Extraordinary pedigree

Chapter 702 Horse Racing·Gun of Morning Light V

The city is a greedy monster. In its black cavity, thousands of souls are churning. We are silent but grateful. In the hustle and bustle, we crawl in its nest of flesh and blood.

Its pulse roars like thunder, devouring the trembling sound of life. Iron and concrete constitute its limbs. Every street, like an artery, sends our last breath.

When we walk to the end of life, what awaits us is the fate of being digested and the remnants crushed by the city.

Flesh and bones will turn into soil and become sacrifices to nourish its endless growth. Everything we have will eventually return to dust;

Become the driving force for the great machine to continue moving forward.

Civilization, thriving, but in every breath, it drains us,

Until we are left with only shadows for this monster to continue walking at the end of prosperity.

So I want to...

Kill this monster!

——Mikhail Garcia.

*

*

Terra calendar 1591.2.03.

08:30AM. Weather/Sunny to cloudy.

Manhattan New District-Central Park Racecourse.

The Central Park Racecourse is located in the most prosperous area of ​​Manhattan New District, and is perfectly integrated with the surrounding natural environment.

This racecourse is built by the "Extreme Speed ​​Construction Company" spawned by the New World Correction Value Economy, and cost 15% of the New York City's fiscal year revenue. It is full of the collision of high technology and natural beauty.

There are huge vertical forests on both sides of the track, and the lush trees seem to be within reach, surrounding the entire racecourse in a vibrant ecosystem.

It is rumored that the design fee of the Central Park Racecourse is about 100,000 solid gold coins.

This is not a small amount.

Now the exchange rate between the New World and the border in [Financial Street] is calculated:

1 solid gold coin ≈ 9790.21 Western dollars.

The Central Park Racecourse is one of the most unique venues in the Uma Girls race, hosting the famous "Oasis Cup".

This is a long-distance endurance race, where participants need to race in a holographic simulation environment. The track changes as the race progresses, sometimes it is a forest path, sometimes it is a stream across a river, and sometimes it suddenly turns into an endless desert.

In these ever-changing terrains, the horse girls need not only speed, but also strategy and endurance to adjust their pace at any time.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

In addition to the Central Park Racecourse, the federal government has also established four other racecourses in New York, each with its own unique features:

The Liberty Lighthouse Racecourse is famous for its holographic interactive obstacles;

The Skyline Racecourse is a thrilling high-altitude race;

The Titan Racecourse is a perfect combination of machinery and power;

The Manhattan Skyline Racecourse is a high-altitude challenge of a holographic virtual track.

The investment in these racecourses is for the huge benefits generated by horse racing.

Betting on races, ticket revenue, sponsored advertising...

The federal government has already reaped huge wealth from these invisible "gold mines".

Thousands of spectators flock to the race every week, investing not only money but also enthusiasm for the race and the players.

In their eyes, horse racing girls are not just contestants, they are a new era shaped by capital and financial giants - heroes, idols, and even part of their entertainment life.

For the federal government, this commercial success has not only brought huge economic benefits, but also driven the booming development of surrounding industries.

Through the influence of horse racing, more and more companies have poured in, and the surrounding economy, player cards, and virtual currency trading chains around the race have also expanded rapidly.

For federal capital, what they want is no longer just a race, they want to gradually shape it into one of the entertainment pillars of the entire Terra society.

As the new world outside the border continues to develop, the federal government's vision is no longer limited to New York.

With these horse racing competitions, the federal government has earned more from the initial investment with interest.

The giants want more.

They want to put the horse girl in the federal triple crown, the three most famous competitions are: Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes.

This is the first step, the event of the Eddies Federation is promoted, comprehensive, and popularized.

Then, it is the various countries and hubs of Terra, including:

Fog City George V Championship, Royal Ascot Horse Racing Festival, Franchise Triumphal Contest, Empire Cup, Great Western Cross Country, White Food Holy Grail Race...

For these, the giants are even willing to bring the Kingdom of Heaven into the market, or bring the Administration into the market.

They need a tangible hand, a strong hand to help them correct market failures, protect the public interest or maintain social fairness, and formulate relevant policies to regulate the market.

When the cake can continue to grow - the giants are gentle, generous and selfless.

