Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

@AlchemyDogsDontLearn: "The third time! The third time this week! My 'Philosopher's Stone Simulation Synthesis' project was just in the data collection stage when the instrument tripped again!"

@DragonGenealogyResearchSeekingRewards: "Calm down, you'll get used to it. I'll bet for twenty minutes, I've already placed my bet."

@Did the Equipment Department Explode Today: "Reply to @Dragon Genealogy Research Seeking Help: You're being conservative, bro. Judging by the color of the smoke, I bet Loki's joke series has gone out of control again, for at least half an hour."

Then, Chu Zihang saw the conversation between the two familiar IDs.

@CambridgeFoldingKnife: "Dear Flamel, I remember that the budget approved by the Board of Governors for the Equipment Department last year specifically included an upgrade to the accidental damage control and isolation system?"

@NightWatchman: "Reply to @CambridgeFoldingKnife: Angers, my old friend, the budget was indeed approved. But as far as I know, the Equipment Department believes that using that money to develop a portable black hole generator (experimental) would better reflect Kassel's pioneering spirit. Isolation system? They think it can be perfectly explained by Schrödinger's cat theory. Before the explosion, the damage both exists and does not exist."

Chapter 309 The Giant Serpent Escapes

@CambridgeFoldingKnife: "A brilliant metaphor. But I noticed that the shockwave just now successfully created a perfect ripple in my black tea. Would you call that damage?"

@NightWatchman: "Reply to @CambridgeFoldingKnife: Of course! By the way, when will that 1945 Macallan you stole from me be returned to my wine cabinet?"

@GreenlandShadow: "Schneider has been contacted. He is on his way to handle it."

Chu Zihang's gaze lingered for a moment on "Shadow of Greenland's" reply. At that moment...

"boom!!!"

Another loud bang, this time from a completely different direction, even more muffled, with a slippery texture.

Almost simultaneously, a bolded, urgent notification popped up from "Campus Facilities Management - Biology Building":

[Urgent Notice: Due to an unexplained impact, the outer protective glass of the large reptile ecological simulation area in Zone C of the Biology Museum has suffered structural damage. Thirteen anacondas have escaped. (Repeated: Thirteen individual anacondas have escaped.) Important Note: This species is non-venomous. Please remain calm and do not panic excessively. Security personnel are on their way to handle the situation.]

Chu Zihang closed the pop-up window.

Anaconda. Non-venomous. Yes. He got an A in his sophomore year elective, "Reptilia." The professor had emphasized in the first class that anacondas belong to the python family, are constrictors, and do not rely on venom. They rely on muscle strength. The understated words "non-venomous" on the screen couldn't conceal the terror of these creatures. They typically reach fifteen meters in length, their scales are cold and smooth, and the pressure generated by their contracted muscles is enough to easily crush the ribs of a large water buffalo, turning its internal organs and bones into a blood-soaked pulp with a dull cracking sound.

He could picture the scene inside the biology museum right now: cold, slimy liquid leaving winding trails on the floor, thick, dark green bodies quietly sliding out from around the corner of the corridor, or perched on the lights, their vertical pupils indifferently looking down below.

New posts in the discussion forum started refreshing at an explosive rate.

@IJustWantToDoAnAnatomy: "Help! I'm on the second floor of the biology building! I saw one! It's thicker than a bucket! It's looking this way! Its eyes are so cold!"

@My paper is in the biology building: "The third-floor library is safe! Snakes can't climb the stairs. Right? Wait, what's that sound downstairs? Creak—"

@Snakespeaker is here: "Calling Harry Potter! Emergency call!"

Amidst the chaos, a familiar ID popped up again.

@NightWatchman: "@GreenlandShadows @CambridgeFoldingKnife @AllMembers Ahhhhh! A giant mudskipper has crawled up to the foot of the clock tower! It's rubbing against my rose bush! My Twilight Kiss! My newly cultivated variety! It's so big! So long! So thick! And its eyes are so dull! Help! Someone get it away! Where's Schneider? Where's the action team? Quick, someone who knows how to handle snakes!"

Dozens of replies followed instantly.

"Vice Principal, hang in there! Smoke it with your aged whiskey!"

