Dragon Raja 4; Chapter 121: Chu Tianjiao (10)

Dragon Raja 4

Lu Mingfei kicked away an approaching wraith mid-air. “I’ve been keeping too low of a profile. You’ve never seen me in my full, dashing glory, have you?”

He shoved Nono into the Maybach, firing dual pistols at the approaching shadows, looking as heroic as Chow Yun-Fat in A Better Tomorrow.

Then his foot slipped, his head crashed into an ax-wielding wraith, and the mission failed.

“γ Spring, 54th reload: Night, storm, highway, Action!!!”

A spear was launched, and the Maybach shook as the rocket hurtled toward Odin. The godlike figure sat motionless on his horse.

Lu Mingfei handed the rocket launcher to Nono. “There’s one shot left. Want to try?”

Nono shrugged, opened the sunroof, and climbed out. “Who should I aim at?”

“Odin, of course. Go big or go home,” Lu Mingfei said, flooring the gas pedal as the Maybach roared off.

The rocket came within mere inches of Odin, but it was stopped by an invisible barrier, exploding in a fireball. The flames spread along the impenetrable air wall, forming a burning barrier in front of Odin. Cursing, Nono tossed the rocket launcher aside, ducking back into the passenger seat and rolling up the window.

“Feel like grabbing a late-night snack?” Lu Mingfei asked as he sped down the road.

“You’re thinking about food right now?” Nono gawked at him.

“The tires are slashed. They’re run-flats, but we won’t get far,” Lu Mingfei said calmly. “We can make it to the next service area. There’s a KFC there.”

Nono paused for a moment. “I want some spicy chicken wings.”

“Sorry, that’s McDonald’s, not KFC…”

“γ Spring, 62nd reload: Night, storm, highway, Action!!!”

“Where did you even get a rocket launcher?” Nono exclaimed.

Lu Mingfei couldn’t be bothered to answer, standing on a box of rocket rounds, firing in all directions. Explosions sent his coat and hair flying dramatically.

Unexpectedly, a rocket exploded in the launcher, sending Lu Mingfei screaming and flying across the highway. “Lu Mingze! What kind of faulty gear blows up like this?”

“Sorry, sorry, there’s always the occasional dud. You’ve been through so many already; you were bound to hit one,” a voice called through the rain.

“γ Spring, 77th reload: Night, storm, highway, Action!!!”

The Maybach barreled forward, creating walls of water as it smashed through the barricades, about to squeeze between two tollbooths, but unfortunately, it hit a concrete divider.

Explosion. Fire. Cursing. Mission failed.

Lu Mingfei opened his eyes, his vision still blurry as he called out, “Nurse! Nurse! I need a shot!”

He had been sleeping for five or six days straight with the help of sedatives. Each time he woke up, he’d call for the nurse to give him another shot, eating hospital meals and chatting with the ‘Immortal,’ ‘Station Chief,’ and ‘Tricycle Uncle’ in between.

This was exactly how he used to game—nonstop, fueled by energy drinks and snacks.

The nurse suspected he might be addicted to the sedatives and was reluctant to give him more. So, Lu Mingfei told her about the Italian aristocrat and the stone-faced killer arguing in his head. One moment, he’d yell that the aristocrat was coming out and impersonate Caesar; the next, he’d shout that the killer was about to emerge and mimic Chu Zihang. The nurse was so freaked out she ran to consult the doctor. The doctor assured her that the sedatives weren’t addictive, so if he wanted them, just give them to him. After that, the nurse no longer hesitated to supply the sedatives, even leaving a dose on his nightstand for him to inject himself during the night.

After several days, Lu Mingfei had become quite adept at single-handedly injecting himself. New trainee nurses even asked him for tips on how to confidently stick a needle into their own veins.

But Lu Mingfei thought, What’s a needle? Once I fall asleep, I’m fighting hordes of monsters and a self-proclaimed god, getting stabbed, blown up, and driving off cliffs!

As his vision cleared, a scruffy, smiling face loomed over him.

“Hey, brother! You’re awake! How are you feeling?” Finger asked.

“You scumbag! You still know how to come see me?” Lu Mingfei said dryly. “And you brought apples? How am I supposed to peel them like this?”

“I’ll peel them for you! You’re the patient, after all. Want me to cut them into slices for you?”

“Cut them finely, into minced pieces…” Lu Mingfei trailed off, then snapped, “Why don’t you go get my discharge papers instead? Tell the doctors I’m fine. I’m perfectly normal.”

