Dragon Clan: I am Lu Mingfei, the Intelligence Strategist, the God of Concepts!

Chapter 168 Under the watchful eyes of everyone, sending Tachibana Masamune back to his spawn point.

Erii brushed the dust off the bundle, then lifted it onto her shoulder with one hand.

If you add another stick to hold it in place, it will look exactly like the classic runaway pose from Tom and Jerry.

It was clear that she couldn't wait to leave.

However, upon hearing Lu Mingfei's suggestion...

"..."

Erii stopped in her tracks, tilted her head, and a hint of doubt was clearly in her indifferent eyes.

"Cough cough."

Lu Mingfei raised his hand and scratched his cheek, trying his best to make his voice sound quite sincere.

“We’re friends, and friends should show some respect to each other, right? This bag is so heavy, I’ll help you carry it. We need your help to find our way in a bit. Speaking of which, your house is quite big. It took us a long time to find it, and now we’re a little lost.”

Friend... help...

Erii's naturally dull, doll-like eyes seemed to flicker slightly.

She captured two keywords.

That's exactly what's said in anime and games: friends should help each other.

Although 'SakurA1000' upgraded 'friend' to 'friend' without her consent, she felt somewhat uneasy.

But his suggestion was so tempting.

From childhood to adulthood, no one has ever explicitly told her that they need her help, not even her brother or the medical staff; they all treated her like a child…

Erika nodded.

After thinking for a moment, she took the bundle off her frail shoulders.

The burden was actually very light, weighing less than ten pounds at most, so it didn't put any pressure on her. She simply accepted Lu Mingfei's concept of 'mutual help', and this feeling made her feel novel and somewhat happy.

However, Erii did not hand the bundle to Lu Mingfei immediately.

Instead, he squatted down again and placed the bundle on his knees.

A yellow object was pulled out from the gap in the middle of the knot.

It was a little yellow duck with a body made of rubber. It was very flexible. After it crawled out of the narrow gap, it immediately stretched out its body. A line of words was written on its belly with a waterproof thick pen.

'Eriyi のDuck'.

It's a classic example of a language that's too short to understand, and it's exactly the same as the format of 'Eri's PSN'.

She stood up, holding a little yellow duck in one hand and a bag in the other.

It was laid out vertically and passed to Lu Mingfei.

"This, you...are you planning to give it to me?"

Lu Mingfei paused, looking at the Ducks that were clearly categorized.

Erii nodded, her expression even more blank.

His pupils dilated slightly as he stared intently at Lu Mingfei.

"Uh……"

Lu Mingfei's smile suddenly became somewhat awkward.

Both the labels and the experience gained in just a few minutes suggest that this girl is probably mute and a very possessive child, hence her love for toys and the fact that she writes her name on all her belongings.

She didn't speak, and her delicate, fair face remained as still as a solid, without any change in expression.

But Lu Mingfei could clearly sense that she was radiating a conflicted feeling.

...Look at the mess this has made.

Lu Mingfei said awkwardly, "You don't need to do that. You can keep the toy for yourself."

Unexpectedly, Erii waved her hands again, as if to remind her.

She clearly wanted to say something, but both her hands were occupied, so she couldn't reach into her pocket to take out her notebook and write.

Lu Mingfei had no choice but to take the things from Erii's hands.

The bundle, and the little duck.

He put the duckling back into the bundle.

With her hands free, Erii took out a small notebook. Seeing Lu Mingfei's actions, she wrote even faster, scribbling on the paper.

"Friends should exchange gifts, and Mr. Duck is giving you this."

Lu Mingfei could see the neat handwriting on the paper.

"But I don't have anything to give you as a gift right now..."

"I'll send it later."

After Erii finished writing, she put the notebook and pen back into her bosom, and without saying a word, she leaned closer and reached out again to try to pull the little yellow duck out of her bundle.

"..."

Lu Mingfei suddenly felt like he was being tricked. Erii was a bit stubborn and insisted on giving him, her friend, a toy.

