Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

Strongly asserting contact can easily provoke resentment from other cities. Instead, establishing a foundation of trust through peaceful commercial interaction is a better starting point. This was their initial plan.

Whether their approach was on the right track or not, at least they were truly striving to carry out their directive.

As for the final outcome, it would depend on further developments.

"As for the team of information experts you requested, my lord, we are actively working on its formation. As the Minister of Information, Minister Eric has dedicated a great deal of effort to the matter."

The most important step in intercity communication, of course, is the ability for real-time interaction.

In fact, the capability to help restore information technology is one of Blackwater City's unique strengths.

Using technological superiority to aid in gaining an advantageous position in city relations was also part of their various plans.

"That's good." Bai E nodded.

Fortunately, the city had someone like Kiro Lan—an absolutely reliable subordinate. Even during Bai E's absence, everything in the city was progressing smoothly.

"Additionally..." Kiro Lan's eyes shone with a peculiar glimmer as she spoke, "There's a woman who's returned from the Root Server base. She's been waiting in the city for your return. Would you like to meet her?"

Though she was seeking permission, Kiro Lan's tone carried a faint trace of reluctance.

As a fellow woman, she was all too aware of the fiery anticipation in the words of the returning woman when she spoke of Bai E.

This made her... slightly uncomfortable.

"A woman?" Bai E was momentarily stunned, memories drifting to the distant past.

A woman returning from the Root Server base—other than Minister Eric's assistant, there shouldn't be anyone else.

Miss Aryan... that seems to be her name.

The last time they met was back when Bai E subdued the "Virtual World."

It was also from that moment that Bai E gained the most significant advantage in this world—

An almost inexhaustible supply of Spiritual Energy drawn from the Virtual World!

"Where is she?" Bai E asked.

Back then, Bai E's actions—whether or not this reserved woman had realized anything—remained unclear.

However, up until Bai E rose to become the city's leader, no inquiries or scrutiny related to the "Virtual World" had ever been directed their way by city officials. This suggested that, even if the woman had noticed something, she had chosen not to report even the slightest detail to the city's authorities.

In any case, Bai E felt it necessary to express gratitude in person.

"She's in the VIP guest reception room."

Her residence in the Central City District had been ruthlessly destroyed on the night of the Bloody Night in Blackwater City.

And since she herself wasn't in the city at the time, no one reported it.

Upon her return, she had been staying exclusively in a guest room.

For someone of her stature, as long as she was willing to formally apply to the city for housing, her request would certainly be granted.

But the fact that she had made no such move implied... she had never intended to stay in the city for long.

Her return this time was likely driven by some unfulfilled wish, nothing more.

With a soft sigh, Kiro Lan led the way, taking Bai E to the city's VIP guest residence.

A woman dressed in a comfortable white coat was sitting on the sofa, scrolling through the tablet in her hands.

The reflection on the screen cast a subtle scholarly glow on her youthful face.

Bai E deliberately made a slight noise as they approached, instantly pulling the woman out of her concentration on the contents before her.

The black-framed-glasses-wearing woman turned her head, and the moment her gaze landed on Bai E, her expression froze, followed by a wave of pure delight washing over her face.

"Bai E!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with joy. Then, as if realizing something, she quickly reined in her excitement, slightly lowered her head, and softly corrected herself: "No, I should address you as Lord City Master now."

"It's fine. You can call me whatever you like. Such titles are trivial and shouldn't matter." Bai E casually settled into the single-person sofa beside her, smiling warmly as he asked, "Why did you return from the base?"

"There was an important discovery—some physical data that couldn't be explained clearly online, so I requested to return with the team." Aryan spoke in the same light-hearted tone as always, sharing her thoughts. "I've handed all the technical documentation over to Helen. For further details, my lord, you may consult her. It concerns body modification technology from the Golden Age—yes, the very same bioengineered subjects that once obstructed us."

As she spoke, Aryan's eyes stayed fixed on Bai E's face.

This was her only legitimate opportunity to gaze openly at him.

The explanations she gave about transferring files and finalizing details were all excuses. The truth was she simply wanted to see Bai E one more time.

The initial stirrings of her heart had grown only more poignant with time, though she had since found great fulfillment and purpose diving deeply into the vast technology within the servers.

Still, her lingering feelings refused to fade completely.

"It's good that you came back. But why stay in a place like this all this time?" Bai E glanced around.

The VIP guest quarters were, of course, luxurious and well-maintained, but they lacked any real sense of home and clearly weren't suited for long-term living.

"I wasn't planning to stay long..." Aryan tucked a strand of messy hair behind her ear, smiling softly. "There are still some things I haven't finished handing over, but I'll be leaving in a few days."

How many "a few days" would last, however, depended on how long Bai E stayed.

'Just one glance. One glance is enough.'

Then, she would return to her work with ease.

Aryan silently reminded herself of this.

The former special operations squad member had since risen to become the ruler of Blackwater City.

The gap between them, of course, left no room for the possibility of any further development.

She was fully aware of this reality. Therefore, she only wished to safeguard Bai E's "assets" for the rest of her life in quiet servitude.

As for the server intrusion records she had erased to protect Bai E back then... those would remain buried deep within her to eternity.

However, she hadn't expected Bai E to gaze deeply into her eyes and lightly broach the subject of those past events...

"At the time, you must have realized something, didn't you?"

Aryan was not a fool.

Bai E did not believe she'd let her rationality completely fall apart due to a fleeting youthful infatuation, even in her younger days.

The woman who was now under Bai E's scrutiny froze, her face gradually showing signs of flustered panic.

Her delicate thoughts seemed to have all been laid bare. Overwhelmed with both agitation and embarrassment, her eyebrows lowered, and her long lashes trembled slightly. "You... you knew everything?"

Bai E smiled faintly. "I just thought it was fitting for someone as intelligent as Miss Aryan to figure things out."

Crimson spread across Aryan's skin, starting at her neck and climbing to the tips of her ears. Her voice trembled slightly as she replied, "Actually... actually, I pieced things together only after you left. But even then... even then, you didn't leave behind anything incriminating at all. I... I was just guessing."

"Your guess was correct. Back then, I went specifically for the so-called 'Virtual World.'" Bai E admitted openly, expressing sincere gratitude: "Which is why I must thank you for your protection at the time. Thank you, Miss Aryan."

"There's... there's no need to thank me."

"Alright, let's not dwell on this anymore. If we keep talking, you're going to overheat entirely..." Seeing Aryan's flushed face, Bai E smiled helplessly.

The teasing comment left Aryan stunned for a moment before she quickly lifted her head to look at him. "Wait... Lord Bai E, you can joke too?"

"..." Bai E's lips pressed into a thin line, remaining silent.

For a long time, his self-imposed isolation had caused him to nearly forget the kind of person he once was.

Surely, it wasn't the cold, mechanical persona he had shown to others over the years?

Indeed... what type of person had he been before?

He could scarcely remember anymore...

As the time spent wandering through this world grew longer, memories of his previous life were becoming increasingly blurred.