Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

"Kidney Tonic, you're good, I'm good, we're all good."

"A grain beverage rich in various minerals."

Frillie sat quietly in a wicker chair, holding a steaming cup of unidentified herbal tea. She merely nodded to the arriving crowd before her gaze quickly returned to the television screen.

"You've arrived, please have a seat."

Caesar and Nono arrived together. Caesar was dressed casually in Armani, his long golden hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze, still exuding an air of supreme authority. He glanced around the terrace, raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat intrigued by the setting, but still found a seat.

Nono, dressed in a red mini-skirt, looked like a dancing flame. She grinned and nudged Lu Mingfei with her elbow, saying, "Wow, Lu Mingfei, you've made it into the entertainment industry! Don't disappoint us later."

Lu Mingfei chuckled dryly, already regretting his impulsive decision.

Chapter 307 Outrageous Plot

As everyone arrived, the commercials on TV ended, and the grand but somewhat cheap opening theme began to play, with the gilded characters of "New Romance of the Three Kingdoms" slamming onto the screen.

The series has officially begun.

The bombardment of plot points begins in earnest from the very first act.

The opening scene isn't the usual Yellow Turban Rebellion or Oath of the Peach Garden, but rather an original plot: a young Cao Cao and a young Yuan Shao duel on a dark and windy night for a fictional female knight-errant. The two, dressed in costumes that blend Han Dynasty elements with martial arts style, fly through the air, their swordplay dazzling, and their dialogue utterly ridiculous.

Cao Cao (in his youth) said to the chivalrous woman with deep affection, "The whole world is not as beautiful as the red dot between your brows!"

Yuan Shao (the young man) roared, "Mengde! Is our brotherhood less important than a woman?"

Young Cao Cao sneered: "Benchu, you don't understand, this is love!"

"Pfft—," Xia Mi couldn't hold back and spat out her drink, coughing until her face turned red. Chu Zihang silently handed her a tissue, frowning slightly; he didn't really like this kind of plot that defied historical logic.

Nuonuo clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she was gasping for breath: "My God, did Cao Cao get the wrong romance novel script?"

Caesar, however, stroked his chin, watching with great interest: "The action design is very imaginative. Although it does not conform to historical facts, it is still quite effective as a dramatic conflict. This Cao Cao is very individualistic and dares to express himself."

Lu Mingfei covered his face, not daring to look at the expressions on everyone's faces. He secretly glanced at Frillie and found that she was calm and focused on what she was seeing.

"Fine, anyway, I'm not the only one who's going to die."

The plot races ahead, sliding headlong into an unpredictable abyss.

In the Oath of the Peach Garden, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei no longer burned incense and offered sacrifices, but instead swore an oath of blood. At this time, rousing rock music played in the background, and the three of them struck a pose as if they were a boy band debuting. The camera even gave them a 360-degree surround close-up.

The three brothers of Taoyuan, Lu Mingfei covered his eyes, it was too strange.

"Oh, they have the physique of bodybuilders, their muscles are well-developed," Caesar commented.

Chu Zihang's lips twitched slightly, and he said in a low voice, "The Records of the Three Kingdoms, Biography of Liu Bei, states: 'Liu Bei slept in the same bed with the two men, and their affection was like that of brothers.' It does not mention anything else."

Nono leaned on Caesar's shoulder, laughing: "Are they going to release a single?"

----

Finally, it's Lu Mingfei's turn in the shot.

The scene is Cao Cao's banquet. The decorations are extremely luxurious, with lights that resemble a nightclub, a dazzling array of colors. The actors' costumes are even more astonishing; Cao Cao himself wears a black robe covered in sequins and an exaggerated crown that seems to be a fusion of a crown and a motorcycle helmet. The generals' armor looks incredibly plasticky, with inexplicably glowing stripes on it.

"Is this the Three Kingdoms or StarCraft?" Nono couldn't help but complain.

Lu Mingfei stared intently at the screen, trying to find his own figure among the swaying actors and ministers in gorgeous costumes.

"Here he comes!" He suddenly pointed to the corner of the screen, where a servant carrying a wine glass was walking briskly with his head down. "That! That's me!"

The image flashed by so quickly that his face was barely visible. But Lu Mingfei was so excited he almost jumped up.

Chu Zihang objectively commented: "The camera moves so fast that normal people can't see it clearly."

Xia Mi encouraged him, "That's great, Senior Brother Lu. You walked very steadily and didn't fall!"

Caesar nodded: "As background, it's acceptable."

Lu Mingfei: "..." Thank you, Boss Caesar.

The plot is utterly absurd. Cao Cao discusses important military and national affairs with his advisors, but their conversations are filled with internet slang and cringeworthy philosophical statements.

