13 gazed vacantly at Zhenxian; her demand was excessively stringent. Akin to binding 13's hands and feet, yet expecting him to engage in combat.
"Apologies, I am unable to accede to your request. However, I can guarantee that until the final moment, I will not employ it readily. This does not count; it is beyond my capability. You still possess one wish," 13 could not consent.
Slowly rising, Zhenxian spoke no further, walking deliberately towards the middle-aged man.
"If that is the case, we fundamentally cannot become companions." Zhenxian turned, looking gravely at 13. "Although both contend against the R-nation personnel, you are considerably more perilous than they. You threaten not the nation, but the lives of our people. Please depart..."
"I anticipated this outcome..." 13 chuckled softly in derision. "I never harbored delusions of gaining your acceptance, yet I never renege on my promises." With that, he stood up, heading towards the entrance tunnel.
"Until you articulate your wish, I will absolutely not permit you to perish..." He stated, turning back one last time before leaving, his gaze exceptionally resolute.
As if from this moment forth, Zhenxian's life no longer belonged to herself...
Five minutes elapsed.
The middle-aged man spoke, "Miss, shall we simply allow him to depart?"
"We belong entirely to different worlds. This suffices..." Though spoken thus, regret still lingered in her eyes.
"Then, our current course of action..." the middle-aged man inquired.
"Let us depart. It is time for us to return as well," Zhenxian resolved.
July 31, 2013, 02:00
Within a deserted alleyway, a black manhole cover was pushed open; the middle-aged man's head emerged...
Adjusting the suit jacket upon his body, he followed Zhenxian's steps, proceeding towards the alley entrance.
A black BMW awaited quietly...
Upon spotting the young lady's appearance, the driver proficiently opened the car door. The middle-aged man seated himself in the front passenger seat.
As Zhenxian settled into the vehicle, she had already resumed her original identity—President of the Fantasy Group, Song Zhenxian. Upon the girl's refined face, the expected youthful tenderness was no longer visible. Only a maturity incongruous with her age remained; her seasoned gaze resembled that of a dragon navigating the complexities of the business world...
Starting smoothly, the automobile traversed the broad, empty streets.
In a nearby corner, several men clad in black suits had been observing the entire sequence of events.
Hideaki, dreaming in bed, was roused by the sudden ringing of the telephone.
"'The big fish' has begun its movement," the voice on the other end reported.
"Is that so? Maintain pursuit. Remember! Bring her back safely."
"Hi!" Commencing action!
Hideaki could no longer return to slumber. Clad in white silk pajamas, he walked to the expansive floor-to-ceiling window...
Pouring a glass of his favored red wine, he savored the contents while appreciating the brilliantly illuminated cityscape. The sensation of controlling everything engendered exceptional contentment within Hideaki...
"Today, the hook can be set. My fish..." The corners of Hideaki's mouth curved slightly.
Within the car, Zhenxian appeared contemplative, her gaze fixed upon the fleeting streetlights outside the window. Neither the middle-aged man nor the driver spoke, lest they disturb the young lady.
For Zhenxian, merely nineteen years of age, today's experiences were excessively difficult to assimilate; she required time to organize the complex information within her mind.
It was during this unwitting interval that two black Mercedes vehicles silently began trailing them from behind.
"Miss, it seems some peculiar individuals have taken notice of us," the driver stated calmly.
"Bastards, we've still been discovered!" the middle-aged man exclaimed indignantly.
"Disregard them. If there is no malicious intent, let it be," Zhenxian remained utterly unconcerned.
"However, it appears less simple than imagined." The driver glanced at the rearview mirror, meticulously scrutinizing the vehicles behind with a specific keyword in mind.
"Latest model bulletproof Mercedes. Tires are widened. The engine sound is peculiar, resembling a racing car's turbo engine. Utilizing such vehicles for surveillance seems excessively wasteful," the driver offered an awkward smile.
"Furthermore, the vehicles are riding too low, indicating they carry no fewer than four adults and heavy equipment. The opposing party's objective is already exceedingly obvious," the middle-aged man resumed his calm analysis.
"Lose them, Madman..." As she spoke, Zhenxian had already fastened her seatbelt, gripping the handle beside her firmly.
"Uncle, this time there's no role for you to play. Witness my 'performance'..." The driver, known as Madman, displayed an excited expression.
Uncle had no time to heed him, fumbling frantically with his seatbelt. Yet, it seemed somewhat too late. Just as it was about to buckle, the car transformed, accelerating instantaneously and abruptly.
The engine roared like a beast unleashed,shaking off the tail behind by a hundred meters in mere seconds.
