Seeing the new mission appear, Huang Chong, who had already figured out the system's reward rules, knew that for this kind of mileage-based mission, all he had to do was exceed the goal to earn double the rewards.
'Maintain my current average speed and lead for 10 km?'
After reading the requirement, he couldn't help but glance at the data on the system's bike computer, which floated in real-time before his eyes:
[Average Speed: 32],[Power: 180]
[Cadence: 91],[Heart Rate: 173]
[Grade: 0%],[Distance: 0.3]
He couldn't help but give a bitter smile:
'I shouldn't have pushed the power so hard...
Great. Now I have to maintain an average speed of 32 for 10 km, which means I'll have to ride at my Zone 4 threshold the entire time, pushing myself to the absolute limit.
Why did I have to make things so hard for myself?'
His mind was a swirl of emotions. He'd really set the bar too high.
Of course, with his current abilities, he was still confident he could maintain this power and complete the mission.
After all, after continuously putting points into it, his FTP Power had already reached 185W.
He'd already used up a lot of energy drafting for the first 50 km, but he should be able to gut out 10 km at 180W. Even without using any aids, he could probably finish just by gritting his teeth.
Furthermore, he was riding in the city, where the road conditions were excellent. It was all Daping Road, with no inclines or descents.
It wasn't raining tonight, either. There were no crosswinds or sidewinds to create extra difficulty, making for the best possible conditions for cruising on a flat.
If he were riding in the mountains with constant, rolling climbs, maintaining an average speed of 32+ for the entire ride would be something only a professional could do.
'Then again, if the system issued a mission like this, it must want me to train at my threshold.
After all, once I start racing for real, aside from drafting in the peloton and saving energy by coasting in aerobic Zone 2, any time I act as a breakaway rider or launch an attack on a key segment, I'll need to ride for long periods at my Zone 4 threshold, or even push violently into the anaerobic zone—'
In his past life, Huang Chong had watched nearly a hundred World Tour race broadcasts and participated in numerous amateur cycling events. He knew full well that during a race, a cyclist simply can't ride the entire course at a leisurely, constant speed.
The only exceptions were amateur enthusiasts who had no desire for results, were there purely for the experience, and just wanted to soak in the atmosphere of a race.
Anyone who wanted to land on the podium would have to engage in all sorts of attacks and pulls at various tempos during the long race, battling wits and will against the other cyclists.
And in a professional race, the conditions would be even more grueling.
To say nothing of the powerful opponents, once the first rider crosses the finish line, a countdown begins.
Any rider behind who exceeds the official time cut—the maximum time allowed behind the winner—is automatically eliminated, earning a DNF: Did Not Finish.
'But this is good. The previous missions were all too easy. This one is finally a challenge. Besides, I want to see what my limits are when I go all out.'
Huang Chong quickly adjusted his mindset.
He wasn't the type to take shortcuts; in fact, he enjoyed taking on difficult challenges. He had the kind of personality that only grew stronger with adversity.
Failure wasn't something he feared.
So, he cleared his mind and focused completely on leading the pack. His eyes were locked on the road ahead, constantly scanning the nighttime conditions to prevent any accidents.
At the same time, he kept his upper body as still as possible, no longer shifting his position, to maintain optimal aerodynamics.
Meanwhile, his legs maintained a steady cadence, pedaling furiously in his best possible form, continuously putting out power.
[You have led your teammates for 1 km at the required speed. Keep going!]
...
[You have led your teammates for 5 km at the required speed. Keep going!]
...
The instant the system's second message appeared, the young man drafting right behind him, who had been watching the mileage on his own computer, immediately spoke up.
"Hey man, you've already led for 5 km. Your speed's been steady around 32, nice work. Time to rotate. You can drop to the back and draft for a bit to rest!"
But Huang Chong, who hadn't completed his mission yet, wasn't about to be interrupted.
He replied instantly, without even turning his head:
"No need to rotate yet! I'm just getting warmed up and feeling in the zone. Let me keep pulling. I'll let you know when I'm spent, then we can rotate!"
The three riders behind him were all stunned to hear this.
'What an arrogant thing to say!'
'A guy who's been riding for less than a year wants to pull for that long?'
