Umamusume's days are numbered

"I...I know...I need to calm down..." Platinum quickly took two steps back, closed her eyes, and took a couple of deep breaths. But as soon as she opened her eyes, she grabbed the screen again. "No, I can't calm down...I, I..."

Alice sighed inwardly as she looked at Platinum's pleading, somewhat pitiful gaze. It was the look of a gambler who had bet everything...

While some progress is better than none, will the upcoming news be a blessing or a curse for Platinum...?

"Since you're in such a hurry, let's get to the conclusion first." Alice cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, but there's still no progress on the cure for Soul Dissolution Syndrome."

"But I've made an unexpected new discovery about the drug you provided me, the one you've been taking all this time."

"It's good to have made a new discovery..." Platinum was not disappointed. Instead, she sat back on the bed with a satisfied look on her face. "Thank you, Suko."

"Given your junior high school education, I'll try to explain it to you as simply as possible. The previous tests on the inhibitors you provided revealed an unprecedented phenomenon, which I call a 'matter black hole.'" Alice took out a jar of medicine that Platinum had provided for her experiments, shook it slightly, and the pills inside rattled. "I've tried various methods to try and understand the complete composition of these tiny pills, but I haven't obtained any useful information or been able to isolate the pure reagent."

"It's strange, isn't it? We all know that there is such a substance at work, but we can't detect it no matter what characterization method we use. It's like a black hole in the eyes of astronomers; they can't directly observe the existence of a black hole, they can only prove its existence indirectly. I'm facing the same problem."

“This phenomenon is so bizarre that I even started to wonder if something was wrong with my brain,” Alice pointed to her temple. “Until I was chatting with an astronomer and casually mentioned the phenomenon of ‘matter black holes.’ I just said it offhand, but she answered very seriously—”

"If there's no flaw in the characterization method, or if the substance being purified is inherently difficult to exist in its elemental form, then she recalls this phenomenon. She saw such a substance during a visit to a lab at MIT. However, since she doesn't work in this field, she's not entirely sure."

"Wait a minute." Bai Jin quickly raised his hand. "Who did you say? Are you talking about that astronomer, the one who always wears slippers and is disheveled, wandering around the school half-asleep?"

Platinum never expected to hear that name from Alice's mouth.

"You can get to know me, but I can't?" Alice snorted. "In the end, she helped me a lot. I asked her friend to help me get some samples to try... I thought it would be a very difficult thing, and I might even end up in jail, but it was sent to Japan very easily. Because apparently, that thing can already be mass-produced on a small scale."

Alice then took out a box of powdered reagents from under the table.

"Conclusion: After my analysis and comparison, although I can't determine exactly what it is, I guess it's the same substance as your suppressant and this thing, based on some telepathy, divine revelation and a bit of guesswork."

"It sounded so scientific and reliable at first, how did it turn into guesswork in the end?" Platinum was speechless.

“No… I feel like ever since the [matter black hole] appeared, all the work that followed has actually been done by guesswork.” Alice gave a tired smile. “After all, I really have no other choice.”

"Listen to me. If this is the active ingredient in your inhibitor, do you understand what that means? There are labs researching this stuff, and it's being produced on a small scale, and it wouldn't be difficult for me to get my hands on it..."

Platinum let out a deep breath: "This means... there are still many patients with Soul Dissolution Syndrome."

“And there’s the worst news yet,” Alice continued. “The research lab that’s working on the inhibitor of Soul Dissolution Disease was funded by the Secretariat.”

The image of the Secretariat's cold smile immediately flashed into Platinum's mind.

In the near future, you will come to me. And you will come begging to me, tears streaming down your face... You will soon understand.

The secretariat's words to her echoed in Platinum's ears once more. This time, Platinum understood what she meant.

Episode 338 Nothing Happened

Although she said that sleeping was the priority, Platinum still showed up the next day with dark circles under her eyes.

So much happened yesterday. As soon as Platinum lay on the bed, her mind was filled with the events of the day: the Secretariat's radical renovation of the lab, the astronomer's public courtship, the conman's eagerness for her to run in the Arc de Triomphe Breeders' Cup... In short, as soon as she closed her eyes, it felt like there were three little figures—the astronomer, Alice, and the Secretariat—constantly bobbing around on her head and banging on her.

