Chapter 360: 360: A Strong Pillar of Support

Taking a deep, heavy breath, Kai looked up at the sky. As the sunlight broke through, he could not help but close his eyes, feeling a dry, sharp sting.

On the surface, he held his head high with unyielding resolve. Even when standing before death itself, he dared to step forward and fight with his bare hands to the very end.

Yet beneath it all, a bitter taste lingered as he struggled to maintain his footing. He had essentially fled in defeat, placing as much distance as possible between himself and the hospital rooms, escaping the pungent medical smell and the suffocating sea of white.

He could not stop thinking: What if—just hypothetically—what if I had laid everything out this morning? Could I have stopped Anthoine from taking to the track?

Should I have done everything in my power to stop him?

Even if I couldn’t stop him entirely, shouldn’t I at least have warned him to stay alert? Could the crash have been avoided? Even if it still happened, might it have been less severe?

Did I miss my chance to save him?

Though Kai knew he shouldn’t indulge such thoughts, he couldn’t control his mind. Terror and panic gripped his heart, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

Buzz… Buzz… The relentless noise of the world surged against his eardrums, threatening to split his overloaded mind apart.

Hurrying his steps, he left the crowded, noisy interior behind, casting off the restraint as he escaped into the open air to draw in fresh oxygen.

Stumbling into the small garden behind the hospital, the open view greeted him, only for him to lose his bearings in the blinding golden sunlight as his head spun.

With great effort, he managed to stabilize his weight and straighten his knees. His pounding heart slowly settled, yet he noticed his fingers trembling uncontrollably. He tightly clenched his fists, exerting every ounce of strength to maintain a composure he barely felt, desperate to hide the fear inside.

Looking up, he noticed Charles sitting cross-legged under the shade of a tree. Kai froze for a second.

They had completely forgotten about Charles.

Everything had turned into a chaotic, rushing blur, violently dragging everyone into the storm and stripping away all judgment and focus, leaving only a blank void.

Charles—Jules Bianchi had passed away from a track accident that catalyzed the introduction of the HALO system, with his death anniversary passing just over a month ago. A year ago in Monaco, Charles had lost Hervé, leaving him to carry the dreams of both his father and godfather alone as he raced onward.

And now today…

A heavy breath caught in Kai’s throat. He stepped forward and sat cross-legged on the ground beside Charles.

Immersed in his own thoughts, Charles was slow to react to Kai’s arrival. “Oh. Kai.”

Kai looked at him. “Charles, is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Of course. Everything is fine,” Charles said with a calm expression, his eyes fixed blankly on the ground. “We had a fantastic qualifying session. Everything went according to plan. It couldn’t be better.”

Kai remained silent for a moment. “Charles, you know what I’m asking.”

Charles paused. “Anthoine? He’ll be fine, right?” He turned to Kai with a forced smile. “If it were anyone else, maybe, but we know Anthoine. He’ll fight. He’ll fight until the very last second. Even facing death itself, he won’t surrender.”

“He’s just like you. That’s why you two always hang out together. You’re the one he admires most.”

“Didn’t Anthoine say you were going to treat us to a big dinner after the Belgian Grand Prix? Pierre lost the bet badly, and Anthoine would never miss a free feast, right?”

As he rambled on, a hint of pleading surfaced in Charles’s eyes. Maintaining his faint smile, he desperately sought a reassuring answer from Kai.

Unable to meet Charles’s eyes directly, Kai forced himself to maintain control and gave a firm nod. “Of course.”

That single answer allowed Charles’s smile to blossom fully.

“That’s Anthoine Hubert—a notoriously tough guy. Even Max finds him a handful,” Kai said.

Charles seemed to completely forget his history with Verstappen. “Right! Max gets so annoyed every time Anthoine bugs him, haha.”

“Anthoine will be fine. Just a bit, a short while longer, and he’ll come running out, clutching his stomach and laughing like crazy: ‘You should see your faces! Scared you, didn’t I? Haha!'” Rambling continuously, Charles tried to convince himself, nodding with clenched fists as his expression regained a quiet composure.

Yet right at that moment—

Beep-boo! Beep-boo!

Blue alert! Blue alert!

