Chapter 172
During the one-hour lunch break, the Livestrani was temporarily paused. Phorbe took out three triangular talismans she had drawn earlier from her bag. She tucked one into her pocket. If someone suddenly attacked her with metaphysical techniques during the race, the talisman could provide some protection. Then, she handed one each to Maddox and Quintus. “These are protective talismans I made. Keep them on you.” She was worried that someone might target them as well, and she wouldn’t be able to protect them while she was racing.
Quintus accepted the talisman with some confusion. “Thanks.” He didn’t ask too many questions. He trusted that if their boss did something, there was always a reason. Maddox, however, looked a bit concerned as he took the talisman. “Is something going to happen?” Otherwise, Phoebe wouldn’t suddenly take out talismans for them and herself as well. Phoebe gave him a reassuring look. “It’s fine.” Only then did Maddox nod. “Just be careful during the race. It’s okay if you don’t win any prize money. Just treat it as having fun.”
Between winning money easily and ensuring Phoebe’s safety, her safety was the obvious priority. Quintus couldn’t quite follow their conversation, but he got the general idea that there might be some danger during the race. So, he added, “Yeah, the prize money doesn’t matter. Safety first!” Phoebe felt warmth in her heart at their words. “Got it!” The three of them chatted for a while before closing their eyes and resting on the lounge’s sofa.
At 1:30 pm, an announcement from the event organizers sounded in the resting area. All participants were asked to gather at the race track and find their assigned motorcycles according to their participant numbers. Phoebe changed into her racing suit and handed her bag to Maddox. She gave them a confident smile and waved before heading toward the track.
Just as she exited the resting area, a tall young man bumped into her. She immediately realized he had done it on purpose and turned to look at him. What she saw left her stunned, though she kept her expression neutral. It was Soren. Even after being with Reece for so many years, she had never met Soren because Reece’s mother, Ophelia, didn’t like her. Since Ophelia’s attitude also affected the brothers’ relationship, Reece and Soren weren’t very close. She had only recognized Soren from photos. He was dressed in a white shirt and dress pants, with sharp features and an elegant, refined demeanor. He looked like a true gentleman. At the moment, he was holding a phone to his ear.
After bumping into her, he immediately apologized, “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention while on the phone and accidentally ran into you.” Phoebe pretended to react as if he were just a stranger. She shook her head without saying anything and was about to leave. But Soren ended his call and stepped in front of her. “Miss, are you alright?” Phoebe looked at him with a half-smile. “I’m fine. But if you’re trying to hit on me, maybe choose a better setting.” Her tone made it clear she wasn’t interested.
Soren let out a helpless chuckle. “You misunderstood.” Then, he gestured politely. “Please, go ahead.” Phoebe nodded and walked past him. Mendy Beard Bin whispered a warning, “Be careful.” She kept her expression and didn’t look back, continuing forward as if nothing had happened.
When Phoebe arrived at her assigned motorcycle, she carefully inspected it to ensure nothing was wrong. As the race began, she transferred a wisp of auspicious energy from the emerald pendant around her neck to the talisman she carried. This pendant was an artifact given to her by Percival, filled with strong auspicious energy. However, it had to be actively activated to protect her from sudden curses or malicious attacks.
At encountering Soren, whether his warning was out of kindness or some hidden agenda, one thing was certain: someone was going to target her during the race. A little extra protection wouldn’t hurt. As if to be prepared, the other two teams arrived one after another. The show’s production team suggested that they sit together to make recording the event easier. Phoebe’s livestream had its own channel, while the others had a separate one. Because of this, Reece’s group of four, who had originally planned to find a separate spot, ended up sitting behind Maddox and his team. The production team coordinated with the event organizers, who agreed to allow livestreaming.
At exactly 2 pm, the racers mounted their motorcycles. The moment the signal was given, the engines roared to life, and all the bikes shot forward. The race took place on a professional motorcycle training and competition track. There were smooth roads but tight turns. Protective barriers lined both sides of the track. Phoebe accelerated right from the start, surging ahead with a few other competitors. Large screens in front of the audience displayed serial footage from drones, broadcasting the race live. Maddox and the others, along with thousands of viewers in the livestream, watched the screen intently.
As Phoebe maneuvered through several turns, she overtook one racer after another. Soon, she was neck and neck with another competitor, both of them vying for the lead. The race became increasingly thrilling, especially during two sharp turns where both motorcycles tilted dangerously close to the ground, almost appearing as if they would crash into each other. While controlling her motorcycle, Phoebe was also making preparations. As she entered the final turn, she suddenly noticed strands of evil energy emerging from the ground, twisting around her motorcycle. At that moment, her bike seemed to slip uncontrollably, as if it was about to crash. Phoebe’s body tilted sharply to one side, almost skimming the ground. From the large screen, it looked as though she was about to be thrown off the track entirely.
Maddox and the others were on edge, their faces full of worry. Only Sienna was barely containing her excitement. As expected, the person she contacted never failed. The rest of the text contains numerous errors and appears to be incomplete or nonsensical and has been omitted.