The snowfield manager seemed to enjoy this sudden little event. With this happening, today’s snow circle trending topic would undoubtedly be their snowfield.

They moved quickly, clearing a 550-meter-long empty snow track at the starting point of the advanced C track for the two big shots and setting up eighteen gates.

“Gates” are crucial props for parallel giant slaloms. The poles are made of flexible telescopic rods, with red and blue flags planted in the snow, exposing the flag part. Competitors need to skillfully use turning and speed control techniques to navigate around the gates and reach the finish line.

In official parallel giant slalom competitions, the final result is composed of two rounds, but it’s not as simple as adding the times of the two runs.

In the first round, both competitors start simultaneously, and their time difference at the finish line is recorded.

In the second round, the competitors switch tracks, and the one who was behind in the first round starts with a delay equal to the time difference (with a maximum delay of 1.5 seconds). The first to cross the finish line wins.

Thus, Shan Chong and Dai Duo would compete in two rounds.

In the first round, Shan Chong would take the blue gate track, and Dai Duo the red gate track, switching in the second round.

The final result would be determined after both rounds.

This pure-speed competition is quite different from park and freestyle snowboarding. Speed competitions test basic sliding techniques, and among the three branches of snowboarding, only carving is closely related to this.

Therefore, those who enjoy this event are usually carving specialists, which falls under Lao Yan’s expertise.

“Is Chong’s board up to the task?” Lao Yan stretched his neck, looking quite worried. “I have a racing board down the mountain. Should I go get it for him?”

Different snowboarding styles require different board and boot stiffness.

From freestyle to park to carving, the required equipment stiffness increases accordingly.

Carving requires high stiffness in both the snowboard and boots. Professional speed snowboarders have specialized racing boards and boots, with boots sometimes as stiff as alpine ski boots.

“No need,” Backstab squatted nearby, puffing smoke. Though he said it wasn’t necessary, his furrowed brow could kill a fly. “Dai Duo is also using his park board.”

Mentioning Dai Duo made Lao Yan uneasy.

“Is this guy a bit crazy?” he asked. “Coming from Changbai Mountain to pick a fight. What does it matter to him where Chong skis, teaches, or who he teaches?”

“I don’t know,” Backstab didn’t want to discuss it. “Maybe he just can’t stand Chong not returning to Changbai Mountain.”

Lao Yan met Shan Chong later, not among the first batch of disciples, but he played closely with Backstab and others, so he knew a bit.

Shan Chong first encountered snowboarding at Changbai Mountain, and it became an obsession. For many years and many snow seasons, he never left that place.

He spent two-thirds of his snowboarding career at Changbai Mountain, practically growing up on its snow.

Then, he was selected for the professional team, provincial team, and national team.

He participated in various competitions, winning numerous domestic and international awards, except for the Winter Olympics.

Everyone said that in a country where snowboarding started late, Shan Chong was the hope for winning a gold medal in the Winter Olympics, defeating strong countries with regional advantages like Northern Europe and North America.

Then, one winter, without warning, he suddenly retired.

Everyone was stunned.

Few knew the reason, and those who did chose to remain silent.

Whether they knew or not, some, like Lao Yan, regretted his sudden retirement, while others, like Dai Duo, cursed and condemned him.

About a snow season after his retirement, Shan Chong reappeared in Chongli, Zhangjiakou. He quietly returned to the snow circle, teaching disciples, and at the end of the snow season, he would go to Altay in Xinjiang or Japan to ski wild snow, becoming an ordinary snowboarding enthusiast.

However, after leaving Changbai Mountain, he never returned.

That’s all Lao Yan knew about Shan Chong. Backstab wouldn’t say more.

But he knew something must have happened at Changbai Mountain for Shan Chong to retire suddenly and never return.

Thinking of this, Lao Yan couldn’t hold back. His baby face, harmless to humans and animals, revealed his frustration as he threw his woolen hat into Backstab’s arms. “Can you tell me what happened between Chong and Dai Duo? Dai Duo has been at Changbai Mountain, and Chong used to be there too. Don’t treat me like a fool. Tell me, was there a story at Changbai Mountain?”

Backstab threw the hat back.

They stared at each other for a while before Backstab spoke.

“There’s no story, but there was an incident. Are you sure you want to hear it?”

“Yes.”

“What if you cry?”

“Stop talking nonsense! Just say it!”

Backstab pondered for a moment before asking.

“Do you know that Dai Duo was the first in the country to complete a 2160-degree spin of an eight-meter platform?”

“Yeah?”

Of course, Lao Yan knew. It was written on Dai Duo’s homepage on a short video site, right above a bunch of brand sponsors.

Backstab bit his cigarette, exhaling a milky white smoke.

“Let me put it this way. Without Chong back then, Dai Duo wouldn’t have completed that 2160.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lao Yan’s head turned so fast it seemed like he might break his neck.

Backstab smiled, squinting his eyes, and glanced coldly at Dai Duo in the distance. His tone was casual. “That’s how it is.”

“How?”

“Strictly speaking, I should call Dai Duo my senior.”

Lao Yan was so shocked he couldn’t speak.

Backstab stopped smiling and extinguished his cigarette. “Later, Chong had an accident on the same eight-meter platform that made Dai Duo famous.”

“What kind of accident?”

“He fell… on his spine.”

Just a few simple words.

In freestyle skiing, such high platforms and difficult moves… every athlete’s first sponsor should be the local hospital’s orthopedics department.

It doesn’t matter if they’re professional or not.

It has a bit to do with whether they’ve had professional training and know how to protect themselves and fall safely, but not much.

