A university professor wanted to be a gang boss. And the gang's underlings and enforcers were all proud prodigies of the University of Piltover.
This was already surreal enough.
Yet this "gangster professor" actually came over to ask her—a righteous Enforcer, the daughter of a Piltover Councilor—if she wanted to join them and act as their protective umbrella.
"Are you joking?" Caitlyn asked in disbelief.
"Of course not," Viktor explained. "Miss Caitlyn, by now, you should understand that the existence of the Iron Fist Gang and other Zaunite gangs is actually a part of Piltover's order."
"That is why an Enforcer cannot defeat them, and neither can a Councilor's daughter."
"The only thing that can defeat the Iron Fist Gang is another Zaunite gang recognized by Piltover."
These words instantly plunged Caitlyn into deep thought.
She recalled her mother saying something similar. The Iron Fist Gang could not be brought down. Even if they were, a new gang would quickly rise to fill the power vacuum they left behind.
Because Piltover needed the existence of these Zaunite gangs.
"Professor Viktor, do you mean..." Caitlyn realized something. "Since the existence of gangs is inevitable, you intend to become this 'gang' yourselves, replacing the Iron Fist Gang to control the order of the Zaunite Community?"
"Exactly." Viktor nodded earnestly.
He hid the true purpose of the Windguides and explained to Caitlyn, "Jayce might have mentioned to you that I am actually from Zaun. Not only am I from Zaun, but all these children you see here are from Zaun as well."
"I am already a professor, a Piltovan, and I can live in the safe, wealthy districts. But these children are still poor; they are Zaunites, and they can only live in the Zaunite Community controlled by gangs."
"The residents of the Zaunite Community have always been forced to endure the exploitation and oppression of these gangs. Protection fees, loan sharking, Shimmer potions... those gangs will think of every possible way to wring every last drop of blood from the impoverished Zaunites."
"Therefore, we do not intend to endure it any longer."
Looking at the Hextech Mechanical Arm suspended over his shoulder, Viktor's gaze grew increasingly resolute.
"We will take up arms, replace them, and become the new order of the Zaunite Community!"
This certainly explained their motives.
But Caitlyn still could not accept it. "You are all university students... Would the Iron Fist Gang really dare to provoke students from the University of Piltover?"
"Of course they dare!" Looking at this seemingly shrewd and capable, yet incredibly naive young lady from a wealthy family, Lina could not help but laugh.
"Even if we wear the uniforms of the University of Piltover, we are still Zaunites. Since the Enforcers never uphold justice for Zaunites, why wouldn't the Iron Fist Gang come and bully us?"
If her brother had not suddenly become Janna's Divine Selection, she would probably have been kidnapped by the Iron Fist Gang and sold as a rare commodity by now due to her family's loan shark debts.
"Heh... in the brothels run by the Iron Fist Gang, university students can even be sold for a higher price."
"..." Caitlyn fell completely silent.
In the past, she had always been accustomed to viewing Zaun through the lens of an Enforcer, seeing Zaunites as inherently bad seeds, the source of crime, and the instigators who ruined Piltover's public security.
It was as if this group of people had inferior genetics and were born villains.
But after the trials of these short two days, Caitlyn finally realized:
Zaunites were never the root of crime.
Poverty was.
Like Lina, and countless other ordinary Zaunites, they were themselves victims of poverty and crime. Yet, she had previously been so childish as to follow her colleagues in discriminating against them and despising them...
"I..." The more Caitlyn thought about it, the more ashamed and agonized she became.
What exactly should she do? Continue being an Enforcer, pretend she had never seen the truth, and uphold this unjust order?
Or...
"Join us, and together we will change this order!"
Viktor extended his hand toward Caitlyn.
Caitlyn's arm trembled slightly. She subconsciously raised it halfway, but then stopped in hesitation.
Her dream was to be the Sheriff of Piltover!
How could she become a gang's protective umbrella, a Piltovan gang boss?
Wouldn't that mean completely abandoning her original convictions, trampling the law like trash, and using her family's privileges to commit crimes for profit and run amok? How much different would that be from the bad guys she despised?
"No..." Caitlyn thought of the crux of the problem. "It is the poverty of the Zaunites that creates crime and leads to the existence of the Iron Fist Gang."
"Professor Viktor, even if you and your students ultimately succeed and replace the original 'bad gang' with a 'good gang'..."
"...the root of this problem will still remain unsolved."
Where there is poverty, there is crime. Where there is crime, gangs will naturally be dark; they cannot become clean.
A so-called 'good gang' simply could not exist.
"You cannot possibly succeed," Caitlyn murmured with a sigh.
"Why not give it a try?" Viktor controlled his Hextech Mechanical Arm, making it slowly rotate. "Our method has never been tried by anyone before, has it?"
"Mmm..." Caitlyn was still hesitant.
"How about this, Miss Caitlyn. Perhaps you can stay with us for a few days first. After you carefully understand what kind of organization we are, you can then make your judgment."
"We will make you believe that we are different from all other gangs—we have the ability to change all this injustice!"
Viktor's tone was incredibly impassioned. But Lina and the other Zaunite students beside him all faintly revealed looks of concern.
