Act: 2 Chapter: 2 | Destruction

Nightfall at the Starting Line

The moonlight bathed the two cars in a silvery glow, their forms standing in stark contrast against the darkened mountain pass. Collei's Eight-Six sat poised beside Feixiao's Lancer Evolution IX, the two machines seeming almost alive—rivals sizing each other up under the night sky.

Feixiao leaned against her Evo, arms crossed, her gaze steady but warm. A confident smirk tugged at her lips.

"Just remember, kid," she said, her voice smooth yet charged with excitement. "Drive your heart out. No winners or losers tonight—just two drivers showing what they've got."

Collei nodded, flashing a determined thumbs-up. "Got it!"

Feixiao chuckled, pushing off the car. "Good."

With a throaty roar, the Evo IX peeled off the line. Collei took a deep breath, gripping the wheel as she steadied herself. Then, she followed suit.

The quiet night shattered as both cars launched forward, their engines growling in unison. The exhibition run had begun.

Downhill, At Speed

The Lancer Evo surged ahead with raw turbocharged power, but the Eight-Six clung to its tail like a shadow, refusing to be shaken off.

As the first hairpin loomed, Feixiao initiated a precise four-wheel drift, the Evo's tires screaming as they clawed the tarmac. Just a heartbeat behind, Collei mirrored her move. The Eight-Six maintained the perfect racing line, its chassis dancing on the very edge of control.

The two cars roared past a small group of spectators gathered by the roadside. Among them, Ningguang and Keqing observed the battle unfolding before them.

Keqing tilted her head, arms crossed. "Are they racing? Or just showing off?"

Ningguang smirked, her gaze tracking the cars with sharp focus. "It's just an exhibition run. But…" She paused, amusement flickering in her golden eyes. "They're definitely having fun."

A Dance Through the Mountain Pass

Further down the Araumi descent, the road tightened. The next corner—a fast right-hander—grew sharper midway through.

Collei's Eight-Six edged dangerously close to the inner guardrail, its side brushing against the hedges as she pushed even harder. Feixiao, ahead, kept her movements sharp and deliberate, positioning the Evo for a clean exit.

Above, the faint glow of headlights flickered through the darkness, carving out the intricate rhythm of their duel.

Keqing narrowed her eyes, listening closely. A sudden popping noise echoed in the night, sharp bursts of sound cutting through the steady hum of engines.

"Hey, Ningguang," she said, glancing over. "Did you hear that? The Evo's exhaust sounds… weird."

Ningguang gave a knowing nod. "That's Feixiao's secret weapon. A system borrowed from modern WRC rally cars—it keeps turbo boost pressure steady. It's called anti-lag. Some call it a misfiring system."

Keqing blinked. "Misfiring?"

"It can be, depending on how it's tuned," Ningguang replied. "For Feixiao, it's an advantage. Araumi's slopes are far steeper than most downhill runs. Yougou and Jinren may have faster straights, but the first half of Araumi? It's nothing but technical low-speed corners. That's where Feixiao shines."

"Her Gymkhana experience makes her a precision specialist. Tight spaces, quick reflexes, car control—she's honed all of it over the years. And with that system? She can rocket out of corners faster than anyone else."

Keqing watched as the cars disappeared into the darkness, the Evo's exhaust crackling like fire in the night.

"She's sharpened her technique," Ningguang continued, voice almost admiring. "It's like she's reborn. Faster, stronger, and tougher than ever."

Feixiao glanced in her rearview mirror, her lips curving into a smile.

Collei's Eight-Six was still there—so close, so relentless.

"Impressive, kid," she murmured. "First time on this course, and you're keeping up. But let's see how long you can hold on."

The Evo's exhaust spat fire, a violent backfire ripping through the night as it exited another hairpin. The thunderous crack made Collei flinch, the sheer intensity jolting through her bones.

"This feels like a hunt…" she muttered under her breath, gripping the wheel tighter. "But I'm the one chasing something…"

The Chase Intensifies

Another hairpin approached—a sharp, unforgiving curve.

Both cars slid through in perfect unison, twin streaks of motion against the asphalt. But as soon as they exited, the Evo's anti-lag system roared, hurling Feixiao forward.

The gap stretched wider.

Collei gritted her teeth. "That damn backfire!" she growled. "It's so loud—it's driving me crazy!"

