Chapter 90 Constantine
Lu Mingfei walked out of Angers' office, still in a daze. The news about Hill echoed in his ears, like a haunting ghost, making him uneasy. Was Hill dead, or was he hiding in the dark? This became the biggest question in his heart, which he could not get rid of.
He walked slowly along the stone path of the campus. The campus seemed particularly quiet under the night, but in his mind, thoughts were surging like the tide.
Along the way, many students recognized him and couldn't help but stop, taking out their mobile phones to take pictures of him. Those students looked eagerly, as if they were looking at a hero who had just returned triumphantly. In just a few minutes, these photos appeared in the Night Watch discussion area.
The post title "The S-rank King Returns!" was very eye-catching, and included several photos of Lu Mingfei's back. His slightly lonely figure stood out against the night sky.
The post was quickly pushed to the forefront of the discussion area, and the comment section exploded instantly. All kinds of admiration, speculation and exaggerated praise flooded the screen, but Lu Mingfei knew nothing about this craze. He didn't even know that there was such a discussion area in the school.
He pushed open the door of the dormitory. The room was still filled with the smell of instant noodles left by Finkel, and the air was filled with the subtle smell of tobacco and seasoning packets.
As soon as Lu Mingfei stepped into the room, he saw Finger rushing towards him like a fat bear, dancing with excitement: "Boss! You are so awesome. You killed two dragons in just one day!"
Lu Mingfei looked at Finkel's naked appearance, who had obviously just crawled out of bed, wearing only a pair of fancy shorts. He kicked him in annoyance. Although he didn't use all his strength, Finkel fell heavily to the ground and rolled a meter away.
"Stop being disgusting and get me a cigarette." Lu Mingfei sat on his bed, brows furrowed, still thinking about what Ange had just said.
Finkel got up from the ground, holding his chest which was hurt by the kick, and said with a sad face: "Boss, you have smoked all my Cuban cigars!"
“My card is still with you, right? Consider it as what I bought.” Lu Mingfei waved his hands impatiently.
Hearing this, Finkel's expression immediately changed. The bitter look on his face was instantly replaced by joy. He smiled and took out a box of fine Cuban cigars from the drawer. He took out one skillfully, lit it, and handed it to Lu Mingfei.
"Boss, look at what you said. We are brothers. It's so vulgar to talk about money." Finkel came up with a grin.
Lu Mingfei took the cigar, took a deep puff and ignored him. The thick smoke filled the dim room.
He squinted his eyes, enjoying the short-lived pleasure brought by nicotine, but his mood was still heavy. Seeing Lu Mingfei's low mood, Finkel couldn't help but put away his playful expression and found a topic: "Boss, why don't we move to Norton Hall?"
"Norton Hall? What is that place?" Lu Mingfei asked calmly while smoking a cigarette. He didn't know much about school affairs, and the name Norton Hall sounded unfamiliar to him.
Finkel slapped his head and began to explain: "Norton Hall, it used to be the office of the Student Union, but they lost the right to use it to you during the Free Day. Now they have moved to the Amber Hall next door, and Caesar's Bugatti Veyron also belongs to you. It is now parked in the basement garage of Norton Hall. Boss, when will you take me for a ride?"
"Norton Hall, it sounds quite big." Lu Mingfei said thoughtfully, the smoke he exhaled slowly dissipating in the air.
"That's right. It's a place big enough for hundreds of people to hang out together. It's much more comfortable than our small dormitory." Finkel added, his tone full of yearning.
Lu Mingfei leaned against the head of the bed, his expression a little dazed: "Forget it... Such a big house is too lonely for two people to live in." He thought of the days in the sanatorium in the Alps, where the natural scenery was tranquil and pleasant, and seemed somewhat similar to Kassel College. Living in such a place, without the worries of slaying dragons, he felt it was quite suitable for retirement.
While they were chatting, Finkel's laptop suddenly beeped, interrupting their conversation. Finkel walked quickly to the computer, scanned the information on the screen, and shouted excitedly: "Boss, the Student Union is holding a banquet tonight and invites us to attend! Guess how luxurious Caesar will be this time? I heard that the last pool party was filled with champagne. It was so luxurious that it was jaw-dropping!"
As Finkel spoke, he became more and more excited, as if he was already in that extravagant scene. He licked his lips and continued to lobby: "By the way, Boss, you also got a special privilege on the free day, which is that the first girl you confess to cannot refuse you and must date you for at least three months. I heard that there are many beautiful girls wearing lace skirts in the student union. This is a great opportunity!"
