F1: The Making of a Racing God

Chapter 214 Born Ready
This was Shulong's last game call with Haas and his game engineer, Gary Gannon, which was followed by the shocking "rebirth" incident in Bahrain.

After enduring two years of different types of torment from Toro Rosso and Haas, Shu Long even thought his career was hanging by a thread. When he said this, his feelings were quite complicated.

However, it now seems that everything was just a small, insignificant trial concerning his mind and body before he completed his complete rebirth.

Feeling his girlfriend's warm body beside him, and recalling the lyrics he had just heard, which evoked a feeling of emotion that was hard to put into words, Shu Long simply reached out and hugged her, wishing he could meld her into his own body.

A simple headphone cable hangs on either side, yet it seems to connect two beating hearts together.

Seemingly to allow the audience a moment to process the abrupt transition from League of Legends to F1, after a brief pause, some other changes finally occurred on stage.

A burst of sparks erupted from the floor tile screen at the very center of the stage, rapidly extending with the aid of XR extended reality visual technology until the entire high-definition LED display screen on the stage was transformed into a sea of ​​fire.

If the sudden appearance of the "TR" line earlier had left the audience somewhat confused, subconsciously thinking it was a line from League of Legends, then this flame created by light effects was like a key that connected all the long-forgotten memories.

Red Bull, racing cars, and this damn fire!

"Oh!"

Exclamations of surprise emanated from several corners of the cafeteria, from both men and women, but since it was a public place, most of them remained relatively restrained.

Despite his restraint, the suppressed voice still sent a resonant signal to his fellow enthusiasts.

So when a scene from a first-person perspective of a dragon sitting quietly in a car, waiting for the five red lights to light up in sequence, was projected onto the largest screen at the back of the stage, accompanied by the roar of the engine revving higher and higher, the entire lobby erupted in shouts of "Holy crap!" several times louder than before!

I'm not pretending anymore! I'm not acting anymore!
Everyone's slacking off, who the hell is still studying this late into the new year?!
Bilibili is doing well; they even managed to get this kind of offer?
Originally, everyone thought that EDG lifting the championship trophy was the climax of the entire event, but who would have thought that this was just a prelude to the heavyweight opening that followed.

The traffic lights pounded against my heart like drumbeats, and the heavy breathing recorded by the helmet's built-in camera gradually amplified, as if the whole world had shrunk down to just people and cars!
Finally, the decisive moment arrived! Everything seemed to fall silent once more.
"Lights out, start running!"

Following the driver's first-person perspective, it's as if the audience is being transported across time and space to witness the lone hero's journey in Bahrain on November 29, 2020.

Watching him overtake Stroll as soon as he started, and then watching him forcefully drive in front of two Ferraris.

Just as the audience held their breath, expecting him to take down the next opponent as easily as he had at the beginning, the scene abruptly ended.

Instead, another line of large, question-like text appeared: "What exactly has supported you to push yourself to this extent?"

The adult Shulong appeared before the audience for the first time, and judging from his expression, he had just been asked the same question.

He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then let out a soft laugh that seemed to indicate relief. The image inexplicably became blurry, but this made the pale pink fire mark on the dragon's neck stand out even more.

Perhaps it's because of passion?

The first two words were still in Shu Long's now mature voice, but the last sentence suddenly took on the hoarseness of puberty.

The scene refocuses at this moment, but the protagonist has now become 15-year-old Shu Long in the autumn of 2015, whose face is pale from continuous pain and bleeding after the World Karting Championship final.

The background seems to show someone muttering in a hazy, distant place.

As the sound grew clearer and closer, accompanied by translation, the audience realized it was live commentary of a match, only to suddenly erupt into a collective gasp:
"Oh, shit!" X2
"That was a very, very serious track accident! According to our observations, it seems that Shu, the young Chinese driver who had been on a winning streak, was also involved!"

"He was hit directly in the body by a race car! I'm not sure if he's injured or if he can keep going, because he looks like he's in a lot of pain!"

A fracture of the right forearm, a laceration of the skin, a fractured rib, and a contusion of the intercostal muscles.

