Reborn as Humanity’s Emperor Across the Multiverse

Not long after:

A magnetic levitation train speeding toward the northern outskirts of New Akrak glided along its dedicated elevated track. Hard-light barriers lined both sides of the track, ensuring the safety of the vehicle while offering passengers an unobstructed view of the landscape.

The tropical rainforests of Africa stretched out on either side, their natural beauty standing in stark contrast to the towering futuristic megastructures visible in the distance. The juxtaposition of "primal" and "futuristic" created a unique and captivating aesthetic.

The train's near-silent propulsion was further muted by the hard-light barriers, allowing the wildlife beneath the elevated track to roam undisturbed. Local fauna thrived under these conditions, their habitats preserved and monitored by bio-droids dispatched regularly by the city's Forestry Management Bureau.

Passengers on the train enjoyed this harmonious blend of wilderness and technology, gazing out the windows at the scenery as the train sped onward.

Soon, the train, composed of sixteen sleek carriages, began decelerating as it approached its destination. By the time it left the elevated track and entered the northern suburban station, its speed had dropped to 20 kilometers per hour.

It finally came to a stop at platform "⑦," its right-side doors sliding open to release passengers. People disembarked in an orderly manner, stepping into the station's clean and vibrant interior.

Among the departing crowd were three "disguised" individuals: Samuel Young, Lyon, and Vulkan.

The three had taken extra care to blend in, opting for casual, tropical-themed attire that made them look completely ordinary.

Of course, by "ordinary," it was more about tone than content—because their physical presence was anything but. All three were towering, impossibly well-built, and carried themselves with an innate authority that couldn't be masked, no matter how much they tried.

Their attire, however, was amusingly mundane:

Vulkan wore jungle-green shorts and a short-sleeve shirt with a cartoon salamander breathing fire printed on the back.

Lyon, meanwhile, sported what could only be described as "Dark Angels merchandise"—black shorts and a matching shirt adorned with stylized logos and designs that screamed "official Atlas store exclusives."

As for Samuel, he was the most understated of the three, dressed in plain shorts and a shirt with no visible patterns.

If any of their fellow passengers recognized their true identities, the shock would have been unimaginable. After all, what were the chances of seeing the Emperor of Mankind casually traveling with two of his Primarch sons like they were on a family vacation?

Despite the advanced medical and genetic technologies available within the Human Empire, it was still nearly impossible for ordinary humans to look as young and vibrant as Samuel and his sons did. Their apparent youthfulness, paired with their familial bond, would have been nearly incomprehensible to the average citizen.

As the trio left the station and stepped onto the streets of the northern suburbs, they stopped briefly at an interactive service kiosk. The kiosk's hard-light display illuminated as they approached, projecting a map of New Akrak and various information about the city.

"Greetings, gentlemen!" A cheerful voice accompanied the projection, which depicted a virtual avatar of a middle-aged man in an Empire official's uniform.

The avatar, a rudimentary AI, continued:

"How may I assist you today? Are you looking for directions, or perhaps recommendations for local attractions?

If you already have a destination in mind but are unsure about public transportation, you can use the 'Convenient Akrak' app on your phone to plan your route.

Alternatively, if you'd like, I can provide assistance directly. Just let me know!"

The AI's smile was polite yet empty, perfectly programmed to provide friendly customer service.

Samuel glanced at his two sons, then addressed the AI.

"We'd like to visit the city center's shopping district. But before that, we'd like to find a good restaurant nearby where we can have a drink and chat. Can you recommend something?"

"Of course! I can provide verbal recommendations, or I can upload the best options directly to your phone. Please enable Bluetooth to link with this terminal," the AI replied.

"Upload it, then," Samuel said, pulling out a standard civilian smartphone and activating its Bluetooth function.

Although the AI could have transmitted the data without any manual input, protocols required explicit user consent to avoid violating privacy laws. This system ensured that citizens retained a sense of control over their interactions with technology.

Once the Bluetooth pairing was complete, Samuel's phone displayed a list of recommendations. A detailed route to the city center appeared on the map, along with suggestions for highly-rated restaurants, complete with reviews.

"Thanks," Samuel said with a nod to the AI, pocketing his phone.

"My pleasure!" the AI responded automatically.

Vulkan, ever the courteous one, also expressed his gratitude:

"Thank you for your help."

However, Lyon, maintaining his aloof demeanor, simply walked away without acknowledging the AI.

The AI, unaffected, continued smiling. "Assisting Imperial citizens is my duty. No thanks are necessary."

The trio soon boarded an aerial tram, which whisked them from the outskirts to the bustling heart of New Akrak.

For Samuel and Vulkan, who often received reports about the city's rapid development and rising happiness index, the trip was a rare opportunity to witness these changes firsthand.

Lyon, however, was struck by nostalgia.

He couldn't help but reminisce about his childhood trips with his father and brothers. The city had transformed dramatically since then.

Gone were the familiar buildings, restaurants, and shops he remembered. In their place stood towering megastructures, sprawling commercial hubs, and restaurants teeming with patrons.

Even the old, disorganized food stalls—once a hallmark of the city—had been replaced with clean, well-organized establishments.

As the tram passed over one of the city's new food streets, Lyon was reminded of how chaotic the area used to be. Back then, it was the epitome of "dirty but lively," a place that lacked sanitation but was full of character.

Now, the street was unrecognizable, lined with pristine stalls and bustling with activity.

For a brief moment, Lyon felt a pang of longing for the old days.

His thoughts were interrupted when his heightened senses detected a commotion below. A petty thief had attempted to steal a resident's phone and ID card but was caught in the act.

Before the situation could escalate into a physical altercation, a squad of armed surveillance drones appeared overhead, their stun guns and rubber-bullet launchers trained on the thief.

The thief, understanding the futility of resistance, raised his hands in surrender.

Moments later, a police hovercraft descended onto the street, and a mechanical-suited officer, accompanied by a humanoid android, emerged to handle the situation.

Lyon observed all this with mild interest.

The entire sequence—from the attempted theft to the thief's surrender—had taken less than ten seconds. The efficiency was staggering, far surpassing anything Lyon had seen in the past.

It became clear to him that the Empire had vastly expanded its network of surveillance drones. Though no longer hovering visibly in the sky, the drones were now stationed in concealed hubs throughout the city, ready to deploy at a moment's notice.

This hidden yet omnipresent system allowed the Empire to maintain order without creating an atmosphere of paranoia.

Eventually, the tram reached the city center, and the trio made their way to a restaurant located in the middle levels of a towering megastructure.

The establishment, named Huaxia Delicacies, was renowned for its cuisine.

Their host, a young elf woman with her hair styled in twin buns and dressed in a traditional cheongsam, greeted them warmly.

As she led them to a private room with a floor-to-ceiling window, the elf couldn't help but cast admiring glances at Lyon. His height, chiseled features, and enigmatic aura clearly left an impression on her.

Once seated, Samuel placed their order: a selection of dishes to suit their tastes, along with a dozen bottles of potent 76° Baijiu.

As the elf departed—reluctantly—she poured them each a cup of tea before closing the door.

With the room now private, Vulkan glanced at the door, then at Lyon, and finally burst into laughter.

"Father," Vulkan said, his voice filled with mirth, "who would've thought that my frosty, serious brother would be a perfect match for the elves' ideal of beauty!"

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