Lu Mingfei, however, had no interest in these flashy scenes. He dusted off his cigarette ash and replied calmly, "Not interested. Haven't you always wanted to drive fast? Come on, I'll take you out for a ride."
Finkel's mouth, which was originally wide open from smiling, suddenly froze, and he scratched his head awkwardly: "Actually... I still want to go to the Student Union for a big dinner..." His voice became smaller and smaller, but before he could finish, Lu Mingfei grabbed him by the back of the collar and dragged him out.
"Boss, wait a minute! Let me change my clothes!" Finkel was dragged around by Lu Mingfei, and he struggled and shouted.
Lu Mingfei finally let go and let Finkel go back to the room to change clothes. In fact, Lu Mingfei could go for a drive alone, but he was not familiar with the roads in Norton Hall. With Finkel, at least he would not be afraid of getting lost.
Under the guidance of Finkel, Lu Mingfei came to the underground garage of Norton House. The lights in the garage were cold and bright. Caesar kept his promise and had already sent the keys of Norton House and the Bugatti Veyron. Finkel lifted the tarpaulin on the Bugatti car body, and the silver-gray car body flashed a cold and sharp luster.
"16 cylinders, 4 turbochargers, 1001 horsepower, top speed 407 kilometers, 0 to 100 kilometers in just seconds... Boss, this car is a peerless beast!" Finger's eyes almost glowed, and he was as excited as a child seeing his favorite toy. He gently stroked the car body with his hand, as if he was stroking a precious work of art.
Lu Mingfei opened the car door and got in directly. The interior of the Bugatti Veyron was luxurious. The leather seats gave off a faint fragrance. The steering wheel and center console were decorated with carbon fiber. The numbers on the dashboard emitted a mechanical cold light. Every detail showed the extraordinaryness of this car.
"This car is not something that ordinary people can drive. Caesar actually willingly gave it to you. Tsk tsk..." Finkel stared at the car with envy, his eyes full of admiration.
Lu Mingfei lit a Cuban cigar, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled the smoke. The swirling smoke blurred his face, and his eyes looked into the distance through the windshield, as if he was thinking about something.
He has a driver's license but now seems to have forgotten how to drive. His eyes begin to flash with golden light.
Word Spirit Mirror Pupil
Every part of the Bugatti Veyron began to appear in his mind, and soon he had figured out all the structures of the car.
He inserted the car key into the ignition and turned it gently. The low roar of the engine was like a beast awakening. The powerful sound echoed in the garage with a shocking majesty. Lu Mingfei's eyes flickered slightly, his eyes were calm but revealed a bit of wildness.
Finkel couldn't wait to get into the passenger seat, fastened his seat belt, and patted Lu Mingfei's shoulder excitedly: "Boss, this is a Bugatti Veyron, you have to be careful, just step on the accelerator and it will fly!"
Lu Mingfei did not respond, his eyes fixed straight ahead. He stepped lightly on the accelerator, and the engine emitted a low and angry roar, as if responding to its master's call.
As the accelerator continued to increase, the Bugatti Veyron rushed out of the garage like a silver lightning, cutting through the silent night and quickly blending into the lights of the college.
Unknown to Lu Mingfei, a black figure looked at the speeding Bugatti Veyron and took out his phone.
"The Tyrannosaurus Rex has left the academy and is preparing for action. How did the damn little white rabbit evolve into a Tyrannosaurus Rex in just a few days? Now we have to hide from him to carry out our plan."
The night wind whistled past, the car was speeding up, Lu Mingfei held the steering wheel steadily, his fingers exerting a little force, as the car speed continued to increase, he felt the long-lost sense of freedom.
The scenes on both sides of the street quickly receded; the trees, lights, and buildings all turned into blurred images. The sound of the wind whispered in his ears, as if some invisible force was urging him to keep moving forward.
He didn't know where to go, he just wanted to keep driving like this, as if only by accelerating could he get rid of the confusion in his heart.
On the dashboard inside the car, the speedometer needle soared rapidly, and Finkel's expression gradually changed from excitement to nervousness. He grasped the armrests in the car tightly with both hands, and his whole body seemed to be pressed into the seat and unable to move.
"Boss, you're driving so fast, aren't you afraid of a car crash?" Finkel tried to force a smile, but the nervousness in his eyes could not be concealed. Lu Mingfei's driving style was too wild, and the extreme speed made him both excited and scared.
