Lu Mingfei, who had read Dragon Clan before slaying the dragon

However, what the lawyer did not tell the editor-in-chief of Zhiyin Media was that at the same time, exactly the same thing was happening quietly in nearly twenty publishing houses and media companies in ten countries around the world. Without exception, each issue of these companies' printed magazines had sales of at least millions!

This means that the story of Jormungandr and Chu Zihang will not only be published in "Xiaoshuohui" and "Zhiyin Manke", but will also appear in the most prominent and popular sections of all well-known magazines around the world... A fairy tale of the forbidden love between a man and a dragon will sweep across the entire world like the fastest hurricane!

……

China, BJ, a barbecue stall deep in an alley.

Tang Ben and Zhu Yan sat on a bench, their eyes darting back and forth between each other and the table. Before this, they had been strangers with no previous encounters, their sudden connection sealed by the box overflowing with banknotes. The cash looked fresh from the bank, even the seals still attached. The strong scent of new bills seemed to overpower the lingering aroma of alcohol and cigarettes from the barbecue stall. The stacks of crimson were eye-catching, a shocking crimson that made one salivate.

Tang Ben is a novelist somewhere between youth and middle age... Of course, this is just his ideal. In the real world, he's a flop novelist, a frustrated, often afflicted writer with a stigma of "literary youth syndrome." He's filled with ambition but feels he has nowhere to display it, feeling underappreciated for his talent. He fantasizes that if he just seizes the opportunity, he'll be transformed into a dragon. Zhu Yan's situation is slightly better, having just graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts. Some say graduation means unemployment, and Zhu Yan can't adapt to the 996 work-life balance. So, he's relying on side jobs like taking on original drawings to eke out a living while pursuing his dreams. He's an ambitious young man with some artistic accomplishments!

They looked like people who would appear in a late-night food stall. Their faces covered with stubble and dejected appearance seemed as if they were born for late-night drinking stalls. However, the girl sitting across from them was totally out of tune with the urban atmosphere here.

The girl was wearing a tight black leather jacket, flaunting her exaggeratedly beautiful curves. Her long, beautiful legs were crossed and tilted like a deadly scimitar. The girl was shrouded in expensive perfume. The crimson at the corners of her eyes formed a sharp arc. Her tall and straight nose seemed as unattainable as a steep mountain. Her lips were full and rosy, like a cool and glamorous supermodel who had just stepped off the catwalk.

"This is the situation. I've shown you the outline of the story. I need a touching story, one that will move people to tears, make them sad and cry, and make everyone who reads this story fall in love with our Jormungandr and Chu Zihang... You only have two days." Jiude Mai suddenly paused and looked down at her watch. "No, to be precise, it's one day and ten hours, serialized.

Then she bit off the last string of pepper and salt chicken feet, took out a red banknote from the box and slammed it on the table. "It tastes strong enough, give me ten more strings, and this time I want it to be twice as spicy!" The girl was imposing.

"I have the outline and I have no problem with time! But it's hard to make everyone fall in love with them. Although I am confident in my writing style and ability to control the plot, so far no author has been able to create a character that everyone loves..." Tang Ben didn't dare to look directly at Jiude Mai, he could only look at the box of banknotes and half the chicken feet on the table and speak.

"It's okay, they'll fall in love with them, because Jormungandr and Chu Zihang are very valuable, and no one can resist money. Your mission is to devote all your life's talent and passion to this work, and treat Jormungandr as your own mother and Chu Zihang as your own father. Don't you always feel that your talent is not appreciated? This is a great opportunity. As long as your story can move everyone, all publishing houses will be vying for you in the future, and those editors who once looked down on you will treat you like an ancestor." Jiude Mai withdrew her gaze from Tang Ben and glanced at Zhu Yan. "What about you?"

"We're running out of time! Comics aren't something you can update daily!" Zhu Yan lamented. He then glanced at the pile of glowing red bills and gritted his teeth. "But I know a few friends who are concept artists. We can work all night long! But it would be even better if we had a prototype of the protagonist. That way we could skip the character design process and improve our efficiency!"

