As if on cue, a small group of Ruby Eye members materialised behind him, their matching crimson robes and silver insignias creating an intimidating wall of idiots.

"Let’s see these supposed buffs in action, then," the Ruby-eyed member challenged, gesturing to one of his subordinates. "Jax, test this... taro bread. Show everyone how worthless it really is."

The young man named Jax stepped forward reluctantly, clearly uncomfortable with being used as a demonstration piece. He accepted the bread from Liam with a nervous glance at his superior.

"Go on," the Ruby Eyed member urged. "Eat it, I want to see this miracle effect for myself."

Jax took a hesitant bite, his expression shifting from scepticism to surprise as he chewed. "It’s actually... quite good."

"Of course it tastes good," the member snapped. "That’s not the point, show us these supposed buffs."

"I... I feel different," Jax admitted, his eyes widening. "More confident somehow."

He scoffed. "Placebo effect, nothing more."

But Jax was already reaching for the jerky. "Let me try the other one."

The Ruby Eye officer’s face darkened as his subordinate devoured the jerky with growing enthusiasm.

"Sir," Jax said, his voice tinged with wonder, "I think I could swim through a frozen Lake right now. I feel completely resistant to cold."

"That’s impossible," but his certainty wavered as other Ruby Eye members began exchanging glances.

Another guild member stepped forward. "Let me try it too."

Soon, even the most loyal followers were sampling Liam’s wares, their expressions transforming from doubt to amazement.

Elizabeth watched with satisfaction as the Ruby Eye officer’s confidence crumbled with each converted guild member.

"Fine," the officer finally conceded, his aristocratic tone cracking. "I’ll try it myself, just to prove this is all nonsense."

He snatched a piece of jerky from Liam’s hand with ill grace, chewing it with theatrical reluctance. His expression changed instantly, the haughty mask slipping to reveal genuine shock.

"This is... actually effective," he admitted through gritted teeth. "How are you producing these buffs? What’s your secret?"

Liam shrugged his massive shoulders. "Good ingredients, proper cooking techniques."

"Impossible," he muttered, but he was already reaching for his coin purse. "I’ll take... ten of each, for research purposes, of course."

As the Ruby Eye officer reluctantly joined the line, Elizabeth caught Liam’s eye and grinned. Even the most sceptical couldn’t deny the evidence of their own senses.

Just as Liam was considering packing up, finally.

A commotion near the dungeon entrance caught Liam’s attention. Four players were dragging a fifth, his skin tinged blue, teeth chattering uncontrollably. Water pooled beneath them as they laid him on the grass, his body convulsing with cold.

"Third one this hour," someone muttered nearby. "Those Ice Slimes are brutal."

Elizabeth’s ears perked up. "People are getting wrecked in there."

Liam nodded, his red eyes tracking another group emerging from the dungeon. A woman with panda ears was wrapped in three blankets, still shivering violently despite the midday sun. Her lips had turned an alarming shade of purple.

"Water resistance gear is selling for hundreds of gold now," Elizabeth said, her tail flicking with concern. "And cold resistance potions are impossible to find."

Liam glanced at his inventory. He still had unlimited pieces of jerky left.

A man with wings approached, his guild emblem a cartoonish paw print with crossed swords identifying him as a member of WeArntFurries. He glanced at Liam’s sign, snorted, and broke into laughter.

"One gold for a piece of dry meat?" The man’s voice carried across the gathering crowd of injured players. "Are you insane? I could buy three whole meals at the tavern for that!"

Liam didn’t respond. He simply selected a piece of jerky from his inventory and took a bite, chewing methodically. The wolf-eared man continued laughing, drawing a small crowd of onlookers.

Without warning, Liam picked up a smooth stone from the ground and tossed it into the nearby lake. The stone skipped three times before sinking. Before anyone could react, Liam had stripped off his shirt, revealing a torso of dense, powerful muscle, and dove into the water.

He moved like a torpedo, cutting through the water at impossible speed. The lake churned in his wake as he disappeared beneath the surface.

Elizabeth’s hands flew to her mouth, her green eyes wide with shock.

Thirty seconds passed, and the crowd murmured nervously.

Then Liam emerged, walking calmly from the water as if he’d merely stepped through a puddle. His white hair wasn’t even wet. The water beading and rolling off his skin like he was made of wax paper.

Liam shrugged, the movement barely visible beneath his thick frame.

A burly bear-man with a scarred muzzle pushed through the crowd, his massive paw landing on Liam’s wooden stall. "This is bullshit, nobody swims in that frozen lake."

The crowd murmured in agreement. Liam watched as the bear’s claws dug into his carefully sanded tabletop, leaving scratches in the wood.

"You’re selling garbage," the bear continued, his voice a low growl. "Nobody can get to the lake’s centre; the ice is too thin."

"Not too thin," Liam said simply, gesturing to the glistening fish laid out on ice. "Just right."

A tall woman with fox ears stepped forward, her guild emblem glinting in the sunlight. "I’m reporting this to the Iron Hearth. You can’t just scam people like this."

Liam’s ears twitched. The Iron Hearth was his guild. Berry would be confused by the report.

"Your guild should be ashamed," the fox woman continued, her tail swishing indignantly. "Letting you run this... this... fraudulent operation."

The bear-man’s paw swept across the table, Liam’s cooking station toppled, his carefully arranged display scattering across the muddy ground. His pot of broth, the one he’d been simmering since dawn, tipped over, spilling across his boots.

"Whoa, whoa!" A small turtle girl jumped back as hot liquid splashed near her feet. "That’s dangerous!"

Liam stared at his ruined setup. The broth had taken six hours to prepare.

[TOOL TIP: THE "BONEHEADED" BEAR BLUNDER]

Status:Immediate Death Flag Triggered.

The Six-Hour Broth: The Bear-man has committed a [Culinary Crime]. By tipping over a pot that required six hours of precision simmering, he has transitioned from "Annoying Customer" to "Sacrificial Lamb."

Environmental Alert [The Spilled Broth]: The hot liquid on Liam’s boots is a visual timer. Every second the broth cools on the ground is a second closer to the Bear-man being converted into [Ursine Stew].