Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei Returns from the Elden Ring

Yuan Zhisheng didn't know how to respond, and awkwardly scratched his head.

“I came to Japan for this very reason. Let’s suppress the rebellious branch first.” Angers looked at Lu Mingfei. “Haven’t you caught Tachibana Masamune yet? In your style, the entire Japanese branch should be kneeling here and apologizing to me right now, Mingfei.”

“That’s definitely not part of my plan.” Lu Mingfei shrugged, then clapped his hands.

From the shadows came the sound of a wooden door being pushed open, and a figure dressed in a wide-sleeved kimono slowly emerged.

Yuan Zhisheng stood up, staring intently at the newcomer, his pupils dilating.

"Long time no see, brother." Kazama Ruri smiled faintly. He wore very light makeup, using only a small amount of color, applying a thin layer of vermilion and lapis lazuli to his brows and the corners of his eyes, yet it had a breathtaking beauty, presenting an eerie beauty that was somewhere between male and female.

Genjiro just stared at him silently.

For years, he had recurring nightmares, dreaming of a pair of lifeless eyes gazing at the sky from the bottom of a deep well. He would lean down from the well's edge to look at the corpse, which would slowly reach out and pull him into the well. Genji was powerless to resist. The corpse was Genji's daughter, and Genji had sealed her in that well with his own hands. For the rest of his life, Genji remained trapped in that nightmarish moment, where he had killed his own brother and buried him with his own hands.

His feelings were complicated. He didn't know how to face his younger brother, and he couldn't be sure whether the person in front of him was the resurrected Minamoto no Chiki or an evil spirit that crawled out of the well.

“You must be the famous Hilbert Jean Angers.” Kazama Ruri ignored the dumbfounded Genji and turned to look at Angers.

“Yuan Zhinü? Kazama Ruri?” Angers smiled and raised his glass.

Kazama Ruri smiled as well, lowering her eyes as she said, "Names are not important to someone like me."

Chapter 192 Intelligence (4K)

“Since it’s not important, I’ll call you Genjiro,” Angers said. “I won’t pursue your past with Chisei, nor will I pursue your so-called demon bloodline. What I want to hear now is a plan that can completely destroy Herzog and Bondarev, detailed and comprehensive enough. Otherwise, the vice-principal of Kassel College would have submitted a radical plan for an armed rebellion against the Japanese branch to the board of directors three days after I went missing. Since World War II, the Secret Service has always been very interested in profiting from war.”

When Angers said he didn't care about the demon bloodline, Genji pricked up his ears, his expression somewhat complicated.

“Truly worthy of being called an iron-fisted dragon slayer,” said Genjiro. “But I don’t care about the safety of Japan. Let my brother hear about this threat.”

He took out a thick document and placed it on the table, saying slowly, "I have only one goal: to kill the king."

“Although I’ve heard Mingfei say it, I still don’t fully understand.” Angers frowned. “I can understand that my vice principal wants to kill me and seize power, but he would never seek to cooperate with an enemy that could destroy Kassel College. Even if he succeeds, he will not gain anything, because Kassel College will definitely be destroyed by then.”

"First of all, I have no interest in the power of the Demon Clan or the Snake Clan. I only joined them because I was also a lonely and helpless demon. Secondly, in the Demon Clan, I am indeed the 'Dragon King' who is second only to the 'King General'. Perhaps in your eyes, it is a position of high status and power, but in the eyes of the King General, everyone is his food. He is a ghoul, and I am also his stored food, just not yet served on the table."

"Can he devour the flesh and blood of hybrids to evolve his bloodline?" Lu Mingfei asked.

“No,” Yuan Zhinu said respectfully, “it was just a metaphor from the king. He said that this world is a world where people eat each other, except that they don’t eat flesh, but rather the value of the other person. Street thugs collect protection money from shops, prostitutes, and drug dealers; they live off the fat of those people. Gang leaders collect money from thugs; they live off the fat of those thugs. It’s the same outside the underworld. Business owners recruit workers and get rich by eating the fat of the workers. Conglomerates eat business owners, banks eat conglomerates, and politicians are the biggest gluttons in society; they eat everyone. He said that the world is so cruel; if you don’t eat others, others will eat you. So you have to find ways to eat others to make yourself stronger; the higher you climb, the more you can eat.”

“This is really troublesome,” Angers said softly. “Arrogant fools are easy to deal with, but this Herzog is a disgusting rat. He knows his own weakness, but he craves to be a dirty victor… Mingfei, you were indeed impulsive. Just seriously injuring the emperor of the Snake Clan is enough to make such a guy tuck his tail between his legs.”

