บท 372: CHAPTER 372 - Li Lin's Assistance
An array of over a thousand drones, Storm combat machines, and Kog'Maw battle mechs were neatly assembled in the open space. Blue-white or crimson glows flickered from between the mechanical parts, illuminating the area.
Due to their smaller size, the drones and Storm robots couldn't yet be equipped with nuclear fusion reactors and had not been upgraded with new power cores, so their energy glow remained unchanged.
The Kog'Maw battle mechs, however, were much larger and could accommodate compact nuclear fusion reactors, which had already replaced their energy crystal cores. Consequently, their energy glow now shimmered with a new hue.
Under the silvery moonlight, the red and blue hues of the organized mechanical legion created a sight both shocking and awe-inspiring.
Ryze stared, mouth agape, his mind temporarily blank as he struggled to process what lay before him.
Throughout his history-laden life, he had witnessed countless conflicts—both on the mainland of Valoran and far-off lands like Freljord and Bilgewater.
But he was certain that, if those human armies faced this mechanical battalion, they would be as helpless as lambs led to slaughter, utterly incapable of resistance.
He could hardly believe it himself, but with just this small portion of his mechanized army, Li Lin seemed capable of... slaying gods.
"It appears my vision was far too limited," Ryze remarked bitterly with a smile. "With this army, you certainly possess the power to conquer Valoran… No, not just Valoran.
"Bilgewater, Ionia, Ixtal—even Freljord and Shurima might all fall under your control."
"So, there's no need for me to fight you over the World Runes," Ryze continued. "I care only about whether the World Runes will be able to hold off the Void Watchers when the Void eventually descends."
"Besides, Zoe said I wouldn't be corrupted by the World Runes," he added, "but I haven't dared test that theory yet."
With a wave of Li Lin's hand, all the mechanical forces disappeared in just a few seconds, returning to his hidden warehouse in Zaun.
Then, he grabbed a few bottles of beer and returned to Ryze's side, resuming his cross-legged seat.
"Want some more?"
Ryze hesitated. "I..."
"Your next destination is Ionia, correct?" Li Lin guessed, based on Sona's journey in her original timeline and Ryze's eventual encounter with Miss Fortune, the bounty hunter from Bilgewater.
"Ionia… yes. I'm surprised you even know that."
Well, he knew about Keegan, so it's no shock he'd know where I'm headed next...
Ryze sighed internally, feeling the discomfort of having his secrets exposed.
If Li Lin could truly read his thoughts, he'd likely laugh. After all, he only had the script in advance.
Reading minds? That was the power of the demon, Raum.
"To reach Ionia from Demacia without crossing the sea would take at least half a year," Ryze finally responded, accepting the beer. "If nothing unexpected happens, yes."
"I can help you with that."
Ryze shook his head this time. "I work alone. Companions are a burden."
Nasus, Miss Fortune, and Sona would certainly beg to differ… Li Lin couldn't help but chuckle internally.
"I didn't mean to join your quest for the Runes."
Li Lin extended his hand, and the nano-material of his sleeve transformed swiftly into a serpent biting its tail, with a water-drop pendant at its center—symbolizing Ionia.
Ryze raised an eyebrow. "What's this?"
"I'll give you a machine that can provide you with the supplies you need."
Li Lin glanced over at Dawn, currently being examined by Zoe.
"It has a tracking system and will stay with you, flying high above with invisibility, a defensive system similar to a magical shield, and arcane teleportation. You'll control it with this device."
"As for how to use the pendant… just hold it against your temple, and you can issue commands to it directly."
"A remarkable tool." Ryze hesitated briefly, then reached for the pendant. "Thank you. This will be helpful."
"Also, there's no need for you to always travel alone in the wilderness. If you go to a place with Hex Gates, it can teleport you anywhere on the planet in mere seconds, provided your destination also has a Hex Gate.
"If all else fails, it can still teleport you to the nearest location to your destination, saving you months—even years—of tedious travel."
Li Lin paused briefly, sensing Ryze's unspoken concerns.
"As for the cost of using the Hex Gate... don't worry. Simply show this pendant to the staff, and they'll provide you with a dedicated airship for free passage."
"Uh… I'll give it a try."
Li Lin suddenly remembered something and quickly added, "Also, if you find yourself in an unsolvable situation, you can use this device to contact me. As long as I'm available, I promise to come to your aid."
This promise stemmed from a memory of Ryze's journey to Freljord. He had been forced to abandon a friend and an entire tribe to the mercy of the cold, leaving them to their fate.
For Ryze, safeguarding the World Runes, though it came at the cost of a single tribe, was ultimately tied to the fate of countless others.
If he could have done it over, with Li Lin's support, perhaps the tragedy could have been averted.
"I'll remember that."
Meanwhile, Zoe showed little interest in Li Lin and Ryze's conversation.
While they spoke, she stealthily searched through Dawn, looking for something.
Li Lin glanced at her helplessly, noting the added pile of empty bottles at her feet. She was undoubtedly on the hunt for soda.
Since he'd mostly stopped drinking carbonated beverages, his Dawn stocks were low.
After instructing his AI to select all the soda for Zoe, so she wouldn't bother him again or, worse, use magic to crack open the machine...
Yes, she'd done that before, the first time she'd seen a fridge after moving into the Kiramman household. Not knowing how to open it, she'd simply carved a hole in it with magic.
Because of the Twilight Star's command over rules, the fridge continued to work, without any cold air leaking, but it still looked… undignified.
With Zoe taken care of, Li Lin turned his focus back to Ryze. "Tell me, how's your progress with gathering the World Runes?"
(Chapter End)
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