Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

"Smack!" Lu Mingfei's left shoulder blade took a solid hit, and it stung painfully.

"Smack!" His calf was hit again, causing him to stumble.

But he always managed to recover quickly, keeping the bamboo sword firmly in his hand and staring intently at Chu Zihang.

Sweat had completely soaked through his kendo uniform, and his bangs clung uncomfortably to his skin. His stamina was rapidly depleting; his arms ached and felt numb, and his lungs heaved like bellows. Yet, Chu Zihang's attacks remained terrifyingly steady, as if he would never tire.

Finally, in a brief exchange, Chu Zihang struck Lu Mingfei's wrist, which was holding a sword, with a lightning-fast hand technique.

"Ugh!" Lu Mingfei groaned in pain, his fingers loosened, and the bamboo sword fell to the ground with a clatter.

The sparring session is over.

Lu Mingfei, panting heavily, bent down to pick up the bamboo sword, rubbed his reddened wrist, but there was little frustration on his face.

Chu Zihang sheathed his sword and stood still, his breathing as steady as ever. He looked at Lu Mingfei, remained silent for a few seconds, and then spoke: "Three minutes and twenty-seven seconds. Forty-one seconds longer than last time."

Lu Mingfei paused for a moment, then grinned. To be remembered by Chu Zihang for the duration he had persisted and to receive an extended evaluation was itself a huge affirmation.

“Your predictions have improved,” Chu Zihang continued, “You no longer rely solely on reaction. Your timing for counterattacks is also better than before.”

Lu Mingfei scratched his sweaty hair, a little embarrassed: "I still got beaten pretty badly. Senior brother, I clearly saw you were about to strike with your little hand at the end, but I just couldn't dodge it."

“Speed ​​and power take time to accumulate.” Chu Zihang walked to the sidelines, picked up water and a towel, and handed a bottle to Lu Mingfei. “But you’ve already mastered tactics and awareness. Right now, in Kassel, your swordsmanship is at least second-rate.”

Second-rate or higher!

Lu Mingfei paused slightly as he took the water bottle. He knew Chu Zihang never lied; if he said second-rate or above, then he absolutely meant it! In melee combat, he had already surpassed most people in the academy.

For over a year, countless mornings and nights, countless times being whipped with bamboo swords until his body was bruised and purple, countless times collapsing on the floor like a dead dog from exhaustion, countless times repeating the actions of blocking and dodging in his dreams. All the sweat and pain were rewarded at this moment.

Unscrew the bottle cap, Lu Mingfei tilted his head back and took a big gulp of water. The cool liquid slid down his throat, dispelling some of his fatigue. Looking at the ordinary bamboo sword in his hand, feeling the faint pain in his wrist and the thin calluses on his palm from holding the sword for so long, a sense of fulfillment and a faint sense of pride quietly grew in his heart.

"Thank you, senior brother," Lu Mingfei said sincerely, looking at Chu Zihang.

Chu Zihang nodded slightly and wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead with a towel.

Chapter 305 Zero, are you there?

After parting ways with Chu Zihang at the entrance of the kendo dojo, Lu Mingfei felt as if every bone in his body had been disassembled and reassembled, leaving him incredibly sore and refreshed. Yet, deep inside, a faint warmth surged within him—the satisfaction of being recognized. Chu Zihang's four-word assessment, "above second-rate," was more substantial than any flowery praise.

Back in his dorm, Lu Mingfei took a quick shower, roughly dried his still-dripping hair with a towel, and changed into a clean T-shirt and jeans. Although he was still tired, he felt somewhat excited and wanted to share his joy of progress with someone. Even though he himself felt this thought was a bit childish, like a child who couldn't wait to tell their parents after passing a test.

Who to look for?

Fingel is currently in Cuba, so communication is easy. However, he'll definitely use all sorts of exaggerated language to complain, and the conversation will inevitably veer off to how to use his second-rate swordsmanship to freeload or pick up female students.

Forget about Sister Nuonuo; I don't have enough presence in front of her. This little bit of progress will probably only elicit a mocking smile from her.

Frillie, Lu Mingfei avoided this option.

As if possessed, he took out his phone and sent a message to the number saved as "Zero": "What are you doing? Are you free?"

