Dragon Race: Lu Mingfei Returns from Warhammer

Chapter 422 New World

"Wait a moment--!"

Lu Mingfei pressed his palm against Lao Tang's head, stopping him from rushing over to ask for a hug in front of all the soldiers in the legion.

"Dad, what are you doing? Don't you recognize your son anymore?"

Old Tang was still unwilling to give up and wanted to move forward, showing no signs of being a general and still calling out "Dad" in his mouth.

"...My forging general, please wake up."

Lu Mingfei sighed. Even as the leader of the legion, he would find it difficult to tolerate Old Tang's inexplicable behavior.

"But in terms of blood relations, you are my father!"

Old Tang spoke with unusual seriousness, then bent down and lunged forward to hug Lu Mingfei's thigh—his height was exactly at Lu Mingfei's thigh level.

"..."

Lu Mingfei came to his senses and understood the meaning behind Lao Tang's words:

He is now truly the Black King, wielding the power of "Supreme," while Old Tang's true form is Norton, the Bronze and Fire King—

In a sense, Old Tang's use of the word "father" was quite reasonable.

Lu Mingfei glanced at Chu Zihang out of the corner of his eye. This usually cold and aloof warband champion seemed to be going through some kind of... struggle at this moment. His gaze shifted subtly between Lao Tang and Lu Mingfei, as if he was seriously considering whether to follow the example of the Forging General and use a new title for the legion leader.

“I’m recording this. If you want to go crazy like Old Tang, then I’ll send the recording to your father.”

Lu Mingfei glared at Chu Zihang.

Chu Zihang's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, then he naturally shifted his gaze elsewhere, his tense posture visibly relaxing.

Lu Mingfei surveyed the silent formation of cold steel and absolute loyalty surrounding him, sighed helplessly, and his voice echoed clearly across the square:
"Brothers, from now on, you can still address each other as 'Legion Commander' or 'Regiment Commander'." He paused, then called out, "Fingal."

"understand!"

Fingel immediately understood, and in a swift movement, he dragged and pulled Old Tang, the forging general, away from Lu Mingfei's lap.

"Stop going crazy, Lao Tang! Let go right now! Otherwise, the bottom lane team leader is going to put on a 'no regrets killing my son' show!"

"Where are the Percy brothers?" Lu Mingfei searched for the acting staff officer. "I'm waiting for him to report to me on the changes in the outside world during this time."

“The Percy brothers and their staff are all at the United Nations headquarters,” Chu Zihang explained. “They are currently overwhelmed with meetings and tasks every day, and they are too busy to attend to anything else.”

“…Oh.” As the leader of the legion, Lu Mingfei’s keen senses suddenly made him realize that something was wrong.

Sure enough, the next second, the standing sword champions parted to make way for a bronze chariot, which was pushed out with a mountain of paper documents on it.

"There are many decisions and documents that will affect the world," Chu Zihang's voice remained calm, "that require your personal approval and signature."

“Uh…” A hint of embarrassment flashed across Lu Mingfei’s face, but he quickly regained his composure.

Clearly, as a qualified legion commander, his responsibilities extend far beyond fighting on the front lines.

“Okay, I’ll handle it,” he said.

"besides……"

"Anything else?" Lu Mingfei's voice carried a hint of tension, as if he foresaw that even more of this tedious paperwork was about to come.

“Yes,” Eva’s clear, ethereal voice came through the armor’s communication channel, “Acting Chief of Staff Percy and his staff paid their respects to your triumphant return at the United Nations headquarters.”

"After that, they hope that you, as the leader of the legion, will attend major UN meetings as soon as possible and appear before the world; at the same time, you also need to start promoting the establishment of a global coalition government, a global joint defense council, and a world science and technology research center..."

"Furthermore, the Legion's large-scale global recruitment plan urgently needs your initiation. The Fuxi Spiral Palace's reserves of the two types of gene seeds..."

“…You can report back to me later, my dear Eva,” Lu Mingfei took a deep breath and interrupted her, “Please allow me to handle them one by one.”

"Understood, Commander."

"Also, I'd like to ask about the current progress of the Caesar brothers' rebirth process..."

……

Time flies, but the world changes even faster.

Although July is scorching hot and August is still far from over, the summer heat in this coastal town stubbornly lingers, refusing to leave easily.

"Listen to the battle that will topple the heavens of another world—the Holy Emperor's Sovereign versus the Chaos God General!"

