Black History Is Meant to Be Shared

She muttered to herself softly, her slender fingers gripping the blanket tightly.

"Because of my fault... Liang disappeared... It's all my fault."

"It was I who killed Liang."

Her tone became calm, so calm that it was as if she were just a withered shell, huddled there with the blanket.

"In the days that followed, her grades dropped significantly, she became distracted more often, and most importantly, she lost the ability to love and smile."

Ayanokoji Atsuomi raised his voice slightly:

"Since the sixth generation, no characters like you and her have been born in the White Room, so we're keeping her here for the time being."

Where is Xue now?

"You can go see her freely in the room where you and she are, and she will be fine."

"The same goes for the other person."

Ayanokoji Atsuomi turned around, staring into Kitagawa Ryo's eyes as he spoke, word by word:

"I know why you went back to the White Room, and I know why you deliberately brought up those two names, so one of them has to stay here from the beginning."

"Under this principle, whether it's promotion or competition, as long as it can enhance the reputation of the White Room, you can do whatever you want."

Completely ignoring the threat in Ayanokoji Atsuomi's words, Kitagawa Ryo walked straight out the door, his clean and decisive movements making one wonder if he had even heard what Ayanokoji Atsuomi had just said.

"Councilor Ayanokoji..."

The assistant standing to the side seemed somewhat displeased that Kitagawa Ryo, a mere child, could put on such airs.

Let him go.

But Ayanokoji Atsuomi simply waved his hand, completely disregarding Kitagawa Ryo's attitude. On the contrary, the more concerned the other party seemed, the more substantial the bargaining chips the White Room was using to blackmail them.

I opened my phone, and sure enough, the latest breaking news included a blurry image of the White Room and firsthand reports:

<The White Room Really Exists? Top-Secret Information Revealed!>

Just as Ayanokoji Atsuomi had predicted, the armed guards and imposing police dogs, along with the location nestled deep in the mountains, satisfied all the netizens' voyeuristic desires and curiosity, and the popularity of the White Room continued to rise.

"Let's get ready for the press conference."

At this opportune moment, Ayanokoji Atsuomi finally decided to make his formal entry.

"... Snow."

Entering the long-missed yet familiar room, Kitagawa Ryo called out to her in the gentlest voice possible.

"Sorry I'm late."

"--!"

The moment their eyes met, the girl, who had almost lost all ability to sense the outside world, became aware of Kitagawa Ryo's presence.

For the first time, vibrant color appeared on her face.

"Cold?"

"Yes, it's me, Liang."

I'm right here.

"Right before your eyes."

By confirming each other's identities through their names, Kitagawa Ryo reached out and pulled Yuki's body into his arms through the blanket.

This action is reminiscent of the Matoba when Kitagawa Ryo first met her. At this moment, it's like a sacred ritual, easily pulling Yuki's thoughts back from the distant past.

"Liang, where did you run off to before...? No, it's okay, it doesn't matter what happened then."

She couldn't bring herself to say anything critical or questioning; she regressed back to the Xue who was always caring and concerned for others.

"It's fine to let it cool here."

She lingered in Kitagawa Ryo's embrace, as if she wanted to drown in his arms.

"How about we go out together tomorrow?"

"Go out?"

Seemingly unable to comprehend those two words, a look of confusion appeared in her snow-purple pupils.

"Okay, get out."

Using his own body heat to soothe the other's cold body, Kitagawa Ryo repeated:

"Let me show you your name."

Tokyo is expected to see its first snowfall at the end of November.

White bricks never fall from the sky; instead, cool, white, flower-like, beautiful snowflakes fall.

"The weather forecast says it's going to snow tomorrow, so Arisu should dress warmly."

Sakayanagi Narimori was picking out clothes for his daughter when Sakayanagi Arisu, watching TV, casually agreed.

With both sides tacitly agreeing, Ayanokoji Atsuomi quickly held a press conference, almost publicly confirming the existence of the White Room.

Of course, he also responded to the hottest topic of the past two days: the ANHS and White Room debate.

"Ryo is indeed one of the most outstanding students in the White Room. The genius daughter of the Chairman Sakayanagi of ANHS should know this best."

"After all, Liang was way above her on the rankings back then."

This fiery response clearly delighted the reporters, and Sakayanagi Narimori immediately responded on social media, stating that the White Room only produced students who excelled at problem-solving but lacked the all-round development of students that the ANHS system possesses.

After several rounds of back-and-forth exchanges, the rematch between Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Arisu was successfully arranged.

As the reporters on TV read out Ryo's name, Sakayanagi Arisu was somewhat dazed.

"Liang... what are you doing at this time?"

A sense of eager anticipation welled up inside her, but even Sakayanagi Arisu herself couldn't quite tell whether she was looking forward to tomorrow's duel or to their meeting.

Snowflakes began to fall softly from the sky.

Another winter has arrived.

It's still positive.

