Era of Mist

Although it hadn’t been long, Shi Tiexin had participated in dozens of races. But this time was different from all the others. Before, he was racing against people, and every time, he left his opponents far behind. Today, there were no visible opponents, no audience, and no livestream. On the empty streets, there was only the heavy rain.

Today, he was racing against himself, against death, and even against the heavens.

WHOOSH. He sped around a corner. On a large screen not far away, Mai Ba’s condition was being broadcast. Blood loss. Heavy rain. Mai Ba’s face was pale, his body trembling uncontrollably. His body temperature had to be dropping fast. He would lose his strength and slip to the brink of death much faster than anticipated.

So, he had to be fast. Faster. Impossibly fast!

VRRROOOOM!

The V8 engine beneath him roared as if it were about to explode, unleashing terrifying power. The heavy rain and pooled water created extra drag, and the bulletproof vest he wore added to the bike’s load. These were far from ideal racing conditions.

But the Black Venerable’s motorcycle was madly outputting power at self-destructive RPMs, using greater and more ferocious force to tear through any obstacle in its path.

Shi Tiexin’s left hand couldn’t help but gently stroke the bike’s frame, a hint of sadness in his heart.

He had never pushed his bike’s performance so destructively before. A frantic ride like this would very likely cause permanent damage to the motorcycle. Though they hadn’t been together long, he had already come to understand what it meant to be one with his bike and had learned to cherish his speeding partner.

‘But my friend,’ he thought, ‘today isn’t an ordinary race. It’s a day we fight side by side.’

‘Ride with me, my brother-in-arms!’

‘With me, let’s move like lightning!’

[Due to a special insight, Basic Riding has activated the special attribute “Lightning Speed”]

[Lightning Speed: Exchange durability for an explosive burst of vehicle power that surpasses its limits.]

BOOM! A rolling thunderclap split the dark sky, and a howling gale whipped up the torrential rain. The pitch-black motorcycle erupted with unstoppable momentum, its eight exhaust pipes simultaneously spewing violent jets of flame. Even in the black downpour, the erupting light of the flames was still bright and dazzling.

The wind could not scatter them, the rain could not extinguish them. The eight trails of fire were like a throne, carrying their rider on his flight toward the outskirts of Tokyo City.

The ROAR of the engine grew louder, like a furious dragon’s cry, tearing through the sound of the wind and answering the thunder.

The wind died down, but it did not!

The thunder faded, but it did not!

The pouring rain splashed onto the engine, only to be vaporized into thick white steam. The engine’s furious roar tore through Tokyo City at an unbelievable speed. Everyone who heard it—even those who weren’t in a Biker Gang, even those who didn’t understand the dangers of driving—was left stunned, their minds blank.

“Th-That’s faster than a bullet train!”

“There’s going to be a crash! A huge one!”

“Black Venerable is really going for it!”

A wave of water parted down the long street.

On both sides of the street, people suddenly threw open their windows to witness the heaven-piercing charge.

Awed by the sight, a young man glanced at the composed Black Warrior on the screen, then couldn’t stop himself from leaning into the wind and rain and shouting at the top of his lungs, “Black Venerable!!”

The small cry was instantly swallowed by the howling gale.

But he was not the only one shouting.

One by one, windows opened. One by one, people looked at the charging figure and the wake that resembled a furious dragon.

“Black Venerable!!”

“Black Venerable!!”

These were Chinese people, who had long suffered under the New Rangyi.

More people threw open their windows.

“Black Venerable!!”

“Black Venerable!!”

These were Westerners, who had also been plagued by the New Rangyi’s attacks.

It wasn’t just the Chinese or the Westerners; even more people threw open their windows.

“Black Venerable!!”

“Black Venerable!!”

Some were street-level thugs, some were Biker Gang wannabes, some were former rivals won over by Black Venerable, and some were admirers drawn to his fame. There were even more people, people Shi Tiexin didn’t even know.

It was hard to say if they were simply caught up in the atmosphere, if Ah Fei had used his connections to build momentum, or if some other power had chosen this moment to push him to the forefront and build him up. In any case, more and more people opened their windows and shouted from the streets.

“Black Venerable!!”

“Black Venerable!!”

“Black Venerable!!”

“Black Venerable!!”

Their cheers lined the streets, a roar like mountains and seas. The gales could no longer scatter it, and the thunder could no longer suppress it.

WHOOSH. The black motorcycle flashed past, charging ahead alone.

A long while later, under the watchful eyes of those on both sides of the street, a vehicle began to follow. It was Ah D. Ah D’s Hummer flew a large black banner emblazoned with the single, enormous character for “Venerable”—Shi Tiexin’s standard. The driver whose life Shi Tiexin had once saved was in the back, waving the flag with all his might. Not even the heavy rain could make the banner fall.

VRRMM, VRRMM, VRRMM. One by one, motorcycles fell in line, following the black banner as they sped onward through the rain. Under Ah Fei’s coordination, even more vehicles rushed to join them, converging like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea. The sight of this unstoppable tide was breathtaking.

CLANG! A door by the roadside was thrown open, and a Black man covered in tattoos rushed into the street. He yelled after the taillights that had already vanished from sight, “Black Venerable, go fuck up that Black Warrior, motherfucker!!!”

Those shouts, that torrent of support… Shi Tiexin both heard it and didn’t hear it.

He was simply focused, utterly consumed by the ride, speeding onward, onward, toward the outskirts of Tokyo, toward an old industrial district.

He had been in this industrial district before, when he’d used molten steel to destroy the drugs. It wasn’t the same factory, but the route was familiar. From a long way off, he saw several people with guns standing guard on the roof and over the gate of an old factory. Shi Tiexin didn’t have time to think. He floored the throttle and continued his charge.

On the city-wide broadcast, a man in a suit ran up to the solemn Black Warrior. At the same time, the camera cut away to show something else, as if to prevent the audience from seeing what was happening.

Inside the old factory, the man spoke urgently to the Black Warrior, but the Black Warrior simply raised a hand. “Say no more. This is a duel between men. Win or lose, it must be faced with integrity.”

“But you’re not just representing yourself right now!” the man said urgently. “You absolutely cannot lose, not in any capacity! If you lose, even in a pointless race, it will be a disgrace to Great Japan!”

“Disgrace? What disgrace is there in this?” The Black Warrior lifted his head slightly. His Celestial Dog Mask was fearsome to behold, and his tone was level but resolute. “This is a Samurai’s duel. Anyone who would defile it is defiling my name, and they will be cut down by my hand.”

“You—!”

The man in the suit choked on his words and finally backed down. He gave a discreet wave of his hand, and the gunmen perched on the factory roof, who had been aiming outside, all lowered their weapons. The next moment, with a tremendous CRASH, the old factory gates were smashed open, and a formidable black motorcycle thundered into the building.

It was Shi Tiexin.

With a final SPUTTER, the motorcycle’s eight exhaust pipes spat out eight last licks of flame. It had finally reached its limit and died. With a CREAK, Shi Tiexin stopped the bike and swung himself off. White steam SIZZLED from the bike’s frame. Shi Tiexin patted the motorcycle, as if patting an exhausted companion.

“Rest for a while, my brother-in-arms.”

Then, Shi Tiexin looked forward.