The reply came surprisingly quickly, and the content was as concise as ever: "Dormitory. Free."

Lu Mingfei stared at those two words, took a deep breath, and headed towards Zero's dormitory building as if he were going into battle. Zero, the Ice Crystal Queen from Russia, possessed a delicate and aloof face like a Valkyrie from Norse mythology, along with terrifying close-combat abilities to match. Being with her was sometimes more stressful than facing Chu Zihang.

He knocked on the door, and Zero stood there. She was wearing a simple white training uniform, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders, her eyes as clear and cold as Siberian glaciers. She looked at Lu Mingfei, her delicate nose twitching slightly as she frowned.

"You smell of sweat."

Lu Mingfei was a little embarrassed. He raised his arm and sniffed, "Huh? I just took a shower and changed my clothes. Maybe, maybe I practiced swordsmanship with Senior Brother Chu too hard just now, and the smell hasn't completely dissipated?" He was a little annoyed, wishing he had showered a little longer or sprayed some cologne.

Zero didn't say anything more and stepped aside to let him in. The dormitory was tidy, with almost no extra personal belongings in sight, as deserted as a hotel showroom.

"Sparring with Chu Zihang?" Zero sat down in the only chair and gestured for Lu Mingfei to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Hmm,” Lu Mingfei sat down on the edge of the bed, his body still a little stiff from training. He tried to appear natural. “We just finished fighting not long ago. Senior Brother Chu said my swordsmanship is now at least second-rate.”

As he said this, his voice unconsciously carried a hint of boastfulness, like a kitten that had just learned to hunt, showing off its achievements to a more powerful companion.

Zero's gaze lingered on his face for two seconds, seeing through the slight smugness beneath his feigned composure. She nodded. "Judging from your gait and weight shift when you walked in, you are indeed much better than before. Chu Zihang's assessment is very objective."

Just as Lu Mingfei's little bit of smugness was beginning to swell, Ling's next words were like a fine needle, gently pricking him and deflated his spirits.

“But,” Zero’s tone shifted abruptly, like a cold wind sweeping across a glacier, “you are missing something.”

"What's missing?" Lu Mingfei sat up straight, his curiosity piqued. Being pointed out as inadequate by Zero was, in some ways, more important to him than gaining Chu Zihang's approval.

Zero didn't answer immediately. She stood up and walked to Lu Mingfei. The distance between them instantly closed, and Lu Mingfei could even smell the cool, refreshing scent emanating from her, like cedar mixed with polar winds. He shrank back a little uncomfortably.

Zero extended his right hand, his index and middle fingers together, and lightly touched Lu Mingfei's throat. The movement was not fast, it could be described as very gentle, but in that instant, every hair on Lu Mingfei's body stood on end.

He clearly saw her movements; the trajectory was clear, and the speed wasn't particularly fast, yet an instinctive sense of fear gripped him! He felt as if he were being targeted by a venomous snake, or as if he were standing naked in the freezing cold, permeated by an invisible killing intent. His body stiffened, his breath caught in his throat, and his mind even went blank for a brief moment; he couldn't even muster the most basic thought of blocking or dodging.

Her slender fingers stopped just one centimeter from his Adam's apple.

Zero withdrew his hand and said calmly, "What's missing is this: killing intent."

Lu Mingfei took a breath, as if he had just surfaced from underwater, his heart still pounding. He touched his neck, where the cold sensation lingered. He understood what Zero meant.

Chu Zihang's sword was powerful, precise, and oppressive, but that was more of a pinnacle of skill, a power purely for victory or subjugation. Ling's finger strike just now had nothing to do with strength, speed, or even technique; it was a pure mental crushing force, an aura that naturally emanated from the extreme concentration of the intention to destroy life—killing intent.

“I…I understand,” Lu Mingfei’s voice was still a little hoarse. “Senior Brother Chu’s sword is for defeating opponents, while yours is for killing targets.”

“That’s one way to put it.” Zero sat back down in his chair, as if that earth-shattering finger strike had been nothing more than a casual gesture. “Your swordsmanship has a framework, and your reaction and awareness are improving. But your sword lacks the resolve to destroy something. This isn’t a big problem in academy competitions, but if you face a real enemy with a murderous intent, you’ll instantly fall into a disadvantageous position. Sometimes, killing intent is sharper than the blade itself.”

