Chapter 705 ·Driving Too Fast? Flying Too Slow.

Monica’s ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍face was full of excitement as she reached out and lifted a protective cover inside the vehicle. A red button appeared before the group.

“Don’t!” ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍“No!” Zoe and Gaia immediately stopped her. “If you start street racing again, the Lord will revoke your driver’s license!”

“Tch, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍boring.” Monica snorted and, somewhat unwillingly, put the cover back down.

Strictly ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍speaking, using explosives as fuel for an Internal Combustion Engine was actually rather orthodox.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍original inventor of the piston-type Internal Combustion Engine was the Dutch physicist Christiaan Huygens. He had intended to use gunpowder explosions to generate power, though he had not succeeded.

In ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍other words, when the Internal Combustion Engine was first developed, it was meant to burn explosives. The Cylinder was supposed to be driven by explosions. Burning oil instead was technically the deviant path.

Considering that the technological tree of this world had long since gone astray, Hughes did not particularly care what the engine beneath him burned, so long as it did not send his backside into the sky.

The problem was that Monica’s car was simply outrageous.

“Don’t listen to their nonsense. This car is very safe. It just accelerates a bit quickly. Mm… going from zero to one hundred kilometers per hour takes about 0.4 seconds.” Monica introduced it proudly.

What kind of acceleration was that?

Even on Blue Star, it would be impossible.

Cars had to run on the ground, which meant four wheels providing friction. No matter how much horsepower one had, if the tires could not handle it, it was useless. That was a limitation imposed by the laws of physics.

But Monica’s car—

To put it this way: if she stood up and stepped on the accelerator, the car could stand up and run too. Wheels? Friction?

Optional. Unnecessary.

During the test drive, the engine let out a thunderous blast—an actual explosion—and the car, Monica, and the engine all shot forward.

Unfortunately, they flew separately.

Monica had been recovered. The engine, however, had yet to be found.

Thus, Monica’s car had been fitted with multiple layers of safety mechanisms.

Yes. If she wanted to press the accelerator harder, she first had to unlock the safety lock. And unlocking it required the consent of the other three passengers in the car.

There was no helping it. Everyone’s opinion had to be sought. After all, if she stepped too hard on the accelerator, they would all be flying apart again.

In the end, the car still set out on the road, though its safety rating was relatively low. After all, cars on Blue Star were categorized by engine displacement.

Monica’s had to be categorized by Explosive Yield.

“Can I do a launch start?”

“No!”

“Can I use Level III output?”

“No. Level I at most.”

“Can I—”

“No. You are not unlocking anything. Just drive like this!”

“Oh.” Monica responded dejectedly, her enthusiasm dampened, and lightly pressed the accelerator with the tip of her tail.

Boom!!!

A violent roar erupted. The tires scraped madly against the ground, producing a shrill screech as the entire car trembled and shot forward!

Beatrice felt as though she had been tied to an iron ball and smashed forward by a giant hammer along with it!

Her whole body was pressed into the seat. The powerful acceleration even surpassed the sensation of falling from the sky.

She screamed instinctively, “Ahhhhhhh!”

Zoe and Gaia in the back seat looked completely unsurprised. They exchanged a glance, and their expressions gradually turned blank.

Not far away, in a shadow within the Air Harbor.

Two heads poked out, watching the car speeding away. Zoe and Gaia muttered quietly to each other.

“Is it really okay to let Beatrice experience this kind of stimulation?”

“What stimulation? There’s much more stimulation coming.”

“True enough.”

No matter what, Beatrice was a Transcendent. As long as Monica did not drive to the point where all four wheels left the ground, there was not much danger for her.

It was just that, riding for the first time, she found it difficult to imagine such exaggerated speed.

The car howled past. The wind on both sides seemed to gain substance. Beatrice felt that the wind pouring in through the window seams was like blades, slicing her soul into pieces.

The engine clattered. Beatrice’s teeth clattered as well.

“W-where are we going…”

“Mm, let’s leave the Air Harbor first. It’s huge. Walking would take half a day.”

Beatrice very much wanted to say that she did not mind walking.

But before she could speak, there was a clunk—and the window flew off.

The wind blades instantly turned into wind hammers. Beatrice’s hairstyle was immediately flattened straight back.

She narrowed her eyes, barely able to see ahead. Monica, on the other hand, was hardly affected at all. She burst into laughter, looking utterly exhilarated.

What was she laughing at?

Beatrice wanted to ask, but the moment she opened her mouth, it filled with wind. She clenched her teeth, yet her lips were blown open and puffed up like a balloon.

“Hahaha! Doesn’t it feel like flying?!”

Monica shouted.

Beatrice was startled, but after hesitating for a moment, she nodded.

How strange. She had ridden in an Airship before, yet inside this car, it felt more like flying.

She was a Transcendent, but Transcendents could not fly. She could not even leave Rhine.

Sitting in this car that seemed ready to explode at any moment, she inexplicably felt something she had never possessed before—

Freedom.

Strapped to the car, just pressing the accelerator, racing forward while letting out unrestrained screams.

She seemed to understand why Monica loved such wild speeding.

“Then shall we go faster?”

“Okay!”

Monica looked at her in surprise, then grinned. “Then hold on tight!”

As soon as she finished speaking, her hand had already grabbed the safety cover. She flipped it open and smashed down hard on the red button!

Boom!!!!

Zoe and Gaia stared in shock as crimson flames erupted from behind Monica’s car. The entire vehicle shot forward at an unimaginable speed.

“Did—did the cylinder explode?”

“Seems like it…”

In the instant she was launched into the air, Beatrice suddenly realized something.

When Monica had told her to “hold tight,” she had not meant grabbing the handle on the door.

Beatrice looked at the handle in her hand—

Only the handle remained. The rest of it was still attached to the car door, which she was gripping with her other hand, along with the seat strapped to her body.

She looked down.

She was now slightly higher than a Volcano.

The Transcendent ability of the 【Investigator】 did not include flight. If she fell from this height, she would almost certainly die.

W-was she really going to die like this?

Sure enough, her luck had never been very good…

Before Beatrice could form any further thoughts, she heard a loud bang. The seat beneath her exploded.

A large mass of canvas burst out, evenly connected to her seat by thin cords.

Beatrice blinked in confusion and looked up.

Above her head—

Was a parachute.

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