Twenty minutes later, Marcus left satisfied, having secured Jayce's promise to protect his family.
As for Jayce, his expression was grave. He felt the burden on his shoulders had grown even heavier.
"Jayce." Viktor, who had been listening for a long time, suddenly spoke. "I can help you solve the problem at Stillwater Hold. But would you be willing to give me a signed letter to promote the civilian inventions we developed before Hextech New Technology, under your name as a councilor?"
Jayce hesitated after hearing this. Thirty minutes ago, he might have agreed without a second thought. But the pressure on him now was immense. Every step he took had been too large; if anything went wrong with this matter too, perhaps he really ought to step down.
After thinking it over, he declined tactfully. "Viktor, we aren't Enforcers. We don't need to get involved in Stillwater Hold's affairs. I think our new inventions can still go through a few more iterations. I have something to discuss with Mel as well. Don't worry. Our great inventions will soon spread through every street and alley of Piltover."
As he spoke, perhaps feeling guilty toward his friend, he strode away with an unpleasant expression.
"Yes, every street and alley of Piltover. And Zaun remains the abandoned place." Viktor shook his head mockingly.
In truth, he had already known the answer when he asked. But people always held on to a few fantasies.
If humans became machines, would there be fewer worries?
He raised his head and gazed at the Flying Gate, lost in thought.
Drip!
At that moment, a cool drop of water fell from the sky onto his forehead, making him pause in surprise.
Then, a small bird made of water flew over with a note in its beak and dropped it into his hand before dissolving into a puddle of water.
Opening the specially made waterproof note, Viktor saw the neat handwriting upon it:
"A few days ago, I took the liberty of visiting your laboratory. Most of the inventions were quite good. Today, the Empire sent word that it is willing to establish a large factory specifically to mass-produce those inventions. If you are willing to accept, you may choose one of two profit-sharing plans.
"The first: you personally receive 50% of the profits from selling the inventions. The second: 30% of the products produced will be supplied to Zaun until its demand is met, but you will receive only 10% of the profits. —Ryan Meredith"
"What was this? The partner who invented things with me was hesitating, lacking confidence in facing the future. Yet someone I had only met a few times was willing to extend an olive branch?" Viktor murmured, mockery on his face.
He had looked into it. Ryan's situation in Noxus was not much better than Jayce's. Though his magical attainments were high, he had faced heavy controversy due to the defeat in Ionia. The superior who had looked after him was recuperating from injuries, so the resources Ryan could mobilize were limited.
And yet, under such circumstances, Ryan had specially built a large factory to recruit him. The gesture moved him deeply.
He understood clearly that after everything that had happened these past few days, he would never have refused Noxus's olive branch in the first place. He was certain Ryan understood that too, yet Ryan had still done this.
By comparison, Jayce had disappointed him completely.
"Perhaps it is time to live for yourself once, Viktor."
He murmured under his breath as he walked slowly yet firmly toward his laboratory.
The night was dark and overcast, yet the atmosphere inside Piltover's Grand Theater was fervent.
Mel and Jayce chatted in a private room, smiling as they pointed out the councilors in the other rooms.
Jayce's expression was conflicted at first, then gradually became resolute. He began wearing the smile of a politician, shaking hands with the councilors who entered the room and conversing with them pleasantly.
Elsewhere, the West Side was far from as harmonious as the Grand Theater.
Jinx sat atop a low building with a bored expression. After grumbling unhappily for a few moments, she raised the Gatling Machine Gun in her hands, and her childish face gradually twisted with madness.
Rat! Rat! Rat! Rat!
"Ahahaha!"
Fire flared from the top of the machine gun. Accompanied by her raucous laughter, bullets poured into Stillwater Hold in the distance.
Blood sprayed from the Enforcers standing guard, and they fell to the ground in agony.
The alarm was raised, and piercing sirens echoed through Piltover's night sky.
Inside the Grand Theater, Jayce's expression turned solemn when he heard the alarm. After exchanging a glance with Mel, he picked up the hammer he had placed in the corner of the private room and strode out resolutely.
Everything was for Piltover's better tomorrow!
Not long after Jinx began unleashing her firepower, the Enforcer squads reacted and fired in her direction. Gunshots mingled with the alarms, echoing endlessly through Piltover.
"Tch, how boring!"
Jinx muttered as she pulled an iron canister from her backpack and hurled it hard toward the Enforcers.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion rang out, accompanied by screams. Flames of death swallowed every Enforcer caught in the blast.
"Hmm-hmm~ hmm~ hmm!"
Humming a little tune, Jinx took advantage of the chaos to brazenly show herself again, raising her machine gun and spraying bullets everywhere.
The results were clearly excellent this time. At least five Enforcers were hit, while the rest fled with their heads covered, not daring to show themselves again.
Buzz!
Suddenly, an explosive crack sounded beside Jinx's ear. She could feel the danger of death closing in. Without time to think, she instinctively dove to one side.
Boom!!!!
A blue energy sphere struck the spot where she had just been standing. The ground was blasted open, and even the entire building shook several times.
Faced with this brush with death, Jinx froze.
She looked toward where the energy sphere had come from and saw the tall Jayce standing amid a ring of Enforcers. He held a massive hammer in his hands, now glowing blue. Clearly, a second shot was already charged and ready.
Jinx's expression darkened. Without hesitation, she pulled another explosive canister from her backpack and hurled it at Jayce with all her strength.
She herself retreated without hesitation.
Boom!!!
The blue energy sphere collided with the explosive canister and burst like fireworks in midair. The shockwave swept over the building where Jinx had been standing, covering its walls in spiderweb cracks as it teetered on the verge of collapse.
Seeing this, the Enforcers erupted into joyous cheers. They gathered around Jayce, surrounding him and hailing him as a hero.
Inside the laboratory, Viktor listened to the distant sirens and gunfire. Unhurriedly, he put on his hood and fitted the mechanical arm onto his shoulder.
"Please thank Lord Meredith for me, Miss Katarina."
"You can tell him yourself when today is over. He thinks highly of you. I hope to see what you can do." Katarina leaned against the wall and spoke coldly.
"As you wish!"
Viktor put on his monocle, opened the door, and headed toward the Kiramman estate.
Behind him, Katarina vanished into the shadows. The lights in the laboratory went dark, and no sound remained.
I made an error while working this morning, and the chapter order got mixed up. I'm releasing two extra chapters early. My deepest apologies!
These chapters mainly use Viktor's perspective, Jayce's perspective, and Silco's perspective to portray the Upper and Lower Cities and these people. Compared with them, the protagonist is more like a chess player—everywhere, yet not the one taking the lead.
I do not know whether readers will be able to accept this style, but in my eyes, Twin Cities is not a one-man show with a protagonist. Everyone should shine with their own light. There is no right or wrong, only conviction.
P.S. Please vote and add it to your collection! Thank you all for your support!
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