Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

"So adorably silly," Su Enxi sighed softly, reaching out to gently smooth the hair on Jiu Demai's forehead, which was soaked with sweat and blood.

She took a clean towel and forcefully stuffed it between Mai Shude's teeth to prevent her from unconsciously clenching her teeth again. Then, she carefully inserted the softer part of the catheter at the tip of the transfusion tube into Mai Shude's mouth, avoiding her teeth, and aimed at the area rich in capillaries under the palate mucosa, slowly pushing her own blood.

Su Enxi's face turned pale at a visible speed, and her lips lost their color. She was consuming her precious blood, which possessed special resistance, to fight against the raging dragon blood within Jiude Mai.

A few drops of bright red blood dripped along the tube into the huge wound on Mai Shude's chest, instantly producing a violent reaction—like concentrated acid being poured into boiling water, a few wisps of white smoke with a burnt smell rose from the wound with a hiss.

The same reaction was intensely taking place in every corner of Mai Shude's body that had been eroded by the dragon's blood; the pain was far beyond what the human nervous system could bear.

Jiu De Mai's body arched like a fully drawn bow, and a bloodcurdling scream burst from her throat. The fine blue scales on her body stood on end, opening and closing, making a teeth-grinding, tiny friction sound.

Immediately afterwards, all the muscles in her body tensed to their limit, and then, like a puppet with its strings cut, she completely relaxed, collapsing onto the bluestone without moving again. She was finally overwhelmed by the pain that exceeded her limits and fell into a deep coma.

"Hey? Long legs! Hey!" Su Enxi gently patted her cheek, calling her by her nickname.

Mai Shude did not respond. Her eyes were wide open, her crimson-gold pupils contracted into cold slits, blankly reflecting the falling cherry blossoms in the sky. Her eyes would occasionally move erratically, sometimes empty and bewildered, sometimes flashing with a terrifying ferocity.

Su Enxi stood up, walked to the side, picked up the Glock pistol, returned to Jiu Demai's side, knelt on one knee, and steadily pressed the cold muzzle against Jiu Demai's forehead. The rest was left to fate and Jiu Demai's own will.

She awaited an outcome. If the one who awakened was the Mai Shude she knew, she would give her a tight hug. If the one who awakened was Deadpool, a monster consumed by dragon blood, then she would pull the trigger without hesitation.

Su Enxi understood Mai Shude; she would rather die a clean and quick death as a human than live on as a monster. As perhaps her only true friend, Su Enxi felt it was her responsibility to help her fulfill this wish.

A cool sea breeze gently blows from below the cliff, stirring the fallen cherry blossoms scattered across the garden, their petals swirling softly. In the distance, the sound of the Pacific Ocean's waves rises rhythmically, while nearby, wisps of steam rise from the hot spring pool. At moments like these, memories always come unbidden.

Su Enxi suddenly recalled the years she had worked with Jiude Mai and that silent, clueless girl. She felt like she was always complaining, complaining that they acted recklessly, causing huge trouble, and then leaving her, the logistics manager, to clean up the mess.

These two women, one as fiery and outspoken as fire, the other as silent and icy, are equally capable of causing trouble. But what if one day these two perpetually troublesome individuals were truly gone...? Who would Su Enxi grumble to, and who would she clean up the mess for? If there were fewer troublemakers in the world, wouldn't those responsible for cleaning up the messes feel incredibly lonely?

"Don't die," Su Enxi's voice was so soft it almost blended into the wind. She wiped away the half-dried blood from Jiu Demai's face with her fingers. "I'll never talk about you and Sanwu Niu again."

Just then, Mai Shutoku's body suddenly twitched slightly. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and then, slowly and completely, she opened her eyes, her gaze clear, though her pupils were still crimson gold. She calmly gazed up at the blue sky, fragmented by the branches and leaves of the ancient cherry blossoms.

"Who are you?!" Su Enxi's finger remained on the trigger, not relaxing for a moment, staring intently at those inhuman eyes.

"...Jiu Demai".

"Do you have any evidence? Name a few of your ex-boyfriends!" Su Enxi persisted, demanding more evidence.

"I already told you, you're a bit forgetful," Mai Shude sighed weakly, somewhat helplessly.

