Chapter 54: Abstract heroes in this world are as numerous as fish crossing the river

This thing... there’s even a king? Damn, could there be some kind of underground competition? Man, this is just too much. "Addiction is big, sigh, I understand, back in the day, when I was your age, I had the spirit of ’a fine sword comes from the sharpening, the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold,’ overcoming gods if they block my path, overcoming Buddhas if they block my path. Back then, the sisters in Xiling would go weak at the knees when they saw me..." Song Luping’s thoughts seemed to skip quickly; he began reminiscing wistfully about the glorious days of the past. Lin Li blinked his eyes; this guy looks like he’s only in his twenties, and he’s already reminiscing? His time seems to have been too fleeting. Well, I guess it makes sense, after all, he’s already using magic oil now. But under the current circumstances, Lin Li felt embarrassed to interrupt, so he could only listen to him reminisce and even had to play along: "What do you mean? Then what happened? Right! Hey! Look at you..." Lin Li’s words of encouragement indeed flattered Song Luping—Koukou felt the same way during class today. Finally, after finishing his story, Song Luping popped a piece of flower cabbage into his mouth and voluntarily returned the conversation to the direction Lin Li hoped for: "As for the other Xiling chicken farms you’re looking for, you’re asking the right person." "Although, like the friend who told you about Light Noble, I’m technically an outsider, but I definitely know this place better than most locals. The Xiling Chicken Farm, in particular, I’m practically an encyclopedia. I spend 90% of my salary on this every month," Song Luping said proudly. There’s nothing to be proud of for something like that, right? But Song Luping indeed lived up to Lin Li’s expectations, and upon hearing this, Lin Li clenched his fist under the table and gave a little pump. He finally saw the light of completing the mission. "What do you need from the chicken farm? Just say it, as long as Xiling has what you’re looking for, I can tell you. Honestly, Light Noble isn’t considered particularly good in Xiling; it’s average quality with a high price tag. It’s just that there’s a chicken there with high emotional intelligence that gives me something I can’t get elsewhere, so I occasionally go there." Song Luping waved his hand and spoke with the manner of a guru. "Thank you, Brother Ping, my requirements might be a bit picky, so bear with me. I don’t accept takeaways; after all, you understand, I definitely can’t bring someone home, that would be too much, and I don’t really want to open a hotel. Besides the extra one or two hundred expenses for a hotel, mainly I feel the identity verification part would be problematic... My personal preference is more for on-site service places like Light Noble; I want to spend all my money on the essential parts, even if it means paying a bit of a premium. Additionally, in case of mismatches, I can immediately complain and exchange with the madam..." Lin Li’s reasoning was sound, crafted to paint a certain picture that his ultimate goal was to locate the Hehuan Demon’s lair that the Demon Suppression Bureau could collectively raid. Lin Li carefully stated his conditions as long as Song Luping didn’t seem upset or troubled. However, Lin Li found it somewhat strange that even after expressing all his conditions, Song Luping’s face not only didn’t show difficulty but also seemed to have a hint of satisfaction? What are you so happy about? That left Lin Li a bit confused, feeling slightly uneasy. "You’re quite ambitious," Song Luping slowly started speaking after Lin Li finished, "You have a lot of conditions, and your unique choices..." "Brother Ping, do I have too many conditions? I can lower them..." Lin Li quickly changed his approach upon hearing his words. "No no no no—" Song Luping quickly waved his hand when he heard that, deeply moved with emotion. "Successors, successors indeed! Bai Bufan, do you think there are many conditions? No, there are too few!" Lin Li: "?" "Initially, I thought you were just a youngster getting carried away, but now it seems you’re an ambitious, high-level bug. Bufan, do you know how long I’ve been searching for my kind in this world? So long that I had given up, but now, I’ve finally found you," Song Luping said, quite touched. Lin Li: "??" "I know, even without me, you would become the true king of Xiling Pimping in the future, but now, I will lend you a hand on this path, helping you reach that height more quickly! Don’t worry, I seek nothing in