Chapter 269 Tan Zheng Remains a God

The early spring was still cold despite the warmth, Song Ni tightened her clothes, daring not to slacken. Tan Zheng stood by the car, his aura transforming. Even from a distance, Song Ni could see the confidence and arrogance in his eyes. She had experienced this Tan Zheng up close before. What had she thought then? It was the absolute charisma born of talent and confidence. In the realm of racing, Tan Zheng was an undisputed conqueror, a master, someone who could effortlessly control every situation. Song Ni zoomed in with her lens, watching Tan Zheng, whose hands had once held hers, put on his helmet, meticulously adjusting it, then skillfully fiddling with the controls inside the car. "Losing a race to Tan Zheng is an honor." The words echoed in her mind again. Everyone in the club, from various positions, took this impromptu race with utmost seriousness. This scene made Song Ni realize once again how influential Tan Zheng was in the racing world. She felt a step closer to the racing god she once knew. The referee waved a flag, and the engines of the three cars roared to life simultaneously. The roar of the engines came one after another, and the cheers from the crowd grew louder with them, not like early spring, but like a summer night, with the fiercest winds, the heaviest rain, and a group of people going wild on the grass. They yelled and unleashed their souls under the rain on the hottest summer night. Song Ni swallowed, her eyes glued to the spectacle, afraid to miss a single thrilling moment. The dark clouds parted, and the sun emerged, as if also wanting to witness the race. The prolonged roar of the engines intensified the atmosphere. The flag dropped, and the three cars shot out like wild horses. Tan Zheng had chosen the car he loved most from his past, a car that was quite old, and perhaps not equipped with the latest high-end performance. But with Tan Zheng, man and car seemed to merge into one. Like the closest of friends, they knew each other intimately. Song Ni unconsciously held her breath. She couldn't see Tan Zheng, only focus on the car. Song Ni felt this time was different from the last, because of Huan Yuan. Everyone said Huan Yuan was the second Tan Zheng, even Tan Zheng himself said Huan Yuan was his successor. But Song Ni believed Tan Zheng was Tan Zheng, how could there be a second Tan Zheng? Though he didn't say it, the man must have wanted to race against this young contender. The three cars ran side by side, evenly matched, their speed almost identical on the straight, inseparable. Such circuit races tested cornering skills the most. The primary consideration for the fastest way through a corner was "the line that allows passing through the corner fastest." Time was what racers had to consider. The shortest cornering line, due to the significant speed difference of the car, was actually detrimental to acceleration out of the corner, thus not the fastest route. In a circuit race, one needed to utilize the width of the track effectively to achieve the most ideal line. The entry point, apex, and exit point were three theoretical points that a racer needed to define when cornering, and the definition of these three points determined the quality of the cornering line. Sheng Jiang knew this track best. Being young, he wanted to gain an advantage in the corners and entered the corner too fast, resulting in a slight deviation in his chosen apex. It was this small mistake that Tan Zheng seized upon to overtake him. Tan Zheng's years of racing experience made his cornering fluid and effortless. His line and speed were incredibly smooth. He demonstrated his solid foundation in the first corner, and even after five years in retirement, circuit racing seemed easy for him. Huan Yuan followed closely behind. Sheng Jiang, after all, was someone Tan Zheng had mentored. Despite a minor mistake causing him to fall behind temporarily, he didn't lose his composure. He quickly adjusted his mindset, staying close behind the leading two, doing his best to shorten the gap. In the second corner, Huan Yuan chose to stick closely to Tan Zheng's car. This was the most common tactic on the track, drafting behind the car in front, reducing wind resistance and thus pressure, then using the slipstream to close the gap for acceleration. Though young, Huan Yuan's skills were not weak. He braked late and then cut to the inside, maintaining pace with Tan Zheng before the apex of the corner. Tan Zheng raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways. As he exited the corner, he instantly accelerated, gaining a lead of a fraction of a second. Song Ni instinctively held her breath. She couldn't see Tan Zheng, only focus on the car. Song Ni felt this time was different from the last, because of Huan Yuan. Everyone said Huan Yuan was the second Tan Zheng, even Tan Zheng himself said Huan Yuan was his successor. But Song Ni believed Tan Zheng was Tan Zheng, how could there be a second Tan Zheng? Though he didn't say it, the man must have wanted to race against this young contender. The three cars ran side by side, evenly matched, their speed almost identical on the straight, inseparable. Such circuit races tested cornering skills the most. The primary