Chapter Seventy-Four: Mo Shu's Counterattack

After the press conference ended, every member of the Divine Racing Team hurried non-stop to the starting site of the ERC’s second race day, the SS6 stage. It was around 9 a.m., and the crowd at the starting point of SS6 had already swelled to the size of a surging sea of people. Compared to the first day, the number of spectators today was even larger, likely because the starting point was set on the open summit of a hill, which made it easier for racing fans to gather.

From afar, as the Divine Racing Team members approached by bus, they could clearly see many fans holding up banners bearing slogans such as “Divine Team Get Lost” and “Mo Shu Must Lose.” This was undoubtedly the result of last night’s Black Gold Petroleum exposé, with the incident’s negative impact continuing to ferment.

As the bus drove forward, a group of particularly extreme and zealous fans converged on either side of the vehicle, waving placards and chanting, “Shameless Divine Team, go back home!” Some even hurled objects like water bottles and lighters, which crashed against the bus windows and startled several female staff members into frightened screams.

A few male staff members, unable to restrain their emotions, raised their middle fingers at the rowdy fans outside the glass. This only made the unruly spectators more excited; some even risked their safety, jumping up to bang their hands on the windows.

Mo Shu couldn’t be bothered to stoop to the hooligans’ level. He forcefully drew the curtain across his window and put on his headphones—out of sight, out of mind, and out of earshot. He hadn’t come to Switzerland to feud with other people’s fans. To finish the race and win the championship was the perfect way to silence the doubters.

Upon entering the service area, they found that today’s setup was somewhat different from usual. There was a tall stage, loudspeakers, and several staff members in the uniforms of the World Automobile Federation busy at work. It seemed the Federation and the ERC officials were determined to settle the dispute between the Divine Racing Team and the Carbon Black Gold Team today.

Indeed, if this quarrel between the two teams continued, it would have a huge impact on the ERC’s global reputation, credibility, and leadership. This was supposed to be a fair and just competition, not an ugly stage for underhanded tactics to suppress rivals.

Due to the earlier press conference, the Divine Racing Team was the last to arrive at the service area. As Mo Shu stepped off the bus, he distinctly heard members of the Carbon Black Gold Team nearby loudly taunting him.

“Hey, Mo Shu, you still have the nerve to show up?”

“Yellow-skinned monkey, what are you even doing here if you’re not racing?”

“No wonder you call yourself the God of Speed—turns out you rely on autopilot? Ha! What a joke!”

Outside the service area, the spectators opposed to the Divine Racing Team had also switched to a new chant, the kind that made one itch to go out and punch them.

“Autopilot! Shameless plagiarism!”

“Put a piece of meat in the car! Even a dog could win!”

Even though it was in a foreign language, Mo Shu could tell the gist: the autopilot was so powerful that, with a slab of meat in the driver’s seat, even a dog could drive the car to victory.

The Carbon Black Gold side burst into collective laughter at this, openly mocking Mo Shu.

“Damn it!” Geng Hua couldn’t take it anymore and rolled up his sleeves, ready to argue back.

But Mo Shu quickly grabbed him, gesturing toward the high stage where the ERC executives were now assembled. This was definitely not the time for rash action.

Geng Hua steadied himself. After all, that very morning, Old Vielmin had come forward to support the Divine Racing Team—whether Mo Shu’s qualification would actually be revoked was still uncertain.

“Fans, we understand your excitement and sense of betrayal, but please calm down. The ERC has an important announcement to make!” an official on the stage declared into a microphone.

At the mention of a major announcement, the whole crowd fell instantly silent.

The official picked up a document and read it aloud.

“In light of the allegation that Mo Shu of the Divine Racing Team has stolen technological achievements from Black Gold Petroleum, after research and deliberation by the ERC, and before the matter is fully clarified, Mo Shu’s qualification for the SS2 stage is hereby revoked, and a fine of 10,000 euros imposed!”

“What? Disqualified and fined before the facts are even clear?” The members of the Divine Racing Team were outraged.

“Looks like Old Vielmin’s influence was no use after all!” Wang Yu appeared extremely crestfallen.

The Carbon Black Gold Team, on the other hand, was jubilant. Their scheme had succeeded. Most of their staff didn’t even know the inside story, but they had all been thoroughly indoctrinated and were certain that Mo Shu was a scoundrel.

Outside, the spectators nearly broke into a brawl—one side supporting Carbon Black Gold, the other a small minority backing Divine and Mo Shu.

Mo Shu was not satisfied with this result. In fact, he was angry. He had thought that, if Carbon Black Gold let the matter drop for Old Vielmin’s sake, he would have left things at that—after all, he still wanted to race; he loved racing.

But now it seemed the ERC leadership had already been infiltrated by those with ulterior motives, determined to crush Mo Shu no matter what.

Since they had chosen to show no mercy, he wouldn’t either. At worst, they would all go down together.

You’re so corrupt—don’t say I didn’t give you a chance! Mo Shu seethed inwardly.

“Look, what’s he doing?” someone in the restless crowd pointed and shouted.

Mo Shu had climbed in a few agile leaps onto the roof of the Divine Racing Team’s service trailer, pulled out his phone, and made a call.

Suddenly, a loud blare of air horns came from an unknown direction.

With a crash and a bang, an enormous semi-truck, at least twenty meters long, broke through the barriers and charged into the service area. The truck drove with such reckless force that people scattered in panic. After circling halfway around, the truck began to show off—this massive rig performed a tailspin and came to a steady halt right between the service area and the ERC’s stage.

The driver rolled down the window and waved energetically at the Divine Racing Team.

Everyone was stunned—especially Wang Yining.

“Brother!!!”

Yes, it was Black Mirror. Even more astonishing, where on earth had he gotten this truck? The rear container bore four huge English letters:

RSTV!

Unbelievable! A TV station’s broadcast truck!

Before anyone could react, the broadcast truck gave a loud hum, and the container section began to unfold and change shape.

No way—was it a Transformer?

Of course not. It was just a regular TV broadcast truck; in fact, many have this function nowadays.

After a short flurry of activity, a massive LED screen rose from the truck’s center, and a small stage-like area extended in front. The whole setup looked exactly like a traveling performance troupe.

Once again, the Carbon Black Gold side erupted in mocking laughter.

“Shut up, all of you! You bunch of idiots!” Mo Shu shouted loudly, his voice amplified by the broadcast truck’s sound system, echoing into the sky.

Everyone present was taken aback—where had this outburst come from?

Things had gone so far that Mo Shu had nothing left to hold back. Scolding them was the least he could do after such bullying.

“You!” Mo Shu pointed at the Carbon Black Gold side, then at the ERC officials on the stage, his stance radiating open challenge. His piercing gaze was so aggressive that everyone he looked at felt a chill down their spine.

“You think revoking my qualification means I’ve lost? Don’t be so quick to celebrate! First, let me show you a little video!” Mo Shu signaled to Black Mirror, and the giant screen on the broadcast truck began to play a shocking scene.