My Misfortune Crushed Instances-Chapter 98: Returning the Favor
Pu Tong is just an ordinary person. He got promoted to the position of leader at the Cangyun Association because of his diligent and conscientious work. At his level, he’s not exactly at the grassroots anymore.
But even so, he doesn’t usually have the chance to interact with someone like Kong Ji.
The other person is not only a Level 40 Secret Realm agent and a vice president of a municipal branch but also a core member of the Kong family—there are countless people who want to connect with him.
Yet today, there he was, at an ordinary table in the corner of the cafeteria, and the key was that he was there to ask for help from the temporary member of his group.
He was greatly surprised, not knowing what situation could lead such a figure to seek help from someone who is just over ten levels, and an outsider at that, but he dared not ask rashly.
Li Rui was eating fried rice with a spoon and asked while eating, "What do you need help with?"
Kong Ji sighed and then said, "It’s just that my family has a little brother who also drew that Secret Realm of yours this time."
Previously, in order to find strategies, Li Rui had mentioned the situation to some people, including Kong Ji.
"Oh, you mean the business matter, right."
Huo Yun understood immediately and hurriedly chimed in, "Brother Kong, tell me in detail about that... younger family member of yours."
Although Kong Ji felt that these two guys were a bit mysterious, he still turned to communicate with Huo Yun.
Seeing that professionals were taking charge, Li Rui said no more and continued to eat.
Pu Tong watched the scene and felt even more amazed, thinking that he seemed to share the same background as those from prominent families but without that seemingly unattainable attitude.
After a while, Kong Ji and Huo Yun finished their discussion and shook hands, looking like they had reached an agreement.
Huo Yun leaned over and said, "We’ve got a deal: an epic piece of equipment and two rare reinforcement materials."
"Nice." Li Rui gave an approving look.
"Brother Kong, this is Leader Pu, whom I’ll be relying on during this period."
Having addressed the main matter, Li Rui added an introduction.
Kong Ji smiled warmly as usual, "I know Leader Pu. He’s a relatively young leader here in Qing Garden City. Keep it up, and in a few years, you might have a chance to participate in the next Secret Realm battlefield."
Pu Tong hurriedly responded with humility, feeling flattered.
Unlike Li Rui, who would be leaving in two months, establishing a connection with a major local player like the Kong family would be greatly beneficial.
After a round of polite niceties, Kong Ji found an excuse to say goodbye. He wasn’t idling around; he had many matters to handle and couldn’t stay long for a private affair.
After he left, Pu Tong asked, "Li Rui, which Secret Realm are you going into?"
Li Rui took off his glove and gave him a glimpse.
"Eight-star?!"
Pu Tong couldn’t help but exclaim, then immediately covered his mouth, "Not a stroke of luck, huh."
"...It’s alright, I guess."
Li Rui drew a piece of tissue to wipe his mouth and said casually, "There’s still ten days left, so I can take on one or two more field duties as well." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
Hearing this, Pu Tong felt an even deeper admiration. Ordinary people would be on edge if they got a six or seven-star Secret Realm, worried about failing the challenge or damaging their spirit. But this person, having received an eight-star Secret Realm, was still thinking about taking on field duties.
After hesitating, he asked, "What did you think of the difficulty of the previous task?"
"A bit lacking. The loot was average too," Li Rui said honestly, as there was nothing to hide.
Pu Tong replied, "Actually, we have some cost-effective field tasks here, especially certain special situation-oriented realms that aren’t listed in the system."
Li Rui’s eyes twinkled with understanding.
In plain terms, due to too many outsiders, some good stuff wouldn’t be disclosed.
For example, predicted realms with Elite Monsters, or realms that target specific special rules.
"Brother Pu, care to give some pointers?"
Pu Tong said, "Those can only be accepted offline. Since you are a new face, it might be awkward to go, but I can help."
Clearly, this is a case of reciprocation. Without the involvement of Kong Ji, Li Rui might still have to search the internal web’s task list for field duties.
Li Rui pretended to bow reverently, "Then I’ll have to trouble Brother Pu."
"You’re too polite; it’s no bother at all."
Unconsciously, the relationship between the two grew closer.
After eating, Li Rui and the others returned to their residence to carefully study strategies they had procured from various places, while waiting for news from Pu Tong.
Leader Pu, on the other hand, was also dedicated. He is truly an ordinary person, with some ambition—not like Zhou Xiong, who flaunts it, yet not a fanatic striving maniacally. He has the capability to fulfill his leader duties, but seems to lack something to get to the next step.
At least, that’s how he sees himself.
What he doesn’t realize is that, in the eyes of his superiors, he has a significant advantage: pragmatism and a sense of responsibility.
Just like now, since he agreed to Li Rui’s request, he planned to get it done immediately without delay.
He climbed up the fire escape to the sixth floor of the office building and entered a room marked as the archive section. In the corner was a table, upon which lay the overlapping results of the local prophets’ realm predictions. Several people were already standing next to it.
Pu Tong recognized a figure among them and couldn’t help but knit his eyebrows, deliberately moving around to the opposite side to avoid getting close, and then started looking for suitable realms on his own.
The figure opposite appeared to be in his thirties, with short hair and slightly droopy eyes looking quite spiritless. He noticed Pu Tong and seemed to have a similar look of disdain, but didn’t say anything.
The others around knew these two didn’t get along, so no one said anything, though the atmosphere was a bit silent.
Pu Tong doesn’t like conflict, but sometimes, people who are naturally at odds with each other can turn hostile just with a glance. He dispelled these miscellaneous thoughts and focused on picking tasks for Li Rui.
Ultimately, he hesitated between two choices: a Level 20 realm and a Level 25 realm, both with Elite Monsters. But he wasn’t sure if Level 25 would be too high.
So, he stepped outside and called Li Rui to explain the situation.
"Can we accept both?" Li Rui inquired.
Considering his current performance, handling two tasks simultaneously should be fine. But Pu Tong hesitated and said, "They overlap in time. Recently, there are too many people coming to the Northwest, and there aren’t many realms with Elite Monsters."
Li Rui asked, "Any others? Can you tell me about them?"
"There’s also a Level 30 realm. Its timing would work, as there are still about ten days."
He didn’t finish, implying that at Level 17, it would be unsuitable to tackle a Level 30 realm.
But Li Rui replied, "Ten days? Go ahead and accept it. By then, I’ll be out of the Secret Realm already."
"..."
Pu Tong wasn’t quite aware of Li Rui’s rapid leveling speed and wanted to question it, but was too shy to voice it.
Li Rui sensed his hesitation and added, "Come on, Brother Pu, you know I never lied to you."
Thinking it over, Pu Tong found it made sense. He was skeptical when Li Rui first arrived, and now wasn’t he convinced?
"Alright then."
He turned back into the room and said to the clerk registering next to him, "Xiaowen, help me accept that 05783."
However, as enemies often cross paths, a moment later, that short-haired man also said, "Register 05783 for me, I’m taking it."
He didn’t hear Pu Tong just now.
The clerk awkwardly smiled, "Leader Wu, 05783 has already been accepted by Leader Pu."
She immediately regretted mentioning Leader Pu.
Oh dear, why did I have to mention Leader Pu? These two have been at odds for a while now.
It wasn’t intentional, heavens know.
