Pegasus Recap, Plot, Synopsis

> Pegasus

Pegasus Synopsis

Zhang Chi suffered serious injuries after driving off the racing track and unexpectedly found himself in the body of 21-year-old Lin Zhendong.

He tried everything he could to prevent his 24-year-old self from making the same mistakes again.

Pegasus Recap

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Episode 1 Recap

In 2003, at the final race of the Chinese Car Rally Championship (CCRC), Yu Tai'ang, a skilled racer from the Master Racing Team known as the Red Legion, was on a legendary undefeated streak, setting a new track record with his red car. That year, Yu Tai'ang and his teammate Wei Qianli were chosen to compete in the upcoming Dakar Rally. The year was even called the dawn of rallying. However, Yu Tai'ang went missing during the Dakar Rally.

In the following years (2005-2006 seasons), Wei Qianli became the new CCRC overall champion, and the Master Racing Team adopted a new black and gold color scheme. Wei Qianli publicly stated that the world is cruel, old racers get phased out, and the weak are overtaken, asserting that miracles do not happen.

A decade later, Zhang Chi emerged as the CCRC rookie king, winning his rookie competition with a clean sweep and achieving other podium finishes, considering himself a genius entering his prime. His racing career was abruptly interrupted in 2022 during the Master Racing Rally Invitational when he encountered a flock of sheep, which he feared most, causing him to crash.

During Zhang Chi's absence from the racing scene, a wealthy racer named Lin Zhendong rose to prominence as the top driver for the Dong Racing Team, winning the CCRC for four consecutive years. Zhang Chi, preparing for a comeback, publicly challenged Lin Zhendong via livestream, claiming Lin Zhendong only won because of his money and absence. Lin Zhendong visited Zhang Chi at what used to be the Speeding Racing Team's base.

Lin Zhendong expressed respect for Zhang Chi but believed his racing style was outdated. He offered Zhang Chi financial and other support, wanting him to race in top condition so that defeating him would be meaningful. Zhang Chi, confident in his return, told Lin Zhendong to enjoy his last week as champion. Song Yuandao, Lin Zhendong's co-driver, called Zhang Chi a loser for his tough talk.

Zhang Chi mentioned his co-driver, Sun Yuqiang, was bringing a new car to Bayanbulak, but news reports later detailed an accident involving the car transport. Despite the setback, Lin Zhendong offered to help repair Zhang Chi's car. Zhang Chi refused, stating the track was in his head and he could win even without a co-driver.

At the 2027 Bayanbulak Rally, Zhang Chi competed without a co-driver, navigating the challenging course known for its gravel tracks, mountain ascent, and significant vertical drops. Despite the extreme difficulty of driving blind at high speeds on blind mountain roads, Zhang Chi drove aggressively, staying closely behind Lin Zhendong. The Bayanbulak track features a perilous sharp turn immediately after the finish line, near a cliff. Lin Zhendong crossed the finish line first, setting a new record with extreme braking.

As Zhang Chi approached, his co-driver (in his memory or on the radio) urged him to brake. Zhang Chi crossed the finish line without braking, winning the race and defeating Lin Zhendong. However, his car suffered brake failure (with high brake fluid pressure suggesting a leak) immediately after the line. The crash that followed resulted in serious injuries that left him unable to drive, forcing him to disband the Speeding Racing Team.

Sponsors left, team equipment was mortgaged, and Ye Gong, the team's general manager, who had already sold his house to support the team, was revealed not to be wealthy. Zhang Chi felt his era ended before it began. His life filled with regrets after the team dissolved and his manager, Li Xiaohe, left without him saying goodbye. Later, Zhang Chi was banned from racing for five years due to involvement in illegal races.

The hope for the Speeding Racing Team was completely lost, especially after Ye Gong passed away, having been hit by a car while walking his dog. Five years later, Zhang Chi returned to the Bayanbulak starting line, questioning if it was truly over. In the aftermath of a crash in the present, an unconscious Zhang Chi was rushed to the emergency room, fighting for his life. Simultaneously, Zhang Chi's consciousness awakened in the body of Lin Zhendong.

Disoriented, he spoke to Lin Zhendong's co-driver, Hong Kuo, asking about Sun Yuqiang. Hong Kuo referred to him as "Mr. Lin" and tried to take him to the hospital. Zhang Chi, confused, asked where he was, and Hong Kuo explained they were at the Ningzhou Racetrack scouting a resort project (Kanshan Resort involving the Nineteen Devil's Bends).

Hearing audio referencing the 2022 Women's Asian Cup, Zhang Chi realized he was somehow in Lin Zhendong's body in the year 2022 at the Ningzhou Circuit. He understood he had "reloaded" his life. He quickly focused on more pressing matters than going to the hospital. Hong Kuo's car had been hit, and the other party, Yuandao (called "Dao" by his friend), tried to blame them.

Recognizing Yuandao from racing, Zhang Chi (in Lin Zhendong's body) asserted the rules of the racetrack regarding who was the boss based on position. After trading insults and establishing that Yuandao was part of the Master Racing Team mentality of quoting specs, Zhang Chi (in Lin Zhendong's body) challenged Yuandao to a race, betting money, using a battered cargo van against Yuandao's powerful Maybach.

Despite Hong Kuo's skepticism and discomfort (he felt sick during the race), Zhang Chi (in Lin's body) demonstrated impressive drifting skill, quickly closing the gap and overtaking Yuandao, winning the race and astonishing onlookers. He then mockingly demanded Yuandao acknowledge him as the boss, calling him a loser. When asked for an interview by reporters, he ignored them.

He also hung up on Lin Zhendong's Finance Director, "Mr. Liu," not recognizing the name, leading Hong Kuo to believe he had amnesia. Hong Kuo later explained to him that the van was a fully track-modified vehicle and its owner was an influencer who was "playing the fool," not yet popular. As the Ningzhou race approached (one hour to start in 2022), the Speeding Racing Team, including Sun Yuqiang, Ji Xing, Li Xiaohe, and Zhang Weiyi, prepared.

Li Xiaohe inaccurately described Zhang Chi's training as rigorous, while Zhang Chi had been engaging in unhealthy habits. Zhang Chi (in Lin Zhendong's body) arrived at the Speeding Racing Team area, overwhelmed by emotion, recognizing the team and his youth returning. He called out crew members by name and quirks, hugged Ye Gong tightly, emotional to see him alive, and warned him to stay away from dogs.

Ye Gong and the team didn't recognize him, assuming he was a crazy fan. Zhang Chi (in Lin's body) revealed he was Zhang Chi and offered sponsorship from Zhendong Group to be allowed to stay with the team. Ye Gong verified his identity as Lin Zhendong ("Mr. Lin," "Gold Master") and became immediately welcoming.

Zhang Chi (in Lin's body) accurately analyzed the team's intended race strategy (using oversteer for corner speed to compensate against Master Racing Team and pushing in the latter half against Wei Qianli) but insisted it was incorrect and would lead to failure. He urged Ye Gong to have Zhang Chi start the race on rain tires, predicting a heavy downpour seven minutes after the start specifically where Zhang Chi would be.

Ye Gong was skeptical, joking about a "weather satellite business," but Zhang Chi (in Lin's body) insisted it was the only way for Zhang Chi to win the championship this year, mentioning Ye Gong's planned house sale and daughter as reasons to accept the sponsorship gained by winning. To convince him, Zhang Chi (in Lin's body) transferred 2 million yuan via Netpay, stating it was all he had and urging Ye Gong to make the tire change immediately.

Shocked by the amount, Ye Gong quickly instructed Ji Xing and Zhang Weiyi to swap to rain tires just minutes before the start, despite their hesitation and the clear, sunny weather. At the start line, Zhang Chi (now back in his own body) immediately noticed the rain tires felt wrong. Opposing racers, seemingly from the Master Racing Team, openly mocked him for the apparent mistake and suggested he had given up.

Zhang Chi asserted that he would win with the rain tires and leave them behind. The team, trying to manage the situation, told him it was a tactical adjustment and to focus on finishing safely, while he questioned the possibility of switching back to dry tires (it was too late). Commentators expressed confusion over Zhang Chi's tire choice on a sunny day, speculating it was either a mistake or a sign he had given up on the race. As his car entered the starting area, the unusual choice left everyone watching to see the outcome.

Episode 2 Recap

Commentary begins as Zhang Chi sets off at the Ningzhou Circuit. Despite being in good form, he is using rain tires, which commentators note will significantly impact his driving on the current dry surface, making signature moves like the Scandinavia Drift difficult and potentially costing him 5% speed. Just three minutes into the race, Zhang Chi is trailing Wei Qianli by nearly five seconds, a gap that widens with each corner.

His ranking drops as other racers pass the timing points. Ye Gong questions why they chose rain tires when there isn't a cloud in the sky, and the team is confused by the tactic, believing it has cost Zhang Chi the championship chance. Lin Zhendong reflects on the 2022 Ningzhou race where heavy rain seven minutes into the second stage caused his car to slide, sending his and the Speeding Racing Team's fate downwards.

He initially intended to use rain tires in this timeline to restart his life, but facing failure again made him feel destiny was unchangeable. However, just then, heavy rain suddenly begins. The rain tires become a decisive advantage, and commentators note only the Speeding team used them. Other cars struggle; Wei Qianli slides off the track due to his dry tires on the muddy surface, his car possibly out of the race.

Zhang Chi is cautioned about the accident site but passes through perfectly. His skill, courage, and the rain tires propel him up the ranks. He is informed he is now in fifth place, then first. He maintains the lead through the final sprint and is declared the champion. Announcers marvel at Zhang Chi's miraculous comeback, attributing it to his seemingly prophetic rain tire strategy and calling the Speeding Racing Team's victory against the formidable Master Racing Team an incredible miracle.

During the celebration, Zhang Chi asks Lin Zhendong why he insisted on rain tires. Lin Zhendong tells him that helping him is the same as helping himself, and declares that Speeding is no longer a small team, aiming to soar and become a big team, promising to cover for them. He states he will change destiny. The next day, Lin Zhendong is taken to Fuling Nursing Home.

Hong Kuo informs him that Mr. Xiao's other potential buyer backed out, leaving the Master Group as the only option for acquiring the land, including the Nineteen Devil's Bends. Hong Kuo believes Master Group is doing this intentionally after Speeding beat Wei Qianli for the championship. He suggests visiting Mr. Xiao after dropping Lin Zhendong off to find a way to change things. Zhang Chi is already at the nursing home, presenting his national championship trophy to their grandpa.

The grandpa mistakes Lin Zhendong for Zhang Chi. Realizing Zhang Chi already brought the trophy, Lin Zhendong, now acting as Lin Zhendong, decides he can't visit empty-handed. He asks Hong Kuo to buy Moutai, health supplements, and premium women's skincare. When he returns with the gifts, the grandpa still calls him Zhang Chi. Lin Zhendong plays along, hiding the Moutai in the cabinet and telling the grandpa to sneak drinks.

Nurse Wang arrives, and Lin Zhendong tries to give her the skincare, thanking her for years of care, even though she states she only started four months ago. He insists, thanking her for her future care, leaving the nurse confused. Outside, Hong Kuo reports that the company is in chaos because Lin Zhendong missed the crucial Kanshan Resort acquisition meeting, angering Mr. Xiao, who will sign with the Master Group tomorrow.

Hong Kuo confirms the land includes the Nineteen Devil's Bends. Lin Zhendong realizes his second task is to reclaim the Nineteen Devil's Bends, regretting not knowing its importance earlier and rushing home. Upon arriving at a vast villa complex, Lin Zhendong realizes he is from a "super-rich" family. His uncle, Lin Jiaru, arrives angrily asking where he was all night. Lin Zhendong initially doesn't recognize his uncle until Hong Kuo identifies him.

Lin Zhendong asks his uncle for help in preventing the Master Group from acquiring the Nineteen Devil's Bends. His uncle is upset he missed the meeting for such an important project he had been overseeing. Lin Zhendong insists he can secure the land due to his relationship with Mr. Xiao and proposes a "last-minute rescue" plan for the signing the next day, calling it an "unbeatable" plot. His uncle is bewildered by his behavior.

Lin Zhendong then goes to his room and is surprised to find academic awards, economics books, and a LEGO trophy, but no evidence of any interest in racing, a stark contrast to his knowledge of the future Lin Zhendong. Despite this, he resolves to secure the land tomorrow. The following evening, Lin Zhendong and Hong Kuo arrive late at the location where Mr. Xiao is scheduled to sign the Kanshan Resort contract with the Master Group.

Lin Zhendong remains calm despite Hong Kuo's anxiety, even stopping to buy snacks while they wait outside. He predicts Mr. Xiao will make a call before signing. Inside, Mr. Xiao is about to sign but has a small condition, which Master Group agrees to. Just as the signing is imminent, Mr. Xiao calls Ye Gong, admitting he might have to sell the property as he can no longer hold on.

Lin Zhendong then appears and tells Mr. Xiao it's not too late as long as the contract isn't signed. He reveals he knows about Mr. Xiao's condition with the Master Group and states they are lying. To convince Mr. Xiao, Lin Zhendong shows him a video of the China Women's Asian Cup final match where China was down 0-2 with twenty minutes left. He predicts the exact timing and scorers of the three goals that secure China's miraculous win.

Stunned by the accuracy, Mr. Xiao asks how Lin Zhendong knew the Master Group planned to fire all his senior staff. Lin Zhendong confirms this, stating they are dishonest. Convinced, Mr. Xiao takes his contract from Hong Kuo, declares the meeting over to the Master Group team, and signs the acquisition contract with the Zhendong Group.

Mr. Wei of the Master Group is infuriated when he learns Mr. Xiao cancelled their contract and sold the land to the Zhendong Group, specifically mentioning Lin Zhendong. At home, Uncle Lin Jiaru is highly impressed by Lin Zhendong's success, calling him a "business wizard" after hearing Hong Kuo's account of the last-minute deal.

Lin Zhendong explains he secured the land by exploiting Mr. Xiao's condition to keep his staff and predicting the Master Group would use underhanded means to force them out. He then shares his plans for the land, rejecting the proposed "stargazing themed resort" as boring. He passionately argues the Nineteen Devil's Bends is a natural race track, comparing it to Japan's Mount Haruna and ideal for training.

This sparks outrage from his uncle and family, who yell at him to stop talking about racing, revealing it is a taboo in the family. Lin Zhendong is confused by their reaction, especially considering his knowledge of the future Lin Zhendong's racing career. He later finds an old junior go-kart trophy in his room, the only hint of a past connection to racing in this life.

At the Speeding Racing Team base, team members are slacking on cleaning duty when they hear the news that the Zhendong Group acquired the Nineteen Devil's Bends. They initially speculate Lin Zhendong bought it for them, but Xiaohe is suspicious, believing he used their Ningzhou race strategy (suggesting rain tires) as leverage against the Master Group for the acquisition, calculating that without the miraculous rain, they would have lost, benefiting Master.

She believes he acquired the land for himself and feels they were fooled despite the two million investment. Zhang Chi is angered by this perceived betrayal. Lin Zhendong arrives, and Zhang Chi immediately charges him. Lin Zhendong easily dodges Zhang Chi's attacks, mocking his predictable moves. Xiaohe confronts Lin Zhendong, sarcastically congratulating him on getting the land and telling him they know his motives, asking him to leave and find their own training grounds, declaring they are "even."

Lin Zhendong insists he bought the land for the Speeding Team and is executing a larger plan, promising them a surprise in three days. Dismissing him, Xiaohe directs the team to search for alternative tracks. At the Zhendong Group's press conference for the Kanshan Resort project, Lin Zhendong takes the stage. After discussing the project's importance to the group, he announces that the Nineteen Devil's Bends will be designated as the official racing training ground for the Speeding Racing Team.

He declares his intention to build them into national and even world champions. This announcement shocks the media. Lin Zhendong's uncle receives an urgent call from his sister, clearly upset by the news, and denies knowing about Lin Zhendong's decision. The Speeding Racing Team members, watching the press conference, realize they misunderstood Lin Zhendong and quickly go to apologize. Later, the team is with Lin Zhendong.

He speaks privately with Zhang Chi, urging him to control his temper and warning him that failing to do so could lead to significant losses and future regret, emphasizing that this is a matter of destiny.

Episode 3 Recap

Zhendong looked at Zhang Chi and told him that he was great in many ways, but needed to work on his temper, warning that otherwise he would regret it and lose a lot. Zhang Chi dismissed him, calling him a kid. Zhendong replied he wasn't worried but talking about fate. He suggested Zhang Chi take Lin Zhendong under his wing as he could bring a lot of profit to the team. Zhang Chi acted cool, saying he would consider it.

Others rushed over, hearing he was telling fortunes. Weiyi eagerly asked when she would find her sweet romance, adding that her previous relationship with a Cancer sign guy named Chen had ended abruptly. Zhendong advised her to stay away from a Cancer guy with the last name Chen, predicting that after that, all her romances would be sweet. Weiyi was amazed, saying she had just met such a person that day and would block him immediately.

Sun Yuqiang asked if he would meet good girls in the future. Zhendong told him he had crazy luck and would find a stunning beauty willing to stick with him through thick and thin. Ye Gong asked about his wealth, but Zhendong warned him to stay away from dogs, telling him not to keep them, walk them, or help others walk them, and also to stay away from big vehicles like trucks.

He implied that as long as Ye Gong followed this advice, wealth would be found everywhere. Xiaohe asked about her true love. Zhendong became emotional and didn't answer directly but hugged her, which made Zhang Chi visibly jealous. Looking at the Speeding Club, Zhendong saw it as deserted in the future, with the team gone and Zhang Chi injured. He wished time could stop at the current moment.

He decided to make sure that in five years, Zhang Chi would not have an accident, specifically by planting saplings at the Nineteen Devil's Bends, the location of Zhang Chi's future crash, hoping they would grow tall and thick. Later, driving home, Zhendong found a parking spot but accidentally ran over a tow rope belonging to a man towing a car. He apologized profusely and offered to move his car.

As he did, he experienced intense chest pain and his heart rate soared. Simultaneously, in a hospital in 2027, Zhang Chi was undergoing resuscitation. After about ten minutes, his heart rate stabilized, and he reported having experienced about a week of Lin Zhendong's life before returning to his own body. Zhendong briefly awoke in his car, disoriented.

He remembered being with Hong Kuo, passing a racetrack, seeing a car stopped, and having a crash and an argument, but nothing after that. He realized he had changed clothes and days had passed. At home, Zhendong's mother, Jiazhen, and uncle, Jiaru, discussed Zhendong's recent strange behavior, including not recognizing Jiaru. Zhendong returned, appearing normal. He told his mother that he was fine and would recover the money he had spent and invested recently.

He confirmed that the Kanshan Resort project, including the Nineteen Devil's Bends area, would proceed according to the original plan. He then went to his room, which was a mess, and began tidying it. The Speeding Team was excited about having an investor and planned an intensive training camp at Kanshan Resort, announcing that they would no longer need to do maintenance work to support the team. Zhang Chi was involved in an accident with an expensive imported motorcycle.

The owner demanded 200,000 yuan for repairs. A dispute ensued. Zhendong arrived and, by examining the scene, accurately deduced that Zhang Chi had swerved suddenly to avoid something and hadn't just been distracted. They checked surveillance footage, which revealed Zhang Chi had swerved to avoid a dog. The motorcycle owner recognized his dog, Davidson, and was overwhelmed with gratitude that Zhang Chi had saved his pet, offering to cover Zhang Chi's medical expenses and considering the matter settled.

Zhendong questioned why the simple explanation wasn't given earlier to avoid the trouble. The team thanked Zhendong. Zhang Chi offered to take him as an apprentice, believing Zhendong's help indicated a passion for racing. Zhendong declined, stating he was not interested in racing, found it to be an uncontrollable sport with low returns, and had not come to learn.

He explained his purpose was to inform them that the Nineteen Devil's Bends area would be developed as a resort as originally planned and would not be used as a racetrack. He also asked about a 2 million yuan transfer from his private account. Ye Gong produced the investment contract, showing Zhang Chi had signed as the investor, much to Zhendong's surprise and the team's confusion.

Zhendong apologized for the misunderstanding and offered 100,000 yuan as compensation for breaching the non-existent agreement. Zhang Chi insisted on taking Zhendong for a ride on the mountain road. Zhendong was clearly frightened but tried to hide it. Riding through the turns, Zhendong had flashbacks of winning a karting race as a child and sharing his triumph with his father. After they stopped, Zhendong was nauseous and vomited.

Zhang Chi praised his endurance, but Zhendong, recovering, pointed out four instances where Zhang Chi had deviated from the perfect racing line during the turns, reinforcing his belief that racing is inherently uncontrollable. Returning to the garage, Zhang Chi instructed Ye Gong to return the 2 million yuan and the parts. The team worried about covering expenses like rent, but Ye Gong mentioned they had taken on some advertising jobs and could manage.

Ye Gong also paid the towing fee for the earlier incident involving Zhendong. Zhendong returned home and informed his mother that the Kanshan Resort project was on schedule to start the next day. He then went to his room and looked at his childhood karting trophies and photos, recalling happy memories of racing and sharing them with his father. In the hospital in 2027, Zhang Chi remained in intensive care.

His teammates were anxious, linking his critical condition to the Master Racing Rally Invitational. In his unconscious state, Zhang Chi heard the phrase "Master Racing Rally Invitational," and his heart rate quickened as he resolved to travel back in time to participate. Zhendong abruptly woke up and rushed to the Speeding Team. Jiaru again expressed concern to Jiazhen about Zhendong's strange behavior.

Zhendong arrived at the Speeding Team garage and urgently told Zhang Chi not to sign up for the Master Racing Rally Invitational. Ye Gong was confused by Zhendong's fluctuating stances and told him to go home. Just then, Li Aoduo from the Master Racing Team arrived with an official invitation for Zhang Chi to the Invitational, suggesting they bring a rookie driver. Zhendong immediately refused, asserting his right as the team's investor, despite the previous contract revelation.

Xiaohe reminded him the 2 million yuan had been returned. Zhendong checked his phone, realizing he had no memory of yesterday's events. He also saw advertising banners promoting the Nineteen Devil's Bends as a resort. Li Aoduo taunted Zhang Chi. Zhendong became increasingly frantic, questioning the date and where his Tuesday had gone, confirming that time had become distorted for him. He saw the resort press conference was scheduled for three days from that point.

Episode 4 Recap

Lin Zhendong tried to prevent Zhang Chi from participating in the Master Racing Rally Invitational. While trying to get a ride after Zhang Chi sped off, Li Aoduo from Master Racing team found him and challenged him to a race at his club. Lin Zhendong accepted, proposing that if he won, Master Racing would stop bothering Zhang Chi about their invitational. They raced on the track. Xiaohe and others secretly watched.

Lin Zhendong drove steadily, while Li Aoduo, initially ahead, ultimately lost to Lin Zhendong. Xiaohe's group noted that Lin Zhendong's driving technique strongly resembled Zhang Chi's. After the race, Lin Zhendong pointed out several technical errors in Li Aoduo's driving, leaving Li Aoduo bewildered that an amateur was criticizing a professional racer. Lin Zhendong then took the Master Racing Invitational invitation letter for Speeding Racing, stating they would not be participating and wished Master Racing well.

Rushing back to the team, Lin Zhendong gathered Ye Gong, Zhang Chi, and Li Xiaohe. He urgently explained that Zhang Chi must not participate in the Master Racing Invitational because he would break his leg. This injury would not only affect his performance in next year's Chinese Rally Championship but crucially cause him to miss out on a spot for the Dakar Rally that the FASC would be funding for one driver.

Ye Gong and Zhang Chi were skeptical, stating they had no plans for Dakar. Lin Zhendong insisted the FASC would support one driver next year. Despite his earnest explanation, Ye Gong wanted to dismiss him. To show his sincerity and prevent future disruptions from his other personality, Lin Zhendong offered to serve as Zhang Chi's personal assistant, handling tasks like bringing him tea and water. Zhang Chi expressed distrust because Lin Zhendong often went back on his word.

Lin Zhendong then pulled Zhang Chi into a room, stating he had a way to prevent such issues. They emerged later talking and laughing. Upon leaving the room, Lin Zhendong saw Weiyi on her phone and urged her to break up with a man he called a "Cancer sign scumbag," saying she wasn't thinking clearly. Seeing her hesitate, he grabbed her phone to warn the man directly.

However, a woman nearby, Shen Xiting, mistook him for a phone robber and swiftly took him down using taekwondo. This triggered a rapid heart rate response in Lin Zhendong, indicating a shift in consciousness. Lin Zhendong woke up disoriented. Weiyi explained that she was texting her roommate, Shen Xiting, not the man, and was surprised that Shen Xiting knew taekwondo. Lin Zhendong recognized Shen Xiting as the traffic cop he had recently encountered. Limping, he left the scene.

Later, experiencing memory loss again, he asked Hong Kuo if he had done anything unusual that day, and was relieved to hear he hadn't. The following day, he visited a psychologist, describing his episodes of memory loss and the return of childhood memories when thinking about Zhang Chi.

He confessed that he gave up karting partly to accommodate others and that playing karting had led to the loss of his father, which was the reason he stopped racing as a child. Zhang Chi called Lin Zhendong, asking him to meet at a film studio, and teasing him for being late on his first day as an assistant.

Lin Zhendong, in his current state, insisted he would not be Zhang Chi's assistant, regardless of any prior agreement, and announced he was there to resign. Zhang Chi, having anticipated this due to the memory loss, showed Lin Zhendong a video of himself enthusiastically agreeing to be Zhang Chi's personal assistant, even using his ID as a guarantee. Lin Zhendong was astonished by the video of his other personality's behavior.

When he went to smash the phone, Zhang Chi quickly snatched it back, threatening to post the video online if Lin Zhendong didn't work as his assistant. Lin Zhendong reluctantly complied, demonstrating his meticulousness by presenting Zhang Chi with various types of milk and sugar for coffee and specific brewing instructions, daring him to find fault with his performance.

