TL Note: (4/6)
Before he finished speaking, a huge rock rolled down!
Lu Zhuonian instinctively stepped on the accelerator and turned the steering wheel to avoid the falling rock.
The Koenigsegg suddenly slid sideways. The rearview mirror scraped against the rock wall, producing a harsh screech and a shower of sparks.
The car spun.
Amid the extreme sensation of g-force and dizziness, Chen Zemian’s pupils contracted violently.
Gravel burst like a shotgun blast, striking the car with a crackling sound. The windshield shattered, webbing with cracks like a spider’s web.
To avoid being hit by the falling rock, Lu Zhuonian slammed on the brakes and swerved sharply.
The front of the Koenigsegg swung around—straight into the cliff!
The second before impact stretched unnaturally long.
Chen Zemian heard Lu Zhuonian call his name, heard his own heartbeat, and even remembered a plot.
In the original book, Lu Zhuonian did experience a car accident caused by falling rocks—but not now. That happened five years later.
Maybe Chen Zemian’s intervention disrupted the causal line. Or maybe it was just the heavy rain that triggered the landslide.
In any case, the plot had advanced.
Bang!
The deafening impact came all at once. Sparks flew in every direction.
Their bodies lurched forward with the inertia, only to be violently restrained by the seatbelts.
The airbag deployed. Chen Zemian felt like he’d been punched in the chest—he couldn’t breathe at all.
After a sharp ringing in his ears, the world went silent.
Lu Zhuonian looked to his left through the shattered window. The boulder had landed less than five meters from the car.
They were alive.
Chen Zemian shoved the airbag aside and reached a hand toward the driver’s seat. “Lu Zhuonian!”
Lu Zhuonian panted and grasped his hand. “I’m fine. Are you hurt?”
“No.” Chen Zemian pushed against the door. “My side won’t open. What about yours?”
Lu Zhuonian removed his helmet and was immediately hit with the strong smell of gasoline. He pressed the button, and the scissor door swung upward. “Quick. Get out from my side.”
Chen Zemian muttered, “Fuck,” and as he reflected on how lucky the protagonist was, crawled out from the driver’s seat.
The two stood outside the car, staring at the massive rock nearby. Their hearts were still pounding.
If a stone that size had hit the car, the Koenigsegg would’ve been crushed like a soda can. They would’ve had to be scraped off the ground with a shovel.
When the accident occurred, Lu Zhuonian had been wearing a helmet and sustained only two minor scratches on his face. Chen Zemian had a bump on his forehead, but it wasn’t serious.
“Let’s go,” Lu Zhuonian said calmly, grabbing Chen Zemian’s wrist. “The fuel tank’s leaking. It might explode.”
Chen Zemian snapped back to reality, grabbed Lu Zhuonian, and started running.
If the plot had truly advanced, then according to the original story—even if the explosion wasn’t certain—it would definitely happen.
Behind them, fire began to spread.
They stood by the maple forest, watching as the Koenigsegg on the track was slowly consumed by flames. Everything felt surreal.
Just two minutes ago, in a flash of lightning, they had danced with death.
Lu Zhuonian raised his arms and pulled Chen Zemian into a hug, a mix of fear and relief welling up from deep within.
If Chen Zemian hadn’t felt uncomfortable riding in a racing car for the first time—if Lu Zhuonian hadn’t deliberately slowed down to stay behind the others at a lower speed—then no matter who had driven through that stretch of road today, encountering falling rocks would’ve meant certain death.
He had only been driving at 96 km/h—less than a third of a racing car’s average speed.
At high speeds, even seeing danger in advance wouldn’t be enough to avoid it.
The thought of almost losing the person in his arms made Lu Zhuonian tighten his embrace unconsciously, causing Chen Zemian to groan.
Chen Zemian’s chest was already aching from the airbag. Being squeezed only made it worse.
He turned and leaned into Lu Zhuonian’s arms, presenting his back—the side without pain. In a soft voice, he whispered, “It’s okay. It’s okay.”
Even after walking through the gates of hell, the first thing Lu Zhuonian did was reflect on his own negligence.
In a hoarse voice, he said, “Rocks expand when they absorb water. That makes collapses more likely. It rained heavily the day before yesterday—I should’ve thought of that.”
Chen Zemian recalled the original plot. He knew this was fated to happen sooner or later. He sighed. “It’s really okay. If disaster is inevitable, better it comes sooner.”
