If I Don’t Earn 1 Trillion Won, My Regression Ends - Chapter 33

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 33

 

Chapter 4. Quantum Jump

 

“Mister Pierce! You’ve been silent for two whole months! Where on earth is your boy?”

 

“Are the rumors about him being at a Swiss rehabilitation center true? Is it really impossible for him to move without a wheelchair? Please give us an answer!”

 

“Ferrari supposedly suspended negotiations due to health reasons! Isn’t this practically a contract termination?”

 

November 1999, London.

 

Unpleasant rain mixed with hail scattered about.

 

Winter, when Europe’s major karting competitions and F1 Grand Prix events closed one by one after fierce competition.

 

As this year’s champions were confirmed and the season ended, journalists’ attention quickly shifted to next year.

 

Among them, the future whereabouts of the name that had heated up the promising talent market most intensely from last year’s end to this fall’s autumn – the Australian boy Rampa Lim – could not be overlooked.

 

The prodigy of Gold Coast.

 

Senna’s reincarnation.

 

The storm that swept from the Southern Hemisphere.

 

These were nicknames that could not be ignored.

 

All sorts of modifiers referring to so-called ‘genius’ followed behind the young driver’s name.

 

Rampa Lim, a Hong Kong-Korean Australian boy born in 1988 with silver eyes.

 

From when he first entered karting, rumors circulated among those with keen eyes that something extraordinary had appeared.

 

But when the boy took a year-long hiatus for unknown reasons, people quickly turned their attention elsewhere.

 

The racing world was a battlefield where young geniuses constantly appeared and stars faded. Time is fair, and no one waits for anyone.

 

Or so they thought.

 

The boy proved triumphantly that he was an existence not bound by the shackles of time.

 

Upon his return, he dominated the junior class with overwhelming performance.

 

He literally devoured the competition.

 

Despite being promoted early, at age 13, he won his debut race against 13 and 15-year-old competitors…

 

Then came the state championship, followed by the national championship.

 

Easily claiming titles, he conquered the nation in his rookie season and ascended to become Australia’s youngest champion.

 

The expressions “Gold Coast prodigy” and “Ayrton Senna’s reincarnation” began circulating from that time.

 

F1 teams that caught wind of this moved swiftly.

 

The prestigious Ferrari was fastest to act, and in February 1999, amid rumors of a Ferrari contract, the young genius crossed over to Europe under the dazzling spotlight.

 

The Winter Cup in Lonato, Italy.

 

The Lonato competition is the holy ground of karting and a showcase venue visited by scouts from around the world.

 

A place where prospective F1 champions compete fiercely.

 

It was a battleground where all the promising talents of the era gathered, and there was no more appropriate stage for the young genius to prove himself.

 

And the expectations of many were not disappointed.

 

Cold February in Lonato.

 

Scouts gathered from around the world fell silent before the scene of Rampa Lim’s kart passing through the notorious S-curve without a single error.

 

While other promising drivers desperately shook their hips and gripped their steering wheels with all their might, Rampa Lim smoothly and lightly exited corners with blade-like trajectories, as if mocking the laws of physics.

 

It was a violent and overwhelming performance.

 

His eerily precise driving made people forget the boy’s absurd age.

 

The boy champion from Australia thus lifted the trophy and proclaimed the birth of a new genius to the world.

 

And then, touring France, Germany, and others with consecutive victories.

 

After sweeping all of Europe’s karting series…

 

The peak came in August summer.

 

The media thrilled at his pole position in the World Karting Championship qualifiers, where he created an almost insurmountable gap with second place.

 

A solo run, truly a solo run!

 

F1 is a sport that originated from European aristocrats’ entertainment.

 

It was a league of whites united by exclusivity and strong Eurocentrism more than any other sport in the world.

 

Whites always came first, and among those whites, Europeans were favored, and among them, Britain and Italy were prioritized above all.

 

An Asian-quarter boy from Australia in the Southern Hemisphere?

 

They would have ignored him if they could.

 

But his skills were incomparably outstanding, he had powerful sponsors backing him, and most importantly, Rampa Lim’s current father…

 

That is, the stepfather who raised the boy was Alfred Pierce, the tragic F1 driver ‘Alfie’ whom the British most regretfully mourned.

 

All these elements harmonized appropriately, and nothing could block Rampa Lim’s path.

 

Only glory seemed arranged on the boy’s path.

 

Everyone thought so.

 

September in Sarno, World Karting Championship finals.

 

Until Rampa Lim’s kart, traveling over 140 km/h on that rough and fierce circuit in Naples, Italy, known for testing drivers’ courage, soared into the air and flipped over.

 

“Are you giving up racing!”