Later, at the studio, Mr. Lu from Taipu'er Tires, a great admirer of Zhang Chi, expressed his strong desire to personally test drive Zhang Chi's racing car. Zhang Chi immediately refused, explaining the significant difference between professional racing cars and civilian vehicles, and the inherent safety risks for someone without a racing license. Mr. Lu became agitated, dismissing the car as a "broken car" and insulting Zhang Chi and his team, offering to pay if he damaged it.

Lin Zhendong stepped in to mediate the situation. He agreed to let Mr. Lu drive but required him to sign a disclaimer and provide ID photos for insurance, implying the team was careful. He then quietly informed Mr. Lu that the car was damaged from the last race and, while it could run, there was a risk of a broken axle, suggesting caution.

Mr. Lu, who had boasted to his friends about driving the car, became hesitant, finding it too dangerous. Lin Zhendong proposed an alternative plan: Mr. Lu would wear the team uniform and pose for photos in front of the car, then Zhang Chi would drive a couple of laps, and finally, Mr. Lu would take a photo holding the steering wheel to post online, creating the illusion that he had driven. Mr. Lu found this idea perfect and agreed immediately.

The filming for the advertisement proceeded, but Zhang Chi objected to certain lines in the script. The ad company was reluctant to change it, citing prior approvals. Lin Zhendong intervened, countering the ad company's threat of a breach of contract by pointing out their own negligence in not properly coordinating the script with the team beforehand. He highlighted the power of Taipu'er's legal department and suggested the ad company would face a lawsuit.

The ad company representative quickly apologized, admitted their oversight, and asked if it could be salvaged. Lin Zhendong told him Zhang Chi was still there and advised him to apologize. The filming concluded successfully. The ad company representative praised the Speeding Racing team, acknowledging that with someone like Lin Zhendong, they could go far. Lin Zhendong reflected that Zhang Chi wasn't as annoying as he thought and considered trying to accept the team.

That evening, despite being tired, Lin Zhendong decided to hold a review meeting. Using a presentation he created during filming breaks, he discussed the team's workflow efficiency and future development based on industry trends. He argued that formalizing their processes could achieve commercial value equivalent to larger teams like Master Racing. Ye Gong questioned if this would guarantee winning the championship again and securing enough budget for car modifications.

Lin Zhendong confidently stated that both were achievable if Zhang Chi and the team rigorously followed his proposed training and time management methods, adding that sufficient funds would be the least of their worries. Zhang Chi then asked who their next target would be. Lin Zhendong presented the Master Racing Rally Invitational as a perfect opportunity to defeat Wei Qianli again. Zhang Chi became excited and immediately submitted the team's registration form for the race.

The next day, Lin Zhendong woke up, realizing another day had passed. He arrived at the club to find it empty. Xiaohe was the first to arrive, followed by Ye Gong and Sun Yuqiang. Xiaohe announced a new rule, effective from yesterday: being late would incur a 300 yuan deduction. Even Xiaohe, who lived at the club, was fined for not being on time with the others.

They started their training, following rigorous plans that had evidently been set the night before. Lin Zhendong arrived and saw the attendance sheets and the signed registration form for the Master Racing Invitational. He realized his other personality had not only created the strict new routines but also signed Zhang Chi up for the very race he initially wanted to prevent.

He explained to the team that he had a form of personality disorder and urged them to learn to distinguish between his states. He immediately told Zhang Chi to cancel his registration. Zhang Chi and the others refused, reminding him that it had been a collective decision the previous night, and he himself had agreed.

Episode 5 Recap

Lin Zhendong called the team together, explaining that he has a split personality and they need to learn to distinguish between the "good" him and the "bad" him based on their actions, listing investments and gifts as good deeds and withdrawing funds or cursing racing as bad ones. The team was confused by his explanation.

Zhang Weiyi suggested using whether he wears glasses as a key factor, thinking the one with glasses is steady and speaks less, like a good person, while the one without glasses is glib-tongued and bad. Zhendong insisted they had it backwards, stating "he" (without glasses) is the good one and the one with glasses is bad. Sun Yuqiang overheard Zhendong's comparison to a drama trope where one personality kills someone and the other doesn't know, asking confusedly who killed someone.

Zhendong wrapped up by telling the team to only trust the him without glasses. He then spoke to Ye Gong alone, challenging him to choose between money (initially 500,000, then revised to 2 million) and winning the Master Racing Rally Invitational champion title (worth 1 million, corrected by Ye Gong to 2 million).

Ye Gong firmly refused any offer of money, citing regret from past decisions influenced by Zhendong and emphasizing that the honor of the Speeding Racing Team is now the top priority, especially after Zhang Chi's success in the CCRC. Zhendong tried to argue that the Invitational was just a commercial competition and taking money wouldn't be shameful, but Ye Gong remained resolute, telling Zhendong that as the team leader, he needed to be cool and rational and seize opportunities.

At the Master Racing Team headquarters, Li Aoduo reported his loss to Lin Zhendong to Mr. Wei, admitting he drove the car and was defeated. Mr. Wei was angered that his professional racer, driving their best new car, lost to a "rich second generation" and "amateur" like Lin Zhendong. Li Aoduo countered that Zhendong wasn't amateur and drove aggressively.

More disturbingly for Mr. Wei, Li Aoduo reported that Zhendong knew specifics about their team's latest engine technology, mentioning its fast acceleration and accurate braking point control – technology that had never been publicly revealed and was meant to be their secret weapon. Mr. Wei immediately feared that if Lin Zhendong knew, the entire Speeding team might be aware.

He dismissed Li Aoduo and sent Wei Qianli a message containing just "300", assuming Wei Qianli would understand it as a directive to offer Speeding 3 million yuan for peace. Back in a separate setting, Zhendong spoke to his grandpa (presumably, based on the dialogue about a previous timeline), recalling how he grandly refused Wei Qianli's previous offer of 3 million for peace in a past timeline, describing how he pounded the table and stared him down.

His grandpa approved, remembering Wei Qianli as a childhood bully who copied homework and stole popsicles. Zhendong then asked hypothetically if he should accept if Wei Qianli offered peace again, and his grandpa said only a fool would refuse. Zhendong concluded that the first step (refusing peace) was done, but worried about the "Lin Zhendong with glasses" interfering with his plan and stated he couldn't sleep.

Wei Qianli arrived at the Speeding Racing Team office, presenting the 3 million as a "good news" support fund from the FASC for small, high-achieving teams like Speeding. He explained the condition was that Speeding would have to lose the upcoming Master Racing Rally Invitational to maintain their status as a "small micro team" and qualify for the funding, suggesting they aim for second place instead of the championship.

Zhang Chi was suspicious, questioning why the FASC hadn't contacted them directly. Wei Qianli framed it as a kind heads-up. Zhang Chi noted that Lin Zhendong was supposed to be there but hadn't arrived. Meanwhile, Lin Zhendong was stuck in a taxi in a severe traffic jam on Minsheng Road caused by a van with a flat tire.

The taxi driver, who identified himself as an animal rescuer transporting goods, was also stranded and didn't know how to change the tire. A police officer, Shen Xiting, who Zhendong recognized from a previous interaction, was expertly directing traffic and helping the driver with the tire change, revealing her past as a professional rally team member with a record for tire changes. While Shen Xiting worked, Zhendong saw that the "goods" in the van were sheep.

The sight triggered a dramatic physiological response in Zhendong, shown by on-screen medical data indicating a sudden spike in heart rate. This event caused Zhendong's consciousness to recede, and Zhang Chi's returned, finding himself stuck in traffic and confused about the situation. Back at the Speeding office, Zhang Chi, now in control, was looking at the contract with Wei Qianli. Wei Qianli presented the 3 million offer as essential help for Speeding, which needed funds.

Zhendong suddenly burst in, immediately recognizing the situation and declaring that it wasn't a FASC fund but Master Racing Team's attempt to negotiate peace. He argued that Speeding's priority needed to be achieving results, not taking money for peace. Zhendong then dramatically tore up the contract, proclaiming, "Speeding Racing Team doesn't negotiate," and recalling his previous bold refusal of Wei Qianli's offer, even noting that he felt Zhang Chi (who was about to refuse anyway) had stolen his line.

Zhang Chi told Wei Qianli that Speeding would compete seriously in the Invitational, and Wei Qianli left, stating they would see each other on the track. After Wei Qianli left, the team observed that Zhendong wasn't wearing his glasses. Some still mistook him for the "bad" personality based on their previous misinterpretations, while others were unsure. Zhendong (without glasses) declared he was the "good Lin Zhendong."

When questioned about his two-week preparation plan, he revealed he had obtained a Racer Training Certificate and announced his intention to be Zhang Chi's co-driver for the Master Invitational. Zhang Chi was frustrated by Zhendong's unexpected actions, questioning his lack of experience and professionalism. Zhendong countered by demonstrating detailed knowledge of the Invitational track, including stage lengths, road surfaces, altitude changes, blind spots, and even specific turn conditions, stating he had acquired all the data on Wei Qianli's new car.

Impressed by his professional knowledge, Zhang Chi agreed to have Zhendong as his co-driver. They planned to perform a recce (reconnaissance) of the track in three days to build chemistry and create pacenotes. They conducted the track recce, with Zhendong learning to anticipate Zhang Chi's driving style and calling out pace notes based on his observations. During the recce, they reached the site of Zhang Chi's past major accident.

As they paused there, Zhendong saw an image of a sheep and drew it in his notebook. Later that night, Zhang Chi was running as part of his training when Zhendong appeared, noting Zhang Chi's dedication and underlying anxiety about the upcoming race. They ran together for a while until Zhang Chi was exhausted. Zhendong suggested they run back to the workshop for physical training. Zhang Chi demurred, feeling nauseous, and offered Zhendong a ride when the team truck arrived.

Zhendong challenged him to race back, with the loser buying hot pot. Suddenly, Zhang Chi's consciousness shifted. He found himself disoriented in the dark, asking Ye Gong where he was and what happened. Ye Gong told him that Zhang Chi, under Zhendong's influence, had scared Wei Qianli away that morning by refusing the 3 million offer, praising Zhendong's assertiveness. Zhang Chi was confused, asking what he did.

Ye Gong reiterated that Zhendong had refused the peace offer, guessing the amount correctly. Zhang Chi expressed frustration that Zhendong had interfered again, but also admitted that Zhendong's reasoning about needing to win was sound, though he worried about his own legs (referencing his past injury risk). Ye Gong intervened in a brief argument between Zhang Chi and Zhendong about their personalities, stating there was no turning back and their only remaining option was to win the Master Invitational.

Zhendong declared he needed a week to prepare and stated he must race "personally". He explained that due to the commercial Invitational's unpredictable nature, relying solely on advance strategy was insufficient. He referenced the unveiling of Wei Qianli's new engine in the past and Zhang Chi's emotional reaction, concluding that he had to take the wheel to prevent a similar outcome and that it was his time to perform. Zhendong meticulously executed his plan.

First, he secured his Racer Training Certificate. Second, he targeted Sun Yuqiang's role as co-driver. Knowing Sun Yuqiang kept his racing career secret from his parents, Zhendong visited them and revealed their son was racing, which resulted in Sun Yuqiang being grounded and unreachable. Zhendong then explicitly stated his intention to replace Sun Yuqiang as Zhang Chi's co-driver, calling it a perfect plan.

However, he identified Shen Xiting as the most unpredictable factor in his plan, noting that encountering her seemed to trigger his personality shifts. He decided the best course was to avoid seeing her. He obtained Shen Xiting's contact information from Zhang Weiyi, her best friend. He messaged Shen Xiting, revealing he would be in a race on a specific day (implicitly the Invitational) and making the unusual request that she "not" show up or let him see her there.

Shen Xiting found his request baffling and egotistical. Back at the team workshop, Sun Yuqiang was confirmed to be missing and not answering calls. With Sun Yuqiang gone and having presented his certificate, Zhendong again offered to be Zhang Chi's co-driver. Despite Zhang Chi's initial doubts about a newcomer's ability, Zhendong again detailed his extensive knowledge of the track and the data he had on Wei Qianli's new car, impressing Zhang Chi and solidifying his position as the new co-driver.

Episode 6 Recap

Despite being a first-time co-driver for Zhang Chi, Zhendong showed remarkable coordination with him in the first sector of the Master Racing Rally Invitational. Zhang Chi started strongly, handling the bends perfectly and quickly closing the gap on Wei Qianli, placing second at the first timing point.

Following the plan Zhendong had predicted for Wei Qianli's strategy, Zhang Chi continued his excellent performance, drawing level with Wei Qianli at the fourth timing point and then overtaking him to take a 1. 5-second lead with a quarter of the race remaining. However, while leading, Zhendong misread the roadbook, calling out L5 when it should have been R5. This caused Zhang Chi's car to crash into the haystacks, costing them almost 12 seconds and dropping them to sixth place.

After crossing the finish line for the sector, Zhang Chi was furious with Zhendong for the mistake, exclaiming he was useless and should have driven alone. Xiaohe called Zhang Chi, urging him to calm down and reminding him it was Zhendong's first time as a co-driver. Zhang Chi retorted, pointing out the danger of hitting a cliff instead of haystacks. Zhendong apologized, saying he didn't mean to make the mistake.

Despite a teammate suggesting they could still aim for the top three in the next sector, Zhang Chi was adamant about applying to race without a co-driver. Zhendong refused to let him apply, insisting they finish the second sector together and promising they would win, while Zhang Chi accused him of being capricious as the transit sector timing was about to begin.

During the transit section, Zhang Chi faked a problem with the rear wheel and tricked Zhendong into getting out to inspect it, then drove off, stating he didn't want to hear Zhendong's voice anymore. Zhendong quickly realized he still had the crucial time card. Stranded on the road, he tried unsuccessfully to hitchhike. Eventually, Yuandao and Li from the Master Racing Team spotted him and recognized him.

They teased him about losing Zhang Chi but offered him a ride to the start point, demanding he perform a humiliating act like calling them "boss" or shouting "Master Racing is the champion." Zhendong, despite his reluctance, eventually accepted the ride. They arrived at the start line with only thirty seconds left before Zhang Chi would be disqualified for not having the time card.

Zhendong presented the card just in time, and they prepared to start the second sector from sixth place based on their previous result. In the second sector, with Wei Qianli leading, Zhang Chi adopted an aggressive strategy to chase the frontrunners. While initially advising caution, Zhendong soon pushed Zhang Chi to drive harder. Suddenly, a flock of goats appeared on the track, blocking the leading cars, including Wei Qianli, who stopped and got out to clear the path.

As Zhang Chi approached the obstacle, Xiaohe called, warning him about the goats and telling him to slow down due to his known fear of them. However, Zhendong, acting as co-driver, cut off Xiaohe and ordered Zhang Chi to go "full," challenging him directly about whether he feared goats or failure and urging him to conquer his fear.

Driven by the challenge, Zhang Chi floored the throttle and sped through the flock, overtaking the drivers who were still trying to clear the track. Zhang Chi crossed the finish line first, winning the Master Racing Rally Invitational. The team celebrated their unexpected victory, and Zhang Chi gave a speech expressing pride and hoping his teammates would always be passionate.

Meanwhile, Yuandao and Li discussed their role in giving Zhendong a ride, regretting it now that Zhang Chi had won, and agreed to hide their involvement from Wei Qianli. Later, Zhendong was performing motorcycle stunts, including drifting. The performance ended in a crash that tragically injured Zhang Chi's leg. Zhendong, getting up from the ground, expressed distress, claiming he didn't intend to cause the accident and stating he had "regained consciousness" during the stunt.

At the hospital, doctors examined Zhang Chi, confirming a fracture in his left foot and significant damage to his meniscus, requiring immediate transfer to a larger hospital for consultation. The team worked to keep the severity of the injury secret from the media and sponsors, with Xiaohe fielding calls and downplaying the situation. Zhendong, remorseful, apologized to the team and offered to cover all of Zhang Chi's treatment costs, but some teammates still blamed him for the accident.

Back home, Zhendong's mother reacted strongly to the news, linking the accident to past trauma involving his father and racing, punishing him by making him stand on his head and taking away his childhood racing trophies, forbidding anything related to racing in the house. Wei Qianli heard rumors about the seriousness of Zhang Chi's injury and the need for a helicopter transfer, suspecting the injury was more severe than reported.

Later, Sun Yuqiang messaged a teammate, revealing that Lin Zhendong had told his parents about his racing activities, resulting in Sun Yuqiang being grounded and unable to race. This confession led the teammates to connect the dots, recalling Zhendong's prior warnings about Zhang Chi breaking his leg if he participated in the Master race and his actions leading up to becoming co-driver.

They began to suspect that Zhendong had deliberately orchestrated Sun Yuqiang's absence and perhaps even the first race error and Zhang Chi's injury, viewing him as a complex and potentially manipulative figure. In the hospital, Zhang Chi discussed his potential inability to race the next season with a teammate and Ye, acknowledging the seriousness of the meniscus injury and the upcoming surgery. He considered potential replacements and suggested promoting Lin Zhendong as a suitable newcomer for the team.

Episode 7 Recap

Teammates gathered to raise money for Zhang Chi's surgery, deciding against using insurance because it would reveal his injury. Ye Gong arrived, distraught, presenting a report that the team had been accused of cheating and faced a hearing that could cancel their results. They suspected the Master Racing Team was behind it.

The accusations included intentionally dropping to sixth place in the first stage of the Master Racing Rally Invitational to avoid a delay caused by sheep, and mysteriously knowing to change to rain tires during the CCRC final without weather forecasts. The report claimed a shepherd identified Ye Gong as instructing him to drive sheep onto the track.

Ye Gong defended himself, stating he was locked in a toilet during the second stage and couldn't have done it, but he had no proof as he was alone. The team also noted the report questioned why they replaced Sun Yuqiang with the inexperienced Lin Zhendong right before the CCRC final and attributed a delayed start to Lin Zhendong's mistake. They realized the report heavily targeted Lin Zhendong.

They decided to gather and find Lin Zhendong, while also instructing Ji Xing to help Sun Yuqiang, who was being kept home by his parents. Meanwhile, Li Aoduo informed Wei Qianli that he was the one who reported Zhang Chi, citing dissatisfaction with the Speeding team's recent performance and a feeling that something was wrong. Wei Qianli acknowledged his action but told Li Aoduo to inform him before doing such things in the future.

The team conducted a simulated hearing, questioning Lin Zhendong. They pressed him on how he knew to switch to rain tires without a forecast. Lin Zhendong appeared confused, asking if he had told them to change and claiming he didn't know how he could have predicted the rain. They then questioned him about replacing Sun Yuqiang and causing the delayed start. Lin Zhendong again stated he didn't know about these events.

Sun Yuqiang, present at the simulation, angrily confronted Lin Zhendong, recounting how Lin Zhendong had visited him, pretended to offer help with his family, obtained his home address (Block 3, Building 301, Chemical Plant Residence), and then reported Sun Yuqiang's racing to his parents, resulting in Sun Yuqiang being tied up and forced to study for civil service exams. The questioning continued, asking if Lin Zhendong's first-stage mistake was intentional and how he knew Zhang Chi's leg would break.

Lin Zhendong couldn't answer, stating he had no memory of these actions and explaining that this was his "him with glasses" personality, not the "Lin Zhendong without glasses." He asked someone to hypnotize him to bring back the other personality, but was told it was impossible and he needed to find the connection and reason for his other self's appearance himself. He later recalled that Shen Xiting was present during his past personality changes.

He tried to contact her, but she rejected his call. He then asked Weiyi, a friend of Shen Xiting, to arrange a meeting. Lin Zhendong met with Shen Xiting, apologizing for his previous impolite behavior, which he attributed to his other personality. He shared his suspicion of having a dual personality and asked her to help him verify the timing of his switches, believing her presence might be a trigger.

Shen Xiting helped him recall past meetings, including one where he was scared by a sheep during a traffic jam, which coincided with a personality change. They noted their encounters often occurred near the Speeding team. Lin Zhendong reflected on why he had suddenly connected with the team. Later, Lin Zhendong visited Zhang Chi at the hospital, returning the Master Racing Rally Invitational trophy and apologizing for causing his injury.

Zhang Chi dismissed the apology, seeing it as unintentional, and suggested putting the trophy in the team clubhouse. Zhang Chi offered Lin Zhendong a place in the Speeding team permanently, telling him he should stay and "shine" there. Lin Zhendong declined, stating he wasn't suitable for racing and that the co-driver was his "another me." Zhang Chi insisted that the person before him was talented, praising his insights while riding in the car and his intense hatred of failure.

Zhang Chi believed this Lin Zhendong was better suited for racing than the "other you" who he felt was "opportunistic." Zhang Chi also suggested that the "other him" represented Lin Zhendong's "internally repressed self" and "inner fear." Back at the team garage, the atmosphere was somber after losing the Master Racing Rally Invitational prize money needed for Zhang Chi's surgery.

When Li Xiaohe mentioned the lost funds, teammates immediately offered their personal savings and belongings, such as tools and a motorcycle. Ye Gong became visibly emotional but suppressed his feelings, telling them not to be pessimistic and insisting he had plenty of money, even claiming he could pay to fix their legs if they all broke them.

He returned their money and stopped transfers, urging them to trust him and focus on the upcoming hearing, reminding them the team had assets. Alone in his office later, Ye Gong was seen looking at his real estate ownership certificate and a sales contract, indicating he was planning to sell his house to fund the surgery.

Lin Zhendong discussed his personality shifts with Hong Kuo, identifying instances like the traffic dispute, a motorcycle incident, being scared by a sheep, and a car collision as potential triggers linked to tension or fear. Hong Kuo agreed that fear, particularly internal fears about the future, loss, and childhood traumas, could be the root.

Lin Zhendong visited a karting club, a place he hadn't been since his father disappeared, as part of his effort to confront his past and understand himself. Meanwhile, Li Xiaohe convinced Zhang Chi not to attend the hearing, arguing that his visibly injured leg would be seen by media and sponsors, damaging the team's reputation and finances. She suggested he claim to have severe diarrhea and vomiting and sign an authorization letter for her and Ye Gong to represent him.

Zhang Chi found their plan "quite thoughtful" and signed the document. Lin Zhendong later arrived, telling Ye Gong and Zhang Chi that he had figured out how to bring out his other personality, explaining he would remove his glasses as a signal. He also reiterated that his controversial actions leading to the accusations were his personal decisions and not the team's.

At the hearing, Lin Zhendong was questioned about the suspicious circumstances surrounding the CCRC Ningzhou race, including the rain tire change without weather forecasts and the replacement of Sun Yuqiang. He confessed to persuading the team to switch to rain tires through "various means," confirming he had obtained his racing license in preparation, and admitted "he" was responsible for Sun Yuqiang's absence, which was unknown to the team.

He also admitted directing Zhang Chi to go full throttle through the sheep during the Master Racing Rally Invitational, mentioning a prior conflict with Li Xiaohe and citing radio evidence. He stressed that these were all his personal actions, unconnected to the team. When asked for his motivation, he removed his glasses, claiming he didn't know why as he wasn't "clear-headed" at the time.

He then stated he had proof and asked if he could obtain a diagnostic certificate for dissociative identity disorder, despite a warning about the severe impact this could have on his reputation and career. Just as he was about to present the diagnosis, Zhang Chi unexpectedly arrived, in a wheelchair with a cast.

He stopped Lin Zhendong and interrupted the proceedings by revealing that the Master Racing Team, led by Wei Qianli, had previously attempted to "negotiate" with them, implying their own misconduct. Wei Qianli protested. The hearing was temporarily paused for internal discussion due to Zhang Chi's unscheduled appearance and the new information about the Master Racing Team. Media swarmed Wei Qianli outside.

Zhang Chi then spoke privately with Lin Zhendong, recognizing he had not switched personalities despite removing his glasses and seeing the consultation report mentioning dissociative identity disorder. Zhang Chi expressed dismay that Lin Zhendong would publicly expose his mental illness to save the team, while Lin Zhendong maintained that was his only intention. The hearing's final results were announced: the CCRC Ningzhou results were retained due to lack of direct evidence of cheating regarding the rain tires.

However, the Speeding team's results from the Master Racing Rally Invitational were canceled, and they were stripped of the champion trophy and prize money, as the team had not presented a "forceful appeal" regarding the accusations for that event. The suspicion of bribery against the Master Racing Team was not penalized due to insufficient evidence. Following the hearing, news reports highlighted Zhang Chi's visible injury and the Speeding team losing their championship, leading to sponsors calling to withdraw their support.

Li Xiaohe struggled to manage the calls, downplaying Zhang Chi's condition and emphasizing the team's underlying strength. Zhang Chi, seeing the team's difficult situation, suggested he and Lin Zhendong would race the next season to win back sponsors, admitting his leg might not fully recover. He then directly told Lin Zhendong that he belonged with the Speeding team.

Lin Zhendong responded that he would no longer be with the team, explaining that his mother was sending him to England next week and was arranging for the best doctor in China for Zhang Chi's treatment. He also mentioned that his mother had people following him and knew he had learned to lie. In parting, Lin Zhendong asked Zhang Chi if he truly loved racing, despite never having spoken highly of it.

Zhang Chi replied that he had enjoyed racing with Lin Zhendong and wished him success with his surgery. The next day, Li Xiaohe nervously tried to contact Lin Zhendong through Weiyi but received no reply. She attempted to reassure Zhang Chi about the highly skilled surgeon performing his operation, although Zhang Chi noted her habit of avoiding eye contact when lying.

Zhang Chi calmly joked about potential future careers if he couldn't drive, such as a driving instructor, technician, or commentator. He was called for surgery. His teammates appeared anxious as he was wheeled away. After the surgery, the doctor informed the team that Zhang Chi's recovery would allow for normal daily activity, but strongly advised against high-load sports like racing due to the significant risk to his knee. The team members were devastated by the news and collectively decided not to reveal this specific restriction to Zhang Chi.

