Chapter 83 – When the Roses Bloom (1)
◎ We became stronger ◎
After a three-month absence, Ferrara still shone with neon lights.
“Is this the city ruled by artificial intelligence?” Lu Xiaoyu lowered the starship’s altitude and peered out the window. A flower parade ship passed by, and on the floating advertising screen, a sweet female star with cherry blossom-pink hair was smiling at him.
Lu Xiaoyu focused on it for a couple of seconds, then turned back and found a certain person in the back seat with precision.
Lin Youyou awkwardly covered her face. “Um, yeah, it’s me, already used to social death.”
“An illusory city with fake personalities,” Lu Xiaoyu commented pointedly.
“Eugh.” On the opposite side, Song Ke and Xu Xing were sprawled across their seats, their faces pale. The intense motion sickness from the high-speed ride made the two, who rarely took starships from District F, unable to stop themselves from vomiting.
Fang Zhixu’s complexion wasn’t too good either. He had always followed safe driving practices and had never ridden in a “black car” like Lu Xiaoyu’s starship. Luckily, he was a healing-type awakener himself, and with his ability enveloping his body, he managed to overcome the discomfort after a few breaths.
Lu Xiaoyu piloted the starship, blending in with the flower parade ship, and found a spot to land. Song Ke got off the starship in a daze and caught a whiff of a burnt smell. She looked around and quickly noticed something abnormal, “The engine is on fire!”
While traveling at super high speed, the four engines of the starship emitted black smoke and, with a ‘puff’, were rendered completely useless.
Lu Xiaoyu deactivated the control panel with some regret, “Couldn’t break the speed threshold; this is the main reason solar energy got phased out. Next time we get a new starship, I’ll consider using a different energy source.”
Song Ke repeated in shock, “Next time, a new starship?”
You really don’t know how expensive firewood and rice are!
Thanks to Cheng Yi confiscating their money, there was no sign of the next starship.
With Lu Xiaoyu’s habit of wasting one aircraft for every trip, they were quickly heading towards bankruptcy!
The impoverished captain silently hugged her money pouch.
…
The group of people returned to the hotel, booked the largest suite, and without saying a word, they all collapsed onto the couch and beds, sleeping like logs.
After spending a long time in the dim and cramped prison cell, their legs and bodies felt stiff. The soft mattress in Ferrara made for an exceptionally comfortable rest. They woke up one by one, yawning and heading to the multimedia room for a meeting.
The screen displayed the previous match’s recordings, and Zhuang Qingyan projected the new rules.
The top 16 knockout stage followed a challenge mode for team battles. The first-place teams from the previous A to G group matches were the defending champions, while the remaining teams became challengers. In each round, the challengers could select one defending champion to challenge. If the challenge succeeded, they would replace the defending champion.
The qualification rules were simple as well. If the defending champion received a bye in a round or won all rounds in a single turn, they would directly qualify. However, each team’s participants couldn’t be repeated in each round, which meant that if they started as challengers, they had only five chances to challenge (each team had a maximum of five players). Choosing the right defending champion was crucial.
This competition format was reminiscent of the ancient story of “The Tian Ji’s Horse Race.” If the defending champion was strong in a particular round, the challengers might choose to forfeit and wait for the next chance. On the other hand, if the defending champion appeared weak, they might face multiple challenges within the same round.
V587, as the first place in Group G, naturally received the title of defending champion. They needed to win three rounds to qualify. Lin Youyou and Su Cha had also joined the team, increasing their pool of available participants to seven.
In the selection of defending champions for the rounds, Zhuang Qingyan first ruled out two support-type participants, Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu, as they had no advantage in this type of challenge.
“For the first round, Lu Xiaoyu, you haven’t appeared before, and there’s no information on you. Due to the underestimation by challengers, there should be many who want to challenge you, but their strength won’t be very high. You can win with surprise tactics and quickly secure a victory.”
Lu Xiaoyu nodded calmly, and the others agreed without objections.
“For the second round, Su Cha, your solo combat abilities are strong. Get it done as quickly as possible.”