Damn it, what is this? A friend's fee?

Toys as payment for friendship? Hmm? Why does that sound familiar?

Isn't there someone who hasn't paid their "friendship fee" yet? Did they renege on it? When did that happen?
Lu Mingfei thought for a while, but couldn't find a clue.

So he had no choice but to toss his bag aside and avoid her arm.

"Okay, okay, I'll take it. Thank you for the duck."

Lu Mingfei sighed, then looked into Erii's eyes and explained, "But let's put it in our bundle first, otherwise I'm afraid I might accidentally lose it. We can take it out after we get out, okay?"

A combination of coaxing and deception.

Erii was mostly satisfied.

She nodded and continued tiptoeing outside.

[Favorability: 2-3]

Lu Mingfei withdrew his gaze and cautiously glanced at Zero beside him, his expression hidden behind the mask full of embarrassment.

Damn it, it seems like we've achieved our goal.

But how did the art style suddenly turn into a toy for fooling children?
Kidnapping is one thing, but basic professional ethics are still necessary.

Although it seems that Erii was not only fooled, but also quite happy to be fooled...

Zero didn't react much.

Realizing that Erii was not actually a threat, Zero took a few steps back and stood at the corner of the corridor, making sure that the corpse of Tachibana Masamune at the entrance of the ξ floor was always within her line of sight.

Although the ξ layer is highly concealed, a degree of vigilance is still necessary.

The three quickly retreated to the stairwell outside the ξ floor.

The smell of formaldehyde and disinfectant has become much milder.

Erii's indifferent eyes finally showed a hint of joy, and the corners of her mouth slightly curved upwards.

She smiled.

Although the smile was faint and cold, it was like shimmering light on the snow.

For her, getting this far was usually a victory in itself. Both the alloy door and the medical staff hiding there had caused her considerable distress in the past when she ran away from home.

Today, with the help of 'friends', this step became incredibly easy and smooth.

Erii moved with light steps, casually stepping over the white head of Tachibana Masamune's corpse facing the floor.

They seemed completely unaffected by the death of the elderly man they knew.

Seeing this scene,
"Although she may have believed that Tachibana Masamune would be resurrected, this also..."

Lu Mingfei couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

It can only be said that the Snake Clan is indeed skilled in education. Even the strongest swordsmen can't be taught nothing.

If you happen to be fooled,

Wouldn't that mean that with a sudden turn of the sword, it would be slashing right back home...?

Forget it.

Considering that he was now the big conman, Lu Mingfei decided to give them a thumbs up.

"Wait a minute."

Lu Mingfei stopped in his tracks.
"Could you help her get her toys?"

"..."

Zero was clearly taken aback, but did not refuse. "Okay."

Lu Mingfei handed the bundle to Zero, then bent down and picked up Tachibana Masamune's corpse.

They dragged themselves back.

Zero immediately understood what he meant.

Although there are no cameras at the stairwell on this floor, the entire floor, including the corridors and medical rooms, is covered by surveillance cameras in a 360-degree manner.

The Sheqi family kept a close watch on Erii, recording her every move on video.

All the doors inside the 'hospital' were made of hard black metal, there was a barrier every ten meters, there were thick gates on the ceiling, and a huge number of ventilation openings.

Zero knew the meaning of these devices.

This is a strict confinement measure. If anyone inside tries to escape, the gate will fall, and then the exhaust fans hidden inside the walls will run at full power, drawing the air inside to a point where it is thin enough to suffocate in a very short time. Then, some kind of anesthetic gas will be released, and the person trapped inside will fall into a coma.

It is clear,
The Snake-Headed Eight Family not only failed to properly educate Erii, but also treated her as a monster from beginning to end, constantly guarding against her escape.

Erii's successful experiences running away from home were probably out of some people's 'pity'...

But is this really pity?
Zero waited quietly.

Erii watched curiously as her 'friend' led her 'father' back, but at that moment her attention was more focused on Zero.

