Xia Yuwei saw Lu Yang's concerns and said sincerely, "Friend, we really need the recipe for this Electric Eel Meat. We hope you can help us. Frost Ice Studio may not be large, but if you ever need anything in the future, we'll definitely do our best to help. And we promise not to spread this recipe."
A man beside Xia Yuwei was very displeased to see her speaking so politely to Lu Yang. Frowning, he said, "Yuwei, why are you being so polite to him? Can't we just buy it with money? Hey, kid, how about a thousand yuan for your secret? That's more than enough."
Lu Yang recognized the man. His name was Zheng Yuan, Xia Yuwei's classmate. He was a typical rich second-generation heir: arrogant and overbearing, yet utterly incapable. He had an innate sense of superiority when facing ordinary people and used money to crush any girl he liked.
Ever since meeting Xia Yuwei, he had pursued her madly, but his usual tactics were useless on her. Xia Yuwei's family was even wealthier than his. Later, Lan Yu's appearance made him even more conflicted. He wanted to pursue both Xia Yuwei and Lan Yu but did not know which one to choose, so Zheng Yuan simply pursued them both. He even treated the two of them as his personal property and refused to let anyone get close to them. If anyone said one extra word to either of them, Zheng Yuan would be upset for half the day. Unfortunately, neither Xia Yuwei nor Lan Yu liked Zheng Yuan. By the time before Lu Yang's rebirth, Zheng Yuan had won neither of them—a complete tragedy.
He had been a tragedy in his previous life, and he was the same in this one.
Though Lu Yang was poor, he had pride. Looking at Zheng Yuan's ugly expression, Lu Yang said coldly, "Sorry, not for sale."
Zheng Yuan froze. Thinking he had figured things out, he sneered, "What, you think it's too little? You want to jack up the price over a basic cooking recipe? Listen, kid, don't be ungrateful. One thousand yuan. Hurry up and give me your bank account number. I don't have time to waste on you."
Lu Yang calmly spat out one word. "Scram."
"You motherf—" Zheng Yuan lost his temper and was about to attack Lu Yang when someone beside him grabbed him and pointed at the NPC in the distance. "If you want to die, don't drag the rest of the team down with you. At this distance, the soldiers will intervene if you kill someone."
That was precisely why Lu Yang had chosen this spot to cook. Otherwise, with so many people gathered here, they would have forced him to reveal how to complete the quest long ago.
Lu Yang glanced at the person holding Zheng Yuan back. He knew him too. His name was Zhang Zibo. He was a decent man with a good head on his shoulders and the team's main MT. However, his concern was unnecessary. Even for Lan Yu's sake, Lu Yang would not set them up.
Xia Yuwei had known Zheng Yuan would ruin things. She had Zhang Zibo pull him away, then said apologetically, "Friend, my companion didn't mean it that way. Please don't be angry. We truly want this recipe, and we're very sincere about it. Please help us."
The game had not yet opened currency exchange between real-world money and game currency in its early stages, so transactions could only be made through outside platforms. But it was the first day of the game, and money was not yet like the saying that later became popular: money is king. Rich second-generation heirs like Xia Yuwei had money but nowhere to spend it. Faced with their pitiful amount of copper coins and the expensive medicine sold at the pharmacy, Xia Yuwei could only lower herself and plead so they would not fall out of the first tier.
Lan Yu also walked over to Xia Yuwei's side and said gently, "Sir, we were in the wrong just now. Please don't take offense."
After all, they had known each other in his previous life, and Lan Yu had personally pleaded with him. Lu Yang thought for a moment and said, "I can tell you the method, but you have to keep it secret."
The tense situation just now had made Xia Yuwei think Lu Yang would never tell them the method. She had not expected him to agree in the blink of an eye.
Xia Yuwei and Lan Yu exchanged delighted looks and hurriedly said together, "Thank you so much."
Lu Yang smiled indifferently and pointed at Lan Yu. "Little girl, come here. I'll tell you how to do this quest. Everyone else, spread out. Don't let anyone nearby come close."
Xia Yuwei quickly led her people to drive away the players around them who wanted to approach and eavesdrop, while Lan Yu walked shyly up to Lu Yang.
Lu Yang quietly told Lan Yu where to obtain Electric Eel Meat. Just as Lan Yu was about to thank him, Lu Yang suddenly lowered his head and whispered beside her, "Coordinates 7985.9867. There's an old man there. Complete the task he gives you, and he'll send you into a Rocky Cave. The cave is full of level-one and level-two monsters, perfect for your team."
A player had discovered this place on the fifth day after the game began in his previous life. Its location was simply too remote, and the old man's quest was quite tedious, requiring a team of players working together to complete it, so few people went there.
Only after strategy guides emerged in later years did everyone learn that it was a pretty good leveling spot. However, the place was unsuitable for Lu Yang. The cave was extremely open and filled with monsters. Without bugged positions, and before his skills and equipment had caught up, entering it would mean certain death.
Lan Yu looked at Lu Yang in surprise. "Really?"
Lu Yang smiled. "Why would I lie to you? Bring ten thousand Electric Eel Meat with you. That'll be enough for you to grind there all night."
Lan Yu nodded repeatedly and said excitedly, "Thank you."
At present, most players could only level up by fighting over monsters. If they had a leveling spot where no one competed with them for monsters, it was enough to make Lan Yu and the others happier than if they could exchange cash for game currency.
Lu Yang teased, "Aren't you afraid I'm lying? What if you go in and find nothing but level-five monsters?"
Lan Yu said, "Your eyes are so clear. I can tell you're a good person. I know you wouldn't lie to me."
Lu Yang laughed. This girl was still as clever as ever.
"All right, I'm leaving." He had delayed for more than two hours, and Lu Yang was preparing to level up. There would be plenty of opportunities to chat later, but time could not be wasted leveling in a new server.
Seeing that Lu Yang was leaving, Lan Yu sent him a friend request. "Let's add each other as friends."
Lu Yang nodded. "Of course."
System Notification: You have accepted Lan Yu's friend request. You are now friends.
Waving at Lan Yu, Lu Yang returned to the town.
Lan Yu looked wistfully in the direction Lu Yang had disappeared. For some reason, Lu Yang felt very familiar to her, like an old friend she had known for many years.
Xia Yuwei walked over to Lan Yu and teased, "He's already gone, and you're still looking?"
Lan Yu's face reddened, and she said shyly, "He's so mysterious. He seems really impressive."
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