Chapter 290. Reckless Driving Is Bad (1)
In the Charcoal Breeze Grassland, a central region of the Klamath Plains in the northwestern part of the continent, home to all the Centaur tribes living on the plains, an astounding sight was being witnessed today.
“…a red speeding ticket!” exclaimed a Centaur youth, drawing all eyes to where he pointed.
The tribe could see it clearly. “It’s true, it really is a red speeding ticket!” “Unbelievable…” “To think we’d actually see one in real life.” “And it’s being worn by a human, not one of our own kind?” “Could it be fake?” “No, that can’t be. Only the patrol chief guarding the outskirts of the plains can issue those.”
“Wait, does that mean this human… outran the patrol chief?” “What else could it mean?” retorted an old Centaur.
The rest of the tribe swallowed hard and looked again at the figure wearing the bright red speeding ticket—a human, and an outsider at that. Mounted on a giant, plump hamster, the human’s proud stride carried him through the tribal lands, bearing the vivid red ticket on his back. He crossed the village center, an unbelievable sight to behold.
Seeing the awe-filled eyes of the onlookers, a wry smile formed on Lloyd’s lips. ‘Feels like I’ve become a celebrity or something.’
Indeed, the Centaur tribesfolk had been initially startled by his unfamiliar appearance and then utterly shocked by the red speeding ticket on his back. Confused, doubtful, and finally convinced of the ticket’s authenticity, they looked at him with eyes full of admiration, much like fans who stumble upon their favorite idol band, Bulletproof Vest Group, by chance.
‘Of course, the red speeding ticket wasn’t easy to earn.’
Two days earlier, at the entrance to the great plains, Lloyd had encountered the Centaur patrol. He had challenged them to a race, questioning if they were confident in their speed. The patrol chief had eagerly accepted and they had dragged raced.
‘7 seconds flat.’
From the starting line, it took just 7 seconds for Ppodongi and Lloyd to narrowly beat the patrol chief past the rock. It was the might of a 5,000 cc naturally aspirated V8 engine—1 Ppodongi power. The patrol chief had been genuinely impressed by the explosive acceleration displayed.
‘That look on the patrol chief’s face after crossing the finish line almost seemed like he was about to cry.’
Was it out of frustration from the loss? No, it was the tearful admiration that only a true speed fanatic could show upon meeting someone faster.
Thanks to that, Lloyd had been awarded the red speeding ticket by the patrol chief. “There is no honor greater than this red speeding ticket in our lands. It was an honor to race alongside you. I wish you safe and pleasant travels,” he had said with his compliments.
Thus, Lloyd had earned the patrol’s approval. The speeding ticket was essentially a pass allowing him to travel anywhere within Centaur territory, particularly the highest honor—the red ticket.
Because of their nature, the Centaurs valued running speed above all. As in South Korea, where earning ability is highly regarded, here, running ability was most revered. The faster ones were recognized as capable, while the slower ones faced disdain.
If the Centaurs had been born in South Korea, would they be habitual speeders and reckless drivers, collecting speeding and signal violation tickets?
Because of these traits, Lloyd was now welcomed wherever he went in Centaur territory. He had received friendly treatment in the five Centaur villages he had passed to reach the Charcoal Breeze Tribe. ‘One chieftain even tried to marry off his daughter to me.’
Naturally, he was horrified, especially when the pushed-forward Centaur daughter burst into tears asking why he didn’t have four legs. ‘Damn appearance-based standards!’
Lloyd chuckled dryly as he recalled the past two days and approached the admiring Centaur tribesfolk. “Excuse me, I have something to ask.”
“Yes! Ask anything!” “Ask me!” “Over here! I’ll answer well!”
The eager responses came from a young Centaur, a woman, and an older man as soon as Lloyd carefully spoke.
“Ah, thank you. But I’m not just asking one person. Anyone who can answer, please do.”
“Yes! What do you want to know?” “Me! I’ll answer!” “Hold on! I can tell you properly!”
“Ahaha. Thank you. I’m actually looking for an item.”
He pulled a sketch from his pocket that he had prepared on the way here, showing the second key material, Taupo, in detail. “It’s a large rock, about 8 meters by 6 meters and 1.2 meters high, with a unique lip structure at the ends as you can see here. Have any of you seen such a rock around here?”
“Alas! I haven’t seen it! Sorry!” “Oh! I wish I could help!” “Damn it! I’ll go look for it right now! Just wait here!”
Despite their enthusiasm, no satisfactory answer came back. ‘Hmm, maybe it’s because Taupo was brought here so long ago.’
Lloyd frowned internally. It had been the same in the Merfolk Kingdom—too much time had passed, and hardly anyone knew the whereabouts related to the jewels. ‘I can’t just survey the entire place.’
He looked around. Everywhere he looked, there was only the horizon, vast and endless. It was fitting for a place called the plains, but that made it feel even more daunting.
‘No, I shouldn’t give up just yet. Let’s keep asking.’
Lloyd resolved to continue his inquiries, asking every Centaur he met about the whereabouts of Taupo. Perhaps due to his efforts, he finally heard something intriguing.
“Ah! I know about that! The great chieftain knows best about old stories like that!”
A young Centaur child quickly responded, pointing eagerly towards the center of the tribal territory. “He lives over there! I’ll show you!”
