Dragons begin with courage

The following day, exam room 3E.

Lu Mingfei, carrying the false sense of security and immense moral anxiety brought by Fingel's "craftsmanship," sat down in the silent examination room. As Long Wen's chanting began, the surrounding students seemed to be instantly seized by an invisible force. Some began to scribble with empty eyes, while others showed expressions of pain or intoxication, like a chaotic dance of demons.

After a few tense seconds, Lu Mingfei was surprised to find that although he still did not experience the "spiritual resonance" described by the professor, his mind was not blank.

The little boy reappeared.

He sat on the empty desk in front of Lu Mingfei, his back to the podium, facing Lu Mingfei, leisurely swinging his feet in white square-toed leather shoes. He wore a well-fitting black suit, a white silk scarf, and had a pair of indifferent yet dazzling pale golden eyes.

The phantom on the train was now sitting so clearly in front of him.

Lu Mingfei's heart pounded, not from fear, but from a chilling realization that brought him closer to the truth. He looked around; the other examinees were completely unaware of their "meeting."

"So..." Lu Mingfei heard his own voice echo in the silent examination room, unusually dry, "You are my 'spiritual vision'? I already 'awakened' back on the train, didn't I? Professor Guderian's 'Emperor' didn't work on me."

The little boy gave a perfectly polite smile and nodded gently.

"A very clever deduction. You've changed somewhat." His voice was clear and childlike, yet possessed a strange calmness that transcended the passage of time. "Everyone's 'spiritual vision' is a reflection of their inner world. I'm honored that you can see me. This means that, deep within your heart, I am very important." He tilted his head, his golden eyes shimmering. "Or rather, it's 'we' who are important."

Good news: He has clairvoyance, so he should be able to pass the exam in theory.

Bad news: This psychic is a talking, unidentified little boy, and he can't understand him at all!

Lu Mingfei forced himself to calm down, quickly piecing together the fragmented knowledge he had absorbed over the past few days. Golden eyes, a mark of a hybrid... but such a young, such a strange being?

"My name is Lu Mingfei." He decided to take the initiative, though his voice was a little strained. "And you? Who... exactly are you?"

The boy's gaze seemed to pierce through the classroom walls, landing on some distant place, as he softly replied, "Lu Mingze."

Lu Mingfei's brows furrowed deeply. Lu Mingze? The exact same name as his chubby cousin? Coincidence? A malicious joke? Or some deeper, unsettling connection? The Lu Mingze he knew was a square-shaped creature, 160cm tall and weighing 160kg.

Doubts clung to his heart like vines. Just as he was about to press further, Lu Mingze suddenly withdrew his gaze from the distance and refocused on Lu Mingfei's face. In that perfect smile, there seemed to be a hint of... weariness?

"However, I'm starting to hate having you sitting here, brother," Lu Mingze said softly, his tone flat.

Lu Mingfei was stunned. Before he could understand the meaning of those words, the scene in front of him suddenly distorted and changed!

He was horrified to find that he was no longer in his exam seat, but on the edge of a window in an unfamiliar room! Beneath his feet was a dizzying, bottomless void! The cold night wind howled and rushed into his collar.

Lu Mingze appeared beside him without him noticing, still wearing that faint smile. Then, without warning, he raised his foot and lightly kicked Lu Mingfei.

The movements were light, yet carried an irresistible will.

Goodbye, Lu Mingfei. I hope you'll be even more interesting next time we meet.

"wait--!"

The feeling of weightlessness instantly engulfed Lu Mingfei! He plummeted downwards, enveloped by boundless darkness and icy air. Just as his consciousness was about to be overwhelmed by fear, it was as if a violent bolt of lightning, carrying countless shattered images and a piercing scream, struck his mind violently!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

It wasn't the sound of it hitting the ground, it was a slapping sound.

Like a drowning man finally surfacing, Lu Mingfei leaped up from his chair, gasping for breath, his back soaked with cold sweat. The scene before him refocused—an empty examination hall, pale white lights, and… a red-haired girl slapping his head impatiently.

"Impressive! Truly impressive!" Nono withdrew her hand, crossed her arms, and looked him up and down with the eyes of someone looking at a rare animal. "The 3E exam, supposedly a mental trial for hybrids, and you can sleep so soundly, even snoring! Are you a koala?"

Lu Mingfei was still shaken, his heart pounding. He subconsciously touched his face to make sure he was still "complete." Ignoring Nuonuo's teasing, he asked urgently, "How...how did I do on the exam? Did I draw?"

Nono raised an eyebrow, seemingly finding his question strange. "Who knows how well you drew? The surveillance footage only showed you listening to the chant, spacing out for a while, and then scribbling on the answer sheet—and I must say, you were pretty quick. After you finished, you lay down and fell asleep, sleeping until everyone else had handed in their papers and left." She shrugged. "As for what kind of scribbles you drew, only the grading professor knows."

I've finished answering the questions?! And I even drew a picture?!

Lu Mingfei was completely stunned. He had no memory of the process of "drawing"! He only had the nightmare of falling and the boy in the dream who called himself Lu Mingze.

Sleepwalking? Schizophrenia? Or... was it not a dream at all, and his body, driven by "another consciousness" or "some kind of force," completed the exam?

A chill, even more biting than when he fell from the windowsill, crept up his spine.

Lu Mingfei was still immersed in the cold confusion and unease brought about by his "unconscious completion of the exam" and the strange "Lu Mingze." His brows were furrowed, and his face was somewhat pale. In Nuonuo's eyes, this appearance was clearly more than just exam fatigue.

Her bright eyes narrowed slightly, like a feline that had sensed something amiss with its prey, but instead of immediately pressing for answers, she adopted a relaxed tone and posed a new question.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot the important thing." Nono's tone was casual, as if she were discussing tomorrow's cafeteria menu. "There's a banquet and social dance at Amber Hall tomorrow night at six. If you're free, you can come and have something to eat. Caesar asked me to tell you that he wants to 'talk' with you."

"Caesar... wants to 'exchange' with me?" Lu Mingfei suddenly came to his senses, his eyes filled with surprise and distrust. He looked Nuonuo up and down, his face clearly saying: Senior sister, you don't mean to trick me into going there to be that blond chairman's punching bag, do you?

Nono was amused by his expression and chuckled, waving her hand dismissively. "What are you thinking? Although Caesar is as proud as a golden peacock with its tail feathers spread, he still recognizes the basic 'rules of the game.' The student council's announcement has already been made, officially acknowledging you as the ultimate winner of this 'One Day of Freedom,' and the right to use the Norton Hall has been transferred. His contact with you, at least on the surface, is a winner-versus-winner... or rather, an invitation to a 'rising star' worth paying attention to."

She paused, a slight smile curving her red lips, and a rare hint of "taking care of one's own people" appeared in her usually playful eyes: "Besides, although this invitation was issued in Caesar's name, the person who recommended you... is me."

"Recommend?" Lu Mingfei was even more confused. Recommend him to get beaten up? Or recommend him to be an exhibit?

Nono leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice, a subtle pressure emanating from her, a blend of faint perfume and a dangerous aura. She looked into Lu Mingfei's eyes and spoke clearly and slowly, each word distinct:

"I recommend you join the student council."