The train driver in the courtyard

As the race drew near, the stands beside the track gradually became noisy.

Amidst sporadic shouts in Chinese and cheers in English, Li Aiguo vaguely heard someone calling his name.

Turning my head, I saw staff members sent by the foreign affairs department waving a small five-star red flag.

As he looked away, he happened to see Soichiro, the captain of the Ben Sweet Car Team, raising his fist at him.

Dier, what a smug one!
Li Aiguo turned his head away.

"See? This kid's scared." Soichiro laughed heartily.

The notebooks behind him also laughed.

"A bunch of peasants who have just cobbled together a motorcycle and dare to embarrass themselves on the international stage."

"Just wait, they won't even be able to see our taillights in a minute!"

"Ahem, everyone, keep a low profile. Let's just try to overtake them by one lap, that's all."

These people deliberately shouted in Chinese, trying to get every word into the ears of the Red Star convoy members.

Several young riders in the team instantly turned red-eyed, and one of them suddenly gripped the handlebars, about to get off the motorcycle to argue.

Li Aiguo glanced at him and said in a low voice, "You all stay put!"

"Captain, they've come to bully us, we can't just back down like cowards!" the driver said angrily.

Deputy Captain Zhou glanced at him and said, "Little Liu, listen to the captain. When has our captain ever let us suffer a loss?"

For the past few months, Lao Zhou has been living and eating with these team members.

At first, the team members felt that Lao Zhou was too old to be a race car driver, and some of them were unconvinced.

But Lao Zhou wasn't in a hurry. He not only set an example in training, but also helped the team members with any problems they had in their daily lives.

Over time, the team members came to understand why Lao Zhou was made the vice-captain.

After hearing Lao Zhou's words, the team members gradually quieted down, only staring angrily at the notebook.

Seeing that the Red Star team members had actually suppressed their anger, Soichiro's smile faded slightly.

Somewhat disappointed, he said to his teammates behind him, "Alright, stop wasting your breath on them, it's useless. We'll just crush them on the track later!"

The staff at the event center had long been aware of the feud between the two sides, but they were reluctant to cause trouble due to the approaching competition.

Only after confirming that the start time was approaching did he quickly step forward and ask, "Are both teams ready?"

“We are ready,” Soichiro said first.

The staff member then looked at Li Aiguo, who nodded and said, "Ready."

The staff then waved flags, signaling the drivers to move their cars to the starting line.

Soichiro twisted the throttle sharply, and the motorcycle roared toward the starting line.

The car left a trail of blinding dust as it completed a beautiful drift, drawing cheers from the audience.

The radio station accompanying the "Sweetheart Racing Team" immediately began broadcasting: "Sweetheart Racing Team Captain Soichiro is the first to arrive at the starting line! All the spectators cheered and paid tribute to Soichiro!"

Those who don't know the truth would think they've already won the championship.

Li Aiguo and the members of the Red Star team, following the rules, gently pushed the accelerator and rode past.

"Ready!" The event staff raised the flag.

Just as the flag was about to fall.

A figure suddenly rushed out from the side of the track, shouting as he ran, "I want to report! I'm reporting this Sweetheart Racing Team for cheating!"

These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly silencing the crowd as all eyes turned to that figure.

Soichiro's heart skipped a beat. He turned his head sharply, and his face turned deathly pale when he saw who it was.

That's right, that person was Kurokawa, whom he had fired.

Kurokawa was already under guard by Takeda's men, so how did he end up here?

Although Soichiro didn't understand the reason, he knew that he absolutely couldn't let Kurokawa say it.

He didn't care that the race was about to start, and jumped off his motorcycle to stop Kurokawa.

"Kurokawa! Are you crazy? Go back right now!"

Kurokawa didn't even glance at Soichiro, and ran straight towards the event staff.

Soichiro hurriedly gave a wink to the team members behind him, and several members of the Honshin team immediately jumped out of the car and rushed towards Kurokawa.

"Hey, what's going on? This is a competition venue. Are you bunch of little devils planning to start a fight?" A mocking voice rang out, and Li Aiguo had somehow appeared in front of them, arms crossed.

Li Aiguo made a move, and although the members of the Red Star team were not clear about the situation, they followed suit. Several members got out of their cars and blocked the way for the Bentian team.