“That’s why I advised Lord Lu to remain calm,” Yuan Zhinu said. “The King General is like an iceberg; only one-tenth of an iceberg is above water, the vast majority hidden beneath. The King General is the same. To kill him, you need to be ten times more prepared, considering every possibility. I have a feeling that everything I see now is just the surface, and the real danger is lurking behind the scenes. The King General’s plan is far more complex than I think. His goal is not the perfect evolution potion, nor is it God. He is the kind of person who wants to devour everything. No matter how many people compete with him, no matter how many people are his enemies, he will always be at the top of the food chain. How can evolving into a pure-blooded dragon allow him to be at the top of the food chain? You can kill the Dragon King, and you also have the opportunity to kill the evolved King General.”

"We... the Snake Clan has located the headquarters of the Demon Clan." Genji spoke up at this moment. "Our clan is currently conducting a nationwide campaign to eradicate the main force of the Demon Clan. Even though the King is terrifying, he dares not openly show himself before our clan. We will find and bury the Destroyer God before he does!"

Yuan Zhinu glanced at him, then remained silent.

Lu Mingfei and Angers also turned their attention to him.

"As for Tachibana Masamune's identity, I haven't seen any conclusive evidence... An old file isn't very convincing." Genji continued, "Since the Secret Party has decided to intervene, I can persuade the family to accept the Secret Party's cooperation. After we wipe out the Oni Clan, we can deal with the underwater god or the ancient dragon embryo."

“We’ll find out what Tachibana Masamune is just by seeing it for ourselves.” Lu Mingfei indirectly rejected Genjiro’s suggestion. “Genjiro, tell us your plan.”

“Based on the intelligence provided by the King and my own investigation, I can confirm that there is a hidden research institute beneath Genji Heavy Industries. Bondarev is conducting research there on evolutionary drugs and Deadpools. It was designed and built by Maruyama Construction, and it shouldn't have been marked on the blueprints my brother has. Bondarev has been secretly operating it for all these years under the identity of Tachibana Masamune.” Genji pulled out a blueprint from the pile of documents and pointed to a hidden underground structure on it. “As long as we destroy this research institute, Bondarev will be put on the defensive in his confrontation with Herzog. Herzog must be uneasy about the current situation, and he won't let his old rival's weakness slip by.”

“To avoid alerting Herzog, our operation must be sufficiently secretive, and it would be best to stage the destruction of the research institute as an accident,” Angers said.

"What's your opinion?" Lu Mingfei asked Yuan Zhisheng.

“The Genji Heavy Industries building is the family’s headquarters. There are many mixed-race people and ordinary people with low bloodlines inside. If there really is a research site full of Deadpools underground, can the safety of the people in the building be guaranteed when it is destroyed?” Genji was somewhat convinced by the blueprint, but he was still a little hesitant.

“I assure you,” Lu Mingfei said.

“Alright, but since we’re going to make it look like an accident, you’ll have to infiltrate the research institute. There’s a secret factory and shipyard of the Ganryu Research Institute underground at Genji Heavy Industries.” Genji Zhisheng, as a prisoner, was already satisfied with Lu Mingfei’s assurance and stopped resisting. Instead, he raised a technical question: “It’s heavily guarded there, and it’s very difficult to infiltrate it silently.”

“Don’t worry, the research institute has a secret supply channel. Every few days, Deadpools are transported in in metal cans, and a large amount of food for Deadpools is also transported in by submarine. It adds up to dozens of tons of goods being transported in by small submarines every day.” Yuan Zhinv was the one who devised the mission, so of course she had considered this. “We can sneak in through this secret channel.”

“Then it’s settled.” Angers made the decision. “Once Bondarev lures Herzog out, Mingfei will close the net and capture these two culprits. The rest will be easy. The Secret Party has no shortage of professionals with a 100% success rate in interrogations.”

"Principal, if it really comes to that," Genji suddenly said, "can the Snake-Headed Eight Families still exist?"

“Let’s deal with your ‘god’ first. The Secret Society isn’t some genocidal bastard. Hand over the secret of the White King’s bloodline, and Japan will still be your territory.” Angers shrugged and stood up. “Then I’ll be going. Mingfei, you’ll handle it, right?”

"Principal, don't go too far," Lu Mingfei said without looking up.

“I understand, I understand. We need to show a certain degree of aggression, but we also need to make Bondarev and Herzog think that we know nothing.” Angers laughed. “I’m over a hundred years old, and I’m finally experiencing what it feels like to have a successor to urge me on.”

