Chapter Twenty-Four: The Battle for the Championship

With the finish line nearly in sight, only the final straightaway remained ahead. Black Mirror’s four tires had long since disintegrated into ash, the matte black racing rims battered and sparking. Coupled with its fiery red paintwork, the car resembled a hellish steed wreathed in infernal flames, intent on burning all rivals to oblivion.

Wang Yining, Mo Shu, and Geng Hua—three cars hugged the right edge of the track, racing for the finish. Black Mirror, meanwhile, veered to the left, pushing forward with all its might.

It seemed Black Mirror wasn't planning any car-flipping tricks this time; after all, he could barely handle Mo Shu now, let alone contend with Wang Yining as well.

With just over a hundred meters to go, all four cars, all four drivers, could see the checkered flag fluttering ahead.

At eighty meters, Black Mirror unleashed a burst of astonishing speed, surging past Mo Shu at parallel position. It wasn’t that Mo Shu couldn’t go faster, but he was wary of Black Mirror suddenly attacking Wang Yining; from this spot, he could shield her if needed.

But at Black Mirror’s current pace, overtaking Wang Yining would only take a heartbeat. Mo Shu couldn't afford to hold back any longer. Gritting his teeth, he activated every skill at his disposal—no matter which worked, winning was all that mattered.

Suddenly, Wang Yining felt a jolt from behind: Mo Shu had bumped her rear, accelerating to help her reclaim the advantage. The tactic worked; the gap between Black Mirror and Wang Yining widened slightly.

“Mo Shu! Damn you, you just have to be in my way!” Black Mirror howled inside his cockpit.

Sensing his advantage slipping, Black Mirror was furious. With only fifty meters left, he hesitated for a moment, then decided to risk it all—this was the GTCC Grand Prix after all. As the saying goes, “winner takes all.”

Black Mirror shifted tactics, closing in on Wang Yining and Mo Shu.

“He’s trying to block our line again!” Mo Shu thought to himself.

But Mo Shu was still a bit too inexperienced. Black Mirror’s ambition knew no bounds, and this time, he targeted more than just one rival.

In a flash, Black Mirror lunged at Wang Yining. Taken completely by surprise, she instinctively swerved to dodge, her speed faltering.

“Zhao Yibin! You’d even target me?” Wang Yining cursed under her breath.

Black Mirror, not satisfied with his slight lead, swung his car once more, this time with greater ferocity and a wider angle, intent on forcing Wang Yining to slow down.

“I’ve got it!” Zhao Kunlun in the VIP box raised his fist in triumph, glancing smugly at Wilmin, eager to show off his team’s championship prowess.

“Hmph... Compete with me, will you?” Black Mirror sneered inside his car. He refused to believe—or accept—that a rookie could defeat him.

Now, Wang Yining was about to be forced onto the shoulder, with nowhere left to go.

It seemed the championship would belong to Black Mirror after all!

Just ten meters stood between Black Mirror and the finish line.

Whoosh!

A streak of white!

Suddenly, a white flash shot past, too swift for the eye to follow.

“Mo Shu!” Wang Yining cried out in shock.

The white streak slowed, and Black Mirror stared in disbelief. Car number 32, in gleaming white livery, somehow appeared in front of him—both cars now face to face.

Through the windshield, Black Mirror saw that enigmatic smile once more, as well as Mo Shu’s raised middle finger.

“Damn it! No!” Black Mirror’s voice twisted in panic.

Clang!

Mo Shu braked hard; Black Mirror floored the accelerator.

The two cars, like enraged bulls, charged headlong at each other.

Nose to nose, neither driver backed down an inch.

Wang Yining seized the opportunity, leveling the playing field once again.

A showdown on a narrow road, rivals colliding—another silent war played out on the Fugang circuit.

The three cars tangled and tore past the finish line together.

A collective gasp swept through the grandstands.

No one could say for sure whether Mo Shu or Wang Yining had crossed the line first.

Nor could anyone tell whether Black Mirror or the charging Geng Hua would take the remaining podium spot.

No one had expected the GTCC Fugang main race to end in such brutal fashion.

On the cooldown lap, security teams had already formed a human wall, separating the three teams’ pit areas.

The big screen at the track held off announcing the results, suggesting even the stewards’ professional equipment couldn’t make a quick judgment.

Mo Shu climbed out of his battered car with a rueful smile, apologizing repeatedly to his crew—the damage would likely keep them busy for days.

Wang Yining’s eyes were red-rimmed once more. She pounded Mo Shu’s chest with her small fists. “Idiot! You could’ve just won if you’d passed me, but you had to show off with that U-turn stunt. Can’t you tell which is more important, the championship or saving me?”

“Of course you’re more important…” Mo Shu replied with a sheepish grin.

“Scoundrel…” Wang Yining pouted, half angry, half coy.

“Oho, now you’re blushing.”

“You’re impossible!”

“Beautiful lady, can I ask you something?”

“Go on.”

“Will you go out with me?”

“What?”

“Be with me…”

“I can’t hear you… It’s too loud, say it louder.”

“Be with me! Please, please, please!” Mo Shu nearly shouted into her ear.

Suddenly, the world fell silent. All eyes turned their way, every gaze laden with teasing implication.

Mo Shu hadn’t expected his outburst to be so loud—he wished he could sink into the earth.

“Blushing, are you?” Wang Yining teased, reversing the tables.

Mo Shu nodded silently, too embarrassed to speak.

“You want to be my boyfriend?” She pressed, as if interrogating him.

Mo Shu nodded again, shyly avoiding her eyes.

“Silly… I’ve been waiting for you to say that…”

Wang Yining’s sudden tenderness felt like a drop of honey in Mo Shu’s heart, lifting him as if he were floating on clouds, wrapped in a dreamy haze.

“Ohhh! Mo Shu, Wang Yining—get married! Get married already!” The whole team whooped and cheered in unison; outsiders might have thought they’d already won the championship.

“Crazy! The results aren’t even out yet. What are you hollering about?” In a nearby pit, Black Mirror rolled his eyes in utter disdain.

“Quiet, everyone! The officials are about to announce the results!” Wang Yu shouted while listening to the race radio.

All eyes turned to the giant screen on the track, every breath held in anticipation.

Zhao Yibin!

Black Mirror, Zhao Yibin’s name, appeared at the top of the screen.

“What the—!”

The Stellar Racing Team erupted in boos. After such a flagrant display of rule-breaking and unsportsmanlike conduct, Black Mirror still appeared in first place.

What about Mo Shu? He’d crossed the line before Black Mirror. Had his result been disqualified?

Even if Mo Shu’s result was voided, at least Wang Yining should have finished ahead of Black Mirror—she hadn’t broken any rules!

“Wait, hold on, why is Ai Chixiang in second?” someone from the staff cried out in disbelief.

Everyone looked closer and saw that both Zhao Yibin and Ai Chixiang had a “DQ” marked next to their results.

Meanwhile, Geng Hua, Wang Yining, and Mo Shu’s names were all at the bottom of the standings.

“DQ? What’s that? Dairy Queen? Don’t Quote? Is that an insult?” Who knew why Mo Shu was so dense at that moment.

Suddenly, Mo Shu realized all the team members and spectators were chanting his name in unison, and a spark of joy flickered in his once-confused eyes.

He spun around to look at Wang Yining, only to meet her tear-filled gaze.

“Mo Shu, champion!”