The woman’s scream was piercing, almost tearing through everyone’s eardrums. Instinctively, everyone sensed that something was wrong. Why would Ms. Shiquan, as a representative of the Floating City, react so intensely? Especially after the woman in the suit shouted, she clearly realized her overreaction and quickly shifted her gaze in a more discreet manner.
The alert-minded individuals cast their eyes towards the Mikata heir, and with a look that said, “I knew it,” they turned to Yin Minglu. To their surprise, the young man had a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. He extended a courteous international gesture to the Mikata heir. Later, this smile became his trademark, revered by many as the “wisdom smile” that saw through the truth.
Because what he said was, “Welcome, Your Majesty, the king on a private visit.”
The true culprit had been revealed, and the farce could finally come to an end.
“!!!” The world was shocked, looking at the man in the kimono in the camera, his smile appearing a bit forced.
Seeing his exposed subordinate’s foolish expression, the man in the kimono sighed, lifted his eyelashes, and revealed his true face. A very typical Japanese beauty, with refined and understated features that made him look like a noble gentleman. No one could have imagined that he was the king of the Floating City.
The representatives from the island nations on the flight were the most astonished. Their own territory had been infiltrated, and they had been kept in the dark the whole time. Thinking about it, a chill ran from the soles of their feet to their hearts.
【Incredible… the most dangerous place is also the safest place】
【It seems that in any country, officials are treading on thin ice】
【My mind is completely in chaos. Although we humble commoners may never visit the floating city, in our lifetime, we unexpectedly caught a glimpse of a corner of the floating city and even had such a close-up view of the king’s face. I must be dreaming.】
【Quick update: According to official information, the renowned singer who is the mother of the Mikata heir may not be from the surface. So, why is the king of theFloating City on this flight, and why did the representative named Sefa get poisoned? As long as I’m foolish enough, the more I think about it, the more terrifying it becomes [smile]】
The commotion in the cabin was interrupted by a broadcast.
“Attention, everyone. We will arrive at our destination, the Floating City Air Harbor, in five minutes. Please prepare for landing.”
“Unexpectedly, I’ve been seen through by this young man. Please forgive my rudeness in concealing it,” the young king apologized with a bow, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. “Welcome, everyone, to be our guests in the Floating City. I hope the beautiful Floating City will provide you with a home-like experience.”
His eyes were fixed on Yin Minglu throughout, with a gaze that carried ambiguous meaning. In return, Yin Minglu responded with the fervent curiosity of a scientific researcher.
As their eyes locked in a silent confrontation, major news outlets on the surface had already started broadcasting the news: “At noon today, the representative of the Floating City, Sefa, was suspected to be poisoned by someone, and it was then revealed that the true identity of Mikata family heir is… This event is suspected to be a premeditated act of self-staging…”
Even though the plane had not yet arrived, the public had already conjured up elaborate conspiracies with millions of words in their minds.
Unable to restrain their imagination, they couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if Yin Minglu hadn’t stepped forward to expose the truth, allowing that woman named Shiquan to continue her tirade. Coupled with their king working both sides in the crowd, the speculated outcomes were becoming more and more chilling.
“Representative Yin, please allow me to guide you.” The young king spoke politely, treating Yin Minglu as a distinguished guest. Of course, he extended the same courtesy to others as well.
“Goodness, this place is too beautiful!” Perhaps owing to the influence of the Floating City, the camera lens has yet to be turned off. Thus, the once mysterious place in the eyes of surface-dwellers has finally unveiled its secrets.
A vast city of glass emerged in the sky, shimmering with exquisite brilliance under the dazzling sunlight. “Reaching out is like touching the clouds; I can sense the breath of the wind in the air. It’s simply incredible,” exclaimed one of the visitors, his face showing an expression of enchantment.
The young king smiled, his lips curving upward. “There’s nothing unimaginable in the Floating City. Compared to the surface, we are closer to the sunlight and can breathe purer, pollution-free air. In the sky, we are isolated from the world, in a state of beauty and tranquility.”
