I Have a God Simulator

In Shang Ji’s eyes, the world was a giant store.

The store was filled with a dazzling array of goods: garlic, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, grapes, cotton, wood, iron, cattle, sheep... Everything had its price.

You grow wheat and trade it for grapes. He makes wine and barters it for mutton. I chop wood and exchange it for potatoes... Everyone went round and round, constantly trading.

But what about people?

Since childhood, Shang Ji had wondered: if all good things have a price, shouldn’t people have one too?

If people could be turned into products placed directly in the store, wouldn’t that create even more profit?

Why didn’t anyone give it a try?

In fact, people did have a price.

Shang Ji observed for many years with great Patience.

He discovered this through conversations and inquiries.

It wasn’t that people thought humans shouldn’t have a price. Rather, if everyone had a fixed price, they would be categorized by it into premium goods, common stock, and inferior beings.

Besides that, if people became commodities, who would the customers be?

The only ones qualified would be a God, for a God’s power is omnipresent. The great Yao God created the Yao Race Civilization and managed the world.

Shang Ji felt that an omnipresent God wouldn’t care about such trivial matters.

’People take themselves far too seriously.’

The Yao God could create lightning storms, Earthquakes, and raging fires to destroy other Evil Gods... He was too busy. The entire world needed His oversight and care.

It was like a giant and a colony of ants at his feet.

Sometimes the giant would find them interesting and watch for a moment, but most of the time, he would only spare a glance—he had more important things to do.

Tossing the ants a leaf or blocking a stream of water was effortless for this immense giant. But the giant wouldn’t continuously stare at any single ant.

A God doesn’t care about the thoughts of ants.

In the end, ants only deal with other ants.

Shang Ji believed that as long as the transaction was clearly priced and both buyer and seller agreed, why not?

’How do you put a price on a person?’

He spent a long time creating a detailed set of pricing standards.

First was age: the young were expensive, the old were cheap.

Next was physical condition: the strong were priced high, those with Weakness were priced low.

Finally, he assessed their individual added value—their labor capacity.

A person with skilled trades was worth more than someone without any skills.

...

Shang Ji thought his system was excellent. It would let everyone know their price, clearly and transparently.

’If we just follow my method, the commodity of human beings will surely circulate much better.’

However, Mayor Yulian and the merchant leader Shang Li completely rejected his proposal.

"Shang Ji, you must first learn one thing: to see people as people."

Shang Li retorted, "By your method, there’s no difference between people, wild beasts, and livestock. So why do people gather in communities? Just to be bought and sold by others?"

"The moment you start treating people like livestock to be traded, trust will completely vanish."

"Without basic trust, do you think merchants could even exist?"

"Would people still trade according to your methods and rules? Or would they resort to direct robbery and hunting?"

"You’re too focused on the transaction. Your thinking has become a problem."

Although deeply annoyed, Shang Ji couldn’t find a reason to refute them.

But he still felt he wasn’t wrong.

’This is just how business is done.’

’If you don’t try, how will you ever know if it’s profitable?’

Besides, it was a business no one had ever succeeded in before, full of opportunity.

So, Shang Ji united with some other merchants, gradually reached a consensus, and prepared to test his ideas on the Overseas islanders first. The native islanders had fewer taboos; many islands already had a custom of trading people.

The Overseas pilot program was a great success.

The native islanders were very fond of Shang Ji’s slave trade. Shang Ji and his group also purchased a large number of slaves at sea, but these slaves could only grow wheat, potatoes, soybeans, and grapes on the islands; they were not allowed to enter the Western Continent.

After Mayor Yulian passed away, Shang Li took over as mayor.

At that point, Shang Li turned his attention to the sea. He left Yan City, saying he was going to an island in the north to discuss a partnership with a Chieftain.

But Shang Ji received inside information that Shang Li was planning to clean up the Overseas slave market. This trip to meet with several Chieftains was a sign that he was about to make his move.

Shang Ji decided to be ruthless and strike first.

He bribed sailors and fishermen to scuttle Shang Li’s galley in the deep sea, far from any islands, completely eliminating this final obstacle. Only after confirming on site that the shipwreck had been swallowed by a maelstrom did Shang Ji feel at ease.

In the past, Shang Li had been like a mountain. Today, he had become a piece of paper.

Things were easy after that.

Shang Ji, along with his previous merchant allies, persuaded the vast majority of merchants in Yan City and promised a share of the profits to the Salt Race... they abolished the mayorship, established a Citizen Council, and collected taxes...

Everything was for the final goal.

The legalization of the slave trade.

People were finally sent to stores as commodities, displayed on the streets, each with a clear price tag, available for anyone to choose.

This way, a man could buy a wife, a woman could buy the husband she wanted, the elderly could buy young laborers, and childless parents could freely pick a child they fancied.

Shang Ji was very satisfied.

In Yan City, the slave business boomed almost overnight.

Slave Trader became the most sought-after profession, and slave owners became symbols of wealth. The number of slaves one owned represented one’s status; those without slaves were considered poor.

