Chapter 69: There’s Actually Drug Dealing!

After thinking for a while, Wangcai said to Fatty Lei, “Master, we can’t judge these creatures based on their life form, even though they don’t meet your aesthetic standards. But in their eyes, aren’t you also an unusual form?”

Wangcai felt it was necessary to remind Fatty Lei; otherwise, significant trouble might arise later.

Hearing Wangcai’s words, Fatty Lei first felt a bit disgruntled. But after careful consideration, he realized the words were not without reason.

To Fatty Lei, these creatures were indeed hideous, but he hadn’t considered how he himself must look like a monster or demon in their eyes.

Moreover, he couldn’t rely on concepts from Earth to survive in this era, or within the Trading System. Because those notions were completely incompatible here and could even cause conflict.

With a little thought, Fatty Lei grasped Wangcai’s meaning.

“Thank you for reminding me, I’ll be careful in the future.”

Seeing that Fatty Lei understood so quickly, Wangcai was very satisfied and nodded imperceptibly.

Simultaneously, his Loyalty Level towards Fatty Lei increased once more.

A master who could heed advice was also a good thing for Wangcai.

At that moment, the giant octopus, Bruce, was also nearby, promoting his goods in front of another shop. But the shop owner chased him away, likely because that owner also needed to go out and promote their own products.

Watching the busy creatures all around, Fatty Lei turned and asked, “Do all low-level merchants have to do this?” Seeing such a scene, Fatty Lei felt a chill inside.

“Master, there’s simply no other way. Everyone is a low-level merchant. But why low-level? First, we need to analyze…”

Wangcai began to explain the specifics to Fatty Lei.

First point: The tech level of the Dimensional Plane they were in wasn’t high, and resources were scarce.

Second point: Even if they produced goods, they were common goods in many Dimensional Planes, essentially the type where supply exceeded demand. This was also one of the factors hindering Merchant development.

……

Fatty Lei looked at those bizarrely shaped creatures while listening to Wangcai’s analysis.

A quiet resolve formed in Fatty Lei’s mind: He absolutely must not live like them.

Of course, Fatty Lei’s starting point was much stronger than these guys. He didn’t survive by just peddling goods. What he primarily did was ‘Contract Manufacturing’, and this was the essential difference between him and these other living merchants.

“Let’s go, Master. We’ll go take a look near the high-level merchant district,” Wangcai said, tugging gently at Fatty Lei’s side. He pointed silently towards a direction in the distance.

“Mm-hmm,” Fatty Lei nodded. Led by Wangcai, he set off for the advanced district.

The journey through the low-level district impacted Fatty Lei quite a lot.

Besides the filthy, chaotic, and poor conditions of the low-level district’s facilities utterly disgusted him, the anxious expressions on everyone’s faces also didn’t escape his notice.

It was obvious why they were anxious – nothing but the monthly ‘fees and taxes.’

All the low-level merchants incessantly hawked and peddled their wares on the streets, bearing little resemblance to Dimensional Merchants. They were completely like common street peddlers, perhaps even worse off.

At least those common peddlers didn’t have to die…

“Sir, please look at my product.” While Fatty Lei was following Wangcai towards the advanced district with his head down, he was suddenly stopped. An ‘ant’ blocked his path and began hawking its goods.

“Immortal Powder, it can induce intense hallucinations. It’s good stuff for any creature to relax, sir. If you buy some and try it, you’ll definitely grow to love it.” Having stopped Fatty Lei, this ‘ant’ launched into a ceaseless sales pitch for its product.

Being stopped annoyed Fatty Lei, but he didn’t lash out, knowing all the low-level merchants were struggling.

Fatty Lei sized up the ‘giant ant’ energetically promoting the white powder pile before him. Yes, it was literally a talking ant.

Large rear end, three pairs of legs supporting its body. Above the waist were three pairs of arms, each hand covered in white gloves… No matter how Fatty Lei looked, this thing was a giant ant…

“I have absolutely no interest in your goods. You should try hawking to someone else,” Fatty Lei politely declined the ‘ant’s’ sales pitch.

“Oh ~~ no ~~ sir!” The giant ant placed two of its white-gloved left hands over its mouth, its pitch-black face assuming an expression of “utter heartbreak”. “Sir, just give me a tiny bit of your time! I can even let you do a trial! Then you can decide if you want my products or not. This Immortal Powder really is excellent stuff!”

Fatty Lei looked down at the pile of white powder and sniffed the air.

“It has a kind of sour, unpleasant smell,” Fatty Lei detected something odd. And the smell seemed to come from that pile of white powder. It struck Fatty Lei that this powder bore a disturbing resemblance to certain substances from his original World.

