Umamusume's days are numbered

"Uh... I don't eat spicy food." Hai Dudu was stunned.

“…I can’t stand eating things that are too greasy.” Platinum was also stunned.

"understood."

The con artist slowly rose, her shadow obscuring the faces of the three people. Her fierce gaze swept over them one by one, as if she were looking at their portraits.

Then, he tied on an apron and walked into the kitchen step by step with a vicious, cold smile. Soon, the kitchen was filled with clanging and banging sounds.

Next, four bowls of plain noodles were placed in front of the group. The conman, wearing an apron, slowly sat down on the sofa again, legs spread apart, one arm resting on his knee. With each breath, the phoenix coiled around his waist seemed to come alive. If he had a cigarette in his mouth, it would be perfect.

A cruel smile played on the conman's lips as he slowly spoke, word by word.

“You are all East Asians. I have always lived in the United States and I am not sure if this is how it is done here.”

"If you have any complaints, just tell me."

The three people looked at the plain noodles laid out in front of them, and then at the sneering conman, and couldn't help but feel a sense of disillusionment.

Episode 82 Secretariat, you've done all sorts of bad things.

Wearing sportswear and sweating profusely, Li Yuelong walked towards the villa, surrounded by a lush green lawn.

The house where Bai Jin and the others lived was very old. It was so old that the grandfathers of Li Yuelongmen and Jinqiang were already living there. Now, it gets extremely damp when it rains, and there are termites. The floorboards feel like they're about to fall apart when you step on them.

Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate hates this house. Because all her childhood memories of Hong Kong are related to this house.

Golden Spear Sixty and Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate lived together. Every time I recall them, the image of Golden Spear Sixty inevitably appears in my memory.

Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate wakes up very early every day, and this habit hasn't changed even after returning to Hong Kong.

After waking up, Li Yuelong never lingers in bed. Instead, he gets up immediately, washes his face, and goes for a morning run, without fail, day after day, year after year.

This is also why Fuji Koji admires her—even though Fuji Koji considers himself to have strong enough willpower, there are times when he wants to be lazy and sleep in, but he has never succeeded in leaping over the dragon gate.

Since we met, we've never stopped. Even in a downpour, we'll go to the indoor training facility to make sure we complete our daily training.

Fuji Koji naturally didn't understand. Neither did the others at Treson Academy. Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate also loved to sleep in and wanted to ignore everything. But it felt as if a boulder was constantly rolling towards her from behind; she could only avoid being crushed by it by running frantically.

The carp leaping over the dragon gate realized long ago that it lacked talent. Therefore, it needed to be even more, even more—

She squatted by the entrance hall, clutching her stomach and dry heaving. Since she hadn't eaten anything, she naturally couldn't vomit anything. But the slippery sensation, like tentacles reaching down her throat, lingered.

I can't keep thinking about it that way. Every time I think about Golden Gun Sixty, the pressure makes me feel like I'm going to vomit...

Cheer up, like a carp leaping over the dragon gate.

She patted her cheeks, stood up again, pushed open the door, and went inside.

"Sister Liar... Um, everyone's up."

As soon as Li Yuelongmen entered, he saw everyone sitting around the coffee table. Except for Alice, who had left early after greeting him, everyone else was in the living room, with a bowl of plain noodles in front of each of them.

Bai Jin, Hai Dushi, and Aili Digital had their hands on their knees, obediently not daring to touch their chopsticks, looking just like elementary school students being scolded by their teacher.

The swindler, meanwhile, occupied the other sofa all by himself, wearing a pink scarf and staring fiercely at the three people in front of him.

The girl leaping over the dragon gate felt a little shy, like she'd been caught secretly doing her homework. Going out for morning exercise wasn't a problem, but everyone around her was a racehorse girl stronger than her, and she'd gone out and finished her run before anyone even said anything, which felt a bit... affected.

"Ah Li, you're back." The swindler turned around, his shark-like fangs opening and closing.

"I was worried you'd be back late, so I didn't make your noodles yet. Please wait a moment."

As she said this, the conman moved her body towards the kitchen. As she left, the three people opposite visibly breathed a sigh of relief, and Platinum even wiped away some sweat.

As soon as she saw the carp leaping over the dragon gate, she understood: these three people were definitely frightened by the swindler. To be honest, she herself was also startled when she first met the swindler.

At this point, as the only acquaintance of the swindler, one should take on the responsibility of making the introduction.

So, Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate abandoned his idea of ​​taking a shower first and plopped down on the sofa next to the swindler.

"Hey, hey, Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate..." Platinum shifted uneasily, trying to reach out and grab Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate to pull her over.

Listening to the con artist bustling around in the kitchen, Li Yuelongmen chuckled and lowered her voice, explaining to the three of them, "Were you startled by the con artist? Did you think she was involved in the mafia?"

