## The Courage to Confess
The glow of the phone screen was piercingly harsh in the darkness of the Rented Apartment. The "Message sent" notification was like the brand of a verdict, seared onto my retina. Time seemed to freeze; each second felt as long as a century. I could clearly hear the "thump-thump-thump" of my heart drumming, and the sweat on my palm had soaked the back of my phone, making it wet and cold.
How would she reply? Would it be, "What's wrong? Still up so late?" Or would she just read it and not reply? Or maybe, she'd think I'd lost my mind and block me right then and there? Countless terrifying thoughts, like a flock of bloodthirsty bats, battered against the inside of my skull, making my head spin.
Like a prisoner awaiting judgment, I paced back and forth in the small living room, the floor creaking under my feet. This less-than-thirty-square-meter Rented Apartment felt like a hermetically sealed iron box, suffocating me. A photo of Su Qing and me was still hanging on the wall. In the picture, she was smiling so sweetly, her eyes curved into two crescents. Looking at her smile, my heart, which was about to leap out of my chest, finally calmed down a little.
Right, I couldn't just give up. Su Qing wasn't like that. She had always believed in me, supported me. Even if I told her I'd turned into a monster, she should hear me out, right?
Just as I was about to be driven crazy by my own wild thoughts, my phone suddenly buzzed.
I jumped, nearly dropping my phone. I took a deep breath and lit up the screen with a trembling finger.
It was a reply from Su Qing, very simple, just three words: "Not asleep yet."
It was followed by a question mark: "What's wrong?"
Seeing those three words, my taut nerves instantly relaxed, and a warm current spread through my body. She replied! She wasn't asleep! She cared about me!
As if I had just grabbed the last straw, my fingers flew across the screen. I deleted and rewrote several times, but finally decided to be direct: "Can you come over? I'm home. There's something I want to tell you in person."
Send.
This time, the wait wasn't as agonizing. I knew she had already responded to me.
In less than half a minute, the reply came: "Okay, wait for me."
After hanging up, I felt all the strength drain from my body and collapsed onto the sofa. Now came the real test. How should I start? Should I say that I, that bastard Wang Hao, had been cursed with the Curse of Misfortune, but by a stroke of luck, I'd gained a superpower where whatever I said in reverse would come true? That sounded even more ridiculous than the plot of a third-rate web novel. It would be a miracle if she didn't think I was crazy and send me to a mental hospital.
I looked around, searching for something to use as proof. My gaze swept over the water cup on the table, over the electric fan in the corner, and finally landed on the small Desk Lamp on the desk. That was it. If... if she was willing to listen to my explanation, I would use it to prove it.
Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang.
I shot up from the sofa, rushed to the door, and placed my hand on the doorknob, but didn't dare to turn it. My throat was dry, and my heartbeat was out of control again. Standing outside the door was the person I loved most, and also my only hope at this moment. I was about to show her a secret that would completely subvert her worldview. This was no different from a huge gamble, and the stakes were our future.
I gritted my teeth and yanked the door open.
Standing outside the door, Su Qing was wearing a cute rabbit pajama set with a beige trench coat thrown over it. She had obviously left in such a hurry that she hadn't even removed her makeup. Her face, which always wore a sweet smile, was now etched with worry. A pair of large, expressive eyes stared at me, looking me up and down as if checking to see if I was missing any limbs.
"Lin Fan, what on earth is wrong? You look so pale." As she spoke, she walked into the room and closed the door behind her.
The warmth in the room made her unbutton her trench coat. She draped it over a chair, then walked up to me and placed a hand on my forehead. "You don't have a fever. Is it... is Wang Hao bothering you again?"
At the mention of Wang Hao, a fire of rage blazed uncontrollably in my eyes, but I quickly forced it down. Now was not the time to think about that bastard.
I took her hand and led her to sit on the sofa. Then, like a schoolboy who had done something wrong, I lowered my head in front of her, my hands fidgeting, not knowing where to put them.
