Xia Liang glanced at Tang Jie, who was acting like a rogue, and shook his head helplessly.

My damn, inescapable charm.

「One hour later, at the Dragon Bone Mountain Range.」

Located within Shangjing's Fifth Ring, the mountain range stretched over 200 kilometers in length, with an altitude of around 1,000 meters. The gathering was on its highest peak.

This place wasn't famous for its winding racetrack, but for the Dragon Bone Mountain Maple Leaf Festival and its mountainsides covered in maple leaves. It was currently October, the peak of the season. Everywhere, you could see young women dressed in traditional Han-style clothing taking photos under the maple trees, and hear the clatter of automatic mahjong tables from the many farmhouse restaurants.

A high-pitched engine roar grew louder as it approached, the sound waves causing the red maple leaves to flutter in the wind. A pair of luxury cars, one blue and one yellow, pulled up and parked in front of a small shop named the Fujiwara Tofu Shop. Of course, they didn't sell tofu here, only simple meals and drinks. It served as a temporary rest stop for the racers who occasionally came to challenge the mountain roads.

The roadside was already crowded with a few hundred people. The narrow road was packed with modified cars of every make and style. Living in the same city, shared interests naturally lead to shared social circles. All of these people had been notified by the previous rally champion to come here.

"Young Master Wang, look! They're here."

"I heard them from a mile away. It's them, alright."

"Damn it, it feels like we've really poked the bear this time. A rotary engine? How are we supposed to compete with that? There's no way we can outrun him."

"Our circuit is Class 2A, but his car is a professional modification that could compete in Class 5A. We don't stand a chance."

"Young Master Wang, maybe we should just slip away and save ourselves the embarrassment."

These people were among the more formidable drivers in Shangjing City's amateur racing scene. Anyone who could afford to modify cars naturally came from a wealthy family, so this group was mostly composed of rich second-generation kids. They had been in Tang Jie's live stream earlier, planning to check out Xia Liang's background.

The results, however, were unbelievable.

Xia Liang wasn't just unbelievably skilled at driving; he also owned numerous luxury cars and mansions. Most importantly, his family was from Qingyun City, a background that made everyone hesitate.

"Run? Why run? The worst that can happen is we lose. What's so embarrassing about that? Besides, this might be our chance," said Wang Yong. As the champion of the last event and a man with a significant background of his own, he was known for his integrity, and everyone in their circle looked up to him.

"Don't forget, he's one of us, from Shangjing! He represents the image of Shangjing's entire racing scene. So we have to race this time, and we have to give it our all. Let's show the netizens across the country that we aren't that slow!"

"Young Master Wang is right! He may be a master, but he's a master from Shangjing. This brings glory to our city!"

"Let's listen to Young Master Wang. We'll welcome him with our highest honor!"

"Alright, let's get ready for their arrival."

After a brief discussion, everyone was eager to welcome this master into their ranks.

Wang Yong sent a message in the group chat, and everyone returned to their cars and started their engines. He, however, stood in the open space outside the shop, waiting for Xia Liang's arrival.

After navigating a few bends, Xia Liang led the way in his Fantasy 7, with Tang Jie live-streaming from the passenger seat. Wen Qiong followed behind in her BMW X3. It couldn't be helped; the Fantasy 7 only had two seats, so the three of them couldn't possibly fit. Xia Liang had to persuade Wen Qiong for a long time before she reluctantly agreed to drive cautiously up the mountain.

Seeing that it was almost five o'clock, Xia Liang stopped worrying about the car behind him. He floored the gas pedal, executed a few beautiful drifts, and brought the Fantasy 7 to a stop in front of the Fujiwara Tofu Shop.

As Xia Liang got out, a handsome young man came forward and firmly shook his hands. "Brother Xia, hello! It's an honor. I've heard so much about you."

"You're Wang Yong?"

"Yes, that's me! Thank you so much for gracing us with your presence. Also, we have a special tradition to welcome you. Check this out!"

