Riku wasn't entirely sure about Rika Minami's claim. It wasn't that Riku was some peerless "good man," that was pure nonsense.
Back then, Riku and Alice were a couple who were always at each other's throats. They would meet in the morning, fight by noon, and be in the bedroom by night. Their efficiency was just that high.
As a Long-lived Species, Alice's emotions and way of thinking were different from those of short-lived species. Secondly, in a sense, Riku and Alice were the same type of person, both "fun-seeker" level powerhouses. They were two peas in a pod.
Over the course of two hundred years, Riku's own way of thinking had also undergone many changes.
The problem now was, wasn't Saya Takagi just an ordinary girl? It had only been a little over one year, could she really have changed this much?
"Admiration for the strong!" Rika Minami naturally crossed her arms and said casually, "It's normal for women in this crappy country to admire the strong. For a girl like Saya, your power, Mr. Riku, is even more alluring."
Riku raised an eyebrow and said with a chuckle, "A-Xiang, isn't it a bit inappropriate for those words to come from the mouth of a soldier?"
"What?" Rika Minami immediately shook her head and said seriously, "Mr. Riku, don't talk nonsense. I belong to the [Longhuang Universe] and the [Longhuang Empire]. I'm not a soldier of any other country."
"So, this [Longhuang Empire] was something Alice cooked up again?" Riku asked helplessly.
"Lady Alice said so. She also said that from now on, the [Apocalypse] Universe is Ranch No. 1, and the [Longhuang Empire] will be the Supreme Ruler."
Rika Minami felt zero pressure regarding her home universe. No joke. For various reasons, she hadn't been doing that well there anyway, and being in her position was purely due to her outstanding abilities.
And then? Humanity called "GG." It was because the universe had broken itself, turning into a joke. There wasn't a ghost of a sense of belonging left. Picking a side early and following Mr. Riku meant there would be meat to eat.
Not to mention, she was part of the very first batch of people. Saeko Busujima's arrangements were almost done, and she and Rei were about to be sent over as well. If they waited until later when there were more people, would such positions still be available to them?
Rika Minami and Rei Miyamoto were self-aware. They were geniuses among humans, but compared to a monster like Saeko Busujima, they weren't even worth mentioning.
Riku wouldn't share much about his plans for the neighboring [Saint Seiya] Universe with Saori Kido, since they weren't partners. But Saeko Busujima, Rika Minami, and Rei Miyamoto were his own people. He would definitely tell them.
In Rika's view, they really just benefited from arriving early. If they had come late, then except for Saeko Busujima, every single one of them would basically just be decorative vases, much like her ditzy best friend.
Listening to Rika Minami's suggestive words, combined with her tanned skin, Riku couldn't help but think of some messy things.
In a sense, it wasn't wrong.
The area outside the universe, which he called the "Crystal Wall Sea"... Within each universe, he managed life, making them mine [Universe Energy] for him... Then transporting the [Azure Ore] back to his own universe.
It matches. It matches. It all matches up.
'Good grief, have I started the Great Age of Discovery? Have I become the Supreme Ruler of the shepherds?'
"Yeah!" Rika Minami looked at Riku's silence and couldn't help but nod with a smile. "Mr. Riku, it really is like that!"
Riku rubbed his temples, not knowing what to say. Forget it. He was too lazy to think about it anymore.
"A-Xiang, how are your preparations coming along?" Riku asked, dropping the subject.
Hearing him get down to business, Rika Minami also became serious. "Mr. Riku, everything that needs to be prepared is almost ready. Rei's and my Cosmo have truly been activated, but our foundation is still too weak. It will take another one or two years to build a solid base."
The Cosmo placed extremely high demands on the body. Under the guidance of the [Cosmic Core], the two women's bodies and life levels were undergoing a transformation. But all of this required time, at least another one or two years.
As for Saeko Busujima? Heh... Three months. In just three short months, Saeko had completed the journey that would take the two of them three years.
"No rush." Riku shook his head slightly. "There's plenty of time. Haste makes waste. Besides, regarding the handling of matters..."
Rika Minami nodded slightly, she naturally understood this principle. In this regard, Riku's plans were massive, they couldn't be explained in just a few words. Being impatient was pointless.
The discussion ended there.
Rika Minami suddenly leaned in close, pressing against Riku's ear, and whispered, "Mr. Riku, since that little girl Saya is too shy, then I'll invite you to dinner instead..."
After saying that, Rika gave a bold laugh and turned to walk away.
Riku stood there, finding it funny. Why did it feel like the roles were reversed? Was he the one being hunted?
'Go on!' 'Go already!' 'Don't come looking for me for a while!'
Alice's voice suddenly rang in Riku's ear. She was scared. Truly scared. 'Stay away from me.'
Riku also found it funny, but he simply looked up, gazing beyond the planet.
"The [Azure Ore] transported from the [Apocalypse] Universe has already been converted into pure [Universe Energy]. It's beginning to spread out with this planet as the core. The Extinction is gradually being erased."
In Riku's eyes, the entire [Longhuang Universe] looked like a blueprint. As the blue [Universe Energy] was injected, the blueprint, which had been shrouded in darkness, began to clear up. It was like clearing the fog of war in a game, though the fog was clearing very slowly.
But there was no rush. Riku was never impatient. As long as the first step had begun, things were stable. He could just continue step by step.