Umamusume's days are numbered

"I feel so awful... I feel so dizzy..." Hai Dudu, sitting on the side of Bai Jin, had smoke rings in his eyes. He covered his stomach with one hand and his lips with the other, looking like he might vomit his leftovers at any moment.

"No way, at this speed? Then why don't you get dizzy when you run?" Platinum stared at Haidu City in shock.

"I can't hold it in anymore... I'm about to come out..."

"Hey, are you serious? Don't come out in the air!"

——Like an atom bomb about to

——Oh oh oh oh oh explode!

It was another early morning, and Platinum sped along the coastal highway.

Rushing down the slope, and then...

Sprint!

Taking a deep breath, Platinum planted his right foot into the ground, arching his body like a falcon about to swoop down.

Then, like a flying arrow, the platinum transformed into a streak of light and shot up the entire uphill slope.

——I'm burning through the sky Yeah!

Jinqiang Liushi tossed the baseball into the air, and the baseball flew up and down in her hand like a sparrow.

Hai Dudu stood in front of Bai Jin, holding a baseball bat. Bai Jin squatted behind Hai Dudu and silently swallowed.

Jinqiang Liushi raised his arms high, lifted his long, enviable legs, and gently blew a breath.

"It's coming."

In that instant, every hair on Hai Dushi and Bai Jin's bodies stood on end, a sense of fear shooting from their toes to the top of their heads. Almost driven by the instinct for survival, Hai Dushi threw down the baseball and crouched down, while Bai Jin immediately lay down behind Hai Dushi.

Then, in the next instant, a wave of scorching heat swept over their heads. A terrifying explosion, as if the atmosphere were being torn apart, resounded in their ears. The baseball, subjected to an undue force, slammed into the concrete wall behind them, spun a few times, and then plummeted to the ground, emitting a puff of smoke.

—Don't stop me now

———I don't want to stop at all

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, and accompanied by the sounds of music falling from the clouds, the group walked along the coastal highway they frequented every day.

Jinqiang Liushi was excitedly talking to Baijin while holding his shoulder; Baijin rolled his eyes, holding the baseball that had suffered undeserved pain; Haidu City stood behind the two of them, taking out his phone to take pictures of the sunset and sending them to his dear sister; Ai Lisuko was chatting with the conman with great interest, the huge height difference between the two looking somewhat comical; Ai Li Digital secretly watched Ai Lisuko and the conman in front of him, looking excited and not knowing what he was thinking.

Only the carp leaping over the dragon gate quietly trails behind everyone else, silently watching the magnificent sun sink into the sea, casting long, long silhouettes of everyone else.

Platinum imitated Golden Gun Sixty, tossing his baseball. Tossing and tossing, the baseball soared and fell, each cycle a sunrise and sunset, a page of the calendar torn off, a musical note drifting by.

Platinum caught the baseball. The cool morning air invigorated her. Holding the baseball, she stared blankly at the street in front of her.

In the blink of an eye, the special competition has quietly arrived.

Just today.

(Two chapters in one!)

Episode 98 Pre-match

Platinum got up unusually early today, tossing the baseball that had been ravaged by Golden Gun Sixty in his hand, and sat on the steps in front of the door, staring blankly at the sunrise.

"Why are you up so early today?" Alice opened the door with a yawn and stood next to Platinum.

Alice is also a very lazy person, so it takes a lot of perseverance for her to get up early every day and go to Shirogane's window to play the suona. The relationship between the two has always been strange yet harmonious. It seems that Alice is always urging Shirogane to keep practicing, but in fact, Shirogane's illness is also urging Alice to solve the mystery of the illness.

The pressure was on both of them at the same time, and they were like comrades-in-arms sharing a common mission.

Platinum stared drowsily at the rising sun, a faint dark circle around her eyes: "I'm too nervous to sleep."

Platinum readily agreed to Rudolf's symbolic proposal and didn't think much of it when he boarded the plane. Even during these days of training, Platinum didn't feel like it was real and treated this trip to Hong Kong as a reimbursed trip.

Until... the night before the match.

Platinum got into bed much earlier than usual, and as soon as she pulled the covers over herself, she was ready to drift off to sleep.

