Chapter 7: Feng Biao's Divinity

"His Divinity is Indra," Dongmei said flatly.

"Alright, Feng Biao go back to the wall"

"Yes sir," Feng Biao said as he focused on the golden parchment floating within his mind.

Back at the wall, Feng Biao read the Contract from top to bottom.

Divine Contract System

True Divinity: Indra

Divinity: 10/10

Rank: Mortal

Rank Up Quest: Drink 10 different high-quality liquors (0/10)

Divine Abilities:

Divine Passive: [Indra's Indulgence] (Grade F)

"Indra continued to drink long after the battle. He drank more than any other and lost the respect of all. At times his drinking caused him to do things he would regret, but he never stopped."

Effect: You have gained a tolerance for any drink that causes you to lose your senses.

Divine Active: [Indra's Tricks] (Grade F+)

"Indra declared he would offer his position to any mortal that could surpass him. At the time he was revered as the greatest god, the strongest, and the rightful king. Later Indra schemed to ensure worthy mortals never challenged his position on the throne."

Effect: Your right fist will gain the ability to disrupt the convictions of those it strikes. The closer to the heart, the greater the effect.

Feng Biao stood silently. The Divine Abilities he read, as much as he tried to convince himself otherwise he could only think of them in one way.

'They seem like garbage'

From the stories, he had heard of Divine Abilities they were supposedly impressive things. Looking at those people using them freely across the gymnasium Feng Biao couldn't help but agree.

He saw one girl running laps in the air, a boy creating a shield with an intricate design on it he used to block a kick from the boy that had provoked Hunter. Feng Biao could see clear signs of frost having formed from the kick onto the shield.

'I won't let it end here. I still have to-,' and then Feng Biao cut off his own thoughts.

Still, had to do what? He had simply signed up for the HCF when his Mark had appeared. The lot he had drawn in life was already satisfactory. Nothing would end by accepting his circumstances.

If he stuck out his service in the HCF he could retire like Lady Dongmei and live a more comfortable life. Was there a reason to try and reach higher?

'I don't want to live comfortably. I want to live proudly'

That was Feng Biao's answer for himself. Feng Biao did not feel proud of himself. He had never been proud of himself.

When Feng Biao was raised in Lucky Duck he felt like a mistake. Only able to depend on the actions of others to fix him. When Wang Hao began to raise him in the slums he felt like prey. He was constantly forced to throw away his pride in situations where his life was at stake.

He remembered a particular feeling he had when he kneeled in front of a drug-addled man who had taken offense to the way he walked. The man had pointed a gun at not only himself but Wang Hao as well.

When he heard the laugh of the junkie who watched Feng Biao kneel a feeling he had never truly forgotten rose up inside him. He had wished with all his might for the strength to protect his dignity.

Eventually, the man got bored of harassing the two of them and demanded Wang Hao's shoes. Watching Wang Hao hand over his shoes to the man Feng Biao grew so angry he nearly threw his life away.

Wang Hao had noticed and stomped Feng Biao's foot as hard as he could. This was enough to snap Feng Biao out of his rage and he was able to restrain himself while they left the scene.

When they had gotten away Wang Hao had smacked Feng Biao on the back of the head and said, "Idiot, we can both walk without pride or shoes."

What Wang Hao had said was true, but Feng Biao could never fully stomach it. For days the incident had enraged Feng Biao to the point he wanted to join with one of the slum gangs to take revenge.

Even years later he still hated to think of it, but now he did not wish to kill the man as he had then. He had moved on with his life. Still, he never wished to let himself feel so vulnerable and weak again.

Then the answer could not be pride. Feng Biao wanted pride, but he did not need it. What he needed was dignity.

Strong Man Zhou had said, "There are things out there that don't even notice the will of humans as they kill them. They only recognize equal or greater force."

At the time Feng Biao had assumed he only meant monsters and the like. Was Strong Man Zhou not talking about himself and other humans? He had led an entire group to die and was only shown the error of his ways after he lost his own arm, and the group.

Strong Man Zhou had been warning Feng Biao that as he entered into the HCF his life would be at the whims of others. Even if he disagreed with an order from somebody higher up he would have to execute it. Even without malice men could be killed.

Not to say humans were incapable of malice. Feng Biao had experienced that numerous times personally. It was just that Feng Biao was now entering a situation where even those without malice could harm him.

'The only way to have dignity in this world is to be strong enough to decide my course in life. If I become strong enough to control my life, then I'll be able to have dignity.'

Feng Biao finally came to a true decision about his path in life, at least he thought so.

Up ahead he saw a circle forming. Training had come to a stop. An elderly man was now standing between Hunter and that small boy that had been harassing him earlier.

Some sort of conversation was taking place and Zhang Fang had noticed it too. He then motioned towards those on the wall and said, "Come, this will be a valuable lesson."

They then followed Zhang Fang towards what was now a circle with a scary face drawn into it. Hunter stepped into the circle while one of the friends of the boy placed his right hand on the boy's shoulder. The boy then entered the circle and the scary face disappeared, but the circle remained.

Now that he had gotten close Feng Biao could make out the words of the elderly man, "Now I stress this again, you cannot leave this circle until one of you suffers a fatal wound."

Hunter and the boy didn't react to this, instead focusing on one another. The boy was wearing plain clothes, although Feng Biao did not think they looked cheap. Hunter's flashy red flannel and height contrasted the two, and in a normal fight would have given him a big advantage.

Fang Zhang looked at the group who had been at the wall and addressed them, "Watch their fight and understand the difference between you and them," he said sweeping his hand forward, "they've had possibly years' worth of a head start on you."

"Their Ranks are higher which means they're physically stronger than you, and they have more Divine Abilities than you as a result."

"The two inside that circle won't die, the fatal damage they suffer will be reverted instantaneously, so don't you dare get squeamish at the last moment and look away. Give those men the respect of watching their fight to the end."

The elderly man stepped forward and Zhang Fang went silent, watching the two youths in the circle. With all eyes focused on the two combatants, the man coughed and said, "Are you both ready?"

The two youths nodded.

"Then the fight begins."