If not for Lao Lai's overly tacky, nouveau-riche style, the way he stood beside Wan Sheng Bang would have made them look like long-lost twin brothers.
Wan Sheng Bang was displeased that Lao Lai had personally brought people to interfere in this matter. His expression darkened slightly as he said, "Brother Lai, gambling tables have their rules, and race tracks have their regulations. You should know that."
Lao Lai chuckled. "I don't know any rules. All I know is I only have this one unlucky son, and I'm counting on him to take care of me in my old age. We can't afford to ruin our relationship."
Wan Sheng Bang patted Lao Lai's shoulder, his smile not reaching his eyes. "I'll let you win big at the gambling table another day. But for now, listen to me—stay out of this. There are big shots involved behind the scenes, people neither of us can afford to cross."
This only stirred Lao Lai's competitive spirit. He retorted, "What big shots could I possibly be afraid of? Back in the day when I led my crew in Tonggang, you all were still acting like grandsons. Who dares put on airs in front of their great-granddad? I'll make them kneel their way back home."
Then he abruptly changed his tone: "Although, my brothers have all left that life behind now, making their mark in various honest trades…"
He waved a hand, and Jiang Mu followed Lao Lai's gesture to look behind him. She could understand the bus and dump truck drivers, but the auntie with the pink F0 car, fake eyelashes stuck to its headlights, completely baffled her.
Lao Lai continued, "But if anyone dares mess with me, all I have to do is say the word, and I guarantee they won't be able to take a single step freely in Tonggang."
He Zhang stepped out from behind Wan Sheng Bang, a cigarette between his fingers, and said, "Uncle Lai, don't get too cocky. Your era is long gone."
Lao Lai slowly turned his gaze to him, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Oh, really?"
The moment he spoke, the amusement vanished from his eyes. He snatched the cigarette from He Zhang's hand and crushed it out on his forehead. A sharp cry erupted from He Zhang's lips, and the circle of young car enthusiasts around them turned pale.
He Zhang raised a fist in pain, but Lao Lai didn't flinch. Instead, he sneered, "Go on, hit me. Let's see how tough you really are."
In an instant, a crowd of construction workers jumped down from behind the dump truck. In the blink of an eye, a dark mass of men stood behind Lao Lai, each holding a brick. He Zhang's wrist wavered slightly, and his fist froze mid-air.
Wan Sheng Bang reached out and pressed He Zhang's fist down, then turned to San Lai. "Weren't you supposed to be delivering food? Where is it?"
Jiang Mu broke into a cold sweat, but then she watched as San Lai actually opened his car door, pulled out a packaged lunchbox from the back seat, and even opened it to show off to Wan Sheng Bang. "Uncle Wan, want to try my braised meatballs? I'm not boasting, but with skills like mine, I could easily run a restaurant. Here, try one—braised and full of flavor."
He enthusiastically offered Wan Sheng Bang a meatball. Jiang Mu stared in astonishment at the lunchbox San Lai had seemingly conjured out of thin air. Wan Sheng Bang waved him away impatiently. "I've already eaten. Keep it for yourself."San Lai smiled as he closed the lunchbox. Wan Sheng Bang shot a glance at one of his men, who got into the car and moved it out of the way. Jiang Mu tried not to show her anxiety and returned to the passenger seat. San Lai had already gotten in as well, and the car drove through the gap into the mountains. San Lai glanced sideways at Lao Lai, who adjusted his golden LV belt and gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Only after passing through that stretch did they truly enter the mountain road. Jiang Mu asked in surprise, "I thought you were just making that up. Where did the food come from?"
But San Lai replied with a straight face, "Do I look like someone who makes things up?"
"..." He actually did.
"I brought it when we left. Who knows how late this might go? If we can't order delivery and I get hungry, I'll start panicking. If you want some, I'll share a couple of meatballs with you later."
"...No need to be so polite."
Jiang Mu turned her gaze out the window. The deeper they drove into the mountains, the clearer the echoes of engine roars they had heard outside became. She checked the time on her phone—they had been held up by Wan Sheng Bang for too long. With only about ten minutes left until the race, she urged San Lai anxiously, "Can you go any faster? I'm afraid we won't make it."
San Lai’s expression turned unusually serious. On the opposite mountain road, the headlights of numerous sports cars were already visible. Jiang Mu pointed out the window, "Is that the place?"
San Lai glanced over and sped up. "Probably."
But just as they were about to head along the mountain road, another large crowd blocked the way completely. San Lai cursed, "Fuck, layer after layer. Is this some kind of video game level?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the car came to a stop. A girl in a miniskirt ran over and said to San Lai, "Handsome, if you're here for the race, park your car here. You can't go any further."
