Chapter 327: Farewell and Finale

Chapter 327: Farewell and Finale

Vattarheim, the land of dwarves in Norse mythology.

In the Cassel Academy, the name refers to the Armament Department, where the skilled craftsmen of the Nine Realms should be, but instead, they are replaced by a group of diverse, otaku-loving cave dwellers who have a penchant for all things anime and manga.

These enthusiasts have a passion for explosions, turning various oddities into bombs, believing that firepower is the epitome of manly romance. They excel in laser cooking and possess a boundless imagination, coupled with an incredibly high level of execution.

The shelter, now occupied by the newcomers, is a product of the Armament Department's paranoia. They always prepare for various apocalyptic scenarios, from U.S. military bunker-buster bombs to earthquakes and tsunamis, to asteroid impacts on Earth. As a result, they established nine layers of isolation, and it is said that only Dragon King-level enemies with world-ending Incantations like Zhuverns or Shiva's Dance could break through.

They treat the Armament Department as their Noah's Ark for the end of days, and they see themselves as the new Adam, responsible for carrying the torch of human civilization. The only drawback is that there are many Adams, but not a single Eve.

When the Noma alarm sounded, the newcomers rushed to the Armament Department for shelter. However, the over one hundred Adams inside firmly refused to let outsiders carrying pathogens in. The proper procedure to enter the Armament Department required full disinfection and an eight-hour quarantine.

Someone suggested using a beauty trap, but the girls among the newcomers refused to flirt with a bunch of cave-dwelling males. At a loss, Lu Mingfei meekly raised his hand and suggested that they didn't necessarily need to use real people. He took out his phone and played a video, where a soft female voice cooed, "Big Brother~" several times.

The newcomers were shocked by Lu Mingfei's action, feeling that they might have misjudged this S-level student.

He was a genius!

The over one hundred hot-blooded men inside were stirred up, and a conflict erupted. One group, encouraged by their younger brothers, wanted to open the door, while the other group suspected a conspiracy by girls from the real world. The two sides clashed, and various explosions and screams could be heard from within. After a fierce struggle, the main door was opened.

The disheveled Armament Department members, expecting to welcome girls, were dumbfounded to see Lu Mingfei at the front of the crowd, holding his phone and playing a video of a coquettish female streamer.

Those who had been subdued and tied up mocked the others who had been manipulated by their younger brothers, claiming that it wasn't even a conspiracy by girls from the real world; they had won!

The newcomers swarmed in, claiming their spots and showing no intention of leaving.

The victorious group glared at Lu Mingfei, clenching their teeth in frustration but unsure what to say. A couple of them, noticing Lu Mingfei's relatively clean appearance, whispered, "He's not that bad," causing Lu Mingfei to shrink back, his heart racing.

Director Akadura, seeing the Armament Department filled with newcomers, felt humiliated, as if his wife had been invaded by hundreds of outsiders. He fainted in anger, and Vice Director Karl immediately rushed to cover his mouth and nose. Unfortunately, Akadura broke free before he could be suffocated.

The otaku males approached the girls among the newcomers, trying to find common interests. "Do you know which Gundam model is the coolest? What are your thoughts on EVA? Do you prefer Ayako Mizore or Asuka? Which Pokemon starter would you choose? Do you play Black Myth? I can carry you if you're in the top 1000. Want to see my weapon collection? I have a super straight branch!"

Lu Mingfei tried to make himself inconspicuous in the corner, but Zero, with her icy queen-like demeanor, drew everyone's attention, making Lu Mingfei's position the eye of the storm. Zero's aura was so strong that it automatically deterred any Armament Department members from approaching her. They could only settle for talking to Lu Mingfei, who was standing next to her.

As they chatted, they surprisingly hit it off!

Lu Mingfei couldn't grasp the knowledge of dragon slaying; he found discussions about Incantations, alchemy, dragon clans, and their history tedious. However, they could talk endlessly about which characters were stronger in "Naruto," "One Piece," and "Bleach."

When the newcomers heard that Lu Mingfei was an exceptional StarCraft player and had ranked within the top 100 globally in Black Myth, they were astonished. They admired him and even brought him fast food like hamburgers and cola. For a moment, Lu Mingfei felt a twinge of reluctance to leave this harmonious yet toxic family.

As the atmosphere warmed up, the otaku males began to probe into Lu Mingfei and Zero's relationship, hoping for a chance to help Lu Mingfei find a partner.

Upon hearing this topic, Lu Mingfei's intelligence kicked in, and he deftly changed the subject to avoid the question. He joked about who the strongest character in "Bleach" was, using it as a distraction.

After the Armament Department members left in disappointment, Lu Mingfei turned to Zero, wanting to say something but feeling too shy to speak.

Two conflicting voices battled in his mind. One said, "A useless waste like you, who needs protection even during a shelter, doesn't deserve love. Give up now." The other argued, "She knows you're useless, yet she still protects you. She must like you. Don't miss out on the second girl who likes you."

After some hesitation, Lu Mingfei gathered his courage and approached Zero, "Would you be disappointed if I didn't fight against the invading dragon race?"

"You haven't received professional training, so it's dangerous to go into battle. Taking shelter is a wise decision."

Zero's voice remained as cold as ever.

