Black Flag Mercenary Squad. Although it’s called a squad, it is almost equivalent to a full-fledged mercenary corps. Even though its ranks have been replenished and its members rotated countless times, the name “Black Flag” has never fallen—it remains one of the top names among mercenaries.
The selection process for Black Flag members has always been extremely rigorous. Candidates are not only required to have prior experience with nightmare beasts and the ability to distinguish between different types of Revival Nightmare Plants, but they must also master the skills necessary to survive in the Nightmare Beast Forest. Moreover, they must be able to cooperate closely with one another and be ready to make sacrifices if need be.
Venturing into the Nightmare Beast Forest is fraught with danger. One must always be prepared to risk one’s life at any moment, and never involve others in that peril. If a sacrifice becomes necessary, it must not burden the entire team.
They are comrades in arms—brothers forged in the crucible of life and death, akin to a true family. Each member has a clearly defined role, and while they might bicker during everyday routines, their unity is unmistakable when the situation demands it.
The legacy of the Black Flag mercenaries has been passed down from generation to generation—a rare tradition. Even if they might not always rank as the very best, they are an incredibly trustworthy team. It is exceedingly unusual for Angel City to choose them and allocate such extensive resources in support.
The ten-member team received three vehicles from Angel City. These vehicles were loaded with many of the latest weapons, designed for nightmare beasts and for human targets. Their food supplies and other resources throughout the mission were exceedingly plentiful, and even before their departure, Angel City had paid one-third of their commission as a deposit.
“Fresh apples!” Qiao Qiao exclaimed, rummaging through the vehicle’s storage and retrieving a crate of apples, her eyes shining with delight. “So many—unbelievable. Angel City has really spared no expense.”
“This is further proof that this mission is exceptionally perilous, and there’s a high chance something might go wrong,” Qing Qing added to Qiao Qiao, the worry plainly visible on her beautiful face.
“We’ve already passed through so many Nightmare Beast Forests—this time will definitely be no problem.” Qiao Qiao took a bite of an apple; the sour taste made her features scrunch up. After tasting it, she laughed happily, “This is unbelievably delicious—the texture of a fresh apple is truly something else.”
“I still prefer something a bit sweeter.” Observing Qiao Qiao’s expression, Qing Qing immediately declined the green apple that Qiao Qiao offered her.
“At first it’s a little tart, but soon you can taste the sweetness. Look at all these apples! If we don’t eat them fast, they’ll spoil. Come on, come on.” Qiao Qiao placed the little apple into Qing Qing’s hand. Qing Qing lowered her head as she gazed at the small yet fresh and plump fruit with a touch of wistfulness.
“Mega cities really are mega cities—they can provide us with such lavish things.”
“Of course, after all, they expect us to risk our lives for them.” After taking a couple more bites, Qiao Qiao’s vehicle suddenly came to a stop. Both she and Qing Qing looked up in confusion, only to see the door of the rear cargo hold swing open, with Zhou Fang standing outside watching them.
In Qiao Qiao’s hand was the unfinished apple. Startled, she reflexively stuffed the remaining apple core into her mouth—an entirely instinctive action. She knew full well that Zhou Fang had definitely seen her sneak a bite.
“Get out,” Zhou Fang commanded. Qing Qing and Qiao Qiao got off the vehicle together. Once everyone had disembarked, they looked around and saw nothing but an endless expanse of green grassland, with nothing else in sight.
“Scan the surroundings,” Zhou Fang said to Qing Qing.
“Okay, Captain.” Immediately, Qing Qing went over to another vehicle, opened its rear compartment, and revealed an array of the latest scanning tools capable of extensively detecting the surrounding terrain.
Although they couldn’t detect the nightmare beast seeds, as long as they could scan the surrounding terrain, they could rely on their experience to judge whether the landscape indicated proximity to the Nightmare Beast Forest.
