Dragon Clan: Lu Mingfei Returns from Japan

Chapter 723 Cooperation and Bargaining Chips

When the conversation suddenly turned to him, Lu Mingfei was taken aback: "Me?"

“Yes,” Elizabeth nodded.

Lu Mingfei said, “Although I’m happy that you trust me so much, Miss Lisa… aren’t you overestimating me a bit? I’m just a student at Kassel College, and I haven’t even officially enrolled yet. My ancestors may have been wealthy, but they’ve declined by my generation. My uncle and cousin haven’t even awakened their dragon bloodline. If you want to rely on me, you’re probably putting your trust in the wrong person.”

Elizabeth shook her head again: "Mingfei, you're actually underestimating yourself a bit. The world of hybrids is a world where the strong are respected. Your bloodline is S-grade, and even in a hybrid family like the Gattuso family, or even in the Secret Service, hybrids with S-grade bloodlines are quite rare. You even have an exaggerated record of directly facing a next-generation hybrid. As for the background issue you mentioned... when Angers came to London from Yorkshire a hundred years ago, he was all alone."

If other students at the Kassel College heard someone comparing them to Angers, they would probably think the other person was making fun of them.

It's like when one guy tells another guy that he's more handsome than Daniel Wu or Takeshi Kaneshiro; most people with self-awareness would just take it as a joke.

But Lu Mingfei saw a serious look in Elizabeth's eyes. This school board member seemed to genuinely believe she was capable of succeeding Angers.

Elizabeth's eyes flickered, and she said calmly, "Of course, you're still far from being able to stand on your own like Angers. But you have one major advantage: you're young enough, and Angers isn't old yet either. You're much younger than those old guys in the Secret Service. This world used to belong to Angers and Meneke, now it belongs to Frost and his people, but it will definitely be yours in the future."

"It's truly an honor to be so highly regarded by Miss Lisa..."

Lu Mingfei sighed softly, "But there have been S-level students in the history of the academy. Aren't you afraid that I'll end up like that S-level student from decades ago, committing suicide before graduation?"

“There is indeed that risk. The better the bloodline of a hybrid, the stronger their spiritual vision tends to be. This ability is both a talent and a mental burden. However, you and that S-class student who committed suicide are fundamentally different.”

"What?" Lu Mingfei asked instinctively.

Elizabeth smiled beautifully and said softly, "That means you love your life enough. A man who has dated six girlfriends would never be willing to die."

"..."

Lu Mingfei didn't know if Elizabeth was flattering him or mocking him. But what she said was indeed true... even for the sake of his girlfriends, he wouldn't bear to die.

Elizabeth shifted her posture, resting her hands on her thighs, and said in a slightly different tone:

"Of course, if Mingfei, you really do end up like that S-level student from decades ago, choosing to commit suicide because you can't bear the mental pressure, then I can only blame myself for betting on the wrong thing. There is no such thing as a 100% sure thing in this world. You are the choice I made. If I bet on the wrong thing, then I am willing to accept the loss."

Although she was only a 19-year-old girl, Elizabeth spoke with a composure in her eyes that belied her age.

It was as if there was an invisible card table in front of her, and with a flick of her wrist, she had knocked over all her chips, showing her hand. Just because she saw the highest-ranking Ace of Spades on the table, she dared to bet that her bottom hand was a straight flush.

Going all in, forging ahead without hesitation.

Clearly, it was time for Lu Mingfei to respond. Lu Mingfei paused for a moment, then said, "If I really have that ability in the future, I can promise you that I will support you and the Laurent family just like the principal... as long as you don't do anything bad."

Elizabeth's thick, long eyelashes fluttered slightly: "Mingfei, do you think I'm the kind of person who would do bad things?"

Lu Mingfei didn't answer, but in his heart he was thinking, "That's really hard to say... Zhang Wuji's mother said that the more beautiful a woman is, the more likely she is to deceive." Although Zhang Wuji eventually succeeded in winning over the most deceptive woman.