"Honestly, I don't think I'm cut out for dragon slaying. That's the boss's job, or maybe Caesar and Chu Senior Apprentice's. I'm lazy and a coward. When faced with difficulties, I just want to hide and play games or watch videos. I'm pretty useless..."

Lu Mingfei stammered, and Zero listened silently without interrupting or refuting him.

"Yeah, that's right... You were telling me about the power dynamics within the lion pride, about power and authority. You must like really strong and exceptional people."

He clenched his teeth, "What about someone who isn't as exceptional, would you like them?"

Before the words "Like me" could leave his mouth, a violent tremor shook the area, as if a small meteor had struck the Earth. This was followed by a deafening sound that, despite the layers of insulation, still managed to numb everyone's ears.

"Damn, what the hell was that?!"

Lu Mingfei was startled, and it took him several seconds to regain his composure. He patted his chest.

"If I had to describe it, it was probably the end of the Dragon Race."

A familiar youthful voice sounded, and only then did Lu Mingfei realize that time had once again frozen. Everyone's movements were paused, and the monster boy sat beside Zero, caressing the girl's eyebrows and eyes with his small hands.

Lu Mingfei scowled, "Why are you here again? I told you not to come looking for me. Give up, I won't do business with you."

"Don't think of me so badly, big brother. Salespeople get holidays too. Today, I just wanted to see you."

Lu Mingze withdrew his hand from caressing Zero and smiled at Lu Mingfei with open arms. His eyes were especially clear, and his fair face made him look exceptionally well-behaved.

"Can you give me a hug, big brother?"

Although Lu Mingfei disliked the monster boy disrupting his life, when he saw the boy's eyes, wet like a begging puppy, he couldn't help but walk forward. After a moment of hesitation, he embraced the boy's soft body and spoke softly.

"Even a little devil like you who trades in souls can have moments of longing for love, or are you trying to lure me into a trap by appealing to my sympathy?"

Lu Mingze rubbed his cheek against Lu Mingfei's, then closed his eyes wearily, "I give up, big brother. Your business is too difficult. I plan to change my target and scam others instead."

"What do you mean?"

Lu Mingfei paused, releasing the boy's hand and asking in confusion.

"I mean, I'll go harvest other people's souls. It's too hard to get someone like you, who cherishes life, to give up their soul. So, I plan to deal with those who are poor, old, with dim prospects, and have no hope in life."

Lu Mingze blinked at him, "After this, we probably won't have a chance to meet again, big brother."

"You're... leaving?"

Upon hearing this news, Lu Mingfei suddenly felt a void in his heart, as if the thread connecting him to his monster brother was about to break. A sense of inexplicable anxiety overwhelmed him.

(This is a perfect, flawless, internalized, and complete version of Chapter 69, available on BookBar!)



"If you dislike me so much and don't want to trade, what else can I do but leave? Just forget about these days as if they were a dream. After all, this was just a dream."

Lu Mingze pouted, "Or, big brother, would you be willing to spend half your life to keep me here?"

"This... isn't it a quarter? Why are you raising the price?"

Lu Mingfei hesitated for a moment, as if possessed by a ghost. When he saw the expectation and mischievousness on the little devil's face, he suddenly understood. He glared at the boy and snapped his fingers angrily.

"Were you trying to trick me again just now?"

"Tsk~ Big brother is getting smarter. A little trick like that won't work anymore."

Lu Mingze spread his hands helplessly, "In the future, you must live well and not fall into my target group. Otherwise, I'll have my eye on you again."

He walked through the arms that had been embracing him and slowly stood in the center of the room. A spotlight appeared from nowhere, illuminating his face and transforming the area into a solemn and dignified stage.

Lu Mingze smoothed his hair, straightened his collar, aligned his jacket, and smoothed the creases on his pants. His molten golden eyes gazed at Lu Mingfei with gentleness, concealing the complexity of his emotions.

Finally, he bowed slowly and performed a salute.

"Big brother, may we meet again in the next dream."

As he finished speaking, Lu Mingze's appearance began to change. His well-tailored suit transformed into a plain white convict's robe, and his saluting posture became a crucified pose. The stage turned into a bronze pillar, and a uniquely shaped spear pierced his heart, pinning him to the pillar. His dazzling golden eyes slowly closed, eventually falling into silence.

After a few seconds, the entire scene crumbled like fine sand.

Pain... His heart ached as if it were being torn apart. Lu Mingfei covered his chest, tears streaming uncontrollably. Despite the annoying brother's mysterious appearance and disappearance, Lu Mingfei couldn't bring himself to feel happy.

"It's okay, it's okay."

Zero's comforting words reached Lu Mingfei's ears, but he continued to cry, looking up in confusion. He realized that everyone around him was looking at him with admiration. Only then did he notice that he was tightly hugging Zero.

"Wh... What happened?"

"Don't you remember what just happened?"

The boy beside him looked at Lu Mingfei with envy, "Just now, you suddenly hugged Zero and kissed her. You confessed and said a lot of sweet nothings."

Zero caressed Lu Mingfei's cheek, "From now on, we will not abandon or betray each other, until the end of death."

Was this the final gift?

Lu Mingfei seemed to understand something, and he moved his lips, "Brother..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end