Raccoon Dogs on the Wasteland

As if deliberately reminding them of the season, cool air blowing down from overhead slipped through the gaps in his clothes from time to time, making him shiver.

He lowered his head to check his watch and confirm the time.

It was a quarter to ten at night—nearly two hours had passed since the meeting began.

The mottled silver watchband glimmered faintly in the dim light.

Though he had just received a rather expensive Longines watch, for everyday wear, he was still more accustomed to the model he had worn ever since his student days.

Mr. Yan Zhu'an's blurred reflection showed on the watchband as he slowly began speaking in English.

"...When the time comes, our side will hold roughly five shares through a consortium. We'll be relying on you to board the mares, Mr. Kitano."

"Rest assured."

After all, sending a mare to a stud farm for breeding and then returning her to the home farm to foal was rare, even an absurdly unique practice of their own.

Even in the modern racing world, where transportation had improved significantly from the previous century, breeders with long-term overseas breeding plans still preferred the more reliable method of boarding their mares at the other party's farm.

It was said that in Hidaka during the Showa Era and Heisei Era, many small farms that could not afford to own broodmares of their own took in considerable numbers of boarded broodmares from owners, earning meager feeding and management fees to keep their operations afloat.

Under such circumstances, everything from the initial choice of stallion to all breeding-related plans was entirely directed by the commissioning owner. Unlike American farms, where ownership divisions were often complicated, the entrusting owner held the greatest authority over the foals born.

To be honest, he had no desire to