Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei Returns from the Elden Ring

As a powerful march played over the loudspeaker, the doors of the school hospital's inpatient ward opened, and doctors and nurses poured out to treat the wounded.

Chapter 47 Freedom Day MVP Settlement

The doctors injected the "corpses" with syringes containing medication to counteract the anesthetic effects of the Friga bullets. For students who sustained falls or abrasions during this live-action CS game, the doctors used standard medical equipment to treat them, disinfecting and bandaging as needed, with serious injuries handled on stretchers.

A doctor approached Chu Zihang, who was sitting against the wall, and noticed the cut marks on his combat uniform. He wanted to treat his wounds but was politely refused. Chu Zihang touched the cuts that exposed his skin. None of the swords had actually injured his body; they had only precisely cut through the tough material of his combat uniform.

In that battle, he had no time to examine himself; he only felt that every attack he couldn't defend against carried a chill, and combined with the dreamlike illusion, it felt as if he had really been cut.

He silently looked at Caesar on the other side, and their eyes met. They both saw the same thing in each other's eyes: frustration.

The arrogant club leader, who prided himself on being an elite dragon slayer, was taught a lesson by a freshman who hadn't even received any formal training at the academy.

That's right, it wasn't a battle, but a lesson.

Both men had witnessed the other's fight with Lu Mingfei and clearly realized that Lu Mingfei was handling the situation with ease. If he were to unleash those incredibly fast slashes, Chu Zihang might not be able to withstand a single strike, and Caesar wasn't confident he could create an opening with his deliberately controlled, overwhelming swordsmanship. They were forced into a predicament in a very short time, while their opponent seemed to be still warming up!

Is this what an "S" class is like? It's like those dragon-slaying heroes from a distant era in history class have come to life.

Principal Angers, as the most active veteran "S" class, and whose Word of Power is still at the level of Zero in a fleeting moment, must be stronger than Lu Mingfei.

Perhaps only such people can stand up to dragons head-on without being at a disadvantage.

A small, old man with a shiny bald head, wearing thin, round, gold-rimmed glasses, covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, frowned, and sighed as he walked towards the parking lot. His sighs became even more poignant as he passed the bullet-riddled walls.

The battlefield, littered with corpses, now resembled a bustling sports meet. Doctors and nurses were administering injections to those wounded, massaging the shoulders and backs of the "dead" who had sprained their joints while unconscious, and recording their student ID numbers. After removing their masks, the dead men, upon waking, immediately began whispering among themselves, eager to know the outcome, but all seemed somewhat bewildered, as both leaders were "alive" and showed no signs of the red marks left by Friga's bullets.

Some people judged from the wounds on Chu Zihang's body that Caesar should have the upper hand, but in the blink of an eye they saw that the student council president's expression was not that of a victor, but rather that of a pensive and tired man, just like the Lionheart Society president sitting opposite him.

Surely Lu Mingfei couldn't have won, could he?

A sneak attack?

Did they take advantage of the fierce battle to ambush the enemy?

Students with this mindset don't understand their own leaders. Neither Caesar nor Chu Zihang are people who crumble in the face of defeat. They simply encountered a mirror called "Lu Mingfei," which reflected their inescapable limits, leaving them momentarily bewildered.

This is the most vulnerable stage for a warrior, but it is also the beginning of greatness.

Professor Manstein walked over and saw many students with serious injuries, including fractures. He warned the two club leaders in a righteous tone, "You have violated the special school rules for 'Freedom Day.' I will report this to the principal and have this event terminated!"

"The three special school rules are: no use of the alchemy equipment in the 'ice cellar,' no causing injury or death, and no bringing strangers from outside the school to visit, right?" Chu Zihang stood up and asked calmly.

“They got hurt because they accidentally fell down. Everyone falls down, right?” Caesar stood up as well, and said lazily.

These two arch-rivals were as calm as two captains who had just returned from a football match, each standing on Manstein's side with their arms crossed in almost identical gestures. They had both buried the heavy sense of defeat they felt after their battle with Lu Mingfei deep inside, regaining their usual composure and confidence.