"Qingqing," I began, my voice raspy like sandpaper, "what I'm about to say, you might... find it absurd, you might even think I'm crazy. But, I swear, every word I say is true."
A flicker of deeper concern passed through Su Qing's eyes, but she didn't interrupt me. She just gently held my hand, conveying strength with her warmth. "Go on, I'm listening."
I took a deep breath, as if mustering all my strength, and began to tell this insane story. From being framed by Wang Hao, to losing my job, to being blacklisted by the entire industry, my despair, and how I accidentally discovered this bizarre ability. I tried my best to keep my tone calm and objective, but when I got to the more emotional parts, my voice still trembled.
"...And that's how it is," I concluded. "What I say will never come true. So, as long as I speak in reverse, my wishes will come true. I cursed Wang Hao's Porsche, saying it would definitely be perfectly fine tomorrow, and tomorrow it will surely have an accident. I said I couldn't find a job, and the next day I received an interview notice."
After saying all this, I looked up, nervously observing Su Qing's expression.
She didn't scream. She didn't run away. She didn't show any disdain. She just looked at me quietly, the emotions in her clear eyes as tangled as a ball of yarn. There was shock, confusion, and concern, but not the fear and disgust I had anticipated.
She was silent for a long time, so long that I almost thought time had stopped.
"Lin Fan," she finally spoke, her voice soft but exceptionally clear, "Have you been... under a lot of stress lately?"
My heart sank.
She continued, "Being framed by Wang Hao like that, anyone would have a hard time coping. Are you... so desperate to fight back that you're having some... hallucinations?"
Her tone was very gentle, as if soothing a frightened child. But every word was like a needle, piercing my heart. She didn't believe me. She thought I was sick.
I panicked and shot to my feet. "I'm not! Qingqing, what I'm saying is true! I can prove it to you!"
Su Qing stood up with me. She pressed down on my shoulders, making me sit back down. Her gaze was serious, even with a hint of undeniable calm.
"Fine," she said slowly, "Prove it to me."
I was stunned.
She glanced around the small room, her gaze finally settling on the lone Desk Lamp on the desk.
"Use that one," she pointed at the Desk Lamp, then turned her head, looking straight into my eyes. "Right now, say one sentence to it. A sentence... that you wish would come true."
I instantly understood what she meant. She wasn't asking me to prove that "speaking in reverse makes things come true," but to prove that "what I say will never come true." This was a more direct, and crueler, test. If my ability was real, then no matter what beautiful wish I made, the Desk Lamp would not react. If my ability was fake, then it was all just my delusion.
A cold sweat broke out on my back.
This was not just a test of my ability, but an extreme test of my psychological endurance. If I failed, I would not only lose my only weapon for revenge, but I might also lose her forever.
I looked into Su Qing's eyes, which were filled with anticipation yet a hint of scrutiny. I knew I had no way out.
I slowly stood up and walked to the desk step by step. Each step felt like I was walking on the tip of a knife. I stood before the Desk Lamp, reached out my hand, and hovered it over the switch, but didn't press down.
The room was terrifyingly quiet. The only sounds were our increasingly clear breaths.
I closed my eyes, with only one thought in my mind: Turn on, please, just this once, turn on!
Then, I opened my eyes, looked at Su Qing, and with all my strength, said, word by word:
"I dare say, this lamp will absolutely not turn on."
## The Miracle's Verification
Time seemed to stretch into thick syrup at this moment, each second passing incredibly slowly. The Rented Apartment was terrifyingly quiet, with only my disobedient heart drumming wildly in my chest, so loudly I was afraid Su Qing could hear it too. My gaze was fixed on the old Desk Lamp, my palms slick with cold sweat. It was over, completely over. Why did I say such a stupid thing? I should have just thought it in my head, or just said, "This lamp will definitely turn on." But now, it was too late. Not only had I failed to prove myself, but I had also confirmed my own insanity. What would Su Qing think of me? Would she think I was too stressed and had gone crazy? Would she... leave me? The thought was like an ice pick, stabbing viciously into my mind. I didn't dare to look at her eyes, only staring desperately at the lamp, praying frantically in my heart, Turn on, please, just this once, turn on!
