Tonight, We Are All Zaunites

"Two late-night visitors, welcome to Zaun."

The shorter man stepped forward, his unique white mohawk standing tall, a natural curiosity on his face.

"I'm Ekko, and this is Pete. The folks upstairs sent us to greet you two."

Ekko sized up the two beautiful girls in front of him. There was nothing about them that seemed to fit the Zaun aesthetic.

However, he noticed a few details.

From Seraphine, he could smell a Zaun scent. It was a smell originating from chemical gases, something that more or less clung to people who had lived in Zaun.

But the other one, he wasn't quite sure about. Orianna's beautiful eye sockets didn't hold clear black and white pupils; instead, they were set with a pair of light blue eyeballs, with a deep blue glow shining from within.

He felt like he'd seen those eyes somewhere before... and more than once.

"Hello, I'm Seraphine, and this is Orianna. It's a pleasure to be in Zaun; it's much better than I imagined."

Seraphine's bright, large eyes twinkled mischievously as she winked at Ekko.

The other person's soul song was all about the ideal of saving Zaun, and Pete, who hadn't spoken, also had a heart full of love for Zaun.

Oh, so this is the real Zaun?! It really is different from what she thought.

As they walked further into Zaun, Orianna also stepped off her hoverboard, maintaining her usual silence, but Seraphine asked with great interest:

"Mr. Ekko, your outfits are really cool. Are you Enforcers protecting Zaun?"

"Just call me Ekko. We don't bother with Piltover formalities here. I'm a Police Officer with Police Squad Two. It's similar to an Enforcer, but with many differences. We don't ask about your background here; as long as you're from Zaun, you can join us!"

Ekko pointed to the Zaun emblem on his iron armor, his face showing approval.

He hadn't expected that in just half a day, his impression of Zaun would change so drastically.

Helping the poor, providing work for those in need, and contributing to Zaun's future of fresh air and sweet water.

He had never felt so fulfilled in his life.

"Hehe, Ekko, you'll definitely become Zaun's Camille someday!"

Seraphine stood on her hoverboard, being carried forward, her face full of excitement for the unknown.

"Wait, who did you say?" Ekko's eyes suddenly widened.

"Ms. Camille, once Piltover's finest Enforcer," Seraphine said, covering her mouth with a giggle.

She heard Ekko's soul singing a song of past memories. Although she didn't know why he would connect Camille and Orianna, it didn't stop her from giving this adorable boy a little hint.

At the mention of the name, Ekko jolted, a look of sudden realization on his face.

Oh, Zaun above, he remembered!

It was Camille. That quiet girl's eyes were exactly like Camille's.

He had heard Vi, who was still wasting her days in Piltover, mention that Camille's eyes were originally sapphire blue, but later turned light blue because she had a Hex Crystal implanted as her heart.

So… this girl in front of him…

He hid his shock deep inside, trying to keep his body calm, forcing his voice to sound normal:

"I've heard of Ms. Camille's great reputation; I do hope to become as great as she is. We're entering Black Alley now!"

Seraphine listened to the song of the other person's soul, and couldn't help but gently cover her mouth.

This boy was truly interesting. When Black Alley was mentioned, his soul suddenly changed, and the song was filled with the sadness of memories.

Who is Vi? Who is Silco? Who is Benzo?

Oh, it's a song full of love, hate, and sorrow, truly lamentable.

"What is Black Alley? Why is it called 'Black'?"

Seraphine asked enthusiastically, listening to the song of the other person's soul.

"Black Alley was originally the darkest place in Zaun because the pollution here was the most severe. Whether day or night, you couldn't see the blue sky here, not a single ray of light from the sky," Ekko explained.

As he explained, he thought of the time he used to live in Black Alley. Bitter memories often leave a lasting impression.

"But now you can still see the stars in the sky here."

Seraphine pointed at the sky. Through the gaps between the dense buildings, a bright star could be seen twinkling in the sky.

"Yes… we can see the stars now," Ekko said, his expression unreadable, his tone filled with emotion.

He had never imagined that he would one day see the starry sky in Black Alley; that was something that should have only belonged to Piltover.

"Mr. Viktor returned with the technology he learned from Piltover, and in just one month, he completely transformed this place. He also made the people of Zaun understand that this land is not completely beyond saving."

Ekko recalled the figure he had seen that afternoon. The person was completely covered in metal, their face unseen, but he could tell from their voice that Viktor had a heart full of love for Zaun.

At least in terms of their passion for Zaun, Viktor was exactly like the native-born Zaunites.

"Everyone speaks so highly of him. I really want to see what he looks like."

Seraphine's cute, large eyes were wide, and she listened intently to the music sung by the Zaun souls around her.

Zaun really was different from what she had imagined.

"Ekko, you keep talking about what Zaun used to be like. What was it like?"

She was somewhat curious about this. Every passing soul mentioned it, and their voices carried resistance when they did, yet they couldn't avoid it.

"The Zaun of the past?"

Ekko paused his steps, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes:

"A garbage heap ravaged by Piltover, rivers infected with industrial waste, and the air filled with a putrid, acrid smell."

"I can't imagine that smell. The air now…"

Seraphine's nose twitched delicately, her face beaming with contentment:

"Has a faint floral scent."

"This is an air freshener developed by Mr. Viktor. Zaun will be much better under his leadership," Ekko remarked with heartfelt emotion.

"Hehe, modern Zaun truly is a beautiful city. But I think its transformation isn't just thanks to Mr. Viktor; it's also thanks to every one of you who loves Zaun."

Seraphine tilted her head, her eyes narrowed as she listened to the song of Ekko's soul, relaying it:

"It doesn't matter who Zaun's ruler is. What matters is that we, who were born in Zaun, are inspired with the passion to build our homeland. Every one of us is willing to contribute to our home."

"Are you also from Zaun?"

The other party's words resonated with Ekko, and he couldn't help but ask hesitantly.

"Ah?" Seraphine blinked, realizing she had forgotten to rephrase. She quickly explained, "Both my parents are from Zaun, so it's half my home too. My first time here, it really exceeded my expectations."

I've stumbled and fumbled my way to chapter 50. I never expected this book's reception to be so good; I'm truly incredibly grateful for all your support and generous tips, dear readers.

Every character in Runeterra has their own unique story, and each one is a heroic figure worthy of praise.

However, due to the main perspective, length, and limitations in my writing ability, there might be instances where certain heroes are glorified, others are disparaged, or some characters are even marginalized. I've tried my best to manage this, but sometimes it's genuinely difficult. Either it would lose its conflict, or it would damage a character's image. I will do my best to conceive and connect all the plot lines, ensuring that every character can showcase their charm through some narrative scenes.

Finally, thank you all for your support! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

P.S. A big thanks to "Mediocre Martial Artist" for the 500-unit tip!