Lin Mo stood at the apex of the glass balustrade on the one-hundredth-floor observation deck of Taichu Sanctuary Tower. On his shoulders, six-year-old Little Guo’er kicked her small boots happily in the crisp morning breeze.
Four hundred meters above the earth, the panoramic view from the spire stretched across three provinces.
To the east, the vast mouth of the Yangtze River met the grey sea. White wakes trailed behind Captain Old Hai’s silent graphene patrol yachts. To the west, the emerald hills and freshwater lakes of Tianhai glittered in the late afternoon sun.
Around Lin Mo stood his entire core family.
Su Wan stood in her tailored cream suit, checking real-time provincial logistics charts.
Chu Lingxiao wore her flowing white silk gown. She leaned against the bronze railing with a gallon thermos of brown-sugar taro milk tea. Her Frost-Moon Sword rested quietly across her knees.
Tie Niu stood in his dark tactical jacket. He chewed on a dried beef strip while scanning the city below with sharp eyes.
Dr. Gu Qinghe kept his hands tucked behind his back. He breathed in the clean air with deep contentment.