On the surface, however, it’s noisy, chaotic, and filled with pollution. Despite their large numbers, people are densely packed into small areas, resembling livestock kept underground by the sky. The young king’s eyes briefly darkened at the thought of this humble existence daring to dream of building skyscrapers, aspiring to reach the sky.
“I can see that everyone likes it here, praising the beauty of the Floating City endlessly. Representative Yin, what are your thoughts?” The king changed the topic, directing his question to the young man.
Yin Minglu replied, “I don’t like it.”
“Why is that?” The king’s expression turned cold.
Yin Minglu shivered, “I’m afraid of heights.”
“…” The king was speechless.
Yin Minglu successfully killed the conversation again, ignoring the woman in the suit whose eyes conveyed a subtle sense of daggers. He looked around like an outsider with a small red flag stuck to his chest, oblivious to the unspoken hostility.
Along the way, he saw many original citizens of the Floating City. They didn’t look as ugly as Yin Minglu had imagined, but it could be because the “good-looking” ones within the Floating City might not have come out.
These people smiled and said, “The king is our great and wise master; he has bestowed upon us a new vitality in the city.”
“He has given us a luxurious life, propelling technological advancement for two hundred years.”
“Here is our beautiful Eden. We are the happy Adam and Eve. In this place, we have endless food and clothing every day, no need to work or labor—just a life of joy and happiness.” As the woman spoke, with the support of the man beside her, she gently touched her slightly bulging abdomen. The sight of attractive men and women did indeed make the scene aesthetically pleasing, lending an unseen, persuasive power to their descriptions of happiness.
At this point, the king spoke again in a gentle tone, “To be honest, while our medical technology in the Floating City is highly advanced, we have long faced issues with newborns and a sparse population. Therefore, if there are people watching who are willing to immigrate to our city, we will grant them the status of lawful citizens. If they give birth to beautiful babies, the city will assist in raising these children, covering all their learning and living expenses from birth to adulthood.”
This statement caused an explosion of reactions from people in front of screens and televisions.
【I—I’m ashamed to admit it, but my heart is moved. Can I really not work and have the city help raise my child? This is like paradise. I want to become a rice bug!】
【Count me in with the one in front. Us corporate slaves are being worked to death with overtime and late nights. Any place without work is my home.】
【Why are people in the Floating City all so good-looking? The women are charming, the men are handsome. As someone who’s been solo for twenty-five years, can I find a partner there?】
“Are you assigning partners for us?” Some of the tourists were also starting to stir with curiosity.
“Yes.”
“Even if I want a handsome guy with a height of 188 cm and a 20 cm configuration?”
“Sure.” After all, this was the least valuable thing in the Floating City.
“Is it really possible to do nothing and just enjoy life, eating, drinking, and having fun every day, with the government covering all other expenses?” As they walked, the temptation of attractive men and women, champagne in elegant attire, and luxurious villas and cars was too great. Few people could resist being moved by these material attractions.
“Yes.”
As usual, the king’s gaze drifted toward Yin Minglu, as if asking whether he was tempted.
Yin Minglu tilted his head and said, “Your Majesty, what if someone can’t give birth to beautiful babies or simply doesn’t want to have children? Can they still enjoy the social welfare you mentioned? For the children born, will they be raised by their parents, or will the city government take over? You always talk about citizen welfare, but what are our obligations? I don’t believe there’s a free lunch in this world. Your Majesty, please make everything clear. Otherwise, with the large population on the surface, we might just overwhelm your city in an instant.”
With each question posed by the young man, the king’s expression turned less pleasant. The youth’s focus was always elsewhere, not easily swayed by immediate interests, and his questions were incisive, hitting the mark.
“You have no other obligations; you just need to give birth to adorable newborns for the city,” he tried to keep it vague.
However, Yin Minglu persisted, “How many?”
The king smiled without specifying a number, “It depends on individual capability. Naturally, we hope for as many as possible, but we won’t overly push anyone.”
