Chapter Eight: Furina’s Devilish Strategy

"Furnina, are you there?"
"I'm here. What's wrong? Is it something important?"
"Are you busy?"
In the courtroom, Furnina's expression changed slightly. She knew what kind of person Lu Mingfei was and understood he wouldn't disturb her at a time like this unless it was absolutely necessary. That's why he asked that way.
She didn't want to refuse, so she said, "The important thing isn't whether I'm busy, but whether this matter is important to you. After all, I've been the Water Goddess of Fontaine for nearly five hundred years. It's understandable if I get distracted now and then for special reasons, don't you think?"
"A Water Goddess in Fontaine for nearly five hundred years!"
Lu Mingfei's eyes widened abruptly, as if memories long dead suddenly crept up behind him and kicked him into a memory spiral.
Furnina's indistinct crying, the illusory sense of the Water Goddess, and her secret delight when she heard he wanted to protect someone—all these complicated details connected in an instant, forming a shocking realization.
Furnina had played the Water Goddess in Fontaine for half a millennium—five hundred years! What kind of mental burden must she have carried during all that time?
My dear Furnina!
Lu Mingfei clenched his fists in secret and sighed deeply. "Then... I'll leave it to you."
"Alright, go ahead. I'm listening."
Furnina had no idea Lu Mingfei had thought so much. It was simple: how many people, when seeking help for their own problems, would listen to comforting words and start thinking for the other person?
Such empathy was rare—even in the opera house, it was seldom seen.
"Today, I met someone..."
...
After listening to Lu Mingfei, enlightenment gradually flickered in Furnina's eyes. Then she spoke with certainty, "Lu Mingfei, it seems that you, too, are not ordinary in your own world. I knew it. Someone who can chat with me can't possibly be just anyone."
"Huh?"
"Though you appear to be an ordinary person, in reality, you must have another special identity—one even you don't know about," Furnina declared with conviction.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm absolutely sure. Because I... Never mind, it's nothing. From what you've told me, I can roughly guess that he's not a real devil, and he doesn't make deals with just anyone. And you—you're the one he values most. There must be something special about you; otherwise, he wouldn't come only to you, and call you 'big brother' on top of that," Furnina continued.
"Mm..."
Lu Mingfei's thoughts scattered again. Now he realized that there must be someone akin to Lu Mingze by Furnina's side as well; she just didn't want to say it.
"So, where is he now? What's he doing?" Furnina suddenly asked.
"He's telling me about a wonderful future, telling me that we can use our power to change the world, to turn this imperfect world into one we want to see, to create a future that belongs only to us," Lu Mingfei replied.
"...So this devil knows how to give motivational speeches, too?"
"Maybe it's because he's got a wide range of business," Lu Mingfei said.
...
"Sigh, big brother, I can't persuade you anymore."
Lu Mingze lay sadly on the seat next to Lu Mingfei, sobbing softly as if he were truly crying. He lifted his head, his eyes slightly reddened, and looked at Lu Mingfei. "Alright, I'll give you a freebie. When you need power, just say 'whosyourdaddy' and you'll get it."
"Free?"
Lu Mingfei was skeptical. He felt this didn't sound like a spell at all; it was English, and seemed aggressive—just like those cheat codes in games...
"That's right, it's free."
The little devil looked at Lu Mingfei up close, a complex smile blooming on his face. "Although I want your soul, what I truly desire is not a soul in despair."
"Really?"
"Oh, by the way, big brother, in the real world, you're already seriously ill. But don't worry, someone sent you to the hospital and you're already on an IV drip. So, you'll be fine," Lu Mingze said.
"I see."
Lu Mingfei lowered his head, lost in thought. He realized this world wasn't reality, but neither was it a spiritual or dream world. Otherwise, how could he communicate with Furnina in his sleep?
Wait—if he and Furnina slept together, would their dreams connect? Could they, in a sense, meet in their dreams?
A good idea, worth a try!
...

Back to reality.
Lu Mingfei had fainted from fever, and the first person to discover him was Su Xiaoqiang. She immediately recalled seeing Lu Mingfei running through the rain with his backpack the previous day, and a faint sense of guilt lingered in her heart.
Should I apologize?
But that thought quickly vanished. The proud young lady would never admit her own mistakes. Instinctively, she wanted to take Lu Mingfei to the hospital, but she felt that if she did it herself and others saw, it would be awkward.
What should I do?
I must save him, but I also need an excuse...
The clever young lady soon came up with a perfect solution: a prank!
She found a third party to take Lu Mingfei away, not to the school infirmary, but to a major hospital. Then she would call Lu Mingfei's parents and tell them he had an incident at school.
A check-up and IV drip at a big hospital would definitely be more expensive than at the school infirmary. Plus, Lu Mingfei’s family was not particularly kind to him, so they wouldn’t make things easy for him.
But after all, they were still his family. At most, they would just put some pressure on him; nothing serious would happen. This way, she could achieve her prank's effect. She was just fooling around—not really trying to help him.
I'm a genius! That's just like me!
As soon as the idea came, she acted on it. The little lady's efficiency was impressive. She handed two red bills to a male classmate, asked him to take a leave of absence and escort Lu Mingfei to the hospital, and to call Lu Mingfei’s parents as well. She warned him not to reveal who sent him— the money was hush money.
The plan went off without a hitch, from conception to execution. She succeeded.
...
In the hospital, the boy slowly opened his eyes and gazed at the unfamiliar ceiling. So, I was sent to the hospital after all? It seems he didn't lie to me. As for that cheat code, he doubted it would really work, but keeping it in mind as a last resort gave him some comfort.
Better than nothing.
He moved his hand a little. A numb sensation crept up his stiff arm. He glanced at the IV in his hand and thought, It's so cold.
The next moment, a familiar voice entered the hospital room. As he looked at the face before him, his heart went cold all over again.