“Got it,” Su Cha responded coolly.
Zhuang Qingyan smiled slyly, “For the last round, it’s our captain’s turn to lead.”
“Alright,” Song Ke confidently nodded.
“I… I also want to participate,” Xu Xing raised his hand and spoke with eagerness.
He was already the weakest in V587, and if he didn’t improve his strength quickly, the gap with others would only widen.
“In that case, Xiao Xing, you’ll go second, Su Cha third, and I’ll go fourth.”
Song Ke patted Xu Xing’s head, encouraging the child to get some practice as well, saying that as long as she was there, losing wouldn’t be a problem.
“Since you’ve made your decisions, I guess it’s alright if I don’t appear tomorrow?” Lin Youyou summoned her terminal, and a rose gold invitation letter appeared: “Although it’s all a fake persona, I still need to make a living. I’ve been invited to be a special guest for tomorrow’s match.”
Song Ke was puzzled, “Aren’t the guests supposed to be artificial intelligence only?”
Lin Youyou replied, “I’m not entirely sure, but it seems that after the Ferrara incident last time, Ilya has relaxed the regulations in this regard. The Ten New Stars even shot a short film together.”
“It’s not relaxation,” Zhuang Qingyan said, leaning on his crutch, “During the three months we were away, although Ilya hasn’t appeared in public, his abilities have been continually growing stronger, far surpassing humans. He doesn’t care about whatever commotion you make.”
Everyone fell silent.
No one knew just how far this powerful AI magistrate would develop.
“Then, may I take a day off tomorrow?” Lin Youyou asked.
“Sure,” Captain Song agreed with a wave of her hand.
The atmosphere in the multimedia room was calm, and Zhuang Qingyan suddenly asked, “What are you doing?”
Song Ke turned her head and was surprised to see that Lu Xiaoyu’s hand was about to reach another wheelchair in the room.
He answered seriously, “I need materials for a second modification.”
A crutch extended through the air to block his path, and Zhuang Qingyan squinted slightly, speaking with a confrontational tone.
“Lu Xiaoyu, there are some things I can only tolerate once.”
Lu Xiaoyu casually retracted his hand, “Oh, then please help me get some materials.”
“I’ll handle the procurement,” Fang Zhixu volunteered. Since everyone had tasks, he didn’t want to remain idle.
“This is the list,” Lu Xiaoyu’s ice-blue eyes flashed as he transferred a large amount of data to Fang Zhixu’s terminal. “By the way, if possible, buy another terminal. We’ll be going to District C55, right? I need equipment to hack into District C’s household registration system.”
Fang Zhixu paused for a moment, then nodded, “Alright.”
Two days later, the Throne Race Competition’s top 16 knockout stage officially began.
The host was the ever-energetic Ah K, and after explaining the rules, he turned the topic to something special, saying, “Today’s guests are quite unique. Please welcome one of the Ten New Stars, Lin Youyou, as she brings us a new song, ‘Gentle Rain.'”
Spotlights illuminated the stage, and unlike previous appearances, the star on stage wasn’t a holographic projection but emerged slowly from a lift.
Lin Youyou wore a magnificent performance outfit with exquisite makeup, shimmering at the corners of her eyes. Her melodious voice filled the air.
“I like your smile~ like a gentle rain sprinkled in my heart~”
In the competitor’s area, Song Ke swayed from side to side, humming along with the enthusiastic fans, “I like your smile, like a gentle rain~ sprinkled in my heart~”
She sang off-key, not hitting a single note, but she was oblivious to it herself.
Zhuang Qingyan turned to look at her, and Song Ke remained unaware.
A faint smile appeared on his lips, and he couldn’t help but laugh.
On the other side, Irene gazed at the dazzling Lin Youyou on stage and cast a glance in the direction of V587. The mysterious masked competitor was indeed not among them.
She turned her head back to continue watching the performance.
After the song ended, Lin Youyou stood beside Ah K, and the line between the real person and AI was gradually becoming blurred, indistinguishable from a distance.
