The emotions in the virtual classroom continued to spread.
Lei Yan tapped the lectern, bringing everyone's attention back.
"To help you survive a few extra seconds in this live defense assessment, the federal military is issuing one final benefit."
He opened a document on the holographic screen.
"The [Starfire Defense Student Loan] is now officially available to all graduating seniors."
His single eye swept across the room. There was no disguising the cold reality in his voice. "Interest-free. No collateral. You can use this money to buy weapons, food, or Combat Skill Cards."
"You won't begin repaying principal and interest until you graduate and officially enter frontline service."
"Remember, this is the nation's last act of mercy toward you. And an advance on your coffin money."
A detailed table of loan limits appeared on the screen.
Lin Yuan looked up.
C-rank initial rating: two million faith points.
D-rank: one million.
E-rank: three hundred thousand.
F-rank... ten thousand at most.
Gasps filled the classroom.
At that moment, the walls dividing social classes became cold numbers slapped across everyone's faces.
Get ahead once, and you stayed ahead.
C-rank students started with two million. F-ranks couldn't even get a full ten thousand.
"Teacher, that's not fair!" An E-rank commoner boy sprang to his feet, his face red.
"What can three hundred thousand buy? One ordinary Black Iron-grade Combat Skill Card costs twenty thousand!"
"Those C-ranks can feed their kin potions until they're 5-star Black Iron!"
Lei Yan didn't even lift his eyelids. "Fair? When you reach the Abyssal front, try discussing fairness with those mountain-sized void beasts."
"Federal resources are limited. They'll go to people with value. Trash doesn't deserve to waste the nation's faith points."
Speechless, the boy sank into his seat.
A derisive laugh came from the front row.
Zhao Tianze, the wealthy B+-rated star of the class, stood up.
He adjusted his collar and raised his chin slightly.
"Mr. Lei, I've already applied. Five million approved instantly."
Looking around, Zhao Tianze swept his gaze over the indignant commoner students. A mocking smile curled his lips.
"My family also put in another five million privately yesterday. Ten million faith points altogether."
The announcement went off like a bomb in the classroom.
Ten million!
Many commoner students had never seen that many faith points in their lives. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
That fortune was enough for a shopping spree on the Pantheon Trading Network.
Enough to outfit several hundred kin in refined steel heavy armor and standard enchanted weapons.
He could even hire a low-ranking Demigod as a special training instructor for a few days.
"The first-place barracks blueprint is mine." Zhao Tianze spoke with absolute certainty, as if stating an established fact.
His hangers-on immediately clapped and cheered.
"Brother Ze, you're fucking awesome! With five million thrown in, those Abyssal projections won't even be enough to fill your Orcs' teeth!"
"That's the power of money! It's fucking part of your talent!"
"Brother Ze, let us team up with you for the assessment! Throw us a few points!"
In the back row, Fatty Wang stared at the eighty-thousand-point limit on his terminal and scratched his head hard.
He sighed and turned toward Lin Yuan beside him.
"Yuan." He lowered his voice. "With that F- rating, how much did this shitty system approve for you?"
Lin Yuan looked down. A pitiful gray notification box had just opened on his Deity Terminal.
[Your F- wasteland rating has been assessed as extremely high risk. Your maximum Starfire Defense Student Loan limit is 5,000 points.]
Five thousand points.
In a market where transactions ran into the millions, it wouldn't make the slightest splash.
"Not much." Lin Yuan closed the notification. "Enough for some food."
He had barely finished when a sneer came from the aisle.
Zhao Tianze had approached without him noticing.
He happened to catch the number flashing on Lin Yuan's terminal. He no longer bothered to hide his contempt.
"Five thousand? Lin Yuan, that wasteland start is so pathetic it almost hurts."
He stopped in front of Lin Yuan's desk and looked down at him.
"That wouldn't buy the cheapest refined steel greatsword for my Orcs."
"What, are you taking your five thousand to the market for rotten cabbage leaves? Feed those Gray Goblins that can do nothing but dig?"
Every gaze in the classroom turned their way.
On one side, a B+-rated prodigy with five million at his disposal.
On the other, an F--rated commoner living on welfare with a wasteland for a domain.
The stark contrast left many commoner students feeling a stifled sympathy for one of their own. None dared speak.
Zhao Tianze enjoyed being the center of attention.
He reached out and tapped Lin Yuan's desk.
"Since we're classmates, let me show you a way forward."
He adopted the air of someone dispensing charity.
"Sign a Vassal God Contract. Become my subordinate. In the assessment, send every goblin ahead of my Orc army to clear mines and serve as meat shields."
"One hundred faith points for every dead goblin. When it's over, I'll personally give you twenty thousand. How's that?"
A Vassal God Contract.
Signing meant surrendering half the control over one's Divine Domain and becoming another person's slave.
Sending one's kin to die as cannon fodder in return for a few miserable scraps.
The hangers-on chimed in.
"What are you waiting for, Lin Yuan? Hurry up and thank him!"
"Twenty thousand! All your shitty goblins together aren't worth two thousand. Brother Ze's doing charity, letting you lick the bowl!"
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! Better than having the monsters flatten your domain during the assessment and going bankrupt, right?"
Fatty Wang slammed the desk, his flesh shaking. "Zhao Tianze, quit fucking disgusting everyone! Twenty thousand to buy someone's Divine Domain? You think you're tossing scraps to a beggar?"
"Fuck off, fatass. Nobody asked you." Zhao Tianze gave him a cold glance.
"Lin Yuan, this opportunity comes once. Pride isn't worth a damn in front of an Abyssal monster."
Lin Yuan hadn't even changed his sitting position.
He slowly raised his eyes.
No anger. No humiliation. None of the inner struggle Zhao Tianze had expected.
"No thanks."
His voice was steady.
"My goblins have had big appetites lately."
He paused, shifting his gaze from Zhao Tianze's face to the assessment countdown on the blackboard.
"I'm afraid your Orcs wouldn't even be enough to feed them."
Everyone in the classroom stared at him as if he were insane.
What was he saying?
Garbage Gray Goblins at the very bottom of the ladder, eating B+-rank Orcs as rations?!
Even Fatty Wang was dumbfounded. He hurriedly tugged at Lin Yuan's uniform under the desk.
That was one hell of a boast. It might be impossible to walk back.
"Do you want to die?"
The charity on Zhao Tianze's face froze, then became dark fury.
Lin Yuan hadn't just rejected his "gift." He had trampled all Zhao Tianze's hard work beneath his feet.
"Ungrateful trash."
Zhao Tianze clenched his teeth and snorted.
"Let's see how many seconds your brain-dead goblins, who can barely hold a blade, last in the Divine Domain Defense Simulation!"
"When your domain collapses and the academy kicks you out, don't come fucking crawling to me on your knees!"
He swept his hand dismissively, turned, and disappeared from the virtual academy.
His lackeys made throat-cutting gestures at Lin Yuan before scattering with a stream of curses.