Then, slaves began to transform from laborers into pets, and from pets into consumables... Because slaves were property, not people, there were no consequences even if a slave owner killed one in the street.

Shang Ji gradually realized that the slave trade was out of control.

But he could no longer stop this massive chariot. Though he was the head in name, he was merely a representative for the interests of the Slave Traders, the Salt Race, and others.

Opposing all the beneficiaries would lead to a fate no better than Shang Li’s.

Shang Ji did not regret it.

He didn’t think he was just being stubborn.

’Business always has its wins and losses. It’s just that the cost this time was a bit high. Not only did I lose, but everyone else in this city lost too much as well.’

’You win some, you lose some. Time to start over.’

A few years into Shang Ji’s new planning, he suddenly received news that a group of pirates had quietly risen. This group of pirates called themselves the Northern Divine Hall Army. They continuously attacked Slave Trader ships at sea, stealing slaves and killing merchants.

Their leader was a man named Tonghai. His wife had been sold into slavery, which led him to gather this group, vowing to smash the slave system and free all slaves.

Shang Ji sent people to contact the Northern Divine Hall Army and discovered that they were not just another group of merchants, but were truly declaring war on the entire institution of slavery.

This made Shang Ji very happy.

’An external force will be a great help. The pressure will help me regulate the slave market.’

Then he discovered he was wrong. The Citizen Council wasn’t even willing to reinforce the stone Wall.

Many merchants were even ecstatic.

"Now we can raise the prices on all sorts of goods! With pirates around, shipping is more expensive, you see."

"Slaves too! They’ll be worth even more!"

"There are fewer ships now, so our business will be better!"

Shang Ji couldn’t help but recall Shang Li’s words.

—*You’re too focused on the transaction.*

Shang Ji was finally beginning to understand what those words meant.

He was tired.

For the first time, the business of doing business left Shang Ji feeling weary and disgusted.

’Let it all be destroyed. A full reset.’

’Sooner, the better.’

So when Tonghai led the Northern Divine Hall Army in a furious assault on the city, there was an immediate response from within, and the city fell with incredible ease. That wasn’t just the result of the inside agents they had cultivated for years; it was also due to Shang Ji’s powerful push from behind the scenes.

After the city fell, Shang Ji fled Overseas.

Then he was captured by a group of islanders. After they looted everything of value from his ship, everyone on board was sold as slaves to another group of islanders.

The elderly Shang Ji was worth only three sheepskins.

Only then did he realize how little he was worth.

After thirteen years as a slave, Shang Ji had grown potatoes and grapes, raised Strutting Birds, and was now growing cotton.

He had been sold back and forth between islander slave owners and had now ended up in the hands of a young man.

This young slave owner was relatively decent to him. He didn’t beat him often, gave him water to drink, and allowed him to wear clothes—which was already excellent treatment for a slave.

During his time in slavery, Shang Ji discovered a type of large insect on the island.

They had arched carapaces, and their red backs had seven spots that looked like stars, making them quite beautiful. The insects emitted a rich fragrance and were protected by Cannibal Crabs.

Shang Ji spent all his time observing these insects, which brought him happiness and peace.

Smelling that fragrance made him feel as if he had returned to faraway Yan City, back to the Order of a normal urban civilization.

He used charcoal to record his observations of these insects on coconut shells, noting their appearance, their Flying posture, their scent, what they ate, and their activities during the day and night...

In the end, the *Ladybug Chronicles* was born on a long string of coconut shells.

When a galley arrived at the small island, Shang Ji gave this string of coconut shells to a Scholar, asking him to take it back to Yao City or Yan City.

The other man was very surprised when he saw the writing on the coconut shells.

"You are a very learned man. May I ask your name?"

On Shang Ji’s dark, weathered face, his wrinkles bunched together as he gave a somewhat reserved smile.

The slave owner next to him tugged on the rope around Shang Ji’s neck and said in broken Yao Race language, "He’s called Three Sheepskins! Slave, can write, slave."

The Scholar looked at Shang Ji. "I will go back and raise money to buy your freedom. You should return to Yao City or Yan City."

"Eight sheepskins."

The slave owner quoted a price. "He’s eaten a lot of my grain. I taught him how to pick cotton and grow potatoes."

Watching the galley sail out to sea, Shang Ji prayed silently.

’Lord Yao God, my only hope is that You will bless this book I’ve written and allow it to be passed on... I hope everyone can find those marvelous insects from this book and attain the simplest happiness and peace.’

Half a year later, the Scholar returned by ship and found the slave owner. "I’ve come to buy the freedom of that Mr. ’Three Sheepskins’."

"Oh, Three Sheepskins is dead."

"Dead? How did he die?"

"Stomach ache. Diarrhea. Died from it."

The Scholar said angrily, "He was your slave! Why didn’t you save him!"

"Herbs are expensive on the island. You merchants sell them for a high price."

The slave owner said matter-of-factly, "More expensive than Three Sheepskins... no, more expensive than eight sheepskins."