Free Web NovelChapter 261: Chapter 261: The Surprising First Place
"Hey, Bin, I guess it just couldn’t bear to part with you," Xu Ye said, his tone thick with envy. He completely ignored the rule about not talking while running.
Shen Yibin slowed slightly to run alongside Hah’Er. "What are you two doing here? We could get separated in a crowd this big! ... Ah, forget it. I’ll stop running and take you two home."
"GROWL..." Hah’Er hadn’t even answered, but Shi Gaofei was already displeased. It was usually the one taking Shen Yibin for a run around the lake; when had it ever let someone get ahead of it? It was instantly annoyed. And when Pingtou’s temper flared, nothing could hold it back. With a burst of speed, Shi Gaofei shot forward, dragging Hah’Er along as it flew past Shen Yibin, chasing after the lead pack.
"Hey! Wait for me! I thought we were stopping!" How could Shen Yibin let them run wild like that? He had no choice but to give chase.
"What do you think you’re doing?! I can’t keep up at this speed!" Shen Yibin’s stamina and endurance had improved significantly thanks to Shi Gaofei dragging him out to train every day. Xu Ye, however, was no match for him. After just a kilometer or two, he couldn’t keep up anymore. He was forced to slow down, watching the trio disappear into the distance.
Shen Yibin and Xu Ye had originally been in the second pack of runners. The first pack was composed of contestants with prior professional training. They might not have specialized in long-distance, but their stamina, endurance, technique, and breathing control were all a cut above the amateurs, allowing them to easily secure the front positions.
But as they ran, they began to feel that something was off. ’Why are the spectators on the roadside giving us such strange looks?’ Before they could dwell on it, they heard an odd sound from behind. A quick glance back revealed a black-and-white animal of some unknown species pulling a panda, rapidly closing in on them. It looked like they would be running neck and neck in no time.
’Isn’t that the panda that hit the gong to start the race? It hit the gong, then had to get ready... It must have started at least a minute behind us. And it’s still catching up? If we actually get passed by an animal, what was the point of all our years of training?’ Unwilling to lose to Hah’Er and its companion, they immediately picked up the pace, surging forward and instantly widening the gap once more.
Shen Yibin was already using every ounce of his strength just to keep up with Shi Gaofei and Hah’Er. He didn’t have the breath to speak, let alone try to persuade them to stop.
Just as it was about to catch its rivals, they suddenly sped up. A normal athlete might have had their rhythm thrown off by such a move, but Shi Gaofei couldn’t care less. It was now dead set on one thing: catching and overtaking them. So, it accelerated too. The WHIRRRR of the skateboard wheels grew more frantic.
’Damn, so our training runs by the lake were nowhere near your limit!’ Shen Yibin wanted to cry but had no tears. He could only snatch a bottle of water from a station on the side of the road, pour half over his head to cool down, and then chug a few mouthfuls before continuing the desperate chase. ’Please, you two, don’t get lost!’
Even though it was only a half marathon, the 21.0975-kilometer course was a tremendous test of stamina and endurance. By the ten-kilometer mark, some runners were already starting to fall away from the lead pack. Shi Gaofei, pulling Hah’Er, shot past them without a shred of mercy. The stragglers could only stare at each other in disbelief. ’Are we really running a marathon with a panda?’
Shen Yibin had no strength left to speak. He could only purse his lips and doggedly follow them. Gradually, he caught up to the tail end of the lead pack. ’Before the race, I just wanted to finish safely with Xu Ye. I never thought I’d actually have a shot at a decent place. I guess all that torture from Shi Gaofei paid off after all.’
’Past the halfway point already? This pace feels a lot better than my previous races. It looks like I might not just win, but I could even set a new personal best!’ Seeing the distance marker by the road, the top runners felt a surge of energy return. Their feet felt lighter, and spurred on by the prospect of breaking their personal limits, they picked up their pace once again.
Shi Gaofei kept its eyes glued on the runners ahead, panting, HUFF, HUFF, as it continued the chase. Hah’Er, however, stood steadily on the skateboard, enjoying the refreshing headwind. It was so pleasant, Hah’Er was on the verge of humming. Spectators on both sides of the road scrambled to pull out their phones, cameras, and tablets to record the incredible scene. ’If next year’s marathon is this interesting, I’m definitely coming back!’
In the helicopter overhead, the camera crews also trained their lenses on the duo. This was a fantastic opportunity to promote Yunzhong City. And just like that, via satellite, footage of Hah’Er cruising through the beautiful scenery of Yunzhong was broadcast across the entire nation.
’Huh? What in the world is going on?’ As they continued to run, the frontrunners of the lead pack felt something was off again. ’The crowd’s attention should be on us, right? So why is everyone looking past us? Did a celebrity show up for the race? But we didn’t see anyone at the start...’
Their confusion didn’t last long. They suddenly heard the WHIRRR of wheels from behind. A black-and-white shadow shot past them—WHOOSH!—followed by a panda on a skateboard that also overtook them and kept going. The appearance of Hah’Er and Shi Gaofei nearly caused a disaster. It completely threw off the lead pack’s breathing rhythm. Fortunately, these were seasoned professionals who quickly adjusted their breathing to avoid any serious incidents.
Still, their pace faltered. Shen Yibin seized the opportunity to pass them, continuing his pursuit of Shi Gaofei and Hah’Er. At that moment, his world had narrowed to nothing but those two black-and-white figures ahead.
After running for some time, Shen Yibin felt that something was strange. There were no other runners beside him, and ahead, he could only see Shi Gaofei and Hah’Er. ’Wait, did we leave everyone else behind?’
His rapidly depleting energy left him no time for further thought. He just kept his head down and charged forward. After running for who-knows-how-long, he saw a red ribbon stretched across the road up ahead. He had reached the finish line. free𝑤ebnovel.com
WHOOSH! Shi Gaofei zipped right under the finish line tape. Hah’Er was lying flat on the skateboard, also too low to touch it. And so, Shen Yibin became the first "runner" to break the tape.
He jogged a few more steps before gradually coming to a halt. Ignoring the race officials who were rushing over to congratulate him, Shen Yibin had only one thought on his mind. ’So... am I in first place or third?’