Episode 8 Recap

Zhang Chi first met Sun Yuqiang at a karting club where they raced. Zhang Chi complimented Sun Yuqiang's driving. Sun Yuqiang was later introduced to Ye Gong and joined the team. Discussions about forming a racing club covered requirements like technique, time, perseverance, and money, with team members confirming their commitment. This led to the establishment of the Speeding Racing Team. Years later, after Zhang Chi suffered an injury, the Speeding Racing Team faced difficulties.

Ye Gong confided in his friend Xiao, revealing he had mortgaged his house for the team and lost his family. Xiao urged him to accept that things wouldn't work out, but Ye Gong spoke of his dream to take the team's young members to Dakar. Hospital staff were also heard discussing Zhang Chi's injury, confirming he could no longer race, and mentioning that the team had lost sponsors and advertising, suggesting their situation was dire. Eventually, the team disbanded.

Shen Xiting met with Lin Zhendong and discussed his second personality. She noted that his second personality possessed specific knowledge, such as the Speeding Racing Team's internal 15-second tire change record, which she discovered wasn't an official record. She also highlighted his ability to accurately predict events related to races and his concern for the team's destiny, leading Lin Zhendong to hypothesize, albeit finding it absurd, that his second personality might be Zhang Chi from the future.

The next day, as Lin Zhendong packed for his trip to the UK, taking a childhood racing trophy with him, he received a call from Ye Gong informing him that the Speeding Racing Team had disbanded, leaving Lin Zhendong with a sense of regret. Ten days before his scheduled departure for the UK, while recovering in the hospital, Zhang Chi overheard nurses discussing his injury and learning he would never be able to race again.

Upon his discharge, Zhang Chi found the Speeding Garage doors closed. As he looked around, the doors opened to reveal his teammates holding a welcome party. They presented him with a large statue, a "guard beast" they made to wish him safety after leaving the hospital. When asked to name it, Zhang Chi called it "Superstar Ye," noting its resemblance to Ye Gong. The team agreed this statue would be their spiritual totem.

The team held a barbecue by the lake. Amidst the casual atmosphere, Ye Gong gave a speech celebrating their success, having achieved championship status in four years instead of the planned six. He then proposed a "strategic transition" for the team, suggesting they shift focus to becoming a profitable, comprehensive auto service company. The other team members readily agreed, excited by the prospect of having a "serious job." Zhang Chi, however, saw this as abandoning their racing dreams for money.

He stated he would not participate in this transition. Recognizing their true motivation was likely to stay together despite his injury, he decided he couldn't hold them back any longer. He then formally announced his decision to withdraw from the Speeding Racing Team, mentioning that rivals were already trying to poach team members and he didn't want to be a burden. The team members reacted with visible emotion to Zhang Chi's announcement. Later, Zhang Chi spoke with Li Xiaohe privately.

He harshly told her to stop focusing on him and think about her own future, rejecting her offer to start a business together. In an effort to push her away and because he felt "useless," he falsely claimed he had never seen her as anything more than a colleague or friend, despite her obvious feelings. Li Xiaohe left, heartbroken.

A flashback revealed that Zhang Chi had swallowed his pride and asked his rival, Wei Qianli, to help arrange a job for Li Xiaohe at Xingchuang Finance, conceding that Wei Qianli had defeated him multiple times in the past. Zhang Chi returned home, where he reminisced about his childhood with his grandfather.

He recalled promising his grandfather that despite his poor school performance, he would grow up to become a world champion racer and use the prize money to support him in his old age. At the airport, preparing for his departure to the UK, Lin Zhendong received a call from Ye Gong informing him that the Speeding Racing Team had disbanded. This news made him hesitate about his travel plans. Meanwhile, Ye Gong attended the 2022 CCRC season press conference.

The conference announced new rules for rookie selection and, significantly, the return of the Dakar Rally qualification race after seventeen years, with the top six CCRC racers competing for the single spot to represent China, receiving top resources. Wei Qianli's Master Racing Team introduced their new racers, Li Aoduo and Wan Zihe. When it was Speeding's turn, Ye Gong took the stage.

After thanking supporters, he formally announced the dissolution of the Speeding Racing Team, stating they would not participate in upcoming CCRC events. Elsewhere, other Speeding team members were facing difficulties and dismissiveness in their new jobs after the dissolution. Upon seeing Ye Gong's announcement on their phones, their resolve was reignited. They rushed to the press conference. Just as Ye Gong finished, they arrived and declared that the Speeding Racing Team had not disbanded and would continue in professional racing.

Lin Zhendong then stepped forward, introducing himself as the new racer for Speeding. He directly challenged Wei Qianli, expressing gratitude for a past "valuable lesson" and stating his intention to win the rookie competition to secure the single Dakar spot.

Episode 9 Recap

Zhang Chi is temporarily out of danger but needs to remain hospitalized in a coma. At the hospital, there's discussion about Wei Qianli and the death of Yu Tai'ang 17 years ago, suggesting Wei Qianli was involved and deserves consequences. Meanwhile, Lin Zhendong decides against going abroad and announces his intention to stay and compete in the Rookie Competition of CCRC as a driver.

He expresses confidence, mentioning Zhang Chi and Li Xiaohe had previously told him he had potential and could surpass Wei Qianli with hard training. He asks where Li Xiaohe is, as she isn't answering her phone. Li Xiaohe arrives at the hospital after seeing the news about Zhang Chi. She learns he is out of danger but still unconscious.

She speaks to the unconscious Zhang Chi, revealing she waited for him at the airport before leaving, missed four flights, hoping he would come to her. She wonders if things would be different if they could go back five years. As she speaks, Zhang Chi's heart rate increases significantly. His consciousness is pulled from his body and back to a past moment, inhabiting Lin Zhendong. Zhang Chi, now in Lin Zhendong's body, rushes to find Xiaohe at the airport.

He mistakenly calls her "Shan Shan" before correcting himself, thanking her for not leaving. Xiaohe tells him she and Zhang Chi have broken up and the team has disbanded. Lin Zhendong (Zhang Chi) tries to convince her to return, saying Zhang Chi regrets his actions and feared burdening her or the team. He insists Zhang Chi must participate in the CCRC next year and go to Dakar.

Xiaohe tearfully reveals the doctor said Zhang Chi won't be able to race cars anymore due to his injury. Lin Zhendong (Zhang Chi) is shocked but insists they can't let him give up. He offers her a reason to stay: for him to be the new Speeding Racing Team driver, needing her as his mature, calm, and experienced manager.

He highlights that Ji Xing and Weiyi are back and urges her not to abandon the team, aiming to win back lost championships. Xiaohe agrees to return but makes it clear she is not coming back for Zhang Chi and will only be Lin Zhendong's manager. The team reunites. Sun Yuqiang is excited to have the team sign back, and Ji Xing is happy to see his tools.

While eating, Lin Zhendong (Zhang Chi) analyzes why his 'predictions' didn't prevent Zhang Chi's injury, suggesting his approach might be wrong. He believes he needs to get things back on track and become a top driver. He declares Hong Kuo will be his co-driver, not Sun Yuqiang. Xiaohe advises caution, pointing out both he and Hong Kuo are rookies and starting from scratch will be difficult.

Lin Zhendong (Zhang Chi) is dismissive, stating he will dominate every CCRC and anything less than a win is unacceptable. Lin Zhendong (Zhang Chi) exhibits behaviors typical of Zhang Chi, surprising his teammates. He seems at ease in Zhang Chi's former room. He reveals he doesn't have cash and gives Ye Gong Lin Zhendong's bank card, urging him to spend the money quickly before Lin Zhendong's mother locks it, describing her as strict.

Ye Gong expresses gratitude to Xiaohe for returning, and later, Lin Zhendong (Zhang Chi) calls out to Xiaohe from the rooftop in a overly affectionate manner. Lin Zhendong's uncle sees the news of Lin Zhendong announcing himself as a racer and is shocked he didn't go to the UK as planned. He is terrified of Lin Zhendong's mother finding out, knowing she would be furious. He confirms the mother has a video call scheduled with Lin Zhendong.

Later, Lin Zhendong (Zhang Chi) looks through the phone, seeing information about a flight to London. He calls an unknown number from the recent call history, but it's disconnected. His mother calls, and he attempts to pretend he is in London, claiming he is in Chinatown when she hears Chinese voices in the background. He quickly ends the call, feigning a headache. He instructs Ye Gong to be mindful of speaking Chinese because the real Lin Zhendong is in London.

Hong Kuo calls Lin Zhendong's uncle, trying to verify Lin Zhendong's whereabouts and the time in London by asking if Charles picked him up and the local time. Lin Zhendong (Zhang Chi) is present and struggles to give the correct time. When Hong Kuo switches to English, Lin Zhendong (Zhang Chi), unable to understand, is caught off guard and cannot respond. At the hospital, Wei Qianli calls Xiaohe and Sun Yuqiang, who are with the unconscious Zhang Chi.

Wei Qianli comments on Zhang Chi's state and boasts about his victory at the Bayanbulak rally. Hearing this news causes Zhang Chi's heart rate to significantly increase, and his consciousness is abruptly pulled out of Lin Zhendong's body. Lin Zhendong's original personality immediately returns. He is able to converse fluently in English with Hong Kuo, addressing the confusion from earlier.

He also speaks to his uncle, confirming he is in London, discussing the weather and time, and even sends a photo. However, his uncle remains skeptical, having seen the press conference announcement, and threatens to inform Lin Zhendong's mother. The next morning, Lin Zhendong is completely different. He is neat, organized, and has cleaned the team's warehouse. His teammates observe the changes and his glasses, recognizing the return of his other personality.

Lin Zhendong expresses confidence in his ability to qualify for races. Xiaohe is blunt, telling him his current driving skills are poor and he faces fierce competition from over fifty experienced professional drivers for limited spots. Ye Gong elaborates on the extreme difficulty of the Dakar Rally and explains how Yu Tai'ang, a legendary figure who brought Chinese racing to the world before disappearing 17 years ago, inspired many drivers of their generation, including himself and Zhang Chi.

Ye Gong speaks with deep admiration for Yu Tai'ang's contributions and passion for the sport, unaware that he is speaking to Yu Tai'ang's son. They discuss the challenging qualification process and the team's lack of funds for self-financing the costly race. Ye Gong shows them the next season's driver list, which includes Yu Tai'ang for the Bulls Racing Team, a detail met with skepticism due to his long absence.

Ye Gong recalls meeting Yu Tai'ang once and receiving valuable driving advice, highlighting his sincere dedication, while also mentioning rumors that Yu Tai'ang was not a good husband or father. Wei Qianli is shown elsewhere discussing the changes in the racing scene and anticipating less competition without Zhang Chi or Yu Tai'ang, but is warned never to underestimate opponents. Lin Zhendong, hearing about the difficulties of Dakar, urges Ye Gong to arrange training immediately.

Suddenly, Lin Zhendong receives a call from an unknown number. The voice on the other end introduces himself as Yu Tai'ang. He mentions watching Lin Zhendong at the Master Racing Rally Invitational and announces his intention to compete in Dakar this year, expressing hope to see Lin Zhendong on the track. He also confirms that the Speeding Racing Team has not disbanded.

Episode 10 Recap

Lin Zhendong diligently trained, and his lap times gradually decreased. While seemingly making significant progress, his times were still comparable to those of a regular driver. He began practicing drifting maneuvers. His starts impressed Ji Xing, but his drifting technique was noted by Weiyi as being far inferior to hers. Following the training session, Ye Gong and others discussed Zhendong's performance. To encourage him, they praised his karting background, and even Hong Kuo commented positively on his fast cornering.

However, in a subsequent lap, Zhendong drove directly towards parking cones, leaving everyone at a loss for words to praise him, forcing them to just say he was improving. Afterwards, Hong Kuo separately informed Ye Gong that a coach from the UK had reviewed Zhendong's videos and estimated it would take at least three years for him to become a professional racer, making three months impossible. Ye Gong lamented this, recalling how Zhang Chi had managed it in three months.

While Ye Gong was troubled, Zhendong approached him to discuss bringing Zhang Chi back as his coach, believing Zhang Chi understood the racetrack best. Later, Ye Gong visited Zhang Chi, who was suspicious of Ye Gong's uncharacteristic friendliness and urged him to state his purpose. Ye Gong awkwardly asked him to return to the team as a coach, claiming Zhendong had specifically requested him, hoping he would help the team.

When Zhang Chi went for a follow-up medical checkup, Zhendong directly went to the hospital and insisted Zhang Chi sit in the passenger seat of a car, effectively taking him to the training track. At the track, Zhendong released the handbrake and sped off. Zhang Chi reluctantly provided instructions, guiding him through turns. After one lap, Zhang Chi criticized Zhendong's "safe driving," stating that professional racing required driving at the limit, not merely safely.

Disappointed, Zhang Chi left to get food, telling Zhendong to practice alone and instruct Ye Gong not to bother him again. Zhendong remained and continued his intense training alone. Later, Shen Weiyi saw a car struggling to exit a parking spot by the roadside. She approached to help and realized it was Zhendong. With her clear instructions, Zhendong successfully maneuvered the car out. He then offered Weiyi a ride to the team headquarters, as she was also heading there.

On the way, they chatted, and Weiyi explained some parallel parking techniques to him. As they arrived at the team, they overheard teammates talking about Zhendong's poor driving skills and low chances of being ready for the rookie race, comparing him unfavorably to Zhang Chi. Weiyi noticed Zhendong's embarrassment and encouraged him not to take their words to heart, reminding him that chasing a passionate dream is never wrong.

The next day, Li Aoduo observed Zhendong training and doubted his ability, wondering if he had faked his skill previously. He decided to visit the team to learn more about Zhendong. Zhendong asked Hong Kuo if he could persuade Zhang Chi to continue coaching him, but Hong Kuo declined. Zhendong then encountered Li Aoduo outside. Li Aoduo deliberately asked Zhendong to park his large new car in a tight spot, claiming they were in a hurry.

Ye Gong arrived and recognized Li Aoduo's challenge, commenting on the difficulty of parallel parking and feigning doubt about Zhendong's ability. Knowing their intention, Zhendong accepted the challenge. As he sat in the car, he recalled Zhang Chi's theoretical knowledge, visualizing it as a 3D geometry problem involving specific distances. Without hesitation, he successfully parked the car in one attempt. Li Aoduo was astonished but then found himself unable to get the car out due to the surrounding obstacles.

Later, Zhendong spoke to Zhang Chi again, leveraging his successful parking demonstration as proof of his learning ability. He asked Zhang Chi to be his coach, acknowledging his significant skill gap but emphasizing his urgent need to compete and believing Zhang Chi was the only one who could help him bridge 17 years of missed practice in three months. He expressed confidence in their potential as a team, calling their pairing underestimated.

He accepted Zhang Chi's blunt assessment of his own irritable temper and the condition that Zhendong could be dismissed if deemed unqualified. Zhang Chi, seeing Zhendong's sincerity, agreed to start coaching officially the next day. Separately, Ji Xing brought fruit to Hong Kuo, hoping she could persuade Xiaohe to welcome Zhang Chi back to the team. Xiaohe agreed, mentioning that the team's current financial situation made hiring expensive foreign coaches impossible. That evening, Ye Gong gave Zhendong a training schedule.

Finding the initial schedule too lenient, Zhendong voluntarily increased his daily training time to ten hours, citing the tight timeline and urgent need. Ye Gong then informed Zhendong that Hong Kuo would be his co-driver, mentioning that "the crazy version of you" had insisted on this pairing for success. Zhendong went to Hong Kuo's place that night.

Hong Kuo, surprised by the late visit from someone seemingly unlike his former boss, tested Zhendong by asking details about past events and nicknames to confirm his identity. Zhendong answered correctly, confirming he was indeed Lin Zhendong. Zhendong then revealed his purpose: asking Hong Kuo to be his co-driver for the CCRC rookie race. Hong Kuo drove Zhendong's car back to Zhendong's place, providing navigation along the way.

Upon arriving, Zhendong formally extended the invitation, acknowledging the risks and the uncertainty of victory or financial reward, describing it as an invitation to an adventure. He explained he stayed because he wanted to race and had always considered Hong Kuo a friend, not a subordinate, and didn't want to pressure him.

Hong Kuo was deeply moved by this sincere declaration of friendship and immediately agreed to be his co-driver, stating he would resign from his current job the next day. Training commenced the following day with a special setup: a long pole attached to the rear of the car and five cones topped with water bottles placed around a turn.

The task was to knock down all five bottles in one go while drifting through the corner, a drill designed by Zhang Chi to simulate Turn 15 of the Shangyuan circuit. Despite multiple attempts, Zhendong repeatedly failed, either missing a bottle or hitting a cone. Zhang Chi observed and offered brief guidance. During subsequent attempts, Zhendong recalled his father's past advice to "step all the way on the gas." Applying this technique, he finally succeeded, hitting all five bottles perfectly.

Zhang Chi acknowledged his success, telling him he did it and to remember the feeling for the race. Team members distributed items symbolic of the team's spirit: a wrench (skill) for Ye Gong, a coin (funding) for Li Xiaohe, and a leopard figurine (determination) for Zhang Weiyi. Zhendong was then instructed to find Zhang Chi for the final item (freedom). Zhang Chi explained the four items and team slogan ("Courage, Wisdom, Determination, Freedom") represented their collective spirit.

He gave Zhendong a box containing a brand-new custom-made racing suit, featuring ergonomic technology, and presented him with his old racing car, nicknamed "Little Cannon," a 2019 POLO circuit edition with impressive specs, which had competed in four CCRC races. Zhang Chi told Zhendong the car was now his and they would conquer the track together. Ye Gong congratulated Zhendong on his excellent training progress, reminding him the rookie race was in ten days. Encouraged by the team and his new suit and car, Zhendong drove the "Little Cannon" on the track, training from morning until night, continuously improving his skill.

Episode 11 Recap

To get everything back on track, Zhendong must become a top racer. Zhang Chi begins putting Zhendong through rigorous training, while Hong Kuo is trained in co-driver knowledge. The daily intense training pushes both of them. Zhendong is trained to feel the road through his hips and maintain balance for extended periods, while Hong Kuo must memorize complex pacenotes, understand corner severity numbers, and practice shouting commands over deafening noise.

Hong Kuo is reminded that a co-driver must be flawless, as any mistake could ruin the race, and the recce runs are essentially a competition for co-drivers. They practice together, with Hong Kuo reading pacenotes while Zhendong is blindfolded, simulating a rally stage. As the Rookie Competition approaches, anticipation builds, especially for Li Aoduo, a young veteran from Master Racing Team who started racing at age seven and was considered a favorite.

However, his recent practice performance is poor, worrying his co-driver, Yuandao. Media attention is also focused on a video circulating online showing Zhendong in a small van defeating Yuandao in a supercar. Li Aoduo faces questions about this video and his confidence, responding defensively that fancy street driving doesn't equal track performance and that he has unconditional trust in Yuandao. Yuandao, a skilled racer from Master's youth program himself, races as Li Aoduo's co-driver due to circumstances.

The viral video of Zhendong's unexpected skill, particularly the version without his glasses, causes concern among his team, as that particular personality hasn't appeared in months. Back at the team's lodging, the pressure mounts for Zhendong and Hong Kuo, who are visibly anxious during dinner. Zhendong finds it surreal, transitioning from a secretary to a race car driver in just three months.

The team tries to ease their tension, reminding them that rookie races are full of incidents and recounting how Zhang Chi even reversed in his first rookie race. They discuss past racing legends, mentioning Yu Tai'ang as a true "King of Auto Racing" who took runner-up in his first race, a surprising achievement given he raced before the formal rookie series existed. Weiyi explains that Yu Tai'ang was once part of Master Racing Team and Wei Qianli's senior.

After Yu Tai'ang disappeared during the Dakar Rally, Wei Qianli became the lead racer and changed the team's color from red to black and gold for a new sponsor. This led to Yu Tai'ang's co-driver, Yu Haixiang, having a falling out with Wei Qianli and forming Bulls Racing Team, keeping their cars red and still entering Yu Tai'ang's name in races every year.

Hong Kuo also confides in Zhendong, worrying that his mother is getting suspicious about their racing activities and how she might react if she finds out, having already been hurt by racing before. Weiyi also expresses her concern about Zhendong's stress, especially since he's labeled a "dark horse" and his nervous, rookie personality is the one facing the race. She asks Ji Xing (Officer Shen), a traffic police officer, if she knows ways to relieve stress.

At the driver's meeting for the rookie race, the atmosphere is competitive, with many racers knowing each other from Master Racing Team's extensive youth program. Zhendong learns about this long history among his rivals. He encounters Hu Dawei, nicknamed "Mustache," a perennial last-place finisher known for his confident smack talk, who vows to beat Zhendong this year. Zhendong and Li Aoduo have another tense exchange, trading barbs about past results and track versus street driving.

Zhendong states that if everything goes well, he expects to beat Li Aoduo on the track. Later, Officer Shen tells Zhendong about stopping a driver with illegal modifications who claimed to be Zhendong, advising him that real racers follow rules and encouraging him to talk to his teammates about his worries. During the recce run, Zhendong and Hong Kuo use a new car sponsored by Mr. Xiao of Kanshan Resort, arranged through Mr. Ye.

Li Aoduo and Yuandao approach them, demanding they share their pacenotes, but Zhendong refuses, stating they are there to compete, not perform. Yuandao mentions a female racer, Yu Haixiang's only disciple from Bulls Racing Team, rumored to be their secret weapon, Noel, who trained in Sweden. Li Aoduo mocks her for wearing a mask and using a foreign name, but Noel, when they encounter her, challenges Li Aoduo, suggesting he should be worthy of his car's advanced electronic system.

While navigating the demanding Shangyuan circuit, Zhendong struggles with Turn 15, a cliffside corner similar to a section they trained on but with a steep downhill approach. Despite Zhang Chi's instruction to take it aggressively, Zhendong feels fear and takes it conservatively. Their car gets stuck in the mud near the turn. Li Aoduo and Yuandao arrive, filming and mocking their predicament, making unhelpful suggestions, much to Zhendong and Hong Kuo's frustration. Hong Kuo notices Zhendong's unusual "5.

5" notation for the corner in the pacenotes, sparking curiosity and speculation about their strategy. Despite the mockery, Hu Dawei stops and genuinely offers them tools and encouragement. Reporting back to Zhang Chi, Zhendong and Hong Kuo recount getting stuck and being mocked, but also mention Hu Dawei's unexpected help. Zhang Chi is frustrated by their plight, noting that even perpetual last-place drivers like Hu Dawei are now ahead of them.

He is particularly angry about the conservative speed Zhendong used for Turn 15 and the "5. 5" pacenote notation, emphasizing that being slow is a "cardinal sin" in racing. Zhendong admits his fear at the cliff turn but, determined to show the attitude of a racer, agrees to adopt Zhang Chi's more aggressive approach for that corner, despite the risk. Zhang Chi gives them a "Leopard Peace" charm, saying with it, nothing can go wrong. Finally, the Rookie Competition begins.

As the commentator highlights Li Aoduo and the highly anticipated Lin Zhendong, rumored to have only trained for three months, Zhendong's nervousness is palpable. His heart pounds uncontrollably. He goes to the restroom, washing his face and taking off his glasses. As his anxiety peaks and his heart rate soars, a profound change occurs. The nervous rookie Lin Zhendong fades, replaced by the consciousness of the "genius racer"—Zhang Chi. The formidable driver is back.

Episode 12 Recap

Before the rookie race began, Zhendong's heart rate spiked to 120. Hong Kuo expressed concern, suggesting he might be experiencing a personality change, but Zhendong denied it. As the race was about to start, Zhendong encountered Dawei and, in a different demeanor, recognized the rookie competition and teased Dawei about his consistent last-place finishes and finding a girlfriend after retirement.

As the race got underway, Commentator Wang introduced the drivers, including favorites Li Aoduo and Noel, and the rookie Lin Zhendong. Driving aggressively from the start, Zhendong, under the control of an alternate personality (Zhang Chi's consciousness), navigated turns skillfully. He even used a "swinging through the cornering" technique that the commentator identified as Zhang Chi's unique skill.

He pushed the car hard, questioning the conservative instructions in his roadbook and remarking on the difficulty of pretending to be a rookie. His performance was strong, and he quickly moved up in the rankings, overtaking Noel and closing the gap with Li Aoduo.

Approaching the challenging cliff turn, Hong Kuo urged him to ease off, but the driver refused, declaring that he had never heard of a racer easing off on their strong suit and took the turn at full throttle. Lin Zhendong won the stage championship. Hong Kuo was overjoyed, celebrating the victory and suggesting that Zhendong had now "graduated" and wouldn't need his other personality anymore. The win also helped secure sponsorship for the team.

After the race, Zhang Chi, in Zhendong's body, struggled with physical discomfort and was helped away. Later, Zhendong's mother, Lin Jiazhen, questioned her brother, Lin Jiaru, about the race. Jiaru feigned ignorance at first but admitted he had seen the news and that Zhendong had sworn him to secrecy. Jiazhen also inquired about Zhang Chi's injured leg, claiming she didn't want to know about his affairs but betraying concern. Shen Xiting, a traffic police officer and Weiyi's roommate, arrived.

Weiyi introduced her to Zhang Chi, who immediately recognized her as the officer who had previously used physical force on Zhendong, admiring her as a "heroine." Xiting was embarrassed, explaining it was a misunderstanding, but Zhang Chi joked she should have done it ten times. Back at the team facilities, Zhendong's heart rate spiked again upon seeing Shen Xiting. He reacted with fear, trying to hide.

A doctor noted that his frequent, high heart rate spikes seemed related to intense brain activity, almost like vivid dreaming, and were unusually frequent. Zhendong stumbled and briefly seemed unwell before recovering, appearing as the original Lin Zhendong personality. Zhang Chi, the alternate personality who had driven the race, later confronted the original Lin Zhendong.

Zhang Chi asserted that it was not Zhendong but himself who had won the race and called Zhendong a "coward" for not facing the challenge himself, questioning if he was content to let a substitute handle things. Visibly affected by Zhang Chi's words, Lin Zhendong sat alone.

