Dragons begin with courage

Chu Zihang's voice was like a tempered blade, clear and cold, echoing briefly in the vast underground parking lot. Footsteps echoed rhythmically on the empty concrete ground. Lu Mingfei followed behind Chu Zihang, his gaze still scanning the surroundings with suspicion—weren't they going to the helipad?

Then, he stopped.

Deep within the parking lot, in a specially marked private parking space, a sleek, matte black silhouette lay dormant. No extraneous lighting illuminated it, yet the car itself seemed to absorb all the surrounding glimmers of light, transforming them into a restrained yet dangerously cold gleam. The low-slung body, the exaggerated air intakes, the signature C-shaped curve… even someone with no automotive knowledge could sense a certain almost violent aesthetic emanating from this steel physique.

Chu Zihang stopped and took out a simple yet heavy keychain from his pocket, casually tossing it to Lu Mingfei.

"then."

Lu Mingfei caught it hastily. The metal key was cold to the touch, and the gold-stamped "BUGATTI" lettering inside the transparent badge reflected slightly in the dim light.

"Your spoils." Chu Zihang's voice was calm and even, as if he were stating tonight's menu. "When Caesar handed over the right to use Norton Hall, it came with him. According to the 'One Day of Freedom' wager, it's yours."

Lu Mingfei's breath hitched for a moment.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport.

A globally limited edition land-based missile with a top speed exceeding 400 kilometers per hour, a pinnacle of the internal combustion engine era. He doesn't know much about cars, but he knows the price—40 million RMB. In 2009, that amount of money could buy four and a half courtyard houses in Beijing, or an entire building in a second-tier city. And now, this mechanical work of art, built from the hard work of countless engineers, top-quality materials, and astronomical sums, sits quietly before him, the key in his sweaty hands.

He had seen its photos online and admired its splendor on the cover of car magazines, but it had always been a totem from another world, separated by screens and pages. Now, the totem had come alive, carrying a real metallic aura and a sense of oppression, right within his reach.

Lu Mingfei's throat felt dry, and he subconsciously took a few steps forward. His fingertips lightly brushed against the cool car body; the texture was so delicate it didn't feel like metal, but more like the meticulously groomed fur of some large feline. He walked around the car, like a child who had stumbled into a treasure trove, his eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief, dizziness, and pure curiosity.

Finally, he stopped in front of the car. As if possessed, he pulled out the Nokia N96 issued by the college, turned on the camera, and pointed it at himself and the menacing air intake grille on the front of the car.

"Click."

The moment the flash went off, Lu Mingfei had a slightly silly, wide grin on his face. He changed his pose, made an awkward V-sign, and took another picture. Then, he squatted down, trying to capture the car logo and rims in the shot, his movements clumsy yet earnest.

Chu Zihang leaned against a nearby concrete pillar, arms crossed, watching quietly. He didn't urge him, his face remaining expressionless, but his ever-burning golden eyes reflected Lu Mingfei's childish behavior, flickering slightly.

Having taken enough photos, Lu Mingfei stood up, looking down at the low-resolution, poorly composed pictures on his phone screen, a lingering smile on his lips. But gradually, like the receding tide, that smile faded and disappeared.

He looked up and gazed at the Bugatti again. His initial fervor turned into calm, even a hint of scrutiny.

"Senior brother," Lu Mingfei spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the empty parking lot, "Can I... try driving it around?"

Chu Zihang nodded: "There's still enough time."

Lu Mingfei rubbed the keys in his hand, the sharp metal edges digging into his palm. He walked to the driver's side door, his fingers resting on the door handle—a handle with a futuristic design. But in the end, he didn't open the door.

He turned around, walked back to Chu Zihang, and gently placed the heavy key on the Bugatti's low-slung hood.

"Never mind," Lu Mingfei said calmly, even with a hint of relief. "Just help me sell it."

Chu Zihang looked at him, but didn't say anything, waiting for him to continue.

Lu Mingfei understood that cars are like clothes for people; different people drive different cars. Nuonuo drives a Ferrari, Chu Zihang's father drives a Maybach, and Caesar drives a Bugatti Veyron. Even if Lu Mingfei got a Bugatti Veyron, driving it would be like a monkey wearing clothes—completely mismatched. He felt he was better suited to driving domestic or joint-venture cars.

"It doesn't belong to me, and I don't belong to it. Keep it? The maintenance cost for a year would probably feed everyone on my street for ten years. I'm better off driving a domestic car." Lu Mingfei shook his head.

Chu Zihang nodded and agreed, "Yes, you're definitely not suited to driving a Bugatti Veyron."

"Uh..." Lu Mingfei immediately looked a little miserable and said, "Senior brother, although I said that, it hurts me to hear you nod."

Chu Zihang remained expressionless and said, "It's not that you're not suited to drive a Bugatti Veyron, but rather that the Bugatti Veyron isn't your path. However, I believe that one day your domestically produced car will surpass the Bugatti Veyron."

"Senior brother... how could a domestically produced car possibly surpass the Bugatti Veyron?"

=================

An hour later, on the helipad on the top floor of the Norton Building, the rotors of two black helicopters painted with the half-dead World Tree emblem of Kassel College had begun to rotate at a low speed, stirring the air and emitting a deep, powerful roar.

Besides Chu Zihang, Lu Mingfei, and Su Xi, two other people were already waiting there.

One of them was a tall, burly white young man with short, light brown hair standing on end. He wore the standard black combat uniform of the executive branch, his muscles bulging against the fabric. He carried a large tactical backpack and stood ramrod straight, like a guardian deity. Upon seeing Chu Zihang, he immediately pounded his right fist into his chest, gave a brief Kassel salute, and said in a loud voice:

"Reporting! Executive Department Action Team, second year, Class C, Leo Vance! Reporting for duty, sir!"

The other was a tanned Indian girl with a smooth forehead and calm eyes. She was also wearing combat uniform, but with a lightweight tactical vest over it, which was filled with various tools and magazines. Her salute was not as exaggerated as Leo's; she simply nodded slightly.

"Execution Department Technical Support Team, Second Year, Class C, Juliet Harrington. At your disposal, sir."

Their gazes simultaneously fell on Lu Mingfei behind Chu Zihang. Seeing that he was still wearing the dark green school uniform of Kassel College, looking out of place among the black combat uniforms, a hint of doubt flashed in their eyes.

Lu Mingfei felt a little embarrassed by their stares, so he straightened his back like them and cleared his throat: "First year, Lu Mingfei."