“That’s right!” Ni Duoduo immediately became very proud again: “This Thug is my favorite! Look, its exhaust pipe is a retrofit… This car’s performance is absolutely top-notch!”
She glanced at me, a flicker in her eyes. She whispered, "Hey, you really aren't going to race?"
"No." I shook my head.
"Tch!" The little girl angrily pulled over a thug-like man who was collecting bets nearby: "Number Four thug, I bet five hundred!" She then took out her wallet.
I quickly grabbed her and whispered, "What are you doing?"
"Place your bet!" Ni Duoduo glared at me. "Why wouldn't you make money? This one's a sure win!"
I smiled and suddenly said, "I say this thug can't win!"
"oh?"
I looked into her eyes and said, "I'll bet you, I bet that Rokudo's NSR will definitely win."
"Huh?" Ni Duoduo was clearly stunned, her mouth agape in surprise: "That NSR is impossible, right? Are you sure you're not mistaken? The NSR is good at short track speed-up, but it doesn't have an advantage when running... Besides, I don't think I've ever seen the person driving the NSR before... Is he new here?"
I took a breath. My eyes were fixed on the NSR motorcycle in Liudao's car. The rider was wearing a black jacket and goggles... Wearing a helmet while racing here would get you laughed at! I stared at him for a full minute, my gaze flickering, before turning back to Ni Duoduo with a smile: "Want to bet?"
“Okay!” Ni Duoduo became interested: “I bet the thugs will win! You bet on that NSR! If the thugs win, you have to promise me one thing!”
"What?"
Ni Duoduo chuckled to herself, "You promised me you'd go for a race!"
"Okay." I smiled. "But if NSR wins... you have to do one thing for me!"
"What?"
I chuckled and said, "I won't tell you now, but you have to promise me one thing! Anything at all! No backing out!"
"Afraid of you?" Ni Duoduo raised her eyebrows.
I didn't let Ni Duoduo place a bet. Let's consider it a private wager between the two of us...
Just kidding! I know that thug can't outrun the NSR. Are you suggesting that Ni Duoduo throw away 500 yuan for nothing?
After a while, someone started loudly announcing the start through a loudspeaker. The crowd backed away, and the riders pushed their bikes onto the road. The tall girl next to the bald guy, wearing a crop top and a miniskirt, was carrying a red light. She walked to the middle of the road and made a very flamboyant gesture.
In an instant, the roar of engines rose and fell, and then, as soon as the red light in the young woman's hand went out, several cars had already sped off!
That thug's car was clearly modified with money; it accelerated very quickly and actually sped off into the lead!
Ni Duoduo jumped up and down excitedly, shouting and laughing, while I stood cautiously beside her, lighting a cigarette for myself. I looked across the street, and Xiao Si's bald head was particularly conspicuous under the light. He was surrounded by several men who looked like henchmen. I saw him whisper something to one of his men who was collecting bets, a smug smile on his face.
Hmph, this guy is still using the same old tricks!
If I hadn't been involved in this industry back then, I would definitely be betting on that "thug" like Ni Duoduo is today!
Actually, it's quite simple... nine out of ten gambling operations are scams! Otherwise, where would the bookmakers make money?
Most people, or at least those who know a little about cars, can tell that the Thug is definitely the best performing car, so most people will naturally bet their money on the Thug!
If the rioters win, won't Baldy Xiao Si have to pay money?
It's not that simple!
Generally speaking, the bookmaker controls the game! For example, that NSR I've been observing for a long time is definitely the "outsider" Xiao Si brought in to control the game tonight!!
The term "foreign horse" is actually a name, and it doesn't refer to the foreign women working in brothels. It's a specific term used within this circle. Generally, these "foreign horses" are genuine racing experts! Some are highly paid experts brought in from other places by the bookmakers, unfamiliar faces; others are unknown experts rarely seen in the racing world; and in some places, for certain large gambling games, the bookmakers even pay to hire professional drivers from Macau to control the game!
These amateur racers are basically no match for professional drivers! After all, the stories in Initial D where street racers beat pros... are all made up!
Unfortunately, tonight... what I saw through was... that NSR rider, the one Baldy Xiao Si brought over tonight, I know!
The section of road where we're speeding tonight consists of four streets, covering a total of over 20 kilometers round trip. The route isn't long, and we've already deployed people at each intersection to keep us updated on the latest situation!
