Chapter 81: The Decisive Match in Switzerland

The results for SS11 were announced, and once again Mo Shu topped the leaderboard, while the former driver A, now Ai Chixiang, continued to hold the second spot in the overall standings. After four more SS stages and one SSS stage, the Swiss round had officially concluded, and the champion of the first leg would be determined later today based on the final rankings.

Mo Shu’s bold words to the press left Wang Yining uneasy and worried, as she noticed Ai Chixiang’s performance remained outstanding, and had even edged closer to Mo Shu. In the subsequent races, Wang Yining resorted to repeated warnings and urging to motivate Mo Shu, and the pair’s performance in the four SS stages that followed was indeed reassuring. Their team did not slack off despite their prior lead; they did not lose a single second, but unfortunately, there was no remarkable leap in their results.

In contrast, Ai Chixiang’s performance gave the two cause for concern. This “monster” not only claimed first place in SS14 and SS15, but also narrowed the gap between the two teams to just over two minutes. This was hardly good news, as in many critical races, the one who catches up later often has a higher chance of winning and pulling off a reversal.

As the competition grew ever more intense, the drivers were filled with unease and anxiety, but such circumstances were precisely what the fans relished most.

In the final SSS stage, the ERC officials spared no expense, launching a grand global broadcast, which was also an excellent opportunity to rake in substantial advertising sponsorship and boost worldwide recognition. Learning from the failure to cover Mo Shu’s debut race, the television crew had managed to secure two military helicopters capable of speeds over 500 kilometers per hour, and every corner was now covered by two fixed cameras instead of just one, all to ensure that this broadcast would be flawless, sparing themselves from global ridicule and complaints from sponsors about the exposure.

The television broadcast was ready, and the online livestreams were equally competitive. Major websites around the world, eager to capture viewership, began streaming signals two hours ahead of the event. What did they do with those two hours without racing? Naturally, there was lively interaction between hosts, commentators, and fans, with some sites even adding “Beauty Host Predicts the Champion—Lucky Draw” events to grab attention, all to attract more advertisers and sponsors.

By this era, most racing fans had abandoned television, preferring online streaming, since TV was far too lonely—viewers could only watch and listen, their only diversion being to crack sunflower seeds or peel peanuts. However, online streaming allowed interaction: fans could leave comments, share their opinions, and discover how many others supported their favorite teams.

Clearly, ERC global livestream supporters had split into two major camps. One was the Divine Team faction, led by the “Disciples of the Deity.”

The other comprised Carbon Black Gold fans, who had formed the “Black Card Club.” Scanning the comment section, nearly all discussions and debates revolved around these two teams.

“Mo God is invincible!”
“Black Gold is unstoppable!”
“The God of Speed is the coolest!”
“Carbon Black Gold will win!”

Often, the rivalry between fans was just this simple and direct, with only a few veteran enthusiasts occasionally surfacing to deliver detailed analyses.

“I’m a Black Gold fan. From my ten-plus years of following ERC, I can say that Ai Chixiang, having vaulted from obscurity in the opening race to second place, demonstrates incredible learning ability and adaptability. That’s the most terrifying kind of driver. Look at history—here, let me share a trend chart I made myself for everyone to appreciate.”

Indeed, a chart tracing ERC drivers’ performance trends from the last century up to last year appeared in the comments, receiving widespread praise from fans.

“Wow, amazing! So many years of dedication. As a loyal Black Gold fan, I can see just how likely Carbon Black Gold is to win the Swiss round!”

The Disciples of the Deity refused to be left behind: they posted a chart showing Mo Shu’s progress from his debut to the end of SS15, accompanied by text.

“Mo God has ruthlessly and dominantly overcome every formidable opponent standing in his way. He speaks through races, speaks through results. Black Gold fans, tremble—for today you’ll witness what it means for a god to descend to earth!”

While the two camps debated fiercely, a new force suddenly surged into the livestream comment section. They were not Carbon Black Gold fans, but members of the Carben Owners Club—users who had purchased Carbon cars.

This made things lively. The Carben Owners Club also supported the Black Gold team; after all, owning a luxury car made them proud, and a team victory only added to their prestige. The previously balanced contest was instantly tipped, with the comment section flooded by Black Gold chants, and their support percentage soared ahead of the Disciples of the Deity. Mo Shu’s fans felt the frustration of having strength but nowhere to use it.

Meanwhile, in Switzerland, the time approached 4 p.m. The sky, gloomy and oppressive all day, suddenly cleared, and the remaining distinctive white clouds were swept away by the roar of military helicopters.

“Heh, I still prefer this kind of sunny weather,” Mo Shu said, already prepared in the starting zone, patting the steering wheel with anticipation.

“Yes, where there’s sunshine, there’s victory. Isn’t that what you always say?” Wang Yining replied with a relaxed smile. This was a crucial moment; she could not afford to put any more pressure on Mo Shu.

By now, Mo Shu no longer cared about starting in the later positions. It seemed as if the ERC officials were determined to challenge him; no matter where they placed him, he always ended up at the top, so the organizers had grown indifferent.

“Hey, hey! The race is starting!”
“Go, Mo Shu!”
“Go, Divine Team!”

Amid cheers and waving flags from the crowd, Mo Shu once again led the way onto the track.

However, perhaps because dusk was approaching and the organizers feared the race would run too late, the usual two-minute staggered start was shortened to just one minute for this SSS stage.

So, Mo Shu had barely left the starting area and was still visible to spectators when Ai Chixiang set off right behind him.

“Haha, maybe the officials think nobody can catch up to Mo God?” someone joked among the audience.

Indeed, with anyone else, Mo Shu’s taillights would be out of sight.

But now, right behind Mo Shu was Ai Chixiang, the “sewing-face” driver with double skills. This time, things were very different!