“Let’s change it! Tell me about the last time we were in Las Vegas, watching those male models do striptease. What color dress did I wear that day?” Su Enxi quickly asked, revealing a detail that only the two of them knew.

A faint, yet genuine smile appeared on Mai Shude's pale face, carrying her unique languor and a touch of mischievousness: "You're not dressed as well as me, why should I bother remembering? I only remember that the champion who led the final dance personally came down from the stage to invite me up and let me touch his abs."

"Tsk, still so sharp-tongued. It's definitely that vain long-legged beauty." Su Enxi's extremely tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and a strong sense of exhaustion came over her. She let go, and Glock fell to the grass, leaning back and splashing into the warm spring water again.

Mai Shude didn't say anything more. She just curled up and lay on her side on the warm bluestone. Her skin, stained with blood and dirt, looked unusually white and fragile in the gradually brightening morning light, like that of a newborn baby.

Su Enxi climbed out of the pool, ignoring that she was soaking wet, picked up a wooden ladle by the pool, scooped up hot spring water one spoonful at a time, and gently poured it on Jiude Mai's body to wash away the mottled bloodstains.

The dragon-like features are slowly fading; the bulging muscles are becoming supple again, and the fine blue scales are turning grayish-white, drying out, and then peeling off. Only a shallow, scale-like mark remains in the center of the spine, which may take longer to completely heal.

"When I lost consciousness," Mai Shude asked weakly, her eyes closed and warm water flowing over her body, "did you say anything strange in your sleep?"

"Strange sleep talking? What you say when you're awake is strange enough!" Su Enxi pouted irritably, but her rinsing motions remained gentle. "Based on that list of ex-boyfriends you provided, you could be sentenced to life imprisonment. Seriously though, why didn't you inject the locking agent? It couldn't be that you forgot."

Mai Shude slightly raised her finger and pointed to the wound on her chest that had closed, leaving only a faint pink trace of new flesh. "If it weren't for the Ancient Dragon Serum forcibly enhancing my body's functions and stimulating my regenerative abilities, I wouldn't have made it back to see you. Once the locking agent is injected, the serum's effects will be immediately neutralized, and I would have died on the way."

"You've been injected with the Ancient Dragon Serum, so your physical condition should be nearing its limit. Who could have injured you like this?" Su Enxi frowned; this was the crux of the matter.

"Do you remember the head of the Snake-Headed Eight Clan, the one who always seemed so insignificant, like a puppet, Uesugi Erii?" Mai Shutoku said slowly, a hint of lingering fear flashing in her eyes.

“We hadn’t figured out her background before. Now we know that her Word of Power is Judgment, the ultimate Word of Power that forcibly issues a death order to all life forms within the domain. The Serpent Kings used her as their ultimate weapon against the Corpse Guardian Tide. She summoned an iceberg out of thin air and instantly annihilated at least several hundred Corpse Guardians. I happened to be on the edge of her kill radius at the time.”

She paused, as if recalling the horrific scene: "I thought that with my serum-enhanced body, I could withstand the aftershocks. But I was wrong. The damage caused by the judgment was not ordinary physical or energy trauma. Once you are injured by it, the wound is as if it is marked by death itself, and it cannot heal naturally at all. The Ancient Dragon Serum made my cells regenerate a hundred times faster, but the newly formed cells almost instantly died and disintegrated, and the wound kept tearing, healing, and tearing again. It was as if life itself was forcibly sucked away and flowed away from the wound."

"The Snake Clan also possesses this extraordinary secret weapon." Su Enxi gasped, her expression grave. "This Japanese instance is indeed on hard mode."

“I’m afraid it’s more than that,” Mai Shude shook her head very slightly, looking towards the thicker mist behind the cherry tree, where a figure leaning against the tree trunk could be vaguely seen. “Next, I’m afraid hell mode is about to begin.”

A lazy, somewhat cynical male voice came from behind the lush ancient cherry tree at just the right moment: "Are you two beauties chatting so intently, exchanging beauty tips, or planning some interesting adventure?"

Chapter 485 Hell-Level Dungeon (Part 2)

Mai and Su Enxi suddenly turned their heads to look in the direction of the cherry tree. There was no one there, only an ice bucket standing quietly on the ground, with a bottle of champagne covered in frost stuck in it.

