Chapter 14: Preparations and a New Job

Chapter 14: Preparations and a New Job

The stationery store at the school gate always sells a variety of items that students need.

The stationery store at Songyang High School is no different.

Besides various stationery items, the massive display cabinet behind the counter is like a pharmacy, filled with sedatives, stimulants, and focus-enhancing serums that high school students need.

Zhang Yu leaned on the counter and asked, "Boss, do you have any Neural Refillers?"

The boss, who was scrolling through his phone, didn't even look up and said, "Do you want the expensive ones or the cheap ones?"

Zhang Yu replied, "I'm a student. Can you sell me the expensive ones at a discount?"

The boss finally looked up and gave Zhang Yu a sideways glance.

Zhang Yu said nonchalantly, "I'm the tenth-ranked student in Class 1-1, a campus celebrity. If your medicine works well for me, my classmates will definitely follow my lead."

The boss pulled at the corners of his mouth, took a box of medicine from the cabinet, and placed it in front of Zhang Yu. "This is Ziyun Corporation's Neural Refiller. It guarantees you only need to sleep for 20 minutes a day. It's 500 per box, but I'll sell it to you for 480 this time."

Zhang Yu picked up the box and looked at it. "Can't you throw in something for free?"

The boss frowned and took out a few pain relievers. "These are on the house."

Zhang Yu grinned and stuffed the pain relievers into his pocket. "Thanks, boss. Can I get the Neural Refiller for free, too?"

Seeing the boss's face darken, Zhang Yu scanned the payment code. "Just kidding, I'll pay you now."

Picking up the Neural Refiller from the counter, Zhang Yu felt a pang of regret.

This box of Neural Refiller would only last a week, but it cost him 480. His account balance dropped to just over 1,700.

But Zhang Yu believed it was all worth it.

After all, he had decided to participate in the Farsec Competition. He was determined to give it his all, staying awake for the next week to focus on cultivating the Celestial Circulation Technique.

"Hehe, my goal isn't just to be in the top ten of the grade."

Meanwhile, Zhao Tianxing followed Zhang Yu into the stationery store and watched him leave after buying the medicine. He thought to himself, "Is it really a Neural Refiller?"

He followed Zhang Yu out of the store and down the street, until they reached a corner where he suddenly saw Zhang Yu waiting for him.

"Y-You ... hi, Zhang Yu", Zhao Tianxing said awkwardly. "What a coincidence, you're taking this route too?"

Zhang Yu looked at him and asked, "Why are you following me?"

Zhao Tianxing scratched his head and played dumb. "Following you? I take this route after school too."

Zhang Yu, impatient, said, "Look at yourself. Over two meters tall, over 300 pounds. I saw you coming out of the cafeteria."

"What do you want?"

Zhao Tianxing couldn't tell Zhang Yu that it was the PE teacher, Wang Hai, who asked him to get close to Zhang Yu and find out where he gets his supplies.

So, Zhao Tianxing scratched his head again and said sheepishly, "Zhang Yu, I think you're really excellent. I want to follow you and learn more from you."

Seeing the shy expression of the 18-year-old, 300-pound boy, Zhang Yu thought, "You're still at the elementary school level in social skills, aren't you?"

Zhang Yu thought for a moment and said, "Sure, as long as you buy me some fried chicken, you can follow me."

Feeling a chill in his body and the constant countdown in his mind, Zhang Yu knew he couldn't stay any longer.

So, he walked forward, waving his hand. "Let's talk while we walk."

Zhao Tianxing followed Zhang Yu, hesitating. "You want fried chicken? That's a big no-no for physique cultivation. Teacher Wang told us not to eat it. Can we have chicken breast instead?"

"Don't worry, I'm not asking you to eat it. Just buy it for me." Thinking about the taste of fried chicken, Zhang Yu couldn't help but wipe the drool from his mouth.

Since coming to this world, Zhang Yu had been eating the poor man's healthy meals at the high school cafeteria three times a day. He hadn't had fried chicken in a long time.

The daily grueling practice had piled up stress in his mind, and he had no time to relax or spend extra money.

Thinking about the fried chicken he would soon have, Zhang Yu felt a weight lifted from his heart, and his stress eased.

Zhao Tianxing followed Zhang Yu on the subway and watched him walk to a fried chicken shop. Curious, he asked, "Did we come all this way just because this place is particularly good?"

Zhang Yu replied, "It's on the way."

Unfortunately, as soon as Zhang Yu stepped into the fried chicken shop, he heard the annoying countdown in his head again.

He told Zhao Tianxing, "Buy me a fried chicken meal and wait here."

Watching Zhang Yu sit down and start meditative respiration, Zhao Tianxing scratched his head, puzzled.

A few moments later, seeing Zhang Yu happily munching on a fried chicken leg, Zhao Tianxing felt even more confused.

"He's so disciplined that he even does meditative respiration while waiting in line, yet he eats fried chicken ... What a strange person."

