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"Powder!" "Vi!"
The sisters collided in a desperate embrace, years of trauma and distance evaporating in the sterile air of Heimerdinger's lab. It was the kind of reunion that usually triggers a cutscene, but Chen knew the clock was ticking. He caught Caitlyn's eye and tilted his head toward a far corner.
"Little Cupcake, over here. I've got new data on the case."
He needed to peel the Enforcer away before Jinx's "Get Excited!" passive triggered a full-blown meltdown. Caitlyn, ever the professional, followed him immediately. Chen exhaled as the sisters began to whisper and sob in their own bubble of safety.
Caitlyn looked through the new evidence Chen had brought up from the Sump: photos of hollowed-out victims, the skeletal remains of botched experiments, and the purple, pulsating veins of the Shimmer Elites. She looked like she wanted to vomit. "This is... it's worse than I imagined. It's not just smuggling; it's a slaughterhouse."
Chen shrugged. "The City of Progress looks great in the brochures, but there's a Riptide pulling it under. That's why Silco has to be stopped. Not because he's a criminal, but because he's an infection."
Caitlyn gritted her teeth, her resolve hardening. "What could he possibly want that's worth all this blood?"
"Self-governance, trade routes, amnesty—the usual list," Chen said, echoing the original timeline's demands. "He wants a seat at the table, and he's willing to burn the table down to get it. He just needs a nod from your Council."
"But these are things we can negotiate!" Caitlyn argued. "If they just stopped the Shimmer—"
"Capitalism doesn't negotiate with its margins, Caitlyn," Chen interrupted, his voice cold. "The Council is a collection of profit-driven aristocrats. They won't give up their monopoly on the Hexgates just to save a few 'trenchers.' In this world, the superstructure dictates the morals. And right now, the superstructure only speaks the language of gold."
Caitlyn looked lost. "Then there's no other way?"
"War is usually the ultimate patch for a broken system," Chen said, staring at the ceiling. "Unless... someone like Councillor Talis can find a diplomatic exploit."
Caitlyn blinked. "Talis? You mean Jayce? Since when is he a Councillor?"
Chen clasped his hands behind his back, doing his best "Mysterious Protagonist" impression. "Heaven's secrets must not be revealed. Spoilers are bad for the immersion."
A heavy thud echoed against the lab's reinforced door. "Professor Heimerdinger? It's Jayce. Viktor and I have reached a milestone with the Hex-Core. We'd like you to see it."
Heimerdinger's ears twitched. He was still the same stubborn Yordle who feared the Arcane, but he wasn't immune to curiosity. Chen leaned in, giving him a gentle nudge. "Go on, Professor. It's still science, even if the fuel is a bit 'magical.' Besides, I want to see the state of their build."
Heimerdinger sighed and opened the door. Jayce and Viktor stood there, but they weren't alone in their shock.
"Caitlyn? Why are you here?" Jayce asked, then spotted Chen and Powder. "And... Mr. Chen? Ms. Powder? I've heard about your 'Pure Technology' airships. Remarkable engineering."
Powder didn't even look at him. she was still clutching Vi's arm, her eyes fixed on Chen. Chen gave a polite nod. "Just students of the Academy, Mr. Talis. We're just here for the lecture."
As they walked toward the Hextech lab, Chen's eyes fell on Viktor. The man was leaning heavily on a cane, his skin a sallow, sickly gray. He was coughing into a handkerchief—red, wet coughs.
I did this, Chen thought, a wave of guilt hitting him. By introducing "Pure Technology" and creating a rivalry, he'd forced Jayce and Viktor to "involution"—to overwork themselves in a frantic race to prove Hextech's worth. Viktor was burning his candle at both ends to keep up with Chen's modern engineering.
Don't worry, buddy, Chen thought. The Glorious Evolution is coming. A little early, but it's coming.
In the lab, Jayce and Viktor demonstrated the Hex-Claw and the Hex-Atlas Gauntlets. The power was undeniable. It was magic condensed into a tool—the ultimate stat-stick.
"Incredible," Heimerdinger whispered, though his eyes remained wary.
Chen quietly moved to Vi's side. "Sis, what do you think of the gauntlets? Look like they'd fit your playstyle?"
Vi nodded, mesmerized by the blue glow of the Atlas Gauntlets. "Mining tools? What a waste. I could do some serious work with those. Wait... what did you call me?"
Chen's survival instinct flared. "Big sister! I was one of the kids in the Lanes, remember? I used to help you clean up the glass after you'd punch through Vander's doors."
Vi squinted, trying to recall a face in the sea of orphans. "Oh! The kid with no presence! I remember now. Your people were from Ionia, right?"
"I guess so," Chen replied. "Explains the black hair."
The peace was broken by Heimerdinger's sharp voice. "It is a marvel, yes. But it is unfinished. It needs another ten years of safety testing before it can be released to the public."
"Ten years?!" Viktor gasped, his voice thin. He knew he didn't have ten months.
"Time is a river, child," Heimerdinger said dismissively. "It passes in a blink."
"But we can help people now," Viktor argued, desperate.
Heimerdinger didn't listen. He walked out, his mind closed to the urgency of mortal lives. Chen stayed behind for a moment, resting a hand on Viktor's shoulder. "I think you're right, Viktor. But don't hate the Professor. He's lived for centuries; he's forgotten what it feels like to have a heartbeat that's counting down."
Viktor looked at Chen, a silent understanding passing between them.
Chen turned to Jayce. "Jayce, you'll likely get the floor on Evolution Day in a week. Heimerdinger still believes in you. Don't do anything that would break that old Yordle's heart."
Jayce watched Chen leave, his expression torn between ambition and loyalty.
A week passed in a blur of preparations. Marcus, the Enforcer Captain, received a summons to the Council Chamber. He walked in with his usual arrogance, but it died the moment he saw the heavy iron doors latch shut behind him.
The Piltover Guards weren't standing at attention; they were in a low-ready stance, safeties off, fingers hovering over triggers.
All the Councillors sat in their high chairs, their faces like stone. Marcus felt a cold sweat prickle his scalp.
"Councilors?" Marcus asked, his voice cracking. "To what do I owe this... unusual summons?"
"What do you think, Marcus?" Lady Kiramman's voice echoed through the chamber like a gavel. "Do we need to tell you what you've done, or are you ready to confess to the blood on your hands?"
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