Chapter 241

What? Orient Country actually had a substitute driver?
F1 wasn’t like any other race. It required an accumulation of enough points just to qualify. Orient Country only had a handful of drivers eligible to compete in F1, and besides their top driver, Kurt, the rest were all training abroad. Even if they wanted to race, they couldn’t possibly make it back in time.
So, who else could it be?
Could it be… the legendary J, who had vanished for years?
The announcement sent a ripple through the crowd. Fans and competitors alike craned their necks, their eyes glued to the massive screen.
Melvin’s nerves tightened. In a crisis like this, only J could possibly turn the tide. Could it really be J? He held his breath, his hands slowly clenching into fists as he stared at the screen.
A moment later, a tall figure appeared. Clad in a white racing suit with a red belt cinched at the waist and a helmet obscuring their face, their gender was impossible to determine as they walked slowly into view.
A roar erupted from the stands.
“J!” someone screamed at the top of their lungs. “It’s really J!”
“No way, is this for real? I can’t believe I’m seeing J in my lifetime!”
“Ahhh! It’s true, it’s true!” a man yelled, his voice raw with emotion. “J is my idol! I’d recognize J even if J were reduced to ashes!”
“With J on the track, Orient Country is saved!”
“How is this possible
The three drivers from Yalania Country exchanged looks of pure disbelief. Weren’t the rumors true? Hadn’t J died in a car accident?
“J has never shown a face. How do we know this isn’t just some imposter they hired?” one of them muttered.
“I’ve seen J race before. The resemblance is uncanny,” the bug-eyed driver said, his voice hoarse as he stared intently at the figure. “If J is racing, what chance do we have?”
Their team had been disqualified in previous races for foul play, leaving their point total just as low as Orient Country’s. To secure their spot for next year, one of them had to finish in the top five. Their plan hadbeen simple take out Orient Country’s driver. They never expected to show up. With J on the track, what chance did anyone else have?
“We proceed with Plan B,” the blond driver said, popping a piece of chewing gum into his mouth, his expression turning venomous. Plan A was to cause an ‘accident’ to prevent Orient Country from competing. If that failed, Plan B came into effect. Only one of their three drivers needed to place in the top five. The other two could run interference, employing sacrificial tactics to block Orient Country’s car. More importantly, they had already tampered with Kurt’s race car. Winning? He’d be lucky to get out alive.

“Understood,” the other two men replied with a knowing nod.
So what if it was J? Anyone who got in their way wouldn’t be leaving the track in one piece.
While others debated the identity of
the mysterious driver, Melvin
recognized the driver instantly. During the three years J had been gone, he had watched J’s race
videos every single day, memorizing everything from J’s physique to driving style. There was no mistake. It was J.
Orient Country was saved. His dream was finally within reach. A wide smile spread across Melvin’s face, his heart pounding with excitement.
Meanwhile, in the lounge, Kurt was struggling to crawl towards the door, determined to race despite his injuries. Ghoul was right behind him, desperately pulling on his
leg.