Chapter 73 Racing
Chapter 73 Racing
Thomas became elated at Gabriel's words.
He couldn't believe his ears.
Head of Silverwood Clan of the Ghostly Purgatory Hall was a prominent position in Silverwood's underground realm, one of the top three powers.
Up until now, he'd been a small-time thug, at the mercy of the existing leaders.
Now, he had the chance to rise to a prominent position.
"Boss, thank you for this opportunity. I promise to give it my all and not tarnish your name!"
Excitement still radiated from Thomas as he made his commitment.
Opportunities like this were exceedingly rare, and he wouldn't let this one slip through his fingers.
Gabriel nodded in satisfaction and added, "I believe in you. But remember, even though I can guide you, you'll need your own strength and determination to blaze this trail."
"The position of Silverwood Clan's head in the Ghostly Purgatory Hall is no small challenge." All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.
"Once you, Thomas Taylor, succeed, no one will dare to look down on you. Be mentally prepared for that!"
Thomas possessed a relatively high degree of adaptability.
Being the head of Silverwood Clan wouldn't be too challenging for him.
After dealing with the Davis family, he could use Silverwood as his base.
With the flexibility to advance or retreat, he could focus on unraveling the mysteries surrounding his identity, and the Ghostly King's legacy.
"Don't worry, Boss. That position will undoubtedly be mine!" Thomas confidently declared, and a hint of dominance emerged.
"All right, let's call it a day for the training. Hit the showers and freshen up. Tonight, we'll go racing with Maria."
Gabriel patted Thomas' shoulder, encouraging him.
Thomas nodded and turned away excitedly. After taking a few steps, he returned with excitement.
But shortly after he took a few steps ahead, he turned and ran back, wondering, "Boss, for tonight's race, should it be me or you facing off against Maria? And what's the wager?"
"You? You really think you can beat her in racing?" Gabriel countered with a smirk.
Even though he had managed to defeat Maria that one day, it was clear that this young woman had impressive racing skills.
When it came to racing, Thomas was good, but not on her level.
He was more of a diversion in this situation; Gabriel would be the one to make the final move.
He squinted thoughtfully and then continued, "When the time comes, just watch for my signals. Keep her occupied at first, and I'll finish the job in the end. As for the bet..."
"If she loses, she'll have to strip down, and I'll have some fun with her."
The more arrogant someone was, the more they needed a challenge that pushed their boundaries, even if it meant embarrassment. It could either make them furious or completely conquered.
Ava wasn't thrilled with the idea.
She pouted and playfully hit Gabriel with her small fists while exclaiming, "You incorrigible playboy, dumping me for Stella, and now, just a few days later, you're onto Maria! I could kill you, you heartless scoundrel!"
Jumping from one person to another? He was too fickle for her taste.
Why would she fall for such a wishy-washy guy?
"Alright, alright, stop it! I was just kidding about it!"
Gabriel dodged Ava's playful attacks, and they playfully chased each other around the training room.
Thomas, witnessing this playful exchange, gave Gabriel a big thumbs-up.
Impressive!
Gabriel seemed determined to conquer all four of Silverwood's beauties.
If he succeeded, he'd undoubtedly become the kingpin of the dating scene.
Later that evening, around eight o'clock, a section of Grass Beach Road was inexplicably blocked off.
At a crossroad parked a few cars.
Several taxis, all in a ghastly shade of yellow, were parked at one of the intersections.
Maria, wearing a leather jacket, leaned casually against the hood of one of the cars, her hands in her pockets, nonchalantly chewing gum.
Beside her, someone was marking lines on the road, and a grid girl held the chess pieces for the race.
A group of seven or eight young people surrounded them, chatting and laughing.
Maria had invited them to be witnesses to her victory over Thomas, defending her title as the racing champion.
Yvonne Ward, who was beside her, looked a bit miffed and voiced her discontent, "Maria, with all the fancy cars you have, why did you choose to race in these taxis?"
