Ethan cleared his throat before speaking. "My older sister went to Old Man Wang's farm beyond the hill to gather ingredients for our mother's birthday stew," he expined, a hint of concern in his voice. "But she hasn't come back yet, and it's getting te." He nervously fiddled with the hem of his shirt, his worry evident. "Would you mind going there and checking on her?"

  "I wouldn't mind at all. I'll head there immediately," Fenix reassured him.

  [System: A Quest Has Been Created!]

  Ethan's Worries

  Quest Description: Ethan is worried that his sister won't make it back in time to finish cooking their mother's birthday meal. Your task is to travel to Old Man Wang's farm, ensure her safety, and assist her in gathering the ingredients she needs. Help her return home before it's too te to complete the birthday preparations.

  Reward:

  15 EXP10 bronze coinsLearn:

  ????~

  Following Ethan's hand-drawn map, Fenix trekked through uneven terrain, lush greenery, and overgrown bushes for what seemed like twenty minutes until he finally reached Old Wang's farm.

  The farm was enormous, and Fenix couldn't immediately figure out where to start looking for Ethan’s sister. As he was wondering where to begin, a sudden scream rang out.

  Fenix's heart raced as he dashed towards the sound. He soon spotted a beautiful young woman in her te teens standing in the middle of a rge field. She wore a faded green jumper, her long dark hair tied up under a straw hat.

  But it wasn’t her beauty that caught his attention—it was her frantic movements as she desperately tried to swat away three rge birds. These birds resembled crows but had two heads and three red eyes.

  Fenix immediately recognized them as Gss Wyverns, infamous for their insatiable appetites and hunger for vegetables. He had encountered them a few times during his previous life as a gatherer and knew all too well how quickly they could decimate crops.

  However, Fenix also knew their weakness: water.

  Fenix spotted a well in the distance and sprinted towards it, his eyes scanning for a bucket. Finding one, he quickly filled it with water and grabbed a dle, then hurried back. Once he was within range, he carefully aimed the water at the Gss Wyverns circling around the girl.

  Although their carcasses would fetch a pretty penny at the market, with only one point in STR, they would take forever to kill. Therefore, he made sure to only spsh them with enough water to startle them, not drench them.

  Drenching them would provoke the birds into a full aggro state, and Fenix preferred to not waste time fighting them.

  The monsters screeched as the liquid hit their bodies, causing them to fp their wings wildly. Startled, the birds quickly dispersed, their twin heads and three red eyes gring before they flew away, their feather-like scales glistening in the sunlight.

  Fenix let out a sigh of relief as he set the bucket down and approached the young woman, who was staring at him in awe.

  "Thank you so much, Mister. Those pesky birds have been driving me crazy for the past few hours. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up. By the way, my name is Macaroon – what's yours?" She asked while offering her hand.

  Fenix shook her hand with a warm smile and replied, "My name is Chaotic Nexus."

  "It's nice to meet you." She said, shaking his hand enthusiastically. "May I ask why you are here?"

  "Your little brother sent me to check on you. He was worried that you wouldn't make it back in time to prepare dinner for your mother's birthday."

  Spping her forehead in realization, Macaroon excimed, "Oh no! I completely forgot about preparing dinner. Thank you for reminding me. I need to hurry and gather the ingredients I need."

  [System: Quest Completed!]

  [System: You have gained 15 experience points and 10 bronze coins. Two new skills have been unlocked; please check your skill bar for more details.]

  Fenix opened his skill bar to examine his two newly acquired skills. Scrolling down the list, he discovered that he had acquired a skill called Hoeing and another named Harvesting.

  Hoeing was a passive skill that enhanced the efficiency of gathering pnts using a hoe. Despite its potential for misinterpretation by those with a suggestive mind, leveling it up simply required tending to various types of pnts with a hoe.

  Harvesting, on the other hand, was a passive skill that improved the effectiveness of gathering harvestable items, whether using a sickle or by hand. This encompassed everything from crops to herbs essential for potion-making. Advancing this skill involved regurly harvesting different pnts.

  After closing the skill bar, Fenix noticed the girl was still standing nearby, looking at him with a sheepish expression.

  "I'm sorry to bother you again, mister, but do you mind lending me a hand?"

  [System: Quest Triggered!]

  "What do you need help with?" Fenix asked.

  "I don't think I'll make it back in time if I have to gather everything I need by myself. Would you mind getting half of the ingredients for me?"

  "No problem, I'd be happy to help," he replied.

  [System: A Quest Has Been Created!]

  Macaroon Request

  Quest Description: Macaroon is in a rush to complete her mother's birthday meal. She needs your assistance to gather the ingredients quickly. Without them, she fears she won't make it back in time to prepare the special dish.

  Your task is to gather ten potatoes, five carrots, and two stacks of rice within the next hour. The ingredients are scattered around the farm, so you'll need to search thoroughly to find them all.

  Macaroon's mother's birthday celebration is dependent on you. Can you gather the ingredients swiftly and ensure the meal is ready on time?

  Reward:

  25 EXP25 Bronze CoinsTime Limit:

  60 MinutesWith the extra farming tools Macaroon had handed him, Fenix set out to harvest some potatoes. He gripped the wooden handle of the shovel tightly, trying to mimic how he gathered herbs. But harvesting crops was different. It needed a different technique.

  However he kept at it, and as his skill leveled up a rank, he became more accustomed to the action of harvesting.

  In his previous life, Fenix had dabbled in cooking inside the game, but was limited to only two basic recipes. The ingredients for these dishes were so easy to come by that he would often stumble upon them while he was gathering herbs in the woods. So at least he had some experience in harvesting, but it wasn’t much.

  Unfortunately, the shady company he worked for didn't leave him any time for culinary exploration. He mostly gathered herbs and ingredients for potions, which were highly sought after in the game.

  They were used to make potions which was one of the most lucrative ways to make money next to cooking, after the update. Everyone wanted the skill, but it was no easy task. To get the potion making skill a pyer needed a specialized kit.

  These kits were rare and could only be found in treasure chests or obtained as rewards for completing unpredictable quests. Very few people had them, and those who did were unwilling to part with them or demanded an unreasonable amount of money in exchange.

  As a newbie pyer, all Fenix cared about was leaving the beginner town and heading to the town his company assigned him to start working in. Looking back now, he realized he was as naive and foolish as the pyers he mocked.

  Letting out a sigh, Fenix thought about his next course of action after getting all of the cooking reted skills.