Dragon Raja 4; Chapter 53: Patient Zero (3)

Dragon Raja 4

A waiter wielded a champagne saber, slicing the bottle open as the white foam sprayed into the air. Samba girls, who had been waiting, rose collectively and began to dance around the table, their feathered skirts and long legs twirling. Amidst the silvery lights, a singer in a white dress with sparkling wings appeared, her diamond-studded high heels tapping the rhythm, her voice bewitching:

“Last night I dreamt of San Pedro

Just like I’d never gone, I knew the song

A young girl with eyes like the desert

It all seems like yesterday, not far away…”

On a rooftop 300 meters away, two young people had set up a camera by the chimney, seemingly capturing the parade floats, but their hidden binoculars were fixed on the top of the old palace.

The short-haired, tan-skinned boy was named González, from Spain, who had just finished his first semester at Cassell college. He loved playing soccer and could also strum the ukulele.

The girl with long, flowing hair like seaweed was Victoria, from the UK, a lively soul who enjoyed singing, dancing, and horseback riding.

To help new students understand the world of hybrids, the college required them to participate in at least one mission during their first year. So, González, Victoria, and a few other new students were assigned to the operations group. In reality, the Execution Bureau didn’t expect them to do much. This outpost was just for observation—whether they were here or not didn’t matter. Since Ricardo was on the scene, things were bound to be resolved smoothly.

Gonzalez adjusted the focus on the binoculars. “Why are they drinking now? What could he possibly be discussing with that pig?”

Victoria shook her head. “He’s probably trying to figure out how much Porquinho knows about Tachibana Masamune’s secret network. It’s very well-hidden.”

Gonzalez was unimpressed. “Just arrest him and take him back to the college. Hand him over to Professor Toyama, and there’d be no need for a truth serum—he could get a confession just by using his telepathy.”

“Ricardo always has his reasons. Let’s just keep an eye on things,” Victoria said while casually chewing gum and assembling her sniper rifle.

Gonzalez sighed. He knew there was no point discussing the illustrious Ricardo with Victoria. Most of the girls at the college idolized him, believing that whatever Ricardo did was justified. Even if he randomly jumped into a pile of dog poop on the side of the road, they’d still think there was a good reason for it.

Gonzalez had thanked God a thousand times for being paired with Victoria on this mission. Among the new students, she was considered one of the top candidates for the title of “college Queen.” She came from a noble family, one of the last remaining countesses in England. They got along well, but with so many admirers surrounding her, Gonzalez was hardly noticeable. He hoped that by sharing this adventure, their relationship might deepen.

But when he learned Ricardo was coming along, he felt deflated. With Ricardo around, how could he ever stand out? Everyone and everything would inevitably revolve around Ricardo.

But it was Ricardo, after all. Gonzalez didn’t even feel entitled to be jealous. That guy had it all: charm, talent, wealth. He had entered the college as an S-Rank and had already seen action on top-tier battlefields. Though he dressed casually now, when he gave speeches at Norton Hall, he looked every bit the perfect gentleman in a tailored suit. The afternoon tea sessions with the headmaster were supposed to be reserved for outstanding students, but Ricardo could walk in and join anytime. There was even a small dance troupe within the Student Union, comprised of the top female students, who were not only talented dancers but had the best looks. They carried themselves like swans, yet they would chatter excitedly whenever Ricardo was around.

Even his codename was different. The Execution Bureau had dubbed Ricardo “Patient Zero.”

In the world of boys, it was simple: once someone became the sun, everyone else was just a shadow.

Ricardo was that sun, shining brightly like the morning light at 7 or 8 a.m. Some secretly referred to him as the “Cassar Prince.” Gonzalez might not like it, but no one cared how he felt.

“Gonzalez, Victoria, turn off your microphones when you chat,” the instructor’s voice crackled through their earpieces.

A black helicopter flew low overhead. It was the instructor overseeing this operation, part of the college’s eyes and ears both in the sky and on the ground.

After three glasses of wine, the atmosphere between the host and guest had become much more relaxed. Porquinho was not really interested in going head-to-head with the college; otherwise, he wouldn’t have set up a banquet to entertain them.

In the adult world, problems that can be solved over drinks rarely require the use of knives. Almost everything is negotiable.