Hong Kuo attempted to comfort him, suggesting that perhaps his current self was not suited for rally racing and it might be better to let the stronger personality drive, even suggesting it could lead to Dakar success. Later, Zhendong reviewed his health data with Xiaohe and realized his personality seemed to switch whenever his heart rate exceeded 120 BPM. He attempted to test this theory by exercising to raise his heart rate, but Xiaohe intervened, insisting he rest.

Meanwhile, Sun Yuqiang was excitedly looking at a new rally car at a dealership. He loved the car and learned its price was 250,000 after a discount. He called his mother, attempting to convince her to buy it by promising to bring home a girlfriend for a "bride price" of 200,000, but she firmly refused and told him to buy it himself. Zhang Chi and Hong Kuo discussed Zhendong's condition and how to manage the personality switches.

Hong Kuo speculated that the alternate personality might be afraid of Shen Xiting. Zhang Chi decided to ask for Xiting's help, explaining to her that Zhendong has two sides and the B side is afraid of her, asking her to assist them as a service to the "people." Xiting, though hesitant, agreed. Shen Xiting visited Lin Zhendong. She congratulated him on his win, but Zhendong admitted it was his other self who had driven.

He confessed that his fear wasn't of racing itself, but of a painful memory, a shadow, and a person: his father, the legendary racer Yu Tai'ang. He described his father as someone who abandoned everything for racing and was an irresponsible parent, and that he constantly felt trapped by his father's shadow.

He revealed he had discovered the link between his heart rate and the personality switch and asked Xiting to help supervise him to prevent the other self from appearing. Xiting agreed to help and promised to keep the secret about his father. Later, Lin Zhendong addressed his teammates, declaring that the past was behind him and he would now win every race honorably.

He stated his clear goal: to advance from the rookie competition to the CCRC and eventually reach Dakar, and he would not stop until he achieved it, dismissing the idea of relaxation. His mother, Chairman Lin, arrived with his uncle, Lin Jiaru. His teammates quickly excused themselves. Jiazhen confronted Zhendong about abandoning his plan to study abroad and his insistence on racing. She expressed her long-standing opposition to racing, implying it had caused her great pain in the past.

She offered a compromise: he could stay in China and work for the company, racing only once a week as a hobby. Zhendong refused, asking for just one year to pursue his dream of going to Dakar and promising to return to the life she wanted if she would only trust him. Jiazhen rejected his plea, stating she had trusted his father once with a similar promise and would not be fooled again.

She told him if he insisted on racing, he should no longer consider her his mother and left with Jiaru. After his mother left, Hong Kuo and Xiaohe checked on Zhendong. He told them he was fine and had come to terms with things, promising they would soon see a completely new version of him.

Episode 13 Recap

Zhang Chi devised a rigorous 25-day training regimen specifically for Zhendong, promising it would enable him to defeat Li Aoduo. Zhendong committed to the intensified training but found himself compelled to stop whenever his heart rate approached 120 beats per minute, fearing the emergence of his alternate personality. To manage this, he enlisted Shen Xiting's help, hoping she could supervise and use a designated toy to startle the other personality back if the agreed-upon secret code wasn't correctly answered.

As training commenced, Zhendong's heart rate did spike, causing the other personality to take over. This alternate self immediately focused on a mission: bringing Li Xiaohe and Zhang Chi together. Meanwhile, in the future, the actual Zhang Chi's heart rate fluctuated dramatically, leaving Li Xiaohe constantly shuttling between his hospital room and the doctor's office. Shen Xiting reviewed Zhendong's training performance for the day, detailing progress and setting new targets. Zhang Chi expressed his gratitude for her dedicated assistance.

Their session continued with quick reaction training, involving Zhendong running in place, catching tennis balls thrown by Zhang Chi, and answering rapid-fire questions. When asked to identify his true enemy, Zhendong's heart rate surged dangerously high. Seeing this, Shen Xiting quickly intervened, ending the training session and excusing Zhang Chi. The other personality had taken over Zhendong, but he kept his glasses on, attempting to conceal the switch.

When Shen Xiting prompted him with their code, the personality, looking at a picture on the wall, responded, "Go to Dakar!" Unexpectedly, this matched an intended part of their code, and Shen Xiting, momentarily thinking it was a "critical value" where Zhendong almost returned, was not overtly suspicious. The personality, feeling tired, asked to end the day, and she agreed, believing he was just fatigued. Internally, the personality felt he had successfully fooled her.

Intent on carrying out his mission, the personality, now in control of Zhendong's body, immediately sought out Li Xiaohe and arranged a dinner. To his surprise, Zhang Chi also arrived. Li Xiaohe, uncomfortable, attempted to leave, but the personality grabbed her arm, insisting that their ongoing strained relationship was negatively impacting his training. They reluctantly sat down. During the meal, the personality observed that Li Xiaohe wasn't eating meat.

When he pointed this out, Zhang Chi sharply criticized him for interfering with her diet. Offended by Zhang Chi's attitude, Li Xiaohe stood up to leave again. The personality chased after her, pleading for her to listen. He recounted emotional stories from their shared past, detailing how Zhang Chi had secretly protected her and sacrificed for her since childhood. Moved by these stories, Li Xiaohe agreed to hear Zhang Chi out. The personality pulled Zhang Chi towards her.

Zhang Chi remained stubbornly silent. Taking matters into his own hands, the personality publicly revealed Zhang Chi's hidden efforts, including begging Wei Qianli for a job for Li Xiaohe before the team disbanded and crying after she left. Faced with this revelation and prompted by Li Xiaohe's question, Zhang Chi finally admitted the truth. The tension broke, and Li Xiaohe and Zhang Chi reconciled.

Just as they did, Shen Xiting appeared and abruptly threw cold water on Zhendong, snapping him back to consciousness. Confused and disoriented, Zhendong wondered why he was there. Shen Xiting, holding the empty basin, remarked that the other personality had almost fooled her and that she now realized his interests extended beyond just racing. Training resumed, with Zhendong tethered to a treadmill. As his heart rate escalated, his personality fluctuated.

The alternate personality struggled against the physical strain but was unable to stop, completing the demanding set. Afterward, he attempted to mimic Zhendong to deceive Shen Xiting. She, however, sensed something was off and reached for the designated toy. Seeing this, the personality dropped the pretense and confessed, "I'm Zhang Chi."

He revealed he was from the year 2027, his physical body lay in a coma in a hospital there, and his consciousness, for unknown reasons, was able to inhabit Zhendong's body in this time. Shen Xiting found the story incredible and didn't believe him. Desperate to prove his identity, he offered predictions.

After mentioning an already-passed NBA championship and admitting he didn't follow football closely enough for specific scores, he predicted that Li Xiaohe would win a lottery for Disney ticket packages sometime in the next two months. Shen Xiting was skeptical, pointing out it hadn't happened yet. Moments later, Li Xiaohe and Weiyi were heard cheering excitedly outside, having just received news that Li Xiaohe had won the Disney ticket package.

Witnessing the immediate fulfillment of the prediction, Shen Xiting was stunned and finally believed him, asking him to tell her everything over dinner. The next morning, Zhendong woke up to a messy room, noticing a can of Coke and a book titled "Time Travel Guide" on his bedside table. He called Shen Xiting, asking if she had noticed anything unusual about him the previous night.

She lied, assuring him that he had seemed perfectly normal and attributing his lack of memory to frequent personality switching. Despite her reassurance, Zhendong felt uneasy, sensing something was being hidden. Later, during training, his heart rate rose, and the Zhang Chi personality resurfaced. Leaving the training area, he went to find Zhang Chi's torn medical records, intent on piecing them back together, stating that Zhang Chi must have torn them to hide something.

While he was doing this, Li Xiaohe found him and questioned his actions, suggesting there were other paths in life than focusing on Zhang Chi. She declared she was leaving work and would resign if he continued to bother her about Zhang Chi's affairs. That night, Zhendong switched back but noticed his alarm clock was missing. He checked his phone, finding a video recording.

The video revealed the Zhang Chi personality from the previous day on the set of a car program called "Speed Cross." He was speaking with Mr. Ye and Hong Kuo. Mr. Ye explained that he had agreed for Zhendong and Hong Kuo to participate in the show, believing practical experience was crucial for their preparation, especially since Hong Kuo had readily agreed.

Shen Xiting then arrived on set and directly addressed the personality, asking if he was the "other Zhendong," which he confirmed. As they discussed the show, the personality questioned his training plan, but Mr. Ye reiterated that plans needed to be flexible and emphasized the value of real-world experience. Observing the interaction, the Zhang Chi personality couldn't shake the feeling that Mr. Ye and Hong Kuo were keeping something from him.

A flashback to the dinner the night before showed the Zhang Chi personality explaining his circumstances to Shen Xiting. He described the severe accident he had in 2027 during the Bayanbulak comeback race, which resulted in critical brain damage and left his physical body in a potentially vegetative state. He explained that he hadn't revealed the truth publicly to protect Zhendong from being labeled as mentally unstable.

He confessed he wasn't entirely certain if his current experiences in Zhendong's body were truly happening or merely a hallucination in his final moments. He clarified that his purpose wasn't solely self-preservation but driven by a desire to "have fewer regrets" in his future life. He acknowledged that his interference hadn't drastically altered destiny – while he won championships, one was revoked, and his leg still suffered injury, making life feel "more rugged."

He revealed he helped Zhendong win the rookie race because Zhendong was destined to be an excellent driver, comparable to himself in the future, and he hoped that helping Zhendong reach his potential sooner might positively influence his own fate.

Having shared the full story, he asked Shen Xiting for a favor: not to immediately use the scare tactic every time he emerged, but to allow him a little personal time – just a bit – to accomplish some essential tasks, promising it wouldn't interfere with Zhendong's training. Shen Xiting agreed but set a strict limit of four hours, warning that exceeding it would result in no more opportunities. Grateful, he thanked his "heroine."

Shen Xiting then asked for a favor in return, pleading with him to help Zhendong find the courage needed for rally racing before his next competition, emphasizing that this request was not for herself. He readily agreed, expressing his commitment to helping Zhendong. They sealed their agreement with a toast. As their conversation continued, Shen Xiting asked if he had heard any current-day songs in the future, specifically mentioning the country genre.

This led into a flashback sequence recounting Shen Xiting's past relationship with Yu Si. It depicted Yu Si, an aspiring musician aiming to "heal the world with music," giving Shen Xiting a demo tape as a placeholder for a future engagement ring, promising to propose.

Subsequent scenes revealed Yu Si's struggle with depression, conveyed through letters or messages to Shen Xiting, where she chose to leave her to face her "nightmare" alone, expressing hope that her music would eventually reach more people and urging Shen Xiting to forget her, live well, and help others. Later scenes depicted Shen Xiting enduring the emotional turmoil of this departure, taking time to recover, and ultimately deciding to emulate Yu Si's compassionate spirit by helping those in need.

Episode 14 Recap

Welcome to the recording of "Speed Cross," a 36-hour road race featuring new teams. Three teams are introduced: Bulls Racing Team with NOEL and her co-driver Qian Yujia, Master Racing Team with Li Aoduo and his co-driver Song Yuandao, and Speeding Racing Team with Zhendong and his co-driver Hong Kuo. The race will have two timed sections, and the winner will be determined by the shortest combined time.

To add excitement, three different cars are provided: a comfortable SUV (high power, good capacity, high fuel consumption), an urban scooter (low power, poor capacity, fuel efficient), and an original best-selling car (at least 15 years old, 0. 8L engine, high fuel consumption), each with only twenty liters of gas. The teams have three minutes to choose. Before the car selection, Zhendong is given an energy drink by someone (implied to be part of a setup).

He feels suffocated, and his alternate personality takes over. This personality immediately picks the old Santana, seeing it as a classic. He then proposes a bet to the other teams: the racer who finishes last must clean the winner's car, and it will be recorded and played repeatedly in the trailer. Li Aoduo and NOEL agree, with Li Aoduo picking the urban scooter and NOEL taking the SUV. The race begins with Zhendong in the Santana in last place.

His alternate personality drives aggressively, throwing luggage out of the trunk to "save fuel," which Hong Kuo notes won't make a significant difference and worries about the high fuel consumption. Hong Kuo remarks on NOEL's skillful driving. Meanwhile, back at the Speeding team base, Zhang Chi and Ji Xing discuss Zhendong's participation, with Ji Xing keen to see if Zhendong is applying the techniques he taught him, despite Zhendong having signed a non-disclosure agreement for the show.

Later, the Santana breaks down. Zhendong's primary personality returns, disoriented and struggling to breathe, only realizing he's on a mountain. Hong Kuo explains Zhendong had a strong reaction to the energy drink and insisted on going for a drive. After getting the car started, Zhendong learns they are far behind, with Li Aoduo ten kilometers ahead and NOEL eight kilometers ahead. Hong Kuo also informs him about the bet his alternate personality made. Zhendong accepts the news without anger.

As the first day's race concludes, NOEL arrives first at the rest point due to her car's efficiency. Li Aoduo arrives with less fuel remaining. Unsurprisingly, Zhendong's team is last. At the rest stop, Li Aoduo mockingly welcomes Zhendong, who is trying to understand his team's strategy. The show's directors arranged for everyone to stay together for program effect. Li Aoduo's team has enough fuel to finish, and NOEL's team is similar.

When Zhendong goes to set up their tents, he finds the tents were thrown away by his alternate personality to "save fuel." Li Aoduo, feigning concern about them using poor sleep as an excuse for losing, invites Zhendong and Hong Kuo to squeeze into their larger tent. The next morning, the race continues. Zhendong asks Hong Kuo if he believes the alternate personality is a better driver.

Hong Kuo denies this, attributing Zhendong's feelings to a "mental problem" that needs to be overcome. Hong Kuo reveals that the rest of the route involves driving downhill along cliff edges, which is Zhendong's biggest fear. He admits that bringing Zhendong here was part of a plan by himself, Zhang Chi, and Shen Xiting, not just for the prize money, but to force Zhendong to confront his fears and cautious nature.

During this section, Zhendong gets stuck in a rut and feels frustrated, comparing himself to the old car and his alternate personality to a high-end vehicle like Li Aoduo's. Hong Kuo encourages him not to give up, reminding him that real dilemmas require self-reliance. Hong Kuo helps push the car while Zhendong maneuvers it free.

Hong Kuo then tells Zhendong that to catch up, he must take the remaining 36 cliff bends at full speed, even if it means risking going off the edge, and Hong Kuo promises to be with him if that happens. Zhendong starts driving the bends with increasing skill. They soon encounter Li Aoduo and NOEL's teams in distress.

Li Aoduo explains that NOEL's car is stuck on a steep cliff slope, and their car ran out of gas while trying to pull it up, leaving them only able to hold it with a rope to prevent it from falling further. Hong Kuo quickly attaches their rope to NOEL's car. Despite being told by Li Aoduo that getting closer could make the situation worse, Zhendong must position his car carefully.

Hong Kuo instructs Zhendong to accelerate at full speed and pull NOEL's car up while simultaneously executing a sharp L5 turn right near the cliff edge. Zhendong is terrified, flashbacks hinting at a past traumatic experience involving height and cliffs. Hong Kuo urges him on, invoking the spirit and motto of the Dakar Rally: courage, wisdom, determination, freedom. Overcoming his fear, Zhendong fully accelerates, successfully pulls up NOEL's car, and navigates the dangerous bend, saving both teams.

After the rescue, Ai Fei, the co-driver for the Bulls Racing Team, reveals her face to thank Zhendong, acknowledging his bravery. Li Aoduo concedes the victory to Zhendong, stating that Zhendong's heroic act of saving everyone, combined with their own car troubles, made the outcome clear. Back at the team base, Zhendong triumphantly tells Zhang Chi that he managed to keep the car within centimeters of the edge while cornering at high speed, proving he overcame his fear.

Zhang Chi credits Hong Kuo for this breakthrough. Hong Kuo confirms that the whole setup, including the energy drink, was designed with Zhang Chi and Shen Xiting to push Zhendong beyond his comfort zone and force him to rely on instinct and bravery. Shen Xiting admits the energy drink idea was theirs to trigger Zhendong's alternate personality and challenge him. Later, Zhendong returns home to visit his mother, bringing her fresh fruit from the mountain.

His mother is still concerned about his car racing but then shares surprising news: his father, Yu Tai'ang, is alive. Zhendong reveals he already knew because his father called him at the airport before he left, saying he had watched Zhendong's race, which was the moment Zhendong decided to commit to being a racer. His mother recounts her past with Yu Tai'ang, explaining that after failing at the Dakar Rally, he disappeared and never returned.

She tells Zhendong that every New Year's Eve, she receives a silent phone call which she believes is Yu Tai'ang, unable to face his failure and having abandoned them because his desire to conquer Dakar was more important than his family and partners. Despite her heartfelt plea for Zhendong to stop racing and not let his father's obsession influence him, Zhendong insists on continuing.

He states he wants to race, not just to prove himself, but to defeat Yu Tai'ang and show him the strength that comes from family and friends. He feels he lost his true self on a go-kart seventeen years ago and is finding it again through racing with the Speeding team. He accepts the potential hardships of this path and tells his mother he doesn't need protection and must venture out on his own.

He informs her he will complete the next race independently and would be encouraged if she could be there to support him. In a separate storyline, Sun Yuqiang returns to the Speeding team after being away for a week. Ji Xing, knowing he needs money, sends him a significant sum without being asked. Sun Yuqiang reconnects with an old classmate, Wu Linjiang, who is now seemingly wealthy.

Wu Linjiang brags about his success, attributing it to understanding the "information gap" and "standing on the feed." He pitches Sun Yuqiang an investment opportunity involving graphics cards, hinting at massive profits and taking him to his "company." Upon arrival, Sun Yuqiang is met with an excessively enthusiastic welcome from a large group of employees, making him realize he has been led into a pyramid scheme.

He tries to leave, but Wu Linjiang insists he stay overnight to experience the company's atmosphere. At the Master Racing Team base, Wei Qianli harshly criticizes Li Aoduo and Song Yuandao for losing the first rookie race to Zhendong, accusing them of tarnishing the team's reputation. Li Aoduo presents their strategy for the upcoming Baochuan Circuit, which features wider tracks and gentler bends compared to the previous circuit.

Their plan involves a high-risk approach, using a technique similar to drifting called "Trail Braking" to gain time on corners, which Li Aoduo names "Full Moon and Scimitar," noting Zhendong's aggressive cornering in the last race. Wei Qianli dismisses this as unnecessary "fancy tricks," stating that Master cars are superior and simply performing at their trained level should be enough to win. He emphasizes that success in racing primarily depends on the car, although the racer is also important.

Episode 15 Recap

Lin Zhendong recorded a video message for Zhang Chi's personality, asking not to be interrupted during the upcoming race. He explained that tomorrow's race was crucial and represented his first time competing as the racer Lin Zhendong, a battle against himself, regardless of the outcome. Zhang Chi watched the video and agreed to switch back immediately if he ever came out on the track, teasing Zhendong about his competitive spirit.

Xiting reassured Zhendong that Zhang Chi would not interfere, promising him his first complete race and encouraging him to show his true potential. On race day at the Baochuan Circuit Rookie Competition, Lin Zhendong was the last racer to start for the Speeding Racing Team. As the previous circuit's champion, expectations were high. Before the race, Zhendong appeared nervous. Zhang Chi instructed Weiyi to give Zhendong special contact lenses to prevent his glasses from fogging up.

Putting them on, Zhendong felt he was casting aside his fear and nervousness, ready to conquer himself and the fear. The race began with Lin Zhendong starting aggressively, described by Commentator Wang as driving like Zhang Chi. However, his performance quickly declined, dropping him to eighth place. Zhang Chi, coaching via the radio, urged him to push hard and not be conservative. Weiyi intervened, telling Zhang Chi to lower his voice as it was distracting Zhendong.

Zhang Chi insisted he needed to guide Zhendong, believing he didn't fully understand the car, dismissing his previous win as luck. Zhang Chi then directed him through upcoming bends, telling him to use the "Full Moon and Scimitar" technique, which Weiyi found to be a terrible name. Zhendong attempted the move, but made a mistake, nearly colliding with a dirt mound. Zhang Chi calmly told him to maintain composure, adjust the car, and accelerate.

Zhendong made a second mistake before a third of the race was completed, dropping to eleventh. Weiyi again told Zhang Chi to stop interfering, saying Zhendong could drive himself and didn't need distractions. Zhang Chi argued he was his manager, while Weiyi retorted he was Zhang Chi's manager, accusing him of pushing Zhendong too hard. Meanwhile, Li Aoduo and Noel consistently held the top two positions.

At one point, Li Aoduo successfully used a move, asking his team how much he had gained. Zhang Chi watched, confused by Li Aoduo's actions as Zhendong seemed to be falling further behind after attempting the same maneuver. Despite the early struggles, Zhang Chi continued to encourage Zhendong. In the final moments, Noel crossed the finish line first, with Li Aoduo taking second place again for Master Racing Team.

Zhendong found his rhythm in the latter part of the race, showing significant improvement. He started making up positions from outside the top ten, closing the gap to tenth place. Commentator Wang noted his return to form, using Zhang Chi's cornering techniques flawlessly in the second half without any mistakes. Zhendong successfully overtook for tenth place and finished, securing one crucial point.

Zhang Chi acknowledged the result was just one point and put Zhendong in an unfavorable position in the standings. At home, Lin Zhendong's mother was disappointed with his tenth-place finish, remarking he drove worse than her and instructing her brother (implied to be Hong Kuo, who was present later) to tell him to come back to work if his performance didn't improve. Back at the track, the team welcomed Zhendong, who was exhilarated.

He celebrated finishing the race and earning his first point, confirming Zhang Chi was right that the track differed from the statistics and he had adjusted in the second half. Despite his apparent satisfaction, Ji Xing and Weiyi privately worried he might be hiding disappointment, offering comfort, but Zhendong insisted he was genuinely happy and viewed the result as a normal part of racing.

Across the paddock, Wei Qianli, head of Master Racing, was furious with his team's second consecutive runner-up finish, scoffing at media reports that described their high-tech cars but inability to win as the "charm of racing." He demanded results, not charm, emphasizing the team's legacy and his own potential retirement next year. Dismissing any excuses about the track, he ordered immediate extra practice for his drivers. Later that night, Hong Kuo and Coach Shen surprised Zhendong.

They had him close his eyes and presented him with a trophy for earning his first point. Hong Kuo revealed it was Zhendong's childhood karting trophy he'd seen at his home. Zhendong was touched and thanked them. He pulled Hong Kuo forward, declaring the point and the trophy belonged to both of them equally and that future honors would be shared, symbolizing their joint effort. They took pictures together, celebrating the small victory.

Xiao, a sponsor, visited the team, bringing unwelcome news. Due to Lin Zhendong's poor performance in the recent race, the shareholders were unhappy and had decided to withdraw sponsorship for the time being. Xiao explained his hands were tied as he needed to maintain his relationship with the shareholders but offered to hold the check and release the funds if Zhendong achieved a good result in the next race, which might appease the shareholders.

Zhang Chi, touched by Xiao's willingness to help despite the circumstances, profusely thanked him, recalling how Xiao had helped him when Zhang Chi was a racer and Xiao sold racing oil. Zhang Chi's leg was recovering well, no longer requiring crutches. He noticed Sun Yuqiang hadn't been around and hadn't answered his calls for days, prompting him to send Ji Xing to check on him at his parents' house.

Unbeknownst to them, Sun Yuqiang was being held by a pyramid scheme group. He tried to text Ji Xing for help under the guise of messaging his mother but was caught and forced to send a reassuring message home instead. Ji Xing visited Sun Yuqiang's parents, who were wary, initially mistaking him for a salesman.

Ji Xing explained he was Sun Yuqiang's colleague from the 4S store he claimed to work at, but the parents revealed they had visited that dealership and Sun Yuqiang wasn't employed there, blaming Ji Xing and racing for leading him astray. They confirmed he hadn't been home for days but had sent a message about a new job. Ji Xing found this highly suspicious, especially given Sun Yuqiang's passion for racing.

The parents, dismissive of racing as a career, eventually sent him away. That night, while trying to escape, Sun Yuqiang heard distinct car sounds from outside the building. Recognizing the engine and modification characteristics, he identified them as belonging to the Honda Club's weekly Friday car modification meet, suggesting his location. He was caught trying to investigate further and forced back inside.

Zhang Chi analyzed Zhendong's recent race performance, telling him his results weren't good and he needed to train harder, aiming for a top-three finish in the next race to keep his season hopes alive; otherwise, he might as well return home. During extra practice, Hong Kuo timed Zhendong, whose lap times were worsening, not improving, especially during the "Full Moon and Scimitar" maneuver. Zhendong felt something was wrong with the technique and wondered why he was getting worse.

Despite Hong Kuo suggesting he stop, Zhendong persisted. Reflecting on Zhang Chi's instructions, Zhendong felt the prescribed racing line for "Full Moon and Scimitar" was inefficient, wasting precious meters. He tried braking later as taught but found it slowed him down. Believing he could improve it, he asked Hong Kuo to time him running a lap based on his own ideas. The resulting time was significantly faster. To validate his approach, they reviewed old race videos of the Ningzhou Circuit.

Hong Kuo confirmed that only Zhang Chi had consistently used the "Full Moon and Scimitar" method successfully over the years, while other drivers who attempted it were inconsistent. Zhendong concluded his analysis was likely correct. Meanwhile, Zhang Chi's spiritual presence reminded Zhendong to trust the methods he taught, emphasizing focus and commitment while racing for the team.

A medical update revealed Zhang Chi's condition was critical; a hematoma in his brain was pressing on nerves, causing heart and brain dysfunction, potentially life-threatening if he didn't wake up. At that moment, the consciousness of a future Zhang Chi was transferred into Lin Zhendong. Aware he might be dying, the future Zhang Chi urged Zhendong to quickly graduate from the rookie series, recognizing his immense talent. The next day, Zhang Chi (present consciousness) attempted to coach Zhendong.