At this time, in the audience channel of the Oasis Cup.

Xia Xiu stood in the crowd and slowly moved forward with the crowded audience.

The noise around was one after another, and the atmosphere inside and outside the stadium was tense and warm.

He held his hat with his left hand and held a silver cane with his right hand. His golden eyes scanned the crowd around him from time to time, looking around like a "country bumpkin". His eyes swept across the long queue in front of the ticket office.

Right next to him, a middle-aged man holding a thick game manual was discussing betting enthusiastically.

"I'm telling you, the odds this month are much more stable than last month," the man whispered excitedly, as if he was afraid of being overheard.

"'Silver Wings' Camila's odds this time are 3 to 1, but her performance in long-distance races has always been stable and her endurance is strong. The most important thing in this kind of race is to exert strength in the later stages. I think this She has a good chance of winning.”

"Don't be so sure!" Another voice interjected, "Although Camilla's odds are indeed good, 'Jinhui' is not bad either, with odds of 5 to 1. She has always been a fast player in the early stage. The first half of the trail is flat grassland, which is her advantage.”

"But haven't you seen her tactics? She bursts out too hard in the early stages and often can't last until the end. In a 2,400-meter race, endurance is the key, and she often stalls in the last 200 meters."

On the other side, several young people were also discussing game tactics intensely:

"On a 2,400-meter track, you must maintain a stable pace for the first 1,000 meters and not rush too hard, otherwise you will not have the energy to adjust in the end. The slope in the first half of this track is gentle, but if the rhythm in the second half of the slope is wrong, To rush too early is suicide.”

"Yes, the most important thing in the competition is the balance between speed and endurance. Looking at the contestants this time, 'Prairie Arrow' is good at speeding up on slopes, but her shortcoming is that she does not have good control of the rhythm in the first half, and may lose speed. If you go too far, you may not be able to do what you want at a critical moment.”

"Then who's tactics do you think is more suitable?" A young girl interjected, "'Silver Moon Hoof's tactics are the smartest. She plays steadily in the first half, and then uses the slope to start accelerating in the middle and later stages, which can take advantage of her endurance. "

"Yes, 'Silver Moon Hoof' is very good at taking advantage of the changes in the track, and her game rhythm is very accurate. Relatively speaking, 'Storm' is a powerful player, and no one can compare with her in rushing, but her tactics are too simple. , unable to break the previous rhythm.”

Xia Xiu stood in the crowd, silently listening to the sounds around him.

He gently let go of his spirituality, and the noise in his ears gradually became clearer.

The fourth sword holder in the Kingdom of Heaven listens to other people's corners, but it feels like paying a private visit incognito to understand public opinion.

"But it's really strange. I thought the five major events would be suspended for a while."

A middle-aged man wearing a black jacket whispered, his voice a bit suspicious.

"You see, the circle of infected people has not been peaceful recently. The lunatics from the Liberation Shoes launched another terrorist attack and killed the president of the Neutral Federation. There are also those guys from the Workers' Federation. I heard that they are also restless. It’s really frustrating to protest.”

The friend next to him immediately poked him and warned: "Shh, keep your voice down! Don't you see there are many infected people here? Don't say such things, it's not good for you to get into trouble."

The man glanced back, and sure enough he saw several infected people standing on the other side of the team, all with serious expressions, especially those infected with the characteristics of odd hoof disease - although not all equine infected, their His expression was obviously unhappy, as if he was ready to attack at any time.

"You see, you can tell from standing in line that they are different from us 'normal people'." The man lowered his voice again and continued to mutter, "I heard that there is an increasing gap between infected people and ordinary people. Opposed.”

"Yes, we are not really discriminating against them. It is obvious that they are discriminating against us and looking down on us."

"Also, the Federation was bragging about the awesome Triple Crown before, saying that it would give the title of "Good Times" to the winner of the Triple Crown and give out rare cards. But now, because of the terrorists and the infection They announced an indefinite suspension due to the internal struggle of the terrorists. In my opinion, if the government does not solve the terrorist attacks and their internal affairs, there will be no need to make such a big announcement."

