The Blacksmith from Higashi

Although Bai Ye was indeed a certain author's designated male protagonist, he lacked one skill possessed by most male leads—cooking.

No one knew when cooking had become a standard skill for novel protagonists. Whether it was used to show off in front of others or win over girls, it never failed.

According to statistics from the Multiverse Accidental Transmigration Incident Research Association, transmigrators who could cook had a significantly higher survival rate during their first month after transmigrating.

In other words, all you high-dimensional observers could take advantage of your time at home and practice cooking, just in case.

However, Bai Ye could not cook. Or rather, the young man had barely ever had the chance to enter a kitchen.

As for Texas? Bai Ye did not think the girl could cook either—though her knife skills might be quite good.

As Bai Ye pondered how to solve the problem of his future three meals a day, he walked out the front door.

He gently pushed open the doors of the Galloping Mare Tavern and slowly walked inside.

The tavern seemed especially spacious during the daytime, because there were hardly any customers inside.

Only a few drinkers sat in dim corners, pouring themselves drinks and looking quite at ease.

The middle-aged man behind the bar was still there. Dressed in a butler's uniform, he was polishing a wooden cup.

Bai Ye lined up nine coins on the bar and looked up. "A glass of milk."

"Sir, it only costs five..."

Bai Ye awkwardly took back the remaining four coins, then sat down on a stool beside the bar.

"Are you from Victoria, sir?"

Resting his head in his hands on the bar, Bai Ye watched the middle-aged man prepare his milk and could not help asking curiously.

As for why he had guessed Victoria, it was because the Feline were Victoria's primary race.

"Yes."

As if something had occurred to him, the middle-aged man paused with the cup in hand before nodding in response to Bai Ye's question.

"Well, it looks like you're a man with a story too~"

Bai Ye took the milk the man handed him, narrowed his eyes, and took a sip.

"Hehe, when you get older, you naturally end up with a few stories."

The middle-aged man smiled and resumed polishing his cup, as if it held endless fascination for him.

"Ah... That was really good."

Bai Ye drained the milk in one go, then let out a satisfied breath.

"You really do love milk..." The middle-aged man smiled and handed Bai Ye a tissue.

Only then did Bai Ye realize it. Blushing slightly, he took the tissue and wiped the milk from the corner of his mouth.

"You don't seem to be in very good shape. Would you like another glass of milk?"

Hearing the middle-aged man's offer, Bai Ye nodded without hesitation. Honestly, he really was not doing well. After all, being killed so many times in one night by his "roommate" without having any ability to fight back... It was truly awful.

"It must be the system messing with me."

Though the system and the god had remained completely silent until now, Bai Ye knew full well that this inexplicable nightmare had to be deeply connected to the system.

"Here."

The middle-aged man handed him another glass of milk, interrupting Bai Ye's thoughts.

"Thanks. Oh, by the way, sir, what should I call you?"

Bai Ye suddenly asked as he drank his milk.

"You can call me Alfred."

The middle-aged man in the butler's uniform smiled and answered Bai Ye's question.

"Thank you for the milk. I feel much better now." Bai Ye nodded, then said, "I'd like to take a look at the commission list."

Alfred set aside his work and turned on the display screen beside him. "Today's commissions have just refreshed. I have to say, you came quite early."

Bai Ye scrolled through the screen, searching for new commissions. Although he had left southern Columbia, he had never lowered his guard.

He knew that completing such a high-difficulty assignment immediately after registering as a bounty hunter was certainly too conspicuous, and did not fit the usual early-game strategy of keeping a low profile and developing steadily after transmigrating.

But he had no choice. Only this way could he quickly save up the enormous travel funds and equipment costs needed for him and Texas to leave Columbia's sphere of influence.

Setting aside the distractions in his mind, Bai Ye continued browsing the screen. With Texas's help, he could take on most of the commissions on the list.

"Rhine Lab's traveling technology exhibition... security work?"

Bai Ye froze. The words Rhine Lab instantly caught his attention.

"Hmm, this commission."

Alfred nodded, registered Bai Ye's information, then suggested, "There's still some time before this commission officially begins. You can take a few simpler commissions in the meantime."

That was right. There was no rule saying a bounty hunter could only accept one commission.

"Why not?"

Bai Ye readily agreed. After all, while accepting commissions, he could also obtain missions from the system panel.

Up to now, the rewards Bai Ye had received for completing missions had been quite generous.

After casually accepting a few small commissions, Bai Ye looked at Alfred. "Is there anywhere around here where I can have a weapon custom-made?"

"If you mean specially customized Originium weapons... Thunder God Industries is naturally more professional." After thinking carefully, Alfred replied, "But there's also a blacksmith from Higashi here..."

"Higashi?"

Bai Ye asked in surprise. After all, Higashi was quite far from here. There were very few Oni from Higashi in Columbia.

"Yes, he's from Higashi, and he's somewhat well-known around here." Alfred nodded. "In the past, people from other cities even came here because of his reputation, though that was several years ago..."

Bai Ye was immediately intrigued and asked Alfred for the address.

Although Bai Ye had an extremely poor sense of direction, with a map to guide him, getting lost in Columbia's neatly planned streets was quite difficult.

The blacksmith shop was not far from the Galloping Mare Tavern, only three or four blocks away. Bai Ye entered an alley and quickly found the Higashi blacksmith shop Alfred had mentioned.

The blacksmith shop's doors were tightly shut, and it did not even have a sign. A large tree stood before the storefront, its fallen leaves scattered across the ground, creating a bleak scene.

Bai Ye stepped forward and knocked on the door. After a while, accompanied by a teeth-grating creak, the wooden door opened a crack only as wide as a palm.

"What is it?"

An aged voice came from inside, instantly snapping the slightly distracted Bai Ye back to attention.

"I want to have a blade forged."

Bai Ye did not hesitate and directly stated his purpose.