Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 99: Chapter 99

However, Zoe's confident reply was seen as a joke by Cheryl and the others present. In an instant, the entire crowd burst into laughter.
Cheryl pressed on, "You're really that confident in your skills, aren't you? I've competed in official races at the Jelonsburg racetrack and even won second place twice, but I've never been as confident as you.
"Why don't we have a little bet?" Knowing that Zoe only got fired up when money was involved, Cheryl continued, "If you win, I'll give you 33 million. But if you lose, you owe me the same amount."
Cheryl was confident she couldn't lose. She'd only ever been beaten by Philip on the racetrack—no one else had ever come close.
The real reason Cheryl was making this bet was because of the last time Zoe had humiliated them during a survival challenge, walking away with 33 million. Now, Cheryl wanted to get that money back and rub it in Zoe's face.
Cheryl had Zoe's number. Zoe quickly agreed, "I'm in." After all, the first rule of being a mercenary was never to turn down easy money. She wasn't about to refuse Cheryl's generous offer.
Mandy, who was standing nearby, panicked and grabbed Zoe's arm. She said, "Zoe, you can't! Cheryl is a pro on the racetrack. If you've never raced before, you'll lose. That's 33 million dollars we'd be giving away."
Zoe reassured Mandy, "I know what I'm doing. Don't worry."
The 33 million dollar bet instantly hyped up the crowd. While it was nothing in official races, it was the highest stakes ever in an amateur one-on-one showdown. Everyone was excited.
In the end, Philip also joined the race. But he wasn't planning on competing seriously. He just wanted to enjoy the race. He borrowed a car for Zoe and Cheryl. The three cars lined up side by side at the starting line.
Before the race began, Philip warned Zoe and Cheryl, "Safety first. Racing comes second. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Absolutely," Zoe replied coldly and firmly.
Cheryl was even more confident. She opened her car door, flipped her hair dramatically toward Zoe, and gave her the middle finger.
She said, "Hey, country bumpkin, have you even touched a sports car before? Do you know how to drive it? Do you know how to accelerate on a turn? If you don't, get grounded and beg me to teach you."
The crowd erupted in laughter.
"Zoe, it's not that I'm against you, but Cheryl is really good at racing. She's won awards in official races. You don't stand a chance," Eunice said.
It was just a small-scale friendly match, so the students were all gathered around the three sports cars. Eunice had a worried look, though her smile betrayed her true feelings.
To pile on the pressure, Eunice added, "Zoe, have you heard of the world's greatest racer, the legendary Fox?
"Fox is the number one racer in the world, but no one has ever seen her face. All we know is that she's a woman. Her racing skills are so incredible that she always wins races against the best drivers in the world.
"Cheryl and Philip watch her races every year and have learned a fraction of her skills. You don't have a chance against Cheryl. Please, Zoe, I'm looking out for you this time."
A fraction of Fox's driving skills was worth showing off. It might sound like an exaggeration, but anyone who knew about Fox understood the sheer awesomeness of what Eunice just said.
One should know that mastering just a fraction of Fox's skills was enough to blow everyone away. In countless races across Clusia, anyone with even a fraction of Fox's talent would stand out like a star. That was how incredible Fox was.
When Fox was mentioned, even Philip couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect. He was a huge fan of Fox, and she was his all-time favorite racer. He wouldn't miss a single one of her races.
Zoe just raised an eyebrow when she heard Eunice's words. Then she grinned widely in front of everyone and said, "Well, in that case, I guess I have to join this race."
She knew her chances of winning were even better now. She thought, 'This is like money just walking through the door.'
"This Zoe is really clueless. She probably doesn't even know who Fox is," someone in the crowd muttered.
"Exactly! A country girl like her probably has never even seen a live stream of Fox racing," another person added.
"Let's just wait and see the fireworks," someone else chimed in.
The crowd shook their heads in pity for Zoe's apparent ignorance.
Philip tried to lighten the mood. He smiled at Zoe and said, "Don't worry, today's my birthday, and we're just here for fun. There's no need to stress. Just finishing the race would be an achievement."
"Everyone, listen up!" Philip raised his voice and continued, "Today, our main event is these two beautiful ladies. Let's just enjoy the race and keep things positive.
"I'll just be there to keep them company and maybe do a live stream for everyone. Remember, it's all about friendship, not just the race."
Hearing this, many people in the crowd hung their heads in disappointment. They were hoping to see Philip show off his driving skills.
But they understood. In their opinion, if Philip got serious, Zoe and Cheryl wouldn't stand a chance. A race with no suspense wouldn't be fun to watch.
Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, the three of them finally got into their sports cars. Engines roared to life, and tires screeched as they hit the gas. The Twilight Ridge race was officially on.