A safe distance from the battlefield, NoNo forcibly dragged Lu Mingfei to a spot that looked relatively secure. Unlike the heavy hitters capable of trading blows with a Dragon King, Lu Mingfei was a well-known "loser," and NoNo herself lacked a Yanling. Being too close to the front lines was never a good idea.
"Senior, you're just worried the Boss will get concerned, right?" Lu Mingfei asked, watching the shadows leaping in the distance.
The wrath of a Dragon King sent tremors rippled through the ground. On the tracks, the black coal cinders rose and fell in the vibration, dancing a solitary waltz.
That engagement ring was breathtaking. Caesar had impeccable taste; the ring he'd chosen for his girl was naturally the most unique, high-quality piece in the world. By the firelight of the King's Blaze, the diamond on the setting emitted a faint, shimmering glow. Diamonds are hard and sharp, much like NoNo herself, a beautiful and headstrong girl.
That glimmer flickered in the pitch-black tunnel, cutting across Lu Mingfei's vision, slicing open his eyes to reveal the faint shadow of sorrow hidden within. NoNo knew what he was thinking. She clenched her fist; sometimes she really wanted to punch that twisted expression off his face, but she could never bring herself to do it.
She was just as sentimental. She knew she shouldn't give this "dead kid" any hope, yet she couldn't bear to watch him suffer. Back in that cinema in the small southern town, when she saw everyone playing Lu Mingfei for a fool, orchestrating Zhao Menghua's confession to Chen Wenwen as if it were a prank, the thought of the "loser's" face made her heart feel heavy and damp.
In life, people are forced to make countless decisions. A long life, when broken down, is nothing more than a series of choices. Choose correctly, and all is well; choose wrongly, and you might fall into an abyss of lifelong regret.
Such is the nature of a crossroads.
Lu Mingfei said nothing. He simply clenched his fists and stared at the distant firelight. Kids like him were the most frustrating: they didn't scream or make a scene; they just stood far away, watching you silently, their faces bunching up piteously even when they were the ones wronged. You knew he hadn't done anything wrong; he was just cradling a flickering candle-stub of hope in his heart.
And now, you've put on the ring. You've crushed that tiny flame of a crush into absolute dust.
In the darkness, NoNo ran her fingers through her dark red hair, messing it up. She had a thousand words in her head, but she wasn't the type to offer comfort. Just as she was about to speak, an incredulous cry erupted from the firelight.
"Xia Mi!" It was Caesar's voice, trembling with terror.
In their line of sight, a dark shadow descended from above, pinning the boy in its grasp to the ground.
The Dragon King at the end of these tracks was one of the twins of the King of Earth and Mountains: Fenrir. Every Dragon King is a twin, one holding the Authority, the other holding the Power. Fenrir was the twin of Power. But he was simple-minded; despite possessing the gargantuan body of a reptile, his mind was that of a four- or five-year-old child. His favorite pastime was playing Texas Hold 'em with the unlucky souls who wandered into the Nibelungen, betting bottle caps, a game he'd learned from an old TV set. His favorite snack was potato chips. And his favorite person was his "Sister."
It felt like forever, but "Sister" was finally back, and she'd brought friends. But Sister's friends were mean, and even Sister herself seemed different.
With a mournful wail, Fenrir's exposed neck slumped lifelessly to the ground.
In that exact moment, Xia Mi—no, Jörmungandr, showed her fangs. In the blink of an eye, she transformed from a cute, mischievous girl into the draconic Jörmungandr. With claws and scales, she ambushed the defenseless Chu Zihang from the air and used her Yanling to suppress Caesar.
Next, she only had to consume Fenrir. As a twin Dragon King, she could only become a complete being by devouring her other half. As for the other two, NoNo and Lu Mingfei outside the battlefield, they posed no threat. She had plotted for so long; this was the final moment.
Amidst the dying embers, she cradled Chu Zihang, whispering. She spoke of many things, of "Xia Mi," of the classmates at Shilan High School, and of Jörmungandr. The flames dimmed as the scent of blood filled the air.
Lu Mingfei stumbled toward the stone wall, witnessing a horrifying scene. Chu Zihang was covered in blood, a gaping hole in his abdomen, while the "Junior Sister" Xia Mi, if she could still be called that, stared blankly at the sky. A Japanese blade was thrust through her waist, Chu Zihang's Murasame. Emotions? Strength? No one could say for sure; it was a mutual destruction.
