Chapter 97: Joy Shared Is Joy Multiplied (Combined, Nearly 5,000 Characters)

Su Xiaoqiang was already a third-year student, two and a half years removed from high school graduation.

It’s said that the best way to keep youth lingering on a girl’s face is to have no pressure; thanks to her privileged family background and her own intelligence, both life and academic pressures were merely seasonings in her life.

Like playing a game, there must be some difficulty to feel true satisfaction upon completion.

She did not live in the dormitory; her family had provided her with a residence near campus.

Closing her book, Su Xiaoqiang prepared for an early night—soon she would begin familiarizing herself with her father’s business, and as the heir, she needed to adjust her schedule and stop staying up late binge-watching dramas.

The miracle dubbed “Descent Day” online had passed only a few days ago; aside from the pharmaceutical industry suffering major setbacks, all other sectors had seen widespread benefits.

Fortunately, her family’s business had no ties to pharmaceuticals.

Logically, Su Xiaoqiang was the archetype of a life winner: affluent family, living parents, harmonious home, outstanding character and grades, and a future inheriting the family enterprise—perfectly flawless.

Yet even so, Su Xiaoqiang sometimes felt something was missing…

For instance, love.

In matters of love, she was on the same level as Lu Mingfei…

It wasn’t that no one loved her—it was that the ones she loved didn’t love her back.

Suitors from every nationality could circle the entire campus track trying to win her over.

Yet she remained single…

In high school, she had liked Chu Zihang and Zhao Menghua; Chu Zihang was too distant, and Zhao Menghua had chosen Chen Wenwen.

Su Xiaoqiang recalled the graduation party, and how that guy Lu Mingfei had suddenly become the center of attention…

According to gossip from her high school classmates, at last year’s reunion, Chu Zihang had appeared and called Lu Mingfei “Boss.”

That guy… was a bit mysterious…

With this thought, Su Xiaoqiang drifted into sleep.

It felt as if she had returned to the high school playground; the campus buildings were dark, but a few floodlights illuminated the field.

‘A lucid dream?’

She had heard of this state—conscious awareness within a dream.

But she never expected to experience it herself.

‘So real.’

This was indeed Shilan High’s playground; even after two and a half years since graduation, she remembered it clearly.

‘That’s me?’

She saw herself standing on the winter playground in a thin dress, her breath rising like smoke.

‘What am I doing?’

Su Xiaoqiang was fully aware, feeling as if she were watching a movie—this was a dream, yet she could not wake up; she could only accompany her dream-self, waiting alone in the empty campus.

‘Go home, it’s so late.’

She tried to alter the dream, to make her dream-self return to the big bed at home, for watching too long, she herself felt cold—this dream-self in thin clothes didn’t know who she was waiting for.

‘Isn’t this exactly the plot of a campus romance drama? Am I just lonely for too long?’ Su Xiaoqiang thought to herself.

Was there a male lead in this dream? If so, Chu Zihang wouldn’t be bad.

Finally, her dream-self grew despondent, lowering her head as tears gathered at her chin and began to fall, soft sobs emerging.

‘Have I watched too many tragic dramas?’

‘You still cry so easily.’ A voice came from the darkness.

Her dream-self looked up in surprise, toward the source—the side of the classroom building.

‘Asshole! How long have you been there!’ her dream-self shouted toward the direction.

‘About ten minutes.’ The figure stepped slowly from the shadows, wearing a long coat. ‘My gaze was completely captured by the beautiful princess—I got lost watching. Sorry.’

Though he apologized, a faint smile played on his lips.

Only when the figure stepped into the light did Su Xiaoqiang see his face.

‘Lu Mingfei?!?!?!’

‘Why is it Lu Mingfei?!’

‘Are you kidding me?!’

‘Five years have passed, my little celestial maiden.’ The grown Lu Mingfei smiled at her dream-self. ‘As promised, I’ve come back alive.’

Her dream-self rushed into Lu Mingfei’s arms, clutching his coat hem tightly, terrified he might slip away.

