When he stepped off the helicopter, Lu Mingfei felt his legs were still trembling.
Half from fear.
Half from the vibration.
The Black Hawk pilot clearly lived up to his five years in Afghanistan. He started flying before they had even fully climbed in. It nearly scared Lu Mingfei to death. He barely managed to grab on and crawl inside. A "half-hanging flight" was a bit too stimulating for his heart.
After that, there was almost zero communication.
The rotor noise drowned out everything.
"Junior Morin, Junior Lu, follow me. Finger, you're on your own!" Grit jumped down from the helicopter, carrying two massive bundles like they weighed nothing.
"Alright, see you later, juniors!" Finger waved and prepared to leave coolly.
"Remember to delete those things!" Grit caught up in three steps and whispered.
"Don't worry. I always keep my promises!" Finger gave a thumbs-up.
...
"I accidentally made a fool of myself back then. He recorded it," Grit explained, his old face flushing when he noticed the looks from Lu Mingfei and Morin. "First survival rule at Cassell College: stay far away from Finger. Otherwise, the color of your underwear might be on the forum tomorrow!"
"Why does he have such a weird hobby?" Lu Mingfei gasped. "He's not even British!"
"Think about paparazzi," Morin said calmly, glancing around. "He sells information for money. As long as there's demand, he'll sell it."
"Junior Morin is absolutely right. A smart man," Grit sighed. "If only I'd realized that earlier."
"Then I'm relieved," Lu Mingfei said confidently. "No one would want my information."
After all, being ignored was something he had practiced for eighteen years.
As soon as he said it, he noticed Morin and Grit staring at him strangely.
He froze.
"What?"
"Did you forget something?" Morin looked at Grit. "S-ranks are rare, right?"
"Of course," Grit laughed and patted Lu Mingfei's shoulder. "As far as we know, there are no student S-ranks. Only the Principal and Vice Principal."
"In Cassell College, bloodline rank is extremely important. It means you have the same clearance as the Principal."
"So as the only student S-rank, Junior Lu, your information will sell very well!"
Lu Mingfei felt his future turn pitch-black.
So... when exactly is the exam?
Asking for a friend. Urgent.
Can I demote myself to F right now? Or give my S to the Boss and hide behind him?
"Ah, right," Grit slapped his head. The force looked terrifying, yet his head didn't even wobble. "Professor Schneider said to bring you over immediately. You missed orientation because of the schedule error, so we'll do it now."
"Just some basic introductions."
"Follow me!"
They passed medieval-style buildings, green lawns, red pebble paths, and castle-like structures. Pigeons rose and fell on the church roof in the distance.
"This place looks like a European royal palace!" Lu Mingfei exclaimed.
"It's fine. You'll get used to it," Grit replied briskly, still carrying the two bundles. "By the way, Junior Lu, are you carrying metal in your bag? Something round. Experimental equipment?"
Before Lu Mingfei could react, Morin spoke.
"It's a high-temperature, high-pressure, sealed heating device. Simple structure. Very practical."
"Oh... then it must be advanced equipment," Grit nodded seriously.
"It's a pressure cooker!" Lu Mingfei blurted out.
"A pressure cooker..."
Grit fell silent.
He'd been handling the bag extra carefully, thinking it was a precision instrument.
As expected, Junior Morin really speaks differently.
No wonder Professor Schneider values him.
They stopped in front of a building.
Compared to the others, it stood out sharply-square concrete, reinforced steel. More fortress than academy.
"This is the Execution Department headquarters," Grit said proudly. "Full of character, right? Feels like home every time."
Inside, everything was cold-toned and orderly. People moved quickly, barely sparing a glance at the mismatched trio.
"By 'home,' do you mean the bulletproof glass and nuclear bunker?" Lu Mingfei stared at a sign in disbelief.
[Underground Nuclear Shelter Entrance This Way]
"Hahaha! Safety is warmth!" Grit laughed loudly.
"What kind of threat requires nuclear shelters..." Lu Mingfei shivered, then suddenly remembered something. "Boss, everything you told me before... was it real?"
"All of it," Morin nodded.
"So we really are dragons?" Lu Mingfei pointed at himself. "And what I saw before-"
"Real," Morin replied. "Why would I lie? You're a Western dragon. I'm an Eastern dragon."