"Perhaps we could try reasoning with it?"

"Should the snake devour the vice-principal first, or smash his liquor cabinet? Betting begins."

"The devil upstairs, I've put a bag of spicy strips in the liquor cabinet."

Chu Zihang stared expressionlessly at the chaos scrolling across the screen, a mix of @NightWatchman's wails and the students' jeering, eager for more drama. He reached out, moved the mouse, and the cursor landed on the red cross in the upper right corner of the browser.

Just a gentle touch.

The discussion forum interface disappeared, the screen returned to normal, leaving only a blank document page.

Outside the window, the alarms continued to sound, and the faint sounds of shouts and the scraping of something heavy being dragged could be heard in the distance. The air smelled of burning chemicals.

He stood up, walked to the wall, and picked up the long, thin object hidden in the black tennis racket bag, which was leaning against the corner. His fingers ran along the zipper of the bag, his movements steady and without the slightest tremor.

Then he returned to his computer and checked again the email he had written to his mother, which described a peaceful and fulfilling campus life; it showed "sent successfully."

Outside the dormitory, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, along with student leaders shouting through megaphones to maintain order. Amidst the commotion, Chu Zihang sat quietly, like the only still point in the eye of a storm.

Chu Zihang packed up his notes for the morning's classes, including "Tracing the Origins of the Dragon Clan Family Genealogy" and "Analysis of Advanced Combat Techniques and Tactics," pushed open the dormitory door, and stepped into the already somewhat noisy corridor.

The faint smell of burnt food from the minor accident in the equipment department lingered in the air, mixed with the lemon-scented disinfectant used by the cleaning staff, creating the unique, slightly pungent smell of a morning in Kassel.

Not far along, under the archway leading to the central square, I encountered two familiar figures.

"Zihang!"

Lancelot, dressed in a well-tailored navy blue student council uniform, was the first to greet Chu Zihang, his face bearing his usual gentle and approachable smile, his short hair gleaming in the sunlight. Beside him, Susie, in a crisp, matching women's uniform, carrying several documents, smiled and nodded at Chu Zihang, her long, black, satin-like hair gently swaying in the breeze.

"Lancelot, Susie, good morning," Chu Zihang stopped and replied calmly.

"Going to have breakfast?" Lancelot asked, glancing at the path Chu Zihang was holding, which clearly led to the cafeteria.

"Hmm," Chu Zihang replied, then, as if remembering something, asked routinely, "How's the student council doing lately?"

He knew that Lancelot, as the vice president of the Lionheart Society, and Susie, also the vice president of the Lionheart Society, were very knowledgeable about the affairs of the student council to which Caesar belonged.

Lancelot's smile faded slightly, revealing a hint of helplessness: "What else can we do? Same old story. Preparing for next month's school festival, every department is scrambling for budget and venues. We've held several coordination meetings, and each one has reached new heights of contention. The Arts Department wants to recreate a miniature version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, saying they need a lot of real plants and a circulating water system; the Equipment Department, oh, they just submitted an application yesterday to set up a controlled alchemical reaction viewing area at the school festival, but it was personally rejected by the principal."

Susie added, "In addition, we're dealing with some routine disputes. Because of the anaconda that escaped from the biology museum, a few students bumped into each other during the evacuation, causing a first-year student's 'Introduction to Alchemy' textbook to fall into the fountain. Although it was retrieved, the notes were completely smudged, and we're applying for accident compensation."

She paused, glanced at Chu Zihang, and said, "Fortunately, Professor Schneider and his team handled the situation promptly, preventing more serious physical damage."

Chu Zihang recalled the wails of @NightWatchman in the Night Watchman discussion forum, as well as the dozen or so harmless 15-meter-long anacondas. His expression remained unchanged; he simply nodded.

"Thank you for your hard work in gathering intelligence," he said. This was no polite remark; managing the group of energetic, complex, and often dangerous elite students in Kassel was indeed no easy task.

“I’m used to it,” Lancelot shrugged, a smile returning to his face. “And you? I heard you got an excellent grade in Ancient Egyptian Rune Analysis last week? Caesar mentioned it, saying that the effort you put into that course put pressure on him.”

