Big Shot's Teaching, Sudden Enlightenment

[Someone has recommended mountain biking techniques to the host. Please learn the basic bike-handling skill [Front-Wheel Lift] to improve your bike-handling ability. Reward: 2 Basic Optimization Points, Specialized Bike-Handling Skill Optimization Value +2, Fast-Acting Trauma Healing Ointment ×1]

[Fast-Acting Trauma Healing Ointment: When using this ointment, external injuries caused by crashing can be healed quickly. It also provides pain relief and will not leave scars on wounds.]

"Hmm? Specialized Bike-Handling Skill Optimization Value?"

Seeing the new mission reward, Huang Chong's first reaction was not to focus on the newly appeared healing ointment, but on that specialized stat that could also be increased by 2 points.

"So it seems the system has separate optimization values for improving each of my other weaknesses?

Rather than, as I initially thought, using only Basic Optimization Points to gradually improve every weakness?"

There was no doubt that this discovery thrilled him.

Although the system could continuously refresh missions based on its detection of different environments, the base amount of Basic Optimization Points it gave was simply too little.

Each mission started at only 2 points.

The reason his FTP power had improved so quickly so far was because he had repeatedly overfulfilled missions to obtain doubled rewards, then put every single Basic Optimization Point into power.

But if every weakness had to be improved with Basic Optimization Points, how long would it take him to optimize all his shortcomings to the level of a professional rider?

At least by his own estimation, it was definitely impossible in the short term.

But now that Specialized Optimization Values had appeared, his confidence immediately soared.

It was like suddenly putting the process that had once improved only slowly into fast-forward.

So, Huang Chong swallowed the polite response that had already reached his lips, reorganized his words in his head, then smiled at Li Zifan.

"You're right, Young Master Li. Although I usually spend more of my riding time on road bikes, I'm just as interested in mountain bikes.

But as you know, China's road infrastructure is simply too good these days, which has actually limited mountain biking.

Sometimes, you might come across an unpaved bad road in the countryside, but when you return a week or two later, it has turned into a concrete or asphalt road.

And mountain bikes are difficult to pick up. It's hard to meet a true expert in everyday life, so even if you want to learn the skills, there's nowhere to learn them.

I wonder if you could teach me some basic mountain bike moves, such as a Front-Wheel Lift, so I can test whether I have any talent for mountain biking?"

Li Zifan had been sent by his parents to study in the United States starting from middle school.

Mountain biking was extremely popular over there.

There were countless events such as Red Bull mountain cross-country races, forest trail downhill races, and alpine downhill races.

Back in middle school, he had fallen in love with this highly watchable outdoor sport after being influenced by classmates who rode mountain bikes.

After years of training, he had even stood on the podium in some smaller mountain bike competitions abroad. His skills were already quite impressive.

Now that he heard Huang Chong wanted to get into mountain biking, Li Zifan, who had always been cheerful and generous, naturally did not put on airs.

Besides, in China, whenever he tried to find fellow enthusiasts to ride mountain bikes with, most of his friends felt the skills were too difficult to master and eventually switched to road bikes instead. It had annoyed him greatly.

Now that someone finally wanted to learn mountain biking voluntarily, he was practically overjoyed. He agreed on the spot and said readily,

"No problem. The fact that you're interested in getting into mountain biking shows you have great taste.

It's only right for me to teach you some beginner techniques and help you get started quickly.

Let's head outside now. I'll first teach you a full set of basic beginner moves. Practice them slowly whenever you have time.

Once your skills are polished enough, I'll take you downhill mountain biking, or we can go ride stair descents in the mountain city.

That city has huge elevation changes and plenty of long staircases. It's perfect for mountain biking!"

Naturally, Huang Chong did not take those last words seriously.

Downhill mountain biking was highly dangerous. It was not as if he had never watched downhill mountain bike races online.

He was learning bike-handling skills only to gain an extra measure of safety in road bike races.

As for deliberately seeking thrills on a mountain bike and treating it like an extreme sport, he would pass.

"Great. Then I'd better record it on my phone.

When you demonstrate the moves later, Young Master Li, remember to explain the key points to me. That'll improve my learning efficiency.

My aptitude is fairly average. If I only watch the movements, I'm afraid I'll learn too slowly!"

"No problem, bro!"

Li Zifan habitually made an OK gesture.

He then went with Huang Chong to the open space outside the bike shop. After mounting his bike, he immediately demonstrated the [Front-Wheel Lift] Huang Chong had specifically requested, then began explaining.

"Did you see that clearly? The key to a Front-Wheel Lift isn't using your arms to pull up the handlebars. It's shifting your center of gravity backward quickly as you pull the bars.

For example, your hips need to move from above the saddle to above the rear wheel. Only then can you lift the entire front end.

Otherwise, if your center of gravity stays over the saddle, you'll only be able to lift the front wheel a little!

Of course, before practicing this move, you first need to overcome your fear of crashing.

That's why I had you start practicing on a BMX bike. Those bikes are small, like children's bikes. Even if you fall, nothing will happen."

Professional instruction really hit the nail on the head, concise and to the point.

When Huang Chong had first learned to ride, he would sometimes encounter steps and be too lazy to get off and push. He would rely on an instant burst of strength to lift the front wheel onto the step, then use his pedaling power to force the rear wheel up after it.

Without a doubt, just as Li Zifan had said, Huang Chong's way of lifting the front wheel could only raise it a little, at most a dozen centimeters or so.

Now that he had received Li Zifan's instruction, he finally understood that a Front-Wheel Lift relied on shifting his center of gravity backward, not pulling on the handlebars.

Highly skilled riders could even keep the front wheel lifted and ride using only the rear wheel, which was known as a Manual.

It had to be said that when an expert personally demonstrated the movements and explained the key points, even difficult mountain bike techniques seemed to become simple.

At least in his mind, Huang Chong felt that everything had suddenly clicked. He had completely learned it.

Afterward, Li Zifan also taught him how to Track Stand, Rear-Wheel Lift, Bunny Hop, Dolphin Jump, and Jumping a Feature.

In the end, he taught Huang Chong outside the bike shop for over an hour. Only after they were drenched in sweat did the lesson finally end.

However, after Li Zifan left, Huang Chong began training the Front-Wheel Lift according to the recorded video. Though he believed he had already grasped the technical essentials, he failed more than a hundred times before finally managing to lift the front wheel of the BMX bike.

[Congratulations! You have successfully learned the mountain bike-handling technique [Front-Wheel Lift].]

[Reward obtained: 2 Basic Optimization Points, Specialized Bike-Handling Skill Optimization Value +2, Fast-Acting Trauma Healing Ointment ×1]

[Note: The first time you complete [Front-Wheel Lift] on a road bike, you will receive an additional 5 Specialized Bike-Handling Skill Optimization Values.]