Jude Mai produced two black-and-white photos from nowhere and shoved them across the table. "The male protagonist is a cool, elite guy, aloof and reserved, but with a hint of sultry undertones. He's a bit of a gossipmonger, and the female protagonist is a beautiful girl with frequent brainwaves. She's a talkative, carefree, yet thoughtful... Well, you could also consider adding a character named 'Ricardo' to the story, the male protagonist's junior brother, whose role is to secretly protect their love. As for his personality... he's an elite, decisive, and a talkative person."

"Is this Junior Brother 'Ricardo's' personality a combination of both of theirs?" Tang Ben muttered softly, "Why doesn't he sound like a Junior Brother, but more like their son?"

"You're quite perceptive," Jude Mai clapped her hands. A black-clad driver approached from a distance, carrying a sharp paper cutter. Jude Mai took the cutter and, under the gaze of everyone, snatched up a thick handful of cash and crushed it in two, with such force and vigour that it felt like she was crushing her post-college entrance exam review materials.

Everyone was stunned and silent for a moment. A burly man with a bare back covered in tattoos slammed a bottle of wine on the table and whistled, "This girl is really awesome! So neat!"

Amidst the cheers and jeers from the whole room, Jiude Mai put one foot on the back of the chair. She held the paper cutter as if it were an ancient guillotine, and the banknotes underneath were like the heads of criminals. She crushed them without hesitation, stack after stack. The flying banknotes were like splattered blood, falling into the brown paper bag prepared by the driver.

"One million in royalties, half for each of us." Jiude Mai zipped up the travel bag and threw it on the table in front of Tang Ben and Zhu Yan.

"The half you have is the right half. Take it and divide it among yourselves, but you won't get a whole dollar back even if you take it to the bank. If you want the left half, exchange it for stories and comics. Remember to work hard and forget about food and sleep! The most amazing editors are beckoning you with a bright future! You are all the best young people, and I look forward to Jormungandr and Chu Zihang shining in your stories... But next time we meet, you can shave and wash your hair, or something. That strong bachelor vibe of yours is a bit affecting my appetite today."

Tang Ben and Zhu Yan looked at the chicken feet residue piled on the table, exchanged glances but no one dared to talk back.

Jiude Mai clapped her hands and pulled out a promissory note with four zeros from her wallet. "I'll pay for tonight's drinks. In two days, please look forward to a fantastic love story in all the major magazines and wish them well. Oh, and our newlyweds are called Jormungandr and Chu Zihang. Remember these two names!"

People raised their wine bottles and banged them on the table, making a clanging rhythm. Jiude Mai walked slowly with her long legs, twisting her slender waist and following the beat towards the stretched Hummer on the roadside. Before leaving, she blew a kiss to everyone, just like a female star saying goodbye to her fans.

Everyone was drunk, whether it was from the alcohol or the hot girl who had left. The aroma of cumin and the smoke and alcohol from the barbecue stalls, that rich, dizzying fragrance, seemed to permeate this narrow alley forever, lingering for a long time.

……

The executive suite was a mess, like the aftermath of a terrorist attack. Coke cans piled high enough to form a set of dominoes, KFC takeout bags were everywhere, and there was enough pizza and chicken wing scraps to feed a whole nest of mice for a whole winter. The only spotless desk was occupied by four laptops, all fully operational, their CPUs spinning at full throttle.

Chu Zihang sat in the central "pure land" of the "ruins," wearing a headset, his hands rapidly tapping away on the keyboard, his eyes fixed on the computer screen, like a stalking robot. The four computer screens formed a map of the entire city of BJ, a dense mass of red dots flashing and then fading, only to reappear in other places.

Finkel was lying on the bed in a "big" shape. He reached one hand under the bed and shook the red wine bottle on the floor. With the other hand, he grabbed a piece of dry and hard pizza and bit it hard. He looked like a giant turtle with a hangover.

"Where are Lu Mingfei and his hunter friends? I haven't seen them since this morning?" Chu Zihang took off his headphones and suddenly asked.

It seemed that his work had come to a temporary end, but even so, he did not take a deep breath and collapse on the soft chair like ordinary people after suddenly finishing a long and stressful job. Instead, he immediately asked about Lu Mingfei's whereabouts. It seemed that all the states in his life could be seamlessly connected without any pause.