His companion nodded, looking a little nervous:

"Isn't that right? The previous attack almost caused the stadium to be suspended. This game has been in chaos before it even started. If something happens again... maybe we will be unlucky too."

Several people around him pursed their lips after hearing this. Although they did not dare to agree publicly, it was obvious that some people felt the same way.

The infected people on the other side looked on with cold eyes, their expressions becoming more and more gloomy, and the atmosphere in this area quietly became tense.

Xia Xiu gently played with a [Silver Wings] card in his hand. The silver-haired horse racing girl on the card was lifelike, as if she was ready to jump out of the card and run to the field at any time.

The atmosphere around them was still tense, and the separation between the infected and ordinary people was like an invisible barrier. Although there was no verbal conflict between them, they were like two strings that could be broken at any time.

The whispers from others, the occasional boos, and the whispered warnings all merged into a restless background in this huge arena.

Xia Xiu, however, seemed to be completely isolated from the tense atmosphere, and silently walked to his seat and sat down.

He just watched the field quietly, not participating in any discussions, and making no attempt to change the tension around him.

He came here today just to watch this game.

No matter what quarrel occurred among the people outside, he had no intention of intervening.

Even if the external situation changes, even if the situation is complicated, he will only be a spectator during this week.

He knew what he was waiting for.

But all this does not require him to take the initiative to promote it. He only needs to release the bait and sit firmly on the fishing platform.

Xia Xiu leaned on the seat and gently turned the [Silver Wings] card in his hand. The sunlight filtered through between his fingers, reflecting a small ray of light that danced between his fingers.

His eyes were calm, and the tense atmosphere inside and outside the stadium had nothing to do with him.

The people around him were noisy and talking, but all of this was like background noise isolated from him, unable to disturb his inner meditation.

At this moment, he was thinking about something that had nothing to do with the horse racing game.

"Sophia Williams, nicknamed 'Morning Light' by the good-hearted Wandman Newspaper.

She has become a second-stage prominent person with her inferior peripherals. At this stage, she has opened the secret key slot and has been trying to break through to the master..."

The corners of the blond young man's mouth slightly twitched. He knew Sophia's background very well, and her ambitions and predicaments were also clear.

The sun shone through the clouds and sprinkled on the ends of his golden hair. The tiny dots of light flickered between his hair, making his face slightly softer, but behind that indifferent expression, there was still an elusive sharpness and calmness.

"Enter the game with your body..." His thoughts continued to flow, thinking about the chess being played in this game.

"Let me see how many obstacles you can help me clear and prove your worth within this week."

And, without dirtying the Administration and his own hands...

Clear obstacles.

The card in the hands of the fourth sword bearer of the Kingdom of Heaven turned slightly with his movements, and the light and shadow flickered between his fingertips.

*

*

08:55 AM.

In the rest room of the players in the stadium.

The morning sun shines through the leaves of the trees and sprinkles on Alicia's face.

She stood at the edge of the stadium, looking at the Oasis Cup track gradually unfolding in the distance, and the air was filled with the smell of soil and wet grass.

Today is the day of the Oasis Cup, a long-distance race based on endurance and strategy. The complex terrain of holographic simulation of forests, rivers, deserts, etc. will test the limits of every horse girl.

But Alicia's mind is not on this track.

Mother is dead.

The attack of the liberation hoofbeats took away her mother, Selina Lockhart, the president of the Neutral Federation.

The moment she learned the news, Alicia's world stopped spinning for a short time.

The woman she always wanted to understand but could not really approach, the leader who was strong and resolute in public, the one who always looked at herself with indifference and rationality, with ruthlessness and selfishness, and took away the words that had never been said.

Alicia stood in the rest area of ​​the players, her eyes were scattered, but her heart was surging with huge emotional fluctuations like a storm.

Surrounded by the hustle and bustle and tension before the race, other horse girls were making final preparations, but all this seemed to be isolated from her perception.

How should she continue to compete in such pain?

She has always been the hope of the champion on this track, the "star of tomorrow", and is expected and sought after by countless audiences. Her mother Selena has never concealed her expectations for her.

Alicia became a horse girl largely because of her mother. The complex and repressed mother-daughter relationship was like a chain that tightly bound her.