Outside, the plane arranged by Su Enxi was waiting for Angers. He would be visiting two old friends. The principal of Kassel College, the ruthless dragon slayer, would never hide in Japan. Over the years, everyone who had known him knew that he had never been a calm and collected man.

After Angers left, Lu Mingfei tidied up the remaining documents on the table and left the large house to the two brothers.

Lu Mingfei wasn't worried that the two would fight. In his eyes, Genjiro and Genjiro were just Herzog and Bondarev's swords or vessels. As for the grudges between the two, he had neither the interest nor the energy to interfere.

……

Tokyo, Shinjuku Ward, Takamagahara Host Club.

As a high-end nightclub, the owner is very generous with employee benefits. In the lounge, there is a Japanese-style bathroom with pine boards on all four walls. The wooden tub used for bathing is a deep red like agate and makes a crisp sound when tapped, as if it is some kind of precious wood that Caesar had never seen before.

The bathroom walls were adorned with exquisite ukiyo-e prints depicting men and women in kimonos entwined in kissing, the women half-undressed to reveal their white flesh—it appeared to be some kind of erotic art with a Japanese harem theme. In the corner, a life-sized sandalwood carving of a seated Guanyin statue sat in the incense burner, the oil bowl held in her hands likely gilded.

Caesar and Chu Zihang each soaked in a meter-deep wooden tub. The bathroom was filled with steam and the sweet scent of lavender, which was the smell of essential oils in the water.

Caesar held a document sealed in a transparent plastic bag in his hand, flipping through it under the dim light of the bathroom.

A day earlier, he and Chu Zihang had been hiding in the sewers for a long time. That ancient sewer system was actually independent and closed, with most of the manholes abandoned and no other exits. Before the Sheqi Eight Families caught up with them, one of the closed manholes suddenly opened, and a middle-aged man who called himself "Humpback Whale" came down and invited them into a host club to escape their pursuit.

After confirming that the humpback whale was sent by Su Enxi, Caesar and Chu Zihang followed him to the male escort nightclub.

"The skull represents the White King, whose name in Japanese mythology is Izanami, the great mother goddess, while Izanagi represents the progenitor of the White King's bloodline. The White King gave a piece of his own bone to Izanagi, and in the Eight Families of Snakes, that piece of bone is called the 'Sacred Remains.'" Caesar turned to a page of hand-drawn ukiyo-e print, with handwritten annotations beneath the illustration.

"That's why Japanese mixed-race people are so wary of the Secret Service, because they are not of the same ethnicity as us at all. We are descendants of the Black King, and they are descendants of the White King." Chu Zihang was also looking at another part of the information.

“The bloodline that the White King actively bestowed upon me allows me to safely cross the critical blood limit.” Caesar clicked his tongue in amazement. “That alone is enough to make the board of directors launch a war. My ‘Nibelungen Project’ to cross the critical blood limit cost over 10 billion US dollars and is almost impossible to replicate. The Japanese only need to awaken the innate abilities deep within their bloodline to achieve the same effect.”

“But according to their mythology, Izanagi and Susanoo were seduced by the sacred remains and merged with them to become a monster called ‘Yamata no Orochi,’ which is a kind of juvenile form of the White King. The Japanese hybrids fought two great battles with ‘Yamata no Orochi,’ so emperors who have surpassed the critical bloodline limit have become increasingly rare,” Chu Zihang said. “Initially, every descendant of the White King should have been an emperor, but in modern times, only Genjiro remains.”

Caesar quickly flipped through the lengthy mythological descriptions and reached the last few pages.

"The 'Holy Remains' contain the bloodline and genes of the White King, or rather, the 'Holy Remains' are a kind of alternative egg. As long as it is fused with a powerful emperor, it can become a real egg, and then the White King will reappear in this world... It's truly terrifying that such a thing is hidden in the sea. No wonder the principal came to Japan in person."

"This intelligence about 'Black Swan Harbor' isn't optimistic either. Not only does Japan possess the 'Holy Remains' of the White King's resurrection, but it also has two madmen attempting to resurrect a god and achieve evolution. The Academy sent us here to deal with the heartbeat of a suspected dragon-like creature on the seabed." Chu Zihang put down the documents in his hand. "I think I understand why Lu Mingfei kidnapped Genjiro. The Emperor is the key to the White King's resurrection, and Herzog and Bondarev must both be coveting this vessel."

“I’m more interested in knowing when he’ll contact us.” Caesar wrapped a towel around himself and stood up from the tub, finally shedding the stench from the sewers. “Kaguya-hime has blocked the Japanese internet, so we can’t contact either the academy or Lu Mingfei right now.”

Chu Zihang also stood up, and after the two of them dressed as waiters, they walked along the narrow staff passage and stairs past the dance floor on the first floor.

