Chapter 19: The Bustling Market of the Heavens

There are many rules listed on the light screen, but the very first one, placed prominently at the top, consists of only four words:

1: Mutual consent, free trade.

The second rule is even more concise:

2: Fighting and conflict are prohibited.

As for the subsequent rules, while none are overly harsh, they are sufficient to ensure the basic order of the marketplace and secure Song Chi’s own profits.

3: Every transaction in the marketplace is subject to a 10% transaction tax.

4: If there is a language barrier, the universal translator at the marketplace entrance may be used for a fee of 1 Tier-0 Life Nucleus per use.

...

100: This market session will last for 24 hours. The current remaining time is 23:58:27.

...

Having arranged everything, Song Chi entered the marketplace himself. He did not reveal his identity as the market master, instead posing as a curious traveler who had stumbled upon the market by pure luck, looking around here and there.

Not long after, a subtle spatial fluctuation occurred at the marketplace entrance. A creature with a human body and a bull’s head, clutching a thick mace and looking around with great vigilance, stepped out from one of the spatial gates.

As the master of the marketplace, Song Chi received a notification from the market immediately. However, he did not turn back, continuing to browse the various shops instead. Since this was the first time opening the market, he had to demonstrate the process himself to avoid confusion for the creatures arriving later.

As expected, after reading the list of rules on the light screen at the entrance and seeing Song Chi wandering between the shops, the bull-headed creature quickly caught on. It began to mimic him, swiftly examining the items sold in each shop.

While observing the creature nonchalantly, Song Chi consulted the "Compendium of Star Sea Civilizations and Creatures" stored in his communication bracelet. He quickly identified the creature's origin.

Race Name: Minotaur
Description: A common demi-human race in the Shattered Star Sea. The vast majority of this race still exist in a tribal, primitive civilization era.
Race Strengths: They worship martial power and possess astonishing individual combat strength.
Race Weaknesses: Their technological development is almost non-existent; they rely entirely on their physical bodies for everything.

...

Song Chi raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of relief.

"It seems at least one of the ten spatial gates landed on a Star Sea floating continent of unknown grade. That's not bad; at least it guarantees I won't come away empty-handed."

He knew from the information he had gathered about the All-Heaven Marketplace that the deployment of the spatial gates was entirely random. They were not guaranteed to land on a Star Sea floating continent; they could just as easily appear in the desolate void of space, an uninhabited asteroid belt, or similar locations.

Consequently, in previous attempts to open the market, there had been embarrassing instances where no creatures entered at all, especially during the early Tier-0 phase when there were only ten spatial gates.

While he was lost in thought, the Tier-0 Minotaur entered a shop displaying "Basic Genetic Optimization Serum." Upon scanning the light screen in the center of the shop that explained the serum's efficacy, the Minotaur’s expression turned to one of ecstasy. However, its face quickly returned to a look of vigilance.

"%@༏%]/@"

The creature spoke suddenly. Simultaneously, the voice reached Song Chi, who was in another shop.

Song Chi felt no confusion; the creature was not speaking in the human language of the Fire-Kindled, but in the Common Tongue of the Star Sea. Having received over twenty years of higher education, he understood it perfectly.

The meaning was simple: "How can I be sure of the effects of these genetic optimization serums?"

Song Chi pondered for a moment, then shifted his intent. The information on the light screen in the center of the serum shop changed, transforming into a coherent message in the Star Sea Common Tongue:

"You may pay a deposit to test it yourself."

Seeing the words on the screen, the Minotaur’s expression tightened. As an elite warrior of the "Pale Bull" tribe, it valued its life highly. It was naturally unwilling to use this strange serum itself—who knew if this so-called genetic optimization serum was real or fake, toxic or harmless?

Just as it hesitated, a commotion erupted outside the marketplace. The Minotaur became anxious, realizing that other creatures had entered the "All-Heaven Marketplace."

In its haste, it stopped hesitating, pulled "fifty" Tier-0 Life Nuclei from its body as a deposit for the shop, and downed a vial of the serum in one gulp.

The next second, it felt a massive, warm current spreading through its body. The heat flowed through every inch of its flesh, repairing and remodeling every cell, while intense pain radiated from every part of its frame.

Two minutes later, when the Minotaur opened its eyes again, the sharp glint in them could no longer be contained. Feeling the seemingly endless strength in its body and a nearly twofold increase in physical prowess, the Minotaur had never felt so powerful.

After coming to its senses, it spoke rapidly:

"I want all the remaining 99 vials of genetic optimization serum."

As it spoke, it prepared to retrieve more Life Nuclei from its person; as an elite warrior of the "Pale Bull" tribe, it had plenty.

However, just then, footsteps sounded behind it, and a voice spoke in fluent Star Sea Common Tongue:

"Wait, I also want to buy this genetic optimization serum."

Turning around, the creature that had entered the shop was a being with a massive head, supported by two tentacles that held up a skull weighing over 90% of its total body mass, looking quite bizarre.

The creature’s intent was clear: it also wanted to purchase the serum. Although it hadn't tried the effects yet, it was easy to see from the Minotaur’s desperate eagerness that the results must be truly astounding.

At that moment, a new message appeared on the virtual screen in the center of the shop:

"Each customer may purchase a maximum of 10 vials at one time."

...

On the street not far away, Song Chi realized that he couldn't find any information on the large-headed creature in his compendium; it was clearly a new species never before discovered by the Fire-Kindled human civilization.

But that wasn't the point. Song Chi felt a pang of regret. If he had known the basic genetic optimization serum would be this popular, he would have bought a larger batch. A "fivefold" price difference—was there any faster way to make money?

Helpless, he had been forced to add the "maximum of ten vials per person" rule. Since the supply was limited, it was better to use the remaining stock to attract more popularity than to sell it all at once.

As he expected, after learning of the purchase limit, both the Minotaur and the large-headed creature bought their ten vials each and hurriedly left the marketplace, clearly heading off to summon their kin.