Ling Cage, pick up Lu Mingfei at the start.

The air in the laboratory seemed to freeze. Bai Yuekui, Xia Tianlai, and the others looked serious, their gazes fixed on Lu Mingfei like searchlights, their eyes filled with shock, confusion, and an indescribable scrutiny.

Lu Mingfei felt extremely uncomfortable under their gazes, as if a thousand ants were crawling on his back.

He sat up nervously from the lab table, his voice trembling slightly: "What's wrong? Is...is there something wrong with my genetic test results?"

Bai Yuekui and the others did not answer immediately, but instead turned their attention back to the perplexing test report.

The screen clearly showed that Lu Mingfei's gene sequence was 99% perfectly matched with the human gene pool of this world, which seemed to confirm his human identity.

However, that remaining 1% was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating a huge upheaval.

The structure of that unknown gene segment is extremely bizarre, completely defying current biological understanding. The arrangement of the bases presents an ancient and complex picture, and the inferred protein structure model is full of incomprehensible geometric beauty, while at the same time exuding an inhuman, highly aggressive, and powerful aura of life.

It doesn't resemble a natural mutation; rather, it's more like a genetic code from some unknown higher being, perfectly and forcibly embedded into the human genetic framework by some force, coexisting harmoniously yet incompatible.

At this point, Bai Yuekui was completely convinced that Lu Mingfei came from another world—because this mysterious gene had no resemblance to any creature she knew, including the Devouring Beast.

It seems that the "peaceful world" he speaks of may be hiding unknown undercurrents beneath the surface.

She looked at Lu Mingfei thoughtfully, and it was very likely that the strange "three-step forbidden zone" originated from the power of this foreign gene.

Seeing everyone's furrowed brows and silence, Lu Mingfei grew increasingly panicked, and a terrible thought popped into his head: "Could I have some kind of congenital hereditary disease? Don't be silent! What's wrong? Tell me quickly!" Cold sweat began to seep from his forehead.

"Don't worry, it's not a hereditary disease," Xia Dou quickly reassured him, seeing how frightened he was, but then hesitated, "It's just... sigh, how should I tell you..."

Bai Yuekui took over the conversation and explained the test results to Lu Mingfei in the simplest language possible, focusing on the 1% unknown gene fragment and its extraordinary characteristics.

"What?!" Lu Mingfei jumped off the lab table in shock. But upon hearing it wasn't a life-threatening genetic disease, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief, patting his chest dramatically. "That scared me to death! Thank goodness it's not a disease, thank goodness it's not a disease!"

Then, he connected it to his inexplicable ability, his eyes lighting up instantly as he excitedly asked, "Do you think my 'Three-Step Forbidden Zone' is caused by this mysterious gene? Do I... have superpowers?!"

When summer arrived, the group looked at each other and shook their heads. This wasn't a denial, but rather an inability to judge the situation; they had never heard of such a case before.

Bai Yuekui looked at Lu Mingfei's inexplicable excitement and was speechless: "Don't you think it's strange, even... dangerous, that you have a gene from an unknown 'alien species' in your body?"

Lu Mingfei's knowledge was still at a high school biology level. He scratched his head, not quite understanding the deeper meaning, and simply assumed that since he was from another world, some genetic differences were normal. He even joked, "Uh... well, where I'm from, we all call ourselves 'Descendants of the Dragon,' so our genes are a bit special. Maybe our ancestors were related to dragons? A little different... that's normal, right?"

He had only said it casually, but Bai Yuekui took it seriously. She didn't take it as a joke; instead, she began pacing around the laboratory, deep in thought.

Perhaps Lu Mingfei's world is not entirely without traces of supernatural forces, but simply exists in another form.

She began to ask Lu Mingfei detailed questions about his original world, especially about the "China" he mentioned.

After listening to his description, Bai Yuekui was surprised to find that this "Huaxia" had many striking similarities in its core culture with the "Heluo Ancient Kingdom," an ancient civilization in the old world that she knew and which had long been extinct.

The ancient kingdom of Heluo... the legacy of Guiyuan... Bai Yuekui's heart stirred.

Her own great strength stems in part from her exploration and inheritance of similar ancient civilization relics.

If two civilizations share a common origin or are highly similar, then it is not impossible that Lu Mingfei possesses some kind of ancient inherited power.

"You can go back and rest now." After clearing her mind, Bai Yuekui decided to end the test. She needed time to study the genetic report in depth.

"Okay!" Lu Mingfei felt like he had been granted a pardon and agreed without even thinking.

The laboratory always made him feel cold and oppressed. Lying on the lab table, he felt as if he was no longer a living person, but an object to be analyzed.

