Lu Mingfei: What? They're all real!

“I think it’s something like this…” Lu Mingfei had prepared a story during the brief silence to cover for Lao Tang. “It’s probably because the goods this young man went to deliver that day were a bit special, and happened to be targeted by the King of Bronze and Fire. So he tried to steal them, but you know how it is to steal things on gang territory. So he got into a fight, and it got quite a commotion. So he had no choice but to silence everyone who knew about it…”

Chen Motong's eyes lit up, and she nodded, signaling Lu Mingfei to continue.

“The first stop after leaving the casino was the forest park, which is very close to the casino. It happened at night, so most people chose to go into the woods, and the King of Bronze and Fire simply took them all down,” Lu Mingfei said. “But some people were more alert and chose to run home, like this guy here, who was taken down by someone who came to his door. And because he was the one who delivered the goods, the King of Bronze and Fire had even more reason to come looking for him.”

"That makes sense." The girl nodded repeatedly, humming in agreement.

This statement makes sense.

"But what exactly is it that the King of Bronze and Fire cares about?" she asked, like a curious child.

“How would I know?” Lu Mingfei spread his hands, then turned to the window. “Moreover, judging from the force here, the King of Bronze and Fire probably wanted to find something else, so he held back his strength, which is why this place wasn’t completely destroyed.”

The logical chain was now completely closed, and all the questions in this place were answered. Chen Motong pondered for a long time before sending the information back to the academy. The reply from there was nothing new, just a discussion about whether to send more aid.

Chen Motong then wrote this explanation in her work notes, and specifically noted at the end that it was "the conclusion deduced by Lu Mingfei".

"Oh no, this is another great achievement. You'll be on the discussion board for days to come, and the female students will definitely be complaining about it for days to come." Chen Motong packed her things and walked out, chatting with the boy next to her. "Speaking of which, sometimes you should talk to the female students properly. At least you should explain that I always suffer unjustly. Many people have challenged me to a duel."

She glanced over here discreetly.

"What does this have to do with you?" Lu Mingfei asked casually, while secretly wondering about Old Tang's current location.

The Deadpool here probably wasn't killed. Old Tang probably didn't want to destroy his home, but this also shows that he hasn't fully mastered his power and can't make precise kills...

The girl next to him paused deliberately for a while, and only after he realized something was wrong and turned his gaze away did he hear her speak again.

"You'd have to ask you, and your good roommate, who's always spreading rumors and causing all sorts of misunderstandings!" The girl looked ashamed and indignant, her face flushing red.

"Misunderstanding?" Lu Mingfei's mind hadn't processed it yet. It took him a while to remember Fingel's endless stream of nonsense just to grab attention.

He quickly waved his hand, "No, no, no, please don't take it to heart. It's all Fingel's nonsense, not a single word of it is true."

The girl paused, then looked even angrier. She asked sharply, "Then why do you always proclaim that you have a red-haired girl in your heart? Even the principal knows. He pulled me aside and asked me for a long time last time. Is that also something Fingel said?"

How could that old man be so improper! Lu Mingfei cursed Angers inwardly, how could he dare to leak such a secret to others?

"There aren't many girls in the academy with hair like this, are there?" Chen Motong used her fingers to pick up the ends of her hair, curling them into strands. She looked even more like a detective than before, staring intently at Lu Mingfei.

I couldn't tell if she was ashamed and indignant or somewhat eager.

"It's all a misunderstanding. You'll understand later," Lu Mingfei replied truthfully.

At this moment, Lu Mingfei couldn't help but think of Erii, who was far away in Tokyo. In the past two monthly "healing" sessions, he felt more and more that being around such a simple girl was a way to bring peace to his soul, although he always felt that Genjiro's gaze was like a knife... Perhaps when he wasn't around, Erii had slowly become harder to manage and more rebellious.

However, Lu Mingfei still convinced himself that "Yuan Zhisheng is just being petty about me breaking his two swords," shamelessly ignoring the girl's brother's gaze, and continued to fulfill the girl's wish to "see the whole world."

Thinking this, he couldn't help but explain to the girl in front of him again, "Don't take it to heart, it's just a misunderstanding. I'll explain when I get back, it won't affect you."

The girl, who was looking this way with a determined gaze, seemed to have received no satisfactory answer, and her expression was complicated.

"Is it really just a misunderstanding?" she asked.

“It really was just a misunderstanding,” Lu Mingfei said.

Then the girl stopped talking, and after a long while she snorted and quickened her pace to walk ahead.

