Chapter 1951

NO. 571: Relievedly passing the baton

"Must you choose that way?"

"Momentum is stronger than man."

"Even if you already reign supreme in this generation?"

"Asking this now is rather unkind, after all, everyone knows the weight I carry, right?"

"But no matter how you say it…"

"Abandoning the shining future, throwing oneself into the extreme on the other side, this decision points to a path that cannot be summed up merely as dull and murky."

"It is precisely this sacrifice that can bring about another great achievement, isn't it?"

"That really is... optimistic."

"... Well then, since you insist on this choice, and in our eyes this choice is not equal, then there should be a slight change in the wish content here."

"Eh?"

"A small wager, betting that in the future you bear, even if there is a junior who can take over the baton, that junior cannot escape the cycle you insist on creating."

"……"

"If we win, that state will stay with you forever."

"What if I win?"

"We will gradually return the vitality you promised, after all, this is our failure."

"Good idea, eh, Darri."

"... You mean, after I achieve my hoped-for goal, I can still enjoy life right away?"

"Right, by then there will also be a junior to take over the baton, and speed can enjoy life without burden!"

"What are you happy about again, Lord Gaoduofen… This is what kind of take-and-give wager, my goal was originally like that, on the contrary it's you guys…"

"This is what you won with your strength, little Speed, you are the most dazzling child of this generation, oh, you can't just become immersed in the ocean of sorrow."

"... Lord, we have arrived."

"Ah, it's really fast."

"?"

When Sudu Xiangzheng opened their eyes to look out the window, that carefree sigh made the attendant beside them look doubtful.

"Just a bit of an unrelated sigh."

Rising slowly, they passed the attendant who had just been worrying whether they had disturbed the master's brief rest, and now was even more shocked that the master would actually explain things to them; Sudu Xiangzheng naturally realized the subtle changes in their own manner of dealing with people.

She had once felt the sensation of deteriorating from youth straight into old age. Although it was an exceptionally rare achievement, one could also say, from the perspective of feeling, that it amounted to nothing but harsh words, and could be said to have not a single advantage worth mentioning.

But the reverse is another matter.

With experience still present, vision still intact, and even keen insight not lagging in the slightest, regaining vitality under these conditions results in a comprehensive enhancement; the only thing worth mentioning as a risk is that the body will be affected by spontaneous hormone secretion.

The state of the body affects the mind; for her, this truth is already profound without need for elaboration, its risk being self-evident, but speaking again, since it is a risk rather than a direct shortcoming, it likewise possesses benefits.

Then it's really just all the benefits given to you.

This also lets her recall again, feeling that initial warmth during a brief respite.

The three goddesses always look after the horse girls.

Especially those horse girls who stand at the forefront of the generation, shining and eye-catching, are able to exclusively enjoy the goddesses' favor.

Even though there has yet to be a definition that could be regarded as a consensus.

Moreover, there has never been any concrete stipulation.

But just as the blessing she initially received, wrapped in a wager, this fact that the goddess's blessing can add extra luster after some achievement has been hidden in countless generations of cases.

There have also been vague rumors similar to 'those at the forefront on the winners' stage have a chance to receive the three goddesses' blessing'.

Furthermore, one cannot rule out the possibility of an oral tradition of small teachings being passed down generation to generation outside of this.

Although for various reasons, this fact that ought to be obvious has not been brought into the open, and even she herself has not discussed it all with that promising granddaughter, but……

Not mentioning everything, it still does not hinder the key transmission.

She hopes to extend the care of those three, who are both friends and deities, to that child as well.

Although that child back then was also full of vigor and had once received the three goddesses' long-standing gaze and favor, just as opportunities are never too many, blessings are likewise never too many.

The appearance of Aomo Lindun was like a key puzzle piece, bringing about a major turning point for the Symbol family, and further achieving the rise of Ludaofu, Sirius, and their own transformation. But just as our past self had to pay a great price to achieve the family's rise to prosperity, Ludaofu and the others must make the Symbol family, after achieving a major turning point, continue upward rather than linger lukewarm in continual hardship, and thus likewise need to pay a sufficient price to shake things up.

Heavy or grand.

The goal is naturally the latter.

That child walks a different path from my own former one, so naturally there is no need to bear that heaviness as a name.

What matters is continuing that imperial grandeur and tyranny.

The success of the Dream Cup, short-distance, proved this route correct, but carrying it through could not be continued in the mid-distance races.

Nowadays it is even more so the final opportunity for the long-distance race……

Stepping down from the vehicle amidst the escort of the guards, Sudu Xiangzheng gazed into the distance at this racecourse that had already caused traffic congestion all around.

By this point, she thought she would inevitably be anxious, after all, in the past few months she had not issued any death orders to either Ludaofu Xiangzheng or Aomo Lindun.

She hadn't even bothered to pay much attention to her own condition.

Even though she knew the former's condition was very wrong, it was only a little over a month ago that they had a timely meeting.

It also made that twenty-something child feel awkward for several days.

Mmm, talking with a grandmother who increasingly looks like an older sister on the outside, it's indeed inevitable to feel awkward.

But that is certainly not the point.

The point is that the grandmother has indeed stepped down.

Although they had always proclaimed this outwardly, it was actually only when, at this very moment, they gazed upon the magnificent stage that Sudu Xiangzheng truly confirmed they had let go.

It's unexpectedly relaxed.

There was no anxiety or urgency at all—just a hint of wistfulness that things remained while people had changed.

Even in their mind, there had been a moment when the absurd thought flashed: 'If I had changed half a year earlier, maybe I too could have had a chance to step onto the Saichang.'

At the same time, a sudden premonition made her turn and look toward the shuttle that, like the others, was disrupted by the traffic situation but had not been cleared for takeoff under the emergency regulations, from which stepped out a group including the granddaughter with tri-colored bangs.

At that moment, the latter also lifted their eyes as if sensing something.

The emerald and dark-purple gaze loomed far ahead; among the vague, general 'old horse' category of horse girls, they far outshone the younger juniors whose only advantage was exceptionally sharp hearing—even the shortcoming of a wooden bucket surpassed the strengths of the larger horse girls, and at this moment a superlative visual ability stood out.

Silent and brief.

But the eye contact lasting only two seconds was broken by each of their respective interferences.

Ludaofu Xiangzheng received greetings from Tianlangxing and Qianming, while Speed Symbol was hailed by a suddenly speaking black-haired horse girl.

Mature, dignified, and gentle, yet likewise accompanied by a protector with tense nerves.

Enough to cause a high-purity fan who had previously taken notice of this to frown slightly, somewhat doubting whether their eyes were playing tricks on them.

Shengliete, a Triple Crown king who retired how many years ago?

But if one must say, in the data he glanced at when he first did the science popularization column, his active period was also only a few years apart from that of Speed Symbol.

The two standing together would not feel out of place, provided one had not seen the other in an old lady's guise.

But now is not the time to pay homage to the former paramount authority.

Aomo turned his head back and continued to handle the busyness that inevitably arose at this moment.

And over in the distance, that dignified, gentle black-haired horse girl...

"Speed, are you worried about the children?"

"To say there's none would be false, but that was just me a few minutes ago."

"Is that so?"

"That's right."

Black-haired, green-eyed, merely walking alongside Shengliete was enough to make some middle-aged passersby widen their eyes, stare, even rub them—Speed Symbol merely smiled in response.

"Those two kids have already managed to replicate their name before the goddess, win or lose."

"Now I just need to cheer them on."