In the blink of an eye, it was already lunchtime.
Li Lin and Caitlyn headed straight to the dining room.
Along the way, Caitlyn, still flushed and avoiding the curious eyes of the servants who greeted them with knowing smiles, stayed hidden behind Li Lin.
Upon reaching the dining room, they encountered Kai'Sa, who was about to join them for a meal.
With her keen observational skills, Kai'Sa noticed Caitlyn's unusual behavior and asked curiously, "Caitlyn, are you feeling unwell?"
"No… No, I'm fine."
Caitlyn's face turned pale, and noticing Li Lin's smirk, she shot him a sharp glance and pinched the flesh at his waist.
Unaware that Li Lin had awakened the "Iron Body" superpower, Caitlyn's pinch did nothing but cause her own fingers to ache from the effort.
Kai'Sa looked even more puzzled.
What exactly are Li Lin and Caitlyn doing?
To spare Caitlyn further embarrassment or to avoid Kai'Sa discovering anything unusual, Li Lin quickly changed the subject. "Ahem… Let's go eat first."
He focused his gaze on Kai'Sa, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Later, come with me to the underground lab. I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise?" Kai'Sa's eyes widened in surprise. "What kind of surprise?"
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore," Li Lin teased as he strode into the dining room.
Kai'Sa pouted, her dark purple lips forming a small frown. She looked up at Caitlyn and whispered, "Caitlyn, can you give me a hint?"
"Of course… not~~" Caitlyn replied with a sparkling smile. "Li Lin specifically asked me not to tell you."
"Hmm…" Kai'Sa's small face drooped, emitting a vague whine as she made a please gesture.
"Not even a little hint?"
"It's just a meal's worth of time. You'll find out soon enough."
For Caitlyn, who could easily deduce surprises based on given locations, this one was no challenge.
But Kai'Sa, skilled in combat but clueless about "detective work" and "reasoning," could not figure out what Li Lin had in store for her.
After being subjected to this "torture" from the two, Kai'Sa barely ate anything, leaving at least ten plates of food untouched.
Once they had finished their meal, she hurriedly followed Li Lin and Caitlyn to the elevator that descended to the vast underground space.
Since she had started working as a detective, Caitlyn had rarely been to the underground training grounds.
Typically, when she received dangerous cases or commissions from Sheriff Grayson or the Piltover Police, the criminals were provided for her "training."
Unless absolutely necessary, Caitlyn generally used "shock darts," preferring to leave the judgment of criminals to the law.
Thus, she was quite surprised by the extensive changes to the underground space. "How did you manage to transform it like this?"
"I had Lady Cassandra's permission," Li Lin explained confidently. "The materials Zoe brought from the Celestial Realm need proper storage. The surface warehouses are insufficient."
"So, I converted most of the explosion-proof spaces into storage rooms for precious materials and turned another part into a 'biological sterile laboratory' for related research."
"Rest assured, I haven't altered your training area much; I only upgraded the facilities."
Li Lin chuckled lightly. "Now you can receive training in specific combat scenarios there, though the space constraints may limit its effectiveness."
Hearing this, Caitlyn's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but give him a quick peck on the cheek. "You're amazing! I've always wanted something like this, but my mother wouldn't agree."
Caitlyn was intrigued by the new training ground, while Kai'Sa raised an eyebrow, her attention drawn to one particular word.
"Biological… laboratory?"
Given that her living skin was a void-born material, created by the invasion of the Void into Runeterra, if the laboratory had something to do with biology…
Could this surprise be?!
Kai'Sa's heart raced as she realized what might be coming, her breath catching in her throat.
Li Lin glanced back at the astonished Kai'Sa and smiled. "The surprise I have for you is related to this."
The three entered the lab's transitional area, where mechanical workers assisted with full-body disinfection and equipped Caitlyn with a protective suit.
Li Lin adjusted his own attire, but since Kai'Sa was the main focus of the day, he didn't need to bother with such details.
As soon as they stepped into the laboratory, Caitlyn was once again struck with amazement.
Though she wasn't interested in her father's craft profession, she was familiar with various cases involving Hextech and Chemtech and had some understanding of these technologies.
But the highly advanced and unique Hextech equipment before her was markedly different from what she had seen.
"Wow, did you invent all the equipment in this lab yourself?" Caitlyn exclaimed.
"Of course," Li Lin replied proudly. "Although this lab is small, it represents the future of humanity!"
