1 Chapter 1: The Mark

Feng Biao was busy washing dishes when he noticed a red splotch forming on his right hand under the soapy water.

'FUCK did I cut myself on some knife under the water?'

Feng Biao thought as he quickly lifted the hand away from work to see how badly he had cut himself.

To his surprise what he had thought to be a gash was an intricate red tattoo. Two red stars stacked vertically with 3 tally marks in between lay on his hand. Feng Biao jumped he almost wanted to scream but he knew that would cause too much of a disturbance, this wasn't his kitchen after all.

"Boss Wang I have an appointment with a military recruiter," Feng Biao hollered out towards the front of the restaurant.

"Are all the dishes washed?" Wang retorted.

Glancing at the dishes Feng Biao knew he would never work here again and replied "No Boss Wang, I'll finish them before I go," and while putting sponge to dish Feng Biao's mind drifted.

'2 stars mean a real deal Divinity; a god has chosen me. And those three marks, I've heard that's how the Hindu Divinities sign their marks.'

Watching his hand make circular motions time flew and the nagging question became who had chosen him. Before he got an answer to that he knew he must say goodbye to Wang Hao. With the last dish cleaned, Feng Biao left the kitchen and walked towards his boss.

"Boss Wang I am truly grateful for the help you gave me!" Feng Biao said with passion.

"You going sign up for the Coalition Forces?" Wang Hao said staring away from Feng Biao.

"No, I was chosen." Feng Biao said proudly holding his hand out for Wang Hao to see.

"A Mark of Divinity!" Wang Hao exclaimed in shock. "Going to see a military recruiter makes more sense now, you should go quickly," Wang Hao said with an uneasy smile while placing his hand on Feng Biao's shoulder.

Feng Biao stared back at the face of the man he had called Boss Wang for years.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say without Wang Hao that Feng Biao would have a much harder life. He was a child whose parents were unknown. The orphanage he lived in, Lucky Duck, had a specific rule about children with no documentation like him in the hopes it could secure a home for even those without a background.

Their DNA wasn't allowed to be tested to show proof they had ancestors who were Marked. In a way, they were like lottery tickets, for if you adopted a child whose ancestry showed a high potential of being Marked in the future you would have a good chance of having a bona fide hero in your household.

Feng Biao had been adopted under those conditions, but when the test came back as showing no results his new parents drove him to a slum and threw him away. To be honest he couldn't even remember their faces. On the other hand the face of Wang Hao, elderly even then, he remembered that face quite clearly as it had grown furious at him for attempting to dine and dash on an empty stomach.

He was scolded mercilessly about stealing from those who worked for a living and beaten up a bit for the trouble. When Wang Hao had demanded to know who his parents were so he could give them a piece of his mind Feng Biao told him the truth. Wang Hao then tried to contact Lucky Duck and see if they could send someone to pick up Feng Biao.

The answer he got back was a firm "no", upon demanding a reason Wang Hao was told that those same parents that had abandoned Feng Biao had returned.

They had both made a scene in front of other parents mentioning Feng Biao's name as a dud. Word would spread that Feng Biao was not a worthwhile choice for adoption.

Frustrated Wang Hao demanded they send those parents over to pick up the child they had adopted, Feng Biao.

Again, the answer he received was "no".

While parents could not force Lucky Duck to break the rules of its founder, a Marked, Lucky Duck could not force these two to keep Feng Biao.

In a spur of the moment, Wang Hao decided he would go down to Lucky Duck and confront the two himself. He took Feng Biao with him and they marched towards the orphanage. When they arrived, Wang Hao was informed by the receptionist Feng Biao's former parents had already departed, taking another child with them.

Wang Hao angrily demanded to know why they had let them go and take another child with them. The answer was money. They simply paid enough to smooth over the incident with Feng Biao and went on their way. As it turned out the two were quite wealthy, Feng Biao also remembered that as being the only real impression he got of them.

Feng Biao had then sighed, even as a child he understood that Lucky Duck would no longer have a place for him. His best option was to make it to another orphanage in some place where he wasn't known and hope for the best. With a sketchy future in mind, Feng Biao had stepped nervously towards the exit.

Before he reached the door Feng Biao heard footsteps rush behind him. Wang Hao yanked Feng Biao and dragged him towards the receptionist.

Wang Hao declared "I'll take responsibility for this one," and quickly signed the papers making him Feng Biao's legal guardian.

Feng Biao was given food and shelter in Wang Hao's home that very night. He remembered feeling like he could not allow himself to get too comfortable with the situation, no matter how delicious the food was. He felt at any moment Wang Hao might change his mind.

It had been 8 years since then, even now at 16 as a legal adult Wang Hao kept Feng Biao employed in his restaurant and a roof over his head. Despite this Feng Biao had never actually called Wang Hao "dad" and Wang Hao never called him "son" their relationship was more like that of a teacher and his prized pupil.

Nevertheless, as tears welled in his eyes Feng Biao thought 'Boss Wang, you will always be more of a father to me than any man can claim to be!'.

They both knew the road ahead for Feng Biao was long and dangerous, but Feng Biao struggled to express how he truly felt.

Wang Hao broke the silence first, "Feng Biao when you come back, I'll serve you my world-famous Da Xiao Min."

Feng Biao smiled and said, "I'll definitely be back for that Boss Wang."

They shook hands and Feng Biao said "goodbye" as he exited from the unassuming restaurant.

Wang Hao said "goodbye" as he watched Feng Biao walk away. He felt from that interaction he had truly done a good job raising Feng Biao. Waterworks in the company of others were best saved for tragedies, otherwise, it could spell a bad omen.

Wang Hao felt Feng Biao left like a man. He was truly proud of that.

When he was sure Feng Biao was gone, he couldn't help but let a tear or two drops. Yes, this was what a man was. Holding in tears in front of others, letting some down in private. Wang Hao proceeded to obsessively clean his restaurant to get his mind off that lingering dread that could always bring more tears.

"I believe in you son."