Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

Kobe's lips twitched slightly as he recalled the vice principal's warning about mushrooms.

"clear."

After a short rest in Kunming and replenishing some local items, such as shoes more suitable for mountainous terrain and insect repellent, Kobe changed into a set of casual clothes that were easy to move in and took a long-distance bus to the small town hidden in the mountains.

The town nestled against the mountains and beside the water, with cobblestone streets, stilted houses, and the faint smell of cooking smoke drifting in the wind. It truly possessed a unique charm, just as the principal had described. Kobe easily found the inn address provided by Commissioner Zhang. He checked in and chose a room with a view of the inn's entrance and part of the street.

After settling in, he immediately began his surveillance work. He was like a black mamba lurking in the grass—patient, calm, and deadly.

Soon, he spotted his target.

Lu Mingfei, just like in the file photo, looked ordinary, even somewhat decadent. He was sweeping the courtyard of the inn with a broom, occasionally staring blankly into space, lost in thought.

Kobe carefully observed Lu Mingfei's movements, footwork, and breathing rhythm to assess his physical abilities and potential threat level. Initial assessment: excellent coordination, signs of systematic training, low alertness. However, Kobe remained vigilant; he knew some threats were concealed.

Next up is Frilian.

Even Kobe Bryant was slightly taken aback when she descended the inn's stairs. Her long, silvery-white hair cascaded like a waterfall woven from moonlight, her emerald eyes were so clear they seemed otherworldly, and her pointed ears clearly indicated her superhuman identity. She wore a simple cotton dress, yet possessed an ethereal and otherworldly aura. She carried a small basket and a small hoe, seemingly heading into the mountains.

Kobe immediately shifted his focus. Frilline's perception of her surroundings was exceptionally acute; at one point, she even suddenly stopped and glanced towards the window where Kobe was hiding. Although she quickly looked away, for that instant, Kobe felt a sense of being watched. Assessment: Extremely high perception, unknown physical abilities, existence form beyond conventional understanding. Danger level: Undetermined, potentially extremely high.

Over the next few days, Kobe lived a regular life. During the day, he would either wander around town as a tourist, inquiring about the myths and legends about the mountain god and Longquan, or follow Frilian into the mountains to observe her gathering activities. At night, he would organize his records, analyze the data, and maintain regular communication with the Kunming branch.

He found that Lu Mingfei and Frilian's way of getting along was very strange. Lu Mingfei was somewhat afraid of Frilian, but he couldn't help but try to strike up a conversation, often spouting nonsense, while Frilian was mostly expressionless, occasionally throwing out strange words about magic, demons, or a thousand-year journey, leaving Lu Mingfei speechless.

Their conversation sounded like they were talking past each other, yet there was a strange, unspoken understanding between them.

Kobe documented all of this in detail:

"Target F (Furilian) possesses extraordinary knowledge of plants, accurately identifying species with slight toxicity and unique elemental reactions. Is she possibly preparing a chemical agent?"

"Target L (Lu Mingfei) appears ordinary, but when Target F encountered a small rockfall, his dodge maneuver displayed an explosive power far exceeding his usual performance. Further observation is needed."

“The local mountain god legends and the descriptions of the dragon clan, which are the kings of the earth and mountains, have some similarities. The location of Longquan has been preliminarily determined to be in a dense forest five kilometers outside the town.”

"Target F showed interest in Longquan. Target L knew nothing about it, but said that if Frilian wanted to go, he could go with her, although they might get lost."

Kobe touched the cold, alchemical weapon inside his trench coat lining, his gaze once again becoming as focused as if he were locking onto a basketball hoop.

The mountains and dense forests of Yunnan became his new playing field.

Mamba is ready. What awaits him may be yet another game-winning shot at the crucial moment.

Chapter 270 Street Basketball (Part 1)

The surveillance mission assigned by Principal Angers and Vice Principal Flamel was progressing slowly, like walking through a fog.

Unlike S-class individuals, Lu Mingfei maintained his otaku nature, spending his time either staring blankly at the computer screen or trying to have cross-server chat-like conversations with Frilian, aside from completing Zhu Ling'er's tasks.

Frilian, the silver-haired girl, spends most of her time immersed in her own world, either fiddling with herbs and ores in her room or venturing alone into the lush, seemingly ancient forests surrounding the town, where she can spend most of the day.