Chapter 165 Using a borrowed knife to kill

After that, Chen Motong didn't gossip anymore and focused on the investigation. But Lu Mingfei always felt that she seemed to be sulking. She walked with a brisk pace, always in front of him, and her steps were particularly forceful.

The fourth location was Washington Square Park. The time of the elemental fluctuation was not far from when it broke out at Lao Tang's house. It also happened late at night and did not cause any serious damage. If we follow the theory that Lu Mingfei had fabricated, then such a commotion would be quite normal if someone was clearing out the area and silencing witnesses.

But Lu Mingfei knew the truth was far from that, and now he was starting to have some doubts.

These Deadpools are clearly too intelligent, more like some kind of well-trained "assassin" than the name Deadpool. Multiple Deadpools cooperate with each other and fight on multiple fronts... Even putting aside these Deadpools for now, just consider the guy behind them who controls everything—of course, with such a guy existing, these Deadpools are definitely not the type that have been mutated by dragon blood.

If we consider the idea that these Death Servants were merely "vanguards," then the purpose of the test should have been achieved. If the goal was to hunt down a monarch, then there would be no need to continue testing. Given Old Tang's current state, he would likely face a life-or-death situation against any first-generation being, a fate he could not escape.

More importantly, being stimulated like this without engaging in a bloody battle will only allow him to recover more and more under this stimulation. When he fully recalls everything, it will become difficult for him to take action again.

However, simply deploying the Death Servants would hardly pose a real threat to Old Tang's life... The gap between the monarch and his subjects is as vast as an insurmountable chasm, and no one would expect to kill the Bronze and Fire King by overwhelming the Death Servants.

From this perspective, it's almost as if they're helping Old Tang awaken...

Thinking this, Lu Mingfei was led to the fifth location, this time atop the Empire State Building, the place where Brother Jin Gang had fought. According to the information, the battle had occurred in the middle of last night, not long ago, but it still didn't cause the same massive destruction as before; it was still a skirmish.

Lu Mingfei was even more confused.

The profile gave a similar answer to what he thought: there were indeed two low-intensity fights that "stopped at the point of contact."

Lu Mingfei didn't think these assassins retreated because of the monarch's authority; he only felt that there was a conspiracy behind it.

“Next is the Haydn Planetarium. There was a reaction this morning, and the damage was quite significant. The entire Natural History Museum is already closed. We need to sneak in.” Chen Motong patted Lu Mingfei heavily on the back. She looked angry, probably because something she said had offended her.

"A planetarium..." Lu Mingfei now wanted to repeat the question that had always been asked before, "Why a planetarium?"

“Who knows? Maybe one of the people being chased was an employee of the planetarium?” the girl said, tilting her head. “And one of them was an employee who managed the weather radar. Come to think of it… it seems that it was because the tyrannical king made too much noise here that the academy received information that the elemental reactions here were very abnormal. After testing all the previous data, they were able to fully confirm that it was the King of Bronze and Fire.”

"What? Weather radar?"

Lu Mingfei suddenly felt that all the clues were connected!

The academy's satellites detect abnormal elemental reactions globally using radar signals, which is supposed to be classified. However, the big-mouthed Guderian never puts any precautions on his dearest student, so Lu Mingfei knows this... and he also knows that the reactions occurring in front of the weather radar reflector will be particularly strong and obvious.

So that's how it is. That's why the academy, based on the data they had, was convinced that this was the location of the King of Bronze and Fire.

This was a specially chosen location.

He even suddenly recalled the various locations along the way and realized that these locations... might not all be coincidences.

He suddenly reached into Chen Motong's bag and pulled out the map covered in markings, ignoring the girl's shocked and coquettish state as he quickly examined it...

Old Tang's house, Washington Park Square, the Empire State Building, and finally the Hayden Planetarium are all on a straight line. It's not that Old Tang "escaped" to these places. Deadpool had planned it from the beginning to force him to the final location.

That's right... Lu Mingfei gathered his thoughts and forced himself to calm down.

From the very beginning, these Deadpools were prepared to lure Tang towards the weather radar. They weren't there to hunt him down or help him level up, but rather to make Tang create enough noise to attract the attention of the Kassels, thus drawing the attention of these dragon slayers.

Behind this lies a guy who can precisely command Deadpool, even endow Deadpool with intelligence, and knows everything about Cassel. Whether or not he is an original species, he must have integrated well into human life.

Now, this mastermind has set a trap for his own beloved compatriots.

