Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

He couldn't even understand his own pitiful, vague thoughts.

The cigarette butt burned his finger, and he hissed as he released it, watching the faint red light trace a brief arc before plunging into the bottomless darkness below and disappearing from sight.

Just like their current situation and their uncertain future.

A night breeze swept in, carrying the dust of the city and the damp scent of a distant river. Lu Mingfei hunched his shoulders; his thin bathrobe offered little protection against the chill of the night. But even colder than his body was the chill in the corners of his heart.

A figure appeared clearly in his mind without warning.

It's not Chen Wenwen, not Nuonuo, not Zero.

It's Frillie.

She was always quiet, not talkative, and her eyes were as clear and calm as an autumn lake, as if no storm could stir up any ripples in her heart. She didn't have the scorching light and heat of Nono, nor was she as cold as ice as Zero.

She was simply there. Like a plant growing in a secluded valley, breathing on her own, radiating a tranquility that was both reassuring and subtly distant.

What was their relationship? Lu Mingfei himself couldn't say for sure. They were closer than ordinary classmates or teammates, having shared some trivial and real moments that no one else knew about.

It might be the silence of collapsing on a bench after training, the brief walk side-by-side in a weary corridor on a night of exhaustion, or the fleeting glances exchanged when looking up from a corner of the library. There are no excessive words, no passionate declarations, no clear boundaries. But there exists a peculiar understanding, a knowing that needs no explanation, like roots quietly intertwined beneath the surface of water.

He remembered the previous underwater training, or rather, that life-or-death real combat exercise. He, Chu Zihang, and Caesar, the three unlucky guys, had to dive deep into the complex, labyrinthine, and dangerous water circulation system beneath the academy to solve a tricky problem.

The equipment was heavy, and the water pressure through the diving suit created a real sense of oppression. The only sounds coming from the communicator were monotonous electrical static and suppressed breathing.

Frilian remained on the shore.

Not as a logistics or command role, her duty is more unique and more solitary. She is the anchor point, their last and most vulnerable link between the unknown and dangerous underwater world and normalcy and safety.

Before entering the water, he glanced back. She stood at the edge of the shadow at the inlet, her figure somewhat slender. She didn't say "be careful" or "good luck," but simply nodded slightly to him, her eyes as calm as ever, yet holding something more than usual. It was as if she were giving him a word of advice, or perhaps waiting for him.

In the cold, dark water, the sense of time and direction becomes blurred. Only the mission objective and communication between teammates are maintained through hand gestures and the faint light.

Occasionally, in moments of extreme quiet, when only his own heartbeat and the sound of flowing water remained, Lu Mingfei would vaguely sense an extremely subtle, spiderweb-like spiritual connection, almost imperceptible, as if it came from the distant surface of the water. This feeling didn't offer any real help, but it did calm his wildly beating heart a little.

He knew it was Frilian.

She was like a candle in the wind, preserving a faint but persistent light on the dark water for those of them who were sinking into the abyss.

And now?

Lu Mingfei's heart clenched suddenly.

Their three key targets were relentlessly pursued by the Snake-Headed Eight Families, and after a long escape, they inadvertently found refuge in Takamagahara. Frilian, however, remained on the shore, having not joined their efforts.

She must have been captured by the Snake-Headed Eight Family, right?

What would happen if they fell into the hands of the Snake-Headed Eight Families? Torture? Interrogation for information? Or worse… Lu Mingfei dared not think about it. The Snake-Headed Eight Families' attitude towards their enemies, especially these Kassel comrades, was evident from the incident of being abandoned in the trench.

but.

Lu Mingfei took a deep breath of the cold air, trying to suppress the turmoil of unease and guilt.

But that was Frilian.

She appeared quiet, even somewhat fragile, but Lu Mingfei knew she was far more complex than she seemed. Beneath her calm lay a resilient spirit. She always seemed to appear in unexpected situations, possessing information that appeared insignificant but later proved crucial. Her abilities also always carried a quality that defied easy categorization.

With her abilities, she should have already managed to escape successfully by now, right?

This thought was filled with intense hope, almost like a self-comforting prayer. Lu Mingfei preferred to believe that Frillian, just like the feeling she gave off, was like a gust of wind, like a leaf quietly gliding across the water, and that those gangsters and ninjas couldn't catch her at all.

She might be hiding in some inconspicuous corner of Tokyo, waiting safely, or she might be trying to find them.

Thinking of this, Lu Mingfei felt a strong, almost overwhelming desire welling up inside him.

He wanted to see her immediately.

He wanted to leave this hellish place right now, cross two blocks, and even if the Genji Heavy Industries were a den of dragons and tigers ahead, he wanted to rush in or do whatever it took to find her and make sure she was safe and sound.

He wanted to see those calm, lake-blue eyes, and to hear her say simply in her usual, flat tone, "I'm fine."