"Fine! Caesar, Chu Zihang, you two have some nerve! I'll report this to the principal!" Professor Manstein's hands trembled with anger as he pulled out his phone and dialed. Everyone fell silent; it seemed the principal held a very high position in the students' eyes, and all eyes were focused on Professor Manstein's phone.

Professor Manstein, with an air of absolute authority, pressed the speakerphone button with a vengeance.

“Hello, Manstein,” Angers’ voice rang out.

“Principal Angers, I’m sorry to bother you. But there are some special circumstances. During this year’s ‘Freedom Day,’ the students are suspected of violating special school rules. Members of the Lionheart Society and the Student Council used Friga bullets, turned the entire campus into a battlefield, and even used Norma’s perimeter security equipment to launch smoke bombs. Many people were injured, and the situation is extremely serious!” Professor Manstein angrily accused.

“Oh, Caesar has always been like this, Manstein, you should be used to it by now,” Angers said casually.

Professor Manstein hesitated for a moment, “We also have to consider the huge losses… The preliminary estimate for repair costs is about $540,000… This doesn’t even include the cost of repaving the lawn; they’ve trampled your beloved Bermuda grass into something like farmland waiting to be cultivated!”

“Oh, Caesar, as the richest student in the college, you wouldn’t mind spending money to resurface my beloved Bermuda grass, would you?” the principal asked.

"As you see fit," Caesar shrugged.

"Alright, I was just joking. Let's take the money from the school board fund. After all, the 'Freedom Day' we get every year during the school anniversary celebration is something the students have won from us through their hard work. We old folks won't go back on our word." The principal laughed heartily. "After enjoying this holiday, you still need to work hard on your studies. My dear students, I really hope to spend this happy 'Freedom Day' with you all."

The students exchanged glances, clapped, cheered, took off their armbands and threw them into the air, draped their arms over each other's shoulders and twisted, making mocking faces at Professor Manstein.

"Is Lu Mingfei still there? Did he go to the library after the fight?" Angers shouted into the phone.

Everyone was stunned, and the surroundings fell silent.

"I'm here," Lu Mingfei replied, blending in with the medical staff. He was wearing a plain-colored combat uniform issued by the Executive Department, which was different from the students' attire. In addition, almost no one had seen his true face during the battle, so he was unexpectedly not discovered.

Lu Mingfei personally knocked down many students, and upholding the spirit of a warrior, he readily joined the rescue team. The doctors at the school hospital thought this quick-witted young man was there to volunteer and earn credits, and even gave him a set of medical equipment.

"You did a great job. I hope Caesar and Chu Zihang will benefit greatly from their duel with you!" The principal's voice echoed around them.

Chapter 48 Internet Addict

"The student council president underestimated his opponent and narrowly lost to an 'S' class!"

"Chu Zihang and Lu Mingfei fought fiercely to a draw, but Chu Zihang was slightly outmatched!"

Fingel's investment yielded a return of nearly 300%, which he then promptly posted on the Night Watchers' discussion forum, showcasing the battle footage captured by his webcam. The choice of headlines for these stories reveals the survival philosophy of this eighth-grade paparazzi leader. He was one of the biggest beneficiaries of this day of freedom, and even his deliberately misleading pre-match information couldn't fool those with ulterior motives. If he didn't pander to the supporters of Caesar and Chu Zihang in his match analysis, he would likely face a barrage of attacks.

A week has passed since Freedom Day, and Lu Mingfei's name has topped the Kassel Hot List. All the students and teachers know about this boy in the headshot who looks easy to bully, with his downcast eyes and baggy school uniform. His angry sword strike was so powerful that even the camera couldn't capture it clearly!

This also fits a popular meme from a current TV show: it's better to provoke a muscular thug than a kind old Chinese man with a white beard. You might be taken down in an instant, but he'll smile and help you up, asking what you learned today.

Thus, Lu Mingfei earned his first nickname in the world of dragon slaying: "The Dark Hidden Sword".