"Li Aiguo, this is an internal matter of our Bentian team, it has nothing to do with you." Zong Yilang's face was ashen. He scolded the team members while giving them an even more urgent wink.

Li Aiguo scoffed and took half a step forward: "Internal affairs? What a joke! This is a racetrack, not your personal court for vigilante justice. If he wants to report cheating, that's a public matter concerning the fairness of the race, how can it not concern us?"

The members of the Red Star team also frowned and took a half step forward.

"Exactly! There are rules on the field. If you're trying to stop the whistleblower, you must have something to hide, right?"

Kurokawa took the opportunity to quicken his pace and headed straight for the event staff's work station.

"I have evidence! Our team tampered with the engine displacement, removed the counterweights before the race, and hid the auxiliary fuel tank—all of these are violations!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Soichiro was so anxious that he was sweating profusely. He could no longer maintain his composure and stepped forward to grab Kurokawa's arm.

He knew perfectly well that if Kurokawa's possession fell into the hands of the staff, the Bentian Racing Team would not only be finished with this race, but would also face a lifetime ban.

Li Aiguo reacted quickly, extending his foot to trip Zong Yilang, who stumbled and nearly fell to the ground.

"Want to make a move? You can't run wild here."

Seeing this, the members of the Bentian team also became enraged. Some grabbed tools from beside their cars, while others tried to rush into the human wall, causing chaos at the scene.

The race official in charge of giving the starting signal suddenly changed his expression, raised the red flag in his hand, and waved it vigorously a few times.

"Stop! Stop the game! Stop it immediately!"

The crowd in the stands erupted in a frenzy, with shouts and gasps filling the air.

The radio stations, which were predicting who would be the ultimate champion, immediately sent back live footage.

"This is the voice of San Dezi. A major incident has occurred at the Isle of Man TT! An insider from the Ben Sweet Racing team has reported that the team is cheating!"

"Dear listeners, former Isle of Man champion and captain of the Ben Sweets team, Soichiro, has been taken to the pit room by the race organizers for investigation!"

"The results of the investigation are still unclear, and it is uncertain whether today's match will proceed as scheduled."

"This is an Eastern conspiracy! They are wary of the strength of the Bentian Racing Team and are deliberately using tricks to interfere with the race!" The radio station accompanying the Bentian Racing Team immediately began to distort the truth.

Inside the pit lane, the race's mechanics had already removed the small motorcycle and located the added auxiliary fuel tank.

"We only added an auxiliary fuel tank, which doesn't violate any regulations." Soichiro's expression changed slightly, but he remained defiant.

The event staff were also unsure for the time being.

At that time, the rules of the Isle of Man TT were not yet fully detailed, and there was indeed no explicit clause prohibiting the installation of auxiliary fuel tanks.

Soichiro secretly breathed a sigh of relief and was about to continue speaking when he saw Li Aiguo step forward and open the auxiliary fuel tank.

"This isn't gasoline, is it? If I'm not mistaken, it's probably mixed nitromethane!"

The moment the words "mixed nitromethane" appeared, the room fell silent.

Mixed nitromethane is mainly used as rocket fuel, providing far more energy than gasoline in an instant, and its presence here speaks volumes.

The race organizers never expected that the Ben Sweet team would cheat right under their noses.

"Mr. Soichiro, what else do you have to explain?"

Zongyilang's face turned ashen. He wanted nothing more than to tear Li Aiguo apart, but he could only suppress his anger: "I don't know what happened. It was probably caused by a few individual drivers."

This is what shamelessness is.

Li Aiguo was too lazy to waste words with him, so he turned to the repairman next to him and said, "Sir, let me do it."

The repairman hesitated for a moment before handing the wrench to Li Aiguo.

Li Aiguo picked up a wrench and continued disassembling the car. He quickly pulled out a lead block from underneath, which had a magnet on it that could stick to the car body.

This thing is used to temporarily increase weight; it can be quickly removed before departure when no one is looking.

Soichiro's face turned green.

Li Aiguo picked up the hydraulic shears again and walked towards the vehicle. Seeing this, Zongyilang could no longer hold back.

"What are you going to do!"

"I'm not doing anything, I just want to cut up the car body," Li Aiguo said with a smile.

"You're bullying me!" For a race car driver, the car is life itself, yet Li Aiguo is going to destroy the car in front of Zong Yilang. This is an insult.