Mai stood up, picked up the champagne, and handed it to Su Enxi. It was a bottle of 1995 Perrier-Jouët Belle Eau de Toilette, someone's favorite champagne. It was as if he had really been here, and then left quietly like a ghost, leaving only a faint, lingering scent of his usual light woody perfume in the air.

A delicate wooden tray had appeared by the water, neatly stacked on it were two kimonos, two pairs of clogs, and matching hair accessories. Next to it was a handwritten note, the handwriting still flowing, but the ink was a bit messier than usual: "I didn't see anything, really. I'm waiting inside. Come find me after you two have washed up nicely. Although it seems that my carefully prepared script has been almost completely ruined by some long-lived magician."

He's always like this, coming and going silently, yet leaving a distinct mark everywhere, as if silently announcing his existence. The title "boss" couldn't be more fitting for him. He's both an employer and, more importantly, a mysterious controller, even though his control has recently encountered some unexpected setbacks.

"It's definitely hard mode now. Even the boss himself has come to Japan. Is he here to clean up the mess?" Su Enxi took the champagne, skillfully unscrewed the wire cage, and the cork popped out with a soft "pop," carrying an enticing fruity aroma, as well as a hint of resentment from someone whose plans had been disrupted.

"Maybe he's hiding some lover in Japan, keeping a mistress?" Mai Shude casually tossed her wet hair, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Or maybe he's here to see how those characters he wrote, who were supposed to die a glorious death, are doing now?"

“The possibility is zero,” Su Enxi poured her a glass of champagne. “If he really liked Japanese women, he should like you. Your looks, figure, and abilities—aren’t you top-tier among Japanese women? As for those characters, Norton and Constantine are taking care of children at the orphanage, and I heard they’re quite popular. Jormungandr, oh, Xia Mi, and her big, goofy brother Fenrir, are still alive and well. The whole thing has gotten so weird.”

"What kind of typical Japanese woman am I?" Mai Shude took the glass, gently swirling it, the ice clinking. "A typical Japanese woman is a Yamato Nadeshiko, the gentle, virtuous, and petite type. Me? Too tall, too glamorous, too unruly. As for the art style, ever since that thousand-year-old sorceress, Ms. Frilian, appeared beside Lu Mingfei, the boss's scripts are like they've been thrown into a shredder and then haphazardly glued back together. The fact that he can still laugh now shows he has incredibly strong mental fortitude."

Chilled champagne paired with a hot spring is indeed a unique experience. A tray also holds washed fruit and several plates of delicate snacks, including Su Enxi's favorite Korean BBQ-flavored potato chips. The owner is always impeccable in his attention to detail, even when the overall situation might be a little out of control.

In a typical company, if the boss suddenly showed up, the female employees would probably be scrambling to touch up their makeup and vying to fawn over him. But Mai and Enxi were in no hurry at all, continuing to leisurely soak in the hot spring. The warmth seeped into their pores, and their limbs gradually relaxed and felt comfortable. They even had the leisure to chat about random things, such as guessing the extent of their boss's psychological trauma.

This is the boss's style. When he summons his subordinates, he is never as domineering as those impatient local tyrants. Instead, he hopes that they can come in the best and most composed state.

Sometimes he would even book a dinner with truffles for them in advance at a high-end restaurant. After the meal, the waiter would respectfully hand them a card, informing them that the meeting place was on the top floor of the building, and that the boss would wait patiently.

If the assistant finds the dinner delightful, leaving her refreshed and in a good mood for the appointment, the boss will be genuinely pleased. Conversely, if someone eats only a few bites, pushes away their plate, rushes upstairs shouting, "I'm late! What do you need, boss?", the boss will feel disappointed, as if their efforts have been wasted.

Now, his meticulously planned grand script, which should have been full of tragic aesthetics, has been transformed into a heartwarming family film by a passing magician using the most mundane and pragmatic methods. He probably has mixed feelings about this "feast".

A small, exquisite charcoal stove had quietly been lit beside the hot spring pool, with several clean white towels and tabi socks draped warmly beside it. Unfolding the kimonos the owner had brought, they revealed authentic furisode kimonos. Su Enxi's was moon-white with delicate double cherry blossom patterns. Shude Mai's was a deep black, adorned with maple leaves and a moon motif, both elegant and mysterious.

