he sent them out, but didn’t everything turn out fine?
Although they encountered bandits a second time, they had Sarah to protect them.
There is nothing in this world that can be called dangerous to them.
Once they left the lounge area, Chen Liu became somewhat excited. “The fact that the immortal entrusted us with such an important task shows that we must have done well in recent days.”
“Do you think these firearms are like divine weapons of the immortals? They should be more powerful than even repeating crossbows, right?”
He held the gun and gestured with excitement.
Wu Yan was also curious. The compact size of the gun made him wonder if it could possibly be more powerful than a repeating crossbow.
But who’s to say with divine weapons, maybe the smaller they are, the more powerful it is?
They had just stepped outside the supermarket when they spotted Zou Ming, standing with his arms crossed against the wall, waiting for them.
Zou Ming had a stern expression, exuding an aura that discouraged people from approaching. After years of traversing through the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, they may have all been employees of the supermarket, but they hardly knew Zou Ming. Even when they crossed paths, they wouldn’t exchange more than a few words.
They would rather approach Sara, a supernatural being, than to approach Zou Ming, who was just a mortal.
Even Wu Yan would actively avoid Zou Ming in his daily life.
In theory, they shouldn’t be afraid of Zou Ming, someone who had never killed a person in front of them, even though they had encountered ruthless bandits.
But that intimidating aura was something they couldn’t ignore, no matter what.
Zou Ming straightened his posture and nodded slightly at the leader, Wu Yan, after seeing them. “Follow me.”
He found a secluded area because the firearms didn’t have silencers as those had to be purchased separately. And someone like Ye Zhou, who had recently risen from being penniless, couldn’t afford them. To avoid being noticed by the bandits on the mountaintop, they had to train in a different location.
Wu Yan cautiously asked Zou Ming, “Zou Xiongdi3, how does this firearm compare to a repeating crossbow?”
Zou Ming replied plainly, “You’ll know soon. No need for me to describe.”
Wu Yan: “…”
Alas, Zou Xiongdi’s temper is so bad that he may not be able to marry a wife in the future.
But before he could dwell on this thought for too long, he saw Zou Ming raise his hand, and with a “bang!” sound emitted from his palm, a nearby tree swayed twice.
The speed was too fast. Wu Yan and the others couldn’t even make out what had happened.
It seemed like something had flown out? What was it?
Zou Ming turned and said to Wu Yan, “Go over and take a look.”
Wu Yan nodded repeatedly, leading Chen Liu and the others to follow Zou Ming.
When they witnessed the tree trunk with a hole torn through it, Wu Yan couldn’t help but inhale sharply, his eyes widened in horror. The power of this divine weapon was so powerful! And just moments ago, Chen Liu had been casually toying with it!
Chen Liu was also frightened out of his wits. The gun he held felt like a scalding hot potato. He even felt as if he had experienced a near-death encounter in the blink of an eye.
Zou Ming seemed to know their fears, explaining, “This gun has a safety. If you don’t disengage the safety, the trigger won’t work, no matter how you pull it.”
Wu Yan quickly asked, “What’s the safety?”
Zou Ming, who didn’t seem approachable but answered questions when necessary, pointed to the firearm’s safety and said, “Move the safety lever this way. When it shows ‘F,’ the gun is ready to fire at any time. When it shows ‘S,’ it’s in the safety mode.”
The guns sold by the system were of excellent quality, and they didn’t jam or misfire.
“Think of ‘S’ as a snake,” Zou Ming explained. “As long as the snake pattern is exposed, it means the gun won’t fire. When you use it, remember to disengage the safety.”
“The handgun has limited range,” Zou Ming continued. “You should give it a try first.”
Handguns were primarily for self-defense. If they truly wanted to defeat the bandits in one fell swoop, they would need the machine guns that Zou Ming had brought with him.
The terrain was also very important.
Ye Zhou and Zou Ming had envisioned leading the bandits to lower ground, while Zou Ming and the employees occupied higher positions, making use of the machine guns and repeating crossbows. This was when the advantages of the machine guns would shine through – longer range, wider coverage, and increased firepower.
Unfortunately, there was only this one machine gun in Zou Ming’s hands.
Ye Zhou had checked the system store before and knew that a machine gun identical to the one Zou Ming had cost two million.
Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t afford it with the money he had on hand.
The cheapest option was one and a half million, which he still couldn’t afford.
So he settled for buying a handgun instead.
At the very least, it was a gun, which was stronger than cold weapons.
From early morning to noon, Wu Yan and the others didn’t stopped their training for a moment. While the guns were expensive, the ammunition was cheap, so Ye Zhou had bought ammunition by the crate, ensuring that Wu Yan and the others had enough.
·
In the afternoon, taking advantage of the hottest time of the day, Ye Zhou prepared to head up the mountain.
At this time, even if the bandits were still vigilant, their alertness would be lower compared to the night.
In the daylight, it was difficult to remain concealed, so Ye Zhou decided to go against the norm.