return, just that our souls resonate, and it happens that my body isn’t what it used to be; many people’s businesses I can no longer attend to, but you can." Lin Li: "???" Lin Li looked at Song Luping’s ramblings with a face full of confusion. [The world is complex, with opportunities and crises coexisting. On the quest to find the Hehuan Demon, you unexpectedly encountered a reclusive expert, who alas had been devoured and beguiled by the Hehuan Demon, fully falling into an evil path. The expert is pleased by your talent, intending to impart his lifelong knowledge to you. Use the power of filth to eliminate demons, though his heart remains upright; falling into an evil path doesn’t mean there’s no turning back. Will you eliminate the demon or advise him to return to the righteous path?] [Mission Triggered!] [Mission 5: Bring Song Luping back to the righteous path or send him to the Demon Suppression Bureau.] [Reward: Random Ability*1; System Currency*50] What’s with the system again sticking its hand in here? After a quick glace at the mission description, Lin Li blinked his eyes. The question is whether it’s easier to persuade an old bug to abstain and become a monk, or to send him in easier? Lin Li already had an answer in his heart. This system is really twisted, teaching me to backstab, betray my teacher, and disgrace my ancestors. You’re really putting me in a difficult spot. Deep down, Lin Li was firmly against doing such things, but the system’s coercion left him with no other option. However, before betraying his teacher, he thought it best to first learn all his skills from him, so he temporarily put this mission aside and instantly asked Song Luping: "Brother Ping, I didn’t quite understand what you meant by that." "Though you have many requests, there are definitely places in Xiling Town that can meet your demands. In my impression, there should be three or four," Song Luping said. Lin Li raised an eyebrow; the number was sufficient. "Brother, can you tell me?" Lin Li listened attentively, preparing to hear. If not for the fact it might seem too obvious, he would’ve opened his phone to record right away. "Even if I told you now, I could only give you an overview. The specific addresses, contact information, and passwords—I can’t remember them all by heart. They’re all written in a notebook or saved on my phone. When I return home, I’ll organize all the chicken farm information I possess, including those that don’t meet your criteria, display their pros and cons, and compile a table to send you. Then you’ll be able to make your selections based on your situation. After all, spoken words have a margin of error, and it’s better for you to do the filtering yourself for a better experience." Lin Li widened his eyes, sensing that the direction of the situation had taken a tiny unexpected turn. Compiling a table? Is this guy at work until he’s gone mad? Doing spreadsheets after work? "...Why?" There’s no such thing as a free lunch, Lin Li couldn’t help but ask. And true to form, the twist quickly came out of Song Luping’s mouth: "Listen to me, Bufan, I need you to agree to a few requests," Song Luping gestured and then said. Lin Li clutched his phone, uncertain if he had enough balance. Seemingly understanding Lin Li’s intention, Song Luping waved his hand: "As I said, I seek nothing in return. I’m not asking for money; do I seem like someone who cares about money?" Lin Li glanced at the barbecue on the table and then at the bottles of Moutai on the wall behind him. He nodded, emphatically. Song Luping: "..." "Ahem, business is business. For this matter, I truly don’t want your money; today is just because payday is in a few days, and I’m short on cash." "Xiaofan, I only need you to promise me to follow a few simple principles in the future." "Brother Ping, please go ahead," Lin Li asked cautiously. "Alright, Bai Bufan, listen carefully to what I am about to say!" "First, when eating chicken, you must wear a baby burp bag, pay attention to your own safety and health." "Second, do not enter red lights forcibly; don’t go through the back door." "Third, don’t fight battles you can’t win, don’t overspend, don’t procrastinate on debt! Transactions should only be conducted with hard-to-trace coins!" "Fourth, absolutely no girls under eighteen, that’s a strict rule!" "Fifth, you must have showered within two days and washed your hair within three days before going." "Sixth..." Song Luping earnestly detailed each rule to Lin Li. And Lin Li at this moment— "?" What on earth are you babbling about? The world it seems, has abstract heroes abundant as river crucian carps. I am still too weak, lacking power.