A slender figure in a white racing suit and helmet emerged from the heart of the fire. Surrounded by roaring mes and swirling smoke, the figure stood with an aura of


    defiant power.


    "It''s really her." Shanley kept one hand on the wheel while his other gently caressed the image of the girl on the screen. Even though her helmet and suit concealed herpletely, he knew in an instant it was his girl.


    "Thank God," Felton finally let out the breath he''d been holding the entire drive. As they neared the circuit, he asked respectfully, "Boss, are we going to the track?"


    Shanley''s presence would surely cause a stir.


    "Yes," Shanley''s voice, low and hoarse, had regained some of its warmth. "Go check on Kurt. His legs are broken, correct?"


    "Yes, sir," Felton nodded. It was a relief. The boss had finally remembered Kurt.


    "J! It''s J! J''s alive!"


    As the figure became clear, the silent, grieving crowd erupted into a deafening roar of cheers and disbelief.


    Melvin, who had been standing like a lifeless statue, snapped his head up. His eyes lit up, and a slow, brilliant smile spread across his handsome face. Of course. This was J. J had dominated dozens of international races without a single mishap. How could J possibly die on the home turf?


    "What?"


    The celebratory mood among the Ynia Country team vanished. How could J possibly be alive?


    "Boss, what do we do?" the two drivers asked the blond man, their faces pale with panic.


    "What are you afraid of?" the blond man shot them a cold look, his voice steady. "So what if J''s alive? J didn''t cross the finish line. No score."


    The top-five finish still belonged to Ynia Country.


    The other two looked at the wreckage, their hearts pounding. From their angle, it looked awfully like... J had made it.


    Juniper rolled her wrists. She had barely taken a step out of the fire when Ghoul copsed at her feet, wailing loudly.


    "J, I thought I''d never see you again!"


    he sobbed. "Thank heaven, thank


    earth, thank every deity thank eight generations of my ancestors for watching over you..."


    Juniper looked down at him with a hint of disdain. That sounded suspiciously like a


    curse. His ancestors were probably not pleased.


    "As long as you''re okay, that''s all


    that matters, Ghoul wiped his tears, shakily getting to his feet. He nced at the charred skeleton of


    the can his heart still racing W


    fear "As for the race, it doesn''t matter if we lost. We''ll have other chances."


    Lost? Juniper narrowed her eyes. That word wasn''t in her vocabry.


    "You handle the award ceremony. I have something to do," she ordered, her voice intentionally low.


    She checked her phone and started walking away. Shanley had called her dozens of times. He had just texted to say he was at the track. He must have seen what happened. He was probably going to need someforting.


    Award ceremony? Ghoul was confused. Didn''t their car fail to cross the finish line?


    Just then, the announcer''s voice boomed over the speakers.


    “Lane ten, Orient Country, final time..... eight minutes. First ce!"


    "With this race, J has once again broken their own record, ushering in the 8-minute era."


    The broadcast immediately cut to a close-up of J''s car.