"Talking with someone like you is really refreshing!"
Leon Li genuinely felt that Derek Su was a rare kind of person.
Whenever he talked to other drivers, anyone who didn't know him either looked impatient or treated him like a lunatic. Only Derek Su was willing to meet his gaze, treat him with respect, accommodate him—and most importantly, never flat-out reject him.
Someone like that… even if the club higher-ups wanted to target him, Leon Li would still insist on absolute fairness.
It was a shame he already had Snowpeak. Otherwise…
Derek Su suddenly shuddered and took two steps back. Leon Li's affectionate, lingering gaze sent a chill straight down his spine.
This guy… don't tell me he swings both ways?!
Snowpeak frowned, instantly sensing danger. With a flashy spin, she stepped between Leon Li and Derek Su, spreading her arms wide and announcing the rules with a solemn expression:
"Since timing matters less than opportunity, the reconnaissance operation begins now. There's an underground race at the neighboring black market. Master has already greased the owner's palms. No illegal modifications are allowed in this race. The track is quite good, and the first-place prize is a full car of [Okamoto 001 (Wolf Fang Edition)]. Master and I are very fond of it!"
Derek Su's mouth twitched.
These two weirdos didn't come all this way just for the first-place prize, did they?
What use was that stuff anyway?
Mecha Girls and humans can't even reproduce.
Wait… hold on. Could it be… for endurance?!
Derek Su narrowed his eyes. In that instant, he felt like he had seen through everything.
After confirming the details, both sides moved out immediately. None of them noticed that from the moment they left Haitang Street Black Market, a hooded figure had quietly latched onto them, leaning against walls and following from the shadows.
...
Civilization Street was Tianyuan City's second-largest black market.
Only after arriving did Derek Su realize just how "civilized" Xavier Young's black market had been.
This place was pure chaos. Gamblers were everywhere, addicts huddled together inhaling drugs, and quite a few Mecha Girls were openly armed with heavy weapons. Judging by the worn scorch marks on one rocket launcher, Derek Su guessed it was the real thing—not some novelty toy that exploded into pepper powder or ink.
"Oh! Young Master Li, you're here? Our drivers and Mecha Girls are all ready—just waiting for you."
The owner of Civilization Black Market was a bald, overweight man with a face full of flesh and a thick gold chain around his neck. His sharp little eyes were buried between layers of fat, making it hard to read him, but his attitude toward Leon Li and Snowpeak was extremely respectful.
Leon Li nodded calmly. "Just treat this place like home. No need to be formal."
The boss froze, his expression slowly turning blank.
He had long heard that the RRC Club's new ace was eccentric. When he'd taken the money earlier, Leon Li had been efficient and straightforward—quiet, serious, and hard to approach, but not quite as strange as the rumors suggested.
Now that he'd spoken, the boss instantly understood.
Eccentric indeed. The rumors were spot on.
With the key figures in place, the underground race officially began.
The race was held on the road near Civilization Street.
Right beside it lay a massive cemetery complex. Old burial grounds and newly constructed sections overlapped across the hills, creating a complicated and varied road network from years of expansion. No one came here at night, making it the perfect spot for street racing. Clearly, the black market boss had connections here—and this wasn't his first time running an underground race on these roads. A quick word was all it took to get full access.
"Everyone, this is tonight's race venue—Civilization Cemetery!" the boss shouted through a megaphone. "Let me be clear: no illegal modifications tonight. Anyone caught will be disqualified on the spot! Also, we have two special guests—RRC Club's rookie ace Leon Li–Snowpeak, and our own King of Knox, the Magician, Derek Su–Stella!"
All eyes turned toward them at once.
Leon Li and Snowpeak remained expressionless.
Derek Su awkwardly rubbed his nose. Being called the Magician and stared at like this honestly felt embarrassing. Beside him, Stella was already grinning foolishly while holding two pineapples, completely immersed in race mode.
The roads inside Civilization Cemetery were wide—at least at the starting point—so the boss arranged for five cars to start simultaneously.
"Leon Li, Derek Su," the boss said as he sidled over, rubbing his hands against the cold night wind with a sly grin. "Our black market racers are all wild drivers, and tonight there are no illegal mods. Let them start first. You two can start later."
Road races were very different from rally races.
Rallies came with unpredictable terrain—rocks, puddles, even the occasional flock of sheep. Road races, on the other hand, avoided ninety-nine percent of those variables.
Which meant starting earlier was an advantage.
Especially with multiple cars launching together and only ten seconds between groups, the first batch could seize control of the track.
It was a bit of selfishness on the boss's part.
After all, with two professional racers joining and illegal mods banned, how were the street racers supposed to compete? They needed at least a bit of hope. Besides, that car of [Okamoto 001] was worth a fortune.
"I'm fine with that," Leon Li said, nodding.
For him and Snowpeak, start order didn't matter. It would be a slaughter either way.
Derek Su exchanged a glance with Stella, then nodded as well.
"Hey! Boss, can I join too?"
A crisp voice rang out. A hooded girl slipped out of the shadows like a ghost, pulled back her hood, and revealed shoulder-length silver hair and amethyst-like eyes.
The boss sized up Purple Lightning and quickly confirmed she was a Mecha Girl.
"Where's your driver?"
"I don't have one." Purple Lightning lifted her head, lips pressed together, eyes stubborn. "No driver. autonomous mode. Is that not allowed?"
"Well… it's allowed," the boss said, scratching his head. It was his first time seeing this. Under her unwavering gaze, he pointed toward the group of street racers. "Then start with them."
Purple Lightning nodded and walked over with her hands in her pockets, ignoring the surprised and curious stares around her, looking unapologetically confident.
"Master, that's the Mecha Girl from the duel arena," Stella whispered to Derek Su. "Why is she here? And she's self-driving?"
"Probably for the prize money."
Derek Su remembered Purple Lightning's situation. She was still working to pay off her breach penalty, so she wouldn't miss any underground race with decent rewards.
First place offered a full car of [Okamoto 001]—twenty per piece, and no one knew how many were in a car. The resale value was impossible to estimate. Second place paid 500,000, third place 250,000. Not bad at all.
At the boss's signal, everyone moved into position.
Derek Su and Leon Li lined up at the back with their respective Mecha Girls.
"Derek Su," Leon Li said quietly while waiting for the start, his expression serious. "Don't lower your guard. The boss says no illegal modifications—so long as he doesn't catch them. There are no cameras along the entire track, and the observation points are far apart. You understand what I mean, right?"
Of course Derek Su understood.
From the looks earlier, many of the street racers and their Mecha Girls respected him—the King of Knox, the Magician. But people had two sides. Mixed into those gazes was plenty of malice.
For some of these racers, crippling a professional driver—or even a genius—with illegal mods would feel like a major accomplishment.
"Thanks for the warning," Derek Su replied calmly. "But… worry about yourself."
Facing the biting night wind, his gaze darkened.
If these street racers wanted to play dirty—
Then let them try.