Chapter 279: So You Also...

Chapter 279: So You Also...

The sky darkened, and heavy rain poured down.

On the towering rooftop, the air was thick with the pungent smell of gasoline, and a fire blazed on the ground. A maiden slowly walked towards the edge, her skirt fluttering in the wind, yet she seemed oblivious, spreading her arms wide as if an unafraid bird about to soar into the sky.

But humans are not dragons; they have no wings.

So, once the maiden leaped, she would fall like a bird with broken wings.

On the ground, two silhouettes walked side by side.

Lu Ke held a wooden blade, casually propped against the ground as if blocking the entrance. Across from him stood a dazzlingly handsome young man with golden hair and chest muscles that even made girls envious.

Caesar Gattuso's name was known to everyone at Cassel Academy. He was like a shining sun, passionate and flamboyant, named after the great Julius Caesar—Gaius Julius Caesar, the outstanding military commander and politician of the late Roman Republic. This name represented authority, strength, and dominance, and the fact that his family had given him this name spoke volumes.

This man, born into privilege, was now dark-faced with anger, his eyes blazing with fury.

"The rule is simple," Lu Ke said, gazing at the blazing rooftop and announcing the game's rules with a calm tone, as if discussing the morning weather or tomorrow's lunch. "If you catch the girl before she hits the ground, you win; otherwise, you lose."

"Go to hell!" Caesar raised his middle finger at Lu Ke, cursing with the swear words he had learned from him. It was rare for the arrogant young master to act so crudely, as elegance was the Gattuso family's philosophy. But a more important family principle broke through his restraints.

That was to always show respect and courtesy to ladies.

Ever since Caesar was defeated by Lu Ke with a wooden blade on the first day of school last year, he had challenged Lu Ke every few days, sometimes choosing the competition himself and sometimes letting Lu Ke decide.

The content of this competition far exceeded Caesar's expectations, as involving an innocent maiden in their game, risking her life, was against Caesar's original intention.

If time could turn back an hour, Caesar would have stopped himself from opening the Bugatti Veyron's door, from stepping on the accelerator to Norton Hall, and from arrogantly challenging Lu Ke with a chin lift.

"Let's have a challenge, you set the rules. If I lose, the Bugatti Veyron is yours."

Unfortunately, there were no ifs in the world.

"Move aside, I concede. Let me pass."

Conceding before the game even started was a difficult decision for a proud man, but Caesar spoke quickly. He rushed towards the entrance, his mind mapping out the route. With his hybrid physique, he could reach the fourth floor in an instant, giving him a good chance to save the girl.

As he passed Lu Ke, Caesar's body suddenly withdrew with lightning speed. A dangerous sword flash grazed his face, and a strand of golden hair slowly fell as a clean cut appeared on the cement floor.

Unbeknownst to Caesar, Lu Ke had already raised his wooden blade, maintaining the swinging motion with a steady stance that made one question if time had frozen. Caesar drew his Dick Treadwell and held it in front of him, the sharp blade reflecting his solemn expression.

"I said I concede. The car is yours."

Excellent individuals have a thorough understanding of themselves. Caesar knew his strengths lay in long-range firearm design and macro-commanding, making him the best gunman and commander with his modified Desert Eagle and the scouting ability of Incantation · Spirit Talons.

But in close combat, especially with bladed weapons, he had to admit he was far inferior to Lu Ke, let alone breaking through his defenses in a short time.

"I have a full series of Bugatti Veyrons in my garage, so I don't need yours. Rights are mutual, Caesar. Since you initiated the challenge, it's only fair that I end the game."

Lu Ke slowly sheathed his blade, his expression serious. "After the game starts, it's between the two of us. You should consider the consequences before acting... Also, she's about to fall."

Caesar abruptly looked up, and the maiden had already stepped off the rooftop, plummeting downwards with gravity. His blood boiled, and he sprinted with all his might, arms outstretched, to reach beneath her.

The dangerous sword flash attacked again, and Caesar instinctively withdrew his hand. The maiden's figure crossed his line of sight and landed heavily on the ground, her white skirt brushing past his eyes, causing his pupils to contract.

Clang!

Before anger and regret could set in, the crisp sound of collision made Caesar realize he had been tricked. The sound of a human body hitting the ground was not like this.

"What's this?"

Lu Ke walked over and squatted down, examining the broken Lilac doll.

"You can think of it as my trial-and-error alchemical doll... It's a bit fragile; the fall-proof test failed. The joints still lack flexibility. If you weren't in such a hurry, with your hybrid vision, the stiffness of the doll would be more apparent."

Caesar clenched his teeth, glaring at Lu Ke in annoyance.

"You tricked me?"

"Yes, I did. Feel free to hit me if you don't believe it."

"You!"

Lu Ke shifted his gaze from the broken doll to Caesar's face. "So, you wish I hadn't tricked you, and there really was a girl who fell in front of you?"

Hearing this, Caesar was left speechless. His anger dissipated, and he sat down on the steps, taking out a High Xi Ba cigarette from his shirt pocket and lighting it. The remaining frustration dissipated with the smoke as the nicotine burned.

