Champion's Bearing

"Seriously? You won't even go if someone's treating you to a massage?"

Du Wei was astonished to see Huang Chong politely decline his invitation.

Mindful of the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd around them, he deliberately lowered his voice, looking sneaky as he rode back toward the bike shop, then continued:

"You've really changed, Old Huang. Is being a professional rider really that appealing? It's like you've become a completely different person."

"Of course!"

Huang Chong rode back with him. He was good at going along with what others said, so he immediately put on a righteous expression and declared:

"If I'm going to become a professional rider, I naturally have to be disciplined. Otherwise, with so many road cyclists in the world, why would I be the one pedaling my way to world number one?"

"Pfft—Old Huang, I'm not trying to pick a fight. I support your dream, but isn't talking about world number one a little premature? First become number one in the country—no, first become number one in Hangzhou, okay?"

Du Wei laughed helplessly. His friend's lofty ambitions felt far too distant.

However, Huang Chong merely smiled and offered no rebuttal.

After returning to the bike shop, Huang Chong sat down to rest and drink some water, silently saying to himself:

"End task!"

[Congratulations! You completed a total of 40 KM of follow riding, exceeding the task requirement by four times the distance. Reward doubled.]

[Rewards obtained: 8 Beginner Optimization Points, Fast-acting Recovery Energy Bar ×4]

[Fast-acting Recovery Energy Bar: When consumed during cycling, this item instantly replenishes all energy needed by the host. It not only raises blood sugar levels, but also relieves exercise fatigue.]

[Note: All medicines provided by this system are purely natural, pollution-free products with no side effects. They will also not cause the host to test positive for banned substances by anti-doping agencies.]

Seeing that the system had doubled his reward, Huang Chong thought that it was just as expected.

In certain specific tasks, exceeding the requirements could double the rewards.

However, getting such tasks depended on luck. He could not choose them himself.

"Fast-acting Recovery Energy Bar. It can instantly give me all the energy I need—"

"All medicines have no side effects and won't test positive for banned doping substances. That's way too user-friendly!"

"As expected of System Daddy. Everything it gives me is good stuff!"

The more Huang Chong looked, the more excited he became.

In his previous life, he had cycled for three years. Whether he was competing in amateur races or training normally, he would buy electrolyte drinks, energy gels, salt tablets, and the like whenever he went on long rides. He knew well that riders could not do without these supplementary foods.

But those things sold online were absolutely incomparable in effectiveness to the support medicines provided by the system.

He had already tried the Beginner Training Recovery Energy Gel and knew how powerful it was, so he did not plan to test this newly acquired Fast-acting Recovery Energy Bar and waste it unnecessarily.

After all, it was a consumable that could only provide a temporary boost, not a miraculous medicine like the Heart-Lung Strengthening Pill that could permanently improve the body. Naturally, he would not waste it for no reason.

Besides the new medicine, he had also gained 8 Beginner Optimization Points. Adding the 4 points he had not used before, he now had 12 points in total.

There was no need to save Beginner Optimization Points for long, so he took a Beginner Training Recovery Energy Gel from the storage space and swallowed it while silently saying:

"Add all my Beginner Optimization Points to my Functional Threshold Power!"

[Points successfully added! Your Functional Threshold Power has increased by 12 points. Current value: 185W.]

The number was different from what he had expected, but Huang Chong was not surprised in the slightest.

Obviously, aside from being increased through the system's optimization points, his Functional Threshold Power could also improve through regular training.

Those extra 3W had come from the natural gains he had achieved through training.

"At this rate, becoming number one in Hangzhou shouldn't take long!"

Feeling the renewed strengthening in his thighs and body after using the optimization points, Huang Chong could not help glancing at Du Wei, who was drinking an ice-cold Coke to quench his thirst nearby.

How could Du Wei have known that, in the instant he drank that Coke, Huang Chong's Functional Threshold Power had already caught up to the results of an entire year of his training?

"Life with cheats really is awesome. Old Du, Old Du, next time we ride, I'll blow you right off the back. I wonder how you'll feel then?"

Thinking of that, Huang Chong could not help secretly reveling in it.

After resting briefly at the bike shop, he and Du Wei went home to wash up.

Since Huang Chong was not going for a foot bath and massage, Du Wei struggled with the decision for a while before ultimately deciding not to go enjoy it alone either.

These things were more fun when done together.

Enjoying it alone was nowhere near as good as enjoying it with others!

