Under Gong Cheng's guidance, Du Yu arrived at the dormitory building's east side, on the ground floor cafeteria.
It seemed that the Little Fire Fox, curled up in Du Yu's hand, couldn't resist the smell of food and poked its little head out, its nose twitching gently.
"Go get some fire-type pet food." Gong Cheng reached out to hold the Little Fire Fox and sat down on a dining chair, "Make it sandwich cookies, say it's for me."
"Got it." Du Yu hurried to the dining counter to negotiate with the chef.
On the long buffet-style table, various pet foods were on display. It was clear that the neatly arranged red bean cakes on the metal tray should be fire-type pet food.
"Here~ A serving of Firethorn Fruit Sandwich Cookies."
The chef uncle returned with a bowl of sandwich cookies, pointed to the QR code sticker on the side of the kitchen counter: "High-Level Fire-Type Pet Food, 388 yuan!"
For a moment, Du Yu stood frozen.
The teacher had previously said that this training was free. But evidently, the red bean cakes on the tray were free, and ordering high-level food alone required additional payment.
Du Yu's face was awkward: "Teacher Gong asked me to get it."
"Is that so?" The chef uncle looked up. Gong Cheng seemed to have eyes on the back of his head, didn't raise his head, and just waved his hand.
"Alright then, take it." The chef uncle smiled and handed the ceramic bowl to Du Yu, "It's cheaper here than buying outside, the school gave a lot of subsidies. If your Demon Pet likes it, remember to stock up before leaving!"
Du Yu nodded, dared not speak, picked up the ceramic bowl and left. Counting the number of sandwich cookies in the ceramic bowl, he couldn't help but feel a pang of pain.
There were only 8 sandwich cookies in total, barely the size of coins!
Single piece price, 48.5 yuan?
Du Yu felt a bit complicated, when he returned to the dining table, Instructor Gong was still holding the Little Fire Fox's big tail, examining it carefully.
"Eek~" The Little Fire Fox looked pitiful, gazing up at Du Yu, its fox eyes full of grievance, unable to escape Gong Cheng's clutches.
"Interesting." Gong Cheng held the Little Fire Fox's big tail and placed it into Du Yu's arms.
"Hoo~" The Little Fire Fox, looking pitiful, curled up in Du Yu's arms, not even glancing at the sandwich cookies, constantly rubbing against Du Yu's palm.
Gong Cheng got up and walked to the dining counter, returning with a bowl of hot milk, which he placed next to the cookies: "Feed it."
Do I have to twist and dip it?
Thinking this, Du Yu did exactly that.
He twisted open the sandwich cookie, the red fruit jam filling was crystal clear, was this the Firethorn Fruit Jam?
While soaking the cookie in hot milk, Du Yu said, "Thank you, teacher."
"I also want." Little Fen Yang's voice suddenly came.
"I remember, Little Fen Yang, I'll secretly feed it to you once the teacher leaves, okay?" Du Yu attempted to communicate in his mind.
"Mm." Little Fen Yang responded quietly, seeming a bit regretful but also obedient, no longer speaking.
On the opposite side of the table, Gong Cheng said, "Your Little Fire Fox is no ordinary breed."
"Ah." Du Yu snapped back to reality, speaking subconsciously.
Gong Cheng: "This Little Fire Fox should be an incompletely mutated Heterochromatic Demon Pet. Do you understand heterochromatic breeds?"
Du Yu certainly knew about his own Demon Pet's uniqueness; Little Fen Yang helped him pick it. He restrained his emotions and nodded gently: "Yes, I know."
Gong Cheng pointed to the Little Fire Fox's big tail, indicating that tuft of fiery red fur: "You must cultivate it well, this Little Fire Fox is very spiritual and resilient.
From its perspective, it is battling the heavens, itself, and the laws of nature."
Du Yu: "Oh?"
Gong Cheng: "Among Demon Pets, there are always some special existences, color differences are just external manifestations.