San Lai told her, "My buddy's in there competing. I need to bring him something."
The girl smiled. "The race is about to start. No one else can enter."
San Lai and Jiang Mu exchanged a look, then both got out of the car. The area was swarming with rowdy young people. Several Bose speakers blared thumping dance music that echoed through the mountain pass. Neon lights and glow sticks flew everywhere, and groups of youths waved beer bottles, swaying to the beat. The scene was a full-blown pre-race party—forget driving through, even squeezing through the crowd seemed impossible.
Sweat dripped incessantly from Jiang Mu’s forehead. Her eyes burned with determination as she charged into the crowd. Behind her, San Lai shouted anxiously, but in the chaos, Jiang Mu was quickly swallowed by the sea of frenzied bodies. She pushed forward desperately, jostled by the surging mass around her. Flashing neon lights and deafening music surrounded her, but she held onto one thought: There’s no time. Find Jin Chao. I have to find Jin Chao.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the crowd. Before Jiang Mu could steady herself, she found herself face to face with Jin Fengzi, who exclaimed in shock, "What are you doing here? Did you come alone?"
Just as Jiang Mu turned her head, San Lai squeezed through and cursed, "Damn, these people are insane—they almost ripped my clothes off."
But Jin Fengzi asked urgently, "Where did you come from?"
San Lai looked baffled. "Why?"
The noise around them was too loud, so Jin Fengzi shouted, "I said, where did you come from? Did you see Tie Gongji heading back to the garage?"San Lai was taken aback by Jin Fengzi's expression and replied, "No, wasn't Tie Gongji with You Jiu when they came? We've been at the garage all afternoon and haven't seen him return."
Jin Fengzi's face suddenly tightened. "Damn it, damn it, damn it! There might be something wrong with the car. Let's go find You Jiu."
San Lai also raised his voice, "I fucking want to go find him too, but should we just blow these people up?"
Jin Fengzi glanced back at Wan Qing, who was standing on a high rock with a group of people, his expression grave. "I wonder if Little Green Snake would be willing to help?"
Jiang Mu checked her phone again—there was no time left.
She directly said to San Lai and Jin Fengzi, "You two go get the car. I'll talk to her."
As soon as the words left her mouth, she shoved aside the burly man next to her, as if a terrifying surge of power had erupted within her, and she charged straight toward Wan Qing.
Wan Qing, who had been smoking and chatting idly with a few of her brothers, was startled to see Jiang Mu appear in this place. She frowned, looking down at Jiang Mu's panting figure, and warned, "This isn't a place for good girls. Get back now."
But Jiang Mu climbed onto the high rock and stood squarely in front of her, her eyes resolute though her voice trembled uncontrollably. "We need to go find him. Help us get through."
Wan Qing took a slow drag of her cigarette and gently blew the smoke into Jiang Mu's face, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Are we that close?"
The men around them burst into scornful laughter, but Jiang Mu paid no attention. She took another step closer, her chest heaving, a layer of anxious moisture gathering in her eyes.
"If you don't want anything to happen to him, help us get through."
The cigarette in Wan Qing's fingers paused for a moment, her expression tightening slightly, but she replied indifferently, "He told me to get lost."
Jiang Mu's voice carried an unprecedented fierceness as she said, "Why did he tell you to leave? Wasn't it enough that your father used you to ruin him once? You know exactly how he was forced into this situation. You don't have to help us, unless you don't care if he lives or dies."
Ash fell from the tip of Wan Qing's cigarette. Her gaze sharpened as she stared at Jiang Mu, who didn't flinch and couldn't afford to flinch. In that instant, Jiang Mu let go of all her dignity, pride, and self-respect. Clenching her fists tightly at her sides, she lowered her eyes and said, "Consider it me begging you..."
Two minutes later, the chaotic crowd was forcibly cleared by Wan Qing's brothers, creating a narrow path just wide enough for a car to pass through. Jiang Mu jumped into the car, and San Lai drove straight into the racetrack.
As soon as they were in the car, San Lai fumed, "Will there be anyone blocking the way ahead? Old Wan is really fucking holding us up."
Jin Fengzi immediately asked, "What Old Wan? Is Boss Wan here?"
"Otherwise, why would we have been delayed at the foot of the mountain for so long?"
Jin Fengzi slapped his thigh. "Something's wrong, something's wrong, San Lai. Boss Wan doesn't usually come to the races."
