Chapter Fifty-Three: Mischief

Wade Griffin’s casual remark that “he’s not someone you can mess with” left Tang Yiliu utterly bewildered.

He couldn’t provoke Qin Tian? How was that possible?

Tang Yiliu had looked into Qin Tian’s background—a pauper from a circus, nothing more, who only managed to rise a little thanks to Jiang Tianxiang’s favor. Was there something deeper behind Qin Tian that he hadn’t uncovered?

“Mr. Griffin, may I ask about this Qin Tian...” Tang Yiliu inquired cautiously.

“Don’t ask too much. It won’t do you any good,” Wade Griffin replied flatly.

Yet, in his heart, Wade Griffin was musing, So he truly is Qin Tian. That means he’s the one I was thinking of. At first, he’d only noticed a resemblance in appearance, since it had been many years since they last met, but after hearing how Tang Yiliu addressed him, he was finally sure it was the same person.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Tang Yiliu nodded repeatedly, though his curiosity about Qin Tian’s true identity only deepened.

In the competition’s preparation area—

“Sir, are you really not going to wear any protective gear?” A staff member, driven by a sense of responsibility, stepped forward to ask.

“No need, no need. Just start the race as usual, don’t worry about me,” Qin Tian replied with a smile.

“All right, but please be careful.” The staff member shook his head, thinking Qin Tian must be reckless, completely unaware of how dangerous horse racing could be, especially in a competition like this.

“What a foolish kid,” many riders nearby shook their heads as well, convinced he was about to learn a painful lesson.

“The rules here aren’t like those in international competitions. To make things more exciting, riders are actually allowed to fight each other during the race—and it’s ten laps,” an older rider kindly reminded him.

Qin Tian was taken aback. He’d thought it was simply a race to see who reached the finish line first, not realizing there were hidden “surprises” in store.

“Isn’t that against the rules? Doesn’t anyone step in?” Qin Tian asked.

“It’s a gray area—part equestrian, part horse racing,” the older rider replied.

“Thanks for the heads-up,” Qin Tian nodded.

If that was the case, his plan would go even more smoothly. There were twenty riders in total—he’d just eliminate two each lap.

A staff member announced that the race would begin shortly, and the horses were led into the starting area. As soon as the gates opened, the race would be underway.

Bang!

At the sound of the starter’s pistol, the gates flew open. Twenty horses burst forth like tigers let out of cages, thundering ahead as if a feast awaited them at the end, with none willing to fall behind, fearing they’d be too late even for a mere taste.

“Qin Tian, you can do it!” Shen Xiaoqing gripped the railing with one hand and waved furiously with the other.

Hearing her voice, Qin Tian flashed an OK sign toward her and Jiang Yingying.

“Hmph! Not even wearing protection? He’s going to end up crippled!” Tang Chengli and his group had somehow appeared beside the two women.

Shen Xiaoqing glared at Tang Chengli, puffing her cheeks in anger but saying nothing.

“How Qin Tian fares is none of your concern, Young Master Li,” Jiang Yingying said coldly.

Tang Chengli looked at Jiang Yingying, licking his lips. Suddenly, her powerful, assertive side struck him as incredibly alluring.

Jiang Yingying turned away with a look of pure disgust, refocusing on the race.

“Take that brat out,” Tang Chengli sneered, speaking into his earpiece.

Among the twenty racehorses, three actually belonged to Tian Tang Corporation, though officially only one was declared. Similarly, Bodhi Society’s Huang Qinhu, Fulai Media’s Deng Jiachun, and Empire Stud’s Jiang Zhengye each had three horses in the race.

Together, these four companies accounted for twelve of the entries! With such a numerical advantage, their odds of winning increased several times over.

“What are you plotting?” Jiang Yingying snapped.

Tang Chengli hadn’t bothered to lower his voice, so both women heard him clearly.

“What am I plotting? Didn’t I just say—I’m going to cripple that kid,” Tang Chengli replied with a smirk.

Jiang Yingying and Shen Xiaoqing fumed with fury, but the two of them were powerless for the moment. They resolved, however, that if anything happened to Qin Tian, they would report Tang Chengli immediately.

On the track, Tian Tang Corporation’s three horses received Tang Chengli’s orders and began to close in on Qin Tian.

Qin Tian soon sensed something was off, noticing three horses edging toward him.

Suddenly, one rider propped himself up on one hand, spun his body, and swung a kick at Qin Tian.

The acrobatic move drew cheers from the crowd.

Qin Tian was caught off guard—he hadn’t expected the competition to be played this way! Still, he was only surprised by the style, not at all concerned about the actual attack.

“Buddy, you’d better get away from me,” Qin Tian whistled a few notes.

Just as the rider’s foot was about to strike Qin Tian’s arm, the horse beneath him suddenly veered away, distancing itself from Qin Tian. The kick landed on empty air.

The rider settled back in the saddle, puzzled. What had gotten into his horse?

A chill crept up Qin Tian’s spine, and he ducked his head just in time for a fist to whistle past where it had been a moment before. If he hadn’t lowered his head, he’d have been struck squarely at the back.

Glaring at the rider who had tried to ambush him, Qin Tian gave a cold laugh. An attack from behind? In that case, he couldn’t be blamed for what happened next.

“Stay!” Qin Tian whistled again.

The horse beneath that rider neighed sharply and came to an abrupt stop. The rider, propelled by momentum, sailed forward with a terrified scream, his face scraping the ground for several feet. It seemed his face would be permanently scarred...

The other two who’d tried to attack Qin Tian felt a chill at the sight. Something was off with the horses today.

“Two per lap—let’s eliminate one more,” Qin Tian chuckled.

Why were these three targeting him? Even without thinking, he knew it was Tang Chengli’s doing!

Glancing toward the stands, Qin Tian saw Tang Chengli glaring at him, grinding his teeth in rage.

“Want to play dirty? Let’s see who outsmarts whom,” Qin Tian laughed, whistling again.

The rider who’d tried to kick him suddenly cried out in alarm. His horse reared up and bucked violently, flinging him out of the arena, where he crashed into a cluster of cameramen.

Qin Tian flashed a cheerful smile at Tang Chengli, raised his right hand, and made a “pistol” gesture, “firing” at him.

Tang Chengli, witnessing this, nearly exploded with rage, grabbing his hair and spinning in frustration.

No matter what he did, it seemed he simply couldn’t deal with this young man...