Chapter 81: The Different Lives of the Brothers
The streamlined car body featured silver vine patterns carved into the paint, while the carriage interior boasted European-style decorations. Chu Zihang didn't bother to examine the interior of this so-called CC1000 Express in detail; he wore the dark green suit uniform that the Academy had issued him long ago and sat on a sofa of the same color. The uniform was a bit small.
This was the body data recorded when he was at Sequence 7; as one advances in the Warrior Pathway, the body grows taller with each Sequence.
His current height was just right, around 1.8 meters. It was fortunate he only possessed dragon blood and no giant bloodline, otherwise, he would have grown to two meters tall.
"Your body is growing fast. You can contact Norma later to have someone send you a few new uniforms; with your authority, you can do that."
The voice came from Professor Schneider, who was sitting opposite him wearing a black suit. His gaze remained as resolute as ever, his pupils seemingly burning with raging fire. His physical recovery allowed him to better dedicate himself to the cause of dragon-slaying.
"Professor Schneider, if I recall correctly, you should be the head of the Execution Department. I'm surprised you have the time to meet with me personally."
"Hmm, there is a special reason. From now on, you are my student, and I am your advisor." Schneider hadn't taken on any students since the incident in Greenland, but Chu Zihang's performance in the preparatory class and his connection to that mysterious 'magistrate' made it impossible for both Angers and himself to ignore him.
After some discussion, he decided to personally guide and observe this outstanding student.
"I don't need them to prepare any helicopters! If it can make them feel embarrassed, I would rather take the Academy's train, heh."
The voice came from the next carriage, and it seemed to be Italian?
Chu Zihang tilted his head slightly, catching a glimpse of long golden hair from the corner of his eye.
"Caesar Gattuso, the heir to the Gattuso Family in Italy. I heard rumors that he planned to arrive for his early enrollment by helicopter and then ride a motorcycle diving down to the Academy gates. Judging by his current behavior, it seems his family found out and wanted to make arrangements for him."
Schneider noticed Chu Zihang's gaze and looked toward the blonde figure in the other carriage behind Chu Zihang, saying:
"The information we received indicates that he has always been at odds with his family, but regardless, he is still the recognized heir."
Chu Zihang nodded slightly to show he understood, thinking to himself that it must be a rebellious rich kid in his adolescence, and judging by his tone, he was quite arrogant.
"We don't need to go through the freshman procedures. You have already awakened your bloodline and had your rank confirmed, plus you have a good record of assisting in execution missions. This is your course selection sheet." Schneider pulled a sheet and a pen from a bag beside him and placed them in front of Chu Zihang.
"The Principal's course on Dragon Kind lineage is mandatory; you can choose the rest as you see fit. When the Execution Department is short-handed, you may still receive missions. It's different from the preparatory class; they will be sent to your email by Norma. Most will be mandatory, but you can also provide a suitable reason to decline a mission."
"Hmm." Chu Zihang's expression didn't change much from start to finish. With a frosty face, he picked up the pen and checked off items on the course selection sheet.
Chu Zihang actually hoped for more missions, as that would allow him to better act out and digest the potion. Only with more power could he protect the people around him.
"The advance PV for the new open-world role-playing game 'Death' is now on all platforms..."
Norma's voice came from the carriage speakers. Was this an advertisement? For the first time since boarding the train, Chu Zihang's expression changed. He looked up at Schneider in confusion, seemingly seeking an answer.
"One of the school board members is an investor in this game. He paid so much that the Principal let him advertise in the school..." Schneider's expression wasn't much better, but he still answered for Chu Zihang. He didn't know how much money that board member had given the school, but heaven knows how Angers agreed to let Norma run advertisements. Besides, the promotional costs were so high; surely they couldn't break even?
"Cardinal Lu Mingfei, this is today's inspection report. Please review it." Sakurai Akira spoke in Japanese and placed a stack of reports on Lu Mingfei's desk, as the Cardinal in front of him could understand it.
Each report was written in varying lengths, some concise, some complex; they were all just students before and hadn't undergone any training.
Compared to Chu Zihang, who had already enrolled early, Lu Mingfei had been a Cardinal at the Everlasting Sleep Church in town for a month. He spent every day handling affairs in a small room deep inside the church. Except for not interfering with the surface-level administration, many things had to pass through his hands.
He was now wearing a black robe with wing patterns and a square high hat, looking just like an evil cult boss from a Japanese-style Western fantasy work.
According to Mills, this was designed by a female believer who had provided them with a lot of help; she also had an Eastern face like Lu Mingfei and was very wealthy.
