......

“You have training this afternoon, aren’t you going back yet?” Lu Jue-jun awoke from his illusion and looked at Nimble Beret, who was still standing there.

“I still have something to say.”

“Say it, being so hesitant isn’t like you.”

“It’s just, I also want to join your team!”

“Well about that...”

From these few observations, Nimble Beret’s nature isn’t bad, but Lu Jue-jun doesn’t know how the other Uma Musume on the team feel about her.

From Silence Suzuka’s attitude yesterday, Lu Jue-jun could already see some issues.

If Nimble Beret’s inclusion would cause disharmony within the team, Lu Jue-jun would definitely not agree.

“No, is it not possible?” Nimble Beret wasn’t stupid; she vaguely guessed what Lu Jue-jun was hesitant about. “Is it because of what happened last time… that they have a preconceived notion of me?”

Lu Jue-jun didn’t hide it. “There might be a little bit, so I hope you can understand my difficulty.”

“What if they also agree?” Nimble Beret asked again.

“Under that premise, as long as you can pass the tryout, I will naturally invite you to join ‘Dream’.”

“Okay, I will definitely do it!” Nimble Beret said, then left in a hurry.

......

After the guidance last night, when Lu Jue-jun saw Seiun Sky again this afternoon, the gloom that had recently been permanent on her face had disappeared.

As for the forced kiss...

Lu Jue-jun’s gaze fell on her, but Seiun Sky just tilted her head, as if nothing had happened.

“Trainer, what are we running today?” Uralala interrupted Lu Jue-jun’s thoughts.

“It seems Uralala can’t wait, huh? Then if Uralala can’t complete the task today, Uralala will be punished with five sets of one thousand meters.”

“No way! Trainer, you’re bullying me!” Uralala grabbed Special Week’s arm. “Xiao Te, look at him!”

Lu Jue-jun smiled and took out the schedule. “Alright, alright, I’ll arrange today’s tasks.”

“Today we’re running sixty 400-meter sprints. The first thirty 400-meter sprints must be completed within 50 seconds, and the last thirty within 45 seconds. Each interval is 200 meters of slow jogging, to be completed within 60 seconds.”

This was the training program Lu Jue-jun devised after comprehensive data analysis. The intensity was a bit high, but if they didn’t push themselves, how would they know their limits?

“Really, coach?” Uralala swallowed. The numbers Lu Jue-jun had just recited seemed to swirl in her mind like a curse.

“Of course it’s true. At least… you have to run fifty sets, right? Come on, I believe in you.”

Aside from Uralala, the others had no objections; instead, they were full of fighting spirit.

......

The weather was a bit cool, but as they ran, they gradually took off their jackets and threw them casually by the track.

Lu Jue-jun followed behind, picking them up and putting them all in one place.

For the first dozen or so 400-meter sprints, everyone seemed to be at ease, not yet wearing their masks of pain.

Silence Suzuka, Seiun Sky, and Special Week took turns leading the run, so Uralala also completed her tasks excellently.

But as time went on, the fatigue and soreness in their legs accumulated like grains of fine sand piling up into a small mountain.

“Silence Suzuka is leading very well, her pace control is excellent, keep it up!”

“47.6 seconds, Uralala, hurry up and catch up with the team, you can do it.” Lu Jue-jun held the stopwatch and promptly stopped Uralala from speaking. “Hey, don’t talk, talking wastes energy too.”

Uralala’s twisted little face was wrinkled. She glanced at Lu Jue-jun, and her small figure tried hard to catch up with the main group again.

......

By the last ten sets, everyone was clearly exhausted. Uralala’s running posture had gone wild, and Silence Suzuka and the others were also wearing their masks of pain.

But as long as they kept going, no one would laugh at them.

“Come on, come on! Now is the time to truly push your limits!”

“Silence Suzuka, pump your arms!”

“Seiun, keep up with Silence Suzuka!”

......

Lu Jue-jun accompanied and cheered for as long as the Uma Musume ran.

Because during the last set of training, Lu Jue-jun always encouraged them to run with all their might.

This time he didn’t ask, but all the team members still gritted their teeth and sprinted hard.

“43.9 seconds, excellent, I knew you could do it.”

Although Uralala was far behind, she also completed all the training.

By the track, some sat, some knelt, and some lay down; they had no strength to reply to Lu Jue-jun’s words.

“Drink water, rest for a while, then go to the lounge to change clothes.”

......

After resting and catching their breath, everyone’s complexions improved greatly.

As per Lu Jue-jun’s request, they returned to the track, but this time it was a grassy slope.

“Trainer, do we have to run again?”

Uralala was so tired that even speaking sounded weak.

But if Lu Jue-jun asked, she would still brace herself and go.

She didn’t want to disappoint him.

“No running. Now it’s mainly for Xiao Te…” Lu Jue-jun paused, looked at Seiun Sky, who smiled back at him. “It’s mainly for Seiun and Xiao Te, for review and improvement.”

Silence Suzuka quietly glanced left and right.

Was it her imagination? Why did it feel like the two of them were exchanging glances, with some secret she didn’t know about?

“Then, then can Uralala sit and listen?”

“Of course you can.” Lu Jue-jun rubbed Uralala’s head.

He hadn’t expected Uralala, without her usual energy, to be so adorably well-behaved.

“Heh-heh.” Uralala sat on the grass, holding a water bottle and rubbing it on the ground.

Her cheeks felt hot, and her chest felt a bit warm too.

Trainer had just touched her head again.

However, in Silence Suzuka’s eyes, it made her taste a mouthful of sour vinegar, and her small lips tightened slightly.

“Xiao Te is running this kind of race for the first time, and Seiun probably hasn’t run it much either, right?”

The two nodded.

“Actually, running this kind of steep slope has a technique. I watched the race video yesterday and found that you were still taking large strides when climbing the slope, just like running on flat ground.”

“This not only limits your acceleration but also consumes a lot of energy. You should know that after crossing the steep slope, you still have some distance to the finish line.”

“If all your strength is used up, your final sprint definitely won’t be able to beat others.”

“So, when dealing with this kind of steep slope, you should adopt a small-stride, high-frequency running style, just like this… which is the pitch running method.”

As Lu Jue-jun spoke, he walked onto the steep slope and demonstrated. “Do you understand?”

The others didn’t respond but burst out laughing as they watched Lu Jue-jun.

Uralala covered her belly, her waist bent so much that her chin was almost touching the tender grass. Special Week glanced elsewhere, but the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her inner feelings.

Silence Suzuka had taken out her phone to take a picture at some point, while Seiun Sky covered her lips, stifling a laugh.

“Lu Jue-jun, do you also have a certificate in robotic dance?”

“Kids, this is not funny.” Lu Jue-jun was speechless. “So, do you understand?”

......

(Today: Come, come electricity. O_o Is there anyone generating electricity for love?)