"Heavens, so much money?!"
Tang Xueyao was stunned, her eyes wide with disbelief.
As she stepped out of the hot spring, her mind was still in a daze.
She had never seen so much money in her life, and now she was rich? The happiness came too fast, it was almost unbelievable.
"Master, should we tell her the truth? This child doesn't seem very bright!"
"Based on the analysis of the bills she took earlier, they are worth at least over two million. That manager seemed to have compromised, but in reality, he still ripped her off!"
The Underworld Mushroom communicated with Zhang Chen through their consciousness.
"She's not dumb, she's just never seen so much money and is completely shocked. Her brain is probably still in a state of overload."
"Besides, I told you, her self-growth is the most important. To us, whether it's one million or two million, it's just a wave of the hand."
"If we tell her, it will only make her feel disheartened and even more ashamed in front of me."
"Let her grow on her own. She has already experienced poverty, and now she will experience wealth. Let's see if she can maintain her rationality and original intentions when faced with these temptations!"
"Revitalizing the True God Cult isn't just about martial prowess."
Speaking of which, Zhang Chen thought of Zhang Wenwen again.
Her strength wasn't the strongest; even in the late stages of the apocalypse, she wasn't the most powerful. Yet, she could make countless powerful individuals in the apocalypse submit to her.
To be honest, Zhang Chen's help to Zhang Wenwen was far less specific and comprehensive than his current one-on-one assistance to Tang Xueyao.
Therefore, for Tang Xueyao to support the revival of the True God Cult, Zhang Chen alone wouldn't suffice; she had to become strong herself.
The greatest advantage of having Zhang Chen around was that Tang Xueyao could make mistakes continuously without being permanently crushed by them.
Only by making mistakes can people learn lessons, and only by learning lessons can they grow.
Tang Xueyao arrived at a restaurant and stood at the entrance, hesitating for a while before walking in with a sense of determination.
This restaurant wasn't luxurious or high-end.
Now that Tang Xueyao had money, she could eat at the most extravagant restaurant in town or stay in the most luxurious hotel without any problem.
But she had come to this ordinary, even somewhat dilapidated, restaurant.
"The Cult Master brought me here for my 12th birthday. That was also the first time I ever ate at a restaurant!"
"I will never forget that scene. Although there was no birthday cake, unlike other children who had birthday parties with friends sending blessings, not even a single person sang me a birthday song..."
"But that was the happiest meal I ever had!"
The scene of her 12th birthday involuntarily appeared in Tang Xueyao's mind.
A woman around forty years old was sitting in front of Tang Xueyao with a smiling face.
And before Tang Xueyao was just a bowl of fried rice.
That was her happiest day.
"This little girl is truly pitiful. She's never seen the world! She feels happy just eating fried rice!"
The Underworld Mushroom said with a frown.
"What made her happy wasn't the first time dining out, nor the fried rice itself, but the care she felt from the Cult Master."
"An abandoned orphan, someone all children considered an anomaly, a strange child that parents kept their distance from..."
"To have someone love her wholeheartedly, to care for her, that's what made her truly happy!"
Zhang Chen said softly, while also feeling Tang Xueyao's inner sadness, her loneliness, and an unquenchable stubbornness.
"One bowl of fried rice, please! Thank you!"
Tang Xueyao sat down at the same spot again.
Although years had passed, the furnishings here hadn't changed much.
"That's it? Just one bowl of fried rice?"
The server asked in surprise.
"Yes, one bowl of fried rice is enough. Thank you!"
Tang Xueyao said with a smile.
"Anything to drink?"
The server pressed.
"Nothing to drink, I'm not thirsty. Thank you!"
Tang Xueyao politely waved her hand again, refusing.
"That will be eight yuan!"
The server said with a cold expression, seemingly never having encountered someone so stingy.
"Hm?"
Zhang Chen sensed from Tang Xueyao's inner thoughts that today was her birthday.
"What a coincidence, it's my birthday today too? No wonder she came here!"
Zhang Chen nodded to himself.
Tang Xueyao set out three sets of tableware on the table: one in front of herself, one opposite her, and one beside.
"The Cult Master used to accompany me for meals. Now that the Cult Master is gone, I have the True God to accompany me!"
"And there's also... although it hasn't spoken to me, I can feel its presence, the mushroom!"
"These two are your tableware. We'll eat together, and I'm not alone anymore!"
"This is the birthday with the most people celebrating, I'm so happy!"
Tang Xueyao said, clapping her hands and smiling.
The server in the distance saw Tang Xueyao smiling and chatting with the air, and setting out three empty place settings on the table, her face turned pale with fright.
"Could she be crazy?!"
"Or is she about to turn into a Soul-Lost? Recently, Soul-Lost have surrounded the city. Those who have heard say these guys absorb human energy, and those whose energy is absorbed become deranged and eventually turn into Soul-Lost."
"If she's a Soul-Lost... we're no match for them... Hurry and drive her away!"
"You go drive her, I'm not going. I'm afraid of my energy being drained!"
"I'm not going either. If this girl has really mutated, wouldn't it be suicide for me to go?!"
The servers, like a group of startled quails, huddled in a corner, trembling as they watched Tang Xueyao happily chatting with the air.
"This child is truly pitiful..."
"I can't experience loneliness!"
The Underworld Mushroom said.
"You are a consciousness symbiote. So many people, so many mutated creatures' consciousnesses are inside you. You go about your days like visiting a vegetable market, how can you be lonely?!"
Zhang Chen rolled his eyes at the Underworld Mushroom and said irritably.
"Let's help this little girl out and let her have a perfect birthday!"
The Underworld Mushroom chuckled and said.
"Alright, I'll give you some energy. It's in your hands, just don't overdo it!"
Zhang Chen said.
"Don't worry, the consciousnesses within me have experience in corporate event planning. I know what I'm doing!"
The Underworld Mushroom focused the energy Zhang Chen gave it onto its body, and then, streams of consciousness connected to the surrounding servers, chefs, and other diners in the restaurant.
Before long, the expressions of these people changed, and they began to move around busily.