Chapter 100: Surpassing

“Isn’t this basically cheating?” Li Yunxi snapped, her voice laced with fury. She glared at the showboating Le Fangyun, itching to give him a well-deserved beating.

The girl beside her sighed, resignation in her tone. “Big sis, this isn’t some regulated race, it’s underground. Rules are fluid, everything bends to money. We did warn you to think it through. Le Fangyun had this all planned, which is why he dared to propose that bet in the first place. But now… it’s too late to back out.”

Li Yunxi offered a bitter smile.

“Yeah, I was naive. This is my first time at something like this. I didn’t realize how dirty it could get. Still…” She paused, her gaze steady, “I believe in Lin Xiao.”

Another girl let out a sarcastic scoff. “Big sister, Lin Xiao’s luck couldn’t be worse. He’s starting eighteenth, near dead last. And with Le Fangyun’s lackeys up front clogging the road, do you really think he has a chance?”

Li Yunxi didn’t answer. Despite her earlier confidence, she knew the girl had a point. No matter how much she tried to reassure herself, the truth was clear: Lin Xiao was at a massive disadvantage.

But while Li Yunxi fretted in silence, her worries never reached Lin Xiao. Even if they had, he wouldn’t have cared.

Just then, the announcer’s voice boomed again, “Racer number 3, Lin Xiao.”

When the name “Lin Xiao” echoed across the track, the crowd of wealthy young spectators exchanged puzzled glances. The air, once lively with chatter and cheers, grew noticeably still.

No applause. No reaction.

Even the least-known racers before him had some recognition—they were familiar faces in the underground circuit, if not popular, at least regulars. But Lin Xiao? No one had ever heard of him.

“Who’s this?” Someone asked in confusion.

“I’ve never heard of him.”

“I don’t recognize him either. He couldn’t possibly be a newbie, could he?”

“A rookie daring to participate in the underground race at Panlong Mountain? Doesn’t he understand the meaning of death?”

However, the crowd was startled when Lin Xiao drove his Rolls-Royce out of the corner and parked it at the end of the competitor’s lineup.

“Could this guy be a wolf in sheep’s clothing?”

Seeing Lin Xiao in such a high-end luxury car, they were momentarily surprised. Those with sharper eyes recognized that the Rolls-Royce was a globally limited edition.

Among them was Li Yunxi, who wore a puzzled expression as she stared at Lin Xiao’s car. Recalling his previously ordinary attire, she found herself confused.

“What’s his background?” she wondered.

Le Fangyun harbored the same thoughts. Though he knew that Li Yunxi had placed her bet on Lin Xiao, he hadn’t given it much thought before. In his eyes, Lin Xiao didn’t even qualify as an opponent.

But when he saw Lin Xiao’s car, he frowned slightly. Determined to secure his victory and avert any unexpected situations, Le Fangyun resolved to take extra precautions.

He picked up his phone, dialed a number, and coldly commanded, “Tell everyone that their job is to block that Lin Xiao, the one driving the Rolls-Royce. They must stop him, no matter the circumstances. Understand?”

“Young Master Le, rest assured, I’ll notify them right away,” came a man’s voice from the other end.

Le Fangyun tossed his phone aside, his eyes glinting coldly. No matter who was driving the Rolls-Royce, no one would be allowed to disrupt his plans. Thinking of Li Yunxi’s exquisite face and voluptuous figure, a flash of lust sparked in his eyes.

‘Since you don’t know your place, don’t blame me for being ruthless. If I can’t have you, I’ll humiliate you. And as for Lin Xiao, let him die in a car crash,’ he thought, his face twisting with cruelty.

At that moment, the referee’s voice resounded through the loudspeaker.

“All competitors are now in place, and I officially declare the Panlong Mountain race has begun. Start the countdown!”

“Ten, nine, eight…”

As the countdown echoed across the track, a curvaceous flag girl stepped forward, raising the flag high. The signal was clear—once it dropped, the race would begin.

Le Fangyun, first on the line, took a deep breath, forcing down the dark thoughts stirring in his mind.

“The race begins!”

With the loudspeaker’s cue and the flag swishing down, Le Fangyun slammed down the accelerator. His Lamborghini lunged forward, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.

In the blink of an eye, it vanished down the track.

Despite Le Fangyun’s despicable character, his driving skills were undeniably sharp. It was clear why he’d dared to compete in person.

One after another, the second, third, fourth racers took off in rapid succession, engines howling as they tore through the starting line.

But Lin Xiao’s Rolls-Royce didn’t budge. Not even the engine stirred, as if he had no intention of racing at all.

Even the racers behind him had already sped off.

This sudden turn of events sent a wave of murmurs rippling through the crowd. Li Yunxi and Chen Xue, who had placed everything on Lin Xiao, felt their hearts jolt into their throats.

“What’s the matter? Why hasn’t his car moved yet?”

“Has this guy given up?”

