Umamusume's days are numbered

As the eldest sister, Hai Dudu has been taking care of her younger siblings since they were little. While called an older sister, she's also practically a mother to them. Unconsciously, Hai Dudu is half a generation older than her siblings.

Hai Dushi retired early and spent his whole life working hard for his younger siblings. He didn't have any other hobbies, and his mentality aged rapidly.

What do people of higher seniority like to do? Well, naturally, they play games like Connect Four with the younger generation.

Haidu City is like the matchmaker holding a bunch of red threads, eager to tie these younger brothers and sisters to arrows and shoot them into other people's hearts.

Galileo experienced the same thing. He had only met Strange Light on the field, but the way Hai Du looked at him and Strange Light after the competition was completely different. A month later, before he could even react, he and Strange Light were sitting together, with Hai Du on one side and Strange Light's parents on the other.

No, Galileo and Strange Light did have a good relationship, but it was a brotherly bond, not romantic love. Both Galileo and Strange Light were amused and exasperated; neither of them felt that way about the other.

Left with no other choice, and faced with Hai Dudu's relentless pursuit, the two of them fled and embarked on a road trip across Europe, thus escaping Hai Dudu's incessant chatter.

Now it's finally Ocean Star's turn, haha!

Galileo grinned as he pressed the screen.

[Astronomer]: They're a perfect match, a perfect match indeed. When are they getting married? I'll arrange a church for them, and I guarantee it'll be a grand affair.

【Sea Starfish is the best】: Let's not talk about others yet. How are you and Xiao Guang doing? What stage have you reached?

Galileo sighed, opened the selfie camera, grabbed the arm of the strange light, and pressed himself into her arms.

The strange light was nothing new to Galileo. As he fiddled with it, he saw her send the photo to Haidu City before finally letting go of his arm.

After dealing with his sister, Galileo slumped back into his seat and closed his eyes again.

Haha... But amidst the schadenfreude... can he even beat a newbie with a golden spear at level sixty...?

And...those eyes...

Galileo recalled the pair of black, hollow pupils he had seen in the photograph. They were like black holes, capable of sucking everything in and obliterating it all.

It feels...something I've seen before.

“Hey, Xiao Guang,” Galileo nudged the strange light’s shoulder, “if we have time, how about we go lie down in Japan?”

"What are you planning to do now?" The strange light curled its lip, neither confirming nor denying.

Episode 127 The Swindler

Kathmandu, Nepal

The biting, cold winds from the high mountains are blocked by the vast Himalayas, known as the world's third pole, while the warm monsoons from the Indian Ocean arrive as scheduled, bringing vitality to this ancient land.

Nestled in the southern Himalayas, Kathmandu is surrounded by lush greenery and enjoys a pleasant climate. Here, you can even wear just a light layer of clothing.

The swindler looked up and, following the direction of his gaze, saw a snow-white mountain range stretching across the land like a wall of heaven. In ancient times, it was known as the end of the world, and to this day it remains sparsely populated and coveted, attracting countless expeditions.

"Hey, Sam. Look this way!"

With crisp, light steps, the tall girl stood by the roadside waving at the swindler. Her short black hair made her look dashing, and above her black hair were a pair of diamond-shaped horse ears.

Nepal is a deeply religious country, with Hinduism being prevalent. Kathmandu is dotted with numerous temples of varying sizes, and in the city center stands a snow-white, round stupa known locally as the Boudhanath Stupa. It is said that in other, older cities, temples sometimes occupy more space than residential areas.

The short-haired woman didn't care about any of that and shouted cheerfully in the street.

"You're here, Linda."

The swindler responded with a sound of agreement, looked away, and walked towards Linda.

"Why are you so late? Local guides are charged by the day, which adds up to a lot of extra expenses."

Linda gave the conman a reproachful look and took the travel bag from her shoulder. The two seemed to have a very close relationship, and Linda wasn't afraid of the conman's fierce face.

