NOVPUBChapter 196: 196, The Stake is Too Small (1)_1
Chapter 196: 196, The Stake is Too Small (1)_1
“Of course it’s interesting.” Baxter laughed heartily, his gaze turned sinister as he looked at Jian Qing, “What about you, dare or not?”
Jian Qing curved the corners of her lips into a faint smile, “The true essence of a race lies in the stakes, otherwise, it wouldn’t be fun.”
Baxter questioned her, “What stakes?”
He took the bait!
Jian Qing’s dark eyes shone with a startlingly chilling light, her voice steady, “Race me, if you lose—you cripple your own hands.”
Her airs were light, but the stakes she set were profoundly bloody, causing both Daniel and Baxter to reel in shock.
To a racer, his hands meant everything, it goes without saying. Should Baxter lose and his hands become ruined, he would be reduced to a good-for-nothing, thoroughly banished from the racing industry.
“Jian, you…” Daniel tried to stop Jian Qing, after all, this personal grudge was between him and Baxter. It didn’t need to involve her.
Jian Qing gave him a dismissive shake of her head, indicating for him to stay silent. She then turned her gaze towards Baxter and taunted him, “Baxter, not going cold feet now, are you? If that’s the case, never mind then. This gamble isn’t for just anyone.”
Although he was clear that Jian Qing was likely goading him, Baxter went pale with anger and blurted out instantly, “Who said I’m not in? I’m in.”
A greenhorn who knew nothing about racing could not be up to much. Even though he could not match her in hand-to-hand combat, when it came to racing, he was certain she would lose. 𝘯𝑜𝑣𝑝𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
“Hmph!” Jian Qing’s lips curled in a cold sneer.
“However, if you lose…” Baxter appraised Jian Qing up and down, a lecherous glint crossing his eyes, “I want you to accompany me for one night.”
This time, he was going to settle the score from two years ago, with interest.
No sooner had he finished speaking than Daniel’s knuckles turned white from clenching his fists. He wanted to punch Baxter right in the face. This despicable man didn’t deserve his title as the third best in the racing industry.
Jian Qing’s face remained expressionless, her eyes emanating a sharp light. It seemed crippling Baxter’s hands might not be punishment enough.
“What, scared?” This time, it was Baxter doing the taunting.
Jian Qing raised her eyes and a smirk spread on her lips. “Scared isn’t the right word. I think I need greater stakes. The ones I just proposed seem too petty.”
It seemed as though Baxter hadn’t expected Jian Qing to say this and he was momentarily taken aback, “What?”
“Baxter, how about we make it even bigger?” Jian Qing crossed her arms, speaking coldly. “If you lose, I not only take your hands, but also your legs.”
Before these words even settled in, her aura abruptly changed, creating a chilling feeling as if one had fallen into an ancient, icy chasm.
Daniel stared blankly at her, “Jian… ”
In this very moment, he could somewhat understand why she was referred to as “Shura”.
At first glance, she looked harmless and frail, but her every move emitted an energy that was impossible to underestimate. There was an inexplicable urge to surrender to her.
Knowing he couldn’t back down now, Baxter hardened his heart and agreed on the spot. “Alright then. But as you changed the terms, I want to change mine too. If you lose, not only will you accompany me for one night, but you’ll also serve me for a month. You’ll have to obey whatever demands I make within this month without question.”
“OK!” Jian Qing responded, without hesitation.
Baxter extended his hand towards her and raised his middle finger, smirking scornfully before turning to leave.
“Jian, don’t act rashly.” Daniel looked at her disapprovingly, indicating that she shouldn’t make decisions impulsively.
Though he knew from Zero that she was formidable, this was a race, not her area of expertise. The possibility of her losing was high and the stakes were too high.
Jian Qing turned to him and, in a light-hearted tone, asked, “You think I’ll lose?”
With a glimpse of the confidence in her eyes, Daniel was left speechless, his steadfast belief in her losing started to waver.
“Thanks for your concern. But I think you should be more worried about Baxter.” Her arrogant words tinged with the certainty of victory sounded odd, but there wasn’t any denying it was convincing.
Daniel stared blankly at her, recalling the scene two years ago at the racetrack where she thrashed Baxter. The worry in his heart finally subsided. Perhaps, he should believe in her once again.
“But, you don’t have a car prepared in advance.” For every racer, having their own well-prepared car was crucial.
Jian Qing offered a small smile, “Daniel, how many cars did you bring to A City?”
“Two!” Daniel replied. He had his two cars from France shipped over in hopes of meeting Zero here in A City. But instead of Zero, he ran into Jian Qing.
“Can I borrow one?” Jian Qing asked.
“Of course.” Though he was fond of those two cars, lending one to her was a no-brainer.
“Thanks,” said Jian Qing, “I’ll have Zero modify a car for you as a thank-you gift in return.”
“Really?” A hint of surprise lit up Daniel’s eyes. Everyone in the racing industry knew about Zero’s top-notch car modification skills.
Jian Qing nodded, took a look around, and lowered her voice, “Daniel, make an excuse to drop out from this race.”
“Why?” Daniel’s tone turned serious. He knew she wasn’t one to joke around and that something was definitely amiss.
“Don’t tell me, you haven’t noticed anything?” Jian Qing asked. Even though Daniel wasn’t the best racer, he should have sensed something was off from his earlier lap.
Daniel furrowed his brows, having an epiphany of sorts. His heart sank. “Jian, are you saying that someone tampered with my car?”
During the warm-up lap, halfway through, he felt something off but couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He had originally intended to check it after stopping, but was interrupted by Jian Qing and Baxter’s conversation.
His car was always off-limits to everyone except those close to him. Could there be a traitor among them?
“It appears you’ve felt it too.” Jian Qing nodded, analyzing the situation calmly. “Your car can’t be repaired in time. The one who tampered with it must be very familiar with your race car. If you continue to race against Baxter with that car, the car won’t withstand the intense speed at the turning point halfway uphill. The outcome could be fatal.”
On hearing this, Daniel recalled the threat Baxter had made before the warm-up. He remembered how Jian Qing had gambled with Baxter and suddenly, he had a revelation.
“Jian, so you mean… You suspected Baxter had done something and decided to step in to help?”
She had spotted that there was a problem with his car from her place in the stands. Ordinary people couldn’t do such a thing. He himself might not even be able to do this. It seemed the outcome of this race wouldn’t go the way Baxter had envisioned.
Jian Qing gave a light smile and cut him off. “It’s better to keep some things to yourself. Just consider Baxter’s hands and legs as a gift to you.”
