Chapter 69: Chapter 66: Running Body, Chasing Soul
Opening the car door and stepping out, Qin Lianjie felt his hands trembling as he shakily lit a cigarette to calm his nerves.
After taking a deep breath and exhaling heavily, Qin Lianjie finally calmed down and took a breath; the psychological pressure from following Chen Xiangbei was truly overwhelming.
Qin Lianjie felt that the current Chen Xiangbei was much stronger than when they raced on Nanyun Mountain, could professional progress really be this rapid in just half a month?
As Qin Lianjie pondered what kind of "genius" Chen Xiangbei actually was, Peng Sheng approached and asked, "Hey there, were you racing with that car in front?"
Peng Sheng naturally didn’t know about the relationship between Qin Lianjie and Chen Xiangbei, he could only make guesses based on their behavior.
Driving a performance car in such a remote, closed-off area this late, and at such an astonishing speed, suggests it’s likely a part of an underground race.
"I wanted to race, but the car in front was just scouting the road."
Qin Lianjie replied with a bitter smile, thinking that his wish to chase down Chen Xiangbei resulted in this feeling of shattered resolve.
As for Chen Xiangbei, this guy probably never considered him as competition, but was truly just scouting.
However, the scouting speed is incredibly fast!
"Are you saying the car in front hasn’t run this route before?"
Peng Sheng was stunned upon hearing this, if he was merely scouting, that means he hadn’t run it before.
Even if someone had run this complex route before, achieving such speed would already be astonishing beyond words.
What does it mean to not have run it?
Right now, Peng Sheng had the same thought in his mind as Qin Lianjie did earlier.
Is the speed still being managed by a human?
The two looked at each other in disbelief, unable to describe the shock inside.
Soon, the roaring engine was heard again, seemingly ripping through the night sky from afar, getting closer.
Chen Xiangbei saw the parked Civic Type-R by the roadside, along with several figures illuminated by the headlights, feeling perplexed – why were there two people in such a remote place at night?
With this confusion in mind, Chen Xiangbei slowed down and parked the Subaru Impreza gently in front of the Civic Type-R.
Just as Chen Xiangbei pushed open the door and got out, Peng Sheng couldn’t wait and extended his hand for a self-introduction, "Hello, I’m Peng Sheng, founder of Jiuli Sports, can we chat for a moment?"
Seeing this slightly familiar face, Chen Xiangbei couldn’t help but recall the scene from his past life when he met Peng Sheng for the first time, as the other party was also eager with similar words.
"Hello Mr. Peng, my name is Chen Xiangbei, a racer for Huasi Sports."
Peng Sheng was a bit surprised to hear Chen Xiangbei’s introduction, how could Huasi Sports still cultivate racers when it was about to close down?
However, Peng Sheng didn’t dwell on this matter, instead he straightforwardly said, "I’ll call you young Chen, I saw the speed with which you scouted the road and think you have great potential."
"Jiuli Sports is currently looking for sponsored drivers, would you be interested in learning more about it?"
Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Chen Xiangbei’s face; he was not just interested, but this was precisely why he had come.
"Mr. Peng, what are the sponsorship conditions?"
Without beating around the bush, Chen Xiangbei jumped straight into the negotiation phase.
"Champion of the East Sea Underground Race."
After saying this, Peng Sheng paused for a moment and added, "Or run this route in less than 4 minutes and 30 seconds."
This closed-off route for the East Sea Underground Race is 9.6 kilometers long, with local racers Zhang Zhendong and Gao Hao both having run it multiple times, thus gaining an unavoidable hometown advantage in street racing.
Just like Nanyun Mountain, even if Qin Lianjie only had the skill of a professional goalkeeper, he still relied on the advantage of knowing the mountain route by "territory" to defeat numerous incoming out-of-town teams.
Gao Hao has substantial family assets and doesn’t need sponsorship, plus he is familiar with Peng Sheng, having revealed that the fastest nighttime run on this closed route was 4 minutes and 43 seconds.
Whoever can run under 4 minutes and 40 seconds would basically have a lock on the East Sea Underground Race championship.
Peng Sheng played a little trick, speeding up the sponsorship benchmark by 10 seconds, wanting to push Chen Xiangbei a bit harder, to see if this young man had more potential for acceleration.
"No problem, shall we run it now?"
Chen Xiangbei agreed on the spot, not caring at all about the 10-second speed difference.
It’s worth noting that whether street racers, sedan racers, or Formula racers, they are all categorized as circuit racers in the grand realm of racing.
Yet this new route for the East Sea Underground Race resembles a rally driver’s preparation for an off-road course.
In the early days of domestic professional racing, there were many drivers adept in both rally and circuit racing, like Han Han who gained the double championship title.
But such drivers are unlikely to appear in the East Sea Underground Race, let alone have night driving experience.
Chen Xiangbei could confidently say that this route can only be run to the limit by him, other drivers wouldn’t even catch a glimpse of his taillights, let alone exhaust fumes!
"Young Chen, can I sit in the passenger seat to time it?"
Feeling Chen Xiangbei’s absolute confidence, Peng Sheng proposed to time it personally.
"I’d recommend that you better not."
"Will the weight affect the speed?"
Peng Sheng’s first response was thinking of whether Chen Xiangbei was worried that him sitting could affect the speed.
Chen Xiangbei simply shook his head, with a complicated expression he asked, "Mr. Peng, you don’t have heart disease or high blood pressure, right?"
"No."
"Do you get carsick easily?"
"Not at all!"
Peng Sheng felt slightly "insulted," did this young man view him as an unworldly middle-aged man?
Although Peng Sheng doesn’t race, he is a staunch Formula racing fan, having once paid to experience a dual-seat Formula on the track, leading to his later investment in an electric Formula team.
Only passion leads to investment!
"Mr. Peng, then hop in."
Seeing Peng Sheng misunderstands, Chen Xiangbei doesn’t elaborate further, after all, it was his choice...
Sitting in the passenger seat, fastening the seatbelt, Peng Sheng tightly gripped his phone, ready to time.
With a quick turnaround and a foot on the gas, the Subaru STI began to speed, Peng Sheng finally understood why the young man asked so many unrelated questions.
Fast, the speed is too fast!
Even without streetlights, under the glare of the headlights, roadside guardrails and planted trees have turned into a series of slide-like images.
To be honest, Peng Sheng couldn’t comprehend under this visual effect, how Chen Xiangbei discerned the road clearly.
But that wasn’t the most terrifying part, when Chen Xiangbei reached the end of the road, turned around again, the young man’s one statement left Peng Sheng "shivering with fear."
"Mr. Peng, I’m officially starting the race now."
What, does it mean the previous speed wasn’t formal yet, merely a warm-up?
Peng Sheng opened his mouth slightly, wanting to articulate something, but found himself speechless.
Without noticing Peng Sheng’s astonished expression, as the other didn’t object, Chen Xiangbei took it as acquiescence and readied himself, revving the engine and launching with a clutch kick, the immense backing rush slamming Peng Sheng heavily into his seatback.
The Subaru Impreza shot like a meteor across the dark, closed road, Peng Sheng hadn’t even the chance to close his mouth, his hands desperately gripping anything fixed.
Given another chance, he certainly would not choose to sit in this car!
PS: Brothers, there’s a third Chapter at noon, fulfilling the promise of a triple update at Jiang.