Tong Yang signaled for Miaomiao to wait where she was, and made her way through the crowd to the convertible.
Looking at the boy in the passenger seat, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Something the matter?"
The boy's eyes were fierce. "You dare show your face in front of me?"
Tong Yang scoffed. "This is the slums. If I don't appear here, where should I appear? If anything, shouldn't it be you who shouldn't be appearing before me?"
"Are you doing tongue twisters here?" The boy held out his palm towards her. "My jacket. Where is it?"
Tong Yang said, "Didn't you generously give it to me?"
"I changed my mind, so what?" He glared at her.
Tong Yang looked him up and down, an expression of disdain on her face. "I could tell at a glance you weren't some generous, upright person."
"You!" The boy's eyes bulged. "How am I not generous? People in the slums might never see that much money in their lifetime!"
Tong Yang didn't respond directly, instead smiling faintly. "So, you plan to go back on your word and take back a gift?"
The phrase "go back on your word" made the boy's face turn ashen with anger.
"I can give you money," the boy said.
Tong Yang crossed her arms. "How much can you give?"
"I have ten thousand on me."
Their voices weren't exactly soft, and coupled with the unprecedented sight of a convertible in the slums, most of the onlookers had their attention fixed on them. Hearing the boy mention ten thousand, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
Tong Yang said nonchalantly, "If that jacket of yours were sold, it should fetch more than that, shouldn't it?"
The boy stared at her angrily. "You didn't already sell it, did you?"
"Idiot, who in the slums could afford it?" Tong Yang mocked.
"That's good then." The boy immediately relaxed. "Where's my jacket?"
Tong Yang looked at him meaningfully and countered with a question instead of answering. "You don't seem like a stingy person to me. Why do you want the jacket back?"
The boy snorted coldly. "I wouldn't come to a place like this just for a jacket."
"So, the reason?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"Then why should I give it back to you?"
The boy gritted his teeth. "It's my jacket!"
"You gave it to me, so it's mine now."
"Anyway, you can't sell it even if you keep it. I'll give you ten thousand, how about it?"
Tong Yang said, "Ten thousand is too little. If I can't sell it, I'll just keep it. Could use it as a rag."
The boy was fuming, his teeth practically itching. "Aren't you afraid I'll retaliate?"
Tong Yang glanced at him. "In your eyes, aren't slum dwellers just livestock you can kill at will?"
The boy pressed his lips together and looked at her. "I already apologized to you. What more do you want?"
"Did those people you blew up ever get an apology from you?"
"I..." The boy's expression clearly faltered. Looking into Tong Yang's deep pupils, he inexplicably felt a pang of guilt and averted his gaze. "Hunting slum dwellers isn't against the law."
Noticing the obvious guilt on his face, Tong Yang suddenly leaned forward, bracing her hands on the car door, and stared straight at him. "Have you ever considered that this might be wrong?"
The boy looked stunned, his eyes wide.
"Y-you... what nonsense are you spouting? This is the law enacted by the United Government!"
Tong Yang glanced at the others around them and scolded, "Keep your voice down."
The boy covered his mouth and nose, looking at Tong Yang as if she were insane. "Are you crazy? Are you saying the laws enacted by the United Government are wrong?"
Tong Yang asked him, "Why were the slums established?"
The boy said, "It's like a garbage dump."
"My father told me, the human world is like a bunch of grapes, divided into sweet and delicious ones, ones that are bland and not worth keeping, and rotten ones. Those rotten ones contribute nothing to the human world and even affect others, so they're just like trash."
"We throw trash into bins. People like trash, the slum dwellers, naturally have to live in the slums. And my father says trash should be disposed of to avoid polluting the environment. The United Government was kind enough to let them keep their lives."
The further he spoke, the more self-righteous the boy became, declaring solemnly, "So, what's wrong with me disposing of trash?"
Unnoticed, the surroundings had grown very quiet, with everyone's gaze fixed on the boy.
