Chapter 72: Road Rage (2).
...
Andy was slightly taken aback but when he realized the control and wits Hao Ren displayed the last time he was behind the steering, he calmed down. Han Lingshi watched the race progressing on the monitors. She looked at Andy and said, "Tell him to be careful when passing the opponents also please regulate the pit stops.
Make sure that the car does not have any malfunction that might put him in danger."
Andy nodded to her, it was obvious for her to care about him. He didn't turn his hair grey by driving under the sun. Han Lingshi did not have the ice demon aura around her when it was about Hao Ren.
...
Hao Ren completed five laps and then said, "Okay, Andy, I am getting on."
Andy replied, "Roger that."
The commentators had the access to the pit stop and communication, one of them said, "Henry, what do you think? Can Hao Ren really deliver what he just said?"
Henry smiled and picked up the mic as he said, "Alan, from what I have found from our sources, this guy sure has the caliber to run for the top, but it won't be easy for him to pass sixteen drivers. It may sound as if the race is long but inside the cockpit everything is faster, even the time."
Alan nodded in agreement and said, "Just now Hao Ren said to his Crew chief Andy that he is ready, and from the looks of it he is ready."
Henry suddenly smiled and said, "Hao Ren is going after the Caster team driver, Phoenix. It is a relentless chase, and with every moment, the gap between the two is getting smaller."
Alan also got into it and said, "Phoenix just blocked the inside of the track to stop Hao Ren from getting ahead, nice defensive driving."
Henry followed, "However, it would be that easy to get rid of Hao Ren, he is tailing Phoenix like a shadow. They are head to tail, and their is a turn coming ahead."
Alan remarked, "Phoenix is blocking the inside of the track again."
Henry exclaimed, "Hao Ren has taken the outside line and he is punching that accelerator to its limit. It is a beautiful curve Hao Ren has no intention of slowing down. Oh, look, not only did he cut in, he in blocking Phoenix from advancing too. What a wonderful move!"
Alan chuckled and said, "Phoenix looks angry and is chasing after Hao Ren, eager to get back his position."
Henry smiled and replied, "It is not that easy, Hao Ren is not slowing down, he has no intention to look back at the ones he left in dust."
...
Hao Ren did not have the concept of hesitation in his mind at the moment. He was aware that if he did not commit to the race, if he hesitated the opponent would not only catch up but also leave him in the dust. After all, they were all wolves of the trade.
While Hao Ren did not have anything else to care about in his mind, the other teams were beginning to take notice of his performance. He was like a bullet that moved ahead and chased one after the other. After twenty laps, Xiao Mei said, "Boss, clouds."
Hao Ren said, "Andy, can you check the forecast? The surroundings just darkened."
Andy told him to wait and after a few minutes, the old man said, "Ren, can you take on three more laps? We will be able to get the proper report from the center."
Hao Ren nodded and replied, "Seems good, I just saw the Dart entering the pit lane. I am going for the position."
Andy replied, "Roger."
Hao Ren moved faster through the last turn and floored the accelerator as he switched into the top gear. His car issued a whooshing sound as he passed through. Xiao Mei said, "Boss, the engine limiter is not on. You have to slow down a bit to make sure that the car doesn't flip over."
Hao Ren looked at the speedo meter and said, "As soon as I am about to reach the limited speed give me a beeping alert."
Xiao Mei accepted the command and at the same time she issued a flag inside the pit stop, and old man Andy flew off the handle.
"Who the fuck was it to forget that the limiter needs to be turned on? Motherfucker if the car flips over I will kill you bitches!"
Andy was the demon hated by the crew, they worshiped him out of fear.
...
Meanwhile, Augustus was watching the race from the VIP box, and he was happy. Han Lingxue was the only one who sat there as the representative of the Empress International. None of the team owners came to talk to her, after all, in their eyes, Chariot Racing was just a small team that was chasing the sun with wax wings.
However, Han Lingxue had been observing the situation very carefully and she was smirking while sipping on the champaign. A few people who had been dished out a loss by Hao Ren were able to understand how she was so calm. They wished for Hao Ren to either lose or completely shatter the understanding of racing and get to the podium to create an upset.
Augustus saw Han Lingxue and walked over. He was about to sit down when Han Lingxue said, "Did I allow you to sit next to me?"
Augustus froze and so did everyone else. Han Lingxue looked at him calmly and said, "Learn to respect yourself and others a bit more, Mister Augustus Donovan."
Augustus sneered and said, "I have no idea what gives you the confidence to talk to me like this."
Han Lingxue smiled and replied, "If only you were to pay more attention to the rankings. You would know why I am so confident to talk to you like this."
Augustus turned his head to look at the rankings chart displayed on the monitor and he was shocked. Chariot team was moving up on the charts with every few laps. He clenched his fist and turned to look at his secretary and said, "Find out who is this driver. How is he doing it?"
Han Lingxue looked at him with mocking experience and said, "You have no idea what you are up against Augustus. This is not Scvantia, and he is not Marco."
...
Hao Ren did not care about anyone, and moved inside the pit lane and yelled, "Andy, fucking tell them to get the wet tires on, now!"
Andy was shocked and just when he was thinking what to do, it started raining heavily. The technicians did not even wait for Andy, they were all experienced people. The pit stop was delayed but the wet tires were put on and Hao Ren dashed out of the pits.
The commentators noticed this and Henry said, "Hao Ren has put on wet tires, I wonder if they speculate the rain to last for a long time."
Alan nodded and said, "According to the weather forecast, it is possible for the rain to last an hour or more but that time is enough for the race to enter the final laps. It seems to me that Crew chief Andy has been paying attention to the forecast and they timed the pit stops from the beginning of the race. It could be luck that it started raining as Hao Ren enter to pit."
Henry remarked, "I have always believed that luck is a part of your strength and that is what we all just saw. Hao Ren is out of the pit lane and he is chasing after the opponents even more relentlessly."
Alan thought of something and said, "It appears to me that Hao Ren is driving with a rage, but if one is to notice the fine control he shows when making his moves and turning around on the corners, his car looks like a sword that is tearing apart the illusions of the other drivers."
Henry exclaimed, "Alan, I am going to nickname him as the sword of the race track."
...
Hao Ren cursed, "Fucking visibility is playing tricks, I almost had him."
He almost succeeded in making a move but the visibility in rain hindered his timing. Andy said, "Ren, patience is the key as long as you are persistent, they will make a mistake."
Hao Ren nodded and followed the driver before him. The other party was obviously struggling to maintain a grip on the road because he didn't have wet tires on. Suddenly, the opponent made a turn but due to the lack of traction, he slipped and Hao Ren entered the turn before him.
Henry in the commentary box exclaimed, "Hao Ren squeezes through the tiny gap and is now fourth in position. He would now have to contend against Marco Seoul, the ace driver of the Raging Bull team. What do you think, what will he do?"
Alan said, "Why not ask the person himself?"
...
Andy spoke to Hao Ren, "Ren, the commentators asked me about the strategy. What do you think I should tell them?"
The young man replied, "Chase and Pressure. Andy, I am going to focus."