At the Solaris Circuit on the outskirts of Aurelia's capital, more than a dozen gleaming supercars lined the private parking lot.
In front of them, a boy in sportswear flashed a confident smile at the camera.
"Hello everyone, welcome back to my vlog! Let me introduce myself. My surname is Hu. When my father proposed to my mom, he sang her a song that moved her to tears. So my mom decided to name me…" He made a dramatic pause. "…Hu Yi!"
Pffft!
The blond-haired boy holding the camera nearly dropped it, laughing. "Brother, since when did you change your name to Hu Yi?"
"This is branding, okay? A stage name. Remember it: Hu Yiyi!" Adrian Hu—better known among friends as "Ace Hu"—frowned, swatting the air. "Look at you, ruining my rhythm."
"Fine, fine, I'll edit it out," the cameraman snickered.
Adrian cleared his throat. "Now, back to business. Today, I'm going to show you one of the last ten internal combustion sports cars left in the entire world. First up, this collector's dream—the Husky Mark II, nicknamed Erha. Only five remain. It's got a W12 quad-turbo, full-time four-wheel drive… back then, this beast was basically ready to sprout wings and fly—"
His Bluetooth headset buzzed. Adrian frowned at the interruption, but when he saw the caller ID, his expression brightened.
"Hey, Aunt Elena—oh, wait, Alex?! You finally picked up! Where am I? Solaris Circuit, come over! I'll wait for you."
No sooner had Adrian ended the call than another came in. This time it was Ryan Cross, his voice unusually serious.
"Adrian, you heard about Alex, right? Nearly collapsed from overwork. If this keeps up, he's going to burn himself out."
"Yeah, I know," Adrian said, expression tightening. "We've gotta pull him out of that game addiction somehow. I've got an idea: a beautiful girl. Sometimes the right woman can fix a man's heart."
"Come on, Alex isn't that kind of guy," Ryan shot back. "What he really needs is racing. Nothing clears the soul like speed—the romance of men!"
"Hah. Then let's hit him with both. Whichever works, it'll be good for him," Adrian replied.
"Deal."
Alex Klein, meanwhile, was oblivious to his friends' schemes. Sitting in the back of a Gravity sedan, he was focused on the holographic display projected from the car's console.
Two months left until the Infinite Time and Space "New World" competition closes…
If he missed it, even an adaptation like Avatar might flop. The theme was too perfect for that contest—if he failed to deliver on time, he'd lose his chance. And the prize money was essential. With it, he could fund his studio, expand, and create even more ambitious copies.
No matter what, I need Adrian's support today, Alex thought, clenching his fist.
By the time he reached the racetrack, Adrian was already showing off. His Husky Mark II thundered across the asphalt, its W12 roar echoing like a beast unleashed. In a world dominated by quiet electric motors, the guttural growl of an old combustion engine was a sound that made blood boil.
This… this is why racing games are still beloved, Alex realized. The visceral sound, the danger, the thrill. It's the one thing missing from real life now.
With a stylish tail-flick, Adrian skidded to a stop in front of him. He leaned out of the driver's seat, grinning. "Hop in!"
Alex climbed into the passenger side, bracing as Adrian floored it. They tore around the track, tires screeching, G-forces pressing them back into their seats.
When they finally stopped, Adrian smirked. "Well? Want to take a few laps yourself?"
Alex chuckled. "With your baby? I'd wreck it before the first corner."
"Relax, I've got a training car. This one stays with me," Adrian said, patting the dashboard fondly.
"Fair enough. Anyway, let's get down to business. I need to borrow some money," Alex said, finally cutting to the chase. "I'm starting a studio. Building a copy for Infinite Time and Space."
Adrian's grin didn't falter. "No problem. But on one condition."
"What's that?"
"Come here once a week. Train with me. Learn to drift, learn to race. It's non-negotiable."
Alex blinked, then laughed. "Honestly? I was going to ask you anyway. If I'm building a racing copy, I'll need to understand the culture—drifting, mods, drag. Everything. So deal."
Satisfied, Adrian handed him a sleek black bank card. "There's about three hundred thousand in here. I'll transfer the rest later."
Alex took it gratefully. "You're the best. Oh, and by the way—those spare rooms above your mod shop? Perfect office space. Let me use them."
Adrian narrowed his eyes. "…You're really milking me dry, huh?"
"Think of it as an investment. I'll double your return when I make it big," Alex said with a grin.
Something in his eyes—the unshakable certainty—made Adrian pause. For the first time, he believed his friend might actually pull it off.
"Fine. Pick a room. But don't push your luck."
"Oh, and one last thing." Alex slid over a list of office supplies, his expression all innocence. "Help me get these delivered before dark. You know, full service, send Buddha to the west and all that."
Adrian raised his middle finger without hesitation.