Chapter 118: Awakening

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

Lu Mingfei sat on the chair, his expression clearly not cheerful.

“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, thick-rimmed glasses, wrinkles around his eyes, yet still retained an elegant, scholarly air.

Lu Mingfei followed Angre to the screen behind which he found two people both familiar and strange; as he occasionally flipped through photos, he told himself these two were his parents.

Even now, Lu Mingfei didn’t 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 didn’t stop him from holding onto hope, because Qiao Weini undoubtedly loved him; as for Lu Lincheng, he had emotion, yet it was so rational it felt terrifying.

There was also a girl named Wu Yuxiang, whom Lu Mingfei didn’t 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 came today to have dinner with me and give me a surprise,” Lu Mingfei said, his tone tinged with disappointment.

“I wish we could all sit down together properly, but the whole world has become a mess,” Lu Lincheng said seriously, looking at Lu Mingfei with a tone of persuasion. “The war is still confined to half-breeds now, but soon it will sweep across the entire globe.”

“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, staring back at his reflection in the glass.

“It’s because of you, yes—but the future you,” Qiao Weini whispered.

“The future has already changed, Mingfei. It won’t turn out 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.

“So everyone knows a future version of me came back?” Lu Mingfei asked.

“No, the vast majority only know the Supreme One coexists with you—they think you’re possessed,” 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 died as he caught Qiao Weini’s icy, knife-like glare. “I mean—for world peace.”

“Another world, the future—it’s truly chaotic,” Su Xiaoqiang said. She suddenly lost interest in the lavish dinner before her. “I thought I was the special one.”

“We’re all special,” Nono studied Lu Mingfei. “To that version of him, we’re all special.”

Through profiling ability, the memory-version of Lu Mingfei had truly loved him; strangely, the memory-version of himself had done things utterly inconsistent with his current mindset—all for Lu Mingfei.

Only Hui Liyi remained half-confused, unable to grasp what was happening since she sat down.

“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 what? I know some things about the future too—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’d have eventually stepped into your world and slaughtered those elders myself.” Lu Mingfei spoke calmly, yet no one doubted his sincerity.

“Mingfei,” Angre said.

“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 cut 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. You’re the nexus; they’re the anchors.”

“They’re able to be with you now 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 her notebook, on which she had written:

“Sakura must stay with Hui Liyi forever.”

“Dear girl, of course I 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. “We can’t give you any guarantees.”

“It could be a year, or decades. But I strongly suggest you talk to the one inside you—it’ll save a lot of time.”

Lu Mingfei had many questions. Angre and his parents claimed the future version of him had implanted not just memories but alchemical matrices into these girls—but why didn’t Hui Liyi have 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 panic. 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 caged pearl chickens?”

“The Apocalypse Faction and the Secret Party 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 fork and knife, 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 bared his fangs. Even if this incident passed smoothly, these people would lie awake at night. If Lu Mingfei slept well, they couldn’t; if they slept well, Lu Mingfei certainly couldn’t.

Angre couldn’t answer. Lu Lincheng couldn’t either. They both knew that by then, Lu Mingfei would become a prime target for surveillance—even

Qiao Weini had considered this too. In her view, rather than face 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 look of guilt and a 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 kill me if he heard that.”

“It’s fine. In that timeline, I was taken from you anyway,” Nono said casually, continuing to eat. She and Hui Liyi were the only two still calmly devouring their food. “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 told Lu Mingfei.

Lu Mingfei looked at these “wise,” “forgiving” female heroes, about to thank them, when a waiter approached with a silver tray covered by a lid and whispered: “Sir, 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 elegant but hurried pen strokes: “Run! It’s a trap! Ambush!”

“I’m leaving!” Lu Mingfei hastily excused himself, grabbed Hui Liyi’s hand, and rushed down the corridor. As he passed, a waiter carrying dessert brushed past him.

He didn’t know that the waiter behind the screen set down the tray, revealing golden golden eyes—alongside the previous messenger and Wu Yuxiang, all watching Angre and Lu Lincheng warily.

The long corridor led straight to the elevator. Lu Mingfei assumed, without Herzog’s clone blocking the way, he’d reach the kitchen unimpeded and pull open the iron door.

The moment he pulled open the iron door—

“I only came after confirming those few were gone. I thought I was too late—but it seems I arrived just in time.”

Outside, the sky was dark.

A man with disheveled hair wore a pale mask depicting the face of an ancient Japanese nobleman: vermilion lips, iron-black teeth, a composed smile at the corner.

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

Hui Liyi’s eyes glowed a blinding crimson-gold. She stared fixedly at the waiter, her hands trembling.

‘Herzog!’

Lu Mingfei was about to counterattack—when he saw—

Blood sprayed. A curved spear pierced the masked man’s chest, dragging him violently to the right as he stared in disbelief.

Before Lu Mingfei could react, he heard the rapid, crisp sound of hooves approaching from the right.

From the left came urgent footsteps—someone running—then the thuds of car doors slamming shut, followed by footsteps fading as people disembarked.

Gripping Hui Liyi’s hand, Lu Mingfei leaned out.

