How A Ride-Hailing Driver Comes To Dominate The World? [EN]: Chapter 412

The Petty Cash of a Ride-Hailing Driver (1)

Yang Chen regretfully turned and changed direction, abandoning his trip to the International Trade Building.

Ah Yong’s life had been extinguished so suddenly, a truly regrettable loss.

This served as a stark reminder to Yang Chen that words alone were insufficient. No one would readily believe his pronouncements. To prevent a death, he needed to intervene directly.

Another possibility lingered: if Yang Chen accurately predicted several deaths, building a reputation for foresight, perhaps people would heed his warnings in the future.

Previously, Yang Chen had naively assumed accumulating life points would be a breeze, but reality proved far more challenging.

To extend his own lifespan, or to avert the demise of others, he needed to amass life points for the system. The conundrum was: where to find those teetering on the brink of oblivion?

It was lunchtime, yet Yang Chen’s appetite was subdued.

Fortunately, a small stall selling egg pancakes beckoned ahead, offering a quick and easy meal.

“Boss, one egg pancake, extra egg, and double the sliced pork,” Yang Chen requested.

The owner cheerfully responded, “Coming right up! Just a moment, one order ahead of you.”

Yang Chen nodded. “Okay, no rush.”

He pulled out his phone to check WeChat.

A few seconds later, a young woman approached, also desiring two egg pancakes.

The owner promptly announced, “Just a moment, I’ll make this handsome guy’s first, then yours.”

The girl glanced at Yang Chen, engrossed in his phone, and politely inquired, “Excuse me, are you in a hurry? If not, could you let the owner make mine first? My boyfriend is waiting across the street.”

Her reasoning was amusingly irrelevant. What did her boyfriend’s presence across the street have to do with Yang Chen?

Without even looking up, Yang Chen shook his head. “No, I’m also in a hurry.”

“Oh,” she replied, patiently awaiting her turn.

Moments later, the owner asked, “Handsome, spicy?”

Yang Chen looked up. “A little spicy is fine.”

Just then, a string of numbers materialized in his peripheral vision.

He snapped his head around. A life countdown clock hovered above the girl who had requested to cut in line.

“00:04:00, 00:03:59, 00:03:58…”

Panic surged through Yang Chen. This girl had less than four minutes to live.

How could someone die while buying an egg pancake?

Choke on it?

Or be struck by something?

Yang Chen frantically scanned the sky, finding nothing amiss.

He surveyed the surroundings, detecting no immediate threats.

The girl, noticing his strange behavior, asked, “What are you looking at?”

Yang Chen forced a smile. “Nothing, it’s just that you’re so pretty, and I just turned you down. I’m a pushover for beautiful women. I was wrong.”

The girl giggled, covering her mouth. “You’re such a smooth talker. I have a boyfriend, he’s right over there.”

Yang Chen followed her gaze to a young man with glasses sitting on a bench at the bus stop across the street, head down, absorbed in his phone.

Suddenly, Yang Chen’s eyes widened. A life countdown clock also hung above the young man’s head.

“00:03:45, 00:03:44, 00:03:43…”

What was happening?

Their countdowns were synchronized.

Car accident! It had to be a car accident!

How else could they both die simultaneously, one on each side of the road?

Yang Chen rapidly assessed the other pedestrians, finding no other countdowns.

This meant only the couple was in danger; no one else was at risk.

If Yang Chen could save them, he’d gain eight minutes of life points!

He quickly addressed the owner. “Boss, fry two more eggs for me, and add a sausage and two slices of bacon. Make sure they’re well-cooked; my stomach is sensitive, I can’t handle anything undercooked.”

The owner beamed, nodding enthusiastically. “Okay, okay.”

The girl pouted. “Can you even eat that much? Didn’t you already have lunch?”

Yang Chen: “This *is* my lunch.”

She resigned herself to waiting.

Just then, her boyfriend, noticing her chatting with Yang Chen, hurried over.