The person who received this title was unaware of it, and he returned to his monotonous life shuttling between the library and the dormitory, while even Constantine was living a more exciting life than him. Constantine's pseudonym "Wang Wei" sounds ordinary, but his ancient Chinese etiquette and demeanor, coupled with his handsome, pale-faced appearance, quickly made him the most popular person among the freshmen, besides Lu Mingfei and another Russian girl named Zero.

Norton Hall, Conference Room.

All student council members attended the meeting. The current president, Caesar, sat on a sofa in front of the fireplace, his chin resting on his hands, gazing straight ahead. Above him hung the Gattuso family's phoenix crest. A long silence had ensued; almost everyone had their heads bowed.

"For the first time in three years, we will lose the right to use the Norton Hall, so this is the last meeting we will hold here," Caesar said calmly. "For me, this is unprecedented, a crushing defeat."

Frustration weighed heavily on them. Since Caesar took control of the student council, they had always been the winners of "Freedom Day." Under Caesar's leadership, the student council had finally become a club that could rival the Lionheart Society, the most traditional fraternity at Kassel College. Even with the emergence of Chu Zihang, who was known as a "Super A" level student, they were unable to take Norton Hall from them. And now, they had inexplicably lost to a freshman.

"We didn't lose! This was a shameful, backroom battle!" a senior committee member said. "Lu Mingfei was able to use the power of words and even mobilized the academy's smokescreen!"

The crowd became agitated, and the committee members whispered among themselves.

"Stop!" Caesar raised his hand, his voice authoritative, silencing the clamor in the meeting hall.

“I never speak to cowards; only cowards refuse to admit their defeat.” Caesar’s icy blue eyes were expressionless. “Didn’t you hear what Principal Angers said? This was a guided battle he instructed, and the only two students were me and Chu Zihang. Since it was guided, there was no unfairness. The smoke screen obscured everyone’s vision equally, and he didn’t use any incantations!”

When he heard Angers' words, he immediately understood what Lu Mingfei meant by "you've passed".

It means get out of class is over.

“I’ve already rented the ‘Amber House’ next door as the venue for the student council’s activities next year. Move our things out, and this place will belong to Lu Mingfei.” He got up and poured himself a glass of cognac.

The committee members looked at each other, silent, just like at the end of that day when Freedom Day ended. After the principal finished speaking, everyone, including Manstein, fell silent, pondering the meaning of his words. Only Lu Mingfei walked over and calmly replied, "Then my promise is fulfilled."

It's terrifying to think about, which is why these student council leaders are unwilling to consider it further, but Caesar has now ripped away their excuses.

The leader made the final decision, and everyone had no choice but to get up and get to work.

In dormitory 303, Zone 1.

Lu Mingfei was reading a book, Constantine was playing StarCraft on Lu Mingfei's computer, and Fingel was watching with great interest from behind Constantine.

Constantine often spaced out during his free time after finishing his homework in the dormitory. Lu Mingfei decided to trust Lu Mingze for the time being, so he encouraged Constantine to expand his social circle and registered social media accounts for him, hoping to catch a dragon king someday. However, Constantine was clearly more interested in games than flirting with strangers.

For some reason, Angers had pre-downloaded StarCraft on Lu Mingfei's computer. Perhaps it was the old man's thoughtfulness, or as Fingel put it, it was the clumsy expression of affection from an old man who had always been watching his son.

After joining Kassel College, Lu Mingfei rarely logged into his old social media accounts. Many of the messages were from his high school classmates, most of which were from several months ago. The only person still active was a user on the interstellar channel, who would occasionally post, "Want to play a game?" It's hard to imagine what kind of person he is; does he have no friends in real life?

Constantine's opponent at this moment was this guy named "Old Tang". At first, Constantine's skills were completely unable to keep up with his opponent's pace. Later, with Lu Mingfei's occasional guidance, Constantine improved to the point where he was only slightly weaker than his opponent.

On the screen, as Constantine's defenses were breached, humanity suffered a crushing defeat, and the swarming Zerg units swarmed together, destroying his base.