“Isn’t it too early to scan? After all, we can’t see anything right now—not even a hint of black,” Qiao Qiao couldn’t help remark. The Nightmare Beast Forest is defined by an expanse of black reaching to the sky; it devours not only the land but the heavens as well. Typically, from a great distance, you’d be able to see that colossal black area, but there was currently nothing.
“I don’t know, but from now on, every time we move into an unscanned area, we must halt to scan it,” Zhou Fang said, casually leaning against the car door. Although he really wanted a cigarette—and had plenty on hand—he restrained himself, accustomed as he was to economy and instinctively curbing his impulses.
“Alright.” Qiao Qiao thought this might waste some time, but caution was always the foremost survival priority. Among the mercenaries of the Black Flag squad, no one ever complained about being overly cautious.
With Zhou Fang driving at the front, all they could see in every direction was an endless expanse of grassland, punctuated only by the occasional sparse clump of trees. Places like these were scarce in the world now, which was why the mobile city strove to protect any land that could still be developed.
They had been scanning continuously for seven days, moving forward and taking measurements without pause. They even spotted traces where smaller groups had once paused, yet they never skipped a single scan.
For one misstep could very well be the final scan.
“Strange, we’re now very close to the area where Hope City fell. Why haven’t we seen any response yet?” At that moment, someone finally voiced a perplexing observation. By their usual criteria, by now they should have seen the vast, dark expanse of the Nightmare Beast Forest.
“Huh.” While scanning, Qing Qing suddenly let out a puzzled sound. “Everyone, come take a look—what is this?”
Zhou Fang entered the vehicle and examined the display, leaning casually against the equipment. This highly advanced device consumed enormous resources with each use and could render remarkably precise maps of the scanned terrain.
But at that moment, Qing Qing’s once delicate face turned ghostly pale. Their equipment, which had always been reliable, was suddenly unable to detect anything.
Beyond five kilometers to the south, their instruments failed to pick up any signal, while on the other hand, the detection range clearly extended to ten kilometers, well within its capacity—so why…?
An entire area appeared completely empty, yet the zone that could be seen clearly but not detected formed an irregular circle.
“Qing Qing, can you confirm for me exactly where the final coordinates of Hope City were?” Zhou Fang asked, tilting his head.
Qing Qing nodded and immediately began verifying the orientation. After a moment of astonishment, she lifted her head. “The last coordinate marking the fall of Hope City is right at the center of this circular area—yes, that’s it.”
Upon hearing this answer, Zhou Fang furrowed his brows and said to Qing Qing, “Repeat the scan and see if you can clearly delineate its edges. Zhou Yuan, check it out with the telescope.”
Qing Qing obeyed the order and restarted the scan, running it repeatedly without regard for resource consumption. Finally, that peculiar boundary was completely mapped out. Zhou Fang stared at the shape on the display, frowning. “This is…”
Studying the strange arc shown on the screen, Zhou Fang felt like he was sensing something deep within his heart. At that precise moment, Zhou Yuan suddenly said, “Is that… the Gatekeeper?”
The distance of five kilometers didn’t seem very far, but as Zhou Yuan looked, his brow furrowed—had he seen that correctly?
“No… it can’t be a Gatekeeper; they’re not wearing armor.” Through his telescope, Zhou Yuan could see a patrolling unit in the distance. These individuals were all in excellent shape and very young. Having encountered countless Gatekeepers during their travels across various cities, they could easily recognize them. But a Gatekeeper without armor?
“How can a Gatekeeper possibly forgo armor? Only someone insane would do that. Did you mistake one of the exploration team members for a Gatekeeper?” a team member interjected, looking up.
“Bring out the high-magnification telescope,” Zhou Fang ordered Qing Qing. Without delay, Qing Qing rummaged through a nearby storage box and quickly retrieved the telescope. Zhou Fang then flipped back into the vehicle and peered through it. This time, the view was exceptionally clear. Even after witnessing numerous formations, he couldn’t help but gasp, “It’s a weapon—an anti-personnel weapon!”