Lu Mingfei smiled and looked straight ahead through the car window: "What are you afraid of? Death is not scary, living is harder." He laughed at himself softly, smoke lingering in front of his face, as if covering him with a mysterious veil.
The moment he stepped on the accelerator again, the engine of the Bugatti Veyron roared again, responding to his feelings. He had already died once, so how could he be afraid of dying again?
The car speed soared again, the hardtop convertible of the Bugatti Veyron opened, the night wind lifted their hair and blew into the car. Lu Mingfei focused on controlling the direction, as if dancing with the night.
The headlights illuminated the winding road ahead, showing every tiny crack in the road surface clearly.
When they came to a tranquil lake, Lu Mingfei slowly stopped the car, and the roar of the engine gradually disappeared into the calm air.
The lake ripples faintly in the moonlight, like a huge black mirror, reflecting the stars in the night sky, appearing deep and mysterious.
Lu Mingfei and Finkel walked side by side to the lake. The surroundings were so quiet that only the sound of the breeze rustling the leaves could be heard. Lu Mingfei lit a new cigar, took a deep breath, and the smoke slowly came out from his mouth and nose, lingering in the night.
"I should have bought a few bottles of wine just now." Lu Mingfei looked at the moon on the lake, the red light of the cigarette butt flickering between his fingers.
Finkel stood aside, secretly glancing at Lu Mingfei's expression from time to time. Although there was not much conversation between the two, Finkel could feel a certain loneliness in Lu Mingfei's heart, a feeling of emptiness that could not be dispelled even if surrounded by speed and excitement.
"Boss, are you bothered by what I just said?" Finkel asked tentatively. Although he was usually careless, he was always sensitive to Lu Mingfei's emotional changes.
Lu Mingfei stared at the lake for a long time, his face blurred by the smoke. His voice was low and a little tired: "I just didn't expect that some people and things would always linger in my world and refuse to leave completely." His eyes were deep, as if he saw those distant years through the lake.
Finkel did not ask any more questions, but just nodded silently. He felt that Lu Mingfei seemed to be carrying too many heavy things in his heart, and he felt the same way. Those past memories and unsolved mysteries were like entangled shadows that always came back silently.
The night wind gradually rose, with a light mist, brushing across their faces. Lu Mingfei put his hands in his pockets, closed his eyes, and felt the breeze with a hint of coolness. Even if it was only a brief moment of peace, he wanted to hold on tightly. At this moment, a childish voice suddenly sounded in Lu Mingfei's ears, with a bit of innocence and a bit of weirdness: "Brother."
Lu Mingfei opened his eyes suddenly and found that Finkel was gone. In his place was the mysterious little boy who had appeared in the 3E exam. He still looked innocent, wearing a small suit, and his golden pupils revealed a heart-pounding light.
"Who are you?" Lu Mingfei looked at the boy and felt a little wary.
"I told you, my name is Lu Mingze, and I'm your younger brother." The boy smiled brightly, but there was an elusive meaning hidden under that smile.
"Are we in an illusion now, or in the real world?" Lu Mingfei squatted down and touched the grass by the lake with his palm. The weeds felt real and cold, making it hard for him to believe that this was just an illusion.
The boy's laughter was crisp and erratic: "It is both real and unreal." His answer was vague and puzzling like some kind of philosophical puzzle.
"Why did you come to see me again this time?" Lu Mingfei sat on the grass, too lazy to pay attention to the boy's obscure words. Since he couldn't get rid of him, he might as well have a chat.
"Brother, you have seen dragons. What kind of creatures do you think they are? Can they really destroy the world?" The boy sat beside him and looked up at the starry sky.
“No.” Lu Mingfei recalled the battle with the two dragons. Although they were powerful, they were far from having the ability to destroy the world.
"Yeah, it can't." The boy sighed softly, "Even the so-called World-Destroying Words of the Dragon King can only destroy a city."
Lu Mingfei remembered what the boy said last time and couldn't help but frowned: "If you mean the sun is the one that destroys the world, then there is nothing I can do. I can still try my best, Dragon King, but I can't do anything about the sun exploding."
The boy smiled but said nothing, his golden pupils flashing with a strange light: "Brother, we don't have much time, we must hurry up."
Lu Mingfei stared at the boy impatiently, his heart full of doubts: "What are you holding on to? What do you want me to do?"
