The King of Black Fog

As soon as the countdown ended, the Chaser, shaped like a racecar, burst forward abruptly, launching an assault as swift as lightning.

However, the race began with Silvia's motorcycle's fierce charge.

With a black body and green energy strip lights, it almost instantly distanced itself from the main troop with a dust-raising speed.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, this year's unregulated Imperial Mecha racing competition has officially begun!"

"The race track goes from the Empire's bordering 'Lazak Mountain' all the way to 'Lank Lake' on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, a world-famous course known as 'March to the Imperial Capital'!"

"Yes, now contestants from all over the world have set off."

"We can see that the three-time Queen, Silvia, has adopted the 'escape' strategy, trying to stay at the forefront of the pack from the get-go, leading all the way to the end."

"It's the right choice, Silvia's concept of racing is 'nothing that increases weight is needed on the track', men, equipment, she won't take them on the track, and in an unregulated competition, other mechas have terrifying equipment, the moment Speedster·Motorcycle Type gets mired in the melee, the situation would be overwhelmingly dire for her!"

"Indeed, and in complete contrast, Aznavour has chosen 'disadvantage', positioned in the midst, currently leveraging its formidable combat strength to eliminate competitors one by one! A mecha has been smashed flat! Rescue team, rescue team!"

The commentary from the two hosts transmitted via the radio broadcast attached to the mechas.

"'Escape'? 'Disadvantage'?" Li Changzhou questioned, "What does that make us?"

"Advance." Beia Triss maneuvered the Chaser, staying closely behind the leading Silvia along with a few other mechas, belonging to the second echelon.

Speaking of staying close, in reality, with the naked eye one could only spot a tiny green dot, as faint as a firefly.

Everyone's focus on the broadcast was different, just as some play 'Honor of Kings', some are truly into the game while others enjoy the act of playing with friends.

Yang Qinglan heard something different from Li Changzhou.

"Aznavour is now targeting other contestants, is it laying the groundwork for a move against us later by feigning indiscriminate attacks?" she muttered to herself.

"He is Burning's brother, a threat and also an opportunity, we can capture him and use him to threaten Burning," said Li Changzhou.

"Would a woman who can defeat all men and pilot Imperial Mecha be threatened?" Turquoise Pool lay back with her hands behind her head, in a carefree posture as if enjoying a bath in starlight.

The Empire wouldn't truly harm Beia Triss; she no longer needed to be cautious.

For her, as long as Beia Triss entered the Imperial Capital, everything would be over.

It's a shame they received the intel a bit late, otherwise they wouldn't have had to fight so desperately before, losing their composure—squeezed in the cockpit like a cotton swab.

The more she thought about it, the more leisurely she felt, and she took out a drink similar to beer from the mecha's built-in mini refrigerator to sip.

Yang Qinglan looked at Li Changzhou; their three main missions all had clear criteria for failure and success, but with Li Changzhou's mission to "Destroy Judgement, Red Lotus, and Burning," even if he wanted to give up, how could he?

Just like the mission stated, unless Li Changzhou died?

Li Changzhou was also contemplating this issue.

If he couldn't complete the main mission, he couldn't return, only to linger in this world until one day, his strength surpassed that of Imperial Mecha, destroying the three mechas by force.

Or, climb to the top hierarchy of the Empire in terms of power, and destroy the three mechas with his status.

Though he could take advantage of the time difference in this world to cultivate, gain experience, and increase his strength, if he were to stay too long, especially without Yang Qinglan and Li Qianxia by his side, it was not what Li Changzhou wished for.

But wishful or not, if there truly was no way, it would have to be so.

"Have you finished reading the 'Fire God Map'?" he asked Turquoise Pool.

"Starting preparations for a retreat?" Turquoise Pool tossed the Fire God Map to him; it wasn't suitable for her.

"Just in case," Li Changzhou replied.

Noticing the worried expression on Yang Qinglan's face beside him, he smiled and said, "By the time you all have had a cocktail on the ship, I'll have finished here and become super strong."