“How is that possible?” Zhou Yuan couldn’t help glancing at his older brother. His telescope, after all, had its limits—he could only see an expanse of black, resembling a dark wall under construction. “Bro, are you sure you’re reading it right? How could anyone purposely install anti-personnel weapons here?”
Zhou Fang said nothing further; he handed the high-magnification telescope over to Zhou Yuan. As Zhou Yuan looked through it, he instantly gasped, drawing in a sharp breath. While a normal telescope wouldn’t reveal much, the high-magnification one displayed every detail with striking clarity. Though different from what they were accustomed to, the weapon’s design was unmistakably a modified version of the most advanced weaponry they had ever seen.
“How can this be?” Zhou Yuan exclaimed, handing the telescope around to the other team members.
“Could it be that Hope City wasn’t actually destroyed? But after all this time, and given that this place is extremely close to the very first detected Nightmare Beast Forest, it should have been easily infested by parasites.”
Qiao Qiao raised her doubts. However, after getting her hands on a high-powered telescope and looking through it, she suddenly gasped, “What’s going on? A mirage?”
Everyone could clearly see an array of unmistakably anti-personnel weapons in the distance—not only on the ground but also in the air. In this era of scarce resources, how could such extravagant methods possibly be used to secure the border? And yet, these devices shone glaringly before their eyes.
“Impossible! Even if Hope City really wasn’t destroyed, the survivors there should be nothing more than the elderly, the frail, the sick, and the disabled. How could this be… No, it must be the ‘Land of Hope’!” Someone suddenly suggested a possibility.
“Not necessarily. The ‘Land of Hope’ was a facility established long ago; the weapons from that era shouldn’t be the same as those today. Clearly, these weapons look far more advanced than any we’ve seen before—and they shouldn’t even be manned by people so young…”
At that moment, Qing Qing also lifted her telescope to gaze into the distance. She furrowed her delicate brows slightly and remarked, “So strange—am I imagining things? Don’t you think these gatekeepers look exceptionally healthy?”
“Hey, woman, this isn’t the time to be fussing over appearances!” someone interjected.
“No,” Zhou Yuan said, his brows drawing together in a deep frown. “It’s not merely a matter of good looks. Have you ever seen a gatekeeper with such a lively complexion? They look like they’ve never had to worry about food or clothing—completely unlike reality.”
“Tell me, do you think it could really be a mirage?” another voice asked.
Listening to the surrounding chatter and debates, Qing Qing thought that they needed to get even closer to find out—was it indeed a mirage, or were they looking at real people?
Qing Qing furrowed her brows. She always felt that something was off. Carefully scrutinizing the expressions of those people, she thought that if they were truly gatekeepers, they wouldn’t exhibit such lively, unrestrained gestures—there wasn’t even the slightest sign of any formal order; every individual seemed completely casual.
At that moment, Qing Qing continuously shifted her telescope, determined to get a clearer view of everyone’s faces. Suddenly, her gaze locked onto one extraordinarily beautiful face. It was stunning—so beautiful that it seemed to defy gender, with its pale, flawless skin and long, delicate lashes, reminiscent of the most exquisitely crafted doll in the world. Yet, the person was brimming with life; when he spoke to others and even when his eyes momentarily lowered, his beauty was nothing short of mesmerizing.
Could there really be such a perfect visage in this world? Even the socialites roaming the various cities in this dangerous era had never possessed such captivating beauty—it simply shouldn’t be real.
“It almost seems fake,” Qing Qing murmured.
“I agree. It’s so strange—like a recorded video being played back. How could anyone possibly be operating on the outer perimeter without armor? Isn’t that just asking for death?” Others nearby, having overheard Qing Qing’s words, couldn’t help but chime in.