"What kind of vehicle is that?" The driver of the trailing car stared blankly at his speedometer, then at the rapidly vanishing taillights ahead.
"Pursue! If we lose them, the Commander-in-Chief will not permit us to see tomorrow's sun!" The terrifying reminder sent shivers down the driver's spine; he floored the accelerator. The distinctive roar of the turbo engine echoed through the streets.
Meanwhile, within the BMW, Zhenxian closed her eyes. Uncle finally secured his seatbelt.
"Couldn't you have waited..." Before he could finish, Madman began shifting gears rapidly with evident relish, his feet dancing upon the three pedals like a rumba.
An ominous premonition prompted Uncle to grip the handle tightly.
"Here it comes!" The red light ahead had been illuminated for ages. Intersecting traffic obstructed their path forward. Yet, judging from Madman's expression, there was not the slightest intention of adhering to traffic regulations.
Frantically turning the steering wheel. Zhenxian, eyes closed, remained oblivious. But Uncle, witnessing everything, felt his heart nearly leap from his chest.
The speeding BMW executed an extreme sideways drift across the road. Just as collision with the traffic flow seemed imminent, it miraculously merged into the obstructing stream, accelerating towards the right. Everything appeared remarkably natural. If 36 were to witness this spectacle, he would undoubtedly feel an itch to engage in a contest of skill.
The trailing Mercedes could only halt before the traffic flow, its bewildered driver questioning himself, "Can that even be considered a 'turn'?"
The person in charge had no time for contemplation, swiftly retrieving his mobile phone, "Activate Team Two!"
"You truly are a madman!" Uncle continuously patted his violently heaving chest.
"Did we lose them?" Zhenxian opened her eyes, inquiring.
"It's not over yet..." Madman glanced sideways at the rearview mirror. The previous cars had vanished, but from a street corner, two more "tails" of the same model emerged.
Hearing this, Zhenxian immediately closed her eyes again.
Shifting gears, Madman floored the accelerator with gusto. Intense friction caused faint smoke to rise from the pavement.
The BMW accelerated, entering a deserted boulevard. Yet, today, the boulevard was far from deserted. On this particular night each week, numerous street racing enthusiasts congregated here, reveling with various models of steeds. Madman, a former king among them, knew this route better than anyone, having calculated even the slightest gradient with precision. Since the opposing party employed subsequent pursuers, shaking them off within the complex city streets was fundamentally impossible. Thus, he resolved to utilize this familiar street for a final settlement.
"Report! Target has entered an unfamiliar major road," the tracking personnel reported.
"Then deploy everyone! All units, maintain pursuit!" The person in charge grew somewhat frantic as well.
Unbeknownst to them, the number of tails increased...
Glancing back, Uncle stated blankly, "Madman, it seems we are in some danger today..."
"Until the final stretch is run, no one knows the ensuing narrative," Madman stated confidently, gripping the steering wheel firmly.
In a location not far away, a group of similar madmen engaged in a new chase.
Dozens of roaring race cars fixated on the starting girl's handkerchief, poised to drop. The instant it contacted the ground, all surged forth like wild beasts. The girl experienced the exhilaration brought by the monsters speeding past her...
"Almost there!" Madman spotted the familiar crowd, honking the horn lengthily.
Noticing the approaching vehicle, everyone swiftly cleared a path for this familiar BMW. Although its appearances had become rare, Madman occasionally visited for a couple of laps during his leisure time. In everyone's hearts, that mature black BMW represented a legend of Hancheng street racing. Opponents competing against him invariably saw only his red taillights...
The girl, having just savored the excitement, turned back to see only two dazzling taillights rushing straight towards her.
Denied even the time to scream, the BMW, just moments before impact, swerved into the adjacent lane, speeding past her side. Yet, the stimulus hadn't concluded. Behind the departing BMW, dozens of eye-like headlights appeared, also passing by without pause. It seemed to transpire in the blink of an eye. The girl collapsed limply onto the ground. Compared to the starting race cars, vehicles passing by at speeds exceeding 150 km/h felt akin to strolling back and forth in the middle of a highway.
"Senior is truly formidable! Nowadays, he even brings along a whole convoy for joyrides!" a novice car enthusiast exclaimed in admiration.
"Naturally," boasted a spectator who had previously raced against Madman.
"That must have exceeded 160 just now?!" the novice enthusiast stated firmly.
"Correct, he is..." The spectator did not finish his sentence, because an identical black shadow flashed past his eyes, no slower than the preceding speeding monsters. Yet, most astonishingly, it was merely a human figure.
"That looked like a person on a skateboard, right?..." the novice stated, bewildered.
"Who knows..." The spectator's facial muscles twitched...