Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei Returns from the Elden Ring

The scanner and the shadow in the corner made a sound at the same time. The leader's eyes narrowed, and he tore off Nono's necklace.

She was not carrying the necklace when she entered the Hatz Mountain Fortress for inspection.

The leader frowned, as if he sensed something was amiss. He met Nono's gaze, which held a mixture of pride, mockery, and pity, and suddenly it dawned on him.

Word of Power: Bronze Throne.

His arm muscles bulged, and he crushed the necklace with his bare hands. A tiny signal transmitter, no bigger than a sesame seed, fell out from the lining beneath the jewelry. The faint signal light on the black cube flashed at a fixed frequency.

The leader's scalp tingled. "Who are you calling?"

He quickly placed the signal device on his fingertip and crushed it forcefully.

Although he was acting on the orders of the family head, if young master Caesar discovered all this, he had no doubt that his tormented death would be the first step in quelling Caesar's anger.

"Alert!" he shouted, reaching for his gun.

All the shadows' attention was diverted by the leader's orders. The well-trained shadows immediately placed the leader and Nono on high alert, but little did they know that the real danger came from their own superior.

The Shadow Leader receives direct orders from a high-ranking member of the family to execute Chen Motong and all related personnel if necessary.

"You're all done for," Nono simply smiled.

As her voice faded, flames descended from the sky, drowning out all sound in the hurricane. The concrete wall, strong enough to withstand bunker-buster missiles, cracked and shattered, with crimson flames surging out from the black gaps. The flames flowed along the path of the wind, forming a spectacular river. Nono stood in the middle of the river of fire, with the flames splitting on either side, like Moses parting the Red Sea.

Everyone knelt before her, including the Shadow Leader, whose bloodline had been enhanced to S-class, but she knew they weren't kneeling before her.

A figure descended slowly, accompanied by a gust of wind.

The shadow leader, who had struggled to raise his head, lowered it the instant he met the figure's gaze. Unparalleled majesty flooded his mind through his eyes, and he felt no fear or dread, nor did he resist. His heart was filled with peace and tranquility, and he was ready to submit to that figure.

"Wow, that's quite a scene." Nono smiled wryly, tilting her head back, her hair fluttering in the wind.

This was the rescue Lu Mingfei had promised, as majestic and swift as thunder and lightning, shattering and sweeping everything away!

Of course, the alchemical materials used to temporarily open the one-way space tunnel came from the ice cellar, and Lu Mingfei requisitioned Principal Angers' last bit of wealth in the name of war.

"You did a good job." Lu Mingfei landed in front of Nuonuo, bent down and picked up the hard drive. The shadow holding the hard drive prostrated on the ground, raising the hard drive above his head with both hands, as if offering a tribute to a god.

"She said the war was about to begin, and how could a lowly soldier like me, who just fills in the lines, possibly die knowing why?" Nono's shackles silently turned to ashes. At this moment, she hugged her arms and leaned against the ruins to alleviate the residual effects of the anesthetic.

"Who told you the war was about to start?" Lu Mingfei tilted his head, puzzled.

……

Lu Mingfei and Nuonuo hovered in the air, finally getting a full view of the supercomputer's server room. Under Lu Mingfei's command, the technicians had restarted the artificial intelligence in Hartz Mountain.

However, this time the face that appeared on the projector was not a familiar one to Nono, but a gentle and elegant European and American woman.

"Chen Motong, some truths are beyond the capacity of ordinary people to bear. Before you look at the contents of that hard drive, there is still room for maneuver... One day you will understand that the man beside you is the villain who will destroy the world."

The woman said expressionlessly.

Chapter 224 Elizabeth Laurent

“Artificial intelligence?” Lu Mingfei frowned as he looked at the light and shadow in the projection. “I thought the Secret Party had only built one Norma.”

Nono paused for a moment, then shook her head. "It's not her. The previous AI was my mother's image, and its tone of voice has changed too."