"His hunter friend keeps complaining about itching to play some StarCraft, saying he has to play a few rounds or else his whole body will itch, but he doesn't want to disturb you while you're working... He probably went to the internet cafe." Finkel took a sip of his red wine. "If I knew how to fight, I'd go there too, but unfortunately, I'm not interested in games. But now it seems hanging out at the internet cafe is probably more comfortable than listening to you typing away here, Junior Brother!"

"The keyboard noise in the internet cafe is even louder," Chu Zihang said seriously. "And there are all sorts of other noises. According to statistics, internet cafes are among the top three areas with the most serious noise pollution, second only to construction sites."

"But at least there are girls there! Those complaints and insults at least sound human." Finkel's face was full of resentment. "Junior brother, how did you manage to make only the sound of keystrokes for three hours without even coughing or going to the bathroom! Were you a keyboard spirit in your previous life?"

Chapter 153 The girl in my heart, the girl in front of me

"My throat is healthy, so I don't need to cough. And I don't drink as much cola and red wine as you do, so I don't have to go to the bathroom as often." Chu Zihang said seriously, "If the noise from my keyboard is too loud, I can improve it later."

"Junior brother, my good junior brother!" Finkel held his forehead with his hand. "Don't you understand yet? It's not a matter of coughing or going to the bathroom, and the sound of your keyboard typing isn't that unbearable... The key is the lack of humanity! Humanity! I feel like I'm the only human being in the room, and you're as cold as a robot!"

"Xia Mi also said the same thing..."

Chu Zihang was stunned after blurting out this sentence. He didn't know why he subconsciously thought of what the girl had said, even though she was not here... Maybe it was because Xia Mi and Finkel were too similar in some aspects of their personalities?

"Tsk tsk tsk, the rumors in school are that you two are in love. This is not just love, I think it's an adulterous affair! The name just popped up on my lips." Finger looked like an experienced person with a mischievous smile on his face, "Junior brother, you are in trouble, you have fallen in love!"

Chu Zihang was silent for a long time, then suddenly said, "Brother, have you ever chased a girl? Or been chased by a girl?"

"What? Aren't we talking about you? How can you let the gossip get to me, a senior of nine years old? The topic change is so abrupt. You science students are really stupid!" Finkel said unhappily.

"Sorry, I just asked casually, I don't mean anything else."

"Hey, hey, hey, don't look so guilty for touching upon my heartbreak!" Finger sat up abruptly. "You've hit the nail on the head. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to hurt the fragile hearts of innocent boys like you, okay? But since you asked so sincerely, I'll mercifully answer you."

"My love history is thicker than the history of Kassel Academy! When I first entered school, my popularity was no less than yours and Caesar Gattuso! If Valhalla were ranked according to love history, my statue would be right up to the ceiling!" Finkel raised his head and breathed through his nostrils. "When I was still in 'A' grade, the girls who admired me lined up to give me love letters. The bed where Lu Mingfei lives now was originally a place for my love letters. Later, the pile of letters was so high that it even collapsed the bed!"

"Have you ever had a girlfriend?" Chu Zihang asked softly.

"Why not? Do I look like you and Lu Mingfei, newbies in relationships who know nothing about love?"

"So, senior brother, you once had a girlfriend? And then you broke up?" Chu Zihang looked at him seriously.

"Damn, you science students still practice throwing knives? Targeting the heart?" Finkel covered his chest. "Don't stare at me so seriously with those creepy golden eyes of yours. You look like a bull just looking for someone to wrestle!"

"I'm sorry, I just want to ask, what does it feel like to be with someone? How is it different from being alone?" Chu Zihang retracted his gaze and glanced at the bookcase. Coincidentally, he saw a book in the corner at a glance.

The red mark on the white skin in Eileen Chang's "Love in a Fallen City" is like a drop of cinnabar falling under the white moonlight, or a drop of mosquito blood soaked on a white rose.

"Of course it's quite different!" Finger became excited again, as if he was being asked about a relationship expert who was good at talking. "When you are alone, it seems that everything you do is lonely. For example, you go to the cinema alone to watch a romantic movie. At the end, the hero and heroine kiss happily, and everything in the world seems so beautiful. But when the lights come on and the curtain rises, you are pulled back to reality. People on both sides leave in pairs, and you sit there alone. The loneliness washes over you like a tide. You realize that you are just like a worker who is worried about the capitalists, crying in front of the screen watching others fall in love. What an idiot!"

