After leaving the camp, Cheng Xing looked at the money in his adventurer account on his phone, feeling a moment of trance.
He had never had so much money in his previous life.
It was worth all the years he had endured.
Putting away his phone, he realized he had returned to the downstairs of his residence. It was already past nine in the evening, the streets were brightly lit, and the air was filled with the aroma of various snacks.
"Grumble~"
The rumbling from his stomach reminded Cheng Xing that he hadn't eaten dinner yet.
"Since I've made a fortune, it's time to spend!"
Cheng Xing plunged into the street and soon spotted a shop named Zhang's. He walked in with familiar ease.
"Uncle Zhang, two large wonton noodle orders."
"Xiao Xing is here! Oh, you've become quite generous after just one day, alright, wait for it."
Hearing this, a middle-aged man walked out from behind the cashier counter by the entrance, smiling. The fatigue on his face dissipated considerably upon seeing Cheng Xing. He wiped his calloused hands on his waist and walked into the back kitchen.
Uncle Zhang quickly brought out two large bowls of wonton noodles and a big chicken drumstick from the back kitchen.
"You're just like that rascal son of mine; as soon as he awakened, he ran off somewhere. Haven't eaten all day, have you?"
"Eat quickly. This meal is a celebration for your awakening."
Uncle Zhang patted Cheng Xing's shoulder after setting down the noodles, smiling.
"Hehe, thanks, Uncle Zhang."
Cheng Xing didn't stand on ceremony. Smelling the fragrant wonton noodles, his appetite was instantly whetted, and he began to eat heartily.
Three years ago, when Cheng Xing first moved here, he was alone, surviving independently in the city. One time, he truly had no money for food, and it was Uncle Zhang who saw him and treated him to a bowl of noodles. Afterward, he would occasionally have his son, Zhang Qiang, invite him to the shop for noodles.
Since then, he had fallen in love with Zhang's wonton noodles.
In this world where talent reigns supreme, Uncle Zhang was one of the few people who knew he had F-grade talent yet still treated him the same.
"Uncle Zhang, where did Zhang Qiang run off to?"
After eating his fill, Cheng Xing finally asked about his best friend, Zhang Qiang.
"That rascal, who knows where he went to mess around."
As soon as Zhang Qiang was mentioned, Uncle Zhang became exasperated. He hadn't returned all day after awakening. When he came back, he would definitely make him taste the 'belt-fried meat'.
After a brief chat with Uncle Zhang, Cheng Xing left.
Zhang's returned to its quiet state. There weren't many customers at night, so Uncle Zhang sat back at the cashier counter, passing the time by reading a newspaper.
Around ten o'clock, Uncle Zhang finally got up to clean up and close the shop.
"Huh, what's this?"
Uncle Zhang walked out from behind the counter and found a large bag placed in front of it.
He opened it suspiciously, and the next moment he was startled. The large bag was filled with money, and there was also a note on it.
Uncle Zhang picked it up and couldn't help but smile.
"Uncle Zhang, the wonton noodles are delicious. Don't close down."
"This kid..."
......
Early the next morning, Cheng Xing changed into a school uniform, put on his backpack, and his demeanor changed. He no longer had the look of someone hunting freely in the Disaster Area yesterday; instead, he looked like a regular student.
"Hey! Cheng Xing! Come eat breakfast before you go!"
As he passed Zhang's that day, a boisterous voice called out to him. He saw a young man, about 1.85 meters tall, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, resembling Uncle Zhang somewhat, waving at him.
"Zhang Qiang, where did you run off to yesterday?"
Seeing this, Cheng Xing didn't hesitate and walked directly to the seat opposite the young man.
"Uncle Zhang, the usual."
"Alright."
Uncle Zhang, busy in the back kitchen, responded. The shop was filled with customers at this time, many of whom were wearing Hua Nan Fourth High School uniforms like them.
Soon, Uncle Zhang brought out a bowl of wonton noodles. He and Cheng Xing exchanged a knowing smile, both tacitly avoiding the topic of yesterday.
"Something's up with you two!"
"Could it be that we were switched at the hospital back then, and Cheng Xing, you're actually my dad's son?"
Zhang Qiang looked at the wontons in Cheng Xing's bowl, which were twice as many as his own, and said without rhyme or reason.
But before he could finish, Uncle Zhang gave him a hard smack on the back of the head.
"Can't eating shut your mouth?"
With that, Uncle Zhang returned to the back kitchen to continue his busy work.
"Hiss, with that force, I must be the biological one."
Seeing Zhang Qiang getting hit, Cheng Xing shook his head and lowered his head to eat his noodles. Zhang Qiang then told him about what happened yesterday.
"Didn't Xu Wenxuan, the vice-class monitor, awaken a C-grade talent yesterday? He invited our whole class out to eat, did you forget?"
"Oh? It seems there was something like that."
Cheng Xing then remembered. After awakening yesterday, Xu Wenxuan had indeed invited him, but he went to the Cheng Family and didn't attend.
"You missed a good show by not coming! Guess what? Xu Wenxuan actually wanted to confess to our class monitor during the gathering."
"But the class monitor didn't go at all! He prepared all those things by himself, and then the class monitor didn't show up, hahaha, it made me laugh so hard."
"He should look in the mirror. How dare he, with a C-grade talent, pursue an A-grade talent class monitor."
Listening to Zhang Qiang recount what happened yesterday, a graceful figure suddenly appeared in Cheng Xing's mind.
"Class Monitor Chu Yanyan?"
...
The two of them, conversing back and forth, quickly finished breakfast and walked towards the school together.
Along the way, Zhang Qiang kept talking about how extravagant Xu Wenxuan was yesterday, treating them to lunch, then going to karaoke, and only returning home late.
As more and more people in school uniforms appeared around them, Cheng Xing and Zhang Qiang soon arrived at Hua Nan Fourth High School.
Hua Nan Fourth High School is a key high school in H District. Although it cannot compare to those high schools in A District, it is already the best high school here.
After joining the crowd, the two finally arrived at their classroom.
In the classroom, more than half of the students had already returned. Upon seeing Zhang Qiang and Cheng Xing, many people were stunned, their faces showing surprise.
"Cheng Xing? You're still alive?"
"Am I seeing things?"
...
"What are you all talking about? What 'still alive'?"
Zhang Qiang looked at their strange reactions, his face full of confusion, and asked.
"Last night, I heard from a friend in Class Four that he saw Cheng Xing go to the Disaster Area alone yesterday."
"Me too. They also said Cheng Xing was doomed."
"What? Cheng Xing went to the Disaster Area alone?"
Soon, someone explained to them. Other uninformed classmates, hearing that Cheng Xing went to the Disaster Area alone, all showed surprise and cast curious glances at him.
Their reminder made Cheng Xing remember the other students from Hua Nan Fourth High School he met when he first registered. It was probably them who spread the news.
"Cheng Xing, why did you go to the Disaster Area? And alone? Are you trying to die?"
Zhang Qiang then turned to ask. Although none of them had been to the Disaster Area, they all had some understanding and knew that it was best for newcomers to level up in a team.
"Of course, it's to level up! See, aren't I perfectly fine?"
Cheng Xing spread his hands and said calmly.
"Leveling up, huh? An F-grade talent going to the Disaster Area alone? He just went for a stroll, why is he putting on airs here?"
Just as everyone was wondering how Cheng Xing could have returned alive after soloing the Disaster Area, a discordant voice came from the doorway...