"My dear bestie, are you silly or what?!"
Ning Rongrong smiled and teased her.
Zhu Zhuqing immediately retorted, "Silly? I'm not silly! Hurry up and tell me why I can't use it now."
Ning Rongrong stopped beating around the bush and answered seriously, "Zhuqing, didn't I tell you? After I used a Mission Card, I got a Purple Grade Quest that told me to interlock fingers with the male Soul Master closest to me...!"
"Think about it. If you used a Mission Card in the hotel, and the quest told you to find the nearest male Soul Master and interlock fingers with him..."
"Wouldn't you have to go outside and search around to find out who that Soul Master was?"
"What if he were some greasy old man who picked his toes, Zhuqing? Could you bring yourself to interlock fingers with him?"
"That would be a Mission Card wasted for nothing!"
"Besides, a Soul Master can only accept three quests. If you don't complete one you've already accepted, you'll waste one of your quest slots!"
"So using a Mission Card in the hotel is practically a foolish move. You'd be losing out big-time!"
After hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing carefully considered the logic and couldn't help thinking Rongrong had a point.
But when she thought of such an absurd quest, Zhu Zhuqing's expression turned cold. "If it asks me to have intimate contact with some so-called male Soul Master, I'll abandon the quest without hesitation, no matter who he is!"
Looking at Zhu Zhuqing's icy expression,
Ning Rongrong thought to herself, Zhuqing's been hurt so badly by men that she doesn't trust any of them anymore. It's kind of sad. If I get the chance, I should help her!
On the surface, Ning Rongrong said earnestly, "Zhuqing, there are still good men in this world. Like my father, my two grandpas, Sword and Bone, and Boss Li Haiyun!"
After hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing thought it over and felt that it made sense.
Still, she was doubtful in her heart. Was Boss Li Haiyun really that good?
"Rongrong, you said we can't use the Mission Cards now." Zhu Zhuqing suddenly glanced at her and said, "You're not planning to take me to the Quest Card Shop tomorrow and use one in front of Boss Li, are you?"
Ning Rongrong nodded vigorously and smiled in affirmation. "That's right, Zhuqing! You're so clever—you guessed it!"
"If completing a quest means hugging a male Soul Master or interlocking fingers with him, I hope that man will be Boss Li Haiyun!"
"You haven't met Boss Li, so you might be biased against him, Zhuqing."
"But trust me. Once you meet Boss Li, you'll see he's nothing like Tang San, Dai Mubai, Hongjun, Oscar, and Flender from Shrek Academy!"
Ning Rongrong spoke at length, giving Boss Li Haiyun very high praise.
That was mainly because she had benefited from Li Haiyun.
And the way Dai Mubai, Oscar, and the others acted only made Boss Li's unique kindness stand out even more.
Seeing how utterly serious Ning Rongrong looked and sounded, and how highly she thought of Boss Li Haiyun,
Zhu Zhuqing had heard so much that she'd grown intensely curious about him. She wanted to see whether this Boss Li really deserved all of Ning Rongrong's praise.
Even so, Zhu Zhuqing stubbornly replied, "Is that so? Aren't all men cut from the same cloth? I hope this Boss Li won't disappoint me."
Ning Rongrong smiled. "Don't worry, Boss Li's a really good person."
"Mm." Zhu Zhuqing nodded, then carefully examined the Mission Cards in her hands.
They were three crimson-gold cards, made of a unique and expensive material with a fine texture. Mysterious raised patterns covered them, and they looked extraordinary.
Taking into account what Ning Rongrong had said—that each Mission Card cost ten thousand Gold Soul Coins—
And the fact that Ning Rongrong had generously given her three Mission Cards,
Zhu Zhuqing's affection for Ning Rongrong quietly increased.
[Affection +3!] [Zhu Zhuqing's current affection for you: 89!]
Her affection has gone up by another three points! That's wonderful! Once it reaches 100, Zhuqing and I can become best friends, and I'll complete the Red-Level Quest!
As long as I get the 'Ice Dragon King Martial Soul Titled Douluo cultivation Experience Card,' I'll have the power to protect myself!
Then, if Dai Mubai or Flender dares to bother me again, I'll use it right away and beat them to a pulp!!
Ning Rongrong thought to herself.
The little girl held a grudge like no other. She was already imagining herself beating her "enemies" to a pulp after gaining powerful strength.
Just thinking about it thrilled her!!
Meanwhile,
After studying the Mission Cards for a while longer, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong lay down together on the big bed.
Once she fell asleep in the middle of the night, Ning Rongrong instinctively wrapped Zhu Zhuqing's delicate body tightly in her arms like a stuffed toy, sleeping soundly!
Elsewhere,
Suotuo City, the City Lord's Mansion.
Solio returned to the mansion in high spirits, eager to share his joy with his father.
