Chapter 1639: with translation of chapter title

NO. 254: Silence is not only a sign of guilt; it can also be the eaves.

So, you're saying that just to get it posted on the Jiemen Urban Daily for two days, all you got was an overloaded monster card?

It's already been three days since the Jidong Derby champion was decided, and now it's another weekend.

But for trainers at Central Tiresen, weekends are often a meaningless distinction.

Working at Central means you command a horse girl capable of competing in GI races.

And once you have such a horse girl, it means that whether it's the Classic Year or the Ancient Horse Year, you'll have a relatively tight race schedule.

As well as the tight training needed to cope with those races.

By then, you'll only be able to relax a bit during June, July, and August, after all, GI races are relatively scarce and scattered during that period.

But honestly speaking, my recent experiences suggest that ease is merely an ideal fantasy, and who knows what might happen then.

Thus, Aomo never bothered to think much about it.

He complained about the present, about the card that Nishizaki Yutaka had handed him—a card that radiated turbulent information even without needing to sense it—and wondered how many stares the other person had endured to get here.

After all, these days the threshold for practicing source energy and downloading prosthetic defense programs isn't high.

And the mere ambient energy emanating from this thing in his hand is enough to make those detection devices blare.

And this is precisely when the card box gifted by the Nabian Lighthouse Company finally proves useful.

Initially said to block card fluctuations and energy, it actually fails to block any connection between Aomo and the monster card.

Its energy‑blocking function is hardly better than nothing, after all, a monster card on standby emits virtually no energy.

Only when the card occasionally trembles from excitement does the box gain any significance, and even then it's rare.

Until this monster card, whose face is even blurry, appears.

"Wow, this really opens my eyes—I didn't know this thing could even be overloaded."

Only when the case was closed did Suzi beside him glance over, then stare oddly at the guy who had interrupted training time.

Even though she wasn't the one being trained.

Rather, they were two silhouettes speeding through the dark under the lights not far away, yet each had pulled a noticeable distance ahead of the other.

Manceng Chazuo, Narita Bairen.

Dwelling on the past is pointless, but the gloom of failure won't dissipate.

The trainers' expectations and encouragement alone can't dispel that gloom; ultimately, only pure running can resolve it.

Normally, this is a secret known only to horse girls who live too freely by their own hearts, yet it's also an option that any horse girl can unlock given the right conditions.

Those conditions are often extreme, though not exactly rare.

All it takes is to hold a sense of frustration—being unable to focus on anything, unable to proceed smoothly.

Of course, Manceng Chazuo also happened to pick a good moment—

In a few days, it will be the opening day of the Mid‑Tournament of the Dream Cup.

Ludaofu Xiangzheng, Qianming, Narita Bairen, and… the Sirius Symbol that secured a spot in this race.

Over the past three days, Aomo has been celebrating one victory, consoling another defeat, and manipulating puppets to keep his long‑term plans going—never mind the usual household chores—and even the four adult horse girls haven't been idle.

While intensely participating in the celebrations and consolations, he also had to, whenever he happened to glance at Aomo during the patrols of the badger and Horuhaiya around campus, swoop in and take credit.

Using training as a pretext, he even squeezes in this urgent drill on his day off, when he should be with his girlfriend—he doesn't even need to show up in person, just confidently message that he lacks confidence and needs extra practice—and by then, regardless of whether his girlfriend gets the hint, the trainer is always left helpless.

After all, that's the Dream Cup.

Those are the few days before the Dream Cup.

Even if it's Ludaofu Xiangzheng, who is top‑tier in both ability and fame, the reigning champion from the previous round can still admit he lacks complete confidence without inviting disappointment or criticism.

That is the unique and difficult aspect of the Dream Cup.

Of course, if you ask her whether she truly lacks confidence as she claims in front of the media…

All you can say is: don't ask! Ah, don't ask!

Some people's confidence comes from their track record, built from past success and fame; others' confidence is innate, needing no validation or embellishment from others—she believes she can achieve her goal without anyone's praise.

But what proportion of horse girls fall into these two categories?

Aomo doesn't know.

He also always believes that a first‑rate horse girl ought to have confidence and fighting spirit that no failure can crush, and with that expectation he looks forward to the four junior fillies, trusts the four senior colts, and even when receiving those messages he once fell into a stunned hesitation.

Really lacking confidence?

Uncertain, let's take another look.

But no matter what, the few days before the race are definitely not a relaxing vacation spent dating girlfriends.

So he still ended up here.

The beta training field, which allows custom training venues and routines, is gradually outpacing the beta moto training ground in usage.

After three days, I've already run with Ludao fu, Qianming, and Tianlangxing at different times—each time I couldn't catch up, and the Manceng Chazuo never stopped—but now it's finally my turn to run with Narita Bairen.

Back then, Bairen had specifically requested the Chazuo to teach him, hoping to pass his relentless, one‑air‑chase running style to a gifted person, while also holding the thought that he himself wouldn't be able to compete.