The live broadcast footage of the accident, along with a few quickly flashing photos and captions, quickly made viewers who were unaware of the situation understand what Shulong was going through.

The young Shu Long quickly responded with his actions.

He waved his hand, looking exhausted, to make the Matthews who were about to help him step aside. Even though he knew he had fallen to the back of the pack, he still stubbornly shifted gears, wanting to get back into the race.

From falling behind, to surpassing, to winning the championship.

Even Stan, who was in charge of the English commentary on site, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, and at the same time asked the question that the audience might already have the answer to.

"I simply can't imagine where your limits are."

The young Shu Long wore a lazy smile and didn't answer, only shrugging slightly.

If you don't try, you might never know?
The images on the stage screen began to flash and splice rapidly, using a montage-style camera transition to quickly present Shulong's growth process from skipping grades to F3 to F2 and achieving a strong winning streak.

Countless praises and exclamations poured in, yet the sound was so noisy.

The noise seemed to quietly coalesce into an invisible pressure that made it hard to breathe, so much so that it sounded like the most vicious curse in the world, as if losing a game was the most unforgivable sin in the world.

at last
"Yes! P3! He retained his podium position! He also achieved the same feat as the world champion! Congratulations, young man, and welcome to F1!"

All the glory seemed to converge on the young man on the podium at the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix, whose expression shifted from awkwardness to relief.

"I love the roaring engine sound on the track, the communication that feels like empathy between the tires and the track, and the feeling of being able to do anything even when you're battling speed and one step is like stepping into an abyss."

"Is there nothing that can stop you?"

The left side represents the past, and the right side represents the present.

The two generations of Shulong merged into one, their voices transcending time and space blending together to create a whisper as alluring as a devil's seduction. All the choices he made in his life pointed to his unwavering answer:
"Til death do us part!"

The Haas front suspension suddenly broke during the high-speed exit of the corner, leaving the driver with nothing but despair as he watched helplessly as the barrier rapidly enlarged in his line of sight.

But until the moment before he was about to be lifted onto the wall, Shu Long's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, unwilling to let go of the hope he held onto.

Now many people in the restaurant realized what was happening, whether they followed F1 or not, because the image of the car engulfed in flames had actually made the news back then.

But seeing this heart-wrenching scene again, Gan Mengning still felt as if her heart was being strangled by thorny vines, and her chest felt incredibly heavy.

But more than herself, the girl was probably more worried about Shu Long's feelings. She raised her slightly cold little hand and gently stroked her boyfriend's face.

But the monologue that came through the earphones next almost made her so angry she almost twisted her nose!
"I still remember everything that happened that day, but whenever I recall the scene of the flames blooming like roses before my eyes, the only thought in my mind seems to be: It was so beautiful!"

Do you really not know fear?

The camera focused on the horribly burned ruins of the retaining wall, and a sense of powerless despair lingered in everyone's hearts. At some point, the background music changed from "The Lone Warrior" to "Born Ready".

I don't believe in the existence of any devil.

"Cause I have raised this hell!"

Accompanied by heavy drumbeats, the dragon, its body wreathed in flames, rose straight from the wreckage of the race car, as if it were truly a demon crawling out of hell.

Just like the lyrics say:

I won't shiver, I won't shake.

"I'm made of stone, I don't break."

The pursuit of the ultimate is an innate instinct of mine. If there is an eternal and undying burning passion in my heart, how can a mere flame burn away my indomitable will?
Shu Long's clothes quickly switched between Haas and Red Bull team uniforms several times. Suddenly, the screen went out along with the flashy special effects and music on stage. When it came back on, it had returned to the first-person view of the racing cockpit, which had clearly reverted to the black color scheme of the RB16b.

"It's lights out and away we go!"

After a brief silence, David Croft's race start speech, which is practically etched into the genes of racing fans, once again ignited the atmosphere and led the background music directly to the climax of the chorus.

A high-octane montage of the entire 2021 season featuring the team's high-speed overtaking and overtaking maneuvers. Belgium, the Netherlands, and Russia, after years of honing their skills, finally unleashed their full potential and swiftly claimed six championship trophies!
The scene finally shifts to Abu Dhabi, the final match.