Zhendong (inhabited by future Zhang Chi) was irritable and dismissed Zhang Chi's advice, calling his driving style outdated and accusing him of trying to mislead him out of frustration because he could no longer drive himself. Future Zhang Chi, through Zhendong, insisted that Lin Zhendong must develop his own style to become a champion and challenged present Zhang Chi, betting Zhendong would eventually defeat him. That night, Zhendong (present consciousness apparently restored) discarded his analysis paper, feeling unsure.

Zhang Chi's spirit retrieved it, marked it with a checkmark, and placed it on Zhendong's face. Zhendong awoke, found the paper, assumed it was wrong, and threw it away again. This happened multiple times until Zhendong, frustrated, examined the paper closely and finally understood Zhang Chi's message: his analysis was correct. He pondered whether this message from "the other me" meant he should emulate Zhang Chi or forge his own path as Lin Zhendong.

Episode 16 Recap

Zhang Chi's leg had fully recovered, and he could move around freely. He even teased Xiaohe, offering her a ride in his wheelchair, which he then promptly took away as it was "blocking the entrance". Xiaohe, however, still seemed distant towards him. Meanwhile, Lin Zhendong was trying to understand the tuning notes for the car but found them confusing. He hoped that if Zhang Chi's other personality surfaced, he could ask for clarification.

He attempted to trigger the personality by exercising until his heart rate reached 120 bpm, but it didn't work, leaving him puzzled as this had never happened before. He tried again, but the personality still didn't appear. Despite the confusion about the tuning, Lin Zhendong had to prepare for the final race of the Rookie Competition in Ningzhou.

Weiyi returned with crucial intelligence: Lin Zhendong's main competitors – Aurora, Starry, and Twilight teams – had all opted for aggressive tuning strategies. Hong Kuo worried about Lin Zhendong's inconsistent performance in previous races. Zhang Chi acknowledged that young racers should strive, and told the team they should follow their determined strategy. Elsewhere, Sun Yuqiang, who had joined a pyramid scheme called Useless, was struggling to bring in clients.

His superior threatened to cut off his dinner if he didn't improve his performance, pressuring him to contact family or friends. Under duress, Sun Yuqiang, claiming he had no friends, eventually mentioned having a "very rich" cousin. Lin Zhendong showed a tuning draft he had researched himself to Ji Xing.

Ji Xing noted that the proposed adjustment, raising the rear brake bias by half a degree, was interesting but didn't seem compatible with the driving technique Zhang Chi had taught him. Lin Zhendong set the idea aside for the moment. On race day, Shen, a police officer, and Xiaohe came to watch the race. Shen mentioned that many colleagues were also there. Xiaohe's presence made Lin Zhendong even more nervous.

As the race began, Lin Zhendong initially drove using Zhang Chi's taught methods. However, in a later corner, he attempted his own driving technique, and the car unexpectedly went off course. He started to realize that his personal driving style needed to be synchronized with the car's tuning. He continued trying his own methods, which led to further mistakes and a drop in ranking. Zhang Chi, frustrated by Lin Zhendong's performance, became agitated over the radio.

Xiaohe, seeing that Zhang Chi's emotional state was affecting Lin Zhendong during the race, quickly grabbed the walkie-talkie from him, telling him to calm down and give Lin Zhendong space. Annoyed and needing to control his own frustration, Zhang Chi left the area and began wrestling with a bench outside.

After the first section, Hong Kuo reported Lin Zhendong was in seventh place, two seconds behind the racer ahead and eight seconds behind the leader, Li Aoduo, putting his qualification for the CCRC regular race in jeopardy. Zhang Chi received a message from Sun Yuqiang. It was addressed to "Dear cousin" and spoke of making a fortune and reminiscing about happy times like walking down the lane, visiting the supermarket, and racing at the Honda Club.

The message ended by asking him to contact Sun Yuqiang at 5 PM if he wanted to make money. Zhang Chi, Weiyi, and Xiaohe immediately recognized the message was suspicious. They tried calling Sun Yuqiang, but couldn't connect. Concerned, Zhang Chi decided he needed to go find Sun Yuqiang. Xiaohe insisted on accompanying him, expressing worry about his leg. Zhang Chi then revealed his leg was fine, having tricked them earlier. They quickly got into the car and drove off.

Back at the track, Lin Zhendong was dejected about his first section result and worried about being eliminated. Hong Kuo and Xiaohe came to encourage him. Lin Zhendong remembered the tuning diagram he had drawn. Xiaohe helped him examine it, pointing out a circled area, a red spanner, and the number three. She interpreted it as a sign to follow his own instincts ("a big tick") and possibly use a specific spanner (No.3) to make an adjustment.

She suggested that if he was likely to lose anyway, he should try his own method rather than someone else's. Lin Zhendong decided to make a dynamic tuning adjustment on the spot, acknowledging it usually required Ji Xing's approval but resolving to commit to his own path. Xiaohe cleverly distracted Ji Xing by asking him about different sized spanners, giving Lin Zhendong the opportunity to make the adjustment.

Meanwhile, Zhang Chi and Xiaohe arrived at the lane mentioned in Sun Yuqiang's message. They heard chanting coming from a building. Recognizing the supermarket and the mention of the Honda Club from the message, they realized this was the location. Inside, Sun Yuqiang was being indoctrinated, eagerly watching the clock as 5 PM approached. The second section of the race began. Lin Zhendong started driving using the adjustments he had made and his own method.

Ji Xing noticed he wasn't using the technique Zhang Chi taught. The race commentary observed that while his cornering speed wasn't the highest, his precise lines and rapid exit speed were allowing him to gain time. He quickly moved up in the rankings. Over the radio, Lin Zhendong explained to his team that he could see the optimal cornering angles and exit points since he started racing, but his previous strategy had conflicted with this natural ability.

Now, with the adjustments, he felt "synced" with the track. His performance was outstanding in this section, and his ranking continued to climb, putting pressure on Li Aoduo and other competitors. When he crossed the finish line, it was announced he had won the section and secured the overall championship for the Rookie Competition, qualifying him for the CCRC regular race.

Just as Lin Zhendong was winning, Zhang Chi and Xiaohe, still at the location from Sun Yuqiang's message, heard shouts for help. They saw Sun Yuqiang running out of the building, yelling "Help!" They quickly pulled him into their car and sped away. Safe in the car, Sun Yuqiang thanked them profusely and said he would call the police to report the pyramid scheme's location.

During a post-race interview, the identity of the mysterious Bulls racer, Noel, was revealed to be Ai Fei, the last apprentice of Yu Haixiang. Li Aoduo, though congratulating Lin Zhendong, seemed less than pleased with his own third-place finish and tried awkwardly to maintain an image of friendship. Later, the team gathered to celebrate Lin Zhendong's victory and qualification. Zhang Chi, back at the team base, bragged that Lin Zhendong's win was entirely thanks to his master's guidance.

Sun Yuqiang, now rescued and safe, echoed the sentiment, calling it a case of a famous master producing a brilliant apprentice. Xiaohe, however, was annoyed by Zhang Chi's attitude and the way he took credit, arguing with him. Fed up, she stormed off and got into a taxi to leave, ignoring Zhang Chi's attempts to stop her. The team celebrated on the rooftop. Worried Xiaohe might quit, Zhang Chi called Ye Gong to ask him to persuade her.

Ye Gong ribbed Zhang Chi about hiding his leg recovery, which had caused Xiaohe a lot of worry, but agreed to try and talk to her. Ye Gong and Ji Xing discussed the team's future. Ji Xing remarked that with the team on track, they should consider adding more racers. Ye Gong received a call from his wife, scolding him for telling their daughter, Xiaomeng, about their financial difficulties.

She explained Xiaomeng had been saving her breakfast money to buy him a car, and her scolding was audible to everyone present due to the speakerphone. After the call, Ji Xing offered to contribute some money he had saved for a new car for the team, but Ye Gong told him to save it for getting married.

They reflected on the long struggle of the team and the dream of reaching Dakar, which now felt closer than ever, despite the financial challenges of potentially supporting multiple racers including Lin Zhendong, Zhang Chi (now recovered), and possibly Sun Yuqiang who initially sought money to become a racer. Ye Gong was determined to push forward, no matter the difficulty.

Episode 17 Recap

Lin Zhendong and the team gathered on the rooftop to celebrate his championship win. Sun Yuqiang arrived with Ye Gong, mentioning that Zhang Chi's leg was healing well and he was able to return. Sun Yuqiang told Li Xiaohe not to be angry, but she insisted she wasn't, citing Zhendong's win as reason enough for a good mood. The celebration continued with everyone congratulating Zhendong.

Ye Gong presented Zhendong with his official contract and registration form for the upcoming CCRC season, confirming his place in the team. Sun Yuqiang declared his intention to be Zhang Chi's co-driver, believing their combination was the strongest, and pledged his loyalty as long as Zhang Chi continued to race. Zhang Chi arrived, stating he was particularly happy about Zhendong's win as it proved the effectiveness of the driving style "he" had taught.

He insisted they watch the race replay together to share the joy and demonstrate his techniques through Zhendong's performance. Despite Ye Gong and Ji Xing urging him to eat first, Zhang Chi was insistent. Sun Yuqiang tried to distract Zhang Chi by asking about a past rescue incident, but Zhang Chi took Sun Yuqiang with him to watch the replay.

As they watched, commentary highlighted Zhendong's change in strategy – no longer drifting, but taking precise lines and achieving fast exit speeds with a "completely new driving style." Zhang Chi initially commented, "Very talented. Congratulations. Great job. Not bad." but then abruptly announced he felt unwell and needed to return to the retirement home early, leaving the celebration. After Zhang Chi left, Hong Kuo spoke with Lin Zhendong, suggesting that Zhang Chi was bitter because someone else had outperformed him.

Zhendong wondered if they could be teammates in the future, but Hong Kuo explained that Zhang Chi had always been the team's sole driver and viewed others as rivals, indicating they would need time to adapt to each other. Hong Kuo felt Zhang Chi was jealous, but Zhendong disagreed, feeling indebted to Zhang Chi for providing the car, the techniques, and the team support. He believed "he" was the one who owed Zhang Chi.

Hong Kuo advised Zhendong against always thinking too kindly of others before leaving. Zhendong then asked his uncle if his mother had watched his race. Lin Zhendong returned home and was met by his mother, who asked why he had come back from the Ningzhou race empty-handed and where his trophy was. He explained it would arrive the next day.

His mother told him that if he intended to pursue racing professionally, he would need to live off prize money and sponsorships, not relying on family finances. Weiyi showed Zhendong various offers he had received, including an invitation to a Mustang Club track day, a cover shoot for Rally Fan Magazine, and a test drive for a new Volkswagen Tiguan with a customized suspension.

Weiyi commented on how quickly Zhendong had progressed, reaching CCRC in just three months, and suggested he was already stronger than Zhang Chi. Just then, Zhang Chi appeared. Mr. Xiao also arrived, confirming that Zhendong's performance had appeased the shareholders and the team was financially stable. Mr. Xiao presented a check (implied to be 300,000 yuan from the text overlay), much to Ye Gong's delight. Mr. Xiao praised Zhendong's talent and appearance, predicting he would boost the club's profile.

Zhang Chi interjected, stating that he was still the main force of the Speeding team. Mr. Xiao agreed, but also acknowledged Zhendong's contributions and revenue generation. Zhang Chi offered to accompany Ye Gong to express gratitude to Mr. Xiao. Ye Gong affirmed that both drivers were valuable.

Ye Gong informed Lin Zhendong that Taipu'er Tires, a major brand that had previously sponsored Zhang Chi, wanted him as their new spokesperson and wished to meet him directly to sign the contract, offering a substantial fee. Zhendong agreed to the meeting. At the sponsor's office, Zhendong discovered that Li Aoduo and Ai Fei were also there for the same endorsement opportunity. Mr. Lu from Taipu'er explained that he admired all three but only needed one spokesperson.

He proposed they compete in a race on a prepared track with no rules, where the winner would be the first to physically touch the contract at the finish line. He announced that media would be present to live stream the event. Lin Zhendong immediately refused, stating he could not participate in such a race and would forgo the endorsement, apologizing to Ye Gong (who was also present). Ai Fei also expressed her disapproval and left.

Li Aoduo condemned Mr. Lu's disrespect for the drivers, calling him "trashy" and threatening physical retribution if he saw him again, before departing. The three drivers met outside, sharing a laugh about Mr. Lu's eccentric behavior. Li Aoduo admitted he wanted a rematch after their previous race. They decided to compete informally and found a place to play a racing video game. During the game, Mr. Lu sent a text message to apologize and propose continued cooperation.

While Lin Zhendong and Ai Fei were distracted reading the message, Li Aoduo seized the opportunity to finish the race and win, declaring it his skill and adherence to athletic standards, despite Ai Fei calling it cheating. They then playfully decided to target Zhendong as the "softer target" for a mock pillow fight. While Lin Zhendong was engaged in physical training, his demeanor suddenly shifted, indicating Zhang Chi's personality had taken over.

He immediately asked Hong Kuo if he had won. Hong Kuo confirmed Zhendong's championship win and qualification for the CCRC regular season, adding that his leg should be healed in time. Hong Kuo showed Zhang Chi (in Zhendong's body) a video message that Zhendong had recorded earlier. In the video, Zhendong thanked the unknown presence (Zhang Chi's personality) for entering his life, explaining that he felt he was finally living a life of his own, free from control.

He expressed gratitude for this "magical connection" and felt he was becoming more like a true racer, aiming for championships and even potentially surpassing the original Zhang Chi, who he dismissively suggested would have to risk his life to beat him. Zhang Chi (in Zhendong's body) watched the video intently, processing Zhendong's words. Later, Zhang Chi (now seemingly in his own body, based on subsequent events) approached Li Xiaohe to apologize.

Xiaohe responded with sarcasm, questioning if he had his own life and finding his apology boring. She criticized him for hurting others with his mood swings and for not telling anyone when his leg healed, though she feigned indifference. Zhang Chi followed her, still trying to apologize. He commented that she looked like she was about to fight, which reminded him that her senior used to bully her. Xiaohe was surprised and asked how he knew this.

Zhang Chi quickly claimed he had just guessed and hurried away, saying he needed to find someone. Meanwhile, the doctor informed someone (implied to be Xiting or others concerned) that the original Zhang Chi's condition was serious; he risked becoming vegetative if he didn't wake up within seven days. They were advised to talk to him often to help him find his way back from his unconscious state.

Back at the team, Zhang Chi (in Zhendong's body again, based on the upcoming conversation) spoke with Xiting, asking for advice on reconciling with Xiaohe, describing her as stubborn. Xiting took Xiaohe's side, saying Zhang Chi needed to apologize for keeping his leg recovery a secret, which had hurt her.

Zhang Chi recounted stories from his childhood with Xiaohe, including her giving him his first watch – a limited edition Tintin watch she bought by saving her breakfast money, which he treasured despite not having seen the cartoon at the time, secretly catching up on it later. He also recalled giving her his first gift, a musical greeting card, when she was scared alone at night as a child.

He mused on how sweet their relationship was then compared to their current distance. In the hospital in the future timeline, the comatose Zhang Chi's heart rate spiked as future Li Xiaohe spoke to him, urging him to wake up and giving him one last chance. Zhang Chi's eyes fluttered open, and he regained consciousness, asking where he was and if Xiaohe had brought him back.

Ye Gong gathered Zhang Chi (now in his own body again) and Lin Zhendong (in his own body). He delivered good news: Zhang Chi would be moving back, and Zhendong would be staying. To avoid the two sharing the same dorm, Ye Gong announced that thanks to the team's improved finances, they would each receive a 70,000 yuan housing subsidy to rent their own place.

Zhang Chi was thrilled, expressing relief about privacy and his need for things to be in order. He quickly packed his belongings, planning to find a large apartment. On his way out, he encountered Ji Xing working on a suspension kit. Ji Xing mentioned they needed 60 to 70 thousand yuan, specifically 70,000, for Zhendong's car.

Zhang Chi joked that Ji Xing and Ye Gong were conspiring against him but decided to give his entire subsidy to Ji Xing instead of renting a place, saying he'd remain a "big mouse" in the dorm. Soon after, Lin Zhendong also returned to the dorm with his luggage, having also given his 70,000 yuan subsidy to Ji Xing for the car, commenting on Zhang Chi's similar action. Li Xiaohe visited her grandfather in the nursing home.

Her grandfather mistook her for Zhang Chi's classmate and spoke about his wealthy grandson, Zhang Chi, who wore a suit and had returned from 2027 to change his destiny, buying him gifts. Xiaohe showed him a photo of Lin Zhendong. Her grandfather confirmed it was the man who bought him gifts, but stressed that his own grandson did not wear glasses. This caused Xiaohe to realize that the man who didn't wear glasses was the skillful racer Lin Zhendong.

She connected this to his seemingly predictive abilities in races and his knowledge of intimate details from her childhood with Zhang Chi. She suspected that Lin Zhendong's other personality was the future Zhang Chi. Rushing back to the team headquarters, she sought out Officer Shen and Hong Kuo, and asked Xiting to summon the other personality of Lin Zhendong. When Zhang Chi's personality emerged in Zhendong's body, Xiaohe confronted him directly, demanding to know his true identity.

Episode 18 Recap

Xiaohe confronted the man without glasses, asking for his true identity. He claimed to be Lin Zhendong, but Xiaohe was already suspicious, detailing past events from the Ningzhou Circuit and Nineteen Devil's Bends where his actions were crucial and seemingly impossible for an outsider.

She mentioned how he subtly influenced Zhang Chi's tire choice leading to a win, stopped Mr. Xiao from selling the resort, promised Nineteen Devil's Bends to the team, manipulated events so he could be Zhang Chi's co-driver to avoid the sheep, and even warned Zhang Chi against entering a race, predicting his leg would break – which came true. He deflected, trying to dismiss them as minor things everyone knew.

However, Xiaohe pointed out his "avoiding gaze," which she recognized well. As she pressed him, she stumbled, and he instinctively reached out, catching her briefly, leading to an awkward moment between them. He realized Xiaohe had discovered his secret. Later, Zhendong spoke as if to the real Zhang Chi, who was in a coma, urging him to wake up quickly because Xiaohe was getting married.

He stressed that if Zhang Chi didn't wake up and propose, he would be a bridesmaid at Xiaohe's wedding. Zhendong revealed that his return was initially just to wish Zhang Chi a recovery but now felt pressured to ensure Zhang Chi proposed to Xiaohe in the current timeline because, in the future he knew, Zhang Chi's lack of romantic initiative allowed another man in a suit to win Xiaohe over.

He was determined to control Zhang Chi and ensure the proposal was successful this time. On Xiaohe's birthday, Zhang Chi wished her well and gave her car keys as a gift. He urged her to get in the car, hinting at another gift inside. Xiaohe searched the car, expecting something, but found nothing, looking disappointed. She then drove off to her meeting. On the way, the car's navigation system activated, and the voice was Zhang Chi's.

He had recorded a custom navigator sound for her. Xiaohe tried to turn it off, but the system prevented her. Zhang Chi's recorded voice gave her directions, reminded her to check her side mirrors, and even playfully accused her of rolling her eyes. He apologized for being difficult and admitted that she was the reason he got so worked up. He ended the recording with a heart symbol.

After her meeting, Xiaohe returned to the team, where she and Zhang Chi were quickly pulled aside by their teammates who insisted something serious had happened to Lin Zhendong and they needed to go immediately. Meanwhile, Zhendong and Shen Xiting were by a river, meticulously setting up an elaborate proposal scene with flowers and balloons. Zhendong was highly anxious, checking every item on a list, determined to make it perfect for Xiaohe.

He reiterated to Xiting that he was preventing the future where Zhang Chi failed because he didn't understand what women truly desired, emphasizing that a grand romantic gesture like a diamond ring and roses were key to winning someone over, something he learned after five years of reflection following his past failure. He stressed the importance of controlling "that idiot Zhang Chi" to ensure nothing went wrong this time.

Zhang Chi and the others arrived at the scene and were stunned by the elaborate setup. The team initially thought it was a proposal for Zhendong and Xiting, expressing their support. Zhendong quickly clarified that the entire setup was for Zhang Chi and Xiaohe, prepared by him and Xiting. He privately pressured Zhang Chi to follow his lead and seize the moment. The team enthusiastically pushed Zhang Chi and Xiaohe onto the stage.

Zhendong announced that Zhang Chi wanted to sing a love song, suggesting "Fairy Tale." Zhang Chi awkwardly attempted to sing, but it was terrible. Zhendong quickly intervened, grabbing a large diamond ring from the table and pushing it into Zhang Chi's hand, urging them to skip the song and move to the main part. As Zhang Chi hesitated, Zhendong pulled him aside, his tone urgent.

He told Zhang Chi there was no time to wait for future success, because the future he knew involved Xiaohe marrying someone else while Zhang Chi was left poor, with nothing, and in a coma in Bayanbulak. Zhang Chi reacted, thinking Zhendong was cursing him. Zhendong pressed on, highlighting how Zhang Chi's leg injury wasn't planned either, and without him and Lin Zhendong, the team would have fallen apart and Xiaohe would have left long ago.

He told Zhang Chi that some opportunities only come once, and if he didn't seize this chance to propose, it would be his biggest regret before he died. Zhang Chi looked from the ring to Xiaohe, still conflicted. Despite his internal struggle, Zhang Chi finally got down on one knee with the ring. Xiaohe looked at him, commenting that such "vulgar" things couldn't possibly be something he prepared.

She tossed the ring aside, took Zhang Chi's hand, and led him away from the elaborate setup to another spot. They settled down and reminisced. Zhang Chi confessed that years ago, he had written her a love letter but was too shy to give it to her, so he buried it in the ground. Xiaohe playfully challenged him, saying she would marry him if he could dig it up.

Zhang Chi searched and surprisingly found a message in a bottle buried under a tree, exactly where he remembered burying it. He dug it out and read the letter aloud. It was a heartfelt message written after his injury, thanking her for helping him grow up, confessing his love for her since fifth grade when they were deskmates, how she was always by his side, and how, as his manager, she always wished him a safe return from races.

He revealed that his true destination was never the finish line, but getting back to her, feeling secure knowing she was waiting. He expressed how special she was and his desire to become a better person to be worthy of her, regretting that years passed and he still felt inadequate. He ended the letter saying he couldn't hold back his feelings anymore and didn't want her to suffer quietly.

As Zhang Chi finished reading, Xiaohe embraced him, and they held each other, crying, seemingly reconciling and fully accepting their deep connection. Later, Zhang Chi took Xiaohe to play billiards, teaching her the basics as she admitted she didn't know how. He told her he planned to start fulfilling the many promises he had made to her over the years, starting with teaching her billiards. They also visited a photo sticker booth where they had taken pictures in the past.

They found their old photo sticker still stuck there after many years, finding good meaning in it. Meanwhile, Zhendong and Shen Xiting were cleaning up the proposal site. Xiting offered her thoughts, but Zhendong accepted the outcome, stating that Xiaohe had returned and things were different now. He reflected on his younger self's stubbornness, knowing he needed setbacks to learn.

He advised Xiting not to be like him, urging her to cherish the present moment and not wait, lest she be filled with regret in the future. Back at the team base, the teammates discussed the confusing events of the failed proposal. Sun Yuqiang arrived with milk tea, but there weren't enough cups for everyone, specifically missing one for Hong Kuo. Despite others offering their drinks, Hong Kuo felt excluded and treated as an outsider, leaving with a heavy heart.

Zhang Chi moved his belongings into a room. Zhendong returned, and Zhang Chi hugged him, expressing deep gratitude for the elaborate and romantic proposal setup, even though he knew it was the other personality who arranged it. As they settled into sharing the room, Zhendong prepared for bed. Zhang Chi claimed he was a quiet sleeper and wished Zhendong goodnight, but immediately upon lying down, he began to snore loudly, keeping Zhendong awake. The next morning, Zhendong was practicing driving.

He told Zhang Chi he would leave the car for him in the afternoon, acknowledging the pressure Zhang Chi faced in his comeback and his need for practice time. Sun Yuqiang arrived, intending to practice, but seemed frustrated seeing Zhendong in the car. Zhang Chi, however, deferred, suggesting they let the "youngsters" practice more. Zhendong still habitually called Zhang Chi "Master."

Zhang Chi corrected him, stating that from now on, they were teammates but also competitors on the same track, with no master-apprentice relationship between them. Zhendong looked determined, reiterating his goal to reach the Dakar Rally.

Episode 19 Recap

Sun Yuqiang and Weiyi sat by Zhang Chi's hospital bed, telling him about the past few years and expressing their hopes for his recovery. Sun Yuqiang recounted buying fake Moutai for his father-in-law, which led to health problems, and later buying the real thing, but his father-in-law couldn't drink it properly. He also mentioned a lottery ticket they used to buy together that eventually hit the five million prize, which they missed by one number.

Weiyi shared her regret about not pursuing a motorcycle racing career despite dreaming of the Dakar Rally, and showed off a teddy bear she bought for her daughter who was doing well in school. The future consciousness, observing this (presumably from Lin Zhendong's body later), decided to help the team members fulfill their regrets, starting with Zhang Chi. The future consciousness, inhabiting Lin Zhendong's body, arranged to meet the conscious Zhang Chi.

It revealed itself to be Zhang Chi from five years in the future. Skeptical, Zhang Chi challenged it to prove its identity. The future consciousness answered every personal question, detailing Zhang Chi's birthday, bank password, primary school teachers' names, the exact amount of his first earnings as a racer (36,000 yuan), how he spent it (Moutai for his grandpa, a bag for Li Xiaohe), and his regret about not having enough money to buy Yu Tai'ang's used steering wheel.

It also correctly identified Zhang Chi's most unforgettable race: the 2014 Huanning Rally Invitational Youth of Volkswagen Cup where he won a circuit on his mother's birthday. Zhang Chi was astonished, and the future consciousness explained it understood his shock, having felt the same when it first returned and saw its younger self. It then recounted crashing off a cliff at Bayanbulak in the future, which is how it ended up in Lin Zhendong's body.

