Chapter 60: A Rare Moment of Leisure

“Sir, I have long heard of your exceptional culinary skills, unique and unmatched. I’ve always admired you, and I wonder if I might learn this craft under your guidance?” Lu Kuan spoke with reverence, discreetly taking several gleaming gold coins from his pocket and slipping them into the chef’s coat.

Chubby Aaron cleared his throat and smiled at Lu Kuan. “Very good, very good. It’s rare to see such earnestness; I like it~”

As soon as Aaron finished speaking, several system prompts flashed before Lu Kuan’s eyes.

“You have acquired the recipe ‘Quick-Sliced Sashimi.’”

“Your reputation with Chef Aaron has increased by 20.”

Reputation again—clearly another functional NPC hidden beneath the surface.

Aaron’s smile became even more satisfied. “Adventurer, I have high hopes for you! I’ve always loved cooking fish. If you can bring me some rare species, I have a few treasured items I’ll reward you with.”

“Of course, I will.” Lu Kuan smiled.

Chef Adam’s reputation was a hidden metric, a special feature in the game. If you became one of the first ten players to raise Aaron’s reputation to an intimate level, you would randomly receive a recipe for an “Ancient Secret Seasoning.”

This item was renowned in the previous era, but only a handful of players ever learned to craft it. It was strictly limited—once the quickest players claimed their share, everyone else lost the opportunity forever.

Lu Kuan’s heart blazed at the memory of those chefs monopolizing the market in the past, earning fortunes thanks to their secret ingredients.

Now, boosting Adam’s reputation and gathering Shadow Grass could be accomplished together, with the added benefit of practicing cooking—three birds with one stone. That’s why Lu Kuan came here first, to unlock Adam’s reputation.

Lu Kuan bid Aaron farewell and retreated to the doorway, turning to Dai Guang, who had been watching from the entrance. “Well? Did you learn anything? Go speak with Aaron yourself. If you unlock his reputation, that’s all you need.”

“Huh? You just gave him five or six gold coins, right? I don’t have any money…” Dai Guang grimaced, performing an empty-pocket gesture.

Lu Kuan chuckled and handed over ten gold coins. “Use mine for now. Don’t worry about the cost—there’s a huge payoff coming.”

Dai Guang nodded, half understanding, and took the coins. He trotted over to Aaron and mimicked Lu Kuan’s actions. Soon enough, he too unlocked Aaron’s reputation.

As they left the tavern, Dai Guang still couldn’t believe that in just a few minutes, the two of them had spent several hundred coins on a single NPC.

“Lu Kuan, I have to ask—are you really making money in the game?” Dai Guang’s curiosity finally got the better of him.

“A little,” Lu Kuan laughed, seeing the eager look on Dai Guang’s face. He threw an arm around Dai Guang’s shoulder. “Fatty, mark my words, this game has huge potential in the next few years. Put your heart into it, and I guarantee you’ll have a bright future.”

Lu Kuan’s confidence was infectious. Dai Guang felt excitement stir inside him. Even now, earning ten gold coins a day was enough to brag about!

“Mm!” Dai Guang nodded vigorously.

Next, the two learned the fishing skill. Lu Kuan sent Dai Guang to the general store to buy fishing rods, buckets, and bait, while he himself headed to the auction house.

Aaron’s reputation was hard to raise, since the chef was only interested in fish. If Lu Kuan relied solely on his own catches, it would take ages to gain enough reputation. The fastest method was to buy them at auction.

Lu Kuan entered the names of several fish from memory into the auction house search. The results left him disappointed.

“So few… Where are all the fishermen from Molten Fortress? Where did they go?” Lu Kuan grumbled under his breath.

It was understandable, though. Players were either leveling up or practicing life skills, and few wasted time on fishing, which looked unrewarding.

Lu Kuan had no choice but to buy up all the fresh fish in the auction house and then hurry to the city gate to meet Dai Guang. Together, they left the city.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the Banyan Grasslands northwest of Molten Fortress. An enchanting scene unfolded before Lu Kuan’s eyes.

Dozens of small rivers crossed and converged, forming a vast web of water. Sunlight reflected off the surface, flickering through gaps in the grass as the water flowed, as if diamonds lay hidden in the prairie.

Further off lay a broad, endless lake. In the center, a hazy shadow suggested a small island, though it was too far to see clearly.

“It’s beautiful~” Dai Guang exclaimed. “I never knew there was a place like this, a water town right outside Molten Fortress.”

“That’s because players rarely come here,”

Lu Kuan explained as he searched the area. “There are few monsters on this grassland, but the lake is full of aquatic beasts—just not the kind you can fight. That’s why you don’t see the usual leveling crowds here.”

With that, Lu Kuan led Dai Guang along the riverbank, seemingly searching for something.

“Is the Shadow Grass you mentioned growing nearby?” Dai Guang asked, noticing Lu Kuan’s behavior.

Lu Kuan nodded, patiently scanning the surroundings. After ten minutes, he finally chose a shaded spot by the river.

He took several kinds of bait from his bag, mixed them in a specific ratio, and handed some to Dai Guang. Then he cast his fishing line into the gently flowing river.

Dai Guang watched, puzzled. “What are you doing? Are we here to gather herbs or to fish?”

“Neither—we’re here to catch crabs!” Lu Kuan laughed.

Shadow Grass was a water plant, often found in shallow rivers and streams, but gathering high-quality Shadow Grass required a special method.

“There’s a species here called Slick-Shell Crab. Sometimes, Shadow Grass seeds stick to their shells, and the grass that grows from them is always of the highest quality.”

As Lu Kuan stowed away his hunting bow and twin swords, he patiently explained to Dai Guang, who listened half-skeptical, half-impressed, and cast his line into the river, muttering, “I wonder where you learned all this…”

“That’s why I suggest you visit the library more often. You never know what you might discover~” Lu Kuan smiled, thinking to himself that this catch-all excuse worked pretty well.

Both their fishing skills were at zero, so plenty of fish bit, but few were hauled in. Still, neither was in a hurry. With scenery like this and such a leisurely afternoon, fishing and chatting were a perfect match.

After a while, a group of young people arrived at the riverbank, noisy and boisterous, before settling down downstream to fish. Lu Kuan glanced over—judging by their gear, they were all casual players who hadn’t advanced further.