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

Chapter 250 Frost Gattuso

The layout of this floor of the castle is somewhat like a cocktail party. Although it's a bit early, tea breaks and drinks are readily available.

Charlotte Gottingen arrived about ten minutes earlier in a silver Rolls-Royce and then, surrounded by a butler and two maids, sat quietly in a corner, waiting for the meeting to officially begin.

Many people present had heard of her name.

Most of the attendants and guards here are the most outstanding young men in their respective families, possessing immense power and influence in the outside world. However, compared to Charlotte, they are worlds apart.

Outstanding children, successors, and school board members.

These three identities may seem like a short distance, but for mixed-race families eager to expand their lineage, each hurdle is harder than climbing to heaven. The first hurdle is self-evident: standing out among several generations of descendants requires 30% hard work and 97% luck. The second hurdle is even more obvious; Prince Charles, who has been around for half a century, serves as a cautionary tale. Mixed-race individuals typically have longer lifespans than ordinary people—fifty years? That's barely the end of the story!
Elizabeth Laurent and Charlotte Gottingen, the two youngest female school board members, have saved themselves a hundred years of detours. Who wouldn't envy them? When the meeting officially begins, these outstanding students will not only be denied the right to attend, but will also have to leave the castle.

But if we're talking about trying to avoid detours, then some people have indeed risked their lives to consider this approach...

Then, in just one second, I was defeated by that look of utter contempt.

Seriously trashy.

In the world of mixed-race peoples, bloodline is always the most important factor.

A single glance from a superior can be an unbearable burden for an inferior, a double challenge both psychologically and physically. And the so-called 'brave' never appeared again.

So when they saw Lu Mingfei, a newcomer, immediately take a liking to the large Buddha statue in the corner, those who originally wanted to try to befriend the young boy brought by Principal Angers all stopped and showed expressions of watching a good show.

They were planning to take this opportunity to expand their network, but fools were not on their radar.

If they can't save face later, Principal Angers might also lose face.
Someone couldn't help but glance at Angers.
The principal didn't seem to be paying attention to this side; he was still laughing his classic old-fashioned laugh with his former students.

He has always enjoyed socializing.

"Miss Charlotte, you look beautiful today, like a queen." The young boy walked straight up to her and said politely.

...Sure enough! Immediately, many people revealed strange smiles. They pretended to be talking, but their attention was already on this side. It was such a crude pickup line.

At this moment, the three attendants who were fanning out Charlotte were clearly a little agitated, especially the two armored female warriors, some of whom felt a slight surge of excitement.
Those in the know understood that the old man in the suit and tie, who looked like a butler, was the real troublemaker; the previous 'brave one' had been grabbed by the neck and kicked out of the castle by this old man.

But no one expected that the three attendants were indeed causing a disturbance, and as a result, they all bowed in greeting.

Then they made way for us?

Countless bewildered and incomprehensible gazes.

"Thank you, Mr. Lu Mingfei. It's been a long time." The girl's cool voice rang out.

Some people snapped out of their daze and pricked up their ears. This Highgarden Flower had always been an extremely mysterious figure. They had no right to participate in the meeting and had almost never heard the girl's voice before, but somehow it sounded a little awkward...

It's impossible not to feel awkward.
Charlotte glanced helplessly at Fox, the butler.

Given Fox's professionalism, whoever came, he would naturally need Miss Charlotte's permission to make way. However, Charlotte did agree to it. Emotionally, Lu Mingfei knew her; logically, Lu Mingfei was also a benefactor of the Gauttingen family, so she should have been the one to greet him first.

But upon seeing this boy, Charlotte felt as if a night breeze from the Atlantic Ocean had inexplicably swept through her mind...

“You look very handsome today.” She tried her best to shake off those wild thoughts and maintain a dignified expression.

"Miss Charlotte, didn't you go in first?"

Lu Mingfei didn't notice Charlotte's momentary awkwardness. He glanced up and down at the noblewoman's attire. She wore a veil similar to Elizabeth's, her delicate hands were covered by white lace gloves, and her midnight-black dress was simply outlined with silver thread and the Gottingen family crest. She wore mature, light makeup, and her hair was styled like that of a thirty-year-old woman. She really was learning from Duchess Laurent all the time...

