Chapter Twenty-One: Again?

"I have actually been hesitating for the past few days about whether or not to reach out to you. My father said that if I ever had any questions, I could come to you, but he hoped I would never have to ask. I haven't really listened to him much in my life, so I intended to follow his final wish just this once.

"It’s just that my mental state hasn't been great lately. Every time I close my eyes, I’m haunted by that day—those ghost-like shadows, Odin riding his eight-legged horse, that Maybach..." Chu Zihang paused for a moment before continuing, "And my father."

As he spoke, his fists were clenched so tightly that his hands were trembling, his pale knuckles turning a bruised, bloodless shade.

Lu Mingfei didn't know how to comfort him, so he could only say softly, "I understand." He understood the sense of helplessness one feels when facing a desperate situation.

"So, Senior, what do you want to know?" Lu Mingfei looked up. "I can tell you everything."

Chu Zihang slowly unclenched his fists, turned around, and took a small notebook from his backpack.

"First, I want to know what this 'Cassell College' my father mentioned is."

Chu Zihang stared straight at Lu Mingfei. Lu Mingfei suddenly noticed that Chu Zihang seemed to be wearing colored contacts today, and remembered that back in the Maybach that day, Chu Zihang had already completed his first Spirit Vision. Was he already igniting his golden pupils now?

Chu Zihang continued, "My father insisted that if I were to study abroad, I should never apply to 'Cassell College.' I think there must be some secrets hidden in that school. Do you know anything about it?"

Lu Mingfei nodded and answered truthfully, "I do."

He scanned the area, ensuring no one was sitting within a few meters, then met Chu Zihang’s burning, expectant gaze and continued:

"Before I tell you about 'Cassell College,' I have to tell you some secrets about this world."

"Secrets?"

"Humans are not the only highly intelligent beings in this world," Lu Mingfei said slowly. "Historically, before humans became the masters of Earth, the world was ruled by the Dragon Race."

"The Dragon Race?" A flash of astonishment crossed Chu Zihang’s eyes.

"Don't believe it?"

A rare, bitter smile appeared on Chu Zihang's face. "After experiencing what I did, what is there left to disbelieve? Keep going."

"The Dragon Race were the masters of the Earth in the ancient past. Back then, humans were like cattle or horses—servants and tools for the dragons. The only difference was that humans were perhaps a bit more intelligent.

"The dragons possessed not only high intelligence but also power that transcended nature. Almost every descendant of the dragon bloodline possesses a superpower called 'Words of Power.'

"Different 'Words of Power' have different effects. Some can breathe fire, some generate wind fields, and others can slow the flow of time around them. It was precisely through this high intelligence and these immense powers that the dragons occupied the top of the Earth's food chain."

"Wait a moment," Chu Zihang interrupted. "According to you, the dragons were as intelligent as humans and possessed far greater power. So why is it that humans rule the Earth now?"

"There is no definitive answer," Lu Mingfei spread his hands. "But one plausible theory is that humans are simply better at reproducing.

"It is quite difficult for the Dragon Race to pass on their bloodline. Perhaps it is one of the laws of nature—the more powerful a creature is, the harder it is to breed. According to current research, there have only ever been a few truly pure-blooded dragons. The first dragon in the world was the Black King, Nidhogg. Just as gods created gods in Greek mythology, the Black King Nidhogg created the second dragon, the White King.

"Following that, the Black King Nidhogg split into eight descendants: the King of Bronze and Fire, the King of Earth and Mountain, the King of Sky and Wind, and the King of Ocean and Water."

"Only four kings?" Chu Zihang frowned. "Didn't you say there were eight descendants?"

"There are only four kings because each king is a pair of twins," Lu Mingfei explained.

"The Black King, the White King, and the Four Monarchs—these dragon descendants possess the purest dragon bloodline and are known as the First Generation. But for some reason—perhaps due to inbreeding—these dragons could not reproduce with each other and had to mate with other creatures to produce offspring. Among these, descendants born from most animals didn't live long; only those born with humans were stable.

"The offspring of the First Generation and humans are what we call the Second Generation—though some theories suggest the First Generation couldn't reproduce and created the Second Generation through fission. The offspring of the Second Generation and humans are the Third Generation, and so on.

"Offspring of humans and dragons can also use Words of Power, but generally, the purer the bloodline, the greater the power. These hybrids inherited the dragons' strength, but as their bloodlines diluted, they identified more with humanity. They didn't consider themselves dragons; they felt more like humans.

"So, these hybrids, who inherited the power of the dragons, joined forces with humanity, overthrew the rule of the Dragon Kings, and temporarily killed them... I say 'temporarily' because the First Generation are extremely resilient. Since then, humans have become the masters of the Earth. Cassell College is a school where these hybrids gather; the curriculum teaches you how to slay dragons."

