The race rolled on into mid-game.
The two leaders had cleared the second curve and entered the second backstretch.
"Hah… hah…"
Stardust Illusion's breathing had grown labored.
As a runner who opened with a great escape, the stamina strain was higher to begin with—and Bourbon's pressure from behind…
Although she'd quickly found a way to neutralize Bourbon's interference, the stamina already burned wouldn't come back.
As one of the acknowledged bottom-tier stamina runners in this race, she was clearly starting to feel the squeeze.
With that thought, Stardust Illusion cocked her head toward her back.
But Bourbon's face was still expressionless, running on behind—and even from her face you could see her stamina was better off than Stardust's.
(There's 1,500 meters left. I have to keep the pressure on from wire to wire—leave them all behind…)
(This great escape—I'll carry it through and wrest victory back into my hands!)
Feeling the burn and ache in her body, Stardust Illusion exhaled a heavy breath.
"I can do it."
She told herself that.
The stamina pressure was real; the running conditions weren't favorable. But she believed she could hold to the end.
The power of a great escape is dragging everyone else into the bog—make them share your stamina hell.
Even if Miho Bourbon still looked okay, there was no way she was comfortable.
(Stay with it!)
(This race isn't just for McQueen's sake—it's to beat Zhuofu, beat Wangzu, and leave everyone behind—to run alone under the first-magnitude starlight!)
Stardust Illusion raised her head. Flames leapt in her blood-red eyes, muscles winding taut.
The ripple of her spirit swept the course—feral yet full of fighting will.
She stamped down and, sighting the straight ahead, blasted power forward—
—No.
(?!)
Just as she was about to burst again, a shudder welled up from within—not fear, not worry—
—but something purer: a tremor from instinct!
Someone was closing!
The air seemed to grow viscous again. A scent, sweet somehow, drilled into her nose.
What?!
Stardust Illusion couldn't process it at once.
Bourbon and she had pulled eight lengths on the pack with their great escape.
It wasn't impossible someone might catch up—but anyone closing now would have to be near their limit.
At that state, a pursuer's footfalls should be thunder.
Yet all she heard at her ears were her own steps—and Bourbon's rhythmic feet—
Wait!
Stardust Illusion suddenly caught it—hidden within Bourbon's footfalls was the faintest splashing!
That's… that's?
Zhuofu was here!!!
On a turf full of water and mud—where you had to guard against slipping with each plant—
This footfall was so quiet she'd ignored it herself.
Only when it drew near did she catch the source of the sweet scent—Zhuofu.
Stardust Illusion twisted to look back.
A small-framed girl, beaming, had come up on the two. Their eyes met in an instant.
(I'm here! Let's have a proper match!)
From those dazzling sea-blue eyes, Stardust Illusion read that meaning.
And what let her float up so lightly was Zhuofu's step—a step forgotten by gravity!
————————
(A great-escape runner, is it?)
Wangzu cast her gaze past the bodies ahead, straight to the back of the runner in first, and smiled.
(Indeed, the great escape can crush many inexperienced runners. So long as you hold out, the payoff is bigger than any other position.)
(But do you think it will be that easy?)
Wangzu turned her eyes to the pink figure that had just broken through the forward pack and was streaking toward the front line.
"Heh…"
The smile on her face curved into a sneer. Black depths pooled in her eyes, and a pressure began to gather—
Behind Wangzu, the two closers—Hishi Amazon and Gold Ship—noticed at the same time: a jet-black aura was bleeding off Wangzu's body, spreading outward.
(Just a rookie, and you dare pull that tactic in front of us French runners. Let Zhuofu play with you first.)
(Enjoy the taste of a fight, little rookie—)
(—until I start moving for real!)
"Zhuofu is up! Zhuofu is chasing the two great-escape runners!"
"She's so fast! We still don't know what happened back there, but Zhuofu is reeling them in at almost finishing-sprint speed!"
The host seemed determined to make up for his earlier loss of words and bellowed into the mic:
"Chasing down a great escape here? Is that really a sound decision?"
"Oh! The two up front have sensed the pursuer—what will they do—block her lane? Disrupt her rhythm?!"
Sensing the oncoming presence—even Bourbon reacted.
Running second, Miho Bourbon moved first. She took one calm glance back, then ticked up her cadence.
Holding that speed, she slipped from behind Stardust Illusion to cut in front of Zhuofu's line.
She didn't plan to Maginot her like earlier—but all she had to do was stall Zhuofu for a heartbeat, force a slight lift, and break her rhythm, preserving her own advantage.
For Bourbon, it was enough to compute Zhuofu's path and block just the "optimal" lane a little.
But would things really be that simple?
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