Kai and Charles both snapped their heads up, looking toward the confusion and frantic movement in the corridor ahead. Unable to decipher the details, they saw only a chaotic scramble before a heart-wrenching sob echoed out, shattering the silence and pulling their hearts down into a bottomless abyss as cold winds howled around them.

There was no signal to tell them what was happening inside.

They had no idea what was going on, nor whether it concerned Hubert or Correa, yet terror seized their throats all the same.

Death had never felt so close, lingering right beside them.

Charles stood up abruptly, attempting to rush forward. Yet the moment he stepped out, endless terror and panic completely broke his defenses, freezing his body rigidly in place.

Turning back to Kai, Charles widened his eyes, though his gaze lacked any focus. “Kai, what do we do? Tell me, what do we do? I can’t remember Anthoine’s face anymore. This isn’t how things are supposed to be! Help me, please. Anthoine—Anthoine will be fine… it shouldn’t be Anthoine…”

His voice cut off abruptly. His face remained expressionless, yet tears burst through all restraints, spilling down his cheeks.

Beneath that blank stare lay a deep, raw desperation.

Kai remembered Charles telling him that when Bianchi had his accident, Charles was racing. Hervé could not bear to hide it from him, wanting to prevent Charles from piecing things together through surrounding rumors, so Hervé simply told him an accident had occurred without sharing the details.

Charles had composed himself, maintained his focus, and finished the race smoothly.

Only after the race ended did Hervé reveal the full details—just how severe the crash truly was.

Later, Bianchi fought in a hospital bed for over eight months before passing away.

For Charles, that tragic news had arrived in gradual stages, giving him time to prepare himself mentally and process the grief.

Hervé had been the same; from the initial onset of illness to its worsening and eventual passing, there had been a long process.

Thus, this was the very first time Charles felt the immediate, raw impact of a racing accident on the front lines, with death charging directly at him without disguise.

So vivid. So concrete. It left him barely able to draw breath.

That heartbreaking look struck Kai hard, shattering his defenses and pushing him back step by step.

Then, in Charles’s eyes, Kai seemed to see Hubert—

“Kai! Kai! You’re a genius!”

“God, what a perfect lap! Kai, how did you even do that?”

“Do you think I can make it to F1 too?”

“Kai, I envy you. You’re always so pure, constantly chasing speed and pushing limits.”

“It’s a promise! One day, I’ll stand on the paddock grid and race against you—even if I’m driving a Williams!”

“Hey, nice to meet you. I’m Anthoine Hubert!”

Vivid and bright.

That Hubert who always wore a modest smile; that Hubert who, despite not possessing top-tier natural talent, refused to submit; that Hubert who fell time and again yet grew stronger with every setback; that Hubert whose clear eyes expressed envy without a trace of malice; that Hubert who spread his arms like Icarus to embrace the sun.

That Hubert who, despite knowing his wax wings could not withstand the heat, flew undeterred toward the sun to embrace his fate; that Hubert who strove to deepen and widen his limited time, blooming with all his might to give life meaning.

He was fighting. He was still fighting, and he would keep on fighting.

Bit by bit, Kai straightened his spine and opened his chest—he would do the same.

Fear and unease pierced through his pores like fine needles into his chest. Every breath brought a clear, stinging pain in relentless waves. His muscles were strained to the limit, yet the nerves at his temples continued to throb. With the slightest pull, his inner organs felt as though they were seizing up.

Everything felt so blurred, his mind turned to mush, unable to process clearly; yet everything was equally stark, landing like heavy blow after blow.

A long, heavy fatigue swept over him in an instant, weighing down his chest until he could barely breathe.

Yet Kai kept himself standing tall. Bit by bit, facing the overwhelming gloom, he locked his knees and held his spine straight.

His focus returned, locking onto Charles’s eyes. Amid that tearful, disoriented haze, he sought to awaken Charles’s spirit.

“Charles.”

His voice was not loud, yet it carried absolute firm conviction.

“Charles! Anthoine is still fighting!”

Charles looked at Kai blankly, his unfocused gaze slowly gathering as a wave of pain and desperation surfaced.

