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

Chapter 244 Spotted Dove
Leonardo learned the bullet engraving technique from the Sandy Dakotas.

That group of people lived along the east bank of the Minnesota River and were also known as the Sioux. They were a tribal alliance of North American Indians. When Leonardo was younger, he was very righteous and spared them the suffering of having their scalps made into boots.

In return, the other party taught him some patterns, which were originally used in the craft of dealing with arrowheads.

"Engrave patterns on arrowheads to gain divine power bestowed by nature."

These are the exact words of the old priest with feathers stuck in his head.

Then Leonardo turned around and engraved the pattern on the bullet. As it turns out, the revolver was also recognized by the god of nature, and it took down an adult rhinoceros with one shot.

After leaving the tribe, he continued to try to improve and optimize those things that he later learned were 'alchemy patterns', which was his enlightenment in alchemy.

After listening to Leonardo's account, Ms. Eva nodded in agreement.

His status was upgraded from 'prisoner' to 'alchemy apprentice'—in the parlance of feudal China, this would be equivalent to 'indentured laborer'.

That's right, in the end, the old woman... oh no, the esteemed Lady Eva unlocked the 'Chain of Heaven' and released Leonardo. After three days of investigation, she has determined that Annie was not killed by Leonardo, but by a stranger.

As for why it took so long, it's probably because things were a little complicated.

Anne, a member of the European Secret Society, was investigating a desolate hill near the town where there were suspected traces of pure-blooded dragon activity. This attracted the attention of the Undead, who in turn attracted the attention of the Beckett family to the north, who then became interested in pure-blooded dragons... Fortunately, in the end, everyone died.

It was Ms. Eva who did it.

She wasn't a good-tempered person; she set fire to the fourth-generation dragon and the Beckett family, burning them to the ground.

The issue of the barren hill had been brewing for a long time, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who was just passing by and wanted to casually arrange a romantic relationship, was simply an innocent victim.

Leonardo, looking wistful, stroked the inside of his roasted thigh and asked her why.
Ms. Eva said she was a member of the Secret Service, and Leonardo suddenly realized that his mentor, Flamel, was a member of the Secret Service, making it reasonable for him to avenge Anne.

As a result, Ms. Eva cheerfully said that he was lying to her, and that the Secret Service members would have died anyway. She said she hadn't been in a good mood lately and simply wanted to burn people.

It turns out the old woman was a madwoman.

Leonardo trembled, no longer daring to try to seek justice for his two insignificant legs, and silently accepted the change in his status.

……

From then on, the town had one more permanent resident.

Near the stables of the sheriff's mansion, a strong man wearing a cowboy hat was carefully carving intricate patterns with a carving knife on a workbench under the blazing sun.

"Leon, it's almost the end of the month. If you don't finish carving two hundred, you'll have to gnaw on the bark of a red birch tree next month."

The coachman offered a friendly reminder.

Red birch is a common deciduous tree near the town. Its bark is reddish-brown and dark purple, interspersed with short bud scales and cilia. If I had to make an analogy, it would probably be like the moss on an old lady's face after being exposed to the scorching sun for three days.

Leonardo remained silent and simply focused on his work.

Just like his status as an alchemy apprentice, he has always been considered the 'private property' of alchemists. He would never be paid, and thanks to the great Lady Eva's reputation in the town, no one would dare to give him food or drink. The month before last, he didn't finish his work, and the bark of the birch trees on three sides of the town had been eaten away... If he doesn't finish this month, he probably won't even have enough moss on the old lady's face to eat.

Practice makes perfect.

Ms. Eva often used this phrase to teach her apprentices, but in fact, the unpleasant metaphor about birch bark wasn't directed at her; Ms. Eva's age was a secret.

A secret makes a woman more attractive.

Although, based on the experiences of other alchemy apprentices, Ms. Eva is at least 80 years old, with no upper limit, as the longest-serving apprentice has been with her for sixty years.

For sixty years, Ms. Eva has maintained her fair and smooth skin, and has always looked like she is in her early twenties. She also loves Rococo-style classic long dresses, and looks like a young noblewoman who has just come of age.

