KOF: Rise of the King of Fighters

More than a month has passed.

Since Yan Yue let Lian Xin go, Mephisto's assassins have indeed stopped coming after them. For some reason, the open conflicts between the gangs have decreased significantly, and the entire South Town has gradually become relatively stable.

During this time, many fighters continued their rigorous training and participated in numerous small-scale fighting competitions. Yan Yue, on the other hand, kept a low profile and improved her physical skills considerably during her solo training. She gradually became accustomed to using the Flowing Water Rock-Smashing Fist in the ocean waves and could repel most ordinary waves as well as slightly larger ones.

On this bright and sunny morning, the sun had just risen, and golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground. Yan Yue, as usual, left home early. However, unlike before, he didn't head to his familiar training ground today. Instead, he had dressed up carefully. He wore cool sunglasses and trendy casual clothes, looking exceptionally energetic. Furthermore, he clutched a brand-new soundtrack cassette in his hand, as if harboring a precious secret.

And so, Yan Yue walked briskly towards the music company. A gentle breeze caressed his hair, bringing a touch of coolness and comfort. Before he knew it, he had arrived at the company building. Just then, a bright red convertible sports car came into view. The car was parked quietly beside the entrance, like a dazzling ruby, radiating a captivating glow.

Although Yan Yue wasn't very knowledgeable about sports car models, she was immediately captivated by that fleeting glimpse. The car was clearly not a particularly trendy style, but its retro design was incredibly eye-catching; it was the first time Yan Yue had ever seen a sports car with such a unique design. For a moment, Yan Yue involuntarily stopped, her eyes fixed on the sports car before her, her heart filled with curiosity and admiration.

"This car is nice. To have a car like this in Nanzhen, you must not be an ordinary person..."

"Hey kid, what are you doing?"

Yan Yue turned her head and saw a white-haired man about the same age as her looking at her.

Yan Yue immediately turned around and said with a smile, "Oh, I'm sorry, this car is nice, I took a few more glances at it."

At this moment, Yan Yue took a closer look at the appearance of this person of the same age.

The white-haired youth was tall and slender. He had medium-length silver hair, each strand shimmering in the sunlight. His hair was combed back, making his forehead broad, his eyebrows like swords, thick and heroic, his eyes icy blue, and his lips slightly upturned beneath a high nose, carrying a faint, unruly smile.

He wore a pair of silver earrings and held a blue denim hat in his hand. He was only wearing a blue leather vest, revealing his bronze skin and muscular build, paired with blue jeans and black boots with metal embellishments, which added to his handsome and domineering presence.

When the white-haired youth heard Yan Yue praise his cool car, his previously calm face instantly broke into a ecstatic smile. He became quite smug, even exclaiming loudly, "Oh? Haha, since you have such discerning eyes and praise our car, it means your taste is truly excellent!" After saying that, he unconsciously puffed out his chest, as if he were the most remarkable person in the world.

Yan Yue smiled and replied, "Not at all, it's actually your car that's outstanding enough. And your rugged outfit is a perfect match for this car!"

As Yan Yue praised him, she looked the white-haired boy up and down.

The two chatted casually, one sentence after another, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. During the conversation, Yan Yue keenly noticed that although the white-haired boy appeared quite lively, his steps were always steady and powerful, each step seemingly landing firmly on solid ground; at the same time, the aura emanating from him was also extremely strong, giving the impression that he was no ordinary person.

"It seems that this seemingly unruly young man is actually quite skilled."

After chatting for a while, Yan Yue checked the time and felt that she couldn't delay any longer, so she politely said goodbye to the white-haired boy, "Excuse me, I have some things to take care of, so please excuse me."

"Okay, no problem, you can go ahead and get busy." The white-haired boy nodded readily, indicating his understanding.

Just as Yan Yue turned to leave, the white-haired boy suddenly called out to him again: "Hey, friend, if you like cars, there will be a grand street racing competition in Block A of South Town the day after tomorrow! You are welcome to come and join the fun and witness the exciting scenes of speeding along."

Yan Yue thought for a moment, then replied, "Okay, if I happen to be free that day, I'll definitely go and take a look." After saying that, Yan Yue waved to the white-haired boy again, and then walked lightly towards the music company.

Just as Yan Yue stepped into the spacious and bright hall, a man of similar age, dressed in a cool black motorcycle outfit, with long dark red hair and white bangs, walked towards her and strode quickly toward the door. He wore a pair of uniquely styled motorcycle sunglasses, looking slightly mature, and exuded a chillingly cool aura.