"Lu Mingfei, where's NoNo?" Caesar asked, panting. He wasn't much better; Xia Mi's sudden betrayal and the erupting domain had nearly flayed him alive. If not for the Blood Rage keeping him going, he would have blacked out.
As he spoke, a dark red figure blurred past Lu Mingfei's vision, rushing to Caesar's side to support him. It was NoNo.
What a devoted couple. Even a Dragon King died at their hands. Any girl would marry a man like that, Lu Mingfei thought. He looked away, his gaze falling on Chu Zihang. Chu Zihang's eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the draconic Xia Mi, even in his weakened state.
Lu Mingfei withdrew his gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching. Whether fighting to the death or living in peace, it seemed everyone had someone by their side. So this is what a "winner at life" looks like, he thought. The righteous "witch" and the villainous "sorceress" were both spoken for, while he was still here, shining bright like a third-wheel lightbulb.
The couples radiated blood and warmth on either side of him. Meanwhile, he could only stare numbly at the fallen reptile before him. It seemed if he wanted to "ship" himself with anyone, it would have to be this Dragon King, even if it was already dead.
Lu Mingfei lifted his foot, about to walk toward Chu Zihang, when a black shadow lashed out like lightning, coiling around Xia Mi's body and retracting it instantly. Chu Zihang's pupils shrank; his eyes followed the shadow until they landed on the stone wall.
Fenrir slowly raised his neck, taking Xia Mi into his mouth and snapping his jaws shut.
"Sister..." he wailed, a sound between a sob and a cry.
A gargantuan power enveloped the Nibelungen. The terrifying monster had consumed its twin; thus, the Authority of the King of Earth and Mountain was unified.
Hela, Goddess of Death, had descended through fusion.
At that moment, everyone trembled. Perhaps it was out of fear for the Dragon King, or perhaps it was the terrifying twist of Fenrir playing dead only to suddenly reappear. The Nibelungen shook violently as countless Kamaitachi shrieked and swirled through the land of the dead. Despair spread like a plague.
"Run!!!" Caesar and Chu Zihang shouted in unison.
Events had spiraled out of control. The situation was beyond salvage. The fused Hela was invoking its Yanling.
Shiva's Dance, the ultimate power rumored to have destroyed an entire city in ancient India. Its monstrous form broke free from the stone wall, moving and stretching with the grace of the most fluid dancer. It was beginning the dance of world-ending destruction.
Lu Mingfei felt himself being dragged. Before he could react, NoNo was pulling him with one hand while supporting Caesar with the other, running toward the exit. Chu Zihang summoned his last ounce of strength, standing half-bent before the destruction of the Shiva's Dance, silent and still.
"I have to go back for Senior Brother," Lu Mingfei said, wrenching himself free from NoNo's grip. He stood firmly on the tracks.
"Are you crazy? Chu Zihang is buying us time with his life! You're going back just to die?"
"Boss, Senior." Lu Mingfei clenched his hands, looking down at himself. "Remember? I told you... I have power now."
His voice fell softly, disappearing into the howling winds of the Nibelungen. NoNo was stunned. Nothing had physically changed, yet Lu Mingfei's eyes were different. Those once timid eyes had suddenly become resolute. It was as if a flame was hidden within them, a flame capable of incinerating everything.
At that moment, NoNo's phone suddenly rang. She scrambled to pull it out, clicking the message from the Elder. It wasn't just NoNo; everyone's phone chimed simultaneously with the same message.
The message from the Elder:
"Please take your seats, everyone. The stage is set for the climax!"
In the pitch-black underground, it was as if two spotlights had snapped on. One shone on the dancing Dragon King. The other fell directly on Lu Mingfei.
He turned his back to the others and began walking slowly toward Hela.
The "loser," the "dead kid," the shadow cast by the spotlight suddenly loomed over the entire track.
"Lu Mingfei!" NoNo screamed his name.
The "dead kid" paused. He looked back, his expression one of absolute resolve. In this moment, he was the only warrior brave enough to walk against the tide toward Hela. This loser had never looked so cool in his entire life.
He roared the name, and flames swept across his body, draping him in a magnificent raiment of fire.
"SHENDU!" he bellowed.
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