Chapter 109: Mengmeng Is Bound to Lose

Although both were BMW HP4s, Zhou Chun’s HP4 and Qiao Yu’s were worlds apart; compared to Zhou Chun’s bike, Qiao Yu’s was nothing more than a toy.

Zhou Chun had stripped away all unnecessary lights, wiring, and mirrors. The entire bike was fitted with a lightweight full fairing designed for competition, equipped with a race-specific body shell. He upgraded the chassis to enhance sport performance, swapped in removable tie rods, and replaced the tires with semi-slicks better suited for mountain acceleration. The exhaust, front and rear suspension stiffness—every detail had been meticulously tuned to the absolute peak of the HP4’s potential.

The cost of these modifications alone could easily buy another HP4.

After all, Zhou Chun was a former national champion, with far more experience than the average rider. Naturally, his motorcycle modifications and adjustments were far more precise. Qiao Yu’s bike, by contrast, was mostly stock except for the semi-slick tires. To put these two on the track together? It was an enormous advantage for Zhou Chun! This was why Zhou Chun could confidently let Yang Meng ride the ‘Six-Eyed Demon’ in the race.

To be precise, even if Yang Meng was on the ‘Six-Eyed Demon’, Zhou Chun wouldn’t be afraid: what did it matter if the bike had a little more horsepower? Could a production model ever match the level of a bike modified by him?

Yet Zhou Chun wasn’t embarrassed when Qiao Yu called out his petty mindset. “Qiao Yu, you’re wrong. Qingniu Mountain has many curves. Even though my bike accelerates quickly, I can’t fully exploit that advantage when cornering, so it’s basically the same whether my bike is modified or not. Besides, a rider can only improve by competing against stronger opponents! This is a great opportunity for both me and Mr. Yang!”

His reasoning was a stretch—there was no way a former professional racer and national champion like him could have poor cornering skills.

Just as Qiao Yu was about to expose Zhou Chun’s shameless arrogance, Yang Meng spoke up, “Alright, alright. I’ve never ridden such a professionally modified bike before. If I win, the bike’s mine, and if I lose, I don’t owe anything. How could I miss such a risk-free chance?”

Zhou Chun was momentarily taken aback, then chuckled. “I like opponents with confidence like you! Fine, let’s race a lap!”

He opened the motorcycle’s storage compartment and pulled out a pair of metal knee sliders—gear used to look cool while riding. When leaning deeply into a corner, these sliders lightly scrape the pavement, creating dazzling sparks.

Of course, they were dangerous. Without contact, no sparks; but if the sliders scraped too hard, they could cause a crash. Only riders showing off their skills used these.

Zhou Chun was clearly ready to show off.

Meanwhile, Yang Meng approached Qiao Yu and asked to borrow her motorcycle.

Qiao Yu snapped, “Are you crazy? Why agree to race him?”

Yang Meng replied matter-of-factly, “Didn’t you hear what he said? If I win, his bike’s mine. If I lose, I lose nothing. It’s a great chance to win something big on a small bet.”

Qiao Yu protested, “Losing would be embarrassing!”

“Embarrassment?” Yang Meng shrugged. “What’s that worth? Instead of worrying about some vague ‘face,’ I’d rather focus on the opponent’s bike. Besides, who says losing means embarrassment? He’s a former national champion; everyone expects me to lose to him. If anything, people will applaud my courage for challenging a champ. But if he loses to me—a nobody—that’s true embarrassment. Not to mention, he’d lose his bike too. So why wouldn’t I race him?”

Qiao Yu blinked. “I know what you’re saying is twisted logic, but somehow it makes sense. Do you think you can actually beat him?”

Yang Meng shook her head. “No way. I haven’t even gotten familiar with your bike. But didn’t you hear my analysis? You don’t pass up a chance like this, no matter how small the odds. Even if there’s only a one percent chance, I’ll take it.”

Nearby, Quan Yajing sighed, “I really want to pry open your skull and see what you’re thinking.”

Chen Jiao said, “Whatever it is, you handled yourself like a real man.”

Quan Yajing complained, “Come on, Jiao Jiao, you just stirred up this whole mess.”

Yang Meng laughed. “Enough about that. Qiao Yu, lend me your motorcycle. If I crash, my T100 is yours. Well, that’s quite a price difference, isn’t it? No problem—I’ll pay you back with a new HP4.”

Qiao Yu snorted coldly. “Good. The more you crash it, the more I want to get rid of this HP4. I’ll just buy a new bike when I get back! Just... be careful!”

She tossed the keys to Yang Meng.