Kobe possessed extraordinary patience, a quality he honed through countless crucial shots and grueling training. Like a seasoned hunter, he lurked in the shadows, recording his target's every move and analyzing every possible clue.

But even the most tenacious hunter needs to relax his tense nerves occasionally, especially in a completely unfamiliar, slow-paced environment.

As evening falls, the setting sun paints the sky a warm orange-red, gilding the cobblestone streets and wooden stilted houses with a soft golden edge.

Kobe finished his routine daytime surveillance, and Frillie went back into the mountains. Lu Mingfei was in the backyard, shooting hoops at a dilapidated basketball hoop with extremely poor form, missing nine out of ten shots, and one of them was an airball.

It is said that Caesar from the student council and Chu Zihang from the Lionheart Society invited Lu Mingfei to play a basketball game together when he returns to school after his business in Yunnan is over.

Seeing Lu Mingfei's clumsy yet earnest demeanor, something Kobe had been deliberately suppressing deep within him was gently touched.

He strolled through the town's streets, soaking in the atmosphere of life so different from that of Kassel College and Los Angeles. Just as he passed a relatively open space on the edge of town, the familiar, rhythmic clapping and shouts of young people caught his attention.

A makeshift street basketball court. The surface was concrete, the two rusty hoops were worn, and even the paint on the backboards was peeling. But the young figures running and jumping on the court were full of energy and passion.

They wore sweat-soaked vests and athletic shorts, their skin tanned dark by the Yunnan sun. Their movements might not have been professional, but they carried the casualness and flamboyance unique to street basketball.

"Pass it this way! Pass it this way!"

"Great board!"

"I threw it! Oh dear, so close!"

"Oh no, it didn't fit properly!"

Familiar tactical terminology, mixed with local dialect laughter and curses, sweat splashing in the setting sun.

Kobe stopped in his tracks, standing in the shadows on the sidelines, arms crossed, watching silently. The orange ball, the figures running, jumping, and vying for it, were like a key, instantly unlocking a long-sealed door in the depths of his memory.

The thunderous cheers, the monotonous thumping of the ball in the training hall day after day, the heart-wrenching shouts after the game-winning shot—all the passion and glory belonging to the Black Mamba surged forth like a tide.

The game was a 4v4 half-court match, played by the common pass-and-shoot rules: the team that scores continues the offense, and the defending team must go beyond the three-point line if they grab the rebound or force a turnover. At this moment, one team of young men in multicolored jerseys was clearly the stronger side, having already scored several baskets in a row, their excited shouts echoing across the court. Meanwhile, the other team, wearing varying shades of blue vests, looked exhausted and panting.

"Hey! Look! There's a foreigner!" A young boy watching from the sidelines was the first to spot Kobe and pointed at him, shouting.

The sound immediately drew everyone's attention. The young people running on the field slowed down, curiously observing the unexpected visitor.

Kobe's tall and muscular physique, deep and sculpted features, and athletic aura that couldn't be concealed even when dressed casually made him stand out in this remote town.

"Wow, it really is a foreigner!"

What's he doing here?

"Looks pretty strong, do you know how to play basketball?"

"Hey! Can you speak Chinese?" A bolder young man with a buzz cut, holding a ball, shouted at Kobe with a friendly, amused smile on his face.

Others joined in the commotion:

Hello! Hello!

"Foreigner! Basketball? Play?"

"Let's try one! Let's see who gets it!"

A cacophony of heavily accented Chinese voices flooded Kobe's ears. His face remained expressionless, but his sharp gaze swept across the entire court, finally settling on the buzz-cut young man clutching the ball.

Then, he spoke in clear, standard, and slightly deep, magnetic Chinese: "I understand Chinese."

"..."

A brief silence fell. Everyone was stunned, including the players on the court and the spectators on the sidelines. They looked at each other, unable to believe that this foreigner, who looked like he had stepped out of an NBA poster, could speak such fluent Chinese.

The young man with the buzz cut was the first to recover, his mouth agape in surprise: "Holy crap! You really know it?! You speak it even better than me!"

The atmosphere instantly shifted from curious jeering to surprise and even greater interest.

Kobe nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the court: "Are we still short one player? Add one more."