Chapter 310 A Light Breakfast

"I just finished the assignment as required," Chu Zihang replied briefly, avoiding the topic of Caesar. "Aren't you going to the cafeteria?"

“We’ve eaten. Now we need to go to the Lionheart Society to discuss the route for the Academy Festival parade,” Susie said, waving the file bag in her hand.

"Okay, then I won't keep you any longer," Chu Zihang said, stepping aside to make way.

"See you later, President," Lancelot patted him on the shoulder and hurriedly left with Susie.

Chu Zihang watched their figures disappear around the corner of the corridor before continuing his walk toward the cafeteria.

The campus was already awake in the early morning. Students dressed in different styles of clothing moved about. Some carried thick books, some carried oddly shaped equipment boxes, and some practiced complex gestures in the air as they walked, with a faint light flowing from their fingertips.

Everything is full of energy, that's wonderful.

The new cafeteria in Kassel, funded by César, is a magnificent Roman-style building. Its soaring dome depicts frescoes of gods battling giant beasts, though upon closer inspection, the gods in these frescoes all bear dragon-like features. Huge marble columns support the spacious dining area, where long, neatly arranged tables, though constructed of modern alloys and composite panels, maintain a design style consistent with the overall architecture.

It was peak dining time, and the cafeteria was bustling with activity. The aroma of various foods filled the air, from standard bacon and fried eggs and grilled sausages to Eastern-style soy milk and fried dough sticks, congee and side dishes, and even some breakfasts with exotic spices that seemed to come from ancient settlements of various mixed races.

Chu Zihang ignored the wide variety of choices and headed straight for the area that served healthy light meals.

He was focused and efficient: a small bowl of whole-grain oatmeal that he had to prepare himself with milk, and a simple-looking whole-wheat vegetable sandwich with lettuce, tomato slices, and a few thin slices of cucumber, without any sauce. He also poured himself a glass of water, then, carrying his tray, scanned the noisy cafeteria for an empty seat.

Soon, his gaze settled on a corner by the window.

There, Lu Mingfei and Frilian were sitting face to face, engrossed in their conversation.

Chu Zihang was pleased that the relationship was good, but his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly because of the plates in front of Lu Mingfei and Frilian.

Are you eating this first thing in the morning?

In front of Lu Mingfei was a huge bowl piled high with white rice, topped with a thick layer of glossy, reddish-brown braised pork belly, its fat and lean meat perfectly marbled. The rich gravy had seeped into the rice beneath, making it look incredibly tempting, yet also incredibly greasy. He shoveled mouthfuls of rice into his mouth, his cheeks bulging.

Across from him stood Frilian, who looked petite and adorable, and in front of her was the same braised pork belly rice bowl! She accepted this high-fat food well, enjoying it with small but not slow spoonfuls, her pointed ears trembling slightly with each chew, and her long silver hair gleaming softly in the morning light.

Chu Zihang walked over with the tray almost without hesitation.

"Good morning," he said, sitting down in the empty seat next to Lu Mingfei and gently placing his plate on the table.

"Good morning, Senior Brother Chu!" Lu Mingfei quickly swallowed the food in his mouth and greeted him somewhat vaguely. Frillie also raised her emerald green eyes and nodded to Chu Zihang as a greeting. A little sauce on the corner of her mouth added a touch of childishness to her appearance, which was inconsistent with her age.

Chu Zihang didn't start eating immediately. Instead, he looked at the two rather elaborate breakfasts in front of them, remained silent for two seconds, and then spoke. His tone was as calm as ever, but the content carried a clear message:

"Consuming too much oil at breakfast will increase the burden on the digestive system, leading to fatigue in the morning and affecting learning efficiency. Over time, this can easily cause abnormal blood lipids and weight problems."

His gaze first fell on Lu Mingfei's face, then shifted to Frilian. "Especially this kind of braised pork belly, it's too high in fat and sodium, so it's not a good choice for breakfast."