Finkel described it vividly, as if he were telling his own experience.

"I don't actually cry when I watch romantic movies, because I don't feel anything." Chu Zihang's words completely shattered the tragic atmosphere created by Finger.

Finkel was stunned, "You are so cruel!"

"What about when they eat? Young couples feed each other with food in their bowls, one bite on the left and the other on the right. It's so delicious. At this time, even ordinary white rice or roasted pig's trotters will become delicacies, right? What about you, a single dog, shouldn't you feel that the food in your bowl has suddenly become tasteless and hard to swallow!" Finkel shouted loudly and slammed the bed board in the hotel, as if he had been humiliated in this way before.

"There's usually no one sitting around me when I eat." Chu Zihang said lightly.

Finkel's angry words froze in the air, his face turned blue and red, and his strong indignation formed a sharp contrast with Chu Zihang's calmness, making him look like a clown.

"You..." Finger felt like he was about to get hurt. "What about the amusement park? This place is synonymous with joy, but in a place where joy is magnified infinitely, loneliness is also magnified infinitely. The happier the happy people are, the lonelier the lonely people seem... You're not saying that you can go to the amusement park alone and have fun jumping around, right?"

Finger hung his head, his tone bitter. A normal person would obviously feel lost after experiencing such a scene, but Chu Zihang was like an invulnerable person. If this continued, his reputation as an emotional guru would be shattered...

But this time, after half a minute, the other party still hadn't refuted him.

Finkel looked up and found that Chu Zihang was stunned.

Chu Zihang stared blankly ahead, his never-extinguished golden eyes gradually losing focus. For no reason, he thought of a girl who had also discussed the topic of amusement parks with him. She told him that this was the first time someone had accompanied her to an amusement park, so she was very happy. She had always found it boring when she went there secretly...

Chu Zihang had a good memory, so he could remember every word the girl said... So that was the difference. It would be boring if they were alone, but it would be fun if they were together. Even though Chu Zihang didn't think their time on the Ferris wheel was particularly pleasant, in the end he even did something foolish to cheer the girl up and kissed a balloon...

"...Hey, hey!" Finger's big face came closer, "Junior brother, are you crazy? I called you so many times and you didn't hear me?"

"Sorry, I got distracted. So, how did you break up? Or, in other words, what's it like for two people to be together and then break up?"

"Hey, hey, hey, here we go again, that awkward change of subject unique to you science majors!" Finkel fell back onto the bed. "It's like you're heartbroken and go to a psychologist. The doctor asks you about your symptoms, but you ask if he's ever been cheated on by his ex-wife...Are you here to get treatment or just to get laid?"

"I see. What you mean is that no matter what the reason, one party will always get hurt if they break up, right?" Chu Zihang said thoughtfully.

"How could you draw such a conclusion from what I said?" Finkel was puzzled. "Although what you said makes sense..."

Knock, knock, knock... There was an irregular knock on the door, followed by a sticky voice with a pinched nose: "Mole, Mole, I'm Sweet Potato!"

Chu Zihang stood up and walked over the pile of Coke and takeout paper bags to open the door.

The beautiful figure in my heart suddenly jumped out.

Xia Mi's face came into view, carrying a large number of bags behind her. She made a playful face at Chu Zihang, then leaned over to greet Finger, "Hey, brother! Wow, did you just have a fight here? Pizza, chicken wings, Coke, potato chips... Such a rich junk food, full of calories. How can each of you boys eat so much?"

The girl always seemed so full of energy and enthusiasm. She squeezed through empty Coke cans and KFC bags, not caring if food residue got stuck on her brown deerskin boots. She wore a bohemian plaid dress, black stockings draped over her straight legs, and the hint of flesh-colored thighs that peeked out was eye-catching and mysterious. No one could fathom her style, but her presence always caught everyone's eye. It seemed that no matter how casual or chaotic the outfit, it always looked harmonious and stunning on her.

"Junior sister is indeed the cutest creature in the world!..." Finger rushed out excitedly, "We were just talking about you!"

"What are you talking about me?"

"It's you, Senior Brother Chu..." Finger suddenly felt a burning gaze burning the back of his head, and he quickly changed the subject, "It's me who missed you. Let Senior Brother measure your legs to see if they've grown longer!"

