Chapter 100

Feng Yi bought the bicycle for long-distance riding, and it might also need to handle off-road conditions when necessary, so he had to consider various aspects when choosing it.

Feng Yi also emphasized the bike's load-carrying capacity to the shop owner.

Although the shop owner thought that the load-carrying capacity was not the key point for a long-distance travel bike, since Feng Yi had such a requirement, he would help select a suitable model.

In the end, the shop owner recommended a mountain bike to him. In terms of strength and toughness, even if it wasn't top-tier, it was still of high quality. Of course, the price was also higher.

Since Feng Yi had no experience with long-distance riding, he didn't know if this bicycle was suitable for him, so he decided to buy it and try it out.

He didn't drive to the bike shop this time, but instead bought the bike to try it out, planning to ride it back to Yuxiu Community and make a stop at the swimming pool on the way.

The backyard renovation was ongoing, with a new door being installed, and it was supposed to be completed within two days. Therefore, Feng Yi would stay at Yuxiu Community for the next two days.

Riding from the city center to the swimming pool, he tidied up the place and called the pool owner.

Since he had decided to go on a spontaneous trip, he needed to wrap up all his affairs here. He had rented the swimming pool for a month, and the lease hadn't expired yet, but he couldn't predict how long his trip would last, so he needed to settle the accounts first.

He could also let other friends use the pool before the lease expired, but if any problems arose, he would still be responsible for solving them. This trip was for a major evolution, and he wanted to avoid anything that might affect the efficiency of his evolution.

So, he decided to settle the pool affairs first.

The inner wall of the pool had a dent from his collision, and there were some minor damages in other areas. He needed to discuss these with the pool owner.

According to the contract, even if he terminated the lease early, no refund would be given. Therefore, Feng Yi mentioned the compensation issue.

However, after the pool owner saw the damages, he didn't ask Feng Yi to pay for them. He said that since the lease hadn't expired and the water and electricity bills hadn't exceeded the limit, the damage could be offset against the rent.

Repairing the pool to its original state would be troublesome, but in the pool owner's view, the dent in the inner wall didn't affect the use and could be ignored for now. The pool wasn't a luxury venue, and the price was affordable, so regular visitors wouldn't mind these minor issues.

As for the minor damages, a simple repair would suffice. Overall, he wasn't at a loss. By not pressing the issue, he hoped that Feng Yi would consider renting the pool again for a long-term lease in the future or recommend it to his friends.

After settling the pool matters, Feng Yi rode back to Yuxiu Community.

Riding from the city center to the swimming pool and then to the suburban community was a long distance, and he felt a bit unaccustomed, but it was manageable.

Feng Yi decided to set off as soon as the backyard renovation was complete.

When he arrived at the community, a square hole had already been cut in the wall, and the door was about to be installed.

The renovation cost didn't need to be borne by Feng Yi, and the community had indeed completed the work quickly and with minimal disruption, as promised.

Back home, Feng Yi unfolded the map.

The purpose of the trip was to activate the "Compass." Although he didn't have a specific destination yet, he planned to head in a direction away from the city.

However, he needed to decide which direction to go.

His instinct was currently on strike, and he couldn't find it no matter how much he called.

Feng Yi cut four pieces of paper and wrote the four cardinal directions—East, South, West, and North—on them.

The butler had said that his talent and luck were excellent. Since his instinct couldn't be relied on, he would rely on luck!

After writing the directions, he crumpled the papers into four balls, shook them in his hand, and then randomly picked one.

He unfolded it and saw:

West.

"Then I'll go west!"

The west indeed had a lower population density and fewer people. After the climate anomaly, many protected areas were established there.

Heading in that direction would be more peaceful. There were more pristine areas, and he might experience a call of the wild.

He just didn't know if this trip would activate the "Compass."

The next day, Feng Yi woke up to find the door in the backyard already installed.

He set up the remote control for the backyard door and closed all the windows and doors in the house.

