Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

Caesar's fearlessness stemmed from his deep-seated arrogance and a near-superstitious illusion of being enveloped in the aura of a pink wedding blessing, making him believe that misfortune would steer clear at this moment. Chu Zihang's composure was based on his almost abnormal self-control and rationality. Even with a blade pressed close to his brow, he would force himself to keep his eyes wide open to observe the trajectory, because only absolute calmness could allow him to grasp a glimmer of hope in the most perilous situation.

As for Lu Mingfei...

At this moment, Lu Mingfei, who was sitting cross-legged in the corner of the dock, felt as if his consciousness had split into two.

A lively, curious, and cheerful Lu Mingfei, always discovering new things, takes over the surface.

These past two days, Lu Mingfei has been amazed by the grandeur of Genji Heavy Industries, captivated by the dazzling lights of Akihabara, marveling at the massive steel behemoth Sumeru, and unconsciously glancing at Japanese girls in short skirts. He also takes exaggerated photos of top-tier cuisine and posts them on his WeChat Moments.

He tried his best to spout nonsense, echoing Caesar and Chu Zihang, as if this were truly just a novel and exciting adventure. He found everything fascinating: the underworld family, the deep-sea platform, the legendary submersible he was about to board, and the unknown dangers he was about to face—all exuding an adrenaline-pumping sense of novelty.

The other is a happier Lu Mingfei who wanders aimlessly in some corner of his heart. This Lu Mingfei's happiness does not stem from external stimulation, but from a stable and warm expectation.

He imagined Frillie silently cooling his tea, imagining her quiet presence despite her limited words, recalling that quiet afternoon in Akihabara and her silhouette carrying the goldfish bag, and the barely perceptible, gentle care she took when helping him back to his room last night.

Lu Mingfei felt that many things were indeed moving in a positive direction. Although the mission was dangerous and the future uncertain, the fact that someone cared, even if in a subtle way, and that someone was there to accompany him, was like a small, warm, and stable flame that dispelled the usual loneliness and coldness deep in his heart.

He wasn't particularly afraid; on the contrary, he had a faint determination to "do his best to complete the mission in order to protect this warmth."

But between these two Lu Mingfeis, or rather, in the deeper, more hidden depths of his subconscious, there remained a trace of alienation that he had almost deliberately forgotten. It wasn't sadness, nor numbness, but rather a slightly weary observation of his own destiny after experiencing too many ups and downs.

It doesn't prevent the happy Lu Mingfei from experiencing new things, nor does it affect the even happier Lu Mingfei from cherishing warmth. It just stays there quietly, occasionally casting a quiet glance between the noise and the noise.

At this moment, in Lu Mingfei's imagination, it seemed as if another version of himself was sitting next to him. This quiet Lu Mingfei, with a sense of detachment, hugged his knees and gazed at the busy lights and crowds on the testing platform in the distance, without saying a word.

He longed to say something to his silent self, to break the silence, but when he opened his mouth, he found himself speechless. What could he say now? And who could he comfort?

He took out the iPhone Lu Mingze had given him, unlocked it, and stared blankly at the short list of contacts for a while. His parents (always out of service area), his uncle and aunt (he had broken off relations with his aunt), and Chen Wenwen (long gone and he had heard that she was not doing well recently).

My fingers swipe across names, but I can't find anyone I can send a text message to without any pressure and just chat casually.

Finally, he opened his photo album, pulled up the picture of the gorgeous sashimi platter called "Life is Like Summer Flowers" that he had taken last night at Xingshen Temple, and prepared to post it on Weibo. He had only typed the four characters "Life is Like Summer Flowers," his fingertip hovering over the send button, then hesitated and deleted it.

After thinking for a moment, I changed the wording to one that better suited the cheerful Lu Mingfei's public persona: "Top-notch local cuisine in Tokyo! I'll be modest and not call myself a 'tall, rich, and handsome' guy! (Cool)"

Click to send.

The moment he pressed the send button, he seemed to hear Lu Mingfei, who was usually quiet, scoff.

"laugh--"

Just then, a hissing sound of electrical interference suddenly came from the miniature communication headset worn in the right ear, followed by a slight buzzing sound characteristic of channel switching.

The communication test has begun. This means that Norma, the super artificial intelligence at the Kassel College headquarters, is now docking and exchanging data with Kaguya-hime, an independent system at the Japanese branch.

The command center in North America, the Sumeru platform at sea, the Trieste deep-sea submersible about to dive, and the three members of the Caesar diving team were all assigned to their own independent yet interconnected encrypted channels.

This is a clear signal that the mission is about to officially begin.

