The middle-aged man saw that Andrew Brooks didn’t move at all. At first, he was taken aback, but then he caught on and added, “I’ll give you two spirit coins as a processing fee... but you’ll have to use your own seasonings.”

Andrew Brooks had the same idea. He could help out, but only if he was willing. He truly disliked those who started barking orders right away, even if he was only a second-level Wandering Immortal.

Of course, if the other party was willing to pay, that was a different matter. After thinking for a moment, he replied, “I don’t want money. Just give me a cup of the wine in your gourd.”

I’m not someone who sells my skills for a living—I just like your wine.

“You’ve got a good eye. A cup of my wine is worth at least five spirit coins,” the middle-aged man laughed, then nodded. “Deal.”

Andrew Brooks got to work quickly. In less than ten minutes, he sliced dozens of pounds of horse meat off the legs, skewered them, and brushed them with a blend of barbecue seasoning he’d brought from Earth, then set the iron skewers over the fire.

He spent twenty minutes roasting the meat, then casually took the wine the middle-aged man handed over.

“Smells amazing,” came an admiring voice from the darkness. Two men and a woman appeared not far away. One round-faced fellow greeted them with a smile, “Out here in the wild, everyone gets a share... You two don’t mind, do you?”

This man was slightly chubby, with a beaming smile, looking a bit like a traveling merchant.

Andrew Brooks, however, noticed that the woman was staring at the middle-aged man’s storage pouch, a burning light in her eyes.

“Two spirit coins for a skewer,” the middle-aged man replied lazily. “No way you’re getting it for free—the horned horse is a third-level wild beast.”

“We’re all just trying to make a living. Brother, you’re a bit too money-grubbing, aren’t you?” the other man spoke up, then stepped forward, his tone turning sinister. “You’d better know what’s good for you.”

“Heh,” the middle-aged man chuckled softly, tilting his head to look at the young man beside him with interest. “Kid, do you think I should just give it to them for free?”

That horse meat is yours—what’s it got to do with me? Andrew Brooks was puzzled as to how he’d gotten dragged into this, but after thinking it over, he couldn’t help but offer a reminder, “If you hand over your storage pouch, I guess there won’t be any trouble.”

These three freeloading a meal was just the beginning. If the middle-aged man showed even a hint of weakness, he’d lose his storage pouch next.

Never mind what’s inside—the pouch itself was a high-end item. There were plenty of fourth- or fifth-level Wandering Immortals who didn’t have one.

“Oh,” the middle-aged man nodded, then looked at the three, half-smiling as he asked, “So, are you planning to rob me of my storage pouch next?”

“Why would we rob you?” the chubby guy gave a dry laugh.

Then his expression turned serious and he coughed lightly. “A couple of days ago, we were chasing a fourth-level mutant wind serpent, but someone took advantage of the chaos and stole it. That person was about your build... You’d better let us check your storage pouch.”

This was pressing step by step. Asking for some food in the wild wasn’t too much, but demanding to check someone’s storage pouch was going too far—it was basically frisking someone for no reason.

If the middle-aged man could swallow even this humiliation, he’d definitely lose his storage pouch next.

“Heh,” the middle-aged man shook his head and sighed, a faint look of melancholy appearing on his face.

After a long moment, he finally spoke. “You two leave your storage pouches. As for the woman... strip naked and get lost.”

“What did you say?” the woman immediately shrieked.

“Hmm?” the middle-aged man grunted, and a wave of pressure suddenly swept out, vast and overwhelming, making it hard to breathe.

“Hiss—” The three of them knew what was up and gasped in shock—this was at least a seventh-level Wandering Immortal, a high-level one at that.

The chubby guy reacted the fastest, his legs giving out as he dropped to his knees. “Sir, we didn’t recognize your greatness and offended you. I’m from the Qingshi Zhou family—please, for the sake of our ancestor...”

“Don’t try to scare me with your family. I don’t intend to kill anyone,” the middle-aged man snorted coldly. “But if you don’t listen, I just might. You have three breaths to decide.”

“The Zhou family hasn’t offended you, have we?” the chubby guy persisted, still trying to drag the grudge onto his family.

“So you can rob others, but I can’t rob you?” The middle-aged man took a sip of fine wine, leisurely biting into the roasted meat on his skewer. “I’m not a hypocrite—if I want to rob, I’ll rob. Unlike you, who have to make up an excuse... Truly, acting like a whore and still wanting a monument to chastity.”

Under the pressure of a high-level Wandering Immortal, the three had no choice but to throw down two storage pouches. The woman also stripped off her outer combat gear, leaving only her undergarments, and fled into the night, covering her face in shame.

Nice figure... Andrew Brooks watched the departing woman without the slightest attempt to hide it.

The middle-aged man tossed him a storage pouch and said with a smile, “It came right to us—everyone gets a share.”

“I don’t accept rewards for nothing,” Andrew Brooks tossed the pouch back. “If I need something, I’ll earn it with my own hands.”

“Meeting is fate, after all,” the middle-aged man chuckled, then lowered his voice, “That Sumeru ring of yours... it’s not exactly convenient to use at all times, is it?”

“Hmm?” Andrew Brooks was startled. He really hadn’t expected the other to recognize the item, so he frowned. “What do you mean by that?”