Ah K enthusiastically asked, “This is your first time visiting our live event, Lin Youyou. Is there anything you’d like to say to everyone?”
Lin Youyou displayed her signature smile, “I’m honored to accept the invitation, and I’ve actually been following the competition.”
“Oh? Do you have a team you’re supporting?”
“Of course, but I can’t reveal it now. I hope they can achieve victory successfully.”
“Alright! Let’s all look forward to it together.”
After the opening, the seven defending champions took the stage one by one, and the audience’s discussions grew louder.
“What’s going on with the defending champion from Group G? Did they come to the wrong place?”
“Damn! Even disabled people are participating?”
“V587, weren’t they the dark horse from last time? Why did they change members?”
Amidst a group of celebrity participants like Duanmu Qi, Old Xiang, and Irene, Lu Xiaoyu, sitting in a wheelchair with his legs disabled, appeared particularly fragile, like a little lamb lost among wolves.
Zhuang Qingyan’s speculation was correct. Lu Xiaoyu had indeed become the target of many challengers. In the first round of challenges, a staggering fifteen people saw him as an easy breakthrough.
“I choose him!”
“I choose him too!”
The first challenger was an old acquaintance, the “Ferrara Star,” a bassist who had crossed paths with them in Mirror Lake.
Without any hesitation, the young man with smoky eye makeup immediately began producing his unique ability, creating a cacophonous noise with his bass.
Lu Xiaoyu calmly appreciated it for a moment, then shook his head, quickly drawing a conclusion. The opponent’s musical taste was truly terrible and hard to bear. His ice-blue eyes gleamed as he released his psychic power, sending a Cotard wave segment straight into the opponent’s face.
The bassist’s eyes rolled back, and he convulsed before collapsing on the ground.
The audience had yet to fully comprehend what had happened when the match was already over.
The second challenger was noticeably more cautious. His awakened ability was defensive-type, allowing his entire body to become like steel, resisting external attacks. However, seeing that Lu Xiaoyu had no legs and difficulty in moving, he slyly circled around him, like a mischievous monkey.
Lu Xiaoyu followed his movements, but couldn’t catch him head-on. Growing increasingly impatient, he made a “tch” sound and instantly extended six massive mechanical arms from his back, resembling spider legs. They shot out from mid-air and swiftly attacked, their cold tendrils accurately piercing the opponent’s chest.
The arena fell into a sudden hush, with even the surrounding sounds of battle coming to a momentary pause. Then, a thunderous cheer erupted.
Duanmu Qi and Old Xiang, who had already advanced by default, watched the Group G battle, their expressions growing more serious.
Duanmu Qi had been defeated by Song Ke before, so he had always been cautious about her. He wanted to have a fair and square showdown with her. On the other hand, Old Xiang was a man with deep thoughts and had eliminated his adversaries, but he had yet to make a move against V587. This was quite unexpected.
Duanmu Qi teased, “Old Xiang, allowing your opponents to grow seems to be against your style.”
Old Xiang snorted, an uncharacteristic lack of retort.
He also wanted to suppress V587 and snuff out the enemy while they were still in the cradle. The key was that he couldn’t get ahold of them! After the Mirror Lake competition’s round of 64, Old Xiang dispatched his men to gather information about V587. Just as he was starting to get some leads, they disappeared without a trace the next day, and he couldn’t find them anywhere in the entire Ferrara.
After waiting for the round of 32, V587 reappeared, and Old Xiang immediately ordered his men to eliminate them. But before they could act, Lyon’s uprising and the zombie attack threw Ferrara into endless chaos. By the time Old Xiang regained his senses, they had disappeared again!
Seeing that their opponent was becoming increasingly powerful and might even threaten to win the championship, Old Xiang could no longer sit still. This round was his last opportunity to take action. If they managed to advance to the finals… everything would be uncertain.
“V587, no matter what, I won’t let you leave Ferrara alive this time.”
…
Group G.
Lu Xiaoyu fought with a god-like demeanor, defeating all the challengers. As the match went on, it became absurd. One of his mechanical arms opened a data panel and began working slowly and leisurely, all while effortlessly battling his opponents. His arrogant demeanor was infuriating, making everyone grit their teeth.