"Don't touch a girl's legs carelessly! If you do, you'll be responsible!" Xia Mi stuffed a soup dumpling into Finger's mouth to stop his drooling mouth. "Eh? Senior Brother Mingfei isn't here?"

"Your senior brother Mingfei has been dragged out by his good friend for dual cultivation. They're having fun out there and won't be back for a while." Finkel gulped down the scalding hot soup dumpling and hissed out hot air. "So this is what BJ snacks taste like. Really good! Any more? No need to save some for Lu Mingfei, let's split it up."

"I really didn't expect that Senior Brother Mingfei has such a hobby!" Xia Mi covered her mouth, looking surprised.

"Yeah, yeah! There's a lot more than you can imagine. This is a little secret between boys!" Finkel said seriously.

"I'd better leave some for him. There's plenty of snacks! I bought quite a lot: dim sum and candied fruit from Daoxiangcun, fried dough twists from Eighteenth Street... these are the xiaolongbao from Tianjin... and pork elbows from Tianfuhao... enough for you to eat for several days!" Xia Mi put all the small bags she was carrying on the table. "I'm from Beijing, so this trip is a good opportunity for me to go home and visit. My parents and brother have been asking me when I'll be back, so I'm going to take some food to see them today."

"That's wonderful! A kind and filial junior sister is simply the most beautiful creature in the world!" Finger picked up a pork elbow and said viciously, "Caesar and the others didn't bully you, did they? If they dared to bully you, tell your senior brother Finger that I'll go and settle the score with them!"

"It would be fine if Senior Brother Chu or Senior Brother Mingfei said this, but Senior Brother Finkel, your words are not very convincing!" Xia Mi grinned.

"I'm sad." Finkel covered his chest, looking hurt.

"But Brother Finger, you are the most handsome!" Xia Mi smoothed Finger's hair, like comforting a puppy, "Don't worry, Brother Caesar and Sister Nono are great people. They take good care of me. Otherwise, I would have slipped out and become a traitor as soon as the plane landed. How could I have waited until now!"

"Hehe, I know, I know, but from now on, just say this kind of thing in private with my senior brother. I'm afraid someone will be jealous." Finkel glanced at the third person in the room.

"Oh, really? But Senior Brother Chu is the coolest. In my heart, cool guys are much more attractive than handsome guys!" Xia Mi walked towards Chu Zihang who was sitting on the chair. "Mani Mani... huh? Is this BJ's earthquake data?"

"Yes. BJ is a very prosperous city. There are too many factors that can cause ground vibrations in the city, such as the normal operation of heavy trucks and subways, road construction and crowds. All the data found so far are invalid, and it is almost impossible to find any suspicious large earthquake sources." Chu Zihang rubbed his temples.

"This is indeed a job that requires patience and carefulness. The huge city of BJ is like a huge lake with aquatic plants, fish and shrimps. Any disturbance may cause ripples, and it is difficult to know which ripple is the trembling of the target fish's tail." Xia Mi said.

"Ha, do you understand too?" Finkel was dumbfounded.

He originally thought that Chu Zihang was the only one who understood these professional things like "seismic source" and "earthquake". He always felt that Chu Zihang was not a normal person... Now it seems that he is probably the only one who doesn't understand these things, and he is the abnormal one.

"It's normal that you don't understand. Senior Brother Chu and I are studying science, while Senior Brother Finger is studying dragon genealogy." Xia Mi said, "In other words, we are science students, and you are a liberal arts student."

"What's with that proud tone? Is this my retribution for looking down on science students as idiots just now..." Finkel said foolishly.

"But the fish is hiding under the water. He hasn't woken up yet so he can hide himself very well. However, his strength is still far from its peak. But by the time he breaks through the surface of the lake in the form of a dragon, it will be too late." Chu Zihang said in a deep voice.

"He shouldn't be a complete dragon yet." Xia Mi said.

"Yes, he was still in human form not long ago. He was probably the one who caused the Six Flags accident and destroyed the foundation well of Kassel College. A dragon in human form is much weaker than a dragon after transformation, so he did not have a head-on conflict with us because he found that we might be more difficult to deal with than he thought. So he is awakening and he needs more strength." Chu Zihang analyzed.