Countless men and women swayed on the dance floor, the floor vibrating rhythmically. It was a grand masquerade ball; the women wore short skirts and high heels, their faces adorned with exquisite masks, and their skirts decorated with dazzling sequins or peacock feathers. Their dance partners were all young men, some with delicate, handsome features, others with rugged, masculine strength—mostly celebrity-level heartthrobs.

For some reason, the two of them had a strange sense of déjà vu, and unconsciously quickened their pace to get away from the place.

Take the elevator straight up to the fourth floor, where you'll find the owner, Humpback Whale's, office and residence. The entire floor is predominantly sea blue: sea blue walls, sea blue carpets, sea blue curtains, even the porcelain on the dining tables is sea blue, and the bodyguards' bald heads are tattooed with turtles, starfish, and crabs…

Inside the luxurious office, a humpback whale dressed in a dark blue suit bows in greeting to the only striking black figure in the blue-themed space.

“Caesar, Chu Zihang, it’s a pleasure to see you here.” Angers smiled and waved. “The mission has changed. Next, we’ll visit the Snake Clan.”

Chapter 193 Infiltration (4K)

Genjiro had never actually flown on the family's submarine. He only knew that it was a converted research submarine that was responsible for transporting contraband between the port and the underground dock of the Ganryu Research Institute. The submarine was cigar-shaped, about six or seven meters long and no more than two meters in diameter. It mainly consisted of two large spaces: the crew compartment and the personnel compartment, with the personnel compartment being converted into a cargo hold.

Lu Mingfei and Yuan Zhisheng were now crammed among a pile of plastic transfer crates in the cargo hold. Most of the space was occupied by these neatly stacked plastic containers, except for a metal tank about two meters long, resembling an oil tank, placed at the rear. Each plastic transfer crate was stuffed with meat; the crate next to Yuan Zhisheng's face alone contained beef, mutton, pork, and a large amount of fish. The entire cargo hold was filled with a strong and complex odor: fishy, ​​gamey, and slightly fermented, sour smells.

So far, everything is in accordance with what Genji said; the research institute needs a large amount of fresh protein to feed the captive Dead Servants. Genji was in a low mood, and being enveloped by the pungent smell made him somewhat agitated. Genji did not travel with the two of them, but returned to the Paradise Mansion, firstly to avoid arousing Herzog's suspicion, and secondly to maintain the delicate balance between the Oni Clan and the Snake-Headed Eight Families.

The two largest forces on the Japanese stage can only be out of balance, not overthrown.

Yuan Zhisheng recalled that day alone with Yuan Zhinu. The two of them silently drank strong liquor, not saying a word. They had so much resentment and so many explanations, but countless thoughts were tangled in their minds. In the end, they only felt extremely tired and didn't know where to start. It seemed that nothing they said would be appropriate. Upon closer reflection, one of them was a defeated opponent captured by Lu Mingfei, and the other was a ghost who had surrendered to Lu Mingfei.

Their being able to sit together was not due to any subjective initiative on either side, but rather an accident.

In the end, they tacitly agreed not to mention the past, but instead reached a pact to avoid causing unnecessary deaths during the ensuing turmoil. Both knew that the past would eventually come to an end, but that would surely be after Lu Mingfei and Angers left Japan. At that time, no one would be bound by any constraints or excuses, and whether it was an eye for an eye or a judgment of sins, life or death would be entirely up to fate.

It's even more comfortable than selling sunscreen on the beach... Genjiro is already looking forward to that day without realizing it.

After a slight tremor, the submarine began to surface. The sound of waves could be heard outside, suggesting that the high-strength alloy hull of the submarine was being exposed, revealing the rushing drainage channels. Then a whistle sounded, followed by the clatter of rubber boots running all around. After a while, the submarine suddenly rocked violently, and the sound of water gradually subsided.

Genji glanced at Lu Mingfei subconsciously. If he shouted now, the more than one hundred A-rank hybrid executives stationed at Genji Heavy Industries would surround Lu Mingfei here. This was the lair of the Snake-Headed Eight Families. When he learned that Lu Mingfei was bringing him here, Genji was full of doubts. Even if he cooperated with Lu Mingfei's infiltration plan, how could the two of them, without any disguise, successfully sneak in? Lu Mingfei's portrait must be on the wanted poster, and Genji was the young master of the Snake-Headed Eight Families. Even most of the demons in the Demon Clan knew him.

