Chapter 118

The earth-shattering battle outside failed to attract the attention of the diners inside the restaurant; soft classical music still played indoors, kitchen staff methodically prepared delicious dishes for customers, and even through the glass window, pedestrians continued to walk along the street.

Lu Mingfei sat on the chair, his expression showing he was not happy.

"I've already explained the stakes to you, Mingfei," Lu Lincheng cut off a piece of salmon and put it in his mouth; his voice was warm and magnetic—unlike the overweight uncle outside, this man had streaks of gray hair, wore thick-rimmed glasses, and had many wrinkles around his eyes, yet still retained a refined and elegant bearing.

Lu Mingfei followed Angre behind the screen and found two people who were both familiar and strange; sometimes, when flipping through photos, he told himself these two were his parents.

Even now, Lu Mingfei did not know whether these two were truly his biological parents—how could two humans give birth to a "monster," especially with a brother like Lu Mingze—but this did not stop him from always holding onto hope, because Qiao Weini undoubtedly loved him, while Lu Lincheng had feelings, yet they were so rational they felt terrifying.

There was also a girl named Wu Yuxiang whom Lu Mingfei did not know; according to Angre, she was his blind date tonight, but the girl's face was nearly crimson, and for some reason, she dared not even meet his gaze.

"I thought you two had come today to have dinner with me and give me a surprise," Lu Mingfei said, his tone tinged with disappointment.

"I too wish we could have a proper family gathering, but the whole world has become a mess," Lu Lincheng looked earnestly at Lu Mingfei, his tone persuasive. "The war is still confined among half-breeds, but soon it will engulf the entire world."

"Because of me?" Lu Mingfei picked up the glass wine goblet; the red wine reflected the chandelier hanging from the ceiling and his own face, eyelids drooping, gazing back at his reflection in the glass.

"It is because of you—but it is your future self," Qiao Weini whispered softly.

"The future has already changed, Mingfei. It won't become that bad anymore."

Nono and Ling remained silent; besides Su Xiaoqiang and Hui Liyi, they had long known the origin of the memories suddenly appearing in their minds.

"Does everyone know that a future version of me has traveled back?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"No, the vast majority only know that the Supreme One coexists with you and believe you've been parasitized," Angre said.

"Actually, I support polygyny," Lu Lincheng adjusted his glasses. "When we established the Nibelungen refuge, I proposed a gender ratio favoring fewer men and more women."

"Son, if these girls are willing…" Lu Lincheng's words trailed off as he caught Qiao Weini's icy, knife-like gaze and fell silent. "I mean—for world peace."

"Another world, the future—it's truly chaotic," Su Xiaoqiang said. She suddenly found the lavish dinner unappetizing. "I thought I was the special one."

"We're all special," Nono studied Lu Mingfei. "To him, we're all special."

Through profiling ability, the memory-version of Lu Mingfei had truly loved him; strangely, his memory-self had done many things utterly inconsistent with his current mindset for Lu Mingfei's sake.

Only Hui Liyi, from the moment she sat down until now, had only half-understood what was happening.

"If it weren't for him, you wouldn't be here, would you?" Lu Mingfei swirled his cup. "Those words were meant for him, not for me."

"You know, I also know some things about the future—including what you did in that Nibelungen, and about that committee."

"I also know what the original future held, Father. Honestly, even if he hadn't appeared, I would've eventually stepped into your world and slaughtered those elders." Lu Mingfei spoke calmly, yet no one doubted his words.

"Mingfei," Angre spoke. "The future has changed."

"Headmaster," Lu Mingfei looked up, forcing a faint smile. "Are there snipers outside aiming at me with Philosopher's Stone bullets?"

"That won't happen. I guarantee it," Angre sliced into his steak. "They dare not. No faction now dares to harm you."

"What you need to do is simple: separate from these girls for a while, go to Nibelungen, and wait until we find a way to dismantle his alchemical matrix, because you are the pivot and they are the anchors."

"They can be with you now only because the interference matrix, centered on the Philosopher's Stone, is active—but the Philosopher's Stone will eventually run out."

Hui Liyi pulled out a notebook, on which she had written:

"Sakura must stay with Hui Liyi forever."

"Dear Miss, I of course support you two staying together. Hmm, I think I said something wrong." Angre glanced at the other women and smiled helplessly. "Actually, tonight is also your blind date, Mingfei—we should properly plan your future."

"Honestly, I don't want to rule the world or open a harem," Lu Mingfei deflated like a punctured balloon. "How long will this last?"

"We can't determine it," Angre admitted honestly. "We can't guarantee anything."

"It could be a year, or decades. Of course, I strongly advise you to have a proper talk with the one inside you—it could save you a lot of time."

Lu Mingfei had many questions: Angre and his parents claimed the future version of him had implanted not only memories but alchemical matrices into these girls—but why did Hui Liyi have no future memories?

Lu Mingfei glanced at Hui Liyi. Would he have to leave her? For the sake of so-called peace?

