https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-205-Finance-First-University-or-Vocational-College-Please-Vote-for-Me-/13686708/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-207-Zhang-Yu-Attacked-Unexpectedly/13686710/
Chapter 206: An An's Plea, Zhang Yu's Plan
Yue Jincheng and Si Zhouru stared at the steadily growing bill that pulsed with every breath they took, their hearts sinking deeper with each passing second.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen strolled along the shaded path of the Protected Zone, gazing at the endless forest stretching before them. The sight brought a quiet calm to their minds.
Breathing in the oxygen from their tanks, Zhang Yu let out a wistful sigh. “The first time I came here, I didn’t bring an oxygen bottle. Every breath was so carefully rationed—afraid to waste even a second. I never got to truly appreciate the scenery.”
Bai Zhenzhen nodded softly, walking slowly along the path under the moonlight. The forest was serene, distant, and peaceful. For the first time in a long while, her mind felt truly relaxed.
She suddenly realized—she hadn’t walked like this in ages. No cultivation. No studying. Just… wandering aimlessly.
And that very lack of purpose, walking beside Zhang Yu without a single thing to do, was exactly what made her feel so free.
“If only… one day we could just stop studying. Stop cultivating. Just stare into space, or walk without a goal, wasting as much time as we wanted… that would be perfect.”
But then she sighed softly. She knew only too well how impossible that dream was in Kunxu.
The looming pressure of the Foundation Establishment Exam loomed over her like a shadow. And Yun Jing’s overwhelming power felt like a needle pricking her heart. Every time she thought of the Xian Du Elder still training hard, she couldn’t let herself fully relax.
She was exhausted—truly exhausted. Since high school, it had only gotten worse. The future ahead looked even more grueling, and sometimes, she felt like she couldn’t breathe.
“Ah… at least let me just relax a little while, while I still can,” she murmured.
Just then, she heard the crack of fists clashing through the air. She turned to see Zhang Yu already back in training.
“Seriously? You’re still grinding?” Bai Zhenzhen opened her mouth, then sighed in defeat. She couldn’t help it—she joined him in training.
She thought to herself: This is what high school life is. To survive, you must give everything—time, energy, soul.
Beside her, Zhang Yu felt the cold recede from his mind and cursed under his breath. This idiotic Ritual really doesn’t give me a single moment to rest.
Still, they kept training. But deep in the Protected Zone, they dared not absorb the surrounding Spirit Energy. The thought of bankrupting themselves with a single breath was too terrifying.
On the other side, Yue Jincheng and Si Zhouru watched in dismay as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen resumed training.
“What are they doing now?” Yue Jincheng gritted his teeth. “My money’s about to run out!”
Si Zhouru exhaled and said, “Hand me your phone.”
“This is the company’s employee loan channel. Borrow some cash first.”
Yue Jincheng blinked. “We have an employee loan channel?”
“Seriously?” Si Zhouru smirked. “Every company has one. We prioritize employee financial wellness—helping staff advance faster, enjoy life sooner. That’s our slogan.”
“You’ve been wanting a raise, right?” Si Zhouru nodded toward his phone. “Just apply for a ‘raise preview’—you’ll get a monthly advance automatically.”
Yue Jincheng wasn’t interested in such gimmicks. But to keep tracking Zhang Yu, he had no choice. With a grimace, he borrowed the money.
Watching Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen train in the Protected Zone, Yue Jincheng began to fear the entire surveillance mission might be useless.
Did they come here just to train? If so, this whole day could be wasted…
Then, just as he thought it, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen began moving again. Soon, they entered a Hongta Breeding Base.
Inside, the little panda An An looked up in surprise. “You two? What are you doing here? And how did you get in without a reservation—just buying tickets?”
Due to their tight budget, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen hadn’t been able to afford a visit to the Breeding Base’s Spirit Vein for ages.
Seeing An An’s puzzled expression, Zhang Yu smiled. “We’re not here to train. Just… taking a walk.”
Bai Zhenzhen reached out and gently patted An An’s head. “An An… have you lost weight?”
An An mumbled a few distracted replies, her eyes clouded with worry.
Zhang Yu noticed immediately—something was wrong. But right now, he was barely keeping his own head above water. He didn’t have the energy to worry about others.
Finally, An An couldn’t hold back. “Will you… stop coming here to train? Please… come back. I really need you to come.”
Seeing the little panda’s tail drooping, Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu exchanged a helpless glance. They’d already spent every last cent of their emergency fund. How could they afford to train here?