“Xiaoyu, is it ready yet?” he asked.

She shook her head. “He added a bunch of stuff; we have to wait longer.”

Jealousy flickered in the boyfriend’s eyes, directed at Yang Chen.

“Let’s skip this and get something else,” he said, pulling her away.

The owner interjected, “It’ll be ready soon! I’ll make yours right away! Want to add anything?”

The girl hesitated, but her boyfriend tugged her along.

The owner sighed, but Yang Chen’s order was larger and had come first.

Soon, the egg pancake was ready, nestled in a large paper bag.

Yang Chen paid and pursued the couple.

As long as they didn’t cross the road, Yang Chen would trail them, munching on his egg pancake.

Suddenly, the girl glanced back, spotting Yang Chen.

“Why are you following us?” she demanded.

Yang Chen took a bite. “I’m not, I’m just going this way too.”

The boyfriend glared. “Then go ahead.”

Yang Chen: “Why? Do I need your permission to walk?”

Boyfriend: “Don’t start trouble! You’re being disrespectful. Her boyfriend is right here, and you’re still acting so obvious. Have some decency!”

Yang Chen: “Of course, I have decency. I’m just not sure *you* do.”

With that, Yang Chen turned and plopped down on a nearby bench to enjoy his egg pancake.

Whatever happens, happens.

This skill wasn’t as enjoyable as he’d imagined, or perhaps he wasn’t using it correctly.

The girl tugged at her boyfriend, but he shook her off and stormed toward Yang Chen.

“Say that again! Who are you calling indecent?” he challenged.

Yang Chen: “I didn’t say you weren’t a human being, I said you can’t be a *decent* human being.”

Girl’s boyfriend: “Isn’t that the same thing?”

Yang Chen: “How could it be?”

Just then, an out-of-control Tesla sedan careened toward them.

Yang Chen saw that the countdown above the boyfriend’s head had dwindled to three seconds. For his own safety, he leaped aside.

The boyfriend, about to lunge at Yang Chen, was struck by the Tesla.

The car slammed into the bench and ground to a halt.

The boyfriend was flung through the air, landing against a wall more than ten meters away.

Simultaneously, the countdown above the girl’s head vanished, while the one above her boyfriend’s reached “00:00:00.”

“Ah! Ah! Help! Help!” the girl shrieked.

Yang Chen’s intervention had only saved the girl who hadn’t bothered him. The boyfriend who had confronted him had met his end.

The system chimed in.

“Detected that the host successfully prevented Liu Xiaoyu’s death, gaining 4 minutes of life points. The current accumulated life storage value of the system is 4 minutes.”

Though regrettable, it was his fate.

“Rest in peace,” Yang Chen thought, turning toward his car.

Offline prevention was proving difficult. Yang Chen decided to go online.

He would browse live streamers engaging in risky behavior, hoping to find someone on the verge of death.

Yang Chen drove to a large tree by the river, reclined the back seats, and began browsing Douyin [Chinese version of TikTok].

After a dozen videos, Yang Chen perked up.

The system had recommended a beautiful female streamer riding a motorcycle, and a life countdown clock was visible above her head.

“12:46:00, 10:45:59…”

In twelve hours and forty-six minutes, this streamer would die.

It was 11:30 AM, so she would likely die around 0:16 AM tonight.

This streamer’s ID was Erha Bu Er [Silly Husky], and fans called her Xiao Er [Little Two].

Xiao Er: “I’m taking everyone for a spin now! Go, go, go!”

She hopped on her motorcycle and provided a first-person perspective of her wild ride.

Within five minutes, Yang Chen identified at least ten potential accidents.

These could be summarized into two key issues:

First, she frequently crossed the center line and drove in the opposite lane.

Second, she leaned excessively into curves.

The most dangerous combination was leaning into curves while driving in the wrong lane. If another driver with similar habits approached from the opposite direction, the resulting collision at speeds exceeding 180 km/h would be catastrophic.

