The seaside. The beach. The sunshine.
Riku lay on a lounge chair, wearing swimming trunks. He squinted comfortably behind a pair of sunglasses. On the small table beside him sat a chilled drink, still covered in a refreshing frost.
Aside from the lack of some "bikini-clad scenery," everything was perfect.
"Papa!"
"Papa!"
"Papa!"
A cute, high-pitched, and energetic voice called out from behind him.
"Klee~~~"
Riku's tone softened instantly. It wasn't the tenderness between lovers, but the doting affection of a parent—a feeling only those who have raised children can truly understand.
He opened his arms. A small, warm figure dove straight into his embrace. She wiggled around like a kitten, eventually picking a comfortable spot to settle down.
"Papa!" The little girl, sculpted like jade, was a miniature version of Alice. Her chubby cheeks made her look incredibly adorable.
Riku's smile grew even gentler.
Ten years.
Riku and Alice were both quite the characters. Riku wasn't exactly a workaholic, but he was driven. Alice was even more of a whimsical, eccentric soul. In short, this couple was a pair of absolute troublemakers.
The result: after the child was born, neither of them was in a rush. They both decided to spend a few years properly enjoying their daughter's childhood.
As for the [Longhuang Universe], it wouldn't face any immediate crises. Riku's arrival had bought it some time, and Klee's birth had bought it even more. If one were to calculate by the flow of time, for the "Nirvana" to completely guide the universe toward extinction would take an agonizingly long duration.
"Papa, Mama told Klee that she's going to take Klee to other universes to go fish-blasting!" Klee's large eyes blinked, her face flushed with excitement. She looked absolutely delighted.
Riku didn't even hesitate, smiling as he said, "Of course you can."
Klee currently looked to be about four or five years old. If nothing unexpected happened, it was unlikely she would grow much in the long time to come. Her life level was simply too high. Alice was of the Elf Race, whose childhoods were measured in centuries. As for Klee? Her childhood might last for hundreds of millions of years, or even longer.
There was no helping it. As the "Daughter of the Universe," Klee's birth was like the universe creating a brand-new universe. The gestation period for that was bound to be incredibly long.
"Yay!" Klee cheered. She was a child, after all. The prospect of going to a new place to play was naturally thrilling.
Since she was born, Klee had lived entirely on this planet created by Riku. It wasn't that the planet wasn't big—well, it was only about one-tenth the size of Earth. Riku hadn't set out to create some vast, sprawling world. This was his home; it didn't need to be massive, just cozy. But for a child like Klee, ten years was more than enough to explore every corner. Naturally, she was itching to go out and play.
However, neither Riku nor Alice had dared to take her out yet. While they were confident in their ability to protect their daughter, the "Nirvana" was still too prevalent out there. She was their true treasure, after all.
"My dear, Klee." As the father and daughter chatted, the mother's voice called out from afar.
Riku hoisted Klee onto his shoulders.
"Giddy-up!" Klee shouted, waving her little hands. "Mama, Mama..."
"Klee is so cute!" Alice ran over, playfully poking Klee's little head.
Klee wrapped her small hands around Riku's head, resting her chin on top of it.
Riku chuckled, "What is it, Alice? Can't hold back anymore? Want to go out and play?"
"My dear~~~" Alice drew out the word, grinning. "How can you call it 'going out to play'? Isn't this just me helping to expand our home? Besides, my dear, don't you think this beach is missing something?"
Riku paused, asking instinctively, "Missing what?"
Alice blinked, giggling, "It's obviously missing some bikini-clad scenery."
Riku couldn't be bothered to entertain her. This woman was clearly just getting cold feet. As a master of empty talk, Alice was "powerful" in her own right, but she couldn't handle the fact that she always talked big only to fail repeatedly. Eventually, she'd just end up curling up to sleep with her daughter, acting as if she had no idea what he was talking about.
"The Gate of the Universe is finished. I've already tested it. The first link connects to two worlds; I've sensed one of them, and that universe just had a bit of 'fun.' You can go take a look."
Riku held his daughter's leg with one hand, and with a flick of his other, a "Gate of the Universe"—resembling the "Mingshen Gate"—materialized on the beach.
Alice became even more interested. "What do you mean by 'had a bit of fun'?"
Riku explained. For a universe to evolve, it requires the cosmic energy generated by the development of civilization. But sometimes, what happens if a civilization stops developing? According to the instincts of the universe, it will start applying pressure. If the civilization can withstand the pressure, it leads to development. As for those who fail? They just start over from the beginning. It's not like the universe is short on time.
In a sense, the "Nirvana" was the final test sweeping across the entire universe.
"So, they played themselves into a corner?" Alice's eyes sparkled.
Riku nodded, amused. "I haven't studied it too closely, but yes, they likely played themselves into a mess. It's perfect—you go over to watch the show, and while you're at it, handle things according to the plan."
Alice gave an 'OK' sign, indicating there was absolutely no problem.
"Eh?" The little cutie tilted her head, curious. "Papa, aren't you coming with Mama and me?"
She seemed unhappy; she thought the whole family of three was going on a trip together.
Riku patted her leg, saying gently, "Klee, Papa has a few things to take care of. It won't take long, and then Papa will take Mama and you on a trip together, okay?"
"Okay!"
The little one was still a child, after all; just a few words were enough to shift her focus.