Up ahead, Feixiao chuckled to herself. "She's adapting fast," she thought. "For a first run here, she's racing like a veteran. But Araumi's tight hairpins won't last forever.

"Let's see how she handles the second half."

The Road Opens Up

The mountain pass widened, the once-tight hairpins giving way to longer, sweeping curves.

The gap between them grew.

Collei slammed the gas, the Eight-Six roaring in protest as its revs climbed dangerously high.

"Come on!" she yelled. "I'm not losing this yet!"

Her frustration boiled over.

The next turn loomed.

Feixiao executed a flawless four-wheel drift, her Evo snapping through the corner like it was born for this.

Another backfire. Another thunderous crack.

Collei followed, her movements sharp, precise—but strained.

Unbeknownst to her, deep under the hood… something was wrong.

The Eight-Six's engine rattled, a faint metallic tremor lost beneath the roar of the race. A warning sign drowned out by her determination.

A Moment of Separation

Feixiao's grip tightened on the wheel, her focus razor-sharp.

"Almost there," she whispered. "One more hairpin… then the longest straightaway. After that…"

Her eyes narrowed.

"I'm leaving her behind."

The final hairpin approached.

Collei pushed harder, closing the gap inch by inch as they drifted side by side.

For a split second, she was right next to Feixiao. Door to door.

Then—

Feixiao shifted up.

The Evo roared, rocketing forward as she mashed the gas.

The straightaway belonged to her.

The Breaking Point

Collei's heart sank as Feixiao pulled away, the gap growing faster than she could react.

"No, no, no!" she shouted. "The gap's increasing—I can't keep up!"

She slammed the pedal to the floor, but the Eight-Six struggled, its engine screaming in protest.

It wasn't enough.

No matter how hard she pushed, no matter how perfect her lines were…

She couldn't match the raw power of the Lancer Evo IX.

The realization hit her like a blow to the chest.

"This is it," she whispered, despair creeping into her voice. "This is where I lose…"

The Breaking Point

Collei pushed her car to its absolute limit.

The Eight-Six roared, its engine screaming in protest as the tachometer needle hovered near 8000 RPM, deep in the red. Her foot was glued to the gas, refusing to let up.

But as the gap between her and Feixiao's Evo stretched wider—

The inevitable struck.

BANG!

A violent explosion from under the hood shattered the tension inside the cabin.

The tachometer needle snapped to zero.

Smoke and oil spewed from the gaps in the hood, filling the windshield with thick, blinding fumes.

The rear wheels locked without warning.

The car fishtailed violently.

Collei's hands clamped onto the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white as she fought to regain control.

But it was futile.

The rear end snapped out even harder—momentum spiraling out of her hands.

The Eight-Six spun.

Oil splattered across the windshield in wild, chaotic streaks.

"Come on! Come on!" she muttered, slamming the brakes in desperation.

But the car had no ABS.

The front wheels seized completely.

The tires let out a soul-piercing shriek as the Eight-Six skidded toward the guardrail.

The Crash

Then—miraculously—

The car lurched into an emergency pull-off area, veering just short of disaster.

With one last ear-splitting shriek, it ground to a halt.

A moment of dead silence followed.

Then—

Thick, choking smoke billowed from the hood.

Oil dripped steadily from the fenders, pooling into an inky black puddle beneath the wreck.

A harsh, metallic ticking echoed from the engine bay—the cooling metal settling after its final battle.

Then, with a hollow clank, the engine died completely.

The Aftermath

Collei sat frozen in the driver's seat.

Her chest heaved, her breath coming in ragged, uneven gasps.

Her foot was still pressed against the brake pedal, her muscles locked in place.

Slowly—mechanically—she eased her foot off.

It fell to the floorboard, like the last drop of strength draining from her body.

With trembling fingers, she reached for the seatbelt, unbuckling it with a numb click.

She pushed the door open and stepped out into the cold night air.

Smoke curled from the hood, thick and acrid.

She staggered to the front of the car.

Her Eight-Six—her partner, her pride, her passion—

It was gone.

Collei's legs gave out.

She fell to her knees, her hands shaking as she stared at the steaming wreck.

A lump formed in her throat, thick and suffocating.

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"It's gone…"

Her fingers curled into tight fists, pressing against the cold pavement.

"My… Eight-Six…"

The night was silent—except for the distant hum of an engine.

A deep, turbocharged growl.