“I’m a simple guy, with no grand ambitions. I just want to live like a carefree pig—eat from the trough when I’m hungry and chase after pretty sows when I feel like it,” Porquinho said with a sigh. “Since the college came to find me, I have no choice but to cooperate. As for my gang, I hope you’ll show some mercy and not wipe us out completely.”

With a glance from him, two women sat on either side of Lu Mingfei’s lap, gently twisting their slim waists, their red-tipped nails lightly scratching his chest.

“Stop that, I don’t go for this… Really, I don’t…” Lu Mingfei quickly waved them off.

“Just a little gift,” Porquinho said with increasing warmth. “If you like, I have shares in several modeling agencies and talent companies in Brazil. Girls like these, as many as you want. Just turn a blind eye, and you’ll always have a good friend in Rio de Janeiro. Whenever your plane lands, there’ll be a helicopter waiting for you. If you enjoy the Carnival, the prettiest girls will be waiting in your private box every night to throw you your own exclusive party.”

“It sounds tempting,” Lu Mingfei said hesitantly. “But if the Disciplinary Committee finds out, I might get expelled.”

“I understand the college’s rules. You don’t meddle in the affairs of the outside world. I’ll come clean about Tachibana’s network, and it’ll be up to the police to decide if they want to arrest me. That’s not your concern.”

Lu Mingfei pondered for a moment. “That could work. But besides Tachibana Masamune’s network, we’re also interested in someone named ‘Hercules.’ We intercepted an email from Tachibana during the Tokyo incident. Tachibana wanted Hercules to join the fight, but he never showed up. You need to help me find him.”

“Hercules? Like the one from Greek mythology?” Porquinho was stunned. “You want me to catch Hercules?”

“It’s likely a codename for a powerful hybrid. The Grudge Clan is full of strong-blooded individuals. But for Tachibana to value him so highly, this guy must be extremely powerful.”

“You know my limits, Junior. My bloodline is rated B. On the college’s battlefield, I’m just cannon fodder. If Hercules is as strong as you say, I’d be walking into my own death!” Porquinho said with a look of despair. “He hasn’t been seen since the Tokyo incident, probably hiding somewhere in the mountains. Let him be; we don’t need to go digging him up.”

Lu Mingfei shook his head, “A super hybrid who once served Tachibana Masamune. We definitely don’t want him wandering around outside.”

“The world is so big, where am I supposed to find him?” Porquinho sighed. “I only have some influence in Rio.”

“We found the flight records of a private jet, from Tokyo to Rio and then back to Tokyo, but no one boarded the plane,” Lu Mingfei said. “So either that person is staying in Rio, or Rio is just a transit point. You’re the mafia king in this city; it would be easiest for you to investigate.”

Porquinho took a few puffs of his cigar and raised his glass. “Since you’re giving me the opportunity, I’ll take care of the Hercules matter!”

The two clinked their glasses, perhaps with a little too much force, shattering them, and golden liquor splashed everywhere like a blooming flower.

While Lu Mingfei was still stunned, the chef in charge of slicing the meat kicked his chair from behind, sending him falling backward. Samba girls swarmed him, grabbing his head, his legs, their smooth legs intertwined, pinning him down. The musicians pulled weapons out of their instrument cases, dispersing around the rooftop, blocking his escape routes.

It wasn’t lust that defeated him but chivalry. These girls were ordinary people; if he resisted, they’d end up with broken bones. The past Student Union presidents had all upheld the tradition of chivalry—never hitting women unless absolutely necessary, especially young and beautiful ones. This was probably within Porquinho’s calculations, which was why he had arranged for these dancers to accompany him.

The chef couldn’t wait any longer. He strode forward, his serrated blade striking sparks from the meat fork. The fork and knife were poised, ready to strike his eyes…

But Porquinho didn’t want to take things too far and stopped the chef. “Sorry, brother, but now you’re my hostage.”

“Don’t be rash, Senior,” Lu Mingfei sighed. “Since I’m still willing to talk, it means there’s a way to resolve this. If you keep pushing, it’ll end badly.”

Porquinho shook his head. “I know your college well. The old guys there taught me about bloodlines, survival of the fittest. You’re the favored one, and I’m trash. Why should you give trash a way out?”

“Don’t say that, like none of us have been trash at some point…” Lu Mingfei muttered.

Suddenly, the lights on the entire street went out, and a helicopter hovered above the old palace. Flashbangs rained down from the sky. People could only hear a deafening roar in their ears, and their vision was filled with a blinding white light.

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