Chapter 1825 - 938: Determination

Three Desert Sea Rallies — once as a navigator, once as a driver, and once breaking down halfway.

A look like this, a smile like this, a demeanor like this — Shi Ran was long accustomed to, the so-called kindred, it is just like this.

For money, for tomorrow, for hope, for survival, or simply for fun... it doesn't matter.

No matter why you're here, the moment you step onto the arena, the only thing that distinguishes and measures each other is the pure essence of weakness and strength!

Is it wrong to want to win?

Isn't it what everyone thinks, not wanting to lose?

Within the rules, using whatever means, regardless of the cost. Even if it means betting one's life to grasp just a fraction of a second lead, that's the responsibility a driver must have and the consideration one must undertake.

Amidst the others' shouts and screams, feeling the blood and breeze blowing in, Shi Ran's eyes were bright, feeling refreshed and clear-headed.

It's been so long since I saw such a pure competition.

A group of disabled individuals, in a new form, stepped onto the track, bursting forth with a passion and determination that even the able-bodied find hard to match, like flames burning fervently.

"It's truly beautiful."

Instinctively, he clenched his five fingers, almost crushing the soda can in his hand, his eyes fixated on every change within the arena, unwilling to blink.

Speed, power, determination, strategy...

Through the competition on the track, those eyes saw the fierce struggle at the moment of crossing the finish line, the roar and thunder of the engine, the shout of the clutch, the screech of the brakes.

Completely focused.

Beside him, a stunned Shi Long turned back, seeing his brother's fervent expression, momentarily perplexed and lost. Even shocked by the intensity and cruelty of the competition, he ultimately couldn't empathize as a player integrating and thinking.

With a self-deprecating smile, he lifted a glass of soda and took a sip, casually asking, "Who do you think will win?"

"I don't know."

Shi Ran counted laps silently in his heart, his gaze shifting restlessly between the frontrunners and mid-field competitors, finally landing on the most unremarkable figure at the forefront.

His pupils contracted uncontrollably, whispering softly:

"Now, I know who wants to win the most."

In the direction he pointed, among the front-row competitors, was a thin figure, vaguely left behind... The oldest, frail old woman among all the participants!

The wilderness lifestyle is too tormenting, making it impossible to distinguish actual age from appearance, but even so, this female competitor was still too weathered.

The promotional material clearly showed her as forty-nine years old, yet reality seemed more like sixty or seventy, with gray hair and large patches of burnt head skin exposed.

In the middle of the vigorous chase, she staggered and swayed, as if breathing itself was difficult.

When the sharp horn sounded, the field shook abruptly.

A notification from the organizing committee, some competitors have already entered the final third of the race.

"She's going to accelerate."

Shi Ran predicted decisively.

With his words, not only did the elderly woman, but everyone began to accelerate uniformly, sprinting. Yet even among the leading pack, her explosiveness and speed were the most exaggerated!

Amazingly, at a speed visible to the naked eye, she closed the gap to the forefront, even inching closer to the original leader's position.

Even if the competitors in front continued to accelerate, they still couldn't shake off the distance!

Instead, she used the front runner as a 'rabbit' during a marathon, drawing close in tailwind, relentlessly pursuing.

The elderly woman with both legs severed was equipped with prosthetic limbs that looked remarkably simple, with no outer shell, revealing the rotation of internal motors and mechanical movements.

A lightweight exoskeleton extended, covering the legs, waist, even climbing up the back, integrating her into a unified whole. Her face lined with wrinkles, those clouded eyes widened.

No smiles, no expressions, only slight twitches of pain amid spasms.

"So fast."

Shi Long exclaimed in bewilderment, "Is there such a big difference in design level among competitors?"

"It's not a matter of design level; it's a natural limitation."

Shi Ran sighed complexly, "This is her advantage."

According to the rules in the guidebook, all prosthetics, materials required by participants are provided by Coast officially and can be freely selected and modified according to the catalog.

Simultaneously, not only is the motor's power restricted, but everyone's battery capacity is also equal.

This means that over thirty competitors are all on the same starting line, facing the same ceiling...

There's no more equitable showdown than this.

Under such circumstances, unless a brand new design and concept far exceeding this era and industry imagination can be produced, the biggest factor determining victory is only the operators' control and strategies adopted.

Then, with this premise, under the same power, electricity, and selection conditions, in such a competition, what is the most effective and direct method to improve one's winning rate?

The answer is the most cruel term.

——[Weight reduction]!

Just like during the rally, Shi Ran and his team stayed up through night after night, the computer constantly stressed, calculating and weighing even a single screw's weight...

