Lu Mingfei, become the King of Elden!

Chapter 201 Melina

That evening, a grand bonfire was lit in the square of Red Lion City.

Flames leaped like ferocious beasts, turning the surroundings crimson, as if the entire fortress were ablaze. The piles of rough wood crackled and sputtered, and amidst the scorching air, several spark butterflies fluttered and danced, drawn by the light and heat, lingering and adding a touch of ethereal beauty to the heavy night.

Several iron pots were set up in the center of the square, and the aroma of meat and spices mingled with the hot wind, temporarily suppressing the faint smell of decay that always lingered over the Galid Plains.

Large chunks of unidentified animal meat tumbled in the thick broth, alongside piles of coarse but filling bread. The wine was murky and of poor quality, stored in a wooden barrel, and spilled frequently as it was passed around with a ladle.

This was the last feast before the war, and a rare grand feast in the border region.

Although these are all very ordinary foods, in today's declining world, the entire population of Red Lion City is probably less than one-twentieth of what it was during its heyday. This is the best they can offer.

Especially the wine, which is an absolute rarity these days. Just that alone shows that Red Lion City has poured its heart and soul into it.

Those who could reach this place were no ordinary people. They gathered in twos and threes, some silently wiping their weapons and checking their armor, others talking in hushed tones, their voices mostly swallowed up by the crackling of flames and the sound of wind.

The atmosphere in the room wasn't exactly oppressive, but it wasn't exactly joyful either.

The warriors knew perfectly well that they had come to this graveyard. They had all come to challenge "General Shattered Star" Rataen. The name Shattered Star, the name of the borderlands, made them well aware of how terrifying the demigod's strength was.

Lu Mingfei held a wooden cup and leaned against the shadow of a stone pillar at the edge of the square.

He looked around and found that there weren't many people on the field. Apart from the few familiar faces he had seen during the day, there were only a few unfamiliar faces, and the aura they exuded was also quite ordinary and not powerful.

In other words, they were cannon fodder.

But Lu Mingfei did not underestimate them, because those who were able to remain in the city today were all prepared to die.

They were all warriors who were willing to risk their lives for "glory" and "battle," and they were respectable men.

The warriors danced around the campfire with abandon, singing mournful war songs from their homeland, enjoying every moment of the feast with high spirits.

Teragos sat at the very front, clapping loudly and laughing heartily. After removing his heavy goat helmet, a weathered face was revealed beneath.

In front of him, the warrior Alexander the Hut was clumsily twisting his round body, spinning around like a top.

Half-Wolf Blaze sat at the long table, quietly enjoying the food prepared by Red Lion City. He was composed, and although he was a warrior forged in blood and fire, he was out of place with the surrounding noise and had a dignified knightly demeanor.

"Fearless" Lanenil sat beside Terragus, gulping down his ale, his demeanor rugged. He and "Big Horn" Terragus got along quite well; though they had only known each other for a short time, they were already like old friends.

It's possible that both of them are powerful warriors clad in heavy armor, with a burning warrior spirit in their hearts, and an unstoppable fighting style.

Under Lu Mingfei's powerful "sensing", apart from these heroes, there were not many other auras worth his attention. The only one worth noting was an old man sitting in the corner.

This man called himself "Old Man" and was said to be a swordsman from the land of reeds, but no one knew any further information about him.

As his name suggests, the swordsman wore a mask shaped like an old man, and his armor resembled the Japanese samurai-style armor that Lu Mingfei had seen in another world.

Although he had been sitting quietly ever since he appeared at the banquet, Lu Mingfei still caught a whiff of his strong scent.
Bloodshed and madness.

This guy is not simple.

Lu Mingfei narrowed his eyes slightly, observing him discreetly, when suddenly a light and melodious female voice reached his ears.

"Aren't you going to go?"

Melina whispered in his heart.

Lu Mingfei's heart stirred slightly.

Is this girl concerned about me?

That's quite rare indeed.

However, to be fair, Melina is indeed more talkative and more human now than when Lu Mingfei first met her.

“I’m not going,” Lu Mingfei shook his head slightly. “You know my body can’t taste anything. I don’t need to eat or drink, so I won’t starve.”

"Ah."

Melina asked softly, "What's wrong?"

He asked in his heart.

After a moment of silence, the girl's voice rang out again.

Your mind is in turmoil.

hum~
The girl's figure slowly appeared beside Lu Mingfei.

This was a corner of the banquet, a shadowy spot where no one paid attention, where she could reveal herself without any worries.

"It's been a mess since just now."

Melina's hand gently touched Lu Mingfei's fingertips. She closed her eyes slightly and whispered:
Your heart is trembling.

"You can see it."

Lu Mingfei did not deny it.

What are you afraid of?

Melina asked softly.

She knew he wasn't afraid of fighting. She understood him; he might complain a bit, but he would never back down in the face of battle.

Lu Mingfei remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the people in the square.

“I’m scared. I’m scared they’ll die at the festival.”

His voice was somewhat low:

“Teragus, Alexander, Blazer, and even those I don’t know. Tomorrow we will all face Ratahn, but many of us may die.”

Yes, he was afraid they would die.

To date, Lu Mingfei has not fully understood what his resurrection ability actually is.

It's like a time travel, but not quite.

Many individuals and creatures, even if they die immediately after he kills them, will not be resurrected.

And the same goes for the bosses he mentioned.

Time seemed to stand still in every region, but it began to flow again after he defeated those powerful individuals.

And what about them? What about those living, breathing people?

What if they die and can't be brought back to life?
Therefore, when fighting alongside them, Lu Mingfei always gave his all, treating each battle as a true life-or-death struggle.

But this time, it's different.

“I used to treat this place as just a game,” Lu Mingfei chuckled self-deprecatingly, “like an SAO that I couldn’t log out of.”

"Until I met the old man, and then I met Neferi, Xiu Gu, Rodrika, O'Neill, Pot Bro, and Big Horn."

Melina listened quietly without saying a word. She simply reached out again and gently took his hand.

"I understand."

After a long silence, she finally spoke:
"You are burdened by fear."

"Yes."

Lu Mingfei closed his eyes:
"I would rather face a powerful enemy alone than watch my comrades die."

(End of this chapter)