Chapter 228: Left In The Dust

The moment the command left my lips, May exploded off the starting blocks like a bullet fired from a barrel.

Her acceleration was instant and absolute. Within the first twenty meters, May was already a full stride ahead, her form flawless and effortless, her spikes digging into the track with terrifying power.

Winny’s eyes went wide with pure terror as May surged past her. "No... no, no, no!" Winny gasped through her teeth, her arms swinging frantically as she pushed her body to its absolute limit, trying desperately to close the gap. "I can’t lose! I’m the record holder! I can’t lose to you!"

Winny pushed until her lungs burned and her muscles screamed, but it was like trying to outrun a hurricane.

May didn’t slow down for a fraction of a second. She glided down the straightaway with unstoppable momentum, creating a massive, humiliating five-meter gap between them before tearing across the finish line.

The digital track overhead flashed brightly, locking in May’s time as she coasted to a smooth, relaxed stop.

Winny stumbled across the finish line seconds later, her legs completely giving out beneath her. She collapsed onto her knees on the track, gasping violently for air, her heart pounding against her ribs as her eyes locked onto the giant digital display above.

9.11 SECONDS

Winny’s jaw dropped. Her vision blurred with shock, all the color draining from her face as she stared at the impossible numbers on the board. A time that shattered her own 9.58-second world record into absolute dust.

May turned around casually, wiping a single bead of sweat from her forehead. She looked down at Winny kneeling on the track, her expression calm, cold, and entirely satisfied.

"Like I said..." May said softly, her voice carrying easily across the dead-silent stadium. "No coaches. No media. Just you and me."

Winny stared up at the giant digital display board, her hands clutching at the rubber track as her knees trembled violently.

"No... no, this is a lie!" she shrieked, her voice cracking and echoing hysterically through the empty stadium. "That’s impossible! That timer is hacked! It’s broken! Nobody on Earth can run a 9.11—you can’t be that fast! You’re a washed-up nobody!"

She scrambled onto her hands and knees, tears of pure denial and terror welling in her eyes as she glared at May. "You cheated! You used illegal gear! You paid off the timing system! There’s no way!"

May didn’t even flinch. She just stood there with her hands resting lightly on her hips, looking down at Winny like a tiger observing a noisy insect.

Ruby slowly walked up beside May, clapping her hands in slow, mock applause. "Oh, honey," Ruby cooed with a razor-sharp smirk. "The display isn’t broken. Your ego is. Accept it—you just got absolutely lapped."

Chloe stepped up next, holding a sleek digital diagnostic tablet connected directly to the Horizon Complex’s official server track sensors. She casually tilted the screen toward Winny.

"Calibrated laser timing, zero wind assist, verified biometric pressure plates," Chloe said in her cool, unflinching corporate tone. "The data is 100% official and tamper-proof, Winny. May didn’t just beat you—she erased your entire career’s benchmark in broad daylight."

Winny looked from the tablet to May, then over to me. The harsh reality settled into her chest like a block of ice. Her arrogant front was completely destroyed, leaving her shivering on the track floor, sobbing in total, private humiliation.

I walked over, standing beside May, and placed a comfortable hand on her waist.

"You’ve got a month until the official Grand Prix, Winny," I said calmly, looking down at her. "You can spend it crying on this track... or you can spend it trying to figure out how you’re going to survive getting humiliated in front of millions of live TV cameras."

May leaned into my side, looking down at her rival with absolute, serene satisfaction before turning her back on her.

"Come on, Ethan," May said softly, a brilliant smile breaking across her face. "I’m done here. Let’s go home."

We walked back out through the heavy grand exit doors of the Horizon Athletics Complex into the bright morning sun. Behind us, Winny remained slumped on the track, staring blankly at the ground in complete, hollow silence.

The crowd of secondary athletes and onlookers waiting near the gates immediately stirred as we emerged. They recognized May instantly, whispering among themselves with mixed reactions—some giving her cold, skeptical looks while others murmured about her past downfall.

Right as they spotted Winny trudging out several paces behind us, her head low and her face drained of all color, the crowd started hyping her up.

"Look, it’s Winny!" one guy shouted. "The real world champion!"

"Yeah! She’s the one who broke May’s old record! Show her how it’s done, Winny!" another athlete chimed in.

Normally, Winny would have lapped up every second of that praise, flashing her arrogant grin and throwing shots at May. But now, with those words ringing in her ears, she froze. She couldn’t bring herself to say a single word. Every compliment felt like a sharp slap to the face, making her feel like a complete imposter standing in the shadow of the girl who had just obliterated her in private.

May didn’t bother bragging, gesturing, or dropping hints to the crowd. Bragging to random onlookers was never our style—the 9.11-second clock spoke louder than any words ever could.

I opened the door for May, Chloe, and Ruby, stepping in after them as our driver smoothly pulled the sleek tinted car away from the curb, leaving Winny trapped in her own quiet nightmare.

Inside the quiet luxury of the back seat, May leaned back against the headrest, a long, satisfied breath slipping past her lips as she took my hand.

May squeezed my hand tight, leaning back into the leather seats with a radiant, confident grin. "That was incredible," she breathed out, her eyes shining with anticipation. "I can’t wait for the official Grand Prix now. I’m going to take that crown back in front of the entire world!"