Lu Mingfei had to keep track of a lot of things every day, such as whether there were any suspicious people, how the town's construction was going, or whether there was more or less money in the church's donation box today...
This was how the wealth gap manifested. Relatively wealthy people who came from afar would donate to the church to pray for the Lord to grant them peace, which might add splendor to their lives in the future. The poor had almost nothing; they could only pray devoutly, praying for the 'Lord' to help them through their difficulties. However, according to statistics, the latter were the ones who received responses more often.
The donations received by the Everlasting Sleep Church would be used for the expenses and salary payments of the affiliated organization; after dragging people from so far away to work, one certainly had to pay them.
Most of the people who came from Japan chose to stay. After all, they were penniless now, so it was better to settle down before thinking about their future lives. At least they were no longer in that cage. A small number chose to venture out on their own. When they left, Mills led everyone to see them off and pray for them, wishing for the 'magistrate' to protect them.
Lu Mingfei nodded to indicate he understood. After Sakurai Akira bowed slightly to greet him and left the office, he leaned straight back into his chair.
"It's simply torture... Everyone's handwriting is different. Some of it is completely illegible, and I have to look it up in a dictionary, but I can't not look at it."
Theoretically, Lu Mingfei's improved super-intelligence should allow him to learn new languages quickly, but in reality, his Japanese vocabulary hadn't grown significantly.
"Master is so mean! Mills could clearly do this much better than I can. I should just be helping out and making an appearance. I can't do this kind of work~ I'm clearly still just a 16-year-old child. Just thinking that school doesn't start for another month makes my head ache. I can't believe I'd actually miss those guys at school. Speaking of school, did I get too close to Su Xiaoqiang last semester? Zero wouldn't be angry, would she..."
After the complaints, which sounded worse than any creature's cry, ended, Lu Mingfei still sat up and checked the reports one by one. After all, finishing these things early meant he could call Zero and chat sooner.
Heh, honestly, I really have changed a lot. The old me would definitely be in some alleyway internet cafe, drinking a Nutri-Express and playing games. Now I've become a prominent figure of an organization. If this reached the ears of Uncle, Aunt, or Lu Mingze, I can't imagine what kind of expressions they would have! But I'm really so tired...
Lu Mingfei let his thoughts wander, signing and stamping the reports one by one, until the stack of paper documents that had been in the center of the desk had all been moved to another spot.
"Finally done~" Lu Mingfei narrowed his eyes and stretched slightly; he was afraid that if he used too much force, he would tear his robe. Seemingly sensing something, he suddenly opened his eyes and stared straight ahead. A small figure, dressed appropriately and wearing a bowtie, was sitting sideways on his desk.
"Brother, you don't seem to resist submitting to others, do you."
"Why have you popped up again? You actually dare to come and drive a wedge between Master and me. You child, you're not obedient at all. Come here and let me spank you!"
Lu Mingze dodged Lu Mingfei's flailing hands, his tone helpless: "I really don't know if handing you over was the right thing to do. Forget it, the die is cast, we can only take it one step at a time~ By the way, have you never wondered why he can produce so many so-called 'potions'? Heh, just a reminder."
Lu Mingfei originally wanted to stand up and grab this cheap brother to interrogate him, but the guy said some riddles and then disappeared.
He had just half-risen but sat back down, rubbing his chin and muttering to himself: "That figure on the ice field... it's very similar to the personality he displays, but it has my face... Sigh, that memory is incomplete, it's fragmented. Could it be..."
Lu Mingfei shook his head. He stood up, straightened his robe, and touched the edge of the desk lightly as he left the room.
Chapter 82: Abnormal Wind
"Nearly two months have passed, and the Sheqi Eight Families have not publicized the incident at the Dangerous bloodline Detention Center, which involved many descendants from the eight great families, even though they were all classified as having dangerous bloodlines. Except for inside the detention center, the surrounding surveillance equipment was operating normally. For 90% of the people to evaporate overnight—no matter how you put it, this is too bizarre. However, they will probably suspect the Fierce Ghost Sect and might take major action against them afterward."
The Youth in Black Clothes held the phone to his ear with his left hand, listening to a certain beautiful woman's report, while his right hand controlled the mouse, operating something on the computer.
"Minamoto no Chisei's time as Family Head is... never mind. If I encountered this, I'd probably have a headache for a while too. Until everything is set in stone, I'll just have to wrong him a little."
"Where did you silently take those 90% of people?"
