Ethan Li leaned against the Lamborghini, puffing on a cigarette, watching the screen showing Leon Chen driving the Dodge Viper, deep in thought.
"Boss, this student is a bit odd..." the man next to him said expressionlessly.
Ethan Li chuckled. "I think he's just an honest kid. Don't go bullying him to tears, Ethan."
"Do you think honest people are easy to bully?" Ethan's smile held a hint of contempt. "No, they're the scariest. Their hearts often harbor darkness deeper than the abyss. Once that darkness consolidates, well..."
Ethan's eyes flashed with a trace of fear and unease.
"What?" The woman beside him was curious about the emotion Ethan was displaying.
The leader of the West Capital Triad quickly regained his composure. "A smiling tiger!"
Everyone was momentarily stunned, then forced an awkward laugh. "Brother Ethan, you really know how to joke."
At this moment, the Dodge Viper was getting accustomed to the mountain road and was heading their way. "Brother Ethan, be careful!"
"It's fine. It's just for fun," Ethan said, extinguishing his cigarette.
The Viper's venomous green eyes glowed menacingly as it approached, threading through the noisy crowd, showing no signs of braking.
In no time, it was upon them.
The men standing with Ethan tensed, reaching into their pockets for something, but Ethan raised a hand to stop them. The woman in his arms turned pale, eyes fixed on the approaching car, almost ready to scream.
The noisy young men and women were suddenly dumbfounded.
The car zoomed right up to Ethan, a scream slicing through the night.
At the last possible moment, the Dodge Viper executed a breathtaking 360-degree spin, tires screeching. In an instant, it stopped, perfectly still. The display of skill left even the most jaded spectators in awe, their hearts pounding.
Too incredible.
Ethan's eyebrows shot up. This kid wasn't to be underestimated.
"Sorry, sorry, are you alright? I got a bit carried away," Leon apologized from the car window.
Angelina shouted, "You scared me to death!"
"Haha, a perfect PIT maneuver, impressive!" Ethan praised. The PIT, or Precision Immobilization Technique, was a flashy move. It was Ethan's first time seeing it performed so brilliantly.
"I'll give it my all," Ethan said seriously.
"Just what I hoped for."
The Dodge Viper lined up beside the Lamborghini Murciélago（Bat）, and the entire Dark Sand Racetrack focused on the showdown between the Viper and the Bat. Leon's earlier stunning PIT maneuver ensured no one would underestimate him, knowing this would be a rare, epic race.
When the race started, no one could have predicted how this epic showdown would end.
At the first turn, Ethan smiled slightly, shifting his car outward and then sharply braking. Using the car's rear end momentum, he drifted—a high-level inertia drift.
Jun, watching, was dumbfounded. Compared to their earlier race, Ethan had clearly been toying with him. Although Leon's PIT was flashy, pulling off such a drift required extensive experience.
The crowd gasped in amazement.
The Dodge Viper took the first turn almost the same way.
"Wow, Leon, you're a genius, an absolute genius..." Angelina exclaimed, her face flushed with excitement due to the high speed.
She was thrilled.
The exaggerated sense of speed felt like soaring through the clouds, her entire body's weightlessness akin to being flung into the sky. Even if they lost, Angelina was satisfied; this exhilarating experience was worth it.
She watched in disbelief as Leon, who had seemed so innocent earlier, now drove with such skill. She secretly admired him; indeed, the pure white rabbit had transformed, mastering the car to such an extent.
Angelina knew Ethan Li was strong, but she didn't expect Leon to be even stronger. The Dodge Viper stuck close to the Lamborghini like a venomous snake stalking its prey, ready to strike at any moment.
This sense of pursuit was more thrilling than leading.
"Leon, you're amazing! You should be my driver!" Angelina wanted to shout.
Leon focused on Ethan, feeling an innate ease and familiarity with the car's top speed. Who would have thought an hour ago, he knew nothing about racing?
Glancing at Angelina, he saw her suddenly quiet, eyes closed, savoring the rush. Her hands moved as if playing an invisible instrument.
"What are you doing?"
