Dragon Raja 4; Chapter 83: Dragon Song in Ultramarine Hall (8)

Dragon Raja 4

Two council members attending via voice call abstained, unwilling to show their faces or participate actively in the vote. Their silence indicated their stance—they didn’t want to take responsibility during a crisis.

The vote stood tied, four to four, and all eyes turned to Caesar, who held the decisive vote. A vote from the Gattuso family carried more weight than that of any other. By this point, the Gattuso family had become the most powerful in the world of hybrids, with influence extending into politics and commerce. And Caesar Gattuso, the designated future emperor of this hybrid world, now held the power to shape its fate.

Caesar gazed ahead, his right hand suspended in the air, his face still and expressionless, like a master swordsman ready to unleash a world-shattering strike.

The Vice Principal finished his beer in one gulp and abruptly stood to leave.

“Flamel Mentor, where are you going? It’s inappropriate to leave at such a critical moment,” Beowulf called after him, eyeing his back.

“Can’t a man go pee? I’ve had too much beer, and my bladder’s about to burst! Anyway, I’ve already voted. Lu Mingfei’s life or death doesn’t concern me!” The Vice Principal slammed the door as he left.

Once outside the chamber, the Vice Principal broke into a jog, dialing a number as he ran.

“We’re in trouble. Those old geezers Anjou brought in can’t be trusted… They haven’t sided with the Gattuso family, but they think Lu Mingfei is too dangerous. They’re pushing for an S-level warrant. There’s no way to keep this under wraps. Every hybrid family has spies in the college. You’re about to become public enemies… Lu Mingfei really messed up this time. Of all the people to cross, why did he have to provoke a woman from the Gattuso family? If it weren’t for that, maybe Caesar would have supported him… That girl’s a problem. Just send her back! You two could run off together, live as outlaw legends—quite the romantic story…”

He stopped abruptly, slowly turning around. Standing behind him, no more than two meters away, was the towering figure of Beowulf, his stern face full of disdain.

The Vice Principal covered the phone. “I’m talking to my girlfriend. What are you doing, standing so close?”

“Your girlfriend in Cuba? I hear she’s a mess of a woman, recently got into some trouble, went on the run… and brought a dragon with her.”

The Vice Principal fell silent for a moment, then sighed. He hadn’t expected such a flimsy lie to fool Beowulf; he was just too used to spouting nonsense.

Beowulf had never trusted him. From the moment he left the chamber, Beowulf had been following him like a shadow. Despite his massive frame, Beowulf moved quickly and silently, a testament to his strength. Even without using Yanling, he could easily defeat most A-level operatives. Neither Caesar nor Lu Mingfei could guarantee a victory against him.

The Vice Principal stepped back, undoing the buttons of his denim jacket. “So, it’s come to this…”

“That’s more like it,” Beowulf’s eyes gleamed with sharp intent. “Years ago, when I first heard of you, they called you the ‘Bloodhound.’ Back then, you could cross the entire West alone just to hunt down an injured dragon. That dragon drank a full bottle of mercury to kill itself because death seemed less terrifying than you. But now, years later, you’ve become a ridiculous old man. If they hadn’t called you Flamel Mentor, I wouldn’t have believed my eyes. Bloodhound and Dragon-Blood Eater—it’s time we reintroduced ourselves to each other… our true selves!”

He undid the buttons on his suit and lifted the hem, revealing a silver revolver holstered at his waist. The dark red gun handle was carved from a dragon’s tooth.

“Beowulf, don’t be rash!” The Vice Principal shouted. “Am I really going to risk my life for Lu Mingfei? Is he my son? Manstein is my son!”

Sure enough, there was no gun on his waist, only a chubby belly that was somewhat comical. He pulled an envelope from his inner pocket and tossed it to Beowulf. “This is my resignation letter…”

“What did you say?” Beowulf couldn’t believe his ears.

“Whether it’s alchemy or Yanling, that guy is top-tier. To be honest, the alchemy matrix beneath the college has been patched up so many times that I’m not sure when it’ll just collapse,” the Vice Principal said with a grimace. “I’m getting old, my health’s declining, and I want to spend the little time I have left using up my savings… You’re still sharp, and idealistic, just like Anjou. I’ll leave the task of saving the world to you…”

“How could you sink this low? How can you bear the name of Flamel?” Beowulf roared, rushing forward and punching the Vice Principal, knocking him out cold.

