Chapter 12: "Tonight's Starlight"

Page 1/3

The moment Yao Kui heard this, half of his intoxication vanished instantly, and his competitive spirit was ignited in a flash. Since his last victory over Er Mao, Yao Kui had been virtually unbeatable in the street racing circles around here, and life had become somewhat dull. This sudden challenge was like a shot of adrenaline, instantly awakening his enthusiasm. Without a second thought, he agreed on the spot.

Both parties quickly arranged to hold a thrilling high-stakes race under the cover of night in the outskirts of Kunming.

The night shrouded the city, neon lights flickering through the thin mist, painting a dreamlike backdrop for the impending excitement. As soon as the internet celebrity Xiao Miao Chen Miaomiao heard about the street race, her eyes lit up brilliantly—this was the key to capturing massive traffic.

She hurriedly darted through her room cluttered with filming equipment, swiftly stuffing a high-definition camera, stabilizer, and spare batteries into her backpack while muttering an inventory check: “Can’t miss this chance—this is the perfect moment to gain followers.”

Miaomiao whispered to herself, determination shining in her eyes. Carrying the heavy gear, she dashed downstairs, the street lamps casting long shadows of her eager figure.

Hailing a taxi, she quickly slipped inside and urged the driver with a sense of urgency, “Please, hurry to the secret street race!” She knew that once she mentioned the underground race, everyone would recognize the young man’s favorite venue—the clandestine racing track.

The car sped through the streets as Miaomiao gazed out the window at the fleeting nightscape, already crafting her filming script and live commentary in her mind.

At 21, Chen Miaomiao, a native of Sichuan, had graduated from Southwest University of Media and originally worked as a reporter for Southwest Television. When the station’s prospects dimmed, she turned to online streaming, focusing on youth culture and trending topics. Due to her petite stature, many affectionately called her “Little Bean.”

Over the years, she combined her professional skills in news reporting and in-depth coverage with live streaming, developing a unique style that catapulted her to fame among young audiences.

Through streaming, she secured partnerships with numerous well-known brands and enterprises, engaging in live commerce and brand promotion that brought substantial commercial success. Her recommendations directly influenced her fans’ purchasing decisions, driving significant sales growth and brand exposure, though it also attracted intense scrutiny from online regulators.

Finally arriving at the scene, the racing venue was already surrounded by a dense crowd. The roar of engines and the clamoring voices blended into an ecstatic atmosphere.

Miaomiao squeezed through the crowd, barely noticing her shoulders being bumped, fully intent on finding the perfect filming spot. Her eyes scanned carefully and locked onto a clear vantage point that offered an unobstructed view of the starting line and the cars’ blazing launch.

She quickly set up her tripod, adjusted the camera settings, her fingers deftly tapping the screen to tweak focus and sensitivity. Every move was practiced and precise, leaving no detail unchecked that might affect the footage.

With everything ready, Miaomiao took a deep breath, smoothed her hair, and flashed a confident smile before going live: “Hey fam, I’m here at the secret street race! The thrilling competition is about to start—don’t miss a second! Smash that like and follow button!”

The atmosphere on site surged even higher. Everyone awaited this collision of speed and passion, while Miaomiao prepared to capture every spectacular moment, ready for the flood of views.

Page 2/3

At that moment, the staggering Yao Kui entered the arena. Monkey Meng Yang rushed over, shouting loudly, “Brother Kui, are you alright? Maybe we should take it easy?”

Yao Kui’s eyes were bleary from drink, but he shrugged off concern with a nonchalant flick of his flowing hair, yelling hoarsely, “Alright or not? Cut the crap. Wait till I win and I’ll deal with you—believe it or not, I’ll take your sister down too!”

The crowd erupted in laughter, whistles and cheers rising in waves, the energy becoming almost feverish, as if this was not just a race but a life-or-death showdown.

The race was ready to begin. Through their protective visors, Yao Kui and Er Mao exchanged lewd gestures, like two bulls locked in a fierce stare-down, neither willing to yield.

The crowd exploded instantly, whistles and shouts intermingling, pushing the atmosphere to a boiling point. Everyone was fired up, eager to witness this ultimate duel.

With a sharp gunshot slicing through the night like a battle horn, the engines of the two hover vehicles thundered to life, unleashing a deafening roar. The overwhelming force crashed over the spectators like a tidal wave, pounding their hearts.