Qing Qing paid no heed; she was irresistibly drawn to that so-called perfect face. She could hardly believe that someone in this world could possess such beauty, as if the heavens themselves were envious of this visage.
Still, Qing Qing pondered: who exactly was this man talking to? Why did this supremely handsome man’s expression display nothing but tenderness and indulgence, with his eyes fixed solely in devoted concentration on someone? What sort of person could evoke such an expression from him?
Curious, Qing Qing slightly adjusted her telescope. She caught sight of the person standing opposite that breathtakingly beautiful man. However, the moment she saw him, she felt…
A sense of disappointment washed over her.
That person looked like nothing more than a very ordinary individual.
His appearance could barely be described as refined. Though he spoke very amiably to that incomparably beautiful person, he didn’t reciprocate in kind—an unbalanced affection, much like the one she harbored for Zhou Fang.
Just as Qing Qing was still in a daze, a hand suddenly blocked the view of the rather unremarkable youth. That perfectly timed obstruction sent an instant surge of alertness through her. She faintly sensed something amiss and quickly adjusted the telescope. To her astonishment, she saw that the extraordinarily beautiful person was at that very moment…
…looking directly at her!
Qing Qing’s heart leapt, though she immediately tried to reassure herself that it was impossible—this was over five kilometers away. If a human eye were capable of detecting movements on her side from such a distance, it would surely have to be a genuine monster.
Her hand, gripping the telescope, trembled as she caught what that man had said. In his stunning eyes, all that shone was cold indifference and gloom. His smile when addressing the rather plain youth had vanished completely. In that moment, Qing Qing truly felt that perhaps the other party had indeed seen them from a distance of five kilometers.
That man said, ‘Just wait.’
Immediately, Qing Qing announced to the gathering chatter, “We’ve been discovered.”
“What?” someone asked at that moment.
“We’ve definitely been discovered. I just saw, through the telescope, a man looking in our direction.” Qing Qing immediately rolled over and, unable to contain her anxiety, said, “And after so many scans, they must have noticed our detection efforts.”
“So, it’s real people?” However, the mercenaries didn’t seem to think it was a big deal. “If they’re real, we can certainly communicate with them. Maybe it’s a special kind of city—we might be able to make contact.”
At that moment, Zhou Fang returned to Qing Qing’s side and took the telescope.
“But…” Zhou Yuan frowned and said, “If they’re real, then why have all the mercenaries only been entering and not leaving? And why would Scorching Sun City designate this area as the Nightmare Beast Forest? It’s very strange.”
Suddenly, Zhou Fang’s expression changed, and he shouted, “Everyone, get back into the vehicles—head off in the opposite direction at full speed! Do not stop for a moment!”
With that, Zhou Fang quickly jumped down from the vehicle’s roof and helped pull Qing Qing down as well. The moment they heard their leader’s command, any lingering doubts were set aside—after all, their captain’s decisions have always proven correct.
As they made a U-turn, an alarm shattered the quiet air. In an instant, every Black Flag Mercenary Squad member felt a chill crawl up their spines as the eerie sensation of being watched spread throughout their bodies.
Then, suddenly, they heard an enormous voice—seemingly spanning five thousand kilometers—speaking directly into their ears: “Hello, mercenaries. Please stop immediately. If you stop now, we will not take any measures against you; however, if you continue to persist in your course, we will employ strong measures.”
Zhou Fang gritted his teeth and accelerated the vehicle to its maximum speed. They sped away, not giving even a moment’s chance to those who were still far behind.
“Everyone, listen up—get away as fast as possible. We’ve picked up enough information for us to relay back.” At that moment, Zhou Fang used the vehicle’s communication system to address the rest of the team, “Even if it means abandoning your vehicles, you must escape.”
A bad premonition gnawed at Zhou Fang. The rumors of all the mercenaries disappearing were probably true—the impressive array of powerful weapons nearby was the best proof.
