The Value of Living

Parking the car in the small parking lot, Sazzy and I first headed towards the stores set up by the natives. Since this planet was considered quite rural, the AT center only had less than ten shops set up by the native tribes living decently close. As expected, since the Venenum ethnic groups lived quite close at least according to Jack's map, the first 2 stores we saw were from them. For takeaway, there was Vine noodles with Red wood clam. Although the Red wood clams were of a different shade of red, and even had a slight tinge of green. Next to the vine noodles were the other types of food that I couldn't include in the livestream.

There was a bowl of noodles that were much thinner than vine noodles, it was a light red color with a slight blue and green tinge to them. And with these noodles was sliced red egg. These noodles, also known as caterpillar noodles due to looking like the poisonous caterpillars found on the blue berry trees, were made of blue berries, red berries, rain powder and green berries. By mixing red berries together with 3 times more rain powder, then adding blue berries and green berries and kneading them into a thin noodle shape. We can boil them to make these noodles.

In contrast to Vine noodles, the risk of poisoning when making caterpillar noodles was significantly less. However, it was also culturally less significant. Blue berries were also requested by Margret not to be streamed since they were extremely poisonous to harvest as well as extremely obvious to see. They were a very bright blue after all.

After the caterpillar noodles was another type of noodles, also made from red berries, green berries and rain powder. But this time, the red berries and the green berries were reacted with rain powder and diluted with equal amounts of water before they were mixed, left to dry, then rolled into noodles and boiled. These were purple noodles with red streaks between them, called ribbon noodles.

But apart from these noodles, there were also several other dishes which I had not heard of before. Ordering one caterpillar noodle for myself and one ribbon noodle for Sazzy, we peeped into the other stores as well.

The other shops set up by smaller ethnic groups like the Media Luna people or the Fluvius people also had dishes like moon cakes and Foam cakes. Buying several of those too, we made our way back to the car to eat.

Slurping down her ribbon noodles, Sazzy chewed as she explained the value of money in this world.

[Thanks to the hard work of the people at the Headquarters for the Standardization of Currency (HSC), the most used currency around the galaxies would be the Universal Coin (UC). Although some planets still have their own currency running, they would still accept Universal Coin as payment. In fact, a large majority of planets have phased out their own currency in favor of Universal Coin since its value is backed by the HSC.]

[One Universal Coin is usually the amount of the world's most precious material, of which currently there is only one copy of, weighed against the material used to make the Universal Coin, on the planet where the HSC was formed on. This mass is then used as the base mass and value of the Universal Coin for 1 UC. Then the HSC converts this value into all the known other currencies on the other planets.]

"Well, all we have to know is that the average food usually costs around 5 UC for now. While buying materials later, we should keep an eye on the price of said materials. If there is anything that is too expensive for its current value, I'll message you so feel free to look around!"

After stuffing the cakes we bought into our mouths, we exited the car and headed towards the trading area. If I had to describe it with a scene from my previous life, it reminded me of a wet market. There were all kinds of stores set up, selling all kinds of things. From various raw or processed ingredients that were harvested, to handmade trinkets made of wood. Several stalls were also selling religious items, like wood carvings of their various gods, books made of paper full of their god's teachings, even sacred charms or items were up for sale.

Going up to some of the stalls selling local ingredients, I saw many blue berries up for sale, as well as ingredients that I had never seen before. There were fruits of all different shapes and colors. A red star fruit, orange square-shaped fruit, even some leaves and barks were being sold. However, since I was not taught how to process or even handle these sorts of ingredients, after only a quick look, I left the store.

Walking to the end of the local section, we entered the international section of the trade center. It too resembled a wet market. On the stalls to our left, I spotted the familiar Jasmine milk, alongside the red eggs. However, beside these ingredients were also unfamiliar items such as a red colored milk, a bottle of white paste, several blue clams, and even purple meat.

[The red milk is known as ruby milk, and is milked from a special type of tree. The white paste is processed mushroom substitute. The blue clams actually grow on trees and can be harvested by just pulling them off the tree bark. And finally the purple meat is not actually meat, but cut slices of a tree branch. All of these are edible. They are also all considered a special type of plant-related product, so the ingredients for the omelets should also be found in this store. By the way, the fruit you call an egg actually grows from the same tree the blue clams are found on. And Jasmine milk is crushed plant juice from the Jasmine flowers.]

Walking up to the owner of the plant product store, I greeted him politely while taking a glance at the price of his products.

Jasmine milk was 3 UC, the red eggs were 2 UC. Each was actually 1UC cheaper than what could be bought online.

"Excuse me, do you have any Orange juice and Yellow powder?"

"We do have some in stock! How much?"

"1 bottle of each thank you!"

"Sure! Here you go! Price is 4 UC."

Transferring 4 UC from my personnel terminal to his, I said thanks once more as I picked up the bag.

[We should wander around the trade center a little more, it's not like they would spoil so fast. Also, we haven't looked at any of the trinkets yet!]

Making a slow circle around the shops, Sazzy helped me pen down the average prices for each ingredient on her personnel terminal. When she showed me her notes, I was quite shocked at how organized they were.

Categorized into their product category, then further into their rarity or convenience to harvest, the prices for each ingredient listed was clearly stated in one column, with several notes on the side relating to some special traits which increase or decrease the said ingredient's price. It was clearly something that was made before we came here.

[Don't worry about it! As your system, this is the least I could do so we can get more ingredients and make more food.]

Shocked a second time, this time at Sazzy's simple reasoning for doing so much work, I took one second to calm down and tightened my grip on the grocery bags.

Since she was working so hard, then that means I should probably work harder!

Walking with a clearer purpose, although not entirely sure what that purpose was, I headed towards the trinket area. Since Sazzy mentioned this area, there might be something we could get inspiration from!

Slowing down to peek at the goods from the first store, my feet directly came to a halt.

Right in front being displayed was a very neat and simple flower bracelet. With its wooden stems interwoven, and its preserved flowers pointed outward, in terms of simplicity, it could be said to be the most simplest gift anyone could give to a loved one. Even if that loved one was a family member.

If the foods had substitutes, then of course the items would have their own substitutes. Yes, just like a simple and cheap flower bracelet that even a 7 year old boy could buy with the little amount of money he saved up. A substitute for a plastic flower bracelet would probably be a wooden one.

"Hello there miss? Would you like a flower bracelet?"

A pure and innocent voice snapped me out of my daze. Glancing at the daughter of the store owner, a little girl who was holding up the bracelet I was staring at, I gave her a reassuring smile.

"Yes, I would like one. It's so pretty! Can I ask who made it?"

Shooting a quick glance at her mother, the girl seemed to turn a deep shade of pink as she blushed.

"I made it. Thank you ... for the praise."

Transferring her mother 2 UC, I immediately slipped the flower bracelet through my wrist. I smiled as I felt its cool weight.

Saying goodbye to the pair, I took a quick glance at the other stores before leaving the AT center.

At the car, Sazzy stole a quick glance at my flower bracelet but didn't say anything. It was clear she was curious, but didn't think that the atmosphere was right to ask.

Letting out a sigh, I decided to speak first and answer the unsaid question in the air. It was not such an important thing after all.

"In my previous world, during my 20th birthday, when I had returned home late, my brother was asleep on the table with a flower bracelet in his hand. He bought it by saving up all the change he had after eating lunch. For a whole year, he saved for that flower bracelet. Even though it was so cheap that if I left it out in the open nobody would even bother to steal it. It was cheap, but at the same time it was priceless. This flower bracelet just resembled that. That is all."