Beyond the city walls lay an endless expanse of desolate land, where deathly silence reigned under the howling winds that carried swirling yellow sand.
Across this lifeless wasteland, a fiery red sports car raced at breakneck speed. Its vibrant crimson body burned like raging flames, standing out brilliantly against the backdrop of the sandstorm, radiating intense heat.
Under Zhou Luo's control, Fire Thunder moved with astonishing velocity. Its tires churned violently against the sandy ground, kicking up massive dust clouds and leaving deep parallel tracks in its wake. The car's polished surface gleamed with metallic luster under the sunlight, reflecting dazzling rays.
Zhou Luo gazed through the window at the barren landscape outside—a world filled with unknowns.
"VROOM—" The engine roar of Fire Thunder sounded unusually muffled.
"My Lord, several vehicles are pursuing us from behind," came the alert.
A holographic display appeared, showing radar readings of multiple cars closing in rapidly from a hundred meters back.
"Disregard them. Full speed ahead!" Zhou Luo stomped the accelerator to the floor.
"Understood!"
Deep blue flames erupted from Fire Thunder's exhaust pipes as its speed instantly surged, leaving the pursuing vehicles so far behind that even their taillights disappeared from view.
"That guy is so annoying! With all this dust, I can't even see the road ahead. No chance for racing now," complained Liu Qingxue from the lead vehicle of the pursuing convoy—a crystalline blue sports car.
The dust storm made visibility nearly impossible, forcing her to engage autonomous driving mode.
"Miss, the vehicle ahead is a fiery red sports car with golden flame decals. My scans show it's only a Tier-1 Mecha, yet its speed is unbelievably fast!"
"At this rate, we'd need to push our limits just to keep up!"
This was Liu Qingxue's personal convoy, guarded by two Third-Order Mecha Masters.
While Liu Qingxue couldn't detect it herself, her Third-Order escorts could clearly sense the anomaly.
"What?! A Tier-1 Mecha moving that fast?!"
"You've got to be joking!"
Liu Qingxue was astounded. A mere Tier-1 sports car Mecha had left their entire convoy eating dust—within mere seconds, the red vehicle had already moved beyond detection range.
Her own Mecha was a potential Ninth-Order machine, specifically designed for speed! Yet it had been outrun!
"Miss, based on its trajectory, it's heading toward County 0321. I suspect this might be an overlooked super genius we could recruit for our family!"
"Indeed, miss. That Mecha is clearly extraordinary. Even if it can't match your potential, it could still serve you well in the future," the two Mecha Masters advised.
"Let it be. We'll discuss it if we encounter them again," Liu Qingxue replied without much hope. Geniuses of that caliber were usually too proud to become someone else's enforcers.
County 0321!
The sight that greeted them was one of complete desolation—crumbling skeletons of buildings that once stood tall, now reduced to precarious frameworks. Most infrastructure had deteriorated severely, resembling discarded relics of history. The streets were pockmarked with potholes, their cracks overgrown with wild, thriving weeds.
The air was thick with a pungent, nauseating stench of blood that instantly assaulted the nostrils—a heavy, cloying odor mingled with the metallic tang of rust and the putrid reek of rotting flesh, lingering relentlessly.
On the streets, Exotic Beasts were far from rare. In the blink of an eye, one could spot massive creatures lurking in the shadows of buildings, their presence suffused with an oppressive aura.
The walls and ground bore witness to the horrors that had unfolded here, marked by dried blood and deep claw marks.
County 0321 was considered one of the less dangerous areas in the vicinity, with most Exotic Beasts here ranking below Tier 3—meaning none stood taller than seventy or eighty meters.
For someone like Zhou Luo, a newly bonded Mecha Master at only Level 1, this was the only feasible hunting ground to harvest combat energy.
Earning combat energy required personal involvement—teaming up wouldn't cut it. Only by contributing to at least 70% of the battle could one claim the energy reward. Even stealing kills would yield a mere 10%.
Thus, every high-level Mecha Master was a formidable force in their own right—no exceptions, no exaggerations.
But of course, exceptions existed to every rule.
Zhou Luo manipulated Fire Thunder's transformation, drawing out the three-and-a-half-meter-long Crescent Moon Blade from its back. Making too much noise in an Exotic Beast's paradise was tantamount to suicide.
The Mecha's heavy footsteps echoed dully through the desolate streets.
"Grrrooowl!" A massive Exotic Beast suddenly erupted from a deep pit.
"An Exotic Beast—Bloodthirsty Tiger!" Zhou Luo recognized it instantly.
His Battle King Glasses scanned the creature.
[Exotic Beast: Bloodthirsty Tiger!]
[Level: 3!]
[Ultimate Skill: Savage Throat Lock!]
[Assessment: A winnable fight!]
"A Level 3 Bloodthirsty Tiger? Fire Thunder, prepare for battle!" Zhou Luo tapped twice on the control panel, and deep-blue holographic buttons flickered in response.
"Bring it on!"
Fire Thunder jerked its head up at his command, its azure eyes flashing with light. The Crescent Moon Blade trembled in its grip as a crimson aura rippled along its edge—undaunted and ready.
In an instant, it assumed a battle stance.
A Vehicle Warrior piloted by a Mech Battle King could unleash combat prowess several times beyond its base capacity. In dire moments, it could even tap into the power of bonds—an ability so overpowered it defied logic.
Level 1 versus Level 3? The advantage was his.
The Bloodthirsty Tiger measured four meters in length, with a shoulder height of two meters. Its muscular limbs were packed with sinew, and its razor-sharp claws gleamed ominously.
Its bloodthirsty eyes locked onto Fire Thunder, as if itching to tear the insolent Mecha to shreds.
"ROOOAR!" The beast threw its head back and unleashed a deafening roar, shaking the very air with its fury.
Its claws scraped against the ground, gathering explosive power.
With terrifying speed, it launched itself into the air, its momentum awe-inspiring.
An ordinary person would've been overwhelmed facing such a beast—but Zhou Luo was no ordinary pilot. He was the Mech Battle King.
His fingers flew across the controls with inhuman speed, lighting up four or five combination buttons in rapid succession.
He could operate Fire Thunder's panel blindfolded.
The Mecha's rear engines flared, propelling it forward as a blazing red streak. The hardened Mecha scraped against the ground, sending sparks flying in its wake.
Fire Thunder executed a slide tackle!
The Crescent Moon Blade, carrying the force of a thousand jun, slashed across the Bloodthirsty Tiger's abdomen. The razor-sharp edge sliced through flesh with effortless precision, spilling a torrent of blood and mangled organs.
The two combatants flashed past each other. Fire Thunder spun its blade mid-motion, flicking off the blood in one fluid, effortless motion—graceful as flowing water.
Bloodthirsty Tiger crashed heavily onto the ground, its limbs trembling as it struggled desperately to rise but ultimately failed, collapsing motionless in exhaustion.
A deep blue energy surged into Fire Thunder's chest and was absorbed.
Crimson energy instantly erupted from Fire Thunder's body.
"Hah!!" Fire Thunder roared as his level abruptly broke through to Rank 2.
His strength, speed, and blade techniques all surged significantly—movements he couldn't perform before now came effortlessly.
For instance, he could now execute sliding tackles with blinding speed, leaving Bloodthirsty Tiger completely unable to react.