The sound grew louder.

Headlights sliced through the darkness as Feixiao's Lancer Evo pulled into the emergency area.

The moment the car stopped, Feixiao threw the door open and sprinted toward Collei.

"Collei! Are you okay?!"

She dropped to one knee beside her, eyes darting between Collei and the wrecked Eight-Six.

Collei didn't respond.

She just kept staring at her car.

Feixiao's gaze softened. She rested a gentle hand on Collei's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Collei," she murmured.

She hesitated, glancing at the damage.

The oil stains. The shattered engine. The smoke still rising.

"…I'll let everyone know at the summit, okay? We'll get help."

Collei gave a silent nod, her body unmoving.

Feixiao stood up slowly.

As she walked back to her Evo, she drove off carefully—

Avoiding the anti-lag system.

No backfires.

No sharp cracks.

She didn't want to unsettle Collei any further.

At the Summit

The air buzzed with anticipation.

Beidou, Seele, Pela, March, and Amber stood near their cars, waiting for Collei and Feixiao to return from their exhibition run.

Beidou exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "They're taking their sweet time."

Seele smirked. "Yeah, but they seemed to hit it off. Probably having fun."

Amber leaned casually against her Sileighty, chuckling. "Collei's popular. It's no surprise she's got fans wherever she goes."

Their lighthearted conversation halted as two familiar figures approached.

Ningguang and Keqing.

Ningguang's graceful wave caught their attention. "Still no sign of the Eight-Six?" she asked, scanning the parking area.

Before anyone could respond—

The deep, unmistakable growl of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine echoed through the mountains.

A pair of headlights pierced the darkness as a familiar car crested the summit—

Feixiao's gray Lancer Evo IX.

She pulled to a stop behind Amber's car, but something was off.

Feixiao stepped out, her shoulders slumped, her usual fire dimmed.

Beidou's sharp eyes narrowed. "What happened? Where's Collei?"

Ningguang stepped forward, her expression demanding answers. "Feixiao?" Her voice was controlled, but there was an edge to it. "Where's Collei?"

Feixiao let out a slow breath, averting her gaze at first. "She's fine… she's down there."

She hesitated.

"But the Eight-Six… it's done. The engine blew."

Silence.

The words hung in the cold night air, crashing over the group like a shockwave.

Ningguang's eyes widened. "What?!"

Beidou muttered a harsh curse under her breath. "She blew the engine?" Disbelief laced her voice.

Amber's eyes flickered with concern before steeling into determination. "What are we waiting for? Let's go check on her!"

She pushed off her car, heading for the driver's seat—

But Beidou's hand clamped onto her arm.

"Leave it, Amber."

Amber turned, frustration flaring in her eyes. "We can't just stand here!"

Beidou's voice sharpened. "Enough. She needs space. Let her be."

The tension in the air thickened.

Amber clenched her jaw, but said nothing.

A heavy silence settled over the group.

For the first time that night, the excitement of the summit felt hollow.

Back at the Emergency Area

Collei sat alone in her crippled Eight-Six.

Her fingers trembled against the worn leather of the steering wheel, tracing its grooves—the familiar texture now a cruel reminder of what she'd lost.

Tears welled in her eyes.

"I'm… I'm so sorry," she whispered.

The hood still smoked faintly, the scent of burnt oil and metal thick in the air. The car had always been her partner, but now, its lifeblood had spilled across the pavement.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the glare of approaching headlights.

A flatbed truck rumbled up beside her, its engine idling heavily. The driver's door swung open.

A tall figure stepped out, illuminated by the truck's headlights.

Collei's breath hitched. "D-Dad?"

Arlecchino.

She didn't speak at first. Instead, she walked up to the destroyed hood, unlatched it, and peered inside.

A mess of shattered components, scorched metal, and blackened oil greeted her.

With a sigh, she closed the hood and turned back to Collei. "We'll talk later," she said, voice calm but firm. "First, we need to get this car loaded up."

Collei nodded numbly.

The winch whined as it pulled the Eight-Six onto the flatbed. Arlecchino worked in practiced silence, methodical as ever. When everything was secured, she climbed into the cab.

She gestured for Collei to follow. "Come on. Let's head home."

Collei hesitated, then slid into the passenger seat, stealing one last glance at her car through the side mirror.