"Me too! Goodbye Boss Bai! Goodbye Dad! Goodbye Uncle Xing!" Xia Dou immediately followed. She had accumulated a lot of questions about "otherworld games" in her mind after Bai Yuekui asked Lu Mingfei about that world.

The two left the laboratory one after the other.

Bai Yuekui watched their departing figures, chatting and laughing, and glanced at Xia Tianlai beside him with a slightly amused look.

At this moment, Xia Tianlai was staring in the direction where his daughter and the new boy had left side by side, his brows furrowed, and a strange feeling of fatherly bitterness welled up in his heart.

This little darling, instead of staying with her dad to do research, how come she ran off with a kid she'd only known for a day?

Thinking of Lu Mingfei's excessively handsome face, Xia Tianlai suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of crisis.

No, I'll have to question him properly when I get home tonight!

Meanwhile, the two walked along the road and chatted happily, but the topic of conversation was completely different from what Xia Tian had imagined.

"Hey, Lu Mingfei, what fun games are there in your world?" Xia Dou asked eagerly as she walked beside Lu Mingfei, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

The moment games are mentioned, Lu Mingfei seems to switch personalities instantly, and his back straightens unconsciously.

In his mediocre life, the gaming world was the only pure land where he could hold his head high and be called a "god".

"We have so many great games back home!" Lu Mingfei perked up immediately, rattling off a list as if they were his own treasures. "Like Diablo, which tests your luck and how to get good gear; StarCraft, which tests your strategic micro-management; and The Elder Scrolls, which offers a high degree of freedom and allows you to immerse yourself in an otherworldly adventure... They're all top-notch masterpieces!" As he introduced them, he gestured animatedly to describe the gameplay and highlights of these famous games.

Xia Dou listened with rapt attention, as if a door to a new world had been opened, and she wished she could immediately travel to the gaming paradise described by Lu Mingfei.

"Wow! There are so many fun games! I've never even heard of so many of them!" Xia Dou exclaimed longingly. "I really hope that one day we can completely end the Mana ecosystem. Then, someone will definitely be able to recreate all these classic games from your world!"

"That day will definitely come!" Lu Mingfei, infected by her emotions, laughed, "When that day comes, I'll be your game designer, and I guarantee it will be exactly the same!"

"Mmm! It's a deal!" Xia Dou nodded vigorously, then her eyes lit up as she thought of something. "By the way, Lu Mingfei, do you want to try our games? They might not be as extensive as those in your world, but they're still pretty fun!"

"You guys have an arcade here? Take me to see it!" Lu Mingfei was immediately itching to go.

Since arriving in this unfamiliar world, he has been in a state of tension and anxiety, and urgently needs some familiar ways to relax.

Xia Dou led him to an arcade with a sign that read "Play and Read for Fun".

Inside, the lights flickered, and various old-fashioned arcade machines emitted familiar electronic sound effects, making Lu Mingfei feel as if he had returned to an arcade on Earth.

"Come on, you're new here and probably don't have any crystal coins, so it's on me today!" Xia Dou generously pulled out a small cloth bag, shook it, and the crisp sound of crystal coins clinking came from inside.

"Then I won't be polite!" Lu Mingfei was overjoyed. This feeling reminded him of the days when people would occasionally pay his internet bills for him while he was in an internet cafe, watching him play games and learning techniques.

"Hey? Auntie, you're here again!" a child's voice rang out with surprise.

A little boy, about seven or eight years old with a chubby face, came over. He was a limestone.

"Shanshihui, you've sneaked off to play games again? Aren't you afraid your mom will find out?"

When Xia Dou saw him, she immediately remembered the miserable scene when her mother dragged him home by the ear for skipping class to play games.

"Hehe, my mom went out today, so I'm not afraid!" Shan Hui puffed out his little chest, looking like a monkey who reigns supreme in the absence of a tiger.

His gaze was quickly drawn to Lu Mingfei. "Who's this handsome guy? Is he new here?"

"His name is Lu Mingfei, and he was brought back by Boss Bai," Xia Dou introduced.

"Oh, oh!" Upon hearing that the person was brought by Boss Bai, Shan Huishi immediately lowered his guard. He even rolled his eyes and started to make a small calculation. As the undisputed "bottom of the barrel" in the Dragon Bone Village gaming world, he desperately hoped to find a newcomer who was even worse than himself to escape his bottom-of-the-barrel fate.

"Do you know how to play video games?" he asked Lu Mingfei expectantly.

"Hahaha..." Xia Dou guessed what Shan Shihui was thinking as soon as she saw his expression and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What do you want to play?" Lu Mingfei was completely unaware that he had become an easy target in the eyes of the little boy. He was more than happy to accept an invitation to play a game.

"Let's play...this one!" Shan Hui pointed with his small hand, his target clear—it was the arcade version of "The King of Fighters"!

