Welcome to the Real World

Late at night, inside a newsstand. A drizzle pattered outside. Old Wang, wearing reading glasses, opened the window, savoring a sip of erguotou as he relished the Master of Thrillers magazine in his hands, right at the crucial moment where the detective was about to unmask the true culprit. Suddenly, without warning, an indescribably violent blast of air swept in from afar, slamming hard against the newsstand's glass and rattling every pane in its frame. "Is this place haunted?" Old Wang's nerves had already been strung tight by the story, and the sudden jolt made his hand jerk. The very next instant. A yellow streak of light roared past, gone in the blink of an eye. He didn't catch a thing. Yet the magazine in Old Wang's hands tore free with a whoosh, swept airborne by a gale bursting through the window! The magazine fluttered wildly through the air, pages whipping in a frenzy, spiraling on the wind into the depths of the dark, rainy night. "Holy mother of God! What in the world was that?!" Flustered, Old Wang scrambled to wipe up the spilled erguotou from the counter. The pungent sting of alcohol snapped him to his senses. Still shaken, he stuck his head out the window, staring dazed into the distance where exhaust fumes had completely vanished into the rainy night. Only when he noticed the faint tire marks on the asphalt did Old Wang finally realize what had just blasted past... "Bloody hell..." Old Wang muttered, "Since when can you fly airplanes on the ground?" *** Three kilometers away. Near the entrance to the elevated highway. At a temporary checkpoint, six black-and-white traffic patrol motorcycles sat lined up smartly by the roadside. Several traffic officers, fully geared up in helmets, gathered around, listening to a broadcast crackling from the command center over their walkie-talkies. "This is Command. Traffic Patrol 0301, a modified Maserati is heading toward your sector at speeds exceeding 320 kilometers per hour. Intercept the vehicle if possible." "Repeating... Traffic Patrol 0301, a suspected modified Maserati is tearing toward the elevated highway! Speed in excess of 320! Extremely dangerous! Set up a roadblock and intercept immediately!" "Three-twenty? In the city?" An officer stared blankly at his radio. "Did Command lose their minds pulling an all-nighter, or did I have too much to drink?" Another officer shook his head, patting his gleaming motorcycle. "In all my years on traffic patrol, I've never seen anything that fast." "Three hundred on these roads?" Another officer blinked at the slick, wet asphalt. "Did little old Tinghai get its very own Schumacher?" Yet... before their smiles could fully form, an ear-splitting shriek wailed from the distance. Like a sonic boom. "What's th—" Before the question could leave his mouth, the shrieking roar peaked, drowning out every voice. The sound closed in at an absurd speed. Barely a second after it hit their ears, a dazzling yellow flash ripped through the rainy dark like a bolt of lightning born from nothing, plunging straight down the elevated highway. *Vroom—crash!* The wind pressure whipped up by the yellow flash formed a tsunami that swept outward. Hit by the shockwave, the six neatly parked patrol motorcycles toppled in unison, clattering noisily onto the pavement. Caught completely off guard, the traffic officers stumbled back in disarray, helmets blown askew and walkie-talkies slipping from their hands. By the time they steadied themselves, dizzy and disoriented, the yellow taillights were already like a shooting star, vanishing at the far end of the slick avenue. On the speed radar knocked askew nearby, a number glowed clearly: 370 km/h. Looking at the fallen motorcycles and the utter mess, the officers exchanged bewildered glances. A dead silence fell over the scene. Then, an incredulous roar erupted from a mud-stained walkie-talkie: "Calling Command! Calling Command! This is Traffic Patrol 0301! Target has passed!" The lead officer bellowed, "Requesting backup! Repeat, requesting backup! This isn't just speeding anymore! He's clocking three-seventy! Three-seventy, do you hear me?!" "—He's flying! That bastard is fucking flying!" No sooner had the words left his mouth than four more vehicles brazenly swept past them, all visibly speeding. Among them were two vans swaying precariously, clearly overloaded beyond measure, packed with God knew how many people. "...?" The traffic officers stood speechless, their faces dark as coal. "Looks like this isn't just an issue for traffic patrol anymore!" The lead officer suddenly had an epiphany and reported into his radio: "We need assistance from the Public Security Bureau! This situation poses an extreme threat to public safety—we must request tactical units to intercept!" And so, as the brazen Maserati shot onto the elevated highway, an unforgettable spectacle unfolded. First came an outrageously arrogant flash of yellow, far out in the lead. Close behind, two Maybachs and two overloaded vans tore through the rain curtain in relentless pursuit. Trailing the vans was a tight-knit swarm of traffic patrol motorcycles, emergency lights flashing wildly and sirens shrieking as they attempted to flank them. And behind them came even more traffic cruisers and tactical vehicles... Red and blue lights wove into an unnerving sea of glare, their blaring sirens converging to shatter the dark night. All four factions kept a certain distance between them, stretching across the long elevated