Chapter 1576: with translation of chapter title

No. 191: True fans ought to be like this.

【You have entered a signal-shielded area; please confirm the location of the emergency communication function.】

Upon stepping into the corridor leading to the athletes' preparation room, the terminal display promptly popped up this particularly conspicuous warning.

This is undoubtedly a newly added thing, even more localized, not covering all racecourse specifications, matching some complaints Aomo had seen in recent weeks while browsing professional forum sections, unclear whether it's to protect the horse girls or to provide cover for terrorists.

Considering this situation, the trainers' accompaniment is indeed especially necessary, prompting him to involuntarily glance back.

In the brightly lit corridor, there were as many as seven men and women wearing trainer badges on their chests, walking together with the horse girls, either chatting or staying silent, basically all paying attention ahead—then, in Aomo's backward glance, they all stiffened.

Even coming to a stop.

?

Aomo, momentarily unsure whether it was his reputation or his gaze that was the issue, turned back and pushed up his glasses.

He very much wanted to maintain the current atmosphere, so quiet that only whispers could be heard.

Although such whispering is useless to any horse-eared girl or trainer with a cultivation foundation.

But whether this atmosphere is useful or not no longer matters, for the horse girl beside him who had managed to secure a position yet struggled to stay quiet finally spoke up.

"Guinea Pig~"

"Please speak."

"What do you mean 'please speak'! At a time like this, are you still keeping your distance?!"

"These words are truly frightening, especially said in front of so many horse girls and trainers," Aomo said expressionlessly, "If you intend to use this as an experimental variable, you'll likely find it's not worth the loss."

Although he had considered simply drawing a soundproof barrier once and for all, seeing that there were two conspicuous detectors every so often in the corridor, Aomo decided to reduce unnecessary misunderstandings.

"Tsk, I already said that before."

"Continuing like this won't earn you any points for your experimental course, Ailisuzhi classmate, or are you just trying to draw the gaze of your three teammates?"

Looking toward Bōpáng, Chazuo, and Aizhi, the process was also an exchange of glances with the three; Aomo's calm gaze observed each of their slightly tense strides, thereby understanding the girls' minor flow of information.

Here there are two athletes who have gone through the Gaoyue Prize second round, and another who becomes increasingly well-behaved and confident, able to intimidate everyone the more she takes the field; when you see these three walking side by side, you shouldn't think in the ordinary direction of 'athletes trembling nervously at the name of the Gaoyue Prize.'

You should consider what kind of reason could bestow upon this match an unprecedented great value, enough to make even these three tense to the point of being unable to hold themselves.

With the parties directly involved in a certain matter present, such an answer goes without saying, yet it also slightly surprises the demon.

Surprising given her deeply possessive sense of responsibility, she actually manages to share the fruits she has knocked out with others.

Although deep camaraderie is positive and self-reflection and correction are moving, the demon, having seen no trace of such a tendency in these days, naturally holds a pessimistic attitude.

——This perhaps stems from some kind of pressure.

Not like at home, but rather like one's own household; of course, there's also a not-low probability that, since Suzi mentioned it, they naturally view Qianming Bai Ren and the others as a threat……

Why, while running on the dream's track, must one think about such off-topic things?

Do you think you will definitely win?

Or is it that puberty possesses the destructive power to greatly magnify that little love?

The worried trainer isn't quite sure.

Although his recent experience interacting with the opposite sex has been nearly excessive, he has never before experienced crazy love and hate or deep-seated joy and sorrow.

He has only one-sided passive exposure.

He can only rely on the definition standards of monster cards to clarify the four girls' desire inclinations, and in this truly opposite-sex‑related affection, only Suzi and Aizhi would apply.

Moreover, besides Suzi, the other three are also far from reaching the extreme values that would trigger resonance.

Is the thinking too narrow?

Is the scope defined by the monster cards insufficient to interpret all of the girls' emotions?

Aomo, having some preliminary conclusions and more problems following closely, ultimately still does not wish to examine these issues in detail on the field, even if he now seems to be throwing this topic at the three girls.

But the fact is, these three girls remain silent.

Even theoretically, for Bōpáng, who is the most dull and least responsive to these, she merely lowers her head slightly in what was otherwise a fairly open and aboveboard advance.

This somewhat overly fuels someone's arrogance.

"Hmph, what can a bunch of timid fellows possibly say?"

With one hand on her hip and the other flinging out, the not-so-friendly squad captain eyes the members, which draws a glance from Chazuo and Aizhi, while Bōpáng shows no reaction.

"Still wanting to think so much; ending up like this, not being late is already fortunate, and it would be better to give the chance to others who want to participate in the Gaoyue Prize."

……

This remark instead gives a subtle expression to Senlinbaoxue, who walks alone at the rear of the line without a trainer accompanying her, and it's also unclear whether she's speaking for herself or merely blaming a teammate offhand.

Now that she has fervently finished her challenge letter ten-odd minutes ago, the four teammates on this side have also all seen her, but rather than saying she abruptly burst into view, it's more like a refresher warning.

After all, Aomo had from the start given them a rundown of this season's competitors; in the list he had specially asked them to note, Senlinbaoxue was ranked first, her record packed with results from the past two months.

Precisely because of this impression, Suzi's remarks are indeed a direct call‑out; yet the three horse girls restrain themselves from turning to look at the target, merely glaring at Suzi with ill intent in their eyes, Bōpáng included.

That's still somewhat presentable.

With arms crossed, the brown‑haired horse girl who had just proudly hummed a wavering tone was immediately had her hat pressed and her head patted by a hand.

"Well said, that's a good captain."

"You're really getting carried away, Guinea Pig."

Suzi, who stepped forward to kick the shin of the one ahead, as long as she doesn't turn back, won't be seen by the other athletes with her face flushed red.

One half muttering, which could also be used to speak her own words, she yanks open the door to the changing room bearing her own lot number.

"Each to each, then, since we've arrived, I'll wait outside."

Unlike the time with Tiānlángxīng, even though these four might prefer to come in and say something, Aomo doesn't think they need him to give each of them individual pre‑battle psychological preparation.

So he merely raised his hand to pat Suzi's and Chazuo's shoulders, then promptly shoved Aizhi and Bōpáng toward their changing rooms.

Because their gate numbers are farther back, the rooms are a bit more distant; but these consecutive numbers, on the field, really can't be said to be clearly good or bad.

"... trainer."

「Master…」

One on the left, one on the right, the two almost simultaneously spoke to that Aomo who was retreating toward the middle of the two doors; then they glanced at each other, then looked at the demon's index finger raised to his lips.

「No need for many words. 」

He said.

「The horse girls' words should be clarified while running. 」

「Whether it's toward each other or toward me, here you might as well trust that your trainer has the insight to comprehend these. 」

「Can you believe it? 」 he asked.

「…Hmm. 」

「No problem, Master. 」

Before Umastar, which unknowingly had ceased to be truly secret, both horse girls were willing to trust the trainer's perspective on horse girl races, as well as the purity of that emotional empathy.