Umamusume's days are numbered

Episode 6 Nightmare and Reprimand

Anyway, at least I have clothes to wear now. I can forget about that light, airy dress; wearing it always makes me feel like something's missing.

However, Platinum wasn't in a hurry to change clothes; after all, the race wasn't over yet...

Yes, that's it! That's it!

The winner's stage!

Imagine a group of exhausted racehorses, looking like dead dogs after a race, dressed in light, airy clothes. The second and third place winners, who lost to the winning racehorse, have to hide their resentment and humiliation, forcing smiles as they stand behind the equally tired and reluctant winner, singing and dancing for the audience. That's basically the kind of event it is.

Let me preface this by saying that the above is purely Platinum's own malicious speculation and should not be taken seriously.

However... since that's the rule, Bai Jin naturally didn't intend to break it. Since she came in first place, she would obediently go on stage to dance.

One thing at a time, when it comes to the bounty, Platinum can still distinguish between what's more important and what's less important.

Sigh, but the problem is... in her past life, Platinum was a bedridden patient who couldn't even get out of bed. She didn't know how to walk, and her running was purely innate... If you ask her to dance, Platinum is afraid she'll fall flat on her face.

If all else fails, just stand there on stage. Whether you dance or not is a matter of technique; whether you go on stage or not is a matter of attitude. Bai Jin seems oblivious to her own thick skin; she only acts confidently and shamelessly when she's alone.

In short, I have the bounty, I have clothes, and although I still don't have identification, I shouldn't have to sleep on the streets anymore. Things are looking up!

Platinum smiled without realizing it.

Having regained my health and escaped that awful world, I'm ready to start a completely new life. Looking back, my first step has been pretty good; I've made a great start, and things will only get better from here on out...

Cough, cough, cough!

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Was it because you ran too hard and put too much pressure on your lungs? Plus, Platinum only has a superficial understanding of running and doesn't know how to breathe properly while running.

Platinum started coughing, covering her mouth. The coughing stopped quickly.

Platinum loosened his grip, not taking the coughs seriously.

However---

In the center of her slowly opening palm, a dark red hue lay between her fair hands, appearing so vivid and glaring.

Platinum's hands trembled, Platinum's pupils trembled, Platinum's teeth trembled, Platinum's soul trembled.

No, no, no.

No no no no no no —

Platinum shook his head, looking at everything in front of him in disbelief.

No, no, no, that's impossible, absolutely impossible.

This symptom is simply... simply...

It's exactly the same as the incurable disease I have!

First, although it doesn't affect normal bodily functions, the patient begins to cough up blood. At this stage, there's no doubt that the person is infected. While there are no actual physical effects yet—it's impossible to cure. In other words, from this point onward, the person is essentially considered dead.

Then, the perception of external information begins to become chaotic. The senses of smell, taste, sight, touch, and hearing gradually become a jumbled mess, like a ball of yarn. Loss of taste and pain sensation are minor compared to this stage; at this point, the patient may even forget to breathe and suffocate. Everything about the patient's body appears normal, and the organs function normally, but they are no longer able to perform their intended functions.

Finally, even the most crucial organ, the brain, will malfunction. At this stage, one might even feel as if their brain is a completely new life trapped inside their body—the brain begins to separate from the body. This is the most terrifying stage; the patient can no longer distinguish between life and death, and can only sink deeper and deeper into a vortex of despair… until the moment of death. And until death, the patient's body… remains physiologically healthy.

In the world Platinum existed in before, this sudden, incurable disease was commonly known as Soul Dissolution Syndrome. The longest known survival time for a patient is ten years.

Unfortunately, the platinum from the previous life didn't last ten years.

I thought I had escaped that shitty world and started a completely new life... but the nightmare from my past life has followed me here.

Please...

Platinum trembled as he looked at the bloodstains on his palms and tasted the rust spreading in his mouth.

Why play such a joke on yourself when you believe everything can start over?

Why put yourself through such torment?

Platinum stumbled to his feet, only to have his ankle caught on the strap of his travel bag and fall heavily to the ground.