It gave Zhang Chi two pieces of advice: never make any bets with Wei Qianli, and learn from Lin Zhendong's driving style because there's something valuable there. Acting on its decision to help the team, the future consciousness found Sun Yuqiang and deliberately broke the fake Moutai he had bought for his father-in-law's birthday, offering to reimburse him.

It then handed Weiyi an application form for the next year's Chinese Rally Championship motorcycle race, encouraging her to race well and aim for Dakar, fulfilling her dream. It also told Sun Yuqiang to tell Ji Xing to continue buying the same lottery numbers daily, assuring him they would win five million yuan this year. Later, the team gathered for a barbecue by the river.

The future consciousness, still in Lin Zhendong's body, announced, with unusual seriousness, that it was leaving and returning to 2027. His teammates initially thought he was joking about joining another team or just being dramatic. Ye Gong commented on the return of his "double personality." The future consciousness became visibly emotional, expressing gratitude for the time spent with them and the chance to relive these moments, stating it felt lucky and had no regrets.

It explained its time was running out and it needed to say goodbye, implying it wouldn't exist after returning. It urged the conscious Zhang Chi to pursue Li Xiaohe, noting she is a good person. It then attempted to leave but found itself unable to. Unable to return to the future, the future consciousness sought out Xiting.

It told her it had come to say goodbye and expressed how happy it was to have met her, recalling her initial rough welcome but acknowledging she was a kind and helpful person. It promised to treat her to dinner if they met again in the future. It asked Xiting to scare it or do something to help it leave, saying it wanted to go back.

Xiting replied that it couldn't leave because it was too attached to the past and suggested it should try looking forward instead. Meanwhile, Hong Kuo was seen meeting Wei Qianli. Shortly after, Hong Kuo returned to the team in a rush, looking for Lin Zhendong. Separately, news circulated about the upcoming Chinese Rally Championship season, highlighting the Yecheng circuit which includes the famous Yu Tai'ang Bend, where his record remains unbroken after nearly twenty years.

The news also announced the resumption of the Dakar Qualification Race, with the top six CCRC finishers competing for a spot in the prestigious rally. Lin Mama spoke to Lin Jiaru, discussing the implications of Lin Zhendong's teammate returning and the possibility of him needing to return his car.

She mused on the thought of Lin Zhendong driving Yu Tai'ang's original car at the Yu Tai'ang Bend circuit and breaking his record, a prospect Lin Jiaru immediately understood and agreed to arrange. Lin Jiaru brought Lin Zhendong (inhabited by the future consciousness) to a garage. Inside was Yu Tai'ang's legendary red race car. Lin Jiaru presented it as a gift for Lin Zhendong's first CCRC race, hoping he would "inherit the legend of Red Flame."

The future consciousness in Lin Zhendong's body was thrilled, envisioning repainting it in the team's colors and driving it on the track as the center of attention. News later confirmed Lin Zhendong had registered Yu Tai'ang's modified red battle car for the new season, creating anticipation for whether this historical vehicle would bring him luck. The CCRC season began with the Longshou Circuit.

The return of Zhang Chi, the previous champion, was a major highlight despite his recent serious injury and lack of training. Commentary noted his aggressive and characteristic driving style, which put pressure on his rivals. Lin Zhendong (future consciousness), driving Yu Tai'ang's car in his CCRC debut, also raced. Zhang Chi ultimately won the opening race with absolute strength, confirming his comeback, while Lin Zhendong finished in fifth place.

The commentary also highlighted the good performances of other new racers like Li Aoduo (who finished third) and Ai Fei (who finished tenth). Later, the future consciousness, in Lin Zhendong's body, played a racing game with fellow new racers Li Aoduo and Ai Fei. Li Aoduo teased him about using the game to gather intelligence before the next circuit. Ai Fei was busy eating snacks.

Li Aoduo and the future consciousness discussed Lin Zhendong using Yu Tai'ang's car, with Li Aoduo commenting it was a waste on him. Lin Zhendong (future consciousness) offered to order takeout, noting how hungry Ai Fei was despite her snacking. Ai Fei playfully called them ungrateful. The second CCRC circuit, the Luochi Circuit, saw Zhang Chi continue his impressive performance, driving even more fiercely than before his injury.

Master Racing Team, known for their technology, seemed unable to counter Zhang Chi's surge. Zhang Chi secured another victory. Lin Zhendong (future consciousness) improved his result, finishing in fourth place. The commentary noted the strong performance of both Zhang Chi and Lin Zhendong led the Speeding Racing Team to a significant lead in the team points standings, suggesting Zhang Chi finally had a capable teammate, and the team was poised to contend for the championship.

The team gathered for another dinner. Sun Yuqiang and Jiaru discussed future plans, focusing heavily on getting Zhang Chi a new car for the next year, modifying it, and providing him with resources like training facilities, nutritionists, and masseuses, similar to what rival Wei Qianli has, anticipating Zhang Chi's potential retirement in a few years. Hong Kuo overheard their conversation, noticing they spoke only of Zhang Chi and made no mention of Lin Zhendong, who was standing nearby ordering food.

Feeling slighted for Lin Zhendong, Hong Kuo questioned them, asking why they didn't include Lin Zhendong in their plans. Sun Yuqiang, caught off guard, pointed out Lin Zhendong was right there and clarified they would arrange things for him next year, adding that since Zhang Chi was retiring soon and Lin Zhendong was wealthy, they didn't need to worry as much about him. Hong Kuo was deeply disappointed but said nothing further to Lin Zhendong.

Later, Hong Kuo watched race videos, and Zhang Chi joined him. Hong Kuo pointed out that in the second race, Zhang Chi was consistently half a second faster than Lin Zhendong after Turn 27 in every corner. He speculated that Zhang Chi had held back a technique from Lin Zhendong.

Zhang Chi confirmed he used a technique called the "Scandinavia Drift" but hadn't taught it to Lin Zhendong because it's difficult to master without years of experience and best suited for specific conditions like sand or snow. However, he decided to teach it to Lin Zhendong to ensure that if he was surpassed, it would be a fair defeat. The next day, Zhang Chi instructed Lin Zhendong (future consciousness) on the "Scandinavia Drift."

He explained the technique involved driving towards the inside of the corner before turning sharply to the outside to shift the car's weight, then snapping the steering wheel back to swing the car like a pendulum into the corner. Zhang Chi compared mastering it to taming a wild horse, requiring feeling rather than pure logic. Lin Zhendong struggled at first but managed to execute the technique successfully on his last attempt.

Zhang Chi noted that while it took him over a week to learn, Lin Zhendong accomplished it in just two tries. He encouraged Lin Zhendong to apply the technique well in the upcoming third race, and Lin Zhendong confidently stated he would surpass him. Zhang Chi commented that Lin Zhendong was a good teammate. Elsewhere, Wei Qianli discussed tactics for the third circuit with Hong Kuo. Wei Qianli complimented Hong Kuo, saying he was as handsome as Lin Zhendong.

Hong Kuo shared his disappointment that Lin Zhendong had gotten a chewing gum advertisement he was supposed to appear in and felt his brief period of prominence was already ending. He assured Wei Qianli he needn't worry about Lin Zhendong, but Wei Qianli suggested that Lin Zhendong didn't even consider him a rival, much like he felt Yu Tai'ang never truly saw him as a competitor.

Wei Qianli reflected on the significance of rivals in sports and life, concluding that perhaps his true rival was Lin Zhendong, although he quickly dismissed the thought and told Hong Kuo to focus on training. Meanwhile, Lin Mama spoke with Lin Jiaru, questioning if it was the right time for Zhang Chi to return, given Lin Zhendong's recent progress and untapped potential. Lin Jiaru expressed the difficulty of being their son, always under pressure.

Lin Mama mentioned she had entered Lin Jiaru's name for the rally every year, hoping for his return, and how this year it had finally proven useful. She felt the racing world had been too quiet and it was time to stir things up again.

Episode 20 Recap

The third circuit of the China Car Rally Championship began at Qifeng Circuit, featuring a chase race format where two drivers start simultaneously on separate tracks that converge at a bridge. The challenging terrain and head-to-head format were expected to increase competition. Teams were busy with last-minute tuning, anticipating that losing in such a direct competition could affect morale and points.

The draw results revealed key matchups: Li Aoduo versus Ai Fei, Zhang Chi versus Wei Qianli, and notably, Lin Zhendong versus Yu Tai'ang. Sun Yuqiang from the Speeding Racing Team initially believed Lin Zhendong drawing Yu Tai'ang was a lucky bye, suitable for a rookie like Lin Zhendong as it meant no direct opponent would hinder his performance.

However, Lin Zhendong argued that having no opponent in a chase race is the most difficult, as there's no reference point, and the short nature of the race limits team adjustments. He pointed out that historically, drivers who drew Yu Tai'ang and had a bye did not perform well. Ji Xing offered a more balanced view, suggesting it could help Lin Zhendong adapt but acknowledging both pros and cons.

Meanwhile, Sun Yuqiang implied that Zhang Chi's draw against Wei Qianli was the most favorable. Zhang Chi, reflecting on missing the chase race the previous year, felt a sense of regret, but was excited at the prospect of finally going head-to-head and winning against Wei Qianli. Later that night, while Zhang Chi was inspecting his car, his co-driver, Xiaohe, joined him. Noticing his tension, Xiaohe engaged him in conversation about the past.

Zhang Chi revealed the deeply personal reason for his intense rivalry with Wei Qianli. He recounted the night his parents died in a car accident. The doctor had said there was little hope unless a miracle occurred, adding that "miracles won't happen, this world is cruel." This statement, particularly Wei Qianli's agreement that miracles don't exist, became Zhang Chi's sole obsession after he became a racer. He wanted to prove to Wei Qianli that he, Zhang Chi, was a miracle.

He believed the world wasn't as cruel as Wei Qianli claimed and that miracles could happen. In a separate timeline, Zhang Chi was in a coma, having been unconscious for seven days with no sign of a miracle. The team was preparing to give up hope. Xiaohe was instructed to remove his oxygen mask. At that same moment, Lin Zhendong's heart rate suddenly spiked unusually.

Lin Zhendong was missing from the base camp, and when people tried to call him, he wasn't answering. Jiaru and Weiyi speculated that Lin Zhendong was to blame for Zhang Chi's current state. When they eventually found Lin Zhendong near the base camp, he explained that "another me" had taken over and was desperately searching for Zhang Chi for three hours, believing it was urgent.

Jiaru took him back to the base camp, urging him to rest as he had just fainted. Lin Zhendong explained that his "other personality" had taken over for three hours and forty-five minutes, and he needed to make up the lost time by analyzing the roadbook. Jiaru asked if he was upset about drawing Yu Tai'ang, and whether he thought having a bye would have been more fortunate.

Lin Zhendong firmly stated that thinking that way meant not understanding why he raced. To prove Yu Tai'ang wrong, he believed he must defeat him on his own track. To achieve his goal of competing in Dakar, he resolved not to lose any race before then, treating the upcoming race against Yu Tai'ang as his first true test against him. The next day, the races began.

In the first match, Xue Zhichong from Starry Racing competed against Zhao Xiaoyu from Aurora, with Zhao Xiaoyu taking the win by reaching the finish line first. Following this, Li Aoduo of Master Racing faced off against Ai Fei of Bulls Racing. Both rookie drivers engaged in a fierce competition, with neither holding a clear lead as they approached the first intersection, the stone bridge. A slow-motion replay showed Li Aoduo with a slight edge.

They continued their close battle to the finish line, where Li Aoduo ultimately secured the victory by a narrow margin over Ai Fei. The highly anticipated matchup between Zhang Chi and Wei Qianli was next. The Speeding Racing team offered words of encouragement, telling Zhang Chi to return safely and destroy Wei Qianli's championship hopes.

Wei Qianli approached Zhang Chi, saying they were competing closely this time and suggesting Zhang Chi was giving the audience a chance to laugh at him, implying Zhang Chi won by cheating in the past. Zhang Chi retorted that Wei Qianli hadn't beaten him on this track and joked about Wei Qianli's age and potential retirement. Wei Qianli claimed Master team was strong even without him, but without Lin Zhendong, Speeding Racing wouldn't exist next year.

He sarcastically told Zhang Chi to try and keep up, as it would be smoky behind his car. Zhang Chi accepted the challenge, telling Wei Qianli he would miss him when he was gone. Commentary noted that Master's cars had a half-second advantage at the start. Early in the race, Zhang Chi reported that something was wrong with his car; the engine speed wasn't increasing during gear shifts.

His co-driver, Sun Yuqiang, and team principal, Ji Xing, checked the data, reporting that tire pressure, temperature, and other readouts appeared normal. Despite the data, Zhang Chi insisted the car had problems, feeling a lack of power and sluggish acceleration out of corners. The gap between him and Wei Qianli widened significantly, reaching around four seconds by the first intersection, the stone bridge.

Ji Xing suggested Zhang Chi try giving more throttle and shifting faster, but Zhang Chi, frustrated, angrily told Ji Xing he didn't need coaching and questioned if Ji Xing knew the car was faulty. The team in the pits started arguing, with Weiyi being questioned by Ji Xing about the configuration list, which Weiyi denied messing up. Ji Xing urged them to stop arguing and wait for the data analysis after the race.

As Zhang Chi continued to fall further behind, he muted his team radio again. Approaching the finish line, Zhang Chi's co-driver continued calling out turns, but Zhang Chi told him to stop. In a stunning move, Zhang Chi stopped his car just before the finish line. This resulted in no result for the race and a ten-point penalty for the team. While Wei Qianli and his team celebrated their victory, Zhang Chi returned to the pits furious.

Media gathered, asking why he had stopped. Back in the pits, Zhang Chi confronted his team, demanding they check the car immediately and expressing anger that despite his efforts, his work was done, but theirs wasn't. He yelled that he had driven the team's worst car for years without complaint and caught up the points, but they were arguing in front of the media.

He declared he couldn't swallow losing to Wei Qianli in such a manner and refused to accept the result. Ji Xing tried to calm him down. As media filmed the scene, Zhang Chi pushed past them, apologizing to the team for the disturbance but maintaining his frustration. The final matchup of the day was between Lin Zhendong and Yu Tai'ang. Initially listed as a bye for Lin Zhendong, Yu Tai'ang's status changed, confirming his participation.

This sparked immense excitement and disbelief among spectators, particularly given his seventeen-year disappearance. Commentary highlighted the return of "Tai'ang the Legend," a former three-time champion. Lin Zhendong, recalling his past connection to Yu Tai'ang and his motivation, prepared to face him. At the start, Yu Tai'ang immediately pulled ahead. Lin Zhendong, however, was undeterred and used his skill to try and close the gap. His driving style confirmed to onlookers that this was indeed the legendary Yu Tai'ang.

The race was close, with both drivers demonstrating impressive skill. As they approached the finish line, Yu Tai'ang maintained his lead, finishing first by a narrow 0. 2-second margin over Lin Zhendong. Lin Zhendong secured second place, also ahead of Wei Qianli. Lin Zhendong later reflected on how close he was to beating Yu Tai'ang. Commentators praised Yu Tai'ang's performance at 45 years old after such a long absence, declaring his return the most dazzling event of the day.

Following the race, Yu Tai'ang held a press conference. When asked about his seventeen-year disappearance, he was evasive, simply stating, "I'm back." He also addressed questions about his championship prospects starting with only five points, saying he had no specific plans and would "go with the flow." The press pressed him about the 2005 Dakar incident that led to his disappearance and rumors of his death. Yu Tai'ang turned to Wei Qianli, who was present, asking him how to respond.

Wei Qianli praised Yu Tai'ang as an "immortal legend" and said people missed him. Yu Tai'ang thanked him, saying the past was past. Later, in a private conversation, Wei Qianli explained the Dakar incident from his perspective, stating he called for help and returned with a rescue team, wanting to save Yu Tai'ang but being unable to, feeling helpless.

Yu Tai'ang questioned if he had forgotten something, prompting Wei Qianli to argue that in wilderness rescue, self-safety comes first, and his death would have been pointless. He claimed he was willing to trade his life for Yu Tai'ang's. Yu Tai'ang simply responded, "You forgot to press the elevator button," before changing the subject to how well Wei Qianli had led the Master team and asking if the press conference went smoothly.

He then inquired about when Yu Tai'ang planned to visit his family. Commentators noted the mystery surrounding Yu Tai'ang's sudden return after abandoning his family and wondered how they would react. Meanwhile, Lin Zhendong's uncle, Jiaru, expressed concern to his sister, Jiazhen (Lin Zhendong's mother), about her unusually normal behavior after Yu Tai'ang's return. Jiazhen dismissed his concerns, stating that Yu Tai'ang was merely an old acquaintance who wouldn't affect her and asked him to leave.

Jiaru later discussed his concerns with Lin Zhendong, observing that Jiazhen was acting strangely calm despite her husband's return after being missing for years. Lin Zhendong echoed her sentiment, saying that a person gone for over a decade made little difference whether he returned or not. Jiaru then left for the team's review meeting. At the review meeting, team principal Ye Gong reviewed the race results.

He acknowledged Lin Zhendong's significant progress and second-place finish, suggesting it was equivalent to first place given the circumstances. However, Lin Zhendong expressed dissatisfaction, feeling it was not a cause for celebration to lose to a veteran who had been retired for years. When asked to speak, Zhang Chi sarcastically congratulated Lin Zhendong on his second place. Ye Gong attempted to address Zhang Chi's performance gently, referring to his unexpected withdrawal.

Zhang Chi, however, unleashed his frustration, mocking his own performance – stopping before the finish, failing to complete the race for the first time, finishing last, and losing ten points. He sarcastically highlighted his failure to beat Yu Tai'ang, Wei Qianli, or even Li Aoduo, contrasting it with his pre-race boasts of winning the championship, admitting he was "badly beaten" by Wei Qianli. Ye Gong tried to temper his reaction, calling winning and losing common in racing.

Zhang Chi insisted his car had problems and criticized the team for arguing in front of reporters, highlighting his years of driving the team's "worst car" without complaint while accumulating points, only for the team to lose points due to his actions and their infighting. He reiterated that he couldn't accept the defeat. Despite attempts to calm him and suggestions to stay for the meeting, Zhang Chi stated he was leaving and offered CDs or a movie instead. He took a drink of water and departed, with Jiaru offering to accompany him while Ye Gong insisted Jiaru stay for the meeting.

Episode 21 Recap

The legendary racer Yu Tai'ang, who had been absent for seventeen years, made his return and immediately won the championship in the first circuit he entered. This turn of events was making the season of the China Rally Championship increasingly exciting. Zhendong felt a strong competitive drive, stating that to prove Yu Tai'ang wrong, he had to defeat him on his own track.

He emphasized that to surpass Yu Tai'ang in the future Dakar Rally, he could not afford to lose any races leading up to it. Zhang Chi confronted Zhendong, questioning why he spent a large sum of money on a car previously used by Yu Tai'ang. Zhendong replied it wasn't his purchase but a gift, which Zhang Chi found even more aggravating.

Zhang Chi explained that for racers of his generation, Yu Tai'ang was a legend, an Tai'ang the Legend, and they were all his fans, expressing disbelief at Zhendong's seemingly dismissive attitude. Zhendong countered that on the racetrack, there were only rivals. When Zhang Chi pressed if Zhendong intended to surpass him, Zhendong affirmed it, treating him as a rival. Zhang Chi, who considered Zhendong his instructor, a teammate, and a friend, didn't want to be rivals.

He also acknowledged Yu Tai'ang as a form of instructor to him as well, emphasizing Yu Tai'ang was both an idol and instructor. Meanwhile, Yu Tai'ang met with Mr. Lu and thanked Haixiang, his long-time friend, for supporting his return, acknowledging the difficulties Haixiang faced for him over the past half year. Yu Tai'ang remarked on the aggressive nature of the younger racers he had encountered in his recent race. Zhang Chi's car was sent for inspection.

The technical team conducted a preliminary assessment and determined something was definitely wrong with the car. Ye Gong received an update on the oil sample testing. While the initial inspection didn't immediately pinpoint the issue, the technicians were certain of tampering. Ye Gong instructed Ji Xing and Weiyi not to speculate wildly until the investigation was complete. Weiyi later recalled Zhendong was missing for several hours the night before the race.

While doing physical training, Zhendong and Hong Kuo discussed Zhang Chi's car issues. Hong Kuo showed signs of nervousness. He later admitted to Zhendong the immense pressure he felt, which had intensified with Yu Tai'ang's sudden comeback. He confessed that he had added a thickening agent to Zhang Chi's engine oil the night before the race while wearing a mask. He also revealed that after tampering with the car, he had found Zhendong unconscious and had tried to wake him.

Zhendong, reviewing his phone later, discovered a video recording showing Hong Kuo calling his name and trying to rouse him while he was unconscious, confirming Hong Kuo's presence. Ye Gong privately questioned Zhendong about his fainting episode and his other personality, hoping to speak to the alternate self to understand what happened that night. Zhendong explained that he felt unusual before fainting and had been in a prolonged coma.

He also noted that his heart rate had been over 130 bpm recently, which normally triggered the personality switch, but it hadn't happened. Ye Gong took this as a positive sign of his condition improving. The full inspection report on Zhang Chi's car revealed an excessive amount of emulsifier, or thickening agent, in the engine oil.

Ji Xing explained that while this is sometimes used in high temperatures to protect the engine, it would negatively impact performance in low temperatures like the 20 degrees experienced during the race, affecting the engine's transmission efficiency. This confirmed the tampering was intentional and specifically aimed at affecting Zhang Chi's driving style and the car's performance. Zhendong and Hong Kuo were called back to the team club.

Zhendong probed Hong Kuo about the car investigation results, hinting at his suspicion that Hong Kuo's presence when he fainted was not a coincidence. Separately, Weiyi discovered footage from a dashcam on a work vehicle parked opposite the base camp the night Zhendong fainted. The video showed an unidentified person leaving a garage area and approaching the location where Zhendong was found, providing assistance.

As the team discussed the possibility of sabotage and who the person in the video could be, Sun Yuqiang burst in with explosive news, revealing that Yu Tai'ang was Lin Zhendong's father. Angry at the deception, Zhang Chi began packing Zhendong's belongings. Zhendong arrived and confronted him, explaining that he had always considered the Speeding Racing Team his home and everyone in it his family.

He acknowledged his parentage but stated Yu Tai'ang was an irresponsible father whom he didn't want to discuss. He apologized if they felt deceived or misled but insisted he never intended to use them. Zhang Chi remained furious, feeling Zhendong had used their team for his rivalry with his father. Zhendong reiterated his view of the team as family and described his time racing with them as a beautiful dream that now felt like it was ending.

In a subsequent team meeting, Hong Kuo confessed to putting the emulsifier in Zhang Chi's car before the race. He claimed it was an impulsive act, unrelated to Zhendong. When questioned why, he expressed resentment over the team's resources and attention being solely focused on Zhang Chi, feeling that he and Zhendong, as the second car, were neglected. He felt they were treated like outsiders, not "their own people." Some teammates called him narrow-minded.

Ye Gong pressed if Wei Qianli was behind it, but Hong Kuo denied any external influence, stating he simply wanted Zhendong to score better than Zhang Chi. Zhendong took responsibility as Hong Kuo's co-driver and the one who brought him into the team. He announced that he and Hong Kuo would withdraw from the Speeding Racing Team and asked Li Xiaohe to help recover Zhang Chi's intentionally forfeited points from the organizing committee, offering to bear the consequences.

He apologized to Zhang Chi and everyone at Speeding, expressing gratitude for their care. Zhang Chi told Zhendong he didn't need to apologize and that he wouldn't file a complaint, as it would ruin Hong Kuo's next season. Despite Zhang Chi saying Zhendong shouldn't be the one to leave, Zhendong maintained his decision to leave with Hong Kuo, stating they would share the consequences.

Hong Kuo then added that his actions were his alone and Zhendong had no part in them, asking the team not to resent Zhendong. After leaving the team, Hong Kuo told Zhendong that leaving Speeding was the right decision and that they could find another team and still succeed in the remaining races. Zhendong, however, just said he needed quiet time and Hong Kuo should too.

Separately, Xiting contacted Zhendong, having heard about Yu Tai'ang's return and asking if he was okay. Zhendong informed her he was no longer with Speeding due to Hong Kuo tampering with Zhang Chi's car, accepting blame for the situation. Xiting asked why Hong Kuo did it and suggested it might be related to his father. Zhendong acknowledged Yu Tai'ang's complicated presence in his life but stated it wouldn't disturb him.

He focused on the challenge of competing in the fourth circuit without a team or car and how he would defeat Yu Tai'ang. Zhendong returned to the Speeding base one last time to pack his belongings. He reiterated that he viewed the team as family and his time there as beautiful, saying the dream was now over. He thanked everyone for their care and wished them success. Upon returning home, Zhendong was surprised to find Hong Kuo there.

His mother explained she had invited him because she had something to announce. Contrary to her previous stance, she declared her full support for Zhendong's racing career. When Zhendong questioned if this was due to Yu Tai'ang, she dismissed his input, stating she would use all of Zhendong Group's resources to pave the way for his career and get him into the best team, urging him to accept.

Ms. Lin, Zhendong's mother, later met with Yu Tai'ang in her capacity as a major sponsor for the rally. She presented him with a contract, which he signed quickly, and then left abruptly without further conversation, expressing disdain for his living situation and suggesting he clean it up. At a rally press conference, Yu Tai'ang and Wei Qianli appeared together. Despite a public facade of respect, they exchanged thinly veiled insults.

Wei Qianli questioned Yu Tai'ang's decision to return late in the season, implying he lacked confidence on unfamiliar tracks after years of illegal street racing in Rio. Yu Tai'ang countered by suggesting Wei Qianli now understood the loneliness at the top and expressed mock concern that the aggressive young racers like Zhang Chi and Zhendong might be too much for him to handle.

Wei Qianli confidently stated that his team, Master, could overcome any obstacle with money and invited Yu Tai'ang back "home" to Master, which Yu Tai'ang declined, saying Wei Qianli's presence there was enough. When asked to pose for a photo with his father, Zhendong sarcastically commented that as a junior, he was not worthy to stand alongside a seasoned veteran like Yu Tai'ang.