"I, Cao Cao, will be the brightest star in this chaotic world!"

"My lord, this plan is very cunning, but I fear it may be a trap!"

When Liu Bei appeared, the background music changed to melodious flute music. He rode a white horse, with a saintly smile on his face, and gave a speech to the refugees. His lines sounded like they were copied from motivational self-help books.

Sun Quan became a gloomy, unconventional youth, wearing smoky makeup and often gazing at the sky at a 45-degree angle, lamenting that the gears of fate had begun to turn.

The most ridiculous part was the battle scenes. Guan Yu wielded his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, which glowed, and with a single slash, enemy soldiers were sent flying in swathes as if hit by a shockwave, accompanied by cheap-looking flames and lightning. Zhang Fei's roar could shatter glass, and the camera actually gave a close-up of a cup breaking.

Chu Zihang's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, his hands on his knees clenched into fists as he struggled to endure the torment. His historical knowledge and logical thinking were being tortured.

Xia Mi went from being curious to suppressing a laugh, her shoulders shrugging as she occasionally stole glances at Chu Zihang's expression, finding it even more amusing than the TV series itself.

Nono had given up hope, laughing so hard she slumped against Caesar, and whispered, "This screenwriter is a genius, he should be taken to the Kassel equipment department to have his brain circuits analyzed."

Only Caesar remained an observer, occasionally offering a comment: "The special effects are rough, but the idea is very bold." "Sun Quan's design has a gothic style, highlighting the character's inner struggle."

While enduring the mental pollution, Lu Mingfei secretly observed everyone's reactions, his heart filled with mixed feelings. This was so different from his imagined screen debut!

Finally, the scene shifted to the banquet during the Wu-Shu meeting. Lu Mingfei perked up and lowered his voice, "Frilian, it's almost your turn!"

On the screen, on the Shu Kingdom's side, Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei are conversing in hushed tones. Freeland, playing a maid, stands quietly in the background corner, dressed in relatively simple Shu Kingdom maid attire, almost blending into the pillar. Her shot is slightly longer than Lu Mingfei's, but she remains merely a quiet background figure.

Just then, a report came from outside the palace gates. The camera focused on Frillian, her only close-up of the entire scene. She raised her head, her emerald green eyes clearly visible in the camera, her face calm, and in a slightly monotone tone, she read her only line: "Reporting, the envoy from Wu has arrived."

The sound fades, and the scene changes.

"Pfft—", Nono was the first to burst out laughing, "Frilian, your delivery of those lines is really unique!"

Xia Mi laughed so hard she clutched her stomach: "Frilian, you're so cute! How can you be so calm!"

Hmph, Frilian thought to herself, as expected, no one but herself understands my superb acting skills.

Finally, after the two episodes aired back-to-back, the ending theme song began. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had completed a difficult task.

"Brilliant!" Caesar was the first to applaud, though Lu Mingfei didn't know which part he was applauding for. "A work full of innovative spirit. Lu Mingfei, Frilian, congratulations on your screen debut."

"Thank you, boss," Lu Mingfei said weakly.

“I’ve really seen something new,” Nono said, wiping away tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. “Lu Mingfei, you and Frilian are absolutely a breath of fresh air in this show. One is a silent background character, and the other is a background character who reads in a monotone voice.”

Xia Mi, still wanting more, asked, "Is there more? Will it air again tomorrow? I think I can watch it as a comedy."

Lu Mingfei scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly, "Well, thank you everyone for coming to support us, even though the show was a bit cheesy."

Chapter 308 To My Mother

mom:

See the letter.

Yesterday, while tidying up the closet, I found that the cuffs of a camel cashmere coat were a little frayed. I remember it was your favorite style, and you wore it often last winter. The tailor in Kassel is very skilled; the Italian master tailor said he could fix such a small problem so well that it was completely undetectable. I'll bring it home when I go back for the holidays.

I am fine.

You don't need to worry about my studies and life here. Kassel College is more special than we imagined. Do you and Uncle insist that I visit the Harvard campus last year? Ivy climbed the red brick walls, and students sat in the library, frowning in deep thought. At the time, I thought that was probably what a top university looked like. But now, if Harvard is like a meticulously choreographed sonata, Kassel is a never-ending symphony, larger in scale, more complex in its parts, and full of unexpected variations in every movement.