Lu Mingfei seemed lost in thought. He recalled the dangerous hybrids he had encountered during his previous missions. Those individuals were different from his classmates at the academy; they were far more frenzied and violent, filled with a destructive urge. If he had faced an attack driven by murderous intent, could he have held on as easily as he had when he defended Chu Zihang? Probably not.

The dormitory door wasn't closed properly, and a passing student, probably out of curiosity, peeked inside. They saw Ling sitting on the edge of a bed, and Lu Mingfei in a chair, extremely close to each other. Lu Mingfei's face still held lingering fear and a slight blush, while Ling appeared calm and composed. The scene was unmistakably suggestive.

The student paused for a moment, then gave an ambiguous "I understand, I understand" smile, quickly turned away, and the sound of footsteps faded into the distance.

Lu Mingfei's face flushed instantly, even redder than when Zero had pointed his murderous intent at him. He stood up awkwardly, stammering as he tried to explain, "Um, he seems to have misunderstood. We were just..."

Zero, however, acted as if nothing had happened, calmly looking at him. "What misunderstanding?"

"That's right, that's because of us." Looking into her pure and innocent eyes, Lu Mingfei couldn't bring himself to say anything more.

"Don't worry about what irrelevant people think," Zero said calmly, her tone matter-of-fact. "The important thing is, do you understand what you're lacking?"

Lu Mingfei took a deep breath, refocused his attention, and nodded seriously: "Yes, I understand. Killing intent, or rather, a resolute mindset. I will try to keep an eye out for it."

Although he didn't know how to practice this kind of thing. Was he supposed to work in a slaughterhouse? Or practice killing you with his eyes on a mannequin? The thought was just bizarre.

Zero noticed his confusion and added, "There's no need to deliberately imitate. True killing intent stems from experience and belief. Experience it more in actual combat, or..."

She paused, not continuing, but Lu Mingfei vaguely felt that what she didn't say might involve some dark aspects of her past that he didn't want to delve into.

"Alright, you can go back now," Zero said, dismissing him decisively.

Lu Mingfei felt as if he had been granted a pardon, but also felt a strange sense of loss. He quickly stood up and said, "Oh, okay, thank you, Zero. I'll be going now." He practically stumbled out of Zero's dormitory and gently closed the door behind him.

Chapter 306 The New Romance of the Three Kingdoms

As night deepened, the dormitory area of ​​Kassel College was quiet, with only a few windows still lit, like lighthouses guiding lost souls.

Lu Mingfei dragged his leaden legs and slowly made his way back to his dormitory. The physical training that had just ended had almost drained him of his last bit of strength. All he wanted to do now was collapse into that not-so-soft but absolutely comforting bed, meet with Morpheus, and discuss the meaning of life.

"Hey, you've had a long day, let's get some sleep."

However, fate did not intend to grant him his wish so easily.

Just as Lu Mingfei slumped into his chair like a lump of mud, his phone vibrated in his pocket at the most inopportune moment. The screen lit up, and the caller ID showed a white-haired girl named Frilian, wearing a pointed hat and with eyes as calm as a thousand-year-old ice lake.

Lu Mingfei jolted, almost slipping off his chair. During his vacation, he and Frillian had worked as extras in a TV series called "New Romance of the Three Kingdoms," earning a meager salary.

"Hey, Frillian, what's up?" Lu Mingfei answered the phone.

"The TV series we participated in filming, 'New Romance of the Three Kingdoms,' will premiere tonight at 8 PM on Dragon TV. It's 7:50 PM now."

"Huh? It aired?" Lu Mingfei was stunned for a moment, then remembered that there seemed to be such a thing. At the time, he was just doing extra work for fun. He asked the vice principal Flamel for help and ended up getting two extra roles. He played a nameless passerby who worked as a waiter for Boss Cao. Frillian was given the role of a maid in the Wu-Shu meeting by the director because of her beauty and aloof temperament.

At the time, I felt awkward and tired, but now, looking back, I actually feel a little nostalgic?

