Apocalypse: I Have One More Keyword Than Others

The council hall.

Family Head Feng Shiren and many important members of the Feng Family gathered together, watching Feng Jiu eat like they were watching a monkey, with some occasionally coming over to check her pulse and inspect the changes in her injuries.

Duge pinched Feng Jiu's cheeks, forcefully stuffing food into her mouth without allowing for refusal.

Feng Jiu's cheeks were puffed out like a squirrel with its mouth full of food. Her eyes reddened as she glared at Duge, who was feeding her. Her teeth ground together so loudly that it seemed as if she were chewing on Duge's flesh and blood, that bastard, bullying her too much. Just wait until I grow stronger, I'll bite you to death one bite at a time...

"Brother Jiu, that's right, chew big mouthfuls, swallow hard. You'll recover faster when you're full, and when you've recovered, you'll have the strength to hit me!" Duge didn't mind the murderous gaze Feng Jiu shot at him and kept shoving pastries into her mouth as if cajoling a child, stubbornly maintaining their friendship while also enjoying the pleasure of enhanced physical fitness.

At this moment, Duge could hardly distinguish whether his actions were supportive or a backstab, but the rapid enhancement of his physical fitness couldn't lie.

Duge felt emotional, thinking that he was indeed a born actor. If he had known about his talent earlier, he would have gone to a film academy on Earth.

...

Seeing that ordinary food could truly have miraculous effects on Feng Jiu, everyone marveled and no longer doubted the matter of possession.

Listening to the whispers around him, Duge stopped feeding and earnestly suggested, "Family Head, if you're still not at ease, you can simply beat Feng Jiu into serious injury and test it again."

At those words, Feng Jiu, who had been struggling to maintain her composure, completely lost it. She thrashed, hysterically screaming, "Feng Qi, you dog, why don't you use yourself for the experiment?"

"Don't be angry, Brother Jiu, it's just that the keywords take effect faster on you than me," Duge flicked off the crumbs on his clothes, unfazed, "For the sake of the team's benefit, what's wrong with a little personal sacrifice? Just endure a bit; you'll recover after eating a bit more..."

"Endure my ass, I'll kill you..." Feng Jiu's forehead bulged with veins, her face flushed red with anger. Had she not had her pressure points sealed, she likely would have already lunged at Duge's neck to take a bite.

"Mr. Nine, stay calm. Mr. Seven is only joking with you," Family Head Feng Shiren coughed, naturally changing the way he addressed them, "Since both gentlemen have chosen to possess a body and enter our Feng Family, you are now one of us. We should support each other..."

As he spoke, Feng Shiren approached Feng Jiu, personally unsealing her acupoints, and signaled a servant to bring her some hot tea.

Feng Jiu picked up the teacup, gulped it down, and coldly stared at Duge. Now that she had regained her freedom, she no longer felt the previous impulse to attack.

Duge didn't turn around, though his Rear Eye kept a watchful eye on Feng Jiu.

At this moment, he found Feng Jiu's behavior a bit amusing, like a dog leashed and then suddenly set free, an inexplicable urge to laugh rising within him.

It must be said, the guy's performance was a bit overdone, with acting that relied solely on glaring and roaring. If there were a real acting school in the mortal world, he'd probably be one of the poor students!

Of course, it's also possible that he was intentionally acting this way to lull himself into complacency.

Feng Jiu was formally trained and certainly knew more about simulation fields than he did. Her impulsiveness now was very different from her state when she first woke up.

In the current situation, an impulsive and hot-tempered personality was clearly more likely to gain the Feng Family's favor.

Everyone knows that a person with a simple mind and impulsiveness is easier to control.

One should never underestimate anyone.

But no matter the situation, Duge wasn't too worried. Although Feng Jiu retained her original memories and martial skills, she hadn't eaten much and hadn't fully recovered from her injuries. On the other hand, he had developed the ability to Sacrifice Oneself for Justice and the Rear Eye, with his physical attributes soaring; he didn't have to worry about her lashing out at him.

Duge also discovered that when he genuinely upheld the Feng Family's interests, the benefits to him weren't just healing his injuries but also enhancing his attributes such as strength and senses.

Only then did Duge's doubts truly dissolve.

If the keywords could only help one recover and provide some unreliable skills, one would hardly be able to navigate the game world.

Taking the current world as an example, there was only half a year left before the Martial Worlds conference.

Even a genius couldn't possibly prepare to contend with martial arts masters who had practiced for years in just six months—unless they possessed the body of a martial arts master.

However, combining his and Feng Jiu's cases, Duge guessed that the chances of directly possessing a martial arts master must be extremely low.

But if keywords could enhance one's physique and senses, plus skills, that could level the playing field...

Feng Shiren looked at Duge again and asked with a smile, "Mr. Seven, could you please elaborate on the matter of possession?"

"Yesterday, a spatial rift appeared between this world and the Demon Realm. The Demon Realm is barren, and three thousand Heavenly Demons took the opportunity to invade the Mortal Realm, wishing to enjoy its prosperity," Duge smiled, surveying those present as he introduced the backstory he had thought up earlier, "Heavenly Demons have no physical form, and to establish a foothold in this world, their first step must be to possess a body and be reborn..."

...

"A spatial rift?"

"The Demon Realm?"

"Extraterritorial Heavenly Demons?"

...

Members of the Feng Family changed color in shock and disbelief.

The more timid ones looked at Duge and Feng Jiu, instinctively stepping back. It must be said, the changes in Feng Qi were indeed devilish.

If it were just some lonely ghosts possessing a body, that would have been one thing...