Just a second before my mind was about to break.
*Click.*
A soft sound, exceptionally clear in the deathly silent room.
I flinched, hardly daring to believe my ears. I slowly raised my head and saw that in the bulb of the lamp I swore would not turn on, a warm, orange halo was quietly gathering, then with a *hum*, it fully bloomed. The soft light instantly dispelled the darkness in the room and illuminated my face, which was full of shock.
I... I spoke in reverse... and it really turned on!
I felt like I was free-falling from ten thousand meters up, only to be caught by a soft net at the last second. The immense feeling of weightlessness, followed by a sense of security, made me almost collapse. I opened my mouth, but couldn't say a word, only gasping for air.
Su Qing's reaction, however, was unexpected. She didn't scream, nor did she immediately hug me. She just stood there quietly, her clear eyes fixed on the lit Desk Lamp, her brow slightly furrowed. After a few seconds, she walked to the desk, reached out a slender finger, and pressed the lamp's switch.
*Snap.*
The light went out.
She pressed it again.
*Click.*
The light came back on.
She pressed it several times. The lamp, like a well-behaved soldier, turned on and off without any problem. She even bent down to check if the plug was securely in the socket. She wasn't doubting me; she was doubting the very laws of physics of the world. Her calmness gradually settled my own racing heart.
"This... could be a coincidence," she finally said, her voice trembling with a disbelief she couldn't hide. "Maybe... maybe the tungsten filament in the bulb just happened to make contact again at that exact moment?"
I looked at her, knowing she needed a more irrefutable piece of evidence. I took a deep breath and pointed to the half-empty bottle of mineral water on the desk that I had been drinking during the day. "Then what about this?"
Su Qing's gaze followed my finger to the plastic bottle. I walked over, picked up the bottle, and twisted the cap on with all my might. My fingers turned white from the effort, and the veins on the back of my hand bulged. I was confident that even a strong man wouldn't be able to open it easily without tools.
I handed the bottle to Su Qing. "You try."
Su Qing took the bottle and, imitating my earlier posture, used both hands to twist with all her might. Her small face turned red, but the cap remained motionless, as if it were welded on. She gave up and put the bottle back on the table, her eyes full of inquiry.
I looked at the bottle, cleared my throat, and said nonchalantly, "I bet I absolutely cannot twist this cap open."
As soon as the words left my mouth, a bizarre scene occurred.
*Pop!* A soft sound, as crisp as a small firework exploding in the silent night sky. The cap I had just twisted on with all my strength actually popped off the mouth of the bottle by itself, spun in the air, and then fell to the floor with a *clatter*.
The world fell into silence once again.
This time, I laughed. It was a hysterical, unstoppable laugh of a survivor. I bent down, picked up the cap, and waved it in front of Su Qing, as smug as a fox that had stolen a chicken. "See? This is science, a kind of science that cannot yet be explained. I, Lin Fan, a walking reverse wishing machine!"
I expected Su Qing to show admiration, shock, or even fear. But she didn't.
The shock and disbelief on her face receded like a tide, replaced by a deep thought I had never seen before. Her eyes became exceptionally bright, frighteningly so, as if two flames were burning within them. She didn't look at the cap on the floor, nor at me, but directed her gaze out the window into the deep night, as if she could see through the darkness to something far away.
She slowly turned her head to look at me again. The gentleness and concern from before were gone from her eyes, replaced by a... a cautiousness and excitement of a chess player who has just spotted a key piece. Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but held back.
I knew that at this moment, she believed me. But more importantly, she seemed to have already thought of something. Something I hadn't had time to think of, yet was incredibly important.
## The Strategist's Awakening
The air in the Rented Apartment seemed to have solidified. The bottle cap, which had bounced a few times on the floor, lay there like a coin announcing the beginning of a new era. I looked at Su Qing, my heart still pounding, half with excitement, half with the tension of awaiting judgment.
