act12side

It goes without saying, the results aren't bad.

Without a doubt. They've gotten just close enough to LUNG wRATh, without moving up to attack. It's been trick after trick to harass them, giving them no way to comfortably pick up the pace.

We can see just how far behind the leading team LUNG wRATh is!

They're stuck with a handicap on their bikes, and getting off means falling behind! LUNG wRATh face their biggest crisis in the competition yet!

They're not trying to defeat us, just stall us.

What's the plan? We're hard-pressed to try combat cycling. We'll be completely held up at this rate.

(Hushed) It seems someone wants us to take a shortcut.

(Hushed) I'm on the same page.

(Hushed) Go for it?

(Hushed) Heh.

LUNG wRATh have chosen to charge straight through an alley to shake the other teams off them!

But just as we saw on another stage, our city's crack troops wait in the alleys!

Though I'd love to cover the other teams too, LUNG wRATh has completely captured our attention!

Have they brought on their own doom, or will they survive the odds? We're going to find out!

This way! This is a pretty quiet alley, so I reckon nobody...

Careful.

The moment Ernesto turns back to look, a crossbow bolt flies out at him from a corner, but is cut down by a chop from Lin Yühsia.

Leave this to me, and hurry!

As Ernesto talks, he throws a key to Ch'en.

(Hushed) Hold onto this key.

(Hushed) There's an arms store of mine over there. It should be there the moment you head out.

(Hushed) There's a back door in the basement leading to an underground passage. It'll be way faster along that way.

(Hushed) I'll hold them off here. Go on ahead.

...Will you be fine by yourself?

As long as one of us makes it to the end, that's our win! Go!

Alright.

We break out of here.

What now? LUNG wRATh have hit a government-issued ambush blockade.

In all the frenzy, Ernesto's decided to take up the rear, and the two heroines have caught his key and left to press forward.

Ernesto's combat strength might be as impressive, but with this many enemies, his defeat could only be a matter of time anyway!

But as for the heroines, they've broken out of the entrapment, but ambushes still lie ahead! Can they really get away without a hitch?

Oh? They've opened a door on the street and rushed inside!

This store...

Is one of Ernesto's.

So that's their game! Looks like the key Ernesto left them works for sheltering in a shop of his.

But is this truly going to work out?

Hold on! Director, switch cameras!

Alright, that's the REAL game! From another angle it all makes sense. This store has a back door.

And we can see, there's a passage from that door through to the main street, and it hasn't been discovered by any other team's interference!

Is this LUNG wRATh's chance, or is it—

The words are still on D.D.D.'s lips when, there on the screen, the sound of a tremendous explosion comes from Ernesto's arms store.

Wh—Wh-Wh-What in the world is going on here?

Lady Candela, is that an obstacle you installed as well?

If it was, it wouldn't be as basic as blowing up this one single shop.

This... could it be that another team knew Ernesto had this up his sleeve, and laid a trap?!

If so, then we can say LUNG wRATh has been completely and utterly outdone!

LUNG wRATh, is this what buries you?!

Wow... Miss Ch'en and Miss Lin will be okay, won't they?

Relax, they've both been around the block. A little explosion like that's not gonna get them.

That said... this competition's no stranger to dirty play, but this one's a little too targeted.

Wonder if Ch'en's got beef with someone here.

Grrr... what the hell's with this guy? I can't even hit him.

Uh... I think that's the way Miss Ch'en's bunch went.

Let's go take a look and see.

Hui-chieh, are you dead?

*cough*, *cough*. Like that would kill me.

You're alive. Good. Your bike?

Gone.

Yours?

Perfectly fine.

It seems our opposition didn't want us dead and buried either.

But...

As luck would have it, the exit is blocked.

Well, good for luck.

Your view?

We find a way out. What else?

What I'm asking is who did it.

Looks like our intuition was on the mark.

Right. Ernesto couldn't hold it in, I'm guessing.

But don't you think it's odd? If I were him, this isn't how I'd do it.

Only one at the end of his rope would use such self-destructive means.

Maybe, it wasn't actually him.

Impossible.

Maybe, he wants us to think he's desperate.

Lin Yühsia raises her eyebrows, and leaves it be.

Right. Have you told Lady Candela about the matter?

Of course.

How did she respond?

You won't do anything... will you?

That's right, my girl. You're a smart one. You should be able to figure it out.

If I sent someone to inspect the bombs now, wouldn't that just be telling the mastermind I've noticed their schemes?

I understand.

No matter, Ch'en. You and Lin have done very well already.

To be frank, at the start I had no expectations you'd find anything at all, hahaha.

And you don't seem to care?

Of course, my girl.

And you needn't worry about this too much.

I've seen you and Lin put on a very good show in the championship. Why not forget all this, and try your very hardest for number one? You'll put a smile on Wei Yenwu's face too, hahaha.

We'll take it into consideration.

You can probably imagine it.

Easily.

Now, how do we get out?

I heard a certain Special Inspection Unit Chief could dice apart a whole building in her rage. Mind showing me first-hand?

Not every building's so sliceable. This one's clearly built from exceptionally sturdy stuff.

Can you use your sand ability to transport things?

I'm not my dad. A blockage of this level, with my ability, would need some time.

Then I'll have a go.

No need. I have another method.

What is it?

Can you guess what this is?