Breaking an arm or leg can be fixed… but the spine is different.

If it breaks, it’s over.

It’s that simple.

Backstab stopped talking, leaving it at that. Some things don’t need to be said explicitly. The light “fell” actually carried immense weight and despair.

Hearing it, the surrounding breath seemed to stop for a moment.

Seeing it, Lao Yan’s face turned red, tears welling up, looking like he was about to cry.

“Clean up,” Backstab said disdainfully. “People might think I did something to you. Disgusting, isn’t it?”

For once, Lao Yan didn’t argue with Backstab.

He grabbed a handful of snow and pressed it to his face, then silently brushed it off. He looked at Backstab, pitifully, his voice hoarse. “Is it better now?”

“Not at all,” Backstab said mercilessly. “You still look like someone burned your entire household register.”

“…”

“I told you you’d cry, but you didn’t believe me.”

“Shut up, sob.”

…

Shan Chong didn’t know his disciple was crying for him nearby.

Everything was ready. Adjusting the angle of the bindings from a V-stance (bindings angled outward) to a parallel stance (bindings angled in the same direction), he stood at the starting point and stretched his neck.

A “crack” sound echoed.

Despite the noisy snowfield, this sound reached everyone’s ears.

The referee was a familiar bear-like coach. Though his business wasn’t great, he was one of the few certified competition referees.

Standing like a monument at the advanced C track’s starting point, the surrounding crowd raised their phones.

Beep—

The first whistle blew.

“Should I be kind and let you take a run to get used to the parallel stance?” Dai Duo asked, looking ahead but smiling at Shan Chong. “Used to teaching with a V-stance, can you still stand steady now?”

Shan Chong glanced at him, sincerely suggesting, “Can you shut up?”

In response, he pulled down his goggles.

Dai Duo shrugged and pulled down his goggles too.

Both lowered their centers of gravity at the starting point.

Beep beep—

The second whistle blew.

Amid the crowd’s cheers, two figures, one black and one white, shot out like arrows from a bow!

Shan Chong, on the blue track, stabilized his body after the start. His body began to fold to the extreme, pressing the board’s edge, leaving a deep and neat mark on the snow!

People saw the black figure almost parallel to the snow!

Someone whistled, noting that while Chong was known for his jumps, his parallel carving was at least better than 90% of those claiming to be carving experts!

Soon, they reached the first gate. As they prepared to turn, Dai Duo’s white figure was almost neck and neck with Shan Chong, indistinguishable from the naked eye.

Usually, a slight gap appears after the first turn in a race.

Parallel giant slalom emphasizes turning ability. A wide turn slows you down, a tight turn risks hitting the gate, and speed control is crucial. Charging ahead recklessly can result in being thrown off the track by centrifugal force at the turn.

Entering the turn, the black figure leaned, locking his shoulders, legs, hips, and gaze, perfectly pressing the edge.

Exiting the turn, his body straightened slightly.

The board cut through the snow, creating a satisfying “swish” sound!

At the first gate, people only saw two figures swiftly pass by, leaving only the snow dust kicked up by their board tails.

“Awesome, Chong!”

“Go get him!”

“Dai Duo’s carving is good too. No wonder he chose giant slalom—”

“Who’s supporting Dai Duo? Show yourself!”

“Honestly, this is more exciting than a fight.”

The crowd buzzed with discussions. Meanwhile, Lao Yan, leaning on the snowfield fence, frowned. “Chong’s board is too soft.”

Today, because he was teaching Wei Zhi, Shan Chong used a Burton limited edition snowboard, an all-terrain board suitable for general riding.

But when extreme pressure and folding are applied, the board’s insufficient stiffness limits the rider’s control.

Sure enough, as Lao Yan finished speaking, the two had passed about ten gates. At the third-to-last gate, Dai Duo finally took the lead by half a body length.

Amid thunderous applause, the first round ended.

Dai Duo’s first-round time was 44.36 seconds.

Shan Chong’s first-round time was 44.98 seconds.

Dai Duo was almost half a second faster than Shan Chong.

As the result was announced, the people at the bottom of the mountain didn’t have time to speak before those at the top started arguing.

“Damn! Lost at home! I don’t even dare to look at the Changbai Mountain snow friends’ group now!”

“There’s still another round!”

…

“Half a second slower in the first round. This isn’t a professional race. How can you be so precise? In the second round, he has to start at least a second later. Isn’t that a loss?”

“What’s there to be afraid of? The last time I saw Chong do a parallel carve was half a year ago at Guangzhou Sunac. It’s been so long. You have to let him get used to it…”

“Get used to what? Damn, I’m so anxious!”

…

…

At the bottom of the mountain, the atmosphere was much calmer.

Shan Chong just glanced at the timer and didn’t react much.

Dai Duo took off his goggles, casually unbuckled his bindings, and removed his board. “Guess how many people will still worship you as a god after today, letting you live like a fraud, enjoying your high status?”

Shan Chong glanced at him. “You think you’ve already won? I thought there was a second round.”

Dai Duo: “In the second round, you’ll fall even further behind. I bet you’ll lose by one gate.”

Shan Chong ignored him.

He took off his goggles and hung them on his board. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and turned to seriously examine Dai Duo. His gaze lingered on him before stopping at the goggles in his hand. He inexplicably praised, “Nice goggles.”

Burton’s new M4 model this year, with interchangeable magnetic lenses, available in various colors, was hard to buy and expensive.

“…Are you crazy?” Dai Duo looked at the goggles in his hand, baffled.

Shan Chong didn’t respond and walked away with his board.