Umamusume's days are numbered

“These stray cats have many diseases and simply cannot be kept alive.”

"At the pet store, you can find even prettier cats—those with long, fluffy fur, those that like to snuggle up to people, those with soft ears... take your pick, okay?"

"Mom, please?" The older sister turned to her mother again, "Let's just consider it a reward for winning this race."

I stared at my sister in disbelief, unable to believe she could say such a thing.

So, in your eyes, I'm just a willful child who's suddenly seized by a playful impulse?

You spoil me in what you think is a tolerant way, sister, do you really like me? Or do you just like the younger sister you imagine?

From that moment on, this hypocritical older sister made me feel very uncomfortable, very... disgusted.

I yanked my sister's hand off my head, slammed the door shut as I ran up the stairs, as if that would vent my anger. I collapsed onto the covers and wailed, my cries heart-wrenching…

As if leaping over the dragon gate, he pressed down on the alarm clock on the bed, then stretched his hand back to cover his eyes.

I lay lazily in bed, the sunlight outside so dazzling. No typhoon passed through today; this whole month has been blessed with good weather.

"Why did I have such a dream..." Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate lay on the bed, murmuring softly.

It's such a distant dream. So distant that I can't even remember it ever happened.

My willful self as a child, my overly dazzling older sister who misunderstood my intentions, and my mother who wasn't willing to put in much patience with children...

It's impossible to tell whose fault it was anymore; the family fell apart amidst the clashes of these individuals. Finally, unable to endure the environment any longer, he deserted and went to Japan.

Speaking of which, what was the cat's final fate...?

I can't remember. The memory is so distant, so distant that no matter how I try to recall it, all that remains in my mind is a fog.

From this perspective, the mother's assessment of herself was correct: an irresponsible, willful, and arrogant child.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, then gently got off the bed and looked at the calendar on the bedside table.

Oh, right. It's today...

A special race that her older sister invited the horse racing girls to participate in.

But none of that matters to me anymore. Even if I have an invitation, I can't get on the track without the final server.

Faced with the invitation from Jinqiang Liushi, an invitation to compete on the same stage for the last time, Li Yuelongmen decided to withdraw from the competition.

Willful, arrogant, and cowardly... this is what it means for a carp to leap over the dragon gate.

Episode 100 Green Leaves

Like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, she tiptoed down the stairs. The villa was now empty. They'd probably all gone to the competition venue.

Jinqiang Liushi said he was handing over the decision-making power to himself, and he really did. He didn't say another word or consult with him again.

As for the con artist, I'm quite close to her, but she respects my wishes and understands that there's no point in participating in a competition where there's no chance of winning.

As for Hai Du City and Aili Digital, they weren't that familiar with each other, and it wasn't appropriate for her to interfere in other people's family affairs. In addition, since Li Yuelongmen had deliberately locked herself inside today, she ended up wandering alone in the old house like a ghost.

Looking at the empty living room, the carp leaping over the dragon gate gave a self-deprecating laugh.

Isn't this the result I wanted? Why am I suddenly feeling sorry for myself? Should I blame others for not helping me out at this crucial moment?

She grabbed a pillow from the sofa, intending to throw it hard on the floor, but then bit her lip and slowly lowered her hand.

Too ugly.

How did I become like this?

In short, I'll just stay here quietly and wait for the competition to end, endure a few more agonizing days with the Golden Gun Sixty, and then fly back to Japan.

Escape all of this far away and never come back.

Families like this, places like this...

Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate, leaning gently against the sofa. Before, in the same spot, he and Golden Spear Sixty would snuggle together, watching the same old TV dramas they were tired of seeing every day, their nostrils filled with the smell of rotting wood.

Damn it, damn it, damn it! I promised myself I wouldn't miss her! Li Yuelongmen wiped her face, only to find it was already wet. Without realizing it, she had started crying uncontrollably.

Why is it that all I can remember is that disgusting guy?

She's always been so noisy, domineering, and autocratic, so why did she let go so easily this time?

"Why don't you... lend me a hand..."

As if she had suffered some injustice, even though she didn't want to achieve this, tears kept falling uncontrollably.

Just then, the sound of a lock being opened came from the doorway. Like a thief caught stealing, Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate awkwardly wiped his face, quickly rubbed his eyes, and turned away.

"Oh, sorry, sorry, I was wrong... I forgot because I've never worn the final outfit before..."

A lazy voice came from the doorway. Along with it came the sound of shoes hitting the floor, the thud of feet on the floor, and the jingling of keys.

"Okay, okay, I know. Uncle He is waiting for me outside. I'll get it and head over right away..."

Platinum, holding his phone, looked at Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate sitting in the living room with his back to him with an embarrassed expression, and couldn't help but slow down.

Those trembling shoulders... it's obvious she's crying, she's definitely crying, isn't it?

Did I come back at the wrong time? Should I have gone out and waited for her to finish crying before coming back?

I've been wondering why I haven't seen any carp leaping over the dragon gate, and no one around me has mentioned it.

Yes, Platinum is completely out of the loop.

Everyone either knew, tacitly approved, or was aware of the relationship between Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate and Golden Spear Sixty, and also knew that Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate had chosen to withdraw from the competition. This was an unspoken understanding among everyone.

But Platinum doesn't know.

"Platinum, did you forget something?" Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate turned around with red eyes, trying to pretend that she hadn't cried, and said to Platinum in a cheerful tone, "Then hurry up, the competition is about to start, right? It will take a while to get there from here, even by car."