Unexpectedly, Jude Mai would ask such a question. The youth raised an eyebrow and replied with a curious tone: "Maiyi, didn't your boss tell you not to ask too many questions?"
"...Sorry."
The youth chuckled: "I'm just teasing you. I took them to a relatively freer place, but those students who haven't graduated might not get a very good education, which gives me a bit of a headache. As for the remaining 10% who didn't want to leave, I can only help them along and wish them well."
"Then thank you for satisfying my curiosity?"
"You're welcome. Consider it a reward for your hard work in getting me the intel."
"My hard work is only worth a bit of curiosity?"
"Thank you for your trouble. If you fall into danger and need help, you can call my name."
"Heh, I have a boss too, so I don't need extra help. Although my first impression of you was very poor, it's a little better now. Also, you really are a bit chuunibyou."
Jude Mai was in a luxury suite at the Park Hyatt Tokyo. She tossed her phone aside after hanging up, stepped out of the large bathtub, draped a bathrobe over her proud figure, and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.
From here, she could see Genji Heavy Industries not far away, a massive project completed only a few years ago, but its current rulers didn't know what was hidden beneath this building.
It must be said that they really kept it well-hidden. After the puppets on the surface were gone, the things underneath didn't actually crawl out. I guess there are still some insiders maintaining it.
"Hmm~ I'd better get some rest; I have to go to work again soon..." The girl raised her hands over her head and stretched, revealing her perfect body curves that no one was watching.
Sometimes, someone would think, if only Dragon King Miss had a figure like that. It doesn't even have to be that good; at least don't let her ribs poke me when sleeping.
...
On Sleipnir, the private jet of the Cassell College Principal, Angers, who was traveling around the world to participate in certain family gatherings and peace talks, received a new message.
"The Atlantic hurricane season, which began in early June of this year, has recently changed, Principal Angers." Norma's voice echoed in the cabin.
"Tell me the details, Norma." Angers withdrew his gaze from the porthole.
"According to the observations of the Vice Principal, the 'Nightwatcher', a phenomenon of elemental turbulence has appeared in the hurricanes originally triggered by tropical cyclones in the Atlantic deep-sea basin. The Vice Principal speculates that it may have been triggered by at least one noble from the Wind King lineage, though the purpose is currently unclear."
Angers nodded and said: "Connect me to the Vice Principal."
After a brief wait, the Nightwatcher's eccentric voice sounded in the cabin: "Hello? Angers? I notified Norma the moment I discovered it. In the future, don't say that I don't do any serious work and only know about women and wine."
"Can you observe more detailed information?"
"Yes, but it takes time. This happened too suddenly, and it's just a few hundred kilometers away from us. If it's not handled well, the coastal cities will be blown into the sky."
"Continue observing. Once we have enough intelligence, we will formulate a detailed plan. We have someone who can handle it. End the call."
"Norma, notify the Mexico branch and have them contact the local government to organize disaster prevention."
...
Ji was sitting at the computer desk, having just finished his call with Jude Mai, when Angers called again.
Hurricanes, huh? Is Macallan up to some new trick again?
He received the information shared by Angers. The Atlantic hurricane was affected by elemental turbulence. If he remembered correctly, in his original world, there was a well-known hurricane event in 2007.
A Category 5 hurricane, 'Dean', with wind speeds reaching 280 kilometers per hour, made landfall on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
He closed the game Crysis he was still playing and opened the browser to search for a world map.
"Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, and Cuba is next door? This hurricane might not necessarily make landfall there like I know."
Ji glanced at the right side of the entire map. Across the Atlantic was another continent. Africa.
He narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue: "Thinking about it, it seems to be only an Atlantic Ocean away from the country that believes in me. Even a Second Generation could probably maintain the hurricane's intensity and guide its direction."
"Regardless, it's not good if it harms anywhere. Looks like I have to go on a long trip to handle it."
Ji opened the room door and shouted to the living room downstairs: "Xia Mi! Do you want to go to Cuba for a vacation!"
"Yes!" The girl's excited voice and the gradually louder sound of slippers reached upstairs.
Chapter 83: Unexpected Calm
Cuba is world-renowned for its unique culture and specialty products; the most representative product of this small country located in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere is top-tier tobacco.
Due to long-term economic blockades and sanctions, the streets of Cuba are filled with vintage American cars from the last century; they simply cannot import new ones...
Ji Eggers wore his black trench coat everywhere. Fortunately, he wasn't wearing a top hat, or he definitely would have been considered a Lunatic in this sweltering September heat.