I got a minor injury while running in Hong Kong, which delayed me for a few days. But I'm fine now.

"You run like a maniac, just like you always are. Oh well, you wouldn't listen anyway, it's good that you're here. We'll set off in a few more days."

"Let's go back to the guesthouse first."

The swindler nodded and followed Linda step by step. This ancient city had some modern buildings, but a mysterious and ancient atmosphere still lingered in the air. It had many believers; perhaps this was the closest place to the divine in the world. Rows of houses and temples stood side by side, and in the distance, the snow-white sky seemed to stretch to the horizon.

This place is actually quite a distance from the Himalayas, but it looks as if it's located right at the foot of the mountains.

The conman was the quiet type, while Linda was quite talkative. Throughout the journey, Linda kept talking, pointing and chattering non-stop. The conman only nodded occasionally, it was unclear whether he was listening.

“Listen to me, transportation here is really inconvenient. We want to go to Sagarmatha National Park, but there's no direct route from Kathmandu…”

"The signal is unstable, and it's always out of service area... Well, that's good, it saves me from being bothered by others."

"We even went to the temple to burn incense, to do as the locals do. My goodness, that incense stick was taller than me and as thick as my wrist! It made me cough constantly when it burned, and it was incredibly expensive. I suspect we got ripped off..."

"But climbing Everest is all about peace of mind, isn't it? I've heard that some climbers have lost their lives on the mountain for various reasons, and their bodies couldn't even be brought down; they were left up there as landmarks. Do you want to go and pay your respects too?"

"Anyway, let's fly to Lukla first. That's the closest town to the Himalayas. Once we get there, our trekking and rock climbing trip will begin."

Linda held up the conman's travel bag and swung it around in her arms, her eagerness evident: "I've been preparing for this for so long, I'm really looking forward to it."

"Ah."

The scammer stopped on the street, thought for a moment, and then took out his phone and took a picture of the Himalayas.

She doesn't like being photographed or being photographed herself. She's always refused Linda's requests for photos. This time, however, it's unprecedented.

"Take a picture? Why didn't you invite me?" Linda immediately chuckled and came over, taking the conman's arm. "Quick, take a picture of the two of us."

The scammer ignored Linda and sent the photo to a group chat. This group chat was created after the competition, and every contestant was in it. Thank goodness, there was still signal in Kathmandu.

[Scammer]: [Image]

[Scammer]: I've arrived in Nepal. I might be out of contact for a while, but I'll reply when I find a place with a signal.

[Where is Lu Mao Ma Niang?]: She really went to climb the snow mountain!

【Golden Koi Spinning Around】: So beautiful, I'm so envious.

[File Transfer Assistant]: Why are you two replying so quickly? Are you together?

[Golden Koi Spinning Around]: Who's with her? I'm on the tram.

[Where is the Reed-haired Horse Girl?]: I'm right behind you.

[Golden Koi Spinning Around]: ?!

【Starfish is the best】: Thumbs up.jpg

[Hello everyone, I'm Jiang He Risheng, please take care of me]: Probe.jpg

[File Transfer Assistant]: Jianghe Risheng, did you mistakenly enter your nickname instead of your group name as your group entry note?

[Hello everyone, I'm Jiang He Risheng, please take care of me]: Surprised.jpg

【Hello everyone, I'm Jiang He Risheng, please take care of me】: Sorry!

"What are you looking at?" Linda stood on tiptoe to look at the conman's phone.

"With a few friends," the scammer said, putting away his phone. "Some I knew before, and some I just met this time."

"Huh?!" Linda looked at the conman in disbelief. "You? You can make new friends?"

"I don't believe it! I absolutely don't believe it!"

The conman pressed Linda's head down and walked forward, saying, "Okay, let's go."

Linda stared incredulously at the swindler's retreating figure, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.

Seriously? I didn't see that wrong, did I?

That conman... that conman who looks like he has a facial paralysis... actually smiled?

Impossible, absolutely impossible!

"You're not Sam, so who are you?"