“No one’s saying you’re sick. You’re just under observation to see if you’re sick. Once they confirm you’re fine, we’ll leave. Legally, I’m your guardian now, so I’m responsible for you.”

“I thought my senior sister made that decision. Turns out it was you, you bastard! Do you even have a conscience?” Lu Mingfei thought for a moment, then started cursing.

“I’m just taking the fall for your senior sister. If I hadn’t signed, she would have had to. Wouldn’t that have made you even sadder? Don’t worry! She still cares about you. Yesterday, she even went out to investigate Chu Zihang’s situation for you.”

“Did she find anything? All the clues seem to point to me being a lunatic.”

Finger started peeling the apple. “Not much from Chu Zihang’s mom. The doctors say she became depressed after his car accident when he was fifteen, and her condition worsened over the years. She’s started having delusions, even thinking she’s pregnant. Your senior sister also looked into Chu Zihang’s father. He was a driver for a company called Huanya Group, which made alloys. They built a huge factory in the suburbs. But later, it turned out the boss had been using the factory as a front to scam bank loans. When things went south, the boss fled with all the money.”

“Huanya Group?” Lu Mingfei mused. “Sounds familiar.”

“Your senior sister went to Huanya Group; it’s already bankrupt, with only a former office manager left handling the aftermath. This guy used to be coworkers with Chu Zihang’s dad, and he mentioned that Chu Zihang’s dad used to live in a small room below their building. Your senior sister went to check it out, but something happened, and she almost didn’t make it back.”

“What happened?” Lu Mingfei was startled.

“Probably because of the heavy rain. The foundation got soaked, and the whole building started sinking into the ground. Your senior sister was nearly trapped in the basement. Fortunately, that office manager used to be a top swimmer for the provincial team, nicknamed the ‘Dragon of the Sea,’ and he pulled her out of the flooded basement. She’s fine now, but she’s pretty upset. She said if she’d had a little more time, she could have used her profiling ability in that room to figure out what kind of person Chu Zihang’s dad was. Didn’t you say Chu Zihang’s dad was a super hybrid?”

Lu Mingfei finally understood. Nono had even looked into Chu Zihang’s father because they were running out of leads. All the evidence pointed to Lu Mingfei being insane and that Chu Zihang had died at fifteen. Nono was grasping at every possible lead, treating the improbable as possible. But all these efforts were in vain—her profiling couldn’t cross world lines. In world line β, Chu Zihang was dead, and to bring him back, they would need to kill the mastermind behind it all.

“Are you Lu’s friend?” Tricycle Uncle waddled over, his belly leading the way, shaking Finger’s hand. “Lu’s doing great here; you don’t need to worry.”

Immortal chimed in, “The emperor sleeps soundly every night, but alas, without a concubine to accompany him, he is lonely!”

“The concubine is off investigating a case. The emperor will have to sleep alone for now,” Finger laughed. “You must be the famous Immortal. I’ve heard a lot about you from the nurses. My junior brother is lucky to have you all looking after him.”

“His will falters sometimes, but now he can take four or five shots a day without crying. For a young comrade, that’s pretty impressive—a good seedling!” the Station Chief praised.

“It’s all thanks to the care and support from seniors like you. Here, have some apples; let’s all enjoy some apples.” Finger distributed apples warmly, engaging in small talk with the other patients.

Half an hour later, Immortal had declared Finger to be a reincarnation of a celestial general, sent to aid the emperor, Lu Mingfei, in his future rule. Immortal was already convinced that Finger would eventually join him in the palace’s highest ranks.

Lu Mingfei thought to himself, Big bro, you’ve got skills! You’re the one who should be living here. You’re handling all these mental patients like it’s nothing!

Eventually, even the young nurse joined the fun, and Finger immediately switched gears, boasting about his glamorous life on London’s financial streets. The nurse’s eyes sparkled with admiration, and by the looks of it, if they kept talking for another couple of hours, Finger would probably win her over. Lu Mingfei took the opportunity to relax, listening to the ramblings of the ‘crazies’ while feeling a strange sense of peace, as if he’d momentarily returned to normal life.

The television was playing the noon news: “In response to the plane crash earlier this morning, where a flight skidded off the runway, city leaders have issued strict orders for a thorough investigation into the incident. Measures to improve aviation safety, aid injured passengers, and provide compensation are underway. The airport will remain closed indefinitely, and citizens with travel plans are advised to seek alternative transportation.”

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