The young man with the buzz cut exchanged glances with his teammates, then looked at the opposing team, a motley crew that was getting cocky because of their winning streak, and immediately perked up: "Add! We have to add! Dude, come to our side! We're about to be crushed by them!"

Kobe didn't say anything, but simply took off his thin jacket, revealing a tight-fitting black sports T-shirt underneath that accentuated his well-defined, explosive muscles. He briefly stretched his ankles and wrists, his joints making a slight cracking sound. Then, he walked onto the court and stood on the blue jersey team's side.

His arrival immediately changed the atmosphere on the field. The Blue Team, which had been somewhat sluggish, seemed to have been injected with a powerful boost. Although we don't know how good this foreigner is yet, his calm and steady demeanor, and his sharp and hawk-like eyes, make people feel inexplicably at ease.

"What's your name, buddy?" asked the young man with the buzz cut, who was also the temporary captain of the blue team.

“Kobe,” Kobe replied simply.

"Kobe? That name sounds familiar." The young man scratched his head, not thinking much of it. "Okay, Kobe, what position do you play? We can play whatever we want, you can stay inside and help us grab some rebounds!"

Kobe remained noncommittal. In street basketball, positions are inherently ambiguous.

The game continues. The winning mixed team is on the attack.

Their key player was a tall, relatively skilled, and slender man. Using his teammates' screens, he used a crossover to shake off his defender and drove straight to the basket, preparing for an easy layup. He clearly didn't take the new foreign player too seriously, assuming he was just a bit stronger.

However, just as he jumped and his wrist was about to gently flick the ball away, a dark shadow appeared like a ghost, looming over him.

It's Kobe.

He didn't make a violent collision, and his jump didn't even seem particularly high, but his timing was absolutely perfect. Just when the tall, thin guy thought he had it in the bag, Kobe's huge hand, like a bear trap, slammed down solidly on the basketball with a "snap!"

He forcefully pushed the ball out of the opponent's hands and firmly grasped it in his own!

"A nailed hat?!" someone on the sidelines exclaimed in surprise.

Chapter 271 Street Basketball (Part 2)

The tall, thin man stumbled as he landed, his face filled with disbelief. He hadn't even seen how the other person had gotten there!

Kobe caught the ball, landed, and without hesitation, instead of passing, he executed a behind-the-back dribble, effortlessly getting past another player from the mixed team who was trying to steal the ball—a move as fluid as if he'd practiced it a thousand times. Then, like a black lightning bolt, he instantly sped off, driving straight into the opponent's heart of the defense from the middle.

The players on the mixed team finally reacted and scrambled back to defend. But Kobe was too fast! He strode forward, leaving all the defenders behind in just a few steps, and charged straight to the empty basket.

Jump!

There were no fancy spins, no exaggerated poses.

The body is like a fully drawn bow, full of power and beauty.

He held the basketball high with his right arm, as if supporting the entire world.

"Bang—!"

A powerful one-handed slam dunk!

The rim groaned in pain, and the entire basketball hoop shook violently.

Kobe landed lightly, expressionless, as if he had just done something insignificant. He silently ran back to his own half of the court to prepare for defense.

The entire stadium fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone seemed frozen in place, staring dumbfounded at the slightly swaying basketball hoop, then at the foreigner who seemed completely unaffected.

The young man with the buzz cut was the first to react, letting out a strange yell: "Holy crap! A dunk?! Dude, are you a pro?!"

"Holy crap! They really deducted it!"

"That jumping ability! That power! NBA level!"

"Kobe, wait, Kobe?! Could it really be that Kobe?!" Finally, someone connected the name with the legendary basketball star in their memory, but immediately dismissed it, "Impossible, impossible, it must be a coincidence."

The players of the mixed team looked at each other, their smugness vanished. They knew they had met their match.

From this moment on, the balance of the game completely tipped.

The rest of the time almost became Kobe's personal training game.

On the defensive end, he's like a mobile fortress. Whether it's one-on-one defense or help defense, his presence is overwhelming. Opponents' drives are rendered powerless against his precise anticipation and quick lateral movement; passing lanes are repeatedly disrupted or even intercepted by his long arms. He doesn't jump easily, but almost every jump results in an effective block or rebound. His judgment of where the rebound will land is like having radar; he's always in the perfect position to secure the rebound.

On the offensive end, he is unstoppable.