"The size fits perfectly." Su Enxi unfolded the kimono and held it up to herself, her tone tinged with suspicion. "How does the boss know all our body measurements? Did he really spy on us? Or is it that even if the script went wrong, his habit of collecting data hasn't changed?"

“If that’s the case, then it might be alright,” Mai Shude said slowly as she put on her tabi socks. “Isn’t what’s more terrifying than the boss being a lecherous man? Isn’t it that the boss might be a deep-thinking, extremely controlling pervert? Especially the sense of defeat when his control is broken down.”

"His perversion is already a given. If you add the attribute of being enraged by the script being changed, wouldn't that double the terror?"

The two women helped each other carefully fasten the intricate sashes, comb the still-damp hair, and insert peach-colored wooden combs adorned with gold leaf. After their transformation, they looked like classical beauties straight out of an Edo-period painting.

Then, the two of them, shuffling in their wooden clogs, strolled leisurely along the stone path strewn with fallen cherry blossoms towards the main house. They were a little curious about what kind of expression the owner would have given the house in this completely changed state.

Su Enxi pulled open the heavy lattice wooden door, and the scene before her eyes suddenly opened up, and for a moment she could not see the end of the hall.

This main hall of the Blackstone Mansion was originally where generals held meetings, and its grandeur is evident. As far as the eye can see, there are countless crimson pillars, each requiring several people to encircle, supporting the towering dome.

The ebony floor, polished smooth and lustrous by years of meticulous cleaning, resembles a dark mirror. Sunlight filters through the gaps in the wooden lattice windows, creating hazy beams of light in which countless dust particles dance silently, like fragments of time itself.

Between these pillars of light, where light and shadow intertwined, sat a towering figure—a wooden sculpture of an ancient warrior, impeccably dressed and exuding majesty. He wore "Nanban Dogokuzu" armor, with a black base and gold patterns, and a "Mikazuki-tachi" helmet adorned with a crescent moon.

A young servant knelt on one knee to adjust the straps of his armor.

Chapter 486 Norton is still alive, what a pity.

However, unlike before, next to the samurai, there was a slightly worn broom that was completely out of place with his majestic style, and a small tin box containing colored chalk.

The servant who was tidying up the warrior's armor was humming a light, even childish, nursery rhyme, creating an absurd contrast with the solemn scene.

"The sword Your Highness is wearing today is a tachi forged by the master craftsman Horikawa Kunihiro," the shopkeeper said, symbolically inserting an antique longsword into the scabbard at the samurai's waist, his tone clearly teasing. "May this enhance Your Highness's martial prowess. Well, although your main martial prowess this afternoon will probably be dealing with those little brats fighting over the swings at the orphanage."

Even a great man like Norton needs to educate children; some naughty kids keep him from eating and sleeping properly.

After finishing tidying up, the shopkeeper stood up, patted the samurai on the shoulder where some dust had settled, and then reached out and picked up a small piece of colored chalk from the decorative seam of the samurai's helmet.

“Look, Norton, being an orphanage teacher isn’t easy, is it? Chalk dust is getting into your armor.” He said to the silent, empty armor, his tone devoid of sorrow, but rather with a strange, almost gloating ease.

"But compared to dying tragically in my script and having my bones used as decorations, isn't it much happier to be here with a bunch of kids, drawing, playing in the sand, and sharing cookies? Although I always feel like something's not quite right."

A gust of wind suddenly blew past the window, and the sky quickly darkened, with a light drizzle beginning to fall. Cherry blossoms swirled and drifted helplessly in the rain. In the dim light, the boss's profile showed a lingering sadness in his eyes, but it was overshadowed by a more complex and inscrutable emotion—a mixture of helplessness, amusement, and contemplation of an unexpected event beyond his control.

This expression inexplicably reminded Su Enxi of the Chinese opera "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai" that her boss had invited her to see not long ago.

On stage, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai meet at the pavilion, their love tender and enduring. The eighteen farewells, filled with reluctance, captivate the audience with this classic and beautiful love story. Only the boss, watching the impending transformation into butterflies, has a gaze somewhat similar to his own.

She asked him if he disliked the tragedy, but the boss shook his head and said, "No, the story is beautiful. But I always wonder, if some busybody had happened to pass by, like a magician who had lived a long time, seen countless deaths but cherished life even more, would he have simply cast a spell on them, or directly brought the two families together, turning the tragedy into a comedy from the very beginning?"