The flames flickered in Lu Zhuonian’s eyes. “I didn’t think it through.”
Chen Zemian smiled. “If you’re going to blame yourself, then I should blame myself for giving you the sports car. If I hadn’t, you wouldn’t have come to the club today.”
Lu Zhuonian’s handsome brows furrowed. “The car’s gone.”
Chen Zemian, ever free-spirited, shrugged. He saw it as the price of escaping disaster. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll buy you another one when I make money.”
Lu Zhuonian didn’t respond. He just quietly watched the burning Koenigsegg.
Chen Zemian bumped his shoulder playfully. “Hey, do you think it’ll explode?”
Lu Zhuonian observed the fire, estimating the risk based on the wind. “Very likely.”
Chen Zemian held onto the plot point in his mind, confident. “I’m guessing it definitely will.”
Lu Zhuonian asked, “Why?”
Chen Zemian didn’t answer. He mentally counted down. When the timing felt right, he said, “Lu Zhuonian, look at me.”
Lu Zhuonian lowered his eyes.
Chen Zemian formed his hand into the shape of a pistol, aimed at the burning car, and smirked.
A streak of blue fire flickered within the raging blaze.
“I’ll show you a firework worth 200 million.”
As soon as he finished, he flicked his wrist upward, mimicking the motion of firing a gun.
Bang!
The moment the fuel tank burst, the Koenigsegg exploded.
Flames roared like a dragon, thick smoke billowing skyward.
Fire erupted, fragments flew.
A powerful shockwave hit instantly, carrying wind and grit in its wake.
Lu Zhuonian tilted his head, raised one arm to shield them, and used the other to protect the back of Chen Zemian’s head, holding him tightly.
It felt like a sudden sandstorm. Small stones pelted his back. A cacophony of cracks rang in his ears.
Chen Zemian’s face was pressed against Lu Zhuonian’s chest. Behind him, the heatwave surged. The acrid scent of burning filled his nose.
In the original book, Lu Zhuonian had been alone during the accident.
Now, he wasn’t. The fates of two people were intertwined by an unseen force.
Chen Zemian’s heart suddenly began to race.
Lu Zhuonian looked down. “How did you know it would explode?”
Chen Zemian clenched his fingers around Lu Zhuonian’s racing suit, curling up instinctively.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to say,” Lu Zhuonian said gently, brushing leaves from his hair. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Chen Zemian hesitated. “I don’t want to say it.”
He just… didn’t know if he should say it.
Since entering the book, many events had developed in line with the original plot. Until now, Chen Zemian had always been a bystander to the story.
But the racing incident today made him realize that he was no longer just observing—he was part of the plot. Not only participating, but actively influencing its course.
Because he had gifted Lu Zhuonian a racing car, the event that was supposed to happen years later had occurred ahead of schedule.
Lu Zhuonian was the protagonist of a power fantasy novel. He had exceptional luck and sailed smoothly through life. Even in crises, he would turn danger into safety. Of all the plotlines Chen Zemian knew, only two character deaths were truly irreversible:
One was Lu Zhuonian’s father, Lu Zizhen. The other was Yan Luo.
According to the timeline, Lu Zizhen would die in the second half of Lu Zhuonian’s senior year—still a year and a half away. Yan Luo had died at 22, nearly five years later.
Chen Zemian’s original plan had been to observe and intervene only when those critical plot points approached.
He had worried that meddling too early would trigger an “Oedipus effect,” not preventing fate but bringing disaster sooner.
Now, he wasn’t so sure.
What if the plot really was accelerating?
Chen Zemian felt conflicted and uncertain. After all, he couldn’t prove that the “rockfall car accident” was destined to happen years later.
Maybe this had been a spontaneous accident. Or maybe it had occurred in the original novel but was glossed over or left unmentioned, so he hadn’t noticed.
The rockfall area had been designed to increase the thrill of the track. Usually, only small gravel fell. The giant boulder today was an anomaly.
As he thought it over, Chen Zemian’s expression changed subtly. He unconsciously squeezed Lu Zhuonian’s fingers, betraying his inner turmoil.
Lu Zhuonian gently took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “What are you thinking about?”
Chen Zemian hadn’t figured out how to approach the topic. He couldn’t mention Yan Luo yet, and definitely not Lu Zizhen. So he chose someone else as a starting point. “Do you know Cheng Ziyi?”
Ye Chen had introduced her earlier, so of course Lu Zhuonian did.
His expression darkened. “Are you thinking about her?”