‘Wake up! No, nooooo!’

‘This is insane! Did I secretly like Lu Mingfei in high school?!’

‘I can’t accept this, ughhh!’

When Su Xiaoqiang saw her dream-self and Lu Mingfei embrace and kiss, she blushed and wanted to hide—but soon she had no time for shyness.

In her consciousness, countless memories flooded in—like another life of her own.

She read and watched, at many times normal speed, the life of another version of herself—from birth to adulthood, everything identical to her own.

Until that rainy night.

She saw Lu Mingfei standing alone in the heavy rain, looking pitiful, so she pulled him into her family’s private car and specifically ordered the driver to give him a ride.

Though Lu Mingfei had said she wasn’t as beautiful as Chen Wenwen, her overflowing sympathy couldn’t hold back—she decided to overlook his rudeness.

And so…

Everything changed.

‘Dragon Clan’ ‘Half-Blood’ ‘Lu Mingfei’ ‘Promise’ ‘Death Servant’ ‘Cassel Institute.’

Fragments of information surged into her mind like a tide, accompanied by vivid memories.

There was Lu Mingfei with golden eyes, leaping from the rooftop with her in his arms, his blade slicing apart the monstrous Death Servants.

A drop of golden blood emerged from Lu Mingfei’s fingertip, lightly touching her lips— Congci , she could stand beside him.

‘If our world is all false, what then?’ Decades later, Lu Mingfei and Su Xiaoqiang remained youthful; Lu Mingfei beside her asked this question.

‘As long as you’re here, this world is real.’

On the streets of Sydney, Su Xiaoqiang held a bouquet of flowers, leaning against Lu Mingfei’s shoulder.

‘My little celestial maiden, it’s time.’

‘Mm.’

Su Xiaoqiang rested in Lu Mingfei’s arms, listening to his heartbeat.

‘If the world resets, you must find me again.’ Su Xiaoqiang whispered, tears soaking his sweater. ‘If you don’t come for me, I’ll come for you—I swear it!’

‘Heh, crybaby.’

Ding-ding—

Ding-ding—

In the morning, Su Xiaoqiang woke from the dream, a hollow ache settling in her chest; she pressed her hand to her heart, as if a piece had been torn out.

The memories in her mind—she had watched, from a third-person perspective, another version of her own life.

Everything felt like a modern fantasy screenplay.

‘Cassel Institute?’

That was the school Lu Mingfei and Chu Zihang attended—was it all real?

She picked up her fully charged phone, silenced the alarm, and in the darkened screen, a pair of golden eyes reflected back at her.

‘It’s real.’

She gently touched her eyeball through her eyelids, then picked up the phone and dialed a number.

‘Pick up.’

‘Answer, you bastard!’

【The number you dialed is currently turned off】

She threw the phone onto the floor in uncontrollable emotion, then hugged her quilt and began recalling—where was Cassel Institute? Where was Lu Mingfei at this moment?

‘Tokyo.’

‘Yes! Tokyo!’

She remembered—Lu Mingfei was in Tokyo right now! Wait, Tokyo! That woman was there too!

She was, in her memories, Su Xiaoqiang’s greatest rival, her lifelong enemy!

She scrambled to pick up the phone from the floor—luckily, only the screen was cracked.

Su Xiaoqiang opened the booking app, purchased a flight ticket; her passport was still valid, no need to wait for renewal.

‘Why didn’t this memory come sooner?!’

‘Why didn’t I just pull him into the car back then?!’

She had thought it wasn’t on the way, so she hadn’t invited him—she had still been angry that he said she wasn’t as beautiful as Chen Wenwen.

I’m such an idiot!

Su Xiaoqiang regretted how she had treated Lu Mingfei in high school.

She had let him pine after Chen Wenwen for three whole years!

‘Whether this is a reincarnation doesn’t matter anymore—I’m coming for you, you gaming bastard!’