"Inspiration struck. I thought of a melody," Angelina opened her eyes. In that moment, Leon saw a glimpse of the artist he once admired in this playful angelic singer.
"You're incredible. Is that even possible?" Leon laughed.
"You'd better win, so I can have more inspiration," Angelina smiled back.
If Ethan knew Leon still had the leisure to chat during the race, he might lose his calm demeanor. Ethan had given his all, every move, every driving detail performed flawlessly.
It was his best performance ever!
By now, his opponents should have been far behind.
But...
How?
Ethan was moved, seeing the venomous green glow of the Viper in his rearview mirror.
"Interesting!" Ethan's smile became even more genuine.
The crowd's collective gasp never ceased, the cameras mounted on the race cars offering an immersive experience. Each time the cars seemed about to crash, only to narrowly avoid disaster, the self-proclaimed daring onlookers paled in fright.
"I knew that kid wasn't ordinary," Jun muttered. "And that woman too."
"Woman? Who?" the expressionless man asked.
"His companion, also very cool," Jun described.
The Bat and the Viper roared through the mountain road, two phantoms flying at breathtaking speed.
"Worth watching," the man mused.
The two cars reached the final crucial point, the last difficult turn.
"This is the last chance, Leon, take him down!" Angelina's palms were sweaty, her eyes glued to the Bat ahead.
Ethan smiled, performing his signature cornering move.
Leon's eyes flashed with clarity and confidence, a subtle yet triumphant smile curling his lips.
The Bat's drift created a gap, and Leon seized the opportunity. The Viper surged forward.
Tires screeched at their limit as Leon braked and shifted gears, guiding the car through the turn with unparalleled precision. The car seemed to defy physics, speeding up instead of slowing down, disappearing like lightning. The entire maneuver was a seamless masterpiece.
In the blink of an eye, Ethan watched in shock as the Viper's taillights vanished. The Bat skidded to a halt, and Ethan stepped out, his mouth twitching before he burst into laughter.
He had clearly lost.
The crowd fell silent, stunned beyond words.
Jun couldn't believe it. This kid had replicated their earlier race scene perfectly.
When Leon stepped out of the Viper again, the crowd's adoring gazes were evident. No one dared to underestimate him anymore. This seemingly harmless student had clearly been hiding his skills, his racing prowess potentially linked to some legendary racer.
"Tonight was eye-opening. This car is yours," Ethan tossed Leon the keys to the Lamborghini without a trace of disappointment.
Though unsure of what he had gained from the race, Ethan had learned one thing—collaborating with Leon for now was unwise. Leon wasn't someone he could control, explaining why even Chase Wei had to be cautious.
Leon accepted the keys without hesitation.
Ethan smiled and left in another car, driven by his subordinate. Disliking the noisy environment, Leon and Angelina also left, Leon now the owner of a Lamborghini Murciélago.
"Leon, today was so much fun. I'll come find you next time," Angelina said, rolling down the car window, looking delighted.
"If it's for something like this, don't count on it," Leon shook his head, flatly rejecting the superstar's invitation.
Angelina huffed, remembering something. "Leon, would you like to help with your girlfriend's new album?"
"What do you mean?"
"I need you to write the lyrics for the lead song."
"I can't write lyrics!"
"I've decided. You will write the lyrics for my song. Humph!" Without waiting for Leon's response, Angelina sped off in her Viper.
Leon shook his head. Writing lyrics? How hard could it be?
Instead of driving the Lamborghini, Leon opened his watch and activated a holographic piano keyboard. Without hesitation, he used his last ability for the day—activating the 9th top-tier ability, Assimilation. Today's occurrences had confirmed it was the reason behind his sudden mastery, but he wanted to understand it better.
Unfamiliar with the piano, Leon downloaded introductory materials from the internet and began playing on the holographic keyboard. Suddenly, his mind cleared, understanding the piano's structure and melody. Instantly, he comprehended the piano's principles, becoming a master.
When he flawlessly performed Liszt's "La Campanella," Leon was filled with awe. Even after the ability's effect ended, his newfound skills in acting, driving, and piano remained.
This is what a top-tier ability is!