Dragon Raja 4; Chapter 24: Journey to the End of the World (24)

Dragon Raja 4

The EM-BJ-001 incident is the internal code for the Beijing Subway Incident. “EM” stands for “The King of Earth and Mountains,” and “BJ” refers to the location where the incident originated.

Macallan skillfully used these college-specific terms to chat with Chu Zihang, as if the Holy Palace Medical Society were a branch of Cassell.

“But what exactly is Xia Mi?” Macallan continued.

“She is something Jörmungandr created to please you. She fits your aesthetic, understands your heart, and has many different identities but always stays by your side. Of course, you’d like her. But she is ultimately a fabrication, one that not even light can illuminate. If life is a journey, on such a long journey, you are alone. Jörmungandr has always been using you; she conjured up that girl to play with you, but in reality, you are alone, playing ball in an empty court.”

Chu Zihang trembled slightly. His sword had not come out, but Macallan had used an invisible blade to cut open his chest.

He had avoided thinking deeply about this matter—had he been deceiving himself all along? Was he unwilling to admit that Xia Mi was entirely a fabrication?

“Jörmungandr is a great being that can repeatedly return from death. She is part of the world’s fabric, without an empty heart that needs emotions to fill it. She pursued the mark of Odin on you. You once entered the Nibelungen created by Odin and obtained that mark. Then why would Odin allow you to live with that mark? You haven’t seen the true reality of your life. Perhaps the one who destroyed your life was Jörmungandr, not Odin.”

Macallan watched Reginleif, who was playing a snowball fight with the boys around the campfire. “Maybe no matter how hard she tries, she can never become the person in your heart, but she is made of flesh and blood. Think of her as a gift from the Holy Palace Medical Society. Don’t be too quick to get angry. Think of your Xia Mi—wasn’t she a gift from Jörmungandr? And our gift is much more real. We can give you a new life or help you find the truth of your past.”

He placed a black envelope in Chu Zihang’s hand and said, “I suddenly thought of a Chinese poem, and I’ll give it to you: ‘In the deep of night, I suddenly dream of my youth; flowers fall by themselves, water flows on its own.’”

The line was a mismatched combination. The first half was from Bai Juyi’s Song of the Pipa Player, while the second half came from Li Qingzhao’s A Cut of Plum. Yet, strangely enough, it fit with the dream Chu Zihang had last night.

The man turned and walked into the falling snow, but instead of heading toward the ship, he gradually moved further into the jagged ice mountains.

Suddenly, Chu Zihang dropped to one knee, violently coughing, and spat out a mouthful of black blood onto the ice. In his mind, a loud roar echoed, and everything he saw seemed to be tinted with vivid, blurred edges. Macallan had been speaking the whole time, and Chu Zihang had only responded with a few words. It wasn’t that Macallan’s language had overpowered him, but rather that Macallan’s overwhelming aura had completely dominated the scene. Even though Chu Zihang was rated as A+ at the college, superior to Lu Mingfei’s S-Rank, and had even fought Chisei, an “Emperor” level or SS-Rank hybrid, in front of Macallan, though his hand gripped his sword hilt, he didn’t have the confidence to draw it.

He had to concentrate fully to withstand Macallan’s pressure, and now that he had relaxed, his body immediately began to show signs of strain. Only then did he realize that he had left his medicine in the ship’s cabin. He forced himself to stand, intending to return to the ship, knowing that when his symptoms acted up, he tended to become violent—the bloodthirsty genes of the dragon within him would activate. Staying there could pose a threat to the other passengers. He also harbored a hidden desire to fight those passengers who had purchased tickets—no more pretending; it was time to settle things once and for all.

The dizziness was so severe that he could barely stand, slipping repeatedly on the ice. People around him turned to watch him struggle toward the gangway, but no one stepped forward to help. It was unclear whether their expressions were astonishment or indifference. At that moment, he really could have used Sasha’s help, but Sasha had taken advantage of the passengers’ walk on the ice to lead a team to inspect the lower decks. In the crucial moment, a pink rabbit appeared. Reginleif unzipped the rabbit costume, revealing her delicate, porcelain-like face. She pulled her upper body out and grabbed Chu Zihang, frowning and shouting, “Waiter! Waiter! Come check on this man!”

Her actions weren’t entirely out of concern; she could see that he was on the verge of losing control. Among those present, there might have been other high-ranking hybrids, but she was likely the only one capable of handling Chu Zihang. To the others, however, her move appeared too intimate—a girl cradling a man in the snow, shouting for help. Instead of coming forward, people remained seated, some with pained expressions, as if thinking they had misplaced their affections yet again, being used as tools in the rabbit girl’s game with the Chinese man.

