The Urban Dao Child

Yang Dao reached the peak and raised his hands to the sky, with his fists balled up. His face was also lifted upward. The people erupted in cheers. They never imagined how the person they all thought would lose, would win so both the sprint and the peak. While some people were exhilarated some were depressed. 

These people were those who better for Yang Dao to call it quits. Yet how were they to expect such a great upset? Felix and Thomas were standing beside the banker they did not say anything, just stood there silently. They had pushed on Yang Dao to win the whole race. So they were waiting to cash out. These two were low-key but they were rich. It was all thanks to their high moral value that they were not snobs. 

Yang Dao took a deep breath and started to pedal. The descent started, now he had to bring it home. He detached the sports water sipper on the bike. After he took few sips to hydrate his parched mouth. He started to pedal again. During this whole process, his body was pushed to the limit. Never slowing down too much, always maintaining a lead. It put down a lot of pressure on his physique. 

Yang Dao did not yet know how to harness the natural energy from the particles around him. He was getting tired yet his eyes were still sharp. As soon as he caught up his breath. He took a hold of the lower handlebar and landed down on the bike. This stance under the influence of gravity accelerated his speed even more. 

He became a shadow. The air was blowing onto his face so fast that he had to move his head up and down to avoid suffocation. This was a professional technique, normal riders would slow down but this way it prevents them suffocation. It was a very good technique. A lot of people note it down in the list of his skill set. 

Yang Dao was now about to enter the flats after this slope. Something came to his mind. He stood up on the bike, everyone thought that he would dance but then the boy leaned back, lowered his abdomen over the seat, and gave up on pedaling. Yes, he removed his feet from the pedal.

Some people heaved a sigh. Thinking he was about to quit and they will save their money this way. Yang Dao, however, was set to give them nothing but depression. The boy raised his legs, parallel to the ground. It was as if he was lying down on the bike.

Ayaka was surprised, this pose may seem odd but it needed a lot of practice and still, not everyone can pull it off. The same shocked expression was witnessed on those scouts. Yang Dao's speed increased like a rocket. The last slope was a straight line for 200 meters.

The boy did not have to look up and just accelerate with his head down. The crowd was stunned, everyone thought it looked cool. Icarus, who stood among the club members asked, "Coach, is this not used to save effort?"

Coach Gust nodded and said, "The boy is exhausted, he used his complete strength to win the first two checkpoints, but he knows that only the last point is what makes him a winner. If his speed is up to the mark then he can reach first relying on his cadence. It may seem like it is easy but it is not. At this moment his body weight is focused on his belly, he cannot breathe properly when he gets up, the bodyweight shift will make him lose speed. He sacrificed his rest for a speed burst because the rivals are catching up."

Icarus and the other gazed past Yang Dao and saw two riders catching up. One of them was Ray and the other was a man with a calm and arrogant face. Due to the acceleration, Yang Dao reached the end of the slope and entered the city road. His speed was above 65 at this moment. The boy restored the standard pose and started to pedal. 

Yang Dao took a deep breath and started to move in the city tracks. Now it was all filled with turns and curves. The boy did not give up and kept moving through. The fans on the sidelines could see the exhaustion on his face and they were impressed. They all cheered, "You can do it, Dao."

"Come on, keep fighting. Only 500 meters."

"We are with you. Win it, Dao."

Supportive cheers had a wonderful effect on human beings. It can wash off the fatigue slightly. Yang Dao was just a kid. As he heard all such comments, he was moved. His eyes cleared up and the bike kept moving. The cornering became tighter, it was almost running into the side fencing. The audience gasped every time Yang Dao took such a close turn. 

Cycling was not only about speed and strength. It was about conviction and bravery too. Yang Dao was convicted to see the race through and win it whole. He forgot about everything. In front of him, was only the track and his bike. The sense of time vanished for him. The sensation of rushing past his body, legs heavy like lead, his heart beating fast, the sweet dripping off his eyebrows. Everything vanished for him. 

He did not even know when he passed the finish line and his nose broke the ribbon. His legs lost all energy, the bike slowed down, yet it did not stop, his bike kept going farther. Out of nowhere a girl in white top and blue jeans appeared in a distance in front of him. The bike tilted to a side as the speed decreased. 

The girl stretched out her arm, supported the falling Yang Dao. She spoke in a soft voice, "Thank you for your hard work, Young Master." this woman was Feng Yun. She sensed Yang Dao losing consciousness ten meters before the finish line, yet his conviction kept pushing him forward.

The cycling club members also came to her side. They helped her and took both Yang Dao and his bike to a van. Before the award ceremony a lot of sport reporters had already gathered in front of Yang Dao's relief van. Ray also came over. The media asked him some questions about Yang Dao. Ray did not tell them anything except the basic knowledge. 

Feng Yun frowned when she heard the reporters being persistent. The noise outside will disturb her young master. She took off her sunglasses released her aura and walked out of the van. The reporters were stunned when they spotted Feng Yun.

She spoke, "My name is Feng Yun. My younger brother, Feng Yang Dao, is resting. I hope you all can be a bit QUIETER. her cold voice made all of them shiver and the noise was immediately reduced to murmurs. One person did not want to give up and said, "President Feng, can we ask you a few questions? We will be on best behaviour."

Feng Yun nodded, the reporter asked, "President Feng, I am a reported for Brocade News. How is your brother's condition? I think he lost consciousness after he crossed the finish line." his words made the crowd gasp in surprise.

Feng Yun replied, "Thank you for your concern, he is at the moment resting. He did not lose consciousness. The fatigue from the race took over too quickly. It is his first race, so he is inexperienced and could not deal with it." she would never let any one think her young master was weak. Yang Dao fainted? Who said so?

A lady reporter asked, "Ma'am, how old is your brother? Is he interested in representing the Jewel nation on a higher stage in this sport?"

Feng Yun replied with a faint curl on her lips, "He is 16 this year, as for the future, it is his choice. He is too young at this moment."

The questions continued, Feng Yun answered one question from every reporter. By the time she sent away the reporters, Yang Dao woke up with a groan. He asked Thomas beside him, "Did I win?"

Thomas and the others started laughing as they said, "Yes."

Yang Dao heaved a sigh then asked, "Sister Yun?"

Thomas pointed his finger out of the window. Yang Dao shifted his gaze and saw Feng Yun entangled with the media. He stood up from the chair and after taking a deep breath he walked out. In his mind, a thought appeared, 'I guess it is time to give up on staying low profile. Be like the wind. Unrestrained and unfretted.'

A dull bang sounded in his mind. His perception breached the final barrier. Yang Dao became an elementalist. He may have crossed the finish line in the race but now he just took a step in the world of elementalists. This was his starting line.