"Did we come here just to look at the blue sky, white clouds, and these vintage cars?" Nono wore clover earrings and sunglasses, dressed in a red dress, her well-developed figure already beginning to show the air of a mature woman.
In contrast, the brown-haired girl walking beside her had a figure that was hard to describe, but she had a perfect face, so her figure was at best just icing on the cake.
"Geez, this was supposed to be a vacation for just me and the Bastard Boss. Why did you tag along, Nono?"
Xia Mi wore a straw hat topped with a blue bowtie and a bohemian-style long dress. If you ignored the peridot ring on the middle finger of her left hand, she looked just like a college student on vacation.
In fact, they really did feel like they were on vacation; the whole sky was full of blue sky and white clouds, with no sign of a hurricane, but since Ji Eggers said there would be one, there definitely would be. Listening to him was always the right choice.
"If both of you left, wouldn't that leave me all alone at home? Even just eating would be a big problem." Nono pinched Xia Mi's face. They had a pretty good relationship; otherwise, the Dragon King Miss certainly wouldn't let anyone other than the mysterious trench-coat-wearing man beside her pinch her face.
Xia Mi's face was pinched out of shape, and she said some slurred words: "Can't you cook or go buy something?"
The Red-haired Miko blinked beautifully and threw out a sentence:
"I'm lazy~"
The three of them walked along the streets of Havana, the capital of Cuba. The ground was clean, and the buildings were generally low, with four or five-story structures making up the majority. If you found a slightly taller building, you could see the entire city.
The two beautiful ladies looked at the buildings along the street. There were few shops here, likely due to the shortage of goods, but whenever they found something interesting, they would tug on the hem of the gentleman in front and drag him into the shop.
After all, the source of income for the household was this mysterious man in the trench coat. Although their usual expenses were definitely covered—the young man had even gotten each of them a card—who would use their own card when the main provider was right here?
Ji Eggers smiled helplessly, shook his head, pulled his hem back, and followed behind the two ladies.
"Why are you two interested in rum? Besides, Nono, you haven't reached the legal drinking age yet." Ji Eggers clutched his head, looking at the dazzling array of rum on the shelf in front of him, deep in thought.
"Hmph, we watched Pirates of the Caribbean 3 a few months ago and wanted to see what this rum stuff was all about. Plus, the Caribbean Sea is right next to us, isn't it? Bastard Boss, can we go play on the beach in a couple of days? Little Xia Mi will wear a swimsuit for you to see~" Xia Mi took a bottle off the shelf and dangled it in front of Ji Eggers.
Ignoring Xia Mi's talk of wearing a swimsuit—only her face was worth looking at, and when he hugged her to sleep, her bones would poke him—Nono's figure was much more suitable.
"This place is rich in sugarcane, so rum, which is relatively easy to obtain, was very popular among pirates in the Middle Ages. Its cheap and decent taste made it well-liked by them." Ji Eggers took the bottle of clear liquid from the girl's hand and explained to them.
"All of that is just what I looked up. I don't actually know what rum tastes like. I rarely drink; at most, I have some red wine or something."
Ji Eggers looked at the price tag: 1500 CUP, which was about 62 USD. It wasn't expensive, but it definitely wasn't meant for the local residents to buy. Due to the economic blockade and sanctions, they implemented a rationing system, and the average person's monthly income was very low.
"Of course, if you want to try some, we can buy it, but it probably won't taste better than grain or fruit liquor. Nono can't have any; you're not an adult yet."
Nono rolled her eyes violently after hearing this.
After paying, Xia Mi tossed the liquor into Ji Eggers' arms and skipped along the street. It was hard to imagine that this lively and cheerful beautiful creature in front of him contained the power to destroy the entire city.
There were quite a few private tobacco shops around here; the biggest source of income was probably those cigars. Ji Eggers looked at the tobacco shops with their varied interior decorations, lost in thought.
"I've heard that their top-tier cigars are all rolled on the thighs of young girls. I wonder if that's true."
Hearing Ji Eggers suddenly blurt out something like that, Xia Mi and Nono's expressions turned strange.
Xia Mi extended two fingers in a pinching motion: "What? Does the Bastard Boss want to get one to try?"
The young man shook his head and replied: "No, just curious. I don't smoke."
Nono narrowed her eyes, staring at Ji Eggers, and whispered into Xia Mi's ear: "You have to keep an eye on him. Under that serious exterior, he might be hiding a very beastly heart. You have to trust the eyes of a 'Spectator'."
"If you say things like that, I'll be heartbroken." Ji Eggers clutched his chest, saying in distress.