An hour passed, two hours passed, three hours passed.

In the darkness, Bai Jin suddenly opened his eyes. His dark pupils were surrounded by bloodshot veins.

I can't sleep... I just can't fall asleep no matter what!

Platinum is now feeling like a student whose vacation is about to end. He had a blast this summer, creating wonderful memories, but he hasn't even touched his holiday homework.

I always tell myself: there's still plenty of time, I can write it later. But then I realize that tomorrow is the first day of the new semester.

Now that things have come to this, there's nothing I can do but hope that a fairy godmother will crawl in tonight and help me finish all my homework.

Platinum has a similar feel to this.

...No, wait, eh?

Is it already time to go to the competition? It feels like only a few days have passed.

Have I prepared everything properly? Hopefully I can run well tomorrow.

Although I'd be happy to walk it myself, actually expecting Platinum to stroll leisurely on the track like a post-dinner digestive walk...

Just thinking about that scene made Bai Jin's cheeks burn, as if she had been stung by a wasp.

Sigh, stop thinking about it, just go to sleep. I've been practicing for so long, I'm practically half-dead... it must be working at least a little bit, right?

Platinum grabbed the blanket, pulled it over her head, and wrapped herself up like a ball.

The blankets were warm, like soaking in a hot spring. Platinum could hear her own breathing.

disturbed.

Very uneasy.

Just thinking about tomorrow's opponent makes my heart pound; I can't calm down at all.

Golden Gun Sixty, Hai Du City, Swindler, Aili Digital. Each of them is a racehorse girl far surpassing her current self. They are all victors who have emerged from numerous trials and tribulations, surpassing themselves in every aspect.

I'm just a newbie who's won one game in G3, so my record is nothing compared to theirs.

...Why did I agree to Rudolf's symbol in the first place? There was no way we could win this match!

If all else fails, I'll just abandon the competition like the carp leaping over the dragon gate... I've got it, I'll just say I have a stomachache.

...Forget it, that would be too embarrassing. We've already come all this way, and to suddenly say we don't want to play anymore right before the competition will make us a laughingstock.

"Right now, all I feel is regret, deep regret." Platinum stared blankly at the sun in front of her, her face expressionless. "I wish I could travel back in time and slap my past self."

"I don't even remember when I fell asleep, or maybe I didn't fall asleep at all... I think I was dreaming that Jinqiang Liushi and the others were taking turns beating me up, but now that I think about it, was it a dream or reality?"

Platinum's trembling lips parted slightly: "Anyway, after opening my eyes countless times, it was dawn."

Alice scratched her head and thought for a moment, then plopped down next to Platinum.

"You're really useless, especially your mental fortitude needs improvement," Alice said sarcastically, her lips curled in a sneer.

"I can't give you any advice because I've never felt that way. All the runs I've participated in have already secured victory."

Platinum rolled her eyes and said irritably, "Ha—ha, I'm really sorry for having such poor mental fortitude!"

"I didn't mean to blame you." Alice reached out and gently patted Platinum's head, the movement so gentle it was almost unlike her usual self.

"You've done a great job these past two weeks. We've both done our best, and now it's time to see the results."

"On the other hand, the reason you're so nervous is naturally because you've encountered an unprecedentedly strong opponent—an experience I've never had before. My professional career is still too short."

“However, I do have some experience to share.” Alice’s fingers slid upwards, gently caressing her ear. Platinum’s ears twitched twice like mimosa plants.

"It's too boring to only run races where the outcome is certain and you can win."

"It's normal and even enjoyable to have these feelings as a challenger."

"—Because you're still thinking about winning, that's why you're so uneasy, right?"

Platinum paused, feeling the gentle touch on her head, and seeing Alice's expression, which could only be described as kind...

She said timidly, "Are you really Alice? You haven't been possessed, have you?"

Even Alice, who is very good at managing her emotions, almost laughed out of anger at this moment—Rudolph's symbol is that he really has a good temper.

If she were Rudolf, facing this chattering little brat, she would first do this and then that, and she would definitely teach him a lesson he would then obey.

