TSA Chapter 45

However, Yue Na didn’t respond to No Happiness and the others’ taunts. Instead, two more system announcements appeared.

[System Announcement] Congratulations to the player [Yue Na] for developing a new food: [Chive Pancake], earning 100 World Reputation and [Physical Exchange Coupon*1].

[System Announcement] Congratulations to the player [Yue Na] for developing a new food: [Honey Roasted Meat], earning 100 World Reputation and [Physical Exchange Coupon*1].

[World] Seven Summer: Impressive! Creating three new foods at once—truly amazing!

[World] Nine Lives: That does seem pretty amazing… Could it be the same big shot who created all those other stuffed buns?

[World] Lin Yuan: Big shot! Those fresh meat buns were delicious. When can you make another batch?

[World] Yan Mo: I hope the big shot puts the new foods up for sale soon! I can’t wait to try them!

Since Yue Na created three types of custom foods in one go, many players assumed she was the anonymous creator of other popular foods. They flocked to praise her, drowning out No Happiness and the others’ messages.

Yue Na, however, didn’t react at all. She neither confirmed nor denied the claims and simply kept spamming her recruitment announcement.

[World] Yue Na: Moon Shadow Guild is recruiting players above level 25 for leveling and teamwork. I’m a professional priest and part-time life player, with a cooking skill level of 20. Join the team and enjoy top-tier treatment! Contact [Ba Ge] [Moon Shadow].

Yue Na’s popularity soared instantly. The world channel was flooded with messages from players asking to join her guild, get to know her, or even form a relationship. It was almost overwhelming.

Meanwhile, No Happiness, Smoke, and Raphael—members of the Windstorm Jiangnan fixed party and elders of the Invincible Guild—caught the attention of newer guild members with their world channel messages.

[Guild] Evernight: Did you see the world channel? What’s going on? Why are all the big shots showing up suddenly?

[Guild] A Lone Boat: Not sure. Does it have something to do with that Moon Shadow Guild?

In the first few days after the server opened, everyone was focused on leveling up, only glancing at the world channel during breaks. With so many players, the messages refreshed rapidly, so many hadn’t heard about the earlier incident involving the stolen recipe.

[Guild] Cain: Hey, I actually know about this!

[Guild] Jia Tu: Then hurry up and spill it! Stop teasing us!

[Guild] Cain: Alright, alright, no rush! Go check the forum. The post is by someone named Feng Wuhen.

[Guild] Evernight: Ugh, can’t you just tell us? Why make us look it up ourselves…

Though they grumbled, their hands quickly opened the forum.

It didn’t take long to find Feng Wuhen’s post, which included a detailed video explaining the entire incident.

[Guild] Evernight: Damn! I’ve never seen anyone so shameless!

[Guild] A Lone Boat: What did our big shot Bai Ran do to deserve this? Why would someone put a bounty on him? Just because he’s a priest?

[Guild] Beacon of War: I saw those foods listed in the Trading Hall—[Vegetable Pancake] for 20 silver, [Chive Pancake] for 40 silver, and [Honey Roasted Meat] for 80 silver. I was going to buy one to try, but they sold out instantly…

[Guild] Unbreakable Mountain and River: Could Yue Na really be the anonymous big shot who’s been creating all those foods?

[Guild] Cain: Definitely not! If the real big shot wanted attention, they wouldn’t have stayed anonymous from the start!

[Guild] Evernight: That… actually makes sense.

Meanwhile, Soul Chaser, who was leveling in the wild, saw the guild chat and opened the forum post out of curiosity. The moment he saw it, he exploded.

“Damn! Did you see the guild chat? Someone had the nerve to bully our Brother Ran and even put a bounty on him! He was just a newbie back then, barely out of the tutorial village!” Soul Chaser, with his fiery temper, had already taken Ran Qi and Coke as his own people. Seeing someone bully Ran Qi made him unable to hold back.

Although they had split up to farm monsters for higher experience, they remained in a party, allowing them to communicate in the party chat. Soul Chaser was angry, but he still knew his limits and refrained from shouting in the guild chat.

“Is it true? Brother Ran, did you suffer any losses?” Plume Ink asked with concern.

“Ranran, why didn’t you tell us? We could’ve avenged you!” Gu Le exclaimed anxiously.

“Exactly! We’ll avenge you!” Soul Chaser’s tone was filled with murderous intent, as if he was ready to storm back to the main city and hunt down the two who had bullied Bai Ran as soon as Ran Qi gave the word.

“No need. Raphael and No Happiness already killed them twice, so the score has been settled,” Ran Qi quickly stopped them. Yue Na and Ba Ge had already paid the price, and as far as Ran Qi was concerned, the matter was long over. There was no need to dredge up the past.

“Alright…”

Since the person involved had already let it go, the others couldn’t insist on pursuing it further.

“But those things Yue Na made are clearly based on what you created! When people asked her if she was the anonymous big shot, she didn’t deny it and even used her cooking skills as a way to attract people to her guild!” Gu Le said indignantly.

“These recipes are simple. You can figure them out with a bit of trial and error; it’s not a big deal,” Ran Qi replied, seemingly indifferent.