What I'm most worried about isn't actually the Arc de Triomphe or the suppressant drugs. Although those are important—no, they should be considered extremely important—they can still be postponed, and there's still a reprieve period.

Only when facing astronomers, only when facing astronomers! This matter is extremely urgent!

Platinum couldn't even imagine how she would face her the next day. When she learned that the astronomer hadn't returned home all night, Platinum secretly breathed a sigh of relief, which made Excellent Quality look at her suspiciously several times.

It wasn't until Platinum arrived at the training room and the astronomer was still nowhere to be seen that she began to panic.

"That astronomer... could he have just vanished into thin air?!" Platinum thought in horror.

No, no, it shouldn't be like that. Running away after a setback is something only children do. An astronomer, after all, is a mature adult... a mature... adult...

Thinking about this, Bai Jin was really starting to lose her composure. Mature adults—astronomers are sometimes neither mature nor even truly human; at best, they're just adults. That guy was practically like a schoolboy with a driver's license…

Oh no. Thinking about it this way, the probability of the astronomer disappearing is extremely high! Platinum panicked instantly.

The astronomers not coaching Platinum is a minor issue; if all else fails, he can always shamelessly go to Haidu City to ask for training. More importantly, the astronomers are one of Platinum's anchors. The new discovery about the suppressant drug that Alice told him about last night owes some credit to the astronomers; they are both invaluable helpers on his path to curing his soul-dissolving syndrome.

The astronomers have run away, what am I going to do?

Bai Jin hurriedly took out his phone and shakily opened the astronomer's chat interface, but hesitated on this screen.

She really didn't know what message to send the astronomer. She couldn't exactly send her a message saying, "Come back, I promise you, I'll do anything you want if you don't leave, can I?"

And what if you send out the message and find that the astronomer has already blocked you?

Just as Platinum was panicking and pacing around anxiously, the door to the training room was pushed open.

"Stop spinning, stop spinning, it's making my eyes blurry." An astronomer with a head of fluffy, smooth black hair, but messy because he hadn't washed it, and a sleepy look on his face, pushed open the door and walked in while yawning.

"It's good that you're here, it's good that you're here..." Platinum breathed a sigh of relief. But then she became nervous again.

They couldn't even chat through messaging apps, let alone face-to-face. Platinum felt so embarrassed whenever she saw an astronomer that she practically curled her toes in the floor. What could she possibly say to him? "We were all drunk that night," she could only stammer.

"What are you still standing there for?" The astronomer looked at Platinum standing there stiffly and pointed to the treadmill. "Every day is precious."

...That's it? Bai Jin never expected that the astronomer's first words upon entering would be this. She had even anticipated that the astronomer would continue to pester her after entering, but she never expected that the astronomer would be so calm in the face of her.

"An astronomer...?" Platinum tentatively raised the corner of his eye and beckoned with his finger.

"Don't even think about pleading." The astronomer sternly slapped Platinum's finger away. "Get on the treadmill now, or I won't be able to give Rudolf a token."

Huh? Huh? Huh? So serious, so focused...

Is this really the same astronomer I know? Platinum's eyes widened in surprise.

In her eyes, the astronomer's face was even bathed in the golden light of the rising sun, making him appear incredibly sacred.

She didn't mention anything about what happened last night, which meant... even in a crisis, Platinum's mind worked quickly. She immediately understood this gentle restraint—I won't mention it, and you shouldn't either.

Let that incident remain a little secret buried deep in our hearts, and let it drift away with the wind. Since nothing ever happened, our relationship hasn't changed at all. Let's avoid any pointless awkwardness and just continue treating each other as normal friends.

Such a mature approach? It's full of the tests of the adult world, completely unlike the astronomer who couldn't understand her own hints last night! In just one night, the astronomer made such a significant leap forward—it's practically super-evolution. Maybe someone was advising her.

Platinum stepped onto the treadmill with peace of mind, resigned to the training the astronomers were receiving. The astronomers, still bathed in the morning glow, their faces serene and almost blending into the rising sun.

