Vander put on his gauntlets and went out to call a few of his most reliable brothers.
When these men heard that the Piltover Enforcers were going after Vi and her friends, they didn't hesitate to grab their weapons and follow Vander.
"You should have done this a long time ago, Vander." A big-bearded man deftly wrapped a long chain around his wrist, then attached a lock, shaking it with satisfaction. "Piltoverians aren't so great anyway. When they come to Zaun, it's destined to be... how does that saying go?"
"Self-destruction." A somewhat refined-looking fellow next to him reached up to adjust his glasses. "Their firearms might work on the Sun Gates dam, but in Zaun, those things are not much better than fire pokers."
"It's not that simple," Vander, wearing a hard hat, rumbled. "There must be an inside man. I didn't tell anyone about Vi's whereabouts."
"Speaking of which, where did they go?"
"Following that Lux, to excavate ruins below."
"Did that mage bring the news to the Piltover Cops?"
"No, it wasn't her. She also ran into trouble. The Piltover explorers have the same goal as her." Vander shook his head. "I suspect it's the Shadow."
"The Shadow?" Hearing Vander say this, the people following him were finally dumbfounded. "Are you saying, Silco?"
Vander didn't speak, but not speaking was the best answer.
"No way, Silco wouldn't collude with Piltoverians, would he?" The chain-bearded man's voice was full of disbelief. "Even though he's a bastard, he's never been on the same page as those Piltoverians..."
"I feel like he's coming for me." Vander twisted his neck. "A few days ago, Sevika left the tavern."
"Are you saying Sevika went to find Silco?" The big-bearded man bared his teeth, his eyes wide. "Didn't she despise that bean sprout the most?"
"Could she have gone to Finn then?" Vander sighed. "I dare say, if it really is Silco, he's probably waiting for me."
"Then he's truly a fool." The small-eyed man following Vander tucked a wrench into a slot on his belt. "Even with Sevika's help, he can't replace you—we all trust you."
"I always feel he has other plans." Vander shook his head. "To be honest, I originally wanted to go alone and teach Silco a lesson, to make him sober up, but in the end, I still called you all... Besides helping out, I also hoped we could gather again and discuss."
"Discuss what?" The big-bearded man was a bit confused. "Whatever you say, we'll do it together!"
"Discuss Zaun's... future," Vander whispered. "However, that will have to wait until after this matter."
...
Vander and his group of dozens quickly assembled and headed straight for the excavation pit.
And almost at the same time, in Upper Zaun, the elevator also brought a large group of fully armed explorers.
When these Piltoverians arrived in Zaun, they naturally met with hostile gazes from the Zaunites, but unfortunately, such gazes might make Enforcers uncomfortable and at a loss, but they would not make these explorers feel any discomfort.
To be a registered member of the Explorers Association in Piltover means at least one grave-robbing experience—besides that, this title often also represents semi-shady identities like con artists, brokers, scalpers, and some even occasionally act as Sand Bandits in the Shurima Desert.
So, they could face the hostility of the Zaunites with complete composure, even feeling smug about it.
Xiao Huangmao, who was mixed in with this group of explorers, felt a genuine sense of unease.
Although he had recently visited a ruin in Kumungu and brought back a necklace, that was after all in a forest, and the ruin itself was almost completely covered by plants—more importantly, all of Ezreal's clues for exploring the ruin were "bought" from the locals; he paid for those legendary stories!
Among such a group of scoundrels, Ezreal, who had previously been able to chat and laugh freely, felt more and more like a husky mixed into a pack of wolves the closer he got to his destination.
Is this... a professional explorer?
Watching them one by one start to organize various types of exploration equipment that could be used to kill people, Ezreal felt a bit restless—and many people, including the previous clerk, were also quite uncomfortable, so much so that the explorers, who had originally gathered together with a lively atmosphere, became more and more dispersed the closer they got to Lower Zaun, eventually stretching into a long, straggling line.
Many experienced individuals, even when facing their peers, had wary eyes.
This was no ordinary expedition. If that ruin could be excavated, it might mean becoming Miss Opeia's favored guest—although the identity of that rich young woman was not clear, it was certain that she was a true high-society figure.
After all, even Councilor Mel had to remain humble when facing her!
Ekko and Viktor, having left The Last Drop, just brushed past this group of explorers. During this time, Viktor was still quietly trying to persuade Ekko to stop Vander.
"Child, believe me, I'm also from Zaun. Just yesterday, Jayce and I made a big breakthrough in our research. The Councilor is already supporting us. This is not the time to escalate conflicts..."
"The dawn of Hextech has appeared before us. I promise it will be used to improve people's lives. Using violence now will make a situation that has a chance to ease uncontrollable..."
"I understand Mr. Vander's power, status, and what he represents very well. He absolutely cannot make a move—"
"Shut up!" The already immensely agitated Ekko finally couldn't help but interrupt Viktor's nagging. "This is our Zaunite business, it has nothing to do with Piltoverians!"
"I am also a Zaunite." Viktor's eyes widened, veins bulging on his forehead. "I cannot stand by and watch Zaun fall into the abyss. Believe me, child—as soon as this matter settles, Hextech will be used for production. Jayce already has an idea for manufacturing mining tools, and my cutting machine design has officially begun..."
"Vander said it has nothing to do with you." Ekko simply pushed Viktor into the elevator and closed the door. "Besides, you're already a Piltoverian!"
The next moment, the elevator rumbled, and Viktor's words were finally completely drowned out by the astonishing noise.
As for Ekko, he let out a long breath, then turned and left without hesitation—calculating the time, he should still be able to catch up with Vander.
Klein's Small Class · On Technology:
In Piltover, technology—or rather, a smart mind—is a shortcut to the upper echelons. Perhaps because Heimerdinger is in charge of the academy, at least regarding the protection of inventors' rights, Piltover does a good job.