Lu Mingfei remained calm, seemingly unaffected by the foul smell around him. He was nothing like the young man with a powerful bloodline that Genji had imagined, pampered in the ivory tower of the academy. Genji suddenly felt he couldn't understand this person. Sometimes he would even empathize with heinous demons, but he couldn't understand a freak like Lu Mingfei—powerful, resilient, and experienced, yet only twenty years old.

The hatch was opened by a metal robotic arm, and lights shone simultaneously on the two men's faces. At least twenty guards surrounded them. The Snake Clan had strengthened their defenses across the board during their war with the Demon Clan, including this secret underground passage. Genji estimated the positions of all the guards, guessing when Lu Mingfei would make his move. With his abilities, he could take care of everyone in a few seconds, but he couldn't guarantee that all the guards wouldn't have time to trigger the alarm.

What about Lu Mingfei?

"ばかやろう!" (Hagaga Road/Bastard)

The sharp crack of the whip landed on his head before he could even react. He only heard a whoosh of wind before bowing his head in pain.

Lu Mingfei pointed sternly to the plastic boxes around him.

Yuan Zhisheng's attention was entirely focused on the heavily armed guards, completely unaware that the researchers pushing the cart had arrived at the dock. A metal robotic arm had gripped the metal cans at the stern of the cargo hold, but the cart full of meat clearly could only be moved manually. He glanced suspiciously at the guards and the two researchers in white lab coats; one was disinfecting the metal cans with an alcohol sprayer, while the other waited for him and Lu Mingfei to unload the meat.

The guy standing next to the car was clearly impatient and very dissatisfied with Yuan Zhisheng, this "newcomer." However, given that the "veteran" Lu Mingfei had already reprimanded this dull-witted subordinate, he couldn't afford to lose his temper.

Yuan Zhisheng's lips twitched, and he had no choice but to start moving the plastic transfer boxes.

Damn it, the Snake Clan really doesn't recognize him as their young master.

Moreover, although it was said that the two were carrying the goods, Lu Mingfei was actually playing the role of the supervisor. He stood next to the researcher, chatting and laughing with him, and even gave him a Japanese "Mild Seven Stars" cigarette, which was the same pack that Yuan Zhisheng was carrying!

Yuan Zhisheng found it hard not to believe that beneath Lu Mingfei's seemingly honest, simple, and mature exterior lay a cunning and ruthless heart.

“They’ve been under a spell. Tachibana Masamune will definitely investigate those involved afterward. If we infiltrate with relatively plausible identities, we won’t be easily hypnotized and interrogated.” Lu Mingfei’s voice rang in Genji’s ears.

Yuan Zhisheng had no communication devices on him. He glanced at Lu Mingfei out of the corner of his eye; the other was chatting with researchers and couldn't possibly be secretly communicating with him. He had no choice but to stop thinking about it and began moving the plastic boxes that could only be described as "stinking." Blood and tissue fluid were seeping out of the perforated mesh and getting on his clothes.

Lu Mingfei's telepathic communication made it even harder for him to see this person clearly. Word of Power: Serpent? He had never heard of anyone being able to do this. Moreover, Lu Mingfei had clearly displayed the high-risk Word of Power of the Sky and Wind King lineage when he fought him. Even an emperor could not possibly possess two Words of Power.

After unloading its cargo, the submarine submerged again and disappeared into the water.

Two researchers, along with Yuan Zhisheng and Lu Mingfei, pushed open an airtight door, with fully armed guards standing guard behind them. Stepping through that door, they left the underground level of the "Iron Dome Temple," which belonged to the drainage system, and entered a low, narrow passage. The heavy airtight door slowly closed behind them.

There were no windows in sight along the passageway. The ventilation fans spun slowly, and white lights illuminated the walls at intervals. The walls were painted a heavy, rusty red, and white signs indicating the way were written on them in a way they couldn't understand. This was the inner district, a place that made one feel slightly suffocated.

So far, we are still on the path that Genji knows well. At the end of the passage is the elevator in the inner area, which leads directly to any floor of the Genji Heavy Industries Building. Every floor is familiar to Genji.

Once inside that elevator, Genjiro would be able to determine that the information provided by Genjiro was incorrect. At that point, he would call for help from his family. The existing "illusions" are basically all hypnotic techniques that use alchemy or words of power. As long as there is a strong and targeted stimulus, someone will definitely be able to break free from the illusion.

There is still room for negotiation between families, and then everything will return to normal... The curse of the White King's bloodline is so heavy that he wants to escape. The ghost of the Black Swan and such should just be a lie of the "Dragon King".

The two researchers suddenly stopped and skillfully activated a mechanism on the wall, causing a hidden door to slowly open. Whether it was an illusion or not, Genji felt a chill creeping into the darkness, as if all the evils of the heavens were gathered within it.