This Car-Poor Guy Needs an Avante N
The moment Han Dae-jin floored the accelerator on the Avante N, what surprised him was how there was zero torque steer even when pushing a high-output front-wheel-drive car like this to the limit. If he'd cranked the same power into his Avante 3—his Science 3rd Unit—and slammed the pedal, the car would've fishtailed all over the damn place, no question.
Crisscrossing the underground tunnel through Gimpo Han River New Town, he blew past regular cars like they were standing still, and the Avante N's acceleration just kept pulling without letting up. That's when it hit him—the sheer performance of this beast.
Right then, the uphill left corner leading up to Ilsan Bridge came into view. Han Dae-jin braked pretty gently. The way the revs dropped and matched gears automatically felt like some next-level shit to him. His mom's old truck sure as hell didn't do that.
After a quick signal wait, the light changed, and he shot onto the ramp toward Ilsan Bridge, heading straight for the toll booth. Thanks to Lee Hyun-woo's tip about the Hi-Pass, he breezed through and punched it again atop the bridge. Top speed around 220 kph.
Spotting the circular ramp where he'd have to loop back, Han Dae-jin tested the massive 360mm front discs gripped by the single-piston calipers. The rear twitched a bit, but he corrected with the wheel and dove in. The 18-inch forged wheels shod with SUR8Z tires held firm under his ferocious cornering at over 80 kph through the ramp.
Feeling the E-LSD's brute force firsthand, he was in awe. Then came the uphill right-hand roundabout ramp—he powered through using just throttle and steering. Back on the bridge deck, he mashed it like a maniac.
Toll booth ahead. He scrubbed speed until the discs glowed red-hot, cleared it, then dove back into the tunnel. Hitting the downhill right-hander, he slung from lane one to two and back, threading the needle. No fade, no push—the car didn't flinch.
Full throttle. By the tunnel exit, the speedo was past 230 when he stood on the brakes, bringing it back under control. He swung into the U-turn entrance and pulled into the Gimpo Coffee Special lot.
Parking up, he could feel the heat radiating from the brake discs. Lee Hyun-woo popped the hood, revealing the turbine glowing cherry-red. To Han Dae-jin, it looked just like the mood lights Kim Ji-ho had bought him once.
"How is it?"
Lee Hyun-woo asked.
"Fucking killer," Han Dae-jin said.
"Be specific."
"First off, cornering's insanely precise—no understeer in sight, dead neutral. And the acceleration? Nuts."
Lee Hyun-woo cracked a faint smile.
"But on a circuit, even this car will hit understeer."
"Circuits that big a deal?"
Han Dae-jin tossed out a noob question.
"Example. Windy roads might have lanes with some manners, but Korean regs cap local and national roads at 3 meters wide? Wider spots hit 6 or 7 meters tops. Inje Circuit? 13 to 15 meters easy. Double the width, double the stress on the car. Same for drivers."
Han Dae-jin looked lost.
"Basically, wider track means more margin. Same radius corner, you can carry way more speed. Car's got limits, sure—mass-produced stuff tops out under 1G. But tune for circuit, and you'll blow past that."
"Ah..."
"I'm still small fry, can't teach shit myself. But I know who can. Like our Club Assa vice-leader, pro racer Kim Ji-hyun..."
"Yeah... I know her."
"You know she runs a driving academy? The Crucible of Human Modification."
Han Dae-jin blinked like it was news to him.
"Huh?"
"Search it later if you got time. My tuning shop hyung runs a racing team too, taught me on the side. He set up my car."
Han Dae-jin just nodded silently.
"Ah... thanks for the ride. Great experience."
Lee Hyun-woo checked his watch, said he had an appointment soon, and headed out first. He pulled a business card from his wallet.
Hyper Speed Racing Team
CEO Kim Jong-jin
010 – XXXX – XXXX
Han Dae-jin spaced out for a sec, then shuffled back into the cafe and plopped down. He zoned out, ordered a draft beer, and finally snapped back.
That spot Lee Hyun-woo mentioned.
"The Crucible of Human Modification?"
A quick search, and boom—Kim Ji-hyun's academy popped up top on Naver. Clicked in: her pro wins, students' flashy resumes.
Student OOO → N1 Class Debut
Student OOO → GT1 Class Debut
Student OOO → GTB Class Champion
Amid the glory, Han Dae-jin eyed the price.
"Huh?"
Not shocked at how pricey—wait, a pro class for just 200,000 won a month? Believing it or not, he signed up and paid.
That's when the cafe owner and his wife slid into his booth.
"Hey, kiwi punk. You actually buying an Avante N?"
The cafe owner said.
"Nah, no way. Where'm I getting that cash?"
"Bull. Long-term lease it. No deposit, no upfront—ask that Hyundai dealer kid who comes here."
Han Dae-jin cleared his throat awkwardly. Lease? Restrictions on mods, probably...
"But what you been up to, kiwi punk?"
The owner's wife spotted his phone screen—the fresh payment confirmation.
He explained the Crucible of Human Modification, monthly fee, all that.
"Dude, ain't that overkill spending?"
The owner said.
"Yeah, we got pros hanging here too..."
"It's... run by Kim Ji-hyun, the lawyer who comes to our cafe."
The wife went wide-eyed. "Oh, really?"
"What do you even get from that?"
The owner asked.
"Dunno. But I wanna win."
They chatted a bit more before he bounced.
Next weekend, heading down to his hometown, his phone rang—Kim Ji-hyun.
"You fucking penniless shitstain, scraping together 200k on 12-month installments? You desperate little worm. That how bad you wanna race?"
No contact all week, then this out-of-nowhere phone roast? Han Dae-jin was baffled but cracking up.
"Ah... yeah. Got rivals I gotta beat."
"Canceled your refund, dipshit. Lessons with me. I'll schedule it. Skip or no-show? I'll chew your balls like Vienna sausage. Handle it."
She hung up. Han Dae-jin felt a weird mix: funny, scary, kinda pumped.
Chungnam Cheongyang, home. Parked, ate the quiet meal his mom made. She asked about office life; he bullshitted vaguely.
After dinner, beers with mom for old times.
"Son, thinking of swapping cars? Your bro saw you on Beststar."
His heart dropped.
"Ah... nah, no need."
Avante N buy-me plea burned on his tongue, but he played it off. Eyes said different.
Chat fizzled. Mom, working at the temple, crashed early. Han Dae-jin tossed and turned, then hit the shed.
Chill air lingered. Corner: dim trophies. Racing awards? In our family? Drunk haze, he shrugged it off and slept.
Sunday departure: pocket money from mom. Drive back, nonstop sighs.
"Fuck... this right...?"
Sighing all the way to Osan.
Monday evening, back at Gimpo cafe, met the Hyundai dealer bro.
"Bro, with your credit at a listed company? Just get a card and finance it."
"Checked once—total limit over 5 mil."
"Plenty to work with."
"Car's in mom's name. Need her OK."
Dealer bro laughed. "Psh, she'll buy it for ya. Tell her and hit me up."
Handed over an Avante N catalog and dipped.
Han Dae-jin stared down at his grip on it.