171: Chapter 171 Master Qin Lie? I know him.

The two walked out, and after buying some food, they headed toward the Trading Area.

Coincidentally, it was the same Trading Area where Gu Changming had asked for directions yesterday.

Chen Yiming followed closely behind Gu Changming. It wasn't that she was shy, but rather like a stray dog guarding its food, looking around alertly.

At first, Gu Changming didn't quite understand why.

But after they walked in, he understood.

As soon as they entered, the stall owners in the area seemed to sense something and all looked over at once.

Then, smiles appeared on their faces, and the air was suddenly filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

"Master Chen, finally found a client?"

"How long has it been? The last time I saw you was half a month ago."

"How much are you buying this time? Come to my place, I'll give you a discount. After all, you always take a large quantity."

Hearing these teases, Chen Yiming's face flushed red instantly.

She turned her head to avoid Gu Changming seeing her expression.

Then she glared fiercely at the stall owners, her eyes wide, her lips silently forming the words "shut up," and she raised her hand to point at them one by one.

The stall owners were just teasing her. Knowing she had finally managed to pull in a client, they just laughed and stopped talking, quickly returning to their own business.

After the warning, Chen Yiming immediately turned back, a smile plastered on her face, cautiously observing Gu Changming's expression.

Seeing that Gu Changming didn't ask anything, she finally relaxed.

Fearing that Gu Changming might hear some bad rumors about her there, Chen Yiming pulled him along and quickly finished buying the necessary herbs.

Then she hurriedly dragged Gu Changming out of there.

As the two walked out of the Trading Area, Chen Yiming clearly breathed a sigh of relief.

She walked in front but couldn't help glancing back at Gu Changming, an unnatural smile on her face.

"Those guys just think I'm cute and young, so they like to joke and tease me," Chen Yiming defended herself. "So you must not listen to their nonsense."

Gu Changming looked at her desperate attempts to explain herself and found it somewhat amusing, but he didn't show it, only nodding.

"Mm."

Seeing that he didn't press further, Chen Yiming finally felt a weight lift off her shoulders, her expression visibly relaxing.

"This way, it's closer to loop back from here," Chen Yiming led the way.

Well, actually, it was because there were more forging-related professions this way, and not many people knew her.

Gu Changming didn't think much of it and followed her in a different direction, walking back along a less crowded street.

After walking a distance inward, a completely different landscape was revealed.

On both sides of the street were various workshops and shops; the clanging of hammers, the faint sound of fire forging, and the sound of conversation were mixed together.

Continuing forward, on the way back.

Gu Changming looked up and saw a stone house at the corner with a line of thirty or forty people extending from the door.

Gu Changming slowed his pace slightly and looked at the line with curiosity.

Seeing Gu Changming's gaze fall there, Chen Yiming immediately began her introduction dutifully.

"That's the queue for people asking Master Qin to forge weapons or special items. It's like this every day, a very long line. However, Master Qin only takes a few orders in a given period, so they don't know how long they'll have to wait."

"Master Qin?" Gu Changming felt the name was a bit familiar.

"Yeah, Qin Lie, Master Qin." Chen Yiming nodded and introduced him enthusiastically. "He's the top figure in the forging industry here in our Cangwu Stronghold. To get him to act, the base fee starts at several thousand points."

She paused, a hint of envy and longing in her tone.

"He's my idol."

After confirming Qin Lie's identity, Gu Changming asked curiously, "He's your idol?"

"Yeah!" Chen Yiming adjusted the basket of herbs in her arms.

"You don't know, but in the early stages of the Assessment, we logistics professions—especially those doing R&D and refining—were not well-regarded at all. Everyone's points were tight; who would be willing to spend money to let us 'trial and error'? Master Qin was also very destitute back then."

"But later, Master Qin got lucky and met a 'Patron Daddy'."

"It's said that person funded him regardless of the cost, giving him whatever materials he needed. He wasn't blamed if he failed, and was just let loose to forge as he pleased."

"Just like that, in the small camp he was in before, he forged a high-quality weapon with stats exceeding those sold in the panel Mall at that time, right in front of everyone."

"From that after, his reputation skyrocketed. People have been flocking to him, and he's completely turned his life around."

At this point, Chen Yiming suddenly sighed.

"Me, I'm similar to him. I'm not lacking in skill, just a 'Patron Daddy' like he had back then. If I had one, I could definitely turn things around and be a master with a long queue at my door here in the Jiwu Stronghold."

Listening to Chen Yiming's introduction, Gu Changming nodded and gave an "Oh."

Then he glanced at the location of the shop and memorized it.

Once the potion were ready, if he wasn't busy, he could come over for a visit.

After all, the man seemed to have really done as he said, only taking a few commissions, and now he's developed into Master Qin.

"Haven't you heard of Master Qin's name?" After finishing her introduction, Chen Yiming leaned in closer and asked curiously.

After all, Qin Lie's name was famous not just in the logistics circles, but also among the adventurers.

"I've heard of it." Gu Changming retracted his gaze and then replied with a light smile, "I actually know him."

"Huh? You know him?" Chen Yiming was stunned for a moment.

"Yeah," Gu Changming nodded, "we're quite familiar."

After a brief silence, Chen Yiming burst out laughing, then pointed at Gu Changming.

"Haha, you're bragging!"

Master Qin was the top forging master in their Stronghold.

Usually, it was hard for many people to even see him once. You, an outsider who just arrived at Cangwu, say you're quite familiar with him?

"I'm not lying to you," Gu Changming said helplessly. Why was it that when he told the truth, people just didn't believe him?

"Sure, sure, sure, you know him, you're familiar," Chen Yiming replied with a look that said she wouldn't believe it even if she died. "Then introduce me next time. I have a whole set of refining tools I want him to help me upgrade."

Gu Changming looked at her red-tinged ears from laughing and the swaying tail of her Dinosaur Pajamas, shrugged, and didn't bother to prove it.

The two continued walking toward the Potion-making Hut.

"By the way," Gu Changming said.

"Hmm?" Chen Yiming turned her head.

"According to what you said, shouldn't the one you admire be the Patron who provided the materials? Why is it Qin Lie?"

"Hiss... what you say seems to make some sense. But I don't know him either."

"I know him."

"And are you also quite familiar with him? Haha, you're lying again." Chen Yiming pointed at Gu Changming and laughed heartily, completely losing the formal posture of 'the customer is God' she had at the beginning.