Having trained real horses, why are we now training racehorse girls after time-traveling?

……

Today was a day for the entire team to relax. Not only Wada and his group, but Ikezoe and Iwanami also brought their respective Uma Musume (horse girls) to relax. However, Iwanami's activities today were slightly different.

They didn't appear at the training ground, nor did they take the opportunity to watch other races of Uma Musume. Instead, they appeared in the stands of the baseball stadium...

"boom!"

"Home run! Strike! But it's flying!"

Sitting in the audience, McQueen, wearing a tourist hat, tried to hide herself, but her cheers could be heard clearly by everyone twenty meters away. Fortunately, the atmosphere was so lively that no one around her noticed McQueen's unusual behavior.

No, it should be said that most people here did not notice Megumi McQueen's presence. Even if a few people thought he looked familiar, they did not think for a second that this hairy horse girl could be Megumi McQueen.

After all, how could Mejiro McQueen, who dominated the racing field, be so interested in this kind of "commoner's" competition and act like such a fanatic?

Unfortunately, it's quite rare for a young lady to have the hobbies of a commoner, but that's exactly what happened to Megumi McQueen.

"Hehe, I didn't expect to see such an excited McQueen. McQueen actually likes baseball. That's not something you can easily say out loud."

On the other side, the East Sea Emperor and the Golden Ship were sitting together. The East Sea Emperor was drinking honey in his hand in big gulps, watching Megumi McQueen cheering in front of him, and he found it particularly interesting.

"Hmph, this is all thanks to Lord Golden Ship! I discovered the baseball game tickets that McQueen hadn't had time to put away yet, otherwise I wouldn't have found out McQueen's little secret." Golden Ship puffed out his chest with pride as he spoke.

"However, I didn't expect the old man to actually convince McQueen to reveal her hobbies and even have us all come and keep her company. Now McQueen finally has no secrets!"

"Hehe, but you can't tell anyone about the Golden Ship, or I'll get angry." The East Sea Emperor chuckled as she reminded him, though in reality, she was probably the one among them who most wanted to tell anyone.

"—Speaking of which, where did the old man go? Why did it take him so long to go out and buy a drink?"

The Golden Ship gradually realized something was wrong. Jin Lang had gone out to buy drinks some time ago but hadn't returned. The East Sea Emperor, however, wasn't so worried, saying:

"It's probably because Na is tired from walking so far, let's take a rest. After all, humans don't have the stamina of us racehorse girls~"

"..." However, Golden Ship did not think that what the Emperor of the East Sea said was correct. She subconsciously looked at the route that Jin Lang had taken when he left earlier, and quietly left the scene, passing through the crowded audience seats.

So what is Jinlang doing at this moment? He did go to buy drinks at first, but on his way back, he was stopped by someone who claimed to be from the TV station, and he is currently negotiating with the other party.

"Trainer Jinlang, this is the list of contestants for this year's Chrysanthemum Award. If nothing unexpected happens, Megumi McQueen will win the popularity contest and her bounty will increase significantly."

"As a racehorse girl from the Mejiro family, she can be said to be a natural-born champion of long-distance races. I think Miss McQueen will be the center of attention in this race, and she'll be a sure winner."

The staff member from the radio station had such a fake expression that Jinlang didn't even want to call him out on it. However, what he said next revealed his true purpose for the trip.

"Why don't you consider this, Mr. Jinlang? I think you wouldn't want this easy victory to slip away, would you?"

"Joining the club, this victory in the Chrysanthemum Award will be the perfect stage for Mejiro McQueen."

Chapter 164: In the end, we'll see each other on the field.

"...I don't understand, sir. Megumi McQueen may indeed be one of the best long-distance racers among the racehorse girls of her time, but I don't think she deserves your attention."

"The Meguro family bloodline is a great advantage, but also a great limitation. My current training requirements for Meguro McQueen are all carried out under the premise of safety. I must ensure her health."

