Xia Liang was perfectly calm. The bomb hadn't harmed any innocent bystanders, though it had blasted quite a few fish out of the water.

"Smoking while you're injured? I guess you're not in any real danger then," Sun Hai said, stepping forward to help Xia Liang down from the car. His tone was full of an elder's concern.

"I don't usually smoke, but this time, it felt like something was missing if I didn't," Xia Liang replied, not rejecting the kind gesture. He casually placed a hand on Sun Hai's shoulder and snuffed out his cigarette.

Once he was clear of the Hui Teng, the traffic police, reporters, paramedics, and firefighters below all erupted in cheers.

"The hero is alive!" Sun Hai exclaimed with a smile. "Young man, you're going to be incredibly famous after this."

"Seeking a title is not my ambition; I only wish for peace. As long as no one was hurt, that's all that matters."

Just then, a long convoy of vehicles sped onto the scene. Seeing Xia Liang get out of the car, countless journalists, wielding their long-lensed cameras and flashes, rushed toward him.

"Don't push! I was here first!"

"So what if you were? I got my foot on the ground first!"

"Hey, rival station, that's a dirty trick! Blocking my shot is one thing, but yanking my pants down is crossing the line!"

"Who knocked my wig off?!"

"Who cares about a wig? I lost a shoe and you don't hear me complaining! As long as I get the interview, it's all worth it!"

Yun Long arrived around the same time, watching helplessly as the reporters swarmed forward like a pack of hungry wolves. I can only pray Xia Liang can handle this. He pulled out his phone to let Lu Chuang know that Xia Liang was safe.

"Mister Xia! Can you tell us why you volunteered to drive off with the bomb?" a young female reporter asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Because my car is fast," Xia Liang answered simply. He wasn't putting on any airs. The cut on his head could heal at any moment, so he had just covered it with a bandage.

"Mister Xia! What was going through your mind when you were carrying the bomb?"

"I drank too much soy milk this morning. I was in a rush to find a place to piss."

"Mister Xia! With your exemplary driving skills, why couldn't you bring the car to a steady stop at the end? Was it beyond your ability?"

SWISH—

The moment the reporter with the thick glasses, Little Four Eyes, finished his question, he felt the withering glares of everyone around him, as if he were a complete idiot.

"Is this guy stupid? Drifting recklessly at three hundred kilometers per hour and expecting a perfect stop? Not even the blockbusters from Bald Eagle Country would dare film something that ridiculous."

"Exactly! How does a moron like that get a press pass? He must be from some sleazy tabloid. Get him out of here so he doesn't interfere with a real interview."

Before Xia Liang could respond, the other reporters had already answered for him. It seemed there were plenty of sensible people in the crowd who understood that he was a man, not a god. Surviving with only minor injuries was a miracle in itself.

"Mister Xia! Now that you're famous, will you continue to be a Didi driver? We've heard that many platforms have sent you invitations, with endorsement fees in the tens of thousands of Yuan. Furthermore, racing teams are preparing to extend an olive branch. How do you respond to all this?"

"Your information is incomplete. Don't you all know I'm already incredibly wealthy?"

"Mister Xia! One last question. I've received a reliable tip that Sakura Country's 'God of Racing' has heard of your deeds and plans to issue a challenge, claiming that Dragon Country has no worthy opponents. How do you respond to that?"

Xia Liang was taken aback. How did driving for Didi make me famous enough for the news to travel that far?

"I don't care about a challenge. I only have one thing to say." Xia Liang faced the microphones and smiled. "Back when we were riding in jeweled dragon carriages hundreds of years ago, Dong Ying was still in its burial mound phase. They should focus on perfecting their grave-dancing. Car racing? Heh."

The man with the glasses was arrested. The balding man was being investigated. And the bomb had just sent fish flying.

Xia Liang's fame exploded once again. Online discussions about him were incessant. It had only been two days since the Rainbow Bridge flight, and the hype hadn't died down at all. After his latest feat of driving fifteen kilometers with a bomb, he had become a national icon. The top ten trending topics on Weibo were all about him.