There's even King of Fighters here?! Lu Mingfei was even more surprised. The similarity between the two worlds in terms of gaming culture seemed to be even greater than he had imagined.

Shan Hui excitedly tossed in two game coins, and the battle officially began.

"Wait a minute, let me familiarize myself with the key layout first." Lu Mingfei looked at the unfamiliar control panel, preparing to get used to it first.

He used to use keyboards or gamepads more often, and it took him a while to get used to the joystick and button layout of this old-fashioned arcade machine.

"Adapt? On the battlefield, the enemy won't give you time to adapt!" Hill limestone had finally seized an opportunity, so why would it wait?

He completely disregarded martial ethics, controlling his character to charge forward and unleash a dazzling combo.

"My infinite combo will make you tremble!"

"I'll beat you like a little dog today!"

"Unfortunately, even if you train for another ten years, you still won't be a match for him!"

"The line of men wanting to be my underling stretches all the way to the village entrance!"

When Shan Shihui unleashed what he thought was a dazzling combo, bringing Lu Mingfei's character to near-death, he excitedly jumped up from his seat and spontaneously launched into a childlike "victory rap," hands on his hips and chin held high.

"So, are you convinced? Want to be my underling?" he asked smugly.

"Shanshili! You're cheating!" Xia Dou, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up to uphold justice.

"It's okay, let's play again." Lu Mingfei didn't seem to care, and even had a mysterious smile on his face.

It's just a child's game. Now that he's figured out the key bindings, it's time to let everyone here know who the real King of Gaming is!

"Alright! Watch me completely defeat you this time!" Shan Hui Shi was full of confidence, thinking that Lu Mingfei was just a complete novice who didn't even know how to use the keyboard.

The second round of battles begins.

"Come on, come on!" Shan Huishi controlled his character to make provocative gestures in place, completely disregarding Lu Mingfei.

Lu Mingfei ignored it and calmly pushed the joystick. His character moved forward with seemingly ordinary steps, and an invisible "master's aura" instantly spread out.

For some reason, Shan Shihui felt a sense of pressure and decided to strike first.

However, his attack was easily blocked by Lu Mingfei.

Immediately afterward, Lu Mingfei moved! His fingers moved across the keys in a blur, unleashing a series of fluid and precise combos like a storm, pinning the character of the Mountain Grey character to the corner of the screen, leaving him utterly helpless!

KO!

A huge victory sign appeared on the screen.

"This...this is impossible! You...you're cheating, aren't you?!" Shan Huishi stared wide-eyed at the screen, his face blank, then looked at Lu Mingfei, who remained calm.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Xia Dou couldn't help but exclaim, her eyes filled with admiration.

"Not convinced? Then come again~" Lu Mingfei beckoned to the limestone with his finger, his tone playful.

"Let's try again!" Shan Huishi was unwilling to give up; he was determined to get rid of the title of last place!

The third game, the fourth game, the fifth game...

After countless rounds, Shan Huishi didn't even manage to touch the hem of Lu Mingfei's character's clothes before being utterly crushed.

He was completely convinced and looked at Lu Mingfei with awe.

At this moment, Lu Mingfei also stood up from his seat, cleared his throat, and spontaneously delivered a more rhythmic response:

With the joystick in hand, I have the world at my fingertips.

I've seen through your tricks long ago.

Infinite combos are just a gimmick.

They act like children in front of me.

If you want to learn a skill, don't resort to underhanded tactics.

"Call me 'Big Brother' and I'll take you to the top!"

As he rapped, he also made a few simple street dance gestures, which drew laughter and cheers from the audience who had gathered around him.

"Lu Mingfei! You're amazing! Teach me! Teach me!" Xia Dou excitedly grabbed Lu Mingfei's arm and shook it.

"Big brother! Oh no, God of the Road! Take me as your little brother! As long as you're willing to teach me, I'll give you half of my allowance!" Shan Huishi was completely impressed by Lu Mingfei's skills. He felt that the person in front of him was simply the incarnation of the god of games. His previous idea of ​​becoming someone's big brother had long been forgotten.

"Sure," Lu Mingfei waved his hand, displaying a touch of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) spirit. "You can waive my allowance, but as for tuition, you'll have to cover my future game currency!"

"No problem!" Shan Shihui patted his chest and assured him.

More and more people gathered around, all of them having witnessed Lu Mingfei's amazing skills. They were all eager to try and challenge this newly minted master.

"Hey, I was here first, I was here first!" Xia Dou quickly stood in front of Lu Mingfei, protecting her priority as the "chief disciple".

Thus began a series of "gauntlet" challenges against Lu Mingfei. Whether it was fighting games, shooting games, or puzzle games, Lu Mingfei seemed to handle them with ease, effortlessly accepting round after round of challenges.

