Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World-Chapter 73 - Comparing Miseries
Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Comparing Miseries
Chapter 73 -73 Comparing Miseries
The game Zheng Fa wanted was similar to the scroll Zhang used to test Seventh Young Master.
It required displaying a vast array of talismanic diagrams on the screen for Zheng Fa to choose from and then assess the accuracy of his selections.
Zheng Fa was well aware that his greatest advantage was the world’s topological knowledge, or more concretely, the notebook summarized by Old Man Bai.
This was the reason Zhang had such unwavering faith in his innate talent for the talismanic Dao.
With something that Zhang valued so highly, it was easy for him to maintain the persona of a genius at the Immortal Item gatherings.
Now what he needed was to turn the knowledge in that notebook into instinct.
Upon hearing his request, Old Man Bai frowned in thought: “I, as an old relic, don’t really understand computers, but this doesn’t sound too difficult.”
Zheng nodded.
To him, it seemed to be on the level of a simple web-based game.
“Those damn diagrams again…” Old Man Bai looked at him for quite a while before speaking: “I won’t ask why you need this, but this game could be both easy and difficult to make.”
“How so?”
“It costs money.” Old Man Bai bluntly told Zheng Fa: “I can ask some former colleagues if any computer science students are free to help you with this, but it won’t be for free.”
“How much?” Zheng Fa felt nervous upon hearing this, as he truly didn’t understand this area.
“How much can you afford?”
Old Man Bai, knowing his family’s financial situation, didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly.
Zheng Fa did some quick calculations in his mind.
He did have savings – his parents’ pension and their savings amounted to over a million yuan.
Initially, a community staff helped him set up a large deposit, with annual interest of around fifty thousand yuan.
He didn’t plan to touch the principal sum.
But with various other subsidies included, Zheng Fa’s disposable income each year still consistently exceeded fifty thousand yuan.
He lived very frugally, hardly going out or socializing.
He spent less than thirty yuan for five days’ worth of cafeteria meals, and occasionally splurged on roasted chicken during the weekends for some nutritional supplementation, which brought his monthly food expenses to just over a thousand yuan.
If other miscellaneous expenses were accounted for, his annual spending was basically controlled within twenty to thirty thousand yuan.
After five years in this world, in addition to the initial deposit of over a million yuan, he managed to save an extra hundred thousand or so.
“Eighty thousand?”
He thought about it, left some cash on hand, and tentatively threw out a figure.
“…” Old Man Bai stared at him for a long time before finally speaking: “I think you have some misconceptions about college students.”
“…Is that not enough?” ƒreewebɳovel.com
“From what I’ve observed, college students generally share one common trait,” Old Man Bai said somberly.
“What’s that?”
“They’re broke!”
“…”
“Alright, I’ll ask around for you.
Don’t be too naïve; if someone quotes you a price, remember to haggle!” Seeing that Zheng Fa really didn’t understand the market, Old Man Bai even reminded him.
…
Old Man Bai acted quickly and soon sent a business card to Zheng Fa through social media.
“I asked around, and this student is the most suitable for you.”
“Is he the best with technology?” Zheng Fa asked.
“He’s the poorest!
Do you think your trashy game needs any skills?
Who would want to do it for you if not for the money?
When I mentioned it to them, the teacher laughed and said that making such a game would insult their computer science students.”
“…”
“This guy just got a girlfriend recently and is in need of cash.”
I get it — sometimes you can only choose between love and dignity.
The guy Old Man Bai introduced had a profile picture of a white cartoon dog, with the leash extending out of frame in the upper right corner, and his username was Han Xiaobai.
He sent a friend request, which was quickly accepted.
“Boss?”
“Hello, are you aware of the specific requirements?”
“I do.”
“So may I ask, how much would it cost to make a game like this?”
Zheng Fa saw “Typing…” first appear at the top of the chat box,
and then the line disappeared.
Next, the same prompt reappeared, and this cycle repeated several times, until he saw a reply from the other party three minutes later:
“50,000!”
Zheng Fa, recalling Old Man Bai’s reminder, moved his fingers promptly and slashed the price mercilessly.
“5,000!”
The other party fell into an even longer silence.
“Boss, that’s too harsh.”
“Just 5,000.”
“I really can’t do it for that amount, I’m still a student, please offer a little more.”
“I’m in my senior year of high school, make it cheaper.”
“…”
The other party then typed out a long message to ply for sympathy:
“You have no idea, I really can’t go any lower with the price.
I recently got a girlfriend, and she spends like water.
There are way more guys than girls in computer science, so finding a girlfriend is tough.
I’ve spent all my living expenses on her!
She’s been eyeing a new phone that costs a few thousand, and it’s awkward for me to ask my parents for money, so I took on this job.”
“…”
“You’re still in high school and can afford to spend so much on a game, you might not understand my struggles, but lately, I can’t even afford to eat at the canteen…”
“….I envy you for having parents.” Zheng Fa typed, pursing his lips.
“???” The other party first typed a series of question marks and then said: “Fuck it!
5,000 then!”
At night, Zheng Fa saw that the other party had sent him several more messages:
“To be honest, this game isn’t difficult.
You can make it with a free template.
The only tricky part is inputting those diagrams, which is pure manual labor.
5,000 yuan is just about bearable.”
“But this game doesn’t have much potential.
If you’re really in the situation you described, I’d still advise you not to do it.”
Zheng Fa replied, “Not short on money for dating anymore?”
“I’m still short, but this crappy game…
I originally thought you were a clueless rich idiot, and I was planning to rip you off for some money.” The other party frankly said, “But seeing your situation, I can’t bear to watch you throw away your money.”
“Thanks.” Zheng Fa thought for a moment and said, “I have other uses for this game.”
“That’s good, I just wanted to give you a heads up.”
“How much does the phone cost?
We’ll settle on that price when the time comes.”
“Boss, you’re generous!
I guarantee to make it fast and good!”
…
“Zheng Fa, what are you up to again?” Seeing Zheng Fa suddenly look dejected, Wang Chen asked.
“Playing games.” Zheng Fa closed his eyes, seemingly still haunted by the dense array of talismanic diagrams from the computer screen last night.
“Playing games!” Wang Chen got excited all of a sudden, patting Zheng Fa on the shoulder and said, “Have you finally seen the error of your ways on this loner path of a top student?
What game are you playing?
Let’s do a duo!”
“A small game that you haven’t played.”
“What kind of small game is so interesting?” Wang Chen became genuinely curious upon seeing Zheng Fa too lazy to even open his eyes.
“It’s like…” Zheng Fa thought for a moment about how to describe it, “like giving you a face and you have to find his parents, his grandparents, his great aunts and uncles, even his ancestors spanning eighteen generations from tens of thousands of faces…”
“What’s so fun about that game?”
“You wouldn’t understand, I’m cultivating my talent.”
“What talent?” Wang Chen frowned and said, “A talent for paternity testing with the naked eye?”
At this point, his gaze towards Zheng Fa suddenly turned sympathetic, “I know you feel inferior being with Tang Lingwu, and the pressure is great, but you need to have some trust in people—you can’t be making preparations for a rainy day this early on.”
“?”
…
In the Xuanwei Realm, at Sister Zhang’s courtyard.
“The rules have changed for this Immortal Item meeting, it’s not about the item’s grade, but about the ranking now.” Sister Zhang said to Zheng Fa and Seventh Young Master, “Meaning it’s not enough that your talent in the talismanic Dao is good, you have to be better than everyone else.”
Hearing this, Seventh Young Master’s face changed.