Objectively speaking, Ms. Eva was very friendly to others, and her strictness was only directed at her apprentices. She loved jazz and often went to the bar on the corner of town at dusk to listen to the soft saxophone for two or three hours in a row, resting her soft cheek on her hand with a serene gaze, as if reminiscing about the past century.

After the ghostly lady in the long dress disappears from the wooden bar, the lucky musician will unexpectedly find a small piece of gold in his jacket pocket.

However, Leonardo gradually discovered that even for alchemy apprentices who could grind millstones, Ms. Eva had very high standards for recruitment, or rather, no standards at all, it all depended on her mood. Over the years, she had only taken in five, and he was the last one.

The groom wasn't an apprentice. It took Leonardo a month to figure out that the groom was actually something called an 'alchemy golem,' a product of highly advanced alchemy. It looked no different from a human, but it was actually lifeless and only loyal to Lady Eva's orders.

No wonder I always felt this thing was as dull as a cactus in the desert.

Leonardo couldn't be bothered to communicate with the puppet.

At fifty, Leonardo DiCaprio was in his prime, just like the movie star who would be born more than half a century later. He had an incredibly handsome face and had not developed a beer belly or overwork-related obesity. His age would be considered middle-aged or elderly among normal people, but because of his lineage, he had only lived less than a third of his life.

"Learning some alchemy on the side wouldn't be bad; it'll make it easier to pick up girls later," Leonardo thought to himself.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Leonardo, like the other four alchemy apprentices, stayed in the town for three years.
Three years is not a short time. Even though everyone is of mixed race, their appearances have changed noticeably, except for Leonardo and that old woman.

This is something to be very wary of—in the eyes of the other apprentices.

As everyone knows, the title of Flamel's mentor is passed down through a single lineage, meaning that only one person can acquire the most core alchemical knowledge. The apprentice who has followed Eva for sixty years has long since learned all the basic knowledge that should be learned. Eva allows him to go out and explore for half the year and come back to work for the other half. Of course, he will not give up his hard-won advantage and is willing to give up his exploration and always stay by his teacher's side to accumulate knowledge.

Especially at this critical juncture, it's even less likely that he'll go out.

On one hand, there was Leonardo DiCaprio's appearance; this young man was so handsome that he was afraid of him, worrying that his teacher was only interested in the guy's face.
On the other hand, there was a letter from last month, from Illinois, an invitation from the Secret Party, signed by Hilbert Jean Angers.

Thirteen years after the Summer Mourning incident, the Secret Party gained immense prestige, and the Council of Elders underwent a major reshuffle, with families such as the Laurent family and Gattuso taking the opportunity to rise to power.

Angers, the sole survivor, became the most sought-after spokesperson for the Secret Service.

I heard that the Secret Party is building a mixed-race university in Illinois, intending to expand its influence worldwide.

This path has been preliminarily proven to be feasible, and Angers is planning to expand its scale.

Some people are no longer willing to wait... After all, it's uncertain when Ms. Eva will be in the mood to establish an heir.

Becoming a teacher at Kassel College might be a good option.

Eva herself certainly didn't intend to become a teacher at the Kassel College; she really wasn't in the mood. However, she didn't stop her apprentices from leaving and even wrote them recommendation letters.

The two left; in the small town, they could only serve as apprentices, but in the outside world, they were undoubtedly alchemy masters.

Those who remained were the eldest disciple, the second disciple, and the fifth disciple.

The milling life in the nameless town continues.

……

A year later, the eldest disciple died.

Died of disease.

……

Another year passed, and the second disciple died.
He also died of disease.

……

The once bustling sheriff's residence has become deserted.

The coachman found Leonardo by the millstone: "Leonard, Ms. Eva invites you to dinner."

"I haven't finished carving my quota for this month yet."

"Ms. Eva said it's not necessary."

The groom left after saying those words; he was an alchemical puppet, loyal only to Lady Eva's orders.