consideration for the fastest way through a corner was "the line that allows passing through the corner fastest." Time was what racers had to consider. The shortest cornering line, due to the significant speed difference of the car, was actually detrimental to acceleration out of the corner, thus not the fastest route. In a circuit race, one needed to utilize the width of the track effectively to achieve the most ideal line. The entry point, apex, and exit point were three theoretical points that a racer needed to define when cornering, and the definition of these three points determined the quality of the cornering line. Sheng Jiang knew this track best. Being young, he wanted to gain an advantage in the corners and entered the corner too fast, resulting in a slight deviation in his chosen apex. It was this small mistake that Tan Zheng seized upon to overtake him. Tan Zheng's years of racing experience made his cornering fluid and effortless. His line and speed were incredibly smooth. He demonstrated his solid foundation in the first corner, and even after five years in retirement, circuit racing seemed easy for him. Huan Yuan followed closely behind. Sheng Jiang, after all, was someone Tan Zheng had mentored. Despite a minor mistake causing him to fall behind temporarily, he didn't lose his composure. He quickly adjusted his mindset, staying close behind the leading two, doing his best to shorten the gap. In the second corner, Huan Yuan chose to stick closely to Tan Zheng's car. This was the most common tactic on the track, drafting behind the car in front, reducing wind resistance and thus pressure, then using the slipstream to close the gap for acceleration. Though young, Huan Yuan's skills were not weak. He braked late and then cut to the inside, maintaining pace with Tan Zheng before the apex of the corner. Tan Zheng raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways. As he exited the corner, he instantly accelerated, gaining a lead of a fraction of a second. The spectators started screaming. They were professionals and could discern the subtle differences in their execution within that tiny gap. Song Ni couldn't fully comprehend these minute details, but it didn't stop her from feeling excited when Tan Zheng successfully defended against Huan Yuan's overtake. The red and black racing suit, the red and black car, racing on the track like black panthers on the savanna. Their wildness erupted, and the heat of their passion on the track seemed to set the air ablaze. Two corners left. If they wanted to overtake Tan Zheng, these were the only possible opportunities. All Huan Yuan could do was capitalize on Tan Zheng's mistakes or gain an advantage while drafting. But Tan Zheng's reputation, besides his exceptional talent and skill, was also for his rare mistakes. He was like a robot, always finding the optimal solution in every maneuver. On the few occasions he did make mistakes, people were invariably awestruck by his subsequent brilliant recovery. Huan Yuan knew where his opportunity lay, and Tan Zheng knew it too. Before entering the corner, Tan Zheng quickly occupied the inside lane, blocking Huan Yuan's intention to draft and overtake. However, Huan Yuan reacted swiftly and adjusted his entry into the corner accordingly. Although his distance from Tan Zheng was greater, his increased speed allowed him to exit the corner faster than Tan Zheng. Just as he was about to take the lead out of the corner, Tan Zheng slammed on the accelerator, increasing his speed and taking the corner with his tires almost grazing the inner line, a breathtaking maneuver. Everyone gasped. At that exit point, with that speed, it was like dancing on the edge of a cliff; a slight misstep would lead to a crash. In other words, Tan Zheng had deliberately shown a vulnerability, only to reclaim control with his sheer skill. The subsequent corners held no such surprises. As they crossed the finish line, Tan Zheng and Huan Yuan were simultaneous, with Sheng Jiang slightly behind. As soon as he got out of the car, Tan Zheng removed his helmet and looked towards Song Ni. He couldn't see her clearly but made a gesture in her direction. Song Ni's eyes welled up the moment she saw him look at her after the race. She felt like crying. She waved back at Tan Zheng and made a heart shape. Tan Zheng smiled before his gaze shifted to the two who were also getting out of their cars. He looked at Huan Yuan. "Not bad." In the third corner, he had deliberately acted that way, wanting to see Huan Yuan's reaction on the track. Huan Yuan's performance was as he expected. Huan Yuan pursed his lips. "There's still a lot of room for improvement." He knew that in a formal race, Tan Zheng wouldn't expose any weaknesses, and he wouldn't have such an opportunity. Tan Zheng raised an eyebrow and said no more, turning his attention to Sheng Jiang, who stood dejectedly. "Tsk, weren't you quite boastful before the race? Why so glum after it's over?" Sheng Jiang mumbled. "I thought I'd be left behind by the third corner at the earliest." He hadn't expected to be overtaken at the first. Tan Zheng chuckled. "Who can you blame for showing a weakness out of impatience?" Sheng Jiang: ... Losing and then being teased, it's truly exhausting.