The night passed uneventfully.
Zhang Jie woke up at 10 AM the next day and followed Han for "breakfast." Well, "breakfast" in Shibuya was indeed quite ordinary.
Afterward, Han took him on a tour of Shibuya to familiarize him with the area. During this time, Zhang Jie asked some questions, and Han answered them truthfully.
However, Zhang Jie was still clueless about the purpose of his mission in Shibuya.
He didn't even know what he was supposed to get or who he was meeting. The only thing he knew was that Han was picking him up; everything else was a mystery.
This made him feel very passive, but there was nothing he could do, as the employer's word was law.
There was no other way.
Zhang Jie spent most of the day in Han's modification shop, watching Han move through a sea of machinery, constantly busy. As he watched, Zhang Jie voluntarily stepped forward to help.
Although he wasn't proficient in modifications, he remembered many things Tej had mentioned, and while his vehicle modification skill wasn't yet Level 1, it was close, at a critical point.
At first, Han just glanced at him curiously, but then he smiled and took the tool Zhang Jie handed him. It was indeed accurate; that was the exact wrench he needed.
Because of this, Han's impression of Zhang Jie improved, and their conversations gradually became more frequent.
In the evening, Han drove his orange RX-7, taking Zhang Jie out. "We generally prefer not to operate during the day. The night is our world."
Zhang Jie understood this; it was normal for street racers!
It must be said that Shibuya was indeed very crowded during the day, with heavy traffic. The difference between night and day was immense; traffic at night was reduced by 70%.
"So, where are we going?"
Zhang Jie asked, looking at the traffic outside the car window and the people crossing at the intersection.
With a lollipop in his mouth, Han said somewhat indistinctly, "We're going to find DK. You'll know what you need when we get there."
The green light turned on, and releasing the clutch, shifting gears, and accelerating from a standstill were all done in one smooth motion.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—screech!"
The engine's revs left two charred marks on the ground. People waiting at the traffic light were either cursing or screaming excitedly, especially the girls.
Zhang Jie didn't feel much about it. Since Han had said so, he didn't say anything more. He'd find out when they arrived, anyway.
Soon, Han's Mazda stopped in front of the MODI Building. The entrance was a very secluded underground parking lot, requiring a license plate scan to enter. Cars with unrecorded license plates weren't allowed, indicating good security measures.
23:59, MODI Building B3
The moment the hydraulic gate lifted, the roar of the underground garage sounded like unleashed chains.
Not far away, a woman's fingernails traced a fluorescent green arc on the nissan 350z's window. Her lips glowed metallic purple in the dark, as if coated with shattered mirror fragments.
The garage lights were a sickly blue.
Several broken racing flags hung from the high ceiling, their surfaces stained with a mixture of engine oil and lipstick.
In the graffiti on the wall, an AE86 was transformed into a skull, with a hand painted with black nail polish extending from the car window, giving the middle finger.
Han slowly drove his Mazda RX-7 into the crowd, and the gazes of the hot girls turned towards the orange Mazda.
They were very familiar with this car. After parking, Han got out and leaned against the car, pulling out a bag of snacks from somewhere and starting to eat.
Zhang Jie got out and leaned against the car as well, his eyes scanning his surroundings. There was a strong car modification culture, and the girls' attire was very daring. The only problem was the language barrier... damn it... among the sounds reaching his ears, only the engine noise was comprehensible.
A man walked over and fist-bumped Han. "What brings you here today?"
Then his gaze fell on Zhang Jie. "You brought him?"
"Yeah, he's new, doesn't speak Japanese," Han said without much introduction, his tone flat and his expression still lazy.
"Hey, can you drive?" The man wasn't so serious; he was rather playful. A welcome ceremony for a newcomer couldn't be skipped, especially since this was his territory.
Zhang Jie pointed to himself: "Me?"
"Duh, who else?"
The man wasn't angry; he watched Zhang Jie with his arms crossed.
"A little... I guess." Zhang Jie was modest; it was best not to show off in such matters.
"Oh? A little? Then let's give it a try." The man smiled; it was more fun if he could drive.
"I don't have a car." Zhang Jie was straightforward.
Han, standing nearby, chuckled mischievously and tossed him the car keys. "Use mine."
"Clap!"
Zhang Jie caught the keys; they were for the Mazda RX-7.
Zhang Jie was speechless. "Aren't you afraid I'll crash your car?"
"Then you'll pay for it." Han popped a Pocky into his mouth, making a crisp "crunch" as he bit it.
"..."
Han enjoyed Zhang Jie's speechless expression, a lazy smile on his face. Then he stood up, opened the driver's side door, and gestured for him to enter.
The crowd immediately erupted in louder cheers. This kind of hazing ritual for newcomers was their favorite spectacle.
The man's car was a nissan 350z, with exaggerated riveted wide-body fenders and a giant GT wing, giving it a very aggressive look. The silver body and black decals made it even more ostentatious. The car reflected the neon lights, and as the wheels spun, the shadows on the ground looked like shattered aurora borealis.
00:17, starting line of the track, everyone gathered around the cars that were about to race. This section of the track was mainly for drifting, with only a short straight acceleration part.
The rules of the race were simple: whoever reached the ground first won.
The light in the underground parking lot was fragmented by the spoilers of the modified cars.
Han's RX-7 was like a trapped beast, its orange body dragging long streaks of light across the damp asphalt.
Both cars stopped at the stop line, side by side. The man didn't even look, while Zhang Jie kept his gaze fixed forward.
Zhang Jie naturally wasn't in the mood to look at him. His hand kept shifting the gearstick. After all, here in Japan, it was a right-hand drive car, completely different from the left-hand drive cars he drove in America. He needed to adapt.
A handsome guy in a black suit walked from the front, stood between the two cars, glanced down at Zhang Jie, then at the man, then pointed with his left hand, and then with his right.
He raised both hands high, then brought them down sharply.
"Start!"
The roar of the engines tore through the crowd's cheers. The white smoke from tire friction mixed with beer cans thrown into the air by hot girls, and glass fragments fell like diamond rain in the headlights.
In an instant, the two cars shot out, one after the other, at extremely high speed. Zhang Jie had observed the venue when he entered.
According to the race rules, they needed to go from B3 to B2, then to B1, and finally through two connecting turns to reach the ground for the race to end.
Cones were placed along the way to indicate direction, so Zhang Jie was cautious, but he didn't hold back with his foot; even if it wasn't his car, he was going to finish the job.
With his Level 2 driving skills and the drifting techniques Wood taught him in Detroit, he quickly became proficient with the right-hand drive Mazda.
After a short straight, there was a turn from the third level to the second. Zhang Jie decisively stomped on the clutch for a moment, downshifted sharply, and simultaneously applied the accelerator.
"Vroom! Da-da-da—"
"Eeeeeeeeee—!!"
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