Hero? I'm just here to borrow power!

Therefore, he could only channel his grief and anger into his appetite, and perish here with the German pork knuckle.

Although Bai Ye successfully got Lu Mingfei talking by using the common topic of Lao Tang, the kid still knew nothing about his own background.

Bai Ye couldn't get any more useful information from him, especially about him and the mysterious "Lu Mingze".

After all the useful information was extracted, what followed was Lu Mingfei's flood of rubbish. It seemed that he had sensed that Bai Ye, the "school board representative," was not as unapproachable as he had imagined, and Lu Mingfei's courage gradually grew.

The conversation veered off-topic from the micro-management of Protoss units in StarCraft to suggesting that Bai Ye, as a representative of the school board, propose to Principal Angers that the restaurant's damn menu be changed.

Only a dozen minutes had passed, yet Lu Mingfei was acting as if he wanted to be sworn brothers with Bai Ye. If it weren't for the fact that the oak table was so long, Bai Ye had no doubt that this guy would have come over and put his arm around his shoulder.

In the previous world, the cursed spirit named Zhenren said that Bai Ye and it had a very poor compatibility. Bai Ye took it as a joke at the time, but now, facing Lu Mingfei's endless barrage of nonsense, Bai Ye began to think that the concept of "compatibility" did have some truth to it.

He felt it was time to end this long, pointless chatter.

So he quickly and elegantly finished off the German dinner in front of him, and prepared to get up and say goodbye amidst Lu Mingfei's reluctant gaze, as if saying, "Brother, please sit a little longer."

However, at that moment, Bai Ye caught a glimpse of a somewhat familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.

He was just about to stand up when he immediately sat back down in his chair in the restaurant.

Lu Mingfei was quite perceptive enough to notice the change in Bai Ye's gaze and followed his line of sight.

"Hey, do you know her too?" Lu Mingfei mumbled indistinctly while showing off his braised pork knuckle with even more enthusiasm. "She's also a freshman this year, her name is... Xia Mi, I think? She came from the preparatory class in Beijing, so she registered a few days later than me."

"She must be the prettiest girl in our year. I wonder which blind senior will be so lucky to win her favor." Lu Mingfei burped, swallowed the last spoonful of mashed potatoes, and his tone carried a hint of envy that he himself did not realize.

Jormungandr... how did she get here?

Bai Ye frowned slightly without making a sound. According to the information he had, she should not graduate from the preparatory class in Beijing until next year and should enroll as a first-year student.

However, seemingly noticing Bai Ye's overly focused gaze, the girl named Xia Mi strolled over and sat directly opposite Bai Ye—next to Lu Mingfei.

"Hi, I didn't expect to see you here," she said, her bright eyes curving into crescents as she flashed a familiar, radiant smile. "Are you actually a senior from Kassel College?"

"Eh? Um... Mr. Siegfried isn't a senior, he's a representative of the school board..." This plot development was clearly beyond Lu Mingfei's expectations. In order to prevent the pretty girl in front of him, who was in the same grade as him, from doing anything impolite to Siegfried, Lu Mingfei quickly explained.

"Siegfried?" Xia Mi was slightly taken aback when she heard Lu Mingfei's introduction, then burst out laughing. "That name suits you quite well."

What's going on... Is this female dragon schizophrenic? She looks like a completely different person from when she was in Beijing.

Bai Ye felt like she was getting forehead wrinkles from all the frowning, but since the other person had taken the initiative to talk to her, Bai Ye saw no need to pretend she didn't know her.

"Likewise, Xia Mi is a nice name too, but I didn't expect you to be a freshman at this academy as well."

Lu Mingfei then realized that Xia Mi and Mr. Siegfried in front of him already knew each other. No wonder she sounded so familiar when she came over.

"You...you two knew each other before?" Lu Mingfei put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and looked like a curious child.

"Yes, we knew each other when we were in Beijing, we were neighbors."

