Volume Two: Life and Death at Breakneck Speed in the North Realm - Givinia

Gray Starling Group.

The world's most powerful economic conglomerate, with businesses spanning almost every sector, including commerce, finance, industry, agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals, construction, gaming, and transportation, and holding at least a top-three position in each. It has branches in every continent, country, and town in the world; no family, business group, or even nation can rival the Grey Starling.

The Grey Starlings were founded about three hundred years ago, with their headquarters in the Central Sea Islands. Legend has it that they directly purchased one-third of the land of a certain major country. The group's founder was the super genius who unified the world's currency and created "Tong Coin). Even more than two hundred years after his death, his influence remains undiminished.

Since Starling entered the racing world decades ago, it quickly became an industry leader, not only independently organizing numerous major events but also becoming the largest race car manufacturer. Today, Starling is a dominant force in the racing industry.

Even so, organizing a massive event like the Northern Realm Rally is unprecedented for the Grey Starlings. After half a year of planning, attracting countless popular racing teams and doing extensive publicity, the race is finally about to begin, and the world's attention has been drawn to the Port Turltukha on the North Realm Continent.

"Mr. Garde, the competition will begin in two days. As the Chief Executive Officer of this event, what are your thoughts?"

"Could you please provide a specific number of applicants?"

How long do you expect this event to last? How dangerous is it?

"How much money did the Gray Starling Group actually invest? Ultimately, why hold such a large-scale event?"

"Mr. Garde, could you please give one last explanation of the significance and overview of the competition?"

What kind of spirit do you think this match embodies?

Countless flashes went off, countless microphones were held out, and every reporter seemed to wish they could kidnap this Big Figure and take him home for a leisurely interview.

"Everyone, please calm down! Keep order!"

The middle-aged man surrounded by others straightened up and spoke in a deep voice. He was shorter and stouter than the other adults, and his hair was a little gray, but he exuded extraordinary charisma in every gesture. Intimidated by his aura, the reporters, who had been frantically asking questions, calmed down a bit and stopped their noisy questioning.

This man is Garde Merklai, a member of the Gray Starling Group and the Chief Executive Officer of this competition.

Seeing that the reporters had quieted down, Garde nodded in satisfaction, then slowly began to speak in a loud voice:

"The inaugural Northern Realm Rally will officially begin at 2 PM two days from now! Starting from my current location in Port Turltukha, it will cross half of the North Realm Continent, with the finish line at the heart of the Northern Boundary— Crystal Island! This will be the largest sporting event in human history! As of now, 2,973 teams have registered, and registration closes at noon two days from now. It is estimated that the number of participating teams will reach three thousand by then!"

How will the prize money be distributed?

"The top fifty will all receive generous prizes! First place: 20 billion Tong Coin, second place: 8 billion, third place: 4 billion, fourth place: 2 billion, fifth place: 1 billion... For the specific amounts of the remaining prizes, please refer to the official competition manual!"

"There's another question! Opinions on the 'bonus points' system for this competition are mixed. What's your opinion?"

"The bonus point system is a first for this competition. We have set up multiple bonus points on the four routes. Each team must find at least two bonus points on the route to qualify for a place. Otherwise, even if they win first place, they will not be recognized as the champion! Moreover, for each bonus point activated, the prize money will be increased by one billion! This system is a bold attempt by our group. Whether it is an innovation or a failure, time will tell!"

Time will tell us everything, won't it...?

That was a surprisingly bold statement.

Sitting in the restaurant, looking at the Spirit Light Screen, I ate bread and thought.

The Big Figure surrounded by countless reporters on the screen is the person in charge of this competition, Garde Merklai. It must have been hard work for him to organize such a big event. Chief Executive Officer, sounds impressive, but frankly, he's just a managerial laborer with a huge workload and is constantly subject to the real leadership.

It's been a month and a half since I left the capital. I'm currently in the restaurant of a large passenger ship. After drifting at sea for so long, the North Realm Continent is finally within reach. The ship will arrive at the Port Turltukha the day after tomorrow morning, and registration will close at noon that day. That means I only have one morning to find a team willing to accept me.

I quickly ate my dinner; all I wanted now was to get out of the crowded restaurant as soon as possible, because--

"Have you heard? The Noxar Team and the Vino Lions Team also arrived in Turtuka yesterday!"

"Really? That's amazing! Lord Lewis is definitely the strongest pilot!"

"Lewis? That idiot dares to call himself the strongest? Didn't he get completely crushed by Emilia in the last Ezio Cup?"

"Who the hell are you calling an idiot? You want a beating?"

"Damn! The Abidal Beauties Team is the best! Bring it on if you dare!"

"You're asking for it!"

%￥##...￥#!%(*+*&#!%￥&...

--The restaurant's ambiance was really not good. The ship was full of car enthusiasts heading to the North Realm Continent, and everyone was enthusiastic, discussing racing intensely. Every day, you could see Blood Energy young men fighting over their favorite teams, so it became a common sight after a while.

Looking around, the cabin was plastered with posters of the world's most famous racing teams. The broadcasting station was constantly reporting on the race preparations, the whiteboards on the bulkheads were filled with the names of the teams that had already registered, and the ceiling was covered with colorful ribbons painted with speed stripes. I guessed the captain was a veteran racing fan... Thanks to all this, I learned quite a bit about racing along the way, and I also learned about some established teams and rising stars in the racing world. The more I learned, the more amazed I became. On Earth, although racing is also a popular sport, it still lags far behind basketball and football. The Spirit Star people's enthusiasm for racing is almost the sum of Earthlings' enthusiasm for basketball and football. They really have money to burn.