Yang Qinglan, looking at Beia Triss, who was focused on piloting, pondered:

"If we take her away without letting her die or enter the Imperial Capital, we should be able to delay things. The four of us working together could use the time difference to cultivate, speed up the destruction of Imperial Mecha, and keep triggering side missions—how's that for a plan?"

"You've been blinded by love!" Turquoise Pool retorted without mincing words.

She crossed her legs, resting her left arm on the back of the seat and took a swig of alcohol with her right hand, saying:

"In a direct fight, the Imperial Mecha will show mercy; just pick anyone and they're an undercover agent; thinking of going to the Imperial Capital, partaking in a race specially prepared for us, once the king of the Duchy dies and we lose our value, what makes you think you can resist the ruthless Empire?"

"Are you scared?"

"Stop trying to goad me," Turquoise Pool sneered contemptuously, like a consort in the Imperial Palace, "I only care about the tangible benefits."

Her eyes turned to Li Changzhou: "For example, you could give Changzhou to me."

"Is that something you can just give away?" Yang Qinglan countered.

"You just need to give up."

"If I give him up, what's the point of me delaying time?"

"For love's sacrifice."

"At the end of 'On the Passions of the Soul,' Descartes wrote, 'When passions arise, the first thing to do is to be calm'."

"Why are you bringing up Descartes when we're talking about love?"

"Not just in love, you'd better think of Descartes when you drink too."

"If you like philosophy so much, why don't you just be with philosophy?"

"You're the Favored Concubine; why don't you marry an Emperor and move into the free and unfettered life of the Imperial Harem?"

In any case, it was intense.

The cockpit was intense, and outside the cockpit, it was just as intense.

"Into the sand!"

"Silvia's Speedster·Motorcycle immediately shifts into form two, the wheels widen, and even in the sand, the speed doesn't decrease!"

"As expected! The Desert Ship starts to accelerate! Equipped with the Star Kingdom's Sandstorm series Power Furnace, it can convert the sand's energy into power, and you can see it's speeding up very quickly!"

"It's quickly catching up to the second tier!"

"The second tier is holding on tight: Tyrant, Chaser, Rocket, Chasing Light—all top-tier racing mechs!"

"Caught up! The Desert Ship easily overtakes the second tier; truly deserving the title of Desert King!"

"It's still accelerating, still accelerating!"

"Boos Sand is the only sandy area on the entire track; this is also its only chance. Can it seize it?!"

"Its target is Silvia!"

"Its target is Silvia!"

"Ah! What a pity!"

"Ranked second, the Tyrant β suddenly ejected, with unparalleled violent performance, shattered the rear of the Desert Ship..."

"Not good! The Chaser took advantage of the situation and burst forth with a perfect Explosive Furnace and extreme cornering, surpassing the Tyrant β, taking second place!"

"But the Explosive Furnace will cause the Power Furnace temperature to soar in a short time, the following period... What? The Chaser is not slowing down! It's maintaining its speed!"

"Modified! It's modified! My god, it actually has three Power Furnaces! Referee, this is a weapon, this is an explosive, how can such a racing Mecha be allowed on the track!"

"The Rocket has also started to accelerate! Trying to distance itself from that unreasonable Mecha while the Tyrant deals with the Desert Ship!"

"But in front is an explosive, are you sure you want to do it, Rocket?!"

"The flame ports on Rocket's legs begin to store energy, it's going! It said it's going! Speeding up!"

At this moment, suddenly, a white Mecha, dragging a streak of white light, surged forward.

"It's Chasing Light!"

"It has passed the Rocket! Neck and neck with the Tyrant! Still accelerating! Still accelerating! The Light Power Furnace is the world's number one!"

"Not good, the Chaser suddenly fishtailed, pulling in front of Chasing Light, blocking Chasing Light. Damn you, Chaser! Damn you, modified car! I ****, I *****, the Light Power Furnace is only **** number one!"

"The Tyrant seized the opportunity and struck! Ah, Chasing Light was thrown out of the track!"