Following Zhang Yu, Zhao Tianxing was even more surprised when he realized Zhang Yu wasn't going to a tutoring class or buying more medicine. Instead, he was waiting for a temporary job at a square.

Zhao Tianxing asked, "You're going to work?"

Zhang Yu patted his stomach, found a clean spot on the ground, and sat down, waving his hand. "A meal of fried chicken doesn't come with chitchat. I'm going to meditate and wait for work. You can do whatever you want."

Seeing Zhang Yu start meditative respiration, Zhao Tianxing was stunned again.

"Meditative respiration?" He looked at the nearby sewage, listened to the noisy music from the hair salon across the street, and observed the intimidating job seekers around him. He couldn't help but ask again, "Meditative respiration here?"

But Zhang Yu was already fully focused on cultivating the Celestial Circulation Technique and didn't respond.

Zhao Tianxing squatted next to Zhang Yu, observed for a while, and found that he was indeed meditating. More questions flooded his mind. "What's the benefit of meditative respiration here?"

"Just to practice while waiting for work?"

After a while, when Zhang Yu showed no signs of getting up, Zhao Tianxing thought about leaving. But then his phone vibrated with a message from Wang Hai asking for an update. Zhao Tianxing replied that he was approaching Zhang Yu, hesitated for a long time, and finally sat down next to him, also starting to meditate.

Half an hour later, Zhao Tianxing opened his eyes and saw that Zhang Yu was still meditating.

An hour later, Zhao Tianxing stood up, stretched, and turned to see Zhang Yu still in deep meditation.

After more than two hours, Zhao Tianxing had stopped meditating and started practicing the 36 Vital Forms. Whenever he observed Zhang Yu, he found that Zhang Yu hadn't moved at all, not even a small gesture like scratching his head or touching his nose. His breathing rhythm remained perfectly steady.

Zhao Tianxing couldn't help but admire, "Such high concentration, no wonder he can maintain a 0% distraction rate for days."

"But without any spirit roots, a high-spiritual mechanism environment, or any medicine ... Is meditative respiration here really meaningful?"

Under Zhang Yu's focused cultivation, the progress of the Celestial Circulation Technique improved, reaching level 4 (12/80).

Just then, another minivan pulled into the square, and the person looking for security guards caught Zhang Yu's attention. He withdrew his focus and listened.

As a first-year student, Zhang Yu had no competitive edge in security work compared to the experienced job seekers around him.

But soon, he heard the requirements: young, fit, and clean-cut with a good appearance.

Zhang Yu's eyes widened, and he walked confidently toward the minivan, raising his hand. "How about me?"

The driver's eyes lit up, and he walked toward Zhang Yu. "Great, great, I'll take you."

Zhang Yu chuckled, about to shake hands, but the driver missed him and grabbed Zhao Tianxing's hand, praising him. "Fit body, clean and handsome face."

"This chest!"

"This waist!"

"This back!"

The driver patted Zhao Tianxing's body and said, "Perfect proportions. Although your absolute strength isn't high, your foundation is excellent. You're like a raw gem, full of potential."

"To achieve this, you must have endured rigorous training, lived an extremely disciplined life, and had a master's guidance, as well as taken a lot of medicine and injections."

"You, young man, I'll pay you 800 per hour. Come with me."

At that moment, Zhang Yu was shocked.

He didn't expect his lean, muscular body, handsome and cold face, and otherworldly aura to lose to Zhao Tianxing, a muscle-bound giant.

"Boss, look at me, I can do it too."

The driver glanced at Zhang Yu and shook his head. "No, thanks."

"Security work requires a sense of security. You'd be less effective in blocking flying swords."

Zhao Tianxing started to refuse, "Actually, I'm not here to—"

Zhang Yu quickly interrupted, "Boss, we're brothers. We promised to do everything together, whether it's a single person's job or a group job."

The driver frowned, looked at Zhang Yu, and then at Zhao Tianxing. Finally, he asked Zhang Yu, "400 per hour for four hours. Will you do it?"

Zhang Yu nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, yes."

Zhao Tianxing was dragged toward the minivan by Zhang Yu.

Zhao Tianxing said awkwardly, "I'm not here to work, and my mom will worry if I come back too late. I'll talk to the boss—"

Zhang Yu quickly said, "Didn't you have something to tell me? Let's work together, and you can talk about anything you want."

Thinking about the task given by Wang Hai, Zhao Tianxing reluctantly said, "I need to call my mom first."

The minivan drove them to the city center, and the driver explained their job on the way.

"Ms. Li Xuelian is holding an art exhibition at the 999th floor of the Cloud Pavilion. The security is already in place, but Ms. Li is not satisfied with the appearance of the security guards. She's worried it will affect the viewing experience, so she wants some young, handsome guys."

"You two will change into security uniforms and follow the captain's instructions."

"Remember, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely do not offend Ms. Li."

Zhang Yu asked curiously, "This Ms. Li must be very rich, right?"

The driver chuckled, "Rich? Ha, she's the daughter of a Golden Core Cultivator!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end