"Oh well, if it's going to air, it's going to air. We'll just be showing our faces, it'll probably be over in a flash," Lu Mingfei said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Don't do this, I want to see it, I really want to see it, I desperately want to see it."

Lu Mingfei scratched his head. For Frilian, this was probably a rare experience.

"Alright, alright," Lu Mingfei sighed, resignedly getting up from his chair. "Then will you come to my dorm? Or should I come to you?"

It felt strange to leave Frillie watching TV alone in her dorm room, and it would be a hassle to explain.

“I’m on the observatory terrace in the southeast corner of the college,” Frillian replied. “There’s a public imaging system here; it’s quiet and has a good view.”

An observatory terrace? That's a romantic spot for couples and a place for artsy young people to pretend to be sophisticated. Lu Mingfei's lips twitched slightly, but he still agreed: "Okay, I'll be right there."

After hanging up the phone, Lu Mingfei put on a coat and headed outside. He hadn't gone far from the dormitory building when he saw two familiar figures under the streetlights—Chu Zihang and Xia Mi.

Senior Brother Chu was dressed in a sharp, custom-made black suit, his expression meticulous, as if he were ready to attend a hearing or go and kill a dragon king or two at any moment. Xia Mi skipped along beside him, holding an ice cream cone and chattering away. Although Chu Zihang's face was expressionless, his gaze softened as he looked at her.

"Senior brother! Xia Mi!" Lu Mingfei called out twice.

The two stopped and looked over. Xia Mi's eyes lit up: "Hey, Mingming! Where are you going so late? You're acting all sneaky."

Lu Mingfei blushed slightly: "What sneaky stuff? I'm on serious business! By the way, Senior Brother, Xia Mi, are you both busy tonight?"

Chu Zihang succinctly replied, "No arrangements at the moment."

Xia Mi, biting her spoon, smiled slyly and said, "What, are you treating us to dinner?"

"It's not about eating," Lu Mingfei's mind raced, and an idea suddenly popped into his head. He and Frilian were watching his own ridiculous comedy together, and the thought made him a little embarrassed. If he could invite a few people over, it would ease the awkwardness and, well, share the joy? Especially Senior Brother Chu and Xia Mi; their reactions would be hilarious if they saw him and Frilian in the show. Besides, it's more fun with more people!

"It's a TV series that Frilian and I filmed before, called 'New Romance of the Three Kingdoms,' which premieres tonight. We both had minor roles in it, and we wanted to invite everyone to watch it together for some fun," Lu Mingfei said, trying to make his tone sound natural.

"Hey? You actually acted in a movie with that cold, aloof Frillian?" Xia Mi's interest was piqued. She leaned closer to Lu Mingfei, her face full of gossip. "What did you act in? Were there any romantic scenes?"

"What are you thinking!" Lu Mingfei quickly waved his hand. "Just a minor role! A pure minor role! Senior brother, want to come along? I've got nothing else to do anyway."

Chu Zihang glanced at Xia Mi's eager expression, then at Lu Mingfei's pleading eyes, and nodded slightly: "Okay."

"Great!" Lu Mingfei was delighted and pressed his advantage, "Then, how about we invite Boss Caesar and Sister Nuonuo too? It'll be more fun with more people!"

He thought to himself, "If I'm going to die in this, I might as well go all out! Having the student council president and the Lionheart Club president admire my cameo performance—this kind of treatment is probably unprecedented. And, maybe Sister Nono can even offer some professional commentary."

Chu Zihang frowned slightly but didn't object. Xia Mi, however, clapped her hands excitedly, as if she wanted to stir up trouble: "Great! I've never seen Caesar Gattuso watch TV before! It'll be very interesting!"

Lu Mingfei immediately took out his phone and sent messages to Caesar and Nono, carefully emphasizing that this was his and Frilian's screen debut and hoping that their friends would come and support them. Unexpectedly, Caesar quickly replied with an "OK" gesture, while Nono replied with "laughing so hard--wait, coming right away."

Thus, what was originally a two-person theater-going activity instantly escalated into a small gathering of Kassel College's top elites.

Just as Frillie had described, the observatory terrace was quiet and offered excellent views. A cool evening breeze carried the chill of early autumn. A sizable LCD TV was already on, tuned to Dragon TV, and was playing commercials.