The real difference lies in certain aspects of heterochromatic breeds far exceeding ordinary breeds.
It could be endurance, power, agility, and other attributes, or even an all-round superior talent."
Gong Cheng sighed at the child's extreme luck and continued: "We both know, the Demon Spirit Academy wouldn't give heterochromatic breeds to a newbie.
So when it came to you, it must have been just a regular Demon Pet. And after signing the contract, with your assistance, the Little Fire Fox is striving to transform."
Du Yu's fingers gently stroked that tuft of fiery red fur, nodding a bit.
"Eek~" The Little Fire Fox whimpered, a paw lightly stepping on a sandwich cookie in the bowl.
Quite displaying a "quickly serve your mistress" attitude.
Du Yu felt an emotional connection, picked up a sandwich cookie, and dipped it in hot milk again.
Watching the soft cookie being devoured by the Little Fire Fox, Du Yu's face revealed a gentle smile.
Gong Cheng spoke seriously: "Few Demon Pets mutate later on, but some do, the success rate for transformation is very, very low. But even if there's the slightest chance, you must strive for it!
From now on, you must try to integrate the Little Fire Fox into your body, nourishing its growth. Also, you must ensure the Little Fire Fox eats high-level fire-type pet food.
If you can supplement with fire-type Rare Exotic Fruit, that's even better."
Upon hearing this, Du Yu silently nodded.
Money... money!!!
It's really going to be Du Yu's undoing!
Gong Cheng continued: "The cafeteria daily provides low-level pet food for free, this one is on me. From now on, you buy this type of sandwich cookies, it's more beneficial for the Little Fire Fox's growth, don't hold it back."
"Mm... mm." Du Yu's face stiffened, nodding lightly.
"What? Isn't the living allowance from home enough?" Gong Cheng was not satisfied with Du Yu's response, "The Demon Taming path indeed costs a lot, but this is the initial investment stage, you can't be stingy.
Explain it to your parents, once your strength grows enough, you'll be self-sufficient. Once you reach the level of a Demon Tamer, you'll be able to earn a living."
Demon Tamer?
Demon Tamer Student→Demon Warrior→Demon Tamer.
So, you must reach the third level?
The stages of a Demon Tamer and Demon Warrior are foundational phases, enhancing a person's physical qualities and elemental resistance in all aspects.
Upon reaching the Third Level · Demon Tamer, Du Yu will be able to condense Demon Breath into weapons, summoning Elemental Demon Soldiers out of thin air.
This means Du Yu can create and sell Newbie Demon Soldiers to earn money.
It sounds wonderful, but that day seems to be still far away...
"Your Little Fire Fox works very hard, don't let it down." Gong Cheng patted Du Yu's shoulder warmly and walked out of the cafeteria.
Watching Little Fire Fox eating elegantly with its eyes blissfully narrowed, Du Yu felt increasingly bittersweet.
"Why are you upset? Is it because of me?" came the voice of Little Fen Yang in his mind. "I won't eat anymore if it makes you sad, okay?"
Du Yu quickly picked up a sandwich cookie: "No, it's not because of you."
Little Fen Yang: "Then why are you sad? Can I help you?"
Under the contract, Little Fire Fox also sensed something; she turned her head curiously at Du Yu's complex expression and then leaned over.
"Mmh~" A coy sound carried a comforting tone as the pink little tongue softly licked Du Yu's cheek, leaving a faint milky fragrance.
"Thank you both." Du Yu thought with full gratitude, sneakily putting a small cookie into his mouth.
Little Fire Fox blinked and didn't guard its food.
In her mind, since the cookies were so delicious, it was normal to share them with the owner.
This is the Little Fire Fox; if it were a human instead, seeing Du Yu competing with a Demon Pet for pet food, they would probably give Du Yu a strange look...
After all, Demon Pet Food is made specifically for Demon Pets, with fixed ingredients. It wouldn't kill a Demon Tamer to eat it, but it has little effect.
As the sandwich cookie went into his mouth, Du Yu's expression became quite interesting!
