Chapter 11: PDS

When the hour had elapsed, the recruits were all grouped up in front of the desk where Fang Zhang was sitting down. Sliding open a drawer he took out an intricate-looking box, unlocking it to reveal a large number of notebooks.

"Grab one and place your thumb on the cover below your name where you will sign it. From then on it will be registered to you and you alone."

And so they did, each grabbing a notebook. Feng Biao grabbed a red notebook and chose to trace his finger on the cover treating it as a pen. Hunter grabbed a green notebook but did nothing more.

Feng Biao had heard of these things, insanely expensive as they were he had never actually used one. They looked like normal notebooks but were essentially portable computers.

"As you know, technology doesn't work within Mythological Marbles. What you have in your hands isn't considered technology. They were created purely through Divine Tools, Divine Abilities, and Mythological Materials found within Mythological Marbles."

"That's why you've all been given a Personal Divine Scroll. Your PDS will be the only thing you carry into a Mythological Marble capable of guiding you. Never lose it, most of you can't afford the fine for doing so, let alone the cost of replacing it."

"Now, you'll be making your way to your dorms from here. I recommend you try to figure out how to get there using your PDS rather than following anybody, consider that your first official test."

Saying so Fang Zhang left the recruits in the gymnasium, taking the box left in the drawer with him, without any more instructions. Feng Biao stared at his PDS intently thinking about how when he had pressed his thumb to it, he felt an odd sensation, as if some energy left him.

He closed his eyes trying to picture where that energy was, where it had come from. With his eyes closed, Feng Biao could feel his Divine Contract was there with him, but perhaps all through his body something else was there too.

Hunter spoke to Feng Biao breaking his concentration, "Hey man I can't use my PDS I don't have any Divinity, so it's gonna be up to you to find out who our roommates are."

"How do I do that?"

"Ask your PDS and it will tell you, oh but flip to a page it doesn't matter which."

So Feng Biao did, opening his PDS and wondering how he should ask who his and Hunter's roommates were.

Suddenly words in bright red formed on the pages, "Your roommate is Song Zhilan. You cannot know the name of Hunter Jackson's roommate, you are not authorized to know this information."

Somewhat shocked the PDS was clearly capable of reading his mind Feng Biao relayed what he had been told to Hunter.

"Ask it if I can let you know."

Looking back at the page Feng Biao found a new word had formed replacing the previous sentence, "No."

Feng Biao shook his head and Hunter sighed.

"Well, Biao looks like I'm gonna have to go find my roommate the hard way. So for tonight, we'll be sleeping separately, see ya tomorrow."

With that Hunter went to question the other recruits about who their roommate was leaving Feng Biao alone.

Song Zhilan, he hadn't seen her in the gymnasium and looking around could still not spot her.

"Well, it's not my problem what she does."

Thinking so Feng Biao asked his PDS if it could show him the way to his dorm room.

"Yes."

"Can you show it as a map? If you can choose a route that gives me time to think."

"Yes."

And so on the pages, a map appeared featuring Feng Biao's name in a structure he could tell was the gymnasium with a giant red trail leading towards the dorms. Rather than a direct line, he found it curved around multiple buildings indicating the PDS had followed his intentions.

Taking a glance at Hunter still obviously not having success finding out who his roommate was Feng Biao decided that he would catch up with him tomorrow.

While walking towards the dorm Feng Biao decided to question what exactly the PDS was. It confused him, was it intelligent?

In response words surfaced on the pages.

"A PDS has no sense of individuality. PDS may be classified as "intelligent", but PDS have no actual sense of self, desires, or thoughts. "

"Well, that is fine but I'd prefer if you referred to yourself less mechanically."

"A more fun and engaging tone is allowed. However, the use of first-person singular personal pronouns requires all PDS to inform their owners that use of them is not indicative of actual feelings, thoughts, or will on the part of a PDS and should not be confused as such. If you begin to have thoughts telling you your PDS is sentient please seek appropriate assistance from a licensed physician."

"That's fine, now I have another question. Primordial Divinities, why are they treated so highly?"

"That is considered a politically hot-button topic. Therefore I am not allowed to give a reason myself. I am allowed to show you topics made and posted on the Divine Central Network about this. However, you will first need to register your Divine Contract System with me to search the DCN."

"Ok, tell me how to do that."

"While supplying me with Divinity connect the flow of Divinity from me to your Divine Contract."

Feng Biao stood still. He had an inkling that the thing he had felt when he had focused inside his mind was his Divinity. Closing his eyes he focused on his hands, then on himself, all through his body, he could feel something was there, an energy that gave him an odd sensation to even focus on.

He felt his mind racing, pounding, completely out of sync with calm to the point he just wanted to punch the nearest wall with all his strength. All because he felt like he had trapped that power that he could not clearly feel coursing through his body just by thinking about it.

Slowly, Feng Biao thought to mold his Divinity, making it stretch from his hands directly to his mind. He could feel to do this he didn't need to make his Divinity touch his brain, instead, he just needed to focus on it.

Inside his mind, he could see a strand of his Divinity reaching forward, he focused on it stretching and guiding it towards his Divine Contract. When they finally connected he felt a surge of power transfer between himself and PDS. Taking a look at his Divine Contract Feng Biao was given a clear answer why.

Divinity: 1/10

He could vaguely tell when he was talking to his PDS he was being drained of something, but it seemed linking up his Contract with his PDS had costed more Divinity than just speaking to it.

Taking a look at the map on the left side of the page Feng Biao could see he was nearing his destination and the name of his dorm room. He decided to close the PDS and ask it more questions when he had Divinity to spare. He didn't want to risk running out and ending up in a situation like Hunter.

When he closed the PDS he could feel the Divinity draining capabilities of it ceased. Looking forward towards the dorms Feng Biao was greeted with a large apartment-like complex. His room number was #132.

Marching forwards Feng Biao went to go meet a princess. He hoped she would be as nice in private as she had been in public.