The Martial Unity

Chapter 3889: A New World

He walked around with Ria in one hand and a skewer of smoked salmon in another, enjoying the simple but delicious food made from fresh ingredients as he navigated the crowded harbor of Farund Port City. The Sun had just barely begun to emerge from beneath the horizon as fishermen returned in boats and even ships, courtesy of Minister Raneaʼs ambition of fundamentally upgrading anything related to the seas with modern technologies. Locals as well as traders crowded the harbor, eager to purchase fresh catch for personal use or for retail sales in different parts of the nation. With an enormous border shared with the sea, seafood was a large part of the Empireʼs day-to-day food. ”Iʼll buy all of this for a thousand ruels!”

”One thousand?! Thatʼs fucking highway robbery, I dare say! Two thousand, or you can take a boat and fish all of this yourself!”

”Come on, donʼt I get a discount for a mass purchase?”

”Not fifty percent, asshole!”

Rui covered Riaʼs ears as curses and swears were flung from both sides of the market as negotiations and bargains hung in the air. Rui was just glad to see that his Empire was flourishing, particularly the east coast that had been utterly flattened, killing nearly a million people despite all the mass evacuations.

Such a wound would have lasted for many, many generations to come, crippling the atmosphere of the East Coast for a long time, but thanks to the whopping success of Project Metrovision, the people had regained their spirit, vigor, and hope for the future.

It validated everything he tolerated on a day-to-day basis as Emperor.

”Hah, Iʼm not paying two thousand for this pile of seatrash!”

”What did you say, you fucking punk?”

”Iʼll kill you, bastard!”

The two men grabbed each other by the scruff as others moved away, half-egging them on.

”Gagaga!”

”I know, itʼs a heartwarming sight, isnʼt it?” The passions meant that he had successfully rejuvenated the fire within these people who had once lost everything.

He only raised an eyebrow when Martial Apprentices and Squires on both sides began getting riled up. But his fruits had already yielded efforts.

”Please calm down, sirs.” A Martial Senior wearing a distinct Martial attire with a full-black circle embroidered on its chest appeared between them. ”Leveraging Martial Artists to settle disputes with violence will not be tolerated.”

The two men shot a glance at the black circle before softening their postures and nodding. ”…Understood.”

Rui smiled at the sight. ”Looks like the Void Order is doing well, too.”

”Gagaga!”

”Hm, good point, Ria. Iʼll have to think more deeply about that when we get back. But for now…”

WHOOSH

He lifted her up as his feet left the ground.

He skywalked to the Great Nam Ocean, showing it to Ria for the very first time in her life. The salty, humid odor characteristic of the ocean hung in the air as cool ocean breezes washed past them. The sound of waves washing over the living wood of the smart harbor system hung in the air, along with the sounds of seagulls fighting over scraps of fish and seafood. The deep rumbles of many ships in the flux of seafare that went through the Port City and its seaportal was immense.

It was a whole slew of sensory experiences that Ria had never had before. Her amber eyes brimmed with amazement and curiosity, completely engrossed in the many new experiences her father showed her.

”Gagaga!”

Rui smiled at her warmly, leaning forward to kiss her gently on her soft, thin golden hair as he indulged in the heartwarming joys of watching his daughter thrill in exploring the world.

”We wish you would stay like this forever.”

But alas, she grew at a fast pace. Four months had passed for him in the blink of an eye since she had been born. He literally felt like he had blinked once and had time-skipped four months. He needed to adjust his sense of time, to live in each moment and cherish it as it passed him, for he knew that it wouldnʼt last forever.

She would grow up into a fine young lady, and he would no longer be able to baby her anymore like he used to. Though he suspected he would always see her as his baby first and foremost, rather than anything else.

With each day she grew, he had begun intuitively understanding what it meant to dedicate Project Water to her. All that power that he would have to be able to overcome any obstacle by adaptively evolving to it, he would use it to make his daughter happier than she could ever be.

Not that he intended to deprive her of an opportunity to face the challenges and tribulations of life, but that he would ensure that no force in the world, or even the universe, would ever dare to seize her happiness from her.

Ria deserved nothing less, as far as he was concerned.

”Isnʼt that right, my precious baby?”

”…Papa!”

His eyes flew wide open as he turned to his daughter with amazement. ”What did you just say?”

”Papapapa!” she babbled at him. He stared at her with an uncertain expression, trying to read her mind with his mind sense. Was it just a coincidental babble that sounded like papa, or did she actually address him?

He could sense intentionality with the SOUL System within her mind, but because her mind had yet to develop as a four-month-old baby, he could sense what the intentionality was for.

”Papapa… papa!” She insisted with an indignant tone.

Rui laughed. ”Indeed, our daughter will be even smarter than her father. Youʼre so intelligent, arenʼt you? Yes, you are~”

He showered her with kisses, earning her laughter, before she eventually rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes and falling asleep.

Rui chuckled with a wry expression. ”Itʼs always amazing how quickly babies this young can get sleepy and doze off in the blink of an eye. We wanted to show her more, but, oh well…”

He kissed her gently on the head.

”Sleep well, Ria.”