Although not all mercenaries are necessarily elite, they are by no means worthless. They would have definitely noticed the abnormality and turned to leave, just as they are doing now. Yet even so, not a single mercenary managed to escape. This realization made Zhou Fang’s heart sink bit by bit.
Perhaps they, too, would be unable to escape.
Those glaring weapons… they’re all aimed at people.
“I’m sorry, everyone. Since you’ve shown no sign of stopping, I will now commence our attack. From this moment on, we will begin our pursuit.”
Zhou Fang felt a pulsating pain in his head—the voice sounded unmistakably like that of a somewhat naive youth, yet the certainty in its tone made him know that this wasn’t a bluff.
They possessed the ability to close the five-kilometer distance and, ultimately, bring them back.
Zhou Fang said over the radio intercom to Qing Qing, “Begin communications immediately—transmit every piece of information we receive. Report everything you see!”
However, Qing Qing’s reply sounded as if she were crying: “It’s useless, Captain. I can’t transmit anything right now—our signal has been cut off.”
A chill raced through Zhou Fang’s heart. Five kilometers apart, and yet they’re still rapidly increasing the distance—how can they so easily jam their signal? How far… how long do their hands reach?
As they were fleeing, something suddenly exploded right beside them, completely scattering their formation. Fortunately, the vehicles wouldn’t flip over from the blast; they continued driving steadily.
An attack range this vast—it’s no wonder the enemy had remained so unfazed from the start.
“Quick, everyone—full speed ahead!” Zhou Fang shouted. “Drop the timed bombs to slow down their advance!”
At that moment, Qing Qing suddenly said, “Captain, vehicles are coming from the direction of Hope City. They’re moving exceptionally fast and are gradually closing in on us. There’re … there’re thirty of them… The timing on the timed bombs can’t be fixed, and thirty units is far too many.”
Her voice was laden with disbelief. Thirty terrifying pursuit vehicles deployed just to chase our three vehicles?
“Why are they fighting so desperately?” Zhou Yuan exclaimed in shock.
“Maybe they’re not fighting desperately.” Zhou Fang’s expression was shrouded in an unprecedented gloom. “Perhaps this is simply the inherent power of their city—or even if not, it’s more than enough.”
At that moment, countless explosions erupted around them, each accompanied by a tremendous roar and powerful gusts of wind. Mud splashed up from the ground, damaging their vehicles’ exteriors—a clear testament to the sheer power of this force, which could even transform formless mud into a weapon.
“Aren’t their aims a bit off?” Qiao Qiao’s voice crackled over the intercom. “Captain, I think maybe I can go out and take them down with my weapons. My aim is far superior to theirs.”
“Don’t go out!” Zhou Fang shouted, his voice laced with anxiety.
“Captain?” someone responded, clearly puzzled by Zhou Fang’s urgency.
“No one is to leave the vehicle. Do not open any windows!” Zhou Fang barked.
Qiao Qiao obeyed the captain’s orders, yet she couldn’t understand—weren’t these people’s aims really that poor?
“The captain’s right, Qiao Qiao. Look at the sides of the other vehicles,” someone said to her.
Qiao Qiao casually glanced over, but when she saw the thick layer of mud deeply embedded in the vehicles’ walls, a cold sweat broke out over her body.
Even the vehicles were riddled with wounds from the splattered mud. If it had hit her directly, she would likely be dead. In that instant, a surge of dread overwhelmed Qiao Qiao—as if venturing out earlier would have meant certain doom.
Zhou Fang watched as the vehicles could no longer accelerate, a sudden realization filling his heart. Even though they were traversing an endless plain, the terrain ahead would eventually turn into mountains, so maintaining such high speeds would be impossible. Yet, the vehicles following them clearly boasted superior performance.
“I think it’s not that their aim is poor, but rather that they don’t want to hit us,” Qing Qing observed. Always the analytical one in the team, she took matters far more seriously than most. “Ever since earlier, they’ve launched multiple attacks, yet each time, they kept their distance—even when deploying munitions at the very front, it seems their goal was to slow us down.”
