Chapter Sixty-Four: I Must Go Gossip with Senior Brother!

It’s over! Completely over! My mind is in shambles!

Lu Mingfei gasped for breath, not wanting to open his eyes to face the world, even if this world was false, a mere dreamscape. Only on Fuff’s lap did he still feel a lingering trace of warmth.

If Funina’s theory was correct, then he’d basically sabotaged a Dragon King’s plans, then lured another Dragon King over, tricking him into believing this human was his brother. If Norton really came, and realized that Chu Zihang was not only not his brother, but not even truly a Dragon King…

My God, my mentality is collapsing! Is it too late to join the Cassell Dragon-Slaying Squad now? I managed to offend two Dragon Kings in a single morning—it’s no wonder the little devil looks at me so strangely. He knows. He must know everything, but he just won’t say it… Ah!

“That’s why, I think right now it’s not your safety I should be worrying about, but rather my own,” Funina sighed.

She was the one who cared most about Lu Mingfei in this world; only she would think so much for him.

Funina had begun pondering the little devil long ago, since he was the only one, apart from Lu Mingfei, who could see her. Her attention to the little devil was far greater than Lu Mingfei realized, and her suspicions about his existence began a long time ago.

A girl in love always becomes especially cautious and clever when it comes to another existence similar to herself.

“I feel like… you didn’t use to be this smart, did you?” Lu Mingfei slowly lifted his head, his face full of helplessness and sorrow. He even felt that his expression somewhat resembled Agni’s.

“Because…”

Funina gently cupped Lu Mingfei’s face in her hands, as though cradling the world’s most precious treasure. She smiled more brilliantly than the stars, and whispered softly, “…because I have you.”

I… have you?

The youth stared, dazed. Her words were like a hand, forcefully pulling him out of the abyss of sorrow, then holding him tightly in a cherished embrace. The warmth wrapped around him, making his eyes grow moist and gentle.

The night was beautiful, because it was illuminated by her face.

The night was quiet, because he could hear her breathing, her heartbeat, and his own.

She parted her lips slightly; her breath carried a faint fragrance, fresh as morning dew, making one feel clear-headed and joyous.

“The night is wonderful.”

“Mmm…”

“Hoo~”

Lu Mingfei woke from the dream. Now fully aware of the situation, he didn’t panic. He simply picked up his phone and looked at Lao Tang, who had sent him over ninety-nine messages again.

Ugh… still such a headache!

On the other side, Chu Zihang had also messaged him.

Chu Zihang: How about you let me add Norton as a friend? I’d like to chat with him.

Um…

This is suffocating!

Should he really let them start chatting?

What a difficult decision.

After a brief hesitation, Lu Mingfei finally sent Chu Zihang Lao Tang’s account info. Whatever—let things blow up if they must. He’d just bunker down at home and accumulate strength; as long as he remained the strongest, he’d be safe.

“Lu Mingze, come out for a second.”

“What is it, brother?” The little devil appeared on the sofa, a playful grin slowly spreading across his face.

“How would you rank my current strength among the Dragon Kings? Compared to Senior Brother and Lao Tang, am I stronger or weaker?” Lu Mingfei asked simply.

“Dragon King strength is generally divided into juvenile, sub-adult, adult, and super-evolved. As for you, my dear brother, you’re at the peak of the juvenile stage. I haven’t seen Norton, but the power in your Senior Brother’s body is at the sub-adult level, and quite strong even among sub-adults. She must have been storing up power for a long time.”

As he spoke, the little devil’s grin grew even wider. Just thinking about Jormungand, who’d inexplicably lost her sub-adult Dragon King power, made him want to laugh.

Bear in mind, Odin’s power was now only at the sub-adult level, not much different from Jormungand’s. With full use of that power, Chu Zihang could fight Odin evenly, maybe even have a good chance of killing him.

(At this point, Odin hadn’t devoured the dragon bones of the White King, Constantine, or Fenrir. Even after devouring those three, his power during the Dragon King reboot had not yet reached adulthood.)

“Whoa, so Senior Brother is that strong?” Lu Mingfei’s mouth twitched. He thought: The Dragon King who set up this plan was really generous, just shoving such mighty power into Senior Brother? If that’s not true love, what is?

