"How did the Xiangshan Advanced Race go?"
"I heard you got ninth place and even handed over the navigator yourself!"
In the Crown Club office, Ethan Yang leaned back in his leather chair, his gaze cold. "Swain Li, do you know what you're doing?"
"Do you know how much damage your actions have done to the club's reputation?
"Now, whenever I go outside, reporters rush up and ask me all kinds of questions, as if I were the driver who cheated!"
Facing Ethan Yang's fury, Swain Li remained calm.
On the way back, he had already figured out what to say.
"Boss, I later found out that section of the Mixiang Circuit had detectors. So even if I hadn't admitted it myself, it wouldn't have mattered. The race organizers would still have caught me, and the result would have been just as ugly. By handing it over voluntarily, we can at least save some dignity. People will think Crown Club drivers can admit their mistakes, take responsibility, and own up to what they've done."
"You still dare to talk back?" Ethan Yang slammed the desk.
But he did not continue scolding Swain Li.
Swain Li had already qualified for the provincial-level track, so winning or losing this race did not matter.
As for the cheating being exposed, that was indeed Ethan Yang's fault. When he had raced on that track before, there had been no detectors on that section. He had not expected them to be installed after only a few years.
He had only wanted Swain Li to give him an easy way out.
Instead, Swain Li stood there like a lump of iron, refusing to show him even the slightest respect.
Since that was the case, Ethan Yang could only give himself a way out. He changed the subject. "Forget it. We'll let this matter go. Don't let it happen again… By the way, have you figured out the situation with Derek Su and Purple Lightning?"
The image of that powerful man appeared in Swain Li's mind. The only man who had truly looked him in the eye and given him respect.
His gaze darkened. "I've already figured out Derek Su's situation. There will absolutely be no problems on the provincial-level track."
Leon Li and Snowpeak, who were listening from the side of the office, looked completely baffled.
This guy had nearly lost his life in the Xiangshan Advanced Race, yet he could still say something that confident? He really was ruthless.
Swain Li sensed Leon Li and Snowpeak's gazes and felt a trace of disdain.
He had not actually figured out the full extent of Derek Su's ability, but in order to earn another chance to race against Derek Su, he had to sound confident.
Otherwise, what if Ethan Yang, that old fox, suddenly switched drivers?
"There really won't be any problem?"
Ethan Yang was a little surprised to see Swain Li so confident.
"Absolutely no problem. Guaranteed."
"Good! Hahahaha, very good!" Ethan Yang burst into hearty laughter as he remembered Swain Li's personality and methods.
Someone that cunning and ruthless would never run his mouth for no reason.
When that kind of person said he was confident, it usually meant he really was.
For the provincial-level track, Ethan Yang could sit comfortably in the club and enjoy the show.
"Swain Li, if you can completely pin Derek Su down in the provincial-level track this time, preferably force him off the track, you'll be Crown Club's new rookie ace from now on!"
Ethan Yang dangled the reward in front of him.
The treatment an ace received in the club was worlds apart from that of an ordinary driver.
Ordinary drivers usually had no salary, while ace drivers received shares in the club.
On top of that, they had priority access to the club's shared resources.
A large club like Crown Club could generally support the resources of three ace drivers.
And even among those three ace drivers, there were differences.
Originally, Crown Club's top rookie ace had been Leon Li and Snowpeak, and they had received the most resources.
Ethan Yang's meaning was obvious. He was offering the position of top rookie ace to Swain Li. Saying it in front of Leon Li was also meant as a warning.
As he spoke, Ethan Yang deliberately glanced at Leon Li. Seeing Leon Li and Snowpeak standing there in a daze, he could not help feeling smug.
Sweating now, aren't you?
That was the price of making mistakes.
Crown Club had always been strictly hierarchical. Aside from the tycoon behind it, Ethan Yang was the proper local emperor here. Whoever he wanted to raise up, he would raise up. Whoever's resources he wanted to restrict, he would restrict. Only those who truly brought benefits to the club had a chance to eat the biggest slice of the pie.
"Oh, right, Boss." Swain Li saw Ethan Yang looking pleased with himself and decided to strike while the iron was hot.
He threw out his own bait. "I've already found Derek Su's weakness. He's extremely strong in corners, but the first section of Panlong Mountain has relatively few turns. So I'd like to apply for some funding to buy Modules specifically to upgrade Silver Mirror's straight-line acceleration. Combined with Silver Mirror's copy ability, the first section of Panlong Mountain will be practically guaranteed."
Ethan Yang did not like club drivers asking him for things.
But he was in a good mood today, and Swain Li's confidence made him look much more pleasing to the eye.
So he nodded. "Go on. How much funding do you need? As long as it benefits the club's development, as the boss, I'll fully support it."
"I need ten million," Swain Li said bluntly.
"That much?" Ethan Yang paused. That amount was already enough to buy some fairly average gold Modules.
"I want to buy top-tier acceleration-type purple Modules to make sure nothing goes wrong. This money can be deducted from my future prize money," Swain Li explained.
Once he heard that, Ethan Yang immediately had no objections.
Since it would be deducted from his prize money, then naturally… he would fully support it.
It was not that much money. He could get it by having a few underground black markets under him run a few more illegal races. So without another word, he transferred ten million to Swain Li.
He also told Swain Li and Silver Mirror to work hard, grow bigger and stronger, and create new glory.
...
Swain Li and Silver Mirror left Ethan Yang's office.
The first thing he did was transfer the ten million to the Stella Club account Absolute Shadow had provided.
Only after seeing that the transfer had gone through did he breathe a little easier.
"Derek Su, now I don't owe you anything." He muttered to himself. Beneath his bangs, a cold glint flashed through his gray eyes, and a fanatical, dramatic smile curved his lips. "The emperor who reveals his full majesty on the track, is it? Just wait. On the first section of Panlong Mountain, I'll face you in my strongest form! Hehehe!"
Beside him, Silver Mirror blinked, then said speechlessly, "Master, do we have a strongest form? How come I don't know about it?"
Swain Li turned to Silver Mirror and wagged a finger in front of him. The smile beneath his dead-fish eyes grew even stranger.
"The so-called strongest form is the fully stuffed state after eating insanely spicy hot pot. And the dipping sauce must have plenty of wasabi in it!"
Silver Mirror: "???"
Swain Li saw the confusion in his Mecha Girl's eyes.
He flicked his bangs aside, leaving Silver Mirror with only his melancholic and mysterious profile.
"Listen, Silver Mirror. Do you know that when a person suffers extreme pain, their body's potential erupts? At that moment, I'll desperately want to have diarrhea, but I won't be able to during the race. At the same time, my powerful sense of responsibility won't allow me to disgrace myself in your cockpit… So at that moment, just imagine how badly I'll want to finish the race as soon as possible and obtain that single instant of release."
"That's how I'll unleash my potential!"
Swain Li clenched his left fist and pointed his right hand to the sky, shining with confidence.
Silence.
A long silence.
Silver Mirror narrowed her eyes and stared at Swain Li for a while, then took out her phone.
She was going to call the police.
...
At the same time, inside the office.
Ethan Yang answered a video call.
On the screen, the dark-skinned Danny Qiang was smiling brightly. The scene behind him was clearly some prison.
In the corner was a man who had been beaten black and blue, with half his hair turned white.
It was Julian Ziliang.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (40 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.