He sent messages to Wu Ji and Qian Feiyang, telling them he had work and needed to leave Rongcheng for a while. He had stayed in the city for one night before leaving, so he needed to give a reason to avoid worrying them.

Feng Yi put on his gear, packed his travel bag, and began his unplanned journey.

Riding for a while, he would stop and sense.

If he couldn't sense anything, the "Compass" wouldn't activate, so he would continue.

At the foot of a mountain, a group of people were gathered, pushing their bicycles.

They were members of a cycling club from a nearby university.

The club president had chosen a weekend soon after the start of the semester to take the new members on an outdoor cycling activity.

The new members, who had just joined, found everything new and interesting, and they stopped to take photos and videos with their phones.

Ahead was a mountain, and they were about to ride to the top.

One club member looked up at the mountain and said, "Isn't this mountain too high?"

The club president was checking his equipment and reminding others to do the same. Hearing this, he said nonchalantly, "This mountain is fine. It's suitable as your first challenge for this kind of cycling activity.

"Make sure to speak up if you feel unwell while climbing. Don't push yourself; your health is more important than your pride."

A member asked, "President, are we going to explore after we climb this mountain?"

The club president said seriously, "Explore? Explore what? First, figure out your limits and whether you can handle long-distance rides! Don't get carried away and rush ahead like a fool.

"Let's take it step by step. First, we'll climb this mountain, and then we'll continue. Don't rush, and keep a steady mindset!

"Don't be reckless; respect the long-distance ride and don't push yourself to the limit from the start..."

Before he finished speaking,

Whoosh

A black bicycle zipped past like the wind.

The club president's forehead veins bulged in anger, and he shouted, "Who? Who was that? Picking a fight, huh?! Who knows him? Report his name, and I'll blacklist him! He won't be welcome next time!"

A member beside him said, "President, he doesn't seem to be from our club. He's not with us."

Another member added, "Although the bike was too fast to see clearly, I noticed that his bike and equipment were different from ours."

Hearing that he wasn't from their club, the president calmed down. "Oh, then ignore him. I've seen people like that before. They think they're invincible at the start of a climb, and if there were a race, they'd probably think they could cross the Himalayas! But they usually give up after half an hour of climbing.

"Wait and see!"

The president remembered the black bicycle and sent a message to the vice president waiting at the top of the mountain to keep an eye out.

He didn't check the message after sending it, put away his phone, and led the new members up the mountain.

Sure enough, some of them couldn't keep up, and within half an hour, they had to get off and push their bikes, complaining all the way. It took the group about three to four hours to reach the top.

Letting the members rest, the president took the water bottle offered by the vice president, wet his lips, and remembered something. "Did you notice the black bike I asked you to look out for?"

The vice president took out his phone and flipped through the photos. "Is this the one?"

The photo wasn't very clear and didn't capture the front, clearly taken in a hurry.

The president looked at it. "Yes, that's him. When did he reach the top..."

His voice trailed off, his eyes nearly popping out.

Looking at the time displayed on the photo, the president's voice was dry. "Is this time wrong? Or did you take a photo of the wrong person?"

The vice president shook his head. "I thought I had taken a photo of the wrong person when I saw him, but later, I saw someone in the group post a photo of him at the bottom of the mountain. It's definitely the same person and the same bike!"

The president was amazed. "That's too fast! He didn't slow down or rest at all?"

The vice president sighed. "I don't understand either. When he arrived, I wasn't prepared, so I took the photo in a hurry. We usually rest when we reach the top, but he only stayed for about ten seconds before leaving again. I was playing a game, and when I looked up, he was already there. I almost dropped my phone in surprise. By the time I switched to the camera, it was too late."

As the president and vice president of the club, they were part of several related chat groups. They posted the photo to ask if anyone recognized him. Usually, people who ride a lot can be identified by their equipment and bike.

But no one recognized the black bike.

Feng Yi had no idea he was being photographed and discussed.