Lu Mingfei was taken aback by Chu Zihang's sudden health talk. He scratched his head and gave Chu Zihang his signature lazy and nonchalant smile: "Hey, Senior Brother Chu, it's okay! I'm still young, my metabolism is fast, I can handle it. Besides, the cafeteria chef's braised pork is really good, not greasy at all, not dry at all, with a rich soy sauce flavor. It's absolutely delicious with rice! I always feel weak if I don't eat something substantial first thing in the morning."

As he spoke, he shoveled another large mouthful of meat and rice into his mouth, eating with relish.

Frillie blinked her big eyes, looked at Chu Zihang's bland, almost pathetic oatmeal and vegetable sandwich, then looked down at the fragrant braised pork in front of her, and said to Chu Zihang very seriously, "Chu Zihang, based on my experience over the past two years, braised pork is suitable for all ages, tender and juicy, and can make people feel happy."

"That's right, senior brother, you should have a piece too, it's delicious."

Chu Zihang: "..."

Looking at Lu Mingfei's carefree, "live for the moment" attitude, and then at Frillie's serious expression after being influenced by Lu Mingfei's strange theories, he was momentarily at a loss for words. He silently picked up a spoon and began stirring the oatmeal soaking in milk in his bowl. The milky white milk soaked the brown oatmeal grains, looking healthy, but also quite bland.

"Senior brother, would you like some too?" Lu Mingfei enthusiastically recommended, pushing the plate towards Chu Zihang. "Really, try it, I guarantee you'll be full of energy!"

"No, thank you," Chu Zihang said decisively. He picked up the vegetable sandwich and took a bite. The rough texture of the whole-wheat bread, mixed with the fresh, or rather bland, taste of the vegetables, contrasted sharply with the rich aroma of meat wafting from next door.

He quietly ate his healthy breakfast, while Lu Mingfei and Frilian argued about which flavor of vegetable juice was the worst and whether he could skip the afternoon's practical class. Lu Mingfei was fantasizing about skipping Chu Zihang's practical class that afternoon; he wanted to rest today.

Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting long shadows of the three people onto the polished floor.

Chu Zihang looked at the two people opposite him who were eating with great relish, and in the end just shook his head slightly in his heart.

Youth certainly gives one the right to be a little impulsive. But he believes even more that self-discipline and restraint are the truly admirable qualities of an outstanding person. He put the last bite of oatmeal into his mouth; the taste was still rather bland.

However, at least my stomach feels light now, and my mind should be clear in the morning. Thinking this, Chu Zihang picked up his water glass and took a sip.

Chapter 311 Fingel's Gift (Part 1)

Late at night, Lu Mingfei's dormitory was filled with an atmosphere different from usual. Normally, it was mainly the smell of a typical nerdy engineering student: a mixture of fast food boxes, game discs, and the occasional unwashed socks.

But today, a strong, rich aroma, carrying hints of exotic soil and sunshine, took precedence. The source of this aroma was a wooden box bound with rough hemp rope, spread out on his cluttered desk.

The box was dark brown, printed with cursive Spanish and a gold-plated emblem that Lu Mingfei couldn't understand. The edges were slightly worn, giving it a dusty, long-hauled look. In the sender's section, it read "from Havana, Cuba" in a flamboyant handwriting.

Fingel, that guy went to Cuba to enjoy himself.

Lu Mingfei struggled to untie the seemingly casual but actually sturdy knot. The moment he lifted the lid, an exotic aroma wafted out, as if the warmth and languor of Havana had been packed up and delivered to this student dormitory in the cold North American region.

The box was crammed full, a dazzling array of items, perfectly embodying Finger's style of never leaving empty-handed—or rather, never forgetting to take advantage of every opportunity and enjoy life wherever he goes.

The most eye-catching item, naturally, was the row of cigars occupying the center position. They lay neatly in individual cedar tubes, each wrapped in elegant cellophane. Lu Mingfei carefully picked one up; it was heavy, with a glossy, dark brown wrapper that felt smooth and resilient to the touch.

He leaned closer and took a sniff. The wooden tube emitted an indescribable, complex aroma—nuts, cocoa, leather, and a hint of sweetness. Was this the legendary Havana cigar? Fingel boasted in the crookedly written note that came with the box that it was a tiny, insignificant consumable from his mentor's mission budget, but definitely a top-quality item recommended by local connoisseurs.