“I don’t think so. I heard Miss Li wagered on him. Do you suppose he might be in league with Le Fangyun?”

“What? Miss Li actually placed a bet on a newcomer? He’s definitely doomed.”

“Exactly, regardless of whether he’s aligned with Le Fangyun or not, Miss Li is surely going to face significant embarrassment this time. I don’t understand what she was thinking, betting on a complete rookie.”

Li Yunxi was burning with impatience. Though she was prepared to accept the bet’s outcome, losing like this wasn’t part of the plan. It was nothing short of giving up.

All she wanted was to rush onto the track, bang on the car window, and demand an explanation.

Chen Xue was equally anxious. He stared at the immobile Rolls-Royce on the track with a face full of tension, sweat trickling down his forehead. He was backed into a corner, having gambled all his possessions on Lin Xiao’s victory. If Lin Xiao lost, he would face total ruin, with no place left to cry.

Unmoved by the noise outside, Lin Xiao sat calmly in the driver’s seat, hands resting lightly on the steering wheel, eyes closed.

His mind was still, yet vivid. The terrain and winding curves of Panlong Mountain played clearly in his thoughts. Every turn, every slope, even the distance between bends—each detail unfolded in perfect clarity, like frames from a well-rehearsed film.

Earlier, he had studied the course map meticulously, committing every segment to memory. Now, with the route fully traced in his mind, Lin Xiao opened his eyes at last.

Rumble!

The Rolls-Royce’s engine roared to life, its low growl echoing in the air. Then, Lin Xiao slammed on the gas pedal, and the car shot forward like an arrow.

Though the Rolls-Royce wasn’t built for raw speed, on a twisting mountain course like this, speed alone wasn’t what mattered. Control was king, and Lin Xiao had mastered it during his years in the military.

As the first sharp turn approached, he didn’t ease up. Instead, he drifted cleanly into the bend with a flawless left sweep—no loss in speed. If anything, he was accelerating

The rich heirs lining the road could only stare, slack-jawed, as the Rolls-Royce carved through the course like a streak of light. Shock rippled through the crowd.

“Has this guy lost his mind? He’s so fast!”

“He’s going to get himself killed, driving so recklessly around a curve like that?”

“Exactly, this is Panlong Mountain, not just any racetrack. It’s his first time here, it seems like he’s on a suicide mission.”

As the privileged spectators continued their fervent discussions, some of the more impatient ones were already hopping into their cars, eager to reach the finish line before the racers. Li Yunxi and Chen Xue also joined the fray, driving off toward the finish line.

Lin Xiao’s mind was locked onto a single objective: winning.

Every ounce of his focus poured into the drive. His eyes scanned the road ahead, his hands steady on the wheel. The engine roared beneath him as the Rolls-Royce tore through the winding path of Panlong Mountain like a thunderbolt.

It wasn’t long before he caught up to the first car ahead—a custom-modified car built for speed. The driver had skill, but against Lin Xiao’s control and the performance of his car, he was outmatched.

Boom!

Without letting up on the gas, Lin Xiao made his move. The Rolls-Royce surged forward, gliding past the custom car on a curve like a shadow in motion.

One second, he was behind. The next, he was gone.

Though the custom car had more raw power, it was wasted on this track. On Panlong Mountain’s dangerous twisting roads, speed meant nothing without control.

The other driver blinked, knuckles white on the wheel.

“What the hell! How is he that fast? Is he crazy?”

His grip slipped for a moment. A chill ran through his fingers.

Lin Xiao’s driving skirted the edge of recklessness. One mistake on these roads, and it wouldn’t just cost him the race—it could cost him his life.

Next, Lin Xiao blew past the second and third cars with ease, his speed razor-sharp, slicing through each turn like a practiced blade.

But the fourth car—a red Ferrari—was different.

Driven by one of Le Fangyun’s cronies, its purpose was clearly to block anyone who dared challenge Le Fangyun’s lead. Every time Lin Xiao edged in for an overtake, the Ferrari swerved, cutting him off. Again and again. No gaps. No mistakes. Just a wall on wheels.

Still, Lin Xiao didn’t rush.

He stayed close, riding the Ferrari’s bumper. His eyes were fixed ahead, not on the car, but on the road, waiting for the perfect moment. He knew this track. Panlong Mountain was infamous for its endless twists and brutal turns.

It was exactly why this race had earned its name: the most grueling and dangerous course in Jinghai City’s underground scene.

His moment came soon enough.

After dogging the Ferrari for several minutes, the first deadly segment loomed ahead—a hairpin turn at nearly ninety degrees.

The Ferrari driver, skilled as he was, didn’t dare push it. A mistake here didn’t mean losing the race; it meant losing control, maybe even your life. He eased up, slowing down to take the bend safely.

Lin Xiao didn’t.

“This is it,” he muttered.

A spark lit in his eyes. Rather than slowing down, he slammed the accelerator. Hard.