Chapter 120: Bet on Yourself

As Hua Tianyu and Che Peiqing were speaking, the others gradually gathered around, with Tian Li pulling Bei Zhenping along.

"Brother Tian! I knew you could win!" Tian Li’s trust in Hua Tianyu was absolute; no matter what happened, she believed in him implicitly.

Hua Tianyu nodded slightly, glanced at the aggrieved-looking Bei Zhenping, and asked, "What’s wrong with him?"

Tian Li, prompted by Hua Tianyu, looked slightly embarrassed. "Nothing much, he’s just afraid the three million will fly away."

Bei Zhenping offered a bitter smile. "Brother Tian, it really won’t. But the rules dictate a twenty-four-hour processing period; I hope you can be understanding!"

"Twenty-four hours?" Hua Tianyu, unfamiliar with the inner workings of such betting syndicates, was skeptical.

"Yes, it takes twenty-four hours to cash out!"

Hua Tianyu’s doubt was quickly addressed, though he was surprised to find that it was Che Peiqing who provided the answer.

"Oh?" Hua Tianyu looked at Che Peiqing with interest. He hadn't expected Che Peiqing to speak up for someone else at a time like this.

"Let him go. Whether winning or losing, the Jiyun Betting Company has an excellent reputation. I will personally guarantee this," Che Peiqing said, noticing that Tian Li was still holding onto Bei Zhenping.

"That’s right, Big Sister, please let me go. You used to be part of the Chechi Club—have you ever seen us default on a bet, win or lose?" Bei Zhenping pleaded.

Tian Li looked uncertainly at Hua Tianyu. She followed his lead, and the three million had been won by him, after all.

"Let him go," Hua Tianyu said with a calm smile. "I trust Che Peiqing’s guarantee."

Hua Tianyu was increasingly impressed by Che Peiqing’s character. Even in a disadvantageous position, he was still willing to stand by his friends. This sense of responsibility alone made Hua Tianyu feel that Che Peiqing was a man worth recruiting. Therefore, since Che Peiqing had spoken, he chose to believe him, regardless of whether the three million would actually arrive.

"Alright!" Tian Li immediately released him upon hearing Hua Tianyu’s words.

Che Peiqing looked at Hua Tianyu with surprise. "You trust my guarantee?" From his perspective, he and Hua Tianyu were not friends. He had only spoken up to ensure that others wouldn't suffer because of his association with Jia Wenle and the Chechi Club. He himself had little confidence in the promise, so he was astonished that Hua Tianyu had chosen to trust him. He glanced at Tian Li, the only potential intermediary, but she showed no reaction, as if the matter were entirely detached from her.

"Why?" Che Peiqing asked.

"Not only do I trust you, but I also know—are you dissatisfied with today’s race?" Hua Tianyu didn't answer directly, instead smiling as he posed a second question.

"Yes! I am!" There was no point in denying it; the word was written clearly on his face.

"How about I give you another chance to be satisfied?" Hua Tianyu stared into his eyes.

"Race again?" Che Peiqing was incredulous.

"Yes! Another race, but with different stakes. We won't use Tian Li as a wager anymore. She has no further connection to the Chechi Club."

"Fine! What kind of stakes do you want?" Che Peiqing asked.

"You. Yourself. Do you dare?" Hua Tianyu asked calmly.

"Me? I..." Che Peiqing took a deep breath, a surge of bravado rising within him. Just as he was about to answer, he was interrupted by a piercing siren.

"You are surrounded!"
"Nobody move!"

Accompanying the shrill sirens, a large number of officers and over a dozen enforcement vehicles swarmed the scene, with warnings blaring from their loudspeakers.

"Who did this?"
"Who tipped off the authorities? Bastard! You’re finished!"
"Have they no respect for the rules?"

The arrival of the authorities stunned everyone. A chorus of curses erupted. This was a breach of the unspoken code, a threat to everyone present. If it were discovered who had called them, that person would be beaten to death.

Che Peiqing’s face drained of color. The authorities were the natural enemies of their crowd. As long as they didn't disturb the peace, they were usually left alone. But once the authorities were involved, the Chechi Club would surely be dismantled. After all, while these modified motorcycle riders weren't exactly criminals, disturbing the peace was an inevitable charge. If they were lucky, they could rely on their machines’ performance to scatter and escape.

But looking at the enforcement vehicles blocking both ends of the road, Che Peiqing knew there was no escaping today. Furthermore, his motorcycle was still lying on its side, and whether it would even start was a major question.

Che Peiqing sighed internally; he had truly hit rock bottom today.

Qiu Jinghao’s eyes, however, held a hint of excitement. The Shangjiang City authorities acted quickly; not even five minutes had passed since he reported the illegal street racing before they had the area surrounded. He was the one who had dialed the emergency line. With Jia Wenle’s defeat, this was his second move against Hua Tianyu. He hoped that upon seeing the enforcement vehicles, Hua Tianyu would panic and flee, allowing him to be branded with the crime of evading arrest.

He signaled his two bodyguards to shout. "Run! Everyone run!"
"The authorities are making arrests! You’ll get ten years if you’re caught!"

Incited by his orders, the bodyguards began to stir panic. The crowd, already restless, immediately erupted into chaos. Qiu Jinghao kept his eyes fixed on Hua Tianyu, hoping to see him flee in the confusion so that he could play the role of the "good citizen" reporting a fugitive.

To his disappointment, from the moment the sirens began, Hua Tianyu hadn't shown a shred of panic, nor had he taken a single step. Qiu Jinghao cursed under his breath, slowly moving toward Hua Tianyu with his bodyguards, determined to see what kind of leverage the man possessed.

Hua Tianyu was indeed unconcerned. When he learned the race was to be held on Central First Street, he had anticipated the possibility of police intervention. These Chechi Club motorcycles were all heavily modified with straight-pipe exhausts; none of them operated below a hundred decibels. It would be a miracle if such bikes didn't attract the authorities. And in today’s situation, he had even less to fear, because...