What’s more, considering the current weather, during the scorching hot hours, everyone wanted to find some shade and lacked enthusiasm. Often people feel drowsy and lethargic at this time.
This time he didn’t bring all the employees who used the crossbow. It’s easier to be found if there are too many people. It’s better to be careful.
But the weather is so bad that Sun Hao has already lost most of his life. It was uncertain whether he could endure until the end.
But Ye Zhou really can’t become a saintly figure. Time is better than everything, even if he knows Sun Hao can’t hold on, he can only let Sun Hao lead the way.
Sun Hao probably knew he was nearing death’s door. He had stopped struggling and begging for mercy. But he still held a faint glimmer of hope. When Wu Yan carried him out, his eyes were swollen and bloodshot, and he cast a desperate glance at Ye Zhou, but Ye Zhou didn’t look at him.
Ye Zhou knew he wasn’t a person with an iron heart. Maybe with more experience, he could learn to turn a blind eye to a pitiable but wicked person like Sun Hao. But for now, he couldn’t, so he restrained himself from looking at Sun Hao.
He prevented any hint of sympathy from surfacing for Sun Hao.
Sun Hao’s limbs were now immobile, so they had to secure him to Wu Yan with a rope to prevent him from slipping down.
When Wu Yan got tired, it would be Zhou Wen’s turn to carry him.
Chen Liu had to act as the scout at the forefront.
Zou Ming was walking ahead of the main group, with Sarah at the rear.
As far as Ye Zhou was concerned, their small team, including Sun Hao, was relatively dependable.
As for Ye Zhou himself – he was quite self-aware. He didn’t lag behind, and being able to shoot or run quickly when facing danger was already considered good.
During this time, Ye Zhou made sure to exercise every day, fearing that if something unexpected happened his physical condition might not keep up with his thoughts.
With Sun Hao’s limbs immobilized, he could only rely on speaking to provide directions. Because he lost a few teeth, his speech was muffled. They often had to discern what Sun Hao was saying only after several attempts.
To guard against the possibility of Sun Hao leading them into traps, Ye Zhou would always use binoculars from a high vantage point to scout the road ahead, and then he would send Chen Liu to assess the situation.
They continued their journey with intermittent breaks and finally reached a small hillside adjacent to the mountaintop after about three hours.
“Binoculars are really a great invention,” Ye Zhou whispered to Zou Ming. “Did the person who invented binoculars win a Nobel Prize?”
Zou Ming replied, “I… don’t know.”
How could he possibly know?
Ye Zhou didn’t necessarily need to know at this moment. He could always research it on the computer when he got back. For now, his focus was on the bandits’ hideout.
“Is that the cave?” Ye Zhou asked while looking down at Sun Hao, who had become completely numb. He had seen the divine tool of an immortal that could see far and wide, making him too afraid to guide them through a path that might have traps.
“That’s right,” Sun Hao gasped weakly.
Ye Zhou raised an eyebrow, “This cave can accommodate more than four hundred people?”
Sun Hao let out an “Ah,” and immediately, Wu Yan gave him a sip of water. With his throat moistened, Sun Hao continued, “This cave is like a hidden paradise, cooler than usual places, and it has a water pool.”
Now, the water source issue was finally addressed.
Ye Zhou asked, “Does your leader live there too?”
Sun Hao nodded and said, “Only the leader has a tent…”
“That works out just fine,” Ye Zhou turned to Zou Ming and the others, saying, “We’ll guard the cave entrance when the time comes.”
A siege battle would be ideal. As long as they held the cave entrance, they could pick off the enemy one by one, even if it took time. They were willing to use their bodies as shields and protect themselves from bullets and arrows.
But Ye Zhou didn’t believe they possessed such guts. With any courage and human spirit they had, it shouldn’t lead to cannibalism or attacking powerless and fleeing refugees. Were there no wealthy households in the North that had escaped or hoarded food?
This wasn’t the modern world. But even in modern times, many people hold strong attachments to their hometowns, often adhering to the idea that “falling leaves return to their roots.”
For many local residents, their roots and livelihoods were firmly established in this place. Once they fled to the south, they would be left with nothing.
The bandits dared not rob them because these large landowners had people, weapons, and possibly government connections.
With bandits who prey on the weak and fear the strong, how could they dare risk their lives facing the barrels of guns?
If there were any real tough individuals among them, Ye Zhou would respect them as men, but that wouldn’t stop Ye Zhou from shooting.
As long as he didn’t view them as ordinary people but rather as murderous, cannibalistic demons, and kept some distance from them, he could remain calm.
“Should we use smoke grenades?” Ye Zhou suddenly recalled, “I remember there are stink bombs and smoke grenades in the mall, and they’re not that expensive.”
After all, these items didn’t cause much harm. Ye Zhou rubbed his chin, “The smoke grenades should be cheaper. If we buy smoke grenades, we could buy eight or nine, but if we buy stink bombs, we’d only be able to buy three.”
“The cave is not small. Three stink bombs may not be enough,” Ye Zhou contemplated. He believed that smoke grenades should be enough.