Bai Ye spoke first, using the simplest and least error-prone identity to prevent Xia Mi from saying anything that might be detrimental to maintaining her identity as "Siegfried".

"Just a neighbor? What a heartless man." Xia Mi stuck out her tongue playfully at Bai Ye after hearing his words.

Lu Mingfei didn't speak again, but as he looked at Bai Ye and Xia Mi, at their gazes that seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words, he keenly sensed the secret between them.

Of course, his brain, brimming with adolescent hormones, preferred to call this atmosphere "adultery."

In his mind, a forbidden love story had already begun to unfold between a wealthy young man who had run away from home and a cheerful girl from next door who followed him to a foreign land.

However, just as he quietly lowered his head, preparing to hide his presence and listen to the male and female leads' scenes together for a while longer, his phone suddenly rang, sounding particularly jarring in the quiet restaurant.

The voice coming through the phone was that of his roommate, Finger, filled with resentment: "Your roommate is about to starve to death in the dorm!"

Hearing Fingel's mournful roar, Lu Mingfei remembered that he still had the important task of packing him a dinner to take back.

Although his gossip radar was already on high alert and he really wanted to stay and watch the drama unfold, he reluctantly got up to pack dinner for Fingel and then left the restaurant.

It was late at night, and only a few people remained in the restaurant. Bai Ye looked at Xia Mi, who was staring at him intently, seemingly competing with him and waiting for him to speak first. He took off his napkin and broke the silence.

"So, how did you end up studying here?"

“Huh? I’ve been attending preparatory classes in Beijing all along, with the goal of coming to Kassel to study at university,” Xia Mi said confidently, as if to say, “You didn’t even know that?”

“I know, but you shouldn’t graduate from the preparatory class until next year.” Bai Ye certainly knew that Xia Mi was attending a preparatory class in Beijing. Whether it was Ronald Tang or Xia Mi, these humanoid dragon kings he had painstakingly found, their movements had always been under Bai Ye’s control.

These guys are not just points for side quests, but also important clues on the path to "godhood".

"Ugh... We're just neighbors, yet you know when I graduated. Are you a peeping tom?" Xia Mi said sarcastically, with a look of disgust on her face.

She leaned forward slightly, her bright eyes gleaming in the light.

"Speaking of which, your lovely girl next door is sitting here starving. As the high and mighty 'school board member,' aren't you going to do something about it?"

Xia Mi slowly lifted her chin, and a faint golden glint flashed in her beautiful pupils.

The Tide of the Black Moon: Chapter 8.9 Xia Mi and Jormungandr (Second Update)

A roasted pork knuckle set meal, the same one that Bai Ye and Lu Mingfei ordered, was quietly served by the waiter.

Xia Mi stared at the enormous, glistening roasted pork knuckle in front of her, a fleeting look of disgust flashing across her bright eyes. But then, she transformed back into the sweet and charming girl, placing her hands on her chin and speaking sweetly to Bai Ye: "Thank you for the treat, Chairman of the Board."

"May I ask what brings you, Mr. School Board Chairman, to my school, from all this distance?" Xia Mi asked casually as she picked up her knife and fork and cut the pork knuckle in front of her.

She instantly seized control of the conversation, taking the initiative and firmly grasping it in her hands.

"I do have my own purpose."

Bai Ye ignored her question, his voice as flat as lukewarm water, "But you still haven't answered my question."

"Tch..." Xia Mi snorted softly, picked up a piece of lean pork knuckle with distinct marbling, and slowly put it into her mouth to chew, her movements as elegant as if she were savoring some top-notch cuisine.

"The original plan was indeed to come back to Kassel to study next year..."

She picked up some sauerkraut with her fork, and the strong sour smell made her squeeze out a cute face. "But there's nothing I can do. I've been targeted by a pervert. He comes to my house to harass me and my stupid brother every day. I had no choice but to run away to school early."

It was because of me?

Bai Ye was somewhat surprised to hear Xia Mi's answer.

