Chapter 123: Founding
“The Magician, thank you for what you said during the awards ceremony.”
The owner of the Rolling Stone Club shook hands with Derek Su, his voice thick with emotion.
“Now a lot of people know that Rolling Stone was a good kid. And I heard that Mecha Island loops live broadcasts and recordings of major competitions. Maybe… just maybe, Rolling Stone might see it too. If she does, she’ll definitely be happy. That child’s only wish was to win a championship once. Unfortunately, I…” He let out a long sigh.
Mr. Xavier patted the Rolling Stone Club owner on the shoulder, trying to comfort him. “It’s all in the past. There’s no point dwelling on it anymore. Rolling Stone wouldn’t want to see you like this either, would she?”
Laiya An and Dawnbreak stared blankly at the scene, still not quite understanding what was going on.
Then they saw the red-eyed middle-aged man take a deep breath and spread a stack of documents across the table.
Looking closely, they realized they were the club’s land deed, transfer agreements, and various facility inspection certificates.
“Derek Su, according to our agreement, the Rolling Stone Club now belongs to you.”
The owner pushed the documents toward Derek Su. It was as if a weight had finally lifted from his shoulders; he let out a relieved breath, and the tension in his posture visibly eased.
“Rolling Stone was too badly damaged. The damage even reached the AI Core, so it could only be sent back for recycling. I was so discouraged that I dismissed all the racers, Mecha Girls, and coaches. If I hadn’t acted so impulsively, you could’ve taken over a complete club… but now you’ll have to recruit people yourself.”
“I’m already very grateful that you’re giving me the club’s shell for free,” Derek Su replied sincerely.
He signaled Stella to bring over the championship trophy.
The Silverstone Advanced Series trophy was a brass model of Mount Loren, sealed in synthetic crystal. Both the volcano and the crystal base were engraved with the words “Rolling Stone Club.” Only beneath that, in much smaller lettering that was easy to miss, were the names Derek Su and Stella.
Derek Su handed the trophy to the owner, but the owner shook his head.
“You’ve already given Rolling Stone the greatest honor possible. I won’t take the trophy. You keep it. I’ve thought it over—I probably won’t touch racing ever again. A trophy should stay where it belongs. Besides, if it’s kept at the club, Rolling Stone will be happy.”
He gently touched the trophy, his eyes filled with a mix of tenderness and sorrow.
Derek Su and Stella looked at each other, speechless.
Well, this time the owner didn’t want anything at all.
He didn’t even want to keep the trophy as a souvenir.
The owner didn’t stay long before leaving. As he walked away, his back looked light and unburdened, as though he had finally said goodbye to the past.
Laiya An stared at the pile of documents on the table, shock spreading across her face. “I–Idol… y-you already have a club now?”
“Yeah.” Before Derek Su could answer, Stella had already jumped to her feet, hands on her hips, looking down smugly at Laiya An and Dawnbreak. “Just a club. Easy as pie. Master and I have never worried about club matters. Heh heh!”
“As expected of my idol! That’s amazing!!” Laiya An’s face was full of admiration.
The owner of Dawn’s Voice had told her that there were already nearly three factions competing to buy up club shells, even bidding against one another to the point of fighting.
Yet Derek Su, despite being targeted by all sorts of mysterious forces, still managed to secure a club.
Not only was his racing skill almost supernatural, his business methods were equally unfathomable.
If she weren’t the ace of Dawn’s Voice, she would definitely have joined Derek Su’s club.
People often say that you become like those you associate with.
Following outstanding people usually makes you better as well.
Dawn’s Voice had decent resources, but she had already reached the top there. She could no longer find a goal worth chasing.
Even Dawnbreak, who didn’t like Derek Su, had to admit his admiration at this moment.
A club wasn’t something an ordinary racer could just get their hands on.
No matter how Derek Su had obtained this club, having access to such channels was a capability in itself.
“There’s a saying: ‘Those who follow the right path gain many supporters; those who stray lose them.’ You might not know what it means, but I think it fits me perfectly~” Derek Su said, swaying slightly as he spoke. Inside, though, he genuinely felt a bit emotional.
Back then, if he hadn’t helped Xavier Young and Zane, they definitely wouldn’t have helped him gather information. In that case, he likely never would have crossed paths with someone like the Rolling Stone Club owner.
If that had happened, opening a club under pressure from so many factions would have been truly difficult.
Being targeted was completely expected.
Provincial-level resources were limited, and his and Stella’s strength had long made them thorns in the eyes of others.
Perhaps the top clubs would choose to overwhelm them with sheer power, defeating them fair and square.
But the world was never purely black or white. There were always people with darker thoughts.
The moment he announced his intention to establish a club, he was already mentally prepared.
Even so, no matter how many obstacles stood in the way, he had to build this club. It wasn’t just because of Mr. Liang’s warning, or his own lingering psychological shadow—more importantly, he didn’t want to be controlled by anyone. Compared to being controlled, he would rather be the one in control.
Just like on the racetrack—he was the emperor who commanded the track, not a dog tamed by it.
...
Jiangcheng City—
“Well? Did you get the club?”
A burly middle-aged man sat behind a rosewood desk. Even seen from behind, he radiated an intimidating sense of authority.
His voice was deep and steady, almost completely devoid of emotion.
The assistant standing behind him kept his head lowered, trembling, his legs shaking uncontrollably.
“Boss, I’m sorry. The Crown Club and Giant Tech in Tianyuan City are both buying up clubs. They’re the local heavyweights there. We were a bit too slow, and many of the people trying to sell their clubs seem to have been threatened. None of them are willing to sell to us.”
“Tsk. I didn’t even want to develop in a place as chaotic as Tianyuan City. I just wanted to lie low in a small city like Jiangcheng. But since they won’t give me any face…”
The middle-aged man set his teacup down hard with a bang. Everyone in the room shuddered.
“Notify all departments to prepare. Set up a branch in Tianyuan City. We’re going to seize the racing suit market there.”
The assistant looked up, his eyes full of excitement.
“Th-then, Boss, how much funding should we allocate?”
“Start with ten billion,” the man said casually after a moment’s thought. “If it’s not enough, add more.”
“I want our products to take over all of Tianyuan City within a month. Is that clear?”
“As long as the funds are in place, there won’t be a problem. Our product quality speaks for itself,” the assistant replied quickly.
“Good. Go take care of it.”
The middle-aged man waved his hand, and the assistant immediately bowed and withdrew.
Rustle—
The newspaper was flipped to the next page.
“Damn… this kid’s got some ability.”
The middle-aged man muttered to himself, smacking his lips.
The headline read:
[Rolling Stone Club Owner Announces Retirement, Club Transferred to The Magician; Stella Club Announces Establishment on Longxing Street, Tianyuan City!]
Author's Note
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