highway in a running battle through the rainy night. "Wait... what the hell is this?" On the highway, a ride-share driver who had been overtaken and left behind by one group after another dropped his jaw, swearing as he peered through his swinging wipers at the long procession of lights cutting through the rainy night. In the back seat, an office lady heading home from work whipped out her phone, eyes shining. She rolled down the window, snapped a frantic flurry of photos of the road ahead, and posted them online. She wasn't the only one; plenty of people on the highway saw it too. Posts soon began cropping up online, gathering traction. Though the photos were all heavily blurred— A blurry yellow flash, a blurry smear of flashing red and blue lights... The titles were sensational enough: *Family, Fast & Furious is playing out in real life on the East City elevated highway right now! Best night ever!!!* *Massive law officer mobilization to hunt down the Yellow Flash—looks just like a blockbuster!* *Thanks for the invite. Just off the plane, currently driving the Batmobile and fleeing law enforcement.* *A jet-powered supercar? Want a build like this? Contact Huashi Auto Repair...* The buzz built, and the topics grew hotter by the second. Yet in the blink of an eye, the posts vanished completely, as if silenced by some irresistible, mysterious force. *** Inside the Maybach. With an ugly expression, Luo Si watched the grand sea of red and blue lights in the rearview mirror. The driver in front spoke up: "Boss, traffic patrol and Public Security tactical units are all here, clinging right to our tail... What do we do?" "Someone will negotiate with them." Luo Si leaned between the front seats, staring fixatedly at the yellow flash that had dwindled to a lone speck of light in the distance. In his narrowed eyes lingered stubborn discontent. "Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia cannot be interfered with by ordinary people... So we need to pull over and block those nuisances." Hearing this, the driver's eyes went wide. "You mean... we're going to turn around and help those two by blocking the pursuers behind us?" "Then what about them?" The driver was utterly baffled. Isn't this... aiding the enemy? Why is the boss turning traitor? "Someone will deal with them." Luo Si sneered. He raised his left hand, shook back his suit cuff, and checked his wristwatch. "Almost time," he murmured. "Calculating the timing, they should be arriving soon." *** On the elevated highway, the Maserati out in front tore through the rain curtain like a blade cleaving water. As the center of the internet storm, watching the speedometer climb all the way into the red danger zone, looking back at the ever more "magnificent" pursuit in the rearview mirror, and seeing her phone buzz with trending notifications about the highway... Fang Xiaoxia finally gave up thinking entirely. She wanted to cover her ears and shield her eyes, as if that could let her escape everything happening around her. What a mess. The entire world was a chaotic mess. "I hope I'm not spending my birthday tomorrow in prison." "Tomorrow? They won't catch us, don't worry." Bai Zhou remained focused on "driving," occasionally glancing in the rearview mirror. "As long as we get out of urban Tinghai, I can take you to an underground safehouse... No one will find you there anytime soon." Though Bai Zhou had never been to this safehouse either. Just like the weapons beneath the Michelin-starred French restaurant, this safehouse was left behind by Crow. Crow, perched on the hood of the car, had only just passed the safehouse's location to Bai Zhou. Though it was a long drive, once they arrived, there were ample rituals to shield them from outside perception, stocked with plenty of fresh water, canned food, and weapons. In theory, it should be enough to help Fang Xiaoxia shake off the Major's pursuit. Yet this journey was bound to be turbulent; Bai Zhou did not even know if they would make it there unscathed. "Wait..." Fang Xiaoxia suddenly grew tense. "If the people behind us keep hounding us, can I still go to school tomorrow?" "Just don't go to school, then," Bai Zhou answered as if it were obvious. "Look at what time it is, and you're still thinking about school?" Fang Xiaoxia rolled her eyes. "If I don't go to school, are you gonna support me for the rest of my life?" "Otherwise, you could just blow up the school for me," Fang Xiaoxia added. "That way I wouldn't have to pull an all-nighter to finish my weekend homework." "I knew you didn't love studying that much," Bai Zhou quipped, curling his lip. The sky grew darker and darker. On this deep, oppressive rainy night shrouded in rolling dark clouds, the faint streetlamps through the heavy veil of rain looked like fireflies. The pattering rain had dampened Fang Xiaoxia's white dress, and the damp wind turned colder. Glancing over, Bai Zhou reached out and pressed a button. With a hum, the convertible top closed, roof and windows sealing flush. The warmth brought color back to Fang Xiaoxia's pale cheeks. "Wait, something's not right?" Fang Xiaoxia, who had been anxiously watching the rearview mirror, let out a sudden gasp. "Why... why can't I see them anymore?" In the rearview mirror, nothing remained except a deep, twisted darkness, broken only by the occasional faint flickers of streetlights. The grand pursuit that had been there just moments before had vanished without a trace. A hush settled over their