"...Ladies and gentlemen, both cars have now completed half of the course. If Wind God doesn't experience any unexpected issues and maintains his current defensive strategy, I believe this race's challenger, Yamamoto, will find it nearly impossible to overtake him. But, of course, nothing in racing is ever certain..."
As Yamamoto glanced ahead, a straight stretch of road came into view, ending with a sharp turn—a prime opportunity. His lips curled into a sly smirk. Let me give you a little more pressure.
With a flick of the steering wheel, his car crept even closer to Zhuifeng's Audi, sticking to its rear bumper like a shadow.
Blood dripped down Zhuifeng's face, but he had no time to wipe it away. His eyes remained glued to the rearview mirror, unyielding, leaving Yamamoto no opening to exploit.
Both cars drifted smoothly through the turn and launched onto the mountain road's longest straightaway.
Zhuifeng narrowed his bloodshot eyes, staring at the stretch ahead, then glanced at Yamamoto in the rearview mirror. He knows his car can't match mine in speed, so why is he still clinging so close? Though puzzled, he didn't dare let his guard down. He kept his focus razor-sharp, carefully observing Yamamoto's every move.
Suddenly, Yamamoto shifted to the outer lane and hit the gas, attempting a pass.
"Is that all?" Zhuifeng scoffed. He didn't even bother reacting. Shifting smoothly into sixth gear, his Audi surged forward, leaving the Mazda in the dust.
Yamamoto cursed under his breath, gripping the wheel tightly. He could do nothing but stomp the accelerator, pushing his car to its limit of 250 km/h, struggling to keep up.
In racing, if your car is weaker, you can't blame others for exploiting that disadvantage—it's your own fault for not being prepared. Despite his frustration, Yamamoto's grin widened. The game was far from over.
On the mountaintop, nearly every spectator had their eyes glued to the live broadcast. However, amidst the racing chaos, there were two individuals whose focus was entirely elsewhere: Detective Li Feng and his partner, Liang Shi.
Li Feng had been staring at the surveillance monitors for what felt like an eternity. His usually sharp intuition was now shrouded in doubt. "Liang Shi, go make me a coffee... Liang Shi?"
Suddenly, Liang Shi pointed at one of the screens, shouting, "Boss! What's that?"
Li Feng turned to look and saw the same mysterious car that had appeared earlier alongside Shimada Kanrei—now reappearing on a different part of the mountain road.
As he pondered, Shimada Kanrei's car once again disappeared into the shadows.
"What the hell is going on?" Li Feng muttered, frustration evident on his face. "What is he up to? Is this some kind of international terror tactic—to keep us perpetually guessing?"
Rolling down the windows of the van, he lit a cigarette, his gaze lingering on the massive live broadcast of the mountaintop. Through the hazy smoke, a sudden realization struck him. His cigarette fell to the ground as his face twisted in shock. "Damn it... I understand now."
"Boss, what is it?" Liang Shi's admiration for his superior grew. To him, Li Feng always seemed to uncover the truth in impossible situations.
"There's going to be a crash." Li Feng's voice was grim. "Liang Shi, contact headquarters immediately—this is urgent!"
Liang Shi was stunned. He had worked with Li Feng for years and had never seen him this panicked. Without wasting another second, he reached for the radio and began dialing HQ.
Li Feng continued to stare at the surveillance monitor, his unease mounting with every passing second. The earlier conversation he had with his commissioner replayed in his mind.
---
Flashback
"Li Feng, I've heard you've shifted the focus of your investigation to tonight's race. What's this about?"
"Chief, if you've heard that, you should also know my reasoning. What do you think of it?"
The commissioner smiled faintly. "I trust your instincts. I'm only asking to stay informed. Now, what's the matter you wanted to discuss?"
Li Feng's usual playful demeanor disappeared, replaced by a rare seriousness. "Chief, if you trust me, I'll be frank. I don't just think there's something suspicious about this race—I believe the event should be canceled entirely."
The commissioner frowned. "Why? What's going on?"
Li Feng shook his head, clearly frustrated. "It's just a feeling. I can't pinpoint the exact issue, but something doesn't feel right."