The headmaster here, Professor Angers, is an impressive English gentleman. Every morning, I could see him practicing fencing on the lawn, his white suit impeccably tailored, his cane sword as light as a feather in his hands. Last Wednesday, he invited a few of us students to afternoon tea. The tea set was a complete Victorian silverware set, and the scones were baked to perfection. He talked about the meter of sonnets and the sword-making skills of 16th-century Venetian craftsmen. When I mentioned my understanding of Kant's concept of the thing-in-itself, he smiled and added the metaphor of the limits of cognition in the Nibelung legend. This wisdom, which blends the humanities and the mysticism, is probably hard to find in ordinary Ivy League schools.

The students were all very friendly. My roommate, from a small town in northern Norway, can identify over 300 species of Nordic moss, yet he often can't find his own socks. Last week, he dragged me to an extracurricular group on medieval armor restoration. We spent the entire weekend in the workshop, restoring a 15th-century Milanese plate armor using traditional techniques. When the last greaves was polished, moonlight streamed through the high window, making the metallic patterns seem to come alive. This kind of teaching method, so closely integrated with hands-on practice and historical knowledge, is something Harvard probably can't offer.

Professor Schneider is my department head. He seems serious, but he really cares about his students. Last week I had a cold, just a slight stuffy nose, really, Mom, don't worry too much. He specially asked his assistant to bring me a pot of herbal tea, supposedly a family recipe, with a very unique flavor, carrying the aroma of ambergris and myrrh. The next day he asked if I was feeling better and suggested I take "Introduction to Alchemy," saying that the course would be very helpful in understanding the transformation of matter.

As for the learning environment, Mom, you probably can't imagine. Our school's architecture blends Neo-Gothic style with Bauhaus principles. The murals on the library's dome don't depict religious scenes, but rather epic tales of ancient heroes battling dragons. The library houses many rare books from before the 16th century, some even handwritten with real gold powder. Yesterday, while helping out in the antiquarian book restoration department, I touched a 1297 copy of *The Genealogy of Dragons*; the feel of the parchment made my fingertips tremble. This opportunity to directly engage with history is unimaginable in any other school.

Overall, every day I spent here was fulfilling and peaceful. The courses were challenging, but perfectly manageable. The stew in the cafeteria was, as you might expect, just average, but the apple rolls at the bakery were quite good.

Please give my regards to my uncle. Tell him that the pen he gave me is very useful, and I've been using it to take notes.

Wishing you and your uncle good health and happiness.

Your eternal son,

Zihang

"boom--!"

Chu Zihang's fingers paused on the keyboard.

It wasn't a single sound, but a series of thuds, approaching from afar, like a giant striking the earth with a heavy hammer. The window frame trembled slightly, and the freshly brewed green tea on the table rippled with delicate waves.

He sat at his desk in his dorm room, having just clicked the send button. The "Email successfully sent" message on the LCD screen hadn't disappeared yet.

A louder explosion followed, this time accompanied by a sharp, tearing sound. Chu Zihang got up and walked to the window, lifting a corner of the blinds. In the distance, above the short, stout buildings of the Equipment Department known as "Wat Alheim," a plume of smoke mixed with flames rose, its color an eerie bluish-purple. The alarm system was triggered, its long, piercing siren instantly engulfing the entire campus.

Seconds later, he saw the first group of people carrying fire extinguishers rush out of various buildings, running frantically towards the smoke. Figures in white coats or bomb suits appeared and disappeared in the billowing smoke. Then, more students poured out of dormitories and libraries, not to flee, but to gather at a safe distance, pointing and gesturing. Many still held coffee or books, their expressions one of complete indifference.

The terrace of the opposite teaching building quickly filled with people. Some even brought out folding chairs. Chu Zihang saw a blond boy skillfully unfold a white cloth, on which the odds were written in red marker:

[Duration of this loss of control]

<10 minutes, odds 1.5 to 1

10-30 minutes, odds 2.1 to 1.

30 minutes, odds 4.5 to 1.

[Affecting the Biology Museum: 1 to 8.0 odds]

Several students gathered around, laughing and joking as they pulled out their campus cards to place bets.

Chu Zihang released the blinds and sat back down at his computer. The screen went dark, revealing his expressionless face. He moved the mouse, and the screen lit up again. He closed his email page, clicked on a browser icon hidden deep within the system, entered a long, complex key, and the interface redirected to a quaint, dark-toned forum—the Night Watchers discussion area.

He chose to log in anonymously.

In the online friends list on the right, several IDs are lit up:

@Cambridge Folding Knife

@NightWatchman

@GreenlandShadow

The pinned post at the top of the discussion forum is still being updated:

[Real-time] The controlled energy release research at the Watt Alheim Test Site III has encountered a technical adjustment and is expected to stabilize within ten minutes. Students and faculty are requested to remain calm, and unauthorized personnel should not approach. —Campus Safety Council

The discussion below the post has exploded.