But Heavenly Demons!

In the Martial Worlds, those with 'demon' in their nickname... hadn't they all spilled blood on their hands?

Listening to the excuses Duge had fabricated, Feng Jiu sipped his tea to himself, not uttering a word. He didn't take Duge to task, not because he had a change of heart, but because he realized a terrifying truth.

This truth even made him temporarily forget the hatred he had for Feng Qi.

His stomach hurt a little.

Stomach pain was not a big deal; it must have been a side effect of gnawing on the grass mat.

The most critical point was that he was full!

Before.

Feng Jiu hadn't felt that there was much of a problem when he was gnawing on the grass mat.

But the Feng Family had been forcing him to eat to test his abilities, so much so that he now felt bloated and could hardly drink any more tea.

Gluttony had given him a simple way to enhance his strength but hadn't endowed him with the corresponding capacity...

Damn it!

How could this be?

If he couldn't keep eating, how was he supposed to surpass Duge?

Looking at Duge chatting away in the presence of everyone, Feng Jiu felt bitterly jealous. Why was such an excellent keyword bestowed upon a scumbag of flawed character?

...

"Are all the three thousand Heavenly Demons from beyond this boundary like the two gentlemen?" Feng Shiren lifted his eyelids slightly, not showing too much concern over Duge's words.

He was the Family Head. He wouldn't believe whatever others said; even if Duge was telling the truth, he had to verify it before taking action.

"More or less," Duge said.

"Would Heavenly Demons harm the Mortal Realm?" Feng Yunjie, young and at the age where one is curious about supernatural forces, couldn't help but ask.

"Some do, some don't. How should I put it? Heavenly Demons prioritize enjoyment and elevation," Duge said with a smile. "The term 'Heavenly Demon' may sound terrifying, but they're not as complex as humans. Each Heavenly Demon has its unique attributes, the keyword that Feng Jiu mentioned earlier. We must conform to our own attributes to grow.

For example: My attribute is protection. Everything I say and do must consider the welfare of others, maintaining and safeguarding their interests. If I act contrary to protection, my power will be significantly weakened. So, my attribute is auxiliary and harmless; Feng Jiu's attribute is much simpler, he can grow rapidly by eating, which is neither good nor bad.

If there were a Heavenly Demon with evil attributes, like cruelty or deceit, then it would indeed be possible to harm the Mortal Realm..."

What the hell!

Hearing Duge continue to reveal his secrets, Feng Jiu gave him a death glare and gritted his teeth in anger. Gluttony was such a good keyword, and if it weren't for this bastard, how would he have fallen to such a state?

Right.

It wasn't that his keyword was not good.

Gluttony was a keyword meant for a surge in later stages; all he needed to do was hide away and eat heartily, and one day he would make a shocking impact. Now that he was exposed by Feng Qi, he was constrained everywhere — it was all his fault.

He had to find a way to break out of this situation...

Feng Jiu pondered for a moment and did not expose the lies Duge had spun. Instead, he interrupted him and said, "Family Head, I have figured it out. I will sincerely cooperate with the Feng Family. As you all have seen, Feng Qi is duplicitous. Today he supports the Feng Family, but tomorrow, for greater gains, he might support someone else. With me as a check on him, it will be more beneficial for the Feng Family..."

Feng Shiren looked at Feng Jiu in surprise and shook his head inwardly. Heavenly Demons and the like were beyond his understanding; too many uncontrollable factors were involved.

The simplest way to deal with it would actually be to kill them, resolving the problem once and for all. But if they were tearing into each other, that would be more manageable, and it would be possible to use them against each other for his gain.

Duge laughed and shook his head, "Family Head, don't listen to his provocation. Protection is my instinct. If I abandon my protection targets, my Divine Skills will be greatly reduced. I won't make such foolish mistakes. Besides, I am a member of the Feng Family. Rashly going out to protect others would require their trust in me. Protecting the Feng Family is more efficient, while protecting others is less so."

"Feng Qi, ask yourself, haven't you betrayed me? You traded me for the support of the Feng Family, and in the future, you might trade the Feng Family for greater gains. As long as you ensure that the person or power you protect is stronger than before, your weakness will not be revealed," Feng Jiu retorted sharply.

With Gluttony being too restrictive in the early stages, and Duge being devious, he had to ensure his survival before contemplating other matters.

Moreover, since he was not capable of eating incessantly, ensuring the quality of his food became a prerequisite for his growth; drinking Feng Qi's blood had a much better effect than gnawing on a grass mat. In that case, staying with the Feng Family was a very good choice.

After all, the Feng Family had substantial resources, making it safer than him trying to make his way on his own. In the event that he ate something nonsensical outside and died of gastroenteritis, that would be truly regrettable.

"Brother Jiu, are you not ashamed? I chose a broader path than the one you had set by running away from the Feng Family, which made my starting point countless times higher. This is to protect our shared interests. How can you call it betrayal?" Duge said. "Anyone who judges would think the path I chose is better than yours. Fleeing the Feng Family, for me, would be an act of treachery, risking the fury of the Feng Family's pursuit, making my survival uncertain from day to day. Once a protector, always a protector. If I get used to betrayal, turning back and forth, how can I grow?"

...

Feng Jiu huffed coldly, "Such glib lips."

Duge just smiled, "Brother Jiu, your understanding of protection is narrow, whereas I see it in a broader sense..."

...

Feng Shiren twirled his mustache and watched the two argue, his eyes alight with amusement.

Fight on!

The fiercer, the better.

The more fiercely you argue, the more information you reveal.