Kai blinked through the harsh dryness in his eyes. Forcing them wide open, he searched for a glimmer of light amid the endless darkness.

Even if no light was found, he would not give up. He would face the darkness and keep moving forward, refusing to halt his steps even through thorns or fire.

“Anthoine has his battle, and we have ours.”

“He won’t give up—no, he refuses to give up! We all know what lies at the finish line, and so does he, yet he stepped onto the track without hesitation to fight to the very end.”

“This isn’t the end.”

“Charles—spelled C-H-A-R-L-E-S—do you remember Anthoine’s dream?”

Word by word.

Kai was awakening Charles, while simultaneously awakening himself. Step by step, he dragged his floating spirit back to solid ground, feeling the weight of gravity once more to face whatever lay ahead.

Charles paused. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, even as tears slid down his face, blurring his expression. “Chasing the sun?” Right after saying it, he let out a soft laugh at the absurdity.

It had originally been a lighthearted joke shared among their group of friends—a playful, youthful banter.

Yet now, that joke carried immense weight.

Laughing through tears, crying and laughing all at once like someone unraveling; yet the emotions that had been suppressed deep within Charles’s chest finally broke free.

Kai nodded, his lips curving into a confident, bright smile.

“Yeah. Chasing the sun.” Kai turned his head toward the operating rooms, as if he could vaguely see Hubert engaged in a life-or-death struggle. “Sorry, Anthoine, but we’re taking the lead first. We’re moving ahead to chase our dreams. You’d better hurry up and catch up, or you’ll be too late.”

“Remember, Anthoine? You were going to drive a Williams to battle me—wait, a Renault. My bad, a Ferrari versus Renault showdown.”

“Winner buys the feast. That’s a deal.”

Charles turned as well, following Kai’s gaze toward the operating rooms through his tears, standing still on the spot.

Amid the blurred, golden sunlight, Charles seemed to see Hubert again, wearing surgical scrubs, barefoot, rushing out impetuously to look down at them in the courtyard with a broad grin. “Wait for me!” he shouted. “Wait for me, you guys!”

“Don’t worry—just wait, I’ll catch up!”

Hubert cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone, leaning forward as he called out loudly with a radiant smile: “I’ll be right there! Then we’ll have a proper race!”

“Charles! Kai! Don’t stop!”

Charles blinked, and as a gust of wind blew past, Hubert vanished. Standing on the spot, Charles felt overwhelmed, yet no sound came out.

Kai glanced at Charles, choosing not to say anything further. He stood quietly beside him, keeping watch toward the operating rooms, standing guard.

It was only when Charles had fully released his emotions that he took a deep breath and raised his head. “We still have a race to finish, right?”

Kai gave a gentle nod. “Yeah.”

For Hubert, for themselves, for the championship, and for their dreams—and above all, to challenge the limits, just as Icarus chased the sun.

Updates were slow to arrive.

An oppressive low-pressure atmosphere hung over the entire paddock without exception.

Though everyone understood that in the world of professional motorsport, the event would not pause for Correa and Hubert—with F1 and F3 sessions proceeding as scheduled, forcing teams and drivers to temporarily set aside personal emotions and focus on their work—logic was one thing, and emotion quite another.

Just last month marked the fourth anniversary of Jules Bianchi’s passing. That painful memory served as a bloody reminder that racing remained a high-risk sport. While drivers pushed for ultimate speed, they were simultaneously competing against death itself. F1 remained one of the most dangerous sports in the world.

Whenever people began to forget that formula racing challenged extreme limits, unexpected track incidents served as a sharp wake-up call.

At this moment, Correa and Hubert remained in critical condition.

As time ticked by with no news from the hospital and the operating room lights remaining lit, experienced paddock personnel knew what it implied. Both young drivers were fighting for their lives, with the consequences of the crash proving even more severe than imagined.

Everyone exerted every effort to maintain focus, directing their attention toward data analysis to prepare for Sunday’s main race based on qualifying results. Yet during busy gaps, the harsh reality lurked in the shadows, stepping forward to breach their resolve when least expected.

The two young men fighting for survival were not mere names; they were kids the paddock had watched grow up, familiar faces who had come up through karting, young talents carrying dreams for the future who now lay helpless on cold hospital beds at a crossroads of destiny.