The Vice Principal fell flat on his back, bleeding from his nose, unconscious, with beer foam spilling from his mouth. Beowulf looked at his fist in surprise. Although he had thrown the punch in anger, he hadn’t used his full strength. An S-rank hybrid should have been able to take it with ease, but the Vice Principal was knocked out, looking utterly pathetic. It seemed time really had changed him—from the fierce bloodhound to a sleazy, out-of-shape old man. Beowulf felt that such a person wasn’t even worth wasting a bullet on.

He picked up the Vice Principal’s phone, which was still in the middle of a call. “Finger von Frings, report back to the college immediately. This is your last chance!”

“Sorry, I don’t know anyone by that name. Maybe such a person doesn’t exist,” the voice on the other end lazily replied.

“I’m not interested in your tricks. Put Lu Mingfei on the phone!” Beowulf barked.

“He’s asleep. Best not to wake a sleeping person. Who knows what he’ll turn into when he wakes up. Let’s keep this brief: I’m not sure what’s gone wrong with the world, but something definitely has. Let’s not act impulsively. If someone really is a Dragon King, I don’t have the means to tie him up and hand him over. For the past five years, he’s been the Secret Party’s secret weapon. I’m sure you’ve figured that out. Instead of worrying about the weapon, why not think about who’s wielding it, and what their plan is.”

“Flamel risked his life to warn you. If you don’t turn yourself in, he’ll face severe punishment! Right now, Professor Guderian is still in solitary confinement!”

“Spare me the threats! I’m known for my toughness! Seduction works, but intimidation doesn’t! My mentor can handle torture, too! Go ahead and beat him up if you like! But you won’t dare kill him. Without him, little Charlotte isn’t enough to handle the alchemy side of things. And without the protection of the alchemy matrix, that guy who can move freely through space might turn the entire Hall of Heroes into a massive funeral hall.”

The call ended, and Beowulf crushed the phone in his fury.

A few moments later, Beowulf re-entered the meeting hall, his face cold. Everyone turned to look at him, except for Caesar, who remained seated, right hand suspended in mid-air, still preparing that earth-shattering move… Only then did Beowulf realize he had misunderstood. Caesar wasn’t posing or hesitating—he had been disconnected the whole time.

At the Gattuso family’s base in Rome, Caesar sat calmly in front of the camera, flipping a white card between his fingers.

Parsi was busy inspecting the camera. Apologetically, he said, “I’m not sure if it’s a technical issue or a network problem. Please wait a moment, young master. I’ll notify the tech team immediately.”

“You unplugged it. Of course, I disconnected,” Caesar said indifferently. “Do you have something you want to say to me?”

Parsi paused his work. “Young master, there’s a friendship between you and Lu Mingfei. Shouldn’t that be considered?”

“If this were three years ago, friendship alone would have been enough for me to make a decision. But if I do that now, it would be irresponsible. There are too many doubts surrounding him, and I can’t risk more lives. He’s not a child anymore; he can be accountable for his own actions. He shouldn’t have involved Nono. Seeking help from unrelated people only makes things messier,” Caesar said coldly.

“It was reckless of him to seek out Miss Chen, but if I may, no one can take Miss Chen away if she doesn’t want to leave.”

Caesar frowned slightly, his tone sharp. “He’s taking advantage of Nono’s kindness!”

“How can you be sure that Miss Chen’s feelings for you aren’t also based on a kindhearted impulse?”

Caesar was momentarily stunned, then glared. “Nono is my fiancée! She swore to be with me for life! No one else has the right to judge her!”

“But ever since you received that letter, your emotions have been in turmoil, even though you’ve been trying to control it and hide it from others,” Parsi said calmly. “There’s probably always been something you weren’t sure about in your heart, right? You once said that Miss Chen is like a book you can never finish reading, always adding more pages. You don’t even know why this book chose you.”

Caesar was silent for a long time, finally lowering his tired gaze. “You see me very clearly. I’ve always felt that Nono is the greatest luck in my life. But is it possible that one day I’ll lose everything I’ve gained through luck? Because good fortune always runs out eventually.”

“Before your trip to Tokyo, you wouldn’t have thought about these things. Has Miss Makoto changed you?”

“I often dream of her. Every time, I’m driving to rescue her, but every time, I’m too late. She’s fallen in my dreams hundreds of times,” Caesar said, staring at the ceiling. “Miss Makoto taught me how cruel the world is—that good children don’t always live to the end, that courage can’t overcome everything, and that when you need God the most, He won’t come. Sometimes, in those dreams, I can’t even tell who I’m trying to save. Sometimes it’s Miss Makoto; sometimes it’s Nono. That’s why I’ve been so eager for the wedding. I want to keep her by my side forever.”

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