Dragon Clan: Force me to be reborn and slay dragons

Chapter 318 A Childhood Sweetheart Appears Out of the Blue, How Can This King Lose?!
Upon returning to China, Cheng Shuangfan immediately sought out information about Chu Zihang's father.

The reason it wasn't the lonely guardian Chu Tianjiao but Chu Zihang's father was because that name was on the gray list of the Executive Department of Kassel College, a top-secret file that even the minister needed a special application to access.

Behind each code name on the gray list lies a high-ranking executive who is carrying out an S-class secret mission. A hasty investigation will only trigger numerous alarms.

But if he's looking for Chu Zihang's missing father, that would be much simpler.

After contacting the intelligence department of the Chinese branch and asking them to compile reports from the Fuzhou area in recent years that were suspected to be related to the Dragon Clan, they compiled reports of all abnormal events involving the Dragon Clan in the past ten years in less than 24 hours, and even retrieved the police's encrypted "unknown type of crime" files.

By flipping through these materials, Cheng Shuangfan easily sketched out a man's life trajectory of living in anonymity using those cold data.

How to put it? It's quite disheartening.

The photos in the file made him almost unrecognizable. The hunched-over man who deliberately grew a beard to cover his once sharp jawline was once a star student of Kassel College.

Those damned dragons, they turned a perfectly good person into a ghost.

Ironically, this man, who always said "family is the most important thing," ultimately chose to push his wife and children away from him and hand them over to others to be cared for.

Brother, you're so foolish!
If Chu Tianjiao were still alive, he would really want to grab the other party by the collar and question what he was thinking, even if he was knocked to the ground as soon as he made a move.

Unfortunately, he has passed away, and further words are of no use.

On July 3, 2004, Typhoon Dandelion made landfall, causing three days of torrential rain and strong winds.

A Maybach was abandoned on the elevated road, its body covered with bizarre damage resembling mechanical stamping and laser cutting.

The driver has disappeared without a trace, despite extensive searches, as if he vanished from the face of the earth. The incident remains a mystery to this day.

When Cheng Shuangfan saw this information, she was completely stunned.

The seemingly invincible elder brother in my mind actually fell in this small coastal town, and despite his best efforts, he only managed to send his son out alive.

However, considering that this is a feng shui treasure land that can accommodate a great god like Lu Mingfei, it can only be said that the water is shallow but the turtle is deep, nothing more.

Deeply shocked, while formulating his hunting plan, he also considered whether he could lure out the murderer who killed Chu Tianjiao back then.

That's why he chose that overpass as the final hunting ground for Shao Nanyin.

It's not just about making an example of someone, but also about luring the snake out of its hole.

Shao Nanyin's unusual mental state yesterday was no accident. The anxiety suddenly displayed by this pure-blooded dragon, who had lived for countless years, was most likely due to sensing the aura of its own kind, or even receiving a reminder from someone.

If the perpetrators of that "accident" are still lurking in the shadows, there is no better bait than reenacting the dragon hunt in the same old place.

Chu Zihang had no idea what Cheng Shuangfan was thinking, but when he saw that Cheng Shuangfan had finally decided on a wasteland near the overpass as the dragon hunting spot, his eyes were slightly puzzled.

He roughly guessed Cheng Shuangfan's plan and knew that she was destined to gain nothing, but he didn't say anything and just let it be.

You can't exactly say, "Uncle, you're too late. We already messed up the mastermind last night."

While chatting with Gao Mi and Wan Boqian, Xia Mi also kept a close eye on the conversation between Chu Zihang and Cheng Shuangfan from afar.

With her keen senses, she could hear every word of their conversation, even from a distance.

She just didn't expect that Gao Mi, this seemingly dull engineering guy, would be so perceptive.

Just as Wan Boqian finished explaining the important points about the Kassel preparatory class, Gao Mi suddenly pushed up her glasses and spoke abruptly:
"You like Chu Zihang?"

As a straight man with a science and engineering background, his words were like a powerful silence spell, completely silencing the two cheerful girls.

The air solidified instantly.

Xia Mi's eye twitched almost imperceptibly, then she took a deep breath, her face quickly displaying the shy and annoyed expression unique to young girls, her chubby cheeks puffing out in protest:

"Senior, don't spread rumors without any evidence."

Wan Boqian immediately chimed in, giving Gao Mi a reproachful glare: "That's right, girls are shy. How can anyone stand it when you ask so bluntly?"

Besides, what if someone overheard?

Although she was on Xia Mi's side, her words conveyed a tacit understanding that "we both understand."

After all, that was Chu Zihang, the most dazzling figure among the freshmen of 2008. He was exceptionally talented, came from a wealthy family, and had a cold yet handsome face. The girls in the academy who had a crush on him could line up from the library to the Hall of Heroes.

"No, I didn't." Xia Mi frowned, her chubby cheeks puffing out slightly. "Beware of fire, theft, and senior brothers. It's truly a wise saying. Senior Brother Gao, you're quite wicked too."

