Chapter Four: The Convoy of Stars

A week later, Mo Shu returned to his hometown, Nanshan City.

He had planned to rest for a few days, but peace proved elusive. The manager of Kunsheng Group’s motorcade called him three times in one day, and Zhang Aimin himself invited him to visit the company. Meanwhile, his good friend Wang Yu—the instigator of the whole affair and the wealthy heir who introduced Mo Shu to the desert shoot—was even more direct, demanding that Mo Shu come downstairs immediately as he was already on his way.

Mo Shu was at his wit’s end; even a moment’s respite was impossible. Was being a skilled driver really so popular?

“You sly fox, hiding your true abilities! Come on, get in!” Wang Yu urged, leaning out of his gleaming white sports coupe.

“Old Wang, didn’t expect this, did you?” Seeing his old classmate and childhood friend, Mo Shu shed his usual humility and joked.

“Come on, I’ll let you test drive my new Carbon coupe later.”

Carbon? What in the world? Mo Shu was bewildered.

Wang Yu teased him, seeing his confused look, “Are you stunned? Never seen a nice car before?”

“Host, update your vehicle database for the parallel world immediately!” The system interjected abruptly, before Mo Shu could respond.

Suddenly, Mo Shu felt his head spin; in his mind, a blue-glowing vortex appeared, reminiscent of a game loading screen.

Then, a torrent of information swept upward, line after line.

“It’s all changed… everything’s changed,” Mo Shu muttered.

Indeed, the general direction of the world remained the same, but certain details—like car brand names—were vastly different from what Mo Shu knew.

The structure was unchanged, the countries were still the same, but the prestigious German, American, and Japanese car marques had all been renamed.

The four major German luxury brands: Carbon, Munich Light, Temple Horizon, Golden Beetle, plus a national brand called Citizen.

The American representatives were Henry, Omnipotent, and Pentastar.

The Japanese trio: Bullhead, Akashira, and War God.

Looking at Wang Yu’s coupe, everything—shape, interior, performance, even the logo—was just as in the previous world, only the name was changed to Carbon.

Mo Shu sorted through the newly updated knowledge, finding that it matched his understanding of automotive lore.

That made things easier; he only needed to familiarize himself with and remember the new names for each brand. He nodded thoughtfully.

“So, champion, feeling inflated? You’re ignoring me now!” Wang Yu complained, driving.

“Not at all, just lost in thought. Where are we headed?” Mo Shu asked.

“Hehe,” Wang Yu replied mysteriously, “You’ll know soon enough. I’m just following orders.”

Mo Shu needed some time to think, so he fell silent. Too much had happened recently, and his mind was hardly keeping up.

Half an hour later, Wang Yu parked beside a massive circular building.

This was Nanshan Racing Park, also known as Nanshan Circuit. Mo Shu was intimately familiar with the place; he had attended many races here. The roar of engines always stirred his blood, and he remembered sitting in the stands, wishing desperately to become a driver and join the fray.

As a child, Mo Shu had naively believed that what flowed in his veins was not blood, but motor oil. Now, after graduation, he hadn’t returned for at least a year.

The harsh realities of society, the struggle to survive—Mo Shu shook his head, his smile tinged with bitterness.

But why come to the circuit today? It wasn’t open to the public except during events. Clearly, Wang Yu must be obsessed with cars.

“Mo Shu! You finally made it!”

A familiar voice—Zhang Aimin. Mo Shu was slightly surprised; it seemed Wang Yu and Zhang Aimin knew each other.

“Uncle, I’ve completed the task! I deserve a reward,” Wang Yu immediately asked for credit.

This time, Mo Shu was genuinely astonished. Zhang Aimin was Wang Yu’s uncle? The world was indeed smaller than one could imagine.

“Uncle Zhang, didn’t you invite me to the company? Why are we meeting at the circuit?” Mo Shu asked, regaining composure.

“Hahaha…” Zhang Aimin laughed, patting Wang Yu, “Little Yu, you really know how to keep a secret. You haven’t told Mo Shu yet?”

“I knew he was acting all mysterious,” Mo Shu said, giving Wang Yu a playful slap on the arm.

Wang Yu grimaced in pain and quickly confessed, “Alright, Mo Shu, I’ll tell the truth. This is Boss Zhang, my uncle! Last month, he bought the Nanshan Test Track, under the Nanshan Circuit, and is forming a racing team. Coincidentally, he went to the desert and discovered you—a genius driver. He was so excited he lost sleep for nights. Not only that, but he kept calling me in the middle of the night to recruit you. So, Young Master Mo, please join the team so I can finally get a good night’s sleep.”

Mo Shu was impressed. The Nanshan Racing Park was operated by official agencies, likely impossible to purchase outright. However, due to exorbitant operating costs, the authorities decided to sell the nearby Nanshan Test Track to ease financial strain. Zhang Aimin took the opportunity, acquiring it as the team’s headquarters—perfect for both racing R&D and test drives.