Yu Tai'ang remarked on Zhendong being a great son but noted that his son didn't seem to approve of him. Zhendong was later surprised to see Hong Kuo speaking with Wei Qianli during the event. Finally, Zhendong's mother, Ms. Lin, took the stage as a sponsor. She announced Zhendong Group's plans to build a racing training base and resort in Bayanbulak, implying it was for Zhendong.

She then announced Yu Tai'ang as the ambassador for the project, before abruptly stating that Yu Tai'ang's character didn't align with the project's theme of responsibility, duty, family, and growth, implying he was unsuitable. With the audience already aware of their relationship, she explicitly introduced Zhendong as her son.

Ms. Lin then delivered the final shock, announcing that the Bayanbulak project was a joint venture between Zhendong Group and Master Group, marking Master as a significant partner, and unilaterally declared that her son, Lin Zhendong, would be joining the Master Racing Team. This sudden announcement stunned Zhendong, Zhang Chi, and Ye Gong.

Episode 22 Recap

At an investment promotion reception, Zhendong's mother publicly announced that the Master Racing Team and Zhendong Group had jointly developed a racing base project and that her son, Zhendong, would be joining the Master Racing Team. Zhendong immediately interrupted, stating there must be a misunderstanding and that he remained a racer for the Speeding Racing Team. He added that if he intended to transfer teams, he would inform everyone beforehand.

Later, Zhendong confronted his mother, asking why he wasn't aware of this decision. His mother argued that the Speeding Racing Team was excluding him, and she had realized that what he truly wanted was to race. She insisted that joining the Master Racing Team was the best path for him, as it was the most professional and capable team, and everything she did was to pave the way for him.

Zhendong rejected this, saying he wouldn't join Master even if Speeding was excluding him. Zhendong's mother called for Wei Qianli to speak with Zhendong. Wei Qianli arrived and told Zhendong that he had offered him a spot in the Master Racing Team before, and his offer still stood. He presented a contract detailing an eight-year scientific training plan aimed at making Zhendong the core of the team.

Wei Qianli added that he wouldn't be driving for much longer and would transfer all of Master's resources to Zhendong when he was ready to lead the team. Zhendong commented on the plan, calling it scientific and effective, a "bright and certain future," unlike Speeding's "folk ways." He then directly questioned Wei Qianli, asking if he had instructed Hong Kuo to tamper with Zhang Chi's car.

Zhendong pointed out that Hong Kuo, having been in racing for less than six months, lacked the expertise for such a method and that someone had seen Hong Kuo enter the Master Club before the race. He suggested it was Wei Qianli's plan to harm Zhang Chi and create conflict within Speeding, accusing him of going to great lengths to stop Zhang Chi. Wei Qianli denied it, calling Zhendong imaginative.

Zhendong then referenced the contract, noting it had been offered to Zhang Chi before his major race, and questioned who Wei Qianli was trying to influence this time, perhaps Yu Tai'ang. Saying he had torn the contract once before, he tore it again, declaring Master's corporate culture awful. Visibly angry, Zhendong left the reception. Hong Kuo followed him, arguing that Master was their best choice and that Speeding had never truly accepted them.

Zhendong became furious, calling Hong Kuo's actions a betrayal of friends by joining the enemy. He said Master was Speeding's enemy, not Hong Kuo's, and that Speeding wasn't their real friend, criticizing Zhang Chi's selfishness and how the team revolved around him while not sincerely accepting them. Zhendong accused Hong Kuo of following Wei Qianli's instructions to tamper with Zhang Chi's car and conspiring with his mother to push him to Master.

He viewed this as a betrayal of teammates, friends, the team, everyone who trusted him, and even the spirit of sportsmanship. Hong Kuo retorted that Zhendong was blinded by emotions, contrasting his current state with his past rationality and self-discipline. He questioned how Zhendong could defend Speeding so wholeheartedly and whether their decade-long friendship meant less than people Zhendong had only known for half a year.

Zhendong asked if Hong Kuo's actions were "all for me," stating he had trusted his only friend would have a reason for what he did regarding Zhang Chi. Now, Hong Kuo was helping Wei Qianli cheat and pushing him towards Master, making Zhendong feel Hong Kuo understood him less than Zhang Chi did.

Hong Kuo reminded Zhendong of their promise to win championships when he became Zhendong's co-driver, asking if Zhendong only valued results and had no gratitude towards Speeding, which helped them in their difficult times. He also asked if Zhendong had no gratitude towards him, who had given up everything to chase Zhendong's dream.

Hong Kuo expressed his frustration, feeling he was just part of Zhendong's act, and that his "perfect plan" was easily ruined by Yu Tai'ang's car and a phone call. Declaring he had had enough, he stated he would not follow Zhendong's plan anymore and would join Master, while Zhendong could go to his "unprofessional team." Zhendong acknowledged Hong Kuo's long-held grievances, apologized for being selfish, admitting he had asked Hong Kuo to change his life path for Zhendong's dream.

He accepted that racing was his dream and shouldn't necessarily be Hong Kuo's. They agreed to part ways. Hong Kuo returned to the reception and asked Wei Qianli if he could sign with Master alone, which Wei Qianli accepted. Wei Qianli commented that Hong Kuo had previously told him Zhendong was his best friend but felt he couldn't openly show it.

Later, Zhendong confided in someone, reflecting on how difficult his journey had been, feeling he had lost many people, including his only friend, his mother, and his uncle, and wondering if racing was a lonely sport like it was for Yu Tai'ang in the past. The person comforted him, suggesting that true friends and family support you regardless of the path, and only those who leave easily are merely temporary companions.

Zhendong decided not to return home and checked into a hotel, only to find his bank card frozen. He called Li Aoduo and Ai Fei for help. Li Aoduo initially joked about Zhendong coming to Master, then quickly said it was better he didn't, as it would mean competing for resources and budget. Li Aoduo offered Zhendong his room since he was staying at the team dorm for training, joking about the awkwardness before sincerely offering his place.

Zhendong's genuine thanks surprised them. At Li Aoduo's apartment, Zhendong offered to clean the house in exchange for rent, mentioning he was broke. Li Aoduo accepted, playfully referring to Zhendong as his "janitor," but warned him to be discreet about staying there to avoid trouble with his team. Zhendong acknowledged the pressure Li Aoduo was under and thanked him.

Left alone in the apartment, Zhendong recalled his mother's harsh words, insisting he must join Master unconditionally if he wanted to race, threatening that he might lose her financial support and Yu Tai'ang's car if he didn't. Living away from his mother, Zhendong focused on physical training and studying race materials. Li Aoduo commented on how difficult his situation was, with limited ways to train.

Zhendong met with Mr. Lu, a sponsor, who asked about Zhendong joining Master, noting the commercial value of his recent situation. Mr. Lu expressed hesitation about continuing to sponsor Speeding, citing Zhendong's departure and Zhang Chi's previous retirement, while Master was stable and other teams were gaining support. He felt Speeding was now diminished. Mr. Lu highlighted Zhendong's own value as Yu Tai'ang's son and heir to Zhendong Group, saying these identities held significant promotional potential.

Zhendong replied that those aspects were irrelevant to his identity as a Speeding racer, and if the purpose of sponsorship was solely to exploit his fame, their principles were incompatible. Mr. Lu offered to work with him if he signed with a new team but stated he would still consider Zhendong a friend regardless.

Hong Kuo found Zhendong while he was out running, saying he knew he would be there and came to help him, implying he wanted to persuade him. Zhendong anticipated this and stated that Hong Kuo was there to convince him to join Master. Hong Kuo acknowledged that Zhendong likely wouldn't change his mind but insisted that training at Master was different and highly professional, mentioning specialized trainers for co-drivers and customized cars.

He expressed satisfaction with his new team and suggested they could have gone together. Zhendong acknowledged Hong Kuo's happiness and said he was glad for him, expressing gratitude for their decade-long friendship and Hong Kuo's support in chasing his dream. He understood Hong Kuo needed to consider his future and didn't fault him but stated their paths now diverged. Hong Kuo pressed for a reason why Zhendong refused Master, which he felt was the best choice for him.

Zhendong explained his refusal was because he viewed Master as an enemy, feeling angry and uncomfortable because Wei Qianli had taken people important to him twice: first Yu Tai'ang when Zhendong was young, and now Hong Kuo. He reiterated he would not join Master. Hong Kuo accepted this, telling Zhendong to take care, as they would be opponents when they met again.

Meanwhile, Yu Tai'ang asked someone if Zhendong had returned to Speeding, expressing concern about the upcoming fourth race and if there was still time to help him. He reflected that winning was a racer's pride and if Zhendong dropped in ranking because of his situation, there was nothing to complain about, framing his past help with the car as a father's concern. Zhendong was shown looking at a childhood go-kart racing trophy.

He recalled winning a go-kart race as a child and excitedly telling his father, Yu Tai'ang, that he was the champion, while Yu Tai'ang looked on with pride. Zhang Chi was shown in a dorm room, looking thoughtfully at an empty bed. Later, Zhendong was having hot pot with Li Aoduo and Ai Fei. They discussed Zhendong's inability to practice driving, noting his situation only allowed for physical training and studying materials.

Li Aoduo mentioned that Master's old simulators were being moved to a warehouse, and the racers had to lift them themselves. Zhendong remarked on how luxurious it was for the team to warehouse such expensive equipment. Li Aoduo then suggested that if someone were to "borrow" an unused simulator, the team might not notice immediately. Ai Fei enthusiastically agreed, and they spontaneously decided to retrieve one from the warehouse.

They dressed in dark clothes and masks for a comical sneaking mission, with Li Aoduo wearing a full bodysuit and boasting about his "museum thief" outfit, much to Ai Fei's and Zhendong's amusement, especially comparing Master's warehouse to a "junkyard." They successfully retrieved a racing simulator. Back at the apartment, they set up the simulator. Zhendong found it contained track maps and data for various CCRC circuits, including Shagouling.

He started a practice run, and a "Polar817" ghost car, representing the track record holder, appeared as an overlay for him to chase. Ai Fei pulled up the account information, and Zhendong recognized "Polar817" as Yu Tai'ang's car. Li Aoduo questioned the "817," and Zhendong revealed it was his birthday. Ai Fei confirmed the training data for Shagouling was from August 2002 to March 2003, the period Yu Tai'ang won his first CCRC championship.

They realized they had found a valuable "treasure" – Yu Tai'ang's training log from his prime. They discussed sharing the data to try and beat Yu Tai'ang, jokingly calling themselves the "Three Knights of Rookie Competition." Zhendong, determined to win the championship, said he would form a team when he achieved that goal and decided to return to training immediately, asking Ai Fei for a ride. They agreed to meet on the track. Zhendong began practicing on the simulator, chasing the Polar817 ghost car.

Episode 23 Recap

Growing up, Zhendong would often ask his father to tell him stories. He loved the tales of wildebeests, admiring them for having many companions, unlike the polar bear his father likened himself to – capable but lonely. Zhendong promised that when he grew up, he would stay with his father so he wouldn't be alone. Now, looking at "Polar Bear"'s records, Zhendong persistently practiced driving, vowing to surpass Yu Tai'ang.

After disappearing for a while, Xiaohe asked Ye Gong if he had heard from Lin Zhendong. Zhendong was currently without a home or car to practice with, and the race was the next day. Ye Gong instructed Ji Xing to prepare for two possibilities, stating that Lin Zhendong was still considered part of the Speeding team since he hadn't joined Master, and the team agreed with their boss. The next day, the Shagouling circuit race began on a challenging track.

Wei Qianli started first, followed by Zhang Chi. Zhang Chi had adjusted his state, and Sun Yuqiang called out accurate pace notes. Li Aoduo trailed close behind, with the gaps between the racers remaining relatively small. Backstage, Xiaohe reported Zhang Chi's data. However, Zhang Chi's thoughts were preoccupied with what Lin Zhendong had said, and he seemed distracted. His team noticed his unusual state, believing he needed time to regain focus.

Yu Tai'ang started his run, and his times immediately showed his high skill level. Lin Zhendong was not competing in the actual race; instead, he was at home using a simulator to race against Yu Tai'ang's pace. He maintained a fast speed even without a co-driver, internally noting that if he could overcome Yu Tai'ang's specific difficulties, he could surpass him.

On the simulated track, the road ahead seemed to slow for Lin Zhendong, and his time gradually closed in on Yu Tai'ang's. In the final 500 meters, Zhang Chi finished, again failing to beat Wei Qianli. Yu Tai'ang finished, securing another victory. Meanwhile, Lin Zhendong's simulated race finished just 2. 082 seconds behind Yu Tai'ang's official time. Lin Zhendong removed his helmet, privately pleased with this result, seeing the gap between himself and his father figure narrowing.

Later, Lin Zhendong recorded a video message for his other personality, expressing how long it had been since "he" appeared and that he was worried. He confided that he had raced on the simulator today and almost caught up to Yu Tai'ang, hoping maybe next time "he" returned, Zhendong would have surpassed him. He felt these were things he couldn't tell anyone else. Knowing "he" was worried about Speeding, Zhendong apologized for leaving the team.

Reviewing the race results, Zhang Chi was not particularly bothered by losing to Wei Qianli, but expressed frustration with Lin Zhendong for not even participating in the race. Yu Gong subtly steered the conversation, intentionally sending Zhang Chi and Sun Yuqiang away so he could speak with the rest of the team privately. He wanted their opinions on Zhendong's serious absence and if they should ask him to return.

Sun Yuqiang voiced support for Lin Zhendong, noting he didn't join Master despite their offer and wasn't truly involved in the Hong Kuo incident. Xiaohe felt Zhendong just needed a way to reconcile, and Ye Gong believed they could create an opportunity for him. Yu Gong asked Weiyi to contact Officer Shen to find out where Lin Zhendong was living.

Meanwhile, at Master, Wei Qianli publicly praised Hong Kuo as an outstanding co-driver, stating he was exactly who Master had been looking for and would develop well there. However, when they were alone, Hong Kuo pressed Wei Qianli about when he would get formal work, training, and a partner, noting it had been half a month. Wei Qianli vaguely told him to adapt and that candidates were being considered, saying it takes time.

Desperate to find Lin Zhendong, Zhang Chi sought out Shen Xiting and falsely claimed Zhendong owed him eighteen yuan and had disappeared without paying. He insisted on collecting the debt himself and asked Xiting to deliver an important item, a coupon, to Zhendong. He then followed Xiting to Residence Shui'an. He overheard Xiting on the phone telling Zhendong the building and unit number (3-1) but not the floor.

As Zhang Chi tried to figure out which floor, he was surprised to see Xiaohe and Ye Gong also arriving. He hid behind a tree, but his phone rang, giving away his position. Xiaohe and Ye Gong then dragged him upstairs, insisting he needed to apologize to Lin Zhendong. Just as they confronted Lin Zhendong, Zhendong received a call from Zhang Chi's grandpa.

Grandpa asked if Zhang Chi's grandson had given him a necklace, mentioning the person was right next to Zhendong now. Zhendong, Zhang Chi, and Xiaohe quickly realized Grandpa was referring to something important given to him by future Zhang Chi. They decided to go back to the team workshop immediately to examine the item, asking Ye Gong to head back first while the three followed. Grandpa gave Zhang Chi a U-disk, which he had mistakenly called a necklace.

Grandpa had been stressed keeping it safe, even wearing it while showering. Suspecting it might be damaged, Zhang Chi volunteered to try fixing it. Back at the workshop, Zhang Chi worked on the U-disk, successfully repairing it. During this time, he explained the situation to Zhendong: the "other personality" was himself from 2027. He recounted how he had traveled to 2027 for a Bayanbulak race, aiming to beat Lin Zhendong.

After crossing the finish line, his brakes failed, sending him over a cliff, and he somehow became Lin Zhendong in the present. He stressed that the other version of Zhendong was Zhang Chi five years in the future. Zhendong was initially skeptical but the evidence made him believe. He understood then that the peculiar actions attributed to his "other self" were actually Zhang Chi's from 2027. Zhang Chi quipped that compared to him, Zhendong wasn't the weird one.

They called the rest of the team—Sun Yuqiang, Weiyi, Ji Xing, and Ye Gong—to gather, announcing a "newcomer." Weiyi played the recovered video from the U-disk. It was a message from Zhang Chi addressing Lin Zhendong. He reflected on the past half-year, acknowledging they hadn't met officially and likely wouldn't. He accepted that if Zhendong was seeing this video, he might not return, but found peace in the extraordinary experience it had been.

He mentioned seeing foolish online questions about advising one's past self and shared what he'd tell his younger self: don't refuse Wei Qianli's offer, listen more, be patient, think before acting. He had returned with regrets, hoping to help his younger self avoid mistakes and become successful and self-serving. However, he had come to realize that mistakes and detours were integral parts of who he was.

He spoke frankly to Zhendong, calling his overly planned life sometimes boring, but emphasized that there was no single right answer in life. What mattered was pursuing one's desired life with all effort and courageously fulfilling dreams. He told Zhendong not to constantly seek the correct answers, as he would eventually surpass Zhang Chi honestly. He felt he had merely accelerated Zhendong's path into racing.

Future Zhang Chi expressed frustration with his present self for getting injured, causing Wei Qianli to mock him. He had worried about changing the future, fearing Zhendong wouldn't reach his potential or might remain subordinate to present Zhang Chi at Speeding. He confidently stated that Zhendong would become the world's greatest racer, the best in his eyes. He told Zhendong not to worry about the Speeding team members, as he had made arrangements and said everything that needed saying.

He revealed he had arranged for their current workshop property to be purchased for 2. 8 million, explaining it was currently cheap but would be demolished for a million-dollar profit later. He had left the contracts for Zhendong to sign. Zhang Chi was surprised, having known nothing about it. Future Zhang Chi concluded, reflecting that he had intended to teach them but had learned much himself.

He said goodbye to them in their youth, wishing them freedom and vigor to live their lives to the fullest. In a hospital room, a medical monitor beside a figure beeped.

Episode 24 Recap

After watching the video message from his future self, Zhang Chi invited Lin Zhendong for a drink to express his gratitude and apologize for the team's focus on him, which may have overlooked Zhendong's feelings. Lin Zhendong also apologized, taking responsibility for the Hong Kuo incident and admitting he felt bad for not helping Hong Kuo resolve his issues, which ultimately caused Zhang Chi to lose points.

Zhang Chi reassured him that his intentions were good and that there are many races ahead. Still feeling a sense of debt to the team, Lin Zhendong asked how he could contribute. Zhang Chi suggested Zhendong take over his Tuesday cleaning duty as compensation and offered the option of doing others' duties as well, admitting he had been waiting for Zhendong to return to the team.

The next day, Lin Zhendong returned to the Speeding Racing Team and received a warm welcome from everyone, who eagerly embraced him and reaffirmed their shared goal of advancing to the Dakar Rally together. Meanwhile, Lin Jiaru was watching an old video of Yu Tai'ang's legendary race on the Yecheng Thunder Mountain track, particularly the infamous 'Death Five Turns' and the segment named 'Yu Tai'ang Bend'.

He marveled at Yu Tai'ang's record time of 2 minutes and 17 seconds on that difficult section and wondered if that record could be broken, possibly by Zhang Chi or Lin Zhendong. Lin Zhendong was then called downstairs by Weiyi and found his mother, Lin Jiazhen, and uncle had brought him a new car.

His mother explained she had extensively modified the car with upgraded engine parts, a new gearbox, and expensive adjustable suspension, stating she did this because he chose Speeding over Master and didn't want him to be held back.

Zhang Chi lightheartedly mentioned Lin Zhendong still owed him 18 yuan for meal money, but Lin Jiazhen, instructing Zhang Chi to call her by name instead of "Aunt," declared that she would cover all the team's future expenses to support her son and asked the team to look after him. Future Zhang Chi had also left a video message for Weiyi. Zhendong delivered it to her, and she watched it at home.

In the video, Zhang Chi formally introduced himself and stated he was truly leaving this time. He confessed that in the future, he had never heard any songs by or even the name of Yu Si. He apologized for withholding this information previously, explaining he didn't want to upset her. He acknowledged her as his best friend who knew his identity and expressed his deep gratitude for her help.

As a friend, he advised her to stop dwelling on past regrets and missed opportunities, comparing it to driving where one must look ahead for new scenery rather than focusing on what's already passed. Li Aoduo was practicing at the Master team's facility, attempting to break Yu Tai'ang's record, believing that small improvements would eventually lead to a breakthrough despite being consistently off the pace. Hong Kuo arrived looking for Wei Qianli, who was out warming up.

Li Aoduo advised Hong Kuo that the team's lineup for the upcoming final race was already decided and unlikely to change mid-season, especially given the team's performance and the board's strict process for personnel changes. Hong Kuo remained determined to secure a chance to race for a spot in the Dakar Rally. At the Speeding team, Ye Gong and the members analyzed the points standings.

They noted Master's significant lead and that winning the team championship was now only a theoretical possibility. Their main focus was qualifying for the Dakar Rally, which required a top-six finish in the driver standings. Ye Gong explained that Yu Tai'ang and Lin Zhendong were currently tied in points, but Yu Tai'ang held the tie-breaker, placing Lin Zhendong in a precarious position where he would likely be eliminated unless he secured a strong result in the final race.

Lin Zhendong stated unequivocally that he must win the upcoming race on the difficult Yecheng track, known for the 'Yu Tai'ang Bend', to ensure his qualification. He also expressed hope that Zhang Chi would win his own race, allowing both of them a chance at Dakar. The team then rallied together, affirming their commitment to reaching Dakar with everyone. Zhang Chi took Lin Zhendong to a skate park for an unconventional lesson in handling curves.

Using skateboarders as examples, Zhang Chi demonstrated how those who fought against the board and over-controlled it often failed, while experienced riders found balance and harmony by 'listening' to the board and following natural lines—a concept related to the 'principle of minimum energy'. Zhang Chi suggested that Lin Zhendong might be over-controlling his race car, limiting his speed, especially on challenging corners like 'Yu Tai'ang Bend'.

He explained that the highest level of driving involves finding balance within a state of near-loss-of-control, achieving a 'unity of man and car,' and that Lin Zhendong would find the 'feeling' for corners when he stopped struggling against his technique and the car. Later, Lin Zhendong interviewed potential co-drivers but found them unsuitable, lacking experience or understanding of the role. Xiaohe then led Lin Zhendong upstairs where they found Ye Gong engrossed in studying race pacenotes.

Xiaohe proposed Ye Gong as the ideal co-driver, citing his experience in the CCRC, official certification, and, most importantly, his familiarity with Lin Zhendong. Lin Zhendong was thrilled with the suggestion, stating he trusted Ye Gong completely. They announced the decision to the team, who playfully teased Ye Gong about donning a race suit. Ye Gong then dramatically declared his new identity as 'Revenger, God of Co-drivers,' vowing to conquer the CCRC and help the team reach Dakar.

The team cheered in support. Preparations for the final race were in full swing. Ye Gong was in the race car, practicing pacenotes with Lin Zhendong. Other team members worked on the cars, and Ai Fei was shown doing physical training. Meanwhile, at the Master team headquarters, Wei Qianli discussed strategy with his team. He noted that while the team championship was secured, another win by Yu Tai'ang would jeopardize their sponsor agreement and ensure Yu Tai'ang's qualification for Dakar.

Wei Qianli proposed a tactic: having Li Aoduo place a rock at Turn 37, a corner where Yu Tai'ang typically takes the inner line, assuring the team it wouldn't be life-threatening. He instructed Li Aoduo, as the second car, to follow the plan, stressing it was necessary for the team, and promised Master would support him even if his race result was cancelled.

Li Aoduo hesitated, preferring fair competition, but Wei Qianli pressured him, arguing that the livelihood of the hundreds of people in the team depended on this win and threatening his career if he refused. Separately, Wei Qianli reflected on his rivalry with Yu Tai'ang, describing him as an inescapable enemy and an insurmountable obstacle. The final race of the CCRC at Yecheng Thunder Mountain began.

Commentators highlighted Wei Qianli's lead in the overall standings but noted Master's failure to secure a circuit win, which had strained sponsor relationships and put pressure on them to win this race. Wei Qianli started first, using the radio to instruct Li Aoduo and his co-driver, emphasizing the importance of winning for Master and telling them to act as 'hunters.' Li Aoduo started second, appearing cautious in the initial turns.

Yu Tai'ang started and drove with apparent ease on the track where he had made history. Commentators drew attention to the battle for Dakar qualification spots, particularly the tied points between Lin Zhendong and Yu Tai'ang, noting Lin Zhendong's need for a strong finish, ideally a win, to qualify. Lin Zhendong had a strong start with Ye Gong providing composed and detailed pacenotes, quickly gaining positions and overtaking several competitors.

Ye Gong informed Lin Zhendong that he had passed Zhang Chi, and Lin Zhendong acknowledged the update over the radio. Watching the race, Zhang Chi commented on Lin Zhendong's rapid improvement. As the race progressed, Wei Qianli fell further behind the flawlessly driving Yu Tai'ang. Yu Tai'ang's lead continued to grow, seemingly reliving their long-standing rivalry, intensified by the controversial Dakar incident seventeen years prior.

Feeling increasingly desperate as his deficit mounted, Wei Qianli radioed Li Aoduo and ordered him to execute the team tactic immediately. Li Aoduo, on a straight section, appeared to stop his car and retrieve a rock from the roadside. Wei Qianli updated Li Aoduo, confirming Yu Tai'ang was nearing the designated turn within the next minute, and emphatically told him not to disappoint the team, whose fate rested on his actions. Li Aoduo held the rock, waiting as Yu Tai'ang's car rapidly approached the turn.

Episode 25 Recap

Wei Qianli instructed Li Aoduo over the radio, telling him to use stones to create an obstacle for Yu Tai'ang to cause an incident, which would help Wei Qianli win the championship. However, remembering his years of effort, Lin Zhendong threw away the stone he was holding, telling his co-driver that he wasn't in racing to do that kind of thing.