Wang Yong clenched his fist and swung it down sharply towards a few nearby cars.

ROAR! VROOOM!

In an instant, the roar of revving engines thundered across the mountain. There were the growls of four- and six-cylinder engines mixed with the howls of V8s. As for the screech of a V12, there was none; that was the sound of supercars. It wasn't that Shangjing City lacked them, but driving one up the mountain would likely destroy its chassis.

Nevertheless, the deafening sound that filled the air had a powerful, street-shaking presence. These were all modified cars, remember. They stretched for several kilometers along the mountain road, each contributing its share of decibels.

When modifying a car, after changing the appearance, the first thing people usually do is work on the exhaust sound. Those with money would replace their stock exhaust with one that produced a beautiful note. But even those with more modest means had ways to make their cars roar. For example, a Honda Fit parked not far from Xia Liang. A subcompact car like this, worth only tens of thousands of Yuan, clearly indicated its owner's financial status. But for just a few hundred Yuan, you could cover it in decals and install a cheap spoiler for a new look. Sawing off half a coil from the shock springs gave the car a low-slung profile. Finally, punching a hole in the muffler's silencer would produce a sound loud enough to rattle the entire street. In total, for less than two thousand Yuan, you could still become a distinctive presence in the modding scene.

So, under the thunderous roar, the opening spectacle thoroughly stunned Xia Liang and all the bystanders. This was clearly a unique welcome ceremony reserved for a VIP. No one could resist its charm, including Xia Liang.

The continuous roar lasted for a full minute. Sustained high revs can damage an engine, so keeping it up for a full minute was a significant show of respect.

As the noise died down, Wang Yong smoothly invited Xia Liang to join their small group. Xia Liang readily agreed. It was just a loose organization with no obligations or requirements, just a group for casual get-togethers and enjoying their cars.

Only about a dozen cars were participating in this race; the rest were just there for the fun. Due to cultural preferences, most of them were Japanese cars, like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru Impreza, and red-badged Honda Civics. Of course, cars with superb handling like the BMW 3 Series and Volkswagen Golf GTI were also in the lineup. But for small-scale races like this, Japanese cars definitely had the advantage.

The main reason was cost-effectiveness. The cars were cheaper to buy and modify, and they held their resale value well. Because JDM culture was so prevalent in the country, everyone's tastes gravitated towards it. You could buy a used Impreza, race it for two years, and potentially sell it for a profit.

Besides, the cars were cool, and girls loved them.

The saying goes: driving is a temporary high, but always driving is a permanent one. This is why young people get into modifying cars; they're not just healthy, they're… *healthy*. Those who get it, get it. Everyone has something they're chasing, and for some, it's the thrill of danger.

The full Dragon Bone Mountain circuit was 105 kilometers long and had four different modes. There were the 15, 35, and 65-kilometer "Mountain Venture" routes, as well as the 105-kilometer full "Road Discovery" course. However, the full course passed through some towns, and private individuals couldn't get the roads closed to traffic. So, this time the race would be on the 35-kilometer Mountain Venture route.

One lap. Whoever finished first would be the champion. This race was purely for fun, so there were no bets or prizes on the line.

At the starting line, Xia Liang's modified RX-7, the Fantasy 7, was lined up in the front row next to Wang Yong's new Toyota 86. The Toyota 86 was a legendary car in the new generation of JDM, seen as carrying on the cultural legacy of the old Supra. The scene was reminiscent of *Initial D*, pitting Fujiwara Takumi's AE86 against Keisuke Takahashi's second-generation RX-7.

Wang Yong, however, was merely an amateur enthusiast. Xia Liang's car, in contrast, was the ultimate version of the Fantasy 7, personally modified by the JDM legend Amemiya Yuumei himself. Wang Yong's car had only undergone a Stage 4 modification. The disparities in every aspect had already predetermined the outcome of this race.

A stunning flag girl walked to the front of the two cars.

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