Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei Returns from Sekiro

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—A moth can never collide with the wick of a streetlamp, just as it can never touch the reality within a phantom.

Those who are chasing after it, have they seen the road ahead clearly?

Chapter 90 Inability to Coexist

"Lu Mingfei, I really didn't expect you to come!" Shudeya took off her diving mask, revealing her long, black hair, and wore her signature friendly smile.

"Long time no see." Ye Sheng also smiled, revealing his white teeth.

"So that's where you two went. You've been sneaking around here doing training." Lu Mingfei leaned against the steel ladder with a smile. "I even said I'd treat you to a meal when school started."

"That's truly our honor, 'Masked Pervert'." Shuto Aki covered her mouth and chuckled.

"How did you know..." Lu Mingfei's mouth gaped open.

“We’re students too,” Ye Sheng patted Lu Mingfei on the shoulder. “It’s normal to browse forums in your spare time, right, ‘Lustful Ghost’?”

“They…they’re just slandering me out of thin air,” Lu Mingfei muttered.

"Haha, it's really a memorable thing that our 'Supernova Lu Mingfei' treated us to dinner." Ye Sheng said with a sunny smile. "When I get back, I'm definitely going to take a picture with you and stick it on my upper bunk in the dorm so I can see you every morning when I wake up. Just thinking about it makes me so touched that I want to cry."

"Hahaha." Shudeya laughed heartily.

“Those are all made up by them.” Lu Mingfei firmly disagreed with these nonsensical nicknames.

"Anyway, it's great to see you again." Ye Sheng shook hands with Lu Mingfei. "How about we go grab a bite to eat first? I heard the food tonight is quite plentiful, with steamed pork ribs and my favorite braised beef."

"Is the cook Chinese?" Lu Mingfei's mouth watered.

"It's a chef who's been cooking at a famous restaurant for decades. I specially invited him for tonight's meal. I love Chinese food the most," said Shudeya.

...

As night fell, everyone gathered on the deck for a headcount.

"I hereby declare the 'Kuimen' Project commence!" Mans stood at the forefront with his hands behind his back, issuing the order.

Everyone is in their proper place, like precise gears supporting the operation of this massive warship.

The moon seemed like a veiled beauty from a foreign land, appearing and disappearing intermittently. A few dark clouds gradually gathered in the sky, and a moist breeze blew across the surface of the Yangtze River.

The "Moniach" used sonar and radar to detect the location of "Baidi City" downstream of the turbulent waters.

There's only one boat in the waters around here, and no one will disturb them tonight.

In a brightly lit room, Lu Mingfei saw Ye Sheng and Jiu Deya change into loose-fitting clothes.

"Please turn on the music for us," Ye Sheng said.

"Okay." Lu Mingfei pressed the button, and upbeat music started playing. Ye Sheng and Jiu Deya started dancing on two dance machines.

The two moved in a smooth and fluid manner, and most importantly, they were synchronized. They raised their hands and feet at the same time, without needing to look at each other's movements, as if they were telepathically connected.

This is one of their daily training routines. They sleep in a room separated only by a curtain, and eat and brush their teeth together, all to train their teamwork.

The two of them were the most crucial figures in this operation, because they were the only ones who needed to dive underwater to explore the ancient city that had existed for two thousand years.

"A match made in heaven," Lu Mingfei couldn't help but think of this phrase as he watched their dance.

During dinner, Lu Mingfei jokingly asked Ye Sheng when they were getting married. Ye Sheng replied very seriously that he and Jiu Deya were just mission partners.

Mission partners are not allowed to develop feelings for each other. Before they train together, they sign an agreement that everything must be done according to orders. If any signs of strong feelings developing between them are found, they will be replaced as substitutes.

They were the most suitable and the best pair among many partners.

Sweat gradually appeared on Ye Sheng and Jiu Deyaji's bodies. Lu Mingfei saw the gesture and pressed the button to turn off the music.

"We need to conserve our energy." Jiu Deya took the two towels Lu Mingfei handed her, giving one to Ye Sheng. "What time is it?"

"8:30." Lu Mingfei glanced at his phone.

