Dragons begin with courage

Under the pale light, the bronze jar gleamed with a dark metallic luster. The dragon patterns etched on its surface seemed to flow slightly as if they were alive, and the twisted lines intertwined in Lu Mingfei's eyes to form some kind of ancient and unsettling pattern.

"Lu Mingfei," Chu Tianjiao's voice was more serious than ever before, "These two things are now in your hands."

"—What?!" Lu Mingfei jerked back, his back slamming against the cold chair back. "Why are you giving this to me?! This...this is something you risked your lives to get back! A Dragon King-level treasure, and you're just...giving it to me like this?"

He couldn't believe his ears. It was like a beggar on the street suddenly having two nuclear bomb detonation buttons shoved into his head—absurd and terrifying.

"Because you are the key." Chu Tianjiao pressed down on his shoulder, so hard that he couldn't break free. "The disappearance of your parents, the 'miracle' on the overpass four years ago, your S-class bloodline, Angers' special attention to you, the holographic map of Bronze City, and the fact that you were specifically named in this 'Bronze Project'—all the clues ultimately point to you."

He bent down, looking directly into Lu Mingfei's eyes, his golden pupils reflecting the boy's panicked face: "You are that key, Lu Mingfei. The key that can unlock everything, and perhaps... the key that will end it all."

"I rejected Project Bronze!" Lu Mingfei's voice trembled. "I chose another path!"

"That's precisely why these two items should be given to you," Chu Zihang suddenly said. He had already walked to the table at some point, his slender fingers gently tracing the surface of the black box. "If you had accepted the mission and entered Bronze City with your S-rank bloodline, then perhaps everything would have changed by now."

Lu Mingfei's breath hitched. He understood Chu Zihang's unspoken message: if he had gone to Bronze City, he might no longer be Lu Mingfei.

"But your refusal means you've disrupted some people's plans and the academy's arrangements." Chu Tianjiao released his grip and took a step back. "So now, the choice is yours. Give these two things to Kassel, or throw them into the deepest trench in the Pacific Ocean—it's up to you."

Chu Tianjiao turned around and walked towards the worktable, his back to Lu Mingfei: "Of course, you can also choose to turn around and leave now, pretending you didn't hear anything tonight. I'll handle these things. Zihang will send you back to Kassel. You can continue being your S-class freshman, attend your classes, and play your games until the next 'mission' comes your way."

He turned his head and glanced at Lu Mingfei out of the corner of his eye: "But next time, you may not have enough power to fight against... fate."

Lu Mingfei lowered his head, looking at the two ominous objects on the table. The dragon patterns on the bronze jar distorted slightly under the light, as if breathing. The black box was so heavy that it slightly dented the tabletop, and the faint pulse emanating from it was like the heartbeat of some sleeping behemoth.

Either of these two items, if released, would absolutely cause a bloodbath in the mixed-race society. And now, they are placed before him, like a hot potato, yet incredibly tempting invitation.

power.

Lu Mingfei's fingertips curled unconsciously. He recalled the helplessness in the movie theater, the isolation and despair in the Amber Mansion, and the stifled anger he felt facing Caesar. If he wanted to find his parents, if he wanted to fight against the hands that manipulated everything in the shadows, if he wanted to truly control his own destiny—

"What should I do?" Lu Mingfei looked up, his voice still trembling slightly, but his eyes held a newfound resolve. "These two things... how should I use them?"

Chu Tianjiao turned around, a mischievous smile on his face: "To be honest, I don't know."

Lu Mingfei was taken aback.

Chu Tianjiao chuckled, scratched his head, and said, "I've studied that bronze jar for a long time, but I still can't figure out what it is. I've tried burning it, using lightning, and even chopping it with a knife, but there's no reaction at all."

.........

Lu Mingfei was speechless. So in the end, no one knew what this thing was used for, only that it was very precious.

"However—" Chu Tianjiao changed the subject, and that familiar, slightly roguish smile reappeared on his face, "I've figured out something else about it."

He took a deep breath and gripped the sides of the black box with both hands. His muscles bulged beneath his work clothes, and his dark blue veins stood out like writhing dragons. With a low groan, the heavy rectangular box was lifted upright and slammed to the ground with a thud, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

Chu Tianjiao's golden eyes suddenly lit up, and a blazing golden flame ignited deep within them. The air in the training ground seemed to freeze and heat up in that instant. Lu Mingfei could feel an invisible pressure emanating from the man, like a sleeping beast slowly awakening.

Then, Chu Tianjiao raised his right hand and slapped the top of the bronze box.

It wasn't a light tap; it was a thunderous strike infused with the full power of the body.

boom!

A dull thud echoed through the empty training ground, the sound even causing a slight pain in Lu Mingfei's eardrums. Then—

Click, click click click...

A series of precise mechanical sounds emanated from inside the case, crisp and orderly, carrying a certain ancient and solemn rhythm. The sound was not like the hum of modern machinery, but more like the winding of some huge, long-dormant clockwork mechanism.

The rectangular box splits open in the middle and then slowly unfolds to both sides. Like some kind of intricate deformable structure—bronze plates slide, rotate, nest, and recombine—the whole process is full of mechanical beauty and mystery.

When the last bronze plate was put back in place, what appeared before Lu Mingfei was a scene he had only ever seen in fantasy dramas—

Seven weapons floated silently within the unfolded box.

The seven weapons are all different in form and style, spanning several civilizations and eras: there is a giant horse-slaying sword with a ferocious shape, the blade is over 1.5 meters long and the back of the blade is as thick as a palm; there is a Persian scimitar with smooth lines and a beautiful curve like a crescent moon; there is a medieval-style knight's longsword with a hilt inlaid with gems that have long since faded; there is a Japanese samurai sword with a simple scabbard but exuding a chilling murderous aura; and there is an ancient Chinese Han sword with a long and straight blade.

Without exception, they are all "old".

The scabbard was covered with scratches and dents, the metal surface was dull and lifeless, and in some places even obvious signs of rust. None of the weapons gleamed with the cold light that a "divine weapon" should have; instead, they looked like scrap metal just dug out of the ruins of some ancient battlefield.

"What...what is this?!" Lu Mingfei stared at the sword box that looked exactly like something out of a fantasy drama.

"Translated from the dragon script above, this thing is called the Seven Deadly Sins. It is a set of alchemical weapons forged by the King of Bronze and Fire. It consists of seven divine weapons and even possesses the power to slay the Dragon King," Chu Tianjiao explained.