Ling Feng said, “Mengmeng, why don’t I race instead? I’ve beaten you more times in past races.”

Yang Meng smiled. “No thanks. He specifically challenged me. Besides, you said you’re scared stiff and won’t race anymore. Let me handle my own battles.”

Ling Feng scratched his head. “How did this whole thing start over a kicked mirror and end up as a race anyway?”

Yang Meng and the others turned toward the female rider who caused the fuss. She still wore her helmet and hadn’t said a word, acting as if none of it concerned her.

Yang Meng blinked. “Deaf and mute? Hey, I don’t know if you can understand me, but I’ll say it slow. If you can read lips, great. If not, just ignore me: motorcycling is a great sport that lifts the spirit. But you must control your temper; road rage is dangerous! Someday you’ll pay for it. You’re a student of Zhang San, right? So it’s only right we help you. But what if we weren’t here? Don’t go kicking people’s mirrors for no reason anymore!”

He spoke earnestly for a long time, but the woman showed no reaction. Yang Meng smiled wryly and shook his head—talking to a wall, indeed!

By the time he put on his helmet and prepared, Zhou Chun had been waiting for quite some time.

“Should we close the road?” asked a young man who often raced on Qingniu Mountain.

Zhou Chun glanced at Yang Meng. “I don’t mind. But having oncoming traffic makes it more fun, right? Of course, if Mr. Yang thinks it’s dangerous, we can close the road.”

The mountain road around Qingniu was not one-way but two-way. Oncoming vehicles posed potential hazards, especially when cars crossed the center line during turns, easily causing accidents. For races, the road was usually closed.

But even with closures, it was typically done at night; closing the road during the day with so much traffic was difficult.

Yang Meng was not afraid. Instead, he patted Zhou Chun’s gas tank. “You’re right, brother. It’s more fun with oncoming cars. But be careful with my bike—don’t crash it!”

Zhou Chun was momentarily surprised, then laughed heartily. “No matter your skill, you’re an interesting person! Words won’t settle it—let’s just race a lap. No more fussing, come on!”

Yang Meng started his bike, lowered the visor on his helmet, and hunched over the motorcycle. “Let’s go! I’m ready, Chen Jiao! Start whenever you say.”

Chen Jiao took a neck brace off, twirled it in her hand, then threw it down hard. The two motorcycles shot forward at once.

Right from the start, the gap between the two bikes was clear: Zhou Chun quickly distanced himself.

This showcased the advantage of Zhou Chun’s modifications: a lighter frame, tuned engine map, and a launch control start that blasted off instantly. Qiao Yu’s bike, still set up for beginners, lagged behind significantly. Zhou Chun had already cleared the first corner before Yang Meng even reached it.

Zhou Chun didn’t forget to scrape his knee sliders against the pavement, sending a brilliant shower of sparks—utterly dazzling.

Ling Feng, watching carefully at the start, let out a long sigh.

Quan Yajing asked, puzzled, “Officer Ling, why the sigh?”

Ling Feng replied, “Just call me Ling Feng—it’s all friends here. I sighed because Mengmeng has met a formidable opponent. You can tell from just one corner that Zhou Chun is no ordinary rider.”

Quan Yajing asked, “Why do you say that?”

Ling Feng explained, “That was an S-curve. Most riders can’t find the optimal entry angle. They tend to hug the outer edge, which results in a wide turn-in. To maintain speed, they have to perform a series of maneuvers: throttle off and downshift, steady low-speed gear, then after the first bend, upshift and accelerate for the next opposite bend, then throttle off and downshift again, steady low-speed through the bend, and finally upshift and accelerate once clear. It’s a complicated process, and the inaccurate line increases the risk of collisions or flying off in the second bend.”

Quan Yajing blinked. “That sounds just like how I take that corner. But what Zhou Chun do differently?”

Zhou Chun pointed to the middle of the S-shaped road. “He takes the line through the center. He enters the first bend hugging the inside apex, then after the bend, he throttles off and downshifts while riding the center line through the reverse bend. Upon exit, he immediately upshifts and accelerates. This cornering process has only two steps, yet his line and technique are the most correct. A former national champion isn’t to be underestimated.”

Ling Feng smiled wryly, “Moreover... he uses a leaning technique where he hangs off the bike rather than just leaning into the corner. It may look old-fashioned, but it’s the best style for mountain roads. His lean angle looks small but is perfect for the road conditions. So far, Zhou Chun’s choice of entry angle and cornering technique is flawless. Just because of that, Mengmeng’s chances of winning on this bike are slim. The skill gap between them is huge.”