"We should arrive at the mission location around 10 o'clock," Ye Sheng said. "We've trained thousands of times, and diving is as natural to us as drinking water."

"Speaking of which, when did you start training?" Lu Mingfei asked.

“We started training in March this year, so it’s been half a year.” Ye Sheng sat next to Lu Mingfei, leaning on a long bench and looking up at the ceiling. “Didn’t we interview you in May? That was a rare break for us.”

“The King of Bronze and Fire.” Shudeyaqi poured himself a cup of hot water. “If one of the four monarchs were to awaken here, it would surely unleash an irreversible tragedy.”

"What are the Four Great Kings? Are there such a concept as dragons?" Lu Mingfei asked.

He has never taken a course on dragons and knows almost nothing about them.

"The Four Monarchs are the first generation of beings that split off from the black dragon Nidhogg. They represent the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind. Two thousand years ago, Gongsun Shu established Baidi City here, but in fact, there is a dragon king hidden behind him, namely Norton, the King of Bronze and Fire."

“It sounds like the Dragon King can communicate with humans,” Lu Mingfei said. “Is it in a cooperative relationship with Gongsun Shu?”

“Of course not.” Jiu Deya took a sip of hot water with both hands. “Gongsun Shu was just Norton’s servant. Dragon Kings have an intelligence higher than humans, and they also have an extremely strong sense of self-esteem.”

"If they were to revive, they would certainly try to regain their thrones or stir up conflict. The dragons that follow the next generation would only cause minor incidents, but the awakening of the Dragon King could even cause a disaster at the city or national level, because they possess the highest-ranking Word of Power, a Word of Power powerful enough to destroy the world. At that time, we might have to deploy large-scale attack weapons at the Three Gorges Dam."

"Is it really that terrible?" Lu Mingfei asked. "Didn't Norton support Gongsun Shu in establishing Baidi City?"

"That's true, but according to our research, it also used the No. 114 Word of Power 'Candle Dragon' to turn the city it built into a hell on earth made of flames and lava. Countless people died from its rage, and we don't even know why it was angry."

Ye Sheng put his hand on Lu Mingfei's shoulder.

"Humans and dragons are two completely different species. Dragons wield immense power and have been rulers for many years. If one day it suddenly wakes up and you give it a resident ID card, telling it that it is now a legal citizen and must abide by human laws, what do you think it will do?"

Lu Mingfei remained silent.

"If it has no power to resist, that's fine. But if it has the power and authority to kill everyone in front of it, or even all of humanity, do you think it will live a peaceful life?"

"The task of slaying dragons has been carried out for countless years, and all of history tells us that dragons and humans cannot coexist. If we soften our stance, it will only lead to tragedy, the bloodshed and death of our own kind. Dragons are a group of thugs who abuse their power."

Ye Sheng's expression was serious, and his words carried the chill of the far north wind.

Chapter Ninety-One Deep Dive

"We need to get ready." Ye Sheng and Jiu Deya changed into their diving suits, waved to Lu Mingfei, and said, "See you after mission is complete."

"You're back safe and sound." Lu Mingfei held a long, narrow object held in a cloth strip. "Want to go to a street food stall for drinks after this is over? It's on me."

“Okay.” Shudeya tied her long hair up, looking as gentle as a duchess. “Our diet has been controlled for this mission, and I haven’t had barbecue in a long time.”

"Don't worry, this time you'll have plenty to eat."

Lu Mingfei patted his purse, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. The toothpaste chocolate gave him was quite good.

See you later.

"See you later." Ye Sheng and Jiu Deya turned around, picked up their equipment, and left.

As a "special supervisory commissioner," Lu Mingfei's only task was to observe abnormal situations, or rather, to sit on the sentry post and do nothing.

Black helicopters could be seen circling in the sky. They were also "supervisory commissioners." Ye Sheng said that there were originally no helicopters to provide escort, apparently due to insufficient funding. However, several new helicopters were transferred in starting in June, and no one knew why.

Everyone on deck was busy with their own tasks: moving equipment, relaying orders, checking the weather...

In short, they all had things to do, so Lu Mingfei could only sit in an empty sentry post and stare blankly.

