Umamusume's days are numbered

What else could he feel? Platinum took a deep breath, flaring his nostrils, while feeling the sensations coming from his legs.

Hong Kong is too humid and warm; even on a cool morning, she felt a little unsteady on her breath.

Perhaps influenced by her past life, Platinum loves dry, cold weather. The howling continental monsoon winds swirl across the vast land, and as a child, Platinum loved to fall asleep to such sounds.

Platinum could truly feel the beauty and the inferiority of Alice's footsteps. But she couldn't feel this from Alice Digital beside her.

She knew she was lacking something compared to the top racehorse girls, but she didn't know exactly what it was, which was very frustrating. Airi Soko, looking completely bewildered, said, "You'll find out when you run, who knows?"

Why are you all talking about riddles?

"In your current state, you can't beat Golden Gun Sixty, let alone Hai Du City, the Scammer, or Aili Digital. I even suspect that if we ran against each other again, you would still lose."

Platinum retorted defiantly, only to find a warm breeze blowing into her stomach: "Then tell me whether I won or not!"

"Hehe, it's not like I'm unwilling to admit defeat." Alice squinted her eyes, looking like she was enjoying the feeling of riding an electric bike by the sea with the wind blowing.

"That's why I approve of your participation in this special competition. Participating in many low-level competitions is useless, while there are different levels of high-reward competitions."

“G1 and G2 may seem similar, but in reality, there is a fundamental difference between a Uma Musume who has won a G1 match and a Uma Musume who has only won a G2 match.”

"You've essentially stepped into the arena of the top-tier G1 competition ahead of time. But that's no reason for you to give up."

"—Because only losers bow their heads. Any horse girl who can win G1 or surpass G1 will not say to another horse girl: You are stronger than me, I am convinced."

"No matter how hopeless or unsolvable the match is, you should step onto the field with the idea of ​​winning the crown. Only children would just run around casually with the intention of going through the motions."

As Alice spoke, the three of them approached the racetrack. After two of them jumped over the hurdles, Alice stopped her electric scooter and shouted to Platinum, "Let's go see for ourselves, experience it for ourselves—"

"The racehorse girls who stood at the pinnacle of the previous generation!"

As he ran past the narrow entrance, the sunlight grew increasingly blinding. Platinum raised his hand to shield his eyes and ran into the racetrack.

Platinum's first impression was that the racetrack was incredibly quiet. So quiet it was almost like having a momentary tinnitus, but there was something different about it.

Because at the same time, the platinum also felt very loud, as if some sound was violently shaking its eardrums.

Immediately, Platinum realized. It wasn't that he suddenly had tinnitus, but rather that the sound was so deafening that other sounds seemed insignificant in comparison.

That was... the sound of footsteps.

At that very moment, a resounding sound swept past Platinum. The deafening sound reached its peak, almost like thunder booming in the sky. Platinum felt again the sensation she had experienced on the field: she could feel the touch of every hair on her body, the touch of every drop of sweat, the touch of every capillary. She felt time stretching infinitely, and her thoughts stretching infinitely as well. In that moment, she suddenly felt as if she were trapped in a bottle, her vision so narrow, her body so fragile, and she knew there was something more perfect—

That feeling vanished in an instant. A thunderous sound swept past, leaving Platinum clutching his pounding chest, his body drenched in sweat as if he had just finished a race.

That's... a scammer.

The owner of those footsteps was the swindler.

"Ah, I thought it would be the sound of Golden Gun Sixty..." As she slowly walked into the racetrack, a strange and beautiful look flashed in her eyes as she looked at the conman who continued to run with great interest. "But it turns out to be a conman."

"Aili Digital, I'm sorry, but I have to take back what I said before."

"The swindler is on par with Golden Gun Sixty. Both of them are stronger than you. The swindler... is still in the [Blooming] state."

Episode 91 Thunder

While Airi was speaking, the conman did not stop walking.

The thunderous tremor almost echoed throughout the entire racetrack, and the cheater frantically and tirelessly drove his legs, leaving deep imprints on the ground.

"Oh, not bad." Golden Gun Sixty sat cross-legged in the high stands, watching the fraudster's figure, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips. "Looks like this special match will be more interesting than I expected."

"Having an opponent in his prime is perfect as a running partner for my rehabilitation."

As he said this, Golden Gun Sixty glanced at Platinum standing at the entrance of the racetrack and couldn't help but chuckle: "Isn't this a bit too early for a child? Don't scare her."

"How could this be..." Alice Digital stared in astonishment at the swindler's retreating figure. "In terms of time, she should have retired even earlier than me..."

"Right? I was startled when I first saw it too." Hai Dushi walked over with a towel draped over his shoulder, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said to Aili Digital, "It's really hard to maintain that kind of composure."