Leonardo emerged from the stables, which had been converted into an alchemy workshop, looking disheveled with an alarmingly bright eye.

In five years, he went from a believer in the God of Nature to a master alchemist. The intense handicrafts reduced CPDD's desires to freezing point... Of course, he still had to drink beer, eat kebabs, and sometimes go out to challenge someone to a duel, otherwise he would really get depression.

I heard that the two apprentices before me were both suffering from depression.

In principle, as long as the monthly quota is met, Ms. Eva will not deduct from the apprentices' material life. She has not done any handicrafts for many years. She spends her days drinking, listening to music, contemplating life while looking at the trees outside the mansion, and occasionally answering questions for the apprentices.

Dinner was held at a jazz bar on the main street of the town, MOON Hunter. Ms. Eva had booked the whole place; her temporary law enforcement officer status had long since been officially recognized, and everyone would give her face. The long street was deserted.

Leonardo DiCaprio walked in wearing a jacket, jeans, Doc Martens, and a cowboy hat—his most formal attire ever. He had been engrossed in alchemy for years, but that didn't mean he had lost his keen sense of smell.

His intuition told him that something might happen today, and he didn't want to develop depression.

Leonardo flicked a cigarette into his mouth and patted the Colt at his waist, which was loaded with some interesting bullets.

He strode in, where Ms. Eva was sitting in a corner of the bar, her face barely visible in the dim lighting.

"We've booked the whole place, so why are we sitting in such a secluded spot?" Leonardo pulled out a chair and sat down.

“Because I’m used to it,” Ms. Eva said calmly.

She wore an elaborate, court-style long dress in deep purple, which was also her most formal attire.

"hehe."

Leonardo exhaled a smoke ring, admitting that older women could sometimes be more pretentious than him, a cowboy.

Because I'm used to it.

How pretentious! He planned to memorize that sentence and apply it next time.

Eva tapped the table lightly, and the waiter began to serve the food on the table: spirits, steak, and bread.

Do you know how those two died?

"They" naturally refers to Eva's first two alchemical apprentices, Crawford, who followed her for sixty years, and Agamemnon for fifty-two years, before passing away in the last two years.

"Depression? That's what everyone says," Leonardo said.

"How did you get it?" Eva asked.

"I don't know," Leonardo said.

"Do you want to?" Eva asked.

"Do not want to."

Leonardo shook his head decisively. The distance of the table was neither too close nor too far, and the bullets in the Colt gave him a boost of confidence.

Once all the dishes were served, he began to nibble on his steak and bread, occasionally taking a sip of wine.

Eva smiled and said, "You won't get it."

"Why?" Leonardo asked vaguely.

“Because in a sense, you are an Epicurean,” Eva said casually.

Leonardo asked in confusion, "What cigarette?" (The suffix "-ean" in English means 'person/one who/it is born')
"Epicurean."

Eva repeated the word, and the lady's cigarette emitted wisps of smoke.

She also smokes, and she smokes a lot.

"This is a kind of hedonism. Happiness is the natural state of the soul when it is not disturbed by pain. You have a happy soul, which is a gift that they do not have."

"Huh...?" Leonardo was stunned.

It didn't sound like a compliment; it sounded more like they were saying he was a children's channel... So I've become a child myself?

But thinking about it carefully, isn't that how children are? They always have a special fondness for something, they crave sweets every day, they stick posters on the wall and swoon over the female lead, they listen to someone's CD repeatedly, and they consider themselves a fan of that person.

For him, happiness can be as simple as beer, kebabs, and women... Oh, the third one is hard to say. After working for older women for so many years, he has rarely dated. He is exhausted from his daily craftsmanship, but he has a kind of energy that is suppressed in his heart.

“If a person cannot obtain sufficient happiness through limited material conditions, then no amount of enjoyment can bring him lasting happiness,” Ms. Eva said softly.

"So you're... well, a dove-like supporter?" Leonardo asked tentatively.

Eva didn't correct his wording, and said in a flat voice, "I used to think I was."

Leonardo fell silent again.

Older women often say things that are hard to understand.

