Chapter Forty-Six: In the Mirror

"Isn't that your friend?" Xin Wen slumped weakly against the back of her chair, the ache in her shoulder joints so intense it was nearly numb.

Hu Bi glanced back in confusion, looking left and right but seeing no sign of Viper. "Where?"

"Look to your right," Xin Wen snapped, shooting him an annoyed glare. She tried to lift her arm to point out of habit, but the movement only aggravated her pain, twisting her face in agony.

Hu Bi followed her gaze and saw a modified yellow Camaro. A hooded man and woman were just getting into the car.

"Huh," Hu Bi muttered, "they do look kind of familiar."

"Is that thing under your nose only good for inhaling, licking, eating, and biting? Can't you just call out?" Xin Wen was on the verge of collapse.

Hu Bi chuckled at that, then flopped down with his head on Xin Wen's smooth thigh, saying deliberately, "I didn't expect you to figure out my tastes so quickly... Hahaha. I took a good look just now. They look similar, but it's not him. That guy had three girls with him earlier, and this one only has one. Not as impressive as my buddy."

Xin Wen snorted coldly. "Maybe two of them died on the way."

"Listen to you—such a vicious woman. Those three girls never did anything to you," Hu Bi said, rubbing his bearded face against her thigh and giving a big yawn. "I really ought to find a way to enlighten you."

"A knife would be quicker," Xin Wen replied, closing her eyes and refusing to engage further.

...

Meanwhile, the yellow Camaro slowly pulled away from the Orange Hall, coming to a stop beside a massive truck parked by the roadside on the wasteland.

Zheng Nanfang pulled back his hood and brushed his fingers over the jagged scar on his face, his expression dark.

Beside him, Laili's eyes sparkled with indecisive light. The two sharp fangs at the corners of her mouth added an oddly playful touch rather than menace.

"Too slow," Zheng Nanfang said, leaning back with his eyes closed. Whenever he spoke, the scar on his face seemed almost to writhe, like an ugly centipede squirming across his skin.

Laili fiddled with her fingers, biting her lip. "If you only mean to kill him, why bother entering the race? You know it's pointless for us to join this rally."

"I know," Zheng Nanfang sneered. "It's both a hunt and a game. I want to give him time. Killing him now would be far too dull."

"Fine, it's up to you," Laili sighed bitterly, pressing her brows and closing her eyes.

A few minutes later, a burly man built like a beast strode over to the truck. He glanced at the Camaro, grinned wide to reveal smoke-stained teeth, and knocked on the Camaro's window. "I've waited two days for you."

Zheng Nanfang rolled his neck, the joints cracking like popcorn. "Ran into some delays on the road," he said, nodding toward the direction of Redbird. "Yours is over there."

The burly man lifted his hood, and it was none other than Hu Bi. Yet compared to the Hu Bi in Redbird, this one radiated fierce brutality. The skin of his neck was faintly covered with obsidian-like, scale-shaped structures.

"I can't wait to see his face when he spots me," Hu Bi said, flicking his long, blood-red tongue along the corner of his mouth.

Zheng Nanfang grinned and pointed at Redbird. "He's got a woman with him, too."

"Hahaha, that does sound familiar," Hu Bi roared, pulling open the truck's passenger door. Inside, the blonde Sharman was fast asleep, her long legs stretched high on the dashboard, her bikini accentuating her endless allure. A thin snake, no thicker than a finger, coiled around her neck and, startled by the door, poked out its thumb-sized head, hissing at Hu Bi with fierce intent.

"It's about time. Let's go," Laili said, glancing at the sky. A red glow spread again along the distant horizon. If they didn't leave soon, they'd be caught in another sandstorm.

"Qingjiao and Xiaomei aren't here yet," Hu Bi rumbled.

Even as he spoke, a blue Mustang roared up and screeched to a halt beside the truck, leaving deep tire marks in the dirt.

The window rolled down to reveal the boy Yi Jianmei's radiant smile. At the wheel, Li Qingjiao, dressed in tight, figure-hugging clothes, looked captivating and dangerous.