For instance:

`The Good Samaritan Is Actually Boss Xia! Savage!`

`Fifteen-Kilometer Run in 221 Seconds!`

`The Black Flash, Flying Low to the Ground with a Bomb!`

`Xia Liang Tells Dong Ying's 'God of Racing' to Go Dance on a Grave!`

The total clicks on various hashtags related to Xia Liang surpassed 150 million. Weibo had never seen such a frenzy since its launch, to say nothing of the various short-video and live-streaming platforms. Skilled editors combined footage from his 360-degree barrel roll over Rainbow Bridge to his latest bomb run, creating videos that needed almost no special effects. With some epic background music, they were like blockbuster movie trailers, and countless people cashed in by riding his wave of popularity.

The entire nation was swept up in "Xia Liang Fever," and all of this happened in just over two hours after the explosion. At that moment, the man himself was at the hospital getting his wounds treated.

During this time, Xi Yiqian, Gan Mengzhu, Qingxue, Zhou Ruo... even Tong Dongnuan from distant Shangluo City, all called to ask if he was okay. Every single one of them insisted on coming to see him.

Xia Liang's face turned green. If they all show up... that would be another kind of explosion. He quickly assured them he was fine.

"Relax, it's not like you're performing major surgery. No need to be so nervous," Xia Liang said gently. The young nurse disinfecting his wound was so tense that the hand holding the tweezers wouldn't stop shaking.

"I-I'm not nervous..." the young nurse stammered, her voice trembling now that her idol was speaking directly to her. "Mister Xia... can I add you on WeChat later? I'd love to take your car to and from work every day, is that okay?"

Xia Liang chuckled. "Little sister, this is a Didi ride, not my private car. You have to place an order for me to pick you up. Otherwise, I'd be running an unlicensed taxi service."

I guess being this outstanding is its own kind of trouble.

"Mister Xia, you might not know this, but there's a legend about you online," the nurse said. "It says that if someone gets to ride in your Hui Teng, you'll grant them one wish."

"Who makes this stuff up?" Xia Liang was torn between laughter and exasperation. "When did I become Doraemon?"

The nurse's eyes widened in realization, and Xia Liang sighed helplessly. So my Hui Teng has become some kind of wish-granting magic box. He casually brushed it off. Qingyun City was a massive international metropolis. Hailing his specific Didi out of thousands was about as likely as winning the lottery.

"Oh man, Xia bro, you scared me to death!" Lu Chuang boomed as he walked in, a complete contrast to the imposing figure he had cut at the station the night before. "Let me see, you didn't break any of your own parts, did you?"

"I'm fine, but the car is pretty much done for," Xia Liang sighed. While it wasn't a total write-off and the high-end components inside were intact, the chassis was so badly warped that it wasn't worth repairing.

"Cars are replaceable! Come on, let's go. I was going to ask you out for dinner tomorrow, but I'm afraid you'll get into some other mess by then. Let's not wait. We can consider it a celebration to calm your nerves."

Coming from a real big shot like him, this much eagerness means he's definitely up to no good.

"There's no need to trouble yourself. This little scratch will be gone after a good night's sleep."

Lu Chuang's face immediately fell. "The Old Master is waiting at home right now. Are you really going to make a man his age worry like that?"

Fine! You win!

...

The Hui Teng was undrivable. Yun Long had it towed away, promising to find the best people from the relevant departments to fix it. Since it was an official offer, Xia Liang didn't refuse. The alternative was to track down that guy he'd only met once, the one with the professional racing team who would definitely know how to fix it.

Then again, this is the fourth car I've wrecked... damn it all.

At the compound, the sentry at the guard post stood ramrod straight, the rifle in his hands clearly not for show. Anyone who dared to cause trouble here would be shot full of holes without a moment's hesitation.

In front of the two-story building, Xia Liang stepped out of a green military jeep.

"This whole big place is just for the three of you?"

Lu Chuang sighed. "I'm usually with my unit, so I rarely come back. The Old Master has to go to the research institute sometimes, too. Sigh, if it weren't for the servants, the place would feel completely empty."

Xia Liang knew the feeling well, as his own place was much the same.

Stepping into the entryway, he was greeted by a classically elegant decor. It was clearly the tasteful design of a cultured individual. Lu Guangyao was cheerfully watching television, which was playing a loop of Xia Liang's bomb-tossing feat.

"Ah, young friend, you're here! Sit, sit!" Lu Guangyao waved him over enthusiastically, patting the seat beside him. "I must have watched this at least twenty times, and I'm more impressed with every viewing. Tell me, were you really not scared at all?"

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