“I think she might not be suitable for the training methods of racehorse girls, especially… the training program that the company has always designed specifically to bring out the potential of racehorse girls, which I strongly oppose.”

Jinlang clearly expressed his aversion to the racing platform. The racing horses from the platform have always been of very high quality. Whether in this world or in Jinlang's previous world, the racing horses from the platform, under the premise of resource monopoly, are almost the best in all of Japan, and most of them come from the platform.

Jin Lang didn't have much to say about the monopoly, after all, he was just a stable boy. He also had nothing to say about the training of racehorses by the sports station. He believed that the sports station knew what was important and wouldn't do anything to mistreat the racehorses.

However, Jinlang made a promise to Madam Meguro that he would ensure the safe retirement of this rising star of the Meguro family while realizing McQueen's ideals. On this point, even Rudolf entrusted the East Sea Emperor to Jinlang without needing to say a word, which was an unparalleled trust in Jinlang.

Whether it's the old lady Meguro or Rudol, their trust in him stems from their willingness to believe that Ichinō is someone who genuinely cares for every racehorse girl. He may not be as driven as Wada or Ikezoe, but he is the backbone of the entire team and the biggest stabilizing factor for the team today.

It can be said that the team can now allow all the female racehorses to train and compete with peace of mind, and the work done behind the scenes by Jinlang is indispensable.

Today's teams need Jinlang's judgment and decision-making more than ever before. Dealing with social media platforms is like holding a double-edged sword in front of them. If wielded well, it is a deadly weapon; if wielded poorly, it can easily lead to their own demise.

Therefore, Jinlang has no intention of joining the stunt team, nor does he intend to send Megumi McQueen and the East Blue Emperor to the stunt team. The stunt team's trainers know nothing about Megumi McQueen and the East Blue Emperor.

"Mr. Imai, our company has the best resources in all of Japan. Once your three racehorse girls join our company, we will provide them with the best training resources to ensure their safe training while also helping them achieve better results."

Speaking of this, the staff member from the TV station said confidently, "We have the best medical team. They are very experienced and can provide medical care to the racehorses as soon as they show any abnormalities."

"Oh? Then I have a small question, and I would appreciate it if you could answer it for me." Jin Lang said calmly upon hearing this:

"Is it possible for the professional medical team at the sports station to detect subtle changes in the racehorse's leg condition by palpating its bones? Or even to detect potential accidents in the racehorse before it even realizes something is wrong with it?"

"Uh... this..."

However, Jinlang's words left the staff member slightly speechless. Although he was not a professional trainer, he was still a TV station employee. He dared to come here to negotiate with Jinlang, so he must know some things about trainers.

Unfortunately, he had never heard of such an ability before, and Jin Lang was certain that he had never heard of it either, because in this world, racehorse girls are not racehorses, and there is no profession of dedicated stable girl. Therefore, many of the safeguards for racehorses are actually incomplete.

Racehorses cannot speak, so their condition needs to be judged by stable hands. As a stable hand, Jin Lang and his colleagues carefully touch the racehorses' legs every morning or early morning to check for any differences in leg temperature and whether the condition of the leg bones has changed compared to the previous day—this is a necessary task for stable hands.

It's no exaggeration to say that as an excellent stableman, Jinlang's senses were still sharp even when he was quite old. He could keenly detect even a 0.1°C change in a racehorse's body temperature. The same was true for leg bones; even the slightest change would allow Jinlang to sense the racehorse's condition and whether it was suitable for continued training.

In this world, the horse girls can talk, they can sense their own abnormalities, and they know they can get sick. However, because of this, much of the knowledge that should have been available in the original world has disappeared or been ignored in this world.

Horse trainers need to plan training procedures based on the condition of racehorses, and the condition of racehorses is determined by stable staff and veterinarians. Jin Lang doesn't think he can be called a veterinarian, but he is confident enough to say that he is more accurate than some professional veterinarians when it comes to ensuring the condition of racehorses.