"Transforming from human form to dragon form is like re-hatching, which is the best time to kill them," Xia Mi said calmly. "I told my parents about Senior Brother Chu performing CPR on me on the bus and taking me to Six Flags. They said they were very grateful and wanted to invite you to their home for dinner."

Chapter 154 Ghost Call

“It appears again!”

Finkel put down the pork knuckle in his hand, slammed the table and exclaimed, "You science students really don't need to prepare before changing the subject? Even if you add a transition word like 'but' or 'by the way' in the middle! How can a personal topic like meeting the parents be seamlessly connected with a great cause like slaying a dragon?"

"Meeting your sister's parents! It's just a meal, pure and simple!" Xia Mi turned around and said viciously, "Do you have any objections to science students? You're a long-tongued liberal arts guy who can seamlessly combine eating pork knuckles with gossip!"

"This is definitely a personal attack, right? You can't argue with me, so you're just attacking me!" Finger jumped up and shouted, "If you're just having a meal, why didn't you invite me along?"

Xia Mi was stunned. The words "Who do you think you are?" came to her lips but she held them back. She knew that once they came out, with Finger's paparazzi nature, she would be bombarded with questions!

Then Chu Zihang is a real deal, right? Surely Chu Zihang is the special one? Isn't that a confession? They're meeting their parents now, so when are you planning on getting the marriage certificate? Thinking of this, Xia Mi was practically going crazy!

"Humph, you're speechless, right? Speaking of your Senior Brother Chu taking care of you, your Senior Brother Mingfei also took good care of you!" Finkel crossed his arms. "When you were still a student, it was your Senior Brother Mingfei who took your Senior Brother Chu to pick you up at the Chicago train station. At that time, I even thought that Lu Mingfei had ulterior motives towards you..."

"Lu Mingfei..." Xia Mi was stunned and murmured softly, a strange light flashing in her eyes, "So that's how it is... So it started from that time..."

Chu Zihang coughed lightly and hesitated for several seconds: "As you can see, I am the only one watching the data here. If the Dragon King shows up during this period, it will be my fault... So I probably won't have time to go over. Thank you for your parents' kindness.

"It's just a meal, not a real meeting with my parents. It's only for a few hours. Bring your computer with you, I can help you keep an eye on the data." Xia Mi frowned. "My brother wanted to see you very much after hearing about it. He kept yelling on the phone that he wanted to play with big brother and wanted to smell what big brother smelled like. He said he could share all the Lays potato chips and TV with you. This was a privilege that only I could have before!"

"Please, please, please!" Xia Mi shook Chu Zihang's arms left and right, her eyes bulging and blinking like a goldfish.

"Oh my god, a pretty girl's coquettishness is a killer move!" Finger was so excited when he saw it. "Junior brother, if I were you, I would definitely agree to it immediately. Anyone who refuses a cute girl's pleading is not a human being!"

"I..." Chu Zihang was speechless for a moment, "Actually, I don't have any smell, because I shower frequently and don't have the habit of spraying perfume... and I don't like eating potato chips because I have cavities..."

"Listen, listen! Is this what people say?" Finkel was furious. "That's why I said you're a fool, you totally missed the point! The key is not whether you take a bath or not and whether you have cavities? The key is the beautiful girl's invitation and the boy's wish... That's not right!"

"Isn't he your brother? Why does he call you sister? And you said before that he is your younger brother." Finkel asked Xiang Xia Mi curiously.

"Sister!" Xia Mi stuck out her tongue. "He was deprived of oxygen when he was born, which caused his brain to develop slowly. His IQ has remained at the level of an eight-year-old boy. Plus, I took care of him the most, so he always thought of me as his sister, and I call him his brother."

"Then you have to go! Speaking of which, helping children with developmental disabilities has always been a traditional virtue of our Kassel Academy! It's a shame that you've been named a "Three Good Students" for two consecutive years. I even called on the younger members of the News Department to canvass for votes for you, spreading the word that you're a kind-hearted young man who would rather be late for class than help an old lady cross the street!" Finger said righteously, "Would it be wrong for you not to go? Would you be worthy of the generous scholarship you receive every year?"

"Okay." Chu Zihang sighed and compromised, "When?"

"Let's say four days later, it's noon. Do you like dumplings stuffed with leeks or pork?" Xia Mi asked.

"Pork," said Chu Zihang.