Chapter 207

The race has reached the midway point, and the leader is already Mejiro McQueen.

The purple-haired horse girl, known as the long-distance dominator, had already won the Tiara Prize, the race preceding the Japanese Triple Crown.

Qianming - Qianming

In this middle-distance race, the Takarazuka Kinen, she obviously put some effort into adjusting her pace.

This also caused Ailisuzhi in the stands to be somewhat dissatisfied, saying:

"On this 3000-meter track, there's no escape horse, and the pace of the front-runners is a complete mess."

She is naturally dissatisfied, because she came with the mindset of observing the various test subjects, lab rats; what she hoped for was not excitement, but a relatively clear rhythm within the norm, or rather, a kind of 'order'.

Triple Crown - Triple Crown

As a result, this group kept swapping positions back and forth from the start; it was intense enough, but it seriously interfered with observation.

"Go watch the replay." Aomo, eyes fixed on the track without turning his head, also clearly understood what she was after.

The multiple camera angles of the official recording were enough for her to ponder slowly.

Te bie Zhou - Special Zhou

"In such a situation, just take the lead yourself—front row vying for first, middle row waiting for a breakthrough, and by the way I recommend taking the outside path! Especially the far outside."

The same recommendation was also raised in Yutaka Nishizaki's team; the horse girl named Special Week, who also loves the outside course, said: "The outside of the straight is easier to run, you won't get stuck, the turf is clean, and you can even sprint all the way to the end of the straight!" She was promoting this, with the backing of Tokai Teio, who had run the outside before.

"But the far outside especially drains stamina." Trainers on both sides shared a similar view.

"Actually, whether outside or inside, it's easy to be targeted by others," Aomo said blandly, "and for a horse with an inferior running style, the biggest taboo is blindly accelerating, chasing a leading position within the pack."

Tuoni Bianka - Tony Bianka

Peace Beauty District - Peace Beauty District

She indeed had the qualifications to say that—she was clearly a front-runner, but because her speed was too fast, everyone mistakenly thought she was a red supercar of the great escape type.

But such advice was merely a case of "the little horse crossing the river," essentially a different baseline, which left Aomo silent for a moment, somewhat helpless: "You really do come up with tough problems, Miss Maruzen."

"How could that be? I'm really looking forward to the Linton trainer!"

Without turning back, one could almost imagine the other's smile; Aomo, who didn't intend to quibble over this point, had originally planned to continue observing the running postures of the two Mejiro sisters and Tony Bianca, but the light screen beside him activated again due to a message, popping up to show the source of the 【Zhouri Ningjing】 message.

It also caused Aomo's gaze to shift right unconsciously.

Qianming's representative sat at the edge of the back seat, merely shifting right without turning the head, so naturally the expression couldn't be seen.

And after Aomo pondered for a moment, he raised his hand to tap it open.

【Is Dazhenhan at the Saichang?】

…?

Aomo turned his head and looked at Dazhenhan in the not‑far‑off Xiqi Feng squad; the dark‑brown‑haired young lady was chatting with her companion beside her, eyes fixed on the Saichang, utterly absorbed.

They didn't pay attention to the gaze from this side.

【Yes, and there are the Xiqi Feng trainers and other horse girls】

Zhouri Ningjing: 【Indeed, then let her and Xiqi Feng know not to rush off after the race

Dongzi Zhenren wants to meet them, and I'll escort them】

「……」 Really sudden.

Aomo was thinking when he suddenly turned back, and saw the other staring at the spot where the light screen was; when he looked over, she even openly waved lightly, eyes smiling.

This drew a puzzled glance from the nearby Wanshan Siji.

That was also her style; Aomo turned back, after producing concrete evidence he relaxed considerably, for what he cared about was not whether Qianming's representative was probing, but whether the other side was probing at all.

Compared to the actual result, he cared more about whether his guess was correct.

【No problem with the notice, but Qianming is right beside me】

【What? Damn it, you won't even avoid it a bit?】 From the text one could almost see the black‑haired horse girl's exasperation.

Yuehuanshe: 【No need, the commission is over, everyone's already in the know, and we certainly won't make this public】

【Profanity from the Anmei District, come take over after the race! I don't want to see that guy!】

You're that opposed…… What exactly did the two of you talk about yesterday?

Aomo looked wordlessly again at Qianming's representative, only to see her shrug and then swipe her hand in mid‑air.

In the newly lit message, she sent via Line friend chat: 【I can skip it, oh】

Yuehuanshe: 【She said she can't come】

Zhouri Ningjing: 【Then you also need to come take over! Besides, I heard Speed Symbol is also at the Saichang? You'd better stay out of sight】

Yuehuanshe: 【We've met】

Zhouri Ningjing: 【A string of Anmei District profanity】

Mixed among this profanity are some phrases that look like self‑rewards; it's clear she's probably fuming.

