Chapter 986 - 12: Waterworld

Dong Xiao looked at the small Kong Hou in the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror, gnawing on bread. He frowned slightly and couldn’t help but whisper to Tianmiao, "Master, would Kong Hou losing her power like this be very dangerous?"

"There’s no need to worry," Tianmiao shook his head. "I said, this is Kong Hou’s tribulation and more so her fate. We only need to prepare to welcome the guests of this world."

"Guests..." Dong Xiao repeated softly. Initially, Qu Fengbai and Zhou Chaoyang had fortune, but it was not strong. And now, is the person with true fortune about to arrive?

...

The seventeenth princess of the Empire, Qu Ruiqing, is nineteen years old this year. She enjoys the best resources of the Empire, waking up every day in a wide, soft bed, where maids come to assist her with dressing, washing, and then breakfast. The morning is for study, and the afternoon is her free time.

She has an intelligent robot named Bai Bao. Bai Bao plans her daily schedule, records many things for her, and only obeys her orders. Bai Bao is shaped like a round metal ball about the size of a basketball. Its functions go far beyond that of a personal secretary; it is equipped with the Empire’s most advanced miniature ion cannon and an instantly deployable protective shield, which provides comprehensive protection centered on the Princess. It scans for potential dangers around twenty-four hours a day, so there is no need for bodyguards by the Seventeenth Princess’s side.

This afternoon, Qu Ruiqing stood at the edge of the Empire, looking down into the grayness below, suddenly whispering, "Bai Bao, activate the mechanical arm, let’s go down."

"Master, it’s very dangerous below. Warning, warning, it’s very dangerous below, the living environment is harsh. It’s not advisable to go down!" Bai Bao issued a warning, and the small light bulb on its head flickered red.

"Snap!" Qu Ruiqing slapped Bai Bao on the head, "How many times have you said that? Can you cancel this warning program?"

"The program must be followed!" Bai Bao finished speaking and activated the mechanical arm. It was just the right size to grasp the enormous pillar connecting the Empire and the Swamp District, allowing for sliding down the pillar. Qu Ruiqing stood outside the mechanical arm, holding onto the handholds extended by Bai Bao and bracing her feet to stabilize herself, as Bai Bao carried her down.

"Bai Bao, do you think the people below think the same way?" Qu Ruiqing stood on the footrest and asked.

"Think about what?" Bai Bao asked.

"Whether they think they’re lowly, only fit to live in the harsh Swamp District, while people of the Empire are meant for an elevated life?" Qu Ruiqing asked.

"I advise the master not to say such things below." Bai Bao’s voice was mechanical as it offered this counsel.

"Bai Bao, do you think you might become human one day?" Qu Ruiqing asked again.

"That is impossible. I am a robot; I am a program." Bai Bao continued in its mechanical voice, "Please hold tight, we are descending."

After Qu Ruiqing stabilized herself, Bai Bao began a rapid descent. At this moment, Qu Ruiqing turned her head, looking at the endless marshes in the distance, then glanced at the "Slum District" beneath the Empire. Her mood grew complex once more.

Indeed, the Swamp District beneath the Empire was also called the "Slum District" by the Empire’s people. The people of the Empire always looked down upon those from the Swamp District, deeming them inferior and filthy, only fit to live like rats in the darkened marshes.