Master of Kaidan
Chapter 330: Establishing Character Image

Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Establishing Character Image

Three hundred meters above ground, on a highway constructed among towering skyscrapers, a strikingly painted motorcycle was racing at breakneck speed.

Following closely behind it were dozens of other motorcycles, accompanied by the sound of gunfire exploding amidst the pursuit, which was nevertheless dodged with a series of dazzling maneuvers.

Even though this wasn’t a film shoot, all of this action was being captured by dozens of hovering holographic cameras, while a lightly dressed, beautiful streamer on the Isgray news channel was energetically commenting on the situation—

"We can see that the one being chased right now is candidate number 1611 for mayor, Mr. George Augustus. He participated in the mayoral election four years ago, but this time around, his strength seems to have greatly increased.

"The gang pursuing him is the Ghost Fire Gang, bearing number 37 from the lawless district. They run the largest motorcycle modification business in Isgray City. Yet, please note that their modified motorcycles are in violation of road safety laws and can only be used in the lawless district or else they would incur hefty fines. Let me count, 1, 2, 3, 4... Plus the public attack on a mayoral candidate, regardless of success or failure, this time they’ll have to face at least a fine of over 3 million...

"However, speaking of which, to be able to ride a motorcycle and overcome the Ghost Fire Gang, known for their excellent riding and shooting skills, Mr. George’s ability is enough to compete in the city circuit championship. It’s just that riding without a helmet is an even more serious breach than driving a modified vehicle and assassinating a mayoral candidate—okay, I know it’s to show that he’s not a stunt double in order to get more votes, but if he doesn’t win the election, this gentleman will likely face a fine of 5 million and three years of imprisonment!

"Oh, what do I see! The Ghost Fire Gang actually used a rocket launcher? Although it’s the outdated model 704 man-portable rocket launcher, it’s still a classic piece of military equipment, falling just within the legal category of ’antique weapons.’ But if they really hit him with that... Oh my god, they actually fired!

"It hit! It really hit! And a direct hit! Mr. George was blown away, thirty... no, at least forty meters! According to the information I have, Mr. George hasn’t undergone any artificial body enhancements, nor does he have any obvious external armor. Can he survive this?

"Oh, he’s still moving! What luck, to be hit head-on by a military weapon and still live! Right now Mr. George must be very grateful, grateful that the mayoral candidates come with a medical insurance package. Here’s a thank you to Dor Media, Time Media, and Hongjing Media for their sponsorship, which is why mayoral candidates can have... Oh, wait, he’s standing up! Standing up after being directly hit with a military rocket! Should I start questioning the authenticity of the physical exam reports from the notary office now?"

In the midst of the streamer’s passionate roar, viewers saw on their screens a man with light brown, medium-short hair walking out of the roaring inferno after tearing off his burning shirt, leaving only a necktie bearing the pattern of Libra and skulls hanging around his neck.

His body didn’t show any signs of artificial modifications but shimmered with a peculiar gloss under the reflection of the flames.

His supremely sculpted muscular contours combined with the crushing pressure emanating from each step he took out of the blaze forced the pursuing Ghost Fire Gang to involuntarily stop shooting.

To "abide by the law," the weapons used by the Ghost Fire Gang were defined as "antique guns"—old-fashioned firearms with live ammo. But even then, they posed a significant threat to those of flesh and blood and those with light artificial body enhancements.

Yet, the man in front of them had just taken a hit from a military rocket launcher!

Clap!

Clap!

Clap!

George Augustus, his bare chest gleaming with a thin layer of oil reflecting the firelight, walked clear of the fire zone. His skin had a reflective sheen from the burn, and the cracked gold-wire glasses terminal from the blast didn’t diminish his aura—in fact, it enhanced his murderous vibe.

With every step he took, the gang members of the Ghost Fire Gang couldn’t help but step back, overwhelmed by an intense pressure that made them feel they were the prey in this chase.

Once the distance closed to within ten meters, the members of the Ghost Fire Gang, usually known for bullying the weak and fearing the strong, had lost their will to fight. But in such gangs, there was always a headstrong few.

So...

"Bang!"

The gunshot suddenly rang out. George Augustus swiftly turned his head, and the experienced director even assigned a special camera to capture the bullet in slow motion.

As the audience watched Mr. George approach the Ghost Fire Gang, they could also see from the split screen how the bullet was fired from the muzzle, came close, and then was easily dodged with a turn of the head.

Even the cracked gold-rimmed glasses of Mr. George, with their slightly distorted display, clearly showed the ballistic analysis!

"Hmph!"

With a snort, George Augustus was merely a meter away from the nearest Ghost Fire Gang member, but by that time, all the thugs had already lowered their weapons.

However, just when the audience thought a brutal fistfight was about to ensue, George acted as if he completely ignored the hooligans, casually hopped on a motorcycle belonging to the Ghost Fire Gang, and it wasn’t until the sound of the engine faded away that everyone realized what had happened...

...

"Is the performance that good?" Feng Xue, who had shaken off the tracking drone with Hermit Power, felt the corners of his mouth rise slightly as he embraced the new labels "Iron-blooded tough guy" and "Action movie actor," Despite not lacking "Identity," the special abilities that came with the labels still brought him pleasure.

Checking his watch, Feng Xue effortlessly entered a surveillance-free area, switched back to Bert Wall, and then took the elevator to a rental where he started preparing for today’s live stream.

Yes, preparing.

Not that he was preparing the content of the live stream—that could easily be conjured with a few Poisonous Insect Bodies.

The preparation he needed to do was to spend time adjusting his public persona, to ensure he wouldn’t accidentally slip into another role’s lines during the live stream.

It hadn’t been a problem before, after all, Bert, Dunn, and the two ghost hunters who weren’t too good, plus the top salesperson who did live commerce, were all different types. One was a gold-medal salesman who spouted nonsense with a straight face, another was a staunchly materialist streamer who collided with ghosts; their atmospheres were distinct, no need to worry about blabbering.

But everything changed when George Augustus joined. After all, he was also a staunch anti-superstition warrior, with a persona that overlapped a little bit with Bert’s, but at the core, they were different.

Bert’s image was built on being hard-mouthed, hard-fated, and with a strong presence—truly a non-believer in ghosts and gods.

Meanwhile, George embodied the persona of a hard-boiled action movie protagonist with an undying body, with anti-superstition merely a tagline.

To put it bluntly, the former was about filming Japanese-style horror, focusing on dramatic scenes and atmosphere, the latter was about shooting American-style blockbuster action movies, focusing on explosions, car chases, and spectacular visual effects.

After devouring some expensive takeout, Feng Xue’s mood mellowed, the pleasure of having played the part earlier gradually dissipated, and once again, he became the number one hard-mouthed streamer on the internet.

Bert Wall, cool and collected, started streaming!