The boy just raised his head, looked at the endless starry sky, and said in a faint voice: "Soon you will meet the Dragon King. Then you will know whether the Dragon King can destroy the world."
Before he finished speaking, the boy's figure gradually became illusory and finally dissipated into the air, as if he had never existed. Lu Mingfei suddenly woke up and found himself still sitting by the lake, and Finger was still beside him.
At this moment, an urgent air raid sirens sounded in the distance. The sharp alarm pierced the tranquility of the night. Lu Mingfei's heart suddenly tightened. He had just heard this sound on the day of freedom the day before, but this time the sirens were obviously more urgent.
Finkel's face changed drastically, and his tone was filled with fear: "This is an alarm of dragon invasion!"
Lu Mingfei's heart sank when he thought of the boy's words. He didn't say anything more, but turned and walked towards the Bugatti Veyron: "Let's go, let's go back."
Finkel was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly chased after him. He tried to persuade him: "Boss, why don't we hide here for a while, and wait until the elites of the academy deal with the dragons before going back!"
Although he said this, Finkel still sat in the co-pilot seat. He knew that this kind of persuasion was meaningless to Lu Mingfei.
The engine of the Bugatti Veyron roared again, and the silver-gray car body rushed towards the campus like a beast. The scenery outside the car receded at an incredible speed. Lu Mingfei increased the speed to the limit, but when he was about to enter the campus gate, a black shadow suddenly rushed out from the side and blocked the front of the sports car. It was a Harley motorcycle.
The tires of the Harley motorcycle made a harsh friction sound on the ground, almost hitting the front of the Bugatti. Lu Mingfei stepped on the brakes, and the Bugatti stopped in just a few meters. The strong inertia made Finkel's body lean forward. Before they could come to their senses, the rider on the Harley had jumped off the motorcycle, holding a short-barreled shotgun in his hand, and the muzzle of the gun was coldly pressed against Lu Mingfei's forehead.
"Hey! Who are you? Why haven't I seen you in school before? Do you know who is in front of you?" Finkel's eyes widened when he saw the shotgun pointed at Lu Mingfei's head.
"I don't care who you are! Drive me away from here quickly, or you'll lose your life! Wait... are you Mingming?" The owner of the Harley threatened arrogantly, but his funny face made his words sound like a joke. However, when he saw Lu Mingfei's face clearly, he was suddenly stunned.
"You are... Old Tang..." The cold iron of the gun muzzle passed through his skin and reached Lu Mingfei's mind. He frowned and instinctively wanted to fight back. But when he saw the rider's face clearly, all his movements stopped. Lu Mingfei looked at the recognizable face and said uncertainly.
Dust-covered memories opened up in Lu Mingfei's mind. Lao Tang was his only friend before he traveled through time to World War I. They played StarCraft together every night via the Internet cable that spanned the ocean. When Kassel College interviewed him, he even made a special video call with Lao Tang and asked Lao Tang to teach him English. Lao Tang also promised to take him on a Greyhound tour around America after he came to America.
After Lu Mingfei traveled back to World War I, he never played StarCraft again, and his only friend was also forgotten. He didn't expect to meet him in this situation today.
"Oh my god! Mingming, you said you were going to study abroad, but you actually came here! Mingming, please help your brother! Take me down the mountain!" Old Tang put down his shotgun and quickly got into the passenger seat of the Bugatti. He did not hide the panic and urgency on his face, and it looked like he was being chased by something.
"Old Tang, why are you here?" Lu Mingfei asked with a frown, staring at him vigilantly.
"It's work reasons, Mingming, don't ask any more questions, just take me away quickly! I didn't steal anything from your school, I just took a few photos!" Old Tang urged, looking around nervously, his words were hurried and hurried, and it was obvious that he had great concerns in his heart.
Lu Mingfei just looked at Lao Tang quietly. He knew that Lao Tang was closely related to the so-called dragon invasion, but they used to be friends, even his only friends. He had very few friends, and now most of them were dead, so he cherished every friendship.
"Fingal, let's get out of the car. Old Tang will give you this car. You don't have to return it." Lu Mingfei opened the door and got out of the car.
"Boss, this is a Bugatti Veyron! A super sports car worth one million euros, and you just give it away like that? He is an intruder!" Finkel was shocked by this sudden decision, but he still got out of the car obediently, with confusion and shock written all over his face.
“Really?!” Old Tang was also confused. He looked at Lu Mingfei in disbelief, and wondered if he had heard it wrong.
