Horse Girl, Your Friend is Fighting Her Way Out of the Horse Racing Track

Moisture is almost tangible.

You can feel the fine water molecules adhering to your skin, forming a thin layer of moisture.

"Qi Zi, the weather forecast says there will be a heavy rain this afternoon."

Poetry and Wine spoke in a serious tone, his eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, staring intently at the stump-haired horse in front of him.

“The place we’re going to isn’t far, but there’s a tributary of the Tama River there. If it rains, the river can rise very quickly.”

In this kind of weather, mountain streams swell at a rate far exceeding what most people can imagine.

Poetry and Wine flashed through my mind images of flash floods I had seen on the news in my past life.

Those streams that were originally only ankle-deep can turn into a torrent that swallows everything in just a few minutes.

"I know."

Surprisingly, Diamond Treasure did not show any surprise.

She suppressed her playful expression, and her light green eyes revealed a seriousness rarely seen in her.

The silver-gray horse ears turned slightly.

“I checked the map. The river is usually very shallow, and the highest point is only up to our calves. Also, we only go to the grassy area halfway up the hillside, not deeper.”

She paused, took a step forward, and gently grasped the sleeve of Poetry and Wine.

The hand exerted very little force.

It was as if they were afraid of hurting each other, yet reluctant to let go.

"If... if it starts raining halfway there, we'll come back immediately. We won't push ourselves, okay?"

Lingzuan Qibao's voice softened, and she pleaded.

"I just……"

She lowered her head, her gaze falling on her toes.

“This week’s training was really tiring… I ran three 1600-meter time trials in a row, and my legs are about to break. And, Xiao Jiu, you finally agreed.”

Her silver-gray ponytail hung down gently.

"I don't want to give up this opportunity just because of a 'possible' rain."

Looking at her, she seemed so afraid of being rejected.

Poetry and wine—the already fragile defenses in my heart crumbled with little resistance.

She sighed and reached back to grasp the hand that was gripping her sleeve.

Diamond Treasure's hands were a little cold.

Poetry and wine, however, were warm in the palm of her hand, the warmth passing through her skin and slowly dispelling the chill from Lu Mao Ma Niang's fingertips.

"...This will not happen again."

Poetry and Wine pushed up his sunglasses, using the gesture to hide the smile that unconsciously crept onto his lips.

The blue and white figure they were pursuing was named Miracle: Chapter 77 The Forest

"If you sense anything is wrong, whether it's raining or windy, you must evacuate immediately. That's the trainer's order."

She deliberately lowered her voice, trying to imitate the student council president's way of speaking.

Did you hear me clearly?

"Yes, sir!"

Diamond Treasure instantly straightened up and stood at attention like a security guard.

The light green eyes of the Diamond Treasure lit up again.

Its silver-gray ears stood up high, and a bright, sunny smile bloomed on its face.

Its tail swished merrily from side to side, making a soft "swish" sound as it swept through the air.

Seeing her so happy, Poetry and Wine couldn't help but gently shake their heads.

What an impossible guy...

after a while.

On a forest trail near Fuchō City.

The two left the bustling city center.

Then, following the winding path, we gradually entered the forest located on the edge of the city.

From Treson Academy, take a bus to the suburban stop and walk for about 20 minutes.

You will then arrive at the entrance to a forest area known locally as "Tama Forest".

Along the way, Diamond Treasure chattered away.

The conversation jumped from the cafeteria's new limited-edition desserts to gossip about a girl from the next class, with no logic whatsoever.

But poetry and wine keenly observed this.

The usually carefree Lu Mao Ma Niang's smile today seemed to carry a hint of barely perceptible strain.

Whenever a deep rumble of thunder echoes in the sky, the horse's ears of the Diamond Treasure twitch involuntarily.

Those light green eyes would also unconsciously look up at the increasingly gloomy clouds overhead.

Her pace would occasionally slow down, as if she were hesitating about something.

But each time, she would quickly pick herself up and continue her topic at an even louder volume.