I've been staying home ever since I got back. A couple of days ago, I went out for a relative's housewarming party, and then I caught a cold. It's worse than having a cold. I'll try to update as much as I can these next couple of days, and I'll post whatever I write. I'm very sorry.

My throat really hurts. Before, when I had a cold, swallowing saliva felt like swallowing a knife; now, even breathing feels like swallowing a knife.

Please take good care of yourselves, and I hope every reader stays healthy.

Chapter 103: Dark histories are meant to be shared!

Matsushita Chiaki is very satisfied with her life so far. Having just entered elementary school, she considers herself a lucky child, born into a relatively wealthy family. Her parents are very kind to her and have a very open-minded approach to education, raising her in a way that does not restrict her freedom.

She was willing to fulfill her desires and buy whatever she wanted. In response, Matsushita Chiaki also achieved top grades in school and cram school.

--I'm very capable.

She couldn't help but have this thought.

Whether from their parents, teachers at school and tutoring centers, or classmates, they receive positive feedback.

Matsushita Chiaki is on the right track.

Parents are grateful for their children's excellence, and children are also grateful for their parents' excellence.

The family has a harmonious relationship, and I have a very good relationship with my parents. No matter how busy they are with work, they will take time every night to watch TV programs together as a family. My father will always brew a pot of strong tea, and because winter is approaching, my mother has started knitting sweaters these past few days.

"Tonight is the night that program airs, isn't it?"

The father suddenly brought up the topic as if he had just remembered something.

"It's today."

The mother glanced at the date and time on her phone:

"It's that Genius Duel show that's been all over the internet lately."

"If you ask me, my little Chiaki is a genius too."

At this point, the mother gently patted Matsushita Chiaki's head.

Matsushita Chiaki smiled shyly, pouting as she said:

"That's different."

After all, those two were rumored to be geniuses who could solve problems at the high school level. Although they were close in age, Matsushita Chiaki was not arrogant enough to compare herself to them. She did think she was a little smarter than the average person, but she couldn't be called a genius.

"In her mother's eyes, Chiaki is the most amazing child in the world."

Putting down her knitting, the mother said kindly, then called out to her husband:

"You can't believe that so-called 'Daoist' stuff. That 'White Room' is supposedly under semi-military management. Anyway, I would never think of sending Chiaki to a place like that."

"When did I say I was going to send Chiaki into the White Room?"

After taking a sip of the strong tea in his cup, the father defended himself:

"I just think that kid named Liang is really a genius."

"Of course, our family's philosophy will never change, and haven't we always planned for Chiaki to attend Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School in the future? So, we are definitely ANHS Faction."

The so-called internet is mostly about having a bias before you speak. After the debate these past two days, everyone has started to identify themselves, calling those who support ANHS the ANHS Faction and those who support the White Room White Room Faction. It sounds quite convincing, and someone who doesn't know better might think it's a political party strife.

"Genius isn't just about solving problems."

Mrs. Matsushita rolled her eyes at her husband. Perhaps because she had a daughter, she clearly Sakayanagi Arisu.

"Studying to death, studying to the point of death, that's not genius. That little boy named Liang looks so frail and thin... We can't let him become like that Chiaki, okay?"

"Oh."

Matsushita Chiaki nodded, and pointed to the television screen, saying:

"It looks like the show is about to start, and it's being broadcast live."

Attracted by their daughter's words, the couple quickly found comfortable spots and focused their attention on the television.

"The venue is amazing..."

The opening shot was a top-down, sweeping camera angle, Matsushita Chiaki to exclaim in surprise.

Inside the futuristic-looking Matoba, the stands were already packed with people, with a rough estimate of over a thousand. Not to mention how many people were watching on television, just imagining the duel taking place under the gaze of so many people in person Matsushita Chiaki look somewhat uneasy.

To the accompaniment of rousing background music, a well-dressed host quickly walked onto the stage from behind the stage. With a wave of his hand, he announced into the microphone:

Where are the child prodigies in Japan?

"Here!"

The audience erupted in enthusiastic cheers, leaving Matsushita Chiaki completely stunned.

What's going on...? I suddenly feel like I'm watching some kind of variety show?

"Your talent is the wealth of humanity, and your ability is the future of the nation!"

"Welcome to the show 'The Strongest Genius,' a joint production of Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School and White Room!"

"Let's welcome our two contestants today."

The host spoke incredibly fast; before Matsushita Chiaki could even react, the television screen had already switched to another scene.

As the scene changes, the background music quickly turns low and somber, creating a mysterious atmosphere while also highlighting a sudden movement—a thud, like something striking the ground.

"I am Sakayanagi Arisu. My grandfather was the founder of Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School, and my father is the current Chairman of the board of directors of Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School."

Accompanied by the cold and calm speech, first the legs, then the waist, and then, half of the girl's face appeared in the shadows. Matsushita Chiaki also saw clearly the object making the thumping sound; it was a cane held in the girl's hand.

"Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School has always been the most precious thing I've ever worked for, and for my family."

The conversation shifted abruptly, and the background music stopped at just the right moment.