Fatty Lei stayed silent, staring intently at the powder in the ‘ant’s’ hand.

Wangcai then stepped over to stand beside Fatty Lei. “We don’t need your goods. You should go peddle to other sirs. We’re in a hurry, so we won’t disturb you,” Wangcai said, lifting a hand to support Fatty Lei as they started moving forward again.

Clearly unwilling to let this potential customer escape, the giant ant darted in front again, blocking Fatty Lei once more.

“Sir! Just try it! Try it and you’ll know its wonders!”

Clearly not giving up, the giant ant persisted in its sales pitch to Fatty Lei.

“Mario!” A voice suddenly called out. “This guy only knows how to peddle shady goods! How dare you get other merchants to try them! How many Merchants have you harmed already?!!!!”

The ‘giant octopus’ Fatty Lei had spoken with earlier, Bruce, was heading their way. Its tentacles flailed wildly, visibly conveying its fury.

“Mr. Odin, you mustn’t try that fellow’s goods! The stuff he sells has harmed many merchants already!”

The octopus quickly reached Fatty Lei’s side and spoke loudly to him.

“Don’t worry, I have no interest in his goods, and I certainly won’t try them,” Fatty Lei shrugged. “But this sir keeps blocking my way. It’s quite troublesome.”

“Hear that! Mario!” The giant octopus waved its thick tentacles threateningly right in front of the ‘giant ant’ Mario. “Get out of the way now! He’s not interested in your goods!!!”

The ‘giant ant’ Mario looked irritably at the approaching ‘giant octopus’ Bruce. “Hey! Isn’t this the idiot Bruce? I hear you have only three days left to pay your fees and taxes, but you still haven’t got any Credit Points on hand!”

“None of your damn business!”

Octopus Bruce seemed to intensely dislike this ant.

“Heh heh!” Mario chuckled dismissively. “Instead of wasting time meddling in my affairs, you’d better hustle to find some buyers for your junk before it’s too late. Otherwise, in three days, you’ll face Eradication.”

Having mocked Bruce a few times, Mario glanced at Fatty Lei.

“My apologies for the disturbance. I’ll pitch to you again next time we meet.”

Mario left Fatty Lei and went off in search of his next merchant prospect.

Seeing Mario approach, many Merchants who knew him hurriedly got out of the way. It was as if he were a plague god; all preferred to have nothing to do with him.

But the Dimensional Trading System had one thing in abundance: Merchants.

When one merchant died, at least a dozen new ones popped up to replace him.

So, Mario quickly found another merchant and launched into his relentless pitch once more.

“Hmph!”

Gazing at Mario’s retreating back, Octopus Bruce gave a loud, disapproving ‘Hmph!’

“Truly, thank you. If it weren’t for you, that fellow might have pestered me endlessly,” Fatty Lei expressed his sincere gratitude to Bruce.

“Not a problem. Next time he bothers you to buy his stuff, just beat him up good. That’ll make him think twice afterward,” Bruce rumbled deeply to Fatty Lei.

“But… we’re all Dimensional Merchants, and this is a large gathering organized by the System. Isn’t conflict forbidden?”

Fatty Lei was surprised that this giant octopus suggested fighting was possible!

“As long as you have Credit Points, pretty much anything goes. I hear in the high-level district over there, there’s a dedicated arena for settling scores. People can even place bets! We low-level merchants can also resolve grudges there.”

“The arena?”

“Yep!”

Bruce nodded. “That’s where two Merchants who have a conflict and can’t resolve it get asked by the System if they want a death match. If both agree, they get transferred to the arena in the high-level district to solve the problem there. It’s also a form of entertainment for the high-level district, with betting.”

“Can we in the low-level district bet too?”

Bruce shook his head. “Impossible for the low-levels. At least a third-tier Merchant is required!”

“Oh~~~~” Fatty Lei nodded slowly as understanding dawned.

“I must thank you again for earlier. But you said this fellow’s goods have harmed quite a few Merchants… What exactly did you mean?” Fatty Lei suddenly recalled Bruce’s earlier reprimand to the ant about harming merchants, and his curiosity was piqued.

Seeing Fatty Lei inquire about this, the octopus readily explained without hedging.

“Though I’m a lower-level Merchant, I’ve been around for some years now. So, I know very well what that guy sells,” Octopus Bruce began. “That guy peddles very bad stuff. For most living things, it’s addictive. Try it once, and you’ll be hooked. Then he’ll jack up the prices because, by then, you can’t live without the stuff…”

Barely had Bruce explained a little when Fatty Lei immediately understood.

“Damn! Isn’t this drugs!”

Suddenly, Fatty Lei thought of the descriptions of ‘that stuff’ from his original World.