Live comments:

“666, no wonder everyone loves racing, this feeling is amazing!”

“The first-person perspective is incredible, I actually feel nervous going through the curves!”

“Women don’t back down to men, her skills are better than many male riders!”

…

Xiao Er, fueled by the praise and gifts, smiled and said, “Thank you for your support! I’ll keep improving my skills and continue to provide first-person perspectives in the future!”

Suddenly, the live broadcast system alerted:

Immortal Star has followed the streamer.

Then, Immortal Star immediately gifted ten Carnival gifts [expensive virtual gifts on Douyin].

Xiao Er, thrilled, removed her helmet, adjusted her hair, and exclaimed, “Thank you, Brother Star, for the Carnival gifts! Love you, heart!”

The streamer was oblivious to the impending danger.

Some fans recognized Immortal Star.

Live comments:

“Oh my god, Boss Star is here!”

“Oh crap, streamer, you’re doomed! Boss Star gifted ten Carnival gifts to Ah Yong last night, warning him not to do outdoor live broadcasts today because of potential danger. Ah Yong ignored Boss Star’s advice and fell from a building more than 50 stories high. Boss Star just gifted you ten Carnival gifts, let’s see what he says!”

“Worship Boss Star from afar! I hope Boss can bless my family with peace. I’ll burn incense for you during the New Year and holidays, asking Boss to bless me!”

…

Xiao Er’s expression turned serious as she read the comments.

The top trending topic on Douyin was the death of Ah Yong, an extreme sports streamer with 5 million followers. If the comments were true, was she also in danger?

Xiao Er’s smile faltered.

“Brother Star, do you have anything to say to me?” she asked cautiously.

Live comments:

“Haha… I’m dying of laughter, the streamer’s face changed, she’s obviously scared!”

“Boss Star hasn’t said anything, maybe he just likes you and is giving you gifts, don’t be so nervous!”

“What if it’s just a coincidence? I don’t believe anyone can tell fortunes!”

“That’s not necessarily true. Boss Star is rich, maybe he can tell fortunes and figured out how to make money!”

…

The streamer anxiously awaited Immortal Star’s message.

“Brother Star, say something! Can I have a video call with you?” Xiao Er pleaded.

A few seconds later, Immortal Star posted a comment.

“I just watched you ride your motorcycle. You like to lean into curves, cross the line, and even drive in the opposite direction. You can do these things safely countless times, but one mistake will be fatal. You don’t look too good, so listen to my advice: don’t touch your motorcycle for a few days, and unlearn your current riding habits before riding again. This is just my personal suggestion; the decision is yours.”

Persuading her not to ride tonight was enough. Whether she changed her habits was up to her. It was her life, and she had to take responsibility.

Because of Ah Yong’s death, Xiao Er couldn’t ignore Yang Chen’s warning.

“Thank you, Brother Star, for the advice! I’ll definitely pay attention in the future. I’m self-taught, so I haven’t learned from professionals, and there must be many non-standard things. I’ll remember Brother Star’s teachings and start changing myself from now on. We have an amateur competition tonight. If Brother Star has time, I hope you can watch my live broadcast and supervise whether I’ve changed those bad habits. Is that okay?”

Yang Chen wasn’t interested in watching live broadcasts. Reminding her not to ride tonight was sufficient.

Immortal Star: “I’m busy tonight. Seriously consider my comments. You only have one life, so be careful.”

Then, Immortal Star left the live broadcast room.

Xiao Er: “Thank you, Brother Star, for the reminder! I’ll seriously cons… Oh, he’s gone. Bosses are bosses, they do things cleanly and neatly. Family, what should I do now? Should I still go to the competition tonight? Give me some advice!”

Live comments:

“Don’t be so superstitious! If he could really tell fortunes, he would have publicly shown his face and started making money!”

“I think it’s better to be careful, don’t go tonight. Ah Yong died because he didn’t listen to Boss Star’s advice and insisted on doing high-altitude hanging arm.”

