Two days later, the first Hextech Cannon in Twin Cities was developed.
That was the first Hextech Cannon that Jayce and a group of craftsmen worked through the night, spending more than forty hours to build.
The Hextech Cannon is entirely azure blue, with a crystal-like barrel made of highly resilient ore. Inside, the barrel is lined with a layer of iron plates to quickly cool it down after firing, allowing for multiple shots and enabling a barrage of cannon fire!
The first Hextech Cannon was a small cannon, easy to disassemble and install on the Hex Airship, avoiding the problem of the Hex Airship being unable to bear the weight.
Li Ke wasn't wrong to call it a small cannon, because in Li Ke mind, cannons were super steel monsters that weighed hundreds of tons, were tens of meters long, and had barrels several hundred millimeters in diameter.
Li Ke has watched quite a few World War II documentaries! He's not making this up!
The Hextech Cannon that Jayce created was only about the height of a person, with a barrel only a few tens of millimeters long and a length of about 1.2 meters. Equipped with a special Chemtech Bomb and propelled by the Hextech Gem, it could hit a target five kilometers away in five seconds with astonishing accuracy.
However, accuracy deteriorates beyond five kilometers, and beyond ten kilometers, it's basically a matter of firing randomly.
Looking at this thing, Li Ke didn't know what the Noxians would think when they saw it, but right now, the Twin Cities people were very excited because Jinx's words seemed to have opened a new door for them.
They dug out some weapons that were not used much before, or even tools that were not weapons but only used for mining or forging, and thought about what role these things could play on the battlefield.
A weapon is anything that can harm an enemy. A stone you pick up is a weapon, a stick is a weapon, and naturally, if used properly, these things can also become good weapons.
The important thing is to learn how to use it!
This is the philosophy that Jinx, the weapon master of the Twin Cities, taught them.
Piltover also allocated some airships and began equipping these Hex Airship with Hextech Cannon.
The cannon uses Hextech Gem with an acceleration rune as its core, alchemical gunpowder as its shells, and various biological and chemical bombs as backups. However, while Silco thinks it's very useful, Vander thinks it's inhumane.
Li Ke's ideas were similar to Vander's. The things Singed made were indeed inhumane. Some of them were not made to kill the enemy, but to torture them. Many of the biochemical potions he developed were used to modify human genes.
This thing is definitely unusable. If you throw a round of it on the battlefield, it will create a huge bunch of inhuman monsters. What will other city-states think of Twin Cities after that?
Tell me, who would dare to associate with Twin Cities then?
Magic is mysterious, and apart from Demacia, the other city-states and regions in Valoran are not afraid of magic. However, black magic is different; darkness is a word that people subconsciously reject.
Therefore, if some busybodies were to embellish the story and portray the biochemical potion as the power of a demon or dark magic, it would be extremely troublesome for Twin Cities to explain.
Furthermore, the power of the Chemtech Bomb alone was sufficient, since the Noxus soldiers' equipment was not as sophisticated as the Demacia '. Although they possessed the technology of rune steel, it was clear that not every soldier could use rune steel.
Only Noxians have earned merit in battle and possess honor can possess equipment made of runesteel.
Noxus does possess the technology to create runestones, but that doesn't mean they have a large quantity of them.
Otherwise, Riven wouldn't have fled to Ionia a farm girl and then been captured and taken back to Noxus. The main reason LeBlanc sent people to capture her was for the rune broadsword in her possession, which is extremely valuable even in Noxus.
Therefore, an ordinary Noxus soldier without rune steel protection would be reduced to ashes by a single volley of Chemtech Bomb.
So Li Ke was wondering, even with rune steel, could it really withstand Chemtech Bomb?
Since Chemtech Bomb are not magic, Li Ke had seen the "Magebane" forged from rune steel on Ambessa. That thing did have the power to absorb magic, but it only worked on magical power.
Bullets fired from Hextech rifles are ineffective against Noxians of the Magebane, but Zaun's Alchemist's Gun can pierce their bodies.