From the female competitor's prosthetics, it was clear that even the dustproof shell had been completely removed to reduce weight.

At the same time, after meticulous mechanical calculations, some parts underwent hollowing techniques, and even the lightweight exoskeleton on the body had most of its devices removed, leaving only the most basic functions.

Not just that.

The elderly man, originally the lightest in weight among all the contestants, did not give himself any room for compromise.

His hair was all cut off, he chose the lightest polyester for his sprint vest and T-shirt, discarding supposed beauty and short apparel, exposing his shriveled, unsightly body.

The most merciless were those bloodshot eyes, the cracked and bleeding lips, and the skin wrinkled and sunken under the lashing wind...

This kind of symptom was all too familiar to Shi Ran.

Moderate dehydration!

Cutting off water and food, pushing himself to the limit, entrusting everything to this machine, almost as if embarking on a death-defying endeavor onto the track.

This kind of determined attitude was overwhelmingly suffocating.

In the pursuit of the event camera, on the finely detailed screen, the old man's figure became clearer, drawing everyone's attention.

Just by seeing those cloudy eyes, everyone could feel the determination that needed no further words.

Once again, she sped up, closing the gap with the first place. Yet the contestant in the lead remained unshaken, with no hesitation...

Sensing the footsteps approaching from behind, the burly man started adjusting his position, blocking her sprint path, repeatedly hindering her.

Such 'despicable' behavior immediately sparked shouts and protests in the arena, but conversely, riders like Shi Ran and other viewers knowledgeable about sports lavishly praised it.

What a brilliant block!

Like combat in F1 racing, turning oneself into an iron wall to interrupt the overtaker... That's strategy, sorry, that's just how competition is, if you can't stand it, don't play.

Regardless of how the elderly woman adjusted her position and direction, it was useless. There was simply no gap to be found.

Shi Ran's gaze had already focused on the curve section of the track ahead...

Entering the curve.

This was her only chance, in the fleeting moment of entering the curve, from...

"——Overtake on the outside line, beautiful!!!"

Shi Ran shouted out loud, almost rising from her seat, unable to contain herself.

Right in front of everyone's eyes, in the fleeting instant of entering the curve, when the leader held onto the inside line, she took advantage of her lightweight, breaking traffic rules, and once again erupted in speed, showing no sign of deceleration.

At this terrifying speed of over 170 kilometers per hour, using a delayed 'brake' strategy, she finally broke through the defense of the leader, temporarily taking a half-body lead.

Unfortunately, it was only temporary.

In the moment she realized it, before she could get excited, she saw the eyes of the original leader glancing over, bringing a chilling fear...

And then, just at the moment when they were about to pass by each other, the burly man who had been leading gave up slowing down... in the heart of the curve, a momentary sprint.

Thus, instead of passing by each other, the two collided!

To be precise, it was just a scrape...

But at such exaggerated speeds for both sides, even a slight collision was enough to throw her off balance.

This was her biggest weakness, the extreme lightweight causing insufficient body weight.

Just as she staggered and wobbled, nearly losing balance and almost crashing out, the leader only swayed slightly, then once again led the few frontrunners, leaving her behind.

No matter how she exhausted all her efforts to catch up, she could only maintain third place, repeatedly tussling with the second, losing her only opportunity.

Voices of regret, annoyance, and even cursing constantly arose.

Compared to the fierce wind rushing at her, they were insignificant.

In the forefront of the track, entering the final sprint phase, the plain-looking burly man in first place remained silent, still expressionless.

Just maintaining the full-power sprint...

Shi Long, rubbing his chin, clicked his tongue in admiration, "Can he win?"

"Not even a bit,"

Shi Ran glanced at the close-up on the big screen and slowly shook her head.

This wasn't due to personal preferences or support, but an innate sense of control and sensitivity to the fuel gauge as a rider. Everyone's battery was hung on their body, the remaining capacity indicator displayed before everyone's eyes.

Just a slight glance was enough to complete the calculation... The opponent was too greedy, greedy to the point of a fatal error, maintaining full-speed sprint and highest gear from the mid-section onwards.

Indeed, the effect was impressive, even leaving the second and third places behind, but so what?

No one regarded him as a real heart-threatening enemy and final opponent.

Because, according to the current rate of power consumption, it's not enough to finish the whole course!

Eighty to ninety percent chance, he'll fall before the finish line...

But, no, something's wrong!

Shi Ran's eye twitched suddenly.

Haze and confusion struck out of the blue.