Linda followed the conman, chattering on and on. The two walked towards the snow-capped mountain, their figures receding into the distance until they became one with the street, the city, and the mountain.

All good things must come to an end. No matter how exciting the match or how splendid the reunion, it will eventually come to a close.

Meeting and parting are the fundamental themes of this world. Each person is an individual, and no one can stay by another's side forever.

However, as the beautiful ancient Chinese poem says, "A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near." People's hearts will not be separated by physical distance, especially in this age of advanced technology.

We will meet again someday.

Our friendship will never end.

Episode 128 in Kowloon

[Is it correct now?]: It's fine now.

[File Transfer Assistant]: ...

[Is this correct now?]: Oh, no, that's not right.

Platinum held his phone to his chest, rested his hands behind his head, felt the slight swaying, and sighed deeply.

Jianghe Risheng looks quite innocent and petite, yet she already possesses a multitude of attributes. How come she's still a complete tech idiot?

Could this be a recurring character?

"What's wrong? Why are you so melancholy? Are you still reluctant to give up your dream of becoming a dragon?" Alice, sitting next to him, asked teasingly, looking at Platinum's appearance.

Platinum rolled her eyes and ignored her.

The group is now embarking on their journey home. When they arrived, Alice had come secretly, accompanied only by Platinum, Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, and Alice Digital. Now, Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate has to stay in Hong Kong to recuperate due to health reasons, so it's three of them again.

This time, however, they didn't plan to fly back directly. Instead, they planned to take a car and head north from Hong Kong, making a trip around the Guangdong and Guangxi regions.

Since we're already here.jpg

Putting aside the fact that Platinum genuinely wanted to take this opportunity to relax, even Alice agreed to go on vacation. This race had indeed taken a heavy toll on Platinum; facing top-tier racehorses is no easy feat. Especially considering she also participated in a G3 race in early October, it could even be considered a series of consecutive matches.

Although Platinum's body is indeed quite robust, Alice doesn't want Platinum to suffer any injuries. Appropriate relaxation is reasonable.

The main reason is still publicly funded travel.

Anyway, it's not my own money.

Let Rudolf symbolize his worries ( ).

They had initially declined Golden Gun Sixty's offer to see them off, but after hearing their plans, Golden Gun Sixty slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "You should have told me sooner!" and immediately made a phone call.

Five minutes later, they had a skilled driver and a small jeep. Jinqiang Liushi even patted his chest and said he could go as far as he wanted; this was an employee borrowed from Uncle He's company, considered as part of his business trip.

Ah, the sweet smell of capital.

"Wow... Although I've been to quite a few places before, this is my first time traveling as a proper homebody." Alice Digital sat in the front seat, rubbing her hands together excitedly. "As the saying goes, 'Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles,' I'm sure this trip will bring me a whole new experience."

The insights gained in anonymous forums.

"I don't really care, but I did gain a lot from this forum." Alice looked at Platinum with a meaningful gaze, the implication of which was self-evident.

Platinum rolled her eyes again. Anyway, her life was already in Alice's hands; she could do whatever she wanted, and what could she do to resist?

Faced with Alice's tyranny, Platinum chose to completely give up.

Just then, another message popped up on my phone.

"【Haidu Star】has requested to add you as a friend."

Haidu Star? Is this a real name or a name suggested by a fan?

Platinum tilted his head and thought for a moment, but it didn't seem right. How would others know about his account? It was only after he came to Hong Kong that his friends list increased by a few people; otherwise, Platinum's friends list would be completely empty.

So this Star of the Sea City... is it the genuine version? I got my contact information from the Sea City government.

After looking at Alice and Alice Digital, Platinum thought for a moment and then agreed.

Maybe they need something from me, like a discount on Pinduoduo...

Or perhaps you'd like to subscribe to a shared video membership, right?

I just added it successfully, and Haidu Star sent me a message.

Hello, is this Platinum?

It's me, what's wrong?

My sister told me to add you as a friend so we can get along well.