Not long after, the first message came back.
"At the White Horse Roundabout... NSR is in the lead, followed by the Rioters, who are one car length behind... NSR is accelerating rapidly and currently has a strong advantage on the short track. The Rioters are chasing closely, but once they get onto the long street and start running, I believe the Rioters will have a chance to overtake!"
After someone announced the news through a loudspeaker, it immediately drew shouts and cheers, while others cursed.
Ni Duoduo stubbornly retorted, "NSR's only advantage is its speed boost on the short road! There's a long street ahead, let's see who's stronger then! Humph!"
I smiled and didn't say anything. I just quietly smoked, but suddenly I saw a cold glare from the bald guy across from me!
"At the entrance of Guanghua... NSR continues to lead! The lead is gradually widening! The second group of thugs is in the lead, and the CB400 is catching up quickly! Holy crap, that NSR tonight is simply amazing! How can it possibly lead on a long track?"
When the second message arrived, it completely shattered Ni Duoduo's confidence! Many of the people around her who had hired thugs were cursing, and some even started smashing bottles in anger.
Ni Duoduo stared at me for a while, then pulled me aside: "Chen Yang...you...how did you guess? You must know something inside, right?" Seeing that I didn't speak, she grabbed my arm and shook it a few times: "Tell me, okay? Okay?"
I glanced around and chuckled softly, “I know that rider on the NSR. I haven’t seen that bike before, but I’m pretty sure its tires are different from the others.”
"oh?"
"First of all, I know that guy's habits. He's a master. Those kids here can't possibly be his match. At least his skills are superior. Although his NSR car is just average, he always inflates the tires with nitrous oxide! That alone makes him more professional than others! Nitrogen tires are less susceptible to heat and cold, have less deformation, maintain stable tire pressure, improve tire stability, and ensure driving comfort. That's one point... As for your comment about the thug's car having strong performance, that's only under normal circumstances. A true master doesn't compete with you on car performance, but on driving skills!"
"But...we don't know that guy driving the NSR...where did he get such an expert?"
I glanced at her: "What do you know, you little kid? Would a real master drive around like this, yelling and screaming? What defines a master? A master doesn't show off usually, but reveals their true, ruthless side when it counts!"
After a pause, I revealed another fact that shocked the little girl: "I've known that NSR driver for years... He used to drive the No. 13 bus in the city."
That sentence almost made the little girl die from her own saliva.
A bus driver?
Part One: In the Martial World, Unable to Control One's Own Fate, Chapter Seventy-Four: Past Events Like Smoke
Seeing Ni Duoduo's eyes almost popping out of their sockets, I found it somewhat amusing.
They're just kids, after all, and still young.
People her age might not understand, but a few years ago, when talking about Nanjing's famous No. 13 bus, everyone would have to give a thumbs up and say, "Damn, awesome!"
Basically, the drivers of bus route 13 represent the highest level of speed driving in Nanjing!
Have you ever seen a huge, bulky bus speeding along a city highway at train speed, leaving taxis far behind?
Have you ever seen an old-fashioned, double-trailer diesel bus overtaking other vehicles on the road with a "drift" maneuver reminiscent of Initial D?
Have you ever seen a bus catch fire because of a tire blowout caused by excessive speed?
If you're not from Nanjing, you wouldn't know that when you ride a bus, you can feel a strong tearing sensation when the bus starts moving!
A few years ago, Nanjing's No. 13 bus was absolutely amazing! Several famous legends originated from that time. For example, someone once stood on the bus, holding onto the iron handrail, and as the bus sped down, the straight handrail was bent!
Once, a No. 13 bus crashed into a big tree, and the tree split the bus in two meters! That must have been going incredibly fast!
Someone was once sitting in the last row of seats on a bus when the bus braked suddenly. They were thrown off the bus and rolled right onto the cylinders next to the driver's seat!
In Nanjing, a No. 13 bus overtook a taxi on the road… Seriously? That's nothing! It's commonplace! What's truly impressive? A No. 13 bus overtaking a taxi isn't impressive! A No. 13 bus overtaking another No. 13 bus… that's truly impressive!! That scene is truly spectacular!!
All of this is the golden brand that makes Bus Route 13 famous and renowned throughout the city!
In previous years, taking the No. 13 bus meant you would never be late! And for just one yuan, you could enjoy a racing experience almost comparable to Formula 1!
This is a great deal!
