Most of Piltover's districts are as wide as two-way streets on Earth, and the war chariot transformed by the Tyrant Warrior is spacious enough to travel.
However, with Progress Day approaching, there are many people playing on the streets, so Li Lin simply activated the plasma engine and drove it in mid-air.
Caitlyn sat in the passenger seat, while Kai'Sa sat in the back, overlooking the entire Upper and Lower City districts and the southernmost Sun Gates.
This was their first real view of the entire city of Piltover, and their first time "soaring" in the sky.
Kai'Sa was excited, her little face pressed against the specially made explosion-proof glass window, occasionally exclaiming in surprise.
Caitlyn was also excited, but due to her aristocratic upbringing and her own reserve, she didn't react as excitedly as Kai'Sa did.
After spending over an hour, Li Lin drove the warrior around the entire city of Piltover, attracting a lot of attention, before returning to the Kiramman mansion.
Of course, all of this was part of Li Lin's plan.
A few days ago, Silco sent him a voice tube, saying that the alchemist baron Adrian's people had discovered oil in the trench mines, which was the new oil field needed by Renata to make a fortune in her refinery.
Other alchemist barons with mines are surveying this resource on their own territory, including Baron Shoola, who has also discovered this resource and is having professionals survey its reserves.
Li Lin had some ideas about this.
Regarding Renata Glasc's actions, after Progress Day, Li Lin, on behalf of Silco, submitted various criminal evidence of Renata to the Piltover Guard and received attention from Sheriff Grayson.
Especially when he learned that Renata possessed a separator weapon, which used defective Shimmer potions, and could even launch missiles.
Grayson planned to invite Li Lin and Caitlyn to participate in the operation to arrest Glasc, but he had to apply to the superiors and councilors first.
After sending Renata to prison, Li Lin could apply to acquire her refinery.
Strategic resources like oil cannot be handed over to the alchemist barons, and they also don't know the importance of oil, which could lead to a lot of waste.
After acquiring the refinery, and then acquiring the mines from the alchemist barons, both cities would at least partially break free from their dependence on Hextech, and the problem of rocket fuel for future satellite launches could also be solved.
Moreover, in the future war against the Void, when mobilizing the entire world, it would not only be intelligent combat mechs and Tyrant Mechs, but also ordinary people flying planes, tanks, and warships to defend their homes.
Plus, today Li Lin showed people the warrior's chariot form, and there would definitely be a considerable number of people interested in it.
At least in the future, the number of people buying gasoline cars and motorcycles would greatly increase.
After landing, Kai'Sa obviously still felt unsatisfied with the feeling of flying in the sky, but it was getting late and it was time to rest. She didn't say much and obediently returned to her room.
Li Lin and Caitlyn were about to indulge in some affectionate moments when a call from the University of Piltover interrupted his plan.
"Li Lin, I'm sorry to disturb you at this time, but... I really have urgent matters," Viktor said urgently on the other end of the line.
"Don't worry, take your time to explain."
"I can't explain it clearly over the phone. If possible, could you come to the academy? It's urgent."
Li Lin and Caitlyn exchanged glances and then said to Viktor on the other end of the phone, "No problem, wait for me for 5 minutes... no, 3 minutes, I'll be there immediately."
After hanging up the phone, Li Lin smiled awkwardly at Caitlyn.
He had been working tirelessly lately and hadn't had much time to spend with Caitlyn. He was a little afraid she might be upset.
But before Li Lin could say anything, Li Lin's lips were gently pressed by the slender, slightly cool fingers of Caitlyn's hand.
"No need to apologize," she said, "Progress Day is coming soon, and important matters take precedence."
She saw through Li Lin's thoughts in an instant.
"Viktor called you at this time, it must be something important, and he has helped you before. Friends should help each other, right?"
Hearing Caitlyn's words, Li Lin couldn't help but hug her slender waist and pull her into his arms, planting a kiss on her rosy lips.
"You're so considerate, darling. After Progress Day, I'll make it up to you."
"I'm looking forward to it." Caitlyn playfully winked at Li Lin, then changed the subject, "You only have two minutes left now~~"
...
...
Li Lin put on his armor and grabbed three bottles of gene-enhancing potions. Just as the last second ticked away, he arrived at Viktor's office at the university.
As soon as he entered, Viktor, wearing goggles and protective clothing, limped over with a cane.
"I'm really sorry to have you come at this time..."
"You don't need to be so polite, Viktor. Besides, with this armor, it doesn't take long to get here or back."
Li Lin opened his armor and gently placed his hand on Viktor's shoulder. "What's going on?"
Viktor smiled bitterly, "You'll see when you come."
He led Li Lin away from the office area and into the adjacent small experimental room.