◇

After being trained by astronomers in the training room for half the morning, Platinum still had to grumble and groan as he went down to run and up again, all the while reciting the route he had agreed upon with the astronomers.

The entire track was designed to be a complete replica of the Longchamp Racecourse. Astronomers required Platinum to be able to determine the track's condition by relying solely on the sound of his heartbeat and breathing, without relying on sight. This was a real ordeal for Platinum.

Another thing was even more agonizing. Bai Jin felt like she had thorns in her back, constantly glancing at the excellent students and the carp leaping over the dragon gate sitting in the stands.

Seeing that he was being watched, Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate maintained his smile and waved slightly at Platinum.

That's strange... Ah Li's behavior is strange too!

Normally, seeing himself so close to the astronomer, Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate would have been furious and rushed over to separate them. They would usually talk about the morning training session, which only involved the two of them, for a long time.

But today, the carp leaping over the dragon gate suddenly seemed to care about all of that, maintaining a calm smile and treating everyone with gentleness.

If you were to say something's off, then it definitely isn't. But during the conversation with Ah Li, she didn't seem angry, and I racked my brains but couldn't figure out what I had done to upset her.

It's this kind of inexplicable change that's frightening. The carp leaping over the dragon gate was so gentle to everyone, yet there was a sense of distance growing between them, like... almost like meeting for the first time.

(Why is the layout messed up? Ugh.)

Episode 339 Crematorium

Another leisurely holiday has passed. With excellent qualities, Mei stretched lazily and hummed a song as she returned to her room.

For Platinum, this trip to Hawaii seemed to be full of unexpected situations, leaving her and those around her overwhelmed. But for Elite, this summer training camp was a windfall, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

A publicly funded trip! This is a publicly funded trip! They toured almost all of Hawaii's famous islands in just two weeks, stayed at such luxurious resorts, and saw so many celebrities they usually only see on TV. Even if someone with exceptional qualities traveled on their own next time, they wouldn't enjoy such treatment. And the only price was being made a fool of in front of the cameras while dressed as a nun.

That's why you have to enjoy every day. Just as Excellent Quality was looking forward to the future with a smile, there was a knock on her door. When she opened the door, Excellent Quality saw Platinum crouching at her door like a thief, looking around furtively. As soon as she saw that she had opened the door, Platinum immediately scurried inside.

"Teacher Necha, it's a matter of life and death, please help me!" Platinum pleaded in a low voice to Excellent Quality.

With a roll of her eyes, and just by looking at Platinum's posture and demeanor, she could already guess what Platinum was going to say to her next.

"I don't know why, but I feel strange today."

See? What did I tell you? She's coming to me for relationship advice again. Why is everyone coming to me for relationship problems when I'm a completely innocent girl who's never had a single relationship in my life?!

But seeing Bai Jin's anxious eyes, she couldn't bring herself to say the words "excellent qualities." She could only sigh, pat the spot next to her on the bed, and gesture for Bai Jin to sit down beside her: "What's wrong? Haven't you and A Li always had a good relationship?"

"Teacher Necha, did you notice?" Bai Jin sat next to You Yousheng, impatiently biting her nails. "At lunch today, Ali sat so far away from me!"

"And when I accidentally touched her hand during lunch, she actually pulled her hand back and apologized to me!"

"Normally, she would stick close to me, and might even feed me!"

"And this afternoon during the massage, she didn't take the opportunity to touch me all over; she just really did a massage. This is not like her at all."

Bai Jin's face looked as if he had been struck by lightning.

...I think this is quite normal. In fact, it's your usual fervent attitude towards me that's so strange, isn't it? (Thinking to myself, "Excellent quality.")

So she gently coaxed Bai Jin: "But wasn't your conversation today quite normal? She was very attentive and responsible during your massage this afternoon. So it's clear that Li Yuelongmen isn't angry with you. If you had done something to upset her, she probably wouldn't have paid any attention to you."

"I think Ah Li feels that there's something wrong with how she's interacting with you, so she's determined to change it. Have you asked her directly what she thinks?"

Platinum stammered, "How could I dare? It's precisely because her smile was so gentle that I didn't dare to go up and ask."