Then, perhaps they can find a quiet place, like before, and stay there peacefully for a while. No need for grand pronouncements, no need for strategic analysis, not even for sharing their fears and experiences. Just stay there.

Let the familiar, comforting tranquility envelop us, dispelling some of the chill of Tokyo and the deep-seated weariness and bewilderment in our hearts towards the complex world and the unpredictable human heart.

The thought was so strong that Lu Mingfei gripped the railing with a slight tightening of his fingers.

However, he can't.

They are now wanted criminals, and Lu Mingfei himself is like Sakura trapped in a host club. Forget about going to Genji Heavy Industries; even swaggering onto the streets of Shinjuku could immediately attract the attention of the police or the underworld.

Caesar and Chu Zihang were still downstairs. One was probably practicing his wicked and arrogant smile in front of the mirror, while the other was probably silently polishing his long sword, planning a counterattack that might not be able to begin for who knows when. They were a trapped unit, and neither of them could make a move.

Lu Mingfei let go of his hand dejectedly, his shoulders slumping.

Reunion.

This simple word seems so distant and luxurious at this moment.

He could only stand here, on the rooftop of this host club filled with fake laughter and frivolous desires, like a true coward and loser, gazing at the lights of the enemy's lair from afar, silently yearning and praying in his heart.

I pray that she is safe.

I pray that we will meet again someday.

At that time, he will definitely, absolutely must...

The night wind grew colder, swirling up a few withered leaves that had drifted down from who-knows-where on the terrace, sending them twirling before disappearing into the darkness. The lights of Genji Heavy Industries remained stubbornly lit, like the unclosed eyes of a giant beast, coldly overlooking the city's night, and also overlooking the lonely and insignificant figure on the terrace.

Lu Mingfei took one last look at the brightly lit building, as if trying to etch its location and outline into his mind. Then, he tightened his thin coat, turned around, and pushed open the glass door leading to the warm interior.

The door closed gently behind him, shutting out the silent night and his distant longing.

Chapter 630 Frilian: Searching for Lu Mingfei

The rain in Tokyo was thick and cold, unlike a torrential downpour, more like a soaked gray net, silently enveloping the entire city, blurring the neon lights into hazy, sickly patches of color. Raindrops pattered against the eaves, drainpipes, and garbage bags piled up at the alley entrances, making monotonous, oppressive sounds.

Frillie pressed herself against the damp wall of a narrow alley, her breathing so shallow it was almost inaudible. Her once plain light gray hoodie was now covered in mud and dark water stains, the hood pulled low, obscuring most of her face, revealing only her tightly pursed, pale lips and a few strands of rain-soaked hair clinging to her cheeks.

She had been there for more than five minutes, motionless, like a patch of moss growing in the shadows.

Across the street, two men in black suits, each carrying an umbrella, strolled casually, their eyes scanning every passerby and potential hiding spots on either side of the street like searchlights. On their collars were inconspicuous badges: sentries of the Snake Clan.

Since becoming separated from Lu Mingfei and the others, Frillie has encountered pursuers and sentries like this no less than ten times.

The Hebi-Hachi family remained vigilant, intensifying their checks throughout Tokyo, especially in key areas like Shinjuku and Chiyoda. Although the photos on the arrest warrants were blurry surveillance screenshots, they were enough for these well-trained yakuza members to identify suspicious foreign faces.

Frillie tilted her head slightly and closed her eyes, not to rest, but to concentrate.

Deep within her perception, there was an extremely faint yet remarkably stable "point," like a distant, solitary star in the dark universe. It was not a sound, nor an image, but a hidden link originating from an ancient magical contract—a magical mark on Lu Mingfei's body—that only she could perceive.

The perception was very vague and unable to convey specific information, but it at least told Frillie two things: first, Lu Mingfei was still alive and conscious; second, his location did not appear to be a prison or an interrogation room.

that's enough.

Frillie reopened her eyes and gently moved her ankles, which were stiff from holding the position for so long. She couldn't stay here any longer. The Snake Clan's search network was tightening; she needed to get close to the marker as soon as possible to confirm Lu Mingfei's situation, and the whereabouts of Caesar and Chu Zihang.

But going directly through this street with its hidden sentries was too risky. She needed to take a detour.

Like a nimble cat, Frillie retreated silently, her figure disappearing into the deeper darkness of the alley.

Tokyo's vast underground drainage system and its labyrinthine backstreets and narrow alleys provided her with the best cover. With her exceptional memory and spatial intuition, she navigated the maze of lanes swiftly, avoiding main roads and surveillance cameras, meandering in the general direction indicated by the markers.

The rain continued to fall, the ground was slippery, and puddles reflected fragments of sunlight. Frillie moved nimbly and swiftly, her soaked shoes barely making a sound on the concrete. She avoided several old apartment entrances that might have been compromised by security cameras, climbed over a low, rusty wire fence, and landed in a small yard piled with discarded building materials and plastic sheeting.