She hastily dressed, packed a few essentials, grabbed her suitcase, and headed for the airport.

……

Su Lin sat in a high-backed chair, having just finished viewing a crucial fragment of a memory orb; aside from Old Lu and the subject, others could only see key life moments, preserving certain privacy.

He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye with a tissue, then handed the memory orb to a historical projection.

“So touching.”

“This dragon is emotionally serious.”

Su Lin’s eyes turned red as his historical projection stepped through a portal, sending this memory to its designated destination.

“I’m not a breeding dragon.”

A voice sounded beside him.

“Oh, trash dragon,” Su Lin replied.

“Forget it.”

“What about my Tokyo love story?” Su Lin asked the question he’d wanted to ask.

“There’s enough time; this memory will awaken at the fixed moment,” Lao Lu said. “It will take them some time to get here.”

“After this, it’s war and conquest.”

The stronger Lu Mingfei’s cultivation, the more power he could draw—but it also meant he was absorbed faster.

“Not much power, but enough. Crushing modern human forces and half-breeds shouldn’t be a problem.”

He stood before Su Lin’s high-backed chair and spoke.

“Is that so? Congratulations,” Su Lin said with a smile, gently clapping his palms.

Lao Lu shook his head, looking at Su Lin: “If I could, I truly wouldn’t want to be your enemy. That would waste too much time—and likely cause many casualties.”

“Oh?” Su Lin made a surprised sound, still lounging lazily.

“I can guess roughly what happened between you and Lu Mingze,” Lao Lu’s eyes glowed with golden light—solemn, but not outwardly imposing.

“Oh, he told me. Probably couldn’t hide it from you,” Su Lin nodded.

Lao Lu sat on the steps beside the flowerbed. “So this is an open-game match.”

“You’re like a mercenary—whomever pays you, you serve.”

“Yes,” Su Lin affirmed. “Honestly, I never wanted to get too involved at first.”

“But the other you didn’t like this arrangement, so I took on one more job.”

“But don’t worry—I won’t fight you directly, because your trump card would shatter me.”

“I’m very self-aware when it comes to self-awareness.”

Lao Lu lowered his head and sighed. “You really have no morals.”

“Forget it.”

“Change the third thing—I’ll pay more.”

“As you command, Boss!” Su Lin shot up from his chair in a crisp salute. “Little Su is always ready.”

“I still prefer your old ‘nothing matters’ lazy-fish vibe,” Lao Lu clapped his hands. “Lu Mingze—come out.”

“What is it, brother?” Lu Mingze emerged from behind the flowerbed, grinning.

“Chips.”

Snap.

A finger snap—and a table appeared between the three. On either side, Lao Lu and Lu Mingze each placed a pile of casino chips.

Thud.

A black chip flew onto Su Lin’s empty table. In gilded characters, it bore two words: Authority.

“I lied to you about something, Su Lin,” Lao Lu smiled. “The Authority of the Earth’s dragon race—this thing—I can manufacture it.”

The chips before him kept rising; compared to Lao Lu’s pile, Lu Mingze’s were pitifully few.

“Oh?” Su Lin’s historical projection transformed into the form of the God of Light, his spear of light materializing. “Do you know my world is about to celebrate the New Year? Withholding workers’ wages?”

“Please let me explain,” Lao Lu chuckled awkwardly, pressing his hands downward to signal Su Lin to lower his stance. “This requires time—and a sliver of my primordial power. It used to be simple, but I’m in this state now...”

“I went to your world again in the past. Got quite a few benefits. My available power increased.”

“That’s why I decided to adjust the third thing you wanted—based on my current chips—and add more.”

Su Lin, upon hearing this, transformed the spear in his hand into pure energy. The energy shaped itself into a glowing loaf of bread and fruit, beside which a cup of water Ningju by light elements held clear, pure liquid.

Divine Light Stage Spell: Holy Feast

“Boss, you must be hungry. Please, enjoy.”

Su Lin politely placed the divine feast before Lao Lu.