Does giving yourself another chance mean you have to relive that unbearable ordeal?

Ten years, at most ten years. And that's with all the medical resources invested. If we only consider the first stage where people can live a normal life, it's at most three years.

My second life... is it really only three years?

Platinum felt his vision blur.

Calm down, calm down, maybe it's some other illness... Think about it, haha, maybe it's Oripathy...

Platinum pursed her lips tightly, her teeth sinking into her delicate lips, and bright red blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

"I don't want to die... I don't want to die... I don't want to die!"

Platinum slammed his fist on the ground and burst into tears.

"My life, both in the past and now... has only just begun!"

"I want to go to more places, travel more roads, and meet more friends..."

"I want to live! I want to live a long, long life! I want to live to be a hundred years old, no, I want to live as long as I can, you bastard!"

"I can't accept this outcome! I don't want to accept it!"

"Damn God, you bastards! You just want to see me suffer, you want to see me like this, is that it?"

"I beg you, I beg you, please spare me... I just want to live a normal life... Is that so difficult...?"

Platinum pounded the ground while sobbing uncontrollably, her voice hoarse from crying.

Suddenly, Bai Jin's voice stopped. She stared blankly at the doorway, where a crisp knock sounded.

"Um... Platinum, I heard your voice... Are you crying? Are you... alright?" A hesitant voice came from outside the door.

(The road is winding, but the future is bright.)

Dear readers, rest assured, I guarantee with my integrity that it will have a happy ending.

Episode 7: Harsh Words and Trembling

They...are back.

Platinum quickly realized what was happening and covered her mouth.

After winning the championship, he quickly returned to the rest room, leaving Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate and Fuji Koji on the field to say goodbye to the audience.

During this time, I learned a little about the system and even got a new phone. Then, I suddenly started coughing.

If you calculate the time, the Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate and the others should indeed be back by now!

In debut races, all the racehorse girls share a large rest room—this situation will improve after their debut, and in high-stakes races, each racehorse girl will be provided with her own private rest room to ensure that each racer can get enough rest and have full privacy.

However, the female dancers who haven't debuted yet clearly don't receive this treatment. So no matter who you are or what place you came in, you eventually have to return to this dressing room. Everyone will squeeze together in the cramped space to change into light, airy clothes before going on stage to dance.

Oh no... I cried so badly, I'm definitely not going to look good, even if I don't end up with a face full of grime. Platinum quickly wiped her face a couple of times.

And... that's not even the worst part. Platinum wiped the dark red marks off her palms with a tissue, but they were difficult to remove without rinsing with running water, leaving some sticky residue.

If... if I really brought the Soul Dissolution Syndrome here... that would be the most terrifying thing.

Soul dissolution syndrome... is an infectious disease!

To date, the exact transmission route of necromalacia is still not fully understood. The only confirmed fact is that prolonged cohabitation and close contact can transmit the disease to others. However, infected individuals can live completely normal lives in the first stage by taking precautions and taking suppressant medication; couples can even engage in normal sexual activity without infection. The contagiousness of necromalacia only becomes apparent in the second stage.

However, that was only if the suppressant was taken on time! Platinum quickly bought the special medicine from the system and wolfed it down his throat.

"Platinum, are you there?" Another knock came at the door, followed by the sound of a carp leaping over a dragon gate. "Are you changing clothes? Can we come in?"

No, I can't let them in... If they see me like this... No, I absolutely cannot accept being seen in this terrible state.

Moreover, I just started taking the suppressant medication, so who knows when it will take effect?

Even if the medication works... I just coughed up blood! If they come into contact with these things, who can guarantee they won't get infected?

Even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance that he brought the Soul Dissolution Symptom to this world, even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance that the first stage will infect others, even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance that his blood will infect others, Platinum will not allow such a thing to happen!

No matter what terrible experiences I've gone through, how sad and desperate I've been... Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, Fuji Koji, and the other horse girls in the same race are innocent. I can't bring my suffering upon them.