Nowadays, she has regained her confidence to return to the track, yet the running style she taught the Chazuo failed to shine in this year's Classic‑Year intensity races, instead giving their encounters on the track a subtle hint of a master‑disciple dynamic.

Compared to an apprentice ruined by a mentor's teaching, both that pair and Aomo know there's still a complicated element here—for example, Ailisuzhi has actually received multiple pointers from Qianming's representation, even though she's usually unwilling and her face shows displeasure.

As for Meipu Bojing, it has also been made to run by Wanshan Siji, but since it's happened only twice, there's no need to mention it specially.

Considering Aomo's records of results before and after each training session, everyone—regardless of which school they come from or what guidance they've received—can see their final strength clearly in his eyes.

It's just inconvenient to say.

After all, he's deeply caught in a whirlpool‑like fate.

Other trainers and horse girls, no matter their goals, don't have all those entanglements and tug‑of‑wars, but Aomo Lindun has constantly been accompanied by them.

Other trainers and horse girls, no matter what their goals are, never get tangled up in so much conflict and pulling back and forth, but Aomo Lindun has constantly been caught up in such entanglement and tug-of-war.

The reason is merely that he allowed his subordinate girls to set their own goals, with the result that all their goals ended up together.

The high school ladies jointly pursue the strong of the classic year, while the adult ladies jointly contend for the glory of the Dream Cup—you could say this isn't pure civil war either; the strong of the same generation, though few, are not nonexistent, everyone is simply competing for first place, but the result seems……

There's no difference.

Whoever wins cannot escape having to deal with four—one winner and three losers; as the joint trainer, he should be a water-balancing master, balancing the disciples, but his goal has always been to train them to the strongest they can reach.

Everyone's potential differs, and their strength also has deviations; even if they seem equal at the start, a gap will gradually widen later.

Only then will it become the true focus of entanglement and tug-of-war, so he must let them realize in advance the future they might reach, just as parents who advise their children to keep pets often harbor the deep intention of letting them adapt early to parting with important people.

Cruel things will always come, but you shouldn't be completely unprepared.

And in terms of being well prepared, the senior veterans of the adult group are obviously experienced people who have been through it.

Aomo hopes there will be more such communication between the two groups, and also intends to promote their intersection on the track, just as now.

But the focus of this event right now is still overcoming Bai Ren's psychological shadow, which is why there is this nighttime Saichang in broad daylight and the lights all along.

It also makes it unavoidable for Xi Qian Feng to complain when delivering the card, why make the atmosphere like a yakuza meetup.

What do you mean yakuza meetup? Here there's no simulation of Tokyo Bay.

Unless saying that a certain trainer Wangzi has ulterior motives, it must be that he watches too many weird dramas in his daily life; we'll set aside his person for now and focus on the card he provided.

"The card does indeed have this mode; as long as one intentionally seeks the limit, or simply uses it with high intensity……" Aomo said, putting away the card case.

"But there is also room for repair; in that case, perhaps Demon God Zero is a step closer to the upright position of causal demon god power."

The inter-dimensional monster Bulu Dun is merely an emphasis and strengthening of the ability to pull inter-dimensionally; although the causal calculation derived from extremely high computing power is already sufficient, as a true fan, Aomo still feels it lacks something.

"What do you mean just picking up an overloaded card? Isn't it proof that that guy has come into contact with all the horse girls and trainers except you?"

"Just having come into contact, does that really mean anything?"

Silently gazing at Narita Bai Ren running in the Hei'an, speed ever increasing, yet not like pursuit but escape, Aomo sighed and revealed the progress understood through the AI goddess.

"They can even block and destroy that part of memory that directly states the plan's content; no wonder they are a religious organization able to continue existing under federal investigation in another world."

"This isn't the time to be impressed, is it?"

"Can't say I'm impressed; I just marvel that such so‑called professional criminal competence can be seen among these people, but if you really feel anxious, you can wait here with me."

"What? Wait for what?"

"Since it's been confirmed that the big hand I imagined really exists, and public opinion easily accepts the fact that other horse girls and trainers have been guided and calculated, then they should also consider either completely withdrawing or taking another risk, and have an open and honest talk with us."

"…Is it possible? Will they really come?"

Xi Qian Feng finds it hard to believe that that bunch of cowards who only disgust people dare to show their heads.

"I myself probably won't; you can't possibly expect such obvious evidence, can you?"

"Then it's just another corner where memories have been processed…… Really hard to answer to the carrots."

"I mean, is it possible for us to make something of the conversation, actively set a trap for them, and you could also get along better with those girls?"

Aomo began to feel that this senior veteran's comprehension ability was worrying.

"Ah? A trap… will they take the bait?"

Also very pessimistic.

"We ourselves decide this; can't we give ourselves some confidence?"

"No, planning is something Lingxiang is good at, or are you saying you'll come?"

"…Perhaps not only horse girls, but trainers' confidence also needs cultivation."

"? You really intend to let me come?"

"We only need excellent deception skills, not the ability to make plans."

"……That… seems… not…… How does it sound like I'm being scolded?"

"……"

Aomo kept silent.