It is or it isn't. 'What we used to think was true'—is it true or it isn't?
Ms. Eva flicked away the cigarette butt, and a flame shot up from her fingertips.

Words of Power: Blazing.

"Let's test your learning results."

"Okay, come on!"

Leonardo chuckled. He preferred this cowboy-style duel to literary discussions, drew his Colt from his waist, and ejected a bright yellow bullet.

A brass bullet, engraved with mysterious patterns, fell into the wine in the glass in the middle of the table.

Water is an excellent carrier.

Word of Power: Precepts, its strength increases at this moment.

"That's it?"

Eva's face remained expressionless. The flame flickered slightly before splitting in two at her fingertips, one leaping towards the wine glass and the other towards his leather boot.

"Respecting the elderly and caring for the young is just the beginning." Leonardo downed the drink in his glass in one gulp, took out a palm-sized metal compass from his pocket, and flicked it out like a frisbee, which landed perfectly under the shot glass to form a tray.

The precepts were strengthened again.

"You just said the word 'old,' right?"

The flames then leaped upwards.

This is a game. If the flames don't go out before the liquor evaporates, Leonardo will undoubtedly relive the fear of being dominated by the fire serpent, while the flames also scorch his feet through his boots, causing further disruption.

The real battlefield is never one-dimensional; rescue and self-rescue require careful consideration.

Without absolute power, this will be a difficult topic to choose from.

“I mean love for children.”

The second bullet landed on the table, its pattern complementing that of the first bullet to some extent.

"Not bad, but not enough."

Two revolvers were slammed onto the table, and more bullets ejected and bounced onto the table.

"now what?"

"It's still not enough."...

"I refuse to believe it, let's try again!"

"Why is it getting weaker and weaker?"

……

The cunning, chilling flames pierced through the thick soles of the shoes, biting at the soles like venomous snakes. Out of a certain humanitarian spirit, the snakes would not climb upwards for the time being.

But looking at Eva's hateful smile, Leonardo was so angry he wanted to grind his teeth.

His lineage was not bad, and even slightly superior to that of Lady Eva, yet the 'Discipline' could not suppress her 'Fiery'. Why was that?

It should be noted that even Angers' 'Time Zero', the face of the Secret Party, is affected by his 'Discipline'.

The answer is actually quite simple: alchemical items.

The old woman wore some kind of alchemical artifact that could greatly reduce the power of the 'commandments'.

Of course, there's no question of fairness or unfairness, since he was also trying to amplify the effects of 'Discipline' using the Alchemy Matrix.

It just feels a bit strange... There are very few people in this world with alchemical talent, and the Flamel lineage is at the very top of the pyramid.

Theoretically, there's no need to spend so much energy studying the self-defense between alchemists. After all, instead of wasting time researching a non-existent hypothetical enemy, it's better to think about how to quickly, accurately, and ruthlessly deal with those Muggles.

However, Leonardo doesn't care whether the direction of his efforts is right or wrong; thinking about and solving problems is a great enjoyment for him.

"Then watch closely! My transformation!"

Leonardo shouted, stood up abruptly, threw off his denim jacket, rolled up his shirt sleeves, revealing silver and red tattoos on his muscular arms.

An invisible domain spread out, expanding to a diameter of over 500 meters, enveloping the entire town. Even pure-blooded dragons would be suppressed here. Word of Power: Discipline, ultimate amplification!

pat-

The burning sensation on the soles of her feet gradually subsided, and small flames still flickered on Ms. Eva's fingertips, but they were as faint as a match about to go out. A gust of wind blew by, and the flames went out.

Words of Power: Blaze, End.

"It seems you've studied this very deeply," Ms. Eva said with a smile.

"Hmph, respecting the elderly and caring for the young is a virtue!"

Leonardo sat back down triumphantly, picked up the glass filled with bullets and drank it all in one gulp, then loaded the alchemical bullets back into the Colt one by one.

He used to be unable to suppress Eva's 'fiery' nature, and he would get roasted every few days. He always thought he would get his revenge someday, but now that he has actually succeeded, he feels a little bored.