“A friendly reminder: your Senior Brother also carries the aura of a certain cocoon—a Dragon King’s cocoon. The consciousness of a Dragon King can revive in him after death. But how could a Dragon King revive in another Dragon King’s body? Fascinating, isn’t it?” Lu Mingze’s smile grew even richer, and he sipped his ice-cold cola with an air of cool detachment.

“I don’t get it.”

On the surface, Lu Mingfei’s expression didn’t change, but inside he was deeply shaken.

Although the cocoon plus dragon bone was the perfect method for resurrection, like some Dragon King was treating Chu Zihang as insurance, on closer inspection, the logic didn’t add up.

Chu Zihang was far too active—he went on countless missions each year, often fought on the front lines, and used Blood Rage frequently. Placing a cocoon and dragon bone in someone like him seemed anything but safe. If the goal was insurance, they should be hidden somewhere much safer.

What if Chu Zihang died? What if he lost control in Blood Rage? Use the cocoon and dragon bone to fix it!

To Lu Mingfei, the cocoon and dragon bone combo seemed more like tools to protect Senior Brother. These two artifacts could maximize Chu Zihang’s safety— even Odin, whom Chu Zihang feared most, wouldn’t be able to take his life under the protection of another sub-adult Dragon King.

In other words—

The Dragon King who left both dragon bone and cocoon in Chu Zihang’s body was likely someone who loved him deeply, enough to give up her power and use everything she had to shield this boy.

The final step to protect him would probably be to go willingly to her death—perhaps soon, that Dragon King would choose to die, burying her will in the cocoon, to become Senior Brother’s last, strongest shield at a critical moment.

And now…

Senior Brother had just taken her power.

If that Dragon King—

—died without knowing…

Ugh.

“How awkward! How terrifying!” Lu Mingfei groaned to the sky, and hurried to message Senior Brother on QQ: Senior Brother, do you have any particularly close friends? Or, anyone you like? Or who likes you?

Chu Zihang: You?

Lu Mingfei: Besides me.

Chu Zihang: I don’t like anyone, and I don’t think many people like me. Probably.

Not many?

Lu Mingfei frowned. He suddenly realized that Chu Zihang was a star at Shilan High School; the girls who liked him were countless. If the Dragon King were one of them, this line of questioning wouldn’t work.

Better change tactics!

Lu Mingfei: You don’t have a girlfriend?

Chu Zihang: No.

Lu Mingfei bit his lip, glaring at his phone, brow furrowed. He really couldn’t figure out who this mysterious, deeply loving Dragon King might be.

Wait—! He didn’t have many friends: Chu Zihang, Lao Tang, and Su Xiaoqiang. Su Xiaoqiang liked Chu Zihang and wanted to enroll at Cassell College. Could it be possible that she was the Dragon King? Maybe she’d been hiding in the school all along, approaching him because he was also a Dragon King, and so treated him as a close brother.

It did seem possible…

Chu Zihang: Mr. Norton seems a bit too enthusiastic—I’m struggling to keep up.

Lu Mingfei: Hang in there.

Chu Zihang: (grievance.jpg)

“Hoo~”

Lu Mingfei let out a long breath. He could barely imagine his stone-faced Senior Brother sending a “grievance” emoji. It didn’t fit his ‘grim reaper’ persona at all; it was completely at odds with the image Lu Mingfei had of him, as if Senior Brother had gone to gossip with someone himself—absurd!

It should be me gossiping with him!

Now, I’ve got to dig up his gossip. Only by finding out his secrets can I guess who the hidden Dragon King really is.

But if I do find out—

If the Dragon King sees Senior Brother now—

And discovers her dragon bones are gone…

Ugh, that scene would be explosive. Senior Brother is the one she wants to protect, but he’s turned around and taken her power. What kind of hellish scenario is that?

A sin indeed!

“What are you worrying about, brother? Did you guess something?” Lu Mingze stood nearby, watching the phone, hugging a bucket of popcorn from who-knows-where, munching happily.

“What do you think?” Lu Mingfei shot him a cold look, an expression of utter complexity on his face.

“Oh, you don’t need to worry. In just a few days, something very interesting will happen—hee hee, it’ll be super fun.” The little devil grinned as if he could predict the future.

“Interesting? Explain yourself. I don’t understand.”

“Want to make a deal? Just a quarter of your soul, and I’ll give you a bombshell secret! Come on, make a deal with me~” The little devil kept munching popcorn, still grinning mischievously.

“Get lost!” Lu Mingfei growled in frustration.

(End of this chapter)