The two beauties said in unison: "We can't tell."
...
Havana at night was basically pitch black. There weren't many electric lights, and even if there were, they probably wouldn't be turned on. The places that did have lights were likely guesthouses or hotels where tourists stayed.
The three of them sat on top of the Havana Cathedral. The black-haired young man and the brown-haired girl passed a bottle of not-so-good-tasting liquor back and forth, while the other red-haired beauty held a cup of coffee.
"I heard that this cathedral once held the remains of Columbus for a hundred years, and it is also the cathedral of the Catholic diocese here."
"Does this have anything to do with us coming to this pitch-black place to catch the wind?" Xia Mi said, taking another sip of the clear liquid in the bottle. "Ugh~ It doesn't taste as good as Erguotou."
Nono asked, slightly surprised: "You've even had Erguotou?"
"It's not my first time waking up there. In my long life, I've spent quite a bit of time in your country~"
Ji Eggers coughed lightly and answered Xia Mi's previous question: "I wanted to draw inspiration from their cathedral style. Besides, there's nothing to do late at night, right? And there's no internet here..."
"Honestly, it's a bit too calm here. As a coastal region, the wind force is only about level three or four. It doesn't look like there's going to be a hurricane at all."
"What do they want to do by luring me here? Or... he doesn't think Lu Mingfei on the other side of the Atlantic is easy to deal with, does he? Heh."
Hearing Ji Eggers mutter, Xia Mi and Nono exchanged glances, synchronized in shrugging and shaking their heads. It seemed someone was about to be unlucky.
Chapter 84: Preparation
"Yo? Isn't this Bishop Lu? How's it going? How do you have time to call me?"
A cheeky voice came from the phone, but the person holding it no longer had the energy to bicker with the other side.
"Don't even mention it. I'm busy to death. Every day I'm out in a black robe, showing my face to lead mass prayers and acting like some charlatan preaching here and there. After that, I have to go back to the office to handle paperwork. My body is already falling apart." Well, obviously Lu Mingfei wasn't tired enough yet, as he still had the energy to complain.
"What's with all the pineapples and watermelons? Can you say something a dragon can understand?"
"So you still remember you're a dragon? You seem to be enjoying your current life quite a bit. I heard from Xia Mi that you're always running off to bars. Surely it's not just for the drinks?"
The person on the other side fell silent for a moment before laughing cheekily again. "Hehe, you have to learn to appreciate the beauty of humanity~"
"You... forget it, we're getting off track. Master should have told you already, right?"
"Yeah, I'll bring the seven deadly sins over in a bit. I'll have to bring my brother along too; I'm not comfortable leaving him home alone."
"Alright, good to know. We might have a tough battle ahead of us this time. I'm not sure who's targeting us, but wait—I might have a guess."
The voice on the phone laughed. "I've mostly recovered. I hope you can show the same strength as last time, or you might be startled by me at full power."
Lu Mingfei shook his head, hung up, and set the phone aside. He turned and pressed a red button on the wall. It was connected to a bell in the church's duty room that only rang when the button was pressed, signaling that the Cardinal was calling them.
Shortly after, Sakurai Akira knocked and entered. He saw Lu Mingfei standing before the desk with his hands behind his back. Lu Mingfei was likely trying to strike a dignified pose, but his delicate face didn't quite suit it.
Lu Mingfei brought his right hand from behind his back and made a grand sweep from left to right. With a resolute gaze and a heavy tone, he said, "Sakurai-san! The time has come for the organization to test everyone. We must strengthen our awareness of the town's defense and ensure all arrangements are implemented. Despicable individuals in the shadows have set their sights on the 'Lord's' blessed land. We must protect the believers and the people under His wings on behalf of the 'Lord'."
"Hai!" Sakurai Akira snapped to attention, his hands pressed against his trouser seams, standing straighter than the trees outside the church.
Although he didn't quite understand the specifics of those words, he realized something big was coming. He hoped it wasn't anything too serious. He had only been here for less than two months. He had planned to take leave in a few months to go to the capital's newly built airport and fly around the world to see the places described in books.
After arranging some tasks and giving instructions, Lu Mingfei turned and sat back down behind the desk. Ji had only said he'd have Old Tang bring the seven deadly sins, but bringing a Dragon King along meant something unusual was bound to happen. He had to prepare early and not fail everyone's expectations.