Poetry and wine remain unspoken.

The moment I stepped into the forest, the world around me seemed to undergo some subtle change.

This is not some remote, untouched mountain forest.

On weekdays, many nearby residents bring their families here for a walk, or walk their dogs for a jog on the forest trails.

On weekends, you can even see young couples setting up tents by the stream to enjoy some rare time alone together.

But today—

Perhaps because of that terrible weather forecast, the entire forest was deserted.

There were no middle-aged men walking their dogs, no young people jogging, and no couples having picnics.

Even the wild cats and dogs that usually roam the woods have disappeared into some corner.

The entire forest was eerily quiet.

The trees were tall and dense, their layers of branches and leaves intertwined to form a huge, impenetrable green net, blocking out most of the already dim light.

The light in the forest had an eerie dark green hue, as if looking at the world through a murky pane of glass.

Occasionally, a few faint rays of light would pierce through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled spots of light on the ground.

'What's this...'

Lingzuan Qibao frowned deeply, extremely dissatisfied with the weather.

An opportunity that was hard to come by...

Walking through the woods, everything around me seemed to have been muted.

There were no birdsong.

There was no cicada chirping, a summer essential.

There was no rustling sound of wind blowing through the leaves.

Only the crunching sound of their footsteps on the damp fallen leaves stood out clearly in the deathly silence.

The fallen leaves on the forest floor became soft due to the high humidity in the air.

The texture was sticky and dull, like stepping on a huge wet rag.

The low pressure before the rainstorm was amplified many times over in this enclosed forest.

The air felt heavy, as if a tangible weight was pressing down on every inch of skin.

With each breath, it felt as if the lungs were being filled with warm water vapor, making each breath exceptionally difficult.

Poetry and wine make me feel like a huge stone is pressing on my chest.

With each step she took, her steps grew heavier, and every breath required all her strength.

The dull ache that had been lingering near my heart since morning became even more pronounced at that moment.

Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead and slowly slid down the lines of her cheeks.

The edges of my sunglasses started to fog up, blurring my vision.

My steps unconsciously slowed down, each step feeling as unsteady and weak as if I were walking on cotton.

Something's not right...

Poetry and wine were on my mind, and I was alert to their presence.

'This feeling...is much worse than this morning...'

"A little wine? Are you alright?"

The diamond-cut treasure walking in front keenly noticed the change in the breathing rhythm behind it.

She stopped, her silver-gray horse ears turning alertly.

Turning around, Lingzuan Qibao looked at Shi Yujiu's slightly pale face with some concern.

In this dim light.

Her face, which was not usually rosy, was now frighteningly pale, and her lips had lost all color, taking on a sickly hue.

"…fine."

Poetry and Wine bit their tongues, using the pain to force themselves to stay awake.

The metallic taste of blood spread through her mouth, but unexpectedly it cleared her mind a little.

She didn't want to mess things up at this crucial moment.

I don't want to worry Diamond Treasure.

"It's just a bit stuffy. Let's walk slowly."

Poetry and Wine tried to keep his voice steady, but the last syllable still trembled uncontrollably.

Lingzuan Qibao remained silent, her light green eyes fixed on Shi Yujiu's face.

It was as if they wanted to see every subtle change in her expression.

After a moment, she sighed softly.

"...I knew it."

Diamond Treasure's voice suddenly became very soft, and its silver-gray horse ears drooped slightly.

"Actually, I was also debating whether to cancel this morning..."

She looked down at her toes.

Its silver-gray tail had also lost its former vitality, hanging listlessly behind it.

"The weather forecast was so scary, and the sky was always that terrifying color... To be honest, my legs were shaking when I went out."

Poetry and Wine paused for a moment.

"Then why..."

"because…"

Lingzuan Qibao hesitated, then unconsciously reached for the small pocket on the side of her backpack tied with a light blue ribbon.

Her fingers hovered over the edge of the pocket for a few seconds, but she ultimately didn't open it.

"…nothing."

Diamond Treasure shook his head.