“I can’t be sure whether Boss Star can tell fortunes or not. But, let’s reason from common sense: would you spend 30,000 yuan on gifts just to scare a streamer? So, I think it’s better to believe it than not. Boss Star is right, you only have one life, you can’t afford to gamble.”

“I think everyone should stop giving her advice on this matter. What if something really happens and the family sues us? There was a streamer who committed suicide by drinking medicine because fans incited her, and the family sued the netizens who incited her in the live broadcast room.”

…

Xiao Er pondered the comments. Should she heed Yang Chen’s advice?

Yang Chen exited Douyin and took a nap.

Around 3 PM, Zhao Wenhui (daughter of the chairman of Rhythm Cursor, a sophisticated woman known for her black stockings) called Yang Chen.

Zhao Wenhui: “Brother Chen, can you ride a motorcycle?”

Damn, she was getting into this too?

Yang Chen: “Yes. What’s up?”

Zhao Wenhui: “Didn’t you tell me to study management hard? I’ve been working hard lately. Maybe I’ve been too tired from working and studying; I’ve been feeling stressed. Li Man’s new boyfriend is a motorcycle rider, and he’s a small internet celebrity. They invited me to a motorcycle race tonight. I really want to relax, but my skills aren’t good. So, I wanted to ask you to go with me.”

Motorcycle race tonight?

Could it be the amateur competition the female rider was talking about?

He had to go and see. If he ran into her, he could stop her and try to get those twelve hours of life points.

Yang Chen: “Sure, I’m bored driving a car every day, and I also want to find an opportunity to indulge, oh, no, relax.”

Zhao Wenhui: “Hehe… It’s okay to indulge a little. Then let’s have dinner together tonight? After dinner, we’ll go together. Is that okay?”

Yang Chen: “Okay. Where to eat?”

Zhao Wenhui: “You choose the time and place, but I must treat you tonight.”

Yang Chen: “Haha… Okay! Then let’s go to Pangu Grand View [a luxury hotel in Beijing], go to the 21st floor and see what we want to eat. Six o’clock in the evening, I’ll go to your clothing store to find you.”

Zhao Wenhui: “No problem! Then it’s settled, see you at six.”

Meanwhile, in the conference room of American Fruit Company [likely a stand-in for Apple].

President Kirk was holding a meeting with the company’s executives.

“The latest intelligence shows that Longwei Company [likely a stand-in for Huawei] has already used the world’s most advanced quantum chips. The chip problem that previously restricted Longwei Company’s development has been solved, and they will definitely make rapid progress. We have also received news that the world’s major chip manufacturers and buyers are seeking to negotiate with Longxin International Company [likely a stand-in for SMIC], hoping to buy quantum chips, and even obtain quantum chip production technology and authorized production qualifications. We also have to take action; otherwise, our products will be eliminated by consumers because the chips are too backward. So, I decided to take a trip to Long Country to see if I can buy quantum chips, and it would be best to get the production technology. What are your opinions?”

The executives quickly shared their thoughts.

“I think we must go and see the specific situation as soon as possible. Whether we can obtain quantum chip technology or buy it, we must take a trip. Quantum chip technology is too advanced; if other manufacturers use it, but we don’t, then our products will definitely be eliminated.”

“I also think we should go, but I don’t think it’s very meaningful, because they definitely won’t authorize such advanced chip technology to us, and they won’t even sell it to us.”

“Alas… Our country has made things difficult for them; how could they possibly help us?”

…

Everyone agreed on the need to visit Long Country, but they doubted the trip’s success.

Longwei Company had faced a crisis due to chip problems and had shrunk from rapid growth.

Now that Long Country had solved the chip problem with advanced technology, why would they help Fruit Company?

Kirk paused. “Regardless of the outcome, this trip must be taken. I’ll fly to Long Country tonight, and we’ll discuss our next steps based on the situation.”