The moment of truth had arrived.
On the Shark Livestream platform, viewers flooded the stream with excitement and anxiety.
"I hope Audi brings home the win for China!"
"Even if they don't win, I'll still support them forever!"
"Go Audi!!"
But not everyone was rooting for them.
"Trash Audi, you're about to get humbled!"
"They're all talk!"
"Watch them get embarrassed!"
Even the trolls looked nervous. Deep down, they didn't want Audi to win. If Audi failed, they could gloat and bash domestic brands under the guise of "objectivity." If Audi succeeded? Their entire narrative would fall apart.
In their eyes, anything not made abroad was inferior. And if China couldn't match foreign performance, they believed it should simply quit trying.
Backstage, Jaime Medina stood under the spotlight, results folder in hand.
In the VIP lounge, tension was sky-high, especially for the Audi team. This was their first time participating in the Ward's 10 Best Engines competition.
Xu Zhilin clenched his fists. He and his team had poured their souls into these powertrains.
Then came Medina's voice:
"Ladies and gentlemen, the results of this year's Ward's 10 Best Engines and Powertrains are in!"
"I won't delay things. Let's start from number ten."
The room fell silent.
"Tenth place: the classic 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 from Ford!"
"Total score: 572 points. Congratulations to Ford!"
Ford's staff erupted into cheers. Their peers offered polite congratulations, with no small amount of envy. Bonuses and promotions would be waiting when they got home.
Walter, design director at Volkswagen Group, leaned over to Lu Haifeng and sneered, "Nine spots left. You still have a shot."
Haifeng raised an eyebrow. "Same to you. Nine chances for Volkswagen, right?"
"Ninth place: Hyundai's 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine! Scoring 586 points!"
The Korean contingent exploded in cheers.
"Smi da! Korea is the best!"
Walter jabbed again. "Eight left, Mr. Lu."
"Eight left for you,u too," Haifeng replied without looking.
Medina continued without pause, rattling off the winners.
Each time a brand made the list, their lounge burst into celebration. Bonuses. Titles. Clout. For automotive engineers, this competition was the industry's Olympics.
With every announcement, the odds narrowed.
Most companies would be thrilled to have one engine recognized. Two? Unheard of. Historically, no brand had ever claimed two spots.
Fourth place was announced:
"Toyota's 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine! With a remarkable 41.7% thermal efficiency and a score of 624 points!"
The Toyota delegation went wild. Even Junko Toyota herself was beaming.
This result shocked everyone. Toyota has rarely broken into the top five in the past few years.
Haifeng turned and offered a sincere nod. "Congratulations, Ms. Junko."
She smiled. "Thank you, Feng-kun. Still three more to go."
"Don't be discouraged. I'll be cheering for you, too."
But inwardly, she didn't believe Audi had a shot. After all, no Chinese company had ever built an engine from scratch, let alone competed at this level.
Even if Haifeng had miraculously dodged the patent minefield and developed a truly independent powertrain, she doubted it could match the industry's elite.
Still, there were three slots left. The following names on that list would decide history.