After studying for the same year, is the score of the real bow comparable to that of the first year of high school in the school outside?

In order to test this result, Zhang Su carefully corrected it.

The handwriting of the real bow is so good-looking, and he deserves to be the most promising and hard-working student in the entire Anxin Academy.

Zhang Su has invigilated the college entrance examination, and it is true that people with good handwriting have high scores, and he will give one or two more points in the composition or more recognition in the reading questions as appropriate.

And Makomi nervously stared at the standard answer.

When I saw that geography multiple-choice question, I was shocked.

Because she found that the greenery on both sides of the highway was different, and it was really because [D. Divisional leaders had different hobbies]!

"This kind of question is too outrageous to be done!" True bow laments.

"Sometimes it's the kind of question. I think this kind of question just makes some candidates think they are unlucky. Zhang Su said.

"Why do you have such a question?" True Bow doesn't understand.

"Before, at the top of the Sky Tree, we met a boss who thought very highly of himself, and he felt that society deliberately designed people to be stupid and cowardly. Just like a machine for making noodles, everyone used to be a mess of dough, but after years of doing problems, they have become regular noodles. The same is true of exam-oriented education, which holds down our energetic adolescence. Zhang Su said.

"'Energetic' adolescence." True Bow couldn't help but complain, "If I don't study, will I become as foolish as Saho?" ”

"At least Saho is still a little bit of a fighter. You see, the correct answer is 'D. The leader has different hobbies', and we can only admit it, and we can't get along with the person who asked the question. When I was studying, I often wondered how I could find the person who wrote the question and then quarrel with him face to face, but I couldn't do it, and the person who wrote the question seemed to be deliberately torturing us. Zhang Su said.

"Why do you want to do this?" True Bow doesn't understand.

"Because if people are weak, a few elites can mobilize the world's resources, which they believe are necessary to fight against invasions from other worlds. So you see, to join the Human Defense Project, you have to pass a very complex public office exam, which tests technology, loyalty, and unity, and those who pass the screening are honest people among honest people. Zhang Su said.

"Then if teachers are in charge of education, won't they be drastic in reform?" True Bow asked.

"Not necessarily, because there is another very important issue - fairness, reading in school is a game where you put in 100 points of effort, and you will be rewarded with at least 70 points, which is already considerable. Xiao Zhengu, look at your scores, what is the difference between a student who has been studying hard day and night in Anshin Yuan compared to a student at Shin-Tokyo City High School? ”

Zhang Su's hand was very fast, corrected the subjective questions of all the questions, and put the paper in order.

"Didn't do well ...... exam?" True bow nervous.

"You did so well in the exam!" Zhang Su sent the roll back.

True Bow basically got all the questions right!

The essay is also written brilliantly!

Zhang Su felt the most peculiar thing was that although she was sad and depressed during the exam, her writing spirit was very positive, which is a high-level talent for exam-oriented education.

"Hey, hey......" Makomi muttered.

Although she did well in the exam, there was no joy on her face.

Zhang Su carefully looked at the real bow, this is not good.

"Don't you feel happy?" Zhang Su asked.

"It seems, it seems like this......" Makomi stammered a little, she looked at the circled symbols on her paper, "I should be very happy, I did well in the exam, and I hope to enter the University of New Tokyo, but I still have such a sad face!" ”

"You have to stop using the 'rejoice' magic, it can damage your ability to perceive pleasure." Zhang Su said.

True Bow looked down at his hands.

Stop using magic?

For a long time, she had used the magic of joy as fuel for her studies, saving herself from sadness, anger, or boredom.

If she didn't use this kind of strength, and let the fatigue of learning crush her heart, would she still be able to study so hard?

Zhang Su understood her uneasy thoughts.

"Come on, let's start small, isn't this a great cafeteria? Everyone is here to eat and go back, come and eat, and feel happy from ordinary things! Zhang Su took the real bow and stood up.

Food piled up on the surrounding bar.

Crispy tempura fried shrimp, steaming rice, fresh sushi......

In her numb emotional senses, it all seemed colorless.

"Open your heart and refocus on the texture and smell of food." Zhang Su guided.

Makomi's lips trembled, and she reached for a pair of lacquered chopsticks, picked up a slice of sushi, and raised it to her lips.

She first focused on the touch of her fingertips to the chopsticks, which were cold, smooth, and textured.

Then there is the sushi, which Makomi chews slowly and focuses on the sushi itself, the fish is sweet and the rice is soft.