In her view, these cars were dirty and shabby.
She much preferred riding in luxury cars.
"You just don't get it. The grittiest section of road calls for the grittiest cars to race. Our opponent has a solid grip on these inferior vehicles. Winning against them with these taxis is the true triumph, and it'll cleanse the stain of our last race when I crashed!"
Even now, she couldn't let go of the memory of that fateful day. It was like a fishbone stuck in her throat. Whether she could swallow it depended on today, on whether she could win using these putrid yellow taxis.
"I won't be sitting in the passenger seat during your race, that's for sure!" Yvonne declared, firm in her resolve.
Aside from her disdain for the taxis, she also harbored a fear of crashing.
The scars on her from their last crash were still fresh.
"Beep beep!"
Suddenly, a sleek Mercedes glided to a halt, its horn blaring.
Out stepped Thomas, followed by the edgy-looking Gabriel, Sparrow, and Eagle.
Maria glanced at her watch. It was 7:59.
She appeared pleased with their punctuality.
With a wave of her hand, her entourage of friends, who had been invited as witnesses, joined her in approaching Thomas and his crew.
"You're right on time. Congrats, your legs are safe for now!" Maria quipped, with a hint of sarcasm. "Tonight, the race is on this stretch of Grass Beach Road, through two intersections in an urban village, and then a 200-meter dash after reaching Riverbank Road. I've already had the finish line set up there."
"As for the cars, here are five taxis designated for Silverwood, all in similar condition."
"Take your pick, and once you've chosen, we'll start right away!"
Maria didn't waste a second and immediately laid out the race's rules.
After she finished, her group of friends erupted in cheers, their excitement palpable.
One guy with narrow eyes piped up, "Maria, is this bald dude your opponent? Maybe I should step in for you. Seems like you won't even need to race."
The crowd of young people cheered and gave a chorus of boos.
Some even taunted Thomas with thumbs-down gestures.
The narrow-eyed men became complacent at that.
"Who the hell are you? Mr. 'No eye'?" Gabriel retorted. "This is between my boss and Miss Adams. Who invited this joker? You don't even have the chops to race against my boss!"
Gabriel was infuriated by the man's words.
He immediately stepped forward to defend his "boss"-Thomas.
The narrow-eyed man flew into a rage, feeling embarrassed at being provoked before Maria.
After all, he was a notorious playboy in Silverwood, and no one dared to talk to him like that.
"Luca, shut up!"
Maria snapped, fixing him with an icy glare. "This is my event, and if you keep running your mouth, I'll have you thrown out."
Luca's face turned an unpleasant shade, but he held his tongue.
Surprisingly, Gabriel made a suggestion. "Hey, this narrow-eyed buddy seems to be a racing expert too. How about this? The road here is wide enough. Let's have a 2v2 race! Miss Adams teams up with this buddy against me and my boss. That way, he can join, and he won't have to keep complaining!"
Truthfully, Gabriel wanted to participate in the race himself.
Now that the guy with narrow eyes had given him the opportunity, he was eager to accept.
Thomas quickly agreed, "That's a great idea! A four-person race, and we'll only consider the winner. Fair enough!"
Luca, who had been upset moments ago, suddenly looked excited.
He provocatively pointed at Gabriel and said, "Kid, get ready to eat my dust!"
Gabriel just smiled and didn't bother responding further.
When dealing with fools, actions spoke louder than words.
"Alright, let's talk stakes!" Thomas scratched his head and grinned. "We're good with the rules, as long as they are fair enough, but how about we talk about the stakes beforehand? Without some juicy stakes, it's hard to get in the mood!"
Maria spat out her flavorless gum.
Then, without a bat of an eyelid, she declared, "I've said it before, and I'll say it again: when it comes to the stakes for this match, it's entirely your call. Anything you desire, as long as I possess it, I'm absolutely game!"