"This fiend was originally the beloved son of the Holy Emperor and a divine general, but unexpectedly, he was devoured by the 'Four Extreme Evil Lords' of the 'Boundless Demon Realm'—"

"The Antarctic plague, caused by the corrupting influence of the plague, sends down turbid rain that corrodes the bones; a divine general's left arm is afflicted with poisonous miasma!"

"The Celestial Venerable of the North Pole, with his ever-changing divine pronouncements, has confused their minds; the eyes of the divine generals are now blazing with demonic light!"

"The Western Blood War God Venerable infuses his blood with ferocity, and his divine generals and demonic soldiers roar at the souls of ten thousand!"

"The Eastern Paradise's wondrous music, the brocade dream woven by the Supreme Lord, bewitches the heart; the divine general's armor is adorned with silken threads!"

"The Holy Emperor, seeing his beloved son fall into demonic possession, let out a mournful cry that shook the universe, and unleashed the Holy Emperor Sword in his hand with fierce force! Just as..."

On the radio, the storyteller's passionate, rhythmic, and spittle-flecked performance hadn't even reached its climax when a large hand swiftly and decisively pressed the shut-off button.

"Hey—! No!"

Lu Gucheng was lounging in his creaking rocking chair, listening intently, when the sudden interruption made him very unhappy, and he yelled at his wife:
"I was just getting to the most exciting part! Why did you turn it off?!"

"Stop listening!" Auntie shouted, hands on her hips. "The new TV has been delivered downstairs! Hurry up and go down and help carry it up!"

"A TV? What TV? When did we buy it?"

The uncle looked completely bewildered and propped himself up halfway from the rocking chair.

"Your brain must have been filled with a few drops of horse piss and turned into mush!" Auntie glared at her and launched into a tirade. "Have you forgotten? Just a few days ago at the dinner table, that Director Wang patted his chest and said he'd give our family a new TV..."

"Oh, that..." the uncle said, realizing something, but his expression immediately changed. "Oh dear! How many times have I told you, our family can't just accept things from other people! You know perfectly well what they're after, aren't they just hoping that Mingfei can return home in glory and then use him to make some investments?"

"If we accept the gift but don't do anything in return, we'll end up offending people and not only failing to repay the favor, but also causing trouble!"

"Why didn't you say that to Director Wang's face a few days ago? Now you're spouting hindsight here!"

His aunt glared at him. "Anyway, the TV is downstairs. If you're so tough, go down and return it yourself!"

Although my uncle spoke with great conviction, his actions betrayed him as he climbed out of the rocking chair, muttering under his breath:

"...What kind of mess is this...? Favors are the hardest to repay..." He shuffled slowly toward the door in his slippers.

Who could have imagined that his nephew, who had gone to study in the United States, would suddenly become a terrorist wanted by the world?
Then, just a few days later, he transformed into an extraordinary figure, supposedly on par with world leaders.

As the saying goes, when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Along with Lu Mingfei, his entire family also benefited, being moved out of their cramped, dilapidated old apartment and directly into this security-equipped community with a garden.

Even though Auntie was always stubborn and disliked Lu Mingfei, she couldn't help but think about waiting for Lu Mingfei to come home and make dumplings for him in the face of such an extraordinary opportunity.

However, news about Lu Mingfei was not widely publicized; it is said that the principal of Shilan Middle School had ambitious plans to erect a full-body statue of Lu Mingfei and paint a huge mural at the school gate, so as to make Shilan famous all over the world. However, after the deposit was paid, the relevant departments urgently stopped the project.

Then the world changed, and people said that besides humans, there were actually dragons in this world... But this was just something to talk about over drinks; it was far removed from ordinary people like them.

……

Soon, the sound of the uncle panting heavily as he carried heavy objects could be heard in the stairwell, interspersed with polite words to the delivery driver:

"Oh, thank you for your hard work... Just put it here... I can carry it up myself... Hey, watch out for the steps..."

A dozen minutes later, as my uncle, panting, followed the deliveryman into the living room carrying the large cardboard box with the brand-new logo, my aunt had already moved the bulky, yellowed old TV with a stubborn gray line in the center of the screen into a corner, making room for the new TV.

Upon unpacking, a brand-new 75-inch large-screen LCD TV was revealed, resembling a meticulously polished piece of obsidian.

"Wow, this is huge..."

Lu Gucheng clicked his tongue and, together with the deliveryman, clumsily carried it onto the table, then plugged it in and connected the signal cable.

"Tsk tsk... How much money would it cost if I paid for it myself?" Auntie couldn't help but sigh, her eyes fixed on the screen. "Don't just stare, turn it on and see what's on!"