The commissioner fell silent, pacing slowly toward the window. After a long pause, he replied, "That's not possible. Even if we wanted to, the public outcry would be immense. Not to mention the influence of this so-called Wind God—you know we can't just shut this down."
Li Feng didn't press further. He knew better than to ask about Wind God's background—it was clear there were powerful forces involved. "Then at least deploy additional personnel to the site. Better to be overprepared than caught off guard."
The commissioner hesitated before nodding. "I've already sent as many officers as I can spare. My son mentioned the event was chaotic but didn't report anything alarming. Perhaps you're overthinking this."
"Boss, the line's connected," Liang Shi interrupted, snapping Li Feng out of his thoughts.
Li Feng immediately grabbed the phone and spoke in a low, urgent tone. "Commissioner?"
"Yes, it's me. Have you discovered something?" The commissioner still wasn't entirely convinced that this race was connected to the recent string of robberies, but given Li Feng's reputation as one of the nation's top ten police officers, he couldn't ignore the possibility. It was nearing 3 a.m.—the exact time when the robberies had previously occurred.
"Who exactly is Wind God? This is critical, Commissioner. I need you to be honest with me," Li Feng cut straight to the point, skipping any formalities.
"What's going on? Why—"
"Shimada Kanrei has shown up," Li Feng interrupted. "He's the younger brother of the current Yamaguchi-gumi leader in Japan. I believe his target is none other than Wind God, the star of this race. His goal is likely to kidnap him—or worse. If I'm right, Wind God is in grave danger, and I doubt even ten lives would save him. Furthermore, if my hunch is correct, Shimada is behind the recent string of robberies. His intention was to divert our police resources, and frankly..." Li Feng gave a bitter laugh. "It worked. Other than the riot police, there's no one else available, and they're all stationed too far away to respond effectively."
The commissioner broke out in a cold sweat, his confidence shaken by Li Feng's analysis. "I don't know who Wind God is," he admitted. "The directive to allow this race to proceed came directly from the National Transportation Bureau. We were instructed not to interfere…"
The Transportation Bureau? Li Feng's heart sank. The connections must run deep. The commissioner slumped into his chair, overwhelmed. "What should we do, Li Feng? Is there still a way to salvage this?"
Li Feng's mind raced, piecing together a plan. "The events Shimada has set in motion are inevitable now—we can't stop what's coming. But what we can do is mitigate the damage and ensure we're not the ones left holding the bag when the dust settles."
"And how do we do that?" The commissioner's thoughts were a blank slate, his confidence thoroughly shattered.
Li Feng gritted his teeth, trying to suppress his frustration. "Recall all off-duty officers immediately. Mobilize everyone you can spare. Lock down Bashan Mountain Industrial Zone—no, lock down the neighboring Jiulongpo District and Shapingba District as well. Shimada Kanrei is no amateur; he wouldn't act without at least a 90% chance of success. Contact the special police unit stationed outside the city and request aerial support if necessary. And yes, I know sealing off three districts exceeds our manpower, so coordinate with the local military for reinforcements. We may not have enough concrete evidence, but the surveillance tapes I have should be enough to pin Shimada down. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to return and take command of the operation myself."
The commissioner stammered, "You're leaving? But what about—"
"Commissioner, if I stay here any longer, we'll lose whatever slim chance we have left," Li Feng cut him off. "Now, do what needs to be done. Yes, sir. I'll be back soon."
Liang Shi looked at Li Feng, his face pale. "Boss—"
"Don't say anything." Li Feng put the phone down, exhaling heavily as he turned to the live broadcast on the large screen. "We can't dismantle the trap Shimada has set, but if we can bring him to justice, that will be enough. Let's go. Honestly, with those lazy idiots in charge, I wouldn't trust them to handle this without screwing it up. But..." A faint smirk crossed his face. "...I think the days of those fat cats sitting around drinking and doing nothing are finally coming to an end."
Li Feng glanced at the screen one last time. "Wind God, good luck. You're going to need it." With that, he and Liang Shi quietly disappeared from the mountaintop.
Though summer was still in full swing, it was as if a winter storm had descended prematurely.
This was not just any storm—it was one that would leave an indelible mark. A storm that would be whispered about in fear for years to come. It would shake civilians to their core, disrupt the racing world, and leave deep scars in the political arena.
A storm named Bashan Mountain.