Therefore, it is clear that the Runestone, or at least the Magebane Spellstone, only works against magic. Is the Magebane's effect similar to the Demacia Petricite?
Hmm, thinking about it that way, the two cities aren't really that afraid of Noxus. They should be afraid of Demacia!
Demacia has an air force; the Demacia, with their dragonhawk cavalry, are not afraid of Hex Airship engaging in aerial combat, and their heavy armor is enough to allow them to withstand the weapons of the two cities.
Another one is Demacia, especially the Dauntless Vanguard army, whose members are all monsters.
The Dauntless Vanguard is the most physically fit and capable unit in Valoran. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that every soldier in the unit is a mini -Vander. After all, Li Ke had seen a CG clip of Garen joining the Dauntless Vanguard and training step by step, and several scenes in the clip left Li Ke speechless.
Those statues, weighing several tons, could be pulled down just like that!
Especially in the later stages, Garen became the vanguard of the army, the sword captain of the first shield line, with an iron chain tied around his waist, and the several-ton statue was pulled by running.
Li Ke was a little confused. Garen didn't know magic, nor had his body been enhanced by magic, so how could his physical attributes be so abnormal? No, it wasn't just him; the physical attributes of every Dauntless Vanguard were abnormal.
Well, the good news is that Demacia never wages wars of aggression. Even when Demacia launched several offensives against Noxus, it was to reclaim the territory that Noxus had seized; in essence, it was still a defensive war.
Demacia is wealthy, and they don't need to rely on war to sustain themselves like Noxus, fighting for territory and human resources. Demacia has never thought of being the master of the Valoran Continent. All they want is peaceful coexistence and to protect the land of Demacia.
Therefore, the future interactions Twin Cities and Demacia will not be the same as those Noxus.
Moreover, after developing the Hextech Cannon, Jayce seemed to have a second spring in his life. He gave the blueprints to others and began working on Hextech Cannon with different characteristics.
Jinx's words gave him a new understanding of "weapons," and therefore, the weapons that could be effective on battlefields with different terrains would naturally be different as well.
Therefore, Jayce is currently planning to develop two new types of Hextech Cannon, neither of which can be mounted on Hex Airship, because Jayce estimates that the weight of these two cannons will be around 100 tons.
However, it can be placed in Piltover as a weapon to defend Piltover. What Jayce needs for this cannon is its range, the ability to hit enemies hundreds of miles away, and its amazing accuracy!
The second type is a massive cannon that emphasizes power, because Noxus is said to have some kind of Immortal Bastion, right?
What Jayce wants is Hextech Cannon capable of blasting through the Immortal Bastion in one shot!
For this reason, he has been working on inventions in the lab like a madman lately.
However, after Li Ke learned of his idea, he really wanted to complain.
First, Li Ke had seen the cannons that Jayce envisioned, such as some of the most classic German heavy artillery from World War II. Their power was astonishing; a single shell could shatter an impenetrable fortress, and no amount of soldiers could defend the position.
The problem is, can the two cities really afford the development cycle, cost, and manpower required for such a massive cannon?
Not to mention, even if it could be made, the problem is that operating such a cannon would require hundreds, or even thousands, of people. Assembly and pulling would be major issues. Yes, Li Ke could provide human labor and oxen to pull the cannon, but what about the support personnel?
How did the two cities manage to find thousands of people specifically to serve these giant cannons?
But
Li Ke was also very excited. If Jayce really developed a weapon of that level, Twin Cities would be completely invincible in Valoran!
Some might say that Piltover and Zaun have opened Pandora's box; no one can know what Runeterra will become after such a weapon is developed.
But being in Runeterra is like being inside Pandora's box.
The power of Demigod is immeasurable. Karma's casual basic attack with her fan during the Noxian-Ionian War sank a Noxus warship, causing thousands of Noxians to fall into the water. The Ascended of Shurima can destroy mountains with a single basic attack. Above the stars, there are the Celestials, and even the supreme rulers who can crush a planet with a mere wave of their hand.
To call Hextech Cannon a toy in their eyes would be an exaggeration.
