Chapter 130: CHAPTER 130 - Bloodlines and Destiny
Li Lin followed Rumble in the market for almost half a day until his small cart was filled with miscellaneous items, and the two returned.
Despite a minor incident on the way, the issue was quickly resolved.
It all started when Rumble was accidentally bumped by a skinny child on a rolling board. This child, in turn, was mocked and bullied by a group of older kids.
Among the ridiculed was Rumble, dragging a bunch of junk with him.
Rumble was infuriated and, ignoring Li Lin's attempt to stop him, promptly returned home with his significantly upgraded Tristy. He fired electromagnetic harpoons and spewed flames, scaring the bullies away.
Later, Rumble befriended the bullied boy and even left him the hammer he had just purchased from the market as a memento, surprising Li Lin.
Where did Rumble get the melee weapon on his Tristy?
Li Lin pondered for a while before realizing that, even though the forging skills of the Shuriman Empire during its peak were excellent, a weapon weathered by thousands of years could no longer be used in combat.
Upon closer inspection, the hammer Rumble bought today didn't resemble Tristy's melee weapon as Li Lin remembered. It was likely obtained from somewhere else.
As noon approached, Li Lin and Rumble had a simple lunch at a tavern outside.
Back at Rumble's junkyard, Li Lin spent the afternoon using [Mechanical Enhancement] to upgrade his Tristy to a rare quality.
Later, he helped Rumble improve the targeting system, upgraded the mech's control system, added a shell to the cockpit, and perfected the "Red Warmth" cooling device.
If it weren't for time constraints and material shortages, Li Lin even considered making a "Neural Interface Device" to synchronize Rumble's nerves with the mech, freeing him from the limitations of manual control.
The brief three days quickly passed.
Although Li Lin had been the one doing most of the work at Rumble's junkyard, he benefited greatly and was happy about it.
In addition to the design blueprint for the miniaturized nuclear reactor, he learned various scientific theories from Rumble, such as the construction of mechs, electromagnetic weapons, and high-temperature rocket projectiles.
Once back in Piltover, he could immediately realize these scientific theories through the advanced facilities of Kiramman's workshop.
Especially the technological theories related to electromagnetic weapons learned from Rumble's "Electronic Harpoon" weapon system.
If he could research Gauss weapons, ejecting compressed miniature ammunition through an electromagnetic field, the theoretical firing speed could reach sub-light speeds.
If applied to his own powered armor, a storm or future large mechs...
Apart from energy weapons, it would also become a deadly weapon.
Of course, these were all things for later.
Li Lin bid farewell to Rumble, returned to the inn, took a final refreshing bath, and had a good night's sleep.
Early the next morning, before the sun had fully risen, Kassadin knocked on his door, waking him from his dreams.
After a quick wash, Li Lin went downstairs with Kassadin to have a simple breakfast provided by the inn.
Dressing in his powered armor and organizing his belongings, Li Lin controlled the three storm robots and Dawn, switching them to follow mode.
Then, together with Kassadin, he headed to the southern gate of Nashramae to meet with Sivir and her subordinates who were already waiting there.
"Good morning, Li Lin."
After receiving reports from her subordinates, Sivir , who carried the crossblade, immediately came forward and greeted Li Lin warmly.
"Good morning, Sivir," Li Lin said, glancing around and not seeing any Noxian guards, "Has Cassiopeia not arrived yet?"
"After all, she is a noble; you'll get used to it." Squinting, Sivir glanced at the sun's position in the sky. "She should be here soon, maybe in another ten minutes at most."
Then, she looked at Li Lin and Kassadin. "By the way, didn't you prepare camels? Just relying on this armor is not enough to traverse the desert."
Li Lin smiled, "Kassadin has already arranged it. He bought two Skarlash, and they are now outside the city."
He actually managed to buy Scarrashes?
Sivir looked deeply at Li Lin.
He's really rich...
For some reason, she felt a sense of defeat in her heart.
Skarlash, a species that spread throughout the entire Shurima region, was especially common in the desert.
In the vast wilderness, where the spirits of beasts were renowned for their ferocity and unruly nature, even the most skilled beast tamers among nomadic tribes had to invest considerable effort and time to tame them.
Therefore, acquiring a Skarlash would cost at least a few hundred gold coins, and sometimes, even wealth alone wasn't enough – connections were a necessity.
Her gaze lingered for a moment, as if suddenly recalling something, and then shifted to Kassadin.
"Wait a moment," she said, "Li Lin just mentioned, your name is... Kassadin?"
"Yeah." Kassadin controlled his armor, opening the face mask. His thick brows raised slightly. "What, do you know me?"
With his confirmation, Sivir couldn't help but smile. "whom does the desert know... Kassadin's name was well-known in Bel'zhun back in the day."
Kassadin seemed somewhat uncomfortable with the praise, shaking his head. "You're exaggerating, it's not that dramatic..."
"Not at all," Sivir disagreed, "I lived in Bel'zhun for a while when I was a child. Stories about you were widely known."
As she spoke, Sivir's smile froze for a moment, as if recalling some unpleasant memories, quickly steering the conversation away:
"But these past few years, it's like you disappeared suddenly. Where did you go? Why give up such a good job?"
Oops, you're rubbing salt into Kassadin's wounds...
Li Lin, noticing the silent Kassadin beside him, was about to intervene and skip this topic when he heard Kassadin mutter, "Have you heard of the 'Prophet' Malzahar?"
Seeing Kassadin wasn't angered or saddened by this, Li Lin sighed silently, letting him converse with Sivir.
Sivir, who grew up in society, naturally sensed a hint of resentment in Kassadin's tone. Her eyebrows raised slightly.
It seemed like he harbored significant animosity towards this 'Prophet'?
"Malzahar, I think I heard about this name from others... more accurately, from a caravan."
Sivir furrowed her brows, lowering her head in thought.
"I heard that he appeared in recent years, a strange figure who calls himself a 'Prophet,' gathering many followers, claiming to lead people towards enlightenment?"
"That's just a part of false rumors..."
Kassadin interrupted, uttering a word only found in legends, "The Void. Malzahar is the mouthpiece of the Void."
For a moment, Sivir felt the blood in her veins boil, yet her entire body experienced an unusual, chilling sensation.
Sivir knew about the Void. Her mother used to scare her with bedtime stories about it before the Sand Plague Saens slaughtered her parents.
Having never truly encountered the Void, Sivir didn't find these 'fictional' stories terrifying.
However, at this moment, listening to Kassadin, Sivir had a strange illusion:
As if she were in that nonexistent place, void of time and space, battling countless terrifying, corrupted, and twisted monsters...
"Sivir...Sivir !"
Li Lin's call snapped Sivir back to reality.
She was a bit shaken, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead. "Where's Kassadin? How long was I lost in thought?"
"Probably two or three minutes. Cassiopeia arrived, and Kassadin just went outside the city to check on the Skarlash's condition."
Li Lin pointed to Cassiopeia, who was conversing with Sivir's deputy in the distance.
"Are you okay? I noticed you didn't look too good..."
Especially after Kassadin mentioned the Void.
Li Lin frowned silently, not quite understanding what happened to Sivir during her sudden reverie.
"No, I'm fine. Just felt the Void... well, it's just a legend, it shouldn't exist."
"Demigods are also legends, does that mean they don't exist?"
Li Lin and Sivir stood side by side, looking at Cassiopeia, who was approaching them with a courteous smile.
"Do you believe in fate, Sivir?" Li Lin asked softly.
"Fate?"
At his question, Sivir's brows furrowed tightly.
"Bloodline... and destiny, are your own."
(End of this chapter)
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