“…Uh, thanks.”
Lloyd followed the young Centaur to the great chieftain’s dwelling, which was not particularly notable—just a tent-like barn, similar to those of other Centaur tribespeople. However, the great chieftain’s appearance was anything but ordinary.
“Welcome, human who has earned the red speeding ticket. I’ve been hearing the excited whispers of the tribespeople.”
His dignified voice greeted Lloyd, but his appearance was a million light-years away from any conventional solemnity.
‘Huh.’
Lloyd couldn’t help but inhale sharply at the sight of the great chieftain standing proudly before him. Despite his age, his muscular horse body was vigorously alive, his fur trimmed ostentatiously.
It resembled human tattoos—a car enthusiast’s vehicle plastered with all sorts of stickers, flames, lightning bolts, eagles, tigers, skulls, and even heart-arrow decals. ‘What a spectacle.’
The chieftain’s body was a canvas. His human upper body, except for his face, was covered in tattoos from neck to nape, and even his ears, nose, and lips were filled with piercings. His long hair, suitable for headbanging, added to his free-spirited appearance.
‘He’s even tuned, no, modified his hooves. Ouch, they’re sharp. One kick and you’d be minced like pork cutlets.’
An impressive appearance in many ways, truly befitting the leader of a speed-loving race. Lloyd had to manage his expression quickly.
‘Uh, seems like he had his wild days.’
Regardless of whether the chieftain had been a street racer or whatever in his youth, Lloyd had his own agenda.
He cleared his throat and formally addressed him. “Here stands Lloyd Frongtera, a human, before the leader of the dominant race of the Great Plains.”
“Ha! A man with the highest honor and yet so humble. Welcome. I am Cherochan, the great chieftain of the Centaur race.”
“Ah, yes.”
Chieftain Cherochan extended his hand generously, devoid of any suspicion or slyness. Thanks to the welcoming atmosphere, Lloyd felt comfortable presenting his purpose.
“Thank you for the welcome. I am here to find an item called Taupo.”
“Taupo? You mean from the mythological era, an item the Centaur race brought from the Jewel of Truth?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Ah, good. The conversation was progressing swiftly.
Lloyd felt hopeful as he asked, “Do you happen to know where Taupo is located?”
“I do know.”
“Could you tell me where it is, then?”
“I can’t.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I know, but I can’t tell you.”
Cherochan delivered his straightforward refusal as casually as his welcoming attitude.
Lloyd flared his nostrils, asking, “Why can’t you tell me?”
“That’s my prerogative.”
Really now. Maybe I should grab him by the collar. Or should I force him to tell me through power?
Lloyd had to suppress the impulse that flared in frustration. ‘This guy really knows how to play people. Should I just push him over? No, if I act without thinking, I might regret it later.’
He shook his head inwardly and reflected on his experiences so far. ‘I need to find the core material for the Jewel, but knowing its location isn’t the end. What if I turn the entire Centaur race against me by using force? What if I can’t cooperate with them then? It could complicate things.’
When finding the foundation for the Jewel of Truth and extracting the first material, Taurenga, the assistance from the merfolk and their king had been invaluable. Perhaps this time would be no different.
‘So, I should act cautiously. Life is longer than you think, and in a long life, you never know what shitty situation might arise. That’s why connections are important.’
He suddenly remembered his time living in a tiny room in South Korea, alone without family or relatives. After his parents had passed away in a tragic manner, all contact with distant relatives or family friends had ceased.
No one had reached out to him then. His network had completely disappeared. That extreme absence and bitter deficiency had ironically made him realize how important connections were. ‘Connections are crucial, not just now but always. Keeping the chieftain and the Centaur race as good connections might prove beneficial someday. It’s not wise to ruin such an opportunity over short-sighted actions.’
Thus, always keep allies close. Especially in times like these, test even a titanium bridge before crossing.
With this resolve, Lloyd spoke, “Then, great chieftain, might there be something you desire from me?”
“Ah, you finally ask. Of course, there is. If you willingly fulfill my wish, then I can satisfy your curiosity as well.”
As expected. ‘Nothing is free, whether among humans or Centaurs.’
In the meantime, the chieftain continued, “What I want is for you to solve a concern of mine.”
“What concern is that?”
“It’s about the young ones in our tribe. Their reckless spirit is causing me a lot of headaches.”
“Because of their temper?”
“Yes. As you know, our race highly values speed. We worship those who can run fast. That’s why our people decide on marriage through racing, where the fastest, regardless of gender, can choose their mate.”
“Um, and?”
“That’s where the problem lies. Excessive competition has led to too many accidents.”
“Because of speeding?”
“Exactly. Excessive speeding, sudden changes without signals, and aggressive driving can endanger not just the individual but others involved. Many young ones have been injured or worse.”
“So, you just stop them from running recklessly, right?”
“No, it’s not something that can be stopped like that. Running is in our very nature; we can’t stop running altogether. My worry is how our young can race safely, even more so during their courtship rituals.”
“Ah, I see. So that’s your concern.”
Having shared his worries, the chieftain nodded. Lloyd also nodded, seeing a simple solution.
“Then that’s an easy problem to solve.”
“What? Easy?”
“Yes.”
Indeed, it was a simple issue. Lloyd smiled and gave his thought-out solution.
“How about building a racetrack coliseum for racing purposes?”