The next few days were relatively peaceful. Zhang Pingfan followed his routine, occasionally assigning tasks, and his life was quite interesting.
Of course, Zhang Pingfan hadn't been idle during these days, as he still had tasks that required him to refine pills.
As a noble and elegant alchemist.
Because Hei Huang was growing medicinal herbs, Zhang Pingfan's alchemy skills were steadily improving.
During these days of alchemy, Zhang Pingfan's aura had actually stabilized quite a bit.
This made Zhang Pingfan feel that this game not only allowed people to earn money but also to calm their minds, which was indeed quite interesting.
Today was the day Li Yutong was supposed to deliver the goods to Zhang Kun.
Where could one easily find gold-tier equipment above level 10?
In the span of a week, Li Yutong had, for lack of a better term, been non-stop searching for monsters of elite level or higher in the game.
However, with her abilities, she was certainly incapable of soloing bosses.
Since she couldn't solo bosses, she had to team up with teammates, but the drop rate was likely truly too low. They had already killed over a dozen bronze bosses.
Yet, they still couldn't obtain any gold-tier equipment.
They didn't have the ability to kill silver-tier bosses.
After finally managing to join the guild's main force to kill a silver-tier boss, the best equipment they obtained was merely blue-tier.
It wasn't that gold-tier equipment didn't drop, but rather that when it did drop, it wasn't within their guild.
With so many people playing the game, equipment would naturally drop more frequently.
However, gold-tier equipment still remained a rarity.
It was impossible to increase the equipment drop rate in the early stages of the game; aside from the first kill, the drop rate for gold-tier was simply too low.
Moon Palace had dropped three pieces of gold-tier equipment in this week.
Li Yutong wanted to acquire them, but the guild had no intention of selling them.
She wanted to buy from other players, but the prices for gold-tier equipment sold by solo players were exorbitant, easily twenty or more gold coins. Unless one was a complete fool, they wouldn't buy it.
"Auntie Wang, what should we do now? There's still one piece of equipment on the market, a level 20 gold-tier item, but they're asking for 25 gold coins!"
Auntie Wang frowned.
25 gold coins was equivalent to 250,000 yuan. Although the cooperative project with Zhang Kun's company had a profit of millions, the company wasn't solely hers.
After dividing it, the amount that would reach her hands would likely be less than 250,000 yuan. To spend 250,000 yuan for someone else to make money, Auntie Wang wasn't that foolish.
"If it doesn't work out, then forget it. Jiang Shang should understand. Yutong, you've worked hard too. If it's not possible, then there's no need for cooperation!"
Just then, Zhang Pingfan walked out of his room. It was lunchtime.
Seeing Auntie Wang, Zhang Pingfan smiled.
"Auntie Wang is here. Did you manage to buy the gold-tier equipment?"
Auntie Wang shook her head and said, "How could it be that simple? Yutong said there's still a piece of gold-tier equipment for sale on the market for 25 gold coins. Based on the profit of this business deal, 25 gold coins is too expensive; the gains would not outweigh the losses, so I'm planning to give up on this deal!"
Zhang Pingfan nodded. 25 gold coins for a piece of gold-tier equipment, that was even more exorbitant than him.
"Auntie Wang, a friend of mine happens to have a piece of gold-tier equipment."
Li Yutong and Auntie Wang both looked at Zhang Pingfan simultaneously.
"Is that true? How much is your friend asking for?"
Zhang Pingfan thought that he couldn't just give it away for free, so a normal price of 5 gold coins should be acceptable.
"5 gold coins!"
Auntie Wang stood up excitedly.
"Great, Xiao Zhang, you've been a great help to me!"
Zhang Pingfan said, "It's nothing. It just so happens that I have one. He doesn't need it anyway. Selling it to someone else is still selling it; selling it to you is also selling it!"
Auntie Wang nodded and said, "Xiao Zhang, you're truly reliable. Regarding what happened last time, Auntie Wang apologizes here. Auntie Wang didn't consider your feelings. After this contract is completed, I'll treat you to a meal. Don't worry, it will be just you and Li Yutong, no one else this time!"
Zhang Pingfan smiled and nodded, "There's no need for a meal, I'm quite busy with things in the game!"
"Oh, the game, you can play anytime. A meal won't take too much time. Judging by your accent, you're not from around here. Auntie will take you to try some local famous dishes; you'll definitely rave about them!"
Li Yutong, standing nearby, also chimed in.
"Yes, Zhang Pingfan, please come. You've helped Auntie so much, I also need to thank you!"
Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Zhang Pingfan had no choice but to agree.
With the gold-tier equipment secured, Auntie Wang was somewhat impatient to leave.
"Yutong, contact me after you buy the equipment. I'll get in touch with Young Master Zhang on my end! I'll go to the company to prepare the materials first!"
"Okay, we'll handle it shortly!"
Auntie Wang left, leaving only Zhang Pingfan and Li Yutong in the hall.
Li Yutong said with a look of apology, "I'm truly sorry about what happened last time. Such a thing won't happen again. And thank you for today's matter."
After receiving Li Yutong's sincere apology, Zhang Pingfan no longer dwelled on it.
"Mm, it's fine. I'm just not good with words; social anxiety!"
Li Yutong blinked in surprise. But your behavior can't be described as social anxiety at all; it's more like anti-social.
What Li Yutong didn't know was that before this, Zhang Pingfan rarely interacted with people; he usually just did his work silently.
"Alright, what should we have for lunch? My treat. I ate at your place last time, so it's my turn today!"
Zhang Pingfan smiled. Since that was the case, he wouldn't be polite.
"Okay, then I won't be polite!"
"Mm, I'll order takeout. Do you eat spicy food?"
"It's okay!"
"Alright!"
Half an hour later, the takeout arrived. Zhang Pingfan didn't think much about Li Yutong treating him to this meal.
"By the way, what's your friend's name? How should I find him in the game later?"
Zhang Pingfan said, "What's your name in the game? I'll have my friend contact you!"
Li Yutong replied, "Qingming Yushang, that's my in-game name!"
Zhang Pingfan nodded, recalling that there was a song with a similar name, but it suited girls quite well.
"What about you? What's your name in the game? Are you still in the新手村 (novice village)?"
Zhang Pingfan shook his head.
"I might not be suited for combat professions, so I've found a side profession as an alchemist in the game!"
"Oh, I heard that side professions can be quite troublesome to level up, especially alchemy which requires collecting herbs yourself. For some high-level herbs, you need to go to high-level areas. If you need any help from me, you can tell me!"
Zhang Pingfan nodded and said, "Okay, if I need it, I'll definitely ask you. Thank you for this meal!"
"You're welcome. After all, we're neighbors. It's only right to help each other, especially since you've helped us so much!"
Zhang Pingfan smiled, not saying anything further, and buried his head in eating.
Upon logging back in, Zhang Pingfan handed the gold-tier equipment that Dou Youyou had given him earlier back to Dou Youyou.
"Master, didn't you say you wanted it?"
Zhang Pingfan said, "Later, you sell this equipment to a player named Qingming Yushang for 5 gold coins!"
Dou Youyou frowned. What was going on? From the name, she knew it was a girl.
Could it be that while she was diligently leveling up, her master had gotten involved with another girl?
Dou Youyou suddenly felt a little flustered.