Show her the majesty of an emperor, Rudolf!

Alice gradually tightened her grip on Platinum's ear, causing Platinum to grimace and cry out, "Ouch, ouch, ouch..."

I'm such an idiot, actually trying to reason with this guy. There's only one thing you need to do with a brat like this—

"I've told you all the tactics I needed to know, and you've done all the training I needed to do. Your ability is absolutely sufficient. According to my calculations, you have the ability to win the championship."

Alice pinched Platinum's ear and brought it to her mouth, her cold breath sending chills down Platinum's spine.

"Win for me. If you can't win, I'll kill you."

Platinum felt a chill run down her spine; Alice's gaze was like that of someone staring at a dead man!

"I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Standing trembling in front of the door, Bai Jin's bloodshot eyes blazed with fire.

That was the fighting spirit born from the immense pressure of survival.

Episode 99: The Cat, the Clouds, and the Green Grass

When I was in elementary school, I found a kitten at the school gate.

Summer vacation was fast approaching, and due to the typhoon, it rained continuously every day. The rainwater falling from the eaves was like a still curtain of water covering our faces. The humid and sultry steam filled everyone's hearts and tracheas, making it almost impossible to breathe.

When I got out of school, I saw the cat in the box. It wasn't a rare breed; its orange fur was dotted with white markings. It was soaked to the bone from the rain and was huddled in the cardboard box, shivering incessantly.

The weather is only relatively hot. This cat got caught in the rain, and with the temperature difference between day and night, I wonder if it will survive tomorrow.

I knew someone had deliberately thrown it in front of the school. Elementary school students always have a dual nature of cruelty and compassion; someone would eventually pick it up.

See... I've fallen for it myself. Thinking this, I squatted down, wrapped the wet kitten in my skirt, and nervously carried it home.

I know my family won't let me keep this cat. The house is always gloomy and filled with all sorts of dogmas. Whenever Grandpa is around, Dad and Mom don't dare say a word. Grandpa always has a stern face, looking at me with a somber expression.

Only my sister will stand by my side.

But the image of that kitten's wet body and wet expression is so clearly imprinted in my mind that I can't shake it off.

"Why did you bring such filth home? And you've gotten your skirt all wet! How are you going to go to school tomorrow?!"

The mother's voice was harsh. The trembling kitten was placed on the table, looking down at its toes.

You see, this is how it will turn out.

"Get rid of this thing... Or how about feeding it and taking it to a pet store? How about that?"

My mother lowered her voice and began to discuss things with me, adopting a friendly attitude as if she had made a great concession.

But she also knew that this kind of cat was not a valuable breed, and no one would accept it if she sent it to a pet store; in the end, it would still end up on the streets.

That's how adults are; they always seem to have made compromises, but their core hasn't changed at all. Yet they always think that this will fool children.

So she bit her lip, lowered her head, and pinched the hem of her skirt, whispering in a voice barely audible, "Just these few days... just let me rest for these few days, Mom."

At least let this cat stay home through the typhoon. It will die if it stays in the rain like this.

Moreover, it is more likely that they died from other causes before they died from being caught in the rain.

Mother's voice rose again: "Ali, did you understand what I said? What do you mean by 'rest for a few days'?"

"Is this how your mother taught you? Where is your sense of responsibility? To you, is keeping a pet something that can be counted in days?"

That's not how it works...

I wanted to speak up for myself, but before I could open my mouth, my mother silenced me with an even louder voice.

"Tomorrow, send this guy back to where he came from, understand?"

"That's not how it is..." I looked at my sister standing to the side with pleading eyes. Throughout my childhood, my sister was my hero; she was always there to protect me.

My older sister is outstanding, far more so than me, so even Grandpa treats her with kindness. But I'm not jealous. My sister is very good to me, and she deserves it. I think some people are born to shine.

My older sister is already a middle school student, much taller than me, and no longer looks like a child; she's more like a young woman. Her dark blue hair hangs messily down her back. She walks up to me with a playful smile and pats my head.

"Ah Li, just listen to your mother. If you like having a pet, I'll take you to the pet store the next day to pick one out. It doesn't have to be this one."