Chapter 34: The Duel That Kills With Words!

“You know nothing!”

After a flicker of emotion across his face, Ji Yangyang finally steadied himself and sneered: “You’ve never raced a car—how could you possibly know racing demands more talent than studying?”

It’s not as simple as you imagine—just having money lets you compete and win prizes.”

All your envy and resentment are like a peasant fantasizing that the emperor eats white buns with a golden hoe—pure fantasy.”

Baseless!”

Racing isn’t what you think at all!”

“Wanna make a bet?” He Chen regarded Ji Yangyang, now back to his cold, cool demeanor, with amusement.

“What’s the bet?” Ji Yangyang’s expression shifted slightly, instantly retorting with a look that said: “Say it—I’ll take it.”

“Let’s bet on racing!” He Chen smiled. “As you said, I’ve never trained for racing—I don’t even know what a racetrack looks like. I’ve never even touched one.”

You claim racing is sophisticated, requires talent, and isn’t as lowbrow as I imagine—then let’s settle this.”

Just go to the track and race—won’t that prove it?”

If you can’t beat me, a complete beginner, how can you still have the nerve to talk about sophistication, talent, and dreams?”

“Impossible!” Ji Yangyang scoffed. “You can’t possibly beat me!”

Are you kidding?

He was determined to follow Han Han’s path and become a professional racer—he practically treated his uncle’s racetrack as his classroom, spending hours every day behind the wheel, restless if he didn’t drive.”

He might not match professional racers, but among amateurs, he was top-tier.”

Now, this guy who’d never even touched a car was challenging him—and looking like he already had victory in hand. It was laughable—and insulting.”

“Only racing will tell if it’s possible,” He Chen mocked. “You’re not afraid to take this bet, are you?”

“Afraid?” Ji Yangyang sneered. “I just don’t want to bully a beginner. But if you insist on getting humiliated, I’ll gladly oblige!”

“Set the time, place, and stakes—you decide!”

“You’re skipping self-study again, aren’t you? Going to your uncle’s racetrack? Then let’s go right now!” He Chen smiled. “After we race, I have to go home and cultivate. I’m not trying to imitate Guan Yu warming wine before beheading Hua Xiong—I genuinely don’t have time to waste on you. Not worth it!”

“As for the stakes…”

“If you lose, you stand before everyone at morning assembly and shout three times: ‘I am a racer!’”

“You—!” Ji Yangyang exploded again.

The bet seemed harmless—but it was deeply humiliating.

It was no less cruel than when Lü Xiucai lost and had to shout three times in public: “I am a scholar!”

Lü Xiucai prided himself on being a scholar—shouting that after losing was a brutal mockery of the sacred status he held dear.”

And now, he, who dreamed only of becoming a racer—if he lost and was forced to shout “I am a racer” in public…”

“And if you lose?”

“Whatever you want!”

“Then you stand at morning assembly and shout three times: ‘I am a turtle and a bastard!’” Ji Yangyang sneered.

“This…” Deng Xiaoqi, listening nearby, couldn’t even bear to watch.

Compared to He Chen’s subtle phrasing, Ji Yangyang’s was crude and excessive.

“It’s settled then!” He Chen didn’t care at all—this panicked Deng Xiaoqi, who rushed over, repeatedly warning him this wasn’t a joke.

Ji Yangyang was also unsettled.

He Chen was too confident—he was willing to accept such a humiliating penalty. Was he truly that sure of himself?”

Could He Chen have raced before—not for the first time?”

Had he trained before, and was he actually skilled?”

The thought flashed through Ji Yangyang’s mind—but he immediately dismissed it.

Racing was a small circle—if there were any peers capable of beating him, he’d know about them.”

And though he hated to admit it, mastering racing truly required money, time, and effort.”

How could you develop skill without spending money and hours at the track?”

Everyone knew He Chen’s background—he was the school’s idol, but his family had no such resources.”

And then there was the car itself—the hard reality.”

His kart was specially tuned by his uncle, who ran the track, customized to maximize his performance.”

With all these advantages, even if He Chen had raced before—or thought he had talent—he had no chance of winning.”

If he lost under these conditions, he’d lose all face.”

But He Chen’s confidence made him uneasy—even if his expression was calm, his heart trembled slightly.”

Until he heard He Chen, unable to be dissuaded by Deng Xiaoqi, say: “Relax. If it were studying or math exams—if he spent all day doing Olympiad problems, I might hesitate to challenge him, to avoid humiliation.”

But racing? What technical skill is there?”

It’s just steering wheel, accelerator, brake—basic combinations.”

Don’t talk about talent!”

There’s no financial barrier to entry—anyone can get in and do it.”

Who isn’t born a natural driver?”

“Truly, ignorance is fearless!” Ji Yangyang, hearing this, relaxed completely, looking at He Chen with contempt—this man who thought “I could do it too.”

“Stop wasting time—do you bet or not?” He Chen didn’t care to dawdle.

He had cultivation to return to.

“I’m not afraid of you!” Ji Yangyang sneered, giving He Chen his uncle’s racetrack address, telling him to go ahead—he’d leave first to have his uncle clear the track and prepare the perfect stage for crushing this novice.

Seeing He Chen was serious, Deng Xiaoqi abandoned her professional class, gritted her teeth, and followed him straight to the racetrack.

This kind of thrilling match was a once-in-a-lifetime memory—if word got out, even her best friend Lin Miaomiao would skip evening self-study and sneak over to watch, even if it meant punishment.”

And now she had the rare chance to witness it firsthand—why bother with her professional class?”

Racetrack.

When He Chen and Deng Xiaoqi arrived, the track was already cleared. Ji Yangyang’s uncle studied He Chen: “You’re He Chen?”

“Yes.” He Chen nodded.

“Young man, don’t be too arrogant,” Ji Yangyang’s uncle said calmly.

“If you’re not arrogant, are you even young?” He Chen replied, then cut straight to the point: “Ji Yangyang, explain how to drive a kart—what should I watch out for?”

“You really don’t know anything?” Ji Yangyang’s uncle was deeply skeptical—he thought He Chen was acting.

“Is karting some common public activity?” He Chen shot back, then ignored him, listening half-heartedly as Ji Yangyang reluctantly explained, then climbed into the kart they’d assigned him and took a single practice lap.

The moment he drove, both Ji Yangyang and his uncle exhaled in relief.

They’d spent years here—anyone’s skill level was obvious at a glance.

He Chen’s every movement screamed “complete beginner.”

If he was truly a novice, they had no doubt he stood no chance of winning.

They were certain to win.