Just moments ago, he'd spent ten thousand Gold Soul Coins to buy a Mission Card, and in return, he'd obtained a precious and rare five-hundred-year-old Jade Phosphorus Snake Head Bone.
But his father was asleep.
Solio didn't dare disturb him in the middle of the night, so he went back to his room and spent the whole night alone, too excited to sleep.
Dawn broke.
A ray of sunlight came through the window and fell on Solio's chubby face.
"Dad, I have good news!!"
With dark circles under his eyes and his rear end bouncing as he ran, he hurried off to find his father.
City Lord Soraf was enjoying breakfast in the hall. He gave his son a casual glance and said, "What good news? Why are you in such a tizzy?"
"Dad, listen! I spent ten thousand Gold Soul Coins and bought something amazing!!"
Solio said excitedly, the tender fat on his face quivering.
"Pfft!"
When City Lord Soraf heard that, he spat out the lotus seed soup and red dates in his mouth.
"What?!"
"You little piglet! You actually spent ten thousand Gold Soul Coins?"
"Those were the Gold Soul Coins I'd scraped together for you year after year, through every holiday and festival, ever since you were little!"
"You can't just spend them because you feel like it!!"
"Your dad was planning to ask you for some of your savings if the family ever ran short of money!"
"You little spendthrift!"
Soraf leaped to his feet in a fury and launched into a furious tirade at Solio, spraying spittle everywhere.
Looking utterly aggrieved, Solio quietly touched the emerald on his Soul Tool belt and channeled a wisp of Soul Power into it,
taking out the five-hundred-year-old Jade Phosphorus Snake Head Bone.
"Dad... you haven't even asked what treasure I bought with the ten thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
Solio spoke in a small, aggrieved voice.
But he grandly raised the Jade Phosphorus Snake Skull above his head with his chubby hands.
This Jade Phosphorus Snake Skull was crystal clear all over, like a huge emerald, and it radiated a brilliant green light.
If you sensed it carefully, you could even feel the bone's waves of chilling, dangerous energy, enough to make your spine go cold.
"What!!"
"This... this is a Spirit Bone?!"
City Lord Soraf was stunned. His mouth fell open so wide it looked like he could fit a calf inside.
His gaze was fixed on the five-hundred-year-old Jade Phosphorus Snake Head Bone.
He checked again and again.
Soraf was certain: this really was a rare Soul Beast skull.
"Ha ha ha!!"
He snatched the Jade Phosphorus Snake Skull right out of his son Solio's hands and cradled it preciously, bursting into laughter.
His father had taken the Spirit Bone away.
Solio felt a little put out.
But when he saw the joy in every wrinkle on his father's face, he immediately let it go.
"Good lad, this really is a Soul Beast skull. I can feel a powerful urge to fuse with it!"
"Your old man's lived more than half his life and never got his hands on a Spirit Bone!"
"Who would've thought you'd buy one with ten thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
"Waaah, it was worth it, worth it! You're my pride and joy, my good boy!!"
Cradling the Spirit Bone, Soraf wept tears of joy and showered his son with praise.
"Ha ha ha!"
Hearing this, Solio grew smug and laughed too, hands on his hips.
Father and son laughed for a long while.
Then Soraf suddenly turned serious and asked, "Good son, how did you buy this Spirit Bone?"
"Dad, here's what happened..."
Solio told him the whole story of how he'd obtained the Spirit Bone, especially emphasizing the Quest Card Shop.
At first, Soraf listened and thought it all sounded perfectly normal.
But when he heard that his son had thrown up his arms and shouted "I'm a tortoise's son" in front of everyone,
the vivid image slammed into his mind.
The thought of himself, as the boy's father, being a tortoise—being a cuckold!
"That quest is downright vicious!"
Soraf's nose went crooked with rage.
Still, Soraf immediately realized how extraordinary the Mission Cards were.
He went straight to his wife, took out another thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins from the family's savings, and gave them to Solio.
"Son, that Quest Card Shop is extraordinary. Take these thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins and buy some Mission Cards!"
"Be sure to show Boss Li respect, and give him my regards while you're at it!"
"Our Soraf family might be able to use this chance to rise to prominence and reach the peak of our lives!"
"As for this Spirit Bone, your old man will hold onto it for you for now!"
Soraf gave him repeated instructions.
Solio nodded solemnly. "Dad, I understand. I'll go buy Mission Cards right away!"
The chubby boy was delighted to have thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins in hand.
Even though he hadn't slept all night because of his excitement,
Solio was still full of energy. He grabbed the money and ran straight to Li Haiyun's Quest Card Shop.
The servants who didn't know better thought the young master Solio was off to visit some brothel!
Elsewhere,
After Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had eaten the breakfast provided by the hotel, they hurried straight to the Quest Card Shop.
The place was packed with people and bustling with activity.