"In that case, while the transformation into butterflies is certainly poignant, wouldn't living a simple and peaceful life together also be a kind of fulfillment? Of course, that would eliminate the drama, and my script would be ruined."

At the time, Su Enxi thought he was just overthinking things, but now she realizes that it might have been a premonition.

"Long time no see." The boss turned around at the sound of his voice, the complex emotions on his face vanishing as quickly as if by magic, replaced by a familiar smile, warm and inviting, though deep within that smile was a barely concealed toothache.

"You are still as beautiful as ever. Especially after you and a certain long-lived homebody turned my script, which was supposed to be full of ups and downs and make me cry, into a heartwarming slice-of-life drama, seeing you still looking so radiant makes me feel really complicated."

With just that simple turn, his mood forcibly brightened again. His quick change of expression was still admirable. However, this time, Su Enxi and Jiu Demai both keenly caught the trace of his forced smile.

"Mai, did you bring back the treasure I asked for?" he asked bluntly, wanting to get to the point as soon as possible and regain some control.

"We found the wreckage of the Lenin at the bottom of the abyss. The embryo you mentioned was in the ship's cabin, but it was severely deformed and almost unrecognizable. I dissected its core and took this out, but I'm not sure if it can be conceived again."

Mai Shude concisely handed over the black briefcase, adding, "Also, the entire Caesar Group survived. The Snake Clan is probably searching for them; the situation isn't good."

The boss's hand, which had just taken the briefcase, paused almost imperceptibly. He unlocked the latch, and a white mist of low-temperature nitrogen immediately billowed out. Inside the briefcase, a cylindrical stainless steel container was immersed in liquid nitrogen. He removed the steel cylinder with his bare hands, wiped away the white frost, revealing a surface covered with dark red, spiderweb-like, bulging vein-like patterns.

Seeing this, Mai Shude explained, "It definitely wasn't like this when it was first sealed in. Its activity recovered very quickly."

"To completely, well, to kill a noble king, is not such a simple matter," the boss said softly, stroking the pulsating veins with a somewhat unfocused gaze.

He was comparing the struggling embryo before him with Norton, the clumsy but hardworking young man at the America Orphanage who tried his best to tell stories to the children, Xia Mi, who was still studying at Kassel College, and Fenrir, who was staying at home in BJ.

"You recovered so quickly; even among the first generation, you're exceptionally tenacious and outstanding. It's a pity that in this version of the timeline, it seems that it's not fashionable to link excellence with a tragic death."

"We meet again, my dear pet," he said, pressing the steel cylinder close to his cheek, his voice gentle and tender. The bone-chilling loneliness and solitude seemed to have faded somewhat, replaced by a hint of wry amusement.

"A very, very long time has passed again. That's good, we still haven't gone according to the script I wrote. Are you planning to open a daycare center someday, or join your brother's ski resort?"

He put the steel cylinder back in the suitcase, closed the lid, and handed it back to Mai Shude: "This thing doesn't seem to be very gentle. Keep it sealed at a low temperature for now; the cold will put it into a deep sleep. Remember, never let any adrenaline-like stimulants come into contact with it. In particular, don't let Miss Frilian think it's some kind of little animal that needs to be touched with love and get close to it; her methods may be too gentle for some beings."

"Understood," Mai nodded and took it, a slight smile playing on her lips.

The boss reached out and instinctively tried to pat Mai Shude's head, and Mai Shude cooperated by bowing her head slightly.

"So, how are our foundations doing? Are our little money still working hard to generate more money?" The boss turned to Su Enxi, his tone becoming lighter again. "Hopefully, our massive 'Character Rescue and Re-employment Placement Plan' hasn't caused us to run a deficit. After all, getting the Dragon Kings to peacefully integrate into society sounds like a bottomless pit of money."

Chapter 487 A Shadow More Terrifying Than God

“You care about this? Don’t worry, we have enough money. Anyway, you never have the patience to read through all those detailed accounts,” Su Enxi complained habitually.

"The foundation is operating well. Thanks to the force majeure event caused by Lu Mingfei and Frilian, large-scale urban destruction was avoided, saving huge amounts of compensation and reconstruction costs. As for the 'resettlement plan,' we donated some money to Norton's orphanage in the name of charity, and Xia Mi's academic subsidies are all small expenses."