Heart Thief

0011 Where did Skye go?

No one answered. The injury was critical, so they quickly returned to the Qi Family's territory. Medical staff were already waiting to treat Sam. The blonde man, now known as Red Hawk, stood by the window with a grim expression, as people continuously came in to report the situation.

"How is it? Will it affect the race?" Red Hawk finally turned and asked.

A man respectfully replied, "It's a minor wound, but it will affect muscle sensitivity. For a race that requires precise control, it could be problematic."

Red Hawk frowned, glancing at the silent Sam and the others. His face hardened as he said, "I warned you to be careful and stay within our protected area. How am I supposed to explain this to the Family Head?"

Sam gritted his teeth and responded, "It's just driving. I've raced with worse injuries. It's not a big deal. I'm not blaming you guys, so what's there to explain?"

Jake chimed in, "We chose to go out on our own. We'll take responsibility. We won't embarrass you tomorrow."

Skye noticed that neither Sam nor Jake mentioned that it was her insistence on going out that led to this situation. They were protecting her. Even Will, though silent, showed his support. Her expression became conflicted.

"Red Hawk, it was the William Family who made the move. They aimed to prevent our driver from competing, but didn't intend to kill," a newcomer reported.

Will and Jake exchanged glances. No wonder they had stumbled into a gunfight - it was all planned. With the wound on Sam's leg, it was clear this was a calculated move. If they had wanted to kill, it would have been easy. That push had prevented Sam from taking a direct hit, but he was still injured.

Red Hawk, whether that was his name or codename, snorted coldly. "The William Family are Blue Bond's lapdogs. Hmp, only Blue Bond dares to challenge us. Fine, they asked for this."

After his cold words, Red Hawk looked at Sam and the others, his expression now composed. He said calmly, "Rest and recover. We'll handle the rest."

In the now quiet luxurious room, Jake noticed Skye's silence. He approached her with a smile, taking her hand. "It's okay. It's not a serious injury, just a bit painful. If he can't handle it, he's not much of a man. You don't need to feel guilty."

Sam also chimed in with a grin, "This little scratch is nothing. It's just driving, after all. They're not asking me to bring back the title of 'King of the Road'. No need to feel guilty, but you're welcome to fuss over me. Come on, Skye, give me a kiss to soothe my wounded spirit."

Lily immediately quipped, "It's your body that's wounded, not your spirit," causing Sam to roll his eyes dramatically.

"Given that Blue Bond is a family on par with the Qi Family, we can't predict when or where they'll strike next. It was bound to happen sooner or later. No big deal," Will added calmly.

Skye looked up, seeing Will's calm gaze, Sam's playful smile, Jake's gentle expression, and Lily's nodding agreement. After a moment of silence, a glint appeared in her eyes. She said coolly, "If everything's fine, I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted." With that, she turned and left.

Skye quickly caught up with Red Hawk, who had left earlier. Seeing her approach, Red Hawk asked coldly, "What is it?"

Skye glanced at the men following them and said calmly, "I want to know your real objective."

Red Hawk raised an eyebrow, noting Skye's composed demeanor, so different from her earlier flippant attitude. With a gesture, he dismissed his men. "What gives you the right to ask?" he said coldly.

"Sam's injury means he can't win for you. If you tell me your goal, I can recommend someone better. I believe you need that desperately," Skye replied.

Red Hawk's cold expression flickered slightly. He studied Skye, who was leaning against the wall waiting for his answer. After a while, he said slowly, "You're very clever."

Skye smiled faintly, accepting what might or might not have been a compliment. The Qi Family, with its century-old arms dealing legacy, wouldn't go to such lengths to recruit the Black Panther, one of the top three racers in the underground, by mere coincidence. Moreover, the fact that Blue Bond dared to make a move within Qi Family territory suggested that this wasn't just about a racing title. A mere title wouldn't be worth two powerful families coming to blows. There had to be more at stake, something they weren't aware of.

Seeing Skye's confidence, and knowing he indeed needed a better driver now, Red Hawk decided to reveal some information. If she could deliver, great. If not, he'd make her regret her impulsiveness. "The Southeast Asian market is being redistributed. Race standings will determine territory allocation," he said coldly.

Skye was shocked. The old boss who dominated Southeast Asia had only died this month, and they were already redividing the territory. These underworld families were truly audacious and powerful. From ancient times, the underworld had its rules, just as the legitimate world did. The fact that the Qi Family would recruit Sam, a racer from the legitimate world, showed how intense the competition had become. It was almost theatrical - settling disputes with a race instead of violence. It was hard to say if this was a farce or a new form of power struggle.

"I want all the prize money and 0.01% of the profits, paid in full upfront," Skye said, raising an eyebrow as Red Hawk coldly regarded her. His willingness to reveal so much meant he wasn't worried about her ability to leak information.

"Agreed," Red Hawk replied.

Skye nodded and whispered a few instructions. Red Hawk looked at her in surprise, replied briefly, and they walked out together.

Early the next morning, the VIP section of the F1 racetrack was filled with representatives from underworld families from around the globe. Each exuded a domineering aura, turning the usually boisterous racetrack into a tense battleground.

Meanwhile, the rest of the venue was filled with thunderous cheers. The annual underground "King of the Road" competition had been moved up and changed from a night race to a daytime event, much to the excitement of the supporters.

"Where on earth has Skye gone? Has something happened to her?" In the Qi Family's rest area, Lily was on the verge of tears with worry. They had assumed Skye had gone to rest, but when they went to find her in the morning, she was nowhere to be seen. Jake and the others were all in a panic.