The late-night streets of Hángzhōu glowed under the dim light of flickering neon signs, casting an eerie glow over the twisted alleyways. Xuan Jing, Jiăn Lí, and Feng Hao had been strolling back from a long night out when they heard the unmistakable roar of engines. Street racers had gathered nearby, and Jiăn Lí's eyes instantly lit up with that gleam of mischief Xuan Jing recognized all too well.
"Jiăn Lí, now? Really?" Xuan Jing muttered, running a hand over his face in exasperation. "I'm dead tired."
Feng Hao, ever the instigator, clapped a hand on Jiăn Lí's shoulder. "C'mon, man! Show these wannabes how it's done! Besides, what's one more race, right? Or are you scared?"
Jiăn Lí's smirk grew as he surveyed the crowd, his eyes stopping on a group at the center of the action. They had matching tattoos and cocky grins, the mark of the "Lóng Hǔ Huì" (龙虎会), or "Dragon Tiger Gang"—known for street racing and making a killing off high-stakes bets. The gang's leader, a smug guy with a tattoo of a snarling tiger on his neck, strutted over, his eyes sweeping over Jiăn Lí with a dismissive glance.
"You got the guts to challenge us, rich boy?" The gang leader sneered. "We're not running kiddie races here. Put your money where your mouth is, or run back home."
Xuan Jing's eyes rolled. Of course Jiăn Lí was going to get them involved with a street gang. Meanwhile, Feng Hao snickered beside him, already feeding into Jiăn Lí's competitive spirit. Xuan Jing just wanted to go home, crawl into bed, and block out the entire world. But of course, it wasn't going to be that easy tonight.
Jiăn Lí cracked his knuckles, grinning wide. "High stakes? Sure. I don't mind taking a few of your people down a notch." He glanced at Xuan, eyes dancing with mischief. "That is, unless Xuan here is too tired?"
Xuan Jing gave him a look that could cut steel. "You want me to babysit you while you do something this reckless? Fine. But we're doing this my way."
Just then, a younger member of the Lóng Hǔ Huì gang pushed through the crowd, his eyes locking onto Xuan Jing with a sneer. "Isn't this the Xuan kid?" he spat, loud enough for everyone to hear. "The one with the dead mother? Bet she wouldn't be too proud of her bastard son hanging with real racers."
Pretty ass way to ruin someone's mood.
Silence fell for a second, tension thickening like a storm about to break. Jiăn Lí and Feng Hao instantly bristled, stepping forward with clenched fists, ready to launch themselves at the guy. But before they could, Xuan Jing raised a hand, his face disturbingly calm, his eyes cold as steel.
He stared directly into the gang leader's eyes, voice low and deadly. "Here's the deal: if the three of us win, every single one of you cuts off your kneecaps. If you don't agree, we'll do it for you." His gaze was unyielding, sharp enough to chill even the bravest among them. "Or are you too much of a coward to put your pride on the line?"
The gang leader's face paled for a second, but his pride forced him to nod, a cocky grin plastered on his face. "Fine. You think you can beat the Lóng Hǔ Huì? We'll see."
With the stakes set, Jiăn Lí, Feng Hao, and Xuan Jing were led to their assigned cars—sleek, aggressive machines that would normally be any street racer's dream. But to the three young masters, they were mediocre at best.
Feng Hao looked at the car—a crimson beast with gold accents—and scoffed. "Fucking ugly."
Jiăn Lí was no kinder. "Cheap. I've seen better designs on kids' toys."
Xuan Jing, tired of their dramatics, sighed as he traced his index finger along the car's hood. With a slight touch of his energy, the paint shifted, turning into a sleek, black-on-black design that seemed to absorb the light around it. Feng Hao and Jiăn Lí stared at him, their eyes practically begging him to do the same for their cars.
He sighed again, relenting. "Fine..."
What a hassle...amusing hassles...
With the cars now personalized to their tastes, they slid inside, engines purring to life beneath their hands. The Lóng Hǔ Huì racers lined up beside them, each car humming with barely contained power. The crowd parted as the flag girl raised her hand, a countdown echoing through the air.
Three… Two… One…
The signal dropped, and the cars shot forward, roaring down the narrow streets of Yùshuǐ Jiē. Lights blurred past, and the engines screamed as the racers fought for dominance, each vying for the front. Jiăn Lí, Feng Hao, and Xuan Jing stayed in sync, weaving through the others with razor-sharp precision, each movement in harmony as if they'd practiced this a hundred times before.
A racer from Lóng Hǔ Huì pulled up alongside Jiăn Lí, attempting to force him into a wall. Jiăn Lí barely flinched, eyes sharp as he cut the wheel and brushed the racer's side, sending him skidding sideways. But before the racer could recover, Feng Hao swooped in, pinning him against the edge and knocking him out of the race.
"Stay in your lane!" Feng Hao yelled, laughing as he sped up to match Jiăn Lí's pace.
Xuan Jing sighed, exasperated by the chaos around him. "Idiots…" But despite his exhaustion, his hands remained steady on the wheel, his reflexes razor-sharp as an amused smile tugged on his lips. Another Lóng Hǔ Huì racer tried to block him, swerving erratically in front of him. Xuan Jing barely blinked, tapping his brakes and executing a perfect drift around the guy, leaving him in the dust as he sped up to reclaim his position beside Jiăn Lí and Feng Hao.
The roads twisted and turned, each corner sharper and more dangerous than the last. Their cars moved in perfect unison, drifting side by side around tight curves, tires screeching as they barely avoided colliding. The gang leader, seeing his men get taken down one by one, grew desperate, cutting into their path with reckless abandon.
But Xuan Jing, Jiăn Lí, and Feng Hao were unyielding. As they reached the final stretch, one of the remaining gang members veered towards Jiăn Lí again, determined to knock him out. But Feng Hao, like a shadow, slipped in between them, his car ramming into the attacker with brutal force, sending him spinning out.
"Nice save," Jiăn Lí called out, grinning wildly as he shot forward, Feng Hao right behind him. Xuan Jing, with a sigh, stepped on the gas, his car rocketing past the chaos and taking the lead just as they reached the finish line.
As they skidded to a stop, the crowd roared in stunned disbelief. The gang leader sat frozen in his car, face pale as he realized what had just happened. Feng Hao and Jiăn Lí jumped out, striding over with shit-eating grins, but Xuan Jing stayed back, hands in his pockets as he watched the scene unfold with mild disinterest.
Jiăn Lí cracked his knuckles, tilting his head as he looked down at the gang leader. "Remember the deal?"
The leader tried to play it off with a nervous chuckle, but Feng Hao grabbed him by the collar, his expression darkening. "I'd start cutting those kneecaps if I were you."
The gang members shrank back, their bravado shattered, each one of them visibly shaken by the three young masters who'd not only defeated them but humiliated them in front of their own people. The gang leader stammered, but before he could finish, Xuan Jing cut in, his tone icy and final.
"Kneecaps," he said, his voice low and deadly. "If you don't keep your word, we'll handle it ourselves and while we're at it we'll take an egg from your pair."
"AN EGG FROM OUR PAIR?!!!!"
Lóng Hǔ Huì would squeal in Union. Haha, their all fucked.