“Not overly push anyone” means there might still be some pushing, right?” Yin Minglu lived like a provocateur, and those unaware might have thought he was genuinely interested, prompting him to dig deeper.
However, thanks to his thorough probing, even the initially enthusiastic netizens cooled down.
【Upon careful consideration, how could there be such a good deal? It seems like a scam after all.】
【Obligation turns out to be giving birth. When asked how many, they say the more, the better. Hmm, is this not persuading people to become breeding horses and sows? I can’t, heading downstairs.】
【Downstairs, I also can’t, thanks. I’d rather be an honest corporate slave. Those who want to be reproductive tools can go ahead. I don’t want to end up locked up until I give birth to a child just to enjoy citizen benefits, and I won’t even get to raise the child myself.】
Despite the enchanting beauty of the Floating City during this tour, thanks to Yin Minglu’s disruptions, many were disillusioned. Even if there was a genuine desire to immigrate, people’s minds had become more rational.
The king naturally shot a few more daggers at the young man.
As he was about to leave, Yin Minglu said, “In reality, your Floating City may seem like a paradise, but it’s on the verge of extinction, isn’t it? Otherwise, you wouldn’t send spies like Zhao Yazhi down to the surface every year to liaise with men and conceive children. Moreover, you’re aware of the deformity in your aesthetic preferences. Compared to surface dwellers, you actually need a new external stimulus; otherwise, your genes will fall into a deep slumber, leading to extinction.”
“Let’s establish peaceful relations, between the sky and the surface.”
“As the sun rises every day, we won’t argue over the sunlight coverage on the surface. When night falls, the world won’t descend into chaos due to disordered magnetic fields.”
His suggestion was sincere but met with rebuttal. The young king sneered, “The sky existed long before the surface, for countless epochs. It’s you who attempt to construct countless towers to approach us, not us persecuting you! The ones with ill intentions are you, not us!”
“And, Mr. Yin, I’ve observed your performance in the assessment. I respectfully call you a peace envoy, but that doesn’t mean you can overstep your boundaries. May I ask about your identity and what qualifications you have to comment on high-ranking individuals?” He admired the young man, but he still believed the youth harbored a somewhat laughable utopia in his heart.
“What is your identity? What qualifications do you have to comment?” The questions were sharp, and the young man seemed powerless, lowering his head. The conversation about peace, diplomacy, and exchange ended on a discordant note.
The young king thought that would be their last meeting, little did he know that a decade later, the situation would take an unexpected turn.
Because of their good performance in prison rehabilitation, the three sisters were released one after another. With social assistance, they returned to high school and later attended university.
University, true to its nature as a platform for open-minded ideological exchange among the youth, hosted numerous clubs and gatherings. On campus, some students even took out loudspeakers, initiating calls to action.
“The war between the surface and the sky is imminent. While we university students may not be Evolvers or reserves, and we may not be joining the military, we can still form civilian squads to contribute our abilities to protect this city,” they proclaimed.
The senior students actively lobbied, inspiring and rallying the new students, who responded enthusiastically.
The three sisters, also new students, had just liberated themselves from the busy world of textbooks. In the rapidly evolving society, their thoughts were somewhat out of touch. They didn’t understand that nowadays, safeguarding the city wasn’t just the heroic act of an Evolver but had evolved into a collective effort shaped by everyone.
Their confusion found resolution as the senior students stepped in to provide answers.
“Hey, junior sisters, did you come from the deep mountains and forests? Otherwise, you’re a bit too oblivious to current affairs. As early as six or seven years ago, because we were always at a disadvantage in the chaotic magnetic fields from the sky during assessments, our Surface Science Research Institute specifically developed a ‘Human Potential Activation Liquid.’ Every citizen over the age of twenty can get a bottle to see if they have hidden potential and, incidentally, improve their physical fitness…”
“What!?” The three sisters were utterly shocked.