Caitlyn was, after all, a Councilor's daughter. She was theoretically their number one enemy.
Letting her operate alongside the Windguides and gain an in-depth understanding?
What if she discovered that the true purpose of their "gang" was not just to eradicate the Iron Fist Gang, but to overthrow and eliminate her mother and her family as well... would Caitlyn still act so friendly then?
If utilized well, this young lady would be the Windguides' greatest asset. But if handled poorly, she would be their gravedigger.
Everyone was very worried.
But Viktor harbored no such worries.
Not only was he unconcerned, but he also openly pulled a photocopied handwritten pamphlet from his coat and handed it to Caitlyn.
"You can read these articles when you have the time."
"Once you have finished reading and thinking them over, if you are interested in learning more about our cause, you can come find us anytime."
"..." Caitlyn hesitated briefly.
But she ultimately took the pamphlet out of curiosity and solemnly nodded to Viktor, promising, "Professor Viktor, I will seriously consider your proposal."
"I will also read these articles carefully."
With that, Caitlyn sighed and took her leave. "I will head back now. As for what you are doing right now... I... I will pretend I saw nothing."
She could not easily agree to Viktor's proposal and do something that completely violated the law and her principles.
But she still promised that she would think it over.
"That is enough." Viktor bid her farewell with anticipation. "Miss Caitlyn, we will await your reply."
"Mhm." Caitlyn turned and left with a complex expression.
And the moment she stepped out of the laboratory, the students anxiously gathered around.
"Professor Viktor, how could you give her that pamphlet?"
That was a pamphlet recording the complete Janna Thought!
"Where Did Zaun Come From?" and "Where Should Zaun Go?"—both of those articles were inside.
Especially the latter. That article straightforwardly stated that the short-term goal of the Windguides was to overthrow Piltover's colonial rule and achieve a single-city victory for Zaun.
This was a blatant 'rebellious text.' How could they let a Councilor's daughter read it?
"Professor Viktor, isn't this too risky?"
"Miss Caitlyn is, after all, a young lady from a major plutocracy, the daughter of a Piltover Councilor. Letting her know right now that we intend to rebel against the Piltovan lords... won't this cause trouble?"
Lina asked, fraught with worry.
She was truly afraid that Caitlyn would open the pamphlet, take one look, and immediately turn around to bring a squad of fully armed Enforcers to "exterminate the bandits."
But Viktor, well-prepared, took out another pamphlet and handed it to Lina and the students.
"No, you do not need to worry."
"The propaganda pamphlet I gave Miss Caitlyn is quite different from the contents Levi discussed with you yesterday."
"Mr. Levi only handed this pamphlet to me today through Janna's avatar, asking me to help photocopy and distribute it for the Windguides' early-stage propaganda work."
"Oh?" Everyone was very curious.
President Levi had actually quietly compiled another official propaganda manual for the Windguides?
And this manual was actually different from what he talked about yesterday?
The students curiously opened the pamphlet. After a cursory glance, they quickly discovered the catch.
The sections discussing Zaun's history and Janna's theories did not have much of a difference.
The questions of 'what' and 'why' were explained almost identically to before.
But when it came to 'how,' to the question of 'what should be done,' Levi's writing took a massive 180-degree turn.
Yesterday, he told everyone that the Windguides could only achieve victory through armed struggle.
Yet in today's propaganda manual, Levi did not mention a single word about armed struggle. He only stated that Zaunites needed to engage in 'peaceful struggle,' 'moderate struggle,' and 'bloodless struggle'...
He barely even wrote the word 'struggle,' instead only writing 'nonviolent noncooperation.'
"I-Isn't this the moderate, reformist faction that my brother severely criticized yesterday?" Lina could not help but question loudly. "If we use this kind of pamphlet for propaganda, won't it lead everyone down the crooked path of moderate reform?"
"It cannot be helped," Viktor sighed.
"Do not forget, this is Piltover. It is the enemy's stronghold."
Piltover's Enforcers, as well as the family spies of those major plutocracies, were not blind.
If the Windguides openly used yesterday's articles for propaganda, shouting 'Zaun Independence' and 'Down with the Council' on the streets of Piltover... it probably wouldn't take more than a few days before they were all collectively sent to meet Kindred.
"Using this kind of 'mild-toned' article now can still propagate faith in Janna."
No matter what path they took, as long as they adhered to the ultimate ideal of Great Harmony, they were believers of Janna.
"Once everyone has this kind of faith, we can further screen out the Zaunites among them with reliable backgrounds, officially absorb them into the Windguides organization, and preach the true path we intend to take."
Viktor explained with earnest sincerity.
"But is it really that easy?" Lina remained skeptical. "If they already believe in the ideology of moderate reform, how could they turn around and follow us in an armed struggle?"
"They will." Viktor smiled. "Your brother said—"
"Even if we do not propagate it this way, there will definitely be many people who believe in reformism. Rather than using theories to persuade them, it is better to let them awaken on their own."
"After all, the capitalist class will always be the best 'teachers'."
"They will personally use their fists to wake everyone up."