"How about that? Amazing, right?" I couldn't help but show off, puffing out my chest, feeling like a superhero who had just saved the world. "I told you, heaven never bars one's way! That bastard Wang Hao is finished! Tomorrow I'll curse him, curse him to trip while walking, to choke on water, for his car's tires to blow out! No, I'll curse his precious Porsche to turn into a pile of scrap metal!"
The more I spoke, the more excited I became, as if I could already see Wang Hao crying over his wrecked car. I even started to devise more malicious curses, for his company to go bankrupt, for his friends and family to desert him, and for him to end up homeless on the streets...
However, Su Qing's reaction was like a bucket of cold water, dousing all my flames.
She wasn't excited like I was, nor did she show any fear. The shock and disbelief on her face receded like a tide, replaced by a... a cautiousness and excitement of a chess player who has just spotted a key piece. She slowly stood up, not looking at the cap on the floor or at me, but directing her gaze out the window into the deep night, as if she could see through the darkness to something far away.
"Lin Fan," she spoke, her voice so calm it sent a shiver down my spine. "Don't get excited yet."
"How can I not be excited?" I walked over to her, wanting to hold her hand, but she dodged. She turned around, her clear eyes now sharp as a knife, piercing straight into my heart. "Su Qing, we finally have a way to deal with Wang Hao! We can take back everything we lost!"
"Take it back?" Su Qing repeated softly, a strange curve forming on her lips. "Do you think you can get revenge so easily with just this ability?"
"Of course!" I said, as if it were obvious. "If I say, 'Wang Hao's business will definitely not fail,' his business will surely fail. If I say, 'He definitely won't be hit by a car,' he will surely be hit by a car. This is a dimensional reduction strike!"
"A dimensional reduction strike?" Su Qing chuckled, the laughter tinged with a hint of mockery, not aimed at me, but at my naivety. "You're oversimplifying things. Let me ask you, if you go out tomorrow and Wang Hao really gets hit by a car, but it's just a minor injury, what will the police think? If he really goes bankrupt, but it's traced back to normal market fluctuations, what will others think? Most importantly, if someone discovers that all these 'accidents' are related to what you've said, what do you think will happen?"
I was stunned. I had never thought of that. My mind was filled only with the thrill of revenge, like a child with a new toy who just wanted to smash it against the person he hated most.
Su Qing took a step closer, her gaze growing even more profound. "This ability is our trump card, a dagger hidden up our sleeve, not a spear held in our hand. Once you reveal it, it's no longer a secret. Who is Wang Hao? He has money, power, and a scheming mind. If he finds out about your ability, what will he do? He will do everything in his power to control you, to use you, and even... to imprison you. By then, you won't be the avenger; you'll be his most obedient tool."
Her words were like a heavy hammer, smashing hard on my heart. A cold sweat broke out on my back. That's right, how could I be so stupid? I only saw the benefits of the ability but not the huge risks behind it. That guy Wang Hao, who smiled like a venomous snake, if he knew this secret, I couldn't even imagine the consequences.
"Then... what should we do?" My voice was a bit dry, my earlier heroic spirit gone without a trace.
Su Qing's gaze softened. She finally reached out and gently held my hand. Her palm was warm, giving me a bit of strength. "So, we can't act rashly." She said, word by word, "From now on, we must establish a few principles."
"What principles?"
"First, and most importantly: never, ever let anyone know about this ability. It can only be a secret between you and me. Everything we do must look like a coincidence."
"Second, the use of this ability must be meticulously planned. It can't be driven by momentary anger or impulse. Just like you said, cursing Wang Hao's car to turn into scrap metal is too direct, too obvious, and could easily be traced back to us. But, what if we say, 'Wang Hao's driving skills are so good, he definitely won't have any accidents on the racetrack'?"
My eyes lit up as I instantly understood her meaning. Having an accident on the racetrack could be explained as an operational error or mechanical failure. Who would think it was a curse?