Hui Liyi's eyes flickered with unease; Lu Mingfei smiled at her, then turned to Angre and his parents and said:

"Until now, you've never told me everything—but I don't care much either."

"Are those bastards scared now? Du Deng and those elders, trembling with their penned-up chickens?"

"The Mori Sect and the Secret Society have united. I heard even a Dragon King is involved—let me think… Caesar's father? Headmaster, I heard you two are enemies."

Angre's grip tightened slightly on his knife and fork, then he released it with a resigned smile. "I'll cut his throat eventually—but not now."

"But without me as your weapon, what will you do?" Lu Mingfei laughed. "I'm tired of this life! Tired of those rats crawling in the shadows!"

"What will they do after the future version of me disappears?"

The future version of him had already exposed his fangs; even if this incident passes smoothly, these people will never sleep well. If Lu Mingfei sleeps peacefully, they cannot; if they sleep peacefully, Lu Mingfei certainly cannot.

Angre could not answer. Lu Lincheng could not either. They both knew that by then, Lu Mingfei would surely become a prime target for surveillance—even

Qiao Weini had also considered this issue. In her view, rather than accept that outcome, she'd rather let her son rule the world.

Lu Mingfei set down his cup, stood up, and said: "I'll do my best to stop him from ruling the world—but I won't follow your arrangements!"

He turned to the other girls with a slightly guilty, pleading smile: "Ladies, I'm sorry about the memories—they're things that never happened in this world."

"What do you think?" Nono tilted her head at Lu Mingfei. "Darling?"

Of course, she was joking.

"The boss would fight me to the death if he heard that."

"No problem—in that timeline, I was taken from you anyway," Nono ate calmly, unconcerned. She and Hui Liyi were the only two still calmly finishing their meals. "Do what you want. Good luck, Lu Mingfei."

"Do what you want," Su Xiaoqiang sighed. As long as they weren't married, no wall was too high to climb. A harem? Ha, dream on.

"Whether or not I have those memories, I'll stay with you," Ling said to Lu Mingfei.

Lu Mingfei looked at these "wise and magnanimous" female heroes, about to thank them, when a waiter suddenly approached with a silver-covered tray and whispered: "Mr., someone delivered a letter for you."

On the tray was indeed a plain white envelope, with no name on it.

Lu Mingfei pulled out the letter inside—also unsigned—only a few neat but hurried pen strokes: "Run! It's a trap! Ambush!"

"I'm leaving!" Lu Mingfei hastily took his leave, grabbing Hui Liyi's hand and walking down the corridor toward the exit. As he passed, a waiter carrying dessert brushed past him.

He did not know that the waiter had set down the tray behind the screen, revealing golden golden eyes—and alongside the previous messenger and Wu Yuxiang, they all watched Angre and Lu Lincheng with caution.

The long corridor led straight to the elevator; Lu Mingfei assumed, with no Herzog clone blocking his path, he would reach the kitchen unimpeded and pull open the iron door.

The iron door swung open.

"I only came after confirming those few had vanished—I thought I'd be too late, but it seems I arrived just in time."

The sky outside the door was already dark.

A man with disheveled hair wore a pallid mask depicting the face of an ancient Japanese court noble: vermilion lips, iron-black teeth, and a solemn smile at the corners.

He pulled a pair of black wooden clappers from his chest.

Hui Liyi's eyes glowed a blinding crimson-gold; she stared fixedly at the attendant, her hand trembling slightly.

"Herrzog!"

Lu Mingfei was about to counterattack when he saw—

Blood sprayed as a curved spear pierced the masked man's chest, dragging him violently to the right, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Before Lu Mingfei could process what had happened, he heard rapid, crisp hoofbeats coming from the right.

From the left, urgent footsteps sounded like someone sprinting, followed by the thuds of car doors slamming shut, then a succession of people disembarking—the sprinting footsteps gradually faded.

Clutching Hui Liyi's hand, Lu Mingfei leaned out to peer.

On the left stood two factions of mixed-bloods armed with different weapons, locked in standoff: the smaller group wore black suits; the larger group dressed variably, some even in Cassel Academy uniforms.

When Lu Mingfei turned to look right, he could hardly believe his eyes.

In white light stood a horse as massive as a mountain, clad in heavy armor embossed with metallic patterns, its white fur shimmering like crystalline radiance; its eight powerful legs dwarfed an adult human, its face masked, and with each breath, lightning flashed within its nostrils. Each step of its dark-gold hooves tore wounds into the concrete road.

Upon its back sat a colossal black shadow, clad in heavy dark-gold armor, the orange glow of streetlamps casting a faint sheen upon it.

In his hand he held a curved spear, its arc like the trail of a falling star; "Masked Man Wang Jiang," otherwise Herrzog, hung from it, blood trickling slowly from the spear's tip onto the ground.

His face bore a metal mask—unlike Herrzog's grotesque visage, it radiated solemn authority; behind him flowed a blue cloak, and his single golden eye blazed like a giant lantern, illuminating the surroundings.