Excellent qualities suddenly struck her. She now felt a sense of responsibility, a responsibility bestowed upon her by heaven, as if fate had ordained her to accomplish this task—to popularize normal views on love and friendship in Baijin.

Her excellent qualities had been noticed long ago, but for some reason, Platinum seemed completely clueless in this area. Her attitude towards people was inconsistent, sometimes too distant, sometimes too close. Her antics with the president were further proof of this. Surely she couldn't have grown up without a single friend or admirer?

With his hands on Platinum's shoulders, the man with excellent qualities began to lecture Platinum in the manner of someone who had been through it all.

"Bai Jin, do you think it's more normal for a carp to leap over the dragon gate in the past, or for a carp to leap over the dragon gate today? Think it through before you speak, and think carefully about the answer to this question."

Bai Jin was stunned. Her mouth opened and closed as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she tilted her head dejectedly and said, "Today's 'Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate' was more normal. Today's 'Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate' is consistent with my memory of the first time I encountered it."

"Do you understand?" The woman gently stroked Platinum's face. "Don't you think your relationship is very abnormal?"

Whether I noticed Platinum and Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate before or not, I've wanted to talk about excellent qualities for a long time.

Something's off about your relationship, isn't it?! It just doesn't feel right, it's not like a normal friendship at all! If I had to describe it, Platinum and Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate's relationship is more like that of an idol and a fan. The sheer fervor Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate exudes is almost frightening to even the most outstanding individuals.

"Relationships between two people need to be maintained. A relationship that only one party can maintain cannot last. Bai Jin, do you think you have done anything for your relationship with Li Yuelongmen?"

Platinum's eyes darkened: "I've never considered that kind of thing before."

Because from the very beginning, Bai Jin never intended to be friends with anyone. So when did all the friends around her gather around her, without her even realizing it?

"Then you should start thinking about it now. I think Li Yuelongmen is also considering something similar." The person with excellent qualities glanced in another direction, which happened to be the room where Li Yuelongmen lived. "Maintaining a relationship between two people requires more than just twice the effort. Li Yuelongmen must have realized this and started to examine the relationship between the two of them."

She didn't see her excellent qualities as a bad thing; on the contrary, she felt they were a good thing, because fanaticism can't last forever. Her fanaticism for achieving her dream of leaping over the dragon gate lasted a relatively long time; her will was very firm, but it had to end. After the fanaticism faded, it became a normal friendship.

Normal friends argue, debate, and go their separate ways, rather than always tolerating and accommodating each other.

Platinum lowered her head, clearly deep in thought. Finally, as if making a firm decision, she clenched her teeth, her eyes red-rimmed, and raised her fist.

"Thank you, Professor Necha. I understand what I should do."

"Very good." You nodded in satisfaction, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Just do what you think is right, I support you!"

Then, the next day—

"Um, could you let go of me? Isn't this too close?"

The morning sun had just risen when a noisy commotion erupted in the living room. The person with excellent manners sat expressionlessly on the sofa, watching the scene unfold before them.

The smile on Li Yuelongmen's face was somewhat forced. His body stiffened as he tried to pull his arm out, but perhaps he didn't have enough strength and couldn't do it no matter what.

"No, I won't agree! Let's go, let's go have breakfast!"

The one clinging to the arm of the girl leaping over the dragon gate was none other than Bai Jin, who had completely abandoned all pretense of decorum and let loose. Clinging tightly to her arm, she closed her eyes and shouted, "I want to sit next to you!"

That's not what I meant! I didn't mean for you to lick her!

Teacher Necha screamed hysterically in her heart.

Episode 340: Such a plot twist?

Next, let's follow the steps of the Treson Academy teachers and go to the physics classroom.

In 1834, Russian physicist Heinrich Lenz, based on a large number of experimental facts, summarized a law for determining the direction of induced current. This law is called Lenz's law, which states that the effect of induced current always opposes the cause that caused it.

Everyone must be confused, right? At least for the racehorse girls whose academic performance varies greatly, there are bound to be some who don't understand.

Let's explain it in plain terms again: We reject those who come and keep those who leave, we increase those who decrease and expand those who expand.