"Third," Su Qing's expression became incredibly serious. "I observed you using the ability twice just now. Once, you were desperate for the light to turn on; the other, you were angry about twisting the cap. Lin Fan, the activation of this ability seems to require a strong, heartfelt intention. This means it's not omnipotent. If your emotions aren't right, or your intention isn't strong enough, it might fail. This is both our weapon and our weakness. We must learn to control our emotions and summon the most powerful intention at the most critical moment."
I was completely dumbfounded. I had just discovered a fun ability, but Su Qing, in such a short amount of time, had analyzed it so thoroughly, even considering its principles of use and potential risks. She wasn't just playing a revenge game with me; she was commanding a war.
I looked at her. This Su Qing, who was usually gentle and sweet, like the girl next door, now exuded an aura of calm, wisdom, and strategy. She wasn't my accessory, not just my supporter; she was my... Strategist.
"I..." I opened my mouth, but found I couldn't say anything. My pathetic little revenge plan was nothing but child's play compared to her grand design.
Su Qing seemed to see through my thoughts. She smiled faintly, a smile that held a hint of comfort and encouragement. "Don't be discouraged, Lin Fan. You possess the most powerful weapon, and I will be the one to plan how to use it. Revenge is not something that happens overnight. It requires patience, requires planning, and requires waiting for the perfect moment."
She let go of my hand and walked back to the window. The night breeze blew her long hair, making her look like a queen about to go to war.
"Didn't Wang Hao drive us to a dead end? Didn't he make it so you couldn't find a job in the entire industry?" she said softly, but her tone carried an undeniable force. "Then we'll start from where he's most proud. Tomorrow, you don't need to look for just any job."
I was stunned. "No job? What will we eat?"
Su Qing turned her head and gave me an enigmatic smile.
"Tomorrow, you will look for a job," she corrected. "But not just any job. You will go to a small advertising company called 'Blue Sea Creative,' and then, you will say one sentence to their manager."
"What sentence?" I asked eagerly.
Su Qing's lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but then held back. She just shook her head, her eyes twinkling with the light of wisdom.
"The plan must not be leaked. You'll know when you get there tomorrow. Remember, from now on, you're not fighting alone. Every one of your 'Crow's Mouth' curses must be part of my plan."
With that, she no longer looked at me, turning her gaze back to the unfathomable night. I stood behind her, my heart filled with mixed emotions. I realized that my path of revenge had only truly begun at this moment. And this path was far more complex than I had imagined, and also... far more exciting.
## The Prey's Trail
In the deep of the night in the Rented Apartment, only the pale white light from a laptop screen illuminated our faces. The air was filled with the cheap aroma of instant coffee, mixed with the excitement and tension before revenge. Earlier in the day, I had followed Su Qing's instructions, gone to the advertising company called 'Blue Sea Creative,' and, in front of their eccentrically tasteful Manager Li, recited the sentence she taught me word for word: "You guys definitely won't get that big project." And then, I was hired. The whole thing still felt like a dream to me.
"I still don't get it," I stirred the now-cold coffee in my cup, unable to resist asking. "Why that company? Why that sentence? I almost thought you were pranking me."
Su Qing looked up from a pile of snack wrappers, her clear eyes exceptionally bright in the screen's light. She gave me a look, a look that was both doting and tinged with a "you're too naive" air. "First, Wang Hao had you blacklisted from the entire design industry. You need an identity now, a cover that allows you to move around the city, earn money, and not attract attention. Blue Sea Creative is small, with high staff turnover. One more person like you won't make a difference, it's perfect." She paused, picked up a potato chip, and crunched down on half of it. "Second, that sentence was a test."
I was stunned. "A test? A test for what?"
"To test the limits of our 'trump card,' to see if it's as powerful as we imagine." Su Qing's tone was as calm as if she were discussing the weather. "I checked. Blue Sea Creative is currently bidding on a million-dollar project, a make-or-break battle for them. I had you go and say they wouldn't get it. If... and I mean if, they really lose it because of some bizarre accident, it proves that our ability can precisely influence business outcomes."