It was Odin, the chief god of the Aesir, meant to exist only in myth and tale!

In this Clan's World, his true identity was the form assumed by the Dragon King of Sky and Wind.

He swung his spear through empty air, and Herrzog was flung off, crashing to the ground.

From the black-suited group, several youths stepped forward; scales sprouted across their skin, their eyes turned crimson-gold, and they walked toward the being atop the eight-legged steed, passing Lu Mingfei as they said:

"Your Majesty, please go first—we'll handle this."

Boom—

No sooner had the words ended

Than both sides erupted into fierce combat.

Seeing the tide turn, Lu Mingfei swiftly drew the Wu Gong Sword and, dragging Hui Liyi, rode it skyward, desperate to flee this place of chaos.

But as he reached a hundred meters above ground, the wind rose.

Before he could react, a storm formed in seconds—a Category 12 gale erupted in a tiny zone, hurling him from his sword.

Hui Liyi, ten meters above, stood framed by a full moon; beneath its cold glow, a silver-white dragon claw emerged, seizing her.

The full form of a silver dragon emerged from the storm, its golden eyes locked on Lu Mingfei, brimming with murderous intent—yet finally, it relented, spreading its wings and soaring away.

Hui Liyi stretched out a hand, reaching for Lu Mingfei—but the distance between them only grew.

In that moment, Lu Mingfei understood: if the alchemical matrix was real, the Secret Party's target had never been him—they sought only to take these girls from him, and the effect was the same.

"I said I have no interest in being King of the World!"

"I also said I'd do my best to stop him!"

"Does your opinion matter?" A voice echoed beside Lu Mingfei's ear.

"Your friends won't respect your thoughts—they'll only respect your life."

"Yet they'll still stop at nothing to achieve their goals; given the chance, they'll steal everything from you, just as you saw in my memories."

"Thousands of years of planning, generations of accumulation—they've sacrificed everything to seize power and dominion over the world, all to take it from you."

"Only strength earns the wolves' respect. Your pleading, your obedience, your kindness only make you prey."

"Without power and authority, you can do nothing. You were meant to be a monster that roared across the world—but you chose to sheathe your claws and become a waste."

"You can't escape."

Lu Mingfei began falling from a hundred meters, staring toward where the dragon had vanished—now only a tiny dot remained.

Lu Mingfei tried to shake off the voice, summoning his sword to his feet, chasing after that direction.

"How many years do you expect that girl to wait for you? Until I disappear, and those rats return her to you?"

"Are you certain they won't study her bloodline, turn her into a lab rat?"

"In the past, anyone could trample you—nobody cared for you, yet only that girl didn't care how weak or useless you were."

"She was the first girl to ever like you!"

"Stay together forever? Liar!"

The voice grew faster, laced with mockery.

"Shut up!"

Lu Mingfei unleashed all his strength, chasing after it—the sound of breaking the sound barrier rang continuously, leaving trails of white mist.

"She thought you were invincible. In the original fate, that girl called your name even as her life ebbed away—oh, but it was a fake name."

The black dot ahead vanished; only the night sky and stars remained.

"Have you ever told her your name is Lu Mingfei?"

"Do you expect someone else to save the person you love?"

"You made her believe you were cool—but behind the scenes, you begged others for help? How pathetic. Hehe."

These words stabbed into Lu Mingfei's heart like knives, shredding the robes of his cultivator and group member persona, exposing the frail, scrawny body beneath.

Only when Hui Liyi was taken did he realize his helplessness.

"Is it sadder to be born a monster and die a good man—or to live like a good man and die a monster?"

"Then tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do!" Lu Mingfei shouted furiously, the spiritual energy within his body on the verge of running dry.

'Remember that string of cheat codes? Say it out loud!'

"Somethingfornothing! Snatch her back for me!"

Deep within his soul, a black dragon's head poked out from within a golden orb, its tightly shut dragon eyes suddenly snapping open.

Two bulges pushed up the back of Lu Mingfei's clothes, then enormous dragon wings unfurled, and the world before his eyes froze at this moment.

Su Lin stood within a crater on the moon, watching a several-thousand-meter-tall gate of light swallow up stars one after another.

Zhongli, holding a long spear of Jin Xuan two colors in his hand, stood opposite a terrifying rift and stopped the motion in his hands.

The two simultaneously looked toward Earth, only to see a black dragon's phantom coiled atop that azure planet; then that phantom vanished, and a throbbing from deep within their souls made the two involuntarily look toward a certain location on Earth.

"So that's how it is." Zhongli sheathed his long spear. "Looks like everyone was deceived by him."

"That alchemical matrix was a false lead."

Su Lin smiled. "If he had been any later, I would have had to use a divine-tier spell — that would have been too much of a loss."

"I don't want to waste my durability for nothing."

Su Lin opened a teleportation gate and waved goodbye to Zhongli.

Zhongli shook his head, then dissolved into particles and vanished.

Today's update is a bit late — sorry about that.