"Of course, Old Tang, we are friends." Lu Mingfei turned and walked towards the college. His back looked particularly lonely in the night. He did not look back, but just raised his hand and waved, as if this was the most natural thing.
Old Tang sat in the driver's seat of the Bugatti, looking at Lu Mingfei's back, a complicated look flashed in his eyes. He took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel tightly. The engine of the Bugatti roared again, and the wheels turned rapidly, and it drove away quickly like a fleeing cheetah.
"Mingming is really loyal. Next time you need help, I will keep my word!" Old Tang's voice mixed with the sound of the Bugatti's engine, gradually faded away, and finally disappeared in the wind.
Lu Mingfei stood there, silently watching the direction where Lao Tang left. He knew in his heart that this reunion might be the last one. No matter what Lao Tang would do next, their lives had already parted ways and they were in different worlds.
Finger stood nearby and coughed a few times, breaking the brief silence. "Don't worry, boss, I will never tell anyone about this." Finger patted his chest and promised, with a hint of embarrassment in his eyes.
Lu Mingfei ignored him and looked at the flaming figure in front of him.
The figure was like a mad fire-breathing dragon. The air around it was distorted due to the high temperature. Flames continuously spewed out of its mouth, devouring everything around it, as if it wanted to burn the world to ashes. The air was filled with a burning smell, and the heat wave hit people in the face, making it almost impossible to breathe.
Suddenly, a blazing flame burst out towards them, illuminating the night sky and rushing towards them with the momentum of destroying everything. Seeing this, Finkel's face changed drastically, and he screamed and quickly threw himself to the side, rolling hastily into the grass by the roadside, avoiding the scorching fire in a dusty state.
However, Lu Mingfei still stood there, motionless, as if all these threats had nothing to do with him. He narrowed his eyes and took out a Cuban cigar, his movements as calm as if he was enjoying afternoon tea in a leisurely afternoon.
The flames approached like a tide, sweeping over his head the moment they got close to him. The scorching heat almost singed the ends of his hair, but there was no sign of nervousness on Lu Mingfei's face.
He used the flame that passed by to light the cigar in his hand. The flame of the burning tobacco flickered in front of his face. The flame was reflected in his pupils, with a deep red luster. He took a deep breath of the cigarette, letting the hot smoke linger in his lungs, and then exhaled slowly, his eyes never leaving the figure in the flames.
The reason why Lu Mingfei was so calm was because he felt from the beginning that the flaming figure had no intention of killing.
The blazing flames gradually subsided, revealing the true identity of the figure inside. It was a young man who looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, with a thin body and flaming dragon scales wrapped around his body. His eyes shone with golden light, which was both blazing and innocent. There was no ferocious expression on his face, but instead a bit of confusion and anxiety.
"I'm not here to look for you." The young man raised his head, his golden pupils flickering in the firelight. His voice was clear but revealed a little childishness and innocence. "I'm here to look for my brother. Do you know where my brother is?"
His tone was like that of a child who knew nothing about the world, with an innocent persistence. Although the flames were raging around him, Lu Mingfei could see a hint of helplessness in the boy's eyes that was inconsistent with his violent appearance.
Lu Mingfei took another puff of the cigar, feeling the flavor of the tobacco melting in his mouth. He squinted his eyes, raised his chin slightly, tilted his head backward, and pointed his finger lightly in that direction.
The boy looked in the direction his finger was pointing, a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, and the temperature of the flames seemed to slightly weaken as his emotions grew.
Lu Mingfei then stepped aside, making way for the boy, signaling him to pass. The boy looked at Lu Mingfei, seemed a little hesitant, but finally nodded and walked past him with hesitant steps. The flames were still jumping around him, but seemed much softer.
When the boy walked past Lu Mingfei, Lu Mingfei could clearly feel the fiery energy flowing in the air. The scales on the boy's body shone with a metallic light under the light of the fire, carrying some kind of ancient and wild power, as if he was not from this world.
Finger poked his head out from the bushes, looked at the boy's back as he left, then looked at the calm Lu Mingfei, his face full of confusion and fear: "Boss, what kind of monster is this guy...?"
Lu Mingfei did not answer, but continued to smoke his cigar, the smoke drifting in the night wind. He knew that the boy in front of him might be one of the legendary Dragon Kings, but no matter who he was, what he saw at this moment was not a monster, but just a lost boy who was looking for his family.
(End of this chapter)
