My Misfortune Crushed Instances-Chapter 277: Faction Quest Triggered

Li Rui recalled the rules he had read.

The first step in the Secret Realm battlefield is to preserve oneself, search for companions, and regroup with the main force.

Especially when the map is large, the distribution of personnel is not concentrated, and the danger is greater. It's often a long time before one can find others.

Li Rui thought that staying by the coast was definitely not an option; he had to venture inward.

He leapt up a slightly sloped cliff in a few strides. Ahead was a giant forest, very wild, seemingly uninhabited.

Even more striking was a colossal tree standing in the center of this forest, like a monster looming between heaven and earth.

In such a place, searching for companions is necessary, but normal people would not cause a commotion, as no one knows if those attracted would be allies or enemies.

According to the rules of the Secret Realm battlefield, the map itself contains native creatures. The administrator said this giant island primarily hosts demons and the undead, which can form settlements and possibly issue tasks that bring rewards.

Li Rui decided first to see if there were creatures in this forest he could inquire for directions.

For safety's sake, he took out the Vajra Umbrella, pondering as he proceeded, then realized a problem.

"Hiss, the spawn location is random; wouldn't it be unlucky if I were placed in a particularly bad spot?"

...

Although the Secret Realm battlefield is vast, generally speaking, people with average luck aren't thrown into undesirable locations alone.

Like now, at the perimeter of a huge forest, a team from the Polar Alliance had already gathered seven people.

"By the gods, I've never seen such a massive tree," a red-haired woman exclaimed.

Gazing at the towering tree in the forest center, someone of higher status remarked, "This isolated island amid the ocean hosts some primitive organisms, which is normal. However, the forest's situation is unclear... better not rush in. May the gods protect us."

"Priest, what should we do now?" A short-haired youth asked, "Do we go or stay?"

Priest is not a profession but a position within the Church, akin to a small leader, roughly equivalent to a captain, leading teams of fewer than ten members.

"No rush."

The leader said, "First, set up camp here, ensure water and food supply. Yor, you're the observer; scout the surroundings for signs of others."

"Yes," the short-haired youth responded.

The red-haired woman asked, "So, are we going to monitor this forest?"

The leader chuckled with satisfaction, "Of course, that tree looks abnormal, perhaps there's valuable loot there. If the saint of Uleir's Hope is found, exploration might be possible."

In the Polar Alliance's religious atmosphere, they named the teams participating in the Secret Realm battlefield as Uleir's Hope, showing how highly they regard the Divine Son.

And the saint is the commanding layer of this team.

If they discover a cluster of epic or even legendary items, it's a great achievement, offering personal benefits and potential promotion within the Church.

Rather than venturing out rashly, which is dangerous and uncertain, observation is better.

About two hours had passed since the last person entered the Secret Realm, and several similar teams had gathered around the giant island and entered the cautious exploration phase.

Much like in real-time strategy games, besides establishing a foothold, the most important first step is revealing the map.

Li Rui believed he was doing the same.

Born at a coastal cape on the island's edge without anyone around, he did not find a hiding spot for cautious exploration like others but carried the Vajra Umbrella and walked into the forest.

With no other place to be, it was better to see what's around.

In the forest, he realized how vast the place was, surrounded by towering trees that stretched endlessly. Occasionally, he had to leap onto a treetop to orient himself with the giant tree.

Thus, he had been walking for almost two hours and was still at the forest's fringes.

"Truly, a daunting journey."

Li Rui wondered whether he should unleash his aura to rush forward.

Just then, he heard slight noises ahead.

Li Rui quickly slowed down, lowered his body, letting animal instincts take over, and crouched behind a bush.

He saw ahead a spring where several furry humanoid creatures were fetching water. Taking a closer look, these creatures had hunched figures, protruding cheekbones, buck teeth, long tails, and green fur.

"Looks like monkeys?"

Li Rui was just thinking this when he heard their squeaks, which he understood.

"Hurry up, hurry up! The overseer needs the water, we can't slack!"

"Alright, alright!"

Three monkeys, wearing leather skirts, two carrying loads, one using wooden buckets at the spring.

"They are demons, and it's a settlement."

Li Rui quickly deduced.

These monkey demons seemed to lack cultivation; likely descendants of the self-cultivated Demon Race.

Generally, a beast that cultivates into a demon possesses demonic power, but its offspring may not; they might be intelligent but not cultivated demons.

"Hiss, I didn't expect Zhu Liu's quest granted white-head pendant to be useful so soon."

Li Rui thought, "Now I understand monkey language, perhaps I can approach."

In the Secret Realm battlefield, ensuring safety and gathering intelligence are top priorities.

If one wishes to treasure hunt in such a place, having information provides an advantage; a clear goal beats wandering aimlessly.

He was about to stand up and converse with the monkey demons but sensed another presence in the forest.

"Roar!"

With a low roar appeared a black leopard, yet its appearance was odd, with small fleshy wings on its sides, membranous limbs, resembling a feline version of a flying squirrel.

Sliding toward the monkeys, its forepaws extended sharp, blade-like claws.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

Though lacking cultivation, the monkeys were sensitive and immediately shrieked, discarding the buckets to flee.

But just as they fled, another flying leopard glided down ahead of them.

"Ugh ow."

"No, no! We won't surrender! We won't go with you!"

"Ow...."

"But don't kill us, please!"

Li Rui found the monkeys somewhat amusing.

At this moment, a prompt appeared.

[Clue triggered.]

[Choose: Help the Powerful Ape Race or the Flying Leopard Race.]

Li Rui chose the former without hesitation.

No choice; despite seemingly able to communicate, the white-head pendant's monkey language function's judgment was unclear, and he couldn't understand the flying leopards' speech. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

He rushed from the woods, first using a dragon-riding face slap to daze the first leopard. Before the other four demons reacted, he used the Shenxiao Thunderbolt Heart Scripture to dash to the second flying leopard, pinning it down.

[Faction mission triggered: Divine Wood forest Powerful Ape Race.]

[Objective: Contact the Monkey Demon Race.]