Vol2 Chapter 3: I’m Protecting you

As the movie neared its end, Lu Mingfei glanced at Bai Ci.
She was biting her straw, the flush on her face fading—probably sobered up.

“Wanna play a couple games?”

“What kind?”

“StarCraft, Red Alert, CS—whatever.”
Lu Mingfei’s voice was dry, his eyes flicking to her.
“Oh, by the way, Lu Mingze didn’t do anything to you, right?”

“Nothing much, just kept brushing against me.
His stare was gross and clingy.”

Bai Ci kept clicking her mouse, not looking at him.
“Let’s do StarCraft first.”

Her topic-changing was as clumsy as ever…

“Oh.”

He slumped, banging the keyboard, scheming how to get back at that chubby Lu Mingze.

Bai Ci glanced at him, half-hearted even at gaming.
This round…

“Got it.”

“Whose?”

“I mean, we’ve got this round.”

“Oh…”

Lu Mingfei shrank, watching his base get trashed by his $50 ally.

After two seconds of thought, he opened QQ.

Using “Sunset Scars,” he sent Lu Mingze a message: Found a boyfriend.
Wish you well.

Satisfying 😌.

Bai Ci saw his smug look and, for no reason, felt annoyed at his lack of ambition.
She lightly kicked his leg.

Lu Mingfei just felt an itch.

Mosquitoes in this dumpy café?

He looked down, spotting Bai Ci’s foot—only one white sock on—nudging his leg.
Then he met her resentful glare at the computer screen.

He felt he should say something, so he did.

“Cool desktop, huh?”

Bai Ci turned, gave him a smile, and said softly, “Looks nice, but you’re paying your own internet fee.”

“Huh?”

Lu Mingfei cursed inwardly—he hadn’t brought any money!

“Kidding.
I dragged you here, so I’ll pay.”

Bai Ci looked away, her shoulders shaking as she opened Red Alert.

“Two rounds?
I’ve got the fees.”

Lu Mingfei nodded.

His first words to her had been the same.

That afternoon, when Liu Miaomiao wouldn’t take him along, he’d ducked his head, wrapped his jacket around it, and bolted outside.
A jagged lightning bolt flashed in the clouds, thunder booming.
The rain wasn’t just rain—it was a typhoon, per the forecast.

He’d struggled to reach the internet café, shaking out his hair, standing under the big AC unit to dry off.

While drying, a girl walked in, soaked like him.
His brain lit up—fate!
Both drenched, both in the café to dry off—what else could it be?

Later, he realized it was the “sorrow of blood.”

Now, he felt it was worse—more like the “curse of blood.”

Once dry, he’d run over and said, “Two rounds?
I’ll cover the fees.”

Bai Ci had looked at him, surprised, and nodded.

After an hour of him crushing her in StarCraft, she ignored him the next day.

Lu Mingfei thought, No way, you ignore me after I spent $1.50 on fees?

And so, they got close.

“Can’t you have some ambition?”
Bai Ci suddenly said.

“I think I’m doing fine—Cassell’s only S-rank, Student Union member—”

“Not that.
Forget it, I won’t bother.”

She thought for a moment, then added, “I’ve got your back.”

Lu Mingfei nodded, thinking, Where’d you pick that up?
What girl covers for a guy?
Just be a good student, a good girl—that’s enough.
Protecting people is for tall, strong guys.
Plus, compared to his useless S-rank, her future was brighter.
She was the real S-rank, with way more potential.
If a Dragon King came to end the world, he’d be relying on her to shine and take it down.
Until she grew into that, he’d cover for her.

Just be a good girl.

He secretly mused that he had three-quarters of his “life” left—three more uses of that world-destroying power.

Until I’m out of lives, I’ll cover for you…

Chu Zihang sat in his dorm, watching the drizzling rain outside.

It was raining again.

The rain pattered on the windowsill, growing heavier, turning into a downpour with rolling thunder.

Just like that day, with rain this heavy.
Back then, he’d watched it from Shilan’s classroom.

Later, he learned it was a king’s arrival.

A king with heaven’s wrath, shattering everything.

Almost everyone had left, leaving only him and a middle school kid.

The kid crouched under the eaves, watching the taillights of a car that refused him flicker, its engine roaring as it vanished into the rain.

Chu Zihang looked at his back, thinking maybe he could offer him a ride.

But the kid stood, head tilted, neck slumped, trudging along the eaves.
Suddenly, he ducked, wrapped his jacket around his head, and darted into the rain like a stray dog.
He ran fast, splashing away before Chu Zihang could call out.

A stray dog… was he?

He turned, looking at his sword on the desk—Murasame*.

Gripping the hilt, he drew it, a cold aura coursing through his wrist and body.

In a daze, he was back in that rainy night six years ago.
Memories of that man flashed like a carousel in his mind.

They were the same.

The same… stray dogs.