As for the purchase price, Mo Shu didn’t dare ask. The Nanshan Test Track was built to international standards; the acquisition must have cost a fortune.

“We’ll name the team after my company: Star! Star Racing Team!” Zhang Aimin declared.

“Star Group? The owner of Star Plaza—the largest commercial complex in Nanshan?” Mo Shu exclaimed.

Zhang Aimin shook his head, teasing, “Hehehe, see how you’re surprised? I’ve told you before, Uncle Zhang isn’t lacking in resources. But I’m tired of desert rallies; this time, let’s see how we fare in circuit racing. Are you confident?”

“When does training start?” Mo Shu couldn’t hold back his excitement.

“Haha, so you agree to join?”

“Yes, yes!”

“Then we start training and preparations right now. Mo Shu, you have a lot to do. First priority is to get a racing license. I’ve arranged your registration; after you pass the exam, you’ll receive it in three days. That way you can participate in next week’s GTCC qualifiers at Nanshan Circuit. As long as you meet the required time, we can officially register the team. This must be done!” Zhang Aimin quickly slipped into his role, assigning Mo Shu his racing mission.

“No problem, Uncle Zhang! Leave it to me!”

The following week, Mo Shu was busier than ever. Besides obtaining his racing license, he assisted with performance tuning, met the chief engineer and technicians, took driver profile photos, and gave input on the team’s vehicle color schemes.

Since they were a new team, they could only register for the elite production category, with no opportunity for full modification. Mo Shu found himself slightly disappointed.

When would he finally graduate from racing in stock cars…

Even so, time flew by, and everyone was stretched to their limits. Even Boss Zhang Aimin spent several nights in his office.

The day of the qualifiers arrived in a blink. Though the race wouldn’t start until two in the afternoon, enthusiasts flocked to Nanshan Racing Park from early morning. The usually quiet venue was suddenly crowded and lively.

Mo Shu slept until noon, groggily dragging himself out of bed, and was stunned by the crowds outside his window. He never imagined a mere qualifier could draw so many spectators.

It seemed his professional debut would be made before all eyes, and uncharacteristically, Mo Shu felt a bit nervous.

“You’re Mo Shu, driver number one?”

The sudden, bright and sweet voice behind him startled the anxious Mo Shu.

A petite beauty appeared before him, her hair tied in a high ponytail, dressed in a driver’s suit.

Judging by her attire, she was also a racer. Mo Shu rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was mistaken; she was even part of his team!

“Yes, definitely you. You look exactly like the promo photo downstairs.” The clear-eyed, graceful young woman smiled and said, “Hello, I’m Wang Yining, your teammate, driver number two for Star Racing Team!”

“Uh… hello…” Mo Shu replied, dazed.

“I joined the team just yesterday. Nice to meet you—please look out for me in the future.” When Wang Yining smiled, two faint dimples appeared, making her even more charming.

Seeing Mo Shu stare blankly, Wang Yining giggled, gave a polite nod, and flitted downstairs.

“Oh heavens, how embarrassing. Have I never seen a beauty before?” Watching her lovely figure disappear, Mo Shu chided himself.

But then he reconsidered. Such a beautiful girl racing cars—not only pleasing to the eye, but a first in his life. He wondered about her skill, hoping Uncle Zhang hadn’t made a mistake.

“Drivers, prepare yourselves!” the assistant manager shouted downstairs.

Meanwhile, the grandstands at Nanshan Circuit were packed with spectators. Since this was only a qualifier, few media attended; only a handful of cameras focused on the teams’ pit garages, mostly small-time reporters hoping to catch a headline and make it big overnight.

“Star Racing Team, car 32, Mo Shu! Car 6, Wang Yining!”

Zhao Kunlun was also present, seated in the VIP section as his secretary briefed him on the race.

“Hmph! Ungrateful!” Zhao Kunlun snorted.

He was extremely displeased that Mo Shu had joined Zhang Aimin’s camp. His own Kunsheng Racing Team had won the GTCC championship two years running, and was favored to clinch a third, establishing a dynasty.

Yet Mo Shu had refused his personal invitation. To Zhao Kunlun, it was a wasted opportunity; why take the hard road instead of the easy one?

“Mr. Zhao, according to our scout’s report, Mo Shu knows nothing about circuit racing—he doesn’t understand racing lines, pit strategies, hasn’t even participated in a formal race. Don’t be upset, sir; if such a novice joined Kunsheng, he’d be bringing up the rear.”

Zhao Kunlun glared at his secretary and demanded, “Are you saying I misjudged him?”

“No, no, Mr. Zhao, I’m simply reporting the scout’s findings.”

The secretary broke out in a cold sweat.

“Ah…” Zhao Kunlun shook his head. “Could it be… I really made a mistake this time?”