But he thought that he had indeed frequently entered Nibelungen in Jormungandr in order to confirm the mental state of Fenrir, the dragon king whose mind was like that of a child. If this was the reason why she changed her original plan, it would make sense.

"What is your purpose in coming here ahead of time?" Bai Ye asked again, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"That's not fair," Xia Mi pouted immediately upon hearing Bai Ye's words, putting on a wronged expression. "I only answered your question because you treated me to dinner. Now it's your turn to answer mine."

"Are you trying to bargain with me?" Bai Ye raised his head and stared into Xia Mi's eyes.

There was not a trace of gold in those black pupils, but Xia Mi felt as if she was being firmly locked onto by something deep within those pupils. It was an indescribable pressure, as if she were seeing a ferocious king sitting on a skeletal throne, looking down on all living beings.

However, upon discovering this, Xia Mi was not frightened; instead, her eyes shone even brighter.

"Heh heh, she's still the same monster. Even with this disguise, she's still a monster at heart." She muttered to herself in a voice only she could hear, then looked up again.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you."

A golden light flashed in Xia Mi's eyes, and her lips moved slightly. In an instant, an invisible membrane quietly unfolded around the two of them, isolating them from all surrounding sounds. This membrane was made of pure vacuum, invisible and intangible, yet it made their conversation the deepest secret in the academy.

The dragon race's incantations are essentially the manipulation of earth, water, wind, fire, and the spiritual elements that transcend them.

At this moment, Xia Mi seemed to have used her authority as the king of the earth and mountains to exempt herself from the vice principal's "Word of Power - Discipline" suppression, and achieved an invisible soundproofing effect with her exquisite wind-controlling Word of Power.

“I’m here because someone has entered ‘White Emperor City’,” Xia Mi’s voice became crystal clear within the soundproof barrier. “Moreover, he’s planning to let these half-bloods in as well.”

Bai Ye knew who the "guy" she was talking about was.

Xia Mi, or rather Jormungandr, is one of the few who knows that he is the green Kamen Rider. Although we don’t know how she obtained the information, it seems that she already knows that he entered Baidi City and brought out the “Seven Deadly Sins” alchemical weapon for slaying dragons.

"You want to join the 'Bronze Project'?" Bai Ye wasn't stupid; upon hearing this, he understood Xia Mi's purpose almost instantly.

"Hmm~"

Xia Mi looked quite happy as she cut the pork knuckle with her knife, which could be considered an admission of consent.

"Now, isn't it my turn to ask you?" She seemed to have completely lost interest in the pork knuckle, put down her knife and fork, and asked.

This time, Bai Ye did not refuse her request, because he had almost figured out Xia Mi's true purpose in coming to Kassel.

"Are you really a member of the school's board of directors?"

Xia Mi pushed the pork knuckle and sauerkraut in front of her aside and casually stirred the mashed potatoes with a spoon.

"No," Bai Ye replied instantly, her speed surprising even herself.

"You entered 'White Emperor City,' but you didn't kill Constantine. Why?" Xia Mi held a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes, and gently put it in her mouth, her movements like a lazy cat.

"How did you know?" Bai Ye didn't answer her question, but asked her in return.

“The hybrids can’t tell, because they’re just lowly dwarfs…”

Xia Mi's lips curled into a mocking smile. "But you can't hide it from the true king. The power of the King of the Sky and the King of the Wind resides in you, no, it's more like it's... trapped in you. Although I don't know how you did it, your uniqueness is as obvious to me as a lighthouse in the dark. And now, your body tells me that Constantine's power has not been taken away by you."

As Xia Mi spoke, her tone gradually changed without her realizing it.

The once playful and sunny girl's voice was replaced by a heavy and dignified one, and her originally brown pupils had now turned into a pure, burning gold.

Bai Ye felt a sense of familiarity. It seemed that the girl sitting in front of him was no longer Xia Mi, but Jormungandr, the king of the earth and mountains.

