The system's exchange rate was one sacrifice point for one hundred bronze soul coins. Given that one hundred bronze soul coins equaled one gold soul coin, that meant a single sacrifice point was worth a gold coin. This simple fact put Huo Feng in a comfortable position. At the very least, he wouldn't have to worry about money like Tang San, who was probably already trying to figure out which blacksmith shop in the city he could work at.
With Wang Sheng leading the way, the large group of work-study students, now including Huo Feng and Xiao Wu, made their way toward the academy's cafeteria. Along the way, Wang Sheng eagerly explained the layout to his new boss. The cafeteria had two floors: the first floor was for everyone, with cheap and simple food. The second floor was reserved for exquisite, expensive meals, and was the exclusive domain of the wealthy students.
They had barely stepped inside when a sarcastic voice drifted down from above. "Well, well, look what we have here. If it isn't Wang Sheng and his gang of paupers."
"I haven't seen you guys in a few days. Did you go out and find a couple more little beggars to join your crew?"
Huo Feng looked up toward the voice and saw a group of senior students lounging on the stairs, looking down at them with open contempt. From their fine clothes and arrogant expressions, it was obvious they were from rich and powerful families. The one who had spoken was a boy of about ten, his eyes filled with undisguised disdain. He saw the two new faces next to Wang Sheng and immediately dismissed them as more of the same. If they were with Wang Sheng, they had to be poor.
"You poor bastards will probably live your whole lives without ever getting to eat on the second floor," he sneered. "Tsk, tsk."
"And who are you to say that?" Xiao Wu shot back, her hands on her hips. "Is the second floor really that special?"
"The food up there is really expensive," one of the work-study students muttered quietly. "We almost never go." He wasn't wrong. For a group this large, a single meal on the second floor would cost three or four hundred bronze soul coins. A work-study student's entire monthly allowance was only three hundred. One meal would bankrupt them.
"Ooh, a feisty little loli," the senior student said, his eyes lighting up as he noticed Xiao Wu. The other boys with him chuckled. Most of them were fifth and sixth-graders who had been at the academy for years. They'd seen plenty of girls, but none as pretty as the one downstairs. It was a shame she was so young, and worse, a work-study student. She was far beneath their status.
"I'm going to eat now, so I don't have time to waste on you," the leader said, putting on a show for his friends. Seeing Wang Sheng standing there, clenching his fists but not daring to speak, filled him with satisfaction. "Let's go. I'm in a good mood today, so the meal's on me!" He waved his hand grandly, and the group started heading up to the second floor.
"Hmph!" Xiao Wu snorted and was about to go after them.
Huo Feng reached out and grabbed her arm, gently pulling her back. Xiao Wu immediately looked annoyed. "What are you doing? Are you just going to let them—"
She stopped mid-sentence as she saw Huo Feng walk right past her and head for the stairs.
"As the boss, I have to lead by example," he said without looking back. "How could I let you go first?"
Xiao Wu's face turned red. She had completely misunderstood him. Grinning, she immediately followed after him.
"Let's go!" Wang Sheng hesitated for a second, then gritted his teeth and called for the others to follow. He had put up with these arrogant rich kids for far too long. With Huo Feng taking the lead, he couldn't just stand by anymore. What if they couldn't win? It didn't matter. Even if they lost, even if they got beaten up, they had to fight for their dignity. Besides, with Huo Feng and Xiao Wu on their side, he wasn't so sure they would lose.
"A boss?" "Did I hear that right? This little brat is their boss?" "Hahahaha! That's hilarious!"
Seeing Huo Feng lead the group of work-study students up the stairs, the seniors who were about to sit down stopped and turned, their faces filled with amusement. They weren't scared; they just found it deeply pathetic.
"What's wrong, Wang Sheng? Did you run out of people?" one of them sneered. "Now you're letting just anyone be your boss?"
By this time, Huo Feng and his group had reached the top of the stairs. The senior students, all dressed in luxurious clothes, looked down at Huo Feng, who was almost a head shorter than them, and laughed even harder. Their friends folded their arms, ready to enjoy the show.
Wang Sheng didn't say anything, but his fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were white. As his boss, Huo Feng hadn't spoken, so he wouldn't either.
"This second floor doesn't belong to you," Huo Feng said, his voice completely calm. "Why can't work-study students come up here?"
"Oh, you're right, you're here now," the senior leader said thoughtfully, then burst out laughing. "But I'm afraid all you can do is smell the food. A pauper is still a pauper! Hahahaha!" He laughed mockingly, his friends joining in. This was how they always treated the work-study students, who they saw as poor, unambitious, and harmless.
Huo Feng didn't respond. He just turned his head slightly and glanced at Xiao Wu, who was standing right behind him. Their eyes met, and they both gave a subtle nod.
"What, you're not convinced?" the senior student was about to say more, but the words caught in his throat.
Under his incredulous gaze, the small, harmless-looking girl in front of him suddenly shot forward. Because he was completely unprepared, Xiao Wu was on him in an instant, her speed a blur. She leaped onto his shoulders, twisted her legs around his neck, bent down with her palms on the ground, and with a powerful whip of her waist, threw him!
Bang!
The senior student was slammed heavily onto the wooden floor.
"What the—" The group of friends who had been ready for a show were frozen in shock.
But it wasn't over. With lightning speed, Huo Feng closed the distance, rushing up to the student who was lying on the ground groaning in pain. He drew back his fist and punched the boy right in his stupid, arrogant face.
Thwack!
"Aaaargh!"
A scream like a slaughtered pig echoed through the entire cafeteria. Other students looked around, trying to figure out what was happening.
"The boss is awesome!" "Boss!"
Wang Sheng and the other work-study students, seeing the guys who bullied them on a daily basis now scared speechless, burst into loud cheers.
At that moment, several of the senior students rushed forward and hastily dragged their beaten leader away. He staggered to his feet, his face pale and contorted in a pained grin. He was furious.
"You're dead!" he seethed. "You little bastards ambushed me! I didn't even have a chance to release my Spirit!" Humiliated in front of all his friends, he was determined to get his revenge and his dignity back.