To ruin the dragon's reputation is extremely bad.

After listening, Gao Mi simply pushed up her glasses and didn't say anything more, but her gaze behind the lenses revealed a certainty that "I have already seen through everything."

As a straight man with a science and engineering background, his personality is straightforward, but his ability to judge people and read faces is surprisingly accurate.

Xia Mi's appearance suggests that, even if she isn't love-obsessed, she's at least the type who values ​​relationships very much.

Unfortunately, she arrived a little late.

Chu Zihang's period of rapid advancement has long been dominated by someone else's memories. If Xia Mi wants to overtake others solely based on her outstanding appearance...

difficult.

After all, Chu Zihang was never the kind of person who would be easily swayed by appearances.

Wan Boqian also thought of Su Qian, who was extremely popular in the academy, and couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for Xia Mi.

But that's what unrequited love is like; it's over before it even begins.

By the time Xia Mi finishes her preparatory course and enters undergraduate studies, Chu Zihang will probably have already been won over by Su Qian.

They weren't into anime or manga, and they didn't know the inside story, so they didn't understand how terrifying the double buff of a childhood friend appearing out of nowhere was. They were still there, thinking they were trying to comfort Xia Mi.

Xia Mi, on the other hand, keenly sensed her potential "formidable rival" from their few words.

She subtly probed, gradually sketching out an image of the other person in her mind—

Beautiful, gentle, strong, and caring like an older sister.

Most importantly, she has a broad mind, which gives people a maternal glow.

Xia Mi's mind went blank with alarm bells, but she quickly calmed down.

All under heaven belongs to the king, and all within the four seas are the king’s subjects!
What's mine will always belong to me!
If I don't give it to you, no one can take it from me!
Chu Zihang is exactly like her, inside and out. What can a mere human do against her?

The gossip session ended with Cheng Shuangfan and Chu Zihang's private chat.

Wan Boqian and Gao Mi continued to act as human surveillance cameras, while Chu Zihang and Xia Mi followed Cheng Shuangfan to learn and accumulate experience.

Finally, night fell, and Cheng Shuangfan had completed her glamorous transformation, disguising herself as the sunny, handsome man who had captured Shao Nanqin's heart.

He drove towards their meeting place, his shirt sleeves slightly rolled up, revealing his well-defined forearms. Gao Mi and Wan Boqian stayed behind to keep an eye on Shao Nanqin, while Chu Zihang and Xia Mi switched to a less conspicuous car and followed Cheng Shuangfan, intending to disguise themselves as a young couple going to the movies that night, ready to act as helpful bystanders at any time.

However, the location for tonight's date was clearly carefully chosen by the target dragon. The movie theater is located in the busiest commercial center in the city center, with huge traffic. If an arrest is carried out rashly, innocent passers-by are very likely to be injured.

Cheng Shuangfan was dressed in a clean white shirt and trousers, looking as if she had just gotten off work and casually tidied herself up before coming to the appointment.

But who would have thought that beneath this gentle and refined exterior lay a delightful surprise, meticulously crafted by the Equipment Department?

Those seemingly ordinary accessories conceal a potent anesthetic capable of easily incapacitating an African elephant.

Well, it's worth mentioning that it was originally filled with explosives, but it was modified into an anesthesia machine after a second modification.

A large crowd thronged in front of the movie theater. Cheng Shuangfan leaned against a pillar, her gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd.

Finally, the figure of "Shao Nanqin" came into view.

Shao Nanqin's style of dress was not much different from last night, or rather, this was her true appearance.

After all, Shao Nanqin was just imitating last night; today, the real Shao Nanyin is the one being imitated.

"Sorry, have you been waiting long?" Shao Nanyin asked, tilting her head, her hair swaying gently in the night breeze.

After discussing it with her silly older sister and agreeing to personally investigate her future brother-in-law, Shao Nanyin made a series of preparations to see who this guy named Cheng Shuangfan really was.

If the other person is just a seasoned player who enjoys manipulating emotions, that's fine. But the real danger is that the other person has ulterior motives and came prepared.

Whether it's targeting Shao Nanqin or Shao Nanyin, it will disrupt the peaceful lives of the two sisters.

She drove here tonight, not in her own Maserati, but in her sister's BMW, implying that she wouldn't be drinking tonight.

Of course, the main reason is to make it easier to escape in case of an accident.

The two exchanged a smile. Cheng Shuangfan pretended not to notice that her date had been switched, and Shao Nanyin also pretended that her feelings for the handsome man in front of her were about to explode. They walked into the movie theater side by side, chatting and laughing.

Not far behind them, a young couple who looked like they had just finished the college entrance exam and were enjoying a long summer vacation were leisurely strolling into the movie theater.

The boy was carrying an enormous bucket of popcorn. His cold, aloof face contrasted sharply with the extravagant snacks in his arms. He looked like a bag carrier who had been running around all day and was finally about to be relieved.

The girl, like a cheerful little deer, bounced around holding her iced cola, occasionally taking a sip of the cool cola through a straw, radiating visible joy and anticipation.

