Li Lin switched a dozen Storms and Dawnlights to high-altitude tracking mode.
He greeted Jayce, who had just come down from another ship and still had matters to attend to, and then left the pier with Kai'Sa.
It had been almost half a year since Li Lin had last returned to Piltover, and there were quite a few differences compared to his memories.
Not only had the Sun gate Pier been put into use in large numbers with its simplified version of powered armor, but the city's appearance had also changed significantly.
Rows of utility poles had been erected on both sides of the roads, and the alchemical technology street lamps that had been glowing continuously with chemical agents had been transformed into normal electric lights.
On the streets, especially in the southern districts, many citizens had chosen to ride bicycles, a far greater number than when Li Lin had left Piltover.
He even noticed some well-dressed citizens wearing rough versions of mechanical wristwatches on their wrists, indicating that they were no longer limited to circulation among the upper-class nobility.
On the way back to the Kiramman estate in the northern district, Li Lin and Kai'Sa attracted the attention of many people.
On one hand, most people had heard of Li Lin's name and knew that he liked to wear a distinctive "Hextech" powered armor when going out.
Even though he had disappeared for a few months, the citizens hadn't forgotten him. Instead, more people wanted to meet this young craftsman from the rising Kiramman family to see what kind of person he was.
After all, Li Lin had previously tried to promote the reputation of the Kiramman family in Zaun, and it was impossible for Piltover not to know about such news.
Just in the past few months, the Piltover Daily Personal Wealth Ranking had reported on Li Lin more than once.
With over a dozen patents and inventions, his personal wealth had long ranked among the top 10 in Piltover, even surpassing the investment tycoon Yabus Ferros of the Ferros family, ranking only two places behind the "King of Inventions" Corwin Reveck .
He just didn't know it yet.
As for Kai'Sa, most people were curious about the somewhat unusual "armor" she wore, especially the cheek pouches faintly emitting purple light on her shoulders.
However, the ordinary citizens of Piltover basically knew nothing about the legends of the Void, so they naturally didn't associate Kai'Sa with "monsters," but instead regarded her armored skin as Hextech technology.
Kai'Sa didn't understand their curious gazes; she felt uncomfortable being stared at like this.
She subconsciously grabbed Li Lin's forearm and drew closer to him.
"Don't be afraid, they mean no harm," Li Lin noticed Kai'Sa's unease and turned back to comfort her softly, "They're just curious about the armor you're wearing."
Kai'Sa opened her mouth, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
After a few seconds, she finally spoke with a somewhat melancholic tone, "But... I'm from the Void..."
"It's okay, no one will see you as a monster," Li Lin gently patted her shoulder, interrupting her, "They'll only see your armor as Hextech technology."
Kai'Sa pursed her pale lips, her gaze somewhat conflicted as she glanced around at the people nearby.
Suddenly, she realized that these people, dressed in various colors and even looking a bit "strange," were indeed as Li Lin had said, showing no signs of disgust or fear.
The only expressions on their faces were admiration and curiosity, and most of them were staring at Li Lin... just like how the Nashramaeans looked at Nasus.
But why?
Kai'Sa didn't quite understand.
But as her gaze returned to Li Lin, she suddenly noticed a problem:
When returning to Piltover, he could have chosen not to wear powered armor.
Kai'Sa's pupils slightly contracted as she realized his intentions.
He deliberately wore mechanical armor to make me seem less conspicuous and abrupt, so that people would think my skin was also a product of technology...
Kai'Sa's heart warmed.
Li Lin was unaware of her wonderful misunderstanding.
Although he did have the intention of taking care of Kai'Sa, wearing powered armor was more of a habit for him, just for self-protection.
After all, fame brings trouble.
Even though Piltover was not one hundred percent safe, many enforcers in the city were influenced by various families, and a considerable portion of them were corrupt.
Apart from elite enforcers, there were few clear streams like Sheriff Grayson in Piltover's law enforcement.
Kai'Sa imagined the reasons, her nervous mood gradually relaxed and gradually turned into curiosity, "Are you very famous in Piltover?"
"Sort of," Li Lin smiled, "If I had to say, I still can't compare to the reputation your father had in Bel'Zhun."
"But Dad told me that Bel'Zhun's scale can't compare to Piltover, right?" Kai'Sa blinked her moist eyes, "And, isn't the Kiramman family you're in, a family of councilors?"
Realizing something suddenly, Kai'Sa pouted discontentedly, "Are you lying to me?"
"How could that be? What would I gain from lying to you?" Li Lin chuckled helplessly, "I've been away from Piltover for a few months, and because of my unstable location, I can only write to my family. I didn't know about all these changes here."