Several hours passed, and Lu Mingfei felt his fingers were about to cramp. He waved his hands repeatedly, begging for mercy: "Dear brothers and sisters, let's stop here for today! Next time, next time for sure!"

Seeing that it was getting late, the group reluctantly dispersed. But the name "Road God" had already spread like wildfire among the game players in Dragonbone Village.

"Boss Bai!" Xia Dou and Shan Hui Shi were about to continue observing Lu Mingfei's operation when they turned around and found that Bai Yue Kui had quietly stood behind them at some point, with an interesting smile on his face.

"Hmm?" Lu Mingfei turned around at the sound and saw Bai Yuekui.

"Hey, I didn't realize you were so good at games," Bai Yuekui raised an eyebrow, sat down at the machine next to Lu Mingfei, and inserted some game coins. "Want to play a couple of rounds with me?"

Lu Mingfei didn't expect that this cold noodle shop owner also had a taste for this, but he accepted all comers. In the gaming field, he was confident that he was invincible.

However, Lu Mingfei felt the pressure as soon as the game started. Bai Yuekui's operating style was unpredictable and unpredictable, his reaction speed was astonishing, and his tactical thinking was extremely meticulous, which brought him an unprecedented challenge.

But the title of "God of Road" is well-deserved. With his superb micro-management, accurate prediction of the battle situation, and a bit of luck, Lu Mingfei finally won the first game with a narrow advantage and a sliver of health left.

Xia Dou and Shan Shihui, who were watching the battle, were dumbfounded and stared at Lu Mingfei as if he were a monster.

You must know, Bai Yuekui is a universally acknowledged, unshakeable legendary figure in the Dragon Bone Village gaming world, maintaining an undefeated record for many years! Today, that legend has been shattered!

A hint of surprise flashed across Bai Yuekui's face. She was well aware of her advantages—the awakening of her source essence greatly enhanced her neural responses and computational abilities.

Even so, she still lost. This made her opinion of Lu Mingfei rise again: this kid probably has extraordinary talent that she doesn't know about.

However, as long as Lu Mingfei is still in Longgu Village and is willing to do things for Longgu Village, then this is a good thing.

Moreover, Bai Yuekui, who had not suffered a defeat in a long time, had his indomitable spirit ignited deep within him.

As we all know, physical condition determines mindset. Even though Bai Yuekui has lived for many years, she still has the vigor of youth. The vigor and competitiveness in her bones, which come from her youth, made her throw herself into the game again without hesitation.

The two then played several more rounds, with Bai Yuekui going all out and Lu Mingfei also giving it his all.

In the end, Lu Mingfei, with a record of more wins than losses, undeniably ascended to the throne of the Dragon Bone Village gaming world.

At this moment, Shan Shihui was completely devoted to Lu Mingfei and wholeheartedly accepted him as his "elder brother".

Xia Dou felt as if he had witnessed history; the gaming world of Dragon Bone Village was about to welcome their most severe king.

"Alright, it's getting late, everyone disperse." Bai Yuekui glanced at the time, stopped fighting, and then looked slyly at Shan Shihui, "If we don't go back soon, some people might get a spanking~"

Xia Dou immediately thought of Shan Shi Hui's mother's fierce figure and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

When Shan Huishi checked the time, his face fell instantly. He let out a desperate wail, hastily said goodbye to Lu Mingfei and Bai Yuekui, and ran home in a flash.

Xia Dou smiled and waved goodbye before going home.

On the way back, Lu Mingfei and Bai Yuekui walked side by side, chatting idly.

"I never expected you to have this skill." Bai Yuekui's tone carried a hint of admiration.

Lu Mingfei smiled somewhat embarrassedly. He rarely received such direct recognition. The exhilarating experience in the arcade and his integration with the villagers today had quietly given him a faint sense of belonging to this unfamiliar place.

Moreover, he discovered that the seemingly aloof boss, Mr. Bai, displayed a vibrant side during the game, which brought them closer together.

He casually mentioned that his world also has "The King of Fighters," and the gameplay is almost exactly the same.

Bai Yuekui listened thoughtfully, becoming even more convinced that there was a deep cultural connection between the two worlds, which also explained why their languages ​​could be understood.

After chatting for a few minutes, the two arrived at their residence.

"Get some rest," Bai Yuekui stopped at the door and reminded her, "Don't forget, there's training waiting for you tomorrow." After saying that, she opened the door and went inside.

Lu Mingfei responded and returned to his room, collapsing wearily onto the bed.

The initial excitement of the intense game gradually faded, and a deep weariness crept in. His mind began to wander, contemplating tomorrow's training.

It shouldn't be too difficult, right? Ultimately, it varies from person to person; just do what you can...

With this naive thought in mind, he fell into a deep sleep, completely unaware of the trials that awaited him the next day.