Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei Returns from the Elden Ring

……

"When did you hear the sound?" the doctor asked.

“It was Sunday morning, around nine o’clock…” Lu Mingfei sat upright on a small stool, with Qiao Weini and Lu Lincheng, a married couple, sitting on chairs behind him.

"You were home alone at the time, right? What was your surroundings like? Can you remember?" the doctor asked.

"It was raining that day, and it was very dark. The lights weren't on... I was playing a game," Lu Mingfei answered truthfully.

Behind him, Qiao Weini glared at Lu Lincheng, who quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Playing games shouldn't be the main reason. So many people play games and don't seem to have any problems."

"Parents, please be quiet." The doctor glanced at the couple and continued to ask Lu Mingfei, "Did you only hear these few words... what else did that voice say?"

“They’re gone.” Lu Mingfei didn’t dare mention the knight he had seen earlier.

“It sounds like he’s talking to himself. Could it be hiccups?” Jovin hugged Lu Mingfei from behind and touched his forehead. “I took his temperature the other day and there was nothing wrong, so I brought him here to see you, doctor.”

"A single instance of auditory hallucination doesn't mean anything. There's no medical history in your family, and you've never had similar symptoms before. It's probably due to academic pressure. Don't be too stressed," the doctor said, looking into Lu Mingfei's eyes. "Young man, don't be nervous. I'll prescribe some medication for you. Just remember to maintain a regular sleep schedule, eat healthily, and exercise moderately, okay?"

Lu Mingfei nodded, and the doctor tore off a prescription and quickly wrote down the medication.

As she was leaving, the doctor pulled Giovanni aside and said in a low voice, "Your child doesn't seem to have any major problems, but you need to take it seriously. If the auditory hallucinations recur, be sure to bring him in for further diagnosis. There are quite a few kids preparing for exams who are experiencing mental health issues."

Lu Mingfei held the prescription, pondering the words written on it. He could barely recognize a few characters, but he could vaguely make out that there were two kinds of drugs: one was melatonin gummies, and the other seemed to be a kind of tea, with some kind of herb or chamomile in the ingredients. He could guess that it was actually a placebo, its main function being to help him sleep, but he had always had very good sleep quality.

In the hospital corridor, Lu Mingfei carried a large bag of medicine, walking with his head down, his mind filled with the image of the knight. He had a strange feeling that the knight wasn't just a figment of his imagination, and that he meant no harm.

Why did He only say a few words? Lu Mingfei gritted his teeth; the riddle-maker was truly despicable.

Suddenly, a white figure blocked his path. A girl in a white dress and square-toed leather shoes stopped in front of him. Lu Mingfei's gaze slowly moved upwards, finally settling on that familiar face—Chen Wenwen.

Lu Mingfei suddenly shivered violently. He didn't know why, but he seemed to have a premonition that Chen Wenwen would appear at the hospital. Maybe it was a sixth sense? Maybe it was some kind of special puberty syndrome? Maybe... it was because there had been too many coincidences like this lately?

"Lu Mingfei? You're here too?" Chen Wenwen leaned forward and deftly pulled the prescription from Lu Mingfei's pocket. "Wow, I didn't expect someone as strong-willed as you to come to the psychiatry department... Let me see, it turns out it's insomnia..."

Lu Mingfei stared blankly into Chen Wenwen's eyes, and suddenly he understood.

Isn't it only natural that such a scene would trigger the female lead's storyline?

Since Lu Lincheng and his wife returned, his life has become like a rather boring galgame, where he smoothly gains family, friendship, and love along the way, until the happy ending.

He's like a protagonist trapped in a film studio, but unlike The Truman Show, his world is more real, and the director knows him very well.

Lu Mingfei is a person with peculiar ideas. When the homeroom teacher organized a movie screening, while others wrote their reflections on freedom and life in their journals, Lu Mingfei took a director's perspective. He felt that if the technology and script were more perfect, Truman wouldn't have discovered the world's falsehood. Who wouldn't like a perfect world?

Chapter 259 What's wrong with having a sweet dream?