Lu Mingfei didn't have time to stop and rushed to the scene. Chen Motong, unaware of what was going on, followed behind him. The two of them sneaked up to the top of the observatory, where the weather radar had been melted. The place was in ruins, just as Lu Mingfei had guessed, with twisted corpses everywhere, including strange creatures wearing bizarre one-eyed masks.

The name Odin suddenly echoed in Lu Mingfei's mind. The image was so vivid that he could easily recognize it without having to guess.

What Odin really wanted to do was probably to use someone else to do his dirty work...

Judging from the timeline, Old Tang is probably still being chased. And considering the number of Dead Servants who have died here, his condition must be very bad. He has no ability to clear out his pursuers. When he is forced into a desperate situation, the only thing he can do is to fight to the death and take his opponent down with him. This is exactly what the mastermind is worried about, so he is unwilling to take the risk himself and wants to use someone else to do the dirty work.

Following this line of reasoning, the next place to be evicted would be—

Lu Mingfei turned around and shouted, "Senior Sister Chen, where is the nearest execution department station?"

Chen Motong, who wanted to continue "profile", was startled by the sudden angry shout. But looking at Lu Mingfei's ashen face, she couldn't muster any thoughts other than obedience.

"I...I want to ask..." Chen Motong quickly took out his special communication device from his pocket.

Lu Mingfei was so anxious he was pacing back and forth; he understood everything now!

This investigation was never important from the start. All the mastermind wanted was to give Kassel College a "warning signal," allowing them to confirm that this was indeed the "King of Bronze and Fire," to get a general idea of ​​the area, and to prepare in advance...

Prior to this, Lu Mingfei had learned from the familiar executive officers that the entire New York executive department was on standby and ready to engage in combat at any moment should anything go wrong.

Odin never intended to use the Dead Servants to hunt down Don Quixote; he simply wanted to use this constant driving to send Don Quixote to a location where he was truly in danger of dying.

Old Tang is still being pressured by the Deadpools, and his destination is undoubtedly the nearest Executive Department outpost... Cassel is the knife being used, and Old Tang is the prey being driven into the trap.

Once Old Tang jumps into this encirclement, Cassel will never let him escape.

Lu Mingfei was now filled with lingering fear, thankful that he was still in this city, and even more thankful that nothing had happened yet. If he could have acted a little faster, he would still have made it in time.

"In that direction!" Chen Motong pointed northeast, "In the river, the North and South Brother Islands!"

Without saying a word, Lu Mingfei took the shortest route and jumped off the platform, which was more than ten meters high.

Chapter 166 A Choice That Won't Make Me Regret It More

Lu Mingfei has always disliked the phrase "beyond his ability"; he hates the feeling of reaching out with all his might but being unable to reach something.

But no matter how he tried to run, there were always obstacles in his way.

After hailing a taxi, he encountered a traffic jam. He "requisitioned" a bicycle, but the chain broke. He could only run with all his might. But at times like these, he was incredibly envious of Genjiro's physique, which could almost break the sound barrier. Lu Mingfei had never really craved power, but now, he really wanted a strong body.

In the end, as expected, he didn't make it in time. A dozen minutes after he jumped from the platform, he finally received a text message from Norma on his phone. The message said that the North and South Brothers Island outpost in New York had been attacked by what appeared to be the Lord of Bronze and Fire, and all nearby agents and students of Grade A or above needed to rush there immediately.

But Norma didn't actually need to tell them this. Suddenly, a towering flame shot up in the distance, completely surrounding the island where the outpost was located, indicating the location and intensity of the battlefield.

Lu Mingfei stopped and stared at the direction of the raging fire. A wave of exhaustion washed over him. He was not only too late, but he was also too late. The mastermind's plan was meticulous and flawless. Now, Old Tang was exposed to the Executive Department's surveillance...

Regardless of today's outcome, Old Tang will undoubtedly remain at the top of the Camarilla's kill list, until his death...

Lu Mingfei felt exhausted. He didn't know whether he should rush over, or to be more precise, he didn't know what to do once he got there.

He certainly didn't want to help the executives hunt down the Dragon King. Although there were a few likeable guys in the New York executive branch who were always swarming around him and inviting him to dinner, the Dragon King was his good brother and the only person he could call a friend during his darkest times.

Lu Mingfei recalled the countless StarCraft games he and Lao Tang had played together, and the night they infiltrated the garbage disposal plant as notorious thieves. Lao Tang grinned and patted his chest, saying, "Brother, we'll split it 70/30."

Damn it, how can someone betray a good brother who's willing to let you take seven parts while he only takes three?