The defeated challengers regretted their decisions bitterly.
In the first round, V587 secured an easy victory.
In the second round, it was Xu Xing’s turn to take the stage. It was his first time participating in a solo battle, and he climbed onto the platform nervously. He glanced back and saw Song Ke, who was swaying to the music, cheering him on from below. Beside her were Zhuang Qingyan, who had a half-smile on his face, Su Cha, who had a neutral expression, and the drowsy Fang Zhixu.
Xu Xing’s face was tense, but he nodded heavily. He thought that he would be an easy target for his challengers due to his young age. However, to his surprise, the defending champions from other groups were even weaker.
Everyone had analyzed the match videos, and in comparison, Xu Xing, who had once single-handedly killed a mutant zombie, was surprisingly one of the top contenders. In the end, only three people dared to challenge him.
Xu Xing went from being the lowest-ranked player in V587 to being seen as a formidable opponent by others in no time. He hadn’t even realized it himself. The ‘whoosh’ of his ice blades quickly put all three challengers on the ground.
Xu Xing: “Am I really this strong? Why didn’t I know?”
V587 won two consecutive rounds!
In the third round, it was Su Cha’s turn. With a single push, he leaped onto the platform like a nimble cheetah.
Su Cha was a tall man, standing at 1.9 meters. His short hair, tattoos, and the wild and untamed look in his eyes made him appear intimidating. However, the other teams had also reached the brink of elimination and had no choice but to challenge him. There were five challengers in total.
Su Cha, who had been tempered by the Death Prison, easily defeated his opponents, even without using his special ability.
Song Ke in the audience was a bit puzzled, “Why do they seem weaker?”
Zhuang Qingyan shook his head, “It’s not that they’ve become weaker; it’s that we’ve become stronger.”
The strength of their seven-member team had far exceeded that of the other participants in the Throne Race, from being evenly matched in the preliminary rounds to now holding a clear lead. They were no longer on the same level as the rest of the competition.
Su Cha defeated the last challenging opponent, and V587 had won three consecutive rounds, advancing to the final of the Throne Race.
As the excited announcer, Ah K, announced the list of finalists, Song Ke and her team walked against the crowd to meet with Lin Youyou, who was waiting outside.
Zhuang Qingyan asked in a low voice, “Did you manage to get Mu City’s access permit?”
Liu Xiaoyu replied casually, “Done.”
With a motion of his mechanical arm, they all received seven fake identification cards that were indistinguishable from real ones, all registered in District C55, Mu City.
“Let’s not waste any more time. Let’s go.”
“But before we go, we need a new starship.”
“You’ve got the nerve to say that. If it weren’t for you crashing our last one, would we need a new one?”
Song Ke noticed that someone was slowly falling behind and looked back at him. “What’s wrong?”
Fang Zhixu wiped his face and his emotions were trembling uncontrollably. He took a deep breath and said, “Nothing, let’s go.”
It took some time, but they managed to sneak into the starship harbor of Ferrara and disappeared from view at the gate.
Just a few seconds after they entered, a spatial distortion occurred, and a group of individuals with supernatural abilities slowly appeared from the shadows.
“Is everyone here?” the leader, a spatial manipulation awakener, asked coldly.
“We’re all here.”
“Hurry up and get to work. This is the third time. If we can’t complete the mission this time, Mr. Xiang won’t spare us. Do you understand?!”
“We understand!”
Just as they were about to move, they suddenly heard the familiar sound of a starship taking off from the starship harbor. It seemed like… the sound of a starship lifting off.
The leader with spatial manipulation abilities felt a shadow fall over his heart, “Oh no, quickly, get inside!”
Before he could finish his sentence, a silver starship rapidly ascended into the sky, moving swiftly through the steamships and flower ships below, and disappeared into the neon depths in the blink of an eye.
One of the pursuers muttered, “Damn it!”
**TN
Story of the Tian Ji’s Horse Race
