Street Tales: Legend Of Zui Hou R
Fifth Gear: 'Street Angel's Tenacity'

ACT 1 – 1000RPM 'Fu Huo's Motive'

This new power won't be enough. I need something that will last longer…

Another month has past; the fury of Zui Hou R still remained concealed and hidden from the eyes of the public. It seemed that the Emperor had pulled back his grand touring projects and removed himself from any publicity and major appearances in any sponsored events. The Divine Unit had also seemingly been layed to rest and only standard business with components marketing and in-house tuning took place. Yet for one man, nothing could be layed to rest.

It was not enough for the young Chuan Fu Huo; even after conquering the top Zui Hou rankings and the rebirth of his already fearsome vehicle, it was clear to him that this would surely be short-lived. He did not expect it to last forever, nor last any longer at all.

It was a piercing cold, turbulent night at the base; hardly anybody in sight, Fu Huo made his way to the highest level of authorized entry in the entire headquarters. He took the elevator straight down and found himself at the long corridors – the very familiar corridors that many would not have dreamt of entering, yet Fu Huo moved in quickly like he owned the place.
Rushing his way through the displays, he quickly and silently made his way to the Chamber of the Fukakyon, where his prize was waiting for him.

Without wasting time, Fu Huo operated the lift turntable and rendered it operational. As the lights came on, Fu jumped straight on to the platform and slowly made his way over to Zui Hou's most prized NSX-R. However, much to Fu Huo's surprise, he could somehow faintly recognize the stench of rubber and oil. He slowly reached for the door and realized the window was partially opened.

Fu Huo was confused, yet he could only work out one possible conclusion. This car seems like it was recently manned.
Surprisingly, the keys were still in the ignition, but the KYOKO helmet was nowhere to be seen. What's going on here?
He hastily jumped from the platform and prepared to manually operate the lift turntable.

"I knew you'd come for it eventually," said a firm voice.

Fu Huo quickly drew out one of his pistols and aimed it around him, wondering where the voice came from. All the lights then came on, as the Emperor himself stepped out of the shadows. It was as if he was expecting Fu Huo to steal KYOKO. All the sensors, all the security measures seemed to have been purposely deactivated for Fu Huo to step in.

"But what I don't know is… why you've even thought of betraying me?" continued Emperor Zui Hou. "Put the gun down, Fu."

"Not today!" replied Fu Huo sharply, holding the gun firmly in his hand and facing it directly at the Emperor. He stepped back a bit, resting against the platform behind him.

"So this was your motive all along. You never wanted to destroy KYOKO. You wanted it for yourself," realized Zui.

"Now you've got the picture. But isn't it a bit too late to figure that out?" mocked Fu Huo, "KYOKO's mine!"

"Even if you managed to take it, you'll still never be worthy of its power!" backed up Zui.
"You'd better step back, you old fool," warned Fu Huo, "Nobody know's you're down here, and you wouldn't have to worry about KYOKO once I fire! It's your choice – step back and live to see me conquer all of motorsport with KYOKO, or die with the fact that all the funds that you've wasted all came down to me in the end!"

"You were raised by those funds… you were nourished, fed and put under a roof because of me. I was able to provide you the very thing that Chuan Shuo himself didn't manage to do… and this is how you repay me?" said the Emperor in rage.

"I said step back. Need I spell it for you? You raised me all these years, yeah it's true, but I was born for this day, and I was raised to claim KYOKO!" announced Fu Huo.

"Haha… I think it is you who would need to step back," bluffed Zui.

Out of nowhere, a group of guards rushed out of each and every door leading into the Chamber of Fukakyon armed with assault rifles aimed at Fu Huo's head.

"It really burns me to do this to you, Fu. It really does. But do I have a choice?" said Zui.
"Damn you, old man," said Fu Huo, tightly continuing to hold the gun at Zui.

A short moment later, the guards had began to make way for a certain individual, whom hastily made her way to Fu Huo.

"What's going on here?" asked Kumiko, demanding an explanation, "What are you doing, Fu?"
"Get out of my way, Ku. There's no time," explained Fu Huo.
"Fu Huo… so you're the… it's not possible… Please tell me it's not you…" pleaded Kumiko.

"I'm disappointed in him too, Kumi-chan," explained the Emperor, "But a rat will always be a rat. The choice is yours, Fu Huo. What are you gonna do?"