However, he wasn't too worried. Two 'holy relics' were stored in this church. One was placed under the table displaying the original Holy Scripture of Eternal Darkness. It was a bottle of an unknown black substance that usually did nothing, even having a calming effect when left there. But if a bit of spirituality was injected and it was thrown at a target... Heh.
The other was kept beneath the church—a true 'Anti-City Noble Phantasm.' This was the nickname Lu Mingfei had given it, a setting from the Fate series. He felt the description was very fitting. Ji had once demonstrated the power of that 'holy relic' before him.
Codenamed 1-24, it looked like a dark gold spear with only half its length remaining. Fresh bloodstains always lingered on the tip, never disappearing no matter how much it was wiped. According to Ji, it was a true Sealed Artifact. Even he had to exert great effort to reduce its negative effects to a level where Lu Mingfei could use it in a limited capacity.
"I hope Master just wants me to be prepared, rather than something big actually happening... Phew, it's okay, I can do this!"
Lu Mingfei leaned back in his chair, one hand stroking his chin while the other tapped rhythmically on the desk.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of knocking echoed. Lu Mingfei looked up, thinking with some confusion, "I just finished the arrangements and something's already up? I didn't arrange things too late, did I?"
"Come in," Lu Mingfei said in a low voice. It didn't quite sound like him; he thought it might be because he was a bit nervous.
The person who pushed the door open and stood before the desk was a young man who still looked a bit childish. With his not-so-tall stature and that face, Lu Mingfei almost thought he was a student. But they hadn't recruited any minors who were still studying; the people working in the church were mostly former school staff from the detention center.
"Report! We've captured a suspicious individual on the outskirts of town. We've been observing him for half the day since we spotted him; he's been acting very sneaky. Just now, he tried to sneak into town and was caught on the spot. Your Eminence, please come and see for yourself."
"Oh? Yoshi~" Lu Mingfei made a voice like a colonel from those anti-Japanese war dramas. "Someone actually dares to come to our doorstep. Continue to strengthen the defense patrols; I'll go meet this suspicious character right away."
"Hai!" The young man nodded heavily and quickly exited the room.
Lu Mingfei stood up, walked around the desk, and headed out. He muttered in Chinese as he walked, "I should have them change that later... All this 'Hai'ing feels so weird."
He walked to the church's narthex. There were many rows of pews. On the walls on both sides of the church were black and white stained glass depicting the holy emblem of eternal slumber. Many believers were there, heads bowed and hands clasped in prayer. Although Lu Mingfei couldn't understand their language, he could feel their pious tone. The light filtering through the black and white glass filled the interior with a sense of holiness. Some people, after finishing their prayers, would drop some local currency into the box by the door.
Mills was also wearing clothes similar in style to Lu Mingfei's but simpler. He stood on the pulpit facing the believers, and Lu Mingfei had come out from behind it.
Seeing Lu Mingfei, the Black boy smiled and pointed toward the church entrance, presumably indicating that the person they caught was outside. Lu Mingfei nodded in response.
"Big brothers, have mercy! I'm really not a bad guy, I'm just a beggar..."
As soon as Lu Mingfei approached, he heard the voice. And why was it in Chinese? It was spoken in a rather crooked, awkward way.
"Hey, you there, big brother! You look like their boss! You should be able to understand me, right? These Japanese guys can't understand a word I'm saying!"
Before Lu Mingfei was a burly man being forced to kneel on the ground by two others. He had hair and a beard that looked like they hadn't been groomed in a long time. Although he looked filthy, with a physique like that, there was no way he could be associated with a beggar. What kind of beggar eats enough to look like such a powerhouse?
The man was held to one side of the church to avoid blocking the believers. Although the front of the church was quite spacious, being too conspicuous wouldn't be good for their image...
Chapter 85: Double Agent
"Halt! Who sent you? What's your purpose? Who gave the orders? What's your motive?"
Lu Mingfei didn't use much force as he grabbed the burly man's hair, lifting his face to force eye contact.
"Look into my eyes... tell me exactly who you are..."
"Big brother! I'm a law-abiding citizen!" The burly man's hands were tied behind his back with rope, leaving him only able to squirm and protest loudly.
Lu Mingfei didn't believe him for a second. He narrowed his eyes and hummed, "This man's schemes run deep! Take him away and give him a beating first!"
"Wait, wait, wait! I'll talk! I'll talk! I'm from Cassell College! D-rank student Fingel von Frings!" The burly man panicked and quickly blurted out his identity.
"D-rank? Cassell actually accepts such trash bloodlines?" Lu Mingfei had seen the materials Ji brought back; he heard that one needed at least a C-rank bloodline to enter Cassell.
