The expedition team led by Kiramman returned, and the craftsmen, who had already packed their bags, boarded the ship one by one.
Medarda and Kiramman only needed to leave behind a few people responsible for maintenance.
As for security, it was arranged by the local authorities, with soldiers dispatched by the officials or mercenaries hired by each family.
Li Lin approached Kassadin once again, urging him to accompany him back to Piltover.
The news about Malzahar could be investigated by hiring people or sending specialized spies.
Unfortunately, this stubborn man once again refused Li Lin's proposal.
Kassadin harbored an intense hatred for the Void, vowing to never stop fighting against those twisted and corrupted creatures.
Moreover, the man who had caused the death of his beloved, the one who had subjected his daughter to over three years of hardship in the dark underground, Malzahar, still roamed free, making it difficult for him to return to a normal life.
With no other choice, Li Lin could only bring the tearful Kai'Sa aboard the ship.
As the sun rose higher, sailors began to sing cheerful tunes, and the two ships of the Kiramman family set sail.
Li Lin, Kai'Sa, and Kiramman's expedition team boarded the same ship that Li Lin had arrived on, while Jayce and the craftsmen heading to Bel'Zhun boarded the other.
Accompanied by the cries of seagulls circling in the sky, Li Lin stood with Kai'Sa at the bow of the ship, gazing into the distance where the pier gradually disappeared into the horizon.
Hearing Kai'Sa's stifled sobs, Li Lin's heart felt heavy. "Kai'Sa..."
"I'm... I'm fine..." Kai'Sa quickly wiped away the glistening tears in her eyes and looked up at Li Lin with her reddened eyes. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble."
"Don't say that," Li Lin sighed with concern.
He reached out and wiped away another tear rolling down Kai'Sa's cheek. "Actually, you could have stayed in Shurima. With the Hextech Gates, I could check on you anytime, anywhere."
Kai'Sa just shook her head slightly, forcing a faint smile on her face. "You're going to help me get rid of this armor, I can't let you run back and forth for personal reasons.
"Besides, with the Hextech Gates, I can teleport to various parts of the world in seconds. I can easily go to Piltover and come back whenever I want to see my father."
Kai'Sa sniffed twice and then turned her head to continue gazing in the direction of Nashramae, where the azure sky met the surging sea.
She lifted her chin slightly, trying not to let the tears welling up in her eyes fall again.
"Three years have passed, and if it weren't for you, I wouldn't even know that my father was still alive," Kai'Sa said firmly. "Dad said I've grown up and I'm no longer the fledgling bird who needs parental protection. It's time to spread my wings and fly freely into the boundless sky..."
Kai'Sa's tone was resolute, so much so that Li Lin felt she was forcibly comforting herself with those words.
She was just a 13-year-old girl, experiencing things far beyond the nightmares of her peers or even adults.
With such experiences, she actually needed a goal to anchor her spirit.
Before, it was for survival, for staying alive. After leaving the Void, it became about saving others.
As for now, Li Lin and Kassadin had rescued her in advance, taking her away from that lifeless salt marsh. What would her spiritual anchor become now...
Li Lin didn't know.
He only knew that Kai'Sa was a strong girl, even though she had not yet grown into the legendary "Daughter the Void" who roamed between Sai Kahleek and Icathia.
Through their previous journey in the desert, her character had already been revealed; she didn't like to reveal her feelings too much.
Apart from himself, there were no acquaintances of Kai'Sa on the ship.
The only thing Li Lin could do now was to accompany this girl, who had just reunited with her father not long ago and had fallen into loneliness again, and provide her with care and warmth.
That was what she needed most at the moment.
...
...
Children are always easy to soothe.
After the initial two days, the tears had dried up, and Kai'Sa, who had emerged from the sadness of parting with her father, became lively again.
With the addition of Kiramman's expedition team for this return voyage, the entire ship appeared much more crowded.
Kai'Sa didn't recognize these foreign and unfamiliar men who looked quite different from the people of Shurima.
Even though they behaved as gentlemen and were friendly, Kai'Sa didn't pay much attention to them.
This made Li Lin somewhat relieved.
At least he didn't have to teach Kai'Sa not to talk to strangers when they arrived in Piltover, to prevent her from being deceived and helping someone count gold coins.
Li Lin helped Sivir design and manufacture a new set of "Project Genesis: Warforged" power armor. He also gained 3 skill points, leaving him with a whopping 60 unused skill points.
On the side, he planned to use "Data Mind" to comprehend the concentrated primordial crystal he purchased in the store, hoping to obtain the blueprint for the Hextech Core.
But whether there was anything to do or not, Kai'sa kept sneaking into the captain's specially designed independent bedroom with a workspace for Li Lin.
With all her fussing around, he hardly had any time left.
As a mountain child from the desert, Kai'sa was like a fish out of water, very afraid of the vast, boundless sea.
But with Li Lin by her side, she enjoyed standing at the edge of the ship, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of the cool, moist sea breeze on her face.
Whether it was her father or Li Lin, they both gave her a sense of security.
This feeling became even stronger after leaving the void underground.
Therefore, Kai'sa stuck to Li Lin every day, pulling him to watch the sea with her.
But Li Lin was happy to be at leisure.
Since crossing into this world, such leisurely times were very rare.
He had almost forgotten the decadent times when he lay in an air-conditioned room, playing with his phone on a soft bed.
Occasional relaxation was also quite nice.
...
...
More than ten days of the journey quickly passed.
Accompanied by the mechanical gears and the slightly harsh sound of metal friction, the gates of the Sun Gate slowly opened.
The Piltover Canal merged with the sea, and after passing through layer upon layer of gates, two ships of the Kiramman family slowly docked at the Sun Gate Pier.
Kai'sa followed behind Li Lin, walking down from the wooden planks connecting the deck and the pier, her steps slightly unsteady.
Having been on a ship for the first time for so long, she had finally gotten used to the dizzying life of swaying back and forth, and now suddenly touching the ground, Kai'sa felt a bit unstable.
However, this still couldn't stop her curiosity about this bustling and strange metropolis.
Workers on the pier were bustling about, simple version power armor and humanoid robots were seen everywhere, transporting various heavy goods.
Smooth marble combined with bronze grids, mechanical gears, and shiny glass, forming an elegant and dignified architectural style.
There were also many children shuttling through the crowd or squatting on street corners, playing with wonderful little mechanical gadgets in their hands.
All of this was inseparable from various types of mechanical devices—this was a thriving and progressive metropolis.
Kai'sa, with a vacant expression, couldn't help but widen her watery purple eyes, curiously examining everything around her.
The Sun Disc brought her a grand epic-like shock, while Piltover gave her a completely different feeling.
"Is this Piltover?" Kai'sa grabbed Li Lin's wrist as he put on his power armor again, unable to help murmuring softly.
"Yes, Piltover, it's like my third hometown," Li Lin replied with a nostalgic look on his face, not answering Kai'sa's question directly.
After a pause, he smiled and lowered his head to Kai'sa, saying,
"Welcome to the City of Progress!"
(End of this chapter)
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