 

“If you retire like this, you’ll become the genius who faded in the shortest time in history, Alfred! Alfie! What are your feelings!”

 

“Has Rampa Lim returned to Australia? Has he given up his career! Is your stepson also going to end up like you-!”

 

Crash!

 

As the black iron gate closed, the reporters’ loud shouting also faded behind the heavy iron door.

 

Only the Chelsea residents, accustomed to the always quiet wealthy neighborhood life, felt sorry.

 

Alfred Pierce cursed under his breath while irritably brushing hail off his polo coat.

 

“What a complete mess!”

 

Though it’s a sport that began as the exclusive domain of aristocrats and the wealthy, actual aristocratic bloodline drivers are rare even in F1.

 

Alfred Pierce was of that rare background, and though he was practically expelled from his family for racing without even using a pseudonym, he still couldn’t abandon the aristocracy’s characteristic fastidious temperament.

 

This arrogant platinum-haired middle-aged gentleman could point fingers and lose his temper at others even while limping with a cane.

 

“Look at what your precious son has done!”

 

The tabloid he threw down had large text as its headline.

 

〚Inheriting Tragedy, Father!〛

 

〚The Pierce Curse: Like Father, Like Son〛

 

〚From Podium to Wheelchair, Father and Son’s Bond Thicker Than Blood〛

 

〚Is Alfie’s ‘Asian Doll Play’ Coming to an End?〛

 

〚Oriental Collectible Discarded by Noble Young Master’s Short Patience, Where Was It Thrown Away?〛

 

“That’s too much. How dare they call my son a collectible.”

 

The Asian woman who had been drinking coffee picked up the newspaper with her well-maintained hands.

 

Her nails, kept at an appropriate length without polish, were very neat and flawless.

 

Everything about her appearance was like that.

 

So as not to offend her remarried aristocratic husband’s sensitive eye. So that rumors wouldn’t spread about Alfred Pierce’s poor Asian wife from a small country being of lower class.

 

So as not to become a flaw for her only son.

 

She allowed herself no vulgarity or inadequacy whatsoever.

 

“I’m not unaware of the level of British yellow journalism, but they’re increasingly crossing the line. Don’t worry, honey. I’ll contact the lawyer.”

 

“That’s obvious.”

 

Alfred clicked his tongue and snapped irritably.

 

“If that kid had quietly stayed at the hospital I designated for him, would this dirty muddy water be pouring over my head? Huh?”

 

“Staying away when things are noisy isn’t a bad choice either. Think positively. Would reporters make such a fuss if he weren’t Alfred Pierce’s son? They’re tormenting him because he’s the disciple that the great Alfie personally taught and passed everything to.”

 

As calm hands approached and stroked his chest, Alfred’s angry breathing gradually subsided.

 

The woman lowered her tone even more gently.

 

“Anyway, Korea is far away. Since it’s a place no one knows, people will quiet down too.”

 

“Hmph…”

 

“Besides, Rampa’s uncle will be watching over him there. Getting along well with sponsors was your advice. Rampa is just following your words.”

 

Alfred sneered.

 

“Do you trust your son that much? That chairman isn’t even in Korea, so who knows what nonsense he might get up to going there alone?”

 

“That’s impossible.”

 

The woman covered her mouth and smiled.

 

Her following words were blind and arrogant.

 

“My good son is always loyal to me.”

 

♧

 

“Sing-a. Sing-a. Sing~a~.”

 

“….”

 

“You won’t even greet me? I was waiting here for Sing-a so long I thought I’d turn into a snowman. Korea is really cold. Australia is summer right now. Flowers are blooming and the weather’s amazing, it’s the complete opposite. Sing-a, did you know Christmas is in summer in Australia?”

 

“….”

 

“I came straight from the airport. I dozed off for a bit, and when I opened my eyes, it was snowing. Wow. Is this proof that Sing-a and I are destined?”

 

“….”

 

“Actually, saying I waited a long time was a lie. I didn’t wait that long. Don’t worry. I was just being dramatic. Oh, but running away from home is true.”

 

“….”

 

“Are you angry? What’s wrong~.”

 

“….”

 

“Hey, clever girl.”

 

“Don’t call me that!”

 

I whipped around.

 

After meeting in front of the apartment.

 

Even when I passed by him without saying a word, even when we stood side by side in the elevator and I ignored him, even when I left him behind and slammed the front door shut before coming back out.

 

Despite my attitude of treating him like an invisible person, Rampa Lim had followed me around with that grinning smile.

 

But he wasn’t smiling anymore.

 

The face of the boy who was quietly looking back at me, now that I had finally turned to face him, was as calm as a lake.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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