Almost simultaneously, Lu Mingfei and Chu Zihang beside him straightened their backs and composed themselves. Caesar, on the distant testing platform, also immediately stopped talking to the technicians and pressed his hand tightly against the earpiece in his right ear.

Heavy, labored breathing, like the straining of a broken bellows, was the first sound to come from the headphones—Professor Schneider's signature hoarse, cold voice, clearly audible to the three of them:

"Caesar Team, attention! Repeat, Caesar Team, attention! The Dragon Abyss Project is about to begin. Before the mission officially commences, there are a few things I must reiterate. Note that I am currently using the highest level of encrypted communication. The following information is for the three of you only, and is also kept secret from the Japanese branch. Please reply upon receipt."

"Received!" Caesar, Chu Zihang, and Lu Mingfei said in unison, their voices ringing out on their respective channels.

"You are about to dive to the bottom of the Abyss, with the objective of destroying a dragon embryo. Ideally, the mission would be simple: locate the target, launch the sulfur bomb, and then surface. But any mission carries the risk of unforeseen events, especially in the Abyss, where no more than ten humans have ever reached. In the depths of the ocean, you may encounter any situation beyond your expectations."

"You are all outstanding students of the academy, and Caesar and Chu Zihang, you are even more experienced senior specialists. I believe you are capable of judging and handling most unexpected situations on your own. But there is one exception."

Schneider's tone became extremely stern, "If you see a door, or anything resembling a door, during your descent! Absolutely, absolutely do not approach it! And absolutely do not enter it! If you find one, immediately, unconditionally, return to base! Do you understand?!"

Chapter 415 Beware of the Door!

"A door?" Caesar's voice, filled with obvious confusion and doubt, came through the earpiece. "Professor, how could there be a door deep within the Abyss?"

"No questions! Just remember!" Schneider interrupted sharply, his tone more stern than ever before. "Door is an absolutely forbidden word in this operation! If you see a door, or anything resembling a door, turn back without hesitation! That's an ironclad rule! Do you understand?!"

"I heard you right," Caesar's voice still carried a hint of confusion, but he obeyed the order's priority. "But I still don't quite understand."

“No need to understand! Remember, and execute!” Schneider’s tone softened slightly, but remained cold and firm. “During the dive, you will be primarily communicated with in real time by Genjiro, the head of the Japanese branch’s executive bureau. He has received advanced training at headquarters and possesses extensive diving experience and command capabilities. You can trust him for the vast majority of on-site judgments. There is only one exception: if you see a door, abandon all exploration and return to base immediately! This is an absolute and inviolable principle! Good luck.”

The communication was about to end, but Schneider's voice rang out again, this time addressed to a specific person: "Chu Zihang."

"Yes," Chu Zihang replied calmly.

"Before you dive, remember to write an email to your mother. She just emailed Norma yesterday, saying she hadn't received any emails from you for several days and was worried that something might have happened to you. She thought Norma was a real female assistant and even offered to send her cosmetics in the email, asking her to help you."

Chu Zihang was taken aback. "Does my mom really read the emails I write to her every day? I thought she only looked at the titles."

On the other end of the earpiece, Schneider sighed softly: "Adults shouldn't easily assume they understand children. Similarly, children shouldn't easily assume they understand adults' thoughts."

After that, the encrypted channel was abruptly cut off, and the slight background noise of standby mode returned to the headphones.

Caesar braced himself against the railing of the testing platform with one hand, nimbly leaped down, and strode over to Chu Zihang and Lu Mingfei.

"The testing is basically complete. How are your preparations going?"

“Everything’s ready.” Lu Mingfei scratched his head, his face still showing the confusion he had felt when he heard the warning from the door. “But what exactly was Professor Schneider talking about? I didn’t understand at all. A door in the deep sea? What is that?”

“He said a door or something like a door, which is a very broad definition,” Caesar said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

“If the definition is broad, then there are many doors inside a deep-sea submersible,” Chu Zihang analyzed. “The cockpit hatch, the airtight valves and pressure valves of each isolation compartment, there are hundreds or even thousands of components that can be called doors.”

"If all of these count," Lu Mingfei scoffed, trying to dispel the inexplicable unease in his heart with some nonsense, "Does the sex scandal count? Should I hurry up and delete all those shameful photos from my phone? So that I don't see my phone screen and trigger the alarm later?"

“Very good.” Caesar was amused by Lu Mingfei’s nonsense, but quickly regained his composure. “Then, here’s the arrangement: Chu Zihang, go write a short email to your mother to let her know you’re safe. Lu Mingfei, go and process those confidential photos of yours. I’m going to change into my combat uniform. We’ll assemble in the cockpit of the Trieste in fifteen minutes.”