My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't thought that deeply at all. I was just thinking about how to make Wang Hao miserable. But Su Qing was already thinking about how to weaponize and systematize this seemingly joke-like ability. She wasn't seeking revenge; she was commanding a war.
"So... how are they doing now?" I couldn't help but ask.
Su Qing smiled mysteriously. "You'll find out when you go to work tomorrow."
Right, keeping me in suspense again. I pouted and brought my attention back to the most important matter at hand. "Alright, my dear Strategist, I have my cover. Now, let's get to the main point, shall we? How do we cause trouble for that punk Wang Hao?"
Su Qing turned the laptop toward me. The screen showed a colorful social media profile—Wang Hao's. "Before the hunt, you must understand the prey's habits. We'll start with his public information, see what he's been up to, what his hobbies are, and where he often goes."
For the next hour, we were like two detectives lurking in the shadows, searching the ocean of information for traces of Wang Hao. The guy was a textbook Rich Second Generation. His social media feed was full of luxury watches and Sports Cars, always accompanied by pretentious captions that made me sick.
"Tsk, the angle of this car model photoshoot is so tacky." I complained while scrolling the mouse quickly. "And this one, just eating at the 'Cloud Top' restaurant, he had to take pictures from every angle, terrified people wouldn't know he'd been there."
Su Qing didn't speak, just listened quietly, her fingers occasionally tapping on the keyboard, taking notes. She was clearly focused on more than just this superficial showing off. She clicked on a local car enthusiast forum and typed in Wang Hao's name and his Porsche model. Soon, several posts popped up.
"Found it." Su Qing pointed to one of the pinned posts.
I leaned in for a closer look. The title was [Sign-up List for This Weekend's 'Mountain Rush' Amateur Challenge, Masters Galore!]. I immediately spotted Wang Hao's glaring name at the top of the participants' list. The post also included a photo of him and his white Porsche. In the photo, he looked smug, as if the championship were already in his pocket.
"Mountain Rush?" I muttered the name, a surge of anger rising in my heart. "This punk really dares to play with these things. In amateur races like this, it's easy to have accidents at high speeds." A brilliant idea instantly flashed through my mind. I rubbed my hands together excitedly and said to Su Qing, "I've got it! Qingqing, how about this? On the day of the race, we find a place to hide, and then I'll shout to the sky, 'Wang Hao's driving skills are so good, he definitely won't have any accidents on the racetrack!' What do you think? It's a precision strike, we'll make him crash directly!"
The more I talked, the more excited I became, as if I could already see the embarrassing sight of Wang Hao and his car flying off the track. However, the agreement I expected didn't come. Su Qing didn't answer me immediately. Her gaze was fixed on the screen, on the photo of Wang Hao and his Porsche, her eyes gleaming with a light I had never seen before. It wasn't just anger, nor the thrill of revenge, but a... an excitement and focus of a chess player who has spotted a fatal flaw. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and the corners of her mouth slowly curled into a cold arc.
"No," she finally said, her voice quiet but carrying an undeniable force. "It can't be as simple as just making him crash." She turned her head to look at me, her bright eyes burning as if they held stars within. "Lin Fan, we're not just going to make him have one accident. What we're going to do is turn the thing he's most proud of into the biggest joke of his life."
My heart skipped a beat. Looking at the strange excitement in Su Qing's eyes, I suddenly realized that the plan in her head was probably far crazier than I had imagined, and also... far more exciting.
## The Fatal Plan
I stared blankly at Su Qing, my mind struggling to keep up. It couldn't be as simple as just making him crash? What else could there be? Did she want me to go down there myself and dismantle his car into parts before putting it back together? My pathetic car repair skills would probably get me dismantled into parts by Wang Hao's Bodyguards before I even found a wrench.
Su Qing seemed to see through my confusion. She didn't answer me directly but stood up, walked to the old, creaking refrigerator, and took out two bottles of iced water, handing one to me. The cold touch cleared my muddled head a little.
