``` Tang Qi's Ebony Forest Guide
Freedom was relative.
Absolute freedom meant absolute chaos.
So even in the fantastical Ebony Forest, people had to abide by the three iron laws of Hospitality, Ownership, and Reciprocity. They were the foundation that held the entire Society together.
Of course, people could still do almost anything outside those three iron laws.
Every resident of the Society also retained certain harmless, unwritten rules—for instance, the first thing you did upon waking in the morning was greet your neighbors.
When chatting with friends, please put down the work in your hands.
When facing a stranger you did not know, be the first to express goodwill.
Never show sorrow in front of others—
You did not actually have to follow these rules strictly. You could even sneer at them, complain before every resident that their tediousness was simply inconsequential.
No one would force you, no one would criticize your refusal, and no one would exclude you.
But when, amid your repeated denials, you saw those Society folk who still treated you kindly greet you, hold goodwill toward you, and remain patient with you, it was hard not to be infected by them.
Emotions could spread. So could happiness.
This series of unspoken rules watered the branches and leaves of the Society, allowing it to flourish.
Perhaps you wondered why they existed, but most had become convention simply because "doing this makes people feel more comfortable."
This included one such rule—
Before falling asleep, please inform your neighbors first.
After all, Ebony Forest had no cycle of day and night, so everyone slept at different times. Perhaps when you felt weary and wanted to rest for a while, your neighbors were still partying wildly.
So when you chose to tell your neighbors when you would sleep, they