He was well aware of the bond between Charlotte and Elizabeth, and he didn't care about the 'evaluation' Elizabeth had relayed yesterday. He was now more focused on the exclamation mark appearing on the girl's swan-like white neck—

【Alchemy Creation: Knights - Yellow Queen】

[Manufacturer: Heath Gottingen]

[Brief Description: The 'Kingdom Knights' series alchemical armor, sequence NO.2, can resonate with the dragon blood of a specific person, forming a powerful alchemical matrix. When inactive, it penetrates the skin, instinctively recognizing danger and passively defending itself. It also has a suppressive effect on lower-sequence armor.]

[Evaluation: One of the pinnacle achievements of the Göttingen family's alchemy.]

If Lu Mingfei knew the unspoken criticisms of those 'upper-class youths' around him,

I guess we really need to get rid of them.
It's not just empty praise; this outfit makes Charlotte look ten years older than she actually is. The subtle, mysterious pattern on the neckline of the dress clearly shows a much deeper level of sophistication than Old Deng's. The 'Yellow Queen' could probably defend against snipers from far away, making her extremely safe. And then there's the fine downy hair standing up around the neckline... uh.

Perhaps realizing that his gaze had been too presumptuous, Lu Mingfei looked up to meet those lake-blue, watery eyes, and then subtly withdrew his gaze.

Charlotte stared at Lu Mingfei, her eyes conveying a meaning that was difficult to define.

"You can go in, but the atmosphere inside is a bit oppressive, I don't like it," she said softly.

"Oh, okay." Lu Mingfei nodded, lowering his voice slightly. "How has Mr. Aiton been lately?"

"Thanks to you, Grandpa is doing well," Charlotte said in a lower voice.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the atmosphere became a little more normal.

Lu Mingfei asked in a low voice, "I wonder if our agreement from last time still stands?"

"You mean..." Charlotte's eyes narrowed.

Just then, a clear bell rang out, piercing through the castle.
The mixed-race people who were initially curious about the relationship between Lu Mingfei and this young female school board member all held their breath.

It's eight o'clock.

Footsteps and bells could be heard downstairs.

In the silence, four unfamiliar faces appeared from the stairwell. They were dressed in loose black suits and top hats, their uniform appearance perhaps symbolizing a shared stance. Without exception, each of them held a small brass bell in their hand, their gazes seemingly drifting towards a corner of the hall, and one of them walked with a somewhat strange gait.

Next came a very old man, so old that his age was impossible to discern, wearing a crisp black suit, but holding a string of sandalwood beads in his hand, and glancing at the corner of the room.

Then came a middle-aged man, probably in his thirties or forties, wearing a bright yellow tracksuit and holding a mountain bike helmet in his arms. It looked very breathable and expensive. He glanced around and then smiled.

Next came a queen-like figure wearing a black veil, a fitted skirt suit, a fur vest, and high heels. Her delicate forehead skin highlighted her youth, yet her eyes, like those of someone in their thirties, were sharp as she gazed in a certain direction.

Each of the three held a small brass bell in their hand.

Finally, a man between middle and old age appeared. His hair and beard were all white, and his brows exuded an air of authority. He leaned on a medium-length cane in one hand and held a pair of small brass bells in the other. He walked down the stairwell, staring intently at every stone brick under his feet.

The time is 8:9 AM on September 25th, early autumn, the day of the annual school board meeting. Slowly entering the hall are the highest-ranking members of the Secret Party.

Regardless of whether their designs are elaborate or somewhat mismatched, these men and women holding bells undoubtedly represent the current will of this ancient organization.

A single word from him caused countless people to hesitate, and the world to fall into turmoil.

The whispers and discussions in the hall had long since quieted down with a series of light ringing bells and footsteps. Everyone stared solemnly at the newcomers, their expressions returning to calm, their eyes revealing longing and fervor.

The footsteps and the ringing of the bell gradually stopped; no one had left yet, it wasn't time.

Normally, someone would give a speech of appropriate length, summarizing the contributions the Secret Party has made to the dragon-slaying cause in recent years, and the distance the hybrids have made in marching towards the ultimate goal of ending the dragon era. Then, amidst the clear clinking of glasses, the young people would leave with sincerity and hope, while the elders would go to the secret chamber to discuss important matters.

However, those with keen eyes had already noticed that there were many more adults holding the bell that represented 'power' this time, and their gazes were somewhat unfocused.

The parking spaces outside the castle are fixed, and the number of vehicles parked there has always been constant. Even including mountain bikes, the maximum number of vehicles that can be parked is only seven, which is in line with the number of Bells of Power.