A faint ...... Sour and sweet. True Bow frowned, would this really be happy?

It's not as fun as she played with the magic of joy herself.

"Still not happy." True Bow said.

"Because the threshold has risen, every day lives in the false happiness created by magic, and in the end the whole person will rebound and become very painful." Zhang Su accompanied Zhengong beside him.

So she continued to eat, followed by the crispy tempura fried shrimp, the thick golden batter was extremely crispy to taste, and the prawns themselves were fat and fragrant.

Makomi patiently discerns the delicate flavor in it.

Happy...... Happy......

It feels like you're making yourself happy.

But it's true, a subtle joy quietly blooms, like a small flower that blooms in the crevices after a harsh winter.

But in a moment, the pleasure disappeared, as if it were just an illusion.

Makomi wanders around the cafeteria, continuing to eat popcorn, chicken wings, tonkatsu, and cola, and be bombarded with sugar, carbs, and protein.

Between eating, she looked at Zhang Su.

His usually stern face relaxed and gave him an approving smile.

True Bow's heart was touched, and she suddenly thought of the food that her mother had made by herself, and when her mother was alive, she would cook for True Bow or bring food back.

The thought of this brought her to tears.

As the clock ticked, her senses slowly rejuvenated. The restaurant and the food are all brighter.

Still, she is insulated from pleasure.

"The mood is like a roller coaster, I'm sorry, I still don't feel happy." The real bow twisted.

"It's okay, you're healthy, you just can't rely too much on magic. Joy itself is simple, eating, listening to music, watching TV...... The other children would be happy without the joy magic. Zhang Su comforted Zhengong.

"The most natural rejoicing ......" True Bow mused.

"True joy is only here, believe in it." Zhang Su pointed to his heart.

True Bow took a deep breath with a shudder.

Then, slowly, she tried to hook the corners of her mouth, but she couldn't.

"......" Makoto couldn't smile anymore.

"It's okay, cherish your smile, it's hard to laugh, it affects so many muscles on your face, there must be something better to laugh. There's nothing to worry about in your grades, and you'll definitely go to Shin-Tokyo University. "Zhang Su took the real bow back.

True Bow nodded silently.

"If I get admitted to the University of New Tokyo, I will be able to leave Anxinin." The real bow turns the head.

"Your academic performance is the best among us, which is so meaningful. It means that you can pass the public service exam, join the Human Defense Project, and officially work in the Anxin Yuan just like me! However, it is very chaotic outside, and if there is danger, you must run back as soon as possible. Anxin House is your forever home. Zhang Su said.

Zhen Gong also understands that Zhang Su wants to build the Anxin Courtyard into a solid foundation.

Leaving the restaurant, the street outside was already dark.

"Can you take me to where my mom worked?" True Bow looked tense and hesitated to request.

"It's too late." Zhang Su glanced at the sky, the sky of New Tokyo was full of dark clouds, and there were no stars and moons in sight.

"But it's only at night when the place opens." True Bow whispered.

“…… Well, let's go over and have a look. Zhang Su took a taxi over.

It was raining, and the raindrops were pounding on the windows.

The vehicle crosses the bridge and leaves the brightly lit artificial islands of New Tokyo and returns to the old Tokyo massif where sewage flows in the dark.

Old Tokyo always carries some memories and sorrows.

The new Tokyo is constantly siphoning off its most precious resources and treasures from here, and the old city is sparsely lit and looks like a painting with bright spots.

Zhang Su took the real bow and stopped at an old commercial street.

Makomi's mother works at a place called "Maai Otomu", halfway between a ramen shop and a jewelry store.

The entrance is smoky, and beauties dressed in fashionable clothes and heavy makeup wait for customers under advertising light boxes while sheltering from the rain.

Zhang Su didn't like such a place very much.

What's more, there are also ronins with katanas and tattooed street thugs roaming around, and he has to always protect the real bow by his side.

The invasion of demons has left behind a large number of secret associations, and they will secretly collect people, give them to demons, and exchange power, and the less safe the place, the more likely this will happen.

"I used to live here." True Bow raised his hand.

Zhang Su looked at the shattered façade of the building, the dirty façade was simply luring the most depraved people in, and the rain was pouring down from the walls.

Forgetting to bring an umbrella, he used his big hands to keep the real bow out of the rain.

Makomi walked in with brisk steps, the hall inside was dim and dilapidated, and Makoku walked up the stairs without hesitation.