Could 'SakurA1000's' companion be 'ZerO0001'?

This is how ZerO0001 describes himself on PSN.

She carefully observed Zero, unsure of his identity.

Unlike Lu Mingfei, although Zero had shown some goodwill earlier and was now helping her get her toys, which is something that 'friends' would do, Zero didn't seem particularly close to her and had no intention of communicating with her at all. This was quite different from ZerO0001 on the internet.

Erii dared not get too close.

The girl, whom the medical staff of the Snake Clan considered a monster and feared like a snake, was actually no different from a kitten at heart, and even a little timid.

There was no reaction to seeing zero.

Erii stood still and quietly straightened up, then glanced at Zero's head without making a sound.

"."

Zero remained motionless.
But I tiptoed over it.

Erii blinked and looked away.

It was as if nothing had happened between the two of them.

Not a moment later.

Lu Mingfei is back.

"nailed it."

He carried Tachibana Masamune's body back to the ξ-floor corridor, fiddled with it in front of the camera for a while, probably to leave a record of his work.

Before he officially assumed the position of patriarch, Tachibana Masamune may have died.

However, if these accidents all occur in street battles or complex environments, it's easy for the perpetrator to slip away and have a backup assassin take their place. Alternatively, in a hospital, over time, this could create the illusion that Tachibana Masamune is a "chosen one" who always manages to survive near-death experiences.

However, having been defeated by Lu Mingfei this time, he naturally had to confirm the fact that Tachibana Masamune was dead.

Herzog will either have to completely abandon his position as the head of the Snake Clan, or he will have to revive Tachibana Masamune on the spot... But either way, the aftermath will be incredibly troublesome.

This is Lu Mingfei's open strategy.

"The video files may be deleted," Zero warned.

Even without Kaguya's coordination, the various areas of the building continued to operate, only they were divided into independent units, and video recordings were manually deleted, so Kaguya's assistance was no longer needed.

"It's just an extra layer of insurance."

Lu Mingfei clearly realized this as well, and waved his hand, showing no intention of throwing away Tachibana Masamune's body.

She then looked at Erii, revealing a gentle smile and speaking in a very friendly tone.

"Let's go first and take Mr. Masamune back to his starting point."

Erii immediately nodded with delight.

……

Genji Heavy Industries, first floor lobby.

Ryoma Kaoru and his colleagues had already gained a complete advantage.

Genji Heavy Industries is not only the commercial office building of the Snake Clan, but also the headquarters of this huge mixed-race family of yakuza.

As reinforcements arrived from the area above the 20th floor, carrying a variety of weapons and equipment, the previously arrogant enemy was immediately routed.

West Gate 2 area.

"What a troublesome fellow."

Ms. Morino sighed, holding the small, exquisite gun in her good hand, half-resting and half-on guard.

This receptionist is also of mixed race; the guide team in the lobby of Genji Heavy Industries has always been composed of mixed-race individuals from within the family.

Their strength is mostly between B and C level. They have the advantage of appearance brought by their dragon bloodline, which can leave a good first impression on visitors. They also have a certain level of strength and can handle some emergency situations in critical moments.

For example, Ms. Morino from the Fuma family was an excellent ninja before becoming a receptionist.

Although she had suffered a serious injury to her arm and could have gone upstairs to rest, she still chose to participate in the guard duty.

Aside from loyalty to the family... I'm mostly just unhappy!
Damn it, a bunch of low-level thugs made me suffer such a huge loss!
How much would it cost to restore my beautiful arms to their original state?
“They’re just a bunch of low-level yakuza. These petty thugs probably haven’t even heard of their own clan, yet they dare to charge at us with all sorts of weapons. The world has really changed.” Ryoma Kaoru couldn’t help but sigh. “To be honest, I don’t understand these people.”

"Maybe it's for the money...someone gave them a lot of money?"

Ms. Morino couldn't think of any other reason.

"Perhaps," Ryoma Kaoru sighed. "I wonder who's behind all this."