Forget it, there's no need to bully a lonely old woman.

Ms. Eva has a story, it's obvious to anyone. For so many years she has lived in seclusion in the small town, and no one has ever visited her.

After loading the bullets, when he looked up again, he suddenly found a stack of tattered, yellowed manuscript paper in front of him, with two thick parchment sheets mixed in. These things had been treated with alchemical materials, making them waterproof, oil-proof, and incredibly tough; they were estimated to be strong enough to strangle at least a cow.

“Now that you’ve passed the test, it’s yours,” Eva said.

"Huh?" Leonardo was taken aback.

After saying that, she fell silent, resting her chin on her hand and listening quietly to the saxophone playing in the back of the bar. Her deep purple dress shimmered softly in the dim light.

"...Wait, what's this?"

Leonardo flipped through the stack of manuscript papers, his pupils gradually contracting.

A piece of parchment contained countless lines of dragon script, including the shapes of the characters and the forms of deformed patterns, in great detail. He counted them; there were 76 lines in total. The manuscript also contained annotations in Latin and Old French.

Spine structure, tree structure, recasting system, 79 paradigm, onomatopoeic structure, true authority...

He could understand some things, but not others. Ms. Eva had taught him some of them, and she said that if he couldn't learn them within a week, it would take at least three years to learn them, and if he couldn't learn them in three years, he would never learn them in his lifetime.

Leonardo was only able to learn about a third of it in a week; the more difficult parts were the various structures.

The cover of the other parchment is a pentagram corresponding to the human body, with the brain corresponding to the spirit, the right hand to the wind, the left hand to the fire, the right foot to the earth, and the left foot to the water. Inside, it looks like the most messy draft paper, filled with all sorts of symbols, some of which are intermittent dragon script, and there are also a lot of traces of dragon blood smearing and erasure.

This is probably what a primary school student's math scratch paper looks like, but the style on the back is exactly the opposite, with extremely neat patterns and brilliant designs like a starry sky.

It is precisely "Nicholas Flamel's original manuscript of dragon script analysis, records of the Philosopher's Stone refining ritual, and conjectures about human implant alchemy technology".
The author is a long list of countless names, with one relatively familiar name at the end: Angelina Stevens.

“Angelina Stevens…Eva Stevens.”

Leonardo repeated the two names in his mind, realizing that the surname was real, but the given name was fake.

Above are the names of Flamel's mentors throughout history, twelve in total, thirteen including the title. But apart from the title name, none of them have left their esteemed surnames.

The symbolic significance of these manuscripts far outweighs their practical significance; they represent the pinnacle of human alchemy.

And identity.

It's not hard to guess that these things were the source of the other two apprentices' 'depression'. But now they were being laid out so casually in front of him, the meaning of which was self-evident.

"Why...me?"

Leonardo's mind suddenly went blank, his mouth was dry, and he couldn't speak. This was different from what he had originally imagined.

Did the name Flamel, which countless powerful hybrid families and organizations, and countless alchemists coveted, fall into his hands just like that?

But of course there's no reason to refuse; such a great and prestigious title will definitely help him pick up girls.

“Because it’s suitable,” Eva said calmly.

"Where is the right place?"

Leonardo stammered, "Is it because I'm a turtledove?"

"Yes and no."

Eva shook her head and didn't say much. She had lived for too long, so she did whatever she wanted. When life experience accumulates too much, it becomes a person's depth, which is also called 'experience'.

Her experience told her that Leonardo DiCaprio was a good fit.

The dove is just a small factor; after all, she was a dove before, and a dove will eventually transform into a goose. Knowledge is a kind of power, and power can change people into forms they didn't recognize in the past, leading them to make decisions that they will regret in the future.

But who knows what will happen next? This is ultimately someone else's story.

Ms. Eva said calmly, "You can leave after you finish this meal."

"Where...are you going?" Leonardo was genuinely a little confused this time.