"Guest, please go here...... The people in the shop wanted to recruit real bow, but when they saw her footsteps, they were surprised to find that she was so familiar with this place, and knew this place better than these "old clerks"!

The oldest waiter glanced at the real bow, and a figure flashed in his mind.

It was a beautiful witch from 7 years ago, always staring around coldly, holding a little girl with a smile in her arms.

He couldn't connect the tense real bow with the little girl who loved to laugh, so just for a moment, the old waiter lowered his head, picked up the cold tea and took a sip, and turned his attention back to the next horse racing quiz form.

Zhang Su followed Zhen Gong upstairs.

The air is thick and full of all kinds of smells, the food is spicy, the tobacco is choking, and the stamps are sweet.

"It used to be the liveliest center in the area, but now it's dilapidated." The real bow looks up.

"Nothing in old Tokyo can develop." Zhang Su said.

"Mom used to dress up there." True bow finger to the powder room at the end of the corridor on the third floor.

That's a lot of women.

They stand sparsely like ghosts, living uncontrollably, with reversed routines and unhealthy lives.

The women of "True Love Sound Dream" looked at Zhang Su and Zhengong curiously, and opened their mouths to make an offer.

50,000 yen, 30,000 yen, 10,000 yen...... Their customer base is shrinking and they look anxious.

With the development of virtual reality technology, people tend to solve problems without leaving their homes. These days, only foreigners who have been suppressed for a long time will come here, and they really hope to get some consumption from Zhang Su.

Zhang Su shook his head in refusal, and Zhengong bowed to them and said goodbye.

Climb the stairs to the sixth floor.

It's more secluded, with rooms on both sides of it dotted with homeless people, corpses, and mentally handicapped people.

Mayuki went to a room at the end of the hallway and pushed the broken door open.

There was a dirty bed, rotten tables and chairs, and it was a single room, and the walls were painted in a mess.

"I can't erase it, I drew it when I was a kid." Makomi sat on the bed, stroking the black streaks on the tattered walls.

She tried her best to imagine cars, buildings, and animals, and the drawings were all out of shape, but what could she do? She hadn't seen it again.

"That's good." Zhang Su looked at the graffiti on the walls, imagining Xiao Zhengong kneeling on the bed and scribbling.

"This room was originally very beautiful, but my mother came back and saw that I had blackened the entire white wall, and she was crying and scolding me." But now the lamps in the room were burned out, and garbage was piled up all around, Magong recalled.

They all wanted to discern the traces of Mother True's existence from this room.

Makomi indulged in the memories, as if she would rather drown in them. All she lacked was an object that could prove that memories had existed in real life.

There may be hairpins left in the cracks, and there may be a trace of perfume in the air, such a living person once lived in the world!

Over the years, however, the thieves had taken everything from the room, the wardrobes had been taken away for firewood, and even the sheets had been stripped of the sheets, leaving behind a hard iron bed frame.

So the impression of the mother also dispersed, and the only one who could prove that the real bow had a mother was the real bow himself.

Makomi gave up trying and lay down on the dirty little bunk.

"I was hatched by my mother in this room." "I remember smashing the eggshell headlong into it, thinking it was a big world outside, but I didn't think it was just a small room. ”

"There's a lot to be done out there." Zhang Su listened to the sound of the rain on the street outside.

"But Mom can't see it." Really hunched back. She learned a lot of knowledge, ate a lot of good things, met a lot of children, and had reliable teachers, which is really good.

Through the window on the wall, she saw some stars in the sky.

Zhang Su followed the gaze of the real bow and looked at the night sky outside.

"You can see the stars here, because there is almost no light pollution in old Tokyo." Zhang Su said.

"Stars ......" real bow looking at it from afar.

"It is said that the witches all came from distant stars, and after leaving us, they may return to the stars." Zhang Su said.

"Really? Did Mom just go far away, back to the stars? "The real bow got up.

"Yes, but we haven't been able to sail that far, so we can't verify it." Zhang Su said.

"Lift me up, teacher." True bow with open arms.

"Be careful." Zhang Su held up the real bow and lifted her steadily to a little outside.

The rain fell on her hair, and the real bow reached out and waved it at the starry sky.

The dark sky, the sparkling stars, and the Milky Way are magnificent, and there is room for all illusions.

"Mom!" True Bow wiped away the tears and smiled, "I'm very happy with my current life!" ”

(End of chapter)