“Then the deal is done. Mingfei, since you have agreed to support me and the Laurent family in the future, I will also cast my vote for Uesugi Erii when the 'Nibelungen Project' candidates are voted on,” Elizabeth said.

Lu Mingfei hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. He had originally thought he would need to cultivate a long-term relationship with this school board member before she would be willing to help Erii vote, but it was all settled in the time it took to have an afternoon tea.

The smooth sailing made him feel uneasy, and he couldn't help but ask Elizabeth, "Do you need me to sign a contract or something?"

"No need. All I need is your promise. I believe you are a person who keeps your promises."

Elizabeth's smile was captivating as she gently lifted her skirt: "Of course, I also feel that cooperation based solely on verbal promises is ultimately not reassuring... So, the other bargaining chip we added during the negotiations before leaving this room is still valid. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Beneath the skirt, her white high heels revealed an even whiter instep, slender and delicate ankles, and graceful, long calves that seemed so delicate they could be grasped in one hand. Her beauty was breathtaking.

Elizabeth's eyes were still smiling as she looked at Lu Mingfei, but she suddenly froze for a moment... because Lu Mingfei, who had been sitting in the chair directly opposite her, suddenly stood up, walked around the luxurious stone coffee table between the two of them, and walked towards her.

The smile on her face froze, and the image of Lu Mingfei reflected in her eyes grew larger and larger. Even though she had been calm and composed and had been leading the conversation, she finally began to panic.

Wait, wait a minute, the script shouldn't be written like this...!
Lu Mingfei drew closer. Elizabeth's deep eyes gradually cleared... and grew increasingly panicked.

Of course, the talk of self-sacrifice was just talk. Although she came from a low-class upper class, the shadows and taboos of her childhood prevented her from being as open as most European girls. After witnessing the filth and squalor of her elders, she developed a more conservative personality.

She didn't just take it as a casual joke or flirtation. She was a businesswoman, and businesspeople always like to use everything they can control as bargaining chips. But chips aren't always meant to be used; more often, they're just for show.

Just like playing Texas Hold'em, if two equally skilled gamblers are equally lucky, the one with more chips will definitely win more often... because chips themselves put psychological pressure on the opponent.

She had obviously done a lot of research on Lu Mingfei before choosing to meet with him today.

According to the investigation materials, Lu Mingfei demonstrated sufficient calmness, courage, and formidable strength, whether in the Portugal incident or in the "Eye of Kuimen" mission, even when faced with dangerous situations.

Her exaggerated feat of severing Samson, the Dragon Servant, with the power of words was one of the reasons she chose to cooperate with Lu Mingfei.

However, the deeper reason was that she felt Lu Mingfei was easier to control...

While he is quite valiant when facing dragons, he seems to be easily softened and lower his guard when facing women.

This was demonstrated when he first met Charlotte in Portugal; despite being a stranger to Charlotte who could use words of magic, he showed not the slightest suspicion.

The Gattuso family is a tiger; cooperating with them is like asking a tiger for its skin. In comparison, Lu Mingfei, who easily lowers his guard around pretty girls, seems like a better partner.

Of course, she did gamble. She was betting that Lu Mingfei could really become the next Angers.

She used herself as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Lu Mingfei, aiming to maintain control of the conversation at the negotiating table. Lu Mingfei, who is easily swayed by beautiful women, would likely panic upon hearing such words from her.

She never expected that after she teased Lu Mingfei for the last time, he would actually stand up from his seat and walk towards her.

Then, the panicked and disoriented person suddenly became herself. Elizabeth took shallow breaths, trying to regulate her somewhat erratic breathing rhythm.

That's right! Perhaps it's just a one-sided misunderstanding on her part. According to the information she has, while Lu Mingfei might not be considered a perfect gentleman, he is definitely a man who treats women with respect and courtesy. A man who can balance the relationships among his harem members is certainly not someone who oversteps boundaries, and he wouldn't do anything frivolous to a girl he's only met on his first meeting.

She also tried to comfort herself psychologically.

But Lu Mingfei had already walked up to her, leaned down, placed one hand on the armrest of her seat, and gently stroked her cheek with the other hand. The boy's warm and rough knuckles slid down her cheek and then lifted her chin.

