"Wow! This wine is really strong! "
In the spacious backseat of the off-road vehicle, Johnny was holding the bottle like a drunkard. His expression was exaggerated as he laughed at Saber. It was obvious that this guy did not have the habit of drinking. Just half a bottle of wine was enough to make him enter a drunken state of joy.
After exposing his disguise, this guy no longer had the feeling of being thousands of miles away. He and Saber smoked and drank, occasionally answering Selena's questions about professional racers. In addition, Selena turned on the truck radio station to play wild music. The second half of the journey was filled with joy.
But behind this joy was the painful past of Johnny Blaze's family.
His story wasn't complicated. When Johnny was young, when he was 15 years old, 10 years ago, he and his father, Explosive Barton, who was also a death car driver, performed father and son driving skills in a large circus near Austin. They were well received there. His life from a young age wasn't great, but it definitely wasn't poor either. Until he was 15 years old, when God played a joke on his father.
Lung cancer was a terrifying term 10 years ago. Johnny found out all of this. He could not believe that the old man, who was as healthy as a horse and always focused on his acrobatic career, would leave him so easily. The young Johnny was surrounded by an indescribable fear. And on that night, a stranger visited him.
It was Mephistopheles. This guy carried the temperament of a devil. He easily moved Johnny and signed a strange contract with him. He promised Johnny that he would get a healthy father. The next day, Johnny saw that his father had completely recovered to the age of 30. He was unbelievably healthy. He started to plan his elopement with his first love. In the end, the moment Johnny left the circus … Explosive Barton had an accident.
It was an acrobatic feat with almost no difficulty. Any beginner racer could do it by riding a bicycle through a ring of fire. However, Barton, who was known as the best racer, fell in this segment. When Johnny rushed into the hospital, he saw his father's cold, charred body.
He got what he wanted, a healthy family member. But less than 30 minutes later, he lost him again … Mephistopheles did what he promised, but he used an unforgettable method to take away Johnny's only family member … and his love. In the cold rain of Austin, Johnny rode the car his father left behind and left his hometown alone.
Ever since he was 15 years old, Johnny had learned one thing. He had to protect those he was willing to protect, but he had to do it in a different way … and that was to stay far away from them, because his appearance would only bring misfortune and death.
"I've been waiting for a second chance …"
The drunk Johnny hugged Saber's shoulder as if he was sleep-talking. "Everyone deserves a second chance. I know I can't live in fear, but when I left my hometown at 15, I could see him every time I turned around … He told me that he would appear again. At that time, he would fulfill his promise, he would take away what he needed … my soul … I know that all of this started because of me. If I didn't sign that contract, my father …"
"He would have died …"
Saber turned Johnny's face around with one hand and looked him in the eye. "If you didn't sign that contract, your father would have died. He would have even laid on the hospital bed in pain, waiting for his last moment in despair day after day. At least you let him die because of something he loved. This is a kind of mercy. As for your fear … it's meaningless!"
"Johnny, all of your fear. You lived in fear for 10 years, repeatedly trying all kinds of suicidal driving skills. What are you trying to prove?"
"You want to prove that he has forgotten you? You want to use this method to escape? "
Saber put down his finger and leaned back on the chair.
"No wonder you were able to survive even after your skull and spine were broken. His power has always been around you. He wants to ensure that his' investment 'will be profitable. He wants to ensure that you can become the kind of person he wants you to be. You don't even realize the essence of the problem. Are you sure that what you are doing now is what you truly want to do from the bottom of your heart, or is it just a means for him to show you his power?"
Saber put his finger in front of Johnny's eyes. "From what I can see, you've been defeated by him. You tell yourself that you can't live in fear, but every time you say something like that, it means that you can't escape from your fear. Every time you mention it, it's a kind of activation of your fear. If this goes on, he won't even need to come to you, you'll be crushed by yourself."
"You don't smoke, you don't drink, you don't like everything that young people like … Tell me, is this normal?"
Saber's lips curled into a playful smile. "As far as I know, Mephisto himself doesn't like things like cigarettes and alcohol. I think you're slowly becoming him … Do you know what I mean?"
A drunk person would not be able to think spiritually, but Johnny was not a normal person. Like Saber, he had the power of a great demon sleeping in his body. He heard every word Saber said and felt that Saber's words made sense.
Was it because he was unwilling to come into contact with all of that, or was there some other force influencing him?
Johnny sat there thinking for a few minutes, then he grabbed the phone beside him.
"Hey, Mike, my brother. You have a party tonight, right?"
It was noisy on the other side of the phone. The vice-captain of Johnny's team, Mike, who was also one of his few friends, said loudly into the phone, "F * ck! You're usually not interested in these things. Why? Do you want to come and play too? "
Johnny shrugged and asked aloud.
"Are there cigarettes, alcohol, and beauties? Are there things that young people should be interested in? "
"Wow! Our f * ck is coming back to life! "
Mike said happily, "The best enjoyment, the best beauties, East Houston. Do you need me to get someone to pick you up?"
Johnny gave an address and hung up the phone. He let out a long breath and looked at Saber. He reached out and scratched his head.
"You're right, I think I should … relax occasionally. That kind of pressure that's been on me for ten years is really, really, crushing me."
"It's a shame to collapse before the real danger comes. A warrior should eat the best, drink the best, play the best, and then bravely go to the battlefield with a weapon. Dying on the battlefield is the best ending for the brave … You'll be a good warrior, Johnny. I'm looking forward to seeing you and Mephisto again."
Saber waved at Selena.