"Fu Huo… I don't want to believe it… Does that mean that…" muttered Kumiko.
"That's right!" announced Fu Huo, "I'm also the one who sold the KYOKO blueprints! I'm the very same person who dealt the drugs down at Dreadnaught too! All this time, you've sent me… to come after myself!"

"How… dare… you!" The Emperor was now severely enraged. He ripped out his own pistol from his sleeve and quickly aimed at Fu Huo.

"No! Stop it!" begged Kumiko, lunging in front of the Emperor's line of fire.
"Ku… what are you still doing? I've made myself enemies of all of Zui Hou… back off while you still can… or else…" warned Fu Huo.

"Fu Huo… I can't accept it! I can't!" sobbed Kumiko.
"Please, Ku…" begged Fu, "I don't want to have to shoot you too,"
"We're all gonna die if you don't do something, Fu. Drop your gun, and we all live. You're not worthy of KYOKO… in fact, we've already found someone else who is!"

What?

Fu Huo suddenly ran up to Kumiko and grabbed her swiftly then rested the tip of his gun to her head. "Drop your weapons, now!" he demanded. I'm sorry, Ku…

"What a cowardly move," mocked the Emperor.

Fu Huo slowly dragged Kumiko with him and made his way to the exit. It was his only chance of escape. He had to get out of there with or without KYOKO. With Kumiko as his hostage, he slowly gave off warning shots.

"I said drop them!" demaned Fu once more.
Out of pity, he quickly released Kumiko and hid behind the corridor wall, just out of the exit. He began fire his gun at the Emperor as he swiftly took cover and started shooting back.

Fu Huo poked out again and shot again and again, as he prepared to make his escape.
Unexpectedly, a bullet suddenly ricocheted and tore off a portion of Zui's mask.

"Emperor!" called out Kumiko.

Fu Huo ran as fast as he could, making his way back up the elevator as Zui's henchmen pursued him.

"Emperor, are you alright?" asked Kumiko.
"Yeah… don't worry, I wasn't hit," confirmed the Emperor, pulling his mask off, "Send reinforcements! Warn the Shireishou, and get KYOKO out there along with our new test pilot! Chances are, Fu will use his Lancer to get away. We need a fast car to catch him! He has all the information on the stolen KYOKO data and the buyer information and transactions to prove he was at Dreadnaught!"

Kumiko could not believe her eyes the moment she saw the Emperor's face.
Zui continued, "I need Fu Huo back here alive!"

"M-Master… Master Hyu…?" said Kumiko in shock as she continued to stare at the Emperor's face…

I knew it… I knew there was something about him. Ever since I met him that day…

Hyuga had the face of a man who was probably in his early 40s or late 30s. He had long, but thin hairstyle with spiked layers on the side and was neatly shaven. He had brown eyes and a small stud on his left ear. It appeared that Hyuga was of Asian background, and somewhat looked rather young for his age. The moment Kumiko saw his face; the Emperor began to speak in his true native voice.

"That is right, Kumi-chan…" confirmed Hyuga, "It is me."
"All this time… Maya and I thought you were gone," continued Kumiko.
"In a way, I was. I removed myself as Hyuga and continued as Zui Hou… ever since that tragic day," added Hyuga.

"You mean, Kyoko? That story you told us… So you were telling us about your wife," confirmed Kumiko.
"Yes… I knew you'd be clever enough to piece it all together eventually. Why I wore this mask, why I have funded this project from the beginning…"

"Maya would be pleased to know you're around. Everything we've done since DOLLS were in honour of you," told Kumiko.
"I've been watching the two of you grow all this time, including Fu Huo… Whatever may have corrupted him, I have to see to it that his errors have been corrected. I don't care about Dreadnaught anyway… it's not like they understand the real concept of my project in the long run. They would have no use for KYOKO, nor do they have a proper vessel for it,"

"Please stay away from him, Master Hyu… Let me sort him out…" begged Kumiko.
"No, I can't let you do that. We can't trust him anymore. You'd just put yourself at risk."
"But…"

Fu Huo ran as fast as his breath could take and rushed to the central garage of the base. He desperately stalled the security and broke in, taking away all the restraints for his Lancer. He hastily slammed the doors shut and buckled up as he started the engine.
Without hesitation, he took off from the garage and made his way past the barriers, shooting his gun at drive-by fashion at the reinforcements that started shooting at him. He accelerated as fast as he could, racing down the ramp, passing by numerous checkpoints as the alarms were sounded all over the headquarters.

