Serve the people

"The food's on the table. Heat it up yourself."

"You have your awakening assessment tomorrow. Don't stay up late tonight."

A middle-aged man in a somewhat old but tidy suit held a rose between his teeth, carefully fixing his hair in the mirror.

Though already middle-aged, his good looks gave him a distinctive, mature charm. The slightly rakish smile at the corner of his mouth was especially likely to make older women fall for him.

Yu Sheng sat at the dining table, looking a little distracted, and merely gave two perfunctory replies.

Once everything was ready, the middle-aged man took out a tiny bottle of perfume with great care and sprayed it into the air, letting the fragrance settle evenly over his body.

"If there's nothing else, I'm off on my date!"

"Good luck with your assessment tomorrow!"

With that, the middle-aged man left home, humming a tune.

After he left, Yu Sheng took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, is this the police?"

"I'd like to report a crime."

"Around eight tonight, there may be an incident involving illicit sexual activity in room 302 of the Sophie Hotel."

"Yes, I'm sure. I saw his room key."

"My relationship to him?"

Yu Sheng pondered for two seconds. "He's my father."

"Not at all. Serving the people is my duty."

"All right. Goodbye, officer."

After hanging up, Yu Sheng's mind wandered again.

His name was Yu Sheng, and the man who had just left was his father, Yu Sanshui.

But the word "father" was somewhat hazy in his memory.

He had lived in Sin City since childhood. He had only learned a few months ago that he even had a father.

Sin City was far too dark.

There were no rules, no laws, and certainly no such thing as fairness.

To survive, he had resorted to any means necessary.

Until he had finally secured that precious spot and made it out of Sin City.

Tomorrow was the awakening ceremony for eighteen-year-olds.

But...

Just how many markings would the egg he hatched have?

And would the scroll that had appeared in his mind since childhood, seemingly lifeless, undergo some change after his awakening?

For a while, more and more thoughts filled Yu Sheng's mind.

The sky gradually darkened.

Yu Sheng sat at the dining table and ate with care, chewing slowly. Though it was only ordinary food, all of it seemed incomparably precious in his eyes.

Yu Sanshui?

Yu Sheng checked the time. It was already past nine at night.

Had the officers from the Guard Bureau failed?

"Talk."

Yu Sheng answered the phone, sounding a little languid.

On the other end, Yu Sanshui's voice was full of frustration. "Some bastard called the police and reported me! I'm at the Guard Bureau. They insist I was soliciting a prostitute."

"How can it be soliciting when we're both willing?"

"Hurry up and bring some money to bail me out, or I probably won't get out for days!"

"I don't have any money," Yu Sheng said flatly.

"I know you don't. Go to my bedroom. There's a box under the bed."

"There's a key inside."

"Turn left when you leave the house. That key opens Widow Wang's back door."

"There's a pickling crock by the back door. The money's underneath."

"But be careful opening the door. She keeps a dog, and it's vicious!"

What a stirring tale, full of twists and turns.

It was quite a feat for Yu Sanshui to get it all out in one breath.

"Okay."

Yu Sheng hung up and followed Yu Sanshui's instructions. Sure enough, he found a stack of red banknotes beneath the pickling crock.

About two thousand.

Without a change in expression, he put the money away and returned home to wash the dishes, sweep the floor, and make his bed.

A little while later.

The phone rang again. The Guard Bureau.

Yu Sheng answered.

"Yes, I'm Yu Sanshui's family member."

"No, I won't bail him out."

"I think we should put a stop to this kind of unhealthy behavior to better clean up our social environment."

"So please go to the trouble of giving him the most thorough rehabilitation possible."

"Yes, that's fine. Time isn't an issue."

"As long as he can become someone useful to society, it'll all be worth it."

As he spoke, Yu Sheng's expression gradually turned solemn. "Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony, justice, the rule of law, patriotism, dedication, integrity, and friendliness! These are the positive values the Ink Pavilion has always promoted!"

"Even as ordinary people, we're always ready."

With that, Yu Sheng hung up, flopped onto his bed, and fell asleep in the darkness.

In his dreams.

An ancient, simple scroll slowly unfurled in his mind. There seemed to be something faintly depicted on it, but it was extremely dim and indistinct.

A wisp of starlight passed through the window and fell over Yu Sheng.

Early morning.

Yu Sheng opened his eyes, washed up, and prepared breakfast.

Once everything was ready, he casually slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and headed out to school.

For someone who had grown up in Sin City, going to school was a novel experience.

At first, he too had entered the school gates full of anticipation. But after getting to know his classmates, he felt that school was nothing special.

A little childish.

A bunch of children who had never seen blood, dreaming every day of how they would slaughter their enemies, become invincible, and maintain world peace.

At the school gates.

Many parents were excitedly escorting their children to the gates.

The annual awakening test could be said to determine most people's fates.

Without enough talent, unless they encountered some extraordinary opportunity, they would most likely spend their lives as ordinary wage earners.

If they were lucky and had connections, they could join the Guard Bureau and perhaps live a little more comfortably.

Along the way, he saw a few classmates, but he did not greet them. Almost instinctively, those classmates ignored Yu Sheng.

The classroom.

The homeroom teacher stood at the front, his expression cold.

Liu Qingfeng was a veteran who had returned from the front lines. He had reportedly fought at Demon-Suppressing Pass, but a demonic beast had later torn off his right little finger, leaving him unable to grip his sword tightly anymore. He had come to this small, remote city to work as a teacher.

He always wore a cold expression and drilled them military-style, making everyone complain endlessly and call him Madman Liu behind his back.

"The awakening assessment begins in one hour!"

"Right now, you may be dreaming that after awakening, you'll have great talent, cultivate quickly, kill demonic beasts, defend cities, and earn the admiration of thousands."

"But how many can actually achieve that?"

"Fighting enemies in bloody battles and safeguarding humanity's prosperity is certainly admirable."

"But how is staying behind the lines and serving the public any less worthy?"

"So keep a level head!"

"Use this last hour to get yourselves into the right state."

As Liu Qingfeng's cold, realistic words ended, the classroom fell silent.

But no one argued.

Because they knew that what Liu Qingfeng had said was the truth.

"Serving the people..."

"Or being the people who get served..."

Just then, Yu Sheng's voice drifted out.

It was clearly audible in the silent classroom.

For a moment, the entire class turned to stone.

A second crushing blow left them wanting to cry, but without tears.

So...

Were they not even qualified to serve the people?

Although they all understood it deep down, having it said aloud like that...

Inevitably left them feeling heavy-hearted.