On the podium, they recklessly sprayed champagne, fully basking in the joy and pride of victory. Then, someone somehow managed to capture a snapshot of Shu Long wiping his face, his eyes filled with a bewildered look, as if he had just woken from a dream. The camera followed Shu Long's retreating figure, quietly disappearing into the opposite direction of the celebrating crowd. The story, like music slowing down, came to an end amidst the festivities.

However, the "Start me up" at the end of the film seems to suggest that this is not the end, but a new chapter in an epic story is being written.

Shu Long had been holding Gan Mengning on his lap for a minute now, and was now breathing hot air into his girlfriend's collar, intending to share all the goosebumps on his body with her.

A little awkward, a little smug, and a little exhilarating.
The gasps of amazement from the surrounding young students almost made him so proud that he was practically wagging his tail.

He hadn't actually seen the finished product. The footage about Abu Dhabi was clearly added later, and several of the inner monologues weren't the original version either.

However, he really didn't expect the final product to be so outrageous; it almost made people feel embarrassed!
Really annoying!
However, judging from the reactions in the live chat, Red Bull made the right move.

Although F1's popularity in China is still far less than that of LOL, the difference in prestige becomes immediately apparent when the two sports are compared side-by-side.

It has to be said that Red Bull's move to undermine the league's dominance is truly ruthless. They're clearly planning to exploit Kuku's popularity to leech off his wealth!

Warhorse might be in for a headache. It was originally a self-rescue brand launched in an emergency after Wahaha and Tai Niu broke up. By partnering with League of Legends, a very popular game, it quickly took away a large portion of the market share that belonged to internet addicts.

Back then, the catchy rhyme "Driving a Mercedes, drinking War Horse, and coughing in a gaming chair!" was all the rage.

Now things are much better. Even with the market brought by LOL, internet addicts will inevitably have another option in mind when passing by a convenience store, and it's still a very attractive one.

Unfortunately, there's nothing wrong with the warhorse.

Red Bull was one of the sponsors of the show, and they didn't specifically insert advertisements for the beverage because the Red Bull logo spoke for itself.

Although there's a suspicion that they're trying to ride the coattails of League of Legends' popularity, if you really want to say it, they're there to promote Chinese driver Shu Long, who just happens to be a Red Bull driver as well.

"Feeling smug now? Hurry up and put me down, or everyone will be watching!"

"No! It's warmer to hold you!"

This is a lie. Shu Long is not a person who is afraid of the cold. In order to minimize the risk of being recognized, he was covered up quite a bit with a scarf and a hat.

Mainly, I'm a little reluctant to part with my tight little butt under my jeans.
Ahem!

In the end, they obediently put Gan Mengning aside, otherwise she might be hard to appease if they angered her, and it definitely wasn't just a little soreness on her waist!
After the show ended, it was naturally the host's turn to take the stage, which relieved someone's urgent problem.

We anticipated that the topic of Shulong might not subside anytime soon, and rushing into the next program at this point would likely not be very effective. Therefore, we specially added a short interactive segment in the middle to ease the pace and calm the emotions.

After the host Chen Ming gave a concluding speech about the performance, Xie Nan then subtly teased the audience:
"With the New Year approaching, Bilibili will soon be welcoming some new friends. Have you all guessed who they are?"

Not only at the party, but even in the restaurant, a few people, acting strangely, echoed, "Yes!"

"So, are you all looking forward to seeing a new friend come and say hello?"

"expect!"

A few more people have started acting strangely.

Shu Long quickly took the opportunity to remove the small hand hanging from his waist, and excitedly shook Gan Mengning twice, telling her to wait and see the good show to come.

Verstappen appeared somewhat awkwardly in front of the camera, no longer wearing the Red Bull suit that was practically permanent, but a floral cotton-padded jacket with a distinctly Northeastern rural style.

I must say, she looks quite delicate.

The dialogue is just the usual "Hello Blibili", followed by a self-introduction and a New Year's greeting, and finally ends with a toast to the camera while holding a can of Red Bull.