"Actually, she is a very gentle person and also very socially anxious, which is why she speaks slowly and deliberately. She didn't mean to scare you."

“When we were chatting last night, the con artist told me that she wanted to welcome you, so she asked me about how to entertain you.”

"The tea and plain noodles this morning were prepared by her specially getting up early. If you can't finish them, Sister Scammer will be very sad and feel like she did something wrong."

"In that respect, it fits her name quite well. Conman, conman, although she looks fierce, she is surprisingly a good person, which is also a kind of successful con."

Upon hearing the explanation of "carp leaping over the dragon gate," Bai Jin recalled the scalding hot water someone had boiled that morning, and the hesitant tea leaves the swindler had offered him...

So it wasn't prepared specifically to torture myself after all?

Platinum licked the inside of his mouth, feeling as if a layer of skin on his palate was being burned off, and couldn't help but burst into tears.

But when Platinum thought about the conman's appearance and the fact that he was that unreliable friend of Golden Gun Sixty, he still couldn't shake the feeling of unease.

So she pressed on, "Then... what's with that tooth? This is the first time I've ever seen words carved on a tooth."

This is the first time I've ever seen Platinum in my life, including my past life. The conman's design would fit perfectly into JoJo's Bizarre Adventure; he could probably even be a mini-boss or something, serving as experience points for the protagonist.

“That’s because she got injured in the Kentucky Derby.” Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate pointed to her upper palate. “Sister Liar is the kind of person who runs like there’s no tomorrow, especially in the ultimate battle against the Secretariat. In that race, Sister Liar crashed headfirst into the fence as she crossed the finish line and passed out on the spot. Almost all of her teeth were broken.”

“The Kentucky Derby… that was the Secretariat’s revenge match, wasn’t it?” Haidu pondered. “It’s said that in that match, the cheater almost burned himself out, coughing up blood as he ran… but the Secretariat still managed to pull ahead by an insurmountable gap.”

Zhi ran until she vomited blood. Bai Jin couldn't help but shrink back, feeling a surge of respect for the swindler.

Thinking about it this way, isn't having "VICTORY" engraved on a filled tooth a kind of irony for the swindler himself?

"Then... what about the tattoos on your body?" Platinum persisted, unwilling to give up.

"You mean the tattoo on your leg? That's to cover up the scars on your body," Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate explained.

"In the Belmont Championship, during her final race against the Secretariat, the 'Cheater' broke her right leg. She had to recover for a long time after the race and even had three steel pins inserted, but a terrible scar remains on her leg."

"In order not to scare people, the con artist sister got that tattoo on her leg... although it looks like it had the opposite effect."

Platinum hesitated for a moment, then realized there was nothing more to say.

So, does that mean I wronged an innocent person from the very beginning?

The thought of this made Platinum so ashamed that she wanted to disappear into the ground.

It's all the Secretariat's fault! Secretariat, you've done so many bad things!

Episode 83 I Quit

"Hahaha, everyone, I'm back!" Jinqiang Liushi sat at the head of the table, raising his sparkling water.

After being pulled out of the water, Jinqiang Liushi was temporarily banned from drinking alcohol by Uncle He, and she had no choice but to drink sparkling water instead.

By the time Jinqiang Liushi returned, it was nearly noon. She hadn't come alone—she had brought a whole cartload of cooks with her.

It seems Golden Sixty didn't plan to take everyone out to eat. And it makes sense; whether it's Hai Du City, the Scammer, or Aili Digital, as established racehorse models, they're all likely to be recognized by fans. Not to mention Golden Sixty, the reigning champion of Hong Kong horse racing, which is followed by flashbulbs wherever it goes.

The plates on the table gradually piled up: thinly sliced ​​Peking duck, its color enticingly appealing; a piece of bright red crab, its legs broken open to reveal its snow-white meat; tofu, cut into finer strands, simmering with other ingredients, its delicate white threads and emerald green vegetable shreds floating in the rich broth…

The aroma kept wafting into my nose, making my mouth water. It seems that Jinqiang Liushi is determined to do his best as a host today.

Jinqiang Liushi changed his clothes, replacing his previous cheongsam with a close-fitting vest, exposing his arms and neck, making him look hot and flushed.

"Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest today. Golden Gun Sixty thanks you all for giving me face." Golden Gun Sixty downed his glass of sparkling water in one gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Those who are here today are all my dear friends. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, I will certainly do my best to help you."

Although Jinqiang Liushi still had that same deep blue hair and that same exquisite beauty, at this moment one could see a bold and forthright quality about her.

Hai Dushi slightly raised the glass in her hand. She ate very little; after symbolically drinking a bowl of steamed egg custard, she stopped eating and only drank some beverage.

"Not at all. We've known each other since childhood, it would be too formal to talk about these things now."

