Era of Mist

Shi Tiexin didn’t ask any more questions. It would have been pointless. He got up and turned to leave.

“Hehehe…” Behind him, Sanfan let out a strange laugh, as if in mockery. The skin on his face began to turn a deathly black-blue, and with a sudden POP, his upper body swelled as he tried to push the car off himself.

BANG! Shi Tiexin fired a shot behind him without looking. The bullet accurately pierced the car’s gas tank.

WHOOM! The car erupted in flames, engulfing Sanfan, who was pinned beneath it. He tried to scream, but all that came from his mouth was that same strange laughter.

After a few moments of burning, it exploded with a final BOOM, and the flames devoured everything. CLANG! CLANG! Shrapnel flew in all directions. Shi Tiexin didn’t look back. His bulletproof vest gave him the confidence to walk away from an explosion without flinching.

RUMBLE. Dark clouds rolled across the sky as a strong wind picked up, fanning the flames of the burning car. From a distance, Shi Tiexin watched as Sanfan was charred and burned to death in the inferno, his expression completely unfazed.

He pondered in silence.

Although he had resolved the immediate crisis, the mystery behind it all made him frown even more deeply.

‘Where did all of them come from? These thugs, these gunmen, this cannon fodder… and the transformed Ah Hui and Sanfan?’

‘Did they stumble upon something while researching the Hongshun Society’s legacy, or is someone else pulling the strings?’

‘If this really is some kind of special product, are there other clients? Are other factions secretly amassing these bizarre forces?’

‘So many questions, and not a single answer.’

Ah Fei and the others walked over, staring at Shi Tiexin in shock and disbelief. On their way, they had finally seen the full number of enemies: more than fifty burly men and dozens of guns, plus the transformed Ah Hui—all of them taken down by Shi Tiexin alone. Their leader, the Black Venerable, was just absurdly, incomprehensibly powerful.

“Boss, reinforcements will be here in three minutes!”

Ah Fei said, his tone dismissive. ‘What’s the point of them showing up now that it’s all over? Are they going to clean up the mess like the cops who always arrive late in the movies?’

Just then, Zhou Nan timidly raised his hand. “Uh… Brother Zun, the hairs on my arm are standing on end again…”

“Hm?!”

Shi Tiexin’s brow furrowed as he shot a look at Zhou Nan. A strong, chilly wind gusted past, yet it couldn’t seem to flatten the raised hairs on Zhou Nan’s arm.

At the same time, with a sudden FLICK, a distant skyscraper lit up. The building’s facade featured a massive screen, once used for advertisements but long since dormant. Now, at this very moment, it blazed to life once more.

The image that appeared on the screen made everyone gasp.

It was none other than Mai Ba!

Mai Ba was bound tightly, hung up like a pig waiting for slaughter. Beside him stood a pitch-black figure holding a gleaming Samurai Sword, its tip aimed squarely at Mai Ba’s stomach.

“Can you hear me?”

The figure on the screen spoke. His voice, broadcast through powerful speakers, echoed across the surrounding city blocks—a strange, terrifying, electronically altered sound.

“It seems you can. Good evening, everyone. I am the Black Warrior, an Anti-foreign Warrior dedicated to protecting my home and my country. Allow me to defend my actions. Everything I have done has been to protect my beautiful homeland. Darkness and terror were never my intent; they are merely necessary methods in these chaotic times.”

“By nature, I dislike resorting to base schemes. So today, I will prove to you all that I, too, am an honorable member of the Wu Family.”

“Now, if you’ll permit me, I’d like to make a phone call.”

On the screen, the Black Warrior took out a cell phone and pressed a button. BEEP.

「One second later.」

RING RING RING… Someone’s phone was ringing.

It was Shi Tiexin’s phone!

All eyes shot toward him, expressions stunned. Shi Tiexin glanced down. Sure enough, the caller ID showed it was Mai Ba. Shi Tiexin raised the phone, his eyes fixed on the distant screen. After two seconds of silence, he pressed the answer button. BEEP.

And with that, the Black Warrior’s call connected on the screen.

“Moshi moshi, is this Mr. Black Venerable?”

The Black Warrior’s voice, speaking Japanese, came simultaneously from the massive screen and the earpiece of the phone.

Shi Tiexin replied in the Dahua language, his face devoid of expression. “Speaking.”

His calm, deep voice also boomed from the big screen, broadcast by the speakers over a vast area.

The Black Warrior stared into the camera as if looking directly at them. “Excellent. It seems Mr. Black Venerable’s Japanese is quite good. No translator needed.”

“And it seems you’ve been diligent in your Dahua studies as well. Cut to the chase. What do you want?”

“So direct. You have the greatest reputation on the streets, and the most influence among the invaders. I’ve always despised those pretentious, hypocritical businessmen and Vampires. But you, Mr. Black Venerable… many people say you aren’t a businessman, that you aren’t a Vampire. They say you’re a real man, the best racer, and that even many sons and daughters of the Dahua people admire you.”

“Admittedly, revering the strong is one of our people’s national characteristics.”

“But I, for one, am deeply displeased by this.”

“So today, we will have a little contest. A little test.”

“A contest to see if you truly are the best racer, and a test to see if you’re a real man.”

“The method is simple.”

“Hanging here is your right-hand man, known on the streets as Mai Ba. A degenerate gambler. A worthless piece of trash with no future.”

“In a moment, I am going to make one cut on his body.”

“And trust me, my swordsmanship is excellent. Very precise. From the moment my blade strikes until he bleeds to death, no more than five seconds will pass.”

“The instant I make the cut, I will send you an address. If you dare to come, you’re a man. And if you can get there before Mai Ba bleeds out, it will prove your racing skills are second to none.”

“I’ve calculated that I myself can make it just under the wire. I wonder if you can do the same.”

“Now, tell me, do you accept this challenge? Yes? Or…” The Black Warrior raised his blade to Mai Ba’s neck. “No?”

Seeing Mai Ba held at knifepoint, his life hanging by a thread, Ah Fei and the others were completely stunned.

They looked at Shi Tiexin, wondering how he would react.

They wondered what they would do if they were in his shoes.

It was obviously a trap. Would Shi Tiexin walk right into it?

Shi Tiexin spoke, his voice like two slabs of pig iron grinding together, striking off the scent of Mars. “I accept.”

SQUELCH! The blade plunged into Mai Ba’s abdomen. Mai Ba cried out in agony as the blade was viciously yanked back out. Blood began to pour from the wound—not a fatal gush, suggesting no major organs were hit, but it wouldn’t stop on its own.

“Then, the race begins.”

“Just you wait.” Shi Tiexin hung up.

“I’m looking forward to it.” The Black Warrior pressed the send button.

BEEP. A text message arrived. Shi Tiexin glanced at it once and sprinted toward the street. His motorcycle was parked there. Luckily, he’d left it far enough away to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

“Boss!” Ah Fei couldn’t stop himself from running after him, yelling, “Call for more men! That guy definitely has an ambush waiting!”

“You’re all too slow. I’m going on ahead.” WHOOSH. He tossed the phone to Ah Fei as he swung himself onto his motorcycle. “You send out the group message.”

With a powerful kick, the motorcycle roared to life.