"Avoiding danger is a natural human instinct; it's not your fault. But if you want a chance to win in the future, you should overcome this instinct. Otherwise, you'll keep losing."

Chu Zihan excelled in this aspect compared to Caesar. After a certain rainy night, he became a vengeful ghost, wandering in the shadows, making him stronger than Caesar.

Because the weak fear the strong, the strong fear the unruly, and the unruly fear those who are fearless, Chu Zihan, who gradually approached death after using his blood-boiling ability, was the fearless one.

Caesar, deep in thought about what just happened, considered how he would feel if a real person had fallen and made him feel ashamed. Unconsciously, he furrowed his brows and glanced at Lu Ke, who was sitting beside him, and handed him a cigarette.

"Losing to you isn't too embarrassing."

Caesar had lost many times in the past year. Lu Ke always managed to defeat him effortlessly, and after getting used to it, he didn't fall into extreme emotions or become haunted by it.

In the eyes of the arrogant young master, failure wasn't scary; what was scary was losing the drive to strive. So he wasn't discouraged and continued to charge forward with ambition and vigor...

However, sometimes he also felt perplexed. Was there really that much difference between A-Class and S-Class? It was just that the dragon blood content in Chu Zihan's body was slightly higher than his, and the threshold couldn't exceed 50%. Was it enough to beat him up?

"Then, is losing to Chu Zihan embarrassing?"

The casual words made Caesar's face turn red. His sharp gaze shot towards Lu Ke like a knife.

If Lu Ke was a mountain difficult to surpass, then Chu Zihan was a rival who walked side by side. He could accept that someone was already ahead, which would only motivate him to catch up. But he couldn't accept being surpassed by someone at the same level.

"I won't lose to Chu Zihan."

You should focus on getting past the Polar Bear first!

Lu Ke's right eyebrow twitched as he took the Gaoxi Ba cigarette from Caesar's hand. The rich aroma of cedar, chocolate, cashew, and coffee made one feel intoxicated. It had to be said that Caesar knew how to enjoy life.

He didn't respond, but his silence was deafening, making Caesar feel quite uncomfortable.

Could it be that in Lu Ke's heart, he truly believed that Caesar was inferior to Chu Zihan?

"What's the purpose of designing this scenario? To teach me not to be too complacent?"

"Only those who aren't excellent are complacent. What you have is confidence, and confidence is a good thing. I don't need to persuade you."

Lu Ke gently tapped off the cigarette ash with his fingers and spoke calmly, "I just hate meaningless deaths. And everything I hate should be destroyed."

Caesar was puzzled, "What do you mean?"

The clouds in the sky had somehow dissipated, and Lu Ke stretched out his hand. Sunlight poured through his fingers as he spoke lightly, bringing up a seemingly unrelated topic.

"Have you ever written a novel?"

"A novel? Well... I have."

Caesar's expression was strange, a mix of embarrassment and relief.

He had once written novels on a website to pass the time and practice his writing skills, especially for speech drafts. He never expected to share this hobby with Lu Ke.

"In your opinion, what makes a good story? Should it have a happy ending or be filled with regrets?"

This question was truly surreal. Was it something the heir of the Gattuso family and the head of the Lu Corporation should be discussing?

After a moment of thought, Caesar gave his answer, "Neither is ideal. A happy ending lacks tension and realism, and a story filled with regrets feels overly contrived and unpleasant. Both should coexist and complement each other, creating a balance."

"Well said. I didn't expect the high and mighty Caesar to have such insights. I thought you were just winging it."

Lu Ke was surprised, and his impression of Caesar changed.

"I did just wing it, but I excel at everything I do, so even when I wing it, many people still like it." Caesar smiled smugly, "Speaking of which, if I were high and mighty, what would you be?"

Lu Ke slightly raised his eyebrows. Even if he could now embrace the world's top models, afford to book Alinea, Ultraviolet, or Daniel, and dine on king crab and white truffles prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, it didn't mean he had lost his memories of his previous life.

"At least you haven't experienced living in a five-square-meter rental apartment. It's cramped and messy, with peeling paint peeling off the walls and graffiti everywhere. The soundproofing is terrible, and from morning to night, the neighbors on both sides make all sorts of noises. There are quarreling middle-aged couples, arguing young lovers, and the worst are the crying and running children. You can only wear earplugs and ignore them. As for the communal areas like the water room, kitchen, and toilet, you probably don't want to know the details because they might make you nauseous."

Caesar, who lacked experience with the lower class, was stunned, "My novel might not have these elements... Are there still places like this on 21st-century Earth?"

In his novels, the protagonists were always influential and powerful, wearing brands unknown to ordinary people, driving limited-edition luxury cars, and embracing the most beautiful women. They were passionate and ambitious, shooting bullets into the sky and announcing their arrival to the world.

Just like Caesar himself, this was a common flaw among authors. Details determine the sense of reality, and only through personal experience or a deep understanding can a story be vividly told and touch the reader's heart.

"There are many places even more miserable than that. One day, when the Gattuso family freezes your credit card, you'll know what I mean."

Salem smiled, "Excellent people don't worry about survival no matter where they are."

