151: Chapter 151 Li Jianrong, who sat on a chair
Yun Zhuo arrived in the living room, but Di Zhenzhen was nowhere to be found.
"Where is she?"
The Elder Teacher Su pointed outside. "She's outside, refusing to come in."
After saying that, she guiltily picked up a tissue and pretended to wipe the table.
Did you even invite her in?
Yun Zhuo didn't expose her little scheme. Stepping outside, he saw Di Zhenzhen, dressed in her black nun's habit, standing outside the fence.
"Xiao Zhuo." When Di Zhenzhen saw him, her seductive eyes crinkled into a smile that could make one lose themselves.
Yun Zhuo greeted her with a smile: "Sister Zhenzhen, has Regiment Leader Li arrived?"
"Mm, he's waiting for you at the village entrance."
"Let's go, then. Let's go see him."
Di Zhenzhen glanced back at the house. "Just the two of us?"
"What's wrong? Afraid I'll eat you?"
The corners of Di Zhenzhen's mouth curled slightly. I'm not afraid of you eating me; I'm afraid those two jealous Steamed Buns in your house will get jealous later.
"By the way, Xiao Zhuo, what do you want with Regiment Leader Li?"
"Don't even mention it. I regret saying anything now."
"Why?" Di Zhenzhen asked curiously.
"Originally, I wanted to build a relationship with him to see if he could use his connections to get us some farm equipment. Who knew Sister Su would be an expert in that field?"
"Then do you want me to help you turn him away?"
"Wouldn't that be like playing him for a fool?"
"There's no need to take such things to heart. In a lifetime, one will always encounter situations where they are rejected or have to reject others. As long as there's no malice, it's fine."
"Thinking too much will only lead to mental exhaustion."
"It's not that I can't let it go. The fact that he's still willing to come see me at a time like this shows he's a decent person, or at least he's sincere about befriending us."
"Sister Zhenzhen, I don't mean to criticize, but although you've lived here for thirty years, do you have any friends here?"
Di Zhenzhen shook her head. "The human heart is treacherous. Everyone who shows us kindness does so with an ulterior motive."
"As the old saying goes: 'The world's bustle is all for profit; the world's hustle is all for gain.'"
"Having a motive is normal. The key is to see if it can be mutually beneficial and if it doesn't involve matters of principle. As long as it meets these two criteria, one can associate with them, right?"
Di Zhenzhen smiled slightly. "Why do I feel like you're lecturing me?"
"Am I?"
"A little. You're quite the precocious little fellow."
"The parts of me that are 'big' aren't just my wits."
"Then what is it?"
"You'll find out later."
Di Zhenzhen thought for a moment. Could it be ambition?
The two of them chatted and laughed all the way to the village entrance.
Li Jianrong was sitting alone at a simple dining table in front of the convenience store. When he saw Yun Zhuo approaching, he stood up quickly. Before he could even offer a greeting, Yun Zhuo laughed and said, "Regiment Leader Li actually came alone?"
"How many people should I have brought?"
"Aren't you afraid I invited you here for some nefarious purpose?"
"If Brother Yun wanted to act against me, he could have done it before. Why go to all this trouble?"
Yun Zhuo smiled slightly and turned to Di Zhenzhen. "Sister Zhenzhen, help me get a pack of cigarettes. Make it yellow bird tower."
The two sat down again at the simple table. Yun Zhuo took the cigarettes from Di Zhenzhen, offered one to Li Jianrong, and helped him light it.
"I asked Regiment Leader Li here because I indeed want to discuss a business deal with you."
Li Jianrong reflexively took a drag, but seeing that Yun Zhuo didn't smoke, he froze for a moment and looked at the cigarette he had just puffed.
Yun Zhuo smiled. "I used to smoke, but I've quit now."
"Actually..."
Out of caution, Li Jianrong feared there might be something wrong with the cigarette and wanted to put it out. However, Yun Zhuo said, "Regiment Leader Li, there's no need to be formal with me. I know you're a smoker."
"I don't believe I've ever smoked in front of you, Brother?"
"My Qi Observation Technique is somewhat special. Seeing whether a person smokes or not is a trivial matter for me."