Although the other's flat build, as sisterly as the Chazuo, isn't in his strike zone, Aomo is someone who knows silence is golden.

A rash reminder would only worsen the other's attitude.

Better to remind Dazhenhan first.

In a solemn tone he contacted Dazhenhan and Xiqi Feng; as expected, it went smoothly, and when Aomo looked at the Saichang again, the race had already reached its final stage.

On the final straight, they abandoned all energy reserves for the ultimate sprint.

This is the Gan'an Racecourse; though no demons linger in the manor, the trial that springs from the soul's foundation remains.

At the end of the track where countless black vapors converge, several horse girls surrounded by light break through, and amid the commentator's excited, soaring words the rankings are decided.

「Two horse lengths! Tony Bianca crosses the finish line with a two‑horse‑length lead! Takarazuka Kinen champion! Tony Bianca！！」

【By the way, the best app for listening to audiobooks right now is the source‑switching app; install the latest version of. huanyuanapp。】

「Second place Mejiro McQueen! Third place Ougonjou! 」

Aomo stared at the radiance of the leading horse girls, but before he could say anything, he saw a competitor suddenly collapse and was immediately lifted by the rushing medical staff.

Under the magnified close-up of the overhead projection, one could see that the long socks of her victory outfit could not fully conceal the bleeding.

Maruzen Sukii (person), Xiao Qianming (Qianming with nickname)

"I just wanted to surpass that speed," Qianming's representative gazed far into the distance at the horse girl being sent to the medical levitation gurney, not caring about the three ahead looking back, "and also failed to reach that level, right?"

Aomo, upon seeing her smile slightly at the corner of her mouth while saying this, would recall the time in front of the undergraduate department's teaching building when, lifting some bucket-mounted roaster to burn data, she also wore a similar smile.

Not having reached that level... at first hearing, it sounds like a blessing in disguise amidst misfortune.

none.

Aomo and Morrison discussed the Spring Emperor Prize.

Also saw her swaying and collapsing, likewise taken away by medical staff.

Some horse girls can bloom in glory at the finish line, while others merely end in dullness or even misery.

In that scene, which is just like the present one, the Qianming representative at the time simply had less bleeding.

In the post-race interview, it was revealed that her blood was all at the soles of her feet; a horse girl's feet always bear excessive pressure, and the relatively fragile ones often end up seeing blood streaks on their socks after a race.

Worse still, they become completely soaked in blood.

Even so, they still want to run, are willing to run.

And with that determination, she did not invoke the goddess's blessing, nor surpass that speed, and she exited the race in fourth place—a ranking usually not remembered.

In the end, the Qianming representative could not overcome fate, nor achieve her goal.

Yet she still had many fans gathering at her retirement ceremony, watching her lively figure in the rain.

Everyone was saying she did her best, while reminiscing about that figure.

none.

none.

Aomo didn't say it out loud, and also grabbed the somewhat inexperienced Bourbon—

—by patting her shoulder to greet her as she rose.

This cyber horse girl always feels exceptionally keen.

Ailisuzhi

"For this kind of problem, you should just take a bottle of the medicine I've researched," she said, standing up as well, pitching to the Qianming representative, "strengthening bone quality and muscle power is nothing!"

She, who already disliked the other party, obviously added another line:

"The premise is that you come ask me to use you as a test subject."

"Haha, if it ever actually gets used, I'll consider it."

none.

Qianming's representative, completely unbothered by the other's lofty attitude, gave a refreshingly candid answer, which made Ailisuzhi click her tongue.

Aomo, Suzi

Aomo gave a bland smile and patted Suzi's head, prompting the latter to shake her head in resistance, shooting him a look of disdain.

"I have something temporary to attend to; you go check out the winners' stage first." He said that, and without giving anyone time to be surprised, he walked toward the exit on the other side of the stands.

Although somewhat surprised, Ailisuzhi, who pursed her lips but said nothing, and the silently obedient Mihama Bourbon would not call their trainer; the one who actually wanted to stop him was Maruzensuki.

Qianming representative

"Huh? Lindun trainer..." "Never mind him, let's go, Maruzen."

In the arena after the competition ended.

Thus, Aomo, who rushed straight for the exit, stood out as conspicuously abrupt.

And even more conspicuous was the fact that there was more than one such person.

Nishizaki Yutaka, Great Shock, Speed Symbol, Sirius Symbol

They rose from their respective seats, went against the crowd toward the exit, and then, when the crowd in their field of vision finally thinned, they noticed each other.

Without exchanging words, they merely nodded at each other and each stepped forward.

It can be seen that everyone is rushing against time.