Songyang High School cafeteria.
Zhang Yu scooped up a spoonful of pure white Synthetic Food and swallowed it, feeling the sand-like substance scrape across his mouth and release a fishy stench of fat and protein in his throat.
This was unseasoned, original-flavor Synthetic Food. Its texture was like eating vomit, while its taste was like some blend of insects and rotting flesh.
But no matter how awful it tasted, for Zhang Yu, it was at least the cheapest and most cost-effective way to replenish the fats, proteins, vitamins... and other nutrients needed for survival and cultivation.
"Ah, poverty."
Because the entire city was tracking and monitoring him, he had lost his work opportunities in the Dark Tutoring World, and his income had plummeted.
Even with his continued seed sales and Bai Zhenzhen's food-delivery subsidy, after deducting the two major expenses of medicine and meals, there was barely anything left.
Then there was the monthly loan interest of 45,000, which made it even harder for Zhang Yu to save money.
"I'll save wherever I can."
For example, when eating in the cafeteria, Zhang Yu chose to enjoy the ingredients' original flavor in order to save on the daily seasoning costs for Synthetic Food.
As for expenses such as renting Spirit Roots for cultivation, renting the Spirit Realm for cultivation, buying cultivation methods, buying cultivation tools, and so on, Zhang Yu had cut them all back.
"Thankfully, after the High School Sacred Body entered its Second Layer, my digestion and absorption improved dramatically every time I ate. I no longer need to eat as much as before to meet my body's needs."
By constantly saving like this, Zhang Yu finally had 33,000 in his bank account.
But as for those 33,000 in savings...
"I don't dare spend even a single extra cent."