"Who are you?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"The 'Frigga' you're looking for has undergone irreversible destruction; I am the executioner," the woman in the projection said. "Mr. Lu, someone asked me to deliver a message: 'What you want to do, we have already tried; the return of the Black Emperor will not waver... Nevertheless, we still accept your challenge.'"

Lu Mingfei nodded and waved.

Flames engulfed the honeycomb cabinet, and the projection went out.

Amidst the blazing firelight, Nono looked somewhat weary. She had already pieced together the gist of it: the Gattuso family and some other families of the Secret Party were secretly accumulating power, perhaps to eliminate dissidents and seize control of the Secret Party, or perhaps to gain an advantage after the end of the Dragon-Slaying Era. But now, the emerging forces led by Lu Mingfei and Angers had chosen to wage war against the former.

This fortress is a war base comparable to the ice cellar of Kassel College, and "Frigga," created with her mother at its core, corresponds to the war machine "Norma."

In her heart, her mother was dead, and had died before her eyes; she could never accept a substitute who appeared in her mother's image. However, recalling her conversation with "Frigga," the other woman seemed to have anticipated her thoughts and showed no intention of posing as her mother. Reflecting calmly, she realized she had transferred some of her anger onto "Frigga," and in fact, she owed "Frigga" a thank you…

“Whoever told you this news, she’s right. The war order has been conveyed through EVA. I won’t explain the specific reasons to you, but the enemies include dragons, Deadpools, doomsday factions, some hybrid families… and some other random and suspicious organizations.” Lu Mingfei looked at Nono.

"It seems a lot has happened while I've been in this godforsaken place," Nono said calmly. "Do I still need to go back to the academy? Or does the academy even still exist?"

“Caesar means to take you to a safe place,” Lu Mingfei said.

"So he's involved too... Let's take me to him." Nono turned to look at the burning server room. The fire alarm system had been triggered, and the still intact fire nozzles were spraying extinguishing agent. "Anyway, I'm just a nobody, I can't influence what you decide. But... the teacher and student are enemies, and the secret faction is fighting amongst themselves. I hope it's all worth it."

The rubble on the ground liquefied, resembling several giant black pythons crawling along an invisible outline. In an instant, a massive rectangular gate took shape. Only a being at the Dragon King level could traverse space directly with their body like Lu Mingfei. He built the gate to ensure Nono's safety. Caesar was currently in Japan; he only needed to take Nono back.

As the materials in the alchemy matrix were rapidly consumed during the transformation, a soft glow emanated from the door, forming a magnificent vortex.

Before stepping through the door, Lu Mingfei said softly, "Don't be afraid of fighting, don't wait in vain. When the flames die down, when the light fades... sooner or later, you will face all of this again."

Nono realized that Lu Mingfei was trying to comfort her, but she had already stepped into the vortex. A terrible dizziness washed over her, and she had no time to look at Lu Mingfei's expression or think about the meaning of his words. Perhaps this "war" was not as complicated or simple as she had imagined, but rather something that people like Angers and Lu Mingfei had foreseen in advance.

……

In Cumbria, England, it's been raining continuously.

Amidst the picturesque scenery of lakes and mountains, luxury cars drove along the gravel-paved mountain road. Aston Martins, Land Rovers, Bentleys, Rolls-Royces... The residents of the small town at the foot of the mountain were not surprised to see so many luxury cars early in the morning, assuming that some wealthy person in the mountain estate was holding a private car show.

Frédéric William Laurent sat in the back seat, wearing a family crest ring on his hand. A golden eagle gripped a sword, and below the design, along the edge of the ring, were engraved the words, "Boldness of heart and steadfastness of pledge."

He is 25 years old and holds a Master’s degree in Financial Philosophy from Cambridge University. Two months ago, he succeeded his father as the regional head of the Laurent family. Today, he received an invitation from the family elder, Elizabeth Laurent, to attend a high-level meeting.

In his eyes, Elizabeth was nothing more than a naive young woman, only able to take over the family business because of her birth. He was different. No one knew that his father's death and will were actually part of a meticulously planned conspiracy. He had originally only traded the position of regional head with someone, but after gaining access to real power, he could no longer tolerate the family's superior position.