But they were genuinely curious about Huang Chong. The impression he gave was hard to pin down.
They wanted to see just how long this kid could last.
"Alright then. If you're in the zone, we won't say no to a free ride. But make sure you speak up when you're hitting your limit. Don't try to be a hero."
Huang Chong laughed and replied:
"Don't you worry, guys. I know my own limits, and I'm nowhere near them yet. Just relax and enjoy the draft!"
As he finished speaking, his focus sharpened. He moved his hands from the tops of the handlebars down to the drops.
For older riders, using the drops isn't always a great choice. It requires leaning the upper body much lower, creating a more aggressive and aerodynamic posture.
This puts a much greater strain on the flexibility of one's lower back.
Fortunately, Huang Chong was young. Although slightly overweight, he hadn't spent years sitting in an office, so his back was free of chronic issues and his body wasn't stiff.
So for him, riding in the drops only brought advantages. It didn't just reduce wind resistance and energy consumption; it also increased his stability during high-power efforts.
This gave him even more confidence as he rode at full tilt.
[You have led your teammates for 10 km at the required speed. Mission assessment complete. Terminate training and receive system reward?]
...
It was exactly as he'd expected. When Huang Chong saw the prompt, he noticed the mission hadn't automatically ended. He knew this meant it was another mission he could over-fulfill. He immediately thought:
'Keep riding. Continue mission!'
As he chose to continue, new notifications began appearing as he rode on, marking his mileage:
[You have led your teammates for 15 km at the required speed. Keep going!]
...
[You have led your teammates for 25 km at the required speed. Keep going!]
...
"Man, you've been pulling for 25 km now! Aren't your legs shot yet? You should take a break!"
The young man right behind Huang Chong saw that the data on his computer showed they were already more than halfway through their return trip. Yet the guy in front showed no sign of slowing down or dropping back to draft. A sliver of respect began to grow in his heart.
It wasn't just him; the other two felt the same.
Since Huang Chong had been pulling the entire time, they'd been chilling in Zone 2 behind him without ever needing to rotate. There was no point.
Although any of the three of them could probably pull for the entire ride just like Huang Chong was doing, they had been cycling for years. Plus, their team's captain, a retired pro, provided them with professional-level training. They were on a completely different level from an amateur rider like him.
But now, here they were—three semi-pro veterans—being led by a fledgling. What was that about?
And the fledgling showed no signs of cracking. Not only was he maintaining a high output, but his endurance seemed astonishing.
He was approaching the one-hour mark of his pull, yet his average speed and posture were as stable as ever. He was like a machine.
'If he joined a club or an amateur team, wouldn't he be a super-domestique?'
'Of course, cruising at 32 kph on the flats was just the level of a beginner who had moved past being a total novice.'
'A domestique's true worth, however, was determined by their climbing ability. That was the real test of a Road Cyclist.'
If Huang Chong knew what they were thinking, he would've laughed in exasperation.
'Him, a guy with a cheat system, being a domestique? What a joke.'
However, as time and distance ticked by, after pulling for nearly an hour, his legs finally began to feel tired.
He knew the cause of this sensation. After a long period of strenuous exercise, the oxygen demand of his muscle cells had increased. Since they weren't getting a sufficient supply, the cells had switched to anaerobic respiration, producing the so-called lactic acid.
If he didn't relax with a massage, sauna, or some other method after the ride, he'd suffer the symptoms of lactic acid buildup the next day: muscle soreness, fatigue, and even lethargy.
However, with the remaining mileage dwindling, even though his legs and body felt weary, his spirit was unusually energized. He had no desire to stop.
'Anyway, there's less than half the distance left. If I can hold out until the end, the reward could even be tripled.'
This huge temptation spurred him on. Without a second thought, he retrieved a Rapid Recovery Energy Bar from his system's storage space, tore the package open with his teeth, and squeezed the gel-like contents into his mouth in one go.
He savored the sensation. After consuming the Energy Bar, he felt a sudden surge of energy return to his body as all his fatigue vanished in an instant. A wave of pleasant surprise washed over him.
'The system really didn't lie. The effect of this Rapid Recovery Energy Bar is truly instantaneous.'
He declared heroically:
"No need to rotate! I can keep pulling!"