Tong Yang cursed, "Idiot, I told you to keep it down."
Facing those hostile stares, the boy showed no fear, sneering contemptuously. "They wouldn't dare lay a hand on me anyway."
"As the saying goes, 'the barefooted aren't afraid of those wearing shoes.' On someone else's turf, you'd better rein it in."
"Hmph, whatever. It's not like I come to places like this normally anyway."
Tong Yang didn't argue the point and returned to the previous topic. "So, you believe everyone in the slums is useless trash that contributes nothing to society?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the gazes of the people around them burned against Tong Yang's skin.
The boy looked at her like she was a lunatic. "You live in the slums. Aren't you afraid they'll retaliate against you?"
"Answer my question."
The boy pursed his lips, finding the woman before him utterly strange—a slum dweller actually daring to use a commanding tone with him, someone from the affluent district!
He originally didn't want to give her the satisfaction, but when he lifted his eyes and met her calm gaze, it felt like it possessed some kind of frightening magic.
The boy muttered, "Isn't that obvious?"
"Obvious?" Tong Yang's tone was indescribable. "How do you prove they're useless?"
"They've always lived here..."
"They've always lived here. What opportunities have they ever had to make a contribution?"
The boy's expression faltered. "But... but..."
"But what? There are no buts." Tong Yang stated firmly. "Have you ever interacted with them? Do you understand them? Have you ever given them a chance?"
Tong Yang answered her own question. "No."
Tong Yang patted his shoulder. "No one is born as tall as you. The only difference between them and you is that they weren't born into a wealthy family."
Hearing her words, the boy looked bewildered.
If he thought about it carefully, he found nothing wrong with her words; they even made a lot of sense.
These high-sounding words, Tong Yang learned them from Ye Huai. The rousing speeches on Harker's Island, she still remembered them.
Tong Yang had always believed the greatest watershed in life was the family one was born into.
It wasn't necessarily true that children from wealthy families were smarter or more useful than children from ordinary families.
But most children from ordinary families would live their whole lives in mediocrity, never even reaching the point where they needed to compete on talent alone.
So, Tong Yang felt she was just spouting grand rhetoric, but it should be enough to intimidate the boy.
Once Tong Yang finished speaking, the way the others looked at her instantly changed.
"Sis!"
Just then, a shout came from the crowd.
Tong Yang looked back. A woman stood behind Miaomiao, trying to snatch the backpack Tong Yang had entrusted to her.
Tong Yang said calmly, "Fight back."
The boy, who had been pondering Tong Yang's words, instinctively looked towards the crowd at the sound.
The little girl, who was desperately clutching the backpack, heard Tong Yang's words and almost immediately sprang into action. She seized the woman's wrist with one hand, took half a step back, and with a clever twist of force, flipped the woman onto the ground.
With a "thud," the woman lay dazed on the ground.
Miaomiao, unable to contain her anger, straddled the woman and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks.
"Take that for stealing my stuff!"
"Take that for stealing my stuff!"
Tong Yang nodded in satisfaction. The training results lately were decent, but more importantly, the woman was petite and malnourished—a little technique was all it took to throw her over the shoulder.
"Alright, that's enough," Tong Yang spoke up to stop it. Miaomiao immediately halted her actions, trotted over to her side, and glared fiercely at the others like a little wolf cub who had just tasted blood.
Turning back and seeing the boy standing there dumbfounded, Miaomiao bared her teeth at him. "What are you looking at... Ouch!"
Tong Yang tapped the back of her head. "Are you a dog? What's with the bared teeth?"
Miaomiao snorted, clutching her backpack tightly as she warily eyed the others.
There had been quite a few rumors lately about Tong Yang and Miaomiao. Anyone who coveted their money or thought two weak women would be easy targets had been thoroughly dealt with.
Tong Yang lowered her gaze and asked, "Do you think you could beat her?"
—Of course.
Anyone with just a bit more strength could definitely beat Miaomiao.
But this young master clearly had never been in a fight before.