Li Jianrong looked at Yun Zhuo but didn't respond.
Everyone's Qi Observation Technique can only evaluate the opponent's Rank and talent, yet his Qi Observation Technique even knows a person's small habits.
This wasn't a Qi Observation Technique at all. By saying this, he was completely telling him that he had the ability to see through people's hearts.
He was warning him that for the upcoming conversation, it would be best for everyone to be honest.
Thinking of this, Li Jianrong asked directly, "I wonder what kind of business Brother Yun wants to discuss with me?"
"The synthesis and sale of runes and crystals."
"What do you mean?"
"The Federation government prohibits civilians from purchasing and using many materials, but as far as I know, runes and crystals are not among them. Therefore, high-grade runes and crystals should have a large market."
"Regiment Leader Li's Adventure Group must come across many runes and crystals regularly. However, because their quality is too low, although they can be upgraded through synthesis, it's like gambling—nine out of ten times you lose."
"In the end, you're forced to sell them at a low price."
"But my 'gambling' skills are quite good. I won't say I win nine out of ten times, but winning seven out of ten is no problem."
Li Jianrong didn't reply immediately. He slowly took a drag of his cigarette, the exhaled smoke drifting between the two of them, making Yun Zhuo's face somewhat blurry.
Seven wins out of ten? He had been in the underworld for half his life and had seen plenty of people dealing in runes and crystals. Let alone a seventy percent success rate, even if it were fifty percent, few would dare to make such a guarantee.
Seventy percent? Is that even possible?
As he pondered, he reflexively performed a tactical lean back.
However, the chair at this simple table was a long bench, and it had no backrest at all.
Yun Zhuo watched as the man flipped backward. Not only did he hit the ground himself, but he also kicked the table between them into two pieces.
Yun Zhuo was quick to react. Seeing things going south, he retreated to create distance. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to withstand that desperate kick.
Hearing the commotion, Di Zhenzhen and several nuns rushed out.
They thought the two had started fighting outside, but they came out to see Li Jianrong sprawled on the ground before he quickly scrambled back up.
He cleared his throat and said, "Uh, a slip-up, a slip-up."
As he spoke, he reflexively went to take a puff of his cigarette, only to realize the cherry had fallen off during the fall.
Di Zhenzhen and the nuns stared at each other. What on earth had just happened?
A fight? It didn't quite look like it.
Yun Zhuo offered Li Jianrong another cigarette and turned to Di Zhenzhen. "Sister Zhenzhen, the furniture at our village entrance needs to be replaced. Look at how our Regiment Leader Li fell."
Only then did Di Zhenzhen realize that Li Jianrong had collapsed the bench by sitting on it.
"I'll have it replaced later."
"Regiment Leader Li, you aren't hurt, are you?"
Li Jianrong glanced at him. It would have been better if you hadn't asked; your asking makes me even more embarrassed.
"I'm fine. Your village's furniture really should be replaced. It's lucky it was me today; if it had been some old man, he'd have extorted you to death."
"Regiment Leader Li, let's get back to business."
"Are you certain your synthesis success rate can reach seventy percent?"
"Does Regiment Leader Li have any low-tier runes or crystals on him?"
"I have a few."
Saying this, he pulled several low-tier crystal fragments from his bracelet. "What level can you synthesize them to?"
Yun Zhuo counted the fragments he produced. "Ten fragments can only be synthesized to Level 3 at most."
As he spoke, he summoned a synthesis array from the System and placed it on the bench beside him. After consuming some corrosion crystals, a Level 2 crystal appeared.
The success rate for Level 2 crystals is the highest, around 60%. Even if synthesis were 100% successful, the market price and cost are almost equal, so synthesizing three at once didn't prove much.
"Can you synthesize further?"
Yun Zhuo tossed the three Level 2 crystals into the synthesis array, and a Level 3 crystal appeared before him.
The market price for Level 3 crystals is roughly 2.5 times the cost, with a synthesis rate of around 45%. With good luck, one can already make a profit.
"Can you go higher?"
"That depends on whether you have more crystals."