"Devil training?"
"Devil training."
Lu Mingfei stared into Angers's eyes. The principal's demeanor didn't seem fake. He confirmed repeatedly, "The Kui Men Plan is about to begin, isn't it?"
"So your training location is in China." Angers took a sip of tea. "The location is just right, isn't it?"
"Sichuan?" Lu Mingfei said.
"Family." Angers drank his tea.
"Isn't it your devil training, Principal?" Lu Mingfei was surprised.
"Because I'm heading to China in two weeks to discuss the specific details of the Kui Men Plan in advance. Last time, we only confirmed the time before I left in a hurry," Angers said. "My time management is pretty good; balancing your training and the Kui Men meeting won't be a problem."
"But you look strange. Do you have any bad memories from Kui Gate?"
"It's not because of that." Lu Mingfei shook his head. "I just didn't expect my first trip to Sichuan to be for training, not tourism."
"So that's what you're worried about. Don't worry, I'll set aside plenty of entertainment time for you. Combining work and rest is a very good learning method," Angers said. "The Family members will probably accompany you on your strolls. You can ask them any questions about the Family, and perhaps you'll even make some good friends."
"But my social skills are terrible." Lu Mingfei scratched his head.
"Don't be so self-deprecating." Angers looked at Mingfei with encouraging eyes. "I really like an idiom from your country, 'Peaches and plums do not speak, yet a path is formed beneath them.' Mingfei, you are a very good child. Others should be the ones worrying about their social skills."
"Principal... you're so good to me," Lu Mingfei said after a moment of silence.
"Why are you suddenly saying that?" Angers's hand, holding the teacup, paused.
"Because very few people encourage me like this," Lu Mingfei said. "Principal, the way you looked at me just now, it really was like you were looking at a long-lost illegitimate child."
Angers was silent for a moment, then chuckled, "You've seen that fabricated news too?"
"I haven't seen it, but Fingel Senior Brother mentioned it."
"That's just a small trick the Board of Directors uses to criticize me; don't take it to heart," Angers said indifferently. "They questioned whether the S-class I chose was merely for show, but this time's field mission, you delivered an impeccable answer sheet. Such rumors won't circulate for a long time."
"But I could kill a Three-Generations Breed only with Measure the Days and a ribbon that cuts through iron like mud," Lu Mingfei said. "Is such an answer sheet really okay?"
"It sounds like Mingfei, you don't understand the power of Measure the Days," Angers said softly. "This ability to pause time is simply incredible. Every second on the battlefield is crucial. You might think that freezing someone for half a second is useless, but in fact, half a second is enough for me to kill dozens of A-class Dead Servants, enough for a sniper rifle bullet to reach the enemy's head."
"During the time Measure the Days is paused, you can completely dismember the enemy, while the enemy can do nothing."
"Principal, you make it sound like I have violent tendencies. Is it possible that I'm not a big bad wolf tearing out hearts, but just a little lamb?" Lu Mingfei scratched his head.
"A wolf in sheep's clothing is still a wolf," Angers chuckled faintly. "You've already killed a Three-Generations Breed, haven't you?"
"That was... out of necessity. It attacked me first," Lu Mingfei replied after a moment of silence.
"Does self-defense require dismembering the opponent?" Angers retorted. The photos of the Three-Generations Breed's corpse had already been sent to him. That pure-blooded Dragon had wounds all over its body, and most of the fatal wounds were inflicted by Lu Mingfei.
If the opponent hadn't been a descendant of the King of Ocean and Water, whose vitality was exceptional even among Dragons, it probably would have lost consciousness before Lu Mingfei could sever its spine.
"I... I was just curious why I couldn't kill it," Lu Mingfei's voice suddenly grew softer.
Angers quietly looked at Mingfei for a moment. "I'm not blaming you. You've already done better than most people. I'm just temporarily acting as your psychological counselor. Sometimes, understanding yourself is more important than understanding your enemy."
"I might not have that much awareness," Lu Mingfei said.
"You will," Angers said indifferently. "When you've seen a real battlefield, you'll understand that the struggle between Dragons and Hybrids is always to the death. You'll know that constant evasion and self-deception are useless."
"They are all devils returned from hell. After crawling out from underground, they will unleash heavenly fire, floods, gales, and earth cracks, bringing about the end of the world. At that time, no one will be able to stand aside, and everything you cherish will turn to ashes."
Lu Mingfei was stunned and subconsciously touched his heart. Everything he cherished...
His fingernail accidentally tapped the teacup. His reflection was clearly visible in the tea, fragmented and rounded by the ripples.
"While there's still time," Angers's gaze swept past Mingfei to look behind him, "while you haven't lost anything yet, if that day truly comes, you will only hate yourself for not having power when you look in the mirror."
"Hatred will only give you the motivation to move forward, but it cannot reclaim everything you've lost."
After a long while, Lu Mingfei exhaled deeply. "I understand, Principal. I will give my all in this training."
"I'm glad you think so," Angers smiled. "Also, you need to choose one more person to accompany you back to China. The Kui Men Plan is an underwater operation, and Execution Department regulations require a partner."
Only then did Lu Mingfei remember that the detailed rules for the Kui Men Plan sent to his email indeed mentioned this.
"Two weeks of training time, is that enough?"
"You are all elites of the academy. I have confidence in your ability to learn cooperation, and this underwater operation is primarily for exploration, so the need for cooperation is less than for a typical underwater partnership. 14 days is more than enough for you," Angers said.
"Oh, by the way, I heard that the alchemical creations obtained from this Dragon Tomb weren't suitable for you."
"Ye Sheng Senior Brother said they were too low-grade, and giving them to me would be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut," Lu Mingfei said with a helpless smile.
"I thought so too. Fortunately, the ribbon is still in your hands. Since it's something I brought back, I'll take the liberty of giving it to you. I'll also approve a long-term usage permit for the Heart Guard Armor. In return, complete the S-class mission, and I'll notify the relevant teachers to fill up your internship credits. Although with the Kui Men Plan, you don't need to worry about not having enough internship credits anyway."
Angers said, "Did you receive your living expenses?"
"Yes, I have them," Lu Mingfei nodded.
"When you go back to China, use that card. Because that card was opened in your parents' names, the Board of Directors can't tamper with it. You wouldn't want your privacy and spending records to be seen by a bunch of old fuddy-duddies, would you?"
"Principal, your tone is strange," Lu Mingfei rubbed his nose, recalling some pixelated images.
"Is it?" Angers took a sip of tea, in a good mood.