surroundings, leaving only the low thrum of the engine and the dense patter of raindrops against the roof. Not a single passing vehicle or pedestrian remained, as though everyone had been driven away—or as though the Maserati had plunged into an entirely different world. "Did we lose them?" Fang Xiaoxia's expression turned hopeful. "Obviously not." Bai Zhou, looking calm, firmly dashed her hopes. "There's only one elevated highway here, and no off-ramps or forks along the way. How could we lose them?" Fang Xiaoxia froze. "Then wh—" "If the people behind us felt safe pulling back, it means something far more troublesome is waiting ahead." Bai Zhou's gaze lowered slightly as he said things that left Fang Xiaoxia thoroughly confused: "Even through the window, I can smell it... that familiar stench of rot." Right then. *Tap, tap, tap...* Something seemed to lightly tap against the window. Fang Xiaoxia heard it clear as day. It was definitely not rain hitting the glass, but the unmistakable sound of fingers rapping on it. "Who's there?" The moment the words left her mouth, Fang Xiaoxia froze. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed the speedometer needle pointing at 375 kilometers per hour. That glaring red zone reminded her that outside a car speeding like this, no human could possibly be tapping on the window. —Unless it wasn't human. "They're here." Bai Zhou's expression remained relaxed, as if he had anticipated this all along. "That's why I told you to buckle up earlier." "From now on, whatever you do, do not open the window." A spine-chilling dread crawled over Fang Xiaoxia. Her teeth chattered audibly, and a coldness like falling into an icehouse made her wrap her arms tightly around herself. What kind of "thing" could sprint along an elevated highway chasing a Maserati doing 375 km/h, matching its pace and reaching out to tap on the window? Just earlier, Fang Xiaoxia had joked about seeing a ghost... but now, she realized in horror that she really had encountered one. The tapping grew more frantic, and the silhouettes outside the window multiplied, as though the lonely Maserati hurtling through the deep, rainy night was being swarmed from all sides by mysterious uninvited guests. At first one, then two, three, ten... More and more humanoid shadows gathered outside the car. In that moment, an untold number of silhouettes were sprinting alongside the Maserati. When both sides moved at blistering speeds, they appeared stationary relative to each other. *Tap, tap, tap...* They remained silent outside, doing nothing but tapping the car body in unison. The tapping rose and fell in a rhythmic chorus, like a swarm of visiting wraiths. All at once, they opened their eyes—crimson glares reminiscent of dense clusters of bats hanging in the depths of a dark cave. "What on earth are these uninvited guests?!" Fang Xiaoxia yelled. Yet Bai Zhou shook his head solemnly. "We're the guests." Without realizing when it happened, Bai Zhou, who had been gripping the steering wheel with both hands, now appeared even more relaxed, steering with only one hand. His other hand had slipped inside his coat, as if he were about to pull out a cigarette to take a drag and unwind. Driving a supercar with one hand was certainly cool, but bro, we're doing 380 km/h right now—could you spare a thought for our lives?! Fang Xiaoxia's face was practically contorted with terror as she desperately pleaded with him to watch the road. Yet Bai Zhou, driving one-handed, merely kept the pedal slammed to the metal. "I actually believe that in life, everyone has a few surreal moments where they see something impossible, and at that very moment, destiny undergoes a massive shift, launching a brand-new life." "My impossible moment happened half a month ago. And yours..." Bai Zhou said, "Might just be right now." With that, he slowly rolled down the window on his side. Damp air rushed in, swirling wind and rain flooding the cabin as the monster outside revealed its true appearance. Black cloth like a burial shroud wrapped tightly around its entire body. Even hunched over as it sprinted, its towering frame of over two meters clearly did not belong to a human. Its crimson eyes burned with naked, savage malice. Then, under Fang Xiaoxia's dumbstruck gaze, Bai Zhou's hand, having rummaged inside his coat, casually drew out an exaggeratedly massive and dazzlingly ornate silver-white revolver. *What the hell is that thing... Don't tell me it's real?* *How did he even tuck something that big into his coat without it showing at all?!* Even in a moment of mortal peril, Fang Xiaoxia's hyperactive imagination couldn't resist its instinct to snark. And then, Fang Xiaoxia heard Bai Zhou's calm, leisurely voice carried along the swirling wind and rain: "So-called monsters are really all man-made. The most terrifying thing in this world is the human heart... Sometimes we just have to get used to it: we must learn to handle sinister human hearts, and we also need to be able to blow away these monsters running amok." "Just like right now." From the corner of his eye, Bai Zhou caught a glimpse of the terrified, flustered Fang Xiaoxia, and for a fleeting instant, he seemed to see himself from half a month ago—clueless and at a loss. "—Little Charmander, welcome," With his foot stomping the gas pedal all the way to the floor, Bai Zhou raised the impossibly massive revolver, clicked off the safety, and aimed straight at the monster's head outside the window. "—to the real world!"