"Don't say that." Golden Gun Sixty grinned. "When the Star of the Sea participates in the Arc de Triomphe, I will definitely be there in person. Don't blame me for showing up uninvited."

"You're welcome anytime. Haidu Star misses you too."

The conman also raised his glass, which was full of draft beer.

"I just happen to be going that way."

With that same fierce and cold face, the conman said only one sentence before finishing his beer and not saying another word.

Only Jinqiang Liushi, who was familiar with the swindler, understood what he meant. She meant, "This trip to Hong Kong was just a side trip, not a special one. Don't overthink it, and don't feel grateful."

The words were very con artist-like and awkward. Jinqiang Liushi stood up, walked to the con artist's side, and put his arm around her shoulder: "You're still the same as ever, you only ever say half of what you mean."

"Stop talking, I understand what you mean."

The conman's expression looked like he wanted to eat someone alive.

Aili looked left and right and realized that everyone was looking at her. She then realized it was her turn, so she tentatively raised her glass as well.

However, she was still a minor high school student, and the cup contained only pale yellow, transparent apple cider vinegar.

"I...I just thought I had nothing better to do, so I came over."

Jinqiang Liushi poured himself another glass of sparkling water, walked over to Alice Digital, and placed his hand on her shoulder: "Digital and I have been book lovers who have kept in touch. Before we met, I didn't expect that we would have so much in common."

Alice Digital closed her eyes in embarrassment. Now, she couldn't bring herself to mention that their friendship had begun when Golden Gun Sixty had asked her for a strange book featuring a white-haired, red-eyed girl as the main character.

"Ah Li." Looking towards the other end of the table, Jinqiang Liushi raised her glass and gazed at her from afar, "I am very touched that you are willing to come back. It seems that this shows that you have not forgotten your roots."

"I've reserved a spot for you in this special tournament."

"I came back for Platinum, not for you. Stop being so presumptuous, and stop putting on that lecturing act." Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate looked at her coldly. "Besides, I don't want to run with you either."

"Running with you makes me feel like my original intention for running has been tainted, it's disgusting."

Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate's words were quite disrespectful to Golden Spear Sixty, almost causing an awkward silence at the dinner table.

However, Jinqiang Liushi did not care about his sister's rudeness. He simply finished his sparkling water, then lifted his bangs and looked at her with the same expression.

"Are you really not coming?" Golden Spear Sixty said softly, "This is your only chance."

"The only one who can stand on the same track as me, the only one who can surpass me."

“I won’t force you. I’ve forced you too many times already, it’s pointless now. This time I’m giving you the power of choice, you decide for yourself.”

"Hey, you..." Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate sensed something ominous in Golden Spear Sixty's words.

Finally, Sixty Generals of Golden Gun looked at Platinum. Platinum was sipping orange juice from his glass, sticking out his tongue because it was so sour.

"Rudolph's sister really doesn't resemble Rudolph at all." Golden Spear Sixty grinned and leaned closer, pressing himself against Platinum. Instantly, Platinum felt enveloped by a hot, fragrant aroma.

It was an almost intoxicating fragrance. Golden Gun Sixty had always acted very boldly, but that didn't mean she wasn't feminine. On the contrary, she was incredibly womanly. And now, Platinum was fully experiencing that.

"What are you doing?" Bai Jin's face immediately turned bright red. Although reason told her that the person behind her had ill intentions, her body felt limp and powerless.

As the saying goes, good is big, and big is good. A Golden Gun at Sixty is very good.

Jinqiang Liushi grinned, though she hadn't touched a drop of alcohol, she acted like a drunkard, clinging to Baijin like a snake. Baijin could feel Jinqiang Liushi's warm breath on her skin near her ear...

"Platinum, who do you think is more suitable to be your older sister, me or Rudolf?" In this enchanting atmosphere, Golden Spear Sixty whispered softly in Platinum's ear.

Aili Digital covered her flushed face, her mind already conjuring up a 100,000-word short story; Hai Du chuckled, seemingly enjoying the spectacle; the swindler looked at the two people with a puzzled expression, wondering why they were standing so close, were they cold?

Bai Jin snapped back to reality. Damn it, why do all these people want to be her older sister?

And have I been too lax lately? I promised myself I would keep my distance from others.

Don't forget, you came to Hong Kong just to win a prize in this competition; the rest...

The rest...

Platinum felt as if a thunderbolt had struck his mind, almost splitting him in two.

Jinqiang Liushi sensed that Baijin had lost interest, so he wisely stood up and rather listlessly patted the wrinkles in his clothes.

"I think everyone has guessed it." Golden Spear Sixty clapped her hands, and all eyes turned to her.

"I think I should quit." She scratched her head. "I've decided to retire."

Episode 84: On Prophecy

"Retired...retired?!" Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate suddenly stood up, looking at Golden Spear Sixty with a surprised expression. "Why?"