At this point, he couldn't bring himself to admit that he had simply come back to get his final outfit because he had forgotten to bring it.

Platinum hesitated for a moment, torn between protecting herself and getting to the bottom of things, before finally saying, "And... what about you?"

"Aren't you going?"

"Isn't this the only time you and your sister have participated in the same competition?"

Platinum doesn't really want to get involved in these troublesome things... but since they've run into each other, it wouldn't be good to say nothing.

Like a carp leaping over the dragon gate... Although she often clung to me like a leech, she was, after all, one of my few friends.

Platinum is also helpless. She intentionally or unintentionally wants to distance herself from others, but Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate appears as casually as if it could refresh and appear next to her at any time. Can we call that a close relationship?

If Platinum could remain indifferent to such a remarkable leap forward, it would indeed be a bit too heartless.

I've already withdrawn from the competition and decided not to go... These words stuck in my throat, and I just couldn't bring myself to say them.

She herself couldn't understand what she was thinking.

Was he angry at Jinqiang Liushi, or angry at himself?

Seeing the silent expression on the face of the carp leaping over the dragon gate, Bai Jin lowered his head slightly, thought for a moment, and then said:

"I think it would be better to go."

"If you only have one chance, you might regret it later if you don't seize it this time."

"—What do you know?" The carp leaping over the dragon gate was like a water balloon filled with liquid, and Bai Jin's words punctured a hole, finally allowing all the emotions to find an outlet.

"You are all talented guys. You were born knowing how to run, you were born running fast, and you were born to stand on the stage."

"I have no talent, nor am I suited for running, so why do you insist on dragging me along? To be your supporting character, your green leaf?"

“From childhood to adulthood, I’ve always been losing. I’ve never won once against a Golden Spear Sixty…” Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate covered his head. “Do you understand this feeling?”

"Is my purpose in life simply to prove how excellent you are?"

"I just didn't want to be a supporting character anymore, what's wrong with that?"

Halfway through his sentence, Li Yuelongmen stared blankly at Bai Jin, then shivered as if waking from a dream.

"...I'm sorry, I...I didn't mean that..."

What did I say to Platinum?

Was I just taking my anger out on Platinum? That's so despicable and shameful.

Will Platinum dislike me?

However, the imagined scene did not occur. Platinum simply stood calmly in front of the carp leaping over the dragon gate, as if he had not heard anything just now.

Just kidding. Compared to the all-encompassing, genealogy-based personal insults I encounter when I'm venting my anger online, can that even be considered an attack on me?

Platinum didn't even realize it.

On the other hand, Platinum realized this.

The carp leaping over the dragon gate is preparing to follow its old path.

Episode 101 Final Match

The carp leaping over the dragon gate is preparing to follow its old path.

You hate yourself, you despise yourself, and you distance yourself from others.

She had to do this because she had a soul dissolution syndrome, and if the carp leaping over the dragon gate ended up like her... Platinum absolutely did not want to see that happen.

If you're already stuck at the bottom of the pit, wouldn't anyone with a conscience lend a helping hand to someone else who's about to fall in?

So Platinum sat down next to Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, lowered her eyelids, and softly said, "That's not what I meant."

"I don't think 'Golden Spear Sixty' means that either."

"You need to be compared to others to make yourself look good? That's pure nonsense."

"I can't persuade you about these things, and I don't think there's any need to. If you could listen to me just by talking, I might as well not apply for a job as a psychologist."

"Just talking about this game. I still think you should go."

Platinum spoke in a low voice, his hands tightly clasped together.

"Because right now, I miss my parents very, very, very much."

"I don't know if I'll ever see them again, and I don't remember the last time I consciously saw them."

"I just regret that I didn't say goodbye or goodnight to them in the end."

Can Platinum return to its original world? She wasn't sure.

Therefore, one could say that this is farewell forever.

"Sometimes I wonder if all those arguments back then were even meaningful. Would it have been better if I had just given in? Why did I always have to prove myself right against my parents?"

"Only now do I realize how terrible it was that I chose to act impulsively back then."

"So, in my experience, you'll definitely regret it if you don't participate in this competition."

“It’s not about winning or losing, it’s just because she’s your older sister and you’re her younger sister, that’s all.”

Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate fell silent after hearing Bai Jin's words. She knew that Bai Jin came from a very, very far place, and she also knew that she had many secrets, but she didn't know these things.

Will Platinum never see his family again?

The carp leaping over the dragon gate couldn't help but wonder, would I ever have such a day? At sixty, with my father and mother no longer by my side. What would I do then?

She absolutely loathed Golden Gun Sixty. But she couldn't imagine a world without Golden Gun Sixty.

"I...really hate the Golden Gun Sixty..."

Trembling, the carp leaping over the dragon gate spoke.

“I feel like she’s the worst older sister in the world. When I was little, people would always tell me, ‘I’m so envious that you have such a perfect older sister like Jinqiang Liushi. She’s beautiful, popular, and does everything perfectly.’”

“At those times, I would force a smile and deal with it. Because everyone would say they envy you for having a sister like Golden Spear Sixty, but no one would say they envy you for having a sister like Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate.”

“I was like a little tail on her body, treated as her possession.”

"Haha, I hate her too." Platinum grinned and nudged Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate with his shoulder. "That girl has no sense of propriety at all. She even drove us around like crazy when we came here, which made me wonder if I had offended her somehow."

"Your wish has come true now. To me, Golden Spear Sixty is just an older sister who has leaped over the Dragon Gate."

The carp leaping over the dragon gate immediately burst into laughter through its tears: "Really... don't tease me."