Just as she was about to cross the yard and leave through a gap in the broken fence on the other side, suppressed coughs came from a makeshift shack made of plastic sheeting and cardboard in the corner of the yard.

Frillie stopped abruptly, pressing her body against a brick wall, holding her breath.

It wasn't a pursuer; the cough sounded old and weak, belonging to an elderly woman.

Frillie hesitated. Going around was the safest option. But just as she was about to move, a low, painful groan came from the shack, along with the rustling sound of plastic sheeting being touched.

Frillie's calm eyes flickered slightly in the shadow of her hood. She quickly weighed the risks: the shack was well-hidden and out of sight from the street, so it was safe for the time being; the old man seemed to be in poor condition; and she herself might be able to get some information, or perhaps just a cup of hot water.

She approached the shack silently, stopped at the entrance, and instead of rushing in, asked in a very soft voice, almost drowned out by the rain, "Excuse me. Are you alright?"

The commotion inside the shack ceased. A few seconds later, an aged, wary voice rang out: "Who?"

"通りすがりの者です. おばあさん, 合合が悪そうですが..." (Just a passerby. Grandma, you don't look well...)

A thin, age-spotted hand lifted a crack in the plastic sheet. A pair of cloudy eyes peered at Frillie in the darkness. The old woman looked to be over seventy, with sparse, gray hair and deep wrinkles on her face. She was wrapped in several tattered blankets, and the shack reeked of mildew and the distinctive scent of old age.

"Foreigner?", the old man narrowed his eyes, "こんな雨の夜に、こんなところで何してるんだい?" (Foreigner? What are you doing in a place like this on such a rainy night?)

“I’m lost.” Frillie replied briefly, without further explanation.

She saw that the old man was still shivering slightly, wrapped in a blanket, and although he was suppressing his cough, his breathing was somewhat rapid.

The old man sized her up for a few more seconds. He saw no threat in her soaked clothes or her calm yet weary face. She sighed and pulled back more plastic sheeting: "Rurinasai. Wai wa lyoutai daro. semite ame o shino geru." (Come in. It's cold outside. At least you can get out of the rain.)

The shack was cramped, barely big enough for two people to sit in. Cardboard and old newspapers covered the floor, and some salvaged bottles, cans, and old clothes were piled up in the corner.

The old man fumbled around and poured a small half-cup of lukewarm water from a worn-out thermos, handing it to Frilian: "It's not hot anymore, drink it."

Frillie didn't refuse, took the plastic cup, and sipped it. The warm water flowed down her throat, dispelling some of the chill. She noticed that the old man didn't have a cup in front of him.

"Nana?" (What about you?), Frillian asked.

“I’ve been here for a long time. I’m used to it.” The old man waved his hand, then couldn’t help coughing a few more times, this time even more violently, his face turning somewhat bluish.

Frillie put down her cup, asked no further questions, and instead reached out and gently placed her hand on the old man's back, which was heaving from coughing.

The old woman's violent cough gradually subsided, her breathing became much smoother, and the abnormal bluish tinge on her face faded somewhat. She looked at Frilian in surprise: "Anata... what's so special about that..."

(You... are a little special...)

"Shao しだけ, 手道ての法を知っています." (I just know a little bit about the conditioning method.), Fulian retracted her hand, her tone still calm.

The old man was silent. She no longer asked about Fulilian's origins, but slowly said: "Recently, この辺りはちょっとおかしいよ.见知らぬ面の男たちがうろしている. "のような如い外子には気をつけたほうがいい" (This area has been a bit uneasy recently. Some men with strange faces are wandering around. They don't look like police. They seem to be looking for something... Young, foreign-looking girls like you, be careful.)

Frillie understood immediately; it was indeed the Snake Clan's search.

"ありがとうございます.気をつけます." (Thank you for reminding me. I will be careful.)

The old woman then pulled a small rice ball wrapped in oiled paper from under the blanket. The edges were already a bit dry and hard. She broke it open and handed the slightly softer half to Frilian: "Eat. You look tired too."

Frillie looked at the half-eaten, simple rice ball, then at the old man's thin hands and cloudy yet kind eyes. She took it and whispered, "Arigato." (Thank you.)

In the cramped shack, the two quietly shared the half-eaten, cold, hard rice ball, listening to the patter of rain outside. There was no further conversation, yet a strange, fleeting tranquility permeated the air.

"What's going on?" (Where are you going?), the old man asked suddenly after finishing his small bite.

Frilian hesitated for a moment, then instead of giving a specific location, pointed in the vague direction indicated by the marker: "That's roughly the direction."

The old man squinted at the direction she was pointing and thought for a moment: "あそこは...楓楽街の外れだ. 特に夜は...いろんな人がいる. I'm a real man?" (That's... the edge of Happy Street. Especially at night... there are all kinds of people there. Is it really no problem?)