At the beginning of spring, beneath a veil of light morning mist, the crimson sun slowly rose over the horizon. A cool breeze drifted gently through the air, yet amidst nature's tranquil silence, Jun-Yu's heart was anything but calm. Restless and anxious, he stood at Hua-Long Team's pit area inside the Shanghai International Circuit, wearing a black racing base layer with his leather racing suit tied around his waist.
After calming his mind with Shi-Han's encouragement the previous night, Jun-Yu had practiced for only an hour before Shi-Han forced him to return home and rest. She had not arrived at the circuit yet. Around him stood the twenty members of Hua-Long Team.
Since Jun-Yu had never competed in an official race before, every member of the team was filled with doubt. Along with his medical examination, they bombarded him with countless questions about racing, testing both his knowledge and confidence.
After his medical check-up was completed, Hua-Long Team entered a meeting with the racing authorities. Although the team had submitted an emergency application for Jun-Yu's racing license the previous night, the authorities were still reluctant to grant him one. Instead, they were considering disqualifying the entire team from the competition.
As soon as Tian-Xiang and Hao-Yarn left for the meeting, the pit crew headed toward the garage. With the pit area suddenly quiet, Jun-Yu sat down in a chair, looking utterly discouraged.
The scene was being broadcast live through the circuit's surveillance system, and Shu-Yang watched everything from his hospital bed.
The entire Shanghai International Circuit was covered with security cameras. Every section of the venue was heavily guarded, and the racing areas were securely fenced off.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Dr. Yu-Tong entered Shu-Yang's cabin. Wan-Qing had also come to visit him.
It was Sunday. The university was closed, and it was also a public holiday.
The moment Shu-Yang saw the doctor, he visibly tensed. He had always been afraid of Dr. Yu-Tong. The only reason he was still lying in the hospital was because he'd been shot.
Yu-Tong: "Shu-Yang, look who's come to see you."
Shu-Yang: "W-Who?... Oh... Doctor, please come in."
Dr. Yu-Tong was much older than Shu-Yang. Although Shu-Yang instinctively became nervous upon seeing him, he forced a smile when he noticed Wan-Qing. His mind, however, remained occupied with Jun-Yu. The thought of today's race made him unbearably anxious.
The doctor stepped forward and began examining Shu-Yang's condition. After finishing the check-up, his eyes fell upon the medicine and glass of water sitting untouched on the bedside table.
Yu-Tong: "Why haven't you taken your medicine, Shu-Yang? We finally removed the IV needle from your arm. Do you want me to stick another needle back into your hand?"
Hearing the doctor's stern voice, Shu-Yang coughed nervously. Wan-Qing immediately handed him a glass of water.
Wan-Qing: "Please be careful. How will you recover quickly if you don't even take your medicine?"
Taking the glass from her, Shu-Yang gulped down the water.
Yu-Tong: "Please explain things to your boyfriend. He never eats properly. He lost a tremendous amount of blood during surgery. Even the blood transfusion he received wasn't enough, and we can't draw any more blood from your body right now. Since Jun-Yu isn't here today, I'll tell you instead. Shu-Yang is still suffering from anemia. We've been keeping him hydrated with IV fluids, but continuing that any longer would do more harm than good. If he doesn't eat regularly, his body won't be able to restore its blood supply. He'll continue suffering from headaches, dizziness, and physical exhaustion. Please make sure he eats."
The doctor's words completely stunned Shu-Yang.
Wan-Qing, meanwhile, froze in embarrassment.
"Boyfriend...? And... feed him?"
She silently repeated those words to herself before letting out an awkward smile.
The sight of that smile caught Shu-Yang's attention.
Ever since the first day Wan-Qing had seen Shu-Yang at university, he'd quietly stolen a place in her heart.
The bullet had struck Shu-Yang's right ribs, making it difficult for him to feed himself. Holding chopsticks with his weakened left hand wasn't easy. During the past few days, Mei-Xue had been feeding him, but she had flown back to Luoyang the previous night.
