Era of Mist

The large screen remained on, apparently set to broadcast continuously. Onscreen, the Black Warrior knelt formally on a blanket, like a general before battle.

“Black Venerable, I await your arrival.”

VROOOM!

The front wheel lifted as the heavy motorcycle shot forward, accelerating madly, again and again, without a shred of hesitation.

Zhou Nan stared blankly at Shi Tiexin’s back and muttered, “So fucking manly…” ‘He’s the kind of boss I’ll follow to the end…’

“Hey!” the kebab stall owner shouted. “Don’t get yourself killed! I’ll treat you to a meal when you get back!”

Shi Tiexin didn’t answer. With a flash of his taillight, he vanished into the night.

Tonight, Tokyo City was both silent and deafening.

Tokyo was once a city of brilliant lights, its artificial glow clearly visible even from outer space at night. Screens of all sizes filled the streets, remnants of the decadent, dazzling dreams of East Asia. Later, those screens all went dark, no longer used to display commercial ads.

But today, those screens were all lit up once more.

Screen after screen illuminated the pitch-black Tokyo City. Countless people, from countless buildings and countless corners, stared at those screens with a mix of emotions. Nearly the entire city had heard the Black Warrior’s declaration, heard of this public duel that made one’s hair stand on end.

Everyone knew something big was going to happen tonight.

On the main road, Wang Dafu personally led a convoy of vehicles speeding forward. BEEP. He received a forwarded text message and decisively ordered a change of destination.

“Damn it, those relentless bastards!” Wang Dafu cursed as he pulled on a bulletproof vest, glaring at a distant screen. He couldn’t help but worry. “Stone, don’t be reckless! You can’t afford to die now!”

In the hospital, Ah D glanced at the screen outside, then back at Xiaowei in her hospital bed. He walked to her side and took her hand. He squeezed it firmly and said with resolve, “I’m so sorry. I’ll spend the rest of my life with you. But right now, the boss needs me.”

Xiaowei’s eyes were covered with gauze, and it was unclear if she was awake or asleep. But her hand squeezed back faintly, as if responding to his feelings.

That single squeeze instantly filled Ah D with immense spiritual strength. Xiaowei’s forgiveness swept away his dejection, and his eyes once again blazed with vibrant life.

“Wait for me!” Ah D turned, pushed the door open, and left the room, a few of his boys following him. VROOM, the Hummer’s engine roared to life as Ah D slammed his foot on the gas. Ah Fei was using Shi Tiexin’s phone to coordinate with everyone, letting Ah D know exactly where to go.

In a dark corner far from the hospital entrance, a middle-aged couple lurked in the shadows. As soon as they saw Ah D’s car drive away, they sprang into action. Four or five other men and women moved with them. They rushed into the hospital, burst into the room, and clumsily hauled Xiaowei up from her bed.

The two underlings left to stand guard tried to stop them, but these people were like madmen, howling as they carried her and charged forward.

“Devotion to the Savior grants eternal life!”

“Devotion to the Savior grants eternal life!”

The group advanced, shouting crazily like fanatics escorting a sacrifice.

“My good daughter,” Xiaowei’s mother said with a smile. It was a strange, eerie smile, devoid of logic and warmth. “Today, you will feel the Savior’s mercy. The Savior will come to save you. When you are redeemed, you will understand that Mommy and Daddy… did this… for… your… own… good!”

Xiaowei still didn’t speak. Frail and paralyzed, she was unable to resist. But the gauze over her eyes suddenly grew damp.

The little drama in the hospital didn’t attract much attention, just like the other sins that occurred ceaselessly in the corners of this city. It no longer held people’s interest.

People were focused on only one thing: tonight’s public duel.

The Black Venerable and the Black Warrior.

Daxing and the New Rangyi.

In a dilapidated old residential building, Sakuragi Kenji stared at a large screen in the distance, his eyes full of worry. He was no longer as unkempt as he once was; he truly wanted to pass on every last one of his skills to Shi Tiexin.

He didn’t want Shi Tiexin to risk his life.

But…

‘With your personality and character, how could you possibly run away?’

VROOOM. A fierce and distinctive engine roar reached his ears. The sound pierced the night, cutting through the silence of Tokyo City like a speeding line of fire and capturing the attention of countless people.

“Heh… Just as I thought…” Sakuragi Kenji shook his head with a wry smile, then suddenly clenched his fist. ‘Since you’ve chosen to fight, you must win! Challenge your limits! Perform at your limits! Ride at your limits! And then, seize victory with your own hands—Black Venerable!!’

CRACK-BOOM! A bolt of lightning split the darkness. In the flash of light, rolling black clouds could be seen pressing down from above. A cold wind howled, sending debris spinning wildly along walls and on street corners.

WHOOSH. It began to rain.

A downpour.

A torrential downpour, falling like a curtain of water.

No one had expected it to rain at such a critical moment. The fierce storm would undoubtedly have a huge impact on a rider’s performance. The pooling water on the ground would reduce tire grip; one bad skid could end in a fatal crash.

Onscreen, the Black Warrior was also being drenched by the heavy rain, as was the suspended Mai Ba.

Washed by the downpour, the flow of blood, which had slowed somewhat, suddenly quickened again.

Countless people sighed.

In such terrible conditions, it would be impossible for the Black Venerable to arrive in time. And since it was impossible, of course he wouldn’t persist in his desperate, death-defying ride.

Most people would never attempt something they knew to be impossible.

“The heavens are uncooperative.” The Black Warrior didn’t look up. His posture was formal and serene. Though his modulated voice was strange, it held a surprising hint of resolve. “But we are men. Why should we look to the heavens? Black Venerable, I wonder what choice you will make.”

RUMBLE. Thunder rolled as the heavy black clouds pressed down, seemingly intent on crushing everything.

But—VROOOM!—an engine’s roar, no less powerful than the thunder, was still howling, still charging forward. Like an unstoppable wind of freedom, it pierced through everything, its roar blasting across all of Tokyo!

The Black Venerable was still racing!

The heavy rain fell, countless drops pelting him like bullets. With no chance to put on a helmet, Shi Tiexin could only wear a pair of large sunglasses to shield himself from the rain. The fierce downpour hammered against the lenses, and the dense sheets of water made it almost impossible to breathe.

His driving interface couldn’t be completely clear either. Mind Art, after all, was an ability that relied on one’s own capabilities, not Magic created from thin air. It could gather and analyze information at superhuman speeds, accurately outlining the path forward even in dim light. But if he couldn’t even open his eyes, there was no way he could see the street.

But Shi Tiexin was still moving forward, and his speed was only increasing.

In the downpour, water quickly pooled on the road, only to be thrown high into the sky by the frantically spinning wheels.