After choosing to head west, he focused on his journey. He had a clear goal but no fixed route, and he wasn't in the mood to take photos. His physical condition was different from ordinary people, and he rarely stopped for long, except for eating, drinking, and sleeping.

Feeling no useful information at the top of the mountain, he continued his journey.

Unlike cycling enthusiasts, he had no interest in enjoying the scenery or the process.

Before his instinct went on strike, it had conveyed a message: the next key point was approaching.

The butler had also mentioned this, emphasizing the importance of this key point.

So, he had no time to appreciate the scenery!

Feng Yi rode for two more days without sensing anything from the "Compass."

Maybe it needed a trigger mechanism?

Or perhaps he was too far away to receive the signal?

Feng Yi was feeling frustrated, paying attention only to the road and not to anything else. So, when he passed a group of cyclists, he didn't greet them.

The five-person cycling team didn't expect to encounter a fellow cyclist in this area.

Unfortunately, this cyclist didn't acknowledge them.

"That black bike is pretty arrogant!" one said.

"He's riding fast, probably in a hurry for something."

"Maybe."

"Let's just keep riding and not bother each other."

Ten minutes later.

The road ahead was congested.

Feng Yi looked at the long line of cars and sighed.

The drivers of the first two cars had gotten out to chat.

"Your front bumper looks scratched."

"I was trying to overtake a truck, but there was a turn, and I got hit by the truck's tail."

"That's dangerous!"

"You bet. My wife gave me a scolding when the car stopped. She's still angry in the car."

The other driver noticed the red mark on the first driver's ear, which looked like it had been pinched, but didn't mention it. He smiled and said, "Drive more carefully. Safety first."

"Yeah. This road is tough. Last year, a few of us from my company went on a self-drive trip. The road was dusty, visibility was poor, and we were in a hurry. One of my colleagues didn't notice a large rock and got it stuck under the car. It took a lot of effort to remove it."

"Was the car's chassis too low?"

"Who would drive a low-clearance car on this road?"

Feng Yi listened to their conversation, realizing they were regulars on this route. He approached and asked how long it usually took to clear such a situation.

"Wait for an hour or two. If it's difficult to clear the road, it might take longer."

The driver looked at Feng Yi and his bicycle, then at the five cyclists behind him, with a sympathetic gaze.

"Riders like you can sometimes slip through the gaps, but not in this case. The road ahead has issues and needs to be cleared. Four-wheeled vehicles can't pass, and neither can two-wheeled ones. Wait! If you have a sleeping pad, you can rest on the side."

The five cyclists heard this and one of them cursed their bad luck. They discussed how to pass the time.

Feng Yi was getting hungry.

If he couldn't reach the next stop on schedule, he wouldn't be able to replenish his food and would have to go hungry.

"Is there another way to go besides this road?" Feng Yi asked.

Another driver said, "I asked before. There's only this road. Otherwise, you'd have to take a detour."

The driver gestured and explained to Feng Yi, "From here, take a side route. But there's no road, the grass is uneven, there's a stream, and a steep rocky path. It's difficult to walk, let alone with a bicycle."

Feng Yi thanked him.

He thought for a moment, got off his bike, lifted it, and started the detour.

The two drivers: !!!

The five cyclists: "What the...!"

Watching Feng Yi carry his bike away,

One cyclist took a photo, "That black bike owner is tough!"

The strongest member of the team got off his bike and stretched, "I'll try it!"

He carried his bike off the road but soon brought it back, struggling to walk on the uneven grass and getting his foot caught on a stone.

"Never mind, let's just wait."

They had been cycling for a long time and were exhausted. Even if they carried their bikes, they needed to rest and recover their strength.

Compared to them, the black bike owner was even more impressive!

They posted the photo in several cycling groups: "Does anyone recognize this black bike?"

No one recognized him.

Feng Yi didn't know anyone was looking for him. Wearing a helmet, goggles, and a dust mask, even if someone stood next to him, they couldn't see his face.

He carried his bike steadily, placed it on the road, and continued his journey.