Just thinking about it left people struggling for air.

Spa-Francorchamps remained illuminated throughout the night.

On track, fierce rivalries following the summer break pushed everyone’s nerves to the limit. The fight among the top three teams intensified, while mid-pack battles reached a new level of intensity, filling the air with immense pressure. Combined with off-track uncertainty, it posed a severe challenge for every team.

Before anyone realized it, the sky outside began to brighten. A vibrant red sun broke free from the horizon, rising above the trees of the Ardennes valley as warm golden light poured down. It felt as though a pitch-black night had transformed into a bright day in an instant.

Knock… Knock, knock, knock…

A soft knock echoed muffled down the hotel hallway. Though the world outside was bright with sunshine, the hallway felt cool, bringing goosebumps to the skin.

After waiting a moment with no response from inside, Lu Cheng showed a trace of concern in his eyes. “…Is Kai still sleeping? Let’s not disturb him.”

Jiang Mo nodded. “Let’s wait in the hotel lobby.”

Yet just as the two turned to leave, the door opened, and Kai appeared, looking fresh and neat.

Jiang Mo knew that recently, Kai had been working around the clock, severely lacking sleep without time to rest properly.

If Kai had still been sleeping, getting a bit of extra rest would have been a good thing.

Thus, as Jiang Mo prepared to turn around and head to the lobby with Lu Cheng, the door swung open before they could take a step.

Light spilled through the doorway into the corridor as Kai stepped out from behind the door.

Jiang Mo stopped, turned back, and looked at him closely.

Kai was already fully dressed, looking clean and composed, as if he had been awake for a while. He had showered and was completely prepared to set off at a moment’s notice.

He looked slightly leaner—not sickly, but carrying a natural air of steady composure alongside subtle fatigue, like soft light filtering through a morning mist. Standing there, his faint silhouette seemed to settle the surrounding air.

“Mom?”

Kai was taken aback, completely unprepared for the unexpected visitors.

Weren’t Jiang Mo and Lu Cheng back home?

By then, Jiang Mo had already stepped forward, opening her arms to pull Kai into an embrace.

Feeling completely bewildered, Kai found it hard to adjust to her sudden presence, casting a puzzled look toward Lu Cheng: When did they fly to Belgium?

Lu Cheng looked slightly embarrassed, turning his head to examine the hallway wallpaper and decor to hide his surging emotions.

Jiang Mo said nothing, simply holding Kai tightly to let him feel her warmth, reassuring him that he was not alone.

After a long moment, Jiang Mo released him. “Make way, will you?” She stepped into the room as she spoke. “Is there a dining area here? Or do you eat in the living room? You don’t get all your meals in the paddock, do you? Lorenzo mentioned that Spa has great facilities, even resort areas.”

A beat late, Kai noticed a carry-on suitcase in Jiang Mo’s hand as she wheeled it straight inside.

So they came here straight from the airport?

But if so, how could a single carry-on be enough? Where was Lu Cheng’s luggage?

Kai was completely lost, unable to keep up with the pace, casting a questioning look at his father. “Dad?”

Lu Cheng finally turned back. How was he supposed to explain?

The story was a long one.

Throughout the summer break, Kai had been working around the clock, with no time to return to Shanghai. Though Kai hadn’t shared specific details, Lu Cheng and Jiang Mo knew that Ferrari faced immense challenges this season, requiring the team to stay united as pressure kept building.

When the Belgian Grand Prix weekend began, they gathered at home to watch the broadcast. The main feed didn’t cover F2 sessions, but while Kai and Hamilton were being interviewed, the accident occurred, and Song Bo quickly caught wind of the situation via social media.

Anxious and overwhelmed, they acted with decisive speed—purchasing flight tickets, heading straight to the airport, enduring a long flight to Amsterdam, connecting to Spa, and making their way to the guesthouse. Without even taking time to unpack, Jiang Mo and Lu Cheng had arrived right here.

Yet those details didn’t matter right now; they could explain later when time permitted.

