Has This Car Come to Life?

Sing Sing gripped the steering wheel with one hand and lightly pressed the accelerator, the gull-wing classic car heading south along Highway 99.

In the rearview mirror, the manor had long since shrunk to a tiny dot.

There were two bottles of ice wine and three boxes of maple syrup lying in the passenger seat. Snowbird had insisted on giving them to me before leaving, and the maple leaf labels on the boxes were quite fancy.

"One bottle for Lao Wang, one bottle for Uncle Biao..."

Sing Sing was dividing up the loot on his fingers when he suddenly fell silent.

Well, after distributing them all, I still didn't get any for myself.

"Why should errand runners be expected to smell things?"

After driving dozens of kilometers out of the city, the number of cars on the road decreased, and Sing Sing felt increasingly uneasy.

This feel... it's weird!

With just a touch of the accelerator, the acceleration is instantaneous, faster than a cheetah, and you can overtake a large truck without even making a sound.

The cornering was even more outrageous; the car was as stable as if it were welded to the ground.

The cup holder should have an iced Americano so people can show off their driving skills.

And the engine, it didn't move at all from start to finish.

Sing Sing freed one hand and tapped on the center console.

"Um... are you some kind of supernatural being?"

"Beep! Switching to Mandarin... Guardian Car Assistant is at your service. Good afternoon, Mr. Zhou."

Sing Sing Chow flinched, nearly swung the steering wheel off its feet, and the car drew a small arc on the highway.

"Holy crap! It's practically sentient!?"

"To be precise, I am the in-vehicle intelligent system developed under the leadership of Mr. Guardian, codenamed Guardian, responsible for driving assistance and tactical support."

Sing Sing gripped the steering wheel for a while, trying to calm himself down. "If you can talk, you should have said so earlier! You know, scaring people can be deadly, don't you?"

You didn't ask a question.

"Okay, okay, my bad. So what can you order? Name the dishes!"

"This vehicle is equipped with the MK-III micro plasma fusion core, a magnetic levitation array in the chassis, and a wheeled top speed of 320 kilometers per hour."

Sing Sing raises an eyebrow, is this hardcore right from the start?

"The car body is coated with a molecularly reinforced coating, which increases impact resistance by four times and can withstand temperatures of 1,500 degrees Celsius for short periods."

"The flip light has a built-in three-mode tactical optical component, supporting dual-color optical camouflage in snow white and forest dark green."

This whole thing was so elaborate, it was like a new car launch event. All that was missing was getting him to scan a QR code and place an order.

"Also equipped with two plasma pulse cannons, electromagnetic anchor hooks, and a multi-functional launcher at the rear of the vehicle..."

One by one, they popped out, and Sing Sing's eyes widened more and more.

Is this some kind of classic car?

"Old Ha is a good guy! He's really generous when it comes to good things, I owe him a huge favor!"

"Guardian, I have a serious question for you. Does your plasma core... use up a lot of fuel?"

"The fusion core consumes zero fuel, providing a normal cruising range of 2,500 kilometers without the need for refueling."

"Two thousand five!" Sing Sing almost slammed the steering wheel into his stomach.

Those official vehicles in the bureau drink gas like water, and break down every few days.

"This thing is miles better than those oil-grubbers!" Sing Sing thought with increasing delight. "Guardian, let's discuss something else."

"Speaking."

Sing Sing rubbed his hands together. "How much is the depreciation value of your car? Our bureau is just replacing its official vehicles, so I can help you with the procurement process."

"Sorry, this car is not for sale; there is only one in the world."

Sing Sing persisted, "Don't be so rigid. The price is negotiable, and I can even apply for tax exemption on imported equipment for you..."

Not for sale.

Well, he's completely unyielding.

Sing Sing Chow touched his nose dejectedly, his mind already racing with his own calculations.

"Well, even if the deal falls through, we can still be friends." Sing Sing's eyes darted around. "With your level of intelligence, how about getting a permanent position?"

"This is the vehicle system, Mr. Zhou."

"What's wrong with in-vehicle systems? Workers don't discriminate based on their employment status!"

There was a two-second silence from the speakers.

"... Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Zhou, but I don't have any career plans at the moment."

Look!

Even a car is so unambitious!

Finally, he added, "By the way, how about the pulse cannon fires two shots? I've never handled such a high-tech firecracker before."

"Weapon systems are prohibited from being activated outside of combat."

Sing Sing curled his lip, "So stingy, just like Uncle Biao."

At the Peace Arch, the flow of vehicles crossing the border stretched for two miles.

The Guardian stood out conspicuously among the line of cars, its wedge-shaped body and gull-wing doors making it quite an eyesore.

The window of the pickup truck in front rolled down, and a redneck guy leaned out, snapping photos with his phone.

In the family car in the next lane, a child's face was pressed against the glass, giving him a thumbs-up.

The two foreigners in the sports car behind were even more direct, whistling and shouting, "Hey! Bro! Want to sell this car? Name your price!"

Sing Sing kept a straight face and pretended to be a deep and aloof collector, but in reality, he was overjoyed.

Look!

The eyes of the masses are indeed discerning; handsome men look cool no matter what car they drive.

The line moved forward little by little until it was finally his turn.

Sing Sing handed a stack of paperwork into the window; it was a complete set of documents from the Alpha Flight, and the package was legitimate.

Zhou Dafu, owner of a classic car dealership in Vancouver.

They went to Seattle to participate in a classic car exhibition, and even prepared three years of tax records for the car dealership, so they could withstand any random inspection.

Is this the name... Zhou Dafu?

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was a nouveau riche who went to Seattle to sell big gold chains.

A young Black man sat at the window, looking half-asleep. He took the paperwork, glanced at it, and then looked up at the car.

The next second, this guy yelled and jumped up from his chair.

"Bricklin SV-1!? My God! There are fewer than three thousand left in the world!"

Wow, this is a die-hard car enthusiast.

The young man was so excited he was incoherent. He leaned half his body out of the window, circled the front and back of the car three times, and snapped photos with his phone like a machine gun.

"Sir! Could we take a picture together? Just one! Please!"

"And a handshake! I absolutely have to shake hands with a Bricklin owner!"

Sing Sing, maintaining the airs of a collector, reluctantly extended his hand.

"Young man, you have vision. Keep up the good work, and you'll have a bright future."

The young man held his hand and shook it vigorously, as if he had seen his long-lost father.

With this fan filter, the stamping and release speed was incredibly fast, and at the last minute, the black guy even slipped a business card out of the window.

"Mr. Zhou! If you're looking to buy a new car in the future, you should consider me first! I'll offer a high price!"

"Sure, sure."

The Guardian rolled across the border, and the United States highway signs flashed by.

The comfortable days are over; things won't be so leisurely from now on.

The Silver Peak Consortium still has a few hidden laboratories, the life owed to that traitor named Tunsley, and that Lady who's been lurking behind the scenes, playing the role of a charlatan...

Every single transaction must be calculated clearly, including both principal and interest.

Sing Sing Chow floored the accelerator, and the Guardian sped off, plunging into the heart of Washington State.

Enemy-occupied territory, your Master Zhou is back!

Fujiwara Seiki