And besides—both of them were nearing the 100-unit cultivation limit in Martial Energy. The Spirit Vein was no longer essential. Even if they had money, they’d prioritize buying Techniques first.
Seeing their silence, An An’s shoulders slumped.
Bai Zhenzhen finally asked, “Is it Xiong Wenwu? Did something happen?”
An An whispered, “Hongta High School launched a Physical Enhancement Experimental Class. But besides grades, you need to pay a fee to enroll. Wenwu doesn’t have enough money. His grades are slipping.”
“I want to help him, but my salary is too low.”
“If you come here to train, you don’t even have to tutor him. Just… give a little money. That’s all I’m asking.”
Bai Zhenzhen glanced at Zhang Yu. “What if we introduce Yu Xinghan? He probably needs to train here too.”
“Even if he’s paying to train, it’d be cheaper here. We could save him some money.”
Zhang Yu stroked his chin. He’d grown close to Yu Xinghan lately, and knew the boy well.
“If he comes here to train, he’d make a profit from the price difference. He’d definitely agree—and he’d keep it secret.”
Zhang Yu nodded. “So, we can’t come ourselves, but we can send someone else. How about it?”
An An’s eyes widened instantly, her fluffy head bobbing up and down.
“Then it’s settled,” Zhang Yu said. “I’ll contact them later.”
With that, the problem was solved.
Zhang Yu turned to An An. “Do you have surveillance here? Can we check the footage?”
They walked into the Monitoring Room, where the screens instantly displayed every corner of the Breeding Base.
Zhang Yu scanned the feeds, then spotted Yue Jincheng and Si Zhouru on camera. “Find out when they entered.”
An An was surprised. This place was old and remote—visitors were rare, sometimes weeks between them. And now, besides Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, two more people had shown up?
With An An’s help, the footage rewound quickly.
Zhang Yu narrowed his eyes. “They came in right after us?”
“So… it’s almost certain these two have been tailing us.”
Bai Zhenzhen frowned. “These guys look unfamiliar. They might have the ability to change their appearance.”
Zhang Yu, who could alter his own form, wasn’t surprised.
“But appearances can change. The payment method can’t. Whoever bought tickets to enter—every transaction is logged.”
He thought, According to plan, I’ll lead them around a bit more. Drain their money. Mess with their heads.
Speaking of which… they’ve probably recorded a lot of footage of us training. Just wait—next, I’ll give them a real shock, then report them for stealing martial arts secrets.
He glanced at his phone, where the Thundering Charm—left by Zhang Pianpian—was ready to activate.
This spell could summon an Inspection Team’s armed forces within a minute, triggering a thunderous alarm.
Zhang Yu had already contacted Inspection Team Captain Yun Ni. The signal was just one tap away.
This was the plan he and Fujie and Bai Zhenzhen had devised to trap Deng Bingding.
Deng Bingding is a Sixth-Rank Four Directions Wanderer God. To the Songyang City nobles, she’s a high-ranking figure. But being high-ranked doesn’t mean she can act freely. In fact, her status makes it harder—she can’t directly intervene in local affairs. She has power, but no way to use it.
But if we catch these two spies, and they’ve filmed me learning Chunqiu Wujin Chan during the Foundation Establishment Exam… then Deng Bingding can use the candidate information confidentiality clause to justify stepping in. That’s our opening.
Zhang Yu knew, though—plans never survive first contact with reality. The general strategy was set, but they’d need to adapt on the fly.
His mind raced through the possibilities. Then, after a brief exchange with Bai Zhenzhen and An An, they prepared to leave.
Zhang Yu led Bai Zhenzhen out of the Monitoring Room and back along the path they’d taken in. Soon, they met Yue Jincheng and Si Zhouru, who were searching for them.
The two spies pretended to be ordinary visitors, casually watching the young demigods in the Learning Room—but their attention was locked on Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.
They followed closely, eyes flicking toward their phones, checking the ever-rising bill.
Yue Jincheng’s jaw tightened. “If we keep this up, the borrowed money will be gone.”
“And what if they’re just here to wander? What if today’s nothing?” He was a recent graduate, burdened with student loans, upbringing loans, and the cost of maintaining his cultivation. He barely had anything left.
The thought of spending all his money for nothing made his eyes flash with irritation.
Should I borrow again?
Salary won’t rise… but debts keep growing.
(End of Chapter)
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