"We're hybrids, technically," Grit added as they walked. "Western or Eastern doesn't matter. You'll learn that in Dragon Genealogy."
"We're here."
They stopped before an office door.
Grit knocked.
"Who is it?" A raspy voice came through the speaker. A red light glowed. A surveillance camera blinked.
"Professor Schneider, I've brought Junior Morin and Junior Lu Mingfei!"
"Let them in. You just finished a mission. Go rest. Submit the report tomorrow."
"Yes, sir!" Grit turned. "Go in. Give me the luggage. I'll deliver it to your dorms."
"Our dorms are already arranged?" Lu Mingfei was stunned.
"The moment you enrolled, everything was set," Grit laughed, taking Morin's backpack. "Alright, I'm off!"
He left decisively.
The office door slid open.
The room was spacious, bright, and bare. File cabinets lined the walls.
Lu Mingfei's attention fixed on the man behind the desk.
Tall. Thin. Black suit.
A black mask covered his face. A breathing tube connected to a steel cylinder beside him.
Professor von Schneider.
Lu Mingfei instinctively avoided those iron-gray eyes. They felt like the tip of a blade inches from his face.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dark red scars marked Schneider's neck. His breathing sounded thick and heavy, like a damaged bellows.
Schneider barely glanced at Lu Mingfei.
Then he looked at Morin.
"Hello, Professor Schneider," Morin stepped forward. "I am Morin."
"I've heard of you."
Schneider walked closer and stared into Morin's eyes.
Silence filled the office.
Lu Mingfei grew uneasy.
What is this? A staring contest?
A test?
The Gaze of Kings?
Eyes... Golden Pupils.
Yes. Definitely a test.
After a long time, three firm knocks broke the silence.
"Come in."
The door opened.
"Professor," a voice that felt strangely familiar to Lu Mingfei said, "you were looking for me."
"Chu Zihang," Schneider said, sitting back down. "You're all from Shilan High. Help give them orientation."
Chu Zihang.
Lu Mingfei turned.
The legendary senior.
Cassell uniform. Handsome as ever. A backpack slung over his shoulder, a long scroll sticking out like an artist's tool.
Impossible not to know him.
Shilan High's "Most Hated List."
For three years, Chu Zihang was number one. Unshakable.
Lu Mingfei still remembered two girls getting punished for fighting over him. Chu Zihang hadn't even spoken. He'd just walked past in British-style clothes.
Now-
Golden eyes.
Golden Pupils!
Brother, calm down. We're from the same hometown.
"Lu... Lu Mingfei?" Chu Zihang hesitated, then spoke.
"You... you know me?" Lu Mingfei stammered, moved beyond belief.
"I do," Chu Zihang nodded. "I didn't expect you to come here."
"Boss! Boss!" Lu Mingfei rushed to introduce them. "Senior Chu Zihang! Shilan legend! This is Morin. He transferred after you left. Also a legend. My Boss!"
"I've heard of you," Morin said, extending a hand. "Morin. Professor Schneider's preliminary student."
"Then you're my junior," Chu Zihang shook his hand.
Strange.
Neither of them reacted to his Golden Pupils.
And Morin's gaze was too calm.
"Lu Mingfei is S-rank," Schneider said. "Morin... was estimated A-rank."
He paused.
"That may have been an error."
"I understand," Chu Zihang nodded. "Shall we begin?"
"Yes."
Chu Zihang laid out materials, textbooks, and the long scroll.
"Sit."
After they did, he unrolled the scroll.
"Cassell College studies one thing."
"Dragons."
The image unfolded.
Lu Mingfei's breath caught.
A leaden sky. Fire. Lightning.
The end of the world.
A colossal withered tree holding up the heavens.
Skeletons littered the wasteland.
A black dragon roared, breathing dark flames.
"Magnificent..."
Lu Mingfei heard someone murmur.
He turned.
A boy stood beside him. Exquisite suit. Same height.
Morin, Chu Zihang, and Professor Schneider were gone.
"Whoa," Lu Mingfei marveled. "Another magic trick? Execution Department really knows teleportation. I want to learn that too."