Therefore, unless it's a Star Destroyer?
Hiss!
Who says magic is the only thing with no limits and therefore no future?
Science and technology,
It also has immeasurable potential and a bright future!
Li Ke thought with some excitement.
"Boom!"
At Hoskall's command, the officer operating the Hextech Cannon fired another shot, while Hoskall picked up his binoculars and looked out at the sea.
Then a giant wave was blasted up, its spray shooting into the sky, carrying countless fish with it.
Li Ke didn't need a telescope; his eyesight was somewhat blurry, but it was sufficient for his needs.
At that moment, Singed came to Li Ke's side.
He was holding a Pocket Watch in his hand, and when he saw Singed coming over, Li Ke naturally knew what he was there to ask.
Ever since Singed returned to Zaun, he would come to see Li Ke every few days to ask Li Ke how to revive Orianna, but because he didn't have enough energy points, Li Ke told Singed to wait.
But having witnessed Li Ke's Singed, how could Singid possibly wait patiently?
The longer Singed waited, the more afraid he became. He feared that his hope was fading. The longer he waited, the more the flame of hope that had been growing in Singed heart was battered by the wind and rain, making the flame grow dimmer and dimmer.
Therefore, Singed walked up to Li Ke and was about to ask Li Ke for help again.
In fact, Singed knew that his frequent visits to Li Ke to ask questions every few days were a bit annoying, but he really had no other choice.
After all, everything Singed did in both cities—giving up his professorship at Piltover University to come to Bottom City and collaborate with Silco —was for his daughter.
It's interesting to think that the middle-aged people in the War of Two Cities were perhaps somewhat powerless to control their own destiny.
Silco is, Vander is, Singed. So is.
Even Ambessa might be one?
"You've come at the right time, Singed. I'll ask about Orianna right away. Don't worry, she'll definitely have a way," Li Ke said before Singed could even speak.
Li Ke remembered very clearly when he left the Soul Blossom space.
Ahri wanted delicious snacks for humans in the Material Realm, while Kindred wanted a book. Therefore, including the entrance fee, Li Ke needed to pay a total of three energy points. During this time, Li Ke had already accumulated two, Xiao Jin provided one, and the others provided one.
However, just before that, the firing of the Hextech Cannon aroused the emotions of the people in both cities present. A large amount of emotional energy surged towards Li Ke, finally filling Li Ke with his third energy point.
So, it's time to fulfill my promise to Singed, and at the same time, Li Ke also wants to go back to Soul Blossom to see Ahri, give her a gift, and also give Kindred a gift.
Of course, Li Ke had to repay Ahri and Kindred.
"Really?" Singed was taken aback, then his face lit up with joy. He exclaimed, "Then, what should I do?"
"First, Singed, take me to see Orianna. I need to be close to her and observe her situation before I can tell the entity behind me the details," Li Ke said to Singed.
To bring Orianna back to life, Ahri must first see Orianna's condition, which requires Li Ke to have personal contact with Orianna.
Ahri needs to read his memories.
Singed nodded without further hesitation, and seeing Singed's anxiety, Li Ke called out to Silco, "Silco, Singed and I have some things to attend to, so we'll be leaving now."
Silco didn't ask what Li Ke was going to do, but nodded, then smiled at Singed and said, "Congratulations, Doctor."
Singed looked at Silco, closed his eyes, and nodded.
"Let's go, Li Ke, I'll take you there now."
"I put Orianna in my lab. Her condition is special. To keep her body normal, I made a cold room with preservative solutions inside." Singed began telling Li Ke about Orianna's condition on the way.
Li Ke nodded.
But when he returned to Zaun, Li Ke asked Singed to wait for him there while he went to make some preparations. Singed nodded, and Li Ke then ran alone to the market in the Mid-level Plaza.
When Li Ke returned, he had two large bags in his hands. One was full of snack packaging, and the other was a large pile of books that looked quite old.
"This?" Singed narrowed his eyes, instinctively assuming these were gifts Li Ke wanted to give to his daughter, perhaps to celebrate Orianna's New Life Community?