Fu Huo quickly glanced at his mirror. A pack of black Eclipses and Civic sedans were on his tail, but Fu laughed and smirked as he knew that they were nothing compared to his Evo. As the pursuers began to open fire, Fu Huo quickly jerked his car to the side and into a corner in the attempt to avoid more gunfire. He swiftly pulled the e-brake, skidding fiercely through the barrier and crossed another checkpoint.
The guards struggled to pursue the Evo, yet they were still able to keep track of it's position using the popping from it's heavily modified ignition system.

Give it up, Zui! I'm gonna live to take KYOKO another day! Just you wait!

Fu Huo basically knew the base from inside to out. He knew every twist and turns of the headquarters' layout, and most importantly – all the shortcuts out of there. Just when he thought he had lost the first heat, a second pack arrived to stop him from the other side, this time was a pack of black SXE10.

Fu Huo began to fire at them in the hopes for them to turn back, as he began to accelerate onward to the exit, while the others fired back at him. He had absolutely no time to stop, as his location would be given out the moment he does.

Fu began to rush along the metropolitan area without much of a choice to hide. All he could do or think of was run. He knew he has to survive this somehow. The Evo shot straight past the lights, dodging traffic here and about, while more of Zui's reinforcements came from different sides.
Much to Fu Huo's shock, it was apparent that Zui had most likely owned much of the police as well.
Leave me alone!
In either case, Fu Huo would still have had some heat on him no matter what due to speeding and his illegal ignition upgrade. It was a time that Fu Huo was thankful for living in the city, knowing each opening and access routes. He effectively evaded both the traffic and the Zui troops from intersection to intersection.

If I live to tell my tale another day… I could say that I have been dodging bullets today… I have to make it somehow…

Fu Huo drove swiftly into a dark alley crossing by, as the pursuers struggled to keep up with the Evo's power. Fortunately for them, there were many obstacles in Fu Huo's way. At the end of the alley, Fu Huo saw the light at the end of the tunnel. However, much to his disadvantage, they were the lights of another SXE10. Fu Huo did not slow down his car at all. You better get out of the way then!

In an instant, the pack of Zui mobsters in the Altezza began to reverse out of there, panicking from Fu Huo's charge.

That's right, you better run! Does it look like I'm gonna stop?

The Evo shot out of the alley's exit, right after his attackers were out of the way and continued on a somewhat never ending path. The Zui mob was everywhere now. Dodging traffic was the least of Fu Huo's problems. He continued to fire at his enemies with distorted aim while driving at the same time.
He knew that he put other innocent lives at risk, but he could not care about that at the moment.

The Lancer quickly accelerated across the road as more pursuers began to fire at him from a great distance, lucky enough to shatter Fu's glass.
You'll pay for that someday!

Out of the right, another car began to slide in just as Fu Huo passed and stopped right in front of his pursuer's lane with enough time and distance to block them. Fu glanced at his mirror again…

The ever-familiar GTO managed to slow down the attackers momentarily, buying Fu Huo time to escape.

Thanks Ku…

Moments later; Fu Huo made it to his apartment with great haste. He parked his car at the most inner parking spot, hidden within the shadows, as he quickly stepped out and ran into his room. He gathered all the ammunition he could and all the money he had stashed away. He quickly packed a medium sized bag – it was clear that he had to leave town as soon as possible.

A quick minute later, Fu received a message on his cellphone;

'They r comin 4 u! They r on their way 2 rite now! Come 2 my place, u can hide here 4 a while! –Kumi'

The moment Fu Huo had finished reading the message was the moment he was eternally grateful to his master Kumiko. He knew that he had betrayed her and her trust, yet she still continued to support him. He had not much time to think about redemption, as he quickly ran out of the door and went straight back to his car.
Luckily, he was able to sneak out with his car, zooming past the alleys while catching a glimpse of the Zui Hou gang members quickly litter in to his apartment block in search of him.

Fu Huo stalked the streets, stopping and going as carefully as possible without trying to start any commotion. He drove slowly and carefully following the quickest directions he knew to geto to Kumiko's place.