Zhou Fang agreed; his intuition told him that while they were indeed in grave danger now, their lives were not yet in immediate jeopardy.
“Why do they want us to stop? Are they trying to extract information from us?” Zhou Yuan couldn’t help but ask.
“No matter what their reasoning is, as long as they don’t deliver a fatal blow, we can still get away,” Zhou Fang assured the group.
“If possible, I’d rather you didn’t think like that,” came the unexpected interjection—a boy’s voice, familiar from before, filtered through their private communication channel. “Could you forgo the resistance? If you insist on an engagement, I’m afraid you’ll get injured. There’s no way you’ll escape; avoiding unnecessary harm is best.”
Zhou Fang was utterly shocked—the other party had managed to tap into their signal.
At that moment, Qing Qing, who had been monitoring the entire region, burst into tears. “I don’t know, Captain…I don’t know. I can’t figure out where they intruded. I can’t find any trace of their breach…”
Qing Qing had never felt so helpless before. They were formidable mercenaries—capable of escaping even from gigantic mobile cities—but now she had a very strong premonition that there was no way they could escape.
“I’ll do my best not to harm you, so please make every effort to protect yourselves,” came a sigh from the boy’s voice over their communication channel. He added, “Make sure you fasten your seatbelts and wear your helmets—I’m on my way.”
The instant they heard the boy’s voice, everyone’s eyes widened, for above them, a vehicle had just passed by…
Was that a car?
It was the very first time that the Black Flag Mercenary Squad had ever seen something like this.
Maybe it was a car, but it looked more like some kind of low-flying aircraft—huge and exceptionally sturdy from the outside.
They couldn’t see the boy who had been speaking, but they knew that at that moment they were surrounded.
They hadn’t even managed to hold on until reaching the mountains.
It was sheer domination in terms of performance.
Thirty vehicles surrounding three vehicles was simply too easy; the moment they realized they were encircled, they knew it was over.
Yet they kept on moving, while the enemy vehicles ahead gradually slowed down—seemingly intent on forcing them to stop.
At that moment, Zhou Fang’s fingers were already tapping out a very rhythmic sequence on the control panel. Their communications had already been compromised, but the content of the messages they had created among themselves was known only to them.
Then, Zhou Fang slowly brought the vehicles to a stop.
As they halted, the other vehicles did likewise.
But in that very instant, Zhou Fang fiercely and suddenly floored the accelerator, pushing the speed to its maximum as he charged forward. Two vehicles immediately began swerving wildly, crashing into one another, as they attempted to ram the vehicles blocking their path in a bid to force an opening for escape.
This was the order Zhou Fang had just issued—to ensure that at least one vehicle could break free, while the others would do everything possible to hold back the enemy vehicles.
Sure enough, their unexpected move worked. One vehicle was indeed released.
They had always operated this way, relentlessly working to create opportunities for their teammates so that the others had a better chance of survival.
However, the few who remained soon noticed something amiss.
They had been trying to disrupt the enemy and prevent the other vehicles from catching up. Yet, they discovered that, in fact, no enemy vehicle had truly closed in—no… some had. Only one had managed to break through the thirty vehicles.
At that moment, as they watched the rapidly shrinking shadow of the vehicle racing ahead, they noticed someone had gotten off a nearby vehicle. In that instant, everyone present felt an overwhelming sense of pressure.
And that was just one person stepping out.
That alone was enough to make them tremble with fear.
Mercenaries have an uncanny instinct—they can quickly discern differences in strength. Even when they disembarked from their vehicles, their already fragile human bodies, which under normal circumstances would seize the perfect opportunity to make a run for it, were gripped by such paralyzing fear that not a single movement was made. Their instincts told them that even dashing out in their vehicles probably wouldn’t be able to hurt those people around them in the slightest.