In that instant, it was as if he had forgotten his grand ambitions from five years ago: to go west, to reach the homeland of his soul, to drink heavily, to bring explosions to gangsters, and to bring love and warmth to beautiful women.

"Whatever, it depends on your mood. You can walk your own path from now on, but I have two suggestions."

“You…you say.” Leonardo straightened his posture.

“As is customary, Flamel’s mentors cannot break away from the Secret Service, but they should not rely on them too much either,” Eva said.

"remember."

Leonardo said that the Secret Party is a towering tree, and he certainly wouldn't leave it.

Eva nodded and gave her second piece of advice: "Join Kassel College before the end of this century."

"Why?" Leonardo asked, somewhat surprised.

If I remember correctly, the principal of Kassel College is Angers, a bookworm and a violent maniac... Last time, when Angers wasn't paying attention, I beat him so badly he was completely disoriented, but I might not be so lucky next time we meet... Oh wait, Angers will get stronger, and so will I.

"Because you're very lucky; the time and place are just right, perhaps you can end this curse."

"...What curse?" Leonardo was taken aback, his rubbing motions stopping.

Eva sighed softly, her fingertips tracing the signature at the end of the parchment scroll.

"Did you see these names?"

"I saw it," Leonardo said honestly.

"How many are there in total?" Eva asked.

"Twelve."

How long have I lived?

“I don’t know… uh, at least eighty years?” Leonardo probed.

Eva smiled and said, "Actually, we can double it again... What is 80 multiplied by 12?"

"..."

Leonardo fell silent, following the direction Eva was pointing, staring at the name and date signature on the parchment cover, exactly 500 years ago.

A lineage of twelve generations of exceptional alchemy masters, averaging...

"Hmm, do you understand a little bit now?"

A faint look of weariness appeared on Ms. Eva's face. "Everyone knows the greatness of the legacy, but few know the truth. Before the end of this century, you can join the Kassel College, build a huge alchemical matrix there, make it your home turf, and then keep a low profile and don't step out. I've heard of the name Angers. Our positions should be aligned, and he will help you."

"..."

Leonardo's expression gradually became distorted, with a hint of horror.

"Don't worry, he's been temporarily repelled. My teacher, with the help of my teacher's teacher... things should calm down for a while."

Eva said softly, "That's why I say you're lucky, and I'm lucky too. The ten people before us combined didn't live as long as we did. You still have free time, at least fifty years. The next century will be the beginning of everything."

"Actually, my original plan was to bury the Flamel name in my generation. Of course, you still have the option to refuse, so the name can be buried now."

After a long silence, Leonardo said, "Teacher... what about you? What are you planning to do next?"

This is the first time Leonardo has called an older woman his teacher, and it seems surprisingly natural.

Eva smiled and said,

"I want to go home."

Where is your home?

Eva didn't answer, leaning back quietly in her chair, gazing out the window as always, lost in thought.

Leonardo didn't press further. It was only natural for a woman to keep her home address confidential, so there was no need to answer. It was Eva's freedom to go wherever she wanted.

He sipped his wine slowly, and Eva remained silent; she was by nature a quiet person.

The saxophone played one tune after another until it stopped, leaving only the last light in a corner of the MOON Hunter bar in the entire town.

He was drunk, folded up the priceless manuscript, and stuffed it bulging into his pocket. Oh, from this day forward, he was Flamel.

Leonard Flammel.

"I'll be going now. I'll come back to see you when I have time, if you're still here then."

He staggered out of the bar. The night was filled with stars, but there was no sound at all, not even a bird or insect chirping.

Then he remembered that the 'Discipline' hadn't been turned off. He snapped his fingers in a dashing manner, and a powerful domain that could have enveloped the entire nameless town collapsed, filling the air with joyful sounds of insects, birds, and flowers.

He was now free. At that moment, he suddenly paused, feeling something sticky in his shirt pocket.

He pulled out a red crystal, fresh and emitting a faint, warm light. He subconsciously turned around and looked back. The woman who had lost her name, Flamel, was leaning against the corner of the bar, a faint smile on her porcelain-like face.

(End of this chapter)