"Food is on the table. Heat it up yourself."
"Tomorrow is the awakening assessment. Don't stay up late tonight."
A middle-aged man, wearing a somewhat old but neat suit, had a rose in his mouth and was carefully arranging his hairstyle in front of the mirror.
Although already in middle age, with the addition of good looks, he exudes a unique mature charm. Especially that somewhat unruly smile at the corner of his mouth is even more likely to make elderly women fall for him.
Elijah sat in front of the dining table, looking somewhat absent-minded and only responded perfunctorily twice.
After making all the preparations, the middle-aged man took out a very small bottle of perfume with great care, sprayed it in the air, and let the fragrance evenly cover his whole body.
"If there's nothing else, I'm going on a date!"
"Wish you success in tomorrow's assessment!"
With that, the middle-aged man hummed a tune and left home.
After the middle-aged man left, Elijah took out his mobile phone, pressed a number and dialed it.
"Hello, is this comrade policeman?"
"I want to report a crime."
"At around eight o'clock tonight, in room 302 of Sophie Hotel, an obscene case may occur."
"Yes, I'm sure. I saw his room card."
"As for my relationship with him?"
Elijah pondered for two seconds: "He is my father."
"It doesn't matter. Serving the people is our bounden duty."
"Okay, goodbye, comrade policeman."
After hanging up the phone, Elijah was once again lost in thought.
His name is Elijah. The one who just left is his father, Trent.
However, the word "father" is somewhat 模糊 in his memory.
He has lived in the Sin City since childhood. Even the fact that he has a father was only learned a few months ago.
Sin City is too dark.
There are no rules, no laws, and there is no so-called fairness at all.
To survive, people will do anything.
Until he finally got that precious quota and walked out of Sin City.
Tomorrow is the awakening ceremony for his eighteenth birthday.
But...
How many striped eggs can he hatch?
Moreover, the picture scroll that has appeared in his mind since childhood and seems like a dead thing. Will it mutate after awakening?
For a moment, Elijah thought more and more.
Gradually, it got dark.
Elijah sat in front of the dining table, eating seriously and chewing slowly. Although it was just very ordinary food, in Elijah's eyes, everything seemed extremely precious.
Trent?
Elijah glanced at the time. It was already past nine o'clock in the evening.
Did the comrades at the police station fail?
"Speak."
Elijah answered the phone and said in a somewhat lazy tone.
On the other end of the phone, Trent's voice was full of annoyance: "I don't know which bastard called the police and reported me! I'm at the police station. They insist that I was soliciting prostitution."
"Is this consensual thing called soliciting prostitution?"
"Come and bail me out quickly with some money. Otherwise, I guess I won't be able to get out within a few days!"
Elijah said in a flat voice: "I don't have money."
"If you don't have it, go to my bedroom. There is a box under the bed."
"There is a key in the box."
"Turn left at the door. This key can open the back door of Widow Maggie's house."
"There is a vegetable vat at the back door. The money is under it."
"But be careful when opening the door. She has a very fierce dog!"
This plot is magnificent.
It's also rare for Trent to be able to say it all in one breath.
"Okay."
Elijah hung up the phone. Following Trent's instructions, he indeed found a stack of red banknotes under that vegetable vat.
About 2000 or so.
He collected the money without changing his expression, returned to his home, washed the dishes, swept the floor, and made the bed.
After a while.
The phone rang again. It was from the police station.
Elijah answered.
"Yes, I am Trent's family member."
"No bail."
"I think we should stop this bad trend to better purify the social environment."
"So please trouble you to carry out the most profound transformation on him."
"Well, it doesn't matter. Time is not a problem."
"As long as he can become a useful person to society, all this is worth it."
As he spoke, Elijah's expression gradually became serious: "Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony, justice, the rule of law, patriotism, dedication, integrity, and friendship! This is the positive energy that has always been advocated by Moge!"
"Even as ordinary people, we are always ready."
After speaking, Elijah hung up the phone, lay down on the bed, and fell asleep in the night.
In his sleep.
An ancient scroll slowly unfurled in his mind. There seemed to be something vaguely painted on it, but it was very dim and blurry.
A wisp of starlight covered Elijah through the window.
...
In the morning.
Elijah opened his eyes, washed up, and prepared breakfast.
After everything was ready, he casually slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and went to school.
For him who grew up in Sin City since childhood, going to school is a very novel thing.
At first, he entered the school gate with expectation. But after getting familiar with the classmates around him, he felt that school was just so-so.
Somewhat childish.
A group of children who have never seen blood look forward to how they will be invincible and maintain world peace in the future every day.
At the school gate.
At this time, many parents excitedly sent their children to the school gate.
The annual awakening test can be said to determine the fate of most people.
If the talent is not enough, if there is no adventure in this life, most likely one can only be a wage earner.
If you are lucky and have connections and can enter the police station, perhaps life will be more comfortable.
During this period, he also saw several classmates, but he didn't say hello. Those classmates almost subconsciously ignored Elijah.
In the classroom.
The head teacher stood on the podium with a cold expression.
Ray, a retired veteran from the front line. It is said that he participated in the battle at the Demon Suppressing Pass before. Later, his little finger on his right hand was torn off by a demon beast and he could no longer hold the sword in his hand. So he came to such a remote small city and became a teacher.
He always has a cold face and trains them in the way of the army, making everyone complain bitterly. Secretly, they call him a madman.
"In an hour, the awakening assessment will begin!"
"Perhaps you are now looking forward to having good talent after awakening, cultivating quickly, killing demon beasts, guarding the city, and being respected by thousands."
"But how many people can really achieve this?"
"Fighting bloody battles and protecting the prosperity of the human race are indeed admirable."
"But being in the rear and serving the people, is it any less?"
"So, keep a calm attitude!"
"In the last hour, adjust yourself well."
As Ray's cold and realistic voice fell, the classroom became quiet for a while.
But no one refuted.
Because they know that what Ray said is the truth.
"Serving the people..."
"Or being the people served..."
At this time, Elijah's voice sounded faintly.
In this quiet classroom, it was clearly audible.
For a moment, the classmates were collectively petrified.
The second blow made them want to cry but have no tears.
So...
They don't even deserve to serve the people.
Although everyone understands in their hearts, but saying it like this...
It's inevitable to feel a heavy heart.