“You bastard.”

Lao Lu stared at Su Lin—whose face radiated holiness, eyes as pure as a child’s—with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

He picked up the fruit—formed from light elements and prayers, imbued with blessings for the world’s beauty—and tossed it lightly in his hand before finally flinging it toward Lu Mingze.

“My foolish little brother~.”

The gambling table became a battlefield.

The chips on the table transformed into soldiers and generals, arranged in battle formation.

Lu Mingze’s few remaining chips stood alone, armed, surrounded by an impenetrable black army—like a lone fortress under siege.

“Brother, only when you’re showing off or acting foolish do I feel you’re still you,” Lu Mingze said, still elegant, hands clasped behind his back, smiling as he watched Lao Lu. “I’m glad you’ve reached the peak of power and authority.”

“And I’m glad I hold such weight in your heart—so much that you’ve always wanted to revive me.”

“Even if you played a little too clever, turning one version of me into a sister.”

“Pfft!” Su Lin spat out his drink, crushing the can in his hand.

Seeing Lu Mingfei and Lu Mingze look at him, Su Lin dismissed his historical projection, erasing the drink stains.

“Keep going,” Su Lin made a zipping motion across his lips.

“But I still think you’re pitiful,” Lu Mingze said to Lao Lu. “Pitiful enough to drown willingly in the pool called the past.”

“You’re suffocating.”

Lu Mingze picked up a soldier, fiddling with it.

“The other me would ache seeing you like this,” Lu Mingze smiled, studying the faceless soldier, golden eyes glinting.

Lao Lu remained silent—but the atmosphere shifted.

“I don’t mind if you give everything to him,” Lu Mingze said. “After all, if he can gain happiness while wielding power and authority, I’d be happy too.”

“Then why interfere?” Lao Lu asked. “Isn’t this the best ending?”

“His need for love is different from yours.”

“You’re too lonely—lonely enough to cram everything into yourself,” Lu Mingze lifted his gaze, the soldier’s face shifting in his hand. “I fear he’ll eat too much and harm his body. That’s when I’ll only feel sorrow for you, brother.”

“When a child says they don’t want to eat, it’s not pickiness—it’s fullness.”

Lu Mingze tossed the soldier onto the board.

Simultaneously, several portals opened around them.

“You...?!” Lao Lu’s eyes sharpened, fixed on the sudden portals.

From one portal stepped a man with gentle, harmless features: black hair, brown eyes, ordinary face with deep contours, medium build, slender frame, clearly scholarly aura. He wore a formal attire unlike modern style—as if attending a banquet.

From another emerged a striking man with golden eyes, his hair braided. Noon sunlight glinted off it, revealing a faint brown hue. Nearly 1.9 meters tall, he wore a fitted white ancient-style robe embroidered with a creature half-dragon, half-phoenix.

From the central portal stepped a handsome young man with a lazy smile. His dark eyes swirled with dazzling light, appearing unusually gentle yet profound. On his back rested a dark, heavy ruler, his steps steady and powerful.

Lu Mingze’s soldier transformed into the three figures. Though surrounded by countless armies, they showed no tension—only a gaze of supreme dominion, looking ahead.

“My foolish brother, writing scripts is my specialty~.”

Thank you to “Han Xi” for the coin tip! Thank you to “Look—I Never Won” for 400 coins! Thank you to “Tomato Egg Soup Add Vinegar” for 1700 coins! Thank you to “The Distorted World” and “All Mistakes Are Because I’m Too Weak” for 500 coins each! Thank you to “Wind Night Grand Governor” for 122 coins! Thank you to “Reader,” “Reader,” “Night Moon’s Punishment,” “Reader,” “Reader,” “Main Gate,” “Leopard Star,” “I Watch You Daily,” “Daily Me,” “Hardcore Caviar,” “Drifting Boat,” “Zong Ye Luo,” “Anorexic Fox,” “Cui Cui Cui” for 100 coins each!

(End of Chapter)