San Lai grew impatient. "Just say what you fucking mean."
"Boss Wan isn't here to win the race today. He's here to completely destroy You Jiu! Get out, I'll drive."
The two quickly swapped positions. Jin Fengzi stepped on the gas and sped off in San Lai's car. At that very moment, a loud "bang" echoed from the opposite mountain—the starting signal. The three people in the car froze. Jiang Mu's hands and feet turned icy cold, and her voice no longer felt like her own as she trembled and repeated, "What do we do? It's started. What do we do?"After a moment of stunned silence, Jin Fengzi pressed the accelerator harder. The car never stopped, chasing after the sports cars that had crossed the race line. San Lai also frowned tightly, staring out the window at the speeding headlights flashing between the mountain roads.
It wasn’t until Jin Fengzi slammed on the brakes and punched the car door, his voice rough as he said, “Can’t catch up,” that the car finally came to a halt.
Jiang Mu flung the door open and rushed to the edge of the cliff. One after another, sports cars chased each other, weaving through the mountain roads. Their speed was so extreme that their headlights stretched into phantom trails, slicing through the dark mountains. Jiang Mu’s heart hammered violently in her chest, a powerful fear tearing through her like a wild beast. But just then, she saw it—the familiar black GTR, taking a corner with unstoppable force and securing second place. Jin Fengzi spotted it too, roaring, “You Jiu’s car.”
Jiang Mu didn’t dare look away, biting her lip so hard that the metallic taste of blood flooded her mouth, jolting her mind. Suddenly snapping back to reality, she grabbed San Lai. “The Night Pearls—are they still in your car?”
San Lai nodded. “In the trunk.”
“Give them to me, quick.”
The two rushed to the back of the car and retrieved all the Night Pearls. Jiang Mu’s body trembled uncontrollably. When Jin Fengzi handed her a lighter, her grip was so unsteady she could barely hold it. Only one thought consumed her: light the Night Pearls.
As the colored sparks burst from the tube, Jiang Mu raised her arm high above her shoulder. She didn’t know if Jin Chao would notice, but this was her only hope. She wanted him to see it—to see the light from the Night Pearls. But a single Night Pearl was too faint; its sparks shot into the sky only to fade quickly.
Jiang Mu turned to San Lai and Jin Fengzi. “Light them all and give them to me.”
She scrambled up the cliff face without a second thought. Below her was a bottomless abyss; Jin Chao’s life hung by a thread. Jiang Mu had no concept of danger—only that, in this moment, her life was tied to his. She took all the Night Pearls from San Lai and Jin Fengzi and raised them high.
In an instant, seven or eight Night Pearls shot colored sparks into the night sky, exploding in unison like blooming parachutes, spreading brilliant hues across the darkness. Jiang Mu’s heart felt as though it were balanced on the tip of an arrow. She was betting on that one percent chance—if Jin Chao saw it, even a glance, he would know she was here, using her own way to warn him.
She watched as the black GTR vanished from her sight, only to roar back into view on the next stretch of road, overtaking the lead car.
She saw Jin Chao’s GTR pull far ahead in the shadowy night, and she could even hear the echo of tires screeching against the mountain road.
She saw the ghostly black car suddenly slow as it entered a straight section, its steering growing unsteady.
She watched as the car, which should have navigated the series of curves, veered uncontrollably toward the cliff wall…
Jiang Mu’s hands went slack. The Night Pearls slipped from her grasp and tumbled into the abyss. The next second, flames erupted, a blinding glare shooting into her eyes. The cars behind came to a stop far from the cliff edge.
A deafening “boom” shook the earth. The explosion’s fire ripped through the night, illuminating the entire valley.
Jiang Mu’s soul felt as though it were teetering on the edge. Her body swayed forward, but San Lai grabbed her, pulling her back from the brink.Author's Note: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me with their special tickets or nourished me with nutrient solution between October 10, 2021, 14:25:22 and October 11, 2021, 15:43:32.~
Special thanks to the little angel who threw a hand grenade: 17444142 (1);
Thanks to the little angels who threw landmines: Please let Xing Wuqing also eat hot pot, Pau, Zhao Feige, Healer, Taozi eat more kiwi (1 each);
Thanks to the little angels who nourished me with nutrient solution: An Zhi Ruo Su (19 bottles); Pressed my leg hair (10 bottles); hebewei008 (5 bottles); Playing Mahjong, apple, is UU, Warm (2 bottles each); Six thirty salted egg yolk, wooden brain shell, Zeyang, everything goes smoothly, lantern into dream (1 bottle each);
Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!
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