"Lin Fan, think about it. What is Wang Hao most proud of?" She twisted off the cap and took a small sip, her voice as calm as if she were discussing the weather.
I blurted out, "Money, the money his nouveau riche old man gives him."
"Not entirely." Su Qing shook her head, her eyes exceptionally bright in the dim light. "Money is just a tool for him to show off. What he's truly proud of is the 'prodigal son' image he has crafted for himself. He thinks he's invincible, whether it's picking up girls or racing cars, he has to be the most dazzling one in the crowd. He enjoys the feeling of being looked up to, of being worshipped."
Following her train of thought, it seemed she was right. This bastard every time he posted something, it was either a shot of his steering wheel or a shot of some trophy, with captions like "Easy win" or "Nothing to it," the kind of infuriating stuff.
"So," Su Qing's voice took on a cold smile, "if we just make his car crash in some deserted corner, what will he think? He'll think it was an accident, bad luck. He might even bribe the media to paint himself as a hero who survived a near-death experience. That won't hurt his foundation at all; it might even become new capital for him to brag about."
I gasped. This girl... was she a devil? Her thinking was on a whole other level than mine. I was still thinking about a physical attack, and she was already studying how to launch a psychological one.
"Then you mean...?" I asked tentatively, a small thrill already building in my heart.
"We're going to destroy his pride." Su Qing placed the water bottle on the table with a soft *thud*, like a key piece being placed on a chessboard. "We're going to turn the thing he's most proud of into the biggest joke of his life. Not a private joke, but a public execution in front of everyone."
She sat back down at the computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard. A complex racetrack map immediately popped up on the screen. It was a winding mountain road, with various colors marking the curves, slopes, and dangerous areas.
"The 'Mountain Rush' Amateur Challenge," Su Qing pointed to the title on the screen. "From what I've found, this race is quite well-known in the city's racing circles. Many racing fans and media will be there for live broadcasts. For this race, Wang Hao specially hired a professional team from abroad to tune his precious Porsche, determined to win. He's already announced that he'll win the championship to celebrate his birthday."
I leaned in to look at the map, my heartbeat quickening involuntarily. Near the finish line was a sharp turn marked as the "Death Hairpin," right next to a cliff.
"I get it!" I slapped my thigh excitedly. "We'll make him crash at this hairpin! Right in front of all the live cameras! We'll turn him from a championship contender into a joke who can't even control his car!"
"The right idea, but the method is too crude." Su Qing shot me down again. Her slender finger slowly traced the map, finally stopping at a place I would have never expected—not the most dangerous hairpin, but a seemingly unremarkable Straightaway.
At the end of the Straightaway was a massive Billboard.
"We'll start from here." She pointed to the Billboard, her eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement, calm, and a hint of cruelty, like a magician about to perform a magnificent trick.
I followed her finger, my mind racing. Start from here? Start what from here? There were no curves here, no obstacles. How could we make a fool of him here? Make his tires blow out here? But that was too deliberate. If it was investigated as sabotage, we'd be in huge trouble.
More importantly, a fatal question surfaced in my mind. How was I supposed to execute this plan? I couldn't just buy a ticket, sneak into the racetrack, run up to the side of the Straightaway, and shout at Wang Hao's car, "Wang Hao, your driving skills are so great, your tires definitely won't blow!" could I? I'd be dragged away by security as a lunatic on the spot. My "Crow's Mouth" ability was heaven-defying, but it wasn't for performing feats like smashing bricks on my chest.
I looked at Su Qing's profile, which was etched with "everything is under control." My excitement instantly cooled by half, replaced by immense confusion and a hint of unease. Her plan sounded perfect, fatal, but in terms of execution, there seemed to be a chasm I couldn't cross.
How could I make my "curse" descend upon Wang Hao's head without exposing myself? What mystery was hidden in the point on the map that Su Qing was pointing at that I still couldn't comprehend?