As Yan Yue brushed past the mysterious red-haired man, for a fleeting moment, she couldn't help but show a hint of surprise, but she quickly recovered and her expression remained calm.

Soon, the two passed each other by.

However, in that instant, Yan Yue keenly sensed that the aura emanating from the red-haired man behind her was even stronger, like a towering mountain.

As Yan Yue walked, she pondered, "I didn't expect there to be such a master here, and judging from his aura, he's far stronger than the white-haired youth I just encountered! Who could he be..."

The red-haired man strode briskly out of the gate, then got into a sports car parked by the roadside with the white-haired boy beside him. With the roar of the engine, the red-haired man skillfully maneuvered the steering wheel, and the car sped away.

Just then, the white-haired boy, who had been sitting quietly in the passenger seat, suddenly seemed to remember something important. He slapped his forehead and exclaimed in annoyance, "Oh dear, this is terrible! I completely forgot such a crucial question—I didn't even have time to ask that handsome guy's name!"

Hearing this, the red-haired man, who was focused on driving the sports car, turned around curiously, looked at the white-haired boy with a regretful expression, and asked with a smile, "Sovare, what's wrong? What handsome guy?"

The white-haired boy explained eagerly, "Brother, I'm talking about that handsome black-haired guy we met at the door just now! Didn't you think his demeanor was very unique?"

The red-haired man frowned slightly, tried to recall, and then nodded thoughtfully, saying, "Indeed, as you said, I just brushed past him and glanced at him. That handsome black-haired man did exude a unique aura; he was a master."

The red-haired man pondered for a moment, feeling that although the boy was wearing sunglasses, he seemed somewhat familiar.

"But you only met him once, so it's okay if you don't remember him."

However, the white-haired boy clearly disagreed with the red-haired man's view. He crossed his arms and retorted with a resentful expression, "Brother, you can't say that! If you can make friends with outstanding people, it will surely bring many unexpected gains and surprises!"

“Sovare, making friends indiscriminately in South Town isn’t a good thing!” The red-haired man frowned slightly, revealing a hint of worry.

Upon hearing this, Sovare couldn't help but purse his lips and reply, "Brother, I know, but we still have too few people. Otherwise, Mephisto wouldn't be able to control so many gangs."

Sovare seemed uninterested in the topic and stopped talking.

However, the red-haired man also sighed softly and said earnestly, "Alright, the most important thing right now is to quickly take care of the matter that Father entrusted to us..."

After saying this, the red sports car sped away into the distance.

……

Yan Yue carefully handed the newly recorded song to the manager, then looked at him solemnly and slowly said, "Manager, this contains the original, unedited version of the song."

The manager, beaming, extended both hands and accepted the cassette tape as if it were a priceless treasure. He held this mysterious "masked voice" in high esteem and deep gratitude.

The manager was a kind and approachable middle-aged man, but he didn't look that old. He certainly liked Yan Yue very much.

After all, it was precisely because of his unique musical talent that the company was able to reap the greatest profits. Moreover, within the company, the manager and producer always did their best to help Yan Yue conceal his true identity.

At this moment, Yan Yue seemed to suddenly remember something and instructed again, "Manager, I'll have to ask you and the producers to take good care of the arrangement, mixing, and other post-production work for this song! Also, I may have to leave for a while again, and this trip will probably last about a year."

Upon hearing this, the manager quickly nodded and replied, "Mr. Mask, please rest assured and take good care of yourself. We will handle everything else."

However, just as she turned to leave, Yan Yue suddenly stopped and turned back to ask the manager about the recent situation of the Gu sisters: "By the way, manager, I wonder how Miss Gu has been doing lately?"

The manager quickly replied, "Thanks to you, Ms. Konoe Tanima has now made a successful debut and is touring in various places, where she is loved by many fans. As for her younger sister, her condition has improved, and she has been staying by Ms. Konoe's side, accompanying her."

Upon hearing this news, Yan Yue finally felt relieved. South Town was still somewhat chaotic, and she had only brought the Gu sisters there as a last resort to protect them. Of course, the main purpose was to minimize conflict with Iori Yagami.

Yan Yue smiled and nodded to the manager, indicating that she had no further questions. Then she waved goodbye, saying, "That's good. Manager, goodbye for now!"

The manager responded with a smile, "Have a safe journey, Mr. Mask. Please take good care of yourself!"

"You too, please take good care of yourself..."

After watching Yan Yue leave the office, the manager looked out the window with a gentle yet firm gaze, revealing a hint of worry and mystery on his face.