After finishing the last bite of bread, I stretched and walked out of the restaurant to the deck to enjoy the evening sea breeze. Even the deck was covered with posters and lists of participating teams for the Northern Realm Rally, which annoyed me.

To be honest, as a former homebody, I have absolutely no interest in sports. But now I'm half-forced into cooperating with this Huang Huo. I have no choice but to grit my teeth and participate.

Having been away for so long, I wonder how Si Nan Family is doing now? They must have moved abroad by now. Their lives must be very difficult from now on. I wish them good luck...

"Oh, miss, you're quite cute~ Come, let your big brother see your face~"

And then there's the bright moon.

"Wow, what a beauty! Do you know who the brothers are?"

Looking back now, I realize I forgot to ask her about her future plans when we parted. The Tartaglia Family originally intended to use her as a tool for a marriage alliance with a powerful family, but now that the Si Nan Family and Cleon Family have been destroyed, she has lost her original value to the Tartaglia Family.

"We're the Cannon Fodder Bento Team, you know! We've won so many awards we've lost count!"

Knowing her personality, she would definitely leave the family without looking back. Perhaps, like me, she embarked on her own journey, constantly growing stronger...

"Come on, the competition starts in a couple of days, don't you want your older brothers to have some fun?"

Haoyue was arguably my first true friend, comrade-in-arms, and confidante. She had already clearly expressed her feelings for me, but what about me?

"Excuse me, I was just saying..."

Is Haoyue really just a friend to me? Or more than a friend?

"Miss, would you be willing to do me a favor?"

"Huh!?"

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I was completely unaware of my surroundings until someone spoke to me. Even though I've seen all sorts of beautiful women, I couldn't help but be taken aback when I saw who it was.

This is a girl about my age.

She has long, light brown hair, fair cheeks, and delicate, well-proportioned features that combine cuteness and elegance. Her eyes are the same light brown as her hair, and there is a beauty mark under her left eye, adding a touch of allure.

Looking further down, one sees a torso and limbs in perfect golden proportions, like a masterfully crafted doll, every detail meticulously sculpted. She wears a knee-length, beige long-sleeved dress, the hem and cuffs adorned with delicate lace, a black ribbon tied at the waist, and her legs, extending from the hem, are encased in matching black capri trousers. On her feet are a pair of crimson sandals, and she carries a white parasol in her hand.

She strikes a wonderful balance between elegance, cuteness, and simplicity—that was my first impression of her.

Now look at me—to avoid attracting attention, I'm wearing a large leather jacket on top, faded jeans on the bottom, a thick scarf covering the lower half of my face, and a cowboy-style leather hat on my head.

The contrast is like that between a pampered young lady and a beggar...

"Um, is there something you need?" Staring at someone is impolite, so I quickly spoke up.

"Actually, I was hit on by some troublesome guy. If you don't mind, could you help me out of this situation?" She asked me politely with a slightly apologetic smile.

"Trying to strike up a conversation? Helping you out isn't out of the question..."

I looked in the direction she was pointing, and sure enough, there was a young girl surrounded by several men in uniform. The girl was quite beautiful, with long, light brown hair flowing in the wind, and the white parasol she held was particularly striking.

Etc.

What she just said sounded like, "I got hit on."

But isn't she right here beside me, asking for my help?

And who is that girl over there who's being pestered?

The girl I was harassed, the girl who asked me for help—they all looked exactly alike.

"Ah, please don't be surprised, this is just my special ability."

Realizing my confusion, the girl beside me bowed, her beautiful figure swaying in the air for a moment before disappearing!

It's almost like... the projector was turned off, and the image disappeared!

I think I'm starting to understand her special ability.

Anyway, since I promised, I'll do them a favor.

"Hey guys, it's not very nice of you to be bothered with one girl."

"Huh? What business is it of yours what I do? Get lost!"

A man glanced at me and waved his hand impatiently.

"Etc!"

Another man suddenly spoke, and he walked over to me, carefully examining my entire body...

"Hey hey hey... Don't be fooled by how well this helpful person is dressed and has even covered her face... Take a closer look, she seems to be quite a beauty... And her breasts are fucking huge~"

"Oh? Really?" The other men immediately became interested.

"Little girl, take off your hat and scarf for your brother!"

"..."

"Didn't you hear me? Or are you unwilling? Let me tell you, we are—"

Before the man could finish speaking, he received a hard kick to the bridge of his nose. Looking at the unfortunate fellow groaning in pain while clutching his nose, I sighed and quietly circulated my blood.

"Stop talking nonsense... Is it a one-on-one fight or all of you coming at me together?"

The men were stunned for a moment, then erupted in fury at the same time.

"Huh? You shameless bitch, you dare hit Fourth Brother?!"

"Go! Teach her a lesson!"

"You're asking for trouble!!!"

Half a minute later--

"I'm so sorry, we were wrong!"

"Well, it's good that you know you're wrong. Go back and get your wound bandaged up, and don't show your face in front of us again."

""""Yes!""""

After seeing off that bunch of bruised and battered idiots, I scratched my head in exasperation. Since ancient times, hitting on petty thugs has always been a recipe for disaster; why can't they understand?

Of course, NTR-themed doujinshi and hentai are excluded.

"Thank you so much!"

The girl, who had successfully escaped, bowed slightly to me, fulfilling her duty of politeness without appearing overly humble—a perfect balance that instantly won me over.

"It's no trouble at all, just a small favor. By the way, my Liu Ye, what's yours?"

My name is --

The girl stopped and looked directly into my eyes.

"Givinia Sorel, just call me Givinia."

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Even though I had almost no drafts saved up, I still couldn't help but update.

So, Volume Two begins! The plot and style are completely different from Volume One, inspired by JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7. I recommend everyone check it out!