Shu-Yang: "Doctor... I-I can eat by myself. It's just that my stomach hurts right now. Let me watch Jun-Yu's race first, and then I'll eat later."
The doctor smiled sarcastically.
Yu-Tong: "Shu-Yang, stop making childish excuses. You're a responsible adult. Why won't you listen to me?"
Shu-Yang: "It's not my fault. After taking so many medicines, I don't even feel hungry anymore. My stomach feels full from the pills alone, and the moment I try to eat, I start feeling nauseous."
Dr. Yu-Tong stood there silently.
He knew arguing with Shu-Yang was completely pointless.
Yu-Tong: "Oh? So food makes you nauseous? That's quite a serious appetite problem. Wan-Qing, would you please hold your boyfriend's hand? I need to give Shu-Yang an injection that'll improve his appetite."
---
Back at the Shanghai International Circuit, Jun-Yu stood silently in his leather racing suit, staring at his motorcycle.
His nervousness was overwhelming.
For a moment, he wondered if accepting this challenge had been a mistake.
But there was no turning back now.
The authorities had finally granted him a temporary racing license for today's event.
The moment he looked away from his motorcycle, his eyes landed on Shi-Han, standing alone at one end of the grandstand.
In her hands was the blue-and-green rider logo Hao-Ran had given her.
Standing before her in a green leather racing suit beside a blue-and-green motorcycle, Jun-Yu looked exactly as she had imagined.
The day Hao-Ran gave her the logo, she had become frustrated after failing to finish its design and had thrown it away.
But this morning, she searched through her drawer, found it again, and finally completed the design before rushing to the circuit.
While finishing it, she had imagined Jun-Yu standing exactly like this over and over again.
Since logo design wasn't her specialty, it had taken much longer than expected.
That was why she hadn't been able to come to the circuit with him earlier.
For a few brief moments, their eyes met across the distance.
Shi-Han carefully raised the completed logo high with both hands and shouted joyfully—
Shi-Han: "Your Rider King, Jun-Yu! Best of luck! Come back as the champion... my king!"
Jun-Yu heard only the first part of her words.
The final whisper—
"My king."
—was swallowed by the roaring atmosphere of the circuit before it could reach him.
Clenching his fist in determination, Jun-Yu smiled faintly and nodded.
Then he climbed onto his motorcycle...
...and lowered the visor of his helmet.
★★★
Several hospital security guards were quietly searching for someone throughout the building. A clear shadow of worry was visible on Dr. Yu-Tong's face. He stood inside Shu-Yang's hospital room, but neither Shu-Yang nor Wan-Qing was anywhere to be seen.
Only a few minutes earlier, when the doctor mentioned giving Shu-Yang an injection, Shu-Yang had practically jumped out of bed in terror. Dr. Yu-Tong had long since realized that Shu-Yang had an overwhelming fear of injections.
Over the past several days, every time Yu-Tong had come to administer an injection, Shu-Yang's hands and legs had trembled uncontrollably. Fortunately, since the medication had been delivered through his IV line, Shu-Yang hadn't caused much trouble. But today, after the IV had been removed, hearing that another needle would be inserted directly into his arm sent him into a full-blown panic that nearly turned the entire hospital upside down.
Suddenly, a memory flashed across Shu-Yang's mind...
A dark night.
A seven-year-old boy sat in the back seat of a car. Someone was driving, while a young woman sat in the passenger seat. Soft romantic music filled the car.
All three of them were enjoying the peaceful moment...
Then, without warning, a black van pulled up alongside them.
A large syringe shot through the driver's window like a flying dagger.
The syringe pierced the driver.
Within seconds, the driver lost control of the vehicle.
"Ahhhhhh!!"
A terrified scream suddenly echoed through Shu-Yang's hospital room.
Shu-Yang: "No! No! I won't take it! I don't care how much you threaten me with injections! I'm not staying in this hospital anymore! I'm going to Jun-Yu! Jun-Yu, wait for me! I'm coming! Don't be so nervous—I'm here for you!"