This is the experience gained from focusing on the same career for most of one's life, and it is something that no professional skill can replace.

"Trainer Jinlang, as far as I know, the company doesn't have a single professional doctor who can do what you've described. We need specialized equipment to determine the condition of the racehorse girls, and daily checkups are just too time-consuming and not worth the effort..."

The staff member, clearly somewhat unconvinced, said, "Besides, I don't think anyone can do it, not even Mr. Jin Lang..."

"If you have any doubts about me, let's make a bet." Jin Lang raised a finger and said calmly, "If possible, after you go back this time, please select ten racehorse girls that you think are relatively healthy to come to me. I will examine their bones to determine their condition and judge whether they are healthy."

"Perhaps I can even find a few racehorse girls with potential problems for you. If the symptoms I describe match the subsequent test results, then the agency should admit that their team is not as professional as mine, and I will have a legitimate reason to refuse the agency's invitation."

"How about it, sir? Are you willing to make a bet? Would you like to represent the organization and gamble with an ordinary young trainer like me?"

"..."

However, the staff member opened his mouth, wanting to grit his teeth and agree immediately. But when he looked into Jin Lang's seemingly calm yet bright and confident eyes, he dared not actually agree.

For some reason, just looking into Jin Lang's eyes made him feel like he was going to lose... and if he really did lose, and the board of directors blamed him... he was afraid he would be kicked out.

“Mr. Jinlang… refusing the invitation from the broadcasting station may not be a good thing for you, or for the horse girls you are in charge of.”

"Oh? May I take this as a threat?"

However, Jin Lang narrowed his eyes upon hearing this, exchanging glances with the staff member. He didn't want to appear too forceful, as he didn't want to offend too much with the TV station, otherwise it wouldn't be good for anyone in their team.

But now that things have come to this point, and the other party has openly started threatening him, even if Jin Lang has a good temper, he's not really without one. His expression finally turned serious.

Just as the staff member was about to say something, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and his gaze subconsciously shifted slightly.

All that could be seen was that behind Jin Lang, Golden Ship had arrived at the scene at some point, holding an empty can of Coca-Cola in her hand, and watching him together with Jin Lang.

Furthermore, the golden ship was exerting a slight force in its hand, squeezing the aluminum can in its hand into a ball. Without a doubt, this was a blatant threat.

"...Mr. Jinlang, we will remember your answer."

"Then I won't bother you any longer. See you on the field..."

Ultimately, not daring to directly clash with Inamami, who had a responsible horse racer present, the stage staff left the scene with forced smiles. Only after Inamami watched him leave did the Golden Ship arrive beside him.

"Old man—who is that? He looks so arrogant, I want to punch him."

“That’s how people from Shetai are. They look down on small groups like ours, especially when we threaten Shetai’s dominance. Their attitude gets even worse.”

Jin Lang shook his head, then immediately said to Golden Ship, "Golden Ship, let's go back and continue watching the game. Let's not ruin our precious rest day."

"Then... tonight, we're going to have a meeting. There might be some unexpected things going to happen in the upcoming competition between McQueen and Good Opera."

Chapter 165: Even Fumino Nase eventually had to make a choice.

That evening, while most of the racehorse girls had a relaxing day and enjoyed themselves immensely, the three trainers held another meeting late at night to summarize what had happened that day.

"Judging from everyone's expressions today, it seems that we are all aware of the situation where we are being targeted by the media."

Jinlang, Ikezoe, and Wada were all in the team's room. At this moment, apart from the three of them, only Golden Ship remained in the meeting room, creating a rather peculiar scene. However, neither Ikezoe nor Wada had any objections to this. They both knew very well that Jinlang's arrangement must have its reasons.

The fact that Golden Ship is here now, even if she didn't participate in the discussion, is enough to show that she is the most trustworthy helper in the team. In a sense, Golden Ship's role in the Uma Musume team is the same as Jinlang's role among the three trainers.