The lifeless, battered Eight-Six rested on the truck bed, its once-mighty heart now nothing more than a silent heap of broken metal.

It was her burden to bear—and somehow, her hope for the future.

The cab was silent.

Neither spoke.

The only sound was the low hum of the tires, the rhythmic drone of the expressway filling the void between them.

Collei sat slumped against the window, watching the scenery blur past.

Despite the stillness, the tension between them was palpable, like an invisible weight pressing down on both of them.

Finally, Collei broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Dad… h-how did you find out?"

Arlecchino kept her hands steady on the wheel. She didn't glance at her.

"I… I just had a hunch. That's all."

Collei frowned. "A hunch?"

Arlecchino nodded. "Yeah."

Another stretch of silence.

Then, Collei shifted in her seat, her voice more urgent now.

"Dad. I need to ask something."

Arlecchino finally glanced at her. "What is it, Collei?"

Collei inhaled sharply, her words spilling out quickly, like she had to say them before she lost the nerve.

"I've been saving up from my part-time job at the gas station. I should have at least thirty grand in my account. I hope it's enough to help fix the engine."

For the first time that night, Arlecchino's lips twitched into a faint smile.

She kept her eyes on the road. "Well, kiddo, you've got more than that. You're a hell of a lot richer than you think."

Collei blinked. "What?"

Arlecchino smirked slightly. "You've been delivering that tofu since junior high, remember? I started a savings account in your name back then. Sure, I borrowed from it here and there, but last I checked… you've got at least two hundred and fifty grand in there."

Collei's eyes widened.

"That's… that's great! We can use that for the repairs!"

Arlecchino's expression shifted, her faint smile fading.

She shook her head. "I can't let you do that."

Collei's excitement crashed as quickly as it had flared. Her expression darkened.

"Is it… that expensive?" she asked cautiously. "How much are we talking about, anyway?"

Arlecchino hesitated.

Then, finally, she spoke.

"It's not a matter of cost, Collei."

She exhaled, grip tightening on the wheel. "That engine can't be repaired. No matter what you try. No matter what you do."

Collei froze.

"What do you mean?" Her voice was small. "It can't be repaired?"

Arlecchino sighed deeply. "You see… there's a pin in the engine that connects the piston to the con rod."

She paused, choosing her words carefully.

"That pin snapped. And when it did, the piston punched a hole through the engine block—from the inside out. Almost like a miniature bomb went off in there."

Collei sank in her seat, her breath shaky.

Her mind raced—but the guilt crept in faster.

It's all my fault.

If I hadn't pushed the engine so hard… If I had just let off the gas on that straightaway…

Arlecchino's voice cut through her thoughts.

"That engine's history, Collei. We have no choice but to put in another one."

Collei's head snapped up, desperation flickering in her eyes. "A… a new engine?"

Arlecchino nodded. "That's right."

Collei swallowed. "Are you going to swap in something from another car? Or… build one from scratch?"

She turned to Arlecchino, her voice almost pleading now.

"Even if we put in a new engine… it wouldn't be the same car."

Her voice softened further.

"And wasn't that engine special to you? You worked so hard tuning it. Shouldn't we at least try to fix it?"

Arlecchino sighed, her expression softening.

She glanced at Collei, her voice gentle.

"Look, Collei. Trust me. If I could fix it, I would. But the damage is too severe. It's scrap. A total loss. I can't do anything. I'm sorry."

Collei tried to hold it in, but the tears spilled over before she could stop them.

She turned away, slumping against the window, blinking back the blurry lights of the expressway.

Arlecchino saw.

And sighed softly.

"Oh, Collei…"

Without a word, she reached over, placing a comforting hand on Collei's lap.

"Listen… I know what you're thinking. You're blaming yourself for this, aren't you?"

Collei didn't answer.

She didn't have to.

Arlecchino's thumb brushed gently against the fabric of Collei's jeans, an unspoken gesture of comfort.

"You're wrong, kiddo. The engine gave out because it was old, not because of you. I'm not mad. I'm not disappointed. These things happen, alright?"

She squeezed Collei's knee lightly before pulling her hand back.

Collei stayed silent, but her shoulders trembled.

Arlecchino said nothing more.

The truck rumbled down the highway, the road stretching long into the night.

Behind them, on the flatbed, the Eight-Six lay silent and broken.

Its once-mighty heart was gone.

But the road ahead?

The road was still open.