After all, neither had much lethality. The goal was simply to force the occupants out.
If they refused to come out, they’d be surrounded. They had water and provisions. Ye Zhou could even arrange for sunshades. If the situation grew too hot, they could transport ice. Right now, Ye Zhou had to maintain the upper hand and not allow the bandits time to react.
Sarah suggested, “Then why not buy some firewood and light a fire at the entrance, ensuring the wind direction is in our favor?”
Ye Zho replied. “… Well, I don’t have a portable storage space, so how would I transport the firewood there? Bandits aren’t blind.”
Sarah fell silent for a couple of seconds: “True.”
Ye Zhou smiled and felt that the 400-year-old was a little bit silly and cute.
“Immortal, he’s in really bad shape,” Wu Yan had been taking care of Sun Hao. He had been very attentive, fearing that Sun Hao might close his eyes before disclosing the entrance to the cave.
But now, Sun Hao could only manage shallow breaths, and there was no longer any exhale. He lay there, lifeless, gazing blankly at the sky. The blue sky was so close to him at this moment, as if he could reach out and touch it.
Sun Hao struggled to raise his hand with all his remaining strength.
In a daze, he felt as if he had returned to the days when he was still a soldier. Back then, he hadn’t resorted to cannibalism, nor had he harmed innocent civilians.
He could run and jump. Although he often complained about not having enough food or not seeing any meat. But deep in his heart, there was a glimmer of hope.
As long as he served dutifully in the army and killed a few more enemies, he could earn enough money to return to his hometown, buy some land, build a house, and live in that house until he dies…
Wu Yan reached out to check Sun Hao’s breathing, then looked up at Ye Zhou. “Immortal, he’s gone.”
Ye Zhou pursed his lips and with a deep breath that went unnoticed by Wu Yan and the others, he spoke softly, “When we go back, let’s find a place to bury him.”
Regardless of life or death, in the end, the deceased should rest beneath the earth, becoming nourishment for the land.
The real bandits had not resorted to cannibalism, but rather, it was these defected soldiers from the army…
After sketching a rough map, Ye Zhou and the group retraced their steps.
Tomorrow at this time would be when they had to block the entrance to the cave.
On their way back, they found a place to dig a grave for Sun Hao. Ye Zhou didn’t erect a tombstone for him. If the ordinary folks killed by them didn’t receive a memorial, why would they bother to do so for him?
As the first shovelful of earth covered Sun Hao’s face, it seemed like his sins were also taken away by the earth.
·
The moonlight night fell.
Inside the cave, “Dawang” sat on a tiger-skin chair while his subordinates served him water and meat. It was a rare day when they could eat to their heart’s content, and the slightly roasted meat emitted a strange, tantalizing aroma. “Dawang” leaned back in his chair, his face devoid of expression, as he picked up a piece of meat, took a bite, and chewed it slowly.
Beneath the stone steps, the bandits sat huddled together. They had no alcohol, but the scent of the meat was enough to make them feel slightly intoxicated.
“Boss! When are we going to attack?!” A burly man with a wicked grin raised his long knife, shouting as he was surrounded by his fellow brothers.
“Knock it down! I’ve had enough of this cave. It’s uncomfortable all over!”
“I’m getting rashes all over my body.”
“It’s cold at night, and we don’t even have blankets. And it’s too hot outside.”
“Dawang” had a stern expression on his face. He lifted a cup filled with water and wine, which covered half his face, leaving only his tired eyes visible beneath the sagging eye bags. He downed the contents of the cup and then angrily threw it to the ground.
The porcelain cup shattered into several pieces, leaving a wet stain ‘corpse’ on the ground.
“Tomorrow night!” “Dawang” shouted to all the men seated below him. “Tomorrow night, we’ll descend from the mountain, kill all the men and the elderly. Leave the women and children behind. Be gentle with them. We’re all moving down, so don’t start any fights. We don’t want to clean up afterward!”
The bandits howled in agreement. They seem like they had abandoned their humanity, gradually transforming into beasts, embracing more savage behavior.
“Dawang” gazed at the crazy bandits with a hint of disdain in his eyes.
If he didn’t see any hope for promotion and if the situation hadn’t been so turbulent, why would he need to lead this group of rough men and kill a thousand households, establishing his own power?
This group knew his background well, and when he recruited new members in the future, not a single one of them could be left alive.
“Dawang” shouted loudly, “Bring enough money to buy your lives. Not even the King of Hell can take your lives! No one in this world can claim your lives!”
“By this time tomorrow, we won’t have to linger in this cave any longer!”
“Kill them all!”
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- 這次被叫到休息室的四人有武岩、陳六、周文。Its really four TT. Author had a typo. There are either three or there is one unnamed person [↩]
- A biblical story where David, a shepherd boy goes to fight Goliath, a giant, with a sling and five smooth stones. He wins, and Goliath is slain, and little David is a hero. [↩]
- 兄弟 xiōng dì: brothers / younger brother / me (humble term used by men in public speech) / brotherly / fraternal. [↩]