Gacha games can't save this bizarre world.

Naturally, some countries set their sights on that densely populated and prosperous land in East Asia. After all, the idea that that country, which had existed for over a thousand years, was rich in gold is a traditional European folktale.

As a result, all the foreign powers were soundly defeated by the Song Dynasty, let alone expand into its markets. Even the combined British and American fleets, which attempted to enter the Japanese market, were brutally defeated by their suzerain state, the Song Dynasty! This event is known as the Black Ships Incident.

For nearly a century, various powers thought themselves invincible, only to receive a bloody lesson from the Song Dynasty. The fact that the Song Dynasty's military strength was so formidable that it could not be defeated by force has become a consensus in Europe and America.

In this context, Song people living abroad naturally held a high social status. Anyone with a powerful backer would not be reduced to being arbitrarily beaten and verbally abused in the streets, becoming the lowest member of the social hierarchy.

Of course, no matter where you are, there are always some people who like to explore, and the Song Dynasty was no exception.

Although the government rarely paid attention to the outside world, it did not prohibit civilian exchanges. Many Song people still traveled abroad for various reasons.

For example, wasn't there a recent movement within the Song Dynasty to "reform the parliamentary system"? Many reformers failed and were forced to wander outside the capital. Others, who were struggling in their hometowns and longed to venture out, were forced to leave their homes for various reasons.

Japan, Korea, and the vassal states of Southeast Asia are generally good destinations. Some people also travel across the ocean to America or Europe!

I heard that the earliest Song people to arrive in Ameriko were already there during the westward expansion movement in the last century.

Moreover, they came in a group, and there were quite a few of them.

It is even said that the reason some Native Americans survived was because they later allied with the Song people, ultimately holding onto the west coast and several nearby inland states, allowing several large tribes to join the United States of America as a "nation"...

In short, the people of the Song Dynasty generally fared quite well. Although their neighborhoods couldn't compare to those famous ones, they weren't bad either. At least they were safe enough. They could be considered elite neighborhoods among the poor.

However, Zhao Hao's home is not near Songren Street because the housing prices there are already very high.

For some unknown reason, his mother brought Zhao Hao, who was only five years old at the time, to America. Although they had some money, they couldn't find a place to stay in Song People's Street, so they had to buy a small house in the relatively safe suburbs.

Property prices in Liberty City vary wildly depending on the area. In the most expensive spots, a bathroom can cost more than a house in a remote location—a typical example of capitalism!

What? You're saying it's not just a characteristic of capitalism?

Someone, check his tax records!

There are very few office buildings in Queens, and even the buildings along the street are mostly two or three stories high, with a maximum of five stories.

More common are rows of single-story houses with courtyards, spread out like pancakes. Not to mention that Zhao Hao's place is in the suburbs, where land prices are cheap.

Upon arriving at the station, Zhao Hao saw rows of food carts lining the street, selling sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and rice bowls, much like the pancake and hand-pulled pancake stalls near the station in his previous life.

A mixture of various aromas wafted into Zhao Hao's nostrils, ravaging his shrunken stomach.

buy!

Zhao Hao searched all his pockets and found more than forty daggers! That's more than enough!

He bought enough food for three people. He was so hungry that he ate as he walked, finishing two hot dogs and a large hamburger before he could barely fill his stomach.

I don't know if it's because my physical condition has improved, but my appetite has increased significantly.

After walking for another ten minutes or so, we finally returned to the community, and could see the rooftops of our own houses in the distance.

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Chapter 11 The Neighbors and the Destiny Card System

The journey home was so difficult! The sun was about to set!

Not only did I get lost on the subway and bus, but I also witnessed a thrilling gunfight. It was just too awesome!

Walking on the somewhat aged, cracked, and pitted asphalt road in the community, and looking at the old-fashioned streetlights with peeling paint on both sides of the street, Zhao Hao felt a sense of relaxation.

Although this community is remote and old, the people are quite nice, and the atmosphere is good. There are no drug addicts, alcoholics, or psychopaths; the residents are a simple mix of ordinary people.

Most of the houses here are painted white or in warm colors, with one or two stories and pitched roofs with attics. They all have large gardens in front of and behind them, since land isn't worth much.

Even if you walk along this path, you'll encounter a large forest in about ten minutes.

Zhao Hao has even spotted raccoons, squirrels, and stray cats in his backyard on multiple occasions, making him a true role model for being close to nature.

Zhao Hao walked to his small courtyard. The white wooden fence was sparse. It was painted three years ago after the original owner's mother passed away, and now it had faded.

Pushing open the low wooden gate, the front yard was a small courtyard of about 100 square meters. According to the traditions of the Song Dynasty, it was a crime to have a yard and not grow some vegetables. So half of it was lawn and some perennial woody plants, and the other half was simply planted with some vegetables.

Of course, the original owner's skills were a bit rusty, and she couldn't say she grew very well, but compared to the neighbors' yards which only had lawns and flowers, it was already quite good.

Seeing every blade of grass and every tree in front of him evoked many memories for Zhao Hao.

He stood in the courtyard, not following the path, but constantly looking around, sorting through the churning memories in his mind.

Originally, she came to Americo with her mother when she was 5 years old, settled down here when she was 6, and has now lived in this house for 13 years.

Now that the original owner of this body is gone, everything Zhao Hao sees looks familiar, and he is overcome with nostalgia whenever he sees it.

Just as he was lost in his memories of the past, a clear and sweet voice suddenly appeared, carrying a hint of surprise.

"Brother Zhao! You're back!"

Zhao Hao turned his head and saw a pretty white girl leaning over and waving at him from behind the 1.5-meter-high wooden wall.

