The cold touch of rain on his face jolted Mark Tennyson awake. He blinked against the relentless downpour, his vision swimming with unfamiliar sights. The air smelled damp and earthy, unlike the polluted city streets he remembered. He sat up, groaning as a sharp pain shot through his head.
"Where… where am I?" he muttered.
The last thing Mark remembered was sitting in his cramped office, surrounded by unpaid bills. He had tried everything to save his failing tech startup, but nothing had worked. On the night of his death, he'd stared at a single blinking light on his computer—his bank account balance reading zero—when a sharp pain in his chest sent him tumbling to the floor.
Yet, here he was, alive and… somewhere entirely different.
Mark looked around, taking in the towering trees, the cobblestone path beneath him, and the medieval-style buildings in the distance. People bustled about, wearing tunics and cloaks, carrying baskets of goods, and leading carts pulled by oxen. It was as though he had stepped into a scene from a fantasy RPG.
"What the hell is going on?"
A soft chime echoed in his mind, followed by a glowing screen materializing in front of him.
Welcome to the Shopping System!
Congratulations on being chosen as this world's exclusive merchant! Utilize the system to purchase goods from Earth and build your empire. Your starting funds: 1000 Gold Coins.
System Features:
Shopping Catalogue – Browse Earth's modern goods for sale.Instant Delivery – All purchases are delivered to you immediately in a secure box.Restocking Assistance – Restock your goods with a single click.
"Wait, what?" Mark stared at the screen in disbelief. "Is this… some kind of joke?"
But the screen didn't disappear. Instead, a new option appeared:
Open Catalogue? [Yes/No]
Mark hesitated, then reluctantly chose "Yes." A second screen appeared, revealing a neatly categorized list of products:
Food & BeveragesTechnologyClothingTools & EquipmentWeapons
Mark's heart raced as he clicked on "Food & Beverages." Rows of familiar items appeared: instant noodles, canned coffee, chocolate bars, and even bottles of soda.
"This can't be real," he muttered.
Out of curiosity, he selected a pack of instant noodles priced at 5 gold coins. As soon as he confirmed the purchase, a small cardboard box appeared on the ground in front of him with a soft pop.
Mark picked it up, his hands trembling. Inside was a perfectly sealed pack of noodles, identical to the ones he used to buy back on Earth.
"This… this is insane."
Realizing he had nothing to lose, Mark decided to explore the town ahead. The cobblestone streets were lively, filled with the chatter of merchants and townsfolk. Stalls lined the marketplace, selling everything from fresh produce to crude iron tools.
Mark stopped at a stall selling bread and asked the vendor, "How much for one loaf?"
"Two silver coins," the man replied, eyeing Mark's strange clothing suspiciously.
Mark quickly learned that 1 gold coin was worth 100 silver coins, giving him plenty of purchasing power. But he also noticed the lack of variety in the goods being sold. The bread was stale, the tools were poorly crafted, and the few spices available were exorbitantly priced.
"This is a gold mine," Mark thought, his entrepreneurial instincts kicking in.
He set up shop in a quiet corner of the market, laying out the items he had purchased from the system: instant noodles, canned coffee, chocolate bars, and a few basic tools. With a makeshift sign reading "Exotic Goods for Sale," he waited.
At first, passersby looked at his stall with skepticism. But when a curious young boy bought a chocolate bar and took a bite, his delighted squeal drew a crowd.
"What is this heavenly taste?" the boy exclaimed, his eyes wide.
Mark smirked. "It's called chocolate. Imported from a distant land."
People swarmed his stall, clamoring to try the strange and wonderful goods. The instant noodles sold out within minutes, and the tools—far sturdier than the locally made ones—were snatched up by blacksmiths and farmers.
By the end of the day, Mark had made over 500 gold coins.
As night fell, Mark returned to the inn where he had rented a small room. He opened the system's catalogue again, reinvesting his earnings into more goods. This time, he expanded his inventory to include spices, basic electronics, and even a few luxury items like soap and perfume.
The next day, his stall was the talk of the town. Word spread quickly about the mysterious merchant with goods from another world. Nobles sent their servants to buy his wares, while other merchants eyed him with envy.
Mark knew he couldn't stay in one place for long. Competition was inevitable, and he needed to expand before others caught on.
That night, he drafted a plan. Using the system, he purchased a map of the continent and identified key trading hubs. His goal was clear: establish a chain of shops across the land, each stocked with goods from Earth.
But as he planned his next move, a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," Mark called.
The door creaked open, revealing a tall man in a cloak. His sharp eyes glinted in the candlelight as he stepped inside.
"You're the merchant everyone's talking about," the man said. "Mark Tennyson, right?"
Mark frowned. "Who's asking?"
The man pulled out a badge emblazoned with the crest of the local lord. "I'm here on behalf of Lord Graham. He's very interested in your goods… and your methods. He'd like a word with you."
Mark's stomach churned. He had expected rivals, but he hadn't anticipated attracting the attention of the nobility so soon.
"Tell your lord I'll meet him tomorrow," Mark said, masking his unease with a confident smile.
The man nodded and left, leaving Mark alone with his thoughts.
"This just got a lot more complicated," he muttered.
But as he stared at the glowing system screen, listing endless possibilities, a spark of determination lit in his eyes.
"Complicated or not, I'm going to build the greatest business empire this world has ever seen."