"I thought you would indiscriminately prey on all monarchs until you yourself become that monster..."

Jormungandr's voice echoed in the empty dining room, "But you didn't do that. You spared Fenrir, and you spared Constantine. Why?"

"Become a monster?" Bai Ye was somewhat surprised after hearing Jormungandr's words.

"Destroying the Dragon King was never my goal."

He thought for a moment and said calmly, "That was just a means to achieve my goal."

"When I feel that the result of eliminating the Dragon King is contrary to my purpose, I will naturally stop doing it."

"Using killing as a means, what an arrogant human being."

Jormungandr smiled, a smile that carried an ancient, world-weary air.

"But sometimes, even if the killing stops, there's no going back on what's already been done."

After saying this, the golden eyes in Jormungandr's eyes slowly went out.

She became interested in the mashed potatoes in front of her again and quietly started scooping them out with a spoon. At this moment, she seemed to have turned back into the harmless girl Xia Mi.

"Okay, I have nothing more to ask." She pushed the plate in front of her away, clearly the German pork knuckle set meal wasn't to her liking. "If there's nothing else, I'll head back now, otherwise if someone sees me, rumors will spread that I'm a freshman with questionable conduct, seducing a school board representative late at night in a restaurant."

She stuck out her tongue at Bai Ye and made a move to get up and leave.

"I have one last question." After hearing Jormungandr's words, Bai Ye thought for a moment and finally asked.

Xia Mi stopped what she was doing and looked at him curiously.

Bai Ye's gaze passed through her, as if looking towards some more distant and profound place.

Do you know about... the 'Path to Godhood'?

#Two more updates later#

The Tide of the Black Moon: Chapter 90 The Half-Blood Monarch (Third Update)

Using the identity of "Siegfried," Bai Ye perfectly completed his mission in the United States.

Although the dramatic incident of Deadpool's surprise attack on the Kassel Board of Governors meeting occurred midway through, and behind this event was undoubtedly just the tip of the iceberg of a huge conspiracy lurking deep in the sea.

The best proof is the mask that the attacker wore, which was remarkably similar to Odin's.

However, in the end, no members of the school board were injured or killed.

This egregious incident itself did not hinder Angers' progress in implementing the "Bronze Project".

Angers, that old fox, wields ridiculously much power at the Kassel College. Unless it's an extreme case where all the board members collectively oppose him, virtually any plan he devises will eventually be successfully implemented.

Moreover, during the attack at the school board meeting, Byakuya had already demonstrated his formidable strength as the seventh school board representative. He clearly expressed his support for Angers' execution of the "Bronze Project" and provided the crucial information that "Kamen Rider is not an enemy of Kassel."

Therefore, the execution of "Project Bronze" is a foregone conclusion.

At this moment, Bai Ye is sitting on the special plane of Kassel College returning to China.

The plane flew smoothly above the sea of ​​clouds at an altitude of 10,000 meters. Outside the window was an endless expanse of blue and pure white, but the conversation he had with Xia Mi in the restaurant earlier was still swirling in his mind.

In the long and epic struggle between the Secret Society and the Dragon Clan, the Secret Society mastered a revolutionary technology—they could force hybrids to break through the "critical blood limit," making the concentration of dragon blood in their bodies far exceed that of human blood, without causing them to degenerate into mindless dead servants.

By implanting a complex alchemical matrix into the bodies of hybrids, they can disregard the cost of becoming Dead Servants and maximize their access to the primal power of the dragon bloodline. The super hybrids created by this forbidden technology are called "Hybrid Monarchs".

When Xia Mi said these words, she glanced at Bai Ye almost imperceptibly, the deeper meaning in her words was self-evident.

Bai Ye thought that it was probably his transformation system, which could accommodate various powers, that made the little female dragon misunderstand something, mistaking him for an ultimate dragon-slaying weapon secretly created by a mysterious force outside the Secret Party, namely the so-called "Hybrid Monarch".

But he did not correct her reasoning.

"Even so..."