Chen Zemian didn’t have time to address Lu Zhuonian’s sudden jealousy. He gave him a hasty kiss on the chin, comforting him perfunctorily. “No. Listen. If you knew Cheng Ziyi would become a movie queen in the future, would you tell her?”
Lu Zhuonian replied calmly, “There’s no need.”
Thinking a positive example might not work, Chen Zemian changed his approach. “Then what if someone was going to face something bad? Would you warn them?”
Lu Zhuonian’s gaze sharpened. “What did you find out?”
Chen Zemian hesitated for a few seconds. “I heard her agent… uses connections and engages in those kinds of unspoken rules.”
Lu Zhuonian asked, “Are you worried about her?”
“I’m worried about you,” Chen Zemian said, lips pressing into a line. “Racing is too dangerous. That rockfall today… what if it happens again?”
Lu Zhuonian looked at him intently. “When the rocks fell, were you scared?”
Chen Zemian answered honestly, “More surprised than scared. What were you thinking? I was still debating whether to speed up or slow down when you’d already reacted.”
“Slowing down was instinct. I didn’t have time to think.” Lu Zhuonian paused for a few seconds. “What I did think was—if I die in the next second, what should I say now?”
Chen Zemian’s breath caught.
Lu Zhuonian didn’t know he was the protagonist. He didn’t know he was blessed with good fortune or divine protection.
In that moment, he had truly faced death.
He had been afraid.
“You’ll be fine,” Chen Zemian said, intertwining their fingers. “In that moment between life and death, do you know what I was thinking?”
Lu Zhuonian asked quietly, “What?”
Chen Zemian whispered, “I was thinking about you.”
Lu Zhuonian’s fingers twitched, and he turned to look at him.
“I trust your driving skills—and your incredible luck.” Chen Zemian’s eyes were as clear as the sky, reflecting the glow of the firelight. “If I had died in that second, the last thing I’d want to say would be ‘Lu Zhuonian, help me.’”
Lu Zhuonian smiled softly, raising his arms to pull Chen Zemian into an embrace.
In the distance, sirens wailed.
Red and blue lights flickered on the winding mountain road, illuminating the maple-lined track.
The other racers arrived before the fire trucks.
Ye Chen’s silver supercar was the first to appear. Seeing the burning Koenigsegg in the distance, both he and Xiao Kesong felt their hearts clench.
Before the car had even come to a full stop, Xiao Kesong leapt from the passenger seat.
He stood frozen for two seconds, eyes reddened.
He couldn’t believe what he was seeing—two people trapped in that car? Panic surged. He looked around and shouted, “Chen Zemian?!”
Startled by the voice, Chen Zemian, still in Lu Zhuonian’s arms deeper in the maple woods, quickly pushed him away.
Lu Zhuonian frowned in displeasure, gripping Chen Zemian’s wrist and tugging him back.
Chen Zemian opened his mouth to speak—but Lu Zhuonian abruptly grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss.
It was a kiss tinged with blood.
Lu Zhuonian tasted the metallic tang in Chen Zemian’s mouth and drew back, frowning. “Where are you hurt?”
Chen Zemian’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “I’m not—just bit my tongue during the crash.”
Lu Zhuonian gently tilted his chin. “Let me see.”
Chen Zemian raised his face and stuck out his tongue.
It was too dark to see clearly, so Lu Zhuonian leaned in again, using the tip of his tongue to verify the injury himself.
He found a small cut.
Chen Zemian hissed softly in pain.
Just then, a loud cry rang out behind them.
“What are you two doing?!!!”
Xiao Kesong had stumbled upon the scene and froze. “Why are your mouths pressed together?! Did someone faint?!”
Chen Zemian: “…”
Xiao Kesong, still trying to rationalize, stammered, “He must be giving CPR. It can’t be… a kiss, right?”
Lu Zhuonian, still holding Chen Zemian, stared at Xiao Kesong with a flat expression.
Ye Chen, who had just walked up behind Xiao Kesong, said mildly, “It looked like a kiss.”
Xiao Kesong gasped, clearly still in denial. “No way. Impossible.”
Lu Zhuonian tilted Chen Zemian’s face upward again, his gaze cold and proud.
Then, eyes locked with Xiao Kesong’s, he lowered his head—
And kissed Chen Zemian again.
*****
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Author: LazyHermitGal
A Lazy Hermit Gal wondering in the void and falling into the translation abyss.