"..."

Elizabeth never imagined that the saying "He who walks by the river will eventually get his shoes wet" would one day come true for her.

He had only shown the chips on the table to Lu Mingfei, but accidentally knocked them over and went all in.

She wasn't lying; the room was indeed a specially modified one. Not only was it completely isolated from electrical signals, but it also had excellent soundproofing.

Now she has trapped herself in her own web, becoming utterly helpless and desperate.

Feeling that strong finger gently lift her chin, Elizabeth raised her pretty face, her beautiful eyes tightly closed, her eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings, as if she had already resigned herself to her fate.

"..."

The finger that had been holding her heart and soul suddenly disappeared, and the kiss she had imagined never came.

Elizabeth, her heart pounding, hadn't even opened her eyes to see what was happening when she felt someone pat her head.

"Alright, alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. Look how scared you are." A voice rang in my ears; it was Lu Mingfei's voice.

Elizabeth gently opened her eyes, and Lu Mingfei had already turned around and sat back down in his seat.

She felt her cheeks getting hot, bit her lip, and stared at Lu Mingfei with a somewhat bewildered look in her eyes: "What's wrong with you...?"

Her throat moved, but she ultimately couldn't bring herself to say the words, "Are you humiliating me?"

Lu Mingfei said, "You've been bluffing all along, so I'll just scare you a little."

"...How do you know I'm bluffing? Maybe I really am serious?"

“At first, I actually took what you said seriously.” Lu Mingfei shrugged. “But when you said those words a second time, I was sure you were just bluffing.”

"why?"

"Who would seduce someone but not even dare to pull their skirt up above their calves?"

"..."

Elizabeth choked for a moment. She hadn't expected that Lu Mingfei would see through her act because of such a trivial detail.

However, this detail was somewhat fatal to her.

Just as she said, business is a gamble. Her hand had already revealed that she had AKQJ of hearts, but due to a slight oversight, Lu Mingfei noticed that the card she had placed under her cards was not the 10 of hearts, but a small 3 of diamonds.

What Lu Mingfei was thinking was: I'm seduced by my junior sister every day, how could I not know what real seduction is like?
Whether someone is sincere or not is obvious at a glance.

Elizabeth bit her lip and said in a voice barely audible, "The promise..."

“Of course we’ll continue, just like we agreed before. You cast that vote for Erii; and if I have the ability to do so in the future, I will fully support you and the Laurent family,” Lu Mingfei said.

The agreement will continue. Hearing this, Elizabeth couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Although Lu Mingfei was not her only potential partner, he was indeed the best one she had carefully selected.

If Lu Mingfei refuses to cooperate with him because he was toying with him... that would not be good news.

Just as Lu Mingfei said, he had no family background or connections, which he considered a disadvantage, but Elizabeth actually saw it as a strength.

There's no powerful family behind her... To put it bluntly, even if Lu Mingfei's treacherous ambitions become apparent in the future, and she ultimately loses her virginity to him against her will, the Laurent family won't be swallowed up by him. On the contrary, Lu Mingfei might be able to put this behemoth, the Laurent family, on a new and correct path.

A family can devour the extinct offspring of another family, but not an individual. At most, it would only mean sacrificing her happiness to ensure the continuation of the Laurent family.

Of course, this was only the worst-case scenario she could foresee. She hoped things wouldn't get to the worst possible point.

After all, a man with six girlfriends at the same time... is not someone she can entrust her life to.

"So, is that the end of our conversation for today?" Lu Mingfei stood up and walked towards the door. "It's the weekend, and I'd like to go home early to spend some time with my girlfriends at the movies."

Elizabeth looked up at Lu Mingfei and asked instinctively, "Which girlfriend?"

“Every single one,” Lu Mingfei replied, closing the door behind him.

Elizabeth was left alone in the room, watching Lu Mingfei's figure disappear through the door.

After a moment, he couldn't help but grit his teeth and say, "What a scumbag..."

……

(End of this chapter)