Zhou Fang charged out, with Qing Qing in the back of his vehicle and his younger brother, Zhou Yuan, riding in another. His heart ached, yet there was no time for sorrow now, because he could clearly sense that someone from behind was closing in on them.
Only one vehicle was in pursuit.
He could shake it off.
After all these years as a mercenary, the skills he had honed made him never feel weak; even in the face of the strongest adversary, he still had the capability to fight back.
In the very next moment, as he was pondering his next move, they successfully barreled into the mountains.
“Qing Qing, hold on tight,” Zhou Fang commanded.
The moment Qing Qing heard his words, she quickly found a safe spot and secured herself tightly. She knew that the captain’s order was the signal to start pushing the limits of speed. If she didn’t brace herself properly, she risked being tossed around inside the vehicle like it was a tumbling drum—even possibly breaking her bones.
In the mountain ranges, peaks and valleys rose one after another. They had passed through this area before—scouting ahead—and as mercenaries, they were in the habit of committing every bit of terrain to memory. Thus, they now held a natural advantage here. Sure enough, he sensed that the vehicle trailing behind had clearly slowed down.
He could distinctly feel that the vehicle was beginning to struggle as it navigated the bends, and judging from its sounds, it was decelerating at every twist and turn.
“Qing Qing,” Zhou Fang said. After tapping a few times on the control panel, Qing Qing immediately displayed the map she had scanned earlier right in front of him.
Zhou Fang studied the map with a sinister smile. He possessed every detail of its information, and now all he needed to do was choose the most challenging route—one filled with continuous twists and turns—to shake off the vehicle that had been persistently following him.
This escape was determined to succeed. Even so, Zhou Fang remained cautious. After all, navigating through the mountains didn’t allow for the same unrestrained acceleration as the plains; his speed was noticeably lower than full throttle. Yet, even under those conditions, he gradually put a considerable gap between himself and the pursuing vehicle.
Zhou Fang kept his eyes fixed intently on the road ahead, striving hard to push the threat of the chase from his mind—his only goal now was to get out of there.
“Are you leaving?” the boy’s voice came through the comms once again.
“Yes,” Zhou Fang replied calmly.
“You won’t be able to leave,” the boy continued.
“Perhaps your confidence will eventually devour you.” Zhou Fang knew the other party could no longer catch him—they were surely trying to disturb his mind with words. But that trick was useless. Instead, he countered, “Your speed is too slow, kid; you won’t catch me.”
“I can’t right now, but I’ll be able to soon.” The boy spoke, his tone distracted as if he were focusing on something else.
“Is that so?” Zhou Fang replied with a wry, insincere smile.
“Yes. It’s my first time driving this vehicle—honestly, it’s a bit challenging—but I’m gradually getting the hang of it. I believe I’ll catch up with you very soon,” the boy said, his voice laced with a subtle note of pride, as though he had already caught Zhou Fang.
Zhou Fang snorted in scorn, “Making excuses isn’t a good habit.”
“Then let’s make a bet. If I can catch up with you, you stop immediately and we settle this peacefully. How about that?” the boy proposed.
Zhou Fang coldly retorted, “What arrogant talk.”
This time, the boy didn’t reply. But moments later, Qing Qing’s voice came through from behind, “Captain, he’s accelerated.”
Zhou Fang’s eyes jerked. A bad premonition surged within him, yet he gritted his teeth, refusing to let the message shake him.
Qing Qing seemed to understand him, so she no longer spoke up to remind him. Zhou Fang kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead and the map; as long as he maintained enough speed, then he…
However, at that moment, a car suddenly sped past him, silently. Zhou Fang’s eyes slowly widened in disbelief.
Since Qing Qing mentioned that the opponent had accelerated, barely two minutes had passed.
“Didn’t I tell you? I’m gradually getting the hang of it.” The boy said with a triumphant, cheerful laugh, yet to Zhou Fang, that laughter sent him plunging into an icy dread.