How did a D-rank pop up? And isn't sending a D-rank here looking down on us a bit too much?
"Does Cassell even have D-ranks? How come I didn't know? Are you really who you say you are? Just looking at your fawning face makes me want to hit you! Take him away for a beating!"
"Wait, wait, wait! Why the beating again? I was held back! Held back and demoted! I have an A-rank bloodline, big brother!"
"Oh? A-rank? They actually dared to send an A-rank over. They must be planning something shady against us! Take him away for a beating!"
"Is there no end to this? Why is it always beating, beating, beating?"
The burly man wailed while kneeling on the ground. Lu Mingfei gave a look to the two men holding him, signaling them to keep watch for now.
He returned to the church, crossed the pulpit to his office, walked around the desk to sit in his chair, closed his eyes, and began to chant.
"the governor above the styx..."
He was reciting an esteemed name. This was something the other party had reminded him of, because the signal in Cuba wasn't very good; calling was less reliable than directly reciting the esteemed name.
"Master, Cassell College sent someone here. I've captured him now. Any instructions?"
Ji's voice echoed in his mind: 'I remember telling Angers not to interfere here. What kind of person is it?'
"He's quite sturdy. When I caught him, he claimed to be a beggar. But the most absurd part is that he actually speaks Chinese, even though he clearly has a European face."
'What is his name?'
"Fingel von Frings. He has an A-rank bloodline, though he says he's been demoted to D-rank for being held back."
Ji fell silent for a moment. If not for the faint sounds he could hear, Lu Mingfei would have thought the connection established by the esteemed name had been cut.
'Don't worry too much about him, just keep an eye on him. You can give him some freedom; except for the secret area beneath the church, the rest of the place can be open to him.'
"Understood, I'll follow your lead." Lu Mingfei believed that listening to his master was always the right choice.
But in reality, Ji didn't know how to handle Fingel either, and he didn't have time to think about it now—two great beauties were currently parading in front of him in swimsuits...
After ending the conversation with Ji, Lu Mingfei returned to the church entrance, where a group of people had gathered, whispering and pointing at Fingel.
After all, someone being held by the Church certainly couldn't have done anything good. Lu Mingfei walked up to the two men holding Fingel and said in Japanese, "Good work. You can leave him to me now."
The two men gave a heavy "Hai!" before dispersing the crowd and preparing to continue their patrol.
Lu Mingfei tried to scratch his head, only to knock his hat askew. These guys saying "Hai" all day long made him feel quite awkward.
"The verdict from above is in. You're to be treated as a heretic and hanged immediately." Lu Mingfei said to Fingel with a blank expression. Logically, such words shouldn't come from a Cardinal, and the Church of Eternal Sleep didn't reject heretics, but regardless, no one around understood him.
Damn you, Angers, you lied to me! What happened to the promised kindness and benevolence? Isn't this a total evil cult?! No! Farewell, cruel world~
While Fingel's mind was racing with nonsense, his body was actually secretly tensing its muscles. After all, how could two Hybrids with low bloodlines and a single rope possibly restrain this former ace?
"Just kidding. Look at you shaking all over. Damn! These muscles are insane; even Schwarzenegger isn't as buff as you, right?" Lu Mingfei walked behind Fingel to untie the rope, taking the opportunity to feel his back muscles. He had to admit, this was a man among men, a true alpha male.
"Damn! You guys are too much! Scaring a foreigner like me! I demand compensation for mental distress!"
"Mental distress? Can't you see how poor we are? The Church relies on the charity of believers just to pay salaries. We're in the middle of nowhere, wars break out nearby constantly, and smuggling is everywhere. Not long ago, we confiscated a large batch of firearms and ammunition through 'faith.' Religion really is a terrifying thing..." Lu Mingfei pulled Fingel up after untying him and led him into the church.
Fingel had indeed seen the state of the surrounding countries on his way here. This place was truly different from them; one could see a so-called 'light' in the eyes of the people.
This guy was right; religion was a terrifying thing with unimaginable cohesion. Whoever could make their lives better was who they would acknowledge. Heh, the official government probably isn't as influential as this Church...
"There's a baptismal room inside. Despite the name, it's basically a bathhouse. Go wash up first. I'll find you a set of priest's clothes. You'll follow me until I return to school." Lu Mingfei led the filthy Fingel to the door of the baptismal room.
"You're still in school?" Fingel looked at Lu Mingfei with a look of surprise.
"Yeah, I'm only a sophomore in high school. Besides, aren't you still technically a student too?"