The cookie was ordinary, but the filling – Firethorn Fruit Jam – was extraordinarily tart, like super-concentrated lemon!
Du Yu grimaced, his eyes reddened, and tears welled up faintly.
"Mm~ Happy~" As the cookie went down his throat, Little Fen Yang's voice of satisfaction echoed in his mind.
Du Yu leaned his head on the table, propping it with his elbow, then, after a while, he grabbed a nearby hot milk and guzzled it down.
Little Fire Fox: ???
She tilted her head, looking at Du Yu, her little mind filled with big questions.
"Sorry, sorry." Du Yu stuck his tongue out, casually picking up a sandwich cookie and handing it to Little Fire Fox.
Little Fire Fox stepped forward, took a bite, and happily swallowed the small cookie.
Meanwhile, a person rushed inside: "Second Brother!"
Du Yu, head low, wiped his moist eyes and said softly: "You didn't win."
"Humph~," Li Mengnan smacked Du Yu on the shoulder. "I didn't lose either!"
That's a fact.
Li Mengnan sat down with a thump, squeezing Du Yu to the side of the long bench, whispering: "What did Teacher Gong say... Hey? What's up with you?
You're a grown-up, why are you still tearing up?"
Du Yu turned his head to the side: "Teacher Gong noticed the red fur on Xiaoyan's tail. He said Xiaoyan is striving against fate, trying to evolve into a Heterochromatic species."
"Huh?" Li Mengnan immediately shifted attention, hurriedly grabbed Little Fire Fox's big tail, and examined it closely.
Although the area of red fur wasn't much bigger than a fingertip, it indeed was different from the common color.
"Really!" Li Mengnan was overjoyed, "That's great! Have any precautions been mentioned by Teacher Gong?"
Du Yu: "The teacher told me to keep Xiaoyan inside my body as much as possible to nourish her growth."
"So why don't you retrieve Xiaoyan now?" Though Li Mengnan said this, she still held Little Fire Fox's tail, reluctant to let go.
Du Yu nodded: "I'll wait till Xiaoyan finishes eating."
In sight, Little Fire Fox just poked her head into a ceramic bowl, fetching a sandwich cookie.
Li Mengnan noticed the few leftover cookies in the bowl and immediately got up to walk towards the kitchen counter: "So few won't be enough; I'll go get more."
"Hey, Li Mengnan!"
Du Yu clearly couldn't stop the brisk fellow with long legs; soon, he heard the chef uncle's loud voice: "High-Level Pet Food, Fire Element, and Wind Element, one set each, a total of 776, just scan the code."
"Isn't it free?" Li Mengnan was slightly surprised, turning to look at the table behind.
The chef uncle smiled: "Don't worry, we won't treat you differently; that kid's pet food was purchased by Teacher Gong. If you want free pet food, it's over there."
"I see." Li Mengnan nodded, feeling a bit of pain at the price, but finally gritted her teeth and paid the bill.
Looks like, I'll have to ask my cheap old dad for some living expenses.
Li Mengnan comes from a divorced family; since the fourth grade, she hasn't seen her father.
However, whenever she sneaks behind her mom's back to ask her dad for pocket money, her dad is quite generous. Seems like the cheap old dad is doing well?
Li Mengnan picked up two bowls of pet food, apparently also understanding why Du Yu was teary-eyed.
Is it from self-blame and guilt?
Is it because Xiaoyan is trying her best against fate, yet he can't take good care of her?
Li Mengnan pondered silently while stepping back.
Recalling that yesterday outside the hospital's supermarket, Du Yu insisted on repaying those few bucks for bread and milk. Sigh...
She sat beside Du Yu, picked up a small cookie, and brought it to the Little Fire Fox's mouth: "I believe you can defeat fate and become a Heterochromatic species.
Eat well and grow up quickly. Everything will get better."
Upon hearing this, Du Yu turned to look at Li Mengnan.
The impression of the crazy girl wasn't quite fit for such warm-hearted words.