The next one, Ben Horner, also sported a floral cotton-padded jacket look similar to Verstappen's.

He had even more lines, haltingly pleading in Chinese for everyone to follow their official Bilibili account, "Austria RedBull," and to support Red Bull driver Shu Long.

The more pain Verstappen and Horner looked on the screen, the happier Shu Long was in real life. This strange sense of disconnect, like a dark comedy, exuded a strong sense of absurdity.

However, when he himself appeared, he couldn't laugh anymore; instead, Gan Mengning made him giggle.

This damn idea came from the program planners at Bilibili; the one-size-fits-all floral cotton-padded jacket they sent was several sizes too small.

Horner's outfit was barely a good fit, but by the time it was Verstappen's turn, it was extremely cramped. When he switched to Shulong, it almost became a halter top, hanging on his body like a vest from a fused Metamo alien—it was as ridiculous as could be!
Even when Shu Long waved to the audience, a large clump of white cotton resembling armpit hair burst out from under his armpit with a "snap," directly drawing unrestrained ridicule from Verstappen and Horner off the field.

They clearly recorded another normal version back then, so who knows why Red Bull kept this one? It must have been revenge from that petty boss, Horner!
However, it seems the effect is surprisingly good?
If the short video just now almost elevated Shu Long to a pedestal, making many people who met him for the first time feel that motorsports were still distant and unattainable.

So this little blunder, with the embarrassment on his face, actually made him seem more down-to-earth. Even just to get to know him better, people might gradually become more interested in racing.

At least many of the girls in the lobby who were just marveling at the moment are now chattering and actively discussing it with their companions.

Whether out of curiosity or a desire to show off, things are much better now than before when motorsports were neglected and relegated to the sidelines.

But now a new problem has arisen.
His fame has increased, which means his face is still fresh in people's minds. If he tries to leave, he might be recognized by some guy who's still reminiscing about the past.

If you happen to encounter someone with a big mouth, it could easily spread like wildfire across various campus group chats and confession walls.

Being besieged is a minor matter; the key issue is that he's currently with Gan Mengning. He's now online under his real name, so what if his girlfriend gets exposed as well?
"Are you wearing a mask? I threw mine away while I was eating."

"I brought it with me, what's wrong?"

Gan Mengning was a little confused, but she still took out a crumpled white mask from the small bag in her coat. Because her face was small, she tied two small bows on her ears.

As a result, Shu Long took it and quickly untied it, then put it on his face.

"Ugh! I've been using that all afternoon!"

Do you have any new ones?

"No, I only went out and caught one person. Why would I wear so many masks?"

"That's it! Hurry up and get out of here! We won't be able to leave if we wait!"

After all, you wouldn't want your real identity to be exposed online before you even graduate, would you?

It sounds a bit strange, but the logic is still the same. Shu Long quickly gathered up the scattered things, picked up his girlfriend's panda backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and stomped his feet anxiously beside her.

Gan Mengning quickly realized the seriousness of the problem and snapped the tablet shut, tucking it under her armpit.

In their haste, they hadn't even taken off their earphones, and almost both of them tripped and fell, luckily avoiding attracting more attention.

Actually, not many people care about the little disturbance here. The young couples are all head to head, practically trying to bump each other's foreheads. Who has the time to eat the hot dog food that's just passing by?

On the contrary, it seemed that Shu Long and his team were overreacting and making a fuss, showing no signs of their composure during the competition.

But neither of them felt ashamed of anything. It was as if being together made most things in the world much more fun. Standing under the streetlights, they chuckled and breathed out puffs of warm white mist.

I wonder if Dou Ke's performance this night will spark a new round of speculation.
Sometimes, what you fear most is exactly what happens. The 31st happened to be a Friday, which meant that the two of them could comfortably sleep in without having to rush to class early.

The next morning, while Shu Long was still soundly asleep, trying to make up for the loss he had made the night before, he was woken up by Gan Mengning slapping him across the face more than a dozen times.

"What's going on? An earthquake?!"

"The sky is falling!"

(End of this chapter)