Lu Cheng patted Kai’s shoulder, his movement instinctively gentle, as if terrified of adding any unnecessary burden to his son. He offered a broad smile. “Go on in. Your mom brought some things for you.”

Bewildered, Kai turned back into the hotel room, immediately spotting Jiang Mo busy in the living room, pulling items from the carry-on like a magician.

A thermal flask, two food containers, and even bowls and chopsticks brought from home—the distinct patterns were the very tableware he had used growing up.

Working swiftly, Jiang Mo opened the thermal flask and poured its contents into a bowl. A pearly white rice porridge trickled out, sending steam rising into the air.

One look confirmed that Jiang Mo had prepared it herself upon arriving in Spa, freshly removed from the pot.

Next, she opened the food containers. “Your Aunt Qiaomu was worried you wouldn’t eat or sleep well, so she made some pickled mustard tubers herself. She remembered that when you were sick as a kid, you were a picky eater and refused everything except her pickled tubers, which always got your appetite back. So she packed some specifically for you.”

In moments, the small coffee table in the living room was set—simple, modest, yet deeply comforting.

Kai froze for a second. He wanted to mention that the hotel offered breakfast and that there was no need to worry about him going hungry, yet he swallowed the words back down.

Kai walked over to sit at the coffee table, only to notice a single set of bowl and chopsticks. “What about you two?”

Jiang Mo waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about us. Once you head to the paddock, we can handle ourselves. In a bit, Lorenzo will take us to the hospital so I can visit François and Nathalie.”

Steaming hot white porridge gave off warm vapors that billowed up, momentarily misting Kai’s eyes as he lowered his head to take a spoonful.

Jiang Mo watched her son’s movements carefully. “Careful, it’s hot.”

Kai put a piece of pickled mustard tuber into his mouth. It carried the exact taste of his childhood memories, bringing a natural flood of flavor.

Without a word spoken, Kai knew that Zhang Qiaomu and the others were deeply worried about him, and even the usually carefree Song Bo hadn’t known what to say.

For a long time, Jiang Mo had hesitated to watch live F1 broadcasts or attend races in person out of fear of accidents. Song Bo and the others had worked hard to reassure Jiang Mo and Zhang Qiaomu that modern Formula 1 was exceptionally safe, with comprehensive safety measures in place.

Yet today, Hubert and Correa’s crash had unfolded right before their eyes.

A night had passed without further positive updates from the paddock. Correa, after undergoing thirteen hours of surgery, had finally been moved out of the operating theater into intensive care under full anesthesia, yet to regain consciousness. Meanwhile, Hubert… remained in surgery.

That was just F2, where a single crash had caused such immense harm. What about F1?

That tangible fear settled heavily in their stomachs, weighing down continuously.

Kai raised his head, looking at Jiang Mo through the steam of the porridge. “Mom, I have to run this race.”

“Yeah. I know.” Jiang Mo gave a gentle nod, her expression calm and composed, showing no trace of outward worry. She understood that not just for himself, but for Hubert as well, Kai had to run this race—not just take the start, but give it everything he had.

Logically, she understood. Yet as a mother, she could not simply set aside her worry and fear.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Mo looked at Kai, gathering her courage to meet his eyes directly. “Kai, you’ve grown up. You have your own life and your own world. In the past, your father and I protected you, but now you no longer need our shelter. You need to embark on your own adventures.”

“So we won’t stop you. We won’t tell you what you can or cannot do. I trust that you have your own judgment and choices.”

“However, I don’t want to keep being afraid. This time, I want to run alongside you, face the difficulties together, and push the limits together. No matter what happens, I will always support you. Even if the entire world stands against you, we will stay right here, forever serving as your strong pillar of support.”

If Jiang Mo claimed she felt no fear, it would be a complete lie. What happened to Hubert today could happen to any driver in the paddock at any moment.

Yet precisely because of that fear, Jiang Mo understood Kai’s conviction even better. Pushing the limits was not mere rhetoric; it was an attitude toward life.

Though her voice trembled slightly, Jiang Mo pulled her shoulders back with resolve, a steady light gleaming in her eyes. She was learning to let go, stepping back slightly in Kai’s life to stand firmly behind him as an unyielding pillar of support.