After all, he’d experienced plenty of such things in his previous life. This was just someone learning to make scallion pancakes and modifying them slightly—not worth fussing over. At most, it left a slight bitter taste in his heart…

[Private Chat] Night Owl: The people who were hunting you back then—did they commission the bounty?

When Night Owl first met Ran Qi, he had helped resolve a bounty situation. At the time, Ran Qi had briefly explained the situation but hadn’t gone into much detail. After reading the forum post, Night Owl now understood the full story.

[Private Chat] Bai Ran: Yes, thanks to you, or I might have really taken a big loss.

[Private Chat] Night Owl: Alright. If something like this happens again, you must tell me immediately.

[Private Chat] Bai Ran: Got it.

[Private Chat] Night Owl: How’s the food coming along?

[Private Chat] Bai Ran: The prep work is almost done. Just a little longer.

[Private Chat] Night Owl: Make a few more dishes.

[Private Chat] Bai Ran: Sure!

Ran Qi didn’t think much of it, assuming Night Owl simply wanted to try more new foods. In addition to the barbecue and seafood soup he’d already planned, he decided to make fishcakes, fish balls, stir-fried shrimp, steamed eggs with clams, and garlic scallops.

[System Announcement] Congratulations to player [Anonymous] for developing a new food: [Pan-Seared Fishcake], earning 100 World Reputation and [Physical Exchange Coupon*1].

[System Announcement] Congratulations to player [Anonymous] for developing a new food: [Stir-Fried Shrimp], earning 100 World Reputation and [Physical Exchange Coupon*1].

……

……

Seventeen announcements in total. The previously lively world channel fell into a stunned silence. These seventeen announcements dominated the screen for several minutes before the channel resumed its usual flow. Even the lurkers were shocked out of hiding, and the messages started pouring in like a flood.

[World] September Sky: Am I dreaming? Did over a dozen announcements just flash by?

[World] June Snow: You’re not dreaming—it’s real.

[World] Pathfinder: Now I’m certain this anonymous big shot isn’t Yue Na.

[World] Cain: Haha, exactly right!

[World] Shura: Ten Steps Guild is recruiting professional life players with excellent benefits!

[World] Thousand Mechanisms: Prosperous Dynasty Guild is looking for players skilled in cooking. You’ll be made a vice leader after the guild is established!

[World] Blossoming: Glazed Moon Guild is offering 30,000 Star Coins to hire this anonymous cooking master! If that’s not enough, we’re open to negotiation!

[World] Gossip Guru: Wow, three ranking guilds have joined in. This anonymous big shot is in high demand!

[World] Clever Spark: Judging by the coastal ingredients, this master is probably near Sina City by the sea.

[World] Glamorous Bone: Little brother, you’ve got some skills, huh?

……

“Ranran, did you make all of that?” Gu Le couldn’t help but ask in the party chat.

“Yes, I’ve used up all the ingredients. Are you coming back now?”

“We’re coming! Right away!” they replied in unison.

Faced with such delicious food, who had the mind to keep leveling? Returning to the city took priority!

Night Owl then spoke up, “Let’s meet back at the guild territory to trade.”

Ran Qi: “Alright.”

With so much food emitting such enticing aromas and people already starting to take notice of Sina City, it was clearly unsuitable to trade in the main city. Returning to the guild’s territory was a better option.

Ran Qi quickly replicated dozens of portions of each dish using the simplified mode, then used an NPC to teleport back to the guild’s territory.

However, as soon as he stepped out of the teleportation array, he saw Night Owl and Sword at Fleeting Time, already waiting for him.

Ran Qi was a bit surprised. “How did you get here so fast?”

“Hmm, hand over our portions first.”

“Alright.” Ran Qi didn’t think much about it and directly traded the food to Night Owl and Sword at Fleeting Time.

[World] Night Owl: [Meat Pie] [Honey Glazed Ribs] [Mushroom Braised Chicken] [Tomato Braised Beef Brisket] [Grilled Shrimp Skewers] [Grilled Fish] [Pan-Seared Fishcake] [Stir-Fried Shrimp]… The Invincible Guild is recruiting professional lifestyle players. Excellent guild benefits! Exchange contributions for gourmet food and equipment. Dungeon runs included. Interested players, contact [Sword at Fleeting Time].

[World] Sword at Fleeting Time: Meat Pie] [Honey Glazed Ribs] [Mushroom Braised Chicken] [Tomato Braised Beef Brisket] [Grilled Shrimp Skewers] [Grilled Fish] [Pan-Seared Fishcake] [Stir-Fried Shrimp]… The Invincible Guild is recruiting professional lifestyle players. Guild benefits include gourmet food and equipment in exchange for contributions, plus dungeon runs. Interested parties, contact me directly.

[World] Cain: ?????? Is the anonymous master actually in our guild?!

[World] June Snow: I told you to level up! You didn’t listen! I told you to apply to Invincible Guild, and you didn’t! You said they’d recruit again later! Get lost!

[World] September Sky: Honey, I was wrong!!!!!!

[World] Glamorous Bone: Me! Me! Me! Alchemy level 18! Forging level 16! Big shot, please notice me!!!!!!