Chapter 32: Fusion Warriors

"Yes, City Lord! We will certainly obey Miss Ningguang's commands, without question!" Luwu respectfully bowed his head, his face filled with fanaticism and devotion.

After becoming one of the Millelith (Liyue's armed forces in Genshin Impact) commanders, he had not only gained the powerful strength he once dreamed of but also an honored status.

He knew perfectly well that all this glory and achievement stemmed from Lu Jingming's grace. Therefore, no matter what orders Lu Jingming gave, even if it meant going through fire and water, he would execute them without hesitation.

Luwu was self-aware; he clearly understood that his ability to stand out from the crowd, gain the precious opportunity to fuse with high-level soul beast genes, and subsequently become a Soul King commander, was not due to his own innate talent but purely to his unwavering loyalty.

The other Millelith members understood this principle as well, for to fusion warriors, Herta's advanced technology and abundant resources were key. As for who was chosen, as long as they possessed loyalty, anyone had a chance.

"Hmm, when the fusion warrior technology is updated next time, you'll be the first I arrange for surgery." Lu Jingming stood on tiptoes slightly, gently patting Luwu's shoulder, a satisfied look in his eyes.

These Millelith were his capable subordinates, personally cultivated by him, and Lu Jingming was deeply gratified by their performance.

Luwu, noticing Lu Jingming's movement, subtly bent forward slightly to allow Lu Jingming to easily pat his shoulder. Hearing Lu Jingming's promise, his face instantly lit up with delight, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Thank you for your generosity, City Lord! Your subordinate will definitely do his utmost, swearing to protect Miss Ningguang's safety!"

The other Millelith members nearby cast envious glances, their eyes filled with yearning as they looked at their commander. At the same time, a spark of anticipation ignited in their hearts, thinking that perhaps they too would have an opportunity for advancement once their commander completed his surgery.

Even if they couldn't receive the same top-tier surgical treatment as their commander, a secondary improvement was still highly desirable for them.

"Yes, all of you are the same. This City Lord has always been fair in rewards and punishments, never stingy with those who render meritorious service." Lu Jingming's gaze swept over the other Millelith members, skillfully making promises.

He wasn't making empty promises to deceive his subordinates; for Haiyuan City to continue to develop and grow, the current Millelith needed to continuously improve their strength.

And Herta's Simulated Universe project had completed its basic construction, and she had successfully created her own automaton. This meant that dedicating a portion of her energy to updating the fusion warrior surgical technology was not difficult to achieve.

"We swear eternal loyalty to the City Lord!"

In an instant, a hundred Millelith knelt in unison, shouting in fervent devotion.

In their hearts, Lu Jingming was not just the City Lord who led them to power but an almost divine figure. It was Lu Jingming who transformed them from ordinary people into powerful Soul Masters, granting them new lives and hope.

Ningguang watched the scene before her with interest, especially finding it amusing to see Lu Jingming deliberately put on a dignified and serious demeanor, utterly like a miniature adult.

The corners of her mouth subtly curled up, revealing a meaningful smile. Keqing stood with her arms crossed, her eyes filled with scrutiny and satisfaction.

She carefully observed the Millelith, silently assessing them. Loyal, reliable, obedient, and highly disciplined, they were undoubtedly excellent and highly qualified subordinates.

In her opinion, the quality of these Millelith was in no way inferior to their Liyue Millelith soldiers.

Lu Jingming stood in the open space, watching Ningguang and the others board Haiyuan City's only soul tool airship, the Sea Abyss. At this moment, he held the fluffy pink fox cub in his arms and raised a hand to wave goodbye to Zhang Lexuan, Keqing, and the others.

The sea breeze gently ruffled his hair, but it could not dispel the faint sorrow of parting in his heart. Soon, the Sea Abyss slowly ascended, gradually accelerating, its massive hull quickly disappearing into the layered clouds.

Lu Jingming watched the direction where the Sea Abyss vanished, a sense of loss welling up within him. After all, Zhang Lexuan was reluctant to leave him, and he, too, was equally fond of Zhang Lexuan.

The thought of not seeing Zhang Lexuan and Jingliu for an entire year instantly dampened his spirits and made him feel depressed.

"If you really can't bear it, you can always chase after them. Haiyuan City is perfectly fine with me and Herta here," Chang Li appeared quietly behind Lu Jingming at some point, her voice soft and soothing, carrying a hint of teasing.

"I am a bit reluctant, but it's okay, isn't Sister Chang Li still here with me! Sister, quickly comfort me~" Lu Jingming hastily turned his head to look at Chang Li, his face instantly replaced with a mischievous grin.

"Alright!" Chang Li smiled slightly, then gracefully knelt on the ground, gently patting her long, slender leg wrapped in black silk. Lu Jingming's eyes immediately lit up, the sadness of parting seemingly thrown to the winds in an instant. He skillfully laid his head on Chang Li's lap, looking utterly content.

"Squeak!" The pink fox cub, seeing this, gave Lu Jingming a disdainful look, then raised its soft, adorable paw pad and unceremoniously stepped directly on Lu Jingming's face. Lu Jingming, however, paid no mind.

Not only that, he extended his arms, embraced the fox cub, and buried his face in its fur, taking two deep breaths, which made the cub frantically struggle, looking quite comical.

Chang Li quietly watched the heartwarming scene of the human and the fox playing, a gentle smile gradually appearing on her face, her eyes full of doting affection.

"Oh, right, Sister Chang Li, how are things recently with the Sun Moon Empire?" Lu Jingming finally managed to subdue the mischievous fox cub, then suddenly seemed to remember something important.

He quickly looked at Chang Li, asking with a serious expression. Herta was dedicated to the research of soul tools, and this research required a large amount of soul tool metal as raw material.

However, within the territories of the original three Douluo nations, these soul tool metals were extremely scarce. Only the Sun Moon Empire possessed abundant production that could meet large-scale demands.

To provide Herta with the best quality resources and ensure her research could proceed smoothly, Lu Jingming had been actively seeking opportunities to establish contact with the Sun Moon Empire.

He learned that within the Sun Moon Empire's underground forces, there had always been activities involving the smuggling of soul tool metals. And he hoped to contact one of the more influential underground forces among them.