The enemy has been temporarily repelled, but we cannot rashly pursue them. Smoke still lingers around the Genji Heavy Industries building, as the enemy throws smoke grenades one after another as if they were free.

Deep within the dense fog lurks a sinister figure, replenishing smoke grenades while occasionally launching sniper shots.

But these people won't be able to cause trouble for long. The Enforcement Bureau's skilled specialists have already been deployed, and they'll handle this group. The order from above is to kill them all, supposedly because a distinguished guest was delayed and was furious. Of course, even if the distinguished guest hadn't spoken, the Snake Clan would still have acted ruthlessly this time; their clan's authority cannot be violated.

Whether they are invading hunters or low-level thugs, none of them will leave alive.

Sudden——

At this moment, in the thick white fog.

A dark figure descended from the sky.

Ryoma Kaoru was startled. Was this another enemy descending at low altitude?

Or is there something wrong upstairs?

However, as the dark figure approached the ground, it did not make any attempt to cushion its fall. Instead, it slammed into a private car in the open-air parking lot in front of it, just like a corpse.

'boom--'

There was a loud bang, and then silence.

"West Gate 2, there's a situation in the West Gate 2 area!" Long Ma Xun immediately reported via radio.

"Let's go take a look!" Ms. Morino raised her gun in one hand and quietly approached.

After Ryoma finished his report, he followed behind.

These two receptionists, one with a broken leg and the other with a broken arm, moved with remarkable speed.

The area near the building had already been cleared by the enforcement bureau, and the two quickly arrived at the parking lot.

It was a person who had fallen from a building. The roof window of the car was smashed and dented, leaving the person lying motionless inside, clearly already dead.

"That's terrible, how many floors did she fall from?" Ms. Morino said in a low voice.

however,
I caught a glimpse of the black haori on the corpse, and the gray hair stained red with blood.

"Fuck me..."

Ryoma Kaoru, who had remained calm throughout, suddenly became extremely terrified.

As a direct descendant of the Ryoma family with A-rank bloodline, she naturally recognized the identity of the corpse.

This is clearly the patriarch!

"Xun, what's wrong?"

Ms. Morino's heart skipped a beat; she hadn't yet reacted.

Ryoma Kaoru took a deep breath and forced a smile, but it looked worse than crying.

"Something terrible has happened! Contact the young master first!"

……

Genji Heavy Industries Building, high-rise area.

Genjiro was wandering around like a headless fly.

Behind him followed his assistant squad: Crow, Yasha, and Sakura. Sakura had undergone rigorous ninja training and was a skilled helper at finding people.

But this time, Dad's disappearance is a bit strange. It's as if he vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.

I don't remember my dad being good at this... Could it be that someone kidnapped him?

A sense of unease crept into Yuan Zhisheng's heart.

The question I had originally planned to ask had to be kept to myself.

We have to find Dad first, no matter what!

"Young Master, we still can't get in touch with the patriarch. The phone goes unanswered," Crow said in a low voice.

Yuan Zhisheng frowned deeply. "Keep attacking until you get through."

"Yes."

The crow operated Genji's phone, dialing the number pinned to the top of his contacts again and again.

buzz-

Just then, a vibration sound came from nearby.

Sakura's phone rang, and she answered it without hesitation.

After a while,
"Young Master, the person who is looking for you is Miss Kaoru from the Ryoma family. She says she has something important to report to you privately."

Sakura handed over her phone with both hands.

"Miss Xun?"

Yuan Zhisheng was stunned.

He remembered Ryoma Kaoru; she was a direct descendant of the Ryoma family with excellent bloodlines. The head of the Ryoma family had mentioned this girl several times. He also remembered that she had a younger brother named Ryoma Soichiro, who also had excellent bloodlines and was skilled in sniping. Currently, the two siblings were working at the Kansai branch.

Some time ago, he went to Kyoto and happened to meet the siblings. Ryoma Kaoru is a spirited girl with a slender figure but well-defined muscles and a very energetic demeanor. Her brother is similar, always smiling brightly.

