The golden boarding ramp of the Taichu Sanctuary Flagship rose forty feet into the crisp mountain air.
Lin Mo climbed the polished wooden steps with steady, unhurried ease. His dark silk robe fluttered gently against his ankles in the mountain breeze.
Behind him, the entire core leadership of the Taichu Benevolence Trust ascended in formation. Su Wan, Chu Lingxiao, Mu Qing, Grandma Chen, Little Guo’er, Dr. Gu Qinghe, Shen Qiaoqiao, Master Lu Jian, Forge-King Bronn, and Spirit-Elf Queen Qing Ling walked together, their expressions bright with anticipation.
Across the vast terraces of Mount Kunlun, fifty thousand spectators had gathered to witness the historic departure.
Scholars from the Taichu Academy, provincial magistrates under Lord Wen Zhengming, dwarf-smiths, and thousands of common citizens waved colorful banners. The cheering was so loud it rolled down the valley like joyful thunder, echoing across the snowy peaks.
Before stepping through the airlock, Lin Mo paused on the landing platform and looked back over the continent of the Nine Provinces.
Lord Wen Zhengming and Dean Yan stood at the head of three thousand scholar-magistrates, bowing deeply with hands clasped in scholarly respect.
“Chairman Lin,” Lord Wen called out, his voice rich with emotion. “The Nine Provinces will remain faithful to your charter. The grain reserves are full. The schools are open. Justice will be administered without fear or favor until your return.”