He suddenly felt a lack of participation. He had rushed to China from the United States in the morning, only to have a meal and chat with Ye Sheng and the others, and then watch them go into the water. He sat on the sentry post as if he were watching a movie.

Everyone around him was incredibly busy, but he was doing nothing. The key point was that he would receive a large sum of money after tonight's events, along with numerous exemptions from exams, making him seem like a privileged second-generation official who had come to gain prestige. All the hard and tiring work was done by others, and he only needed to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

But there's nothing we can do. There's really no use for him. Everyone else uses professional equipment, and he can't understand the technical terms on the buttons. Going there would only cause trouble.

It can only be said that times have changed. The era of thousands of years ago, when soldiers on both sides stood still and watched the generals duel, is long gone.

He looked at the wedge-shaped object on his leg, sighed, and decided to just sit there and think about what to eat later.

"Brother, are you bored?"

The calm lake surface, where the guard post of the security office had been transformed into an antique stone pavilion, and the full moon, as bright as a mirror, hung high in the sky. Lu Mingze, wearing a raincoat and a straw hat, was fishing in a small boat with a fishing rod.

There was a stove on the small boat, and a boy was tending it, putting in dark charcoal and fanning it with a palm-leaf fan. The boy had his back to Lu Mingfei.

"The sky, clouds, mountains, and water are all white. On the lake, the only shadows are a trace of the long dike, a dot of the pavilion in the middle of the lake, a speck of my boat, and two or three people in the boat." Lu Mingze said in classical Chinese, shaking his head.

"What are you up to now?" Lu Mingfei frowned. "Why do you always bring me to places like this? What's going on? Am I dreaming?"

“Brother, look at the lake below.” Lu Mingze pointed to the lake surface.

A huge, whale-like black shadow swam in the lake. Lu Mingze suddenly pulled in his rod, hoisting up a jade box.

“You need to make some preparations, brother,” Lu Mingze said meaningfully. “You can’t just keep slacking off and indulging in eating, drinking, and having fun. Do you know how emperors give orders to their subordinates?”

"Issuing an imperial edict? Do you really think I haven't watched 'Princess Pearl'?" Lu Mingfei said confidently. "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees..."

“That’s what the eunuch said.” Lu Mingze tossed the jade box over. “The emperor only needs to stamp it.”

“I’m not an emperor.” Lu Mingfei caught the jade box steadily.

"Remember, all you need to do is stamp it. Use the stamping method you're most familiar with, and no one will dare say you're breaking the rules." Lu Mingze's voice drifted over. The boy rowed the boat, and mist gradually rose over the lake. The small boat, with the faint red glow of a fireplace, gradually sailed away.

...

"We have arrived at the location of Baidi City."

"Drop anchor," Mans ordered.

In the front cabin, Ye Sheng and Jiu Deya put on their diving helmets and oxygen tanks.

The faint sound of a child crying could be heard from the rear cabin.

“Go check on the baby,” Mans frowned. “He’s always crying. Doesn’t any of you know how to take care of a child?”

“Professor, none of us here are married. How do you expect us to learn how to take care of a baby?” the girl sitting in front of the screen said without turning her head.

She was probably twenty-three or twenty-four years old, a typical Latina beauty, wearing a custom-made combat uniform from Kassel, and there were seven or eight other people around her, all staring intently at their screens.

“Call the captain. I am now the captain of the ‘Moniah’.” Mans stubbed out the cigar he was holding and threw it into the ashtray. “Since there are no married people here, I will take care of our dear baby. Selma, you are in charge here for now. Pay attention to their vital signs. If there are any abnormalities, disconnect immediately.”

“Understood!” the Latina girl, Selma, replied.

The weather tonight is not bad. Although dark clouds are gathering, there are usually no major storms in autumn. Besides, this ship is a warship, so even if a Category 12 storm occurs, it can still break through the waves.

For the "Kuimen" project, they have made countless preparations. Since May, the progress has gradually accelerated. A week ago, the probe finally figured out the approximate location of Baidi City below, where the "Egg of the King of Bronze and Fire" that has not yet awakened is likely hidden.

"Ye Sheng, Ya Ji, prepare to dive," Selma said.

The two men gestured as they climbed into the open hatch.