He received funding from a mysterious figure and gained control of a powerful and advanced armed force. He even had a swarm of drones planted near Elizabeth Laurent's residence, ready to take her place at any time.

The vehicles pulled into the manor's parking spaces, and the guests walked along the paths through the gardens to the manor gate, where Elizabeth's butler had been waiting for them.

Frederick stood at the gate of the manor and glanced back. The manor was built on a hillside, and the forest within several square kilometers around it had been cleared and covered with flat, neat lawns. In the center of the lawns were gardens, manor buildings, and fountains surrounded by flowers. The edges of the lawns were trees from the forest, and in the far distance, the forest shimmered with silvery light—that was the lake below the mountain.

This is the center of power in the Laurent family… Frederick narrowed his eyes, his heart beating slightly faster.

As you walk along the corridor, unlike the manor's ancient and simple red brick exterior, the interior is decorated to royal standards, with gold, vermilion, and silver as the main colors. The manor has more than a dozen reception rooms, as well as a chapel and a cinema. During a special period, nearly ten Laurents commanded a war against a certain mixed-race family from here.

Frederick followed the old butler to the familiar conference room. He pushed open the door and entered. Almost half of Laurent's men, who held real power, had gathered there, but Elizabeth was still nowhere to be seen.

The butler closed the door behind them, and for some reason, Frederick suddenly felt a pang of unease. His bloodline had been enhanced with a secret alchemical reagent that carried a high risk of drug addiction, and his S-rank intuition was warning him. He calmly surveyed everyone's faces, only then realizing that all those present were either his allies or former business partners.

Outside the manor, the butler bypassed a group of heavily armed family elites and arrived at the extended Rolls-Royce parked at the back door.

Chapter 225 Ambition

"Have you notified the fire department?" Elizabeth asked in a cool voice as the car window rolled down.

“We’ve already informed them that there’s a fire drill at the manor, the rain clouds will weaken the infrared weather satellite’s observation capabilities, and there are our people all around,” the butler replied in a low voice, standing in the rain.

“Let’s begin.” Elizabeth nodded.

The car window rolled up, and the butler came to the driver's seat, where the driver respectfully gave up his place.

Meanwhile, in that historically significant, authoritative, and religiously important conference room, the concentration of neurotoxins in the air was rapidly rising. Everyone activated their golden eyes, and they tried their best to break through the doors, windows, and walls with broken tables and chairs, their fingernails, and their teeth.

The conference room had been reinforced; even A- and S-class hybrids couldn't penetrate the alchemical materials and high-strength alloys. They couldn't even use incantations. The Laurent family also had its own research institute, and this poison gas targeting hybrids was one of their research achievements. Many people began to collapse, tears streaming down their faces, trembling all over, and then dying in a sweat.

Frederick pulled out his secret cell phone, only to find there was no signal. He stood blankly by the window, muttering, "How dare she... how dare she do this here..."

The next second, flames and shockwaves tore through the walls. Centered on the conference room, the entire manor collapsed, with flames and thick smoke shooting into the sky. The family assassins on the periphery, armed with rifles filled with mercury-core blunt metal armor-piercing bullets, fired at any moving object in the ruins, even a broken piece of stone.

Elizabeth gestured to the butler to drive the car down the mountain road through the back gate.

"Our people report that the Gao Tinggen family in the city area seems to have also received word and has openly entered part of the family's compound without prior communication," the butler began his report.

“Tell them that it’s better to back down than to clash with the Gottingen family,” Elizabeth said calmly.

The butler glanced at Elizabeth's expression in the rearview mirror before speaking, "We just destroyed the family's most important property. Although it was to eliminate a traitor, showing weakness in the face of external threats at this time may be detrimental to your authority within the family. The elders will think you are a weak patriarch who fears external enemies, especially since you are the first female head of the family..."

“The calm before the storm is what brews for what’s to come,” Elizabeth interrupted him, then changed the subject, “Tell me, is Lu Mingfei reliable?”

