Chapter Eighty: Johnny Ignites

The matter that troubled him most was neither trivial nor insignificant—it was the graduation trip. All of it, in truth, stemmed from the incident with Tony’s abduction.

Tony Stark’s kidnapping, to most people, was merely the tale of a famous billionaire and playboy who was taken hostage and subsequently rescued. But Gu Zhongyan understood far more: the abduction of Iron Man signaled the world’s official entry into the era of superheroes.

Soon, more and more superpowered heroes and villains would emerge—ambitious schemers, aliens, the mystical, and even forces from the multiverse would take turns making their mark upon this reality.

His own strength was insufficient to keep pace with a world changing so rapidly. If he couldn’t upgrade his abilities quickly, he feared he’d be unable to face the crises that were surely coming.

Thus, after rescuing Tony, he devised a graduation trip. Ostensibly, it was to celebrate his finishing high school, but in truth, he intended to travel west in search of something that could enhance his power. The graduation trip was nothing but a convenient excuse.

Yet it was precisely this excuse that brought him trouble.

Upon learning of Gu Zhongyan’s plans, Richard Reed—his best friend in school and the only companion he truly had—expressed a desire to join him.

That was easy enough to handle; he could have invented a reason to turn him down. But then Father Langdon heard about the trip. The priest mentioned he’d be traveling to another church for a period of study and exchange, and suggested that Gu Zhongyan take Su Yan along.

After the Battle of Liberty Island, Su Yan no longer needed to hide. Gu Zhongyan arranged for Nick Fury to provide him with a fabricated background, placed him in the welfare system, and through the church, had Father Langdon adopt him.

But owing to his past, Su Yan trusted only Gu Zhongyan and remained distant from others, including Father Langdon. So when the priest asked for Su Yan to be included, Gu Zhongyan could hardly refuse.

In the end, he was forced to take along these two—one grown, one young—on his journey, consoling himself that since he was only searching for an item, surely there would be no danger.

“Woohoo!”

On a vast, dusty yellow plain, a fire-red secondhand Ford sped along a straight western highway, kicking up clouds of dust.

The roaring wind whipped at Gu Zhongyan’s hair, and he watched with a speechless expression as the brown-haired boy in the driver’s seat thrilled to the ride.

From the moment the journey began, Richard was like a wild horse unleashed, reckless and exuberant, displaying a passion that bordered on the unimaginable. Once their car reached the western regions, this New York “city boy,” with his cowboy fantasies, became even more animated, turning their ordinary sedan into a makeshift racing car.

His infectious enthusiasm even affected Su Yan, who had always kept his distance from people. At first, Su Yan barely spoke to Richard, but now he almost wished to stand in the passenger seat and howl along with him.

Fortunately, Gu Zhongyan was skilled and confident enough to protect the three from disaster; otherwise, he’d never allow these two to behave so recklessly.

While refueling at a gas station, the three had a quick bite.

Richard, glancing at Gu Zhongyan’s phone as he scrolled through the news, couldn’t help but comment, “Stunt motorcycles, huh? I thought you weren’t into extreme sports.”

On Gu Zhongyan’s phone was a photo of a man in a red jumpsuit, beside bold letters proclaiming: “Blazing Johnny, the luckiest stunt motorcyclist in history.”

Gu Zhongyan shook his head and closed the phone. “I was just browsing.”

Richard clearly didn’t believe him, adopting a knowing look. “Alright, I get it. You’re worried Father Langdon won’t approve, aren’t you? I understand.”

Gu Zhongyan smiled, offering no explanation.

He wasn’t interested in stunt motorcycles, per se—what fascinated him was the motorcyclist, or more precisely, the location of his father’s grave.

Johnny Blaze—America’s most famous stunt motorcyclist—was renowned not merely for his riding skills, but for his extraordinary luck. No matter how dangerous the stunts, this fortunate man always survived.

Over time, every Johnny Blaze performance sparked heated debates on motorcycle forums about whether “Blazing Johnny” would remain lucky.

But Gu Zhongyan knew well: Johnny Blaze’s repeated survival wasn’t due to luck. It was because he was Ghost Rider.

In his youth, Johnny Blaze and his father, Barton Blaze, were both stunt motorcyclists. When Barton was dying of lung cancer, Mephisto appeared.

Mephisto offered to cure Barton’s cancer, but in exchange, Johnny had to sign a contract.

While Johnny was reading the contract, his hand was pricked by hidden barbs, and his blood sealed the deal.

Thus, Johnny became Ghost Rider, and Barton’s cancer was cured.

But making deals with demons is never wise. The cunning Mephisto healed Barton, only to claim his life during the very next stunt show.

He explained that he had only promised to cure Barton, not to let him live longer.

Realizing he’d been tricked, Johnny tried to resist, but the contract was binding. Unable to escape, he fell under Mephisto’s control and became Ghost Rider.

Afterwards, he gave up much, attempting ever more dangerous stunts. His immortality made him the legendary “Blazing Johnny” time and again.

Gu Zhongyan wasn’t particularly interested in Johnny Blaze’s life; he searched for news about him only to pinpoint his father’s grave.

In the film “Ghost Rider,” Mephisto’s son, Blackheart, tried to overthrow his father’s rule, coming from hell to Earth in search of something called the Contract of San Venganza to enhance his power.

The so-called Contract of San Venganza was a pact Mephisto used to corrupt humans and collect their souls.

San Venganza was once a village of kind-hearted people, famous for their charity and willingness to help travelers. In the nineteenth century, they were honored with the title “San,” and the village became San Venganza.

All of it, however, was undone by Mephisto’s machinations: the good villagers were tempted, losing trust in each other. Small conflicts escalated into deadly battles, until the entire village fell to their own blades.

The souls of the good, when corrupted, become worse than ordinary people. The villagers moved from one extreme to another, their souls bound into the contract—the infamous Contract of San Venganza.

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