...
Fingel, huh? Is it Herzog or Angers? Forget it, I'll think about it later. Since he's there, he can count as extra combat power. Heh, as long as he doesn't slack off.
"Hey! You've been spacing out since a moment ago, Bastard Boss. I asked for your opinion!"
Varadero Beach was rated as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The sea, the sand, the Sun—everything in sight was azure blue.
Unfortunately, Ji didn't much like sunbathing. This was likely a common trait of the Death Pathway. He felt uncomfortable under the Sun, though the other magistrate, Azik, claimed it was because his skin was too dark and sunbathing would make it darker. Well, actually, he should be able to adjust his skin tone...
Ji propped up a large Sun umbrella on the ground. He finally wasn't wearing a trench coat; he was now lying under the umbrella in black swim trunks and sunglasses.
The brown-haired girl in front of him was very displeased with the young man's attitude. She was wearing such a sexy outfit, yet this man didn't react at all!
In truth, Xia Mi was still dressed quite conservatively. She had spent a long time picking this outfit. Except for the vital areas being covered, the rest was transparent material. The pale white skirt hem that covered half her thighs fluttered in the wind, and her exposed fair arms and legs were truly a sight to behold.
"Nono has a great figure, don't you think, Xia Mi?" Ji said to Xia Mi, looking at Nono who was watching from near the reefs not far away.
"I'll bite you to death!"
Chapter 86: Dark Clouds Pressing In
The brown-haired girl threw herself onto the black-haired young man. She could feel the faint aura of withering from him; this guy rarely restrained himself. She used to be afraid, but now she felt at ease.
"No! You're actually biting!"
The young man shouted through gritted teeth. There were few people on this beach, so he didn't have to worry too much about disturbing others by speaking loudly.
This girl started biting as soon as she pounced. He had no choice but to flip over and pin the beautiful creature beneath him, pinning her hands behind her back, and then began to tickle her.
"Bastard Boss... you really are... let me go! Help, Nono! Come help me!"
This beautiful creature was trying her best to endure. Apparently, Dragon King Miss was also a bit ticklish, or perhaps all creatures with a sense of touch are?
Nono, not far away, shook her head upon hearing Xia Mi's cry for help. She hadn't really wanted to pay attention over there; what did a young couple's flirting have to do with her?
The girl standing there wasn't her. She sighed and slowly strolled from the coastal rocks toward the beach, shouting loudly, "I'm coming, I'm coming."
The Red-haired Girl's pace slowed more and more until she finally stopped completely. She looked back hesitantly at the sea behind her, then suddenly turned her head to look in Ji's direction.
If even she sensed something, Ji and Xia Mi went without saying.
Ji had already stood up and turned to look toward the distant beach on the right. Dozens of kilometers away was the Atlantic Ocean. To an ordinary person, it still looked calm, but Beyonders and Dragon Kings could sense the unusual changes.
"It's finally here. Hmm~ such dense wind elements~" Xia Mi jumped up and stretched her body, placing her hands in front of her chest in a boxing pose. "Let's go thwart Macallan's plot! Just like the Bastard Boss said, let's take them all public!"
Dragon King Miss didn't know the specific meaning of that phrase, but she still thought the speech was cool. After finishing, she jumped up and struck a very chuunibyou pose. Nono covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh, and Ji patted her head.
"We can't be careless. He's already suffered twice at our hands; he'll likely have some countermeasures this time."
"Twice? When?" Nono asked in confusion.
"We didn't even know each other the first time. The second time was the night you guys fought the Third Generation Dragon, and I even got a great trophy—a cute little female dragon."
"Am I really just your trophy? Bastard Boss, do you even know how to talk!"
"Alright, be good." Ji turned his gaze toward Nono, who was wearing a red swimsuit. His smile took on a hint of seriousness. "Nono, things might get dangerous next. Do you want to continue?"
"Hmph, what else? Leaving a beautiful lady aside isn't the way of a gentleman, my good master. Besides, you'll protect me, won't you?" Nono looked directly into Ji's eyes but looked away shortly after. One shouldn't look recklessly into the eyes of a high-level entity of the Death Pathway, even if he bears no ill will toward you.
"Of course, I will protect everyone, and..."
Ji didn't finish the sentence. His smile held some worry. In fact, before coming here, he had received a system quest, but this time it was very cryptic—or perhaps the system itself hadn't decided what the quest should be; it just wanted to provide a push.
'Shackles of the Bound Storm.' Upon completion, the complete 'River of Eternal Darkness' can be obtained.