The sun rose again and again over the land, its immense heat melting vast amounts of ice and snow, and floods raged through fissures thousands of meters deep. Two enormous, dark figures stood battling each other on the open ice plain, surrounded by a storm of broken mountain peaks, where hill-like rocks spun in the wind, crashing to the ground with thunderous roars.

The flames had scorched away all the ice and snow in this world, and the storm whipped up high-temperature steam, with a deafening roar.

Lu Mingze hastily formed a cocoon, and the body he conceived was slightly shorter and weaker than the black dragon opposite him. He fought and retreated as he went. Behind him, a golden tree stood amidst the devastating storm, and beneath the tree lay Melina in a deep sleep. Melina used her healing power to forcibly halt the shattering of the city's phantom.

The illusion, solidified by supreme will, had shrunk to less than a meter in diameter and was held in Melina's arms.

Although Nidhogg had reappeared in his dragon form after a long absence and uttered some harsh words, Lu Mingze had no confidence in winning. He could clearly sense that what he was facing was the genuine will of Nidhogg. For thousands of years, Nidhogg had been a dark cloud hanging over the dragon race. It was a dark cloud because it was far away and could only cast shadows. But at this moment, Ragnarok had transformed into a real claw and smashed into Lu Mingze's face.

"Brother, I really tried my best."

Lu Mingze was sent flying backward, crashing into several mountain peaks. Seconds later, Primordial Authority-level Words of Power rained down on him, their dazzling light rising and falling repeatedly, crushing his massive body.

Nidhogg spread his wings, transforming into a dark cloud that blotted out the sky, hovering in the center of this world. In the area surrounding him, the five elements were so active that they were boiling over. If not actively suppressed, the Rhine would even erupt naturally.

Despite the excruciating pain in his body, Lu Mingze struggled to his feet. He looked in Melina's direction, lost in thought. He didn't believe Lu Mingfei was unaware of the situation outside; he was simply curious about what had driven Lu Mingfei to take such a risk.

Nidhogg swooped down toward the little golden tree, repeatedly striking the domain of golden light. Even as the undisputed god of this Earth era, He could not easily destroy the power of another law. This is the essential difference between the King of Laws and the Star God.

……

"Am I dreaming...?" Lu Mingfei secretly dug his fingernail into his palm, feeling a slight sense of relief after the sting.

His question was answered almost immediately.

"You shouldn't worry about the issue of reality versus illusion. A person's life is fulfilling at sixty and reaching the ripe old age of eighty. The people and things one sees, the land one walks on, are merely a corner of this world. I can tell you, this place is real for you, it's an objective fact. If you choose to return to a normal life, I have no reason to stop you; in fact, that would be beneficial for me as well. But if there really comes a moment..."

"If there ever comes a moment when you doubt the world and everyone in front of you, if there ever comes a moment when you are willing to give up everything, then come find me."

Lu Mingfei listened to this long passage with his body almost stiff. He knew that he wouldn't see the other person if he turned around now. He knew that the other person was responding to his earlier guess. He knew that everything he had gained might just be a dazzling glimpse in a kaleidoscope.

He desperately wanted to ask if this was a film studio, if the other person was the director, and who else was in the audience... The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became. Unknown upon unknown, like a bottomless abyss, was breathtaking.

He slowly clenched his fist, his gaze resolutely fixed on Chen Wenwen, "Chen Wenwen..."

Chen Wenwen looked at him with a puzzled expression, tilting her head slightly. Her bright eyes were filled with Lu Mingfei's image, and even the ray of sunlight that jumped in from the window could be traced. Threads of golden light swayed in Lu Mingfei's eyes, just like the afternoon when they met, with long hair like a waterfall and the spring breeze blowing.

"Are you free tonight?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"Wrong answer!" Chen Wenwen crossed her arms. "You should have asked me why I came to the hospital first."

“Exactly, Feifei, your approach is so outdated.” Qiao Weini also tapped Lu Mingfei on the head from behind. “You have to be tactful when inviting a girl to dinner.”

“Okay, first question, I came to the hospital to visit my aunt, you can continue now.” Chen Wenwen held up a finger, echoing Qiao Weini.

