In the blink of an eye, three to four months had passed, bringing the season close to midsummer. Li Lin, having concluded a busy morning, returned home from the academy.
A month prior, the colossal "Gaboga Fist," nearly as tall as a person, had been completed. This ultimate weapon of the Gaboga mecha wasn't what one might expect. It was a long-range weapon that, through a "dimensional transmission device," could deliver a full-powered punch directly to the enemy's face.
According to Li Lin's vague memories of the original Arad world, the incomplete Gaboga, which had not found a suitable power source, required 70% of its total energy for one full-powered punch. If perfected, this mechanical giant's strike could not be withstood, even by gods.
However, this was based on the prototype Gaboga from the Arad world. The Gaboga developed by Piltover University might struggle against celestial warriors or demigods. Yet, if Li Lin could advance the theories of runic technology and imbue this mecha with various magical runes, it might stand a chance against a demigod.
The AI's data tests showed that the fusion reactor-powered Gaboga Fist could pierce Piltover's cliff, potentially erasing the city-state and Zaun from history. This exceeded Li Lin and Heimerdinger's expectations, filling them with excitement.
But these data points were purely theoretical. The Gaboga mecha wasn't yet completed, preventing practical experiments. And no, the experiment wouldn't involve smashing Piltover with one punch.
As of today, the Gaboga was nearly finished, with only the body assembly remaining. Soon, Piltover's first mecha—the Mechanical Giant Gaboga—would be fully operational.
By midday, Li Lin had removed his armor and left the workshop, heading to the dining room of the main house. Lunch was almost ready, and Caitlyn was already there, sipping tea and reading the newspaper.
Li Lin sat beside Caitlyn and gave her a quick peck on the cheek in front of the servants, prompting her to raise an eyebrow and give him a mock glare. Despite the show of disapproval, she didn't seem genuinely bothered.
The servants, accustomed to such displays, pretended not to notice.
"There are people around; behave," she said.
"They won't mind," Li Lin replied with a sly smile, swiftly changing the subject. "Is Lady Cassandra and Mr. Tobias not here?"
"They have a social engagement, discussing a refrigerator production deal with the Torek family, who primarily produce Hextech cooling devices," Caitlyn answered with a hint of resignation, her eyes finally meeting his.
"Are you done with your work today?" she asked.
"More or less. Gaboga is in the final assembly stage. With Jayce and Viktor there, I can relax a bit."
Li Lin took Caitlyn's well-maintained hand, noting how soft it was despite her constant handling of firearms.
"I can spend the afternoon with you."
"Who wants your company?" she retorted, but the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her true feelings.
Today, Kai'Sa had arranged to practice singing with Orianna and Seraphine in the southern suburbs and wouldn't return until evening. Previously, Seraphine had showcased her vocal talent and knowledge from the academy, prompting the girls to ask for her guidance.
With a prior adventure in Zaun and the assurance of Kai'Sa's "power armor," Orianna's father, Corin, allowed his daughter to venture to Piltover's outskirts, provided she wasn't alone.
This meant Li Lin and Caitlyn had rare time alone together.
"I heard Piltover Grand Theatre is showing a silent play this afternoon, a satire of Baron Darkwill called 'The General.' Would you like to see it?"
"Silent play?" Caitlyn looked intrigued. "What's that?"
Busy with cases involving Hextech smuggling, possibly linked to Noxus, Caitlyn hadn't kept up with recent news. She was catching up via the "Piltover Daily" instead of her favorite detective novels.
"You know the television I invented? Oh, and the camera."
"Yes, the device similar to a computer? And the camera, which I understand functions like a Hextech camera but captures continuous footage instead of single photos."
Caitlyn paused, "But I don't see the point of that television, and you've been so secretive about it."
Her tone held a hint of frustration.
Li Lin smiled slightly. "Actually, a silent play, also known as a movie, involves capturing actors' performances with a camera and then replaying these dynamic images in theaters or on TV screens."
"It's somewhat similar to live theater but is recorded and edited behind the scenes, allowing for more creative freedom. I wanted to surprise you."
Caitlyn blinked her sapphire-blue eyes, a flicker of interest lighting up her gaze.
"I'm very interested..." she began, but then a thought occurred to her. "But isn't this play a premiere? Can you even get tickets?"
"Of course. I invented the theater screen, wrote the script, and funded the production. There's no way I wouldn't have tickets for the premiere," Li Lin replied with a chuckle. "I wanted to surprise you, so of course, I made sure everything was ready."
The movie's premiere was at 2 PM. Piltover Grand Theatre was near Unseen Square, just a few blocks from Kiramman Manor, making it a short walk.
Since this was Piltover's first-ever movie premiere and a date for Li Lin and Caitlyn, they each went to their rooms to get ready after lunch.
As the time approached 1:40 PM, they left the house hand in hand, drawing envious glances from passersby, and arrived at Piltover Grand Theatre. The theater manager escorted them to the Kiramman family's private box on the third floor.
Li Lin had also arranged for Caitlyn's favorite desserts and milk tea to be provided in the box, much to her delight.
The theater's stage had been modified, with a roll-down projection screen installed on the back wall. The audience, gathered for the premiere, buzzed with excitement, aware that they were about to witness Piltover's first film.
Even Councilors Salo and Hoskel were present for this historic event.
As the clock struck, the theater's lights dimmed, and silence fell. The film "The General," a satire of Noxus's former emperor Boram Darkwill, began to play. Inspired by Li Lin's favorite Chaplin movie "The Great Dictator," it humorously depicted Darkwill's absurd actions and the wars he initiated in Ionia, Freljord, and Shurima.
While the film did not overtly malign Noxus, as it was based on true events, it still mocked Darkwill, indirectly ridiculing Noxus. But with Li Lin's current influence, he had little fear of retaliation from Noxus. Moreover, with Noxus embroiled in internal strife, and given Swain's pragmatic nature, such a satire would likely be brushed off as inconsequential.
The film lasted less than an hour, but the theater was filled with continuous laughter and applause. When the credits rolled, the audience erupted in cheers.
To avoid the ensuing chaos, Li Lin whisked the still-laughing Caitlyn out of the theater and to Piltover's most luxurious Ionian-style teahouse in the northern district, where they savored aromatic tea grown in magical soil.
For the next couple of hours, Caitlyn nestled in Li Lin's arms as he regaled her with tales of "Ionia," which were actually stories from Earth, adapted to fit their world.
Their private time lasted until dusk when the sun dipped below the horizon. Li Lin had planned to end the day with a romantic candlelit dinner, but an urgent message from Zaun required his immediate attention.
A strange phenomenon had been discovered in a petroleum-producing mine: granite that moved like a living creature, terrifying the workers.
Caitlyn understood the importance of the mines to Li Lin and the Kiramman family, as well as the many workers' safety. She canceled the dinner plans, urging Li Lin to go to the mine and investigate.
(End of the Chapter)
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