Chapter 10 - What the Codes Say

Minato, 5:19 PM. The day was slowly fading. Naomi walked alone, a grocery bag slung over her shoulder, her hood up, her eyes tired. The sidewalk gleamed with the morning's dampness. A group of high school students laughed near a convenience store. An old dog slept in front of a closed hair salon. She was on her way home, maybe to cook something warm or simply sprawl out on her futon, staring at the ceiling stained by leaks. And that's when she saw it. A sheet of paper taped to an electrical box. It was black, with no logo, just numbers, shapes, and a strange hand-painted QR code. "Urban race - K0 line. Entry forbidden to the curious. Registration deadline 00h. Prize: ¥100M. Support: Yok-Tek / Zone GR." To the police, it was a cryptic scribble, but not to her. "Illegal race tonight. K0 line means the old Kanda tunnel. ¥100 million prize. Registration ends at midnight." She slowly put the sheet in her pocket. Her steps slowed. Her phone vibrated. A message from the building management: "Leak detected under your sink. Intervention postponed, thank you for your patience." Naomi looked up, sighed. "¥100 million. For many, that's enough to disappear or buy a new life. For me, it's just a house. Nothing extraordinary. A solid roof, a small garden, an outdoor table, silence all around, and a key I won't share with anyone." She resumed her walk, no faster, no more determined, just straight. 9:12 PM. Noctielle Garage. She entered silently, turned off the lights, and approached the Pinkbolt MKII. She removed the cover. The car shone softly under the moonlight filtered through the windows. She ran her hand over the roof. "Not for the money. For the road. For a house. For a little peace." She opened the trunk and took out her gear: a black outfit, reinforced gloves, tinted glasses, a light mask. She wasn't there to be recognized. She was there to run.

End of Chapter 10 - What the Codes Say