Three servings of the dietary supplement were quickly brought out.
Zhang Fusheng looked at the broth in the dish and fished around with a spoon, finding an abundance of various herbs. As for the meat...
He struggled for a while before finally fishing out a slice of meat truly as thin as a cicada's wing.
It was almost transparent.
"The value of Star Beast meat is extremely high, with the price per gram being a hundred times that of gold," Zhou Quan explained with a smile, "A special dietary supplement costs ninety thousand, of which at least 80% of the cost is in this piece of meat."
The gold reserves in this world are substantial—it's plentiful out in the starry skies.
But merchants cautiously control the market supply, so gold prices remain relatively high, around one hundred federation coins per gram.
So, a gram of the cheapest Star Beast meat costs as much as ten thousand??
Although Jiangzhou City is a small city, the average wages are considered quite high across the Federation,
Yet even so, an ordinary person in Central Three Districts or the Seventh District earns about three to four thousand a month.
For instance, my mother, an elementary school teacher, earns around three thousand six hundred a month with all the odds and ends included. It takes three months' salary to buy just one gram of Star Beast meat!
Zhang Fusheng was a bit taken aback, cautiously sipping the broth, chewing on some herbs.
The herbs mixed with the broth went down, secreting a large amount of the mysterious factor, and although ninety percent of it dissipated, he managed to retain some of it!
"Is this the dietary supplement??"
He quickly drank the supplement that was almost equivalent to a semester's tuition fees.
A large amount of the mysterious factor filled his body, and under the effect of the herbs, his qi and blood began rushing forth rapidly, evenly distributing the mysterious factor throughout his body,
With the bowl of soup finished, and after eating up all the herbs, Zhang Fusheng finally stuffed that paper-thin Star Beast meat into his mouth.
"A bite worth seventy thousand..."
The Star Beast meat itself had no special taste, but once swallowed, it released mysterious factors ten times more intense than the entire bowl of broth!
The qi and blood surged wildly, and Zhang Fusheng's skin visibly reddened, even his exhale became scalding hot!
"Star Beast meat..." he gasped, his eyes turning red,
Feeling as if his five internal organs had been ironed, laying docile, and every one of his 36,000 pores felt as if he had consumed an Immortal Fruit, all of them content!
The most crucial thing was,
Zhang Fusheng noticed, the contract paper in the Ancestral Acupoint at his brow was rapidly glowing.
Originally, he would have to wait nearly another month to use it again, but now the progress had jumped ahead by over ten days!
In half a month, it could be used for another [transaction].
"How's this special dietary supplement?" Zhou Quan leaned in, smiling as he asked.
Zhang Fusheng propped his hands on the table, feeling unprecedented comfort, sensing the faint glow on the contract paper.
He gave a thumbs up:
"Good stuff!!"
"Want another bowl?" Zhou Quan's smile grew even more radiant, while Wang Xiangnan sighed gently beside them.
People who practice martial arts, especially those obsessed with it, can't go back after tasting Star Beast meat.
Just like how I was back then.
"Can I?" Zhang Fusheng clenched his fist, feeling the noticeable increase in strength.
"Of course!"
Zhou Quan snapped his fingers, summoning a cafeteria worker, handing over a student card.
"There should be one more serving of special dietary supplement in storage."
Soon, another bowl of red soup was brought up, and without a word, Zhang Fusheng downed it.
Swallowing the paper-thin slice of Star Beast meat.
His limbs and bones seemed fully opened, and he unconsciously operated the Spring Thunder Technique, his muscles and bones resonating with his breath, producing a faint thunderous sound, his skin gradually becoming more resilient.
Strength, continuously born anew strength.
And also...
The contract paper in the Ancestral Acupoint at his brow began to shine brightly once more.
The contract could be used again.
"Do you want to be able to eat special dietary supplements and Star Beast meat every day from now on?" Zhou Quan whispered softly, like a brothel keeper tempting an innocent girl to sign a lifetime contract.
Zhang Fusheng pulled out a tissue, wiped his mouth, and burped.
"My father is a doctor, and he told me, eating overly rich foods too frequently is harmful rather than beneficial to the body."
"So, I'm not really interested."