But Lu Mingfei had no idea what he could do...

Should I rush into the battlefield, draw my sword, stand on Old Tang's side, and directly and clearly declare that I am severing ties with the human world, saying goodbye to my previous peaceful life and the chance to contact my parents?

Lu Mingfei felt that such a price was too terrible. He was always afraid of being expelled from human society, not only because he was worried that the boundless loneliness would erode his heart, but also because he always felt that if one day there was no one in this world that he cared about, then he would become something else, something dark and terrifying, something that would bring despair.

At that moment, he suddenly felt that he hadn't made any progress all this time. He was still the same guy who would shrink back and run away when faced with problems, just like Shinji Ikari, whom he hated the most when he was a child but gradually came to understand as he grew up.

Lu Mingfei slowed his pace, watching the distant flames rise higher and higher. He gazed at the sky, which was becoming increasingly dark under the firelight, and gradually stopped.

However, people always like to be modest.

Although Lu Mingfei felt he hadn't made any progress, some changes had already seeped into his bones and become second nature to him. He was no longer the kind of kid who would run away to the last second and then only regret it.

He will at least make a choice.

Lu Mingfei took a deep breath, forcing himself to choose the path he would never regret. Perhaps being seen as a "traitor" and being hunted down was a bad thing... but what's dead is truly dead. There would never again be a man who would pat you on the shoulder and call you "brother" in a thunderous voice.

He exhaled all the air he had inhaled into his lungs at once, and then ran towards the direction of the raging fire as if his life depended on it. Although making a choice was difficult, he had already made his choice.

But then his phone suddenly started vibrating; an email had arrived.

"Brother, take care. I encountered a lot of strange things today, and I might die. Don't do this kind of work anymore, it's unlucky... Remember, be careful of masked monsters. I wish you peace."

This email came from Lao Tang. The tone was calm, but it was his final message, and it was marked "sent at a set time." It's midnight now, time to send it.

In a flash, Lu Mingfei finally figured out the last clue, the last piece of the puzzle. He had previously told Chen Motong that Lao Tang was hiding in his house while being hunted, but he knew perfectly well that was nonsense. Lao Tang was a seasoned bounty hunter and would definitely know the principle of never exposing his hideout. If he was being hunted, he would never have gone back to his own home.

Now he finally understood. Old Tang had taken such a huge risk just to go home and send an email! The phone had been unreachable several times, probably because it was damaged, so he had to use other means of communication. Even in his dying moments, the man was only concerned with telling his brother to be careful…

Lu Mingfei felt a sudden pang in his heart, and the sour feeling made his eyes sting. At that moment, he was only grateful that he had made the right decision a few minutes earlier and that he would not let his conscience down.

He let out a wail, then staggered and desperately charged forward.

……

"Has the reinforcement arrived yet?" the man asked cautiously, lurking in the darkness.

“No, who would have thought this place would be attacked by the first generation of beings?” Another man, hiding not far away, was covered in sweat. This place was now no different from a furnace. He took out his electromagnetic interference-resistant phone and grinned as he checked it. “But the good news is that, according to Norma’s markings, Lu Mingfei seems to be on his way.”

"Really? Is it really Lu Mingfei?" Another man poked his head out of the ground, overjoyed. "That's great! We're saved!"

A fourth man emerged from the darkness shortly after, exclaiming his good fortune.

Then, the fifth and sixth men also appeared, because of the name of the savior that had just been revealed.

"How come no one died!" The first man was slightly disappointed. "Not heroic enough, brothers. The King of Bronze and Fire and so many Dead Servants attacked us, and not a single one died. Doesn't that mean we'll be seen as cowards who deserted?"

"You're disappointed now, aren't you?" the third man wailed. "Go ahead and charge in, join the battle between the King of Bronze and Fire and Deadpool."

Everyone shook their heads at the same time.

"It's just good luck. Who would have thought that the dragon race would fight amongst themselves?" the first man sighed. "Hopefully, Lu Mingfei will arrive before he slaughters these death servants..."

Everyone looked toward the center of the flames.

The jet-black Deadpools, like ink washes in a painting, surrounded the tall man. Flames as high as mountains imprisoned all living and dead creatures on the island. The supreme monarch, as if calling roll, precisely sent flames filled with rage to the enemy. One Deadpool after another burned to ashes until there was no one left standing on the field.

Chapter 167 Three Punches Shatter Brotherhood

When there were no more Deadpools left standing on the field, Norton's gaze finally turned to the men lurking in the darkness.