Li Aiguo ignored Zong Yilang and turned to look at the supervisor next to him.

The supervisor was now furious. He glared at Soichiro and said, "Mr. Soichiro, Li Aiguo is representing us to conduct a full inspection of your motorcycle. Please move aside!"

"You!" Soichiro almost ground his teeth to powder, but he had no choice but to take two steps back and watch helplessly as Li Aiguo ruthlessly cut open the oil tank.

The moment it was cut open, the expression on the face of the prosecutor next to him changed.

"The thickness of this fuel tank is not right."

"It's only 0.5 millimeters, the standard is 1 millimeter!"

"Well, the little notebook even tampered with this little thing."

Kurokawa's expression changed slightly when he saw this. He was usually only responsible for dangerous tasks such as adding mixed nitromethane to the auxiliary fuel tanks, and he was unaware that the fuel tanks had also been modified.

How did Li Aiguo know?
In fact, Li Aiguo was a seasoned motorcycle enthusiast who had studied the rules and tricks of various races in his spare time, so these cheating methods could not be hidden from him.

Don't underestimate the difference of a few kilograms. In top-level racing, a difference of milliseconds can determine the outcome. This advantage of a few kilograms is enough to determine who wins the championship.

The supervisor was shocked that someone could be so ruthless. But then, remembering how Xiaoben had won the championship for several years, he immediately understood.

He looked at Soichiro: "From this moment forward, the Ben Sweet Racing Team is disqualified from the competition! We will also establish a special investigation team to re-examine the results of the previous years' races!"

boom!
Upon hearing this, Soichiro felt a buzzing in his ears, his vision went black, and he almost fell to the ground.

He originally planned to give the Red Star team a good beating, but not only did he fail, his previous championships are also going to be revoked.

The media, who were waiting outside, heard this and immediately relayed the message back via radio.

"Dear listeners, we have some shocking news! Our Sweetheart Racing Team has been disqualified from the race due to cheating."

"The Isle of Man authorities also need to investigate events from several years ago."

Inside the courtyard, Uncle Er moved the radio out of his house early in the morning and placed it next to the pond.

As they listened to the announcer's report, everyone clenched their fists.

"This Sweetheart team is so naughty, they're actually playing tricks."

"What's so surprising about that? They've never had any bottom line!" "It has to be our patriotic brother who exposed the Sweet Car Team's conspiracy in front of everyone." Xu Damao's face was already flushed with excitement.

He wished he could be Li Aiguo right now, standing in the P-room on the Isle of Man.

At this moment, the situation inside the P room changed again.

No sooner had the official announcement of the cancellation of the Bentian team's participation than the Red Star team became the undisputed winner of the competition.

Just when everyone thought the storm was about to pass, Soichiro staggered up to Li Aiguo.
I challenge you! A one-on-one duel!

"Sorry, I have no interest in participating in a pointless competition."

The Red Star team has already won this competition, and Li Aiguo wouldn't cause any trouble at a time like this.

As he spoke, Li Aiguo turned and walked outside without even glancing at Zong Yilang.

Soichiro did not expect Li Aiguo to act unpredictably. Logically, since he had issued the challenge, Li Aiguo should have accepted it.

In that case, only by defeating Li Aiguo in the competition could there be any chance of turning the tide.

Soichiro immediately became anxious and looked at the tournament director, saying, "I'm applying to hold a free-for-all tournament at the last minute."

The event director was stunned.

The so-called "Great Brawl" has no vehicle restrictions and consists of six laps.

In the era before the Isle of Man TT was fully commercialized, the rules for these races were loose, with almost no restrictions, and their nature was almost indistinguishable from illegal street racing.

"Sir, the preparation for the brawl event takes time, and we haven't yet confirmed whether the Red Star team is willing to participate..."

The supervisor naturally saw through Soichiro's thoughts, but he also had his own ideas.

The current situation is like the Isle of Man hosting a banquet, with guests from all over the world gathering, but the grand finale "dish" has not been served.

To quell public anger and retain the audience, the only solution is to prepare an even more spectacular "feast".

Upon hearing this, Li Aiguo suddenly stopped in his tracks: "Great! I'll sign up for the free-for-all!"

Upon hearing this, Soichiro, who had just been looking worried, instantly became excited.

"a man of his words."