Both siblings had served in the military and were skilled at everything from drinking tea and hiking to fishing. They were adept at winning over the old men, and if nothing unexpected happened, this brother and sister might take control of the Kansai branch in the future.

But why does Ryoma Kaoru want to see me now? Is something wrong in Kyoto?

Yuan Zhisheng was unaware that the other party had responded to the family's summons and arrived at Yuanshi Heavy Industries around the same time as him.

He took the phone and held it to his ear.

"I am Yuan Zhisheng."

however,
The first thing the other person said completely crushed him.

"Young Master, the patriarch is dead. His body was thrown from upstairs. He has a penetrating head wound and severe facial injuries."

Longma Xun quickly reported the situation.

"...?"

Yuan Zhisheng felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and froze on the spot, instinctively asking a question in return.

"You, what did you say?"

……

"I'm sorry, young master, the headmaster has died."

Ryoma Kaoru took a deep breath and repeated.

At Gate 2 in the West District, more than ten figures were already standing on the edge of the thick fog.

Elite agents from the Executive Bureau and various families surrounded the spot where Tachibana Masamune had fallen.

The first eyewitness, Ryoma Kaoru, gave his report while waiting by the car.

In the crowd, Ryoma Kaoru held the phone firmly, his body ramrod straight.

People with military backgrounds always speak concisely. Ryoma Kaoru had long since become indifferent to life and death. Although Tachibana Masamune's death was quite unexpected, it was like a battle. If the supreme commander was assassinated, according to the rules, the command should be passed down to the next in command.

After a brief moment of shock, she would then proceed to fulfill her duties as a subordinate.

long silence.

A dozen or so family elites awaited instructions from the other end of the phone.

"Location."

A hoarse voice finally came from the other end.

“West Building No. 2 Open-air Temporary Parking Garage,” Long Ma Xun reported without hesitation.

"No, I'm asking about the patriarch...where he was abandoned from."

Yuan Zhisheng's voice became even hoarser, as if years of smoking had simultaneously attacked his throat. His vocal cords seemed carbonized, and although he clearly had no emotion, his dry tone carried an incomparably deep sorrow.

"Around the 55th floor of the building."

Ryoma Kaoru paused for two seconds before giving the correct answer.

For Ryoma Kaoru, making such a judgment was not difficult. She had already gotten the answer when she tried to call Genjiro's cell phone, and her colleagues who had observed the scene could also reach the same conclusion.

However, the other party's phone was constantly busy until she dialed the number of the female secretary, Yabuki Sakura, whom she had added when she was at the Kansai branch, and finally got in touch with Genji.

On the other end of the phone, Genji fell silent again.

Hang up.

……

"The fifty-fifth floor, isn't that Miss Erii...?"

The crow was suddenly startled.

Just as he was about to say something, Sakura stopped him with a look.

The crow immediately fell silent; even a reckless creature like Yaksha dared not utter another word at this moment.

Yuan Zhisheng did not turn on speakerphone.

However, in such an environment where you could hear a pin drop, everyone here, given their bloodlines, could easily hear the contents of the phone call.

The surrounding air pressure was extremely low.

Anyone could sense the young master's feelings at that moment.

Actually, the three of them felt pretty much the same way.

Their patriarch... Tachibana Masamune... is dead?
What a wonderful old man! Speaking of which, Tachibana Masamune could be selected as one of the 'ten most unlucky patriarchs' in the family history, and might even be in the top three.

The heads of the Sheqi Eight Families were all supreme leaders in the underworld. When they took office, all the underworld gangs in Japan would come to pay their respects, just like a new emperor ascending the throne and all nations paying homage. Even a single word from the head of the family would shake the underworld. If he frowned at someone, that person would be terrified and unable to eat or sleep. If he got angry, someone would lose their head.

However, during the reign of Tachibana Masamune, the family had become a vassal of the Secret Party, and the respect that the yakuza groups had for the main family had also diminished.