But Li Ke smiled and casually said:
"It is a gift for the Deity."
"Let's go, Doctor."
A moment later, they followed Singed to his private laboratory. He was no longer living in the cave, of course, but the area where Singed was located was still designated as a restricted zone of Zaun, prohibiting Zaun residents from entering.
Because there are just too many dangerous goods here.
He led Li Ke upstairs to his room.
Then, in the room, Singed walked to a bookshelf, reached out and felt around on it, then pressed down hard.
"Click--"
The bookshelf moved, revealing a hidden room. Singed looked at Li Ke and said, "Please come in."
Li Ke walked forward curiously and looked inside the dark room. What he saw was beautiful pink wallpaper. Unlike Singed's messy room, which reeked of unpleasant alchemical fumes, this dark room smelled wonderful.
A faint floral fragrance filled the air. Various beautiful dolls were arranged on both sides, and in the very center stood a princess bed with a huge cabinet on it. The cabinet's glass was transparent, and in the viscous liquid, Li Ke saw golden hair cascading down like a waterfall. The owner of the hair was a girl with slightly chubby cheeks and a very cute appearance, her eyes closed.
Looking at her, Li Ke was speechless.
It seems the Riot Games has been secretly retconning all along!
Although some viewers had already speculated that Alchemy was the father of Clockwork after the Twin Cities aired, isn't Clockwork in the cabinet a bit too small?
She looked to be at most a year or two older than Isha.
Orianna is a child?
In the original lore, Orianna was definitely not a child, but a girl around the same age as Jinx. She was gentle and kind, and her body was damaged while helping the Zaunite. Colin Corin Reveck modified Orianna's body to save her.
Therefore, Orianna's appearance remains eternally youthful; judging from her appearance in the game and in the Rift, she is probably around twenty years old.
But the girl in front of Li Ke was only about ten years old!
Riot Games, what kind of worldview are you trying to distort?
This isn't just retconning the book; it's like they've completely replaced the author!
Putting aside his inner monologue about Riot Games, Li Ke stood next to Singed, watching him gently reach out and touch the cabinet, and asked curiously:
"Doctor, how old is she?"
Singed murmured, "Twelve years old. Her time was frozen on that day forever. If it weren't for that accident, she would be about your age now." Singed finished speaking, looked at Li Ke, a hint of sorrow in his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Then I'll leave it to you, Li Ke. Please, you must bring Orianna back to me."
"Don't worry, Doctor. Even if my method doesn't work, there will be other ways in the future. Orianna will return to your side, so please don't worry about that," Li Ke comforted Singed.
As things stand, Orianna's body has lost all vital signs, and unlike Ahri, Li Ke cannot sense a person's soul. Therefore, Li Ke does not know whether Orianna's soul is still in this body.
If they're here, that's fine, but if they're not, then it's going to be troublesome.
After all, the original story of Clockwork clearly states that Orianna gradually lost her humanity and emotions after becoming a Clockwork Demon, and gradually became a cold-blooded killing machine.
If a person lives but has no feelings, cannot think, and only acts on instinct, then does such a person possess a soul?
Li Ke was unsure, and he didn't know how to explain it.
But if I really had to give an answer, then Li Ke believes it has no soul.
Because memories and emotions are the carriers of the soul. Without these feelings and emotions, the mind would be a blank sheet of paper, with nothing on it.
Li Ke looked down at Oriana, then at Singed: "Alright, I'll get on with it now."
"How long will it take?" Singed asked instinctively.
"Don't worry, Singed, it might take me a while, but it'll only be a minute or two for you. You can check on your daughter first, I'll be right back," Li Ke said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Singed recalled what Li Ke had told the people of Zaun before: that he had spent a very long time in one place during the past year in Zaun. So, was Li Ke going to that place now?
Li Ke did not speak to Singed again.
Li Ke tied the two bags he had brought with him tightly, sat on the edge of the bed, and closed his eyes.
In front of Singed, Li Ke opened his mouth and murmured softly:
"Advent."
Welcome back to Soul Blossom, Summoner.