He smiled brightly, while Zhou Quan's smile suddenly froze.
By the time Zhou Quan reacted, Zhang Fusheng was already patting his bottom and walking away.
"Brother Zhou, I'll go home for a bit and bring you some local specialties when I return."
"Brother Zhou, you really are a good person!"
The silhouette of the young man disappeared like the wind at the cafeteria entrance.
Zhou Quan sat in his seat, falling silent.
For a long time.
"Ha." Wang Xiangnan laughed mockingly: "If only I could have been like that back then..."
Zhou Quan's usual friendly demeanor vanished, and he coldly stared at Wang Xiangnan.
The latter suddenly fell silent.
For a long time.
Zhou Quan stood up and said softly:
"Two bowls of dietary supplements, eighteen thousand, it's not that easy to eat...Zhang Fusheng has some interesting traits."
"Xiangnan, I have a task for you."
He patted Wang Xiangnan on the shoulder and returned to his smiling self:
"Your cousin works at the front desk of the Martial Arts Hall, doesn't she? Go find her and get Fusheng's information, okay?"
Wang Xiangnan's lips moved but ultimately he said nothing, nodding lightly.
......
"Son, how is the Martial Arts Dojo?"
"It's great, the dormitory is a triple room, bigger than our living room, and my roommates are really nice; they treated me to some really expensive dietary supplements today."
Zhang Fusheng grinned into his phone:
"You two must wear more clothes, don't catch a cold in the Eastern Ridge Snow Mountain, especially on your way back to the quarantine station."
On the video call, Old Zhang pulled the phone away to show off the thick down jacket he was wearing:
"Prepared long ago! I just finished skiing with your mom, and we're going to take the cable car to the top—oh, if you had seen, Teacher Zhou fell at least ten times in half an hour of skiing!"
His mom squeezed into the frame, giving Old Zhang a good pinch before launching into a myriad of questions and concerns for Zhang Fusheng, from clothing and food to skin care, no detail overlooked.
"Mom!"
Zhang Fusheng was helpless:
"You've been gone just a day; I'm not a little kid....."
"Alright, alright, you've grown up, now you find mom's nagging annoying!" Teacher Zhou sighed.
Old Zhang chuckled as he guided Teacher Zhou away from the camera,
and once Zhou Guifang was out of earshot,
Old Zhang's expression turned serious, his voice grave:
"Son, are you free tonight?"
Zhang Fusheng shook his head:
"No, today's classes are done; the next one is tomorrow afternoon, a combat technique class."
Old Zhang acknowledged, advising:
"I left in a hurry and forgot about an important task. The clinic fee is due at midnight on the first of the month. You'll need to go to the clinic tonight; someone will be there to collect it."
Zhang Fusheng agreed; he had handled this task several times before when his father was busy.
The so-called clinic fee was essentially 'protection money.'
"By the way, for the next few days, it's best not to come home, and definitely don't go to the Eighth or Ninth Districts. Just stay safe at the Martial Arts dojo."
Zhang Fusheng's instincts were piqued; he glanced around before speaking:
"Dad, is something going to happen in the Lower Three Districts?"
On the video, Old Zhang furrowed his brow, pondering for a moment before replying:
"I'm not entirely sure; the information came from an old friend. Some cultists are planning a gathering in the Lower Three Districts. It's said to be of no great consequence, but just to be safe...remember to keep this information private, revealing it could bring trouble."
"Cultists..." Zhang Fusheng was thoughtful, knowing that while the Federation cracks down on evil cults heavily, they simultaneously provide scant information to the public, never revealing any details.
In all his eighteen years, he'd never even heard the names of these so-called evil cults.
"I'll keep it in mind...oh, Dad, do you know what the name of this cult is? Just in case I encounter them, I want to steer clear."
Zhang Wentao considered briefly, cautioning first:
"Remember, what I tell you now stays between us, not a word to anyone."
After a pause, he continued:
"My old friend mentioned it's a cult named 'Dao,' worshiping supposedly...The Three Pristine Ones?"
"Yes, they call the Evil God The Three Pristine Ones."
Zhang Fusheng almost choked on his breath.
What?
The Three Pristine Ones? Evil God?
I want to be a cultist!