Pegasus Episode 15 Recap
> Pegasus 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.