"Go ahead and freeze it. I'm not afraid they won't freeze it fast enough."

Caesar turned to Lu Ke, "What you described is very real, but I remember that Lu Corporation used to be a company of considerable size, although it's incomparable to what it is now."

"Lu Ke didn't answer the question but countered with another question.

'You seem to know a lot about me.'

Caesar tossed his cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it, letting out a carefree laugh. 'Knowing oneself and the enemy is the key to a hundred victories. You are an opponent I acknowledge, so of course I need to understand your background clearly.'

Lu Ke relaxed a little. In the past, they lacked communication, but now he found himself liking Caesar's frankness.

Thinking about it, this guy could match Chu Zihan, challenge Norton from afar, clash with the Spirit Talon Swarm, blend in with the Crimson Equipment gang, team up with Chu Zihan to fight Yuan Zhisheng, and even engage in hand-to-hand combat with a polar bear... He was also a 50-50! And he had a dazzling head of golden hair, a robust physique, a determination to keep challenging himself despite repeated failures, and a noble status. Wasn't he like a parallel world version of Amir Campbell?

Lu Ke's ID on the Watchmen Forum was 'Isomer.' In chemistry, isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures. The other Lu Kes across the multiverse were like his closest brothers, even if the Elf Lu Ke had a different style.

A brother's son is still a brother! Women might not understand this? It's better if they don't.

Lu Ke's gaze at Caesar softened a little, and he flashed a mischievous smile.

'Wrong, Caesar. A true opponent is one who gives and takes. You, on the other hand, always lose. You're just a noob who's here to give away points.'

Caesar: ...

If only he had brought his Desert Eagle with him this time, he would have blown up his head!

Lu Ke gazed leisurely at the sky, 'My view is not much different from yours. But as I said, I hate meaningless deaths.'

He gave an example, 'Have you played Final Fantasy VII? One of the heroines, Alice, and the player-controlled Cloud develop deep feelings during their journey. Right after a tense boss battle, Sephiroth suddenly descends from the sky and kills her with a single strike, without warning or a final word. All that's left is Alice's family magic crystal falling to the ground in mourning for its owner, and her personal theme song playing in the game. But the maiden's life had already ended.'

'The PSP back then wasn't advanced enough, so Final Fantasy VII was split into three game discs. The scene I just described happens at the end of the first disc. Alice's death motivates players to continue playing the remaining two discs, but she never revives until the very end. Her death doesn't affect the outcome, but the developers chose to end her life right after she fulfills her mission, because tragedies leave a deeper impression and also freeze the character at their most beautiful moment. That's what I consider a meaningless death.'

Caesar frowned, running his fingers through his long golden hair, 'I understand what you're saying, but what does this have to do with today's competition?'

'You'll understand in the future.'

Lu Ke nonchalantly repeated what fathers often said to their sons.

'Oh.'

Caesar, surprisingly, didn't argue.

Then he remembered that this guy probably didn't have a normal childhood. At the very least, no one in his family would have said such things to him. The butler and servants would always cater to the future master of the house. If Caesar played house, they would probably shout, 'Long live the Emperor! May the Caesar Empire last forever!'

'I have one more question. Why do you use novel writing to express your ideas but use a game scenario as an example?'

Lu Ke rolled his eyes. What else could he use as an example? Should he bring up the story of an ordinary girl in Dragon Series III who died because of her admiration for Caesar Gattuso?

'Alright, alright. Focus on preparing for Free Day. As a friendly reminder, I've transformed Norton Hall into a magic realm. It won't be easy to reach me and make a wish.'

'I have no wishes.'

The arrogant young master replied nonchalantly, 'Even if I did, I'd make them come true myself. I don't need your help.'

'Chu Zihan will fight for this opportunity.'

'...Then I have no choice but to compete. I'll be the first to reach you.'

Caesar remained silent for a few seconds, his eyes igniting with a fiery determination. For him, anything less than first place was the greatest shame.

He couldn't lose to Chu Zihan!

With determination, he turned and... ran outside!

'You can drive if you want.'

Lu Ke shouted from behind. Caesar raised his right hand and waved.

'I lost. The car is yours!'

Lu Ke watched his departing figure and muttered.

'But you look so awkward running away. Why not just call someone to pick you up?'

He didn't expect Caesar to have a bit of comedic talent.

His phone vibrated twice, and when he took it out, NoMa's girl image appeared on the screen.

'The Lu Mingfei you requested to monitor has successfully entered the top 100 of the game leaderboard.'

'Not bad, loser. I can't say much, but you're pretty good at playing games. Check his current location.'

NoMa bowed slightly, and a map navigation appeared, showing Lu Mingfei inside Wanda Cinema.

'Is he starting a school reunion right after entering the leaderboard?'

'Yes, sir. He stayed up all night to climb the ranks.'

'Show me the surveillance footage from inside.'

'This is an illegal operation and not part of the task, which may incur criminal liability.'

Lu Ke raised an eyebrow and took out his phone to send a text message.

Three minutes later, the system detected a change in ownership of Wanda Cinema. NoMa silently activated the camera.

Most of the time, the Money Ability was far more useful than Incantations.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end