Miaomiao cooperatively shot the boy a glare.
The boy looked dazed, stammering, "N-not necessarily."
Tong Yang leaned forward slightly, breaking into a radiant smile. "Since there's no way to prove everyone here is trash, how about I prove to you that not everyone here is necessarily trash?"
Tong Yang was someone who had clawed her way up from the bottom using every means possible. Back then, living in Dongyang District with Tong Le, what difference was there between them and the people in the slums?
The boy, half-convinced and half-doubting, asked, "How do you plan to prove it?"
Tong Yang looked up in the direction the vehicle had come from, pretending to ponder for a moment before saying, "I've heard it's almost impossible for people living in the slums to pass the test to enter the Common District. How about we use whether I can pass the test and enter the Common District as the proof?"
The boy showed a surprised expression. "Are you crazy?"
"I'm not crazy."
"You want to enter the Common District? You can't do it. I'm not lying to you. The last person who passed the Common District test was..."
Tong Yang shrugged. "I don't know if I can pass either. I just want to prove to you that the people in the slums aren't worthless trash."
—That's a lie.
No matter how noble it sounded, Tong Yang's real goal was to enter the Common District.
The boy seemed to have never met anyone like Tong Yang before. He stared at her for a long time before saying, "Fine, I agree. If you can pass the test and enter the Common District, from now on I'll never think of the people here as trash again."
The corner of Tong Yang's mouth lifted. "Deal?"
"Deal!"
"But you need a recommendation to take the test."
"With me here, what are you worried about?"
Tong Yang nodded, satisfied. "Then I'll leave it to you."
"Don't mention it. You're an ambitious person. I admire that."
"Thank you."
The boy suddenly remembered something. "What about my jacket..."
Tong Yang opened the backpack Miaomiao was carrying and took out the jacket.
The boy immediately sighed in relief, reaching out to take it. "Good, you haven't sold it yet..."
Tong Yang raised her arm higher. "I never said I'd just give it back. It's my property now."
The boy's mouth turned down at the corners. He took out a thick stack of cash from his bag and handed it to her.
Tong Yang exchanged the money for the goods. "Thank you."
The boy: "..."
"Heh, you're welcome."
Tong Yang held the money in her hand, asking curiously, "You mentioned earlier, who was the last person to leave the slums?"
Speaking of this person, a look of fear appeared on the boy's face. "I've never seen him, but I heard he became an officer at a very young age. His methods are especially terrifying."
"An officer..." Tong Yang narrowed her eyes, murmuring to herself.
It couldn't be the person she was imagining, could it?
"I'm leaving. See you in the Common District." Tong Yang waved the stack of bills in her hand.
Although it's unwise to flaunt wealth, since the money had been handed to her in front of everyone, there was no point in trying to hide it.
The boy glared, his frustration evident. "Nothing's even started yet!"
Tong Yang shot him a sidelong glance, then turned and walked back.
"What's your name?" the boy called out.
Tong Yang paused slightly. "Yang Tong."
"My name is—"
"I don't want to know."
The boy's face darkened. He grabbed the car door, leaning his upper body out, and shouted, "My name is Zhan Zicheng!"
Tong Yang ignored him and returned to the crowd, handing the money to Miaomiao. "Put it away."
"Okay." Miaomiao obediently took it.
Tong Yang raised her head, looking at the people around her, and said calmly, "What? Thinking of trying to take it?"
Everyone shook their heads in unison.
"No, we won't."
"Yang Tong, go for it! Get into the Common District! Prove we're not trash!"
"We're not trash! We just never had a chance!"
"You have to prove that to them!"
"We just started from a different place! How many people are born in the slums!"
"It's not that we don't contribute to society, it's that we have no way to contribute to society!"
"You have to succeed!"
...
Tong Yang looked surprised, then turned back to Zhan Zicheng, who was just like the others, and shrugged. "You see?"
Zhan Zicheng stared, nodding blankly. "I see..."