On the left, two groups of half-breeds faced off, weapons drawn. The smaller group wore black suits; the larger group wore varied attire, even some in Cassel Academy uniforms.

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

In white light stood a horse as massive as a mountain, clad in heavy, ornate metal armor, its white fur shimmering like crystalline light. Eight powerful legs, each larger than a human, carried the beast. Its face wore a mask; with each breath, thunder flashed in its nostrils. Each golden hoofstep cracked the concrete road like wounds.

Upon its back sat a towering dark shadow, clad in heavy dark-gold armor. The orange glow of streetlights cast a faint sheen upon it.

In his hand he held a curved spear, its arc like a meteor’s trail across the sky. ‘Masked Man Wang Jiang’—Herzog—hung from it, blood dripping slowly from the spear’s tip onto the ground.

His face bore a metallic mask, not grotesque like Herzog’s, but radiating authority. Behind him flowed a blue cloak. His single golden eye blazed like a giant lantern, illuminating the surroundings.

It was Odin—the chief god of the Aesir, from Norse mythology, meant to exist only in stories.

In this world of dragons, his true identity was the Dragon King of Sky and Wind.

He swung his spear through the air—Herzog was flung off, crashing to the ground.

From the black-suited group, several young men stepped forward. Scales grew on their skin, their eyes turned crimson-gold. They walked toward the eight-legged steed, passing Lu Mingfei and saying:

“Please, Supreme One, leave first. We’ll handle this.”

BOOM—

The moment the words ended,

Both sides erupted into fierce combat.

Seeing the danger, Lu Mingfei immediately drew Wu Gong Sword and flew upward with Hui Liyi, desperate to escape this chaos.

But as he reached a hundred meters in the air, the wind began.

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

Above him, ten meters up, a full moon hung behind Hui Liyi. Beneath the cold moonlight, a silver-white dragon claw emerged, seizing her.

The silver dragon revealed itself fully from the storm, its golden eyes locked on Lu Mingfei, brimming with murderous intent—then, finally, it relented, spreading its wings and soaring away.

Hui Liyi stretched out a hand, reaching for Lu Mingfei—but the distance grew ever greater.

In that moment, Lu Mingfei understood: if the alchemical matrix was real, the Secret Party’s true goal had never been him—they aimed to take these girls away from him. The effect was the same.

‘I said I had no interest in being the King of the World!’

‘I also said I’d try my best to stop him!’

‘Does your will matter?’ A voice echoed in Lu Mingfei’s ear.

‘Your friends won’t respect your will—they’ll only respect your life.’

‘Yet they’ll still do anything to achieve their goals. When the chance comes, they’ll take 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 authority, all to wrest this world from your hands.’

‘Only strength earns respect from wolves. 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 roars through the world, yet you chose to sheathe your claws and become a waste.

You can’t escape.

Lu Mingfei began to fall from a hundred meters above, gazing toward the direction the dragon had left—there was only a tiny dot remaining.

Lu Mingfei tried to shake off the voice, summoned his flying sword, and stepped onto it to chase after that direction.

How many years do you want that girl to wait for you? Until I vanish, and then those rats return her to you?

Are you certain they won’t study her bloodline and treat her like a lab rat?

In the past, anyone could step on you; no one liked you. But only that girl didn’t care how weak or worthless 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 pushed himself to his limit, chasing after it—the sound of breaking the sound barrier rang continuously, leaving behind rings of white mist.

She thought you could do anything. In the original fate, that girl called out your name even at the end of her life—oh, but it was a fake name.

The black dot ahead had 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 looked cool, but the way you secretly begged others for help? That looked just like a... heh.

These words stabbed into Lu Mingfei’s heart like knives, shredding the robes of a cultivator and group member, revealing the thin, frail body beneath.

Only when Hui Liyi was taken from him did he realize his own powerlessness.

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 the damn right way to do it!” Lu Mingfei shouted, his spiritual energy nearly exhausted.

Do you still remember that cheat code? Say it!

“somethingfornothing! Bring her back to me!”

From the depths of his soul, a golden sphere extended a dragon’s head—the closed dragon eyes snapped open.

Two bulges swelled on Lu Mingfei’s back, then massive dragon wings burst forth—the world before him froze.

Su Lin stood in a lunar crater, a light gate thousands of meters tall swallowing stars one by one.

Zhongli stood across a terrifying fissure, golden and black spear in hand, halting his motion.

Both turned their gaze toward Earth, where a shadowy black dragon coiled over the blue planet—then the shadow vanished. A tremor deep in their souls made them both look toward a single spot on Earth.

“So that’s how it is,” Zhongli sheathed his spear. “It seems everyone was fooled by him.”

“That alchemical matrix was a false lure.”

Su Lin smiled. “If he’d waited any longer, I’d have had to use a divine technique—that would’ve been too much of a waste.”

“I don’t want to waste durability for nothing.”

Su Lin opened a teleportation portal and waved farewell to Zhongli.

Zhongli shook his head and dissolved into particles.

Today’s update is a bit late—sorry.