Shhh... Shhh... Shhhh...
Within the resplendent audience hall of the Imperial City, the aroma of tea lingered gently, accompanied by the soft rustling of turning pages, creating an atmosphere of serene tranquility.
Zeke sat on the throne, leisurely resting his legs, engrossed in reading the Empire's annual summary report.
In the blink of an eye, another decade had passed.
Following the end of Honkai, the world seemed remarkably peaceful. Any minor setbacks during its development were effortlessly overcome by the unwavering determination of the high-ranking officials led by Zeke. Amidst this calm, time flowed swiftly, almost imperceptibly, leaving people barely aware of its passage.
Now, Honkai Energy had become a conventional power source akin to solar and geothermal energy. Although still hazardous, its research and application required utmost caution. However, with no Will of Honkai secretly manipulating this force behind the scenes, there was no longer a looming disaster plotting the downfall of civilization.
Currently, leveraging Honkai technology as a key development path alongside rapid advancements in other fields, human civilization had made significant strides both deep into the cosmos and within the Sea of Quanta. Continuously extending its reach, it explored myriad unknowns.
The Empire's prospects and trajectory were unrecognizable compared to before the Endwar.
Naturally, new challenges emerged one after another.
"There's been an increasing number of reports about extraterrestrial civilizations. However, based on statistical analysis, most encounters involve civilizations discovered by our Empire, with very few initiating contact themselves. Among those reaching out, the majority are remnants adrift in space following their defeat by Honkai. As for civilizations that triumphed over Honkai and ventured into the stars... we haven't yet fully confirmed any such cases. It seems overcoming Honkai is indeed not a high-probability event."
Having finished reading the report, Zeke summarized his thoughts on extraterrestrial civilizations with a matter-of-fact tone, devoid of much emotion.
Over these years, the Empire's resources and strength had been rapidly expanding, but Zeke himself grew at an even more astonishing rate.
As he continually developed the abilities of the Herrscher of Time, feedback from countless parallel Leaf Worlds increased exponentially, along with the number of such worlds itself. With multiple reinforcing loops, Zeke no longer knew the extent of his own limits.
He had already become a multiversal-level Herrscher of Time, capable of creating new Leaf Worlds and engaging in strategic battles involving high-level concepts like the Imaginary Tree and Sea of Quanta.
In contrast, extraterrestrial civilizations, no matter how advanced, were merely galactic entities at best. They might have some tendrils reaching into the Sea of Quanta or the Imaginary Tree, but that was it—far below Zeke's level of power.
After pondering for a moment, Zeke looked up and surveyed those present: Welt, Durandal, Bronya, Einstein, and Chen Tianwu. Despite being only five individuals, together they represented the core authority of the entire civilization.
In a sense, this inner circle represented the entire civilization.
Zeke closed the thick report file and said, "Further relax restrictions on initiating contact with alien civilizations. Embracing diverse influences can also be a path to strength. Durandal, Bronya, make necessary adjustments militarily, focusing on refining our external combat systems. We may not need to strike first, but we must possess the capability for swift retaliation."
"Yes sir!" × 2
"Everyone else should prepare contingency plans within your respective domains to mitigate risks; being prepared ensures no unforeseen issues arise. Additionally, assess and decide on other matters independently. Present your annual domain-specific strategies three days from now. Dismissed."
"Yes sir!" × 2
As soon as the meeting adjourned, everyone began dispersing.
Even Bronya, despite being Zeke's wife, had significant responsibilities in both research and military affairs. She only managed to give him a quick peck on the cheek before rushing out, needing to promptly revise her development plan.
"Blo, I'll head home early today. Make dinner something simple, Zeke, please help me look after her."
"Alright."
Zeke replied gently, watching as Bronya's graceful figure vanished like an elf beyond the door. He shook his head with a soft smile.
"She's growing up so fast, and her touch and taste only improve each year... don't you agree, Hua?"
Fu Hua, standing beside the throne brewing tea, remained silent. She subtly lowered her gaze, focusing on her red shoes.
Her movements instantly froze, brows twitching slightly.
"...My lord speaks truly. In comparison, Sin hasn't shown much growth. It's hard to predict how long it will take for her to mature at her current lifespan," Fu Hua softly responded, offering him the prepared tea while smoothly shifting the conversation topic.
When it comes to body shape - three parts destiny, seven parts effort, and the remaining ninety still depend on fate.
In any case, Fu Hua had accepted her lot.
Of course, reacting if someone teased her about it was another matter entirely.
"Ah—"
Fu Hua suddenly let out a startled gasp.
Zeke had unexpectedly grabbed her hand, pulling her close into his embrace, onto his lap, and gently lifting her chin.
"Hu... Husband, it's still daytime, and we're in the audience hall..."
"Just a taste; besides, no outsiders will barge in."
"Smack! Smooch!"
"Munch! Crunch!"
The former was the sweet sound of tongues entwining, while the latter came from Kiana and Sin eating nearby.
As soon as Zeke initiated their kiss, these two arrived and casually observed from the side, treating it like any ordinary spectacle.
Zeke had always been carnivorous.
Whether idle or busy, he frequently indulged in sampling flesh—a behavior his wives long grew accustomed to, if not outright enjoyed.
After some time, Fu Hua's entire face remained buried in Zeke's embrace, with only her elegantly curved ear visible, noticeably flushed red.
Fu Hua still hadn't fully adjusted to displaying such intimate affection before her disciple.
What she didn't realize is that precisely because she couldn't get used to it, Zeke often teased her using this teacher-student dynamic. If she had acclimated, he would have already moved on to explore new forms of amusement.
"You two done playing?"
Continuing to caress Fu Hua's hair and the skin at her waist, Zeke calmly glanced at their spectators.
Sin put down her fruit, wiped her lips, then tugged on Zeke's collar, stood on tiptoe, and looked up, saying:
"Zeke, I want one too~"
"Smack! Smooch! Smmooch!"
"Munch! Crunch!"
Kiana continued calmly munching on her fruit.
She wasn't like Sin, a perpetually immature kid. As for kisses, there was no rush—after all, more intense experiences awaited her sooner or later.
As Sin desired, Zeke passionately responded to her kiss.
Afterward, the delighted little girl nestled comfortably into Zeke's embrace and resumed eating from her favorite spot.
Then, Zeke exchanged glances with Kiana.
"Munch, munch!"
"..."
"Munch, munch!"
"Careful not to gain weight."
"As if I'd get fat!" Kiana angrily tossed the fruit peel, shattering her composed yet inherently goofy demeanor instantly. Even her frustration led her to stomp her feet.
"This lady won't gain weight no matter how much she eats! Unless...pregnant..." Gasp!
"Crackling!"
With such enticing sweetness within reach, how could Zeke resist? Seizing the moment while Kiana was agitated and caught off guard, he firmly grasped her chin and took decisive action.
After a long interval, Kiana's face flushed red, her delicate body limp and weak. She collapsed duck-style at Zeke's feet, pounding his thigh vigorously.
"You scoundrel! Pervert! Tyrant..."
"Hm?" Zeke raised an eyebrow slightly.
Instantly, Kiana's expression transformed.
"But I like it!"
Her pounding on his thigh turned into gentle kneading.
Kiana carefully and skillfully massaged Zeke's leg with a silly grin, earning a satisfied head pat from him—a typical day for Kiana, mastering the art of survival.
After some time, Zeke carried Sin's petite body cradled in his arms like a child, while she happily munched on fruits nestled within his embrace. Fu Hua and Kiana walked alongside him—one on each side—as the four left the audience hall.
This had become their daily routine as one big family.