She longed for her mother's recognition and a little warmth from her cold shell; however, Selena's "ruthlessness" and resolute rationality often made Alicia feel suffocated.

Now, all of this was torn into pieces by the bomb of the release of hoofbeats.

Love and hatred, expectation and disappointment, all mixed into a mess in her heart.

Is there any meaning in such a game?

As the time of the game approached, Alicia had to sort out her chaotic emotions.

As the time of the game approached, Alicia was forced to gather those chaotic thoughts into her heart.

She walked to the preparation area, and the silver-white horse racing girl uniform reflected a faint light in the sun, clinging to her tense muscles.

Her ponytail swayed gently with the breeze, symbolizing the unique elegance and strength of the horse racing girl.

However, in this brief silence, an invisible sense of oppression suddenly descended on her side.

Her heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and her skin seemed to sense a real killing intent.

It was a look of deep resentment, sharp and cold, pressing towards her back like a knife.

Alicia subconsciously turned her head and locked her eyes on that resentful look.

Standing not far from her was a tall and strong man.

His black curly hair was tied casually behind his head, and his face was filled with undisguised anger and hatred.

It was a face eroded by distortion, with grayish-white skin that looked pale and cold, and sparse horse hair covering the thick leather, especially on his legs and shoulders.

His legs were like horseshoes, which gave him great strength and made his steps heavy and steady.

There were several bone spur-like protrusions on his shoulders and back, like a distorted mark, indicating his identity as an infected person. His combat jacket was covered with metal armor patches, showing that he had experienced countless battles.

He was like a volcano about to erupt, with a suppressed and twisted murderous aura all over his body.

Mikhail Garcia.

Fear swept over Alicia's body like a tide.

Her limbs were stiff, her body could not move, and her mind was blank.

Boom————

Before she could react, Mikhail's figure turned into a residual image and appeared beside her in an instant.

The next second, cold and strong hands grabbed her neck, and the feeling of suffocation cut her breath like a sharp blade.

The air seemed to be sucked out of her throat, and she couldn't make any sound. The severe pain spread from her throat to her whole body. Her eyes began to blur due to lack of oxygen, and her face quickly turned red. She could only struggle helplessly, feeling that death was approaching.

"Uh uh ~~"

There was no hesitation in Mikhail's eyes, and the cold and ruthless killing intent seemed to turn into a sharp blade.

He didn't leave her any chance, and his fingers gradually exerted force, ready to break her neck and end her life.

Kill this "traitor", this horse girl who didn't deserve to live in his eyes.

Let her reunite with her mother who was killed by him-Selina Lockhart.

"Clang--!"

A crisp collision sound broke the dead silence of the air, and a spear flashing with cold light attacked Mikhail fiercely.

The spear blade tore through the air and attacked Mikhail with irresistible force.

His eyes were stern, and he reacted quickly. Almost in an instant, he used Alicia in his hand as a shield and threw it at the spear blade without hesitation.

Alicia's body turned helplessly in the air, and despair enveloped her.

Her eyes widened, and the next moment, she clearly saw that the tip of the gun was pointing directly at her with a strong murderous intent.

Just as the tip of the gun was about to pierce her, a glow flashed beside the spear, and the movement was light but swift.

A hand firmly grasped the handle of the gun, and the tip of the gun instantly turned at an incredible angle, shifting the blade by a few inches, avoiding Alicia's fatal position.

At the same time, the figure quickly took over Alicia, who was almost unconscious, and hugged her body tightly.

That was Sophia Williams.

She was wearing a black tight combat suit, and her slender body outlined lines full of power. The whole person was capable and cold.

The deep blue eyes were like a sharp blade, emitting a cold light. The golden ponytail was tied up high, swaying slightly with her swift movements.

Sophia's gun box had been opened, and the standard spear flashed a sharp cold light.

She held Alicia firmly with her left hand, and still held the gun with her right hand, like an unshakable barrier blocking the two of them, with a cold and focused expression.

"Mikhail." Sophia's voice was as cold as the wind, without any emotional fluctuations.

Her eyes were like looking at a meaningless target, so indifferent that it made people feel cold.

Mikhail grinned.

"Long time no see, dear infected savior, leader of the pseudo-human alliance movement, morning light gun-Ms. Williams."

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