Shu-Yang was under unbearable pressure.
Today, the career he had devoted his life to had been placed in someone else's hands.
Surprisingly, he wasn't nearly as worried about his own career as he was about Jun-Yu.
He knew better than anyone that Jun-Yu had never prepared to race in today's championship.
Although Shu-Yang had practically forced Jun-Yu to accept the challenge, he couldn't stop worrying about his inexperienced friend.
For seven consecutive days, Hua-Long Team had been calling Shu-Yang, checking on his condition.
But even if Shu-Yang had been healthy...
Would seven days of practice really have been enough for him to win the National CRRC Road Racing Championship?
The National CRRC wasn't an ordinary regional competition.
The country's finest and most experienced racers would all be competing there.
Even Shu-Yang, despite being a professional racer, wasn't confident he could become the champion.
If even he doubted his own ability...
How could he not worry about his best friend, Jun-Yu?
Shu-Yang hadn't slept all night because of a single thought.
"Why did I make Jun-Yu take such a huge risk?
I couldn't race because I was injured.
If the team had withdrawn from this year's National CRRC Championship due to my condition and the shortage of riders, they could have simply returned next year.
So why did I risk Jun-Yu's future... and even his life?
Racing isn't only about victory, defeat, pride, or speed.
It's also about physical endurance... and surviving accidents.
After riding with me for only ten minutes, Jun-Yu admitted he felt dizzy.
So how is he supposed to compete today against twenty-five or thirty professional racers?"
Wan-Qing: "Shu-Yang, wait! Where are you going? Please, listen to me! The doctor was only trying to scare you into eating!"
Shu-Yang hurried down the hospital corridor while Wan-Qing chased after him, calling his name.
His weakened body could no longer withstand the strain.
Unable to run any farther, he forced himself to walk as quickly as he could.
His breathing became rapid.
His vision blurred.
An intense headache pounded inside his skull.
A crushing pain spread through his chest.
Fresh blood gradually seeped through the blue-and-white striped hospital gown covering his wound.
Finally, Shu-Yang stopped in the middle of a corridor.
One hand pressed tightly against his chest, he bent forward, struggling to breathe.
Then...
He heard Wan-Qing's voice echo behind him.
"Shu-Yang!"
The moment her voice reached his ears, Shu-Yang clutched his chest and tried once more to stagger toward the hospital exit.
Suddenly...
A sharp ringing sound filled his ears.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Wan-Qing turned the corner into the corridor.
The first thing she saw was a bloodstained hand lying motionless on the floor.
Then her eyes fell upon Shu-Yang's collapsed body, wrapped in white bandages.
She hurried over.
A large portion of his hospital gown around his chest had already been soaked crimson with blood.
Wan-Qing: "Shu-Yang! Shu-Yang! Somebody help! Please! Shu-Yang, answer me!"
Within minutes, the hospital staff placed Shu-Yang onto a stretcher and rushed him back toward his room.
Wan-Qing could do nothing except stare silently at his unconscious face.
A few moments later, they reached the cabin.
Yu-Tong: "It happened... exactly what I was afraid of."
"Nurse! Put an oxygen mask on Shu-Yang immediately!"
After checking the wound on Shu-Yang's chest, the doctor spoke again.
Yu-Tong: "Nurse! Take him to the emergency operating room immediately!"
Wan-Qing: "Doctor... what's happened to him? He's going to be alright... isn't he?"
Yu-Tong: "The stitches in his chest have torn open. The bullet wound was dangerously close to his stomach. Until now, his life wasn't in immediate danger... but I honestly can't say what will happen next."
Without another word, Dr. Yu-Tong rushed into the operating room.
Standing outside, Wan-Qing couldn't stop thinking.
"Why is Shu-Yang so terrified of injections?"
"He's a police officer."
"Handling firearms and shooting accurately are second nature to him."
"If someone who isn't afraid of guns can fear an injection this much..."
"What exactly happened in his past?"