Chapter 102: The Racing Deity!

Every curve, every inch of the road was etched into Lin Xiao’s mind. As the series of sharp bends approached, his confidence remained unshaken.

When the modified car ahead began to slow, Lin Xiao’s eyes sharpened. He hit the gas, cranked the wheel hard, and dove into the inside lane at a speed far beyond safe limits, just brushing past the other car.

The space between them was less than ten centimeters. One wrong move, and it would’ve ended in a wreck.

But Lin Xiao didn’t flinch. His hands were steady. No panic, no hesitation—only focus. The Rolls-Royce, under his control, hugged the curve and glided ahead with surgical precision.

He didn’t slow down. Instead, he flew into the next two bends even faster.

A clean, high-speed drift carried him out of the turns like a bullet through smoke. In seconds, the Rolls-Royce was gone, putting distance between him and the modified car.

The driver left behind sat frozen, stunned. He’d seen world-class racers, studied their moves. But this wasn’t skill.

It was something beyond.

A racing god.

Caught in his shock, he had neglected to control his car, now careening toward a large tree at the roadside.

Caught in his shock, the middle-aged driver failed to regain control in time. The car veered off course, heading straight for a roadside tree.

At the last moment, he snapped back to his senses and slammed the brakes, twisting the steering wheel hard. The collision was unavoidable, but thanks to his reduced speed and fastened seatbelt, he wasn’t thrown from the vehicle. Even so, his face struck the wheel, leaving a smear of blood trailing down his cheek.

Unbeknownst to Lin Xiao, his precise drift had done more than widen the gap—it had shaken the man behind him to his core.

Not that Lin Xiao cared. Even if he had known, he wouldn’t have looked back. His only focus now was overtaking Le Fangyun and taking first place.

And now, he was second.

Up ahead, Le Fangyun received the update. His expression darkened instantly. He hadn’t imagined that the person he’d dismissed would actually be a threat. Starting from the back, Lin Xiao had broken through every obstacle and climbed to second place, now dangerously close to first.

A twisted fury spread across Le Fangyun’s face. “So what if you’re in second place? You’ll never pass me.”

He stomped the accelerator, the Lamborghini leaping forward. But after a few turns, a glance in the rearview mirror sent a chill down his spine.

The Rolls-Royce was there, relentless, steady, and closing in fast.

Le Fangyun slammed the gas pedal, and his Lamborghini surged forward with a fresh burst of speed. But after only a few bends, his rearview mirror revealed a sight he didn’t want to see—the Rolls-Royce, gaining ground like a silver bullet fired from the dark.

“Damn it!”

In a fit of rage, Le Fangyun pounded on the steering wheel. He then pressed hard on the gas pedal. His Lamborghini accelerated, aiming to widen the gap between him and the encroaching Rolls-Royce.

He lacked Lin Xiao’s skill. His lead hadn’t come from ability but from obstacles he’d arranged in advance. Now, stripped of those advantages, he had to rely on raw driving ability—and that was where he faltered.

To push any faster on Panlong Mountain’s treacherous curves was to gamble with his life.

Lin Xiao caught a glimpse of the bright taillights in front cutting through the dark, and his expression sharpened. The final bend loomed in the distance. Without hesitation, he floored the accelerator once more.

The Rolls-Royce responded with a growl, tearing through the road like a streak of lightning.

“I refuse to let this happen. I won’t let you overtake me!”

With the Rolls-Royce pressing relentlessly behind him, Le Fangyun’s nerves began to fray. The pressure clawed at his mind until he couldn’t hold it in—he let out a hoarse, guttural roar.

His knuckles whitened around the steering wheel. His foot slammed the accelerator again and again, as if brute force alone could keep Lin Xiao at bay.

Fear no longer held him back. His thoughts had narrowed to a single, blinding point—he had to win.

***

Meanwhile, at the base of the mountain, a row of sports cars stood parked in perfect alignment along the roadside. High-powered spotlights bathed the twisting road ahead in stark white light.

Dozens of onlookers stood still, their gazes fixed on the winding ribbon of asphalt cutting through the darkness above. No one spoke. No one moved.

It was so quiet, the sound of a pin dropping would have echoed like thunder.

Everyone was on tenterhooks, waiting for the final outcome.