"Uma Musume is like a bundle of firewood. The so-called peak period is actually when the flame on the firewood is burning the brightest. This is why Uma Musume's peak period is so short. It's not only because she has reached her physical limit, but also because she has reached her mental limit."

"Once the flames are extinguished, the racehorse girl has no choice but to retire, just like firewood that has burned out can never be rekindled, at most leaving only some embers and sparks."

"And the only thing that can burn as fiercely and intensify like this is probably a fraudster."

Alice stepped forward, watching the sprinting conman: "Yeah, I heard that although the conman no longer participates in any competitions, he hasn't held a retirement ceremony yet? Doesn't that mean he hasn't retired yet?"

"Moreover, she must have steel pins in her leg. After such a serious injury, she can still so freely use her leg... it's like she's a steel machine that can't feel pain."

Platinum watched the conman's figure from afar, desperately trying to grasp that fleeting feeling. That sense of time almost standing still wasn't an illusion; this wasn't the first time she'd experienced it—it was the second.

Platinum felt like she had grasped something. She seemed to understand what exactly was missing between her and these top racehorse girls.

But... it wasn't quite clear. This time she understood why Alice spoke so vaguely—because it was something that could only be understood intuitively, and couldn't be explained at all.

Especially now, Platinum desperately wants to get back into that state, but she just can't. It's this agonizing feeling that's most tormenting.

Just as Platinum was desperately frowning and trying to recall, Alice put her arm around her shoulder: "Don't think about it anymore. Just let it be. If you can't grasp it, you can't grasp it."

"Now you understand what I mean, right?"

"The strength of Uma Musume is not only reflected in her body, but also in her spirit. Spiritual strength is just as important as physical strength."

"Given your previous weak and limp attitude, I'm really worried about whether you can keep our promise."

"In short, it's always better to find the right direction than to grope around in the dark."

As they spoke, the conman had already completed another lap on the track. With the thunderous sound approaching again, Platinum, though unable to regain her previous sense of touch, was still shaken by the footsteps.

Is this really something a human could do?

As she drew closer, the con artist slowed down and finally stopped in front of the group. Her expression remained fierce and cold, as if she could shove a Smith & Wesson M686 into someone's mouth at any moment.

But this time, Platinum also saw a raging fire in her eyes. A fire that wouldn't stop until it burned itself out.

The con artist's body trembled, and finally her legs gave way, causing her to kneel on the ground. Hai Dushi quickly stepped forward and pulled her to sit down beside him.

Platinum noticed that the leg of the conman, which was tattooed with a crimson phoenix, was trembling slightly.

"How are you feeling?" Alice wasn't afraid of the conman's fierce appearance at all. She leaned forward and looked him over as if she had seen a rare animal, marveling at him. "I've seen many racehorse girls whose bodies can't keep up with their mental intensity, but this is the first time I've seen someone whose spirit can remain so vigorous even after their body has burned out."

If we continue using flowers as a metaphor—Golden Gun Sixty is a flower in full bloom, while Alice, Alice Digital, and Hai Du City are withered and decaying flowers.

Platinum represents a thriving flower, accumulating nutrients in preparation for blooming.

But the con artist was strange... She was like a flower in full bloom that had been cut off with scissors and made into a specimen. She had been separated from the branches that could provide her with nutrients, but she was still blooming as if time had stopped.

The swindler ignored Alice, his face covered in cold sweat, clutching his right leg as it twitched uncontrollably.

Then, she reached for her waist, pulled out a syringe, and inserted it directly into her waist, slowly injecting the medicine into her body.

"This is···"

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the swindler, still sweating profusely, waited for the drug to take effect, gasping for breath as he explained to everyone.

"That was a painkiller injection. It's legal."

...No, your supplementary explanation makes the current scene look even stranger!

Alice bent down in front of the conman, carefully examining his right leg, and even reached out to stroke it. The moment Alice's fingers touched the leg, the conman visibly winced and groaned in pain.

"Your bones were terribly broken before, it's a miracle you can still stand up, so why do you keep running?" Alice asked coldly, looking down at the conman's legs. "You should know that every step you take now is shortening the lifespan of your legs."

“And the practice of always having painkillers on hand… and still maintaining that practiced gait…” Platinum noticed that although Alice’s tone didn’t sound different, she was actually angry, very angry.

"How much do you really want to spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair?"

Perhaps the drug was gradually taking effect, for the swindler looked at Alice with a deathly pale face.

The word "VICTORY" was gleaming on her shark-like teeth.

"If I cannot run, then let God take my soul."

"The con artists will keep running. It's either run or die."

Episode 92 Can't Do It

The conman's career was far from impressive. In terms of results, his life was undoubtedly a failure.

He failed to win a series of championships, and even broke his leg bone in the final race. The leg bone was shattered so thoroughly that there was almost no chance of recovery.

Is the con artist strong enough? She is very strong, almost second only to one person, she is a recognized top-tier racehorse girl.