"Let's go."
Tong Yang turned her head back, putting an arm around Miaomiao's shoulders.
Miaomiao said, "Sister, if you enter the Common District, does that mean all this money is left for me?"
As she spoke, a hint of excitement flickered in the little girl's expression.
Tong Yang narrowed her eyes. She had almost forgotten her promise to Miaomiao. But she would definitely need money to enter the Common District; she couldn't leave it all for her.
Tong Yang patted her head. "Don't worry, I'll take you with me."
Hearing this, Miaomiao subtly let out a sigh of relief, a look of joy appearing on her face.
"Oh, I see."
The two returned to their dwelling. The next day, a messenger responsible for communication between the slums and the Common District found Tong Yang.
He notified her to go to Gate Two on July 15th to enter the Common District from there and participate in the test. He also issued her an identity card with no rank.
Since she didn't know what the test involved, Tong Yang had no leads. She could only go to one of the few places in the slums with electricity. Usually, this place was crowded, so she might be able to gather some information.
Arriving at a general store with Miaomiao, a news report was playing on the TV behind the counter. The shop was almost packed.
This was the only store in the slums with a TV, usually requiring payment for specific broadcasts.
"What's going on?"
As Tong Yang entered the store, hearing her voice, everyone turned around and, as if by prior agreement, stepped back to both sides, clearing a path down the middle.
Tong Yang narrowed her eyes, walked up to the counter, and looked at the TV screen.
"On July 1st, the sole heir of the Zhan family visited the slums. A woman, dissatisfied with the supplies delivered to her district, got into a dispute with him. She claimed the people of the slums are not trash, nor are they without value to society—they simply lack the opportunity to contribute. She demanded a chance to prove it from the Zhan heir..."
"Afterwards, our district reporter was honored to interview Mr. Zhan..."
Zhan Zicheng appeared on screen. Judging by his attire, the interview had likely taken place around July 1st.
"After hearing her words, I found there was some truth to them. People in the slums spend their whole lives there, with little chance to contact the outside world. They simply have no way to demonstrate their value to society. Therefore, I've decided to give her a chance. If she can successfully pass the test for the commoner district and become an ordinary citizen, I will petition my father to fund aid for the slums, appropriately providing them with some opportunities."
Zhan Zicheng's tone of voice was different from when Tong Yang had interacted with him; it was noticeably more mature and steady, as if he had rehearsed this speech several times beforehand.
"What does the Zhan Group do?"
"They research combat aircraft, and seem to dabble in some entertainment ventures too. They even invested in a TV drama before."
Tong Yang exclaimed in surprise, "They have TV dramas here?"
"Of course we do."
"Really?"
The voice from the news report continued: "Once released, the news interview immediately drew widespread attention. The test on July 15th may become the slums' only chance to receive aid."
"It is reported that our district is already making preparations for the test on July 15th."
Tong Yang frowned. That guy Zhan Zicheng, why did he have to make such a big deal out of this?
She originally had no idea what the test would entail or which direction to prepare for. Now, the entire commoner district knew about it. The test was probably going to be even harder than before.
"Don't worry, don't worry! There's more!"
The shopkeeper immediately switched to the next news item. A foreign man in a suit, with red hair and blue eyes, appeared on the screen.
"Regarding the Zhan Group's proposal to provide financial aid to the slums contingent on passing our district's test, what is your stance?"
The foreign man's gaze was cold as he looked at the camera. "Young Master Zhan is not wrong. Not everyone in the slums is trash. If that woman can prove this point, I will follow the Zhan Group's example and provide the slums with funds and other forms of assistance."
Immediately after, the shopkeeper switched to the next interview video.
Several consecutive interview videos featured exquisitely dressed, expensively clad wealthy individuals. Their statements were almost identical, as if pre-arranged.
After the interview videos ended, excitement ran high in the shop.
"Tong Yang, if you pass the test, the slums will receive aid from the affluent district! We won't have to eat this garbage anymore!"