"Then... would you like to have dinner with me tonight?" Lu Mingfei asked.

“Answering incorrectly, being tactful doesn’t mean using polite words,” Giovanni said. “Don’t ask questions.”

"Have dinner with me tonight." Lu Mingfei straightened his shoulders.

"It's too stiff." Qiao Weini pinched Lu Mingfei's cheek.

“I’m going to have dinner, but I can’t eat without you.” Lu Mingfei suddenly thought of the cheesy pickup lines he had read in a magazine.

"Then I'll reluctantly accept," Chen Wenwen said with a smile.

Lu Mingfei only managed to hold it in for two seconds before he couldn't help but cover his face, "So greasy."

“What matters is you as a person, but the formalities are also indispensable.” Qiao Weini patted Lu Mingfei on the shoulder, reached past him to take Chen Wenwen’s hand, and chatted enthusiastically about everyday matters.

Looking at this harmonious scene, Lu Mingfei took a deep breath.

"How wonderful."

A sigh came from afar, but to Lu Mingfei it sounded somewhat ironic. Yet, Lu Mingfei resolutely took a step forward, heading towards the light rather than the unknown darkness.

So what if it's a beautiful dream? So many people want such a real beautiful dream but don't even have the chance. If we don't cherish our beautiful dreams, who knows when they will end?

In the narrow, cramped, dark space, the knight sat on one knee, surrounded by a swaying black mist. Although he had torn apart countless shadows, the mist was growing ever thicker.

The knight looked up and said, "Melina, hold on a little longer, just a little more time."

"With that kind of thinking, how could he continue to indulge in it? I believe him."

"No one in this world can fully understand each other, but I am different. I completely trust you, Lu Mingfei, because I am you."

The knight rose, black flames coalescing in his hand into a giant sword. Before him, time in the illusion raced forward.

As expected, Lu Mingfei stopped experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations. He began to devote himself wholeheartedly to his studies and life, enjoying everything he had ever dreamed of.

Just as expected, the world was not a lie; at least the places Lu Mingfei could see and touch were real. During the holidays, Lu Mingfei's family and Chen Wenwen's family even went on a family trip to Northern Europe together. What they saw and heard while traveling thousands of miles further reduced Lu Mingfei's doubts.

He gradually forgot the supernatural events he had experienced, and in the new semester, he replaced Chu Zihang and became a legendary figure among the senior students of Shilan High School.

Chu Zihang was admitted to the business school of Washington University in St. Louis, and Lu Mingfei and his family went to the airport to see him off.

Chapter 260 Points

In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, falling onto the boy's bed. Lu Mingfei stretched, rubbed his sleepy eyes, threw back the covers, and slowly got dressed.

The aroma of fried eggs wafted in from outside.

The senior year of high school is a timed event, down to the ten-minute mark. Lu Mingfei often loses track of time, only remembering the numbers on the countdown to the college entrance exam gradually decreasing and his mock exam scores rising one after another. These days, Lu Lincheng has also bought a college application guide from within the province and studies Lu Mingfei's mock exam scores as soon as he gets off work.

At school, Lu Mingfei and Chen Wenwen were already a well-known couple throughout the entire grade, beyond even being gossip. Their senior year homeroom teacher had spoken with their parents, but Qiao Weini grabbed Chen Wenwen and declared domineeringly, "She's our daughter-in-law. We'll get engaged after the college entrance exam, and we'll send invitations to every one of our teachers."

The homeroom teacher, who had never seen anything like it, was speechless, even though he was usually sharp-tongued. After consulting the principal, the matter was dropped. Given that both Lu Mingfei and Chen Wenwen's grades were on the rise, nothing came of it. This "sensational" love story spread rapidly and soon became part of Lu Mingfei's legendary aura.

Nowadays, Lu Mingfei may not be as famous as Chu Zihang at his peak, but he has definitely surpassed all the boys in his class. People like Zhao Menghua, Xu Yanyan, and Xu Miaomiao from the Literature Club, who used to regard Lu Mingfei as a roadside weed, can only look up to the towering tree now.