He took off the white captain's uniform draped over his shoulders and casually rolled it up: "Before we dive, let me reiterate the operational principles one last time: I am the leader of this group, and your task is to assist me in completing this mission. I don't want my team members to act independently. We are a team, and a team needs a core. All actions will revolve around my command. Understand?"

Chu Zihang nodded.

"Boss! I'm more than just following you!" Lu Mingfei immediately declared his loyalty, "I'm your best friend!"

Caesar was satisfied with Lu Mingfei's statement, nodded, turned and strode away towards the changing room. Chu Zihang and Lu Mingfei also got up and followed him toward the dock exit.

After walking a short distance, Lu Mingfei couldn't help but turn back and look at the corner where they had just sat. In a daze, he seemed to still see Lu Mingfei, quiet and aloof, sitting there alone.

The intense lights on the testing platform blurred the outline of the illusory figure. He hugged his knees, rested his chin on them, and stared at this side quietly, as if he wasn't seeing anything at all.

"Woo-woo-woo-woo-"

A long, resounding whistle suddenly rang out simultaneously from all six floating platforms, drowning out the roar of the surrounding waves. On all the platforms, rotating yellow warning lights illuminated at the same time, their blinding beams sweeping across the dark sea like the opening compound eyes of a giant beast.

The helicopters circling overhead, the naval police patrolling the sea, and the camouflaged fishing boats of the forest patrol team further out, all responded by flashing their lights at specific frequencies. The entire operational area instantly entered a state of high alert, poised for action.

"The Caesar team has entered the Trieste. Final checks are complete, all systems of the submersible are in good condition, and the current sea conditions are relatively stable." Yabuki Sakura appeared silently behind Genji, who was gazing into the distance from the railing, and reported in a low voice, "The Academy Headquarters has issued the final order, and Project Dragon Abyss has officially begun. We are just waiting for you to be in position and give the order before the submersible enters the water."

Yuan Zhisheng stood on the edge of the top floor of the Sumeru pedestal, his long black overcoat fluttering in the strong sea breeze. His gaze did not linger on the busy platform nearby, but rather passed over the armed naval police boats, casting his eyes on the scattered lights of fishing boats on the distant sea.

The lights formed a faint line between the dark sea and sky, like a string of pearls left behind on earth.

“Sakura,” Genji suddenly spoke, his voice sounding somewhat ethereal in the sea breeze, “Do you know about ama (female diver)?”

Sakura paused slightly, then replied, "I know. Ama are women from ancient times who made a living by diving to collect pearls and abalone. They can dive to considerable depths without complicated equipment and pry open shellfish with a knife. It is said that only women can do this job for long periods of time because women have thicker subcutaneous fat, which can better withstand the cold of the deep sea. If men try, the low temperature will cause serious joint damage and they will soon become disabled."

“I’ve heard a story about ama (female divers),” Genji said, his gaze still fixed on the distance. “When they dive, they tie a rope around their waist, and the other end of the rope is handed to their closest family member on the boat, their mother or husband. If they encounter danger on the seabed, they will pull the rope hard, and their family member will sense the signal and pull them up as soon as possible. They might be able to save their lives, or at least recover their bodies.”

"But it is said that there is a saying among the husbands of the female divers: If you are tired of your wife, take her to a distant sea to collect pearls, then let go of the rope in your hand, or just throw the rope into the sea."

Genji turned his gaze to Sakura, who stood beside him with her hands at her sides: "So you see, isn't trust the most fragile and unreliable thing in the world? What holds it together may sometimes be just a rope that can be cut or loosened at any time."

Sakura remained silent, offering no reply. The sea breeze ruffled the strands of hair at her temples.

Chapter 416 Before Launching (Part 1)

Genji didn't need to answer. He reached out and took the specially made communication headset from Sakura's hand, put it on skillfully, and adjusted the microphone position.

His expression turned cold and stern, all traces of his previous fleeting emotions vanishing, as if he had switched to another personality. He pressed the call button, "Field Commander Genjiro, in position. Caesar Team, report your status."

Caesar's slightly impatient yet eager voice immediately came through the earpiece: "Yuan-kun, you're a bit late. I don't like wasting time waiting. Hurry up and get this mission over with. If we're still early, we can get back to Tokyo for a late-night snack. Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Ignoring the urging in Caesar's tone, Genji raised his wrist, glanced at his waterproof tactical watch, and then faced the surging black sea. "Time: 10:15 PM. Coordinates: 122°56' E, 35°33' N. Operation Dragon Abyss is now officially initiating. I am the field commander, Genji. I order the release of the Trieste!"

As he gave the order, a heavy mechanical hum came from the bottom of the Sumeru-shaped platform beneath their feet. The massive square diving dock gate, powered by hydraulics, slowly opened inward, revealing the pitch-black, bottomless seawater below.

