At this moment, Lucius was fuming—but deep down, a smug sense of triumph crept in.
Looking at the current situation, whether it was the spectators, the biker gangs, or even members within The Vanquishers, all of them had sided with him and Mors. They had become his followers.
On Caesar's side? Just a handful of Sons of Calydon and a few clueless onlookers.
With support so lopsided, how could Caesar possibly turn the tide?
Even if everyone just spit on her, she'd drown in seconds.
Lucius glanced behind him. Seeing the sea of thousands cheering him on, his heart surged with satisfaction.
Still, to crush Caesar completely, he kept up the act.
"When we Vanquishers charged through the Hollows, where were you Sons of Calydon? When we risked everything to reach Cinder Lake and blew up the Ether crystals—where were you? Caesar, answer me!"
It sounded like an interrogation, but Lucius never gave her a chance to speak. He barreled on:
"Let me tell you all—those cowards from the Sons of Calydon hid behind us the whole time! We, the Vanquishers, fought the Ethereal along the track and blew up the crystals sealing Cinder Lake. And once we finished the job, they popped out trying to steal the win. Tell me, should we allow that?!"
There was no denying it—Lucius was a master manipulator.
Back when Pompey was alive, Lucius had even managed to fool him, earning his trust and being groomed as a core member. Now, with slick words and lies, he was playing the crowd—and even turning members of the Vanquishers to his side.
As expected, his speech lit the fuse.
The crowd erupted with outrage.
People pointed at the Sons of Calydon, calling them sore losers who couldn't accept defeat and were trying to deceive everyone.
"Caesar, I used to respect you. Never thought you were this kind of person…"
"I can't believe the Sons of Calydon have fallen so far. Hiding behind the Vanquishers, then throwing a tantrum after the race? You think we're that dumb?"
"No wonder the Vanquishers made it to the lake first—the Sons of Calydon were too scared to fight head-on! And now they're shouting like fools. What a disgrace to all biker clans…"
"That's enough, Caesar. Take your crew and go."
"We're done working with the Sons of Calydon. From now on, we ride with the Vanquishers."
...
Hearing all of this, Caesar clenched her fists in fury.
But she didn't lash out. She looked toward the front stage.
Clorinde had already taken the drone footage to Jolly Jenny.
It wouldn't be long before the truth—and the evidence of Lucius's betrayal and Pompey's murder—would be up on the big screen.
Caesar held her ground.
But Lucy didn't.
She stepped forward and planted herself in front of Caesar, hands on her hips.
"Shut up, all of you! Are you really that blind? Can't you tell what's right and what's wrong? Listen up—Caesar is the real winner of this race! And Lucius and Mors, the 'heroes' you're cheering for, are traitors to the biker clan and the ones who killed Uncle Pompey!"
She grit her teeth.
"I can't believe you Vanquishers are siding with murderers… It's disgusting!"
Lucy stood her ground, gripping her wolf-tooth club with a fierce glare.
Beside her, three little pigs were already rolling up their sleeves, ready to throw hands.
In an instant, the nearby crowd and Vanquishers hesitated.
But Lucius and Mors weren't about to back down.
Lucius sneered. "Lucy, do you really think waving that club around is going to scare us? Please. Even if all of you from the Sons of Calydon charged at us, you couldn't rewrite the truth."
Billy shouted, "You're the one rewriting it—!"
Lucius laughed harshly.
"Oh, now I get it! No wonder the Sons of Calydon are putting on this act. You're working with the city, aren't you? Trying to take the Old Oil Field from the Outer Ring! You want to seize Cinder Lake for yourselves!"
He jabbed a finger toward Caesar's group.
"That's why you killed Pompey and tried to frame me and Mors! That's your plan, isn't it?! Everyone, surround them! Capture the traitors—without the Sons of Calydon, we'll finally have peace!"
Once again, Lucius twisted the narrative, inflaming the crowd even further.
Sure enough, the audience turned completely against the Sons of Calydon, convinced they were the real traitors—collaborators with the city who murdered Pompey.
Some of the Vanquishers couldn't take it anymore.
They drew their weapons and began surrounding Caesar's group.
Others followed suit, closing in fast.
In a flash, Caesar, Billy, Furina, Burnice, Belle, and the others were surrounded.
A fight was seconds away.
Furina panicked.
"What's happening?! Everything was fine just a second ago! Why are they about to start fighting?! Clorinde! Clorinde! Help!"
She looked around frantically.
But Clorinde was nowhere to be found.
Lucius roared, "Stop shouting! The Sons of Calydon already lost! Don't hold back—take them down! Don't let a single one escape!"
Under Lucius's orders...
Just as the Vanquishers and other gangs were about to pounce—
Suddenly—
A voice cried out from the stage, breathless.
"Wait! Stop! Everyone stop—NOW!"
The crowd froze.
It was Jolly Jenny, panting heavily.
"Hold it! Don't do anything yet—I've got drone footage! Whatever you were planning, watch this first!"
She shouted to the stage crew below.
"What's the holdup?! Play the footage—now!"
The moment she finished, the massive screen—dark until now—lit up again.
The footage resumed at Cinder Lake, showing Pompey and Lucius arriving—right where the previous broadcast had cut off.
The sudden continuation grabbed everyone's attention.
They watched as Lucius handed the flint to Pompey. When Pompey tossed it into the lake, the Ether crystals—already dense—multiplied rapidly, nearly sealing the lake completely...
And then—
Even the conversation between Lucius and Pompey had been recorded.
The truth was finally revealed.
Lucius had betrayed the biker clan.
Lucius was the one who killed Pompey.
And Caesar, Clorinde, and Billy—
They were the real heroes who saved Cinder Lake and the Old Oil Field.