Is the world about to change? Some people wondered.

The man who was supposed to give his routine speech did not stay in the center. Instead, he walked step by step to the corner, where the eyes of those important figures in front of him met.

He stood before the young man who had captured everyone's attention from the moment he appeared on stage.

He stretched out his hand.

A moment of silence fell as countless gazes were fixed on the man's outstretched, broad palms—some filled with jealousy, others with understanding, and still others with confusion.

A brass bell lay quietly in the palm of his hand.

"Welcome, Mr. Lu Mingfei, School Board Member."

A man's indifferent voice echoed in the empty, quiet hall.

The young boy kept his gaze fixed on the man's neatly trimmed silver hair, ignoring everything around him, until his eyes moved down to those sharp gazes.

He smiled.
"Thank you, Frost, School Trustee,"

……

Lu Mingfei observed Frost thoughtfully.

After handing the small brass bell to Lu Mingfei, perhaps stepping into the Gattuso family's area of ​​expertise, the man gave his usual speech, without mentioning any further information about the four... no, five new faces. However, the tone and demeanor of this powerful school board member showed no sign of anything amiss, as if this meeting was no different from any other.

The speech ended, and we clinked glasses.

Red wine, martini, and orange juice are like powers and strengths, seized and swallowed into a smooth, beautiful throat.

With the routine over, it's time to discuss the really important matters.

All the irrelevant people withdrew, the guards withdrew, and even the old butler Fox, who had always been responsible for assisting young Charlotte in attending meetings, withdrew.

The elders began to enter.

Charlotte watched the butler's departing figure, bit her lip, and gently tugged at Lu Mingfei's sleeve from behind, saying, "Mr. Lu, may I invite you to come in with me?"

“Of course,” Lu Mingfei said.

Charlotte walked to Lu Mingfei's side, tilted her head slightly to look at him, and waited.

Lu Mingfei didn't notice her movements; his attention was still focused on Frost's head.

This is the long-established spokesperson chosen by the Gattuso family.

He was also the one who could truly confirm a certain suspicion in his mind...

“Mingfei, you need to put one arm out,”

Seeing this, Angers narrowed his eyes as well, but casually reminded her, "You can't let a beautiful lady enter alone; it would be very ungentlemanly."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Charlotte." Lu Mingfei withdrew his gaze and gave Charlotte an apologetic smile.
He was actually familiar with the relevant etiquette, and to some extent, this represented Charlotte… no, the Göttingen family’s incomplete stance.

At this moment, Angers and Elizabeth were already arm in arm.

The latter's calm, icy eyes stared at Lu Mingfei with a half-smile.

Lu Mingfei returned the smile and awkwardly extended his arm. Charlotte calmly took his arm, maintaining a perfect distance—not too intimate, but certainly not distant.

The four walked deeper into a sealed, isolated room.
Eleven chairs, each engraved with a different family crest, were placed in front of a dark brown conference table, one of which was empty.

Lu Mingfei walked steadily, arm in arm with Charlotte, until they reached the chair behind them where the Gottingen family's 'pot and spoon' was located. Charlotte let go of Lu Mingfei, calmly sat down, and placed the small brass bell on the table.

No fewer than five pairs of eyes were fixed on them during that time.

A low, grinding sound followed as the door behind me closed, the window shut, and the curtains fell. Then, all the entrances and exits of the entire castle slowly closed from the inside out, the ancient heavy locks snapping shut simultaneously, completely sealing the building.

“It’s rare to see everyone here, including several elderly gentlemen. So I hereby declare the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees officially open.” Angers sat at the end of the long table and shook a small brass bell.

Eleven bells were placed in front of the dark brown conference table, and in the end, the council of elders still managed to secure all four seats.

No one else spoke, tacitly acknowledging the role of the Angers meeting's 'chairperson,' including the four elders and Frost Gattuso, who had just given a speech in the hall.

"So who wants to propose the first motion?" Angers asked.
Two bells rang simultaneously, one from Frost and the other from Beowulf.

Ringing a bell to speak is a tradition of the school board, to prevent interruptions. This is also the meaning behind the small brass bell itself; being qualified to hold the bell means being able to sit in the highest position and speak.

However, if both ring the bell at the same time, the host can decide who gets to speak.

"It seems you two are both in a hurry."

Angers smiled impassively, cut open a cigar, and glanced flippantly at Frost.

"You go first."

(End of this chapter)