Chapter 39 - 3: Discrimination

Chapter 39: Chapter 3: Discrimination

A new lap time popped up on the live leaderboard, but most people paid it no attention.

A few people noticed the suffix next to the completed lap: 60mini. They glanced at the chaos on the track, then at the lap time, and back at the crowded course.

Some people realized that either a champion was down here slumming it and crushing newbies, or the car model was reported incorrectly.

After completing the first lap, Wu Shi didn’t let up. He was ready to fly through the second, since his tires were now perfectly warm.

"Raul, he broke into the 1:18s. Do you remember what last year’s pole position time was for the Mini class here?" Sid said.

"Of course I remember. That 1:18.339 of his would put him outside the top fifteen," Raul stated bluntly.

"No! You’re missing the point! You know as well as I do that he’d be even faster if he weren’t held up by slower karts. Breaking into the 1:17s wouldn’t be out of the question!" Sid retorted.

"Hmph." Raul just scoffed and said nothing.

"..."

"Sid, a word," Martina said.

"Alright."

The two of them stepped aside.

"Thank you for the introduction, but it’s clear your boss doesn’t want someone from Hua Country on his team. You don’t need to argue with him any further," Martina began.

"No, you don’t understand. Wu Shi’s talent is incredible. I’m telling you, I’ve been in this business for years, and he’s one of the few true geniuses I’ve ever seen. If he can keep developing that talent... do you have any idea where he could end up?" Sid said, his voice filled with excitement.

He often traveled to Hua Country and knew the motorsport conditions there were poor, so he was inclined to believe what Martina had told him: that the kid had only been karting for a year.

’To reach this level after only a year... if that’s not a genius, what is?’

’And look at his performance today! Good heavens, it’s his first time in an unfamiliar kart, on an unfamiliar track, and he’s already putting down qualifying-pace lap times!’

’I can’t let this kid slip away. I have to make Raul see his mistake, make him seize this opportunity!’

Martina took a deep breath but said no more. She returned to watch the race. Seeing her daughter staring blankly at the track, she asked, "Louise, you’ve practiced here for quite a while. What’s your best time?"

Louise snapped out of it, her face flushing as she mumbled, "A 1:19... no, I mean, I can occasionally break into the 1:19s."

"Wu Shi is incredible," Martina commented upon hearing this.

"Mhm!" Louise agreed wholeheartedly. Even though all the drivers on the track wore racing suits and helmets, she felt as if she could pick his figure out of the crowd in an instant.

As they stood in silence, Wu Shi crossed the finish line once more.

1:17.984.

Now, the group fell even more silent.

While the group upstairs remained silent, mired in their disagreement, a middle-aged man with a thick beard and hair in the pit lane stood stunned for a few seconds. The moment he saw that kart pull into the paddock, he rushed forward.

Wu Shi climbed out of the kart. ’Yep, that’s the familiar feeling.’

He took off his helmet. He didn’t see Aunt Martina and figured she was still upstairs. Not thinking much of it, he started to head up to ask how things went.

"Hey!"

The sudden appearance of the bushy-bearded middle-aged man made Wu Shi jump back in fright.

’Holy shit, man! With a look like that, anyone would think you’re some kind of wild man from the jungle!’

"Hey, kid, do you understand Italian?" (In Italian)

"You must understand English, right?" (In English)

The man fired off the two questions in quick succession, his impatience obvious.

Wu Shi instinctively covered his rear. He’d heard plenty of people in Europe had certain... preferences, and the man before him didn’t exactly look reputable. He took a few steps back without saying a word.

"Oh! Hello! Sorry if I startled you. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Seth Verilic, the team principal for C.D Speed Team." As he spoke, the man offered a business card.

"Hello," Wu Shi said, accepting the card.

"Interested in joining our team?" Seth asked.

"I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t answer that right now. My mother is upstairs speaking with the Laya Team about this very matter," Wu Shi said, shaking his head.

"Laya, huh," Seth sighed. "They haven’t been performing well these past few years, but a legacy team still has deep foundations. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse."

"But, sir, could I learn a little about C.D Speed Team first?" Wu Shi asked.

"Of course! The team was founded three years ago by my brother, C.D. He earned a great many honors in the world of Superkarting, so when he established the team, plenty of drivers flocked to join."

"Tragically, he passed away from a heart attack last year, and the team was passed on to me. Right now, we have twelve drivers across all classes and eighteen experienced technicians..."

’Seth gave a brief overview of the team. From the sound of it, it was just a small team, barely breaking even.’

"Thank you for the introduction. If I may be so bold, what would my position on the team be if I were to join?" Wu Shi asked, his tone surprisingly assertive.

Seth listened, realizing this kid—who barely came up to his waist—was far more mature than others his age. He didn’t answer right away, knowing his response could sway Wu Shi’s decision.

’He had no idea how Martina’s talks with the Laya Team were going, but he knew Wu Shi’s talent was exceptional. Surely the Laya Team wouldn’t pass up on a driver like him.’

’Considering what Wu Shi had just asked, the kid obviously felt that in a large, established team like Laya, he’d have little say and wouldn’t get the treatment he deserved. That must be why he’s asking.’

’If I offer him good enough terms, could I win him over?’

’Of course, this all hinged on one question: was Wu Shi worth paying a high price to recruit?’

He hesitated on the question for a moment, then gritted his teeth and decided to take the gamble.

’The team’s current drivers in the Mini class are mediocre at best. If we don’t start developing our own talent in this class now, we’ll have a pipeline problem in a few years, with no top drivers for the higher classes.’

’For a team, a lack of top-tier drivers means less exposure, which in turn affects sponsorships, attracting new trainees... everything that relates to revenue.’

"I can guarantee that you will be the number-one driver for our Mini class. Our resources will be prioritized for you. Furthermore, we can stipulate in the contract that if your performance is outstanding, we will continue to treat you as our core driver and focus our resources on you as you advance to higher-level series," Seth said.

"Thank you for your answer, sir. I believe that’s what I’m looking for, but I’ll need to discuss it with my mother."

Wu Shi had barely finished speaking when he saw Martina and the others coming down the stairs.

"Wu Shi, is everything alright?" Martina asked. She had waited for him upstairs for a long time and had come looking for him, a little worried.

"Yes. I met a very sincere gentleman who wants to invite me to join his team." Wu Shi glanced at Sid. The rest of the Laya Team personnel hadn’t come down, which clearly meant they weren’t satisfied with him.

’Was I too slow?’

’No, I trust my skills.’

’It wasn’t my skills they were unhappy with. It was my race.’

’Prejudice always exists. Even when you prove your worth, arrogant people won’t change their minds.’