Representative Zhao and Zhou Ke were both startled and quickly stepped forward, looking at Li Aiguo with some concern: "Aiguo, there's no need for us to take any risks."

"Don't worry, I won't let myself affect the team's honor. This time I'm competing in my own name. Besides, without the test of the race, our Red Star team's victory won't be convincing to everyone."

He had long been determined to run the Red Star Racing Team for the long term, not only to promote motorsports, but also to make Red Star motorcycles famous throughout the world.

The best way to truly convince everyone is to let your performance speak for itself.

He has the confidence!

The old cat stood to the side, a knowing glint in its eyes.

Li Aiguo doesn't want certain people to leave the track so gracefully.

But he did not stop him. If he had followed the rules in everything, Li Aiguo would not have achieved what he has today.

The announcement of the free-for-all instantly ignited enthusiasm across the island.

In recent years, as the Isle of Man TT has become more formalized, there are very few Super Smash Bros. tournaments, and most of the participants are only second-rate.

In addition to Soichiro, seven or eight well-known drivers from countries such as New Zealand, Italy, and the United States are also participating in this competition, making it the highest-profile event in recent years.

After the message was broadcast on radio.

Motorcycle enthusiasts from abroad gathered in front of the radio.

Meanwhile, in the office of the head of the Qianmen Locomotive Depot, Head Xing slammed his hand on the table: "Patriotism, well done! Try to get that notebook down!"

As a veteran who had been on the battlefield, he knew better than anyone that true victory was always won in the midst of gunfire.

"Section Chief, should we also let the comrades in the section know?" a section leader asked.

"Here's what we'll do: immediately notify the education office to connect the loudspeaker to the radio and broadcast this chaotic brawl live."

"Yes!"

Upon receiving the news, the education department acted swiftly.

After noon, a clear sound came from the loudspeaker of the Qianmen Locomotive Depot.

"Hello everyone, this is a live broadcast of the Isle of Man TT Grand Melee. The participants are Comrade Li Aiguo from the Red Star Racing Team, Zong Yilang from the Bentian Racing Team, and John Bull from the same family."

At first, everyone found it a bit strange.

Wasn't Xiaobenzi disqualified for cheating?
But after understanding the rules of the free-for-all match, everyone's expression changed slightly.

Zhang Yazhi had just returned to the passenger transport workshop when she suddenly ran out: "Brother Patriot!"

Cao Wenzhi and Liu Qingquan also stopped at the station.

Everyone listened quietly to the broadcast, focusing on the race thousands of kilometers away.

On the track at this moment.

Several motorcycles were lined up in a row.

The event center director waved the flag.

"start!"

The moment the flag was lowered, the engines of more than a dozen motorcycles roared deafeningly at the same time.

Li Aiguo twisted the accelerator sharply with his right hand, and the Red Star 2R shot off like an arrow.

His starting speed was astonishing, and he instantly took the lead on the inside lane.

In the rearview mirror, Soichiro was driving the modified motorcycle of the Honshin team, relentlessly pursuing them. The circular patterns on the motorcycle were particularly dazzling in the sunlight.

"Screech—" Just as he entered the first bend, Soichiro attempted to use his vehicle's weight advantage to cut inside and overtake.

Li Aiguo had anticipated this, so he slightly lowered the car body, lightly squeezed the clutch with his left hand, and precisely shifted gears with his right foot. The Red Star Double R glided along the edge of the curve like a swimming fish, not only avoiding being overtaken but also widening the gap by half a car length.

"Damn it, this kid's driving skills are amazing!" Even though Zong Yilang wanted to devour Li Aiguo whole, he had to admit that Li Aiguo's driving skills were already superb.

"Bravo!" Cheers erupted from the stands beside the track.

Representative Zhao and Zhou Ke stood on the observation deck of Room P, their palms sweating profusely.

The competition on the track became increasingly fierce. Seeing that overtaking head-on was hopeless, Soichiro's eyes hardened, and he began to have wicked thoughts.

He deliberately slowed down by half a car length, following behind Li Aiguo on the right. Taking advantage of the gap when entering a straight section, he suddenly veered to the left, trying to squeeze Li Aiguo's driving space and force him off the track!

This scene was clearly seen by the spectators beside the track, and many people exclaimed in surprise.