"Maybe they'll even get electricity for every household!"
"I thought the affluent district never gave us a second glance. I never imagined they'd be willing to help us!"
"This is wonderful! Tong Yang, you absolutely must pass the test!"
"That gentleman even said he's willing to donate a school for us. The children of the slums could go to school!"
"Tong Yang, I'm sorry for laying hands on you the other day... even though you gave me a good beating..."
"Tong Yang, you are the hope of our slums!"
"We definitely won't help you!"
...
Looking at their flushed, excited faces, Tong Yang's expression remained anything but relaxed.
She had to pour cold water on their enthusiasm.
"Don't celebrate too soon."
"This is the first time people from the affluent district have ever offered to aid us!"
"Tong Yang, you should be a little happier too!"
"Even though passing the test is difficult, it's not without hope!"
"If you can pass, life in our slums will get better!"
"That's right! That's right!"
Tong Yang frowned deeply, her expression solemn. "Have the slums only existed since today?"
"Am I the only one who ever decided to try and leave the slums?"
Tong Yang disliked having baseless expectations placed upon her, but she was the one who had first brought this up.
More than that, she hated being manipulated by others.
"No..."
"But..."
Tong Yang said, "Use your brains. The slums haven't just appeared today. The fact that not everyone in the slums is trash is something the affluent district knows better than you. Only an idiot like Zhan Zicheng and you all would believe such talk."
Hearing Tong Yang's words, the crowd's expressions grew confused.
"Isn't that how it is?"
"Are you saying they don't actually intend to help us?"
"But why would they say that in the interviews?"
"We never expected to receive their aid before either?"
"Why..."
Tong Yang said, "Simple. Because they care about their image, their shiny public facade. Zhan Zicheng made this a big public spectacle. The Zhan Group stated their position, so naturally everyone else has to put on a good show for appearances too."
"So you mean, they have no intention of actually aiding us?"
"I actually believed them? They sounded so sincere..."
"Give up hope! They treat the slums as a dumping ground. Whether testing combat robots or combat aircraft, they do it all in the slums, recklessly, without ever caring if we live or die. We're not even considered worthy of living!"
"Yeah, the United Government's laws don't even recognize our existence. The slums are like livestock to them, to be slaughtered as they please."
"We even live worse than livestock. At least they get a full meal sometimes!"
...
"Tong Yang, since they've already said it publicly, but don't actually plan to aid the slums, what will happen?"
Tong Yang said gravely, "Those rich people are obsessed with saving face. They won't go back on something they've publicly stated."
"Really? So does that mean as long as you pass the test..."
"It's not that simple." Tong Yang shook her head. "They won't let me pass the test."
The interview videos were widely broadcast. Those wealthy people couldn't simply renege directly.
"They've made a promise but don't want to fulfill it. The best way is to ensure the prerequisite can never be met," Tong Yang said.
A collective gasp rose in the shop, followed by dead silence.
"Will they kill you?" one person asked, voice trembling.
"Oh heavens! And it's all for our sake..."
Tong Yang pressed her lips together. "Killing me would probably be a last resort. The first thing they'll likely do is increase the test's difficulty, ensuring I absolutely cannot pass."
Hearing this, the crowd breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's good, that's good then."
"After all, over all these years, almost no one has passed the commoner district test. Even if they didn't increase the difficulty, the chances of you passing were extremely slim anyway."
"Right, failing is failing. Your life is more important than anything."
...
Tong Yang didn't see it that way. Staying in the slums meant she could do nothing. Moreover, if she failed this test, it was likely no one would ever recommend her to participate again.
What's more, even if she failed the test, she might still end up dead in some "accident" not long after. Those people would never allow anyone to challenge their authority.
That Zhan Zicheng, more trouble than he's worth!
"Big sister, what will happen if you do pass the test?" Miaomiao asked curiously.
Tong Yang replied expressionlessly, "I'll die."
Whether she passes or fails, she'll probably die.!