In a flash, Yao Kui’s “Soul Reaper” and Er Mao’s “Lightning” shot forward like arrows loosed from a bow, soaring into the night sky. Only two fading red streaks remained in the crowd’s sight before vanishing into the vast darkness.

Heads tilted upward, eyes fixed on the two glowing streaks. Against the star-studded sky, they looked like lively meteors, piercing clouds and mist, leaving behind faint trails—a mysterious path etched into the night.

The race intensified. Neither Yao Kui nor Er Mao relented, each using the turbulent air to suppress the other. “Lightning” surged like a real bolt, suddenly overtaking “Soul Reaper.”

Meng Yang stood on the ground, anxiously watching the sky. He had sworn by his chest that with the KC20 dynamic energy tank installed, “Soul Reaper” boasted the world’s strongest power. Now his heart was in his throat, sweat beading on his forehead.

Just as everyone thought “Lightning” was about to leave the competition far behind, “Soul Reaper” seemed infused with a mysterious force. Its rear suddenly emitted a dazzling blue glow, followed by a thunderous explosion that echoed across the sky, as if ripping the night apart.

Meng Yang’s spirits lifted—he knew Yao Kui had activated the KC20’s energy. The crowd’s excitement reached a fever pitch; everyone held their breath, eyes glued to the sky.

In an instant, “Soul Reaper” charged forward like a wrathful beast empowered by divine strength, instantly overtaking “Lightning.”

“How is this possible?” Er Mao cried in disbelief from his cockpit.

The overwhelming pressure from his rival terrified him, his hands trembling on the controls. He could not fathom how “Soul Reaper,” just moments ago overtaken, suddenly harnessed such terrifying power.

Yet high above, Yao Kui seemed far from satisfied.

Page 3/3

Chen Miaomiao, fully engaged in the moment, pointed at the sky shouting, “Look, ‘Soul Reaper’ is rapidly extending its lead, even starting to show off…”

The crowd watched in awe as Yao Kui piloted “Soul Reaper” to loop arrogantly in front of Er Mao’s “Lightning,” a brazen display heralding his victory. The spectators erupted anew, cheers and gasps rising in waves. This wild race was destined to become an unforgettable memory.

One loop, two loops, three loops... Yao Kui spun freely through the air, leaving Er Mao far behind. The crowd below went wild, their shouts and screams deafening, as if witnessing a breathtaking aerial stunt show.

Faces gleamed with excitement and fervor, eyes fixed tightly on that streak of blue light in the sky, as if it were a marvel from another world…

Meanwhile, far away at the Lijiang Astronomical Observatory in Yunnan, the staff were engulfed in a busy atmosphere. Recently, meteorites had fallen more frequently on the plateau, and celestial phenomena were unusually intense. The entire observatory was operating under heightened alert.

Yuan Jie, a newly arrived intern, sat focused before the control console, eyes glued to the constantly shifting data on the screen. His mentor, Professor Shen Xingyun, had tasked him with closely monitoring all variations in deep space data using the global shared deep-space monitoring network.

Professor Shen approached with steady steps, peering at Yuan Jie’s screen. “Xiao Yuan, have there been any recent data on those legendary giant black holes between the Virgo constellation and Aries, about 75 million light-years away?”

Yuan Jie stood respectfully and replied, “Professor, according to collected data from various sources, the existence of those black holes has been confirmed.” He handed over a stack of organized data sheets to Shen Xingyun and added, “I’ve analyzed it, and so far, there seems to be no abnormal activity there.”

Yuan Jie was well aware of Shen’s remarkable achievements in astronomy over the years—capturing numerous stunning extraterrestrial images, publishing influential papers in top journals like Nature and Science, and authoring a series of widely acclaimed astronomy monographs including Black Holes and Astrophysics.

Yet Yuan Jie harbored a lingering question.

China now possessed the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope—the “Chinese Eye”—in Guizhou, powerful enough to detect signals from over 13 billion light-years away; and the world’s largest aperture and highest spectral acquisition Guo Shoujing Telescope in Xinglong, Hebei.

With such advanced observational instruments available, Yuan Jie could not understand why Professor Shen insisted on using the relatively ordinary and somewhat outdated telescope at Lijiang for celestial observation.