When Yu Tai'ang safely passed the section near Li Aoduo, Wei Qianli was furious, yelling at Li Aoduo and telling him to get out of Master Racing Team. Driven by the desire to rush ahead, Wei Qianli accidentally ran over a stone, causing his car to become slightly unbalanced. Lin Zhendong's position improved, surpassing Wei Qianli and closing the gap with Yu Tai'ang.

In the final moments, Wei Qianli made a sprint, while Yu Tai'ang and Zhang Chi also reached the finish line. Yu Tai'ang secured first place, with Lin Zhendong coming in second, just 0. 8 seconds behind his father. Zhang Chi took third place, while Wei Qianli finished sixth.

After the race, Lin Zhendong's mother observed that Wei Qianli hadn't changed his style from his younger days and felt it was the right decision that Lin Zhendong hadn't joined Master Racing Team. The next opportunity to qualify for the Dakar Rally would depend on who could conquer the "Yu Tai'ang Bend." Lin Zhendong's mother now hoped he could defeat Yu Tai'ang there.

Later, Lin Zhendong asked Zhang Chi if he could teach him more about how to surpass Yu Tai'ang. Zhang Chi replied that since Lin Zhendong's rank was now ahead of his, there was nothing left for him to teach. Wei Qianli returned, and Zhang Chi teased him about driving very conservatively this time.

Wei Qianli stated he did his best and would definitely be there next year, urging Zhang Chi and Lin Zhendong to perform well so he'd have someone to race against. Finally, the challenge at Yu Tai'ang Bend arrived. Lin Zhendong watched news replays of Yu Tai'ang's historic run at the bend, admitting his admiration for how Yu Tai'ang seemed to take the sharp corner without braking.

He also felt a sense of shared joy when he saw his father receiving trophies in the past. Before the race, Lin Zhendong helped adjust Zhang Chi's car to improve its performance. At the track, the first to start was Wei Qianli from the Master Racing Team. Although the section was only a few kilometers long, it featured numerous challenging turns.

Wei Qianli's time at Turn 2 was already behind Yu Tai'ang's record, and by the end of the section, he was over three seconds slower, failing to challenge the record. Next to start was Zhang Chi. His car was performing well, and he drove at full speed from the start. His speed through the initial turns was noticeably faster than Wei Qianli's. The critical point was the Five Turns.

Zhang Chi employed a Scandinavia Drift on the paved surface for the fifth turn, a maneuver no one had attempted at such speed before. It was a risky gamble, but he successfully navigated the turn. He finished with a time only 0. 4 seconds behind Yu Tai'ang's record, a very impressive result, the closest anyone had come in twenty years. The challenge at Yu Tai'ang Bend would determine who qualified for the Dakar Rally.

The next driver up was Yu Tai'ang. Unexpectedly, the father and son exchanged greetings before Yu Tai'ang's run, which visibly pleased Yu Tai'ang. Yu Tai'ang's speed and timing through the turns were incredibly close to his own twenty-year-old record. Commentators noted his flawless technique, moving as if on flat ground. Despite some casual chatter with his co-driver, he maintained intense focus. He crossed the finish line with a time just 0.

009 seconds slower than his record, a frustratingly narrow miss. Then it was Lin Zhendong's turn. His mother and the Speeding Racing Team watched nervously. Lin Zhendong drove at high speed, trees blurring past. He matched Yu Tai'ang's record at the first turn. By the third turn, he was 0. 35 seconds behind the record. At the fourth turn, he chose an extremely risky inner line, clipping the wall.

Approaching the fifth turn, he recalled advice about letting the car guide him and finding balance within loss of control, contrasting it with excessive input. He adopted a unique approach, described as "man and car united," a method the commentators had never seen before. This allowed him to gain time. He passed the fifth turn, surpassing Yu Tai'ang's record by 0. 05 seconds. He sprinted towards the finish line at a faster speed than Yu Tai'ang.

Lin Zhendong crossed the finish line with a time of 2 minutes 16. 728 seconds, breaking the twenty-year record. His time was reviewed for validity and confirmed. Lin Zhendong had won, making history and taking dominance of Yu Tai'ang Bend. Everyone celebrated wildly, immersed in joy. Zhang Chi excitedly told Lin Zhendong that he had broken the twenty-year record, calling him an incredible rookie. Yu Tai'ang walked over to Lin Zhendong, congratulated him, and announced his decision to retire.

Lin Zhendong told his father that his past failures were not due to too many hindrances; instead, family and friends should be a source of strength. Yu Tai'ang acknowledged his son's maturity. Later, Weiyi found Lin Zhendong and told him that Xiting was missing. They rushed to search for her. It turned out Xiting had a first love named Yu Si, whom she met at a music festival.

They had dreamed of a future together, but Yu Si's music dreams didn't progress, and he eventually succumbed to family pressure and took a regular job. He developed severe depression and panic disorder and one day disappeared after leaving Xiting a letter saying he was tired. Xiting had never forgotten him. They went to Star Lake Resort, the place where Xiting and Yu Si first met. They found Xiting there.

Lin Zhendong gave her tissues and took her to the lakeside. He spoke about childhood memories and thanked her for always being there to encourage him in racing. He encouraged her to look forward, saying that the most beautiful scenery is always in the future, and urged her to encourage herself just as she had encouraged so many others.

Episode 26 Recap

Li Aoduo and Xiaodao leave the Master Racing Team, feeling relaxed. Meanwhile, Wei Qianli expresses frustration over budget cuts and losing drivers, wondering how the team can compete in the Dakar Rally. Hong Kuo steps forward, volunteering his services if the team needs him. Wei Qianli agrees to give him a chance to race on the condition that he strictly follows the team's strategy. The CCRC season concludes, and the six spots for the Dakar Qualification Race are decided.

The Master Racing Team secures two spots but faces internal issues after Li Aoduo refused tactics and was banned. The Speeding Racing Team is a surprise, with Zhang Chi securing a spot and Zhendong qualifying dramatically in the final circuit. The Dakar Qualification Race format is explained: over 1,500 kilometers in six days, across six stages with varying conditions, and strict limitations on spare parts and tires, emphasizing durability over speed. Speeding lacks desert testing data.

The team undergoes intensive training, including simulated heat endurance exercises, as they lack insulated compartments. Days pass, and Ye Gong is shown losing weight as part of the team's preparation. The first stage of the race begins. Wei Qianli is steady, while Hong Kuo, in his first official race, is still inexperienced. Zhendong, now a well-rounded driver, and Zhang Chi, with his aggressive style, start the stage.

Zhendong's two rear tires lose pressure, forcing him to stop and change them, dropping him to fifth place. Wei Qianli performs well. At the end of Stage 1, Zhang Chi takes first place, Wei Qianli is second, and Zhendong is fifth. Zhendong used two of his four spare tires, putting him at higher risk for the remaining stages. Stage 2 begins with teams using fresh tires. Wei Qianli remains steady.

Hong Kuo is considered the weakest racer, and the commentators question Master's decision to promote him for such a crucial race, although he is trying hard. Zhendong needs to drive more conservatively due to his limited spare tires. Zhang Chi continues his aggressive approach but is forced to stop and change a tire, a consequence of his style and the team's lack of desert experience.

At the end of Stage 2, Wei Qianli finishes first, Zhendong takes second, and Zhang Chi finishes fifth after losing time changing tires. Speeding faces a severe tire crisis, with both drivers having used multiple spare tires. Stage 3 presents difficult road conditions and sand dunes that obstruct visibility. Zhendong's tire pressure becomes abnormal due to the high temperature, causing him to stop again. This exhausts all of his spare tires.

Over the first three days, the Speeding team's drivers have frequently changed tires. After Stage 3, Speeding's tire situation worsens significantly. Zhendong has no spare tires for the remaining three days, while Zhang Chi only has two left. During a team discussion, they acknowledge their lack of experience and the loss of six out of eight total spare tires. Ye Gong notes the tires couldn't withstand the heat.

He proposes using the tires designated for the final stage as spares for the upcoming marathon stages, and potentially using old tires for the short final stage if necessary. Zhang Chi and Zhendong are advised to rest for the demanding marathon stage. Ye Gong, Xiaohe, Weiyi, Yuqiang, and Ji Xing plan to finalize the tire strategy overnight. Ji Xing and Zhang Chi worry about Ye Gong, who is losing weight by not eating and staying up late.

Zhang Chi questions if they can win without changing tactics given their problems. Ye Gong insists the drivers rest while he goes to the organizing committee. A race doctor examines Ye Gong and detects an irregular heart rate, suspecting myocardial ischemia. He advises Ye Gong to return to the base for a full check and not continue racing due to his condition. Ye Gong agrees to inform his team leader but intends to stay.

He returns and the team adopts Plan C, using the last-stage tires, acknowledging the risk but hoping for success with decisive execution. Ye Gong urges the team to rest while he finishes his work. Despite their pleas, Ye Gong refuses to eat, feeling he is already a burden to Zhendong due to his weight and believes losing weight might help Zhendong qualify for Dakar. The demanding 48-hour marathon stage begins, described as a survival challenge.

Speeding has resorted to using tires intended for the final stage as spares. Wei Qianli starts first, followed by Zhendong, and then Zhang Chi. Zhendong's front tire pressure becomes abnormal after hitting something. He drives cautiously, but the pressure normalizes, allowing him to resume his intended pace. The race enters the long "train straight." Wei Qianli reaches 205 km/h. Zhendong drives at 180 km/h, still appearing conservative.

Zhang Chi reaches 200 km/h but is cautioned to protect his engine by keeping the RPM below 6500. Hong Kuo enters the straight and accelerates to a risky 220 km/h, visibly pushing his engine to the limit but rapidly gaining ground. He overtakes Zhang Chi. The team suspects Hong Kuo is overtaxing his car as a tactic to interfere. Zhendong's engine temperature alarms, possibly due to a radiator leak, indicating a need for water.

Ye Gong gives Zhendong his own drinking water, prioritizing the car's survival over his own comfort in the heat. Wei Qianli finishes Stage 4 first. Speeding's cars successfully complete the stage without using any spare tires, a positive outcome despite their performance not placing them at the top. Zhang Chi finishes, and Ye Gong congratulates him on preserving his tires.

After Stage 4, Wei Qianli is first, Hong Kuo surprisingly takes second (ahead of Zhang Chi), Zhang Chi is third, and Zhendong is fifth. Speeding did not consume tires in this stage, offering some relief for Zhang Chi but leaving Zhendong with no spares. That evening, Ye Gong continues to restrict his food intake despite Zhang Chi's insistence he eat.

He walks away, claiming to need to digest, but instead finds a beautiful view of the starry sky and calls the team to join him. Gathered together, they reflect on their journey and share their dreams. Zhang Chi contemplates whether he has achieved success and made his parents proud, having become a racer instead of an entrepreneur. Zhendong wonders if he has become a decent person.

Ye Gong asks Zhang Chi about his future self and shares his dream of visiting Rose Lake in Dakar someday, suggesting they could scout the route there. Meanwhile, Wei Qianli praises Hong Kuo's performance, particularly his second-place finish, which sets up the next tactical move. He instructs Hong Kuo to put gravel on the track in the next stage.

Wei Qianli explains this is a permissible tactic as long as it is framed as a driver error, emphasizing that Master's success comes from studying the rules. Hong Kuo understands and confirms he will prioritize the team's interests, specifically aiming to affect the Speeding drivers who start behind him. He asks if it will impact Zhendong, but Wei Qianli dismisses the concern, noting Zhendong's lower position. Wei Qianli assures Hong Kuo that he will officially be a Master racer next season if he executes the team's tactics in this race.

Episode 27 Recap

Today marked the fifth day of the Dakar Qualification Race and the second marathon stage. Wei Qianli from the Master team started first, maintaining his car's condition well despite two Speeding racers narrowing the gap yesterday. Hong Kuo, who was a dark horse and rose to second place yesterday by pushing his car hard, started second today.

Zhang Chi from the Speeding team was ready to start, hoping to leverage his aggressive driving style now that his tire count issue was resolved. He quickly narrowed the gap with Hong Kuo and then overtook him, closing in on Wei Qianli, now just five seconds behind. Wei Qianli, receiving updates, instructed Hong Kuo to execute their tactic: deliberately drive onto the trackside and bring gravel onto the road.

Commentators noted Hong Kuo's unusual driving, repeatedly veering off and kicking up gravel. Ji Xing suspected this was intentional, pointing out that Hong Kuo was the only driver using gravel tires and suggesting their strong performance yesterday was planned to secure a favorable starting position for this tactic. They believed Master was sacrificing Hong Kuo to target Speeding. Ji Xing marked the damaged sections on the GPS.

Weiyi wanted to complain to the committee, but was advised against it, as the tactic had already succeeded in delaying Speeding, even if Hong Kuo were disqualified. Zhang Chi was warned about the gravel track ahead. He noted it wasn't in the recce, suspecting foul play. His tires lost traction and suffered serious wear on the gravel. He decided to stop and change to gravel tires.

This stop cost them one minute and forty-five seconds, a significant loss in a tight race. More critically, they had to use tires intended for the final stage, leaving them with limited new tires for the next day. Wei Qianli was informed that the tactic against Zhang Chi worked. He praised Hong Kuo and told him to continue. Hong Kuo kept scattering gravel, effectively sacrificing his race result, pushing his car until it finally stopped, and he applied for withdrawal.

Weiyi confronted the Master pit, accusing them of using base and nasty methods, calling their behavior visible to fans worldwide. A voice over the intercom, presumably Wei Qianli, was heard praising his team for doing a good job. Master team members told Weiyi she was violating rules by being in their pit during the race. Zhang Chi, now one minute and forty-five seconds behind after changing tires, refused to drive conservatively.

He told his co-driver, Sun Yuqiang, to just inform him of the time gap, declaring he had his own strategy and intended to destroy his opponent, calling it a life-and-death showdown. He drove increasingly radically to make up time, pushing his car's engine hard. Despite warnings that the engine was alarming and wouldn't last, Zhang Chi was resolute. He asked Yuqiang if he would bet on the engine not blowing before they beat Wei Qianli, and Yuqiang agreed.

Zhang Chi's aggressive drive showed his peak competitive level, closing the gap with Wei Qianli significantly in the final kilometers. Yuqiang noticed the smell of something burning. In a dramatic finish, Zhang Chi completed the stage one second faster than Wei Qianli in total time for that section. However, pushing the car to its absolute limit meant his engine was now damaged beyond repair for the next stage. Lin Zhendong, starting later, also encountered the gravel tracks.

His co-driver, Ye Gong, suggested they could handle it by slowing down rather than changing tires due to their car's performance advantage. They passed the gravel section safely and were 55 seconds behind Wei Qianli, with instructions to accelerate and catch up. As they raced, Ye Gong, despite reporting pace notes, showed signs of distress.

He told Lin Zhendong he suspected he had myocardial ischemia and advised him to return to base and withdraw from the next marathon stage due to his health. Despite his weakening state, Ye Gong continued to guide Lin Zhendong. Lin Zhendong successfully caught up and won his stage. As Lin Zhendong celebrated, he called out to Ye Gong, but received no response.

He quickly pulled Ye Gong from the car, and teammates called out his name over the radio to no avail. Later, it was announced that Ye Gong, the Speeding Racing Team manager and co-driver, had passed away at a local hospital from sudden cardiac arrest due to excessive fatigue. The race committee suspended the competition for one day and initiated health checks for all participants. A memorial was held for Ye Gong.

Zhang Chi spoke, expressing his grief and promising Ye Gong they would win the championship and see him again in several decades. Xiaohe and other teammates cried, remembering Ye Gong's unwavering support, his habit of 'promising the moon,' and how he helped them financially and realized their racing dreams. Following Ye Gong's death, the team faced a crisis. Zhang Chi's engine was irreparable for the final stage, and Lin Zhendong was left without a co-driver and had limited tires.

Xiaohe suggested retiring, but Lin Zhendong strongly objected, refusing to give up as long as there was any chance. He offered all his remaining tires to Zhang Chi and declared he would race even without a co-driver, wanting Ye Gong's name to be associated with racing, not retirement. Other team members also expressed their commitment to continue.

During a strategy discussion, Lin Zhendong proposed consolidating their remaining resources onto one car, advocating for Zhang Chi to race the final sprint stage due to his experience, and even offered his own engine to be swapped into Zhang Chi's car. However, Zhang Chi disagreed, insisting Lin Zhendong should race. At this point, Yu Tai'ang approached and volunteered to be Lin Zhendong's co-driver. With Yu Tai'ang joining, the team decided Lin Zhendong would race the final stage.

Zhang Chi decided to race the final stage without a co-driver, wearing Ye Gong's helmet, to run one last race with him. He told Sun Yuqiang to stay back and rest. Despite his car's engine overheating, having abnormal oil pressure, and high water temperature, Zhang Chi refused to quit. He drove, performing skill moves like the pendulum turn, seemingly talking to Ye Gong, reminiscing and expressing his gratitude for their time together.

He told 'Ye Gong' he would protect Speeding and that they were heading to Dakar now. He promised to help Lin Zhendong complete the race and win. As Zhang Chi drove, commentators noticed he was performing a 'sweeping' action, clearing gravel and obstacles from the track for the car behind him. They explained sweeping as a tactic where the lead car sacrifices its race to clear the path for a following car, ensuring a perfect track condition.

Zhang Chi was sacrificing his own race for Lin Zhendong, a tactic he had refused to do for Master years ago. He called out to 'Ye Gong' that sections were cleared and told Lin Zhendong, "My first time sweeping. . . it's for you," calling him lucky. Zhang Chi's car, already damaged, began to slow down and eventually stopped on the track, his engine failing completely.

He was confirmed to have retired from the competition and his car was towed away, meaning he would not qualify for Dakar this year. Zhang Chi later watched from a hilltop, holding Ye Gong's helmet as Lin Zhendong's car flew past. Lin Zhendong, with Yu Tai'ang as his co-driver, raced on the track cleared by Zhang Chi. Yu Tai'ang delivered pace notes skillfully, adapting to Lin Zhendong's speed and the road conditions.

Lin Zhendong drove aggressively, combining techniques he had learned, including Zhang Chi's pendulum turn. He rapidly gained time, especially in the mountain section, closing the gap with Wei Qianli and overtaking other competitors. Yu Tai'ang noted the increasing temperature improved tire grip, allowing for later braking and faster acceleration. Lin Zhendong seized every opportunity, pushing hard in the remaining turns. Wei Qianli finished the stage first among the cars that had completed, setting the best time for the mountain section.

Lin Zhendong was informed he was still a few seconds behind Wei Qianli overall but had a strong chance. He pushed full speed towards the finish line, driven by the goal of taking Ye Gong to Dakar. Lin Zhendong crossed the finish line and won the Dakar Qualification Race championship, securing their team's place and fulfilling the promise made to Ye Gong. The team celebrated, emotional over their victory dedicated to their lost friend.

Episode 28 (Ending) Recap

A memorial service was held for Ye Gong, attended by members of the Speeding Racing Team, as well as Hong Kuo and Li Aoduo. While sorting through Ye Gong's belongings, Zhang Chi and Xiaohe looked at trophies and reflected on Ye Gong's significance. Zhang Chi felt that Ye Gong was his mentor, his "talent spotter," and that without him, he wouldn't have succeeded. He stated that with Ye Gong gone, the wall supporting the Speeding Racing Team had collapsed.

Xiaohe also realized Ye Gong's importance, feeling lost and unsure of what to do now that he was gone. A news broadcast announced that the FASC, to commemorate Ye Gong and all racers who died in the sport, had decided to add "Ye Gong Circuit" as a candidate name for a new circuit. The report noted that this name was currently the most popular choice, surpassing the original top candidate, "Master Circuit."

Zhendong received a message from Hong Kuo informing him that Wei Qianli was manipulating things behind the scenes to prevent the circuit from being named the Ye Gong Circuit. Unable to stand by, Zhendong went to the Master Racing Team headquarters with a loudspeaker, demanding Wei Qianli come out. He publicly challenged Wei Qianli, calling him a "scoundrel" for trying to profit from Ye Gong's death.

Zhendong proposed a bet: if Wei Qianli won, Zhendong would give up his long-desired Dakar qualification spot; if Wei Qianli lost, he would give up the circuit naming rights. Wei Qianli, referring to Zhendong's father Yu Tai'ang, accepted the challenge, proposing a Parking Lot Race in an isolated location. Zhendong agreed to the terms and location. That night, as Zhendong drove towards the parking lot for the race, Shen Xiting called him.

She confirmed the location of the race near Motor Town and warned him that someone from the Master Racing Team had reported it, and the police were on their way to the scene to arrest them for illegal racing. Shen Xiting stressed that while Wei Qianli was close to retirement and wouldn't suffer significant consequences, Zhendong risked losing his racing license and his chance to go to Dakar, which she felt Ye Gong would not have wanted him to miss.

Zhendong insisted that Ye Gong's final honor was more important than his chance at Dakar. Zhang Chi then intercepted Zhendong on the road. Zhang Chi took Ye Gong's car from Zhendong, telling him to leave it to him, and went to race Wei Qianli himself. Zhang Chi and Wei Qianli reached the top of the parking lot just as Shen Xiting and the police arrived. They were both apprehended.

As Zhang Chi was being led away, he called out to Wei Qianli, telling him to remember to give the name back to Ye Gong. Zhang Chi reflected that destiny seemed to be unfolding as originally planned, recalling his future self mentioning a five-year ban. However, in the end, he was banned for four years from racing for engaging in illegal activities with Wei Qianli. He wondered if this meant the future had slightly changed.

Despite the ban, he successfully secured the circuit naming rights for Ye Gong. The team later held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ye Gong Circuit, making it a grand and splendid occasion. Some team members felt the small "Superstar Ye" statue placed there didn't fully represent Ye Gong, but others noted it was something Ye liked, and it would stand there, watching the races, representing him.

The Speeding Racing Team members reminisced about their past, focusing on dreams and the days they struggled together. With Ye Gong's passing and Zhang Chi's ban, Zhendong and Ji Xing were left to pursue the Dakar dream. Yu Tai'ang also left. Zhendong, after holding onto his feelings for a long time, finally confronted his father. He questioned if Yu Tai'ang ever thought about him and his mother during his years of absence.

Yu Tai'ang admitted to being selfish, stating that his true destination was racing and the desert, specifically Dakar and Rose Lake. He claimed staying would have been even more selfish as it would have caused his wife more pain, and he needed to bear the consequences of his chosen path alone. Zhendong accused him of being extremely selfish, telling him that being his co-driver wasn't enough and that he owed his mother for life, suggesting his path should be redemption.

Wei Qianli retired in disappointment due to the illegal racing incident. The Master Group also underwent significant internal management changes. The new management decided to keep Hong Kuo, but he chose a different path. He publicly confessed to tampering with Zhang Chi's car the previous season and offered a sincere apology to Zhang Chi, Zhendong, and the entire Speeding Racing Team. Meanwhile, Officer Shen Xiting started a popular traffic safety show called "Tune into Traffic Rules."

With his mother's support, Zhendong established the Zhendong Racing Team, which the future Zhang Chi had described as invincible. Zhendong asked the Speeding Racing Team members if they forgave Hong Kuo, and they did, agreeing to his return to racing. However, they declined Zhendong's invitation to join his new team. Following the path fate seemed to have laid out, Zhang Chi opened a fried rice stall. Zhendong visited as his first customer and gave him a five-star review.

They had a humorous exchange as Zhendong tried to help Zhang Chi cook, commenting on the process, but ultimately agreed the fried rice tasted good. The "Three Knights of Rookies" also found new directions; one decided to return to Finland for further training, promising to improve and challenge Zhendong later. Zhendong also invited Li Aoduo and another driver to join his team.

When presented with the contract and seeing the team name "Zhendong Racing Team," Li Aoduo initially hesitated, seeing it as promoting personal heroism and stating they had other options. Their hesitation ended abruptly when they discovered the contract included a dedicated technician team specifically for them. Upon seeing this clause, they eagerly agreed to sign, with Li Aoduo carefully reviewing the details of his exclusive team.

Zhendong observed Zhang Chi gradually embodying the characteristics of his future self and realized that the troublesome future Zhang Chi who had appeared in his life might never exist in the same way. However, everything that future Zhang Chi left behind, including the lessons and shared experiences, remained and became a part of Zhendong. Five years later, in 2027, Zhang Chi decided to return to race in Bayanbulak, despite his future self's knowledge of the danger.

He explained to Zhendong that he wasn't trying to win but refused to lose, wanting to see if his fate in Bayanbulak could be altered. Before the race, Zhang Chi's car was damaged during transport when a stone hit the window, frustrating him and making him feel destiny was being stubborn. Zhendong arrived with Yu Qiang and Weiyi to assess the damage and offered his team and pit to help repair the car.

Xiaohe, noticing Zhendong was still single, inquired about his relationship status, noting that her child was almost in primary school while Zhendong hadn't started his own family, playfully urging him to hurry. During the race, Zhendong pushed himself to the limit, breaking his own record. However, Zhang Chi still surpassed him, driving intensely in his unique style. Zhendong watched, frustrated but knowing Zhang Chi's nature.

Zhang Chi crossed the finish line first, winning the race and achieving a better time than Zhendong. But the predicted accident occurred; his car was unable to stop as it headed towards a cliff. Just as he braced for the inevitable, his car was stopped by a cluster of trees. It was revealed that Zhendong had planted these trees five years earlier specifically to change Zhang Chi's fate at that exact location.

Zhang Chi was injured but safe and returned to the team, who celebrated his survival and victory by lifting him up. Zhendong felt he had completed his mission. Months later, Zhang Chi, who had been in a coma, suddenly removed his oxygen mask and woke up, much to the joyful surprise of everyone present. He recalled Zhendong's help and mentioned having a long dream. He vaguely remembered hearing about someone getting married.

Weiyi and Ji Xing immediately confirmed that they were together and getting married, surprising him. After being discharged from the hospital, Zhang Chi joined the Speeding Racing Team for a race and celebration together.