Lu Gucheng pressed the remote control. Compared to the old TV whose picture was always covered by a layer of grayish-yellow fog, the picture of this new TV was so clear that every detail was clearly visible.

The screen switched to the news channel, which was showing the midday news.

"Good afternoon, viewers. Welcome to CCTV News Channel. It is now 2:00 PM. We are bringing you the latest news."

"First, pay attention to domestic news."

According to the latest news from the Nuclear Industry Research Institute of China National Nuclear Corporation, the "Qimingxing" No. 2 fusion energy device has been successfully connected to the Southern Power Grid and is generating electricity stably. At the same time, the No. 3 and No. 4 fusion energy devices are about to enter the experimental power generation stage and are expected to be upgraded and connected to the national power grid within one year. This marks that my country has entered the forefront of the world in the field of nuclear fusion technology application.

"Many domestic automakers are accelerating their transformation, focusing on new energy vehicles that primarily use electricity as their energy source..."

"What does this fusion energy device mean? Will the electricity bill go up again?" The aunt looked at it with a vague understanding, completely baffled by these high-tech-sounding terms.

"How could it go up? I think it's going to plummet!" the uncle explained with a hint of pride. "I heard from a BMW owner in Tianjin that their household electricity is only two cents per kilowatt-hour! We can turn on the air conditioner whenever we want!"

“That’s good,” Auntie nodded, “the air conditioner won’t need to be set to a timer when sleeping.”

"The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation officially announced today several mega-projects, including the Chang'e-3 manned lunar lander, the Tianzhou large cargo and manned dual-use platform powered by a fusion propulsion system, and the Tiangong lunar orbital spaceport..."

"The bidding process for the 'Tianti-1' carbon nanotube orbital elevator, jointly led by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and the Third Academy, has been launched simultaneously. It will directly connect to the 'Tiangong' port in the future..."

"Wow, that's awesome! We're going to the moon!" Uncle's eyes widened.

"Change the channel," Auntie waved her hand. "Going to the moon is none of our business. Let's check the weather forecast. I heard there's going to be another typhoon!"

Lu Gucheng changed the channel as instructed, but the weather forecast footage also changed. It was no longer a simple satellite cloud image and the host gesturing, but a holographic projection of the entire atmosphere slowly rotating in the studio.
The surging of air currents, the formation and dissipation of clouds, and the subtle changes in ocean currents are all displayed in real time in a clear, dynamic fluid model composed of countless tiny points of light, with ocean currents and monsoons transformed into intertwined blue-green light bands.

Of course, in Lugu City, there are many people like Auntie who don't understand these things, so a forecaster stands in the center of the projection and explains to the audience:
"Based on the corrections from the new 'elemental eddy current prediction model,' Typhoon Fung-wong, the eighth severe tropical storm, will shift eastward by approximately 60 kilometers, weakening by one level. The affected areas..."

"This... how could this be calculated?" the uncle muttered to himself.

He recalled a time from his childhood when an unexpected downpour soaked all the rice his family had been drying. Back then, weather forecasts were as vague as a riddle.

"Who knows if it's accurate?" Auntie pouted, but her attention was drawn to a small scrolling window next to the holographic projection. "Hey? What's that?"

It was a real-time updated "urban micro-environment index," accurate to the PM2.5 level, noise level, light intensity, and even the concentration of a certain special "inert alchemical dust" (a new term in the news) in the air, all clearly displayed.

Even more amazingly, next to the index is a small icon, a shield-shaped badge that is glowing—the logo of the newly established "Environmental Purification and Alchemical Substances Management Department".

The changes in the world are no longer just distant, grand projects in the news; they have begun to permeate every street and every breath of air.

After watching the weather forecast, the uncle continued to change channels, somewhat bewildered.

On an agricultural channel, the narrator is introducing the latest 'soilless cultivation' achievements of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences to the audience. There are too many technical terms that the uncle does not understand, but he understands that "the growth cycle is shortened to one-third of that of traditional agriculture, the yield per unit area is increased five times, and pests and pesticide residues are completely avoided."
He also saw an old man who looked more than ten years younger excitedly pacing back and forth in the rows of transparent glass tanks where rice was planted but suspended in the air.

"You can grow vegetables like this?" My aunt, a housewife, exclaimed in surprise, her eyes wide. "Will vegetable prices go down from now on?"

She glanced subconsciously at the few cucumbers still covered in mud in the kitchen basket, feeling as if they were unearthed artifacts.

