HLM -Chapter 1180 This Money Has a Special Purpose

At first, Wang Bo didn’t know. It was only when he heard people discussing that he realized the runner in second place was Martin Bass, the previous world record holder, who had completed the full course ten years ago in 8 days and 22 hours.

This time, Bass had pushed his own record forward by ten hours. Unfortunately, he was not the champion.

The other teams still had to return to the town, and only after that could the awards be presented and the event concluded.

After several days, Wang Bo began to regret it. “Damn, why did I run so fast?” Now he had to wait in town.

Nome is a small town, even smaller than Sunset Town. At this time, it was all ice and snow, with neither entertainment nor sightseeing to speak of. Wang Bo could only sulk in the hotel.

The next evening, Bass came to visit—a middle-aged man who always seemed to frown.

He looked stern, but his humor shone through in conversation. Wang Bo thought this man must be very successful in life: disciplined, persistent, humorous, and decisive in action.

Sure enough, Bass turned out to be the owner of a real estate development company. He had even done his homework before coming, talking with Wang Bo about property development in Sunset Town, giving him a lot of new insight.

The remaining teams trickled into town, mostly arriving on the ninth and tenth days, making the town lively.

But the final team was delayed, only arriving on the twelfth day. This team seemed to be there for fun; the athletes weren’t concerned with their ranking. Upon reaching Nome, they appeared even more excited than Wang Bo, attracting many reporters.

Wang Bo asked, “The last-place finisher gets more attention than the first? How does that make sense?”

Tony replied, “He’s no ordinary last-place finisher. He’s a firefighter hero from Florida. He was seriously injured during a rescue operation and lost both legs.”

Wang Bo was astonished. “This guy has no legs and still completed the entire course?”

Tony nodded with admiration. “Yes. His name is Silas Tikaan. He’s truly remarkable.”

Curious, Wang Bo went over. A handsome young man sat on the ground, holding two sled dogs while being interviewed. Behind him on the sled were two prosthetic legs.

Seeing him, a reporter introduced Wang Bo: “This is Mr. Wang, this year’s champion who broke the world record.”

The young man smiled and extended his hand. “Congratulations, Champion. You’re incredible.”

Wang Bo shook his hands with both of his. “Hearing such praise from a truly great person makes me proud. Honestly, my championship pales in comparison to your victory!”

Reporters took photos of them together. Someone commented, “Mr. Wang, well said.”

After seeing Silas, Wang Bo had an idea. That afternoon, after the interviews, he found Silas and shared his thought.

With all the teams present, it was time to announce the prizes. Because the race was so grueling, the top thirty finishers received prize money. They came forward in reverse order of their ranking to collect their prizes and trophies.

As champion, Wang Bo went last, receiving enthusiastic applause. The event chairman presented him with a one-million prize and a crystal trophy, inviting him to speak.

Holding up the trophy, Wang Bo said, “I spent some time thinking about this, trying to recall how many trophies I’ve won. Unfortunately, this is the first.”

A soft laugh rose from the audience, who were kind enough to give him face.

He continued, “With this trophy, I can answer at home. You know my wife will ask where I’ve been for the past two weeks. I need to explain, or I’ll be sleeping with the dogs for the next half month.”

Laughter erupted again, some clapping.

Wang Bo went on, “I’m lucky to get this trophy, and even luckier to receive this money. It’s a huge sum, right? But that’s not the luckiest thing. The luckiest thing is witnessing the magnificent beauty of humanity itself here!”

“As agreed, one-fifth of the prize will go to my coach. The rest, I want to use to establish a small foundation to help people in difficult circumstances participate in sports.”

This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision—it came to him after seeing Silas. Tony explained that Silas had undergone a year of training to participate in this event to regain confidence in his survival. Training and caring for the dogs cost money, and Silas had invested all of his disability allowance.

Wang Bo thought: this money is nothing to him and doesn’t contribute much to the development of Sunset Town. It’s better donated to help disabled athletes who need it more.

Besides, this would be the most meaningful use of it. Eight hundred thousand in exchange for media coverage? Not a bad deal.

Silas had already prepared. Slowly, he walked onto the stage to shake Wang Bo’s hand. He would help establish the foundation, and if Wang Bo deemed him capable, he would manage it in the future.

Cameras flashed constantly. The applause was unprecedentedly enthusiastic; almost everyone stood to clap.

Bass raised his hand: “I am participating in establishing this foundation. This is the true reason I love this sport. We compete in ice and snow, but we all share a passionate heart!”

The runner-up prize was five hundred thousand—a significant sum.

Wang Bo, Bass, and Silas posed for photos on stage. The organizers pledged to participate in establishing the foundation as well. The exact amount each would donate would be decided in a meeting later.

Back at the hotel, Wang Bo called Eva to tell her the news.

Eva laughed joyfully. “That’s amazing, Wang! I was moved by your kindness from the start. I’m proud of the decision you’ve made.”

Wang Bo’s parents were also pleased when they learned he donated the prize. His father said, “Son, you did well this time. You’ve made the Wang family proud. With a son like you, our family’s standing has risen.”

Wang Bo was happy for their support, though he vaguely overheard his parents discussing:

“How much did he donate? Over 800,000? In RMB or NZD? What, USD? Wow, that’s a lot.”

“No matter how much, it’s worth it. It’s a donation to help others and accumulate virtue for the child.”

“Then maybe we should donate a little too? Support our son’s work and accumulate virtue for him.”

Wang Bo: “…