Chu Zihang listened silently. The amount of information was overwhelming, and he needed time to process it. He took out a pen and jotted down keywords in his notebook: "Black King," "White King," "Four Monarchs," "Words of Power."

Seeing Chu Zihang taking notes so seriously, Lu Mingfei said sheepishly, "Senior, you don't have to take such serious notes. There are still many details I haven't covered. When you go to study at Cassell College, all of this will be taught."

Chu Zihang stopped writing abruptly. "How are you so sure that I will go to study at Cassell College?"

*Because I returned from the future, I knew in advance that you would go to Cassell College, and that you’d even become the head of the Lionheart Society...*

Thinking this, Lu Mingfei replied, "I'm just guessing. I have a feeling you'll end up at Cassell."

"Yes, I will," Chu Zihang tucked his pen into the notebook and said, "Although my father wanted me to listen to him, I have never been an obedient child... Do you think my father was a graduate of Cassell College?"

"I think so," Lu Mingfei said. "And judging by his skills, he was probably a top-tier one." Lu Mingfei recalled the way Chu Zihang's father had cut through the dead servants like a whirlwind, his blade moving faster than the rain. Now that he thought about it, he must have been using a Word of Power—likely "Celerity" or even "Time Zero."

"Are you also a student at Cassell College?" Chu Zihang suddenly asked.

Lu Mingfei was stunned. This question caught him off guard. Saying yes was correct, as he had spent three solid years at Cassell; saying no was also correct, as at this point in time, he hadn't even started high school, and Guderian and Nono hadn't come to recruit him yet.

"I probably will be in the future," was all Lu Mingfei could say.

Seeing Lu Mingfei's expression, Chu Zihang didn't press further. He flipped to the second page of his notebook. "Okay... second question. The thing we saw on the overpass—was it really Odin?"

Lu Mingfei shook his head. "I'm not sure. Existing records don't mention gods in this world, only the Dragon Race. But the pressure that Odin exerted... personally, I feel he was at least at the level of a First Generation." He didn't know much about Odin's origins; perhaps in his previous life, the game hadn't progressed that far before the second playthrough was forcibly triggered.

"I see." Chu Zihang nodded, showing full trust in Lu Mingfei.

Lu Mingfei quietly raised his hand. "Senior... do you have any other questions?"

"There are many, but let's leave it at that for now," Chu Zihang closed his notebook and put it back in his bag. "Asking too many at once isn't good. I need time to digest this, and you need time to clear your head."

"So, what are we doing next?"

Chu Zihang was taken aback. "Do you have any plans? I have nothing on this afternoon; I can accompany you if you'd like."

"That won't be necessary." Lu Mingfei quickly waved his hand. "My aunt wants me to bring home a new toilet seat this afternoon, and I’m worried you might have other plans and we'd be rushed. If there's nothing else, I can take my time and finish this Swiss roll before I go."

A twenty-yuan Swiss roll... and that was the price in 2006. Twenty yuan in 2006 was enough to buy two bowls of satay beef noodle soup at a tea restaurant. It couldn't be wasted.

"Do you like Swiss rolls that much?" Chu Zihang watched as Lu Mingfei hungrily devoured the pastry, suddenly wondering if he should have invited him somewhere like McDonald's instead. "If you like it, I can order you another one."

"That's so embarrassing," Lu Mingfei wiped the crumbs from his mouth. "I'd like to try the strawberry flavor."

Lu Mingfei knew Chu Zihang wasn't the type to be insincere or just go through the motions, so he didn't bother being polite. Besides, he had just sold top-secret information! Trading the hidden history of humanity for two Swiss rolls wasn't exactly extortion, was it? Such a detailed and intricate setting—if he sold it to a novelist, it would probably become a million-copy bestseller.

"I'll go to the front desk and order it," Chu Zihang stood up.

"No, no, Senior, you're already treating me; how could I let you do the work? You sit here, I'll go." Lu Mingfei jumped up.

"Are you sure?" Chu Zihang raised an eyebrow. "You have to pay on the spot."

Lu Mingfei wilted immediately. After buying the toilet seat, he wasn't sure how much of that hundred-yuan bill would be left.

"Then... then I'll go with you to order." Lu Mingfei suggested a compromise.

"That works."

The two left the booth and walked to the bar. There was exactly one strawberry Swiss roll left in the glass display case. The female college student behind the counter placed it on a tray. Chu Zihang opened his wallet to pay, but the girl blushed and refused. She explained that he had already left too large a tip, and she absolutely would not let him pay for the Swiss roll.

As they stood in a stalemate, the jade wind chime suddenly tinkled in the cold breeze, and someone pushed the door open.

"Hello, may I ask..."

Seeing the person who entered, Lu Mingfei almost blurted out an expletive, but luckily stopped himself in time. But the overwhelming surge of emotions in his heart could hardly be expressed in a few words.