The entire city’s traffic simultaneously ca to a standstill, with everyone’s eyes fixed on the blonde girl.
Xu Xiaoyou looked down at the councilors:
"You’re right, others are a mirror that examines the self. None of us can perceive ourselves objectively and clearly, so we need to evaluate ourselves through others’ assessnts. Others’ evaluations are indispensable, and becoming the object of others is an inevitable process for everyone."
"However, the premise is that we should use this mirror to see ourselves, not to find ourselves."
"Are we truly powerless to do anything, or are we just consciously indulging in downfall?"
"The gaze of others can evoke a sense of sha and force one to beco an object."
"But all I see is that most people live in self-deception, abandon freedom, accept labels, and even numb themselves to dependence on this sense of sha, willingly playing a role labeled by others."
"Street thug, professional mom, good-for-nothing, leftover woman—do these labels fully encompass you and erase all your brilliance?"
"Ask yourself, do you even identify with these labels?"
"No way!" the street thug girl angrily exclaid, "I wasn’t that bad in the past, it was just one mistake, and then I beca an unforgivable mistake in others’ eyes, my guardian kicked out, not allowing to step foot back ho."
"My ratings have dropped lower and lower, to hell with street thugs, I’ve never really bowed my head, I’m still working hard to make money, I’ve done all sorts of dirty and tiring work." The girl said, starting to choke up, wiping away tears, she turned her head viciously.
"Of course, I want to change myself, make myself excellent, wash away my past mistakes and greet the new day with a fresh face. I just want my life to get better, but no one has ever been willing to give a chance, they only see my label and naturally impose my dirty past on ."
"Clearly, those things I haven’t done..."
The thug girl’s choked words drew many present into deep thought.
In the corner, a young man lowered his eyes, many had told him that the skyline is beautiful, the most beautiful scene of Skyline City, overlooking the city, gazing at the faraway lakes, when you spread your arms, the wind and sunlight would embrace you.
In his impression, the skyline had always been an existence close to ’Heaven’, he wanted to see the most beautiful place at the last mont of his life.
He’s really tired,
Because he’s perfect.
In others’ eyes.
The young man’s rating is 100.
His label is "Perfect Idol."
Ever since his student days, he showed exceptional talent, and at an early age, entered Asimov University’s chanical Engineering program, his guardian and those around him harbored countless expectations for him, thanks to his outstanding appearance and witty and humorous speech, social dia packaged his persona into perfection.
No one knew that every night he practiced his expressions in front of the mirror to ensure that in public tomorrow, every curve of his smile would be perfect. He knew that once this perfect filter was broken, even the tiniest mistake would send people’s impressions of him plumting. He had no room for error, both his ntor and manager emphasized this point in his ear.
He often retched in the restroom due to anxiety, relying on dication to barely sleep, with daily sleep less than four hours, yet he still had to use makeup to appear refreshed.
He didn’t dislike being liked by people nor did he dislike perfection itself; on the contrary, he enjoyed the feeling of standing under the spotlight.
He just disliked the fact that he wasn’t, and couldn’t beco, the perfect person people anticipated him to be.
He just hated that, like a robot, he followed others’ pre-input instructions, endeavoring but inevitably his parts began to wear out.
The glass reflected his haggard self, his eyes quivered, this emaciated guy was once the high-spirited him; without makeup, not only others couldn’t recognize him, even he couldn’t recognize himself.
His gaze passed through the window, a blimp bearing his na ’Loren’ slowly flew by, with motivational words he had said himself, though he had forgotten what conviction he had when saying those words back then.
If he couldn’t beco that perfect self, then let him stay perfect forever.
The girl with the "Good Girl" label lowered her head numbly.
A ’good girl’ cannot raise pets, a ’good girl’ must groom her long hair, wear pretty little dresses, dress like a doll, a ’good girl’ must obey her guardians, and endure others’ malicious speculations and covetousness, learning to accept and submit.
A ’good girl’ should live like a ’good girl.’
People began imposing these requirents on her at so point, like a pair of invisible hands forcing her head underwater; suffocating repression made it hard to breathe, and the cold darkness made her gradually numb. With an empty shell, she greeted others with a smile, carefully testing the waters, always fearful of making mistakes. Living up to others’ expectations was so exhausting. Closing her eyes would no longer make her uneasy about the cold and dark, right?
The young man with the "Hero" label sighed, if given another chance, he would never stand up again to confront the Awakened. Having such a label, when danger arises, even in great fear, he’s the only one who can’t turn and run, he has to show up ’Heroically’ and then charge at the criminals like a hot-blooded youth, fighting all evildoers.
Damn, if a grenade rolled over, would he still have to throw his body over it?
The man with the "Rain God" label worriedly looked at the clear sky. A new concert was about to start, if it didn’t rain outside, his persona would collapse, who knows how such a label ca about...
"Most of you can stay uninvolved, pretend to be indifferent, turn a blind eye to labels, but that doesn’t an you won’t be affected, even if those who walk past you don’t make any choices, you will still be hurt by the reflection of yourself in that shattered mirror."
"This sick city is Hell, and the people in Hell aren’t influenced by others’ choices, but by existence."
"When you aim to find, rectify, kill the self, and exclude others through others’ labels, others’ silence will scream in your ears."
"No need for instrunts of torture, others are the eternal hell."
"All values are defined by others, sacrificing one’s own free will for others."
"Unable to pursue one’s own dreams, forever trapped in labels given by others, unable to love whom you want, unable to live in your own way."
"Born like a cal, bearing heavy loads, enduring all injustice, oppression, plunder, humiliated to the ground, even relinquishing the right I give you to stand."
"If this is what you desire."
Facing several RoboCops approaching her, surrounding her at the center. Xu Xiaoyou spread her hands, scattered golden glitter fell beside her, with cards of the Queen of Hearts fluttering down, her dazzling golden eyes shining within countless fractured shards.
Like one who, before making a desperate gamble, placed her life upon the betting table guided by faith in probabilities.
"Then criticize , scold , capture , and finally, kill !"
"In the na of civilization and truth, shoot at your Savior!"
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