On the workbench, a device resembling a Hextech core was fixed in place by mechanical arms, emitting a crystalline blue glow and pulsating with a rhythm akin to a beating heart.
Li Lin immediately recognized the device as being made of Primordial Crystal, but something seemed amiss.
Before he could open the "Data Mind" to investigate, Viktor pointed to it. "Did you hear... its singing?"
"Huh?!" Li Lin glanced at Viktor in surprise. "Singing?"
Upon hearing this, Viktor's demeanor seemed somewhat crestfallen. "Didn't you hear it either?"
"Not... Hold on. When did it start singing?"
Hearing the singing of the Primordial Crystal wasn't uncommon, considering it was the resting place of the souls of generations of Shellfolk.
Li Lin remembered that in the original timeline, it wasn't just Seraphine who heard the Primordial Crystal sing; Jayce had a similar encounter while studying it. However, unlike Seraphine, who listened attentively, Jayce didn't take it seriously at all.
Because he couldn't extract energy from the crystal, he simply chose to cut off a small piece for research and discovered the astonishing energy hidden within it.
Later, Viktor, in his mechanical ascension, seized the Primordial Crystal, and Jayce used the piece he had cut off as the power core for the "Mercury Hammer." He then descended to the Undercity and battled Viktor and his army, ultimately being forced to shatter the crystal.
This was also the starting point in the main universe when Ekko found a shard of the crystal and invented the "Z-Drive" time reversal device.
Li Lin wasn't surprised that Viktor heard the Primordial Crystal sing.
"It was this afternoon..." Viktor hesitated for a moment. "According to the plan, I was going to the laboratory after finishing the core power device to install it on the discarded robot I found in the sewers."
He sat down on the nearby chair, holding his face in his hands. "But as soon as it was completed, I heard this inexplicable singing. I felt very strange and asked Skye, but she didn't hear anything."
"Eventually, I realized the sound was coming from this Primordial Crystal."
Li Lin fell silent for a moment. "Can you describe the singing?"
"It was a language I had never heard before. I can't describe it specifically, but I felt it was filled with epic and tragic feelings..."
Viktor hummed the melody he had heard to Li Lin, which was somewhat similar to what he had heard in Nashramae, but the tunes were quite different.
"Since hearing its song, I first consulted Professor Heimerdinger, but he said such occurrences were normal and not worth much attention...
"After that, I went to the library and browsed through the limited information, only to find that it was something related to a race called the Brackern in Shurima."
Viktor's tone was full of dilemma. "I suspect that this crystal might be something very important to the Shellfolk."
Your guess is correct.
Li Lin answered in his mind, simultaneously activating the "Data Mind" to take a look at the status of the device in front of him.
Fortunately, this crystal wasn't directly mined from a Shellfolk, which proved that it was currently ownerless.
"It seems I've discovered a secret that everyone else has overlooked. I feel... we shouldn't use it anymore."
"Can you change the minds of the councilors?"
At Li Lin's question, Viktor hesitated for a moment. "Do you mean..."
"Now, even Professor Heimerdinger advocates for the use of the Primordial Crystal. Although I'm more inclined to think that he also doesn't understand the Shellfolk and the Primordial Crystal.
"The Primordial Crystal has a significant role in the development of Piltover. With our current influence, we can't sway the minds of the councilors, can we?"
"But..." Viktor wanted to refute something, but what Li Lin said was indeed reasonable.
He fell silent, his expression reflecting deep contemplation.
After a moment, he pursued, "What if we find an alternative energy source?"
"Oil, first discovered by Glasc Industries, and recently the Chem-Barons have found new oil fields."
"Perhaps we can..."
Li Lin shook his head, directly interrupting Viktor. "But have you considered that the energy provided by a single Primordial Crystal far exceeds that of oil? What right do you have to ask the councilors to give up such a precious resource?"
Viktor fell silent again, his face showing signs of contemplation. "I seem to understand what you mean."
He leaned on his cane, stood up from the chair, walked to the workbench, and deactivated the device, holding the core device pulsating with heart-like rhythms in his hand.
"Professor Heimerdinger doesn't understand politics and has almost no influence among the councilors, but banning the use of the Primordial Crystal most requires influence.
"We need to have tangible achievements first, so that the councilors will value our opinions enough... In this way, we can help the magical race that has existed since ancient times."
Li Lin nodded, a smile appearing on his face. "I've been thinking like this since seeing these Primordial Crystals in Shurima."
"Then let's go install the core for the machine first..."
"Hold on."
Li Lin stopped the eager Viktor and took out three bottles of Gene Enhancement Potion from the recessed groove of the armor.
"You should drink this first."
(End of Chapter)