The study on the genetic mechanism of gene mutation in herbaceous plants transforming into woody plants is probably a century-old puzzle that many people ponder before going to bed.

As Lu Mingfei stepped into the school gate, he suddenly felt a subtle gaze. Following the gaze, he saw a chubby little boy hurrying away – Lu Mingze.

Since Lu Lincheng and Qiao Weini returned, his uncle's family has been overshadowed in terms of work, family, and finances. Apart from the initial visit from his uncle and aunt's family, who left some polite words about "we should visit each other more often in the future," the two families have had no further contact. The only interaction is that his uncle sometimes invites Lu Lincheng out for drinks.

Drinking is a special invitation, the subtext of which is not to bring family members, and therefore it is not considered a family gathering.

Lu Mingfei could completely understand that his aunt was the kind of thrifty woman who would argue with vendors over a few cents, yet she held a special sense of pride in another daughter-in-law of the Lu family, Qiao Weini.

Lu Lincheng got a respectable and lucrative job as soon as he returned to China. He bought a big house and a new car. Although Qiao Weini is also a housewife, she gives people the impression of a social elite. She is dignified, elegant and classy. Last month, the city museum even invited Qiao Weini to give a speech.

In fact, Jovie is an archaeologist certified by the International Association of Archaeologists. The leaders of the city museum address her with "Dr." to show respect and hope to hire her, but Jovie declined the offer temporarily because her son is preparing for the college entrance examination.

Auntie was completely incomparable to Jovini, and Lu Mingfei's grades actually gradually rose to the top of the grade after he entered his senior year of high school, which made Lu Mingze, whom Auntie had placed high hopes on, fail as well.

Lu Mingfei watched Lu Mingze disappear into the second-year high school building. He could empathize, but there was nothing he could do. He was just a lucky loser; he couldn't save the other losers in the world.

Without Lu Lincheng, Qiao Weini, without Chu Zihang, without Chen Wenwen, he would just be a loser...

Thinking of this, Lu Mingfei suddenly shivered, and the long-forgotten figure of the knight resurfaced in his mind.

For a while, he kept thinking about the plot of The Matrix.

Programmer Anderson discovers that the world is a virtual matrix. Morpheus gives him a choice between a red and a blue pill. If he takes the blue pill, he will remain in the real world, living his virtual life peacefully. If he takes the red pill, he will break through the invisible wall of numbers and face reality. He chooses the red pill, awakens, and becomes a savior, rebelling against the matrix and saving humanity.

Lu Mingfei always wondered how the story would unfold if Anderson got scared and chose the blue pill.

Anderson would remain in the Matrix, viewing Morpheus and Trinity as two delusional lunatics. Even after they were captured and sacrificed by Smith, Anderson would remain unmoved. But if he knew the price those two paid to find him, if he knew how much Morpheus trusted him and how much Trinity loved him, perhaps he would have swallowed the red pill even if it was poison.

What Lu Mingfei fears most is not losing the "reality" before him, but that the world is truly waiting for him to save it, and that many friends he hasn't even had a chance to meet will die because of his choices, and he will know nothing about it.

Lu Mingfei had never had such compassionate thoughts before, because he used to be just a loser. Why should a loser have to give his heart and soul to save the world? But now he is a lucky loser. His life has changed dramatically in the past year. He has gained everything. He is a winner. He should be fearless, but he has started to worry about gains and losses again.

Is a lucky loser still a loser?

Now, Lu Mingfei is the most awesome guy in Shilan Middle School, but he seems to be losing his entire life before he turned 17. That loser Lu Mingfei is gradually dying, leaving only a well-dressed shell.

Everyone he knew looked at him as if he were a complete stranger to Lu Mingfei… Perhaps this is the inevitable growth process in life?

The same sentiment echoed in Lu Mingfei's ears again: "How wonderful."

Lu Mingfei suddenly felt empathy for those words that looked down on him with indifference and appreciation, because when he looked back, he realized that he was also at a high level.

"No, no, it's all a scheme!" Lu Mingfei slapped his face hard, muttering to himself, "Lu Mingfei, a bright future awaits you, don't go crazy."