"Sorry we're late," Li Qingjiao said, her lips blood-red, a dark headband tied around her brow, eyes as piercing as a blade chilled in ice-water.

Yi Jianmei was still in his well-tailored kid's suit, cradling his oversized revolver, little legs swinging back and forth.

"Not late at all—just in time," Zheng Nanfang said, lighting a cigarette and starting the Camaro, ready to set out.

Moments later, three cars with six people sped across the wasteland toward the mid-race checkpoint.

...

Not long after those three cars left, Viper finally arrived at the Orange Hall, dragging the carcass of the intestinal worm.

Jin Ling and Hu Bi were the first to spot Zheng Nanfang's radiant smile.

It was hard to miss, really, since the intestinal worm's corpse was impossible to ignore.

"Damn, you pulled it off! I thought that thing would swallow you whole," Hu Bi crowed, rubbing his hands together in excitement. "Finally, a hot meal."

"Get lost, you faithless bastard. The four of us killed the worm; it had nothing to do with you," Zheng Nanfang shot back, then turned his attention to Jin Ling, who approached gracefully.

"Nanfang, we've finally met," Jin Ling said, her face a wash of indescribable emotion—delight mingling with resignation, a trace of hope in her acceptance.

Zheng Nanfang sobered, stepped forward, and embraced her tightly. "Lingzi! Haha, you look stunning."

Jin Ling couldn't hold back a laugh, giving him a playful punch. "You rascal, you get more shameless every year."

The reunion of these old friends left Hu Bi dumbfounded... What was going on? Wasn't this the woman who'd been gnawing on roast chicken earlier?

Tang Suan and the other two women got out of the car, each with her own thoughts at the sight.

"Damn, did he pick up another wife on the way?" Hu Bi was amazed, marveling at how this guy, after all the racing, fighting, and running for his life, still found time to charm women.

Tang Suan shot him a flirtatious look and said with a smile, "She's the boss's friend."

"Friend?" Hu Bi was still confused.

Jin Ling nudged Zheng Nanfang, who suddenly remembered the others and began the introductions. "This is Jin Ling, an old friend of mine... This is Hu Bi, as you know. These are Tang Suan, Xiao Yangcong, and Sharman—you know them all."

Jin Ling nodded to each, smiling. "I've heard a lot about you... Oh, isn't there a girl named Qingjiao?"

Tang Suan and Shu Yangcong's faces clouded at this.

Zheng Nanfang sighed. "She was attacked when we crossed the Dead City."

Jin Ling, realizing her mistake, apologized.

Hu Bi's eyes darted thoughtfully, then he asked tentatively, "Is this the friend you told me about that night in the car... one of them?"

Zheng Nanfang nodded. "Yes, I learned everything from her."

Hu Bi's eyes widened as he looked Jin Ling up and down, both shocked and skeptical.

He'd seen Zheng Nanfang's skills firsthand. Not flashy, but deadly—every move aimed to kill or cripple. Yet the idea that Jin Ling had taught Zheng Nanfang seemed hard to believe—not because she was a woman, but because she looked no older than Zheng Nanfang himself. How could that be?

"An honor, truly."

Despite his doubts, Hu Bi kept them to himself. After all, Zheng Nanfang had no reason to lie. He could only assume Jin Ling was a true master, or perhaps Zheng Nanfang had been a martial prodigy since birth.

"Boss..." Tang Suan cleared her throat, dutiful as ever. "We should get down to business. Less than twelve hours left."

"Oh, right," Zheng Nanfang said, snapping back to the moment. He turned to Jin Ling. "Let's get weapons and fuel sorted out first. We can talk on the road—time's running out."

Jin Ling nodded thoughtfully, murmuring, "Actually, I just saw someone. For a moment, I thought it was you."

"Oh? Really?" Zheng Nanfang replied with a laugh. "Is my face so common?"

"Huh?" Hu Bi perked up, interjecting, "Was it the guy who got into the Camaro with a woman?"