Many people were looking over here. It's not uncommon for handsome men and beautiful women to be together, but such a pretty girl is still very eye-catching.

Tonight's movie is the recently released "Night at the Museum 2," a fantasy adventure comedy with just the right amount of romance, making it suitable for couples on a date as well as families.

Chu Zihang followed behind Xia Mi, carrying a huge bucket of popcorn. When the tickets were checked, her arm naturally came up to him, the movement so practiced as if she had rehearsed it countless times, without the slightest awkwardness.

That's not surprising, since girls are used to holding hands, it's just that they've changed partners now.

What's even more impressive is that she precisely controlled the distance.

She maintained the reserve a junior should have for an upperclassman, while also perfectly conveying the awkwardness of someone just starting out in love—wanting to be close yet shy about showing it in public.

Xia Mi's acting skills are truly impeccable.

Their seats were arranged two rows behind Cheng Shuangfan and Shao Nanyin, while the front row was empty. The hunting team's network experts had already hacked into the cinema system and arranged the ticketing perfectly.

After the movie started, bursts of laughter could be heard from time to time in the screening room, interspersed with the crisp sound of ice cubes colliding and the rustling sound of snacks being chewed.

Shao Nanyin and Cheng Shuangfan in the front row acted like a real couple, sometimes whispering in each other's ears, sometimes exchanging smiles at each other because of a certain scene, their tacit understanding making people unable to help but smile.

But Chu Zihang had seen what true love was like. Their interaction was too standard, much like his "father" and mother after his blended family.

"Hehe—crunch crunch—hehe—glug glug—"

The voice of a girl completely absorbed in the music came from beside him. Chu Zihang glanced to the side and saw Xia Mi's eyes wide open. The soft light from the screen reflected on her delicate profile, hazy and beautiful, as if coated with a soft filter.

Suddenly, a blurry image flashed through his mind—

It was a huge screening room, but it was empty, with only two people inside.

One of them was him, and the other... seemed to be her too.

It seemed to be a somewhat dull musical film. He couldn't remember the specific plot or the name, but he did remember that the girl next to him was unusually quiet, as if... she was asleep.
He tried hard to grasp this inexplicably emerging fragment of memory, attempting to piece together the complete picture.

In the end, all he captured was a melancholy piano melody and the image of a man and a woman living separate lives after their separation.

"Click - click -"

Xia Mi, munching on freshly popped popcorn, noticed that Chu Zihang wasn't watching the movie and was staring intently at her. Thinking he was hungry, she generously shoved the popcorn into his arms and whispered, "Don't be shy, help yourself."

Anyway, he bought it, so it's just a case of using someone else's money to present it to someone else.

Chu Zihang didn't speak, but continued to frown and look at her, as if trying to connect the girl in front of him with the girl in his memory who stretched and said "Ah, it's finally over" after the movie ended.

His gaze gave Xia Mi a strange misunderstanding. She looked down at her half-finished cola; the cold light shining on the straw made it seem as if she could still see the traces left by the girl's light sip. She hesitated and said:
"Um... if you really want to drink it, I can share half with you..."

Since it wasn't convenient to go out during the start of the movie, she pretended to pull out the straw and remove the lid, but this action made Chu Zihang look like a delinquent senior forcing his junior to comply. He shook his head, looked away, and handed the popcorn back to her.

Shao Nanyin, who was in front, noticed the commotion behind her. She turned around and saw two young lovers interacting innocently. She just smiled and turned back to continue watching the movie.

Although she was smiling, there was no smile in her eyes.

Every time the man beside her chuckled, her fear and unease would spread a little more.

After more than half an hour of tug-of-war, Shao Nanyin had determined that this guy named Cheng Shuangfan was a mixed-breed hunting dog, a hunting dog that specialized in hunting purebred dragons!
He had been exposed without his knowledge and had become a target for hunters who had come after him.

Shao Nanqin was merely a tool they used to get close to her.

No, we have to hurry and leave, preferably as far away from this city as possible!

Oh, and we also need to bring that idiot Nanqin along. Without her, that idiot would be sold off and still have to help the seller count the money!
As for the king's orders, what do royal commands matter in the face of life and death?

Anyway, it's not the first time I've disobeyed the king's orders; the worst that can happen is death.

At least being killed by the king would be a quick death, but being captured by these evil hybrids is worse than death!
In a flash, she wanted to find an excuse to leave, but leaving now would only increase the risk of being exposed. She had to be patient and deal with them.

Fortunately, she had already made some preparations yesterday, so she could pack her things and run away as soon as she got home.

So, after this almost agonizing movie-watching experience, during which she had to maintain a smile throughout, Shao Nanyin made up a plausible excuse and drove away in a hurry.

In the rearview mirror, Cheng Shuangfan stood still and watched the BMW drive away.

Unseen by her, a young couple whose relationship ended at lightning speed and who returned to being classmates were already far behind her.

(End of this chapter)