The Trieste deep-sea submersible, painted with a ferocious red dragon, silently detached from its support frame under the influence of its own weight. Like a steel behemoth released into the deep sea, it slowly and steadily plummeted headfirst into the boundless darkness.

"Gurgle."

Large amounts of white air bubbles surged from the exhaust valves on the submersible's outer shell, forming a churning band of bubbles on the sea surface, which was quickly swallowed by the waves.

The team of divers, who had been waiting in the nearby waters, darted into the water with the agility of dolphins and swam toward the descending Trieste. They securely attached an exceptionally thick, gleaming metallic safety rope to a specially designed safety hook on top of the submersible.

The other end of the safety cable is connected to a huge, medieval-style winch-like device at the top of the Sumeru pedestal platform. A twelve-kilometer-long, ultra-strong alloy safety cable is tightly wound around the wheel.

This specially designed metal cable, manufactured by the Equipment Department, possesses astonishing resistance to bending, abrasion, and tensile strength, theoretically strong enough to lift five Trieste ships. The accompanying powerful recovery system can forcibly pull the submersible back to the surface from the bottom of the Arctic Ocean, at a depth of over 8,000 meters, within twenty minutes.

The frogmen completed their task, quickly surfaced, and gave a neat thumbs-up to Genjiro on the top platform, indicating that the hooking operation had been successfully completed.

Yuan Zhisheng nodded.

Almost simultaneously, the massive wheel at the top began to rotate slowly and evenly, accompanied by the low rumble of the motor. The alloy safety rope wrapped around it was gradually released, emitting a reassuring "creaking" sound.

The Trieste has officially begun its journey to hell.

Sakura stood quietly behind Genjiro, watching the safety rope that seemed to connect life and death as it gradually sank into the dark sea, and then looked at Genjiro's profile as he gazed at the sea.

She suddenly understood why the young master had suddenly mentioned the pearl-diving sea women and the rope tied around his waist with the other end held by his loved ones.

At this moment, the alloy safety rope connecting the Trieste to the Sumeru pedestal bears a striking resemblance to the hemp rope around the Ama's waist, a rope symbolizing trust and life.

And the person holding the other end of this "rope" is standing right here.

Genji took off one of his earpieces and dialed a number: "The Trieste has been launched. How are Erii's preparations going? The Caesar team will arrive at the Shrine of the Gods in 80 minutes."

The night wind howled across the top floor of the Genji Heavy Industries building, billowing the hem of his black trench coat. The surface of Tokyo Bay stretched out to the distance below, merging with the deep purple night sky, with only a few scattered ship lights like fallen stars. He stood on the edge of the terrace, his gaze fixed on the southeastern sea, where a momentous event was about to unfold that would rewrite the history of the Snake Clan.

"Thank you for your hard work, Chisei. We've hacked into American and Russian satellites. No one will know what happened tonight," said Tachibana Masamune on the other end of the phone, his voice steady but unable to hide his excitement. "A once-in-a-century upheaval is about to occur."

Yuan Zhisheng did not respond immediately. He stared at the faintly visible point of light at the horizon where the sea met the sky. That was the Sumeru Platform, the core of tonight's operation.

"How is Erii's health? Is she able to handle tonight's mission?" he finally asked, his voice filled with concern he himself didn't realize.

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by the muffled sound of waves. Tachibana Masamune moved to a quieter spot: "She's in good health. Most importantly, if she wants, everything in the world is fit to be executed."

After another pause, followed by an even longer silence, the man's voice became deep and firm: "Eri is the Tsukuyomi, a gift from the Snake Clan!"

Tsukuyomi. In Japanese mythology, she is the moon goddess, one of the three noble children, and the ruler of night and dreams. The Snake-Headed Eight Families revered Uesugi Erii as the reincarnation of Tsukuyomi, not because of her divinity, but because of her power that could shake the world: Word of Power - Judgment, serial number 111, capable of absolutely annihilating life within its domain.

Yuan Zhisheng hung up the phone and put his earpiece back on. He could hear the conversation of the three people inside the submersible: Caesar Gattuso, Chu Zihang, and Lu Mingfei, three elites from Kassel College, who were currently descending into the depths of the Japan Trench, completely unaware of the truth they were about to face.

He lit a Gentle Seven Star cigarette, took a deep drag, and the smoke quickly dissipated in the night breeze. The future of his family, the fate of the half-bloods, the remains of the White King—all these would be decided tonight. And Erii, that forever quiet girl, forever playing with her rubber duck, forever oblivious to the wickedness of the human heart, would become the sharpest sword in this game, and also the most vulnerable bargaining chip.