Savannah sensed his hesitation and spoke earnestly. "We desperately need this recipe. Frostborne is small now, but we'll repay the favor. We swear to keep it confidential."
A man beside her—Tristan, a spoiled rich kid and Savannah's classmate—frowned in irritation. "Savannah, stop groveling. Just buy it. Kid, I'll give you 1,000 credits for the secret. That's more than enough for a noob like you."
Lucas recognized Tristan instantly—arrogant, talentless, and obsessed with chasing both Savannah and Lila in his past life. Neither woman had ever spared him a second glance, and he'd bounced from one fling to another, never finding real purpose.
Proud despite his poverty, Lucas stared coldly. "Not for sale."
Tristan gaped, then sneered. "Greedy? It's just a basic cooking recipe! Don't push your luck. Give me your bank info—1,000 credits, take it or leave it."
Lucas uttered a single word: "Scram."
"You bastard—!" Tristan reached for his weapon, but a teammate yanked him back. "Are you insane? Guards will one-shot you for PKing in a safe zone!" NPC guards patrolled the area, deterring violence—and that's exactly why Lucas had chosen this spot to cook.
Lucas nodded at the peacemaker—Sebastian, Frostborne's capable main tank. He'd always liked Sebastian in his past life. Savannah shot Tristan a sharp look, motioning for Sebastian to take him away, then apologized. "I'm sorry for my teammate. We're truly sincere."
With RMT not yet live, even wealthy players like Savannah only had meager copper coins. Desperate to keep pace with the server's first wave of power gamers, she swallowed her pride.
Lila stepped forward, her voice soft. "Sir, we're sorry. Please forgive us."
Lucas relented—he couldn't refuse Lila, not after their past bond. "I'll tell you, but you must keep it secret."
Savannah and Lila exchanged delighted glances. "Thank you so much!"
Lucas waved at Lila. "Come here, little one. I'll tell you. The rest of you—keep the crowd back."
Savannah dispersed the onlookers. Lila approached shyly as Lucas whispered the eel's location. Before she could thank him, he added, "Coordinates 7985.9867. There's an old man there—complete his quest, and he'll let you into a cave filled with level 1-2 mobs. Perfect for your team."
It was a hidden grind spot discovered five days later in his past life—remote, locked behind a tedious group quest, so few players bothered. By the time guides went live, it became a hot commodity. But it wasn't for Lucas; its wide-open space and mob swarms made it a death trap without proper gear or exploit spots.
"Really?" Lila's eyes sparkled. "Bring 10,000 eel fillets—enough to last you all night," Lucas said. "What if it's a trap? Full of level 5 mobs?" he teased.
Lila smiled. "Your eyes are honest. I know you wouldn't lie." Lucas chuckled—she was still as perceptive as ever.
"I'm off to grind," he said. "We'll chat later." The new server's race against time waited for no one.
Lila sent a friend request. "Add me? We can stay in touch." Lucas accepted, then waved and vanished into the town. Lila stared after him, a strange sense of familiarity lingering.
Savannah joined her, grinning. "Still watching? He's gone." Lila blushed. "He's mysterious… and really strong."