Looking For the Liquor Worm (Part Five)

We didn't mean to offend, take our skibidi stone scraps, Lord Gu Master, please."

Hunters scramble, pulling out their broke-boy savings. It's all crumbs and bits, not even a full stone.

Gu Master, Jiang Ya, scoffs, but doesn't take the change. He scans the room with eagle eyes. Hunters, and even the old dude by the window, look away, major cringe.

Only Fang Yuan stares back, unbothered.

Jiang Ya's fit is the official Gu Master drip, Fang Yuan's not even allowed to wear it yet. The "One" on his belt? That's Rank 1, upper stage. He's like, 20.

Starting at 15 and only hitting Rank 1 upper stage at 20? That's D-tier talent, worse than Fang Yuan. Probably a logistics Gu Master, not a fighter.

But still, he's flexing on these hunters.

This is the power gap between Gu Masters and NPCs.

"Power is the whole vibe. This world just makes it extra obvious. Big fish eat small fish, small fish eat krill. It's the food chain, but make it public," Fang Yuan thinks.

"Okay, Jiang Ya, you made your point. Don't embarrass these normies further. It's reflecting badly on us," a voice cuts in from the corner.

Everyone realizes the other person is a girl boss.

Jiang Ya, the young Gu Master, stops his rant after his friend tells him to chill. He doesn't even glance at the hunter's skibidi stone scraps; they're not worth his time.

He flicks his sleeve and stalks back to his table, throwing a parting shot: "If you're so tough, keep drinking that green bamboo wine. I wanna see who dares."

The hunters are all heads down, acting like scolded puppies.

The wine aroma fills the room, and the hunter who bought it is hurting. He spent 2 stones and didn't even get a sip!

Fang Yuan puts down his chopsticks, done eating his beesechurger meal. He sniffs the wine, his eyes flashing, and drops 2 skibidi stones on the table. "Waiter, green bamboo wine, one jar," he says, flatly.

The room goes silent.

Jiang Ya stops dead in his tracks. His mouth twitches, and he lets out a sharp breath. Fang Yuan wants the wine right after he just said not to? That's a straight-up slap in the face.

He spins around, eyes narrowed, glaring at Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan stares back, calm and collected.

Jiang Ya's eyes flicker, the coldness fading. He senses Fang Yuan's primeval essence. Realizing Fang Yuan's a fellow Gu Master, he smiles warmly. "Ah, a junior brother."

Everyone else catches on, their expressions changing.

Ah, so that's why the kid wasn't sweating it. He's a Gu Master too! Even if he's still in school, he's got clout.

"Lord Gu Master, your wine!" The waiter practically trips over himself, beaming. Fang Yuan nods at Jiang Ya, grabs the wine, and dips.

Scene Transmission!

300 years back, Gooner Yue Clan had a straight-up GOAT. Kid was cracked, hit Rank 5 young, and had major potential. Local legend of Qing Mao Mountain, the clan's golden child, their whole vibe.

Everyone in Gooner Yue Clan knows his lore – the fourth clan head.

Tragically, he took an L to protect the village, battling the equally OP demon cultivator, Flower Wine Monk. He won, but being a softie, let the dude beg for mercy.

Then, he got cheap-shotted by Flower Wine Monk's sneak attack. He rage-quit and clapped the Monk, but his own injuries were GG.

This story's been passed down for centuries, clan lore. But Fang Yuan knows it's cap, 'cause it's got a plot hole the size of Texas.

In his past life, a month from now, a heartbroken, wasted Gu Master passes out outside the village, zooted. The wine smell attracts a Liquor worm.

Gu Master chases the worm, finds Flower Wine Monk's bones and his loot in a secret cave. He speedruns back, causing a clan-wide meltdown.

After the dust settles, he gets a major glow-up – Liquor worm, boosted stats, ex back, and local clout.

Stories change over time, that's just how it be. But Fang Yuan's gut says the treasure story's sus. Something ain't right.

"Didn't clock it at first, but after searching and thinking, something's off," Fang Yuan thinks, strolling through the bamboo forest surrounding the village. Night's getting dark, and he's connecting the dots.

"If I was that Gu Master, why wouldn't I just keep the whole bag for myself? Clan loyalty? Nah, everyone's got that greedy little goblin inside. What could possibly make him ignore all that, and snitch to the clan alphas?"

The truth's buried under layers of cap. Fang Yuan's brain's doing the loading wheel thing, but he's stuck. Not enough tea to spill. The clues he has are sus at best.

He thinks about his own situation. "With this wine, I'm down to two stones. If I don't find the treasure, I'm cooked. This is my last roll of the dice, all or nothing."

He didn't have enough stones to power up his Gu anyway. Might as well throw it all on the wine and hope for a W.

Most people would play it safe, stack those stones. But Fang Yuan's not about that slow burn. He's a risk-taker, sigma male hustle grindset style.

Night's getting dark, moon's a sliver. Clouds are dimming the vibe.

After three days of rain, the air's crisp, perfect for carrying the wine aroma. That's why Fang Yuan's feeling like tonight's the night.

The past week of searching wasn't a total bust. He'd at least ruled out a bunch of places where Flower Wine Monk didn't die. That's a win, and reason number two for his confidence.

In the bamboo forest, the grass is thick, white flowers are everywhere, and the bamboo is straight as an arrow, like a bunch of jade sticks.

Fang Yuan pops the wine jar, and the aroma explodes. Green bamboo wine is the GOAT of Gooner Yue Village wines. That's reason number three.

"With these three things lined up, tonight's the night!" Fang Yuan thinks, carefully pouring a trickle of wine onto a rock. If those hunters saw him wasting this 2-stone wine, they'd flip.

But Fang Yuan's unbothered.

The aroma spreads through the night, carried by the gentle breeze, filling the bamboo forest. Fang Yuan waits, but nothing happens.