“Angers and the Snake Clan have chosen to support him…” The butler carefully considered his words. He had watched Elizabeth grow up and knew her best. He could tell that Elizabeth had made up her mind and was just looking for someone to confide in.

“No, Angers and the Snake Clan are not important,” Elizabeth said. “Whether Lu Mingfei is reliable or not is also unimportant. The situation is now crystal clear. We need to wait for the war in Japan to end before deciding who to fight.”

"I will immediately arrange for someone to handle the public opinion within the family," the butler said.

“Actually, none of us matter.” Elizabeth looked out the window. The mountain road was in the forest, and the thick smoke in the distance looked very far away. The black smoke clouds swayed and seemed about to dissipate in the wind and rain. “I read the intelligence sent by Angers. Whether it’s the Gattuso family, Lu Mingfei, or our long-standing hypothetical enemy—the Dragon King, what they possess is never something we can reach… People like us, families like ours, are destined to only be able to pray before the end of the world.”

The butler was surprised by his young mistress's genuine emotions and couldn't help but slow down and look back.

Elizabeth's long-held composure was finally broken. She stared blankly out the window, her lips slightly pursed, her eyes burning as if fire were still raging within her. She hadn't activated her golden eyes, but it was as if the fire in the manor was still burning in her eyes.

“Human despair is God’s opportunity,” she said, emphasizing each word.

This is a proverb: No matter how desperate the situation, never despair, for the most difficult times are opportunities for God to bless us!

The butler snapped out of his daze and stopped worrying about Elizabeth. He now finally understood why the former patriarch had placed Elizabeth first in his will—ambition. Those who survive in mixed-race families do not rely on scheming or force, but on ambition. Ambition is the deepest driving force behind power. The more intense the dragon blood, the more unquenchable the flame of ambition.

……

Blackstone Mansion, late at night.

Shokuya had already left, and Ye Sheng was alone in the guest room arranged by Kimura Hiroshi, the butler of the Black Stone Mansion. He suddenly opened his eyes in his sleep, raised his wrist in the silence, and saw that his watch showed the time. The first and second action teams should be on their way to the dock to meet the support from the Board of Directors.

He quietly took off his pajamas, revealing a close-fitting black combat suit underneath.

As the commander of this operation, being stationed in the enemy's headquarters was the most risky move. Therefore, he recently found a pretext to send Aki away; once he was imprisoned by Angers, Aki would take over as commander. He now needed to secretly find Angers, unable to speak his true feelings during the day. On this final night before the battle, he wanted to win over this crucial figure one last time. In essence, Angers was Lu Mingfei's guiding force; once that force fell, Lu Mingfei's operation would lose momentum.

War kills many people, including many elite mixed-race individuals. Ye Sheng still harbors the idea of ​​"turning the tide and saving the collapsing edifice."

There seemed to be a curfew at the Black Stone Mansion; even the insects were silent at this hour, and all was quiet except for the bright moon hanging high in the sky. Ye Sheng pushed open the door, and outside was a small garden in the style of a dry landscape garden, where a figure was sitting on the veranda.

"Can't sleep?" Lu Mingfei patted the empty space beside him. "Want to chat?"

For a moment, Ye Sheng's mind went blank, but he didn't show any fear. He slowly walked to Lu Mingfei's side and didn't rush to sit down.

“EVA must have given you orders to stay put,” Lu Mingfei said with a smile.

"EVA? Is this the Secret Party's EVA... or your EVA, Lu Mingfei's?" Ye Sheng asked.

“To be precise, it’s Fingel von Frings’ EVA now, and that’s a complicated story.” Lu Mingfei shrugged. “I know they have another set of artificial intelligence contacting you. It’s not too late to stop your people now.”

“It’s too late. The cannons have already opened fire. Aren’t we all just waiting for the shells to fly?” Ye Sheng shook his head and took a few steps back. “Once the fighting starts, it doesn’t matter who fires the first shot.”

“You mean the seven Executive Department Standard Operations Groups currently surrounding Tokyo?” Lu Mingfei sighed. “There won’t be any firefights. EVA has arranged reliable people to ensure their ‘safety’.”

Chapter 226 Battle