But she also failed. The con artist's failure wasn't due to her own actions, but simply because she was unlucky.

It was as if fate had played a cruel joke. Facing the conman, her opponent was the Secretariat, known as the "pinnacle of all Uma Musume evolution."

That's a monster that no one can defeat. So none of this is the fault of the con artist, because even if it wasn't the con artist, or any other racehorse girl, no matter who it was, the end result would be the same: they would all be torn apart, ripped apart, and strangled by that tyrant.

That's something that shouldn't exist in this dimension; it's like cheating.

The conman still remembers that final race. It was a sweltering, damp afternoon, making him irritable. On the Belmont Championship track, the secretariat walked gracefully toward him.

In my memory, the faces of those in the secretariat have become blurred. But the flippant tone remains as jarring as ever, so jarring that it seems to have been deeply etched into my mind.

That was the Secretariat's first dialogue with the fraudsters. Not just with the fraudsters, but arguably the Secretariat's first dialogue with anyone else on the field.

"How pathetic, you liar. Even if I was the one who started this, I still feel uneasy seeing you being played like this."

"I'm so sorry for teasing you like this all this time, making you think you can beat me—this is just a little bit of revenge."

"Who told you to take advantage of my illness and keep running ahead of me in the Wood Memorial Championship? It's infuriating!"

As she spoke, the secretary covered her cheek with her fingers, licked her lips with her bright red tongue, and slightly curled the corners of her mouth upward.

"If it were Senior Sister Xie Guangzhao, it would be better to tease her in other ways... But for you, who have always hoped to beat me, teasing you on the field would probably be the best revenge, right?"

"Is this all you came here to say?" the conman replied coldly. In the sweltering heat, beads of sweat rolled down his face, and his wet hair clung to his skin, making him extremely uncomfortable.

"Ah, I still can't forget the look on your face during the Kentucky derby... that look of despair as you chased after me with blood gushing from your mouth, only to be left far behind by me in the end."

“That expression, the moment I saw that pitiful expression…” The secretary’s bright red lips were close to the conman’s ear, her warm breath like a devil’s whisper, “It was even better than holding you on the bed and riding you.”

The swindler abruptly shook off the secretariat, a nameless fire burning within him.

"Insulting your opponent makes you so happy? Then keep going, I'll return that anger to you on the field."

"No way, I'm here to reconcile with you." The secretary deftly dodged the swindler's hand. Now that she thought about it, were her movements like slow motion to her?

"My revenge felt a little excessive. In that case... today, I will unleash my true power, all for you alone."

As she said this, the secretariat burst into laughter: "There's really no other way. After all, even if we deliberately slow down, you're still the only one who can keep up with me!"

"Why don't you try... and see if you can keep up with me?"

"Maybe, if I'm in a good mood... I might consider skipping a G1 tournament where you're playing and giving you a trophy to play with?"

The frivolous, unrestrained, and brazen voice of the secretariat was truly... extremely irritating.

The conman stroked his wet hair, head down, listening to his own heartbeat.

Boom, boom, boom.

Secretariat, Secretariat.

Secretariat!

As long as you're alive, as long as such a vile creature like you lives peacefully for another day, I will—

The stinging pain in his right leg pulled the conman back from his reverie. The sea breeze in Hong Kong was just as humid and oppressive, reminding him of that time.

She stretched her right leg out on the step, and the flow of blood made her feel relieved.

Watching Platinum train on the court, a smile unconsciously crept onto the conman's lips. A thriving bud, this was good. It reminded him of himself when he first arrived in New York.

The scammers then turned their attention to Hai Du City and Alice Digital. Both were retired horse racers; Hai Du City was supporting her younger sister's climb to the top, while Alice Digital had her own shining moments—that was fine too. Unlike herself, she felt like a ghost living in the past, seemingly alive but actually long dead.

"Hey, are you alright, con artist?" Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate sat next to the con artist, her hands clasped around her knees, pouting.

Like a carp leaping over the dragon gate. This child is gentle and kind, almost like a different species from her domineering older sister. The conman loves this kind of child, especially... the fact that she's constantly under immense pressure.

To my shame, the swindler knew the two women were the same kind the moment she saw them. The swindler's life was overshadowed by the Secretariat, while the woman who leaped over the dragon gate's life was overshadowed by Golden Spear Sixty.

"When did you arrive? Why aren't you training?" The conman calmly watched the ongoing training at the racetrack. Apart from himself and Golden Gun Sixty, everyone else was busy on the track trying to regain the feeling they had when they were still active.

"No matter how fast I run, I can't outrun them, so I can only go back and train secretly." Li Yuelongmen pursed his lips bitterly. "That annoying older sister is still watching from the side. If she sees me, she will laugh at me without restraint."

It was precisely to escape all of this that I flew to Japan to leap over the dragon gate.