Flender's first reaction when he heard Yu Xiaogang suggest improving the quality of the cafeteria's meals was to refuse.
Of course, he understood that Yu Xiaogang was doing it for the children's sake, hoping to provide them with better training conditions. Proper nutritional supplements were indeed indispensable for high-intensity training. He knew that perfectly well.
But the problem was, Shrek Academy really had no money.
Flender quickly ran through the academy's finances in his head.
Their group—himself, Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, Lu Qibin, and Shao Xin—were all high-ranking Soul Masters. The resources they consumed in their own daily cultivation were already considerable, and they had to find ways to cover most of those expenses themselves.
Even though Flender fleeced new recruits every time they enrolled, the money he collected was barely enough to keep the academy running.
The only reason the academy had lasted this long was that Zhao Wuji and the others were accustomed to this free and easy way of life and didn't care about the quality of their treatment.
Otherwise, the token wages Flender paid would never have been enough to keep a Soul Emperor or Soul Saint around.
Now they were talking about adding another expense for meals, and one that would continue long-term. Flender found himself in a real bind.
He furrowed his brow and said nothing, but his expression said it all.
When Yu Xiaogang saw Flender's face, he quickly understood his old friend's predicament.
He didn't press the matter. Instead, he fell silent for a moment, then made a decision. He reached into his coat, pulled out a money pouch, weighed it in his hand, and offered it to Flender.
"This is what I've saved over the years. Use it for now." Yu Xiaogang's tone was calm, but his resolve left no room