Two weeks had passed in the real world since Fenix first started pying Haven Online. After wrapping up Wynter’s quest, he shifted his focus to leveling up his cooking, fishing, and potion-making skills. Out of everything, cooking had been the easiest grind, especially with the auction house flooded with cheap recipes.

  The temptation to buy everything in sight was strong, but Fenix held back. He knew some ingredients would be hard to come by in his current region—either specific pnts or monster meat needed for certain dishes. So he focused on recipes that gave the best buffs, figuring he could always come back for the others ter. After all, it wasn't like they were rare.

  Among the recipes that caught his attention, three stood out. First was Strotomond Buns, a sweet and savory bread stuffed with soft mushrooms and wild onions that boosted agility for a short time. Then, there was Barbecued Frost Crab, a rich dish made from crab legs and ember spices that gave temporary cold resistance. Finally, the Bunyip Tarte Tatin, a decadent dessert crafted from caramelized fruit and Bunyip essence, provided enhanced health regeneration for hours. He picked up all three, knowing they’d be useful in the future.

  As he continued browsing the auction house, Fenix’s eyes flickered over countless listings of basic food recipes when something unbelievable caught his eye, a recipe he never thought he’d see so early: Karry Karry. He couldn't believe his eyes. The delicate ice dessert was renowned not just for its sweet, yered ingredients—chopped fruit, condensed milk, fruit syrup, and red beans—but for its origins.

  It hailed from the Bingsoo region, where ancient ice caves spread beneath towering gciers, home to giant fur-covered monsters and brutal climates. In the future, this recipe would become a legend among pyers, its rarity tied to the Bigoloo, a reclusive beast notorious for dropping it.

  The Bigoloo was a creature you could search for weeks and never find. Its deep-blue fur blended with the ice walls, and it only emerged during rare weather conditions. However, in his past life, pyers would wait patiently for even a glimpse. Because the Karry Karry recipe is truly enticing.

  The appeal y in its unique stat boosts: HP +29, Str +37, Luck +24, though it came with a price—Intelligence and Dexterity both dropped by 14 points each. Despite the downsides, the +24 Luck boost made it highly desirable among pyers. And here it was, sitting in the auction house for only 10 silver coins, a price that seemed ughable when Fenix knew it would be worth thousands of gold in the future. Naturally, he bought it without a second thought.

  He couldn’t help but feel a little bad for the pyer who listed it so cheaply. Sure, cooking wasn’t a big deal yet, but that pyer had no idea what they were sitting on. Recipes didn’t reveal their stats until collected in his cookbook, and Fenix knew this was a case of someone unknowingly throwing away treasure. Still, he wasn’t about to pass up a deal like that. The only tricky part would be sourcing ice for the recipe, but he’d worry about that ter. For now, he was happy to have it tucked away in his collection.

  If there was one thing he didn’t hold back on, it was seeds. The auction house had a huge variety selling dirt cheap, so he stockpiled as much as he could. Tomatoes, wheat, potatoes, corn—he grabbed them all. He knew prices would skyrocket after the upcoming update, so it made sense to prepare now while he could.

  Once his auction house shopping spree was done, Fenix turned his focus to leveling up his fishing skills. After spending almost two weeks at the ke, he had inched his way up to 95% EXP. Just a little more grinding, and he’d be ready to meet the level two fishing master. His inventory was overflowing with all kinds of fish, but Fenix didn’t mind. With his growing collection of seafood recipes, those fish won't go to waste. One lucky find during his fishing sessions was a Jade Pearl.

  The Jade Pearl was a useful ingredient for mages. It wasn’t the rarest item by any means, but it was valuable. Mages sought it out for crafting Life Drain Orbs—special tools that could save them in the heat of battle. Once a mage’s health dropped below 5%, the orb would activate, draining a monster’s life to heal the caster. It wasn’t just a defensive move; it could often kill the creature outright. Fenix knew he could sell it for a decent price—around a hundred silver coins making it a nice bonus to his haul.

  His potion-making was coming along well too, having reached level 11 faster than he expected. That progress was rgely thanks to the Lucky Potion he drank in the dungeon, which had granted him the recipe for medium-quality mana potions. These potions restored 500 mana points, a huge step up from the basic ones he’d been making. Crafting them wasn’t difficult, but it did eat through his stash of blue herbs. Each potion required five of the precious pnts, and Fenix knew he’d soon need to go out and gather more.

  For now, though, he was content. Everything felt like it was falling into pce. There was still plenty to do, but he’d cross those bridges when he logged back in.

  "Fenix! Fenix, are you even listening?!”

  Fenix blinked and turned to Maya, startled out of his thoughts. “Yeah, I was listening.”

  “Then what did I say?” Maya crossed her arms, her eyebrows raised.

  “Okay, okay, I wasn’t listening,” he admitted with a sheepish grin.

  “Ugh!” Maya threw her hands up in exasperation. “I said we’re here!”

  Fenix gnced around and finally noticed where they were—the convention center. The massive building loomed over them, its sleek gss facade gleaming in the afternoon sun. Banners for the Haven Online expo draped from the upper floors, swaying slightly in the breeze, while a line of eager attendees stretched from the entrance.

  The building was modern, with sharp angles and an open atrium visible through tall windows. Bright lights and fshing signs reflected off the gss, making the whole pce buzz with excitement.

  “So we are,” Fenix chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry, Maya, I got lost in thought.”

  “I could tell,” Maya ughed, her annoyance quickly fading.

  “Well, I’m paying attention now,” Fenix said, looking back at the lively crowd. “Let’s head in.”

  Maya rolled her eyes. “Not so fast, I need to park first. No way am I wasting money on a valet.”

  “Cheapskate,” Fenix teased.

  Maya stuck out her tongue and steered the car toward a parking lot, weaving through the rows of cars with practiced ease.