"I ******"

"Let's hope Chasing Light still has a chance to return to the track. Alright, after a brief intense confrontation, the rest of the Mechas don't dare to overtake rashly, the Chaser and the Tyrant have reached an unspoken understanding."

The extreme racing caused Li Qianxia's adrenaline to soar.

Beia Triss's tailing, drifting, seizing the moment, advancing to second place, had her so excited she stood up.

"Incredible, Beia!"

Beia Triss was also very excited; she had never been as bold or unrestrained as she was now.

What used to be considered impossible proved to be quite easy, as long as one could put life and death aside.

"But which of these two Mechas will survive till the end? Will the Tyrant dare to hit the Chaser loaded with three Power Furnaces? Does the Chaser dare to let the Tyrant hit it?"

"Ladies and gentlemen, this no-rules race could end up costing lives!"

Hearing the host's words, Li Qianxia, who had been happy, quickly asked, "Beia, nothing will happen, right? Should we let the Tyrant pass first, keep tailing it, and then overtake it at the end?"

"Then there will be no chance for first place!" Beia Triss's eyes were tightly fixed on the one green light ahead.

When the green light was fuzzy, it seemed close enough to touch; when clear, it seemed to be disappearing into the distance.

"If, if I can overtake her..."

Coming out of the sand, next up was the winding road between the mountains, followed by a bridge track over a grand river.

The time was now midnight. Unlike that night in Pela Town, tonight, there was no moon, only a sky full of stars.

The silently twinkling stars filled the pitch-black sky, like silent wind chimes.

The Chaser swung back and forth, sometimes skyrocketing, sometimes landing heavily, struggling fiercely on the track.

Li Qianxia alternately felt excited, exclaimed in alarm, and then shouted out in urgency.

On the radio broadcast, Aznavour's off-road vehicle dominated the commentary of the two narrators.

When the sky brightened.

The off-road vehicle burst through the Mecha pack, chasing down like an arrow.

"Caught up! After an intense night of competition, Aznavour started to exert force, catching up to the second echelon!"

"Chasing Light has been overtaken, the Rocket voluntarily moves aside, no one dares to block the Empire's fastest man—Az-na-vour~!"

"The Chaser is in danger, the Tyrant who failed many times throughout the night, and Aznavour, who carved a bloody path, both setting their sights on it!"

"Are they planning a life-for-life stand-off? Or will they slow down to yield? Chaser, tell us your answer!"

This was on the Imperial Capital Ranch track.

The straight highway stretching to the horizon, with the vast and simple Imperial Capital rural scenery on both sides.

Beia Triss had watched a documentary on the Imperial Capital Ranch track and remembered a promotional phrase from it.

{Over the vast fields, a straight road leads to the horizon, heading east, heading east, where Mechanics and Mechas will reach their end of heaven and corner of the sea.}

Hu!

Hu!

To the left and right, two whistling winds—Tyrant and Aznavour simultaneously closed in, with three Mechas going side by side.

This was the last chance; only the victor would have the right to compete with Silvia for the championship.

The rising sun turned the sea of clouds pink and gold, and four or five straight beams of light pierced through the clouds—it seemed as if the end of the world was right there.

Another early morning.

Beia Triss thought of that Mecha that had died kneeling.

To die rather than submit?

But its defiance, fighting until the last moment, was to protect.

If her own defiance meant death, it was just one person's stubbornness, risking the lives of Qian Xia, Changzhou, Lan, Turquoise Pool, and sorry to those warriors who had sacrificed themselves along the way.

As a Duchess's Princess, the only thing she could do was to place her one and only body between her beloved homeland and war.

Beia Triss slowly released the accelerator, and the three roaring Power Furnaces began to reduce their power output.

"It's slowing down, the Chaser is slowing down!"

"Open the cockpit."

Beia Triss felt a jolt and stopped moving her foot that she had begun to lift.

Li Changzhou stood up behind her.

"Don't be afraid," he said, placing his hand on the back of the pilot's seat, "you just need to move forward, leave the rest to us."