Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

She stopped and faced Frilian.

"Am I right, Doctor? Or should I call you by your real name, Miss Frillian?"

A few cherry blossoms drifted down from the tree and landed between the two of them.

"When did you find out?" Frilian finally spoke, her voice regaining its original calm.

“From the first day you stepped into the Paradise Mansion,” Sakurai Kogure said, “your disguise was perfect—your appearance, your accent, your mannerisms. But your eyes don’t lie. There was always fear in Yoko’s eyes, no matter how calm she pretended to be. But your eyes were too calm, as calm as a stagnant pool, the kind of stagnant pool that has lived for too long.”

She paused. "Moreover, your ability is very strange. It's neither the power of words nor alchemy. I checked the files of the Ghost Clan, and the only one who fits the description is the mysterious 'magician' of Kassel College, a student of Flamel."

Frillie did not deny it, "You did not expose me."

“Because I want to know what you’re up to,” Sakurai Kogure said. “A student from Kassel College, disguising himself as a dead man to infiltrate the Oni Clan—his target is clearly not a place like the Paradise Mansion. What are you looking for? Information? Or Lady Otome?”

When she mentioned Genjiro, her voice trembled slightly.

Frillie looked at her. In the moonlight, Sakurai Kogure's face was unrealistically beautiful, but her eyes were filled with something heavy, almost crushing her.

It is love, it is loyalty, it is despair, it is the resolute determination to move forward even when you know the road ahead is an abyss.

Frillie had seen many such looks in the eyes of those who were willing to die for their loved ones.

“I am here for a reason,” Frilian said softly, “from a request from Genji.”

Sakurai Kogure's body stiffened.

"what?"

“Before I infiltrated the Sumeru Throne, Genji contacted us,” Frilian said. “He passed a message to Lu Mingfei. The message was simple: Save you.”

Sakurai Kogure's eyes widened.

She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but the sound got stuck in her throat.

“The information is encrypted and has a self-destruct program; it disappears ten seconds after being read,” Frillie continued.

“My lady…” Sakurai Kogure’s voice trembled. “How could he… he clearly…”

"Yuan Zhinü, you're just leaving me here to die, aren't you?"

Sakurai Kogure closed her eyes, tears sliding down her cheeks like pearls in the moonlight.

Frillie waited for her to calm down before continuing, "When Yuan Zhinv sent the text message to Lu Mingfei, Lu Mingfei was fast asleep; he always sleeps very soundly. I happened to be awake and saw the message. I deleted the message and didn't tell Lu Mingfei."

Sakurai Kogure opened her eyes: "Why?"

“Because if Lu Mingfei knew, given his personality, he would definitely rush over to save you,” Frillian said. “But he’s in dire straits himself right now, in the deep sea, in front of the burial ground, he’s one of the sacrifices. I can’t let him be distracted.”

Sakurai Kogure smiled, but her smile was full of bitterness.

"So here you are. To infiltrate the Ghost Clan, to infiltrate Elysium, and even to kill someone, all for the request of a stranger. Miss Frilian, you are a strange person indeed."

"I'm just doing what I think is right."

“The right thing to do,” Sakurai Kogure repeated, then asked softly, “So, do you think saving someone like me is the right thing to do?”

She opened her arms as if to show herself off.

“Look at me, Miss Frilian. I am the Queen of Elysium, a high-ranking member of the Demon Clan. I run this hell on earth, watching countless girls fall and die here. I collect politicians’ secrets and control them with drugs and sex. I probably have more blood on my hands than you have ever seen.”

Her voice trailed off: "Does a ghost like me deserve to be saved?"

Frillie looked at Sakurai Kogure and remained silent for a long time. "Whether it's worth it or not is not for me to judge. But if Genji thinks it's worth it, that's enough."

Sakurai Kogure's tears flowed again.

“You know, Lady Chigami said something similar before. He said to me, ‘Live on, Kogure.’”

Sakurai Kogure gazed at the night sky, searching for a particular star. "So I survived, and became what I am now. Sometimes I wonder, if Lady Nagisa saw me now, would she regret saving me?"

“No,” Frillie said firmly. “If he were to regret it, he wouldn’t care about your safety.”