He couldn’t afford to be caught; if he were truly apprehended, the consequences might mean disappearing from this world altogether.
This time, Zhou Fang went for broke, cranking the vehicle up to its maximum speed—completely disregarding whether he might collide with something in the turns, or perhaps even using the impact to force a turn. It was a do-or-die gamble!
“You don’t keep your word,” the boy’s voice came through the comms once again.
Zhou Fang didn’t respond this time; he refused to let himself get distracted. After all, he had never agreed to any bet.
“Alright then, it seems you’re serious—you’ll never know just how skilled I am behind the wheel.” The boy’s voice followed. At that very moment, Zhou Fang suddenly heard his own heart pounding loudly.
This feeling was strangely unfamiliar.
That was…
The feeling of failure.
Just as that thought flashed through Zhou Fang’s mind, an enormous sound suddenly came from above his vehicle.
Before Zhou Fang could react, he felt all light being blocked as that vehicle appeared above him once more.
This time, however, it didn’t simply pass over him—it pressed down continuously.
Pressing down with a force equal to his own speed.
Horrified, Zhou Fang watched as the roof of his vehicle was brutally crushed by the nearly airborne vehicle, and he was forced against the control panel, having lost all space to maneuver.
In that moment, he knew he had lost.
He hit the stop button. His vehicle’s speed gradually slowed until it came to a complete halt.
Meanwhile, that astonishing vehicle had already parked not far from him.
At that moment, they were right on the edge of a small oasis in the valley. Bright sunlight seemed to favor this little green haven, adorning it with an almost magical beauty.
And he…
“Ah, really, this car is simply amazing.” Zhou Fang heard the boy’s voice—one he had heard before on his signal. At that moment, trapped inside his vehicle and unable to move, he could do nothing but watch through his eyes.
He saw a young man leaping from a car. The boy’s features were refined, his face suffused with a glow of satisfaction. Squinting his eyes as if savoring the exquisite thrill of this chase, he even spread his arms wide and stretched lazily.
In that valley of serene stillness, Zhou Fang could hardly have imagined that the one who had been relentlessly pursuing him was none other than this very boy before him. Under the radiant sunlight, the youngster appeared to emanate the most beautiful brilliance in the world.
“I didn’t expect this little mission to turn out so interesting. This car is impressive—it seems everyone’s really been doing a good job. When we get back, we’ll have to heap praise on them,” the boy remarked cheerfully.
Zhou Fang, his eyes fixed in astonishment, watched as the boy approached him. He briefly cleared away some shattered glass from his car window, leaned over, and reached out to remove the armored helmet from Zhou Fang’s head.
“Wow, you’re so young. Are you a mercenary captain too?” he inquired, catching the slight, surprised smile that appeared on the boy’s face upon seeing his own.
That smile was exceptionally bright, even spirited, lacking any hint of the relentless, ominous pursuit one might expect. It was reminiscent of the gentle, delicate son of some pampered upper-crust noble encountered in the city.
Yet it was precisely such a person.
With extraordinary skill—progressing from initial awkwardness to consummate mastery—the boy ultimately managed to pin the veteran mercenary, who had weathered countless brushes with death, so decisively against his seat that not even the slightest movement was possible.
“Are you alright? I specifically calculated the distance and force so it wouldn’t hurt you. Now… can you come out?”
He heard the youth say that to him, almost as if it were a taunt.
Yet, for some unknown reason, as he looked at the youth, after such a heart-pounding chase by his own account, he unexpectedly found himself savoring a rare thrill. It wasn’t a desperate, life-and-death escape, but a true test of skill.
Even if he lost, he looked at the youth, whose body seemed to be bathed in a gentle glow, shining exceptionally brightly.
![Dissatisfied [e-sports]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4997572.jpg "Dissatisfied [e-sports]")
That was actually really exciting! 🔥