After showering, Huang Chong did not rush to make himself a fat-loss meal. Instead, while still on an empty stomach, he stepped onto the electronic scale to check his weight.

"Old Huang, isn't this a little much? It's only been one day of dieting. What could possibly have changed? You're way too impatient!"

After showering, Du Wei sprawled lazily across the sofa, using a toothpick to eat chilled watermelon.

Seeing Huang Chong act like a woman, weighing himself once in the morning and once at night, he could not help wearing a mocking expression like a melon shop owner.

Huang Chong carefully checked the number on the scale, then looked at his system panel. Seeing that the figures matched exactly, he relaxed slightly.

He turned to look at Du Wei, who before long would become potbellied and greasy, and grinned.

"Old Du, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I lost 2 KG!"

"What? You lost 2 KG in one day? Bullshit. You'd have to go get liposuction at a cosmetic surgery hospital for that!"

"It's true. Look for yourself if you don't believe me. I was 75 KG when I weighed myself yesterday, and now I'm 73 KG!"

"Fuck, it's actually true?"

Holding a fruit platter, Du Wei stared at the undeniable 73 KG on the electronic scale in dumbfounded shock.

"So eating this grass really works that well for weight loss? Then why has Wu Fang been going on about losing weight for almost a year without even dropping half a kilo?"

Wu Fang was Du Wei's girlfriend and their university classmate. Her family was well-off, naturally. After all, business families in Zhejiang Province tended to be quite traditional and practical in the older generation's thinking, placing great importance on social and financial parity in marriage.

Huang Chong chuckled, too lazy to expose Wu Fang's pointless dieting method of doing aerobics while greedily snacking. Instead, he made himself a fat-loss meal, then ate dinner while casting his phone screen and starting the Tour de France livestream.

Just as he had expected, 2022 Tour de France Stage 12 had not yet ended, and the camera had just focused on an Ineos rider attacking on the descent: Pidcock.

"My god, who is this guy? Those corners are so smooth!"

"Damn, he's descending at 105 KM/H? Am I seeing this right? He's faster than I am on a motorcycle!"

"Who did he just pass? Was that four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome? I'm stunned. Compared to this guy, Froome corners like an amateur—"

"Holy shit, he's peeing while riding after coming off the descent? That's insane!"

"The atmosphere at the Tour de France really is incredible. Look at him—he's about to win, and the fans lining both sides of the road are packed like a sea of people, all celebrating wildly for him. I really have to see a mountaintop finish in person someday and experience this blood-pumping atmosphere."

"Bro, I think I understand a little now why you want to become a professional rider. If you could win the Tour de France like this guy, even if it was only one stage, your life wouldn't have been lived in vain!"

"Too bad Pogačar completely took it easy in this stage!"

Du Wei was always endlessly chatty when watching competitive sports, seemingly forever overflowing with passion.

Compared to him, Huang Chong was much calmer.

Still, although he had long known the result, watching Pidcock's godlike descent breakaway victory again, followed by the sight of him crying with joy, still made Huang Chong's blood boil.

This was undoubtedly one of the reasons he wanted to become a professional rider.

After all, this stage victory was simply too special. It could absolutely be called a model example of winning a championship on the edge of a blade.

Moreover, Huang Chong knew that this stage win would not only become the most glorious victory of Pidcock's career, but also bring him an annual salary of several million euros afterward.

"Old Du, you'll definitely get the chance to see it in person!"

Huang Chong smiled, but his eyes were exceptionally serious as he spoke.

"What do you mean?"

Du Wei asked instinctively. He was still immersed in Pidcock's miraculous victory, and his excitement refused to settle for a long time.

Luckily, he had not gone to get a massage from one of the girls tonight. Otherwise, missing such an incredible race would have been far too regrettable.

"It means that when I race in the Tour de France, you can take Wu Fang to the mountaintop finish at Beauty Girl Heights or Wind-Bald Mountain and wait for me there. Then won't you be able to witness my Tour de France-winning glory firsthand?"

Du Wei froze when he heard that. He unconsciously gave a thumbs-up, yet unusually chose to remain silent.

Honestly, winning the Tour de France was far too difficult.

Especially after seeing tonight's race.

Forget wearing the overall champion's Yellow Jersey—even winning just one of the twenty-one stages was already as difficult as climbing to the heavens!

Could his classmate really do it?

Well, first he would have to break out of Asia and successfully join one of the eighteen UCI WorldTour teams.

They were still worlds apart!