The Obligations of the Elderly - Chapter 2

This is a world of “Users” and “Vessels.”

All of humanity in this world is divided into three categories: “Users,” “Vessels,” and “Ordinary People.”

“Ordinary People” are just that-ordinary people, possessing no special abilities, living simple lives in this world, relying on their own intellect and physical strength to get by.

“Vessels” are people who can transform into certain “tools,” achieving a shift from human form to another state. Through this transformation, they gain abilities that surpass human limits.

And “Users,” as the name suggests, are those who wield the aforementioned “Vessels.” Vessels cannot utilize their abilities on their own; only in the hands of a User can their powers be unleashed. Likewise, Users cannot manifest their abilities without a Vessel.

Because of their various superhuman abilities, Vessels and Users occupy the upper echelons of human society, with Users holding the highest status of all.

The above is a brief introduction to the state of this world.

Aside from the existence of Vessels and Users, this world is not much different from others. Yet it is precisely because of them that the world has become dazzling and magnificent-a truly astonishing place!

Of course, not just any User or Vessel can easily rise above others. After all, Users are ranked according to their abilities, and so are Vessels. To become a top-tier User or Vessel, talent is key-the decisive factor. After that comes acquired learning, which is no easy feat. Fortunately, through generations of effort by Vessels and Users, research into abilities has reached a considerable level. Specialized schools for young Vessels and Users have been established everywhere, allowing them to begin systematic study from the moment they discover their uniqueness. On the first day at school, they can learn what level their abilities are classified as, such as “User,” “Controller,” and so on.

For someone like Gong Si, a teenager living in a remote town, all this is nothing short of a fairy tale.

As students at an ordinary school, they will never learn about such things, and the only Vessels and Users they might encounter are those of the lowest rank-who, aside from being slightly more convenient in certain fields, are no different from ordinary people.

Besides, they are already past the age.

The moment when Vessels and Users discover their abilities is called “Awakening.”

The latest recorded age for Awakening in history is seventeen. After that, almost no one Awakens, and even if they do, their abilities are so weak as to be indistinguishable from ordinary people-practically negligible.

Gong Si and his peers are standing right on the boundary between two worlds. Most of the students in the second year of high school are already over seventeen, which means they will most likely remain in the world of Ordinary People forever, formally accepting their identity and living out a destined, ordinary life.

Gong Si, in particular, has already stepped into the world of Ordinary People-

“Hey, both your parents are Vessels. Shouldn’t you have a chance of becoming a Vessel too?” After finishing their food and drinks and tidying up the trash, Xi Liu looked at Gong Si.

“Not at all. I’m already eighteen-couldn’t be safer.” Gong Si also cleaned up his trash, packed Xi Liu’s wrapper into his own bag, and threw it all into the trash bin.

Even in a small town, the requirements for sorting garbage are strict. If they couldn’t dispose of their trash in the bin set up by the shop, they’d have to take it home.

“What?! You’re already eighteen!?” Xi Liu’s narrow eyes widened slightly.

With a raised eyebrow, Gong Si’s face looked even fiercer-he already had a rather stern appearance.

“What, is that a problem? Is it wrong that I started school late?”

“No problem, it’s fine, no objections.” Xi Liu immediately dropped the topic.

“But I won’t let you treat me for nothing. Come to my place later-I got some new books. You like reading, right? Pick one to take home.” Gong Si had already started walking again.

Xi Liu rolled his eyes and drawled, “Can I take two?”

“No. I didn’t get that many.” Gong Si refused at once.

Xi Liu rolled his eyes back and said slyly, “Then I want to have dinner at your place-eat that braised fish you made last time, with lots of green peppers. That was delicious…”

Eye to eye, the two faced off.

In the end, Gong Si shrugged. “Lucky you, that’s fine.”

“Qiu Xia is coming back today. He wants that fish too.”

“What, so I’m just an afterthought~”

“Tch! You should be grateful you get to eat!”

“Let me tell you, I got a huge fish! Really huge-half a meter long!”

“Wow! That big? I want to see!”

This is how teenage friendship works-they can say yes or no directly, and being refused doesn’t matter. It seems nothing can shake their bond.

The world is vast, and they are just two ordinary teenagers in a small, ordinary town.

^^

At least, it seems that way.