Sakurai Kogure lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly. Moonlight shone on her, making her figure in the white kimono appear exceptionally fragile, completely unlike the queen who controlled Gokurakukan and inspired fear in all.

After a long silence, she raised her head and wiped away her tears. "How do you plan to save me? The Snake Clan will soon make their move against the Paradise Hall, and many within the Demon Clan also want me dead. I am now the target of everyone's attacks; there's no escaping it."

“I can use the Secret Service’s resources to get you out of here,” Frilian said. “Flamer has safe houses all over the world, some of which even Kassel College doesn’t know about. I can arrange for you to go to Europe, or North America, or even South America. Anywhere is fine, as long as you want.”

"And what about Lady Nagi?"

“Yuan Zhinü,” Frilian hesitated for a moment, “His situation is complicated. If you’re willing, I can try to arrange a meeting between you two afterward. But that will take time and Yuan Zhinü’s cooperation.”

Sakurai Kogure fell silent, walked to the cherry blossom tree, and reached out to catch a falling petal.

The petal lingered in her palm for a moment before being blown away by the wind.

Sakurai Kogure bowed deeply to Frilian. "Miss Frilian, thank you. Thank you for being willing to help someone like me."

Frillie helped her up. "No need to thank me. This is something I promised Genji."

“But you didn’t have to do it,” Kogure Sakurai said. “You could have ignored that message, or told Lu Mingfei to handle it. But you chose to take responsibility yourself, you chose the most dangerous path.”

She looked at Frillie with a complicated expression: "Did you only do this because of Lu Mingfei?"

Frillie didn't answer immediately. She looked at the ornamental pool, where the body had sunk to the bottom and the surface of the water had returned to calm.

"I've lived a long time. Long enough to have seen too much of the dark side of humanity: greed, cruelty, selfishness, betrayal. Sometimes I wonder if the human species is destined for destruction."

"But even in the darkness, you can occasionally see a glimmer of light. For example, a mother sacrificing herself to protect her child, friends sticking together through thick and thin, and lovers remaining faithful to each other until death. These lights are faint, but it is these lights that make me feel that there are still things in this world worth protecting."

Kogure Sakurai was stunned. "You're such a romantic person, Ms. Frillie. Even though you seem so cold on the outside."

“Perhaps,” Frillie admitted. “So, what’s the decision?”

Sakurai Kogure pondered for a moment.

“I need time to prepare,” she said. “There are still many girls in the Pleasure House, and I can’t just leave. Some stayed voluntarily, but many more were forced. Before I leave, I want to give them a way out.”

"This is dangerous."

“I know,” Kogure Sakurai nodded, “but this is what I owe them. Over the years, I watched them fall, I watched them die, and I did nothing. At least in the end, I want to do something to make amends.”

"Furthermore, I need to take some things from the Paradise Mansion: ledgers, evidence, and leverage over those politicians. These can serve as amulets for me and Lady Chizuru, and can also be used to exchange for some freedom."

Frillie understood what she meant.

"Do you need my help?"

“Not for now,” Kogure Sakurai said. “But I will give you a signal in three days. At that time, please help me arrange my departure route.”

"it is good."

The two reached an agreement.

Sakurai Kogure took one last look at the ornamental pond.

“I will handle Tanaka’s body,” she said. “As for the girl, would you like to take her with you?”

“She has been given the antidote and will wake up before dawn,” Frillie said. “I will take her away from Elysium and arrange for her to be taken to a safe place before she wakes up.”

"Then I'll leave it to you." Sakurai Kogure turned around and prepared to leave.

But after taking a few steps, she stopped and turned back.

"Miss Frillian."

"Ok?"

“If, if one day you see Lady Nagisa, please tell him,” Sakurai Kogure’s voice choked with emotion, “tell him that Kogure has always been waiting for him. No matter what he becomes, she will wait.”

Frillie nodded: "I will."

"Thank you."

Sakurai Kogure's figure disappeared into the shadows of the courtyard.

Frillie stood alone under the cherry blossom tree.

The moonlight was like water, and the falling cherry blossoms were like snow. She remembered many years ago, in another country, in another era, there was also a woman standing under a cherry blossom tree, waiting for her lover who would never return.

