Chapter 1912: NO.532: After all, it's still some kind of opponent

NO. 532: After all, it's still some kind of opponent.

The golden history of the fourth generation is somewhat close, so close that it's merely the events of the past two years.

The golden history of the third generation, heard, is not considered far; upon careful calculation it's less than ten years, yet it can be said to be a more precise hit on current topics, so precise that one can directly look at the adult division horse girls under Trainer Aomo Lindun.

Qianming representative, Ludaofu Xiangzheng, Chengtian Bai Ren.

As mentioned before, the former had a brief brilliance, the latter enjoyed an almost perfect career, while the latter's curtain fell abruptly again—if described this way, it's inevitable to feel that the purity of the 'third generation's golden history' is lacking, with a suspicion of being forced.

Indeed, the fact is exactly so.

In the horse racing world, the 'purity' of performance is something sought after but unattainable.

It's rare to maintain an unbeaten record, and even rarer to keep a perfect win streak during the most crucial period.

Throughout thousands of years of history, the number of Triple Crown winners amounts to only a few hundred, and this is based on the premise that Triple Crown races vary in difficulty worldwide, and at times it was even hard to guarantee fairness for all parties. In other words, the number of Triple Crown winners truly meeting the ideal purity would have to be reduced further; and at that point, if you also demanded that those Triple Crown winners continue to be undefeated until retirement, the number would plummet to single digits.

Yes, single digits.

That's how scarce it is!

Although the Federation has many elders who can live for thousands of years, and there are people who can remember those miraculous horse girls as if it were yesterday, it's obvious that one cannot rely on such memories to support the publicity and development of the horse racing industry.

People will spontaneously pursue, create, and gather around new champions, but at the same time they will also recognize the harsh reality—

——even creating a champion is extremely difficult, and that perfect champion can almost be said to not exist.

Thus the demands will be lowered.

And lowered again.

Thus, step by step, from a career of total victory to counting a win in a key race as victory, and then to establishing a 'strong!' position from the key race of the first year of one's career—only then does the widely known miracle appear.

【Triple Crown's Ruler】

You can see Aimu Zhiji and Ailisuzhi in this edition achieving scattered Triple Crowns, proving that the pursuit of 'more strong contenders' and the 'perfect champion' somewhat conflicts; but without numerous strong contenders to complement each other, how could the champion's perfection be highlighted?

One cannot forsake the grand gathering of strong contenders, nor can one forsake the king who reigns supreme among them; thus arises the miracle known as the Triple Crown winner.

The reason it's called a miracle is precisely because it's almost impossible to happen.

Therefore, a miracle should ideally not be ranked as higher or lower.

One should not despise a miracle that is just as hard to achieve merely because another miracle sounds harder to achieve.

Not everyone subscribes to this principle, but the URA Association, which bears the entire history of the races, has long relied on years of operation and publicity to successfully imprint the value of the 'Triple Crown winner' in people's minds.

Even to this day, many people still go crazy over the horse girls who once won that title, and they strongly support the achievement they earned.

Thus the saying 'the golden history of the third generation' also counts as having entered textbooks; after adding the Dazhenhan to make four generations, no one would have any objections, and the Flash Series of the past ten years has likewise been a relay from generation to generation, making it hard for people to forget the appearances of those few on the old racecourses.

The coronation witnessed firsthand, and the memory of sharing in that honor, are most profoundly evident in the era of Qianming the representative, who is called the 'Unrestrained Wind'.

Because at the same time the Federation was invaded by otherworldly pathogens, the whole society once fell into an economic downturn. There were layoffs, unemployment, and most people could only stay at home in isolation, relying on the internet to contact and learn about the outside world; and thus—the horse racing industry, which should have declined together with other sectors, actually suffered a smaller impact.

Nowadays, most racecourses possess the networked simultaneous seating system, which was also achieved then as large-scale coverage.

Not losing many spectators, but instead gaining many newcomers to the horse racing industry online, it was then that a horse girl who broke the norm appeared in the same period.

【Qianming Representative】

Trudging through the muddy Gao Yue racecourse in the heavy rain, racing far behind at the Derby track with a wide gap at the gate, then, with steps as seamless as heavenly robes—almost impossible—she crossed the finish line of the Chrysanthemum Prize.

Each of her victories stepped outside the spectators' common sense, and before that, those spectators had never even seen the footsteps of the previous Triple Crown winner.

The meaning behind this goes without saying.

Compared to Chengtian Bai Ren, who was later elevated when he won the Triple Crown, Qianming representative also revealed a weakness in her legs, refusing the so‑called Jidong Area horse girl's nearly unconquerable Jidong Cup, and also avoiding the year‑end Arima Memorial.

To cope with her legs bleeding heavily every time she ran, she spent almost the whole spring in recuperation, and during this period another horse girl burst onto the scene, winning the Gao Yue and Derby with steps as sharp as a razor, clean and unsullied.

Compared to Qianming representative, whose running style always exceeded expectations, that horse girl seemed to be fully embodying 'strength', taking the most imaginable running style to the extreme, overwhelming her contemporaries, securing two consecutive wins, and making everyone eagerly anticipate October.

October was the month in which Qianming representative, who repeatedly had her entries postponed due to leg problems and, even when she occasionally returned, withdrew again after failing medical checks, announced she would compete again.

Autumn Emperor's Prize.

In this race she shattered everyone's worries, creating a new record with an acceleration faster than ever before on the final straight by running even more beyond expectations, thereby securing four crowns, and the following week—when countless hearts raced with anticipation—the Chrysanthemum Prize was won by Ludaofu Xiangzheng.

A new Triple Crown winner was born; thereafter the developments were not only predictable but also plain for all to see.

After the clash of king versus king, the story then outlined a hint of cruelty in a series of defeats.

After three challenges, as if the leg‑problem hidden danger had truly been resolved, she appeared with the posture of a Triple Crown winner, yet also as a loser, actually disregarding everything and seeking only victory.

Using the defeat of another Triple Crown winner as a stepping stone, Ludaofu Xiangzheng undoubtedly met the contemporary expectation of having strong contenders to complement each other and of a true king descending, thereby establishing the imperial title, which has not faded even over the past few years.

Then what about Qianming representative?

By now, even those who had heard the earlier mentions and spoilers know that her standing hasn't deteriorated much.

Because the timing was just right, landing in a phase when the real world's overall situation was relatively sluggish, her attitude of sparing no effort to challenge turned out to be on target, at times becoming a spiritual symbol in the eyes of many disheartened people, indirectly motivating them to break free from the mire; even if she never won a single race all the way to retirement, she still gained a group of loyal fans willing to see her off in the rain, and this can be seen as finding another kind of achievement track that likewise stands the test of time.

But it's hard to say that this is the track she wanted.

If asked directly, she would give a cool and handsome reply, but one cannot know whether she would think that way when she turns around—of course, ordinary people rarely consider this either.

Those who know Qianming representative would feel all the more that the horse girl, free and elusive like the wind, has no such worries.

But if you, on the basis of familiarity, go further and delve into some unknown realms, you might regret it.

Because reality never represents perfection, those who merely chase realism often end up burdened by it.

But there are also times when you must go and witness the other's most genuine appearance.

One must clarify the thoughts behind that carefree and capable figure, and from those thoughts discern whether your intersection with her truly lies on a proper path where both can be satisfied.

As for this, Aomo Lindun has already quietly achieved it.

However, the one who also achieved this is—

And there is also Ailisuzhi, who gives the impression of being unexpectedly...

(End of Chapter)