Representative Zhao's expression changed drastically in the P room: "This little notebook is too despicable!"

Old Cat, puffing on his cigarette, said with a smile, "Old Zhao, haven't you realized yet? Li Aiguo deliberately slowed down."

Upon hearing this, Representative Zhao's expression changed slightly: "Yes, after Li Aiguo finished turning around, he could have accelerated and rushed out, but he didn't. Could it be..."

The old cat pointed at his finger and said, "It can't be said, it can't be said."

Representative Zhao looked at the radio announcers and reporters and quickly shut his mouth.

On the track, Li Aiguo had already caught a glimpse of Soichiro's subtle movements out of the corner of his eye.

Just as Soichiro's car was about to touch him, he suddenly released the accelerator, causing the car to jerk slightly.

Soichiro didn't expect him to slow down suddenly, and he couldn't control the momentum for a moment, causing the front of the car to surge forward instantly.

At this critical moment, Li Aiguo slammed on the accelerator again with his right hand. The Red Star Double R accelerated instantly like a cheetah breaking free from its restraints, speeding past the gap on Soichiro's left side and even lightly brushing the front of Soichiro's car with the rear of its car!

This process sounds complicated, but it only takes two or three seconds.

By the time Soichiro realized what was happening, the motorcycle had already lost its balance.

He frantically twisted the handlebars, trying to steady the bike, but the speed was too fast, and combined with the previous sudden acceleration, the bike flipped over to the side.

With a loud bang, the motorcycle crashed through the guardrail and flew off, its parts scattered all over the ground.

Soichiro was flung away like a rag doll, rolling on the ground more than a dozen times before falling motionless, his fate unknown.

The spectators by the track were stunned for a moment, then burst into thunderous cheers.

"Good job!"

"Red Star Racing Team is awesome!"

"This little notebook tried to harm people, but it got dealt with. That's satisfying!"

Thousands of kilometers away at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot, the commentator's excited voice blared from the loudspeakers: "Listeners! Zong Yilang attempted to maliciously squeeze Comrade Li Aiguo, but Comrade Li Aiguo skillfully deflected the attack! Zong Yilang has overturned and crashed off the track, disqualifying him from the race!"

A deafening cheer erupted instantly on the locomotive depot's yard.

Section Chief Xing clenched his fist violently, his eyes slightly red, and he was unable to speak.

Cao Wenzhi almost burst into tears, and Liu Qingquan quickly helped him up.

Zhang Yazhi clutched her chest and let out a long sigh of relief.

On the track, Li Aiguo did not slow down because of Zongyilang's elimination.

Some who had wicked ideas, seeing Soichiro's fate, have given up their schemes.

The onlookers were somewhat disappointed.

It was supposed to be a free-for-all, but what happened to that?
Why are you all being so well-behaved?!

However, it was certainly not lacking in excitement.

Especially the drivers from the John Bulls family, who have also won championships, are now making a full-fledged pursuit.

At the Qianmen Locomotive Depot, everyone was gathered around the loudspeaker, completely silent.

All that could be heard were the roar of motorcycles and the commentator's urgent voice from the loudspeaker: "The last lap! Comrade Li Aiguo and the John Bull's riders are engaged in the ultimate showdown! Now we enter the last corner, the key to determining the winner!"

Li Aiguo twisted the throttle sharply, and the engine of the Red Star Double R roared one last time, rushing towards the finish line like a red lightning bolt.

The spectators along the track erupted in deafening cheers, and red flags fluttered high in the crowd.

"Cross the finish line! Comrade Li Aiguo has crossed the finish line!"

The commentator's excited voice boomed through the loudspeaker to every corner of the Qianmen Locomotive Depot: "The Isle of Man TT Grand Melee! Comrade Li Aiguo has won the championship! This is the first championship won by a Chinese person on the Isle of Man TT track!"

Instantly, the Qianmen Locomotive Depot erupted in cheers!
Xing Duan was overcome with tears.

Zhang Yazhi could no longer hold back her tears, which welled up in her eyes: "We won, Brother Aiguo won..."

Cao Wenzhi and Liu Qingquan embraced each other.

Other locomotive depot employees also waved their hats and towels, and cheers and shouts rose and fell, echoing through the sky.

On the flagpole next to them, red flags fluttered in the wind, just as bright as the flags on the field.

(End of this chapter)