Understanding their shock, the senior shrugged and continued, “So now, everyone’s physical fitness is pretty good. While we may not match up to Evolvers, we can still contribute to protecting the city. The surface is our home, and safeguarding it is everyone’s responsibility.”
The slogan sounded familiar; they had heard it many times on their journey.
After wandering in thought, they asked, “Senior, do you know about that young hero, N, from back then? How is he now?” Perhaps it was a melancholy realization of how things change or a sense of shyness, but after being released, they hadn’t contacted their family to inquire about the young man.
Facing family members who had undergone significant changes, the sisters became even more timid. They focused on their studies, hesitating to deliberately inquire about the young man. In their memories, he was always exceptional, and they feared that if they were to meet again after so many years, there might be a sense of disillusionment with the “person not living up to the past.”
Now, summoning the courage to inquire, they didn’t know if the young man had gained weight, if he looked the same, which university he attended after graduation, whether he was married now, and who his partner was. There were so many questions they wanted answers to, yet were afraid to know.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they mentioned the person, the senior’s eyes lit up brightly. He excitedly clenched his fist and said, “Of course, I know! Councilman Yin is my idol! He’s been my hero all along! Do you know, the reason I chose this major was because of something he said. He mentioned that in the future, we will definitely establish diplomatic relations with the sky. We can’t be narrow-minded, so we need more and more translators and diplomats. Inspired by these words, I resolutely chose to study linguistics.”
What? The young man became a councilman? The three sisters listened in disbelief, as if hearing a dreamlike celebrity story.
“Let me show you the latest updates from my idol. He’s very busy, occupied with public affairs all year round, and has to clean up after those useless people in parliament.” The senior eagerly pulled out his phone, opened a video, and proudly added, “He’s the strongest presidential candidate this year! If he wins, the term is a whopping twenty years! And he’s currently far ahead in the polls, no doubt about it!”
Using the term “far ahead” might not be accurate; it could be described as a one-sided dominance, with the other candidates lagging far behind. Under his influence, the participating candidates struggled to gather votes. But such is the way of public opinion.
The video played, and the three sisters saw the tall, slender figure stepping out of a black sedan. His lips carried a smile, and his eyes sparkled with charm. The moment he appeared, the entire crowd erupted in screams. Despite a simple wave and greeting, it seemed as if he exuded a divine radiance, outshining all the sunlight around him.
He remained as handsome as ever, and standing next to him was an equally tall, slender man wearing a white shirt. As he friendly greeted the crowd, the man seemed worried about him feeling cold, so he handed over a coat and nervously draped it over him.
Despite his immense power, those around him—secretaries, assistants, bodyguards, and even his lover—all surrounded him protectively. After he took a step away, they immediately cordoned off the area with caution, not allowing overly enthusiastic people to approach too closely.
They declared proudly, “We’re here to protect the most precious wealth of humanity.” He once protected the entire city, and now it was the city’s turn to protect him.
“That’s wonderful, he’s become even better.” The three sisters couldn’t help but cover their mouths, tears streaming down their faces. These tears were a mix of joy, excitement, pride, and admiration.
The emotional response of crying and laughing left the senior scratching his head, unable to comprehend. After rubbing his head a bit, he said, “So, junior sisters, are you joining our protection squad or not?”
“Count us in!” Since it was something the young man advocated, they were definitely in! The three sisters happily grabbed three registration forms, filling in their names without hesitation.
Five years later, in the fifth year of the new presidency, the sky and the surface established complete diplomatic relations. People from both places peacefully interacted, engaged in trade, and even intermarried. Various regulations were attached, ensuring no more disturbances in the sky’s magnetic field and no more lethal assessments. On the surface, humans were prohibited from constructing buildings exceeding three hundred floors, preventing the blocking of sunlight.
A century later, the term “protection” had become a distant memory in the pages of history.
The author has something to say:
Yin Minglu: Do I have the qualifications now?
King: …
I actually managed to write the final chapter in one go, oh my goodness.
The next chapter is an extra, so I might as well finish writing it today too!!!
T/N: 1
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