Looking at Vi, who could no longer resist wanting to throw punches, before Faen could react, a voice came from in front: "What are you doing? Stop!"
Although asking Vi to stop, actually this voice didn't have the slightest tone of dissuasion. Instead, it was filled with weakness from the inside out, as if she had just finished a round of arduous work. But perversely, while weak, the voice was filled with clearly perceivable satisfaction and even happiness. This made Vi feel disbelief, but she still forced herself to hold back the anger inside and stopped her fist.
Even if Vi couldn't control herself, Faen wouldn't be affected at all—standing here, if Vi could break Faen's defense, he would cut off his Ashlesh head on the spot.
Well, even if the current Ashlesh was half-disabled, Faen definitely wasn't an opponent in a head-on confrontation. But Ashlesh couldn't come out, and Vi indeed couldn't break the defense.
"Caitlyn!"
Looking at Caitlyn lying on Faen's shoulder with eyes full of water mist looking at her, Vi felt as if a knife was twisting in her heart for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and said: "I don't know what happened in this process, but I know, Caitlyn, this is definitely not your original intention! No matter what, I will—"
"What will you do?"
Looking at Vi appearing in front of her, even clenching her fists to confront Faen for her, Caitlyn found she wasn't as torn and painful as she imagined... because Caitlyn knew very well that no matter what, Vi didn't have the slightest possibility of defeating Faen.
Especially after witnessing Faen's power, ability, and even some thoughts with her own eyes during this period. Although somewhat difficult to evaluate in terms of private virtue, compared to the power Faen possessed, what Faen did now, which couldn't even count as petty evil, seemed not worth mentioning.
Moreover, she was even the benefiting party... bringing both cities onto the right track in Caitlyn's ideal.
Even if she still performed oral gymnastics with Zeri in the meeting today until neurasthenia... but even so, Caitlyn still thought this was correct. Because everyone was constantly striving for better, competing with each other. Instead of the unilateral exploitation and squeezing of the weak by the strong like before. Even if House Kiramman was once a vested interest, Caitlyn still disapproved of this behavior.
And compared to Faen... Vi was indeed a good person, but only limited to this.
Just like now, Caitlyn looked at Vi who was full of indignation, interrupting her only after a moment of silence: "What can you do?"
Some things are just like this. When not facing them, feeling nervous, uneasy, torn. But when this moment really comes, where are the parting in life and death, where are the nauseating melodramatic plots? Because when these things really happen, as the party involved, one will quickly realize that besides facing it, there is no other choice.
And with no other choice, all problems become exceptionally easy to handle.
Thinking this, Caitlyn couldn't help but recall what Faen had said to her before.
Avoiding discussing these issues with Vi all along, was she really thinking for Vi's sake, or purely avoiding this problem herself...
Realizing this, Caitlyn's originally nervous thoughts gradually calmed down, along with a pair of eyes gradually clearing from the complexity just now.
And this clarity, falling in Vi's vision, turned into a kind of indifference. This made Vi feel somewhat at a loss. Opening her mouth, then her voice was somewhat difficult, even carrying some disbelief and confusion as she asked: "You... Caitlyn, you... what does this sentence mean?"
"Literal meaning, Vi." Pursing her lips, meeting Vi's gaze, Caitlyn only remained silent briefly for a moment. Then the expression on her face returned to calmness, continuing to lie on Faen's shoulder and saying: "Actually calming down, we all know, Vi, Faen's strength is invincible to us..."
"This is not a matter of whether we can win or not!" Hearing this, Vi shook her head seriously, gritting her teeth and saying: "It's the joy factor, right? It's because of the joy factor! I know, I felt it just now, that feeling making the body gradually active!"
Vi clenched her fists and said: "If this is really your choice, I definitely won't intervene. But this is just like that guy Silco! That guy controlled the past Zaun through Shimmer, and now this guy uses the joy factor to control you, force you! No matter what, I will—"
"Has nothing to do with the joy factor; these things just make me realize some things more clearly."
Hearing Vi's words, especially when Vi linked the joy factor with Shimmer, Caitlyn couldn't help frowning. Because when fighting side by side with Vi, investigating matters related to Zaun and Shimmer, the two of them deeply understood and investigated Shimmer more than once. Including Caitlyn's initial vigilance against Faen—the characteristics of the joy factor in some aspects, especially physical enhancement, were indeed a bit too similar to Shimmer.
But having deeply felt the effect of the joy factor, Caitlyn knew very well that these two seemingly similar things were completely two different matters in underlying logic.
Thinking, Caitlyn also knew she needed to make Vi realize some things more clearly.
With this thought, Caitlyn said: "I am the top student of House Kiramman."
"...Suddenly... why say this suddenly?" Hearing Caitlyn's words, Vi looked at Caitlyn in front of her somewhat bewilderedly.
To this, Caitlyn just shook her head, then said: "I am the top student of House Kiramman, cultivated with the best resources since childhood. I know very well that no matter how hard I work, a large part of the achievements I can obtain today come from the family's resource inclination. This is the responsibility I bear naturally. And similarly, I also hope Piltover and Zaun can return to the correct track of history—at least the correct track in my heart."
Hearing these words from Caitlyn, Vi opened her mouth wide as if realizing something. But immediately following, she asked: "Then... what about you? Just for ideals, or things like family?"
"These things are very important to me." Hearing Vi's inquiry, Caitlyn shook her head. Then taking a deep breath, with a slightly complex expression, she said: "And for me personally... you haven't experienced it, so it's hard for you to imagine how addictive this feeling is."