Chapter 219
Departure!
The living room was completely silent.
Lou Gao remained petrified, his eyes fixed on the now-darkened soul-guided telephone in Lin Xia's hand, as if he could see right through it.
After a good ten seconds, he suddenly jolted awake, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and darted to Lin Xia. His huge hand carefully and almost reverently took the relatively simple soul guidance phone that belonged to him.
He looked at it over and over, poking the smooth screen with his finger, blowing on the grid area below, and finally trying to press the side like Lin Xia did, but nothing happened.
"This...this..."
Lou Gao raised his head, his molten gold eyes gleaming with an unprecedented, almost childlike curiosity, shock, and fervent thirst for knowledge. He looked eagerly at Lin Xia, then at Si Long, Si Yu, and the others, his voice trembling with disbelief and an almost pleading urgency:
"Kid! This thing... this soul-guided phone... how did you even make it?!"
"What are those sparkly little stones made of? How is this image projected? Why is the sound so clear? Can it be used even through a soul-guiding barrier? Does it consume a lot of energy? Is one for everyone? Siyu! Don't laugh, little girl!"
"Quick! Teach me how to press this button! I want to try it too! Quick! Call Sikai! Sikai, why are you running away! Stop right there!"
Seeing Lou Gao's eager expression, as if he had found a new toy and was as excited as a child weighing over 100 pounds, Lin Xia and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged a smile.
Silong and the others could no longer contain themselves and burst into laughter. Bangiras was also awakened by the commotion. He opened his dark red eyes in a daze, looked at the chaotic scene in the living room, tilted his huge head, and let out a confused growl.
"Roar?"
The night in Gengjin City is still dazzling.
At the highest point of this steel fortress, in a brightly lit room, there was the joy of returning home from a high place, the warmth of parting, and the metallic, cheerful, and urgent clamor of a soul whose desire to explore had been completely ignited by the magical creation.
In the days that followed, Lin Xia's presence was almost ever-present in the core areas of every department where a handover was needed.
With Lou Gao by his side, he traversed every corner of this steel fortress, from the command center overlooking the entire city from the top floor, to the underground, roaring core area of soul-guided energy, to the busy and precise soul-guided device production line, the cutting-edge materials research institute, and the trade center and the Sky Platform auction house that control the vast economic lifeline.
Lin Xia's explanation was clear and insightful, far exceeding a simple process introduction.
In his core strategic balance, he provided a detailed analysis of the delicate balance points in cooperation with the Spirit Hall, the Star Luo Empire, and the Heaven Dou Empire, the bargaining chips for mutual checks and balances, and contingency plans for potential future risks.
It emphasized how the association's core control over soul guidance technology and the concept of "fusion as a shield" became the most solid foundation of Gengjin City.
Lin Xia meticulously outlined the responsibilities, authority, and key projects of Si Long, Si Di, Si Kai, and Si Yu within the association's operational system, ensuring that Lou Gao could quickly find the right person to contact.
The city's operational mechanisms, the maintenance nodes of the Soul Guided Energy Network, the city's sanitation system, the public transportation dispatch center, the maintenance standards of the new alloy building complex, the details of the implementation of livelihood and welfare policies... nothing is too small.
He even took Lou Gao on a tour of the expanding Soul Guidance Technology Academy, showcasing the blueprint for building up strength for the next generation.
The soul-guided communication network is of paramount importance. Lin Xia personally led Lou Gao to the Communication Research Institute for half a day, where Si Yu and her team explained in detail the principles of the "soul-guided telephone," the distribution map of signal relay towers, the encrypted communication protocol, and the highest-level access procedure in emergency situations.
Lou Gao went from initial shock and bewilderment to later fervent thirst for knowledge. Finally, looking at the signal network map covering the core area of the entire continent, his golden eyes were filled with deep emotion and a trace of pride—this was his disciple who had woven an information network covering the entire continent in five years!
Lin Xia did not shy away from the potential challenges.
He pointed out the potential risks of relying on some rare minerals from the Star Luo Empire, the friction points with the radical faction within the Spirit Hall, the key terms that have not yet been finalized in the cooperation with the Heaven Dou Empire, and the potential hostility or greed of some reclusive sects on the continent towards the impact of soul guidance technology.
Lou Gao listened intently. His powerful divine craftsmanship and spiritual strength, tempered by divine trials, enabled him to quickly absorb and understand this massive amount of information.
He would sometimes ask questions, sometimes fall into deep thought, and most of the time he would pat Lin Xia on the shoulder and exclaim, "Good lad! You've got real talent!"
When Lou Gao learned that most of the daily work would be handed over to him after Lin Xia left, and that his own third test of divine examination had not yet begun, he waved his hand dismissively.
"You brat, go ahead and relax! I'll keep an eye on Gengjin City and the Blacksmiths' Association for you! It'll be a good opportunity for me to get to know how your 'heavenly den' works!"
"The Divine Trial? I'm well-prepared. I survived the Phoenix Divine Fire, what's a third trial? By the time you come back, I might have already passed the third trial! Sharpening your axe won't delay your work!"
That boldness and sense of responsibility completely put Lin Xia at ease.
Zhu Zhuqing quietly stayed by Lin Xia's side, helping him organize documents, serving him tea and snacks, and offering him a cup of perfectly warm tea when his voice became slightly hoarse after explaining for several hours.
Her presence was like a gentle breeze, soothing the tension brought on by the intense work.
The four senior brothers also cooperated fully. Si Long calmly coordinated, Si Di meticulously handed over documents, Si Kai ensured the safety of the city lord's mansion inside and outside, and Si Yu personally taught Lou Gao how to use various soul-guided office equipment and communication terminals.
Finally, after handing over all the key matters and confirming that Lou Gao and his senior brothers could take over smoothly, Lin Xia felt a long-lost sense of relief.
For the past five years, he has been the absolute core of Gengjincheng's operations, never daring to slack off for a moment.
Now, this steel behemoth he built with his own hands finally has another pillar of strength that can awe all around.
There was no grand ceremony, but all the key figures were present.
Lou Gao's imposing figure stood at the front, his molten gold eyes filled not only with reluctance but also with expectation and reassurance for his disciple.
He patted Lin Xia's shoulder forcefully, his voice loud and clear.
"You brat! Take Zhu Qing out and have some fun! See the world! Remember, Gengjin City will always be your root, and I'll always be your master! If anything happens, call the Soul Guide and get help! I'll be there anytime!"
On behalf of his four senior brothers, Si Long presented them with an exquisite soul guide storage box.
"Junior brother, inside are some emergency rare alloy ingots, core energy crystals, commonly used potions, and a map marking the locations of the association's branches across the country and their emergency contacts. Have a safe journey!" (End of Chapter)