"Great, bro! You've finally found your rhythm again. Otherwise, there aren't many players in our channel who can play a few games with me." Old Tang said proudly. "You played well this game. Next time, let's switch again, and I'll teach you some tactics with Terran!"

“Okay.” Constantine replied using Lu Mingfei’s account.

There aren't many active people left in the interstellar channel where Lu Mingfei and Lao Tang are. Apart from accepting Lao Tang's invitation, Constantine spends most of his time playing with the computer.

After pressing the power button, Constantine massaged his eyes with eye exercises and then went to the window to gaze into the distance. This was a rule set for him by Lu Mingfei, because one day Lu Mingfei was away and returned to find Constantine had been playing games all day. He then realized that the former Dragon King was heavily addicted to the internet, and from then on, he limited his gaming time.

Then, it was time for dinner.

Fingel won a lot of money, but he didn't give up the opportunity to use Lu Mingfei's meal card. He often came over to wait for the two students from 303 to go out to eat together during dinner time, and Lu Mingfei and Constantine had gotten used to it.

The three of them pushed open the dormitory door as usual, ready to go to the cafeteria, but there were two people standing outside the door.

Student council president and Lionheart Club president.

Chapter 49 Dinner

Fingel bumped into Chu Zihang, who had raised his hand in mid-air. Like a startled bird, he retreated in alarm, moving behind Lu Mingfei.

"Junior brother, your enemies have come knocking on your door."

Lu Mingfei ignored the guy; he knew that Caesar and Chu Zihang weren't the type to settle scores later.

"Hello, both of you." He met their gazes calmly.

"Hello, Lu Mingfei, I'm here to deliver a knife," Chu Zihang said calmly. He held the sheathed Murasame in his hand, but the cold and aloof aura he exuded made him look more like a gangster debt collector coming to his door with a knife.

It's no wonder Fingel thought he was there for revenge.

“I already have Crimson Sky, so I don’t need a second weapon for now.” Lu Mingfei shook his head. “I participated in Freedom Day because of my promise to Principal Angers, not for your bet. You should keep it.”

Chu Zihang had fought against the alchemical sword named "Chixiao" and knew it was no less powerful than Murasame, so he had no choice but to withdraw his hand that had been raised.

Caesar then interjected at the opportune moment, “Mine is different. I know you don’t have a vehicle. The Bugatti Veyron is already parked downstairs, and the Norton House has been emptied. What you do with that car and whether you stay at the Norton House is up to you. It’s none of my business.”

Lu Mingfei caught the car keys that were tossed to him.

Since Caesar has said so, there's no reason not to accept it.

Caesar gave Chu Zihang a subtle look, as if to declare his victory in yet another ambiguous struggle.

"You're not just here to deliver spoils of war, are you?" Lu Mingfei asked, noticing that the two men had no intention of leaving.

“Indeed, why don’t we sit down and talk?” Caesar shrugged. “I’ll order dinner.”

Lu Mingfei let the two in. The double room at Kassel College was very spacious. The five of them sat around the desk. Lu Mingfei and Constantine sat on their own beds, while Fingel moved a seat from his own room—after some hesitation, he still didn't want to miss the chance to freeload a meal.

Caesar and Chu Zihang were visiting for the first time and looked around Lu Mingfei's dormitory with some curiosity.

Clean and tidy, with many library books, it looked like the dormitory of a student studying theoretical courses. In fact, Lu Mingfei's nominal major, "Dragon Genealogy," was indeed a humanities subject, and it was taught by Angers.

But both of them who had fought Lu Mingfei head-on understood how suffocating the seemingly quiet and composed boy could be when he unleashed his killing intent.

The canteen's delivery was quick, and the waiters were still dressed in white. The tables were exquisite, with sterling silver cutlery, candles, and floral decorations. The difference was that after consulting with the people attending the dinner, Caesar ordered mostly Italian dishes.

Caesar, dressed in a white suit, looked like the host of a small dinner party, compared to Chu Zihang, Lu Mingfei, and Constantine, who were in school uniforms, and Fingel, who was wearing a loose shirt.