There have always been accusations against the injustice of the foster home system, where ordinary families privately raising children can be sentenced to countless years of consciousness imprisonment. Yet those from the families of Withered Flower and Lindong, two mountains pressing on people's heads, openly implement aristocratic education within their family, with every successor to the family business coming from internal family members.

These words never stirred up much in the online world; the homeless only disdain those more affluent than themselves and don't dare to look up at those lofty figures.

Whenever public opinion fermented, the city's radio stations and media companies under the family's banner would throw out some sensational stories, and the matter would pass.

Even for those individuals who, through their efforts, reached the elite class, nobody would truly be foolish enough to crash through the giant web jointly woven by these two behemoths with their own power. Upon reaching such heights, they naturally know better than ordinary people what to say and what not to say.

Thus, such distorted policies and systems continue to be implemented lawfully in the Star of Art, permeating every corner of the city and extending into every aspect of life.

Ventel's chest heaved vigorously, finally letting out a muffled groan, unable to say a single word.

Everyone also stopped their actions, acutely aware that everything in the present could be considered Heaven's punishment on them.

At that moment, everyone's gaze fell uniformly on the stage, focused on the blue-haired girl.

"Wasn't the word 'art' supposed to be beautiful from the start?"

"Just like 'On Art,' the first book of enlightenment for everyone here stated."

"Art is the fountain of human wisdom, the pursuit of beauty, the repository of all emotions, a means to express emotions, concepts, and realities creatively, making the world a better place."

"But looking at it now, has it truly brought us beauty? In other words, did people really pursue art out of a yearning for beauty?"

Tang Xin recalled many memories sealed by ice and snow, the time after leaving the Melancholy Girl Band, seeing that man on the street, wearing only a thin shirt, covered in snow, clearly impoverished, yet not begging, merely longing for someone to stop and applaud the tune he played.

She could not forget the gray eyes of the man when she offered him warm food.

"On my journey of growth, I've seen many such people, very ordinary, shivering in the icy cold, with fingers turning blue and purple due to frostbite, hoping for the recognition of others, wishing someone would stop to applaud their music..."

Behind the curtain, a girl covered her face and cried upon hearing these words, having just received the evaluation result for the month, heading to the capsule apartments of the Life Daylight Rescue Bureau. Next month, she would likely move to the Piano Key District, perhaps never to return.

She thought of the video she had just posted on Curtain Online, playing the tune she practiced day and night countless times, yearning for a sliver of sympathy, but what she got was ridicule, people thinking her poor musical sense justified her banishment to the Piano Key District.

People silently lowered their heads as Tang Xin's voice not only echoed in that grand theater, the ultimate stage countless people yearned for, but also reverberated in every corner of the city.

An ordinary bakery owner looked at the freshly baked loaf, heard a customer's urging voice, fell into contemplation, recalling his ambitious self when he left the Starry Arts Academy, compared to the ordinary person he is now, a bitter smile creeping onto his lips.

Before the tram entered the station, people saw the man frozen into a sculpture in the snow, holding a guitar in his arms...

The girl's words resonated with many, her speech depicted the majority of ordinary people, for whom the word art is close, integrated into all facets of life, yet so far, hanging in the sky unreachable.

They can only watch their once spirited selves buried among the crowd, naturally gifted people easily leaving them far behind. Later, even if they resisted, even feeling pain and disgust for art, they would still have to hold their noses and engage in artistic creation to prove to society that they were not anomalies.

People couldn't help but ponder why the city was so absurd.

"You really have no right to speak these words!" Someone shouted at Tang Xin from below the stage, "You who was pampered since childhood in a family, what do you understand?"

"With nothing but childish idealism in your mind, have you ever stood in our shoes to view the problems, ever left your own greenhouse?"

"Don't forget your surname, Savia Lindong!"

These words seemed to awaken everyone, people quickly returned from empathy to coldness, even casting hostile glances at the girl.

Tang Xin met the scrutinizing gaze of the people, showing no retreat: "Senior Malfoy, since you brought up my words, do you know what happened in the Piano Key District two days ago?"

All eyes were on the youth below the stage. He was a member of the student council, and his previous loud questioning was meant to catch the attention of Starry Gallery's board members.

Who would have thought the girl directly called out his name and questioned him.

"Well, this... what could have happened... just a small earthquake." The youth replied in a lowered voice.

"Seems 'most people' don't know the truth." Tang Xin took a deep breath and said words that made everyone's body tremble.

"The 'Artist' descended in the Piano Key District two days ago."

"Coincidentally, due to donating funds, I was on site at the time, you can check the news from two days ago."

The audience was in an uproar; the 'Artist' was undoubtedly a threat hung over everyone's heads, a topic that made people tremble, such a significant event, yet most of them hadn't heard a peep, all news controlled by the upper tiers just claiming it was an ordinary earthquake.

People couldn't help but feel fear for the invisible information cocoon built over their heads.

"See, she admitted it. She was only there due to donating funds, who doesn't know that's a common 'gold plating' tactic used by family politicians? This hypocritical person has showed her tail!" Malfoy, holding decisive evidence, looked around seeking approval from those around him.

"She's just a..."

Amid gazes of shock, Tang Xin removed her gloves, unwrapped the medical bandage around her neck, revealing severely damaged skin, hundreds of cameras focused, and people finally saw the hideous bullet hole through the girl's neck.

[: My God...]

[: So, Miss Savia was injured like this on the island...]

[: Doesn't anyone know, Miss Savia grew up in the Iris Foster Home in the Piano Key District?]

"I'm sorry, I was born at the Iris Foster Home in the Piano Key District and grew up there."

"As for these ugly scars, could they serve as a symbol of the hardships I've been through?"

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