‘If not corrected, their return to reality would only bring destruction’
The second important piece of information was that the company regularly maintains the chips of these two hundred control machines. After further inquiry, Mrs. Geront told him that Kael Technology is the main force, followed by the Emergency Squad.
“Alright, Mrs. Geront, the information you provided today has been very helpful, thank you very much. It’s getting late, shall we call it a day?” After chatting for a while longer, Renji took the initiative to end the meeting.
“Okay, good, Professor. Then I won’t disturb your work, I—”
Seeing Mrs. Geront about to get up, before leaving, Renji handed her a package he had kept beside his seat.
Mrs. Geront looked surprised and puzzled. After opening the package, she was even more baffled because it contained a toy mech in a gift box?
“This is something I saw while passing through a mall and bought on a whim. Mecha toys like this seem to be very popular, especially among children. Since David’s birthday is coming up soon, consider it a birthday gift.”
Renji’s seemingly casual remark greatly astonished Mrs. Geront. She stared at the mecha toy in her hands, never expecting the young professor across from her to be so thoughtful and devoid of pretense.
‘No, this wasn’t just about being devoid of pretense; it was—’ Mrs. Geront found herself at a loss for words with her limited vocabulary, perhaps also because, in her more than thirty years in the Dream City, she had never encountered such a kind-hearted stranger.
Especially when Mrs. Geront’s peripheral vision caught the price tag on the mecha toy, which Renji hadn’t removed, the four-digit price made it unthinkable for her. Such a high-end toy was something David would only yearn for from outside the display window on a normal day. Despite his young age, David was very sensible, knowing their family could never afford it, and now…
“Mrs. Geront?” Renji called out, noticing the middle-aged woman’s stunned silence.
She suddenly snapped back to reality, initially feeling she couldn’t accept such an expensive gift, but then, considering Renji’s status as a distinguished young professor, perhaps this was nothing more than a gesture of goodwill, so she gratefully accepted it.
Before parting, Mrs. Geront looked sincerely into Renji’s eyes and said, word by word, “Professor, this birthday gift, I believe will be an important milestone in David’s life. I will use it as a lesson to teach him well. I don’t aspire for David to reach your heights, but I hope that in the future, he can become a good person like you.”
With the gift in her hand, Mrs. Geront left. Watching her departing figure and recalling her words of gratitude, Renji shook his head in self-deprecation. After all, whether it was the Dragon Nation of the past or the Mechanical Alliance of now, tracing back to the source, he couldn’t detach himself from it, acknowledging some responsibilities indeed needed to be fulfilled by himself.
Thinking this, Renji’s mind once again conjured the image of a pink-haired succubus.
He now seemed to understand why Lena had been delaying their meeting and even seemed to be guiding him on a journey from one country to another.
In the Dragon Nation, Renji had this feeling, and now after meeting Mrs. Geront’s, it became even clearer.
Everyone he met on his journey, despite different nationalities and identities, seemed like messengers for Lena, as if the pink-haired succubus was using them to chastise him, the Emperor who had disappeared without a word for five hundred years.
This pride, daring to be angry with the Emperor, indeed, only Lena could pull it off among “them.”
‘But…’
Renji flipped his wrist, revealing a capsule-like item in his palm, a patch from Lena for “Zero,” a seed that could bring new life to the Mechanical Alliance.
This act of simultaneously scolding him and aiding him, secretly paving the way for him, fearing he might fail, indeed seemed less appealing than straightforward generosity in the eyes of most.
‘No wonder tsunderes are out of fashion’ 𝘪𝑎.𝒸𝘰
‘But that’s just fine’
‘Being mine alone is enough’
Renji indeed needed this process, for he was no longer the Ashen Emperor; now, he was Renji, no longer using the identity of the Ashen Emperor but seeking them out more as “Renji.” This was what he had always been doing.
This is why, when talking with General Manager William, Renji described the Ashen Emperor as a “symbol.” He didn’t want “them” to love and cherish just this symbol but him as a person. For this, Renji was willing to take many actions to correct the inherent impressions brought by the symbol of the Ashen.
…
…
Two days later, the Kael Technology press conference was held as scheduled, under massive publicity and being a highly anticipated super enterprise, the event attracted media and countless journalists to Kael Square.
Under the spotlights, an open-air grand press conference was about to start in five minutes.
To ensure the security of the press conference, there were strict admission restrictions at Kael Square that day, making it difficult for ordinary people to enter. Besides the media, attendees were mostly professionals from related industries, academic experts, and government agencies, such as Fantasy Supervision.
People from other parts of Dream City who wanted to watch the conference could only rely on live broadcasts by various radio stations, making it a crucial day for the radio industry as well.
Almost every radio station was broadcasting the Kael Technology press conference, each vying for a huge audience share, with their star hosts taking the stage.
Now, as a guest accompanying Renji and waiting through the dull moments, Eileen was secretly watching the live broadcast on a smart virtual device.
The thrill of being on television excited her.
The channel she was watching was Night Love Radio, known for its focus on various mysterious and eerie tales, including a “serial killer” program.
This radio station, reportedly originating from the chaotic District 13 and established by grassroots efforts, differed from others by not needing to adhere to official decorum or careful wording. Night Love Radio’s main appeal was entertainment, providing audiences with laughter through cheerful commentary.
This content is taken from 𝘳𝑎.𝒸ℴ