Light blue eyes, exquisite features, fair skin, smiling eyes, and long black hair shimmering in the sunset, exuding the purity, naturalness, and vitality unique to young girls...

Zhao Hao's memory automatically surfaced—this was Elena, the eldest daughter of the Adams family, their neighbors.

The Adams family, who are neighbors, have a good relationship with Zhao Hao's family and take good care of him.

Mr. Adams is originally from Ireland and now works as an antique dealer at an auction house.

He had helped Zhao Hao find his part-time job in mechanical manufacturing. This greatly reduced the financial burden that had been placed on Zhao Hao after his mother's death.

His wife, Mrs. Sara, is Polish and a highly skilled seamstress who owns a small ready-made clothing shop and also accepts custom orders.

She has a unique talent for clothing design and is also a great cook, often sending Zhao Hao food such as pies.

The beautiful Elena is their eldest daughter, a talented dancer, 16 years old this year, and they have always had a good relationship.

They also have a young son, Hughman, who is only 5 years old.

This family was also an immigrant; they moved here three years later than Zhao Hao's family, and have been neighbors for ten years.

……

"Hi, good evening, Elena," Zhao Hao greeted her in the same way he always had.

Elena tilted her head and stared at Zhao Hao for a few moments, seemingly puzzled, but quickly smiled and asked, "You seem a little different... How was it? Did you have fun at the party?"

Zhao Hao was taken aback. What a perceptive girl!

"Uh, it's alright, it's pretty good."

I fought several big and small monsters, and even had a second encounter with the twin sisters. It was a nightmare that I had to close my eyes every time I wanted to!

Elena seemed to sense that Zhao Hao wasn't happy, and whispered to comfort him, "Don't pay attention to those people. You're much better than them. They're just jealous of you!"

Because of her hard work in school, the original owner of this body was out of place with many of her classmates.

After all, America started its so-called "happy education" more than a decade ago, resulting in a rather alarming level of education available to the lower classes and their attitudes toward education.

They often consider those who study hard but are not enthusiastic about interpersonal relationships and sports to be "bookworms".

The children of the upper class receive a high-quality education from a young age and are taught to work hard, while the children of the lower class become happy.

Coupled with high university tuition fees and expensive textbooks, the phenomenon of educational monopoly is becoming increasingly rampant.

As a result, the lower classes are often ignorant, superstitious, anti-intellectual, and prone to conspiracy theories...

To this day, more than half of Americans still believe that humans were created by God, one-third believe that vaccines are harmful (for reasons, of course), and one-fifth believe that the Earth is flat...

It's just a policy of keeping the people ignorant!

In this atmosphere, Zhao Hao, who was studying hard at a public high school for ordinary people, became an outlier.

While they weren't exactly bullied, they were definitely not well-liked.

But Elena, only 16 years old, often comforted him. What a beautiful and kind-hearted girl!

Zhao Hao laughed and said, "Of course, I won't bother with those people. I don't have time for that!"

Although Elena didn't know what "Amei Time" meant, she could tell that Zhao Hao really didn't care, so she looked at him with a smile.

Seeing Zhao Hao standing outside the fence without saying a word, Elena quickly said, "Shuman~ didn't you want Brother Zhao to help you fix your toy car? Why don't you come over quickly? Brother Zhao hasn't had dinner yet!"

Zhao Hao glanced down at the food bag in his hand and thought that this little girl was really thoughtful.

A little boy climbed onto a wooden crate, poked his head out from the wooden wall, and held up his electric scooter, saying, "Zhao Hao, my scooter is broken again. Can you fix it for me?"

The little boy's name is Hughman, Elena's younger brother.

In my memory, Zhao Hao seemed to help Xiumanxiu fix various toys every now and then. This little guy was simply a toy destroyer!

Elena chopped Hughman on the head with a chop, "How rude! You should call him Brother Zhao Hao!"

Little Hughman, his face contorted with the characteristic anger of a spoiled little brother, cried out, "Brother Zhao Hao..."

But faced with his sister who was 11 years older than him, he wisely chose to give in.

"Haha, okay, leave it to me. Keep it with me for now, and I'll return it to you in perfect condition tomorrow!"

Just a few hours ago, he had experienced a bizarre and unsettling event, but now this display of "affection" between the siblings had greatly eased Zhao Hao's mind.

There are still more ordinary people in this world. This gave him a sense that he was still alive.

"Oh, as you can see, I haven't had dinner yet, and I'm starving! I'm heading back now, see you tomorrow~"

"See you tomorrow," Elena said sweetly.

Under her sister's watchful gaze, Hugh waved her little hand and said, "Goodbye, Brother Zhao Hao."

When Zhao Hao entered the house, Hughman rolled his eyes at his loving sister and asked, "Elena, why do you always break my car and make me constantly bother Brother Zhao Hao to fix it?"

Elena's pretty face flushed slightly in the sunset. She didn't speak, but simply shook her white fist.

Hughman, looking frustrated, climbed down from the wooden crate and ran away.

The elder sister's authority was undeniable!

Hughman: "Ugh! Mom~~~ I don't want this sister anymore, you and Daddy, please get me another sister!"

……

The house is simple, with five or six rooms and a low attic.

Although the furniture and decorations were a bit old, Zhao Hao felt a sense of familiarity with everything, as each item held memories.

At that time, America was still quite advanced and developed. Even a family like Zhao Hao's had a small refrigerator and a 24-inch color TV, which they had bought five years earlier on the secondhand market for $130.

There was a landline phone, a washing machine, an electric iron, a gas stove, an oven, and a radio... but of course, no computer.

These days, you haven't heard of personal computers yet. It seems only some large companies have those big terminals that need a dedicated room to house them. After all, it's 1978.