Chapter 136: Thanks to Takumi

How could the high-horsepower, four-wheel-drive RT500 drift with such agility, showing no signs of clumsiness? What was happening?

Although Mo Shanhe did not understand the mystery behind it, he should have at least been aware of his son’s capabilities. At such a young age, having debuted only a year ago, Mo Shu had already clinched the overall GTCC championship and followed it up with multiple consecutive ERC stage wins. What kind of person could achieve such results? Calling him a genius was an understatement; even a super racing prodigy couldn't pull this off!

Mo Shanhe kicked himself for not realizing his son's prowess sooner. Tang Xiuxian had just called him a monster, and a monster’s son could hardly be ordinary. As a father, he had been far too complacent today.

In the blink of an eye, four sharp hairpins had passed. If he couldn't catch the RT500 at the upcoming triple-hairpin sequence, Mo Shanhe’s well-laid plans would be for nothing.

Push! Catch up to my son!

Mo Shanhe unleashed his signature technique: Vector Drifting.

"What on earth is that?" Tang Xiuxian asked, full of confusion.

Mo Shanhe explained that while the name sounded complicated, the execution wasn't actually that intricate. Simply put, it was a drifting method that bypassed the brakes entirely, relying solely on the swaying of the car's chassis to regulate the friction between the tires and the road, thereby controlling cornering speed.

However, to perform a perfect vector drift, a driver needed to possess the following qualities:
1. The ability to overcome the fear of not using the brakes.
2. Extensive practice to control the car's posture and speed perfectly without braking.
3. Mastery of a traditional manual transmission.

These three requirements alone were enough to deter most contemporary drivers. Downhill drift racing tested a driver's psychological fortitude above all else. The terror of a car rushing downhill like a wild, unbridled horse, the sheer cliffs looming on both sides of the road, and the constant feeling of teetering on the edge of loss of control due to oversteering—it was all pure dread.

After hearing the explanation, Tang Xiuxian didn't feel relieved; rather, he became even more anxious. He genuinely felt that some things were better left unknown. But looking at Mo Shanhe, he appeared completely relaxed, driving with seasoned skill, his footwork far less frantic than before. His right foot stayed on the throttle, his left on the clutch; the brake pedal was effectively non-existent.

Naturally, the car’s speed only increased. As they approached the corners, he didn't even think about braking. Just as Tang Xiuxian felt they were about to fly off the track and plunge into the abyss, Mo Shanhe quickly adjusted his steering to hug the outer edge of the mountain road, then whipped the wheel back. The S15’s chassis immediately began to sway laterally.

"Good heavens, he's drifting on the straightaway already?" Mo Shu saw the shocking scene in his rearview mirror.

Because of the lack of braking, the S15 closed the gap to the RT500 in an instant, wiping out all of Mo Shu’s hard-earned lead in minutes. Even more outrageous, as they hit the second hairpin, Mo Shu—who was hugging the inner lane—was shocked to see the S15 drifting at high speed along the outer lane, pulling up right beside him.

The mountain road at Cloud Peak was narrow to begin with. Seeing two cars drifting side-by-side—one could only imagine what a breathtaking sight it must have been from the outside.

*He actually caught up!* Mo Shu muttered to himself. Ever since he had made a name for himself, no professional driver had ever pushed him to this extent. Not in the GTCC, and certainly not in the ERC. Mo Shu, who had always considered himself invincible, couldn't handle such a provocation—not even from his own father.

Gritting his teeth, Mo Shu slammed on the accelerator, risking an early exit to gain speed. The RT500’s tires emitted a plume of blue smoke, the rubber shuddering against the asphalt. Fortunately, the car’s performance held up, and the RT500 narrowly edged out the S15, clearing the second turn first.

"Whew!" Mo Shu exhaled. But he knew that the shuddering he’d felt was a dangerous warning. The RT500’s tires were at their limit; if the car hadn't been in prime condition, it would have broken down by now. The problem was that the third hairpin awaited him, and only by maintaining the lead through that turn could he ensure victory.

What to do? Mo Shu felt a wave of melancholy. If he hadn't forced himself to seek victory through danger—risking total loss of control by flooring the gas—he would be staring at the S15’s taillights right now. His father was right; high-horsepower four-wheel-drive cars were like beasts unable to find room to roam on such tight turns. If one were to run into an "old fox" like Mo Shanhe, one misstep due to a simple provocation would lead to the same fate as the RS7 earlier.

While losing to his father wasn't shameful, Mo Shu’s survival instinct screamed at him: *Win! The victory must be mine!*

Since the old man had abandoned the brakes for the sake of speed, he, as his son, would take it to the extreme: full throttle through the corner for even greater speed!

Mo Shu went all in. He cut his nose into the inner line, intentionally leaving space for the S15. This move displeased Mo Shanhe; the boy wasn't learning the right lessons, instead opting for the clumsy tactic of guarding the inner lane like the RS7. Did he not realize that guarding the inside at such speeds would inevitably lead to understeer?

*Whatever,* he thought. *Young people need to experience setbacks to learn.* Facing his son, Mo Shanhe didn't intend to go easy. He unleashed his Vector Drift once more, chasing him down like lightning.

RT500! S15!

The father and son, who viewed victory as life itself, were once again side-by-side in this nightmarish corner. In the first half of the bend, the centrifugal force remained manageable. But by the apex, the RT500 clearly began to struggle; the wheels slipped, and the car began its terrifying shuddering again.

This was Mo Shanhe’s best chance, the critical moment to overtake his son. An old pro is still an old pro; the S15 remained incredibly stable, its rear bumper mere centimeters from the guardrail, the turbulent air trailing behind it as if even the cliffs themselves were yielding.

As expected, the S15 pulled ahead. Mo Shanhe’s speed was clearly superior. If he could maintain this pace through the exit, the RT500 would have no more chances.

"Heh, ginger is indeed spicier when it's older. Mo Shu is still too young," Tang Xiuxian remarked, seeing victory in sight.

"Perhaps, but I don't think that kid has given up yet," Mo Shanhe replied, sounding surprised.

How could Mo Shu give up? He hadn't even played his trump card! What was the RT500’s advantage? Power output as fierce as a wild beast! It couldn't be used in the corners? Well, he would find a way!

Suddenly, Mo and Tang heard a roar from the RT500’s engine, so violent it made them both frown. *He’s still accelerating? That’s going to cause an accident! Are you trying to get yourself killed, boy?* Mo Shanhe felt a pang of genuine worry.

But to everyone’s surprise, the RT500, at full power, didn't lose control. Instead, it pushed harder toward the inner line until the left side of the car suddenly dipped.

*Downshift! Full throttle!* This was the moment Mo Shu had been waiting for!

The RT500 seemed to be firmly anchored to the ground by an invisible force, as if a spectral chain had reined in the massive centrifugal force of the high-speed turn. The RT500 traced an arc that defied the laws of physics, clearing the apex at full throttle and blasting out of the corner.

Mo Shanhe was stunned—so stunned he forgot to accelerate! How did his son do that? It was insane! But soon, he began to laugh. He realized his son was truly powerful, and it filled him with immense pride.

Seeing his father concede the race, Mo Shu couldn't help but laugh out loud. Nodding to himself in encouragement, he whispered a silent thank you in his heart.

"Takumi, thank you! Thank you for the gutter-run technique—you’ve made me invincible once again!"