"Drop Johnny off at the next street. We should go home."
"Goodbye, Saber!"
Johnny stood outside the car and waved at Saber and Selena. "You're welcome to the show in three days. I can arrange the best seats for you!"
Selina shrieked in surprise. Then, she watched as Johnny pushed the car into an alley. Seber rolled up the car window, and two flickering flames could be seen under his sunglasses. Selina had no idea what he was thinking about.
"Selena, help me contact Catherine and ask her to send a few guys over. I want the kind of guys who can find people and fight … Don't let Catherine come over. She still has to study in Gotham!"
Saber closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked tired as he spoke to Selena who was sitting beside him.
"If she makes a fuss, tell her that this is Pops' request. She has to finish high school and university before she can run the bar. Ask Lewis and Robin to keep an eye on her. The power we're going to face this time is a little troublesome. Don't let that reckless girl get involved."
The next morning, Saber and Yuriko followed Selena to the ruins of the small town called San Venganza. The place was quite far from the Crossover Bar. It was almost on the opposite end of the desert. Its name reminded one of the San Venganza Contract. Most importantly, Saber wanted to get some clues from there.
"You said that place is now a tourist attraction?"
Yuriko looked at the travel map of Texas in her hands blankly. She turned to look at Selena who was driving. "But Saber -sama said that it's very dangerous! How can it be a tourist attraction? "
This title made Selena and Saber's teeth ache at the same time. The latter waved his hand.
"Yuriko, you can call me Saber or Hawk. Can you not call me Sama? It sounds weird. "
"This is an honorific title!"
Yuriko replied stubbornly. "Whether it's strength or experience, you are qualified to bear this title. You know, in ancient Japan, there was a force like The Devil Gang, which was comparable to some small daimyo. This title is absolutely appropriate!"
Looking at the serious look on her face, Saber sighed and stopped trying to stop her. Yuriko's father, the mad scientist, gave his daughter a traditional education. This kind of thing was difficult to reverse.
Since he couldn't change it, he should learn to enjoy it. Frankly speaking, being called "Sama" by such a beautiful girl was actually a very cool and strange experience.
"That place is indeed a tourist attraction. The dilapidated houses and buildings there retain the western style of two centuries ago. Many people travel there."
Selena looked at Saber through the rearview mirror while driving. Every time Saber's eyes turned to her, she would glare back fiercely. Yuriko didn't know about Saber's "dirty" ability.
"About San Venganza, is there any legend related to the devil?"
Saber noticed Miss Godly Thief's movement, so he closed his eyes, put on his sunglasses, and pulled down the brim of his hat. Facing Saber who finally "behaved", Selena snorted with satisfaction, and then began to talk about the news she had obtained during her last trip.
"There are many myths in the western region, and it's hard to tell whether they are true or false. But if it's the San Venganza area, there are two most famous stories that almost everyone knows. One is the devil in the wheat field. It's said that every 30 years, during the summer harvest season, the devil will hide in the wheat field and kill the poor people who are chosen by him. It won't stop until the blood is enough to cover one-third of the wheat field, and then it will return to the devil world."
Selena told the story in a pretentious and terrifying tone. After she was done, she looked at the expressions of Yuriko and Saber. The former was excited, while the latter had no reaction. This made Selena feel strangely frustrated, so she continued with the second story. "The legend of the wheat field is said to be the devil's tale.
The other legend is about Ghost Riders. They're called knights, but they're actually more like bounty hunters. This is amazing. In the past few years, as long as it's near the western region, almost all the places I've traveled to have this legend, and each place is different. The main character of Ghost Rider in San Venganza is a Texas Ranger named Carter Slay. Well, that's an old man from 230 years ago. "
"Oh?"
Saber's interest was piqued. He tapped Selena's seat with the large cane in his hand.
"There's actually such a well-documented main character. Come, tell me about this Carter Slay."
Selena glared at him, then sniffled and whispered, "I heard the tour guide say that Carter Slay was a famous Ranger in San Venganza.
"I heard the story from the tour guide. It's said that Carter Slay was one of the most famous mounted police officers in Texas history. They were active in the last days of the Western era. He was a very upright and brave man. In the areas he patrolled, the bandits and criminals fled. It's said that Carter's bullets could accurately blow off a guy's head from 500 meters away. At that time, there wasn't a criminal gang in the West that wasn't afraid of him, but this guy had a problem. He was too greedy."
Selena turned the steering wheel and drove the car onto a remote desert road. She continued telling the story of Ghost Rider.
"Carter's greed for money and power brought him trouble. It seems that when he was 35 years old, he was sent to prison for corruption. While waiting for his death, Carter met a mysterious guy and signed a contract with him. The greedy Carter's crimes were forgotten by everyone, and he became that brave and upright police officer again. He hunted down criminals during the day, and at night, he would become a burning knight who hunted down demons and ghosts who sneaked into the human world."
"But Carter's old problem resurfaced. During one of his hunts, he took something that should have belonged to the devil. In the end, he attracted even more trouble. He was killed by the devil, but the thing he took disappeared. It's said that the devil … has been looking for it!"
At this point, Selena's voice trembled. When she heard this story before, Miss Godly Thief thought it was nonsense, but after seeing Mephistopheles for real, Selena suddenly realized … This story was very likely …
"It's true!"
Saber looked at the village outside the window. His eyes moved slightly.
"This story is true. The thing that Carter Slay took was the San Venganza contract! Selena, Yuriko … Go ask around and gather any information about Carter Slay for me … We finally have a clear target. "
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