Tokyo Drift Arc (18)

Zhang Heng was tied to a chair. He didn't know how much time had passed when someone reached out and removed the black blindfold from his face. Only then did he realize he was in an abandoned factory.

Zhang Heng's head felt a bit fuzzy. After being subdued outside the apartment, he was shoved into a car with his eyes covered, completely unaware of his surroundings. He could only vaguely guess he was still in Tokyo based on the driving time, but likely in the outskirts.

He knew he had been careless. Even with his usual calm and meticulous nature, it was his first time being involved in something like this, so mistakes were inevitable. These people had clearly tampered with something to be able to locate that small apartment.

As if to answer his unspoken question, a guy with a buzz cut pulled out a black tracker, about the size of a piece of bubblegum, from the inside of Ameko's small bag.

This thing must have been planted when the girl was bundled into that blue Toyota. Ameko had been unconscious then and wouldn't have known what happened. The hiding spot was also sufficiently concealed, making it difficult for her to discover unless she searched inch by inch after waking up.

Zhang Heng raised an eyebrow. "Where is Ameko?"

They had been separated after going downstairs, likely stuffed into different cars. Zhang Heng hadn't seen the girl since.

"Worry about your own situation first," the buzz-cut guy said, his tone unfriendly. He looked at Zhang Heng with intense hostility.

Zhang Heng finally recognized the guy.

He had punched the guy outside the door earlier, so it was no wonder the buzz-cut guy wasn't giving him a pleasant look now.

"Heh, we can settle our score now," the buzz-cut guy said, putting down the tracker and rubbing his hands together.

Just then, a deep voice came from behind him. "Alright, that's enough. Let me talk to him."

"Yes, boss." The buzz-cut guy's expression immediately changed upon hearing this. He bowed respectfully and then stepped aside.

A short man walked up to Zhang Heng. He brought another stool and sat down. "It wasn't the organization's intention to drag you and Miss Ameko into this. I apologize on behalf of myself."

Zhang Heng remained noncommittal.

"The Vice President had a small dispute with Tsuchiya Yosuke, or rather, Mr. Takeda Tetsuya, twenty-two years ago. He sent me to handle this matter. Originally, he planned to throw Tsuchiya Yosuke into the sea to feed the sharks, but the Vice President changed his mind at the last minute and decided to give him a chance."

"The Vice President's exact words were... 'A dispute between drivers should be settled in a driver's way.' So, I've meticulously built a stage for Tsuchiya Yosuke, but I'm still missing a supporting actor, which is giving me a headache. Mr. Tsuchiya Yosuke has never been very likable; he hasn't made any friends over the years. I heard you've been helping him with deliveries for the past six months or so. How about it, interested in joining the fun?"

"Do I have any other choices?" Zhang Heng asked calmly. Although the short man seemed more refined than his companions, Zhang Heng knew perfectly well that the man wasn't asking for his opinion.

"I like to communicate with smart people; it saves a lot of wasted time," the short man said. He pulled out a small knife and moved behind Zhang Heng, cutting the ropes on his wrists. "The game is simple. Whichever one of you wins the race, I'll let all three of you go. But if you lose... trust me, you don't want to know the outcome."

Zhang Heng flexed his wrists. He had seriously considered trying to take down the short man in front of him, snatch the knife, and use him as a hostage. However, the two towering figures standing guard at the factory entrance made him abandon the thought. At this point, he had no other way out.

"How many people are in the race, where is it, and what are the rules?"

"Don't worry, you'll know all that when the time comes. For now, relax and pick a race car." The short man clapped his hands, and two guards walked to the center of the factory. They pulled down a cover over a hidden area, revealing the race cars beneath.

There were five in total: a red Nissan 180SX, a silver BMW M5, a gray Mercedes-AMG GT, a yellow Dodge Viper, and a blue Ford RAP F-150.

"The performance of all these cars has been tuned. You can choose the one you like to drive. If you're not satisfied, you can even modify it yourself; we can provide parts. The race is at midnight tonight, you just need to finish before then. So, have you set your eyes on any of them?" The short man didn't leave immediately after speaking; he seemed curious about Zhang Heng's choice.

To his surprise, Zhang Heng merely glanced at the colorful sports cars before looking away. "Sorry, can I drive my own car?"

"Your own car? What is it, a Porsche 911? Aston Martin? Ferrari?"

"The second-generation Mitsubishi L300, released in Japan in 1982," Zhang Heng replied truthfully. "It's parked right downstairs from the apartment where you guys grabbed me."

"A civilian minivan?" the short man exclaimed in surprise.

Zhang Heng nodded. His heavily modified L300 was already unrecognizable and had significantly boosted performance, but it still couldn't compare to proper sports cars. The other party, however, wasn't stingy; the five cars presented were all top-notch, and their willingness to give Zhang Heng time to modify them also served to prove they hadn't tampered with these cars.

However, Zhang Heng knew very well that no matter how good a car's performance was, a familiar car was always better to drive in a race.

"That's a reasonable request, and I can accommodate it, but are you sure?" the short man asked again.

Zhang Heng nodded.

The short man then waved his hand, and a few more people came in and drove away all the cars parked inside. He gave Zhang Heng a deep look. "Then I'll see you tonight."

This time, Zhang Heng was left alone in the abandoned factory. He saw water and food placed on a table, presumably for him to replenish his energy. In addition, there was a game console in the corner to pass the time. For a kidnapped hostage, these conditions were more than generous, but it only made Zhang Heng more certain that this race wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision.

These people had clearly been planning for a long time. Based on the guys he had encountered earlier, they probably hadn't undergone any professional training, but they had a considerable number of people. Even if he ignored the fish shop owner and Ameko, trying to force their way out wouldn't be realistic. Moreover, his phone had been confiscated immediately, preventing him from contacting the outside world.

He could only eat a little something and wait quietly for the race to begin.

Everyone is too enthusiastic, but no need to send red envelopes for this book during its new book period~ Actual collections are more practical (＞ε＜)