Chapter 34: Where It Shines Brightest

"Feng Biao, is that you?" Yi Lingshi called back to the voice.

"Yes, over here," said a voice belonging to a figure in the dark.

"Where are the two Part-Marked?" Wang Haisheng questioned.

"I can explain all of that, but let me get my bearings. The fuckers cut me bad."

"Huh?" Yi Lingshi questioned. He actually couldn't see if Feng Biao was cut or not, so he pulled out a lighter to check.

When the light flickered on he was met with Feng Biao's face covered in blood.

"They got you good," Wang Haisheng said whistling in response to the sight of the bloody Feng Biao.

"Turn off the light!" Feng Biao hissed.

"Huh, why?" Wang Haisheng asked with incredulity.

"They lied, that bitches' Divine Ability isn't to create light its to manipulate it," Feng Biao explained, "I almost got scalped with just a small flashlight being used to power her attack."

"So they got away?" Wang Haisheng asked.

"Yeah, they ran deeper into the cave," Feng Biao replied, "come on let's not waste too much time."

With that Feng Biao led the way, limping. Wang Haisheng would have been inclined to tell him to hurry up but he liked the idea of Feng Biao being in the front, after all, if an attack came he would certainly be tanking the brunt of it.

Still, their progress was painfully slow, and eventually, he could take no more of it.

"Hey, Feng Biao, move to the back you're slowing down our pursuit," Wang Haisheng demanded.

"Fuck off I get first dibs on paying back that bitch for what she did to my face," Feng Biao growled back.

"Great, he is one of those types," Yi Lingshi thought to himself unexcited to have another sadist surround him. If Lin Qing hadn't gotten beat by a Part-Marked then he wouldn't need to try and recruit him. They needed a direct route to Hunter Jackson and Feng Biao represented it.

"Wang Haisheng be reasonable. Feng Biao deserves a shot at them first, they cut him after all. We should give him what he wants," Yi Lingshi said trying to remind Wang Haisheng what he had told him outside.

"Well then how about this when we see them I'll let you handle them," Wang Haisheng said still attempting to convince Feng Biao to move behind them. He had understood what Yi Lingshi was trying to tell him, but in his mind, it was more important they catch up to the two ASAP.

3 Oni-no-Ochoko was no laughing matter. That was a small fortune to either of them and while they couldn't live lavishly off it they could use the funds from it to advance further and faster.

"No, I stay in the front," Feng Biao said with unreasonable conviction.

Yi Lingshi internally groaned. Not only was this guy being edgy he was also being annoying. By the tone of Feng Biao's voice, he could tell he was going to say no to Wang Haisheng's requests no matter how it was phrased.

"Amazing how I can read this guy in total darkness," Yi Lingshi mused to himself. Maybe it was all that time he spent around a powder keg like Wang Haisheng that made him so apt to think about people's motives.

"Fine, whatever," Wang Haisheng relented.

Yi Lingshi expected that. Wang Haisheng was surprisingly forgiving to those who weren't Part-Marked. At some level perhaps that stemmed from the fact that he saw anybody who wasn't a Part-Marked as a potential threat.

Indeed, Feng Biao was rumored to be relatively competent in fighting. While nobody had figured out exactly what his Divine Ability was everyone had seen how he had survived in combat against a Primordial Marked for over an entire minute.

He was also known to be constantly training. He seemed to enjoy the very act of it. What made Yi Lingshi especially cautious was the mention of that "partner" of his. Adding another person to the mix only complicated matters.

Either way, trying to push around Feng Biao was not an option. It was best to treat him as an equal. Even if it meant they had to slowly trudge through the darkness.

With that, they continued on in complete darkness squeezing through the cave for what seemed to Yi LIngshi to be the longest time in his life. Until Feng Biao spoke and broke the silence.

"It opens up," Feng Biao said to the two behind him.

While Yi Lingshi couldn't see he could certainly feel, he was now able to stand next to Feng Biao. Beside him, he heard Wang Haisheng crack his bones, likely stretching in the darkness.

Then they heard an unfamiliar sound. A knock on the walls of the caves.

"What was that sound?" Yi Lingshi asked.

"It must be those two," Feng Biao replied.

"Let's move more slowly," Yi Lingshi advised.

"No, we should rush them. They probably already know we're here, the longer we give them to come up with a plan the worse off we'll be." Wang Haisheng said with confidence.

"Agreed," Feng Biao replied quickly.

Yi Lingshi didn't believe this was a great idea, but rather than waste more time arguing with the two of them he relented.

So all 3 made their way forward until it happened. A flash of light struck Yi Lingshi and Wang Haisheng's eyes from dead ahead. After spending so long in complete darkness their eyes recoiled at the sight of the light.

It didn't hurt, but it was impossible to keep their eyes upon when viewing such bright light. They had ended up shielding their eyes on reflex.

The two could not take notice of Feng Biao's actions which were not at all like their own. Rather than shielding his own eyes Feng Biao had turned his back to the light and was forcibly keeping his eyes open.

All so he could register where the two in front of him stood. All so he could deliver two swift strikes using [Indra's Tricks] directly into their unguarded chests.

Without the ability to see Feng Biao and by being struck directly near their hearts the two of them weren't even aware damage had taken place, at least not for a second after the impact.

This was where Feng Biao's Divine Ability excelled. Not in close combat, but in sneak attacks. Not only were the two unaware they had both been attacked they were both utterly dazed by the primary effect of [Indra's Tricks]. This allowed Feng Biao to deliver two subsequent strikes utilizing all the Divinity he could muster equally towards both their livers.

When Yi Lingshi and Wang Haisheng returned to reality they felt a new sensation.

Pain, pain unlike any they had ever felt in their lives. The pain of a body part internally being ruptured. It was so great the bright light shining in front of them wasn't even being registered.

All they could do was clutch their body in pain as they lay on the floor breathless. Unable to scream simply because all they could do was experience the pain radiating from their body.