Chapter 264: Forgiveness: Display_2
Looks like this is quite a challenge!
"Okay! Wait for me at the pickup location. I'm on my way!"
"Thanks for the trouble!"
After that, the call ended. Xia Liang quickly arrived at the pickup point provided by the navigation system. It was a towering office building, and several men in suits were standing on the roadside near the entrance.
Seeing them, Xia Liang knew it had to be one of them.
He turned on the Double Flash and waited by the roadside. When they saw Xia Liang's car stop, the group immediately headed over. One of them skillfully opened the car door, inviting the middle-aged man in the lead to get in. As the door closed, Xia Liang could still hear a flurry of apologies, mixed with a few genuine exclamations of surprise, like, "Who could have expected this to happen?"
As soon as the middle-aged man got into the car, he spoke urgently, "Driver, thank you for coming. Can we get to the airport in twenty minutes? It's extremely urgent! If we don't make it on time, there will be serious trouble!"
Xia Liang could hear the panic in his voice, and the man's brow was deeply furrowed with anxiety.
After swiping on his phone to confirm the pickup, the screen immediately switched to the navigation interface, and an automated voice began to speak.
"Passenger successfully picked up. Destination: Qingyun City Airport. Estimated distance: 19 kilometers. Current conditions: Rush hour traffic with five congested sectors. Estimated travel time: thirty-nine minutes!"
As soon as the voice finished, the passenger's face fell. The navigation system wouldn't lie. The route it provided would have been calculated as the fastest option, and the time estimate was usually an underestimation, if anything.
Now that the navigation has given this information, does that mean I really won't make it to the airport on time today? The man's hands clenched into tight fists.
At that moment, the System's voice echoed in Xia Liang's head.
[Ding—Congratulations, Host, for triggering the hidden task: Urgent Delivery.
Task Description: Please deliver the customer to the destination on time.
Reward: Gene Potion*1, 40 Work Points.]
Just as I thought! Xia Liang was very pleased. He turned to look at the passenger. Judging by his clothes and features alone, he's definitely no ordinary person. Whatever has him this panicked must be a serious matter.
Twenty minutes to the airport?
"Buckle up," Xia Liang said with sudden confidence. "We'll make it."
The man glanced over, startled by Xia Liang's voice. A hint of skepticism was plain in his eyes. The navigation just said it would take nearly forty minutes. How could we possibly make it?
But seeing Xia Liang's confident expression, the man felt an inexplicable spark of hope. Well, things can't get any worse, so I might as well see what he can do. What if we actually make it? Decided, he did as Xia Liang said and fastened his seatbelt.
"I'm not following the GPS," Xia Liang announced. "We'll never make it if I do!"
With that, Xia Liang gripped the gear stick with one hand and the steering wheel with the other, setting the car in motion. However, instead of heading toward the airport, he made a sharp U-turn and drove in the opposite direction.
This sudden maneuver made the passenger realize something surprising: the car had a manual transmission. Who even drives a stick shift these days? Especially for a ride-hailing service, where everyone knows automatic is so much more convenient. Aside from some older folks and the few enthusiasts who claim manual cars have 'soul,' almost no one drives them anymore.
The passenger cast a sidelong glance at Xia Liang, a new guess forming in his mind. Could this kid be a real car enthusiast? If so, maybe we do have a chance. Those guys can really drive.
But when the man took another look around the car's interior, he shook his head, dismissing the idea. It was just a standard BMW with no signs of modification. Besides, we're in the middle of the city. Even if he is skilled...
The fleeting hope in the passenger's heart vanished. Watching the car cruise along steadily within the speed limit, his own heart sank. He had completely lost all hope.
So be it. The man slumped back into his seat, resigned. With a deep frown, he began to think about how to deal with the consequences of not arriving on time.
Xia Liang observed every subtle change in the man's demeanor, a faint smile playing on his lips. Don't worry, you can stay disappointed for a little while longer. Once we're somewhere without cameras, I'll give you a real surprise.
Xia Liang navigated the car through the city with a series of left and right turns, steadily making his way toward the outer ring road. At this time of day, most of the traffic was clogged in the city center, leaving the roads to the outskirts nearly deserted. The GPS had calculated such a long travel time precisely because its route cut through that congested downtown area. Xia Liang's plan was to get out of the city center first and then make a straight shot for the airport. While the route was slightly longer in distance, it bypassed all the traffic jams.
In less than ten minutes, Xia Liang had reached the outskirts of the city.
"Sit tight!" Xia Liang's voice suddenly cut through the silence. "About ten more minutes to go. We'll make it, don't worry!"
Startled, the man opened his eyes and found they were in a remote, desolate area. For a second, he feared the driver had ill intentions and subconsciously tightened his grip on his briefcase. But Xia Liang showed no signs of stopping. The man's gaze fell on the phone mounted on the dashboard. His heart turned to ice. Even with the turn-by-turn navigation off, the screen still displayed the remaining distance. They were still a full eighteen kilometers from the airport!
So all that driving was just to get us one kilometer closer? And he has the nerve to say we'll make it? Where does he get this confidence?
The passenger was about to protest, but then he saw Xia Liang's hand start to work the gear stick. In response, the car began to accelerate rapidly. He felt himself being pressed back into his seat. A G-force... in this old clunker? The man was genuinely surprised.
Watching the speedometer on the dashboard, he saw the needle climb relentlessly toward its limit. A fresh glimmer of hope ignited in his chest. If we can keep this speed up, we might actually make it!
Immediately, he sat up straight, letting go of the briefcase he'd been clutching and grabbing the overhead handle instead.
Xia Liang glanced at his reaction from the corner of his eye and smiled. "Hold on tight. I told you we'd make it."
"Thank you! I'm counting on you!"
"Mm."
After their brief exchange, Xia Liang's movements became even faster. He pushed the car to its absolute limit. The engine let out a hoarse roar, and the whine of the gearbox was distinct in the quiet of the remote road. The scenery outside blurred into an indistinguishable stream of color.
This is the first time I've ever really used my God-level Driving, Xia Liang thought to himself as he drove.
"Big curve ahead! Hold on!" Xia Liang shouted a warning.
Then, with a practiced coordination of the steering wheel and handbrake, he sent the car into a perfect drift through the corner. The shriek of tires protesting against the pavement was piercing, and a thin trail of smoke rose from the asphalt in their wake. The moment they cleared the turn, Xia Liang released the handbrake. His hand was a blur as it shot back to the gear stick, single-handedly bringing the car right back up to its maximum speed.
The man risked a glance at the phone on the dashboard and was astonished. Less than two minutes had passed, but they had already covered four full kilometers! Confidence surged through him. We're actually going to make it!
As they sped on, Xia Liang found it interesting that there were other cars on this supposedly deserted road, but he paid them no mind.