Kai'Sa still wore a skeptical expression. "Really? But they seem to admire you..."
"That's what confuses me too."
Li Lin thought for a moment, then took Kai'Sa to a newsstand to check out the latest newspapers.
What surprised him, however, was that the owner of this newsstand, a man who looked at least forty or fifty years old and was as stout as Benso, turned out to be his "biggest fan"...
Just as Li Lin stepped up to the newsstand, the owner got so excited that he knocked over his chair and exclaimed in an incredulous tone, "You, are you Mr. Li?"
"Um... yes."
Li Lin was taken aback, not expecting the owner to even distinguish between his first and last names.
The last person who called me Mr. Li was probably Katarina's sister, Cassiopea, who I completely obliterated in Azir's tomb, leaving nothing behind...
He thought to himself silently.
"Is it really you?!" The newsstand owner clenched his fist excitedly. "Your inventions are truly magnificent!"
Li Lin felt Kai'Sa's gaze piercing him from behind and couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed. "You flatter me..."
"No, no, it's true! Your powered armor and the widespread electricity to every household... And this!" The owner pointed to a black, crudely made metal landline phone on the table.
Kai'Sa, who was behind Li Lin, stepped forward and looked at the oddly shaped landline phone, raising an eyebrow. "What's this?"
"It's called a telephone, it allows two people from opposite ends of the city, or even from the depths of the Undercity, to talk to each other! It's simply amazing! I've made quite a bit of money with this thing!"
The owner recognized that Kai'Sa wasn't a citizen of Piltover and noticed her good relationship with Li Lin, so he immediately put on a big smile and explained in broken Shuriman.
Clearly, he used to be a transnational merchant before the war broke out a few years ago.
As soon as he heard this, Kai'Sa's mood suddenly became excited. "Really? Is this magic? Can I use it to talk to my father?"
"...Well, not for now."
Li Lin couldn't bear to dampen Kai'Sa's enthusiasm.
But sometimes, things are just the way they are, you can't change that.
"It's connected to the telephone exchange via telephone lines, then the operators connect the desired numbers through the switchboard..."
"Wow... it feels so magical."
Li Lin fell silent for a moment.
He completely forgot that Kai'Sa's education only went as far as being able to recognize characters, so she naturally wouldn't understand these relatively new terms and professional jargon.
"In simple terms, to make a call with it, you have to use this line." Li Lin pointed to the telephone line plugged into the landline phone. "But the length of this line is limited, and Piltover is too far from Shurima, so it can't connect there."
"I see..." Kai'Sa seemed somewhat disappointed.
"But don't worry, I'll design a telephone that can make remote calls without wires, which will allow you to talk to your father."
This time, it was not Kai'Sa who exclaimed, but the newsstand owner, "Really?!"
His expression was shocked, then he suddenly realized that this seemed like a trade secret, and immediately restrained his expression, sneakily glanced around.
"This is your next research direction?" The owner leaned on the table, got closer to Li Lin, and covered his mouth with his hand, lowering his voice as much as possible.
Seeming afraid of being misunderstood by Li Lin, he quickly added, "You can rest assured, I'm just curious and want to understand, I won't leak this out!"
"Well... yes."
Li Lin nodded, not intending to conceal anything in this matter.
Anyway, the most important thing about mobile phones is the signal base station, even if this kind of thing leaks out, other families won't be able to research anything.
The technology of wireless radio is completely controlled by the Kiramman family, and only some basic component production is cooperated with other families.
Those who have ulterior motives don't even understand the principle of wireless radio, yet they want to research mobile phones?
Li Lin could only tell them with three words: In your dreams.
"I almost forgot about the main thing." Li Lin shook his head, putting aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind. "Give me a newspaper."
"Sure thing!" The newsstand owner smiled brightly, his chubby cheeks trembling a few times, "Do you want the latest one?"
Li Lin thought for a moment, "Do you have any newspapers about me recently?"
"Yes! Of course! I've kept a collection of newspapers about you for the past few months!"
The newsstand owner's eyes lit up, and he immediately bent down, laboriously moved a blue Hextech Technology box from under his feet, unlocked it with a key, and took out a stack of newspapers from inside.
Wow, you're using a Hextech box to store newspapers about me...
Isn't that a bit extravagant?
Li Lin instinctively took a step back, feeling a bit intimidated by this newsstand owner.
"Take a look, these issues of the daily newspaper all have descriptions about you. You're currently ranked 7th on the personal wealth list in Piltover!"
The owner handed a newspaper from two months ago to Li Lin.
He took it with a skeptical attitude, casually flipped through it, and was dumbfounded, "When did I become so wealthy?!"
(End of this chapter)
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