"Everyone, let's talk about where you encountered the gangsters today," Jin Lang, the leader of the three, was the first to speak.

"Let me begin. My fellow racehorse girls and I encountered staff from the radio station at the baseball stadium. Unfortunately, I was unable to reach an agreement with them."

"...Orphie, Zhenjiling, and I were at the dessert shop at the time." Chi Tian glanced at the two beside him and said softly:

"The people from the station recognized Orpheus and then found me, but we parted on bad terms."

After saying that, Chizue turned his gaze to the silent Wada and asked curiously, "Wada, didn't you run into any people from the Shetai? I remember when you came back, Good Opera and Nutao were quite happy, they didn't seem to have been bothered by the Shetai."

"...The people from the company didn't look for me, but instead went to Fumino Nase."

Wada glanced at Ikezoe, and after a long while, he hesitated before saying, "I noticed that after what happened at the amusement park, Ms. Naze quickly parted ways with us. She probably went to meet with the people from the entertainment venue."

"I don't know the specifics, but when I came back this time, Ms. Naze didn't mention anything about the shatai to me, so I don't know what she talked about with the shatai."

"Could it be... that Ms. Nase is someone from the organization? Someone who infiltrated our team?"

Upon hearing this, Ikezoe was also taken aback, subconsciously considering this possibility. After all, in Ikezoe's mind, the equation "Nase Fumino = Taketoyo of this world" still held true.

Moreover, Ikezoe still vividly remembers the incident where Wufeng and Shetai jointly blocked the opera. Now that Nanase Fumino is involved with Shetai again, it's hard not to be wary of her.

"I don't know, but I don't think Ms. Nase is that kind of person."

Unexpectedly, Wada, one of the biggest victims of that incident, expressed a different opinion from Ikezoe, shaking his head and saying, "Although she didn't tell me, I think... she shouldn't have betrayed us."

"Miss Nase, she probably just hasn't made up her mind yet about how to choose. After all, the other party is a large corporation, a behemoth that we can't afford to offend."

“That makes sense, but I think we should prepare for the worst.” Ikezoe still cautiously said to Wada, “Orphie and Maki don’t have any important matches lately, so I don’t think the club will target them… But you’re different from Ima-senpai, Wada-kun.”

"Your 'Raging Waves' and 'Good Opera' are both racehorses with the potential to compete in the GI race. One is the Autumn Emperor's Shot, and the other is the final win of the Classic Triple Crown! Wada-kun, you'd better be prepared."

"...The person from the TV station I met has already revealed this matter; they will undoubtedly tamper with the Chrysanthemum Award now."

At this moment, Jinlang nodded in agreement with Ikezoe's idea. Of course, he didn't want to think the worst about Naise Fumino, but given the current situation, from a rational perspective, they should indeed prepare for the worst.

Of course, Jinlang also believes that Naise Fumino will not join forces with the sham stage to replicate the operations of their world.

If Fumino Naze really did that, then it can only be said that both Imanami and Wada misjudged her. This is truly a rare and valuable lesson, but also a huge loss.

"Don't worry, Wada-kun. This competition isn't just about your Good Opera. McQueen will also be participating in my team, and if I'm not mistaken, Mejiro Ray will also be in the Chrysanthemum Sho team. At least, we can guarantee that our three-person competition will be as unaffected as possible by the event."

"But as for other female racehorses... perhaps the organizers will do their fair share of shady dealings in that regard."

Jinlang is well aware of the power of the RTHK (Taiwanese Radio and Television Station). Now that they know the RTHK is likely to tamper with the Chrysanthemum Appreciation, they need to make certain plans.

So far, among the most competitive racehorse girls in the Chrysanthemum Sho, besides Good Opera and Mejiro McQueen, the only guarantee they can make is that Mejiro Ryan will not be swayed by the broadcasting stations and participate in their attacks on the race. And the broadcasting stations are not going to expose the scandal of the attacks without even putting on a show, otherwise they would be severely criticized.