He praised himself modestly, but he wasn't exaggerating. What he said was true.
This small laboratory, dedicated to genetic research, had the potential to lead humanity to a "genetic ascension" if he advanced his level and could significantly alter human genes.
Though as a mechanic, he felt it was somewhat odd to be leading people through "genetic ascension" rather than "mechanical ascension"…
Caitlyn, however, had no doubts about Li Lin's words. Her trust in him was unconditional.
Her gaze quickly scanned the modest space before settling on a dark green mass of tissue inside a nutrient culture tank on the workbench.
"Is that a piece of Zac's body?"
"Yes, it's from a part of his body that he previously gifted to me and the academy. I've been using those cells for research these past few days."
As Li Lin spoke with Caitlyn, Kai'Sa had already shed her outer clothing, revealing the living skin beneath, faintly glowing with a sinister purple-red light. She walked over to the workbench and ran her hand along a table that was clearly designed for someone to lie down on.
Noticing her actions, Li Lin approached and explained, "This is an operating table. You've probably seen one like this in books, right?"
Kai'Sa nodded slightly, though a sudden wave of intense nervousness surged from within her.
To be rid of this void-infused living skin had been her dream ever since the Void consumed her and she became symbiotically linked to it.
This should be something to celebrate.
But why...
Kai'Sa bit down on her void-tainted, purple-black lips, struggling with an unexplainable feeling deep within.
Li Lin noticed her tension and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "I imagine you've already guessed what the surprise I prepared for you is, haven't you?"
"Yes." She hummed softly, her violet eyes meeting Li Lin's gaze, her anxiety palpable. "You... Can you really remove this skin from me?"
As she spoke, her living skin, perhaps sensing a threat, suddenly contracted, sending sharp, needle-like pain shooting through her body from her pores.
"Are you alright?" Caitlyn stepped forward with concern, asking, "Is it your skin?"
Kai'Sa gritted her teeth. "Yes... but this pain is nothing."
She closed her eyes, took several deep breaths, and fought to calm the pain caused by her living skin.
Afterward, Kai'Sa looked back at Li Lin, her expression filled with conflict.
"You're worried about how you'll fight the Void if you lose this skin, aren't you?"
Li Lin hit upon the very concern in Kai'Sa's mind—something she had indeed asked before.
At that time, Li Lin had considered not completely removing the Void from her but allowing her to control the skin freely, according to her will.
Normally, she could retract the skin like a biological suit from the fourth-generation Infinite Armor, transforming it when needed in battle.
However, that solution didn't truly eliminate the influence of the Void.
But with the advent of nuclear fusion technology and nanotech armor, Li Lin had a new idea.
He had managed to avoid the Void's influence while reaching his current level of power. Why couldn't Kai'Sa do the same?
Through genetic modification, he could transfer the enhancements provided by the Voidborne skin directly to Kai'Sa, allowing her to retain much of her strength without being tethered to the Void.
While some abilities might not transfer, it would still be far better than remaining under the Void's influence.
After all, back in Piltover, Li Lin had promised Kassadin that he would find a way to help Kai'Sa rid herself of this skin.
As for her defense, Li Lin intended to draw inspiration from a parallel universe's version of Kai'Sa—a combat suit designed for fighting in space, the "Bullet Angel."
Combined with nanotechnology, Kai'Sa's weapon systems would no longer drain her own energy, allowing her combat abilities to ascend even further.
As he pondered, a design concept for this armor took shape in Li Lin's mind.
With nuclear fusion, it was only a matter of time before he could develop a more portable and miniature cold fusion device.
Pairing it with nanotechnology, replacing the "condensed Primordial Crystal" needed to power the nanocore with cold fusion, would significantly enhance the energy supply for the armor.
He planned to name this suit designed for Kai'Sa "Project Genesis: Angel."
"You really don't need to worry about this, Kai'Sa," Li Lin reassured her with a smile. "See, I'm not affected by the Void, yet if I put on my armor, do you think you could defeat me?"
Since arriving in Piltover, Kai'Sa had never seen Li Lin in action, but her living skin could sense the threat posed by him whenever he donned his armor.
Her eyes widened, a glimmer of hope appearing on her face. "You mean..."
"That's right. If you'd like, I can design a suit of armor just for you, just like mine."
Tears welled up in Kai'Sa's eyes, her voice trembling with emotion. "Thank you... Thank you so much!"
(End of Chapter)
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