Li Yunxi was standing atop her burgundy Ferrari, her hands clenched into tight fists, her gaze locked unblinkingly on the mountain road. Sweat pooled in her palms. The progress of the race was unknown to her, making the blind wait all the more torturous.

“Lin Xiao, you must win,” was her silent prayer.

Soon, two shafts of light cut through the darkness, breaking into the line of sight of the crowd gathered at the foot of the mountain.

“They’re here!”

An immediate ripple of excitement spread through the crowd. Every individual was instantly electrified, their focus intensely concentrated on the unfolding spectacle.

From their vantage point, they could see two cars hurtling down the mountain at an incredible speed.

The car at the back, despite its unwavering and relentless determination, was slowly losing ground to the one in front. As the two cars drew nearer and their full view was revealed, a wave of disbelief swept through the spectators.

“Oh my God! Am I hallucinating?”

“How is this even possible?”

“What in the world is happening?”

In their field of vision, the car steadily closing in on—and now beginning to overtake—the Lamborghini that had launched first was none other than the last-to-start Rolls-Royce. The sight sent shockwaves through the crowd. This unexpected reversal left everyone utterly stunned, their expectations shattered. Not even the boldest among them could have foreseen such a dramatic turn of events at the beginning of the race.

What did a flawless counterattack look like? This was it!

“Incredible!” Li Yunxi, standing on the roof of her car, swung her fists excitedly and started hopping around, her entire being pulsating with exhilaration. “I knew I picked the right horse.”

“Lin Xiao, keep pushing! You’ve got this!” she shouted at the top of her lungs, her hands cupped around her mouth like a makeshift megaphone.

The people who initially had no faith in Lin Xiao and found him distasteful had their opinions swayed by his performance. One after another, they began to rally and cheer him on.

“Lin Xiao, give it your all!”

“Lin Xiao, push on!”

Not to be outdone, on the other side, Le Fangyun’s entourage and friends rallied in support.

“Go for it, Young Master Le!”

“Crush him, Young Master Le!”

For a while, the scene became chaotic, buzzing with a tumult of noise. Yet, the bustle and bedlam at the base of the mountain did not unsettle Lin Xiao.

Le Fangyun, on the other hand, was anything but calm. His face twisted with panic, hands clenched white around the wheel. Each time Lin Xiao edged closer, he jerked the Lamborghini left or right, desperate to block the path.

Lin Xiao had already seen through it. Fangyun’s driving was fast, yes—but reactive. Predictable. Whenever he feinted to one side, the Lamborghini swerved to cover. Left, block. Right, block.

As the final bend loomed ahead, Lin Xiao veered left, angling toward the inner line. Just as expected, Le Fangyun mirrored the move, swerving to block.

But Lin Xiao had no intention of staying there.

The instant the Lamborghini eased off the throttle to prepare for the curve, Lin Xiao slammed his foot down. With a sharp flick, he wrenched the wheel to the right, hugging the outside. Side by side with the Lamborghini, he yanked the handbrake, twisting the steering wheel to the limit. The Rolls-Royce skidded smoothly into the arc, tires screaming, smoke curling from the pavement. He released the brake mid-turn, letting the car surge forward—clean, precise, unshaken.

The Lamborghini faltered. Le Fangyun stared, wide-eyed, and nearly lost control.

There was still about a kilometer left, but Lin Xiao was already ahead.

Le Fangyun floored it, his engine howling as he clawed to regain ground. The gap tightened. Meter by meter, the Lamborghini crept closer in Lin Xiao’s rearview mirror.

But it wasn’t enough.

With the final stretch in sight, the dynamic had shifted. Lin Xiao was no longer chasing—he was leading, and fully in control.

Le Fangyun pushed to close the gap, but Lin Xiao blocked him, deliberately positioning himself in front of the Lamborghini. Every time Le Fangyun angled to pass, Lin Xiao responded. The hunter had become the gatekeeper.

Lin Xiao eased into one last elegant drift, crossing the finish line in a controlled glide. The Rolls-Royce came to a firm halt.

Silence gripped the foot of Panlong Mountain.

Shortly after, a dejected Le Fangyun followed, the frustration mounting. He fiercely tugged at his hair; the anger within him had no outlet. He slammed his fist on the car door, wheel, everything.

“I lost? I actually lost? To a nobody?” he yelled in disbelief, “Why? Why did I lose?”