The King of Black Fog

"Look at that one, the Violator III, it's a combat mecha, but they've replaced the fists with suction devices that can cling to others."

"Huh? Is that the Hunter M12? They even brought out that antique? The power source wasn't even modified, still using the steam engine, is this the 'splurge' they talked about in 'Speed of Mach 10'?"

"Black Hawk Plus, the latest in the Black Hawk Series, very fast, reaching up to 5 kilometers per second."

"Pick this one?" Li Qianxia pointed at the eagle-shaped mecha.

Beia Triss hesitated for a moment but shook her head, "No, let's keep looking, maybe we'll come across the Sprinter."

"If there's a Sprinter, could you win the championship with it?"

Beia Triss's face turned a bit red, "I should be able to make the top hundred."

"Only top hundred?"

"...I've never competed against others."

"People who say that kind of thing, end up taking the crown in the end! Trust me, this is from years of watching anime and reading novels!"

The two were having a great time chatting, with three others following behind.

"Poor thing." Li Changzhou sighed.

The more engaged Beia Triss became, the clearer the despair in her heart became, and to them, the elegant, refined smile on her face seemed just like a photograph.

No matter how bright the smile, it's ultimately fake.

It reminded him of a meme: a girl covering her face with a board that had a radiant smile on it; behind the board, her face was full of tears.

"We're just supposed to see her to the Imperial Capital, whether she's happy or in despair, that's her business." Yang Qinglan said, casting a cold glance at a man trying to strike up a conversation.

The man sheepishly backed away.

When it was time for the race to start, Beia Triss finally made her choice.

A Chaser Series {Moonlight} peripheral model for the Spring competition.

According to her, this mecha had many modifications done secretly, with three power furnaces!

They were the {Burning} series RM-1050, {Judgement} series CJ-68XT, {Red Lotus} series HL-A38.

All high-end models from their respective series, colloquially known as the explosion machines—either speed explodes or they physically explode.

"The critical part is, it can seat five people." Beia Triss explained her reason.

"It won't really explode, will it?" Li Changzhou expressed his doubts.

"A peripheral model from the {Moonlight} series without a {Moonlight} series power engine?" Yang Qinglan disapproved of this setup.

They knocked out the owner of this Chaser Series {Moonlight} model from the Spring competition peripherals, who had brought six women of various builds, and changed his clothes.

The mecha also had items like lubricating oil, contraception, whips, and other things to add fun to the competition.

It is indeed a no-rules competition.

Once Beia Triss changed her clothes and sat in the driver's seat, she skillfully began to remap the keys, setting the mecha to her preferred control setup.

"Beia, so you do know how to pilot a mecha?" Li Qianxia asked curiously from the passenger seat.

"Racing mechas and combat mechas are different," Beia Triss said while remapping the keys, "I've never piloted a combat mecha, never fired a missile, swung a high-frequency blade or engaged in close combat."

"10,9..."

Large numerical projections appeared on the road ahead.

As the countdown decreased, the wilderness grew quieter, yet everyone became more insane.

[Trigger Side Mission: The Speedster]

[Mission Content: Place in the top ten in this no-rules race, the higher the placing, the richer the reward]

[Note: This is a race specifically prepared for certain individuals, premeditated, have some people noticed? But no matter, on the racetrack, speed decides everything!]

Li Qianxia turned around, and four players exchanged glances.

"...3,2,1—"

"0!"

All emotions ignited, Beia Triss, dressed in a risqué white bridal gown, her hands in lace gloves, grasping the steering wheel, her feet in white garter stockings, stomping down on the pedal.

The three power furnaces of the Chaser, like three fierce lions, roared in unison.

Boom!

Countless mechas surged forth, their tail flames drawing strips of light, composing the most dazzling, most charming, and shortest-lived auroras in the night sky.