Tachibana Masamune rose from humble beginnings, gradually restoring dignity to his family. He then meticulously managed the family, often working late into the night. He was exceptionally kind to gangs, politicians, and conglomerates, and was considered the most lenient leader in the history of the Hebi-Hachi family. He won support from all sides through his personal charisma, and the Hebi-Hachi family finally re-established its status as the main yakuza family.

But then the Demon Clan suddenly rose up and seized large tracts of territory from the family, leaving Tachibana Masamune in a state of utter chaos.

He spent his whole life dreaming of his family's rise to power, but he himself was not a leader of great talent and ambition, and could only make up for it by working diligently.

But now this man has suddenly died?
He died silently and inexplicably.

Even now, the crow, who doesn't know much about Ryoma Kaoru, thinks that the carefree woman was joking.

Damn it!

They dare to make any kind of joke!
That's incredibly reckless!
Yasha and Sakura remained silent.

The location of the 55th floor immediately made the destination clear once it was revealed.

The three of them followed Genji silently and quickly.

Like a silent forest.

Genjiro didn't say anything more, but anyone could feel his anger.

The speed unique to the 'Emperor' exploded for the second time at this moment.

The three top members of the Execution Bureau couldn't keep up with his speed at all, even though Genjiro had been under immense strain and had suffered considerable injuries during his battle with Lu Mingfei.

But in just a few seconds, he had almost left the three of them far behind.

However, these three are the young master's retainers, reliable people, and they know about the existence of the ξ layer, which lies between the 55th and 56th floors.

Without needing a guide, half a minute later, the three of them traversed more than a dozen floors, bypassed one hidden door after another, and finally arrived at the entrance to the ξ floor.

Yuan Zhisheng had already stopped here.

Before him was a shocking pool of red and a wide-open alloy door. The interior was empty, and the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant and formaldehyde.

The surrounding area was littered with messy bloodstains, two trails extending forward and backward—

A path led downstairs, eventually stopping at the window at the 55th-floor stairwell.

A car drove into the hospital and stopped directly in front of the camera.

The corridor was quiet at this time; the clanging and clicking of the controllers that should have been heard at this hour had disappeared.

Yuan Zhisheng's heart sank to the bottom.

He realized he had made a mistake.

A very serious mistake, a fatal mistake... and this mistake will not only cost him his father, but will also cost him his sister.

Damn it, why...

"The security cameras in the hallway where Erii lives are working perfectly," Sakura whispered as she leaned closer.

"Go and see."

Genjiro's voice was even more hollow than Erii's.

The four arrived at a room on the side of the corridor, and Sakura skillfully unlocked it.

The door opened.

Inside the room is a monitoring room.

The screen is divided into 4x4 sections, each containing a corner of the ξ-level corridor. You can scroll with the mouse wheel and even switch to other areas, including a medical room filled with equipment and a Japanese-style wooden house.

The wooden house was very simple. The living room was covered with tatami mats, with a kotatsu table in the middle. On the walls, there were portraits of the three most famous Japanese gods: Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo. The fourth wall had a huge LCD TV connected to a PS3.

But there was no one.

The surveillance footage showed no one on the entire floor; the entire floor was deserted.

"Check the records," Yuan Zhisheng said expressionlessly.

Sakura pulled up today's surveillance footage.

It didn't go back too far.

The footage from two minutes ago already provided the answer.

in the screen.

A person completely shrouded in a black, tight-fitting combat suit dragged an old body across the ground like a dead dog.

Point at the screen and strike all sorts of poses.

They even specifically displayed the massive wound that pierced through the skull...

Further on, there's a scene of two men in black chasing Erii, who falls to the ground during the chase...

boom--

The screen was smashed.

Genjiro forcefully pulled his fist back.
His face was ashen and ashen, and his breathing was extremely disordered.

He bit his lip until it bled, and finally uttered the name word by word.

"Lu! Ming! Fei!"

(End of this chapter)