Humans are truly strange creatures. They can fall to the depths of hell, yet for love they can also possess courage that would astound even the gods.

Frillie looked down at her palm, where a cherry blossom petal lay, pink, its edges already beginning to wither.

Just like this night that is about to end, just like this hell called Elysium.

Chapter 521 Red Guard

Tokyo's expressway network, night. A crimson Ferrari 599 GTO, like a scorching bullet, tears through the heavy night sky.

Sakura's slender yet remarkably steady right foot pressed the accelerator pedal all the way down. Inside the engine bay, the V12 naturally aspirated engine roared deafeningly yet rhythmically, transmitting over 670 horsepower to the rear wheels without reservation.

The car transformed into a nimble yet deadly red lightning bolt, precisely weaving and dodging through the gaps in the congested traffic. The speed limit signs on the road had long since been reduced to blurry patches of color in the background.

For law-abiding drivers who drive at the 100 km/h speed limit, they don't even have time to see what kind of car it is. They only feel a violent gust of air mixed with a beast-like roar sweeping past their car body. The shock is more like a low-flying jet fighter whizzing overhead.

In the passenger seat, Genji glanced at his Patek Philippe chronograph watch, his brow furrowing slightly. The rapidly rising speedometer and the rushing scenery outside the window told him that Sakura was pushing the supercar to its physical limits. Even so, based on their current location and traffic conditions, they would need at least another ten minutes to reach Chizuru Town.

Ten minutes on a rapidly changing battlefield can mean the difference between heaven and hell.

Just then, a frantic voice, laced with static, came through the car radio: "Boss! Boss! Can you still hear me? You haven't gone out of range yet, have you?"

Since the Ferrari 599 GTO is a classic two-seater GT sports car, Genjiro's two capable subordinates, Yaksha and Raven, could only be left in the heavy military Hummer in the back.

Normally, that modified Hummer can also reach impressive speeds on the road, but when Sakura sits in the driver's seat of the Ferrari and displays her almost professional racing driver-like handling skills, there are probably only a handful of cars in the world that can barely keep up with her taillights.

Perhaps only Cesare Gattuso's Bugatti Veyron, or Principal Angers's mysteriously modified Maserati. Less than half a minute after entering the highway, the Hummer's massive size had already been left more than a kilometer behind, almost exceeding the effective communication range of a civilian walkie-talkie.

"I can still hear you, but the signal is weak. Get to the point, Crow," Genjiro said, pressing the call button. His voice was calm, but his speech was rapid.

"Something's wrong! There's been a massive power outage in Chizuru Town! The whole area is dark, even the mobile communication company's signal base stations have lost power!" Crow's voice came through the walkie-talkie as he jerked the steering wheel and yelled at the top of his lungs, with the roar of the Hummer engine and the screeching of tires on the ground in the background.

"Tsk!" Genji's long eyebrows furrowed instantly, and his face darkened. "This is terrible!"

“There’s something even worse!” Raven’s voice was filled with obvious anxiety and helplessness. “Those Red Guard biker gang bastards have already set out! We can’t get through to them on the phone, the signal is down, there’s no way to stop them!”

"Who gave them the order?! I clearly said not to involve these lawless biker gangs! What use are they besides making things even more muddy and a complete mess?!" Genji's voice was filled with suppressed rage, and his knuckles were slightly white as he gripped the sheath of the Spider Cutter.

“I don’t know! Yaksha and I definitely didn’t give the order! But they’re like sharks that have smelled blood, they suddenly all moved out! Someone must have tipped them off or given them direct orders! But with all the power and communications cut off, we can’t find out who’s behind this in a short time!”

The crow paused, its voice becoming even more strained, "Boss, actually, the situation could be even worse. Do you want to hear more?"

“Listen!” Yuan Zhisheng squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth.

“I urgently reviewed the information on the Red Guard biker gang,” Crow said quickly. “The members are mainly between 16 and 20 years old, and most of them are unemployed teenagers who have dropped out of school. The key point is that there are a small number of low-level mixed-race individuals mixed in, whose bloodlines are unstable, but whose physical strength and fighting spirit far exceed those of ordinary people.”