On an educational channel, a white-haired professor in a white robe with a half-decayed World Tree emblem is disassembling a complex three-dimensional structure made of light patterns on a holographic projection:
"...This is the mathematical model of the local time dilation effect of 'Word of Power: Moment' at the microscopic particle level! Note its compatibility correction with general relativity..."

The students in the classroom were frantically taking notes, eager to learn.

……

The uncle felt a slight dizziness. It felt like his first time on an airplane, looking out the window at the land appearing small and unfamiliar.

This time, however, it wasn't the land that felt unfamiliar, but the world he had lived in for decades.

I could faintly hear the crying of the neighbor's child and the arrogant shouting of adults.
"Stop crying! If you keep crying, I won't know what the four elements that make up the world are! It's your fault for not paying attention in class! If all else fails, I'll just guess four of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth!"

"Oh no!" Auntie slapped her thigh and belatedly exclaimed, "The world is changing so fast these days, we have to hurry up and pick a good major for Mingze! If he chooses a useless major and can't find a job later, then we can forget about retiring and enjoying life!"

"A major? If things continue like this, I reckon astrophysics and that Dragon Alchemy Society will be very popular..."

"Look! It's Mingfei!" His aunt's suddenly raised voice interrupted him.

Lu Gucheng snapped back to reality and realized that he had accidentally pressed the general channel. The screen was broadcasting a solemn global summit, with the huge circular hall filled with representatives from various countries.

And on the podium in the center of the hall stood a figure—

A giant clad in heavy armor, far exceeding the size of ordinary people, stood as tall as a mountain, creating a stark contrast with the human representatives present.

That face, which should have been familiar, now held a strange composure and strength, as if it had been tempered by a storm.

His gaze calmly swept across the entire venue, silencing the clamor without a word, leaving the entire room completely silent.

Lu Mingfei spoke, his voice coming through the high-quality television speakers, steady and powerful, with a strange penetrating quality.

But Lu Gucheng stared blankly at the face on the screen, feeling utterly unfamiliar and experiencing a strong sense of unreality.

He simply couldn't reconcile the imposing, armored giant before him with the boy in his memory who would curl up on an old sofa, playing video games in front of an old TV, and who would be happy for half a day if given a ten-yuan note to buy soy sauce without asking for change.

Lu Mingfei's voice echoed in the living room as he spoke of "promoting the establishment of a global research center, jointly overseen by a global coalition government and the 'Legion,' to support humanity's collective journey towards the stars..."

But Lu Gucheng barely listened to what was said before; he was completely caught up in the intense cognitive conflict and was staring blankly into space.

"Wow, what did Mingfei eat in America to grow so tall and big..." Auntie stared at the screen, muttering to herself in a daze, then suddenly turned to ask, "Old Lu, do you think... he'll ever come back to us?"

"Wow! Now you want me back?"

Uncle curled his lip, his words laced with sarcasm, "Don't you know how you treated others before? Let's just honestly live a peaceful life by taking advantage of Mingfei, and stop thinking about all that nonsense!"

"Who said I was hoping he'd come back to share the wealth? Why do you always think such wicked things about me!" Auntie immediately glared and scolded back, "I've always kept his bed spotless! That brat Mingze tried to pile junk in there, but I didn't let him!"

After saying this, she seemed a little unsure of herself. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something more, but in the end she just pursed her lips.

With a sigh, she stopped watching TV, turned around and went straight into the kitchen, where she began fiddling with the unwashed dishes.

Not long after, the doorbell rang abruptly.

The uncle's heart skipped a beat, and he got up to open the door.

A man in a sharp Zhongshan suit stood outside the door, an outfit that instantly put him on edge—the last time he had "invited" his family out of that old, dilapidated place, he was dressed in the same way.

"Is...is something wrong, boss?" His throat tightened, and his voice involuntarily stammered.

"There's a letter here that requires your signature." The man, with a formulaic smile, took a plain white envelope from his elegant briefcase and handed it over.

Lu Gucheng subconsciously, almost blankly, accepted it.

The man saw him take the letter, nodded slightly, said nothing more, and then turned and silently went downstairs and left.

Lu Gucheng stood at the door for a long while, holding the light letter in his hand.

Suddenly, a smile uncontrollably crept onto the corners of his mouth.

The smile was initially faint, tinged with disbelief and disorientation, but it quickly spread like ripples, growing deeper and deeper until it finally transformed into a low, warm, and even slightly choked laugh.

His rough fingers unconsciously caressed the familiar yet unfamiliar name on the envelope, and a long-lost light shone in his eyes.

On the envelope, the three characters "Lu Mingfei" were clear and powerful.