Ji Jue got on the Calf Horse, and under the guide of the host, drove out of this small takeoff and landing field. Beyond the pitch-black road, the endless snow fields stretched to the ends of the earth, almost rging with the grey-white sky.
"Really beautiful."
He rolled up the car window and turned on the heater.
"Cold is truly cold."
The host smiled self-deprecatingly, dressed in puffed-up clothing, along with gloves, mask, scarf, and goggles: "As for whether it's beautiful... locals probably would prefer it to be uglier and less of it, right?"
The snow has reduced considerably these days. In past years when encountering heavy snow, cars couldn't be driven, and snow outside the city could get six to seven ters thick, pouring it down for months, making it impossible to get out.
He explained: "Here in Huang Province, half of the year is winter, and further north are the tundra and ice sea of perpetual winter, where even penguins and bears can't survive.
Just a word of advice, don't fear carrying too much weight, prepare as many heating tools as possible. Outside the city is unlike the suburbs, once you drive in, it only gets colder. When a snow disaster strikes, rescue doesn't co fast enough, and each car rally has participants losing ears, noses, and fingers to frostbite; if they survive, it's considered fortunate."
"What about the locals?"
Ji Jue was curious: "How do they stay warm?"
"Fuel Elent, of course."
The host grinned, raised his hand, and pointed toward the distance where the silhouette of the town of Black River slowly erged, and more prominently, the column of smoke rising towards the sky from above Black River.
Billowing white smoke ascended, becoming like a pillar, connecting heaven and earth when there's no wind.
Ji Jue stared in amazent.
"Here in Huang Province lies the Federation's largest Fuel Elent extraction area. In exaggeration, with a few feet of digging, black crude oil wells up.
The towns around here mainly focus on the Fuel Elent extraction industry. Fuel Elent is as abundant as water, and most places inside the urban area provide central heating.
It's said the Core Furnace is a scrapped battleship-grade volcanic engine; experiencing its power once leaves a lasting impression. Essentially, seeing such smoke columns ans you're close to the town."
As they got closer to Black River, roadside scenes beca richer, surprisingly with plenty of stalls selling cold-weather gear and local specialties.
Traffic on this road gradually increased, resembling a stream of vehicles.
"Really bustling."
"Visitors are coming for the rally opening, only happening once in three years, the daily state is otherwise desolate. Turn right at the front and continue for a bit to reach.
Next to the departure venue is where most participating companies and vendors' camps are located."
Not even having reached the venue, Ji Jue saw beyond the fences many temporary tin huts and RVs stretching endlessly, hardly visible to the end, with nurous entryways and exits.
With so many teams gathered, the town couldn't accommodate them all, so a special site was allocated near the suburb outside. Even then, each got only a small piece of land.
By morning, the camp was already bustling, with many teams seizing the last monts for configuration and test drives, several modified cars already covered in mud returning.
Despite Coastal Automobile's rejuvenation, it remained a small factory here, located at the farthest distance, the site wasn't big, just enough for a few huts and two RVs, and for setting up a maintenance room.
However, manpower was plentiful, besides seven or eight workers living here, another batch of engineers with equipnt was in the city, ready to support anyti.
After setting down the Calf Horse and roughly inquiring about the process, Ji Jue andered around the camp leisurely, like taking a stroll.
While at it, he swiped a few souvenirs from rival companies...
Unfortunately, most car's equipnt seed to have spiritual interference or barriers; not that breakthrough was impossible, but forcing a chanical Descent would only reveal signs and alarm people.
Moreover, although these team guards seed tight, they were indeed extrely tight, secretly having Chosen Ones on watch, Ji Jue couldn't even seize the chance to use Dissociation Technique for a quick fix, only the maintenance crew could touch the cars.
When the race starts, except for reaching maintenance points, not even maintenance crew mbers can touch the cars, aside from drivers and navigators.
"Are you new here, buddy?"
At the entrance, a scruffy-bearded man struck a conversation: "Want ear covers?"
"No thanks." Ji Jue waved his hand.
Yet, the man still handed over an unopened pair of ear covers, took off his gloves, reached out to introduce himself: "Chong Hui's navigator, Shi Ran, here to accompany the run."
"Oh, oh, Ji Jue, Coastal Automobile."
"I know, I even watched your press conference!" Shi Ran grinned broadly, "That prosthetic is really sothing, any plans to promote it outside of Hai Province?"
"Currently, we're still testing and collecting feedback and data, I'm afraid we haven't had ti to consider outside markets yet."
"There's always a chance."
Shi Ran handed over a business card: "Over at Chong Hui, I still sowhat have so influence. If you consider expanding in Yunzhou, be sure to think of us first."
"Sure thing."
Ji Jue accepted it with both hands, discovering the card wasn't from a driver but the Deputy Director of R&D at Yunzhou Chong Hui Industry, leaving him slightly stunned.
"Hobby is a hobby, work is work."
Shi Ran laughed: "A few years ago when I went to Hai Province, I attended Professor Ye's public lecture at Tiann; unfortunately, it was too far away, never got the chance to collaborate."
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