Back then, the Nanjing bus company's bonus system for bus drivers was based on how many round trips they made each day, with bonuses calculated according to the number of trips. The more round trips you made, the higher your bonus!
It's almost fair to say that the entire fleet of bus route 13 is made up of top-notch speed demons! Only the most skilled drivers would dare to be assigned to the route 13 bus fleet!
Of course. Over the years, after the bus company was reorganized, this booming scene has gradually disappeared. All the old-fashioned buses have been replaced with air-conditioned buses, and the performance of the cars is getting better and better, but there are fewer speeding drivers... This is probably also because the bus company has modified the driver's bonus system.
I looked at Ni Duoduo and told her all this. The little girl listened, stunned. Then, I deliberately asked in a casual tone, "Do you know who that guy who drives the NSE is?"
"Hmm, didn't you say he drives the number 13 bus?"
I smiled and said casually, "He was the team leader of bus route 13 back then!"
The little girl remained silent for a long time after hearing this before finally exhaling and saying, "Holy crap, that's awesome!"
As I expected, the NSR took the lead and came back the fastest. The car lights were flashing on the road, getting closer and closer. The roar of the engine was already quite piercing. When the NSR finally stopped, past the appointed time, the driver jumped off. A chorus of screams and cheers erupted around them.
The rioters behind them waited for the time it takes to smoke a cigarette before finally arriving.
I pulled Ni Duoduo along: "Want to know how he won? I'll take you to see."
The little girl was pleasantly surprised and followed me over.
We arrived in front of the NSR. The driver had already taken off his goggles and was inspecting the car. I went over and patted him on the shoulder, then squinted and smiled, "You little rascal."
Mao Tou turned around and stared at me for a full ten seconds before his face lit up with surprise: "Holy crap! It's you, Xiao Wu!"
I nodded and pointed to Ni Duoduo behind me: "This is my sister. She saw you speeding and wanted to come and see you."
Mao Tou was probably not yet thirty years old. He had a very calm demeanor, short hair, rough skin, and a bright white smile. He simply nodded to Ni Duoduo and then turned to open the car hatch.
Immediately, a series of dark circles appeared on his face. He sighed, looked down and inspected for a while, then smiled faintly. I leaned over and took a look: "Another one ruined."
Mao Tou shrugged, looking nonchalant: "When have I ever not ruined a car? The engine is dead, the crankshaft bearings are broken, the piston rings are ruined, the speedometer is off the charts... This car's performance is too bad, I can't do anything about it, Xiao Si is too cautious, he doesn't dare to give me a good car."
I laughed and punched him lightly: "Nonsense, if I give you a nice car, everyone will bet on you to win, how much money will he make?"
His NSS was clearly a second-rate vehicle, worth at most ten thousand yuan. And from this bet, Xiao Si made at least a hundred thousand yuan – a huge profit!
Ni Duoduo opened her mouth, then asked cautiously, "But... how can your car outrun thugs?"
"Tch!" Mao Tou laughed arrogantly. "It boils down to two words: risking your life! Back in the day, I could drive a bus so hard the engine would burst into flames! This car, no matter how beat up it is, is still way better than a bus! I dare to risk my life, they don't, they'll just be waiting to eat my ass!"
I shook my head and looked at Ni Duoduo: "They're skilled... Look at this engine, it's completely worn out. Let me tell you, a half-clutch can continue to accelerate, but this thing is just using a half-clutch to pump oil and accelerate like crazy, and that's how the engine got ruined."
Ni Duoduo was speechless, staring at the engine emitting blue light, and her heart ached as she grimaced.
I patted Maotou on the shoulder: "How much did you earn tonight?"
Maotou opened his palm.
Five thousand?
"Hey," Xiao Si is still so stingy! A car only costs 10,000 to scrap, and the driver earns 5,000. He throws in 15,000 and expects to make over 100,000. That's a really shrewd calculation.
After saying hello to Maotou, I pulled Ni Duoduo away. Looking at the little girl's adoring expression, I coldly said, "What? Envious?"
"Of course!" Ni Duoduo exclaimed, "I'm absolutely in awe! To come in first place in a beat-up NSR is simply divine!!"
"Tch!" I chuckled dismissively, then lowered my voice and whispered, "Did you see his full set of white teeth?"
"Yeah, I saw it. What's wrong with their teeth?" Ni Duoduo said, somewhat displeased.