Therefore, I cannot let them in.

"Um...um, I'm changing my clothes, please wait a moment," Platinum mumbled, then quickly got up from the ground.

Upon hearing Bai Jin's reply, the voice outside the door, "Okay," visibly relaxed.

After hesitating for a moment, Li Yuelongmen, standing outside the door, said to Bai Jin through the door, "Are you sure there's nothing wrong? Because when I came back, I heard you... I heard you... crying."

Platinum gave a perfunctory reply, his eyes scanning the lounge: "Don't worry, I'm fine."

No, we can't let them in!

She saw the row of metal lockers in the lounge. They seemed quite heavy, especially since everyone had crammed their belongings into them. Platinum clenched her fist, feeling an inexhaustible strength coursing through her body, a stark contrast to the person who had just coughed up blood. She even had a sense of absurdity, as if it were all a hallucination—but the sticky bloodstains on her palms reminded her that it was all real.

Platinum took a deep breath, grabbed the cabinet and pulled hard. With a tooth-grinding creak, the entire row of cabinets was dragged to the door, completely sealing it off.

"Platinum? Platinum!" There was another knock on the door. "What are you doing? I hear a lot of noise in there!"

"Ah Li, move aside, let me take a look." This was Fuji Koji's voice, somewhat like that of a boy who hadn't reached puberty, with a tomboyish feel to it.

"Wait a minute..." Before Li Yuelongmen could finish speaking, Bai Jin heard a thud from outside the door, and even the iron cabinet trembled.

"This guy has blocked the door! Is something wrong inside?" Bai Jin heard Fuji Koji's anxious shouts from outside the door.

"Platinum? Platinum? What happened?" Upon discovering that the door to the lounge was blocked, Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate panicked and kept banging on the door, asking questions.

Platinum stood in the break room, watching the metal cabinet vibrate incessantly, cold sweat pouring down her back. She realized that if she could move this thing, the other horse girls, though perhaps not as strong as her, wouldn't be much weaker; if this continued, they would break down the door.

By then, everything will be over!

The only thing that absolutely must not happen is letting them into the lounge!

Platinum leaned against the cabinet, blocking the knocking coming from the door.

"Hey, did you hear me, Shirokin! Are you still in there?" Fuji Koji's voice seemed to be right next to her ear. There was only a metal cabinet and a thin door between Shirokin and her.

Platinum heard the noise outside the door growing louder. The racehorse girls had all come down from the track and were gathering in larger numbers outside.

"what happens?"

"I'm not sure... Everyone's waiting at the lounge entrance... Why don't we go in?"

"I'm so tired... Can you hurry up? I don't want to dance on the winner's stage, I want to change my clothes and go home quickly."

"Stop pushing, everyone's waiting."

Further away, Bai Jin could also hear the carp leaping over the dragon gate calling for the staff.

Platinum was breathing rapidly, feeling her heart pounding faster than in a race.

No, I can't keep going like this!

If this continues, once the staff arrives and enough people have gathered outside, I'll have no choice but to let them in.

At that point, it won't just be Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate and Fuji Koji who are infected, but all the female racehorses at the same racecourse, plus the racecourse staff, could be infected!

Episode 8: Escape and Incomprehension

When that time comes... no one can escape it; everyone present will be at risk of infection.

Just thinking about that scene made Bai Jin's breath catch in her throat. That was the only thing she absolutely could not accept happening.

If the people of this world were to contract this incurable disease... my conscience and reason would not forgive me.

I can't stay here any longer; I need to find a way out as soon as possible.

I might not even have necromalacia. Maybe I just ran around without thinking and my lungs couldn't take it. Even if it is necromalacia, I've already taken medication and I'm no longer contagious after a few hours.

The only problem is the bloodstains on my palms, but that can be easily removed with a wet wipe or water later. After all, whether blood is a source of infection is still inconclusive.

As long as I can escape, everything will be fine, and I will soon become docile and harmless.

The problem now is... there are so many people gathered outside, how am I supposed to get out!