Chu Zihang’s heart pounded like a drum, and a surge of rage and desire to bite rose from within him like a hot tide. Then, he saw Reginleif’s slender wrist, with faint blue veins protruding slightly, and it suddenly struck him as “delicious.” Unable to resist, he bit down hard. As the sweet blood entered his throat, a strange yet fresh scent spread through his nose, and to his surprise, he immediately calmed down. Exhaustion overwhelmed him, and he lost consciousness.

Reginleif waved coldly at anyone intending to help, signaling them to stop. She placed Chu Zihang on the ice, knelt beside him, and allowed him to bite her wrist.

When Chu Zihang awoke again, he was lying in the ship’s medical room, covered in needles. A glance at the IV bags told him they were just saline and glucose, standard treatments to stabilize his condition. Even Cassell College’s medical technology couldn’t cure him, so the ship’s doctor certainly couldn’t figure out the cause of his illness. He had probably made it through this episode on his own.

The college’s warnings had been correct. His body could no longer handle frontline work. He was only 24, but already nearing retirement, as if life were playing a cruel joke on him.

Reginleif sat at the foot of the bed, arms crossed, wearing a Bohemian-style dress covered in bright patterns, evoking both flowers and poison. It made her pale skin seem even colder and whiter than usual. This wasn’t her typical style of dress, but it looked familiar to Chu Zihang, though he didn’t dwell on it. Macallan might take special interest if he knew, as he had clearly put effort into this dress. Yet Chu Zihang was the type of person who, even if he had feelings for someone, would only remember the way the light filtered through her small room or the atmosphere of sitting together by a giant sunset on a Ferris wheel, not her fashion sense.

The black envelope lay on the bedside table. Chu Zihang opened it and took out a metal card the size of a phone. The matte surface was laser-etched with the pattern of a “Withered World Tree,” while the back had a complex QR code engraved on it.

“Is this a ticket to the Divine Kingdom?” Chu Zihang looked at Reginleif.

“How would I know? I’m not the ticket sales agent!” Reginleif replied irritably. “I’m just a hostess!”

However, the surprise on her face indicated that this was indeed the $20 million ticket. The Holy Palace Medical Society was certainly being sincere with him.

“Hey! With so many people around, I’m the only one who came to take care of you! Shouldn’t you thank me? And you even bit me!” Reginleif shouted.

Chu Zihang gazed into her pretty yet fierce eyes, suddenly understanding what Macallan meant. There were indeed some things about Reginleif that were like Xia Mi — like a flower with claws and fangs. She smiled like Xia Mi, walked like Xia Mi, even fell from the sky like Xia Mi… But Xia Mi was a figment of Jörmungandr’s creation, while Reginleif was very much alive.

He recalled that when his body was in trouble back then, the one who took care of him was also Xia Mi. She had the same attitude of “it’s none of my damn business, but I love to check on you, and you better appreciate it.”

“Thank you… Your Highness, or would you prefer I call you Reginleif?” Chu Zihang felt his words were a bit clumsy.

“Whatever you like! In your mind, I’m probably ‘Troublemaker Reginleif’ or ‘The Troublemaker Reginleif Who Always Fails to Seduce Me,’ or something like that!” Reginleif leaned back on the railing at the foot of the bed, hands behind her head.

“I don’t think you’re trying to seduce me.”

“So, I climbed up so high for fun, just to do a high dive in front of everyone into your arms?” Reginleif was furious. “Were you born by asexual reproduction? Have you never dated anyone?”

“I think… I might have liked someone,” Chu Zihang’s eyes suddenly seemed a bit lost. “But I’m not too sure; maybe I was just embellishing my memories.”

“Don’t explain it to me! I don’t really like you; I’m just messing with you!” This time it was Reginleif’s turn to feel awkward. “I have no intention of taking responsibility for you!”

Chu Zihang was stunned for a moment, realizing that he was still dwelling on Macallan’s words. Compared to the lively and alluring saint in front of him, it was the mysterious Macallan who touched his emotions more deeply.

Seeing him deep in thought, Reginleif added, “But am I really that bad in your eyes? All the boys on the ship like me, but you don’t even bother to look at me. Am I not worthy?”

Chu Zihang averted his gaze. “It’s not about being worthy or not. You’re a good girl, but it’s different from others wanting to spend time on you. Do you think that if I like you, I’ll help you leave this ship?”

“Of course!” Reginleif’s frankness was on par with Macallan’s. “If you like me, it wouldn’t be a loss for me. If you like me, then our alliance is secured. Whether I like you or not, that’s my business.”

“Then you don’t have to worry. I’ve already requested the college to provide you protection. I’ve been out of contact with the college for more than 12 hours now. With the way Cassell College operates, they’ve probably already activated the privilege to mobilize military weapons near the Arctic Circle. Our rescue could arrive at any time,” Chu Zihang said softly. “Until then, I’ll do everything in my power to protect you. What I promise, I always fulfill, and that has nothing to do with whether you’re a pretty girl or not.”

Reginleif looked him up and down, intrigued. “At this moment, you’re quite manly! Did the girl you liked like you back?”