"What… is that?"
Jayce stared at the huge robot in front of him, completely frozen in place.
The robot tilted its head too, curiously studying the "fleshy person" who kept staring at it.
"Hello! Fleshy person!"
"You can talk?"
"Language program! Is! Running!"
"That's incredible… It doesn't look like a very precise structure."
The robot looked extremely crude from the outside. It came from its rough design style, with even the steam pipes exposed on the outside.
Jayce could build machines that spoke, but this robot did more than simply speak. It could hold a conversation.
What did that mean? Did it have something close to intelligence? Was it a more advanced program, or something else?
"What's your name?"
"My name! Is Blitzcrank!"
"All right, I don't mean any offense. I'm just going to touch it a little…"
Jayce could not suppress his curiosity. He carefully reached out, and under Blitzcrank's blank lamp-like stare, he moved his hand toward the robot's round belly.
But as his hand drew closer to Blitzcrank's belly, toward what was obviously the engine compartment, the gemstone on his wrist began to faintly stir.
Jayce knew that reaction well.
It was the signature of Hextech.
"Hey! Are all topsiders this bad with boundaries?"
Jayce suddenly felt someone bump him with her shoulder. A girl with blue braids shoved him aside and walked up to the robot.
"How many times have I told you to watch out for strangers with bad intentions, sweetheart?"
Jinx dotingly patted Blitzcrank's lowered head, while Blitzcrank tilted its head and let out a puff of steam.
"Blitzcrank! Knows!"
"Is this… yours?"
Jayce frowned slightly and touched the gemstone on his wrist.
"He's not a thing. He's just a good kid with a metal shell."
Jinx stood in front of Jayce with her hands on her hips, a teasing smile tugging at her mouth.
"Never seen anything like him, have you, topsider?"
"…Haha."
Jayce felt a little awkward being mocked by a young girl, but he was not angry. If anything, his curiosity only grew stronger.
"So he was… built by you?"
"Me? I don't have that kind of skill. He was made by the greatest genius in Zaun~"
"Uh… Van?"
For some reason, Jayce thought of that name first.
"Huh? You know each other?"
"Ah… Yes. We're friends. Sort of… I came here this time to find him."
"Heh. Another business partner or something, right?"
Jinx immediately pulled a sour face and blew at her bangs in annoyance.
"Fine, I'll take you to him… Come on, my big darling!"
Jayce was startled by the intimate address, then realized she was talking to the robot beside her.
He scratched his head awkwardly and hurried after the two figures, one large and one small.
"Right, I still don't know your name."
"Call me by my proper name. Jinx."
"Nice to meet you, Jin… x?"
Jayce hesitated before saying the name. Jinx? What kind of parents named their child that?
"I'm Jayce."
"I'm not interested."
"Uh…"
"Seriously, can you people come here less often? Can't you let him rest once in a while? Do you all have endless business to discuss with him?"
Jinx counted on her slender fingers. Including this time, this was already the fifth time this week she had brought someone over.
No wonder Van ate so much and still never gained weight.
"Uh, I'm not here for business."
Jayce smiled, his expression bright and good-natured.
"I suppose I'm here… because of research."
"A research partner?"
"Something like that."
Jinx rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Great. A whole new kind of pest."
"…"
…
…
"Did you get to the bottom of it?"
"Completely."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. They were just a bunch of petty thieves."
"You only asked them? Did you use a little pressure?"
"Uh, I did."
"Mm?"
"All right… They had already surrendered…"
Ekko shook his head helplessly and directed the Firelights to carry the recovered liquor into the warehouse.
"Don't be too soft-hearted, Ekko. It's been a long time since anyone dared mess with the Lanes."
"It was just a small accident caused by a bunch of idiots who didn't know better. If they were really targeting us, would they have only stolen a few bottles of liquor? Aren't you being too sensitive?"
"Ah, when the safety of the whole Lanes is on my shoulders, I don't get to be careless. The Undercity isn't as peaceful as it looks right now."
Van took out his pipe and smiled in relief.
"But you have a point. Looks like I really was overthinking it."
"That's why I keep saying you need a proper rest. The Lanes have been wearing you down."
"Hah… I'm still not comfortable enough leaving things to you."
"That really hurts, you know!"
Ignoring Ekko's resentment, Van added tobacco to his pipe.
Click.
A lighter appeared from the side and was held out in front of him.
Van paused, then brought the pipe over and lit the tobacco from the flame.
"Thanks, Sati."
The red-haired girl took back the lighter and gave Van a shy smile before stepping aside. Van could not help looking at her twice.
"You two look pretty good together."
"Stop acting up, Ekko."
"What? I think she's interested in you."
"There are plenty of girls in the Lanes who are interested in me."
"But from the way I see it, you're a little interested in her too."
"I just looked at her a couple more times."
Van shook his head, took a deep drag from the pipe, and slowly breathed out the smoke.
"You know why."
"She does look a little like her… But that's a good start, isn't it? I think you two could try—"
"If you've got nothing useful to say, go help everyone move the liquor, all right?"
"…"
Seeing Van's unfriendly look, Ekko wisely shut his mouth. If he kept talking, that pipe was probably going to knock him on the head.
"Every damn day. I already haven't liked the sight of you lately."
In front of the customers and the Firelights, Van still preserved Ekko's dignity and resisted the urge to kick him over.
"Big tin can, wait for me at the door, okay?"
Van had barely taken two drags when he heard Jinx's voice.
"Van! Another pest is here~"
He rubbed his forehead with a headache. He had thought today would be a rare day without trouble.
As Jinx approached with someone who looked vaguely familiar, Van narrowed his eyes and studied him for a moment before finally recognizing the man behind her.
[End of chapter]